SlashGear

SlashGear Week in Review - May 11th

Chris Davies — Sun, 11 May 2008 17:30:16 +0000

This week’s highlight has been the SlashGear team knuckling down to cover HTC’s London launch of the Touch Diamond smartphone. Our hands-on video of the Windows Mobile 6.1 device is pulling in some serious views, so if the thought of a 3G iPhone is leaving you cold then you need to be checking out the competition.

Meanwhile, budget ultraportables continued their onslaught, with pre-order pricing for both MSI’s Wind and HP’s XP version of the 2133 Mini-Note announced. ASUS hasn’t been letting the grass grow under them either, confirming that the Eee PC 900 will hit the US on May 12th. Slightly bigger, word of Dell’s upcoming Inspiron 1435, 1535 and 1735 ranges leaked, bringing with them some of the XPS’ specs including optional 3G and Blu-ray.

Speaking of notebooks, Hitachi kicked back at rival Fujitsu with the announcement of their 320GB 7,200rpm notebook drive, that somehow manages to merely sip the power of its slower predecessor. Equally confusing, though in a slightly different way, is the Hell’s Illusion PC, which does clever things with mirrors to hide a Mini-ITX board and DVD drive.

In gaming, Nintendo beckoned the lazy from their couches to join them in a Wii Fit launch party, while id Software suggested they should just slaughter some demons in the upcoming Doom 4. I just hope IDKFA still works, as otherwise I’ve got no chance. Microsoft, meanwhile, continued to deny any Blu-ray accessory for the Xbox 360; while they were busy doing that, a rumor sprouted suggesting an updated version of the console using 65nm GPU and CPU chips would land in August. Of course the PS3 already has Blu-ray, so media addicts instead got excited by the news that the PlayTV digital TV tuner would finally arrive in September priced at €99.

If you’re more interested in media that’s on your PC, then ZeeVee’s new ZvBox streamer might be more up your street. Using your existing coax wiring, it promises HDTV and any other content that can play on your computer delivered to multiple screens in your home. Of course, if you were planning on using your nifty Sony XEL-1 OLED TV to watch it, you may be too busy worrying about recent research that suggests company estimates on how long the color luminance will last are inflated by almost half.

It wouldn’t be a normal week without a couple of strange items, and this one has been no exception. Tim Dubitsky’s speaker-encrusted hood.e jacket was confirmed not to be a mere concept but an actual, shipping product, while - even odder - we reviewed WowWee’s bizarre Chatterbot Dog, a gadget the sole purpose of which seems to be distracting you from your work. If you don’t see any posts from us this week, it’s because we’re all talking to a robot pooch.

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Toshiba Cell-based SpursEngine to hit Qosmio notebooks this year

Chris Davies — Sat, 10 May 2008 19:07:04 +0000

After teasing us back in January with a working prototype but no plan to implement it, Toshiba have changed their tune over their graphically marvellous SpursEngine. Based on the same Cell CPU that gives the PlayStation 3 its graphical grunt, their SE1000 chip in fact contains four of those processors. Toshiba have now confirmed that the SE1000 will be included in their own high-end multimedia laptops later in 2008, presumably the Qosmio G40.

Intended to turn around Toshiba’s ailing fortunes following the collapse of HD-DVD, the confirmation was included in a strategy outline from company management this week. The SpursEngine’s strength is its abilities in MPEG 2 and H.264 encoding and decoding at high-definition 1080p resolution. Toshiba are calling it “Super-resolution”: upscaling standard definition media far more efficiently than with current technology.

Super-resolution is not only for notebooks, however. Toshiba have plans to put it in their upcoming TV, DVD and PC lines. They, however, won’t be available until 2009.

[via Register Hardware]

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Bond. Scape modular seating

Chris Davies — Sat, 10 May 2008 18:45:16 +0000

Nothing quite like a nice sit down on a Saturday, and if you’re of a geeky mindset then this could be the seating for you. The work of Bond. multi-disciplinary design collective member Joe Doucet, the Scape Modular Seating System consists of a whole array of pixel-like adjustable columns. Back trouble? Tweak the rods up into an upright bench. Entertaining your latest paramour? Flatten them down into a slick couch.

It’s constructed around a base separated into a grid. Into each section, a block of adjustable rods are fitted; they’re available in five different heights and different shades of gray. That leaves plenty of flexibility so you can be pretty sure nobody will have the same layout as you do

Scape will be on show as part of the Bond. launch party later on this month. That takes place at New York’s Pomegranate Gallery on May 17th, 2008. No sign of a price for the seating, but expect it to be expensive.

