Gadgets Future

by Donald Melanson, posted Jul 17th 2008 at 2:29PM
If you found Thinkware’s original iNAVI ES100 navigator a bit lacking, then perhaps the company’s new ES100+ will be a bit more to your taste. This one packs the same 7-inch display as its predecessor, but bumps the processor up to a speedier 700MHz model, and it spruces things up with some of Thinkware’s trademark 3D maps, and a handy DMB mobile TV receiver for some added in-car distraction. If that’s got you sold on it, you’ll be able to pick this one up later this month in 2GB, 4GB, and 8GB versions for the rough local equivalent of $400, $450 and $500, respectively.

[Via Navigadget]

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Filed under: GPS

Owning a piece of movie memorabilia is like no other collection venture out there. These are props that we can actually view being used our screens. Products we’ve emulated at the cinema and never dreamed of owning ourselves. But there are ways to scoop up these priceless items.

The Profiles in History auction house is all set to release a huge collection of movie props and gadgets which makes are collective mouths water. The wonder of the movies is never as real as when you actually get to touch the makings of a movie yourself. And if you’ve got the cash, this is your chance.

Some of these props being auctioned off are just… there are no words. Totally iconic gadgets which have changed the vision of technology as we know it. For example, the prop used for Darth Vader’s TIE fighter is expected to sell for £100,000. You can even snag the hover board that Marty McFly used in the Back To The Future movies.

Few of you probably have the means to own many of the props being auctioned off, but if you feel like you’re financially able this could be a once in a lifetime chance for owning a piece of movie history. You can check the Profiles in History site for more information about the props being sold on July 31 and August 2.

Source via Tech Digest

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by Joshua Topolsky, posted Jul 17th 2008 at 8:32AM
Man, waiting in line for the iphone 3G can be a royal pain, right? