HannSpree XV TVs Easy On The Eye And Wallet

HannSpree has been pushing hard in the UK and European market this year and, following the recent launch of its great looking Pop-Art TV and the heavy metal LCD monitor, the company is back with two incredibly cheap HDTVs.

The HannSpree XV models comprise a 32in and 37in model, with native resolutions of 1366 x 768, 8ms response times and twin HDMI slots to go with the twin Scarts. The icing on the cake is that they are priced at just 359 and 499, respectively. The specs are certainly good for the money and there are a lot of picture tuning features and picture format pre-sets to allow consumers to get exactly the kind of picture they like.

In the looks the department they are less wacky than other HannSpree sets, and are somewhat more stylish than many other budget models. Both TVs come a 2-year pick-up, repair and return warranty as standard.-Martin Lynch

TV HDTV home entertainment hannspree

Read More...

[Source: Gizmodo UK]

Sonys Walkman B100 Kills Off SonicStage And Is Cute Too

Sony wants to kick some Shuffle butt this week with the launch of a mini MP3 player called the Network Walkman NWD-B100.

The best bit, hands-down, is not size or price, but the fact that this kills-off Sonys music management software pig, SonicStage. The BW100 is drag and drop friendly for ATRAC-free MP3 and WMA files.

This little beauty weighs in at 30g and is tiny but sports a lovely 3-line colour LCD display. The downside is just 12 hours of battery life, which is average rather than great for something this small. The USB connector means you can plug it straight into your laptop or hi-fi, while theres also a built-in FM tuner, voice recorder and equalizer.

It comes in black, white and violet 1GB and 2GB flavours, which will cost 45 and 55 next month when it launches.-Martin Lynch

MP3 walkman music sony

Read More...

[Source: Gizmodo UK]

First Blu-ray Camcorder

Hitachi has developed some key technologies that will allow it to launch the first Blu-ray camcorder this year.

The new camcorder see prototype above will allow you to record in 1080p on little, 3in blank Blu-ray BD-R/RE discs that can cope with up to 7GB of video. Not outstanding but a lot better than little DVDs.

The new technologies include an optical head for Blu-ray/DV and image processing LSI among others. The device uses AVC/H.264 MPEG-4 encoding for the high def stuff and MPEG-2 for standard definition material. That said, why?

It seems like a backwards step if you ask me. High definition is high definition, regardless of the format. Why invest in a Blu-ray camcorder that records to mini Blu-ray discs when there are so many new HD camcorders out there that record straight to hard disk drives? Sounds like someone hoping to make some cash on pricey Blu-ray media. -Martin Lynch

[Trusted Reviews]

camcorder blu-ray HD video hitachi

Read More...

[Source: Gizmodo UK]

Pac-Man Balaclava Should Be Mandatory Streetwear for Everyone

Items such as this Pac-Man Plush-Head helmet make me realize how much life has to offer. It comes in two sizes, (Pac)Man and (Pac)Boy and does nothing but keep your ears warm. Nope, no MP3 player, no vibrating head massager, no USB, no Bluetoothjust squashy yellowness. What else do you need?

The Pac-Man Plush-Head costs $29.99 for eternal delinquents and $24.99 for kids. Something tells me they'll be gobbled up faster than Pac-Man pops pills. -Addy Dugdale [ClubNAMCO via Shiny Shiny]

Read More...

[Source: Gizmodo UK]

The Loudest USB Speaker

Yamaha is planning to the blow the usual array of tinny-sounding USB speakers out of the water with the launch of the NX-U10, claimed as the worlds loudest USB speaker. How?

Well, USB provides 5V, which gives connected devices only 0.5W x 2 of power. To overcome this, Yamaha has created the PowerStorage Circuit to boost this 20 times to 10W x 2. It also features something called SR-Bass (Swing Radiator Bass) to add some meat to your tunes.