[via technabob]

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Panasonic SC-BT100 Blu-ray 1080p home cinema system

Chris Davies — Fri, 09 May 2008 18:38:11 +0000

Panasonic have announced a new home cinema system offering 1080p Blu-ray playback and digital surround sound. The SC-BT100 supports the latest Blu-ray Final Standard Profile, has an iPod dock, and comes with out-of-the-box 5.1 surround; that can be easily upgraded to 7.1 with the addition of two wireless side speakers. It also appears to have, going by this press photo at least, a magic center speaker that defies gravity.

Thanks to the iPod dock audio and video media on the PMP can be played back through the SC-BT100 and controlled via its remote. It also has an SD slot for images or video footage in standard or High Definition AVCHD format. Sound formats supported include Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD, DTS-HD, DTS-HD High Resolution, DTS-HD Master Audio and Linear PCM.

Partner the system with a Panasonic HDTV and it’ll use the Viera Link standard to control all the components from a single remote. Alternatively hook up any display via HDMI. The SC-BT100 will be available in late Spring for an estimated price of $999.95

[via Krunker]

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BEBOOK eBook reader

Chris Davies — Fri, 09 May 2008 18:26:26 +0000

Netherlands company Endless Ideas have released a fresh eBook, the BEBOOK. Seemingly a rebrand of the Chinese Hanlin V3, the device uses a 6-inch 600 x 800 e-paper display and is capable of reading .doc, .txt, .pdf, .jpg, .htm and .rtf files. Onboard storage is 512MB, expandable via SD card, and file transfer is courtesy of a USB 1.1 connector. The company claims to be working on Mobipocket support.

As well as text, the BEBOOK is capable of playing MP3s and audiobooks. Endless Ideas claim a battery life of 7,000 page-turns, though that’s obviously reduced if you listen to audio. The reflective screen is not backlit, but it is readable in sunlight.

The BEBOOK measures in at 184 x 120 x 10mm and weighs 220g. Included is a USB cable, leather case, earphones and, ironically, a printed user manual. It’s available now, priced at €329.95 ($509) with free international shipping.

[via MobileRead]

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MSI Titan 700 low-cost Mini-ITX PC

Chris Davies — Fri, 09 May 2008 18:08:00 +0000

MSI have taken a brief hiatus from pushing their Wind rival to the ASUS Eee, and launched the Titan 700 small form-factor PC. Measuring just 185 × 240 × 70mm, the compact computer uses a Mini-ITX board complete with a 2GHz VIA C7 processor, integrated VIA CN700 graphics and 1GB of RAM. It seems particularly well suited to being a living room media PC, especially considering the low noise levels: 35dBA under load and 20dBA at standby.

Despite the dimensions, MSI have fitted a slim-profile DVD burner and 120GB 2.5-inch Serial ATA hard-drive. Connectivity-wise, there’s gigabit ethernet, DVI, VGA, USB and 5.1-channel analog audio. Power is courtesy of a 60W external brick.

Of course, no product is perfect and in this case MSI seem to have made the bizarre choice to fit the Titan 700 with two RS-232 serial ports. While I’m sure there are some space-strapped serial diehards whooping with unadorned rapture at that news, the rest of us are free to scratch our heads and ponder why they didn’t fit, say, more useful eSATA ports or perhaps FireWire. It’ll sell in the UK for around £234.99 including tax (roughly $390 if you discount the tax).

[via The Tech Report]

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Sony VGF-CP1 digital photo frame with WiFi, RSS and music

Chris Davies — Fri, 09 May 2008 17:46:45 +0000

Sony Japan have unveiled a new digital photo frame, the VGF-CP1. With a 7-inch LCD display capable of displaying 16m colors at 800 x 480 resolution, its slim bezel hides a pair of stereo speakers each putting out 1.6W. The CP1 has 512MB of internal memory, expandable via Memory Stick, CF or SD card, and WiFi to load more media wirelessly.

However the frame is not just limited to pictures. Both MP3 and WMA audio files can be played, controlled via the included remote, and it’s capable of displaying RSS feeds and Yahoo! News items. New images can come from either a networked PC or an online photo album such as Picassa. If you have a Sony Room Link setup in your home, the CP1 will connect itself automatically.

Overall the VGF-CP1 measures 177 × 103 × 131mm and weighs 530g. In fact, the only downsides are the lack of video playback functionality - it would’ve been great if it had been compatible with Sony’s LocationFree rival to the Slingbox - and the price. It’ll go on sale in Japan for 30,000 yen (around $286).

