Cool Tech Gadgets: Sep 21, 2007

Friday, September 21, 2007

Steve Wozniak engaged to Kathy Griffin?

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

We wouldn't bet the farm on this being true -- after all, it's a celebrity rumor -- but Us Magazine has it that Apple's Steve Wozniak may be engaged to loudmouth Kathy Griffin. Apparently, Kathy was spotted rocking "what appeared to be an engagement ring" at the Emmys, and when questioned about it, she simply stated that she doesn't "kiss and tell." Of course, Kathy has made known that the two are in some sort of relationship, but whether she's well on her way to becoming Woz's wife (or if she's the elusive genius behind Apple's next cash cow) remains to be seen.

[Via The Raw Feed]

Sony PSP 1-SEG digital TV tuner hands-on

Filed under: Features, Gaming, Portable Video

Just launched in Japan, Sony's got high hopes for its 1-SEG digital TV tuner -- and with over seven million Japanese PSPs now capable of viewing high quality video over the air (complete with EPG), we can't blame Sony for it's optimism. The only way you'll get one of these, though, is if you pack your sorry self up and move on overseas -- or find a way to set up a pirate 1-SEG cell, anyway. It'll might just be worth it though, the whole mobile TV experience we saw on this tuner was pretty smooth, with near-instant channel changes and that slick guide, to boot.

Gallery: Sony PSP 1-SEG digital TV tuner hands-on

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Know Your Rights: How does fair use work?

Filed under: Features

Know Your Rights is Engadget's new technology law series, written by our own totally punk copyright attorney Nilay Patel. In it we'll try to answer some fundamental tech-law questions to help you stay out of trouble in this brave new world. Disclaimer: Although this post was written by an attorney, it is not meant as legal advice or analysis and should not be taken as such.

Why're you doing a KYR on fair use? It's all right there in the name, isn't it?

If only it were that simple. Like so many other legal terms, the hardest thing about understanding fair use isn't how it works, but rather that it has such an appealingly simple name -- one that seems to invite a lot of off-the-cuff interpretation.

Well, that's stupid. Why not just make it simple?

Because then lawyers would be out of their jobs, obviously.

That can't be the reason.

Yes, but it's much funnier than the real one.

Continue reading Know Your Rights: How does fair use work?

ViewSonic intros monitors galore for gamers, penny pinchers

Filed under: Displays

Not satisfied with just the TV watching crowd getting their fix today, ViewSonic also introduced a plethora of monitors for the gaming and budget-minded sets. Up first is the 19-inch VX1940w ($249), 22-inch VX2240w ($349) and 19-inch VX1932wm ($249), all of which sport a two-millisecond response time, 300 nits of brightness and DVI / VGA inputs. The latter sports a 1,440 x 900 resolution and a 2,000:1 contrast ratio, while the other two offer up a 1,680 x 1,050 native resolution coupled with a 4,000:1 contrast ratio. Moving right along to the Value series, the widescreen 19-inch VA1926w (WXGA+), 20-inch VA2026w (WSXGA+) and 22-inch VA2226w (WSXGA+) displays all feature 2,000:1 contrast ratios, 300 nits of brightness, DVI / VGA connectors, and five-millisecond response times. Oh, and for those not needing 16:9, the VA926 offers up a 1,280 x 1,024 panel. In order of mention, you'll be looking at $229, $249, $279 and $259 pricetags on the four Value monitors. Phew, got all that?

Old guitar gets reborn as an iPod dock

Filed under: Portable Audio

This isn't the most complicated hack in the world, but London designers Conran and Partners' entry into the Deptford Design Market Challenge is still pretty sweet -- the firm mashed up an iPod speaker system and an old classical guitar to create one of the prettier iPod docking solutions we've seen. The guitar is part of a collection of similarly "reworked" items now on display at Royal Festival Hall in London -- hit the read link to see the others.

