Be Smart

The new pink and silver Panasonic Lumix DMC FS20P is a 10 megapixel digital camera with 30mm wide-angle lens, 4x optical zoom, Intelligent Auto Mode and 3.0" Diagonal Intelligent LCD - which translated, means it's easy to use, has a huge LED screen, great resolution, and handy features to quarantee a great photo. As a camera is only as good as it's lens, this is covered by a Leica, one of the best makers of lenses.

With half my family living halfway around the world, I quickly embraced Skype, the program (or if you want to get technical, Voice Over Internet Protocol) that allows you to talk to other Skype users over your computer, for free. In fact, I'm always amazed that more of my friends and family haven't signed up... it's almost like they don't want to chat to me for hours or something.

Anyway, despite Skype calls being free to other Skype users, if you wanted to use your account to call landlines or mobile phones in the past, you would still have to pay - and the cost would depend on the length of the call and where you were calling. But no more! Skype's new calling plan aims to encourage more people to pick up the service, and it sounds like a bargain to me.

Pay just $9.95 per month and you can make an unlimited number of calls to landlines in 34 countries, including the United States, Canada, most of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, China, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and Malaysia. Calls to cells in the US and Canada, China, Hong Kong and Singapore and also included.

With Skype phones now meaning you don't even need to be connected to your computer to make a call, I hope all you holdouts will be rushing to sign up when this new service is made available on Monday.

Via USA Today.

According to a survey by Samsung Telecommunications America, quoted on textually.org, more than half of Democrats, Republicans and Independents would be happy to text their vote for the next President.

I like the idea of voting being made simpler - I'm sure we've all heard that famous fact that American Idol pulls in more voters than national elections, perhaps because you can vote without leaving your house, or perhaps because presidential hopefuls are rarely as entertaining as even the worst Idol rejects.

Do you know what "dark matter" is? I thought I knew what it was until I tried to explain it to myself and failed. But I no longer need to file away topics like this for later study (my ever-growing list of things I will learn someday in order to become a more cultured and informed human being) because I now know I can pick up knowledge about dark matter - enough to get by in a drunken conversation at a bar in any event - and other weighty scientific subjects in 60 seconds (or thereabouts).

As part of its 60-Second Science offerings, Scientific American has been running a video podcast series in which its editors explain big scientific topics of general interest, using common objects. I haven't timed the videos to see how close they come to just 60 seconds, but they are indeed short enough that I don't have time to get distracted like I did in high school science class. The editors at 60-Second Science know how to put together teaser headlines too, like "What can the Olsen twins tell us about telomeres?" You can subscribe to 60-Second Science on iTunes or in RSS. --- (continues)

When it's not playing music or a video for you during sanctioned "breaks" at work, what is your iPod nano doing? Considering how brazen it became after slimming down, my guess would be that it's just lounging on its back and falling asleep due to inactivity.

It's time to teach that lazy player a lesson. I mean, if you have to work, why shouldn't it? Snap it into one of these apple-shaped kickstand hard cases ($14) from USB Fever, set it up next to your computer, navigate to the Photo menu, and press play. Voila! Your nano is now serving as a digital photo frame instead of dozing off and contributing nothing to society. And by "society," of course I mean your entertainment needs.

Available in pink, black, crystal clear, and apple green.

Via GeekAlerts.

There's no such thing as too many shoes or USB Ports. Kensington can't help with the first, but does have the brilliant new Ci70 which has two easy-access USB 2.0 ports for quick connection to cameras, MP3 players, thumb drives, etc. See that built-in mini USB connector with cable? Just plug in your camera or phone and start downloading those photos for your Facebook page.

With a 35% smaller footprint and low-profile design, it saves on desk space and, they say, "reduces clutter," though I haven't seen a difference in my pile of post-it notes, press releases, iPhone cases . . . maybe the next version will organize my desk? Vacuum?

There are five keyboard hot keys for instant access to mail, media, and search, and media keys offer volume control, track control, play and pause. I like the soft-touch keys which provide a nice, responsive touch, but what really sets this apart are the USB ports and mini-USB connector.

PC and Mac compatible. Approx. $49.99 at Kensington or pre-order for from Amazon.

Mimoco, maker of the popular Mimobot designer USB flash drives, has partnered with tokidoki, the brand created by pop fashion designer Simone Legno, to create the tokidoki for MIMOBOT series. This newest group of flash drives is part of Mimoco's MMOBOT Artist Series, and comes in three different characters, each priced at $39.95: Pirate Nero, Pistaio, and Meletta.

Mimoco has released tokidoki for MIMOBOT preloaded with the second issue if its mimoZine, the first digital magazine delivered via flash drive. This pop culture magazine features interviews with Japanese pop-rock artists, videos of art events, and musical videos.

See a preview of the mimoZine after the jump.

I back my data up as though it were a religion and I a zealot. Yet, I still haven’t learned how to keep myself from making really really dumb mistakes (e.g. washing my laptop bag with my memory stick inside of it – twice).

SanDisk’s new Cruzer Titanium Plus boasts 4GB of storage and a free 6-month subscription to BelnSync, an online backup service to protect Windows users with an uplink that saves your data outside of the flash drive itself. (The service is $29.99 per year afterwards.)

If you’re a savvy tech kid you probably won’t need this, but if you’re not or your significant other, parent, grandparent, or forgetful friend is not, then this might be a smart gift with a knack for remembering.

Prices:
$35.99 at Amazon.
$64.99 (w/free subscription) at Bestbuy.

SIGN UP HERE.

There aren't many things that annoy me about writing about technology for a living. Having permission to ring the founder of Postsecret and ask him about his vision for the site? Not horrendous. Being offered new gadgets to trial before they are even on sale? I can deal with it. Writing about a fun topic I enjoy learning more about as time goes by? Two words spring to mind: cushy gig.

But one thing is hard to cope with, and that's being patronised on a regular basis.

When you say you're a woman who writes about technology, you still receive looks of astonishment or disapproval, even in 2008. When you put out a call for technology press releases of interest to women, you'll still be inundated with cellulite zappers and baby monitors (what, women don't like games consoles, laptops and cellphones?) even in 2008.

Things are getting better, and one of the reasons I love Popgadget is that it's woman-friendly - which doesn't mean it features pictures of half-naked women straddling new technology while giving seductive looks to the camera. Unlike some places I could mention (but won't).

The number of tech-savvy women does thankfully seem to be growing, online at least, so here's my shout-out to some of my favorites:

I am happy to report that I didn't personally test this product, a tobacco odor elimination product, because no one I know smokes. And that's a good thing.

But Vamoose tells me: "Independent lab testing of the Vamoose 1808T Tobacco Fabric Spray demonstrated that when compared to other leading fabric sprays claiming 'tobacco odor elimination,' Vamoose was the only product that demonstrated no residual tobacco odors present in the fabric even several weeks after the application." So there.

The power behind the permanent removal of tobacco odors is Novexium which "molecularly combines with the tar and nicotine molecules deposited by smoking and converts them into inert matter." So you know it's working, a scent is created (unless you get the fragrance free option) - Fresh Scent, New Car Scent, and Leather Scent.

If you need to spray someone who smokes, buy it for $29.99 for the 32 ounce size at Amazon. (Spraying people with the product is not recommened by the manufacturer however.)

Jenna, our art director and editor of Babygadget, started a new food business this spring with her pastry chef husband, Mark. Whimsy & Spice, Brooklyn Confectioners, makes "handmade sweets with a dash of spice," which you can buy at the Brooklyn Flea on Sundays, and now also in their Etsy shop. Lavender cookies, chocolate and caramel marshmallows, espresso brownies, and chocolate chilli cashew biscotti are some of the edible creations you can now buy online.



Jenna and Mark keep a blog called "Sweet Fine Day" in which they chronicle their experience in launching this new business, as well as their daily food adventures (along with beautiful photos of dishes Mark whips up in their kitchen) and life in Brooklyn with their two young daughters.

Don't worry if you missed out on your chance to shell out $870 for Levi's ultra limited edition Red Tab cell phone. You can still stuff a Levi-branded handset into the pocket of your . . . um . . . Calvin's when Orange France starts selling the new (and unnamed?) 3G slider.

In addition to 3G mobile broadband connectivity, Bluetooth, and a built-in MP3 player, the 3.4-ounce phone's got a logo-engraved backside and microSD card slot to store everything the unit's 80MB of onboard memory can't hold. Starting at just 9 euros (about $14) per month with a contract, Levi's new phone is expected to become available this month.

Oh wait, you live in Europe, right?

Via MobileBurn.

In my small attempt to help the environment, I am trying to turn down plastic bags when I go shopping in favour of using my own canvas bag.

But the trouble with my canvas bag is it doesn't fit comfortably over my shoulder, or fit neatly inside my bag, so I've been casting around for an alternative.



These RuMe (short for "reuse me") bags are definitely on the shortlist. They come in a variety of styles and colours and are water-resistant and machine-washable. They also fold up to the size of a cellphone so you can always keep one with you for emergency shopping situations. More importantly, a portion of the proceeds of every bag is donated to a charitable cause.

$28.50 from Delight.

It turns out that this mobile game, Silverbackers, has everything to do with gorilla conservation. Go to the site to download the game and learn about these awesome creatures living in the forests of Central Africa - their population totals just over 700. Here's the interesting part: these gorillas are endangered because they live in a habitat rich in Coltan, a mineral used for the production of cell phones. What better way to bring attention to this problem than through our cell phones?



Read more about the history of Silverbackers at textually.org.

I used to have a friend who refused to listen to my rationale about why something like a PSP or Nintendo DS Lite was more cost-effective (not to mention better looking and more versatile) than her basket of those dedicated handheld games she'd get from supermarkets and drug stores.

Unable to break through her steel wall of stubbornness, I eventually gave in and started buying her games to add to her collection. When I gave her some "big screen" version of Tetris a few years ago, she nearly keeled over from excitement. Never mind that the graphics looked like something from the original Game Boy (aka "the spinach-green era"); she couldn't get over how "big" the screen was.

We ended up having a falling out a few years later (unrelated to gaming) that we've yet to get over, but I'm still thinking about sending her this new Tetris Gold Game ($35) because of its 2.5-inch color screen. It would floor her.

Tetris on a color screen. Imagine that!

Via GeekAlerts.

When I was at university, I had a friend (hi, Ruth!) who loved to grate cheese. I think she found it therapeutic or something. Me, not so much. We don't live together anymore, so I can't ask her to do my grating, but this new kitchen invention might make the chore a little more bearable.

In fact, I don't know why someone didn't think of this sooner. The worst thing about grating anything the traditional way is that the grater slides around all over the place and the 'gratings' fly everywhere (or get stuck to the back of the grater).

