Automotive X-prize details revealed

For a competition that still hasn't officially launched, the Automotive X-Prize has certainly been doing a pretty good job of making itself known, and we've now got yet more details on it courtesy of the folks at CNET. First up, it seems that the X-Prize Foundation will finally get official with the competition "sometime next year," although likely not before the New York Auto Show in the spring. Before that, however, the Foundation will be showing off some or all of the 43 contenders currently signed up at the Detroit Auto Show in January including, among others, Aptera's 300 mile-per-gallon car pictured above. What's more, given that the competition only seeks to find a car that gets 100 miles to the gallon, it would seem that Aptera would have a considerable advantage -- assuming it can actually back up its claims, that is. Hit up the read link below for a peek at some of the other competitors.

LG's Rhapsody in Music (LG-LB3300) slider

Mark Levinson -- heard of him? Probably not unless you're an up-market, audio consumer or Lexus driver with optional Mark Levinson sound system installed. Now he's teamed up with LG on this, "The Rhapsody in Music Phone." Known less hyperbolically as the LG-LB3300. The slider features an LED-lit touch-wheel for gettin' disco, 1GB of built-in memory (expandable with another 4GB), 2-inch LCD, 2 megapixel camera, a terrestrial DMB television tuner for Korea, and Bluetooth A2DP stereo audio with the ability to stream to two listeners in parallel. We hear it makes phone calls too. Of course, there's only so much tweaking an audio wizard can do with compressed MP3 files sent over a compressed Bluetooth audio stream. As such, we'll have to give these a listen before jumping onto the hype-wagon.

Delkin's "World fastest" 16GB UDMA CF Procard

Here you go champ, the "world's fastest" 16GB UDMA CompactFlash PRO card from Delkin. Best suited for use in your UDMA capable Canon 1Ds Mark III or D300 and D3x from Nikon, the $400 CF Pro card busts a 305x read/write speed (45MB/sec sustained). For those keeping track, that's a non-noticeable bump from the previous 300x record -- but so it goes in the diffident world of the product marketeer. The cards work with non-UDMA shooters too, and make for lickity-quick RAW image transfers to your PC when using UDMA-capable card readers. Available now, as in today.

Astro's slick new A40 gaming audio headset

Gamers always seem to get the hottest gear, and the A40 gaming headphone system from Astro is no exception. Sold as a complete kit with a headset and matching mixer, the $249 package lets you mix 5.1 game audio and communications audio independently to your liking, all without waking up your roommates. The daisy-chainable Dolby Digital processor / mixer also enables some other interesting features, like private comm channels for in-person Xbox 360 teams, and outboard surround processing from a PC. The headset itself features an adjustable boom mic and interchangable faceplates. Each is also available separately: the A40 headset is $199, while the mixer is $129, and it's all available on the 17th.

Lenovo's i909 NES gamer

Well, well, would you look at that, Lenovo's i909 gaming phone. Oh the specs are ok -- 2 megapixel camera, microSD, and 2.4-inch, 262k color, QVGA display on a 15.5-mm candybar -- but it's the on-board NES emulator and snap-on D-pad which has our attention. Sure, we've seen these mashups before, but they never do get old, eh Game King? China only, for now.

Mishare enables ipod file swapping, Apple is so pleased

There's virtually zero information on the company behind this, or about the actual workings of the device itself, but if this miShare thing could be pretty hot if its creators can get it to market -- and the word is that it's in production in China as we speak. The concept is straight forward enough, involving the little $100 miShare unit with dock connectors on each end, allowing for speedy file transfers from iPod to iPod. We've seen similar devices for traditional USB drives, but the iPod compatibility makes this a whole new ballgame. How exactly you select what gets transferred and what doesn't remains to be seen, but we know one thing for sure: Apple's not going to be happy about this, given its insistence on limiting your iPod to one library at a time. We can only hope that this spurs the company to get song sharing going on the iPhone and iPod touch sooner rather than later, but in the meantime it looks like we can have some fun swapping tracks in a physical fashion whenever this thing becomes available.