RAmos offers up V150 PMP: good looks on the cheap

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

RAmos has gone out of its way to make its PMPs and DAPs atypically noticeable in the past, and while the V150 is certainly not the most glamorous we've ever seen, it certainly doesn't look half bad. The sleek, Bluetooth 2.0-equipped device features a 2.4-inch QVGA display, a control lanyard, 2GB of storage, USB connectivity, and support for DivX / XviD formats. Additionally, you can opt for a set of Bluetooth plugs if you're frustrated with cords, and the built-in voice recorder / image viewer are nice touches, too. All in all, you're likely to be pretty pleased when you take the 699CNY ($92) price tag into account, and if you like what you see above, feel free to check out another glimpse after the jump.

[Via PMP Today]

Continue reading RAmos offers up V150 PMP: good looks on the cheap

Apple the exclusive US retailer of Samsung's new printers

Filed under: Peripherals

Korea's Chosun Ilbo English language site is reporting that Apple will be the exclusive retailer of Samsung's "world's slimmest monochrome laser printer" ML-1630 and multi-function SCX-4500. Otherwise known as the "Swan" and "Logan" respectively, they ~~are expected to hit shelves starting~~ will remain Apple exclusives until January 2008 at Apple's 160 or so retail stores -- a first for a Samsung product. According to an unnamed Samsung official, "Apple suggested the exclusive sales of Samsung's new printers at its retail stores. Apple is charmed by their sleek design and convenient user interface." How sweet. But until we see a press release from either Apple or Samsung, we'll chalk this one up to rumor mongering for the time being.

Update: The pair is already available "exclusively" from Apple's on-line store for $200 and $300 and should be on Apple shelves already.

[Thanks, AC]

$130 Zunes -- $10 Woot credit mocks Apple

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

If the $150 white Zune was too rich to Woot, then how does 30GB for $130 sound Zune boy? Yup, $129.99 to be precise, which leaves you with half of the 2 cents required to sound-off in the comments. In a tip of the hat to their customers (and a mocking poke at Apple), Woot's "Emergency Open Letter" offers a $10 Woot credit for anyone who purchased at the higher price. My my, how consumer expectations are changing.

[Thanks, Lagomorpho and everyone who sent this in]

Computer Dynamics introduces the Ruffneck "explosion-proof" computer

Filed under: Desktops

There's rugged computing, and then there's rugged computing -- and the new Ruffneck PC from GE Fanuc's Computer Dynamics subsidiary is ready to handle just about anything you can throw at it. The unit sports a 15-inch touchscreen LCD that can be used with gloves on, a 1.6GHz Pentium M, 2GB of RAM and a 40GB disk (with a CompactFlash-based SSD option for even more toughness), all wrapped up in a thermally-managed enclosure that allows operation in temperatures as low as -40 and as high as 140 degrees Fahrenheit. All that resiliency means the Ruffneck clocks in just a little larger than your average Toughbook, however -- you're looking 45 pounds of wall-mounted Windows XP action. No word on price, but if you're in an environment where you might actually need one of these things, we're guessing you've got the budget for it.

[Via Military Embedded Systems]

Airspan intros Mobile WiMAX Wave 2 USB device

Filed under: Wireless, Networking

It's been some time since Airspan kicked out a new device enabling laptop (or desktop, for that matter) users to hop on the Mobile WiMAX highway, but that's changing thanks to its recently-unveiled MiMAX USB. This USB 2.0 dongle "turns any laptop into a high performance Mobile WiMAX client," and it marks the first product in the Mobile WiMAX MIMO family. As with the 16eUSB that came before it, this gizmo allows users to connect to "virtually every Mobile WiMAX network that is deployed worldwide," and supports "all of the target Wave 2 MIMO Mobile WiMAX certification profiles (2.3GHz, 2.5GHz, 3.3 - 3.8GHz, and 4.9 - 5.8GHz)." Furthermore, the MiMAX USB even plays nice with licensed and unlicensed frequencies, and if you're looking to detect WiMAX networks before flipping on your machine, the optional MiMAX Finder should do the trick. Sadly, there's no mention of a price just yet, but we've got a feeling those details could be loosed during next week's WiMAX World USA in Chicago.