So Danish company Eva Solo had the ingenious idea of making a grating bucket, which is what it sounds like: a metal container with a grater on the outside, which collects your grated cheese or vegetables on the inside, ready to tip straight into the pan/dish/casserole. It's a lovely shiny chrome, and would make a stylish and practical addition to any kitchen.



The only problem is the cost: it's not available in the U.S. yet, so you'd have to order it from Europe. And it costs £22.95 ($45.49) before shipping. I'm sure that price reflects great workmanship and would be a worthwhile investment for a serious cook, but I might just give Ruth a call, instead.

Via The Telegraph magazine.

Sprint have confirmed that they will be carrying the BlackBerry Curve 8330, the existence of which has been well speculated, with the QWERTY-equipped smartphone compatible with both the Sprint Music Store and the Sprint TV entertainment service.  The 8330 has both GPS, to take advantage of Sprint Navigation, and a 2-megapixel camera, with a microSD card slot and stereo Bluetooth.  It's also ready to take advantage of Sprint's high-speed data network, thanks to EV-DO support, and the carrier will also allow you to tether the smartphone to a laptop for use as a modem. 



The Curve 8330 will be available this month, priced at $179.99 with a two-year service agreement, a $170 instant savings credit and $100 mail-in-rebate. 

Press Release:

Sprint Bolsters Industry-Leading Blackberry Portfolio with Addition of the BlackBerry Curve 8330

Operating on the Sprint Mobile Broadband Network, the BlackBerry Curve 8330 is the smallest BlackBerry smartphone with a full QWERTY keyboard and supports exclusive multimedia content via Sprint Music Store and Sprint TV

LAS VEGAS -(Business Wire)- Apr. 1, 2008 Sprint (NYSE:S) and Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq:RIMM) announced today that Sprint has further energized its BlackBerry portfolio with the addition of the new BlackBerry(R) Curve(TM) 8330 smartphone.

The BlackBerry Curve 8330 is the smallest BlackBerry smartphone with a full QWERTY keyboard and strikes an attractive balance between functionality, design and usability, giving users access to phone, personal and corporate email, contacts, calendar, tasks, camera, multimedia content, GPS navigation, enhanced Web browsing and other capabilities. Whether customers are interested in advanced capabilities for personal or professional use, the BlackBerry Curve 8330 smartphone delivers innovative features including a two megapixel camera with video recording*, advanced media player for music, videos and photos, 3.5mm headphone jack, Bluetooth with support for stereo headsets and car kits, microSD/SDHC card slot for expandable memory (8 GB memory cards are available today), voice-activated dialing, voice notes recorder and the ability to be used as a modem with a laptop. Customers can also take advantage of exclusive Sprint services like**:

- Sprint Music Store - Download stereo-quality tracks instantly over the air. Choose songs from thousands of artists in virtually every genre.

- Sprint TV(R) - Watch live TV or video-on-demand with full-motion video and vivid sound or catch the latest news, sports, weather, entertainment and movie trailers on the go. Choose from more than 50 live television channels.

- Sprint Navigation - As the first carrier to have offered a GPS-enabled BlackBerry smartphone, Sprint continues this innovation with the addition of Sprint Navigation, which delivers voice-guided and on-screen turn-by-turn GPS-enabled driving directions, 3-D moving maps similar to an in-car navigation system or personal navigation device, as well as more than 10 million local listings and real-time intelligent traffic alerts with one-click rerouting, anywhere on the Sprint Mobile Broadband Network.

"Powerful core organizational capabilities, sleek and attractive form factors, exclusive multimedia content, flexible international service options and industry-leading push-to-talk service are combined factors that give Sprint one of the most attractive BlackBerry smartphone portfolios in the industry," said Danny Bowman, vice president of customer equipment for Sprint. "The addition of the BlackBerry Curve 8330 to our lineup gives our customers access to information now, with no compromises."

"The BlackBerry Curve 8330 smartphone offers a unique blend of functionality, design and usability that hits a real sweet spot for both personal and professional use," said Mark Guibert, Vice President, Corporate Marketing at Research In Motion. "It's as adept at keeping people productive at work as it is with helping them stay connected to friends or entertained and informed with Sprint's music, video and navigation services."

The Sprint Difference

Sprint provides true value for its BlackBerry customers with several industry differentiating areas:

- BlackBerry(R) Pearl(TM) 8130 smartphone - includes support for the largest range of exclusive Sprint content including Sprint TV, Sprint Music Store and Sprint Navigation.

- BlackBerry(R) 8830 World Edition smartphone - equipped with international voice and data roaming capabilities offered by Sprint, as well as an unlocked SIM card slot for voice and data services. Customers can sign up for competitive international roaming service plans directly from Sprint or take advantage of service from local providers in other countries.

- BlackBerry(R) 7100i smartphone - equipped with Nextel Direct Connect(R), the industry's largest and fastest push-to-talk service, allowing instant, efficient and economical means to communicate across the nation and in and between six international locations: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico and Peru.

For a full line-up of BlackBerry smartphones from Sprint, including pricing, visit http://www.sprint.com.

Network Strength:

Customers who use BlackBerry smartphones from Sprint and subscribe to national calling plans, can make voice calls (with no additional roaming charges) in more places. Sprint provides the largest voice calling area, reaching more than 299 million people in the U.S., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam. These same customers receive unbeatable value for data services as well. The Sprint Mobile Broadband Network (inclusive of data roaming) reaches more than 234 million people, 13,453 cities and 1,321 airports.

Sprint offers BlackBerry users the convenience of instant push-to-talk communication on the world's largest push-to-talk network and largest community of users. With Nextel, BlackBerry smartphone users can connect coast-to-coast and country-to-country in under a second with anyone from the world's largest community of push-to-talk users. The Nextel National Network continues to operate at best-ever status with internal metrics showing double-digit percent improvement year-over-year.

Simply Everything Pricing:

Regardless of whether Sprint customers are using their BlackBerry smartphones with a BlackBerry(R) Enterprise Server or with BlackBerry(R) Internet Service, they can receive great value with Sprint's new Simply Everything pricing plan. For a flat rate of $99.99 per month the Simply Everything plan offers BlackBerry Internet Service customers unlimited voice and data. Pricing complexity and concerns about overage charges are virtually eliminated, letting customers think more about how they can use their wireless device for work and play, and less about their bill. BlackBerry Enterprise Server users can subscribe to the same plan and receive access to their corporate email, calendar, contacts and firewall protection for an additional $20 per month.

BlackBerry Curve Pricing and Availability

The BlackBerry Curve 8330 smartphone will be available later this month online at http://www.sprint.com, through Sprint Telesales, Sprint business sales channels and retail locations for as low as $179.99 with a two-year service agreement, a $170 instant savings credit and $100 mail-in-rebate.

For more information on the BlackBerry Curve 8330 smartphone, visit http://www.blackberrycurve.com. Customers can sign up to be notified of commercial availability from Sprint at http://www.sprint.com/curve.

About Sprint Nextel

Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two robust wireless networks serving approximately 54 million customers at the end of 2007; industry-leading mobile data services; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. For more information, visit http://www.sprint.com.

About Research In Motion (RIM)

Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, Internet and intranet-based applications. RIM technology also enables a broad array of third party developers and manufacturers to enhance their products and services with wireless connectivity to data. RIM's portfolio of award-winning products, services and embedded technologies are used by thousands of organizations around the world and include the BlackBerry(R) wireless platform, the RIM Wireless Handheld(TM) product line, software development tools, radio-modems and software/hardware licensing agreements. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, RIM operates offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. RIM is listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market (Nasdaq: RIMM) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RIM). For more information, visit http://www.rim.com or http://www.blackberry.com.

* Video recording requires a microSD card.

** Use of services may incur separate, additional charges. Visit http://www.sprint.com for rate plan information and charges for services.  

Memory card readers come in all shapes and sizes these days, but few rely on a rechargeable lithium battery to power their . . . built-in cash note verifiers. Yes, this innocent-looking ladybug 3-in-1 reader ($16) is absolutely unforgiving against counterfeit currency. Don't ask me how it works (I couldn't tell you if you did), but the 2.2" x 1.4" x 1.0" ladybug is packing a black light (?) somewhere under those wings that "illuminates" the security strip embedded into U.S. dollars.



If you've never questioned the legitimacy of the cash in your wallet, you can still make use of the ladybug's integrated USB charging cable and ability to read T-Flash, microSD, and microSDHC cards.

Via GeekAlerts.

We've covered Bamboo products here at Popgadget before: from laptops to clothing.

Now online food magazine Chow reports that the newest and best way to store bread is in a specially-designed bag made from bamboo fabric, a naturally sustainable textile which is water-absorbent and great at repelling bacteria, meaning your bread should stay fresher longer. Plus, it's much better for the environment to have a re-usable bag and as much as I love Nigella Lawson, I'm not shelling out $100 for her bread bin.



The bamboo bags are available in two styles, Loaf Pouch (above) or Baguette Quiver (don't you just love the word 'quiver'?), pictured over the page.

Ever see those kids blasting their iPods by turning their headphones inside out and turning them into makeshift speakers? The sound is so distorted at that level that I wish they'd just bring back the old school boombox and share music properly. Or you could give those kids a taste of their own medicine and poke a little fun too, by using giant earbud speakers. These oversize speakers provide big sound and big laughs. They take 3 AAA batteries and work with any audio player with a standard audio jack.

The giant earbud speakers are $60 from fredflare.

Legendary British nature documentary maker David Attenborough (you may be familiar with his work if you saw the groundbreaking and epic Planet Earth has developed an oddly effective new way to film his favourite subjects - reclusive wild animals - in their natural habitat.

For his new program, Tiger - Spy in the Jungle, currently showing on BBC1 in the UK (and no doubt in America and the rest of the world soon), he got exclusive footage of tiger cubs, and was able to follow them from newborns to adulthood thanks to an inventive new filming technique. Trunk cams.



Yes, somehow Attenborough and his team got elephants to film the action in India's Pench National Park, using cameras made to camouflage with their trunks. (I swear this isn't an April Fool).

You can read more about this revolution in nature documentary making here, but I still don't understand how the elephants were persuaded to participate. I hope they at least got union rates.

Imagine being stuck in a downpour, your destination still miles away - and you have nothing other than an umbrella to protect yourself. You resign to a dull, wet journey, right? Not if the umbrella happens to be the Pileus WiFi Camera umbrella.

