Archive for October, 2009

Dremel unveils new 4000 rotary tool, modders rejoice

Posted in Tools by Conner Flynn on October 5th, 2009

Dremel unveils new 4000 rotary tool, modders rejoiceIf there is one tool that is the most valuable to modders, it’s the Dremel. It’s small and amazingly versatile and anyone can use it. Without the Dremel, we would not have half the mods that we see here day in and day out. Well, modders will be happy to know that Dremel has announced its latest rotary tool, the Dremel 4000.

The corded rotary tool is the company’s top-of-the-line version and will do all of the usual cutting, carving, engraving, routing, sanding, you name it. It features adjustable speeds from 5,000 to 35,000 rotations per minute. It’s also the only Dremel tool that is compatible with all Dremel accessories and attachments. That includes the MultiSaw and Planer attachments for the 400 Series XPR rotary tool. Modders everywhere are smiling.

Toshiba unveils first Cell-powered Regza LCD TV

Posted in Toshiba by Conner Flynn on October 5th, 2009

Toshiba unveils first Cell-powered Regza LCD TVToshiba has another first on their hands with the 55-inch Cell Regza 55X1, the first LCD HDTV to be equipped with a Cell chip. The 55X1 offers a peak luminance of 1250 cd/m2, LED backlighting, a dynamic contrast ratio of 5,000,000:1, a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, 240Hz scanning, and Super Resolution technology which makes use of Cell power for greater image quality.

Some other features include a 7-speaker sound bar, DLNA support, an internet browser from Opera Software, HDMI and USB, and an SD card slot. You also get a ‘tuner box’ with 3TB of storage space, 2TB of that will be devoted to the “time-shift machine” feature, which can simultaneously record up to 26 hours of programming on up to eight channels.

General Imaging G3WP waterproof camera

Posted in Cameras by Conner Flynn on October 5th, 2009

General Imaging G3WP waterproof cameraGeneral Imaging has unveiled the G3WP digital camera, the company’s first waterproof point-and-shoot camera. It sports a 12.2-megapixel sensor, 4x optical zoom and 4.5x digital zoom so you can get those shots of sharks and other sea life without having to get too close.

Some other features are a 2.7″ LCD display and 116MB of internal memory if you run out of space on your SDHC memory card. There’s also PictBridge connectivity, smile, face and blink detection, image stabilization and automatic red eye reduction. That’s enough for any underwater adventurer.

Samsung Behold II for T-Mobile, unites Android with TouchWiz Interface

Posted in Samsung by Conner Flynn on October 5th, 2009

Samsung Behold II for T-Mobile, unites Android with TouchWiz InterfaceT-Mobile’s latest Android set is a full-touch handset that has a 5 megapixel camera with autofocus, flash, and video recording. Some other features include a 3.2-inch AMOLED display, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, and microSD expansion up to 16GB.

The Behold II also features the company’s TouchWiz UI with a 3D cube menu that will let you rotate through multimedia features like web browsing and YouTube etc. Nothing on pricing or availability yet, but you can expect it by the holidays.

Vstone’s Robovie-PC robot is a walking PC

Posted in Robots by Conner Flynn on October 5th, 2009

Vstone's Robovie-PC robot is a walking PCNormally custom programming for a robot can be a real pain, requiring that you make any changes on a computer, then connect the bot to the computer and download. This gets repeated a lot. As you can imagine it takes some time. But the Robovie-PC from Vstone sets out to change that because the robot is the computer.

This guy sports a 1.6GHz Atom Z530 processor, dual USB ports, VGA connector, and of course Wi-Fi, along with a 1.3 megapixel camera. Programming advanced functions should be much easier since the robot is the computer, capable of running Windows or Linux. This innovation doesn’t come cheap as the 15-inch tall bot will cost about $4,500.

Vonage releases Smartphone App for International Calls

Posted in News,Vonage by Darrin Olson on October 5th, 2009

Vonage mobile app for iPhone and BlackberryVonage, a provider of VoIP home phone services, has announced a new mobile application designed specifically for the Apple iPhone, iPod Touch and RIM’s Blackberry devices providing alternative discounted rates for international calls. The application is a free download available today available from the Vonage site or through the iTunes App Store.

The application will allow mobile users to dial international calls as they normally would with no extra steps or special numbers to enter, and those receiving the calls will see the mobile number in their callerID just like a regular international call. In the future Vonage plans on extending the offering to a monthly flat rate, but for now the discounted per-minute charges will apply.

Car Cam Voyager is a Black Box for your car

Posted in Automotive by Conner Flynn on October 4th, 2009

Car Cam Voyager is a Black Box for your carIt would be pretty handy to have a black box for your car, just like airplanes have. That way if you got into an accident, saw a crime being committed or got beaten up by a cop for no good reason, you would have a record of the event.

That’s basically what the Car Cam Voyager does. It acts like a black box. It’s the first video camera for the car that allows you to record what is happening in real time while you’re driving. The device can display captured video on the 2-inch 320×240 screen and can record up to 48 hours of video on the road to a 32GB microSD card.