Meizu's MiniOne M8 GUI exposed: shame on you J. Wong

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video

Ok Meizu, seriously, with your M7 announced a week after the iPod touch and your CEO J.Wong just posting these new interface shots of the M8 to your user forum, how can we or any straight talking rag not call you for what you are: a brazen Chinese Apple cloning machine? We understand that any full-screen, touchscreen phone or DAP will look pretty similar given the limited panel sizes available to manufactures. The possibilities with the user interface are however, infinite. We already know that you have a half dozen or so iPhones in-house so please, just admit to your "inspiration." No more weightless claims that your design appeared four days before the iPhone unveiling. You're not fooling anyone.

Gallery: Meizu's MiniOne M8 GUI exposed: shame on you J. Wong

[Via MeizuMe]

ViewSonic's Diamani DUO HDTVs handle OTA programming, word processing

Filed under: Displays, HDTV

ViewSonic's Diamani DUO lineup claims to be a couple of widescreen HDTVs at heart that just handle monitor duties on the side, but we don't see any reason to neglect these two displays just because you don't have television on the brain. The 19-inch NX1932w offers up a 1,440 x 900 resolution, five-millisecond response time, 800:1 contrast ratio, 300 cd/m2 brightness, a pair of five-watt speakers, integrated ATSC / NTSC / QAM tuner, and a bevy of inputs including HDCP-compliant HDMI, VGA, component / S-Video / composite, and audio in / out. The 22-incher musters up a 1,680 x 1,050 resolution and a 1,000:1 contrast ratio, but otherwise mimics its smaller sibling in the specs department. The new duo is available immediately for $349 and $399 -- we'll let you guess which pricetag belongs to which.

[Via CNET]

Acer's 23dB Aspire iDea media center specs revealed

Filed under: Media PCs

There's one other notable on that Acer product sheet we peeped earlier: a new iDea media center. The specs go a little something like this: Vista Home Premium, Core 2 Duo T5500, 2GB memory, 500GB 7,200RPM SATA disk, DVD burner, nVidia MXM7600 GO graphics, dual MCE tuners, a wireless keyboard and mouse, 802.11b/g WiFi (shame, no Draft-n), and multi-format card reader all operating at just 23dB. A decent bump for their iDea lineup but nothing to get fussed about.

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

The Great Gazoo abandons Bedrock for Japan

Filed under: Robots

Could it be that a distant relative of the Great Gazoo has crash landed in Japan only to serve as tour guide in a government building? Well, in Japan, anything is possible. Besides representing what many believe to be the original "jump the shark" television moment, this Osaka guide-robot turns an otherwise staid municipal lobby into a happy place. That is, until you consider that this is a robotic ancestor to an alien which created a Doomsday Machine. Clearly, that dum-dum in the ballcap is not impressed.

Asus R3 UMPC gets a little more real

Filed under: Handhelds, Laptops

We caught a peek of Asus' R3 UMPC / MID yesterday, but it got shown off in a little more detail today during a presentation on Adobe's AIR platform. No word on which variation of Intel's Menlow platform it'll be sporting, but it looks like the device will have a 4.8-inch screen with 1024 x 600 resolution, a fingerprint reader, webcam, and built-in GPS. That's it in the way of hard specs, but click on to see a clip of the R3 in action.