The Pileus umbrella seems like it came straight out of a sci-fi movie – it has a built-in camera that you can use to shoot pictures in the rain, plus other add-ons too. That includes a GPS system (wow) and in the future, a video camera as well. Though I choose to be skeptical about the picture quality you'l get out of the camera under such weather conditions, I have to concede that the concept is definitely unique. The Pileus also has integration with Flickr! With a wireless Internet connection in place, the photos you click can be uploaded to Flickr at the touch of a button on the handle! Or you can browse photos from Flickr on the umbrella’s webbed innards just by “a snap of your wrist.”

I think the reasons behind the creation of this umbrella would be as interesting as the features themselves. There's no word yet on the release or detailed specs, but expect to see it selling soon on Sharp Edge.

Via Shiny Shiny.

More on innovative umbrellas:
Self Standing Umbrella
Weather forecasting umbrella, plan for puddles
Almost unbreakable umbrella: Senz
Music in the Rain
NanoNuno umbrella featured in Time's Best Inventions 2006

If you were blown away by the color-screen version of the handheld Tetris game, then you'll love this Meiji chocolate bar puzzle from Strapya World. You're clearly quite easy to please, so I can tell you won't mind that the inedible puzzle isn't electronic and that rather than clearing lines, the object of this "game" is to fit all of the chocolate-looking pieces into the included clear container.

It's the anti-Tetris really because you've got similar-looking pieces that must be positioned manually (instead of flipping them frantically into place as they fall from the sky at accelerating speeds) and the more open space you have, the less "done" the game is (as opposed to trying not to let the rows of blocks build up too high). Additionally, if you've managed to figure out all 2,339 ways to solve the puzzle, you get to"level up" by buying another chocolate bar: white chocolate = easy, milk chocolate = beginner, black (dark?) chocolate = advanced.

Grab yours from Strapaya World for about $7.

When I saw this on Tokyo Mango, the first thing that came to my mind was the ShePhone, a crazy concept phone design with at least a half dozen functions having nothing to do with communication. (Mia is credited with its design, which is another story.)

Developed, and currently being tested, by NTT Communications, the "Mobile Fragrance Communication" service is not as futuristic as I first thought. As it turns out, the fragrance isn't actually emitted by the cell phone itself; the service is a mobile version of an existing service which connects downloaded audiovisual content with fragrances that come out of a separate device. So, with this mobile version, you download a "fragrance playlist" on your cell phone, then the fragrance data is transferred via the phone's infrared port to the fragrance device which contains fragrance cartridges. A device controller connected to the Internet can also receive instructions from your cell phone remotely.

Apparently, the company's plan is to partner with mobile content providers to pair fragrances with videos, music, and other content.

Seems like an awful lot of trouble relative to the benefit, but who am I to say, considering I once said that same thing about TiVo? See full press release.

When you're hurting like Virgin Mobile USA are, you really have two choices: one, bring out some kick-ass must-have cellphone (it helps here if you have ties with Apple) and let the hype drive your share price upward, or two, launch a super-cheap handset and hope that sheer numbers will push you out of the red.  Given Virgin's target audience - the cash strapped and contract fearful - they've sensibly gone for the second option, hence LG's Flare (aka LX175) fresh to the network.  You don't get much flare for $29.99, though; don't think last-gen, think a couple before that.





A compact 3.54 x 1.85 x 0.78 in size, and weighing just 2.72oz, the Flare lacks such niceties as a camera, but then it also lacks a two-year contract.  In fact, that $29.99 gets you Bluetooth, a speakerphone, WAP browser and external colour display, together with no contract obligation.  Battery life is rated at 3.5hrs talktime or 170hrs standby, and you can download games and MP3 ringtones direct to the Flare. 



[via Crave]

For the existentialist in your life who has everything, how about the Milky Way galaxy suspended in a glass cube? Supposedly, there are 80,000 stars inside the cube, rendered using three-dimensional data from Japan's National Astronomical Observatory. In the exact center of the cube is our solar system - a tiny speck, a reminder of how invisible we are in the cosmic scheme of things.

Because it's a cube, you can view the galaxy from different angles:


Available from Living World for a mere $80,000 JPN (about $770).

Via Crave.

I love to cook, but I'm messy and temperamental and hate to clean up. I throw things around like a little Asian, non-professional Gordon Ramsay. I tell people in my family that in exchange for cooking intricate meals, all they have to do is clean up, but in truth, I'm not sure they get the better deal. The thing that bothers me the most about my kitchen rampages is that when they're over, I've almost inevitably killed any cookbook I've been using. My regularly used cookbooks are crunchy with olive oil, batter, and butter, and would probably taste pretty good by now if I baked them. Some pages have become hard to read and I've been searching for a solution to protect my precious cookbook collection.

Enter the "chef's center" which supports your cookbook at a good reading angle, swivels all the way around, and most importantly has a crystal-clear, splatterguard which keeps your book open at the right page and safe from flying ingredients. The spring-loaded screen guard fits everything from the single xeroxed page to the thickest of cookbooks. There's a pull-out measurement guide to help you adjust recipe servings while you cook. Then when you're done, the chef's center folds down flat for easy storage.

The chef's center is $29.95 from Prepara.

I recently realized, when writing a letter, that I can now barely write. I'm so used to putting everything into a computer, or a PDA/phone that I can type with my thumbs much more quickly than I can write. I was ashamed and a little frightened and started imagining scenarios when there's a big Cloverfield-like attack and power outage and I die while thumb-typing and screaming into a dead Blackberry.

Another problem is that when I do scribble little notes and phone numbers, I forget what they're about by the time I find them in my purse a few months later. And forget notes from lectures or conferences- I clearly have undiagnosed ADHD because generally all I can make out are bad drawings of big-eyed waifs and mean notes to the lecturer to please stop talking so I can go to the bathroom. Once in a while, though, I see a note that says something like "IMPORTANT, make sure to look this up!" and I don't remember what it's in reference to at all.

I may simply need Ritalin, but the Livescribe Pulse pen computer could also help me out a little. The Pulse is like a grown-up version of the Fly Fusion pentop for kids.

I may love Twitter, the site where you have 140 short characters to tell the world what you're up to, lovers may love Twitter, but I do understand that Twitter's not for everyone. Some people don't want to share the details of every thought, meal or bathroom break with the rest of the Internet and find the constantly updated details of other people's every thought too much to keep up with.

If you're one of these people, allow me to introduce you to the anti-Twitter: dawdlr. As the website puts it, "dawdlr is a global community of friends and strangers answering one simple question: what are you doing, you know, more generally?"

Instead of typing in what you're up to, you send dawdlr a postcard detailing your activities, and some are chosen for the site. (Current postcards include "trying not to look back" and "enjoying living in London"). It's basically a humdrum version of Postsecret, as well as a satire on our rush-obsessed society.

If you want to join in, you have plenty of time: the site's updated around twice a year, with the next update due on May 21st.

Hop to it! Or y'know, don't . . .

You've seen a lot of iPod cases on these pages, but this upcoming one for the 5G iPod and iPod classic has a twist. Well, if we're being technical and it made sense to say so, the plastic case really has a rotate . . . -ing set of speakers, that is.

Attached to the back of the case are two 770mW speakers set into a rotating unit that flanks the iPod screen when exposed and can be "hidden" when not in use. The speakers run off their own 3.7V lithium polymer battery, so you don't have to worry about suffering the consequences of blaring Britney Spears at work when you hop onto the subway with a pair of headphones. I mean, there are consequences to listening to Britney, of course, but none of them are related to your iPod's battery power.

The rotating speaker case will sell for about $60 when it becomes available at the end of the month.

Via Thoughts from the Sidelines.

Nintendo's long awaited Wii Fit is finally set to be released on May 19th. Not surprisingly, demand is expected to be high, and orders are limited to 3 per household. You can pre-order now for $89.99 at Amazon.

More on Nintendo Wii:
Adjustable tv stand for Wii fanatics
Nintendo Wii Gum
Chocolate Mii for you and Wii
Virtual chefs compete in a Wii cooking game
Show off your Mii

We asked readers about "social network fatigue," which can mean either that you're getting tired of social networking sites or that you're simply exhausted from having too much of your time sucked up by online social networking (boredom, on the one hand, addiction on the other). And, indeed, it appears that, at least among those who participated in the poll, this phenomenon is real.



43% of participants said they're afflicted and have cut back since last year, which could mean the novelty has worn off for them and the experience is no longer so fascinating, or that they've stopped shopping around and have settled into one or two sites they use regularly (which is probably good news for established networks like facebook). For the 9% who said they're afflicted but haven't cut back (the addicts?), those who are still getting acquainted with the whole concept, and those who just don't care yet, new offerings may still appeal.

I don't know if it's because I haven't had a desktop computer in nearly 10 years (I can't wean myself off of notebooks and UMPCs), but I have absolutely no use for a USB hub. My current notebook, a Sony Vaio TZ, is equipped with only two USB 2.0 ports and I've never had a need or even wished for another one.

That's why I had no idea there was so much innovation going on in the world of USB hubs. This Rota-Star hub from Gadget4All.com, for example, features twistable ports that can be turned 180 degrees to form a handful of shapes and designs. Wow!



Available now for $12.

There's good kitsch and bad kitsch, and for the most part these cute tins from Dumpling Dynasty are good kitsch.

They feature stylish retro designs and good quality products and would make great gifts or keepsakes. There's a shoeshine kit, baking kit, first aid kit and sewing kit, which all look great. But the pigtail kit and explorer kit, whilst good whimsical fun, play into gender stereotypes a little too much for my liking (boys explore while girls fix their hair? Pah).

I recommend subverting the patriarchy and buying the former for your bald self-deprecating uncle and the latter for your sexually adventurous sister...



Via Strawberry Fool.

You splurged and got the iPod nano in your favorite color, so why don't you have matching earbuds? Now you can with Griffin Technology's "Tune Buds" which come in 5 snappy colors (Silver, Light Blue, Purple, Light Green and Red).

At $19.99, your'e not going to expect the quality of your Shure earbuds, but they're surprisingly good, especially with the bass, which is always tricky.

The secret is not only the neodymium dynamic drivers, it's the specially-engineered ear cushions, shaped to perfectly conform to the shape of the inside of your ears, which means enhanced audio isolation from outside distractions. Size matters, folks.

With 3 sizes of interchangeable soft washable silicone ear cushions included in every package, there's a size for everyone, so no more "ear-fatigue."

Next time I want to skip work, I wonder if my editor would accept "my ears are fatigued" as an excuse?

The modern day equivalent of the baby "brag book," the pint-sized digital photo viewers that can be worn on a keychain, have come a long way since their introduction. The new Digital Foci Pocket Album holds upto 74 digital photos, with 8 MB internal flash memory; has up to 9 hours of battery life; can run automatic slideshows or scoll photos manually, has an LCD contrast adjustable for choosing the best viewing angle; and includes sofware to convert JPG and BMG images from your computer to the Pocket Album. (That means you'll still need to help Grandma set it up.)

