Archive for January, 2009
Sure, Lady Liberty and a bald eagle are great symbols of American freedom, but they’re also perfect covers for keeping tabs on your friends. Ajoka’s cigarette lighter video camera discreetly records 640 x 480 QVGA in AVI format at 30 frames per second and supports microSD up to 8GB. It’s got a lithium ion battery for 6 hours of filming and is charged via USB. Best of all, it’s still a working lighter — perfect for cheering up your favorite band’s love ballads and simultaneously bootlegging the performance. Your local spy shop can order these wholesale for $150 apiece.
Filed under: Digital Cameras, Misc. Gadgets
Cigarette lighter camera shows there’s nothing more patriotic than espionage originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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January 28, 2009
I-O Data tries to address the lack of optical drives in most notebooks by offering a $95 slim external drive. The specs are below, but we’re not 100% sure that it is USB powered, although that would be logical.
- USB 2.0
- DVD-R/+R/+RW (8x speed)
- DVD-RW, DVD-R/+R DL (6x speed)
- DVD-RAM (5x speed)
- CD-R and CD-RW (24x speed)
- 800g (28.21oz)
Would you prefer an integrated drive like this one from Mouse Computer?
Permalink: New Ultra-Slim DVD Burner at I-O Data (DVRP-U8XLE2) from Ubergizmo (US, FR) | Good deals | Hot: OMNIA Review
January 28, 2009
So you’ve got an electric bike to get around town, what next? Why not try the Solargon Smart Cabin instead? This is an ecologically-sound dwelling which takes on an octagonal form factor, and you’ll need a gist of DIY skills to erect the smart cabin yourself. It will take a few hours to bolt all the specially insulated panels together, and if you can afford to drop $24,000, you will enjoy a 20-foot diameter model that has approximately 700 square feet of space alongside a vestibule option that allows you to hook up multiple cabins. Kinda reminds us of those hamster homes that are sold in pet shops, no? It would be interesting to see if Solargon homes will catch on in the future, but just how secure it is against break-ins?
Permalink: Solargon Smart Cabins from Ubergizmo (US, FR) | Good deals | Hot: OMNIA Review
January 27, 2009
A year ago, “innovation” and “iDEN” were two words we wouldn’t dare use in the same sentence — but in the age of i9s and 8350is, the landscape has changed just a bit. That’s not to say we’d dare consider switching from CDMA or GSM to the old-school PTT airwaves, but hey, it’s good to know the Nextels and Mikes of the world are still getting theirs in 2009. This year should see the release of the Motorola i465, the very first iDEN Moto to score a QWERTY keyboard — and no, it’s not Windows Mobile or anything fancy like that. Instead, it seems they’ll be taking the low-tech route by grafting a full keyboard onto a dumbphone, a strategy that’s really caught on with many of the world’s carriers in the past year as they’ve looked to boost messaging revenue with cool, affordable phones geared toward a younger segment. It’s got Bluetooth 2.0 and a lowly VGA cam, but other than that, specs, release dates, and target carriers are all a mystery to us — so if you’re in that curious group of folks who text and push-to-talk like monsters and can’t tolerate anything out of Waterloo, keep your eyes peeled.
Filed under: Cellphones
i465 to be first Motorola iDEN phone with QWERTY originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Jan 2009 21:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
January 27, 2009
Ruh roh. LG Electronics has just issued a voluntary recall of around 45,000 LG 150 phones in Canada, and for whatever reason, Bell Mobility has agreed to assist in cleaning up the mess. Of course, it probably helps that basically every single one was used by a Bell subscriber, but we digress. Reportedly, LG was “notified by one of the independent bodies responsible for the certification of mobile phones that the LG 150 mobile phone is no longer certified as meeting the Radio Standards Specifications 102 (RSS 102), Radio Frequency Exposure Compliance of Radiocommunication Apparatus,” thus LG decided it best to go ahead and make this here move. Users who just so happen to be reading this while yapping on an LG 150 can hit the read link for all the pertinent exchange information, and watch out, ’cause it could implode into a furry ball of molten cuteness at any moment. Just kidding.