Callpod's Dragon Bluetooth Earpiece sports 100-meter range

If you're cool with a circular gizmo flanking one of your ears, Callpod's Bluetooth earpiece is probably right down your alley. Aside from rocking a dual-microphone design, noise cancellation technology and multi-device pairing support, this headset promises to stay connected even if you stray 100-meters (give or take) from your mobile / computer. Additionally, you can count on 8-hours of talk time (300-hours in standby) to handle those all-night sobfests, and it's even firmware upgradable should the future hold some extras not yet available. If you're all ready to sign up, hit the read link and throw down your $119.95 -- Callpod says they'll be shipping soon.

DVD Forum approves 51GB triple layer HD DVD spec

Toshiba's been demoing a triple-layer hybrid HD DVD / DVD system for a couple years now, but it's been all unofficial until today, when the DVD Forum steering committee voted to approve the spec as part of the official HD DVD standard. The third 15GB layer bumps the total capacity of HD DVD up to 51GB, matching Blu-ray's 50GB disks. Of course, we wouldn't expect to see a flood of content on the new disks anytime soon, what with all those shiny new double-layer players getting sold right now, but it's interesting to see HD DVD step up in the one area Blu-ray was clearly superior. The stalemate continues!

Behind the EAR motion sensor helps monitor patients, athletes

Researchers at the Imperial College in London have developed a device which can be worn behind the ear and is used to measure a subject's posture, stride length, step frequency, and acceleration. Apparently, such a sensor is in high demand, as it could be put to use helping to optimize athletic performance, and to monitor changes in movement or progress in people recovering from surgeries or those suffering from neurodegenerative diseases. According to the project leader, Guang-Zhong Yang, the device is working and could be mass-produced in 12 to 18 months. Of course, the big selling point for the sensor is the fact that it's small enough to be worn on the body -- even during non-contact sports -- and is capable of measuring three dimensions of movement via its accelerometer. Researchers are testing the sensors on individuals recovering from surgery and athletes, with aims to broaden the types of data recorded, and improve the range of the device.

Nike's Amp+ Watch: hearts your heart and ipod, too

Quietly -- too quietly perhaps since Apple hasn't update their site yet -- Nike's $79.00 Amp+ Sport Remote Control just made its first appearance on Nike's online store. That "+" indicates that this device integrates with Apple's wee iPod nano receiver for Nike+ shoes allowing you to wirelessly track and monitor your runs and personal progress. Yes, it's a watch too; an LED display shows the time of day with those biggie, iPod icons appearing only when activated by the remote. It's also water resistant for you Mr. Sweaty McFaty, up to 50-meters in fact just in case your glands react unfavorably to your new Twinkie-free lifestyle. With the Amp+ now shipping, it's reasonable to expect the other unannounced devices we peeped back in January to go to market as well, donchathink?

Pioneer unveils Se-CLX9 / SE-CLX7 canalphones

Joining all those other guys who have unveiled new earbuds recently is Pioneer, which has introduced two new sets that actually rely on different nozzles to adjust the sound. Granted, you could just use that built-in equalizer on your DAP to accomplish the same goal, but nevertheless, the SE-CLX9 and SE-CLX7 -- which look to differ only in the material they're constructed from -- both come bundled with five different tips that can be used for different genres of music. According to Pioneer, you'll find attachments (shown after the break) for High Tune 1, High Tune2, Standard, Bass Tune 1 and Bass Tune 2, and each pair also arrives with an extension cable and a carrying case. The duo is set to land next month, and while the aluminum-clad SE-CLX9 will cost ¥22,000 ($190), the less snazzy SE-CLX7 will demand just ¥12,500 ($108).

