Archive for August, 2009

Nokia Money payment system

Posted in Nokia by Conner Flynn on August 26th, 2009

Nokia Money payment systemNokia just introduced us to their new payment system, which is simply called Nokia Money. The new payment system is set to offer banking to the poor and those in developing countries who don’t have the kind of banking choices that we have.

It’s based on Obopay’s existing cellphone payment system in North America and Europe and will use current cell phone features to pay for items in stores. You can also use it to pay bills, other people etc. Nokia Money will be formally unveiled at Nokia World on September 2nd and will be available early next year.

Wall-E and EVE USB flash drives

Posted in USB Flash Drives by Conner Flynn on August 26th, 2009

Wall-E and EVE USB flash drivesRemember that Wall-E flash drive that we featured awhile back? Well, now he has a companion. I present the EVE flash drive. Made by the same etsy seller who created the original.

You can now get them as a couple, the way Pixar and robot love intended. For $120. Who can resist? Wall-E is holding EVE’s pistol arm and defending her in the pic above. These two have a love that knows no bounds and sells movie tickets like nothing else. Now let them store your data.

Sirius XM SkyDock converts your iPhone into a Satellite Radio

Posted in Satellite Radio by Conner Flynn on August 26th, 2009

Sirius XM SkyDock converts your iPhone into a Satellite RadioSirius XM’s SkyDock isn’t super sexy. It isn’t elegant. It is what it is, a standalone satellite radio receiver with an iPod connector that will let you listen to space radio on your iPhone or iPod Touch. And that’s fine with us because it’s the only way to do so.

The dock uses iPhone OS 3.0′s new hardware support and plugs into your car’s DC jack for power and support. This dock will cost you $120, plus the required subscription to Sirius XM radio. A free companion app sets your iPhone up as a radio controller. Pretty cool.

XA-LM1 LessonMaster audio recorder with guitar tuner and microSD card reader

Posted in Voice Recorders by Conner Flynn on August 26th, 2009

XA-LM1 LessonMaster audio recorder with guitar tuner and microSD card readerVoice recorders come in pretty handy for musicians, if you have a song you want to lay down and remember later, but sound quality is usually not that great unless you shell out a ton of money. Well, JVC Japan is tossing their hat into the ring with the XA-LM1 LessonMaster.

This one features stereo mics, a digital audio recorder supporting PCM wave files (48kHz/16bit) or MP3s (up to 192KB), a 2GB microSD card, 23mm speaker, metronome, and a chromatic tuner. If you want to use the tuner, you’ll need to be able to read Japanese though. It will arrive in early October and cost about ¥26,250 or €195.

Amazon announces next phase of Frustration-Free Packaging

Posted in Amazon by Conner Flynn on August 26th, 2009

Amazon announces next phase of Frustration-Free PackagingThey may have taken the first steps in Frustration-Free Packaging last November, but now Amazon is ready for the next phase. I think we can all appreciate this one. Most of us are tired of struggling with the packaging that our gadgets come enshrined in.

Amazon is making good on their promise to kill clamshell plastic cases and other annoyances. With partners like Fisher-Price, Mattel, Microsoft and Transcend, Amazon has now announced that Kingston is also getting behind the initiative. David Sun, co-founder and chief operating officer of Kingston is also pointing out the eco-friendly benefits of the decision. Awesome news.

Sanyo LP-XU106 projector

Posted in Projectors by Conner Flynn on August 26th, 2009

Sanyo LP-XU106 projectorThe Sanyo LP-XU106 projector has some awesome specs that take it to the industry’s highest brightness level at 4,500 lumens. This is the ultra portable segment we’re talking here,. It’s no pushover when it comes to its other features as well.

The Sanyo LP-XU106 projector features a contrast ratio of 1,000:1, Corner Keystone Correction Function and an Easy Setup Function. No word on what the resolution is, but at least you’ll be able to see the projected images in a bright room.

Mad Catz unveils Modern Warfare 2 accessories

Posted in Controllers by Conner Flynn on August 26th, 2009

Mad Catz unveils Modern Warfare 2 accessoriesMad Catz is going all out for the release of the Modern Warfare 2 game this November. They’ve announced some new accessories to enhance gameplay, including some custom controllers, a “Throat Communicator”, mice, faceplates and “skinz”.

Prices range from $15 to $100 for 10 different items, so it looks like the war to be fought involves your money. Hopefully a “Throat Communicator” is more then just a little communicator attached to a strap for your throat. We should know more soon.

