Friday, April 17, 2009

The Beatles: Rock Band limited edition bundle priced, detailed


Finally, a few whispers straight from the horse's mouth. While we've heard rumor after rumor regarding the actual hardware to be bundled in with the sure-to-be-hot The Beatles: Rock Band, MTV Games, Harmonix and EA have come forward today with a few succulent tidbits to keep you interested until the 09.09.09 launch. We're told that the Limited Edition Premium Bundle will include the game itself, a Höfner Bass (which will undoubtedly do Sir Paul McCartney and southpaws the world over no favors by being right handed), a microphone, a microphone stand, undisclosed "additional special content" and the real kicker -- a Beatles-inspired and Ludwig-branded Rock Band 2 drums, complete with a classic pearl finish and vintage replica Beatles kick drum head.

The whole kit is slated to launch worldwide this September, with USers having to pay $249, Europeans paying €199 and Britons paying £179. Finally, we're told that North American and European fans who pre-order any version of the game will be eligible to join the The Beatles: Rock Band Pre-Order Club and "receive breaking news and access to exclusive game elements including art and behind-the-scenes footage directly from MTV Games and Harmonix." Oh, goody!

Samsung comes clean with self-encrypting SSDs


It seems that Dell jumped the gun a wee bit by shedding some light on Samsung's forthcoming self-encrypting SSDs, but now Sammy is providing us with all the missing details... er, most of them, anyway. In conjunction with Wave Systems, Samsung is launching what it calls an industry first with its new line of solid state drives. Said devices are able to automatically encrypt information as it's saved to the drive, and they each come bundled with Wave's EMBASSY management software. At least initially, these super secure SSDs will ship in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB flavors, and while we're told that the whole lot is available now "through at least one major OEM," there's no specific mention of price. Shocker, we know. The full release is after the break.

Acer AspireRevo: the Ion-infused unboxing


We just tore the packaging off of Acer's new AspireRevo nettop and dove into its Ion-powered goodness. The computer is in many ways a product of NVIDIA's designs, since the Ion-powered nettop reference platform has been a part of the Ion ecosystem for a while, and this Revo apple doesn't fall from the NVIDIA tree. Still, Acer had to go ahead and build the thing, and it's a pretty great package all-in-all. We're still in the preliminaries -- the HDMI didn't work out of the gate, but after swapping back and forth a few times with the VGA plug we were in business -- and we're playing with a potentially buggy "engineering sample," but hopefully we'll be able to pull together some cohesive impressions on the thing, and play a bit of Spore while we're at it. It's already obviously the fastest Atom-powered device we've played with, and while it still pretty much chokes on Hulu and that whole "multitasking" concept, we're pretty pleased so far.

Public rage stalls Time Warner trials of consumption-based internet

Time Warner's new data capping broadband scheme was never expected to win any popularity contests, and the details of its plans are so frustrating, that this probably should not come as a surprise. Regardless, it looks like the company's plan to further roll out testing of the consumption-based billing method has been foiled, or at least stalled, because it couldn't find enough customers to participate in the testing. TWC had planned to test in several locations, including San Antonio and Austin, Texas, but the response has apparently been so negative, and there were so many complaints, that the company has "delayed" the trials until October. So... maybe if we keep moaning about it the plan will be abandoned altogether? Here's to hoping, anyway.

[Via The Register]

Verizon's iPhone-like Hub 2 hands-on

We had a chance to sit down and play with Verizon's next iteration of its Hub (already guys?), and while it wasn't a mind-blowing affair, they do seem to making some moves in the right direction. Firstly, the new version is detached from the handset completely -- right now at least -- making it much more of a "fourth screen" internet device, and less of what you'd think of as a standard landline... er, VoIPline. The redesigned unit is considerably more contemporary in industrial design as well, making it look something like a big iPhone -- which is probably what they're hoping for. We were told the screen is still resistive touch, though it seemed a little more responsive than the original unit we toyed around with.

Additionally, Verizon is working on further updating the software, adding new functionality like internet radio, a Webkit browser (which is kind of a no-brainer here), and yes -- an app store (or as they call it, the App Mart). The idea seems to be about moving the Hub more towards a role as another connected device for a kitchen or living room, and less about trying to sell it as a fancy phone, and that's definitely a step in the right direction. Verizon is still tweaking the box and adding features, but what we saw is very promising indeed. Now, if they just throw in some Bluetooth support, a speakerphone option, and lose that dated looking handset altogether (all suggestions we made when we met with them), we might be seeing the start of something magical.