[via NewLaunches]

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Proporta Crystal Case polycarbonate shell for ASUS Eee

Chris Davies — Fri, 09 May 2008 17:27:21 +0000

Proporta have developed one of their Crystal Cases especially for the ASUS Eee PC. Recognising that users will be looking to throw their ultraportables into rucksacks and bags, the shatterproof and shock-absorbent shell has cut-outs for all ports and fan vents. In fact it’s made from the same type of polycarbonate plastic they use for protective eyewear.

The Crystal Case has what Proporta describe as a “secure closure catch” and a 360-degree double hinge allowing the notebook to be opened at any angle. They also cover it with a lifetime warranty. Since it’s plastic and completely clear, the case won’t interfere with any GPS receiver you may be using.

Best of all is the price. Proporta are asking £19.95 ($39), which seems pretty reasonable to me. Of course, if you listen to analysts then you’d think the Eee was disposable anyway, but I think most people would rather have some degree of extra protection!

[via Just Another Mobile Monday]

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PlayTV PS3 DVR gets €99 tag and September release

Chris Davies — Fri, 09 May 2008 17:16:11 +0000

According to Crave UK, Sony are looking to release their PlayTV digital TV receiver accessory for the PS3 in September this year. The tuner uses the digital terrestrial service, for instance Freeview in the UK or TDF in France, plugging into one of the console’s USB ports and turning it into a PVR. Crave had some hands-on time with the system recently, and have produced a pre-release run through.

As they say, the device comes into its own if you have a PSP. Then you can easily transfer recordings (from the PlayTV’s twin tuners) onto the handheld. In fact, if you have a WiFi connection available you can remotely control the recordings your PS3 makes from a PSP anywhere in the world.

Speculation has been rife over the past twelve months as to when Sony will launch the PlayTV. Back in April Amazon put up, then pulled, a pre-order page for the device, suggesting a July 31st launch at £59.99 ($118.82). According to Crave, Sony are looking to release the PlayTV in September, priced at €99 (£78.50 or $153).

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Bluetrek UFO and BIZZ limited edition Bluetooth headsets

Chris Davies — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:36:26 +0000

Bluetooth handset manufacturer Bluetrek have announced two new ranges of limited edition headsets, none of which would be particularly suitable if you’re looking for a discrete way to chat wire-free. Based on the UFO and BIZZ headsets, both have up to 6hrs talktime. There are seven new UFO designs, including tiger-print and a variety of geometric patterns, and seventeen new BIZZ designs.

The UFO is perhaps the less interesting headset. At 8g it’s lighter than the BIZZ, and has an eight day standby, two user-preset shortcut numbers and DSP for noise and echo reduction. It also features Bluetrek’s Voice Alert, which provides audio voice prompts of what functionality can be activated from the headset and reminds you when it needs recharging.

The BIZZ, meanwhile, weighs in at 10.3g and has a longer ten day standby. It’s hidden speciality, though, is a USB plug and a microSD card slot hidden underneath a removable cover. That means the headset can double as a portable storage device, as well as recharging directly from the USB port.

Both ranges are available now, although Bluetrek has not indicated pricing. The standard BIZZ is priced at around $57 while the standard UFO comes in at around $60.

[via Headset Gazette]

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Sonoro luxury CD clock-radio available in US

Chris Davies — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:19:54 +0000

German manufacturer sonoro audio’s products will be available soon in the US. We first saw the company’s cubo range of CD/MP3/radio units back at CES 2008, where sonoro revealed they were working on internet radio and iPod dock versions of the media player. The cubo will be available exclusively from saks.com priced at a rather large $349.99.

The clock-radio will be available in multiple finishes, including three woods and seven colored lacquers. It includes a remote control and measures 210 x 137 x 230mm. There are also six presets for the AM/FM radio.

Meanwhile the sonoro cubo elements, with internet radio, drops the CD player and replaces it with an internal WiFi aerial and OLED display. A separate rechargeable iPod dock is also available. sonoro are yet to confirm when the cubo elements will be released in the US.