Birdcage Backpack lets your bird come along

Posted in Pets by Conner Flynn on October 4th, 2009

Birdcage Backpack lets your bird come alongWe’ve seen a birdcage backpack before, but we didn’t know where to order one. Thankfully there’s one that’s actually available so that you can bring your bird with you everywhere. Just remember, during long hikes it will get heavier by the hour as the bird poop piles up.

The Pak o Bird backpack comes in one of three sizes depending upon the size of your bird. The $129 backpack has an included privacy curtain, dragonwood perch, and adjustable food cup. The mesh exterior is see-through yet chew-proof so your bird won’t escape.

Spy camera disguised as iPod shuffle

Posted in Spy Gear by Conner Flynn on October 4th, 2009

Spy camera disguised as iPod shuffleWe’ve seen plenty of spy cameras, but this one takes the form of something more commonplace that many of us have clipped to our persons. A fake iPod shuffle. The “Mini MP3 Cam DVR” as it’s called is an old shuffle lookalike with a 1.3-megapixel video camera, a TF slot and a rechargeable battery.

Once you turn it on, this small spy cam begins recording 640 x 480 20fps AVI video or taking JPEG shots. You can retrieve them via USB. No one will suspect that you are spying on them.

Brinno Digital Peep Hole Viewer

Posted in Home by Conner Flynn on October 4th, 2009

Brinno Digital Peep Hole ViewerForget looking through peepholes and having to squint to see who’s at the door. That’s the old way of doing things. With this Digital Peephole Viewer you’ll be able to see the smarmy look on that salesman’s face crystal clear. And if a serial killer comes to your door, you’ll know. Because they all have that look. You may not notice through a regular peephole, but with this you’ll know. Let him go hack up someone else.

You can easily replace your existing peep hole with this viewer in just five minutes. And it’s easy to use of course. Just press the button to view, and then press it again to zoom in.

Sumajin Ink Case for iPod Nano 5G

Posted in iPod Nano by Conner Flynn on October 4th, 2009

Sumajin Ink Case for iPod Nano 5GSumajin is offering a brand new Ink case for the fifth-generation iPod nano. The case is constructed of 1.5mm-thick high quality silicone and so will protect your Nano 5G from scratches. The Ink case will give you open access to all ports, controls, and the all important camera. So everything is accessible.

The Ink case is available in a whole bunch of colors and retails for $15 each. They don’t destroy the sexiness of your Nano all that much compared to some other cases.

Pre-order your Nokia E72 at Amazon

Posted in Nokia by Conner Flynn on October 4th, 2009

Pre-order your Nokia E72 at AmazonYou’ve probably been thinking about getting yourself Nokia’s E71. If so, hang on there partner. You may want to take a moment to consider the E72. Might as well since Amazon has now started to take pre-orders for the Nokia E72.

All signs point to the E72 being just as successful as the E71. Looks like it will cost you $469 unlocked, and it will be available in Zodium Black, which is way better than plain black or even pitch black. Besides, that’s your only choice.

Skytone Alpha 680 is back

Posted in Netbook by Conner Flynn on October 4th, 2009

Skytone Alpha 680 is backIt’s been a while since we heard anything about the Android-powered Skytone Alpha 680 netbook. You’ve probably forgotten all about it. We almost did.

Anyhow, some live pictures of the device have surfaced once again. And yes, the 7-inch touchscreen netbook looks nice as ever. Turns out there’s a reason the netbook hasn’t been very social as of late. Word has it that the device is still “not really stable”, which is pretty sad this late in the game.

Gyrobike trades training wheels for a gyrowheel

Posted in Personal Transport by Conner Flynn on October 4th, 2009

Gyrobike trades training wheels for a gyrowheelYou know the deal. When you’re just a little tyke getting the hang of riding your bike, you need training wheels. Well, the kids of the future are laughing at you. They are all using the Gyrowheel instead of training wheels, on a Gyrobike.

It allows the rider to stay balanced without training wheels and still learn to ride the bike. Think of it as invisible training wheels. The 12-inch wheel replaces the standard front tire, and has an adjustable-speed spinning disc that’s powered by a rechargeable battery.

Hello Kitty Mimobots are an army of darkness headed for USB ports

Posted in USB Flash Drives by Conner Flynn on October 4th, 2009

Hello Kitty Mimobots are an army of darkness headed for USB portsThese Hello Kitty Mimobots look absolutely terrifying when there are several together. They travel in packs you see, seeking out your USB port so that they can feed on your files like cute feline vampires in overalls. They are evil and I’m scared. These are in celebration of Hello Kitty’s 35th anniversary.

Sanrio and mimoco got together one stormy night and brainstormed over what kind of creepy thing they could do next. This is their Frankenstein creation. A 2 GB flash drive sells for $25, while the 4 GB version sells for $35 and there’s an 8 GB version that sells for $50.