AlloSphere three story virtual environment not available for birthday parties, Bat Mitzvahs


Researchers at UC Santa Barbara are developing an immense, wholly immersive VR environment that would allow groups of researchers the opportunity to explore their data aurally and visually on a scale never before seen. The AlloSphere is a three story metal sphere housed in an echo-free chamber, large enough that twenty researchers can stand on a bridge and take a walk through an atom, for instance, or a human brain. The project relies on a supercomputer for generating real-time, high-res 3D video and audio streams from a mountain of scientific data, and currently the team is hard at work building the bad boy's computing platform and interactive display. The project leader JoAnn Kuchera-Morin has yet to state whether or not the sense of smell would be incorporated into the finished product, but we sure hope not -- that would be rather distracting, don't you think? Check it out on video after the break.

[Via TED]

Exmovere's Chariot returns on video, might actually be real


Well, the base might be ripped right from the Showbots, but Exmovere Holdings doesn't seem to be totally kidding about its "Chariot" wearable transportation device. There's a new video up that demonstrates its use, with a character akin to the Summer Heights High guy at the helm ("I'm a little early," "He's stuck in traffic, you know. I just took my own way here, so I had no problems..."). If you can get past his slightly annoying implementation of the Chariot, it's not hard to see the benefits of a device like this over a wheelchair -- if it pans out, that is. Our theory is that Exmovere is using this gaudy Showbots platform as a jumping off point, adding in accessibility features, working on additional functionality (like sitting) and hopefully tweaking the looks before it goes to market. Hit up the read link for the video.

[Thanks, Joshua]

Samsung Instinct S30 coming to Best Buy at $49.99


You never really know what to expect when fishing for a new phone at Best Buy Mobile. Go in one week, and you'll see a strikingly pink Instinct for a strikingly large amount; go in next week, and you'll see the miniaturized version of the original Instinct for under 50 bones. If a new flyer is to be believed, the Samsung Instinct S30 will be offered up for just $49.99 on contract at Best Buy, which is a whopping $80 less than what Sprint itself will supposedly ask for it on April 19th. Too good to be true? We're hoping not.

[Thanks, Kenny]

Nokia's profits drop 90% in Q1 2009


So, there's good news and bad news here, and we're opting to go against tradition by dishing out the positive first. Nokia just pushed out its Q1 2009 results, and while many firms have been struggling to stay afloat, at least it managed to turn a profit of €122 million ($160 million). That said, it's still looking at a staggering 90 percent drop in profits compared to its first quarter of 2008, where it raked in a mind-boggling €1.222 billion ($1.6 billion). Not surprisingly, sales were also down 27 percent to €9.28 billion ($12.2 billion) from €12.7 billion ($16.7 billion). Of course, Nokia's far from being alone in having to showcase less-than-beautiful Q1 numbers, but in reality, the damage could've been much worse; in fact, shares of the company's stock inched up by 8 percent following the reveal, as many had feared an even more significant decline. All in all, Nokia's still holding strong to a 37 percent market share worldwide, and if CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo has anything to do with it (hint: he does), things should be on the up and up here soon.

[Via BBC]

SciPhone Dream G2+ adds WiFi to the Android KIRF madness


Months later we're still thrilled at the discovery that the original Dream G2 doesn't run the free and open Android OS, but instead a carefully built, stylus-driven clone. Well, SciPhone's Dream G2+ followup continues in that noble tradition, running with some tweaked looks and the addition of WiFi on top of what looks to be that same Android-cloning interface. It's pretty thrilling stuff, and not at all bad for the $185 asking price.

[Via PMP Today]

Garmin intros super sleek 5-inch nüvi 1490T navigator


Just a month ago, Garmin came clean with the nüvi 1390T as part of its 1300 lineup, and today we're being formally introduced to the numerical successor. The nüvi 1490T sports a chassis that's some 25 percent slimmer than most nüvi models and an expansive 5-inch touchscreen. As with other new Garmins, this one also arrives with free lifetime traffic alerts and lane assist with junction view. Other expected amenities are also included, namely multiple-point routing, automatic time zone transition and a speed limit indicator that displays speed limits for most major roads. As insinuated, an integrated traffic receiver comes standard, and there's even an ecoRoute feature that suggests the most fuel efficient path. Finally, prospective buyers can count on Bluetooth technology for making and receiving handsfree calls, and the support for optional CityXplorer maps makes this suitable for the pedestrian in you, too. Expect it on store shelves everywhere this July for $499.99.