[Via IntoMobile]
Filed under: Cellphones
LG Electronics recalls 45,000 LG 150 phones in Canada originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Jan 2009 15:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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January 27, 2009
Ah, the sweet smell of PMA. While the camera-filled trade show is still over a month away, Panasonic‘s not wasting any time in outing its new LUMIX lineup. Up first is the ZS-series, which contains the 10.1 megapixel DMC-ZS3 ($399.95) and DMC-ZS1 ($299.95), both of which boast a 25mm ultra-wide angle lens and a 12x optical zoom. The ZS3 is marked as the planet’s first digicam to feature HD video recording in AVCHD Lite, and the twin CPU Venus Engine HD provides the power to handle it. Next is the DMC-FX580 ($399.95), a compact 12.1 megapixel shooter with a 5x optical zoom and a swank touchscreen on the rear. For the argonauts in attendance, there’s the DMC-TS1 ($399.95), a rough and rugged 12.1 megapixeler with AVCHD Lite capturing abilities (guess it’s numero dos?), a 4.6x optical zoom and a waterproof / shockproof chassis. Every last one will be available in April, and you can fill your mind with more knowledge on each in the read links below.
Read – ZS-Series (DMC-ZS3 and DMC-ZS1)
Read – DMC-FX580
Read – DMC-TS1
Filed under: Digital Cameras
Panasonic reveals new LUMIX bounty prior to PMA originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Jan 2009 09:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
January 27, 2009
Just as we’d heard, Western Digital is indeed producing (and shipping) a standalone 2TB internal hard drive. Available now for purchase from Mwave Australia, the 3.5-inch WD20EADS sports a 7,200RPM spin speed, 32MB of cache and a AU$377.80 price tag, which converts to just under $250 in greenbacks. We get the feeling that this drive is just hours away from launching here in the US of A (we’re guessing the time zones are to blame), so we’ll be keeping a close eye out for early reports on performance.
[Thanks, Danny]
Filed under: Storage
Western Digital’s 2TB Caviar Green HDD on sale in Australia originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Jan 2009 23:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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January 26, 2009
It was inevitable, really. RIM’s BlackBerry Curve 8900 is now being offered up by the paint gun-wielding fools at Colorware, who will gladly ugly up your handset as you see fit. ‘Course, you can put together a rather striking piece of work too, but make sure you get a second opinion on your dream color scheme before mashing the buy button. As for costs? A solid coat will run you a buck twenty-nine, but if you change up the top, bottom, frame or sides, you can count on that figure inching higher and higher.
[Via CrackBerry]
Filed under: Cellphones
Colorware gets ahold of BlackBerry Curve 8900 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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January 26, 2009
We already knew that the Sprint-branded Treo Pro was making guest appearances at the occasional Best Buy, but thanks to a hard working web admin, you’re one step closer to owning one without having to step foot in the aforesaid store… if you’re willing to wait, that is. Palm’s CDMA Treo Pro has found itself a holding page on Best Buy’s website, and while we’re desperately hoping the $699.99 off-contract price is still subject to change (read: drop), those anxious to get in early can pre-order one as we speak. Loose estimates have it shipping in a week or two, but we noticed that the handset was go for in-store pickup in most B&M locations near us. Oh, and don’t forget the “Great Financing Offer” as you checkout — with a sticker pushing seven bills, you’ll probably need it.
[Thanks, Brian]
Filed under: Cellphones
Sprint Treo Pro now on sale at Best Buy originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Jan 2009 12:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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January 26, 2009
If you thought that Wiimote hack for Left 4 Dead was hot stuff (and you did, it’s pointless to deny it), then you’ll be just as stoked — if not more so — for this one. From the same Ryan Tani comes this, a setup that enables four gamers to gather ’round an Unreal Tournament 3 deathmatch and exchange blows via Wiimotes. A guide on how to pull this off yourself is forthcoming, but ’til then, we’d invite you to check out a demonstration vid of the author (and three lucky pals) enjoying the spoils of his labor after the break.
Continue reading Unreal Tournament 3 deathmatches: now with 4-player Wiimote support
Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals
Unreal Tournament 3 deathmatches: now with 4-player Wiimote support originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Jan 2009 06:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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