Best Gadgets World

by Joshua Topolsky, posted Jul 26th 2008 at 7:31PM
You’ve probably heard by now that the infamous Zune Guy (”Microsoft Zune”) was so disappointed with Microsoft that he’s elected to have his ink removed in place of something more in line with his shifted priorities. In addition to the reconstructive work he’s going to have, ZG claims that Microsoft actually lied to him about his free trip to the Redmond campus, which (as you might imagine) further tarnishes his image of the company. Unfortunately, according to reps from Microsoft we spoke with, the trip was never confirmed — only discussed — and ultimately canceled due to the very reasonable fear that it might lead a lot of “hyper-engaged users” to expect a trip of their own (though they did hook our man up with a free Zune and some related swag). What you probably haven’t heard (or seen) is his sprawling video rant, in which he accuses the big M of dropping the ball on his favorite PMP before going on a general rage-bender. We’ve included the video after the break (careful moms, it’s full of expletives), as well as link to a zunescene forum where the Zune Guy reveals he’s just purchased a new PMP… an ipod.

[Thanks to everyone who sent these in]

Read - Something else I have been hiding….
Read - Bought my new PMP today….

• Permalink
• Email this
• 46 Comments

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Coming in a close 3-2 vote, the $3.3 billion purchase of XM from rival Sirius has been given the official seal of approval from the FCC.

This news will now leave US customers with just one satellite radio service, which initially sounds like not the best of news, however at least some from the FCC think this was a good move.

According to a recent statement from FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, “this merger is in the public interest and will ultimately benefit consumers.” As a consumer and a current Sirius subscriber I can only hope that turns out to be an accurate statement.

While the approval has been granted, this decision does not come without some guidelines, which are being set in place to offer protection to consumers.

To begin with there will be a three-year cap on prices. They will also have to offer a minimum of “8 percent of their channel capacity for minority and non-commercial programming” and also pay a fine of $19.7 million for FCC rule violations that have occurred in the past.

It sounds good so far.

Chairman Martin also went on to mention that this merger would allow customers to choose from smaller, low-cost packages of programming in the future.

Lets just hope that he means a more a-la-carte based system where you can pay just a few bucks a month for a few channels. I am not sure about your listening habits, but while its nice that Sirius currently has lots of available channels, I spend 95% of my time listening to just 4 or 5 of my favorites.

Read [Reuters]

Keep up with the latest gadget goodness! - Subscribe to our feed →

Coming in a close 3-2 vote, the $3.3 billion purchase of XM from rival Sirius has been given the official seal of approval from the FCC.

This news will now leave US customers with just one satellite radio service, which initially sounds like not the best of news, however at least some from the FCC think this was a good move.

According to a recent statement from FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, “this merger is in the public interest and will ultimately benefit consumers.” As a consumer and a current Sirius subscriber I can only hope that turns out to be an accurate statement.

While the approval has been granted, this decision does not come without some guidelines, which are being set in place to offer protection to consumers.

To begin with there will be a three-year cap on prices. They will also have to offer a minimum of “8 percent of their channel capacity for minority and non-commercial programming” and also pay a fine of $19.7 million for FCC rule violations that have occurred in the past.

It sounds good so far.

Chairman Martin also went on to mention that this merger would allow customers to choose from smaller, low-cost packages of programming in the future.

Lets just hope that he means a more a-la-carte based system where you can pay just a few bucks a month for a few channels. I am not sure about your listening habits, but while its nice that Sirius currently has lots of available channels, I spend 95% of my time listening to just 4 or 5 of my favorites.

Read [Reuters]

Keep up with the latest gadget goodness! - Subscribe to our feed →

by Darren Murph, posted Jul 26th 2008 at 9:41AM
Just because you haven’t been remotely interested in seen a mirror TV in, oh, years, doesn’t mean that companies aren’t still interested in exploiting the niche. Take Pantel, for instance, who is totally stoked about debuting a trio of ‘em at CEDIA 2008. Set to launch in 20-, 32- and 42-inch flavors, the Mirror TV line is aimed at folks looking to add a multipurpose display in their bathroom, shower or sauna. The 20- and 32-inch editions arrive with a 720p panel, while the 42-incher checks in with a full 1080p resolution. Price wise, you’re looking at $1,200 for the little guy, $2,755 for the 32-inch sibling and $5,800 for the mack daddy.

• Read
• Permalink
• Email this
• 13 Comments

Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment

I don’t know why, but I love hose nozzles, maybe not so much for the device itself, but b/c I get to play with water! Probably goes back to being a kid. After all, what kid do you know doesn’t like splashing around or squirting someone else, and it just gets better with a high-powered nozzle!

This nozzle has 5 spray settings, and a 2-way shut-off. It’s heavy-duty, and is guaranteed for life. It’s made with stainless steel, fiberglass, brass threads and has a comfort-grip of santoprene rubber.

Summer is here, and you need one of these to replace that leaking, clunky garden hose nozzle you have now.