Sony launches 40GB PS3 in Europe

Right on cue, the 40GB PlayStation 3 is indeed being confirmed by Sony. Announced today in London, the system that's been clamored over for what seems like ages now will "launch throughout the SCEE territories" on October 10th for €399 ($565), which means you don't have too awfully long to wait (or save up, for that matter) before getting your hands on one. Of note, the new model does feature just a pair of USB 2.0 ports rather than four, it no longer boasts the multi-memory card port and it is "no longer backwards compatible with PlayStation 2 titles." Also, the existing "60GB PS3 Starter Pack" will be reduced to €499 ($707), but only while supplies last. We'll keep our ear to the ground in case the news eventually impacts the US. Check out the new addition in high-resolution below.

Brando's Palm Phone Jammer Kills GSM calls dead

We've seen all manners of jammers before, including one or two that shut down cellphone calls, but now even Brando's joining the fun with its diminutive Portable Palm Phone Jammer. Yep, the same company known for cranking out obscure USB-related peripherals and objects that heat and / or cool most anything you need is now giving you the opportunity to scramble GSM 850-, 900-, 1,800- and 1,900MHz cellphone calls "within a 30-foot radius." Granted, these aren't exactly legal in America, but for those looking for a little revelry elsewhere, you can pick one up as we speak for $166.

How would you change the ipod touch?

Well before the iPhone became anything more than a pipe dream, folks were clamoring for a truly updated iPod -- one that featured more pixels, a widescreen display and wireless capabilities at the very least. As the iPhone finally came to fruition, hopes were yet again dashed as Apple forced anyone desperate for the aforementioned PMP to also purchase a new cellphone, not to mention live with merely 8GB of storage at the high-end. Thankfully for us all, Cupertino finally saw fit to release the phoneless iPhone, which seemed to combine all of our previous wishes into one very sleek -- save for that black notch in the rear -- device. Shortly thereafter, users began kvetching over seemingly widespread display issues, the inability to natively use it in Disk Mode and the 16GB cap on capacity. Furthermore, who could forget the way our dreams were crushed when the Bluetooth caper ended with inconclusive results? And yes, we're still wondering why we can't add calendar appointments on this thing.

That being said, here's your chance to rip, rag on or reiterate your love for Apple's long-awaited iPod touch. How would you have done things differently? What features would have been added and what hardware changes would've been made? Oh, and why isn't this thing available in iPod white™?

65nm Xbox 360s starting to trickle out?

We've been waiting and waiting, and after months of speculation, a hardware revision, a couple limited editions, and even a new SKU, it looks like Microsoft is finally shipping "Falcon"-equipped Xbox 360s with 65nm CPUs. According to the eagle-eyed posters in the official Xbox forums, Halo edition 360s from lot #734 appear to be the first machines with the new chips, and the time-honored method of peeking inside the case with a flashlight should confirm you have the latest and greatest once you get your baby home. Check the read links for tons more info (and a fun little flamewar).

Max-gadget moblie scoops new verizon lineup

max-gadget's Mobile's got the word on four new Verizon phones headed for a simultaneous launch in the next couple of weeks, so head on over and get the dirt on the new Juke, Pearl, Venus and Voyager before somebody beats you to it.

voodoo launches the ENVY M:152 Core 2 Extreme laptop

Love to be beaten to a bloody pulp by your overpowered laptop? Looking for performance that would make even the strongest bodybuilder collapse in fear? Have you been feeling let down by game speeds which don't actually rip open a hole in the space-time continuum? Well, luckily for you, Voodoo exists... and its made a new laptop. Check into the ENVY M:152, the company's latest entry into the gamer-centric laptop world, which showcases a Core 2 Extreme X7800 CPU, Intel's murderous Santa Rosa chipset, a 15.4-inch, WSXGA+, 1680 x 1050 display, the NVIDIA GeForce 8600GT video card, up to 4GB of RAM, a wide array of hard drive options, plus Bluetooth, a built-in webcam, and style to spare (or so we hear). No word on pricing or street date, but you can expect the sys

