Best Gadgets World

Posted Jan 30th 2008 8:24AM by Thomas Ricker
Filed under: cellphones, GPS, Handhelds
In case you missed it, the biggest trend in GPS navigators at the moment is real-time, two-way data feeds for traffic updates. There’s the Dash Express of course, and TomTom’s ONE XL HD Traffic GPS navigator with real-time traffic feeds provided over Vodafone’s GSM network. Now Mio is looking for a piece of that action with some help from Qualcomm. The collaboration brings Qualcomm’s QST1100 chipset to the mix for real-time traffic updates (presumably two-way, or why bother), voice calling, search, and the always intriguing, “more.” Details on the chipset are few. We do know that it features assisted-GPS, Standalone-GPS and gpsOneXTRA Assistance technology. How very marketingy. While no date for a device launch was provided, we have a funny feeling that one of MIO’s prototypes spotted at CES or perhaps that Qualcomm reference design is due for mass assembly sometime soon.

Posted Jan 30th 2008 9:03AM by Thomas Ricker
Filed under: Digital Cameras, Wireless, Storage
It may be a low-end DSLR contender, but Nikon’s D60 can still surprise. Seems Nikon and Eye-Fi are in cahoots as the D60 was just announced as the first shooter crowned “Eye-Fi Connected.” The D60 recognizes the Eye-Fi wireless 2GB SD card when inserted then automatically adjusts its “power timer settings” so that picture transfers aren’t interrupted. Kind of important when uploading hundreds dozens of 10.2 megapixel photos over WiFi. In return for the powerful industry nod, Eye-Fi will offer on-line integration with Nikon’s “my Picturetown” this Spring. We’ll be sure to go hands-on with the combo at PMA just as soon as we get the chance.

Just the other day, I showed you guys a really crummy PS3 knock-off, but I think this videogaming oddity surely trumps that one. This strange little console can’t decide whether it wants to be an Xbox, a PlayStation 2, 3, or something else altogether. Heck, it even has those classic 9-pin controller ports you’d find on an Atari 2600 or Commodore Vic-20.

Made by Hong Kong’s Cheer-Tech Industries, the weird console incorporates visual elements from several modern consoles, but avoids the copyright police by tweaking things just enough that the design is unrecognizable (albeit totally derivative).

All I can say about the PX-3600 is that it probably won’t play games from any recent console, at best it might play some bootleg NES/Famicom titles, but I’m not even sure that it’ll do that well given the looks of this thing. In addition to playing a handful of built-in games, the console comes with two controllers, one with rumble, and the other that without. How odd.

The good news is that you can only buy these wholesale lots of 1000 or more, and I don’t think you’ll have to worry about finding these down at the local Wal-Mart any time soon.

[box photo via Flickr]

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cheap, china, clone, console, fake, playstation, ps3, xbox

Posted Jan 30th 2008 4:00AM by Thomas Ricker
Filed under: Digital CamerasOh boy pixel fans, Sony just announced a new 35mm full size CMOS sensor touting 24.81 million effective pixels. The new sensor is destined for future professional-level DSLRs “within this year” in an effort to mimic the aspect ratios and distortion of their film predecessors while keeping one step ahead of the pixel wars. Sony’s “Column-Parallel A/D Conversion Technique” used in the new sensor is said to achieve high S/N even while shooting 6.3, 12-bit frames per second at full resolution. What 6fps not good enough tough guy? There’s always Sony’s 60fps CMOS which Casio will sell you in their EX-F1. Just don’t call yourself a pro if that’s your preference, k?

[Via Impress]

Posted Jan 30th 2008 5:36AM by Thomas Ricker
Filed under: Gaming, LaptopsThey may not be the first, but Dell’s 17-inch XPM M1730 “Beast” deserves a warm welcome to the NVIDIA 8800M GTX club regardless. The dual-card update represents a 49% performance gain (3Dmark06) over Dell’s previous top-end, dual 8700M GT card configuration. That puts the laptop on par with the DX10 performance of many new desktop rigs. Available now-ish in the US for $700 more than the dual 8700M GT option. However, orders placed today are estimated to arrive on February 20th with a cautionary footnote of possible delay. Ready for EMEA and AsiaPac regions sometime “soon.” Now, if only Alienware would update us on their M17x availability we’d have our 17-inch, 8800M GTX gaming options sorted.

Posted Jan 30th 2008 4:24AM by Thomas Ricker
Filed under: Digital Cameras
We understand that many of you have relinquished hope of seeing Sigma’s compact DP1 with DSLR-sized (APS-C not full-frame) sensor. For the rest of you, take note, Sigma just sprouted a new teaser page promising, “The worldwide debut, soon.” For all of Sigma’s claims that the DP1 is “a camera that belongs to no known category,” we’ll be sure to toss it under the “vaporware” tag if we don’t see it say, PMA-soon as in tomorrow.

[Thanks, Daniel]

You now have your chance to be amongst the first to get your hands on an actual Optimus Maximus keyboard. Currently up for auction is just that, assuming you are willing to pay the premium price. We had thought people would be crazy to pay the $1,564 that it will retail for, but this auction seems to be taking that to another level, currently with 62 bids the auction sits at $1,900 with about 5.5 days left to bid. Of course the seller is kind enough to include free shipping. Winning this auction will either help you to impress your friends or possibly have them set up an intervention for spending so much money on a keyboard.

Read [eBay]

Oh how I wish the Pitapocket wallet created by Israeli designer Anat Safran wasn’t just a concept.

I love pita pockets like nobody’s business, so even if I would get strange looks when I pulled out what looked like an unwrapped pita from my purse at the checkout stand, it would still be worth it. The temptation to line the inside with lettuce leaves would be difficult to resist, but I need to work on my willpower anyway.

Via DesignSpotter.

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I am a bodyboarder from way back. I don’t know exactly when I first jumped on a piece of foam, but I am guessing it was sometime around the time that I was twelve. The waves at that Phuket beach were choppy but fun; nothing like the knee-deep reef breaks and pounding shore breaks that I would later go on to ride. I was nothing special in my bodyboarding days, I could handle my own in anything up to about 3 meters. I could probably have gone bigger but never encountered it. The one thing that I remember more than anything was the pounding that my back took. Come into a wave too late and you will find your heels touching the back of your head as you get pancaked into a sandbar. It is not fun and if you are not conditioned you will hurt yourself on big days in ways that you do not wish to imagine. Facial joint dysfunction is no joke.

At least in the water, you have water to cushion your fall, with the Airboard Classic 130 Bodyboard, you only have snow, ice and the occasional skull splitting rock. There is also the potential of it turning into a kite and getting you blown off a lift. I so want to try one of these. Does it look dangerous? Sure, but you trade the unpredictability of a breaking wave for the surety of a snow covered slope and a much harder landing. Wear a helmet and have some fun is what I say. This looks a thousand times easier than skiing or snowboarding, I want to see some action videos. It is made from urethane impregnated nylon and is inflatable, which should give your torso a little bit of cushioning. You can inflate your Airboard in 3 minutes with a hand pump.

Price: $280

Uncrate

Posted Jan 30th 2008 2:01AM by Thomas Ricker
Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds, Portable Audio, Portable Video
Oh yes, Skype for your PSP-2000 series is now a reality. At least outside of Japan. It’s only available via network update at the moment and adds expanded support for playstation Network titles. You do have your $20 PSP Headset right? Good, so what are you waiting for punk, get outta here and let us know how it goes.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]