Gimme!

Price: $29.99
(Please note prices are subject to change and the listed price is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of posting)

Posted in Miscellaneous

iSkin wants to pamper your precious new iPhone 3G with the revo2 soft premium silicone protector, offering protection, quality and style in a single package.

Crafted for a superior fit, the revo2 snugly encapsulates the iPhone 3G and provides complete coverage from everyday hazards such as impact, shock, dirt, dust and moisture. Complimenting this protection is an array of impressive features, highlighted by Microban antimicrobial product protection, a detachable ViSOR transparent face shield, a dust repelling micro-texture grip, integrated port-to-port protection, accented volume and power buttons, an anti-glare and anti-fingerprint screen film, unobstructed silent mode switch, mic, camera and speaker access, and an industry first: a special translucent silicone zone that protects the iphone’s proximity and ambient light sensors without obstruction. The revo2 is also compatible with the iSkin revoClip (sold-separately): a belt holster that keeps iPhones and their owners safely connected.

You will be able to choose from a range of fashionable two-tone colors combinations that consist of Onyx (Black/Black), Diablo (Red/Black), Sonic (Blue/Black) and Ozone (Clear/Black). The revo2 will cost $39.99 which might put some people off, but the benefits far outweigh the cost IMHO.

Press Release

• Email to a friend
• Leave a comment

iSkin wants to pamper your precious new iPhone 3G with the revo2 soft premium silicone protector, offering protection, quality and style in a single package.

Crafted for a superior fit, the revo2 snugly encapsulates the iphone 3G and provides complete coverage from everyday hazards such as impact, shock, dirt, dust and moisture. Complimenting this protection is an array of impressive features, highlighted by Microban antimicrobial product protection, a detachable ViSOR transparent face shield, a dust repelling micro-texture grip, integrated port-to-port protection, accented volume and power buttons, an anti-glare and anti-fingerprint screen film, unobstructed silent mode switch, mic, camera and speaker access, and an industry first: a special translucent silicone zone that protects the iPhone’s proximity and ambient light sensors without obstruction. The revo2 is also compatible with the iSkin revoClip (sold-separately): a belt holster that keeps iPhones and their owners safely connected.

You will be able to choose from a range of fashionable two-tone colors combinations that consist of Onyx (Black/Black), Diablo (Red/Black), Sonic (Blue/Black) and Ozone (Clear/Black). The revo2 will cost $39.99 which might put some people off, but the benefits far outweigh the cost IMHO.

Press Release

• Email to a friend
• Leave a comment

It seems like Fujitsu is prepping a new mini laptop/tablet pc called the Lifebook U2010. Don’t be confused by the model name though as it certainly is different from the Lifebook T2010 which was previously announced by Fujitsu.

For one the U2010 sports a 5.6-inch 1024×768 display while the T2010 has a full 12.1-inch LED display. The U2010 also features a 1.6GHz or 1.8GHz Intel Atom processor, a 80GB hard drive, 1GB of RAM, a 3G radio, GPS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

We don’t know about you, but those features are certainly top-notch for a tablet PC as small as the LifeBook U2010, hence it is expected to hit the streets with a retail of around $1300. Unfortunately, no official word about the Fujitsu Lifebook U2010’s release date and other whereabouts are available yet. As we wait for perhaps an official announcement coming from Fujitsu, continue reading to see another picture of the Lifebook U2010.

Via [Engadget] Via [Tihn Te]

Keep up with the latest gadget goodness! - Subscribe to our feed →

If there ever was a useless USB peripheral (unless making you laugh in a juvenile manner for the first 10 seconds is counted as something useful), the USB Crunching Dogs will fall in the same category as its predecessor, the much more crude USB Humping Dogs.

These Crunching Dogs do endless sit-ups when you plug them into your USB port. Do they ever stop? No. Is there an off switch? Nope. However there is some kind of satisfaction to be had at watching a tiny dog tirelessly exercising on your behalf. It almost makes us want to leap from our desks, forgo electronics and computers and start doing jumping jacks… but then again that’s where the trouble started with the Humping Dogs.

You can get these 2.25″ pooches for $9.99 a pop from ThinkGeek.

• Email to a friend
• Leave a comment

by Joshua Topolsky, posted Jul 26th 2008 at 1:33AM
We’ve caught a few glimpses of Fujitsu’s Lifebook U2010 in the past, but now we’ve got a whole handful of new shots of the crazy-versatile device, plus some fresh video and actual, honest-to-goodness specs. According to a Vietnamese forum, the miniature laptop / tablet will feature an Intel Atom CPU (at 1.6GHz or 1.8GHz), a 5.6-inch 1024 x 768 display, an 80GB hard drive, 1GB of RAM, a 3G radio, GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, and will weigh 680 grams (about 1.5 lbs). No word on a street date or regions for the device right now, but the price is said to clock in around a hefty $1300.

[Thanks, Aki]

• Read
• Permalink
• Email this
• 12 Comments

Filed under: Laptops