Press Release:

sonoro Signs US Distributor, Lapine, Brings Euro-Styled Electronics to Saks.com
Stylish CD / MP3 clock radios available for purchase through luxury retailer’s Web site

San Diego, CA – May 2, 2008 – sonoro audio, German manufacturer of distinctive, high-quality audio products, today announced a partnership with Lapine Associates, Inc., a leading distributor of premium electronics and promotional items. Lapine will bring sonoro audio’s products to the US market for the first time through Saks Fifth Avenue’s Web site.

sonoro’s cubo family provides all-in-one audio solutions for playing CDs, MP3 players and radio in a modern curved-corner design that meshes easily with today’s contemporary home or office. It comes in three sleek wood and seven-colored lacquer finishes that provide a sophisticated accent to the product. Consumers can buy these products for $349.99 MSRP at Saks Fifth Avenue’s Web site, saks.com

“We are thrilled to work with a distinguished distributor like Lapine to make sonoro’s cubo family of CD / MP3 clock radios available in the US for the first time,” said Marcell Faller, CEO of sonoro audio. “With our European-designed, all-in-one audio solutions, consumers will be able to enjoy music from a variety of sources with devices that blend in with their expertly-designed homes.”

“We knew sonoro would be a natural fit among our list of prominent clients and products,” said Noah Lapine, president of Lapine Associates, Inc. “We strive to offer our customers the best in quality and style and look forward to our relationship with this innovative company.”

For more information regarding sonoro audio and the cubo line, please visit www.sonoro-audio.com .

About sonoro:
sonoro audio GmbH & Co. KG is a designer and engineer of distinctive, high-quality audio products. The company originated the cubo family of products that are distributed exclusively through specialist interior design and home furnishing outlets and audio / video dealerships. sonoro is currently serving Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxemburg, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States, with more countries to be added soon. The company headquarters are located in Cologne, Germany.

About Lapine Associates, Inc.:
Lapine Associates, Inc. was founded in 1962 with the belief that the company’s success would depend on the relationships it formed with industry leading manufacturers and customers. They believed those business partners would value the honesty, integrity and commitment to service they brought to their door.

Today, Lapine has grown to become a recognized leader in the retail and premium industries. It is a family-run company with an extended global family of manufacturers, retailers, clients and employees.

By providing hands-on, dedicated and unbeatable marketing, sales and service support, Lapine has built lasting and productive relationships that offer customers the access to success. As sonoro’s exclusive sales and distribution partner in the US market, Lapine continues their long history of bringing great brands and exciting new products to their customers with a partner that shares their values and their commitment to success.

About Saks Fifth Avenue:
Saks Fifth Avenue, one of the world’s pre-eminent specialty retailers, is renowned for its superlative American and international designer apparel collections, its expertly edited assortment of handbags, shoes, jewelry, cosmetics and gifts, and the first-rate fashion expertise and exemplary client service of its Associates. Today, Saks operates 54 full-line stores in 25 states, three licensed stores in Mexico City, Dubai and Riyadh, 49 Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH stores and saks.com, the company’s online store.

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The NES Coffee Table - makes me wish I owned a tool or two

Abby McVay — Fri, 09 May 2008 12:54:12 +0000

It may seem as if you have seen this done before, but this one is different. Actually, here on Slashgear there have been two separate giant controllers as well as a PC that looked like a giant controller. This one isn’t just a controller though, it’s a coffee table as well.

Not only does it look cool and double as furniture it is completely functional. What’s even better is the top flips up and you can store all of your games inside. Which is great for those that are struggling to find room for all their games and gaming accessories.

This was created by Kyle Downes, who was smart and thorough enough to also create a glass top with rubber stoppers underneath. That way it clears the buttons and protects the controls. To check out the video and more details on how it was made just click the link.

[via gearfuse]

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King Deco’s DS Lite decal is disgustingly girly

Abby McVay — Fri, 09 May 2008 12:49:04 +0000

That’s it, I have lost all hope in mankind. This is proof that the world has gone to complete and utter shit. Not the statistics on murders or iPod thefts, no, the proof lies in an utterly horrifyingly decorated DS.

When I came across this, atrocity, I do believe there was a moment where I let out an audible shriek of horror. Did they have to put fake pearls on it?! I mean really, the pink heart, numerous amounts of rhinestones and a few scattered flowers weren’t enough?

I have had to swallow several times to keep my dinner down (a wholesome meal of Twizzlers, chips and Ramen in case you were curious). Okay, not exactly a well balanced meal mind you but I like it in my stomach where it belongs. This instrument of terror is being sold by King Deco.