Continue reading Asus R3 UMPC gets a little more real

BenQ intros 8-megapixel C840 point-and-shoot

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Keepin' the flow of new BenQ gear rolling is the C840 point-and-shoot, which claims to be the successor of the 2.5-month old C740i. This camera features an eight-megapixel CCD sensor, an SMC Pentax lens, face tracking functionality, anti-shake, 3x optical zoom, a 2.5-inch LTPS LCD monitor, red-eye reduction, ISO all the way up to 1,600, optical zoom in video recording mode and 3:2 / 16:9 output sizes. The video mode enables users to capture clips in 720 x 400 resolution at 30 frames-per-second, and there's 15 different shooting modes built-in to handle a variety of scenarios. You'll also find a paltry 6MB of internal storage, but you can (thankfully) expand that a little with an SD or SDHC card. Sadly, mum's the word on pricing and release date information, but click on for a shot of the back.

Continue reading BenQ intros 8-megapixel C840 point-and-shoot

Tokyo, San Francisco, New York: we're looking for spots to host meetups

Filed under: Announcements

Engadget fans in Tokyo, San Francisco, and New York! We're scheduling our next round of reader meetups in your cities, but we need your help in finding a good spot. If you've got a good suggestion of some place that will put up with the motley likes of us and our crowd, please do let us know below in comments.

Likewise, if you have a space and you're willing to hook us up, please get in touch (email event at engadget dawt com). We'll do our best to make it worth your while. Here are the dates we're looking at:

Tokyo - October 4th (we're expecting this one to be relatively smallish), more here for our Japanese audience
San Francisco - October 10th (we're figuring a few hundred)
New York - October 29th or 30th (also figuring a few hundred)

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Sony's Playstation Eye gets a release date

Filed under: Digital Cameras, Gaming

For those of you whose salivary glands have been working overtime when thinking about Sony's new Playstation Eye PS3 camera accessory (and we're sure there's at least one or two of you), you better go get a napkin. According to reports, the interactive, VGA cam will be heading out to stores bundled with Hasrbo's RPG / card game The Eye of Judgment on October 23rd, for the shockingly low price of $69.99. No word on whether that bundle will include the EyeCreate editing software, or when / if the Eye will be available on its own. Hey -- you'll probably want the game anyhow.

BenQ launches uber-quiet MP622 / MP622c projectors

Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment

Although BenQ prefers to market its MP622 and MP622c projectors to the suits, we see no reason these bad boys can't be carted home after the nine-to-five for a little fun. Both DLP units sport a 1,024 x 768 (XGA) resolution, a 2,000:1 contrast ratio, ultra-quiet 26dB noise level whilst running in economy mode, and a sexy "midnight black high gloss exterior." The MP622 offers up 2,700 ANSI lumens while the MP622c musters just 2,200, but you'll find VGA / S-Video / composite video inputs on each to compliment the audio in jack and integrated speakers. Word on the street puts these two units on store shelves later this month, with the MP622 ringing up at around $999 and the MP622c costing $849.

[Via FarEastGizmos]

"Slim" MacBook rumors resurface

Filed under: Laptops

Sure, you've had the space of a few minutes without Apple rumors, but be honest with us: it felt lonely, didn't it? Well don't worry, because the rumors are back... with a vengeance. According to 9to5mac (who recently nailed news on the iPod nano), Apple is readying a new line of black and silver aluminum laptops, which might be the slimmer MacBook Pros mentioned previously. Details are, of course, totally speculative and entirely unconfirmed, but it sounds like the systems will be considerably thinner and lighter than current models, will have screens that reach further to the edges (which apparently suggests a smaller footprint), have keyboards in the vein of the new Apple Bluetooth models, and are set to be priced "extremely aggressively." In addition, the report says that there is "something strange about the touchpad," which could mean we'll be seeing some sort of multi-touch functionality, or it could mean nothing at all. We'll keep you posted on what the mill has to say.

Seoul Semiconductor's 420-lumen LED puts the sun to shame

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

We're not really sure if Seoul Semiconductor is completely accurate in asserting that its new 420-lumen (peak) LED is the world's brightest at 8-watts, but considering that we were pretty impressed by the company's 240-lumen model late last year -- and the fact that even the most blinding LED-based tactical flashlights rarely exceed 200 lumens -- this still seems like a fairly notable development. We should start seeing commercial products sporting these mini-suns sometime before the end of the year, so now might be a good time to check up on your insurance plan's optical coverage.

