Pac-Man mini portable mod

Posted in Games by Conner Flynn on August 28th, 2008

Pac-Man mini portable modMany of us have fond memories of Pac-Man as well as other Namco arcade classics, so what could be better then putting a whole bunch of Namco classics in a portable? That’s what modder Sam Thornley did. The portable Pac-Man Mini console is built around one of those Jakks Pacific Namco Arcade Classic systems, with a tiny 2.5-inch LCD display and it gets it’s power from a set of 4 rechargeable AA batteries.

He did a great job as the end result is a nice clean retro looking portable that will match your Wii. Thanks to a direct composite video connection, the screen image is super sharp. It will play Pac-Man, Galaxian, Rally-X, Bosconian, and Dig Dug.

The Linux Space Cube, apple-sized computer

Posted in Computers by Conner Flynn on August 28th, 2008

The Linux Space Cube, apple-sized computerThis thing looks like it’s alien in origin, but it’s made right here on Earth. It’s the future people! It’s the size of a small apple. And they crammed a lot inside. A 300 MHz processor, 16MB of onboard flash memory, 64MB of SDRAM, and a 1GB CompactFlash card loaded with Red Hat Linux. On the outside, it’s got a single USB port, VGA, Ethernet port, RS232 port, and mic and speaker plugs.

The entire deal is powered by a 5V plug. But that’s not all. It’s also got a “Space Wire” port, which is a proprietary interface used by people like the ESA, NASA and JAXA, for when the Cube actually goes into space. Get it? Space cube. But it’s not just for space, you can get your own soon, “once a few technical issues have been ironed out”. They will retail for as much as $2,769.

Mini USB Lightsabres for tiny duels

Posted in Star Wars by Conner Flynn on August 22nd, 2008

Mini USB Lightsabres for tiny duelsThe manufacturer claims that this $45 Star Wars USB Lightsabre is a lamp that connects to the USB port to charge up its battery and glows in the dark with a blue light, is “a lamp”. At 33 x 6cm, that’s not much of a lamp. It’s a toy, plain and simple. Jedis are shrunk down to tiny proportions and put into a ring for an all out death match, where they use these babies to slash each other to bits. I’m not entirely sold on the fact that such a small lightsaber can be fun for my desk, but since it glows and all, it must be true.

Mini Colecovision case mod hits ebay

Posted in Games by Conner Flynn on August 19th, 2008

Mini Colecovision case mod hits ebayAtari and Nintendo seem to get all the glory when it comes to case mods, but there are those out there with a love of Colecovision as well. Probably those who love to play the Smurf game. This mini ColecoVision does everything the original console did, it’s just smaller. A full 50 square inches smaller and 1 pound lighter to be exact.

In addition to shrinkage, the modder also gave it some upgrades. Like composite, S-Video and RCA audio jacks. It also boasts an “intro skip” button that will let you skip past those annoying loading screens on Coleco games. The console includes a refurbished ColecoVision hand controller, a Donkey Kong game cartridge, a power supply, and a six foot, gold-plated, A/V cable. If you can’t live without this thing, you till have 9 hours. It’s currently bid up to $374.99.

Bluetooth I-O Data mini keyboard

Posted in Bluetooth by Conner Flynn on May 29th, 2008

Bluetooth I-O Data mini keyboard
The I-O Data Mini Keyboard might be for you if you find that you can’t type quickly with the keypad on your cell phone. It connects with your handset via Bluetooth and allows you to type away as if you were using a standard QWERTY computer keyboard.

Granted, you will look like strange typing on this, but what are you gonna do? If you do need this device, you probably have a ton of e-mails you want to deal with while on-the-go, in which case it’s an ideal solution. Or maybe you’re just addicted to SMS. No word on price just yet or availability.

Dell’s first mini laptop revealed

Posted in Dell by Conner Flynn on May 28th, 2008

Dell’s first mini laptop revealed
At the All Things D conference, Gizmodo’s Brian Lam ran into Michael Dell and learned about a new prototype laptop that, until then was all very hush hush. It’s got a bright red candy shell, with the body being similar to an Asus Eee PC.

So those in the market for an Eee PC might want to sit back and wait a bit as it’s about to enter the sub-$500 mini-laptop world. It’s just pics at the moment, but specs will be coming soon. The pics do reveal three USB ports, a card reader, VGA out, and Ethernet.

Earth Trek: “world’s smallest” projector

Posted in Projectors by Conner Flynn on May 26th, 2008

Earth Trek: “world’s smallest” projector
Though it likely won’t hold the title for long, Earth Trek has christened their new 90-805R projector the “world’s smallest”. It measures roughly 4 inches X 2 inches.

The device will give you a 22-inch diagonal image, though I have no idea from what distance. It sports an SD card slot and a 3.5 mm jack A/V input, built-in lithium battery good for 1-2 hours, MP4 player and built-in speaker. Nothing on price or a date yet, but expect it very soon. Not much else to see here, move along.

Alien Mini-Speaker is happy, creepy

Posted in Speakers by Conner Flynn on May 7th, 2008

Alien Mini-Speaker is happy, creepy
It should be noted that I don’t trust anything that smiles constantly. Especially when it looks like this. The thing looks like it’s wearing some kind of gruesome death mask meant to be ironic when it kills you.

But if, unlike me, you find these little terrors cute, this Happy Alien Mini-Speaker can attach to your iPod, MP3, or MP4 player. With a USB rechargeable Li-ion battery, you can extend or retract its neck to change the volume. The speaker also features a 3.5mm stereo audio connector and comes in orange or blue. Get one for $11.90.

Pix-L mini PC & alarm clock

Posted in Concepts by Conner Flynn on March 20th, 2008

Pix-L mini PC & alarm clock
Designer Jean Hong has a slightly different vision for the Ultra-Mobile PC (UMPC), and that vision is the Pix-L. The device functions as both an alarm clock and a browser for your bedside. If you want to view it on your nightstand, you can prop up the mini-screen or turn it around for a better angle from above, that way it’s ideal for viewing while you’re lying on your stomach.

Just let it wake you up in the morning, then detach the PC from its stand for portable computing. Even the color scheme shown here is super nice. I would be very surprised if this designer isn’t working for Microsoft very soon.

Samsung SGH-X830 Mini MP3 Phone

Posted in Digital Audio, Mobile Phones, Samsung by Darrin Olson on November 10th, 2006

Samsung Samsung SGH-X830I really like seeing unique and innovative designs with new mobile devices, and Samsung has come up with a unique design with the SGH-X830 “Mini MP3 Phone”.

The X830 has a swing-open style that allows the device to work as a compact MP3 player when closed and as mobile phone when swung open. The design comes in 6 different colors - black, candy pink (both pictured here), pure white, oasis blue, orange and lemon green to blend into many different tastes, while the dimensions of the Mini MP3 Phone are a mere 84×30x19.9 mm …





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