Still, it is one of the easier digital photo albums I've tired -- the software automatically resizes for optimal storage and display on the digital keychain. At $29.99, it makes a perfect Mother's Day gift, but I'd still preload it for her with family photos; conveniently, those naked baby butt photos of you will never see the light of day.

SIGN UP FOR POPGADGET DROP EMAILS TO GET WEEKLY TIPS AND WIN FASHION LAPTOP BAGS, MP3 PLAYERS, CELL PHONES, AND OTHER GREAT GIVEAWAYS FROM OUR SPONSORS.

If our recent Laptop bag bonanza - Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 - has left you dizzy with choices, here's a suggestion: check out Career Bags. With the exception of the Zegari, they sell all the bags we've previewed, including Abbi New York, Casauri, Diane Von Furstenburg, and McKlein, and have the best stock of anyone on the web, including this beautiful red GOLLA bag from Finland.

The self-made executive and owner of Career Bags, Ellen Hart, echoed the other women we talked to when she told us, "I originally designed business cases for women in 1989 because they didn't exist." The modest entrepreneur doesn't volunteer at first that she designed the Veronica London, a very popular handbag design that she sold to Hartman luggage and still sells on her site.



"I thought about three different archetypes as far as personal style: classic; funky, chic and cool; and casual. My goal: to help every woman bring out her personal style in her business life."

In Japan and Korea, where mobile technology and culture is well ahead of the rest of the world, mobile users are accustomed to receiving advertising, including SMS ads, on their cell phones. It's a give and take, as users also receive mobile coupons on their phones, with bar codes that can be directly scanned from their screens. Here in the U.S., it still seems like a strange concept to allow advertisers this kind of access and to use our cell phones to directly transact business. But someday, inevitably, we will - most of us - accept advertising messages on our mobile screens, and pay for merchandise with our cell phones, as part of the daily routine of life, just like we all use ATM cards today.

Our cat knows better than to step on or try to sleep on our computer keyboards, but boy does she love to position herself riiight next to them so that some of her fur and extra chub "accidentally" cover a few keys. Coupled with her strange habit of rubbing her face against the sides and corners of monitors and notebook screens, she certainly does her part in encouraging us to procrastinate and "finish up tomorrow."

She's too adorable and squishy to ignore or scold, of course, so it's obviously out of everyone's control. The only solution? The Kit-In Box wooden pet bed. Suitable for pets up to 20 pounds, the solid pine bed clamps onto the straight edge of a desk and lets Miss Kitty do several of her favorite things at once: perch, sleep, curl up, nest, and be with you.

Available for $50 with your choice of cherry, birch, or mahogany stains.

Via OhGizmo!

Fashionation's inexpensive Eco-Speakers are tiny 3.25-inch cubes and made from recycled materials. They are also lightweight, fold flat for portability, come in several colors and patterns, and need no batteries because they draw a bit of power from your iPod or MP3 player.

What's not to love? Well, Eco-Speakers are exceptionally portable because they have no amplifier. And you know what that means: less than wonderful sound.

So are you willing to trade great music sound for speakers that are ecologically sound, also cheap and snazzy? Only you can decide. Fortunately, an experiment won't set you back much. Fashionation's list price is $14.95, but a search will cut that down substantially. I've seen Eco-Speakers for as little as $9.99. They come in several patterns and colors including the inevitable pink (shown), purple, blue, aqua, red, and (of course) green.

Mobipocket, who offer more than 65,000 eBooks for download, have released a version of their Reader software for the BlackBerry smartphone.  Complete with recommendations, bestsellers and customer reviews, the app also allows OTA (Over The Air) downloads, with users able to browse and select eBooks, pay and download them directly to the BlackBerry handset, without needing to use a computer. 





Compatibility is with any BlackBerry running firmware 3.7 or higher, meaning all the latest models are supported, and titles can be purchased and transferred over via USB if you don't have an unlimited data plan.  Annotation, word lookup and search are included.

The Mobipocket software can be downloaded directly onto your BlackBerry by visiting http://m.mobipocket.com/

[via The Raw Feed]

More and more, it seems that what comes up at the top in browser search results is determined by factors having little to do with what I'm really looking for. Google search results may be comprehensive, but what I'm looking for may be buried so deep that I'll never find the one thing I'm looking for. I might accidentally come across just the right keyword to bring up some relevant results, but it's often hit or miss. Human-powered search engines such as Mahalo and iRazoo aim to create and "curate" search results to get around this diving-in-a-garbage-can feel of the big search engines. But humans are flawed and prejudiced, so you're not going to get objectivity with this method, nor will the results always be current (how do a few humans keep up with the volume of new content that comes on daily?).

I've been trying out Surf Canyon, a browser extension that works with Google, Yahoo!, and MSN. This browser add-on (which currently works with Internet Explorer and Firefox) gives you the option to narrow your search results by clicking a bull's eye icon next to a relevant search result to get more link recommendations that you might otherwise not see until you've clicked many more pages into your search results (which, for me, is usally never, as I get impatient after 3 or 4 pages). Using "real time semantic personalization technology" (how's that for a mouthful?) Surf Canyon "sits atop" your search engine to help you hone in on what you're looking for.

I don't have any little kids in my house, so when one comes to visit, I'm often at a loss for how to entertain my guest, as I have no toys lying about. My repertoire of Origami cranes and inflatable cubes exhausts itself in about twenty minutes.

I've bookmarked this page of Fractalspin for the next time I find myself in this dilemma. The Mandlebot Paper Toy is a foldable robot that you print out on your own printer, then spend the next hour folding in accordance with the instructions. Fractalspin describes Mandlebot as a "stylish robot who just needs some help becoming 3D like the rest of us," and who likes electronic music.

Hopefully, by the time I finish the project and my little friend figures out that it doesn't actually do anything, it'll be time to gather him up to send him home.

SHOP FOR TOYS AT THE POPGADGET SHOP AND THE BABYGADGET SHOP.

Because I'm so easily distracted, I love silly USB gadgets but they tend to wear out their welcome after a few minutes. I think, though, I could learn to love Tengu. Tengu is a little USB-powered device that responds to voice and music, and while this is the standard modus operandi of most useless USB gadgets, Tengu can actually lip-synch to music or your voice. Not perfectly, of course, but based on videos, enough to be thoroughly amusing for a little while.

Here's one demo:





Tengu changes its expression if you blow on its um, "face". This is probably going to be lots of fun when I want to pretend that I'm having a conversation with someone who agrees with me completely.

Tengu is $48 from Compact-Impact. Via Chip chick.

I'm not much of a photographer, so I'm not sure I'd want to use up/ruin a whole wall with any picture I've taken, but I can definitely see My Foto Wall doing well. This new site allows users to upload a favorite picture, which will then be turned into wallpaper. Not virtual wallpaper - the real thing.



A typical wall will cost £295 ($586) to decorate, so you may not be covering all your walls this way, but for a unique design, I can't think of better way to customise a room. You can crop and cut your your chosen photo to scale, and if you put in your wall/room measurements, you'll get an exact quote.

I think a nature shot would work best, but if you want that Demi Moore-inspired pregnant pose on your living room wall, go right ahead: it'll be a talking point, at least.

(Oh, and I feel I should apologise for the unnecessary apostrophe in the picture above: it makes my heart ache, but I'm trying to overlook it).

Via Geekbrief TV.

Sling, who specialise in taking your TV and shoving it right up your internet tube, are apparently set to release an updated version of their Slingplayer for Windows Mobile software this Spring, for both Pro and Standard (touchscreen and non-touchscreen) handsets.  The update will include better optimisation for newer WM smartphones.  According to the rumor, Sling will also release an optimised Nokia N95 8GB app and extend their Symbian variant to include UIQ devices.  Perhaps most exciting, though, is word that they're evaluating the iPhone SDK with regards a Slingplayer client for the Apple cellphone.



How well streaming TV might work via AT current Sling implementations automatically adjust the video stream quality to take into account what bandwidth is available, and some users report successful use via 2.5G connections.  It seems unlikely that they'd do justice to the iPhone's widescreen display, however.

More tricky, then, could be the Sling system's use of WMV, rather than the H.264 format the iPhone currently supports.  It's possible that an iPhone compatible service could require a new Sling box.

As I may have mentioned, my iPhone is terribly spoiled; always has to have the latest case, the newest earbuds, or the system mysteriously slows down. Right now, it's sporting the new Wave case by Griffin, ($24.99) which is a bright red and made of a translucent polycarbonate shell.

Named the Wave case because of the unique wave-shaped closure, it provides greater interlocking surface area, so you can carry your iPhone and keep it somewhat protected in case of drops. Handily protecting your iPhone without impinging on it's functionality, it comes in translucent red, pink, orange, green, blue, and black, but please don't tell my iPhone.

DON'T MISS OUT ON OUR NEXT GIVEAWAY - SIGN UP FOR POPGADGET DROP EMAILS.

For anyone who grew up in the 80s or early 90s, mix tapes were an essential part of pop culture. Whole evenings were devoted to the practice of creating the perfect mix tape (and learning to apply liquid eyeliner) and we would make them for parties, for our walkmans and for our friends. What's more, if a potential love-interest surprised you with a mix tape, it was as close to a confession of undying love as a teenage boy was capable of. (Unfortunately, the only teenage boys who were that romantic existed in Hollywood screenwriters' heads. But never mind.)

Mix tapes were soon superseded by burning CDs and making iPod playlists, but neither has the same amount of romance and nostalgia. Which is why I was delighted to hear about a new application called Muxtape, which lets you create your very own mix tape, online.

You sign up for free and then upload up to 12 songs from your hard drive to create your perfect (virtual) tape. The upload process takes a little while, and the site only works with MP3s at the moment but it's much easier than the days of painstakingly rewinding and recording, and hopefully it will accept WMA files soon.

I personally don't receive a tremendous number of rambling voicemail messages, so I've never entertained the wish that I could have my messages transcribed into text so that I have the option to read them instead of listening to them. However, putting myself in the shoes of someone who's important enough to be relentlessly pursued by callers, I can see where such a service might prove to be a real time saver. Imagine having 50 voicemail messages to go through - you would actually have to listen to each message from beginning to end to know whether it contained something urgent and important (especially if the caller is someone like my mother who always waits to the very end of a message to get to the main point). Contrast that with email, where you can quickly browse the text and, thereby, triage your callers.

I'm all for getting into the spirit of the season with some holiday decorations, but spending $45 on a thermoplastic resin bunny and carrot paper towel holder for Easter is a bit much.