[Via GPS Tracklog]

RIM CEO on BlackBerry Storm: "nobody gets it perfect out the door"


If there's one two things we love, it's hearing RIM's own Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis open their gaping traps. While the former was sufficiently panned back in January for exclaiming that buggy smartphone software was simply the "new reality," his partner in crime may have just done him one better. In a recent sit-down with Laptop Mag, Mike was specifically asked to address that aforementioned quote. His response? "That's our first touch product, and you know nobody gets it perfect out the door. You know other companies were having problems with their first releases." If you're struggling to translate that into layman speak, allow us: "Tough luck, early adopters!"

As the interview progressed, the co-CEO took the opportunity to snub Apple on its inability to get Push Email out early on, noting that BlackBerry OS has "constantly been underestimated" and was "designed to multitask from day one." He also stumbled all over himself when it came to speaking about the BlackBerry's web browser, stating that "by writing our browser in Java, that provides our CIOs and wireless managers the assurances they need, to allow the browser to access internal information at the same time it accesses external information." We've literally meditated on that for a solid half-hour, and we still have absolutely zero idea what it means in English. Nevertheless, the whole thing is a pretty great -- if not comical -- read, so give it a look and share your colorful opinions in comments below.

Beatles Rock Band features multi-mic support, harmonious performances?

Wouldn't it be great if you and your mop top-clad friends could all sing together in the upcoming The Beatles: Rock Band? According to a rumor found in the latest issue of Game Informer, Harmonix is doing just that: including multiple-microphone support for players to harmonize on the tracks. Not much else is given, but a NeoGAF forum poster who last week claimed to have played an early version adds that three mics were being used -- one for each instrument -- and there was also a new harmony trainer mode to ensure your vocal talents were up to snuff. We'd advise a good bit of skepticism, no matter how much sense it seems to make or how many of you dreams would come true if this turned out legit. In the meantime, you can go back to deciding which of the Fab Four you're gonna pretend to be first when the game launches on September 9.

[Via Joystiq]

Read - Multi-mic support
Read - Harmony trainer

LG's X110 netbook hits the FCC, insightful user manual in tow


LG's X110 netbook has been floating about Europe since last year, but it is apparently still headed this way, and it's now once step closer to availability now that it's passed through the FCC. Not surprisingly, the netbook itself appears to remain unchanged, with it still packing the usual 10-inch display, an unspecified Intel Atom processor, up to 1GB of RAM, a 2.5-inch SATA hard drive, built-in Bluetooth, a 1.3 megapixel webcam and, apparently, your choice of a three-cell or six-cell battery. One thing we hadn't caught a glimpse of before, however, is the manual, which offers no shortage of insight into the proper use of a netbook, including reminders to not use it in a sauna or laundry room, to be aware of any potential foul odors, to not use the battery as a pet chew toy and, of course, to not leave any object closer than 15 centimeters from the computer. Head on past the break for just a brief sample of it (including a profound warning for any gamers out there), and hit up the link below for the rest of the FCC goods.

Ion Audio's Tailgater is the iPod dock that salutes those who rock

Ion Audio's Tailgater is the iPod dock that salutes those who rock
Those who live rock and roll lifestyles need accessories that look the part, accessories like the Ion Audio Tailgater. It's a $199 iPod dock that, with a few scuffs and scratches and stickers, wouldn't look too out of place getting kicked around on-stage at the club. It works with any iPod (first- and second-gen users will have to made do with playback via the headphone jack) including the iPhone and Touch, has inputs for mics or other instruments, and even has an integrated battery for up to eight hours of rocking out when you're way out. Now all you need is a gaggle of roadies to carry it there for you.

[Via iLounge]

Devious carrier pigeon caught trying to smuggle cellphone parts into prison

Back in late March and early April, when we first heard the terrifying tale of two shifty, hapless carrier pigeons intercepted while attempting to smuggle cellphone parts to inmates in a high-security Brazilian prison, we thought it was merely an isolated incident. Well, now that another pigeon has been caught -- this time outside a Colombian prison with a tiny suitcase full of cellphone components strapped to its back -- we have to face the truth: carrier pigeons are probably evil by nature. The Colombian authorities say that the pigeons are likely being raised inside the prison, then sent to the outside to collect the contraband handsets before doing what pigeons do best -- returning home. The officials also admit they are relatively powerless to combat the problem, though the intercepted bird is now imprisoned at a local animal shelter. So... how long until a different carrier pigeon is intercepted trying to sneak a teensy KRZR into the incarcerated, winged criminal?

Dell adding Samsung's encrypted SSDs to its arsenal

Dell's been doing both solid state and encrypted drives for some time now, but only now is the company combining both efforts and preparing to offer encrypted SSDs in the coming months. The Samsung-manufactured drives will come in 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB options, and though the hardware encryption method isn't specified, we'd venture a guess it'll have something to do with Trusted Computer Group's 128-bit standards adopted by Sammy and virtually every other drive maker back in January. No word just yet on how much they'll cost, but if current prices are any indication, it won't come cheap.