Dell Studio XPS 13 and 16 now in white

Posted in Dell by Conner Flynn on August 26th, 2009

Dell Studio XPS 13 and 16 now in whiteThe color of a device may not be the biggest factor that you consider when contemplating a purchase, but it’s always nice to know that you have options when it comes to buying a Dell XPS. At least your Wii won’t be so lonely now.

They dropped white from the XPS line a long time ago, but here it is it back, with “Arctic White High Gloss”. The option will cost you $40 on either the XPS 13 or 16. We have to admit, it looks good in white. But let’s face it, you could get an extra 1GB of DDR3 RAM instead for that price.

Amber Alert GPS intros GPS 2G device

Posted in GPS by Conner Flynn on August 26th, 2009

Amber Alert GPS intros GPS 2G device These days you can’t be too cautious about the safety of your child. And so Amber Alert has introduced their Amber Alert GPS 2G child tracking device. It will keep tabs on the little ones and give you peace of mind. The Amber Alert GPS 2G allows parents to limit their child’s boundaries with a pre-designated safe zone regardless of where they are.

The device also creates a “bread crumbing” trail of the children’s route by using a series of alerts and alerts you when they get to their destination safely. You’ll also get voice monitoring and the ability to monitor the vehicle’s speed.

GoPet scooter debuts offering eco-friendly transportation

Posted in Home,transportation by Shane McGlaun on August 26th, 2009

gopetscooter-sbIf you are looking for a way to commute over short distances or get around campus without breaking a sweat or buying gas there are a few options for you. One of the options is the Segway, but the things are very expansive.

A new electric scooter has debuted that is perfect for around campus travel called the GoPet scooter. The device has a 48V, 350W direct drive front hub motor. The motor is capable of moving the scooter at up to 16mph and it has a range of 25 miles on a single charge.

Acer launches Veriton Z280G AIO

Posted in Acer by Shane McGlaun on August 26th, 2009

acerveritonz280-sbAcer has been adding to its Veriton line of computers recently with affordable gear aimed at business users. The company offered up its Veriton nettop not long ago and now Acer has added a new all in one to the Veriton line.

The new Veriton Z280G is an all-in-one desktop with an Intel Atom N270 CPU running Windows XP Pro with a Vista Business option. Acer equips it with 2GB of RAM and a 160GB HDD. Five USB ports are offered for expansion.

Asus whips out wireless router with printer sharing

Posted in ASUS by Shane McGlaun on August 26th, 2009

asusrtn13u-sbI once had a wireless router and a wireless print server set up on my home network. The print server was such a pain that I ended up removing it from my network. I always wished that my router would allow me to share printers and other items.

Asus has announced a new wireless router called the RT-N13U that offers all sorts of functionality. It supports 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi connectivity and allows you to share printers across the network as well. The router doesn’t stop at printer sharing and allows the sharing of external storage.

SendStation PocketDock charges iPod with any USB cable

Posted in iPhone Accessories by Shane McGlaun on August 26th, 2009

sendstation-sbOne of the things that I never liked about my iPod and the iPhone was that you always had to carry that Apple charge and sync cable with you. I would like to be able to take a plain USB cable with me that would allow me to charge several of my gadgets with one cable.

A new device called the PocketDock from SendStation has been announced that allows you to charge with a normal mini USB cable and connect the iPod to your home stereo. The device plugs into the charge port of your iPod and offers a 3.5mm output and a mini USB plug.

$3,000 Steampunk USB flash drive

Posted in USB Flash Drives by Conner Flynn on August 25th, 2009

$3,000 Steampunk USB flash driveWe love Steampunk around here. We’ve certainly featured our share of steampunk gadgets. And this USB drive is another pretty nice example of the art form, but it’s insanely priced at $3000. I would pay maybe $100 for this flash drive. Maybe $300 if I had some disposable money.

It has some great detail work and looks pretty awesome, so it’s a shame that it’s priced so high that no one will own it. Could be a typo, but somehow I doubt it. Now the Steampunk phone from Russia. That I could pay handsomely for.

USB Tortoise Massager

Posted in USB by Conner Flynn on August 25th, 2009

USB Tortoise MassagerEveryone knows that despite being slow, turtles are master masseuses. You just have to book your appointment in advance since they take their time. Brando’s USB Tortoise Massager sure looks like it would be relaxing. He’s basically a vibrating turtle with a USB connection that should sooth your tense muscles with his legs.

It’s powered by a pair of AA batteries, not by USB. God forbid he put some power into the massage. How much money would you expect to “shell” out for such a massager? Well thankfully the price matches this little guys power at only $10.