Even better, the NX-U10 can be also powered from a plug socket or even 4 AAA batteries. This is especially useful if you want to plug your MP3 player into its 3.5mm stereo mini-jack. It weighs in at just over 1lb and could be yours for around 130 online.- Martin Lynch

speaker ipod MP3 speaker music laptop

Read More...

[Source: Gizmodo UK]

Logitech Rools Out Tiny VX Nano Cordless Laser Mouse

Logitech just rolled out its VX Nano Cordless Laser Mouse, especially designed for notebooks. Its most remarkable feature is its improbably small USB receiver, a tiniest yet conceived. How small is it? Insert the receiver into a USB port, and all you can see is a tiny nub sticking out. We're just wondering how they ever crammed all that 2.4GHz circuitry inside. Neat. And how fast is that scroll wheel, anyway? See the video and another pic after the jump.

As you can see in the video above, when you put that baby in freespin mode, it can zip through a million lines in seven seconds.

While it's a whole lot smaller than the MX Revolution, it still looks big enough to fit comfortably in your hand. The company says it will last six months on a pair of AAA batteries. Looks like a great travel companion if you don't mind paying big bucks for a mouse. -Charlie White [Notebooks.com]

Read More...

[Source: Gizmodo UK]

God Of War PSP Is Bloody Cool

OK, I really like this latest mod from the man behind the great DS Lite Zelda mod.

However, this one eclipses that one by at least one or two mortal sword strikes. This is the 'PSP God of War Mod and its for sale now on Ebay. The bidding, which kicked off at $50 is now up to $510 and theres still five days to go. The amount of work that went into this is insane. Heres just a summary:

The PSP console itself was airbrushed with a deep metallic bronze in an 18-step process and then strategically tarnished to create a battle-worn armor look (like the chest plate worn in the game!). The hand-sculpted war dogs and omega symbol that grace the back were copper leafed, antiqued, and heavily clear-coated. The real chains and edge trim that surround the system were also copper leafed and aged. The face buttons were custom-made after-market copper replacements and are TOP quality. Finally, truly one-of-a-kind crystal-clear RED shoulder buttons specifically made for this project flank each corner.

For God of War fans, PSP fans or those that appreciate something good being made a whole lot better, this is a one-off I wouldnt mind bidding on - if I wasnt already up to my neck in gadget-related debt.

Check out some more pics after the jump, including the one-off box. -Martin Lynch

PSP sony handheld games

Read More...

[Source: Gizmodo UK]

PS3 Sales Jump 135%

Thats the news Stateside where SCEA (Sony Computer Entertainment America) is claiming that sales of the PS3 console have rocketed 135% at its key retailers in the past two weeks.

The reason, of course, is the recent lopping off of $100 from the price tag, taking it to $499 for the 60GB edition. Jack Tretton, SCEA president and CEO, said:

The new price on the 60GB PS3, coupled with our very strong software showing from E3, is certainly paying dividends in terms of impressive sales across the board at retail.

Of more note though is independent US console figures from NPD for June, showing PS3 sales up 21% over May to 98,500 units. While promising, lets put this in context: the older Xbox 360 sold 198,400 units, up 28 per cent on May.

The NPD figures for July will be interesting for the PS3, no doubt greatly boosted by the price cut, but can Sony expect a similar jump in European sales where it has substituted a much-desired price cut for a better bundle?-Martin Lynch

PS3 sony console technology games

Read More...

[Source: Gizmodo UK]

70% Of Zune Owners Unhappy Allegedly

I say allegedly here because the survey from some bunch called Eagle Research Group (ERG) cant actually be found. There are lots of stories online out there that attest to its findings but the companys one-page Web site with no media links doesnt exactly inspire confidence.

The findings of the ghost report claim that 70% [of how many respondents?] of Zune player users are ready to switch over to an iPod or, an iPhone when their contract expires. Just over a third claimed they would never have bought a Zune if they had known the iPhone was so cool.