Then again, the green and blue figures standing guard beside the 13.4" carrot look more like mind-controlling alien children wearing rabbit ears than the Easter Bunny. And those kids are festive year-round.

Via Nerd Approved.

If you're a geek, then you know there's nothing better than being able to customize your gadgets to suit your own personality. There isn’t much you can really customize when it comes to USB drives, but you can make make it easier to identify yours easily if it ever gets lost (and found). A customized flash drive could make a good gifting idea too.

Pexagon allows you to customize your USB key online in 4 easy steps. And you can choose from capacities between 512MB (who wants that these days?) to 8GB. Looks cool and will cost you no more than $52 for the largest capacity.

Via Chip Chick.

HTC have confirmed that they will be releasing the Touch Dual smartphone - which has both a capacitive touchscreen with HTC's TouchFLO GUI and a slide-out 20-key keypad - in the US sometime this quarter.  The handset will also be one of the first available in the country running Windows Mobile 6.1 Pro, which was officially announced today, and will be a quadband GSM, dualband HSDPA (850/1900Mhz) device with a 2-megapixel camera.





HTC also announced that several existing models in their line-up would be eligible for a Windows Mobile 6.1 upgrade, including the Touch by HTC and Mogul by HTC from Sprint, AT “HTC”), a global leader in smartphone design and manufacturing, revealed that the popular HTC Touch Dual™ will debut in the United States this quarter. Announced today at the Cellular Telecommunication and Internet Association (CTIA) Wireless 2008 spring conference, the HTC Touch Dual™ combines an intuitive touch screen with integrated TouchFLO™ technology and slide-out keypad and Microsoft Corp.’s Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional software, making it easier for customers to communicate on the go.

“HTC has witnessed incredible support and demand for the Touch product portfolio, and we are pleased to provide our customers with the opportunity to experience additional iterations of the Touch product family,” said Jason Mackenzie, vice president of HTC America. “The Touch Dual will be among the first devices in the United States to run Windows Mobile 6.1 and will be followed by a range of 6.1 updates for several other HTC products.”

Software Upgrades Available on HTC Devices

In partnership with Microsoft and key mobile operator partners, HTC will continue to extend the functionality of many current HTC devices both in the United States and abroad by providing Windows Mobile 6.1 updates. Windows Mobile 6.1, an update to Windows Mobile 6, provides new timesaving features, easier phone navigation and management, stronger security safeguards, and support for Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008. Some of HTC’s most popular smartphones including the Touch by HTC and Mogul by HTC from Sprint, AT Sprint and HTC recently provided an update for the popular Mogul by HTC, making it the industry’s first EV-DO Rev. A-capable handset while also enabling additional GPS functionality.

“Windows Mobile enhances people’s lives by providing them with an experience that keeps them close to what’s important to them — anywhere, anytime,” said John O’Rourke, general manager of the Mobile Communications Business, Microsoft. “HTC has a history of providing a great selection of popular Windows Mobile phones, and we are pleased to bring the latest in software to a range of its products around the world.”

HTC Touch Dual Availability and Features

Best Buy will be the first to offer the HTC Touch Dual, which will be available through select Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile retail outlets, online at BestBuy.com and htc.com.

“At Best Buy we are committed to providing customers with a wide selection of high quality handsets,” said David Ryan, director of merchandising, Best Buy Mobile. “We look forward to adding the innovative HTC Touch Dual to our current lineup of unlocked phones.”

Taking user control to a whole new level, the HTC Touch Dual combines an intuitive touch screen and keypad within a stunning design. The versatile device offers an interactive cube interface for quick and easy navigation to e-mails, text messages, calendar appointments and contacts. Features include the following:

•       TouchFLO™, a touch-screen technology that allows finger-touch scrolling, panning and photo zooming

•       Slide-out 20-key keyboard for quick dialing, text messages and e-mail

•       Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional

•       Microsoft Office Mobile for working on documents and getting your Outlook e-mail

•       Live HTC Home™ featuring time and weather display, quick launcher, and one-touch ring-tone settings

•       2 megapixel camera for shooting photos/videos and a second camera for video calls

•       Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850/900/1800/1900Mhz) and HSDPA (850/1900Mhz) connectivity

Come Visit HTC America at Booth 1624

       At CTIA Wireless 2008, HTC will show the latest lineup of HTC devices, including the Touch Dual. Those interested should stop by booth #1624, located in the C hall, to see the latest innovations from HTC.

About HTC

Founded in 1997, HTC Corp. (HTC) designs, manufactures and markets innovative, feature-rich smartphone and PDA phone devices.

Since its establishment, HTC has developed strong R padding-bottom: 8px; text-align: center; border: 1px solid #EBEBEB; background: url(http://www.slashgear.com/images/stripe3.png);">

If silver, slim and keypad-equipped push your buttons then you could do worse than check out

According to UK retailer The Carphone Warehouse, Nokia's N96 - which it announced at the Mobile World Congress back in February - is expected to launch in the UK in August 2008.  That would fall comfortably in the Q3 timeframe Nokia originally estimated.  The N96 will replace the N95 8GB, bringing the styling up to date with Nokia's current range as well as adding DVB-H mobile TV, a dual-LED flash and clever kick-stand to prop up the handset while watching TV and video.



"The Nokia N96 mobile phone takes the impressive N95 and makes it even smarter. It has the same clever two-way sliding mechanism as its predecessor, giving you the choice of a conventional keypad or music controls, but there are quite a few changes inside. The 5 megapixel camera is now linked with the built-in GPS mapping, letting you 'geotag' your pictures with location data. You're able to capture video clips in DVD-like quality at 30 frames per second - and there's compatibility with a wide range of video playback formats including MPEG-4, Windows Media Video and Flash Video. The Nokia N96 even has a stand on the back for handsfree viewing. Music is also well catered for, with a massive 16GB of expandable storage, 3D stereo speakers and a standard 3.5mm headphone socket. With WiFi and 3G HSDPA connectivity rounding off the package, this is a true multimedia computer" The Carphone Warehouse

You can see our full gallery of hands-on images with the Nokia N96, taken at the Mobile World Congress, here. 



[via Symbian-Guru]

I visited NYC for the first time last November, and let's face it - that city has everything. Well, almost everything. While New York state can lay claim to some stunning water scenery, the water in Manhattan has always been a little... flat. I mean, it just kind of lies there.

So why not bring waterfalls to New York? That's what New York's Public Art Fund thought, and that's what they are about to do.

From July to October this year, you'll be able to see man-made cascading water features in lower Manhattan, Brooklyn and on the north shore of Governors Island. The specially-commissioned installations will be 90 to 120-feet tall, operate from 7 AM to 10 PM, seven days a week, and will be lit after sunset for an even more impressive effect. What's more, the waterfalls have been designed to protect water quality and aquatic life and could apparently bring an extra $55 million into New York's tourism economy (they certainly make me think about a return trip...)

Here's what the waterfalls will look like when they are up and running:





Via Pretty In the City and NYC Waterfalls.

In our last episode, you may recall, I was hunting around for an iPod Touch substitute that would be cheaper - and perhaps even better, in some ways, at playing videos and Web surfing. And I thought I might have found it: the Archos 605 WiFi, which the CNET reviewer liked a lot.

But even at $200 less than the Touch, that's still serious bucks to nag my loving family into spending on my birthday. So more research was indicated. Which gave me a reason to try out a new search engine, name of Retrevo.

Oh no, not another search engine! Oh ho, yes indeedy. But Retrevo is not just another search engine. It's a search engine designed for one of Popgadget's deepest avocations: Shopping. Shopping for electronic items, to be precise.

Precise is just the word for Retrevo, in fact. Plug the eProduct (or iProduct) of your dreams into Retrevo and up come reviews, blog posts, manufacturer info, and buying sites, all neatly organized and categorized for your researching pleasure. It will also search for solutions to problems you're having with a technotoy, and it finds manuals for you, too. No more excuses for not being able to RTFM!

If you've been doing your part for the environment by transitioning from regular light bulbs to energy-saving fluorescent lght bulbs, you might be interested to know that you can get energy-saving light bulbs that do more than just provide light. Kitchen Contraptions spotted this 15 watt ionic bulb, which produces 60 watts of ight and contains an ionizer that cleans the air around the bulb. The claim is that the ionic technology picks up airborne particles that contaminate your room and cause odors. The bulb provides 10,000 hours of lighting, 10 times longer than standard light bulbs.

There's been controversy over the last few years about whether ionic air purifiers are effective. You might recall the lawsuit filed by Sharper Image against the publisher of Consumer Reports, claiming product disparagement relating to negative reviews of Sharper Image's Ionic Breeze Quadra air purifiers (the suit was dismissed), and the class action suit against Sharper Image by consumers (which was settled in 2007).

Putting aside the debate over how effect ionic air purifiers are, it's an interesting idea to make air purification a secondary function of a light bulb, since you have at least one bulb in every room of a house.

Sold for $14.99 each at Amazon..

If you're taking part in an Indian celebration, have a kid who wants a tattoo but is waaaaaaay too young, or you're just a mad crazy fan of henna, then Henna Penna is for you. As the name strongly implies, this product is henna... in a pen. Which is a godsend, as anyone who's tried to do anything with henna (multiple hair dyes, here) knows how messy the darn thing can be.

Henna Penna pens are available in a range of colors including emerald and traditional brown and black, and can be used with stencils or freehand. At $25.75 per pen (from Nonstop Bazaar) they're not dirt cheap, but they are all-natural and not tested on animals, so you your kids can play without fear. (Although I must advise some caution: designs fade, but can't be erased, so not something to play with on the face, perhaps...)

This would have kept me quiet for hours when I was younger (hey, it still might today) and let's face it, it's a bit more fun than the last pen I wrote about.

Via Crafty Crafty, where they have made a rather nifty video about the whole process.

It may not be nice to look at or fun to use, but at least the horridly named EM-SOL1GIG portable media player by eMotion is great pals with the environment.

Not only do the built-in solar panels provide enough renewable juice for the 5.5" x 3.0" x 1.0" device to play AVI videos at 25 frames per second and video game emulators on its 320 x 240 display, but they also power up the unit for playback and viewing of music (MP3, WAV, WMA, ADPCM), photos (JPG, BMP, GIF), and text files stored on the device's 1GB of internal memory or on SD cards up to 2GB in size. The EM-SOL1GIG can even be used to charge the lithium batteries tucked inside external devices such as digital cameras and cell phones.

It makes more sense to me for the panels to be on the back of the player (rather than "inside" it) so that you can actually use it while it was charging, but for only $169, I guess I shouldn't complain. I do, however, find it mighty suspicious that 1) the amount of time it takes for the EM-SOL1GIG to receive a full charge and 2) how long said charge actually lasts are both absent from the product page.