Vyro Games PIP wants to relieve your stress

Having trouble finding the time or place to relax? Feel constantly wound up? Looking for a way to have fun and relieve stress? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you might be alive. Additionally, you may also be interested in Vyro Games' PIP -- or Personal Input Pod. The premise of the device is simple: via Bluetooth, the teardrop-shaped biofeedback sensor relays your stress levels (measured in electrodermal activity, or sweat production) to software on a mobile phone, where it's used to control a simple game. The outcome of the game is dependent on how relaxed the user can get, and the program continuously monitors the player's stress levels and reacts accordingly, helping them develop control over the relaxation process. No word yet on price, or when the PIP will be available... but we're not going to stress out about it.

Sony's Walkman NW-a910 series slakes that media jones

Nice huh? That's the latest Walkman from Sony. However, unless you live in Japan, you can forget about using it to watch your mobile digital TV. This little pup packs a 1Seg tuner, not DMB, DVB-H, or Flo. Measuring just 86.8 × 48 × 12.3-mm, the NW-A910 series player holds up to 16GB of flash memory and a 2.4-inch, 320 x 240 pixel display. The included EPG even allows you to schedule up to 10 programs for recording up to one month in advance for up to 100 hours of MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 formatted television inside the device. As this is Japan, it still supports ATRAC in addition to non-DRMed WMA and AAC, MP3, and linear PCM audio playback with SonicStage doing the sync work back to your PC. Rounding things out are an FM tuner, direct encoding from your CD/MD player, clear audio noise canceling headphones, and a battery capable of juicing up to 6 hours of television or 36 hours of audio. The premium NW-A919/BI (pictured) will sell in November for ¥47,800 while a 4GB NW-A916 should pop for about ¥30,000 ($259).

Samsung's GPS-equipped i780 "Treo-killer" revealed

Samsung seems to be working a little in reverse with its upcoming SGH-i780 Windows Mobile 6 handset, showing it first at GITEX, then providing shots to media a couple weeks later -- all without an official press release or announcement. Fortunately, we have pretty much all the information we want about it at this point, save for one key detail: will it come to AT&T as the rumored BlackJack 2? Unlike the original BlackJack, the i780 runs the touchscreen-driven Professional variant of Windows Mobile, features an "optical mouse" on the d-pad that provides the user with an actual on-screen pointer, and features integrated WiFi and GPS. If we were the wagering sort, we'd guess that an AT&T variant of this sucker would lose the WiFi and trade Euro HSDPA radio hardware for its North American equivalent, but with integrated GPS, it still seems like it could be a worthwhile upgrade. Sweden apparently expects it in early 2008, though there's no official word on launches elsewhere just yet.

LaCie launches Little Disk line and portable DVD+RW drive

always known to drop a fresh drive on us during our extreme times of need, has once again stepped up to the plate with a new line of petite storage options aimed at "people on the go" and other likeminded busibodies. The company's new "Little Disk" line was designed by the "award winning" Sam Hecht, and comes in 1.8- or 2.5-inch varieties, ranging from 30GB to 250GB, all with retractable, USB 2.0 connectors. Mr. Hecht also oversaw the creation of LaCie's other small offering, a portable DVD+RW drive with LightScribe technology (allowing you to etch custom labels into discs), that comes in both USB 2.0 and Firewire varieties. The hard drives and optical drives are available now, ranging from $99.99 to $119.99 for the disks, and $99.99 to $149.99 for the DVD writers.

Panasonic offers up 32GB P2 memory card

It's been a short while since we've seen any news on the P2 HD front, but Panasonic is hoping to extract a few more hundies from those sold on the format by introducing a 32GB P2 card. The device, labeled AJ-P2C032RG, can be installed in sets of five into the AJ-HPX3000 and HPX2000 P2 HD camcorders for recording "up to 2.5 hours (over 3 hours in 24p) of footage in AVC-Intra 100 or DVCPRO HD and 5 hours (over 6.5 hours in 24p) in AVC-Intra 50 or DVCPRO 50." As you'd probably expect, this sucka won't run you cheap, as it's expected to demand a staggering $1,650 when it hits in November.