Of the 30% that are staying put with Zune [which topped the 1 million-mark a few months back], just under half claimed the they wouldnt have the iPhone because it doesnt have enough music storage, while a fifth of them said they wouldnt touch an Apple product, not even with someone else's hand.

Up until that last bit, this iReport could have been written by Apples PR department. Maybe they just commissioned it. If someone out there has this report, please send me the link.-Martin Lynch

zune microsoft ipod music iphone

Read More...

[Source: Gizmodo UK]

Meeraboo Table Apparently Punishes All Those Who Gaze Upon It

This Meeraboo-2007 ST-1 side table is a design concept by Victor Vetterlein, and we must admit we were more drawn by the scantily clad model with her strange-looking restraints than the table itself. Take the jump for an enlargement of this pic, and a possible explanation of her predicament. (Warning, somehow, it strikes us as strangely NSFW.)

Also entertaining was the bullshit prose, probably written by the designer, waxing lyrically about the "dichotomy between the curvilinear lower portion of the table (Q-Tips), and the hard edge linear shape of the tabletop." We also got a kick out of the designer's explanation about how that "vertical vent stack" on top of the table "suggests reconfiguration and adaptation."

The glowing golden light looks pretty sharp, but doesn't that "vent stack" waste valuable table space? Look at the picture above, and you'll see that the glowing orb is actually a lit-up compartment where you can store a few other things, reclaiming that lost table space from above.

But there's one thing that's still puzzling. WTF did that poor woman do to deserve the restraints with the two handles attached to some sort of gag, a pair of white sunglasses and a white choke collar? Maybe she's being punished for not wearing a bra. [Yanko Design]

Read More...

[Source: Gizmodo UK]

Samsung P520 Targets LG Prada

Its looking likely that Samsungs slinky P520 will escape Korea after all, as details are popping up on some European Samsung sites.

It measures 88 x 54 x 8.9mm and has a 320 x 240 resolution touch screen, alongside a 3megapixel camera and a microSD Card slot. It is just 8.9mm thick/thin [that's 3mm thinner than the LG Prada and 2.7mm thinner than the iPhone, for those that care about that kind of thing] and the design is clean and uncluttered. Like the LG Prada, there are only two buttons on the face.

Inside there is 50MB of internal memory, stereo Bluetooth, and reports suggest that this could have Wi-Fi too. Jump now for another photo.-Martin Lynch

phone mobile phone iphone samsung

Read More...

[Source: Gizmodo UK]

BBC iPlayer Faces Ban

iPlayer was always going to take some hits. As soon as it became clear that the BBC's on-demand TV offering was a Windows-only product at least to start the knives were drawn.

Things are really hotting up now though as protesters from the Linux and Mac communities have more than 11,000 signatures on an e-petition at the Downing St. Web site, calling for iPlayer to be banned until there is more support for other operating systems.

The BBC has always said that support for other OSs would arrive after the initial launch but this has not appeased the computing minority. The e-petition is really picking up speed now, having gone from just over 10,000 signatures yesterday to more that 11,000 today. It will stay open until August 20 and you can find it here. Whats your take?

Should the majority of potential iPlayer users (Windows users) have to suffer delays while the BBC sorts out new versions for Linux and Mac users? Or, should the BBC do what it should have done from the outset and make a product that everyone could use from day one? You tell me.-Martin Lynch

TV BBC iplayer internet

Read More...

[Source: Gizmodo UK]

Flash-SSDs von Mtron: Schnell, klein, teuer

Die neuen MSD-S2516-Flash-Festplatten von Mtron liefern zwar beeindruckende Ergebnisse, was die Geschwindigkeit anbelangt, und schlagen sogar die Western Digital Raptor mit ihren 10.000 rpm, aber was Speicherplatz und Preis angeht, siehts bei diesen Sptzenmodellen nicht allzu kundenfreundlich aus. Die 16GB-Version, die getestet wurde, schlgt mit 1.000 Dollar zu Buche, und das derzeit grte Modell mit 64GB kommt auf 3.000 Dollar. Und whrend Mtron zwar fr 2008 schon 128GB ankndigt, ist nicht davon zu hren, dass die Preise signifikant sinken solle. Da bleibt die Ablsung der konventionell surrenden Festplatte wohl noch eine Weile lang Zukunftsmusik .