Samsung's 1080p-blasting A800B and A900 projectors unveiled, plus six more

Good ole' Sammy's announced an octuplet of new projectors, and while we'd like to say they're all special in their own little way, two models definitely catch our eye more. The A800B DLP boasts a 1080p output, 10,000:1 contrast ratio, 1000 ANSI lumens, two HDMI ports, and a variety of other input options. The luxury doesn't come cheap, of course: retail price is $10,000. The other full HD model is the A900, and although we're lighter on details with this one, we do know it's packing 1000 ANSI lumens, only one HDMI port, an impressive 12,000:1 contrast ratio, and what we can only assume is price tag of equal magnitude. As for others, we've got the travel-sized $700 P400 with SVGA output, the L220 (price unknown) and $1100 L300 for bringing VGA / XGA to classrooms, respectively, the XGA-blasting D300 for large venues, and a $1500 A400B for home theaters, which features WXGA, 2500:1 contrast ratio, and 2000 ANSI. We kindly direct your attention to the read link for all the nitty-gritty details.

[Via About Projectors]


HP Pavilion dv3 taken for a spin, comes back unfit but well-performing

Now that HP's Pavilion dv2 has had time to shine, it's dv3's turn to take the spotlight. The gang at NotebookReview have put their hands all over the 13.3-inch, Intel Core 2 Duo-equipped laptop, and despite good performance, negative points go to the build quality, which was said to be worse than other Pavilion models. Specifically, it suffered from a weak / squeaky chassis, a bowed keyboard, and a narrow window of clarity for the display -- not gripes you want to have if you're looking to pay a cool grand for machine this size. While not recommending you avoid the computer, they suggest looking into the dv2 and dv4 to fill your HP-owning needs. Hit up the read link for the full review.

[8 Apr 2009 | One Comment]

vzw-blackberry-storm-leftThere was a rumor about the possbility of launching a next gen BlackBerry Storm 2 with WiFi on Verizon Wireless some time ago, but this was thought by most as a joke at first. However, sources have now confirmed that the rumor was in fact true. The BlackBerry Storm 2 will launch on Verizon with WiFi, obviously for far more greater connectivity and faster web browsing. I personally believe WiFi has been the single most importantly let down for the Storm, otherwise it would have been a far greater device with much more popularity. Sources also confirm that the next Storm, Storm 2 has a new screen technology, which aims to make typing easier. It is believed that the Storm 2 will be launching around September time, which makes you think - BlackBerry has reduced the cycle time of its first full touchscreen device to less than a year, they must be in a hurry!

Gadgets, Video Gaming »

[8 Apr 2009 | No Comment]
Check out the following video, which shows step by step of what its like shopping from the new Nintendo DSi shop. The store allows gamers to buy games and software directly from the Nintendo DSi console through WiFi connection.

Cell Phones, Leaked and Speculated »

[8 Apr 2009 | 2 Comments]
Here are some of the latest Apple iPhone 3.o shots which have been leaked onto the net. The shot shows a design layout that looks similar to our present iPhone OS. However, with another unannounced new functionality, video recording feature, more setting options, usage information and accessibility entry, this further supports earlier speculations that video recording, a feature many user have been hoping for is likely to be coming when Apple hopefully announces a new iPhone later in the Summer.

apple-iphone-30-2

Check out the gallery below for more shots...… Click here to read on...

Entertainment Gadgets, Gadgets, Product Reviews »

[6 Apr 2009 | No Comment]
Readers of our blog who are fans of T3 may already have seen this, earlier in the year T3 got an exclusive chance to take a look at the latest very sporty Walkman series MP3 player - Sony NWZ-W202. We received ours this morning for a review and the below are some of the pictures we took. Its a really sporty, fancy Walkman player, lightweight which is ideal for those who enjoy a good morning jog, we'll have a full review later on in the week!

sony-walkman-music-player-nwz-w202-1

sony-walkman-music-player-nwz-w202-17

Entertainment Gadgets, Product Reviews »

[6 Apr 2009 | No Comment]
In this second part of our review of the LBT-DJ2i, we'll take you through some of our thoughts on the system's design, features and usability. If you remember when we showed you the hands on video in part 1 of our review. You will notice that the LBT-DJ2i isn't designed to be like a mini stereo hi-fi system, instead it's been designed and equipped with hardware suited even for hosting music at large party venues and events.