Ramos offers up V150 PMP: good looks on the cheap

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.

Apple voiding warranties, blacklisting hacked phones

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.

iHome intro the iHC5 mobile phone dock

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.

Karnataka,India banning cellphones for kids under 16?

We can't even imagine what would happen here in the US of A if our government suddenly stopped everyone under the age of 16 from chatting it up on a mobile, but it looks like we just may find out how it goes down overseas when Karnataka, India does just that. Reportedly, its government is going to "ban cellphone use by children less than 16 years on the basis of advice of medical experts," and while specifics weren't divulged, apparently someone up high believes that "prolonged use of [handsets] by teenagers does affect their health" in an adverse way. Additionally, mobile dealers will no longer be allowed to sell handsets to youngsters under 16, and while a hard date for the ban hasn't been announced just yet, notification should be "issued soon."

USB pedometer logs your steps on the cheap

If you've somehow managed to avoid buying a gizmo with some sort of pedometer built in, the simply-titled USB Pedometer could be the device that finally gets you jazzed about walking. The target-styled unit can be rocked proudly (or not) on one's belt, displays steps taken to 999,999, keeps a log of up to three days of step data, and allows you to upload your information to your Windows-based PC in order to chart your progress. Best of all, this motivator will only set you back $16.99.

Kenwood's high-end Media

Gold plating is often used as a means to lower the electrical resistance (and substantially increase the price) of so-called, high-end audio cables and plugs. Fine, we're used to that. This is the first time, however, that we've seen it used on a internal DAP frame as a basis to tout superior sound achieved through superior fit. We kid you not, that's Kenwood's pitch for their new 60GB, HD60GD9EC audio player. The Media Keg series was already acclaimed for its superior sound quality and the introduction of AAC support is a welcome addition to Kenwood lossless and WMA/MP3 compressed formats. Still, a gold plated internal chassis demanding a ¥57,800 (about $503) premium? Puhlease. Oh, and since you don't seem to be paying attention Kenwood, slim 160GB 1.8-inch drives are now available. Yeah, really.

Asus' R300 and R700 GPS navigators get leaked

Asus has been getting into all kinds of wild activity as of late, from its Eee ultra-cheap laptop, to wooden concept computers, and of course, entry into the GPS market. Well, hot on the heels of the R600 (the company's first foray into navigation) comes the R300 and R700, two new GPS / PMPs that do just about what you'd expect, and maybe a little bit more. The R300 has a 3.5-inch touchscreen, a 400MHz Samsung CPU, 128MB of RAM, FM tuner, Bluetooth 2.0, can playback MP3, WMA, AAC audio and MPEG-4, H.263 video, and sports a microSD slot. The R700 has a larger, 4.3-inch touchscreen, and an integrated RDS-TMC traffic receiver, though otherwise the specs are pretty much the same as the R300. No word on price, but the units are expected to arrive sometime in November, at least in Europe.

Sennheiser rolls out four new CX earbuds

Not satisfied with simply unveiling a single set of new earbuds today, Sennheiser decided to roll out four new flavors for your ears' enjoyment. Up first is the CX 400 ($99.95), which touts a short cord ideal for arm-worn MP3 players, but does include a three-foot extension cable for other applications. Upping the ante is the CX 500 ($129.95), which enters as the flagship unit in the Classic lineup and arrives in a trio of colors. The CX 55 Street ($79.95) boasts a bit more bass than the other guys, and the CX 95 Style ($139.95) places its emphasis on lookin' good whilst parked in your ear. The whole lot is slated to be available starting this month, and you can take a peek at photos of the rest after the break.