[dj]

Read More...

[Source: Gizmodo DE]

Toshibas Weihnachtsgeschenk: 32GB-ReadyBoost-USB-Stick

Toshiba will im Oktober eine neue Serie seiner Transmemory-USB-Sticks auf den Markt bringen, die die ReadyBoost-Funktion von Windows untersttzen sollen. Die regulre Ausgabe der Sticks soll mit Speicher zwischen 1GB und 8GB kommen; eine Limited Edition mit 32GB kann man im Dezember fr den Gabentisch erwerben. Die Preise fr die Sticks sind nicht gerade niedrig: 8GB kosten 200 Dollar, die 32GB-Ausgabe ist fr 665 Dollar zu haben.

[dj]

Read More...

[Source: Gizmodo DE]

Analog-Uhr fr Fernbeziehungen

Wenn das Schicksal es so gewollt hat, dass zwei Menschen, die sich zu einander gehrig fhlen, ihre Tage in unterschiedlichen Zeitzonen zubringen mssen, hilft ihnen diese Analog-Uhr mit individuell einstellbaren Zeigern wenigstens dabei, dass sie sich nicht mit telefonischem Liebesgeflster zu vllig unpassenden Zeiten stren. Es gibt zwar keine Minutenzeiger, so dass die genaue Zeit eher eine Sache des Schtzens ist; dafr sind aber insgesamt fnf Zeiger vorhanden, falls die Sozialbeziehungen etwas komplexer sein sollten als die herkmmliche Zweierkiste, wie man frher so schn zu sagen pflegte.

[dj]

Read More...

[Source: Gizmodo DE]

Jacuzi fr die Hundepfote

Warum soll sich eigentlich nicht auch der Vierbeiner mal eine Pfotensuberung im sprudelnden Wasser gnnen? Ist natrlich grober Unfug, denn eine echte Grundreinigung lsst sich so nicht bewerkstelligen, und dass das Geblubber auf groe Gegenliebe stoen wird, kann man auch mit Fug und Recht bezweifeln. Aber was kauft man nicht alles, wenn man eigentlich nichts mehr braucht und trotzdem noch Geld hat?

[dj]

Read More...

[Source: Gizmodo DE]

Green House KanaSD: Minimal-Player fr SDHC-Karten

Der MP3-Player KanaSD ist was fr Leute mit einer Vorliebe fr schn groe SD-Karten. Das Gert kann nmlich 8GB-SDHC-Karten lesen, wird aber absolut minimalistisch ohne eigenen Speicher und Display geliefert. Der Player untersttzt MP3 und WMA, wiegt 26 Gramm und misst 56,5 x 12,8 x 59,3 mm. Betrieben wird das Gert mit einer einzelnen AAA-Batterie, die 5 Stunden Betriebszeit liefern soll. Derzeit nur in Japan fr umgerechnet ca. 20 Euro zu haben.

[dj]

Read More...

[Source: Gizmodo DE]

Pac-Man-Kappen halten Kopf warm sonst nichts

Nein, diese Kappen in den Gren PacMan und PacBoy knnen nix weiter als die Ohren vor Klte schtzen (woran man zu derzeitigen Jahreszeit noch gar nicht wieder denken mag) und natrlich die Hingabe zu einem Spiele-Klassiker ausdrcken. Die Hauben sind fr 29,99 bzw. 24,99 Dollar zu haben und werden dem Schneeschippen im kommenden Winter bestimmt einen spielerischen Charakter verleihen.

[dj]

Read More...