[via crave]

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HP 2133 Mini-Note XP pricing leaks

Chris Davies — Fri, 09 May 2008 12:46:36 +0000

Pricing details for the XP version of HP’s 2133 Mini-Note ultraportable have emerged courtesy of a leaky HP rep. Assuming they’re the real deal, we now know that the four-model range will be priced from $719 to $819. Another HP rep confirmed that XP will be available, preloaded, on the 2133 on May 15th.

The notebooks are available with either 1.2GHz or 1.6GHz processors and a choice of 1GB or 2GB of RAM. 120GB or 160GB hard-drives are also options. All will have WiFi a/b/g, a 1.3-megapixel webcam and the 6-cell battery.

The Linux and Windows Vista versions of the Mini-Note were released last month, priced between $499 and $849. You can read our review roundup of the HP 2133 Mini-Note here.

[via Engadget]

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The Batman replica cuffs for all your geeky needs

Abby McVay — Fri, 09 May 2008 12:45:13 +0000

I think I have just found what will soon be featured on random nerd pr0n sites all throughout the net. Now there will no longer be random Harley Quinns not captured, no, they shall be adorned with replica Batman cuffs.

They are actually the same size as the average police handcuffs and fold in half for easy transport. Any boys with a mischievous girl should be careful though since they don’t mention anything about a safety release and boys in Batman cuffs just look slightly homosexual.

Even though sometimes I wonder if Batman wouldn’t have rather used these cuffs on Robin as opposed to Batgirl. These fully functioning cuffs with 2 keys are scheduled to start being sold in January of 2009 and is priced at $136.99.

[via geekalerts]

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Study shows fewer teens are able to buy M-rated games than R-rated movies

Chris Scott Barr — Fri, 09 May 2008 12:35:37 +0000

People like Jack Thompson are always advocating against violent video games, and discussing how easy it is for minors to walk into their favorite store and purchase them. Well according to a recent study by the FTC, kids are actually having a difficult time procuring M-rated games.

The study found only 20% of underage kids were able to acquire mature games from retailers. This is a huge drop from last year, which was at 42% in 2006 and 69% in 2003. The breakdown by retailer is as follows:

Game Stop/EB Games - 6%
Wal-Mart - 18%
Best Buy - 20%
Toys R Us - 27%
Target - 29%
Kmart - 31%
Circuit City - 38%
Hollywood Video - 40%

Now here’s a fun fact for those of you wondering how easily kids are getting their hands on other mature media such as CDs and DVDs. 54% of kids were able to buy explicit CDs, 47% could get R-rated DVDs and 36% gained admittance to R-rated movies at the theater. Suddenly it doesn’t sound like video games are such a big issue.

[via GamePolitics]

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All WotLK instances will have option for 10 or 15-main raids

Chris Scott Barr — Fri, 09 May 2008 12:34:48 +0000

We’re all waiting to hear more news concerning the latest expansion for World of Warcraft. There hasn’t exactly been a plethora of information surrounding Wrath of the Lich King, however, the guys over at GameSpy invaded Blizzard and demanded the scoop. Apparently their demands were met.

Somehow I doubt that’s how it went down, but either way, they did get a ton of new info. One of my favorite changes for the upcoming expansion is how they are handling instances. My guild still isn’t up for 25 man raids, though we’re working on it. For now we’re sticking to just the 10-man runs, which means there is plenty of content out there we’re missing. However, once WotLK comes out, that’s all going to change.

First, there aren’t going to be attunements for any of the raid instances, freeing up more time to actually run them. However, what’s awesome is that all raid dungeons will have 10-man and 25-man versions. This means that any guild that runs 10-mans should be able to take on any instance in the new expansion. Of course the loot for 25-man raids will be a tier higher to compensate, which gives people a reason to work for it, but the drops for 10-man raids will be plenty worth it.

[via GameSpy]

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Mortal Kombat vs DC to feature fatalities after all

Chris Scott Barr — Fri, 09 May 2008 12:32:24 +0000

When we first told you that Midway was working on a Mortal Kombat/DC Comics mashup game, I was rather skeptical about how good it could possibly be. One of the most disappointing details was the lack of fatalities, however, Midway assures us that they will be in the game.

Unfortunately since the game won’t be rated “M”, the fatalities aren’t going to be the ultra-violent cutscenes that we enjoyed as youths. According to Mortal Kombat creator Ed Boon, they won’t be able to do “the same kinds of outrageous moves, like tearing someone’s head off and the spine being attached to it.” So maybe you’ll still be able to tear off their head without the spine?

I still want to like this game, however, something in my gut tells me that this bizarre cross-over title won’t go down as one of history’s greatest.

[via Joystiq]

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