Via Crave.

If Friends taught us anything, it's that broke New York twenty-somethings have lives of unparalled luxury, and proposing via a big screen is really old hat. Instead, the hot new way to propose is over free micro-blogging facility Twitter.
Last week, Wired reported on what they thought was the first ever Twitter proposal, popped by web designer Max Keisler to his girlfriend Emily Chang in the early hours of Thursday morning. Twitter limits messages to just 140 characters, including spaces, so the tech-minded romantics had to be quick. Max's proposal of marriage read:

"To @emilychang - After fifteen years of blissful happiness I would like to ask for your hand in marriage?"

"@maxkiesler - yes, i do," was the short and sweet reply. (I'd be too jittery to capitalise, too!)

Later Wired reader Stephanie Sullivan told the site that her fiance Greg Rewis actually got there first, with the following exchange on March 2nd:

"@stefsull - ok. for the rest of the twitter-universe (and this is a first, folks) - WILL YOU MARRY ME?"

Sullivan's reply: "@garazi - OMG - Ummmmm... I guess in front of the whole twitter-verse I'll say -- I'd be happy to spend the rest of my geek life with you."

Qualcomm have demonstrated an Android prototype cellphone capable of playing Quake, and PHONE Mag have the video of it in action! The device, which uses Qualcomm's 3D hardware graphics acceleration to give 30fps VGA gaming, is intended to demonstrate the potential for gaming and GUI design on the Android platform.



Check out the video of Quake on Android after the cut!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fH1Rd-T1rYM

We'll be bringing you more Android news from CTIA Wireless as we get it, so stay with us!

Vincent has been spending some hands-on time with the new Samsung Instinct that'll be exclusively available on Sprint from June.  So far we're still waiting for his feedback - and he's a dedicated iPhone addict, so the Instinct will have to live up to high standards! - but we thought you'd enjoy these live photos from the CTIA Wireless show floor. 



Check out the full gallery after the cut! 

The instinct is Sprint's first consumer EV-DO Rev.A handset, with a full touchscreen interface complete with haptic feedback and one-touch access to the commonly used features, GPS (with Sprint's Navigator service) and Sprint Mobile TV.

Not much of a surprise, since we knew back in February, but Sony Ericsson have confirmed that the XPERIA X1 smartphone is based around Microsoft's Windows Mobile 6.1, which the software giant launched today.  Of course, on top of that OS is Sony Ericsson's XPERIA UI, which they're describing as a "continually active desktop". 

"No two individuals have the same tastes and desires. Sony Ericsson’s XPERIA X1 has been developed to ensure that mobile web communication and multimedia entertainment can be tailored, putting the individual at the heart of the mobile experience in a uniquely personal way" Rikko Sakaguchi, Head of Portfolio and Propositions, Sony Ericsson



 



 SE have also revealed that certain panels of the XPERIA UI will be created by operators carrying the device, much as cellphone menus are sometime customised according to network.  It's unclear whether users will have the same degree of tailoring flexibility when it comes to operator-defined panels, or if those will always been on-show.

The manufacturer also intends to work with application providers to develop custom panels; this seems likely to include the current crop of fashionable social networking sites, such as MySpace and Facebook.

UK network O2 were perhaps overdue a new smartphone, so they've introduced their own version of HTC's S730 Windows Mobile handset.  Branded the

I admit it took me a while to get used to Gmail and its insistence on grouping "conversations" together and never deleting anything. I wouldn't be without it (and its supersonic spam filter) now, though: I have three accounts: business emails, personal emails and junk emails from websites that made me register before I bought or commented on something.

But... the design could do with a little updating, couldn't it? It hasn't changed significantly since its launch in 2004. So if you want to jazz up your Gmail, carry on over the cut to find out how...

When the Onelink smoke detector talks to you, you know you need to take things seriously. This carbon-monoxide and smoke detector actually talks to let you know the kind of danger that it has detected, along with its location. And you can wirelessly link upto 16 such detectors at various points within your home – a combination that would be pretty hard to ignore during an emergency because if one of them goes off (with a powerful 85dB alarm), all the others would join in.

Imagine a situation when there is a fire in a room while you are in a distant part of the house. A conventional smoke detector would sound an alarm, but having to figure out the location of the alarm and smoke could take away precious time. This is perhaps where the voice functionality of the Onelink detector could be life-saving. Buy the Onelink detector from SmartHome for around $100.

Via Home Improvement Ideas.

It's not exactly news that more and more chunks of our lives are lived on the Internet. But every now and then we get a reminder - of how, for example, the 'net increasingly is taking over jobs that used to be exclusively television's. Case in point: March Madness, a US sports phenomenon that is also a television phenomenon, disrupting regular programming for weeks every spring. It is now huge on the Web as well - and destined to get even more so this year.

Because it eats up a good deal of April, too, we still have several more weeks of March Madness, the NCAA Men's Division annual basketball championship, a tourney with scores of games and a dizzyingly complex playoff structure. That gives us all plenty of time to check out this year's biggest deal, an experiment at Joost, the free video site. Joost is conducting a hugely ambitious live test of its video streaming system, planning to broadcast every single game to anyone anywhere in the world.

The actual games are the least of March Madness, but the side activities are a Web phenomenon too. There are dozens - probably hundreds - of sites and blogs keeping track of brackets, many collected at the Bracket Project. What's a bracket? As the usually invaluable Wikipedia explains, a bracket is the "diagrammatic representation of the series of games played during a tournament, named as such because it appears to be a large number of interconnected (punctuational) brackets." Got that? A 2006 New York Times article also attempted clarification, with equally opaque results. To me, anyway. See the pic above, which is sort of a help.

Brackets aside, there's another March basketball Madness going on too, although you wouldn't know it from the buzz. That would be the NCAA Women's Division Championship.

If you think the two cellphones in the picture below look similar, imagine how Fujitsu feel: they developed the handset on the left, the Foma Rakuraku Phone III, for NTT DoCoMo, and then Toshiba introduced the handset on the right, the Kandan Keitai 821T, for Softbank.  Now Fujitsu and their carrier chum are suing Toshiba, seeking a temporary injunction on sales of the 821T with the eventual goal of having it permanently withdrawn from sale.

The ROM update for the Sprint Mogul (aka HTC Titan) that was rumored over the weekend has been

 The update is free, but installing it will wipe your Mogul so HTC recommend that you back-up your handset before beginning. 

1. Adds EV-DO Rev.A functionality for faster download and upload speeds when transmitting data wherever EV-DO Rev. A coverage is available.
 
2. Adds advanced GPS functionality including the software for Sprint Navigation.
 
3. Adds a Task Manager to the Today screen for easier access and management of Running Programs.
 
4. Improves Bluetooth performance including usage with Phone As Modem and wireless stereo headsets.
 
5. Corrects an issue where Windows Live Messenger content may be erased when the device power cycles

How much would you pay for a phone with Bluetooth, integrated 2-megapixel camera with flash, and MP3 playback capabilities? I know such phones are standard fare these days and often offered as free upgrades when extending your cell phone contract, but let's say this new phone was given an "ultra limited edition" label and only 100 of them were being made.

If you guessed 550 euros (about $870), then you're obviously in cahoots with chic Parisian retailer Colette, who's got exclusive dibs on Levi's new Red Tab phone. Think $870 is too much to pay for mediocre features and winged skull etching? Then you must not know about the metal chain and carrying case packed into the "premium" presentation box along with the phone. Mm-hmm. That's where the extra $800 is.

Via Luxury Launches.

Everytime you look at the tattered corners of your sofa, your shredded curtains or claw marks on the lovely kitchen cabinets, don’t you wish that your kitty didn’t have claws? Why not make your feline happy by providing a stylish alternative for her scratching instinct?

The people who designed the Itch Cat Scratch Pad had just that in mind. And while they were at it, they made it completely environment friendly too. Made from 100% renewable bamboo, the pads can be hung up (or placed horizontally) at strategic locations in your home to entice your kitty. The pads have removable carpet inserts that can be replaced from time to time. Sounds purrfect? Get yours from SquareCatHabitat for $50 a piece.

Via Eco Fling.

Word-a-day calendars might improve your vocabulary, but unless they're electronic, they're not exactly great for the environment. Here's a more creative and lasting alternative that you don't have to wait for a new year to try out: the key calendar from Takumi.

I'm not sure exactly how it works, but it seems that you move the key every day to keep track of the date. It would be very cool if turning the keys revealed some kind of secret compartment (you could set it to deliver a love note on your anniversary or something) but I don't think that's an option yet.

Apartment Therapy says the calendar "plays upon both the metaphorical and also the innate physical desire to manipulate the mechanical as an effective way to keep track of the days of a month."

I just think it's pretty.

I'm not a particularly "crafty" person myself. Oh, I can be sneaky, for sure, but when it comes to hand-made crafts... not so much.

But I totally admire anyone who can create something beautiful from a ball of wool and a couple of zippers (or whatever) and lately I've been intrigued by the huge variety of online resources for craft fans. Most well-known is probably Craftster: the craft fan's Facebook, this site is a place to network, pick up new ideas and learn new skills. Ravelry is a similar site aimed solely at those who knit and crochet. It's invitation-only at the moment but is growing fast.

Then there are the multitudes of blogs devoted to everything from scrapbooking to sewing and much more besides. It's all about making things for fun rather than necessity and there's often a heavy dose of irony involved (Craftster makes this explicit: "No tea cozies without irony," their tagline proclaims).

In the fitness arena, companies never seem to tire of offering up products with the supposed ability to exercise our bodies without requiring us to actually do anything - and the market will continue to thrive as long as the gullible and lazy among us keep feeding it. Vibrating belts designed to trim our waists while we watch tv and exercise machines that promise to give us glutes of steel in just 4 minutes a day seem very compelling during bouts of insomnia at four in the morning.

Oh, but these muscle tone garments from Japanese sportwear maker Asics are different (until proven otherwise) because they assist you in toning your muscles during exercise. They're made of elastic materials that pull your muscles together so that, for instance, with the upper body version, your shoulder blades are pulled toward the spine to correct posture. The lower body version pulls at the muscles in your butt and thighs. I suppose the idea is that the additional resistance resulting from this pulling makes exercising those areas of the body more efficient, like carrying weights in your hands while jogging.

The company makes eleven different versions of the muscle tone garment, some made of mesh for hot summers.

Via The Nikkei Weekly (subscription)

As expected, Nokia have announced the latest upgrade to their Internet Tablet range, the N810 WiMAX Edition, that is set to be available in the US during summer 2008 in areas with WiMAX coverage.  The N810 WiMAX keeps its siblings 4.13-inch touchscreen, WiFi and slide-out full QWERTY keyboard, together with a webcam, GPS and 2GB of onboard memory (expandable to 10GB via microSD card).