[Source: Gizmodo DE]

Handy fr Blinde kommt ohne Braille aus

Designer Peter Lau hat dieses Handy fr Blinde entwickelt, bei dem die Tasten nicht mit Braille beschriftet sind, sondern die Oberflche unterschiedliche Winkel hat, die man lernen kann. Wie bei allen Konzeptstudien sind die praktischen Fragen (z.B. was mit SMS ist) offen, aber Aussehen und Grundidee sind nicht schlecht.

[dj]

Read More...

[Source: Gizmodo DE]

Back to school downloads

From typing tutors to scientific calculators, these handy programs can help any student make the grade.

Read More...

[Source: MSN Tech & Gadgets Highlights]

Samsung: Erster LCD-Bildschirm mit DisplayPort

Samsung hat nach eigener Mitteilung den ersten LCD-Bildschirm der Welt entwickelt, der DisplayPort nutzt, das Video-Interface der nchsten Generation, das Grafikdaten mit 10,8Gbps bertrgt. Das 30-Zoll-Display mit einer Auflsung von 2.560 x 1.600 soll im zweiten Quartal 2008 in die Massenproduktion gehen.

[dj]

Read More...

[Source: Gizmodo DE]

Computer lernt Baby-Sprache, kann schon nach Schnuller verlangen

Die Frage, ob Sprache etwas ist, das man quasi von Null an lernt oder ob es im Hirn schon etwas Vorgespeichertes gibt, ist anscheinend fr Wissenschaftler, die sich generell mit dem Thema Menschwerdung beschftigen von hoher Bedeutung. Weiterfhrende Einsichten sollte ihnen ein Projekt verschaffen, bei dem ein Computer versuchen sollte, Baby-Sprache zu lernen, indem er amerikanischen und japanischen Mttern bei der Konversation mit ihrem Nachwuchs zuhrte. Und anscheinend hat er es tatschlich geschafft, was zu lernen und erkennt Vokale mit 80-90%-iger Wahrscheinlichkeit. Jetzt fragt man sich natrlich bange, wies weitergehen wird? Wird der Computer es bis zum Kindergarten schaffen? Zur Grundschule? Zur Rtli-Schule? Die Anlagen dazu hat er jedenfalls-

[dj]

Read More...

[Source: Gizmodo DE]

DVD-Formatkrieg: Die Vertreter der Praxis haben gesprochen

Der Krieg zwischen Blu-ray und HD DVD tobt seit langer Zeit, und auch Experten werfen sich gegenseitig Vor- und Nachteile des jeweiligen Formats an den Kopf, ohne dass es zum Durchbruch fr eine der beiden Seiten kommt.
Zeit also, auf Leute zu hren, die wissen, wie das Herz des kleinen Mannes auf der Strae schlgt: Bei einem Einbruch in den Laden des DVD-Hndlers Silver Platters in Seattle lieen die Diebe smtliche HD DVDs unberhrt und nahmen ausschlielich Blu-ray-Scheiben im Wert von 7.000 Dollar mit. Und wenn sie nicht vllig zugedrhnt waren, werden sie auch gewusst haben, wieso.

[dj]

Read More...

[Source: Gizmodo DE]

Fingeradern statt Fingerabdruck

Fingerabdruck- Leser sind ein alter Hut, und wer sie wirklich umgehen will, hat es auch nicht extrem schwer. Also hat sich Hitachi an die Entwicklung eines biometrischen Bezahlsystems begeben, das stattdessen das Muster der Blutgefe in den Fingern liest. Anscheinend ist das genauso einzigartig wie ein Fingerabdruck und kann daher zur Identifizierung genutzt werden. Man schiebt einfach einen Finger in das Gert und wird in Sekundenschnelle erkannt. Offenbar sollen solche Gerte schon n der nchsten Zukunft in Japan zum Einsatz kommen, und ich persnlich bin ja gespannt, wem wann der erste Hack dafr einfllt.

[dj]

Read More...

[Source: Gizmodo DE]