Hava-maker Monsoon slapped with first GPL lawsuit

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

It looks like the open source community is about to head into some uncharted waters, with the first GPL-related lawsuit in the US now headed to court. At the center of this particular brouhaha is Hava-maker Monsoon Multimedia, who is being sued by the Software Freedom Law Center for alleged violations of the GNU General Public License (GPL). In particular, the SFLC says that Monsoon licensed the BusyBox software for embedded applications from its clients, yet failed to provide the underlying source code to its products in return, which is required under the GPLv2. Adding a bit more interest to the case, as Linux-Watch points out, is the fact that Monsoon is headed by a "highly experienced" lawyer named Graham Radstone, who apparently previously held the top legal spot at an unnamed "$1 billion private multinational company." For its part, the SFLC is seeking an injunction against Monsoon, and is asking for damages and litigation costs to be awarded to the plaintiffs.

[Via Slashdot]

Fujitsu's Enon is your robotic museum guide

Filed under: Robots

Kyotaro Nishimura is a mystery writer from Japan with his very own museum, which now -- thanks to Fujitsu -- has a shiny new guide robot. The droid in question, a friendly helper named Enon, will autonomously move to the entrance of the museum to greet guests, will guide visitors through the exhibits by using gestures (and its chest-embedded LCD screen), and will play video greetings from Mr. Nishimura, amongst other tasks. This iteration of bot (called a "service robot" by Fujitsu) is just the first in a planned long line of human-esque, automatons. The company hopes to introduce security and package transport bots in the future. The future looks bright, humans.

Apple voiding warranties, blacklisting hacked iPhones?

Filed under: Cellphones

We don't foresee Apple chasing folks down that have modified their iPhone or anything, but at least one case has proven that you may want to return your handset to stock before attempting to have it serviced. According to a recent report, a handset running "some third-party apps" and operating on T-Mobile was flat out rejected when it entered an Apple store for service. More specifically, the employee reportedly said that "the warranty was voided," and added that the mobile was "blacklisted" against future service or return. 'Course, the owner did manage to coerce the Apple store manager to allow a return (albeit with a 10-percent restocking fee added on), but we'd highly recommend reverting your iPhone to AT&T mode before begging for service just in case.

[Via Digg, image courtesy of HamptonRoads]

Verizon dumps CDMA for GSM-based LTE in 4G networks

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless

Just a few months removed from rumors that Vodafone would offload its stake in Verizon Wireless altogether, the two networks have announced that they'll share a common selection for their fourth-generation data networks: Long-Term Evolution. Endorsed by the 3GPP as the official way to burn wireless rubber in the next few years, LTE is a progression of GSM's UMTS platform, making it an ironic choice for CDMA stalwart Verizon and a huge blow for the CDMA Development Group's competing UMB standard. It seems that the unusual move was influenced by the fact that the sister networks -- two of the world's largest -- should probably enjoy some semblance of technological synergy if they're going to carry on their blissful matrimony for the foreseeable future, with Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg saying the company has been looking for "stability" in the relationship. Whatever the case, don't throw away that brand spanking new VX8550 or anything rash like that -- the companies aren't looking to roll anything out for another three or four years.

iPhone owners experiencing display issues, too?

We aren't saying that this is a widespread issue just yet, but a (rightfully) annoyed tipster has informed and shown us that his "refurbished" 8GB iPhone seems to have the same "negative black issue" that some iPod touch owners are currently grumbling about. Granted, he admits that the photo makes things look a little worse than they do in person, but the problem is still apparent. So, dear readers, are any of you experiencing iPod touch-like display issues on your iPhone?

