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Mobile Demand proves its xTablet PC can be used as a hammer

Engadget Day — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 08:43:03 +0000

Some product manufacturers do things like list specifications or show you pretty ladies to get a piece of your mind. Others use a product as a hammer to prove its durability. MobileDemand did just that, using its xTablet PC to hammer a dozen nails into a board complete with an accelerometer to show how much impact the Tablet PC was taking “without a glitch.” If this doesn’t prove you can use the xTablet PC to build a bench, we don’t know what will. Video after the break, of course.

Newman’s NUNU Supercard + Evaluated

Engadget Day — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 08:04:21 +0000

The Supercard is supposedly the most popular MP4 player in China. It’s a very slim player at only 6.5mm with a 2.4-inch QVGA TFT screen. It plays RM, RMVB, AVI without conversion nd MP3, WMA and APE, FLAC Lossless . PlayFX for enhanced 3D audio experience and FM with FM recording as well. It’s also an e-Book. Apparently the Supercard has been all over the place already without RMVB support. That explains the + sign. Price is 299 yuan ($43) for the 2GB.

Earth Trek Mobile Stand

Engadget Day — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 06:53:19 +0000

Most of us already have dealt with some sort of high end handsets one time or another (or is a proud owner of one), and we know that these handsets tend to do a whole lot more than just receive and make phone calls and text messages. With the Mobile Stand from Earth Trek, you’ll be able to access a phone’s functionality a whole lot easier with less hassle. This 4-in-1 mobile stand comes with :-

* USB hub function
* Memory card reader (T-flash, microSD, miniSD, MMC plus, RS-MMC, MMC mobile, MS, MS Pro, MS Duo, MS Pro Duo)
* Mobile charger and mobile stand for universal models

There is no word on pricing, but it will come in black or white colors. Bummer.

Klipsch Image Headphones

Engadget Day — Thu, 22 May 2008 06:32:05 +0000

Klipsch claims to have introduced the smallest and lightest full-range in-ear headphones in Korea, dubbed the Image. What you get is a personalized fit with a precision-tuned acoustic experience without having a couple of large mushrooms sticking out from your ears, courtesy of its patent-pending Contour Ear Gels that were anatomically designed to accurately fit inside the human ear canal. Not only do you get the most realistic sound possible, you will also seal yourself off away from the environment thanks to its noise isolation and increased bass response features. Each $430 purchase will come with a carrying case and pouch, a 0.25″ adapter, an airline adapter and 5 sets of ear gels. Pretty pricey, no?

Bestlink Alpha 400 Mini Notebook

Engadget Day — Thu, 22 May 2008 06:27:41 +0000

Guess the Asus Eee PC has yet another rival in the form of the Bestlink Alpha 400, bringing the following to the table :-

* 32-bit XBurst 400MHz processor
* 7″ true color display at 800 x 480 resolution
* 128MB RAM
* 1 to 2GB of internal flash memory
* SD memory card slot
* USB connectivity

WiFi is optional, so you’ll need to purchase a dongle for that. The Bestlink Alpha 400 measures a diminutive 8.3″ x 5.6″ x 1.3″ and tips the scales at a mere 1.5 pounds. It will be powered by Linux, and will cost $250 as you choose from half a dozen colors. Of course, if you can find another 99 friends who wants one, the price will drop to $180.

CTL's mini IL1PC gets mini-reviewed

Engadget Day — Thu, 22 May 2008 06:10:59 +0000

The folks over at Laptop Magazine have gotten their mitts on CTL’s latest edition to the ever-growing field of ultraportables, the IL1PC (or as we like to call it, the Airis Kira 740), and have given it the once over. The system is built atop VIA’s 1GHz C7-M CPU, has 1GB of RAM, a 60GB hard drive, and uses Windows XP as its OS. Obvious comparisons to ASUS’s Eee abound, though Laptop was impressed with its slick design and small footprint, and felt that it excelled at simple tasks like web browsing and email. Things weren’t so smooth when it came to video playback, as graphics-intensive duties led to choppy behavior. Head over to the full review to get all the ins and outs, as well as some handsome pics.

via Engadget

Dell dropping XPS, focusing on Alienware

Engadget Day — Tue, 13 May 2008 03:24:49 +0000

We’ve got some news that’ll make a PC gamer or two weep: the Wall St. Journal is reporting that as of next month Dell will be dropping four models of XPS performance PCs to focus solely on pushing Alienware. Certainly no surprise though, we’ve been waiting for this move since they picked the company up back in 2006. Of course, there will be certain challenges, namely how Dell will keep its Alienware brand separate (read: pristine) — as its done since the acquisition — yet be able to offer performance PCs on its site alongside the rest of its machines. It’s also unclear what will happen to is XPS line of laptops, since those are big sellers as well, but we’ll all have to wait patiently for the bomb to drop before knowing for sure what Dell’s cutting and what they’re not

via engadget

Segs-4-Vets hooks up veterans with Segways

Engadget Day — Mon, 12 May 2008 10:08:07 +0000

Dean Kamen’s done a lot of work over the years building technologies for the disabled, which lends a bit of irony to the fact that his most well-known consumer transport, the Segway, is seeing some increased use by veterans. A non-profit by the name of Disability Rights Advocates for Technology (DRAFT) has snapped up some 150 units over the past few years — 30 of which just went out last week — to help amputees get around quicker and further than with your run of the mill wheelchair. Results of the Segs-4-Vets program sound positive, but at $6k a pop the price continues to be prohibitive for wider rollout and donation, even at discount directly from Segway.

via engadget

Renault / Project Better Place shows off a new electric sedan prototype

Engadget Day — Mon, 12 May 2008 03:05:56 +0000

We’d heard Renault was prepping a new electric car in conjunction with EV start-up Project Better Place, but no one had actually seen the thing until its unveiling today in Tel Aviv. The car itself only has a 125 mile range, which is where Project Better Place’s network of charging and battery swap stations come in. But since those aren’t intended for rollout until 2010 in Israel and Denmark, Renault won’t have any EVs immediately available to buyers — making this consumer-friendly sedan more of a precursor to the supposed $0.5-1 billion the Renault-Nissan alliance are lining up to invest in their respective electric vehicle businesses.

via AutoblogGreen

E-Ink would introduce new segmented display cell displays

Engadget Day — Mon, 12 May 2008 02:01:52 +0000

E-Ink has a new display made available last week and it is based on segmented display cell (SDC) technology. Apparently the new screens are 40% thinner and have increased flexibility over E-Ink’s previous displays, and can now be formed in “organic non-rectangular unique shapes, including holes, curves, and other non-standard designs”. Delphi’s already picking up use of the display for future keyfob products — always good to know there are consumer applications right around the corner.

via engadget