Rocket Phone goes for pizzaz,not eloquence

Although we've seen mobiles shaped like cars and geometric figures, what better to have in your pocket to yap on than, well, a rocket? This sensationally bizarre handset is far from sleek, but it's sure to fend off citizens nearby when you whip this thing out in public. Apparently, this thing sports USB connectivity, a T-Flash slot, built-in media player, color display, a two-megapixel camera, and a chrome-covered nosecone / rocket boosters. Don't bother asking about the price, you're better off checking this one out from afar.

transparent Toaster gives you clear view of bread's crispiness

You know, it'd be quite nice for toaster manufacturers to actually grab hold of one of the numerous concepts floating around out there and give the tried and true machine a facelift, but until then, conceptualizers are keepin' the ideas a-coming. On deck is the Transparent Toaster, which hopes to utilize clear panes of "heating glass" that allow you to clearly see precisely how burnt your bread is becoming. Of course, we'd certainly hope some sort of self-cleaning apparatus would be added if this thing were to go commercial, but it ain't a half bad idea as it is.

Non-recalled Nokia phone Explodes,injuries women

While Nokia and Matsushita were busying settling the disputes that arose when the phone maker had to recall some 46 million handset batteries, a lady in India has been injured by a Nokia-branded cell that's not on that list. Located in eastern India, the woman noted that the BL-D3 series battery "blew up about 10 minutes after it was put on charge," resulting in a "ball of fire" that led to minor burn injuries to the user. According to Nokia, the incident was "isolated," and if it finds that the handset, battery, and charger are original, the 30-year old victim will supposedly be compensated.

Epson launches TW200 1080p 3LCD Projector

Here it is, Epson's first 3LCD projector to take advantage of their new 0.74-inch HTPS panels already spotted in Mitsubishi and Sanyo projectors. The EMP-TW2000 starts with a trio of Epson-built, 0.74-inch, 1,920 x 1,080 C2FINE LCD panels with D7 process technology, 12-bit LCD driver, and updated OptiFocus engine with DeepBlack phase compensation technology. They then bust a rated 50,000:1 dynamic contrast at 1,600 lumens off a 170W UHE (E-TORL) bulb while supporting x.v.Color over a pair of HDMI v1.3 inputs -- component, S-Video, and D-Sub 15 PC input sprinkled in for fun. Nicely done Epson. Yours in Japan later this month for about ¥350,000. That'll be a tax-inclusive $3,020 when it comes Stateside under the PowerLite Cinema branding. Pics of the backside, front and huge-ass, plastic remote control after the break.

Mercedes brings Google, yahoo maps to your vehicle

Some German drivers can already send data straight from Google Maps to their BMW's GPS unit, but it looks like certain Mercedes owners can now get in on the act as well, and be able to do the same with Yahoo Local Maps to boot. That oft-desired feature is the centerpiece of Mercedes-Benz's new Search & Send service, which'll work with '07 S-Class, CL-Class, and '08 C-Class vehicles equipped with the Multimedia Package and Navigation System. Apparently, you'll also be able to give friends and family access to the system as well, which will let them send directions straight to you while you're on the road. While the service itself is available at no added charge, you'll first need a subscription to Mercedes' Tele Aid System, a complimentary first year one of which is available to those opting for the Security and Care package with their vehicle.

New HP,MaxData,Medion,and Fujitsu-siemens Windows Home Servers demoed

Looks like IFA had a bit of a Windows Home Server bonanza this year, with four models being demoed from the likes of HP, MaxData, Fujitsu-Siemens, and Medion. Fujitsu-Siemens were showing off their 1TB Scaleo Home Server 1900 and 500GB Scaleo 1500 at the launch event, which features 4 internal drive bays, 30db operation, and 256MB of on-board flash for support in case of a "critical error." MaxData was also ready to enter the WHS fray with its o.Center, an orange and white affair with four drive bays and an expected ship date of late October. Finally, there was HP and Medion with their respective offerings -- the MD 90110 for Medion, and the MediaSmart for HP -- on show and in the flesh. Not long to wait now, you home media hosting addict you.