[Thanks, Jason G.]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Xtreme 917V quad-core laptop reviewed

Filed under: Laptops

While there's only a select few that would even consider a laptop that weighs nearly twelve pounds and costs updwards of $5,000, those that fit that description now have a bit more information to inform their purchase, with the folks at ComputerShopper offering up their take on XtremeNotebooks' Xtreme 917V laptop. If this one looks a bit familiar (paint job aside), it's because you've likely seen it under any number of other brands, but ComputerShopper doesn't look to have held that against it. Of course, they were most impressed with the laptop's high-end quad-core processors and SLI graphics, and with the array of customizable design options available. They quite didn't find the laptop's performance impressive enough to justify the $5,000+ price tag, however and they were a bit disappointed by some rather curious omissions like media control buttons or an HDMI port. Still, they do apparently think some deep-pocketed customers will find the laptop to their liking, deeming it worthy of a decent 7.2 out of 10 rating.

iHome intros the iHC5 mobile phone dock

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Peripherals

Looking for a totally elaborate, complicated, and kind-of-ugly dock for your iPhone or media-playin' mobile device? You're in luck, because iHome is about to deliver the goods... big time. Enter the iHC5, a remote-controlled, Bluetooth-equipped, 4-speaker-sporting pile of accessory goodness. The system -- which is made to handle all kinds of phones -- features AVRCP and A2DP profiles, has dual alarms for getting you out of bed, and has a line-in for hooking up your CD or MP3 player. Sure, it's not the coolest looking thing in the world, but if you really need a self-contained docking solution for your mobile phone, you could do worse, couldn't you? No word on a release date, though it'll cost you $149.99 when it hits shelves.

[Via iLounge]

Carnegie Mellon shows off "Scarab" lunar rover

Filed under: Robots

It looks like the moon could soon become a relatively crowded place if even half of all these robots and rovers we keep hearing about actually get off the ground, the latest of which comes to us from Carnegie Mellon University. Dubbed the "Scarab," this four-wheeled bot is equipped with a Canadian-made drill capable of obtaining meter-long geological core samples, which its creators hope could turn up evidence of hydrogen, water or other recoverable resources. While it's appearance would suggest otherwise, the Scarab apparently won't be tearing up the lunar surface if and when it gets there, with it boasting a top speed of just four inches per second. On the upside, it will apparently be able to maneuver over rocky surfaces, and it can anchor itself to the ground to stay in place while drilling. While that would be enough for most folks to call it a day, it seems that project leader William "Red" Whittaker won't be resting on his lunar laurels, as he's also announced that he'll be assembling a team to compete for the Google Lunar X-Prize, which promises $20 million to anyone that can land a privately funded robot on the moon by 2012.

[Via The Raw Feed]

OMTP agrees on micro-USB standard for mobiles

Filed under: Cellphones

Just over eight months after the USB Implementers Forum completed the micro-USB specification, the Open Mobile Terminal Platform (OMTP) has recommended that the protocol be accepted as a universal standard for charging and syncing mobile devices. Reportedly, the "OMTP's paper recommends that the micro-USB standard" be adopted across the mobile industry in order to "streamline the whole value chain and provide end users with a larger choice of the most popular peripherals." Still, we're not told when handset manufacturers will start offering up the new port en masse, but at least we're makin' progress, eh?

BenQ rolls out MP612 / MP612c projectors for the office, classroom

Filed under: Displays

We suppose a pair of higher-end business projectors just weren't enough for one day, so BenQ has apparently decided to offer up even more options for those satisfied with an 800 x 600 (SVGA) resolution. Sure, the MP612 and MP612c both sport a less than flattering native res, but they do offer up a 2,000:1 contrast ratio and 2,500 / 2,200 ANSI lumens, respectively. These DLP units also boast a lamp that lasts some 4,000 hours when used in economy mode, and the whisper quiet operation should prevent you from having to yell over it when brushing over those mid-term review slides. As for inputs, you'll find VGA in / out, S-Video, composite and a stereo mini jack, and the built-in speakers remove the need for external drivers to hear those oh-so-necessary blips and bleeps. No word on pricing just yet, but the duo should be available worldwide later this month.

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