The N810 WiMAX will also feature the latest version of Nokia's Internet Tablet software, OS2008, which has a new e-mail client, support for Chinese character rendering in the browser and RSS feeds and "Seamless Software Update" functionality to eliminate manual software updates.  The update will be available, free, for existing N800 and N810 owners in Q2 2008.

Is that a server in your pocket, or are you just pleased to see me?  Actually, if Webtide have their way then future Android-powered cellphones could be running as mobile webservers thanks to a port of their open-source Jetty app.  Developed in Java, i-Jetty can run as either a standalone server or in combination with an HTTP server such as Apache to handle dynamic content; on Android smartphones, it will load as a servlet and give users remote access to phone functionality.  No, you might not want to host the next YouTube rival on your mobile, but accessing SMS messaging, multimedia files and the address book of your handset remotely from your laptop could be handy. 

Available now as a stable preliminary release, porting i-Jetty to Android was apparently "really fast", with the developers citing getting used to Android emulators as their biggest challenge.  Webtide see users developing dynamic mobile personal websites, currently limited by the processing capacity of cellphones themselves, which would take advantage of i-Jetty's support for AJAX and other Web 2.0 technologies.

"Right now, the devices still don't have the processing power and connection speed to handle more than a small population of users.  i-Jetty-enabled Android phones could certainly syndicate to a larger landed service" Adam Lieber, CEO, Webtide

Beyond that, Webtide have suggested that routers and access points could use the Android OS and host web-based services via i-Jetty.

[via Linux Devices]

If you're like me, you have no idea if you're maintaining proper tire pressure in your car tires in between trips to the shop. This self-inflating tire, developed in the Czech Republic, takes this out of your hands by inflating automatically through a device called a peristaltic pump which inflates the tire as it turns, keeping it at a constant, safe pressure level. This technology, if adopted widely, will not only make the roads safer, but will have a positive environmental impact by way of savings on fuel (cars with under-inflated tires use more fuel), resulting in a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, and an increase in the lifespan of tires. Read more here.

Via smart stuff and gizmag

With all the job-hunting tools available on the Web, you may still find that your resume goes unnoticed after you click that send button on your computer. Maybe it makes more sense to wear your resume so that anyone who sees you on the street has the opportunity to make you an offer. That's the idea behind Blackbird Tees' custom Resume Tees. When ordering, you choose an intro or teaser line for the front of your t-shirt (for instance, "My resume is on the back of my shirt," a simple "Hire me," or "I heart job offers") and then upload your resume for printing on the back (as a Word doc, only Times Roman font). Choose from 6 different colors - $30 for unisex, an additional $3 for a girl's fitted tee.

And if you manage to get hired this way, you'll at least know that your employer has a sense of humor.

This is one must-have cute home accessory - the solar powered bicycle rider lamp. The cuteness factor is propped up by the fact that whenever this lamp is exposed to sunlight, the bicycle rider within starts pedalling, turning the lamp into a delightful piece of art. The solar panel itself is on a rotatable base so that you can easily catch the source of sunlight. During a cloudy day or at night, you can use it as a conventional lamp (40W) by connecting to a power source. There you go - eco-friendly art that you can use as well.

It's a bit pricey at $49, but then it's difficult not to succumb to the rider’s charms. Available from Gaiam.

Via Eco Fling.

Despite advances made in search technology on the Web, and websites guiding users through the morass of information on specialized topics like medicine, information available on the Web about legal topics is still fairly hard to find for most people outside of the legal profession. Lawyers know that, in addition to costy databases such as LexisNexis and Westlaw, there are numerous free information sources online, but there's no obvious starting point for non-lawyers looking for basic information about a given legal topic, such as the requirements to set up a business in a particular state or how to draft a will.

Nolo, a company that publishes legal guidebooks and software packages for non-lawyers (as well as for lawyers venturing into areas where they're not experienced), offers a fairly comprehensive list of topics in their catalog, along with some useful broad summaries of subjects like trademarks and copyrights, but it's not a portal to other resources on the Web.

TVs certainly have gotten better looking -- at CES we saw huge flat screens that transformed into paintings, ones with "invisible" bezels or highly decorative bezels, meant to compliment the decor. Not to mention the ones that sank into pieces of furniture and completly disappeared, my personal favorites.

This 20" LCD HDTV from VIZIO caught my eye when it won the presigious RED DOT award for its elegant design. With a depth of 3.6“, the 20“ screen is ultra-slim and well suited for home offices, kitchens, bedrooms (dorms?), and smaller rooms. Since it's High Definition with "integrated standard and high definition NTSC/ATSC/clear QAM digital tuner including 1080i and 720P you can enjoy the HD already offered by cable and satellite channels."

Originally offered with a beautiful piano black bezel wrap-around, you now have the option to buy it in white.

Specs you need to know:

- Widescreen HD functionality featuring 1366x768 high definition resolution
- One HDMI input, RGB computer conection (great for use as a PC monitor), and 8ms response time.

Not bad for $399.

[Try our Interactive Buying Guides to find the right tv for your lifestyle.]

Vincent stopped by the LG stand at CTIA Wireless to see the finally-announced Vu mobile TV phone destined for AT&T, and couldn't help but slap his iPhone up next to it for a couple of comparison shots.  He's also filmed a full video walkthrough of the Vu's menus, including some video playback. 



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKDiq7ZzsVI

The Vu will AT&T's flagship mobile TV handset when it launches, with widescreen display, haptic feedback and Bluetooth 2.0 with the A2DP stereo profile.

Not to be outdone by Nokia's latest N810 with it's WiMAX upgrade, Samsung have sprinkled some XOHM pixie-dust onto their

We unfortunately didn't get a chance to visit Bluebird at CeBIT last week, which is a shame because their Pidion BM-350 Windows Mobile Pro smartphone actually looks pretty decent.  With quadband GSM, 2100MHz 3G HSDPA and WiFi, as well as GPS with Assisted-GPS support, Bluetooth 2.0 and a 520Mhz PXA 270 processor, it might not have the brand name of HTC, say, but shouldn't be too embarrassed about its feature list.





Okay, so the cameras aren't too hot - 1.3-megapixels on the back and VGA on the front aren't going to win any awards - and the 2.8-inch 320 x 240 display isn't full VGA, but the BM-350 has a USB 2.0 port supporting USB Host, and FM radio, microSDHC slot supporting cards up to 32GB in size and, for those retro moments, an infra-red port too.

Apparently it could be available in Europe soon, priced at around €500 ($769) unsubsidised. 

[via NaviGadget]

Designer Pavel Balykin has decided to revamp the retro sand-hour-glass by conceptualising a digital version with his Sand Time Watch. Well, sort of.

The Sand Time Watch, according to me, might be a misnomer because the watch uses a “digital hour glass” only as a screensaver. The actual time, however, is shown once you press a button – and the screensaver then disappears. Much to the disappointment of traditional folks (which includes me), there is no sand and the hour glass does not count time. Nevertheless, the concept is pretty cool and the watch itself looks trendy. Will the Sand Time Watch make it into production? Only the hour glass can tell.

Via Yanko Design.

Take a look at the curtain above. You are probably thinking - on a perfectly sunny day, perhaps the tree behind cast its shadow over the curtain, giving it the beautiful breezy look, right? Wrong. Take a look at the picture below.



The image in the curtain is actually made out of plain old ASCII characters! Designed by a dutch artist genius Nieke Sybrandy, they are unfortunately not yet available for sale.

Via Engadget.

If you think the ubiquitious spider head massager looks ridiculous, then you haven't yet seen this face massager from Japanese company Akaishi. The device has four little arms, with a roller on the end of each arm. You move the rollers over your cheeks and chin to relax your tense facial muscles. The model pictured above seems to be using this and the other version made by the same company, which is used for the ridge of the nose and scalp.

Seems rather primitive compared to the electronic device marketed by Suzanne Somers, the FaceMaster, which stimulates your facial muscles with electricity to whip them into shape, though I suppose the rollers have a different purpose (relaxation as opposed to beauty enhancement).

The roller arms sell for 1,575 Yen (about $16).

Via The Nikkei Weekly (subscription).

I admit I have selfish reasons for an interest in this story: a couple of weeks ago, I ordered a laptop (in fact, it's the Dell Inspiron 1525, which thankfully got the Popgadget thumbs up last week) and I'm expecting it soon. It will be the first time I've ever owned a laptop, although I've used other people's and cried when I had to give them back, of course. But I know portability doesn't come without a price and I'm interested to hear how more experienced laptop owners cope with two of the most common challenges: finding a comfortable place and angle to type, and making sure the machine doesn't overheat.

So Lifehacker's article on the top home-made laptop stands immediately caught my eye. These homemade stands tackle issues of comfort and practicality with clever (and just as importantly, cheap) design ingenuity.

Which one do you like best? I like the binder, below, for the dual purpose elevation and wire housing:

Oh man, I have never wanted it to be my birthday today more than I do right now.

Because if it was, I'd ask someone to bake me a cupcake cake using this adorable pull-apart silicone mold in the shape of a turtle. Then I'd have a dozen delicious cupcakes frosted to look like a single cake all to myself . . . I mean, to share.

The food-grade silicone is able to withstand the heat from a 500-degree oven, as well as the radiation from a microwave, prodding from a metal utensil, and the chilly temperatures from a freezer. And it's only $14.99 from Linens 'n Things.

The Everex CloudBook has had a WiMAX upgrade in the shape of the CloudBook Max, bringing high-speed wireless data access to users within range of Sprint's Xohm network.  Intended as an ultraportable, the CloudBook has an 8.9-inch WVGA display, VIA C7-M ULV processor and WiFi b/g, together with Bluetooth, integrated GPS, and dual built-in 2-megapixel webcams for videoconferencing. 

"The development by VIA and Everex of the Everex CloudBook Max with WiMAX capabilities from GCT is an example of the embedded device ecosystem at work. We expect this collaboration, along with others like it, to result in a robust portfolio of WiMAX capable devices" Bin Shen, Vice President of Product Management and Partnership Development, XOHM business unit, Sprint 





The single-chip WiMAX unit is provided by GCT Semiconductor, and Everex are positioning the CloudBook Max as an ideal, sub-1kg device for mobile workers.  It can manage up to four hours battery life and measures 240mm (w) x 175mm (d) x 27mm (h); under the hood is up to 2GB DDR2 SDRAM, an 80GB hard disk drive, an S-Video port and Mic-In/Speaker-Out sockets.