Hands-on with Hitachi's DZ-BD70E and DZ-BD7HE Blu-ray camcorders

That's right folks -- you've read about them, you've dreamed about them, you've written lengthy, iambic poems to them, and now you get to see our gigantic hands on them. As you may remember, the Hitachi DZ-BD70E and DZ-BD7HE are the first ever Blu-ray camcorder models; the former recording direct to disc, and the latter rocking a hybrid disc or 30GB hard drive situation. Both cameras are largely the same, though the DZ-BD7HE seemed to be slightly larger, which makes sense. They've got a very comfortable feel when you're shooting with one, and we certainly could imagine ourselves filming HD "videos" with either. Check out the gallery for a plethora of exciting photos.

Hands-on with the Philips SHD9100 wireless headphones

You can't really do too much hands-on'ing with headphones, since it defies the whole point of the things in the first place, though we've done our best with Philips' new SHD9100 wireless headphones. As you can see, they look just like regular headphones... but without a wire. The full-ear pair also has a handsome charging / transmitting base, which would probably class-up any music fan's domicile. Take a look at the stunning / breathtaking photos and see for yourself.

Gecube's Dual GPU Gemini 3,featuring four DVI ports

Gecube's Gemini 3 is the only solution on the market right now if you need a crossfire ATI card setup, but your motherboard only has one 16x PCI-e slot. The Gemini 3 is two Radeon HD 2600 XT GPUs on one card, featuring four DVI ports -- yes, you can hook up four monitors to a single card. The performance isn't exactly highest end, but the card certainly held its own in the testing that the Tweaktown guys put it through. It also happens to draw a relatively small amount of power, and keeps cool thanks to its massive dual slot heatsink and fan. Unfortunately, we've got no idea when or for how much you can get your hands on this little powerhouse.

Microsoft: Vista SP1 beta in september, due in Q108

Looks like Microsoft is finally ready to tell people what the hell is going on with the first Vista service pack: chock full o' bug fixes, performance optimizations, and improved reliability, Microsoft is shooting the beta to between 10,000 - 15,000 people in September (which means it'll be about 10 minutes after release before you can get it on BitTorrent -- not that it isn't already) and is intending to launch it officially in Q1 of 2008. We're reserving judgment on just how badly it's needed or just how many people are itching for it, we just want the thing out, and ASAP.

Sony's Walkman A810 series now loose in the us

Hey, didn't we just see this little guy yesterday all blurry and
rumory like? Sure enough, the new Walkman A810 series was just
loosed in the US and doing pretty much everything the NW-A800
was doing for Europe and beyond. It's available in white, pink, or silver getups while maxing out storage with a black-only 8GB model (NWZ-A818BLK) just like we heard. 8GB will cost you a full $230 while the 2GB and 4GB models drop off to $140 and $180, respectively. That NWZ-S615F (with FM tuner) remains aloof but we're bound to hear something shortly.

Parrot announces DS3120 Bluetooth stero,Ds1120 Bluetooth speakers

• Always one to cut cords at every corner, Parrot has taken advantage of IFA to unveil a range of new Bluetooth-equipped devices, including the stereo and speakers seen above. As you can no doubt surmise, the DS3120 Bluetooth stereo will pull tunes off your cellphone or other Bluetooth-equipped device and pump 'em through the unit's 20W speakers. Those looking to add a bit more ooomph to their phone calls can also use the stereo for some handsfree calling, with the integrated 1.8-inch LCD able to display phonebook information in addition to track and album details. On the non-Bluetooth front, the stereo packs a line-in port to accommodate other devices, along with an SD card slot and a built-in FM radio. If that's all a bit too much for you, you may want to consider Parrot's new DS1120 Bluetooth speakers, which ups the power output to a full 30W, with a Class-D digital amplifier in each speaker. Parrot's also thoughtfully bundled a Bluetooth USB dongle with the speakers, along with an RCA input to let you use 'em other devices. Look for both to be available this October, with the stereo running €169 ($230) and the speakers setting you back €199 ($270).

