Gadgets 2008

by Darren Murph, posted Aug 18th 2008 at 8:36AM
We’re (so) looking forward to the day when we Americans don’t have to look longingly at the amazing navigation units that pop up every month or so in South Korea, but until that fateful day arrives, we’ll continue drooling courtesy of the Easycar U7. This screen-dominated conglomerate features a 7-inch LCD, DMB TV tuner, 19-millimeter thick frame and an integrated multimedia player / text viewer. All that for just ₩199,000 ($191)? Nah, we’re not envious at all.

[Via Techie Diva]

• Read
• Permalink
• Email this
• 9 Comments

Filed under: GPS, Portable Video

While I hesitate to make a joke at JFK’s expense (because he happened to have a severely bum leg), Franklin Delano Roosevelt comes to mind as the perfect target for polio jokes. Watch out LOLCats! LOLPolio is comin’ to getcha! Of course, you don’t need polio to have fun with crutches. A broken leg would do just fine.

And injuries have never been as fun or productive as they are these days, with gadgets being released to enhance a typically uncomfortable experience. For example, this Multi-Function Crutch is sort of like the Swiss Army Knife of medical aides. These forearm crutches contain an LED torch, an alarm and red signal lights, we’re guessing to protect from further injuries caused by being struck by a moving (or parked, you klutz) vehicle.

Aside from the go-go-gadget-crutch features, the Multi-Function Crutch is designed to reduce strain on your arms and wrists, and perfect for all ages. While the product description lists the crutch as great for use while climbing, you’d think that once you have a leg injury, it’s time to give up hiking and mountain trekking for a few weeks. Give yourself a chance to lick your wounds.

The Multi-Function Crutch is available from Gadget4All for $31. If you’re just not the type of person who’s going to sit back on their keister and let the world continue pressing on without them, then a set of crutches such as this might help you safely move around the obstacles of everyday life.

Product Page via 7Gadgets

• Email to a friend
• Leave a comment

Everybody loves pizza - just ask the Ninja Turtles and they’ll tell you just how many tons of cheese and pepperoni they have consumed over the years with Master Splinter. Enter the Stonebake Pizza Oven that makes baking your own pizza so easy, you’d best get a more intensive exercise routine to help fight the calories that come with loads of pizza.

As well as an upper grill, this brilliant gizmo features a spinning stone element that imparts a unique stonebaked flavour to your favorite circular snacks. Simply pop in a pizza - frozen, fresh, pre-baked, whatever - adjust the dual timer, close the lid and Giovanni’s your uncle. You can even watch the cheese bubbling via a viewing panel in the lid. The intense heat generated by this mains-powered baby delivers an authentic-tasting pizza with a gorgeously crispy base before you can say ‘quattro formaggi’. (Well maybe a bit longer). Even a fresh pizza takes only 10 minutes. If you prefer your Giuseppe a little sloppier, just adjust the timer. As soon as the Stonebake Pizza Oven starts to work its magic, the heady aroma of stonebaked dough fills the air. It’s just like being in a Neapolitan pizzeria. If you ever tire of pizza (as if), this idiot-proof appliance comes with a special deep dish for cooking all kinds of delicious snacks: from omelettes and pasties to quiches and croissants. Enormous ovens? Who needs ‘em.

You can bring home the Stonebake Pizza Oven for just £49.95.

• Email to a friend
• Leave a comment

MobileTechReview has a review of the HTC Touch Dual and writes, “The camera is a 2 megapixel model with an autofocus lens. Focus speeds are decent by camera phone standards and images are slightly above average. The autofocus significantly improves portraits and close object shots but does little for landscapes and there’s noticeable over-sharpening at fine and superfine quality settings that makes tree leaves and water ripples distracting. There are plenty of settings to tweak images including white balance, brightness, contrast, sharpness and these do help. There’s a self-timer and pre-sets for action shots, multi-frame shots and more. The Touch Dual can save directly to a microSD card or internal memory and it can send these files via Bluetooth.”

Read more about the HTC Touch Dual.

Australian PC Authority does a first look review of the Palm Centro and writes, “Centro is the first Palm smartphone since the 680 to run Palm OS (OS v5.4.9 Garnet) rather than Windows Mobile, and it features the 680’s 312 MHz Intel processor. It offers consumer-friendly features such as threaded SMS, PocketTunes, a 1.3 megapixel camera, video capture and Google Maps integration with the address book…Palm’s new Centro is a stripped-down smartphone with a tiny QWERTY keyboard and a tiny price tag. It’s a pre-paid phone only available from Telstra, which makes sense because it’s not 3G so you’ll get the best data speeds from Telstra’s EDGE network. It features Bluetooth 1.2 and IR but no wifi, which the target market probably doesn’t want anyway.”