It's expected to ship within a year; no price has been suggested.

Press Release:

VIA and Everex to Demonstrate New CloudBook™ Max with Built-In WiMAX™ Capability for Sprint XOHM™ Network at CTIA  Stylish, full-featured mini-note delivers seamless mobile internet experience

Taipei, Taiwan, 1 April 2008 - VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced that Everex, a pioneer in developing next generation ultra mobile computing devices, has adopted the VIA C7®-M ULV processor for the new Everex CloudBook Max, a stylish mini-note with a stunning 8.9 screen and integrated single-chip Mobile WiMAX solution from GCT Semiconductor for use with Sprint's high-speed XOHMwireless network. VIA and Everex will display the device for the first time at the WiMAX Experience Lounge in the Central Hall lobby at CTIA Wireless 2008, held at the Las Vegas Convention Center on April 1-3, 2008.  In addition, live demonstrations of the Everex CloudBook Max will also be made at GCT Semiconductor's meeting room MR-789 in Hall C of the convention center. Packing in a host of advanced connectivity, computing, and multimedia features into a compact and stylish clamshell form factor that weighs less than 1kg, the Everex CloudBook Max has been designed from the ground up to enable people to fully enjoy the growing array of rich mobile Internet applications and services that will be available on Sprint's XOHM wireless network.   "Consumers and mobile workers want to experience the real Internet and all their favorite applications with the same high speed and full functionality whether at their desk or on the go," said Richard Brown, Vice President of Marketing, VIA Technologies, Inc. "With its ground-breaking design and embedded Mobile WiMAX connectivity, the new Everex CloudBook Max paves the way for truly seamless computing whatever your location." "The development by VIA and Everex of the Everex CloudBook Max with WiMAX capabilities from GCT is an example of the embedded device ecosystem at work. We expect this collaboration, along with others like it, to result in a robust portfolio of WiMAX capable devices," commented Bin Shen, Vice President of Product Management and Partnership Development at Sprint's XOHM business unit. "With the new Everex CloudBook Max, we are extending our leadership in the development of innovative ultra mobile devices that deliver the richest and most compelling experience on the mobile internet," commented John Lin, Vice President Sales and Marketing, Everex. "Mobile devices with embedded WiMAX will continue to require Mobile WiMAX solutions with a smaller form factor and lower power consumption," said Kyeongho Lee, President and CEO of GCT Semiconductor. "We believe that GCT's industry-first, single-chip mobile WiMAX solution provides the optimal features of size and power consumption for the Everex CloudBook Max."   About the Everex CloudBook Max Powered by the 1.6GHz VIA C7-M ULV processor coupled with the VIA VX800 digital media IGP chipset, the Everex CloudBook Max supports Microsoft® Windows Vista™ and delivers outstanding graphics and video performance through its vibrant 8.9 WVGA display at resolutions of up to 1024 x 600. With its integrated single chip Mobile WiMAX solution, the Everex CloudBook Max will connect seamlessly to the ultra-fast Sprint XOHM wireless broadband network, as well as to existing 802.11b/g WiFi networks. To provide additional convenience and functionality to the mobile internet user, the device also comes with Bluetooth support, an integrated GPS receiver, and dual built-in 2-megapixel webcams for videoconferencing. The Everex CloudBook Max delivers up to four hours of battery life and also features a full keyboard plus integrated trackpad with two mouse buttons in a stylish and durable form factor that measures just 240mm(w) x 175mm(d) x 27mm(h) and weighs less than 1kg. Other features include up to 2GB DDR2 SDRAM, 80GB hard disk drive, one S-Video port, and Mic-In/Speaker-Out ports. The Everex CloudBook Max is expected to be available in a year. More information is available from the Everex website at . About the VIA C7-M ULV Processor The VIA C7-M ULV processor is available at speeds from 1.0-1.6GHz with a maximum thermal design power (TDP) of only 3.5 watts, and idle power as low as 0.1 watt, ensuring unparalleled battery life. It also features a low profile nanoBGA2 package measuring just 21mm x 21mm, enabling designs with drastically reduced weight, size, and thickness. The VIA VX800 digital media chipset features the VIA Chrome9™ HC integrated graphics processor (IGP) with DirectX® 9.0 support for brilliant 3D graphics, and the Chromotion CE video display engine for a stunning video experience. Warm multi-channel sound is provided through the integrated VIA Vinyl Audio technology. For more details on the VIA C7-M ULV processor, please visit the VIA website at: About VIA Technologies, Inc. VIA Technologies, Inc is the foremost fabless supplier of power efficient x86 processor platforms that are driving system innovation in the PC, client, ultra mobile and embedded markets. Combining energy-saving processors with digital media chipsets and advanced connectivity, multimedia and networking silicon enables a broad spectrum of computing and communication platforms, including its widely acclaimed ultra compact mainboards. Headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, VIA's global network links the high tech centers of the US, Europe and Asia, and its customer base includes the world's top OEMs and system integrators. About GCT Semiconductor, Inc. GCT Semiconductor is a leading fabless semiconductor company that designs, develops and markets innovative SOC devices for the mobile handset and emerging mobile wireless broadband industries.  With its proven CMOS radio frequency (RF), wireless modem technology and SOC expertise, GCT provides state-of-the-art CMOS single-chip mobile WiMAX solutions, CMOS single-chip mobile TV solutions, and highly-integrated cellular CMOS RF transceivers.  GCT empowers 3G and 4G mobile device manufacturers by reducing BOM cost, lowering power consumption and minimizing size.  For more information, please visit www.gctsemi.com.

Love last.fm? Wish you could keep track of all the music you play on your iPhone or iPod Touch? MobileScrobbler will let you upload your music history, stream music from last.fm, and ban, love, and skip tracks. All you need is a jailbroken iPhone or iPod Touch, firmware v1.1.1 or later, and of course a last.fm account.

You can use EDGE or wifi to stream music from last.fm, so if you are sick and tired of all that old music you've been lugging around, you can hop onto last.fm's recommendation engine or listen to a neighbor's channel. On top of that you can read about the track you're currently listening to as well as read up on the artist and even get the lyrics. No more excuses for singing "Scuse me while I kiss this guy" to a packed subway train.

Feature List * Scrobble tracks as you listen on your iPhone / iPod touch
* Queues songs for submission when offline and automatically submits them the next time you connect
* Listen to Last.fm radio over EDGE or wifi
* Tag songs as 'love' or 'ban'
* View album artwork and artist data for songs as you listen
* View lyrics for the currently playing song
* View upcoming concert events and add them to your calendar
* All data is cached for offline viewing
* Browse your friends and listen to their radio stations
* Integrated with the iPhone / iPod Touch settings application
* Multitouch gestures to ban, love, and skip tracks
* View your top artists, top tracks, and top albums
* Ban and love tracks from the Recent Tracks list
* Browse a top listener's profile by tapping their username
* Display arbitrary track metadata by passing command line arguments -track, -artist, and -album

"CARRY WITH FUNS" (Look for this one as a giveaway in this week's Popgadget Drop email. Not a subscriber yet? Takes only a second to sign up here.)

You can't help but smile when you see an E.Square Bag - the bright colors, the cheeky designs - but hiding under all that fun is a meticulously crafted, functional bag. I've been carrying my MacBook around in it for a week, and it's comfortable (has a padded shoulder strap which I've come to learn is essential for a 13 lb.laptop). It sports padded pockets for all your electronics, plus essential outside pocket for easy access to travel docs.

Kristina Kim, who founded the company with her husband says they "put fun prints on the bags in order to add splashes of colors" into our lives. "We know the designs are very bold and in very eye-catching colors, no one would ever think to have YELLOW on a laptop bag, but we did it and together with some other bold colors and big retro flower prints. AND hey! It's working and actually is very very well received in the market. So, we know tech cases (are) missing some colors, we will continue to put fun prints and bold colors on the bags."

I might get kicked out of the girl club for admitting this, but I get more excited (probably too excited) about a new episode of Geekbrief than the latest Vogue and while I can find a hundred reasons to buy another MP3 player, dropping a hundred bucks on the latest face cream would make me want to cry.

However, I do like the occasional spree at Sephora (eyeshadows a specialty) so I had a little interest in news of a new beauty gadget for the eye area. Crystal Clear's eye pen is a battery-operated serum delivery system (which sounds a bit rude, but isn't). You gently rub the pen around the eye area to simultaneously stimulate circulation and ensure an even application of serum. (Again, sounds rude, but really isn't.)



According to Crystal Clear, the pen "helps with dark circles, puffiness, lines and wrinkles and can also help lift and firm the skin around the eye." It looks a little high-maintenance for my liking (I'd rather just wear sunglasses when I leave the house) and I could easily fund a second iPod with the £135 ($267) price tag but if your crow's feet are your bete noir, I'd consider this before rushing straight to the botox doctor's door.

If I didn't work from home and had anything approaching a decent sense of balance, I could totally see myself cycling to work. But I hear a lot of horror stories from cyclists in major cities about drivers who just don't respect the environmental option and try to hustle bike riders off the road. A company called Action Cameras suggests that cyclists try one of their wireless helmet cameras to catch these criminals in the act. The video cameras attach to a cycling helmet and record directly to an SD card (up to 2 GB is available).

It's not enough for something to look good, it has to be functional as well, and in the case of these Altec Lansing MHP 206 earphones, they deliver the goods. Sure, they feature sparkling, Swarovski "elements": jeweled flowers on the earbuds and a butterfly on the choker, but most importantly, the sound is great. Thank the powerful 9mm neodymium drivers and gold-plated plug for superior sound transfer.

Designed for women, the snug fit (for our delicate, tiny ears?) provides passive noise reduction and great sound at lower listening levels, though crank them up to 11 if you're rocking out to some metal music.

$59.95 at Altec Lansing and on sale now for $27.62 at Amazon.

Gone are the days when $1000 could not even get you a desktop PC, let alone laptops. Having a budget of $1000 today can easily get you a more-than-decent laptop from well known players in the laptop market.

In any case, if you haven't taken the plunge yet and are considering one, this latest round-up of recommended laptops under $1000 from PC World could be a good starting point. Topping the list with an exceptional battery life is the budget HP Pavilion dv2660se at $900, which can play a CD/DVD without booting into Windows. If you are looking for the lowest pricing, there is the $699 Toshiba Satellite Pro A210-EZ2201, which means you will have to contend with a low battery life as well. Nevertheless, it sports some amazing features at that price - a DVD writer, a FireWire port, and great sound.

My personal favorite of the lot happens to be the Dell Inspiron 1525. At $999, it is lithe, sleek and completely customizable - down to the color of its lid. Check out the PC World website for the complete review.

Image courtesy: PC World