Gadgets, Geeky, Video Gaming »

[6 Apr 2009 | 2 Comments]
Check out Mr Heck's latest laptop mod. The C64 lappie features a C64C motherboard, a Gamecube power supply, and special 1541-III DTV device that emulates a floppy drive using a FAT-32 formatted SD card, the rest of this mod's design is in keeping with the beige 8-bit spirit of the original C64. For those who are too young to even know about the Commodore 64 (C64), its ancient, it really is. I believe it was first developed in the early 80s by Commodore International, and the 64 was the value of RAM it had, in those days it was 64 kb. By the way you can find out more about it through Wikipedia of course!

c64_hero

Cell Phones, Softwares and Tools, Technology »

[6 Apr 2009 | No Comment]
News: France Orange iPhone 3G customers gets high def live TV app Orange has yet again launched something wonderful for the iPhone, but making it only available to France. French Orange iPhone users will have access to 60 TV channels, live, in high definition quality, over their… Click here to read on...

Cell Phones, Technology »

[6 Apr 2009 | No Comment]
While in the middle of reviewing our recently received Arena, we came across this video of the GD900 which was demoed at the CTIA last week. Some of you may already be aware that the keypad isn't actually "crystal", but what we just learnt as well was that the transparent keypad also acts as a touchpad for typing, recognising gesture input and controlling the new S Class user interface. So not only is the LG GD900 going to be the world's first transparent keypad mobile but dare I say also one with a touch sensitive keypad that doubles up as a secondary input component?
Click here to read on...


Lunar Baby Thermometer by Duck Young Kong

Taking temperature of a baby with the currently available thermometers on the market is a challenging job for parents since they need to keep their babies still and put the thermometer under the arm or tongue to get a valid temperature reading. Lunar Baby Thermometer is a very useful apparatus that fits with the parents hand and can take temperature readings by simply placing it on the baby’s forehead. Its ergonomic and organic shape allows the user to hold and use it intuitively, while providing a safe grip in the hand of the user. A beeping sound and a flashing LED indication will let you know that the temperature has been recorded.

lunar baby thermometer

lunar baby thermometer

(more pics after the jump…)


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Advertisement

Rez-Q Kayak is Not Just Simple Watercraft

Considering the flood rescuing issue, Rez-Q has been developed to use it in post-flood conditions where the waters became calm, but the roads are still blocked. It can be deployed by boat or helicopter and numbered to track it throughout the rescue effort. Don’t take it as a simple watercraft; the different features of Rez-Q have made it a useful relief as well. This rescuer is opened by an immediate release lever in the boat’s back and the pneumatic cylinders open the kayak. An elastic urethane material stretches out from the main hull which gives the kayak an additional 3 feet of length. This light urethane is extremely UV stable, energy absorbing and abrasion resistant.

rez-q kayak

rez-q kayak

(more pics after the jump…)


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Shrek MP3 Player Isn’t Ugly At All

An ogre definitely isn’t a great living thing, rather the appearance of an ogre makes us hate it but, when it is about Shrek, the total hatred theme disappears immediately. This is because this peach loving weird character is very much popular with us and consequently he deserves a special gadget that makes him more extraordinary. Sang Hoon Lee, a South Korean designer, has designed a concept Shrek MP3 player with a couple of chic headphones which will surely come to the focus with its release. The ease of finding a place of the headphone on the player reflects the approach that Shrek portends.

shrek mp3 player

shrek mp3 player

(more pics after the jump…)


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RKS Neuma Hybrid Tattoo Machine Offers a Safer, Less-Painful, Tattoo Experience

Neuma Hybrid Tattoo Machine is the result of cooperation between RKS Design and Neuma. This latest evolution of Neuma tattoo machine was born because of Carson Hill’s (the creator of neuma) desire to constantly push for improvement. With the help of RKS, Neuma has revolutionized the tattoo industry and usher in a new age of artistry, comfort, and safety. Neuma hybrid tattoo machine comes in small package and weight less than half as much as traditional coil machines, yet this machine is very powerful.

rks neuma hybrid tattoo machine

rks neuma hybrid tattoo machine

(more pics after the jump…)


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Transpiral is A Tramway with Spiral Structure

Spiral is a fascinating concept structure that can be compared with the nature and universe. The concept is to design a Tramway as a combined element leaving out-of-the-way the idea of interior and exterior. Integrating all the parts is the main intention, opening up in the way the inner side to the outer. This structure embraces the inner side with the outer, working as a unifying nexus. All the working elements of the interior emerge from this structure and the outer design is also dictated by it. Thus, the designer created a profound communication between all its elements. This vehicle gets the inspiration by the spiral because of not only what it symbolizes or its dynamism, but also due to the transmission sensations.

tramspiral vehicle

tramspiral vehicle

(more pics after the jump…)


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