Read more about the Palm Centro.

These retro cameras from Superheadz, called “Blackbird, Fly” are reminiscent of the twin lens reflex Rolleiflex cameras from the olden days, only these cameras take 35mm film rather than the traditional medium format film used in the originals. But, in honor of the originals, these new cameras produce square images (just smaller) so you retain that full retro feeling when you’re looking at the results. Trends in Japan tells us this camera will sell for under $100. Maybe they’ll be out in time for the holidays.

More on retro cameras:
LOMO retro cameras
Fisheye camera #Two

by Joshua Topolsky, posted Aug 17th 2008 at 10:26PM
Well whaddya know? The iTreo 800p is finally selling on eBay! We thought the day would never come that we could actually get our hands on this totally sweet — and absolutely real — phone. Man were we wrong. Sure, the listing says you’re selling off a Treo 800W, but given the large amount of completely reassuring blue text, scrolling text, and large font text, we’ll happily accept that we will, in fact, receive the device pictured above via UPS Next Day Air. So, yes. Yes. We will “buy it now” for $349.99, safe in the knowledge that by this time tomorrow, we’ll be the only guy on our block busting out the iTreo 800p at parties, pool halls, and any place else where all the happenin’ stuff happens. Thanks “naseemajid” — you’re A+++++ in our book.

Update: It appears the eBay auction has been pulled. We can’t imagine why.

[Thanks, Spencer]

• Read
• Permalink
• Email this
• 52 Comments

Filed under: Cellphones

by Thomas Ricker, posted Aug 18th 2008 at 6:35AM
We’ve seen these zoom lens add-ons before. Now Brando’s slapped together this 6x “Telescope” for the iPhone 3G — a phone not exactly revered for its image quality. Just snap the unit to the back of the iPhone 3G and get to work. How good is it? About as bad as the $19 worth of optics within. Seriously, 19 bucks and available now.

• Read
• Permalink
• Email this
• 8 Comments

Filed under: Digital Cameras, Peripherals

Filed in archive Accessories by jim on August 18, 2008

<!– –>

Digital Photography technology moves fast and it's been a while since we've looked at digital photo frames let's see what the latest ones offer.

If you haven't checked out the latest digital photo frames you'll probably be amazed, as was I, at the advances made, such as Wi-Fi connectivity and remotely controlled frames.

Check out this video for everything you want to know about digital photo frames past and present:

Chris | Live Tech Support | Video Help | Add to iTunes

Here's an excellent article about the latest digital photo frames.

Take a camera with you whenever possible, and look around, you'll find a picture somewhere.

Source:www.alibaba.com

Suunto is famous for its brand of hardcore and tough wristop computers, and this time round we have the Suunto X10 that will oust the outgoing Suunto X9i. The latter is the company’s flagship outdoor GPS (Global Positioning System) wristop computer, and you can be sure that the more powerful X10 will come with superior and upgraded features to keep up with the changing times. Some of the more notable improvements include improved tracking, longer battery life and faster performance, including the ability to track better in difficult conditions such as heavy foliage.

The Suunto X10 is a small and lightweight wrist-mounted GPS device which features hands-free operation, so you can focus on the action instead of worrying about dropping or losing your GPS. The Suunto X10 also records waypoints and routes, allowing users to analyze and catalog trips on a home PC. Compatible with several digital mapping services, including National Geographic, TOPO! and Google EarthGoogle Earth , the package includes Suunto Track Exporter PC software to make route planning and waypoint programming easy and accurate. Users can plan their trips on a digital map and download routes directly onto the watch or print out their own customized maps. The software also allows users to export “tracks” from their GPS units to Google Earth, where they can view their adventures anywhere with satellite imagery. When navigating on a pre-planned route, the Suunto X10 shows the direction and remaining distance to the next waypoint and calculates the estimated time of arrival. When you’re on the move, it shows the current speed and distance traveled using GPS functions.

The Suunto X10 also comes with an altimeter, barometer, digital compass and thermometer in addition to standard time/stopwatch functions. You will be able to choose from two colors to suit your taste (wish it came in more choices though), and the battery is touted to last for 33% longer than the previous model. No idea on pricing, but the Suunto X10 will hit the market this September.

Source: Gizmag

• Email to a friend
• Leave a comment