Talking CD case spruces up those mundane disc gifts

As if singing cards weren't zany enough, along comes a product that takes the idea one step further. Pre-vu's talking CD case enables customers to cram burnt home videos or any other optical disc into an enclosure that actually plays back up to sixty seconds of pre-recorded chatter. 'Course, this would probably be most effective when mailing out gifts to those you won't actually be meeting face-to-face, but for £2.50 ($5) apiece, it's not a half bad way to avoid writing out paragraphs of stereotypical well-wishes.

Emtec announces Movie Cube -R Multimedia hard drive

It looks like Emtec is continuing to branch out from its media-based roots, with the company now following up its recently-announced PMP with its new Movie Cube -R "multimedia hard drive." In addition to offering ample amounts of storage, this one boasts both video-in and video-out ports to hook it up to your TV, letting you record and view content without ever touching a PC (a remote control is included to help in that process). You can also, of course, hook the device up to your PC if you like, either by USB or Ethernet, with a memory card slot also provided to let you offload photos from your digital camera. As far as format support goes, you can look for all the usual suspects, including MP3, WMA, and OGG audio, along with MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DivX, and Xvid video. While the image above looks suspiciously polished, Emtec assures us that the real deal will be rolling out next month in capacities from 160GB to 500GB (or without a hard drive, if so choose), with prices starting at £150 (or about $300).

Wrist Ringer - Fossil Mobilewear Abacus

This watch syncs with Symbian phones over Bluetooth. It vibrates when you get calls and shows callers’ names or numbers on its LCD screen.
Fossil Mobilewear Abacus $250

Skate Faster with Easton Synergy 1500C hockey skate

The 1.7-pound Easton Synergy 1500C hockey skate doesn’t sacrifice power to save weight.The fi rst-ever one-piece carbon-composite boot has no joints to rob it of rigidity, so itresponds quickly and evenly to movements from your foot.



Cost - $450

HP Pavilion dv2000

And yet another new and sleekly designed eye catching laptop from HP dv2000. It is a pretty light weighed and yet very high performance machine. With the luxurious snake skin out look it looks very damn amazing too!

Specifications:

The laptop comes with variable options for all its parts as always, which you can chose to suit your style and pocket. I came accros a very nice and high performance item. It had a very significant 2gb ram, 2 Ghz core 2 dual proccessor, 160 gb hard drive, over 256 mb of visual graphic card and 1.3 megapixel internal web cam. The lappy has a 14.1" wide screen smaller then is trendy so to increase the mobility and decrease the weight

Samsung's Q1 Ultra

Samsung has now come up with a new idea of sleek mobilty in style with this new ultra mobile pc. They say that this gadget comes with enough power to compare with any other laptop and has more power and functionality than any other pda. They say that its a laptop that doesnt go in your lap it fits in your palm. Samsung recommend Windows Vista Home Premium for this device so you can very well imagine what this small machine is capable of.

Mobile:The device comes with complete mobile phone capabilities so you can stay in touch on the go and get work done when you're at it. The device has more capabilties than any other mobile phone. It comes with wireless lan and bluetooth to give you complete accesibility wherever and whenever you need it. You can surf the internet like on a laptop or a personal computer. Q1 Ultra even lets you video conference with your colleagues or friends. And with the split keyboard you can type emails or instant messages faster than on a mobile phone.

Personal Computer:
With this device in your hands you can enjoy full PC performance and functionality whenever or wherever. Any software that is compatible with Vista and Xp, this device has been configured to run them! The computer is powered by Intel's latest Ultra mobile technology processor, which enables the gadget to perform like a computer and use the least battery. With the 7" back lit LCD's touch screen you can do whatever you like, and it displays 1024x600 resolution. You can transfer all your data from a PC into this machine with its full PC connectivity usb link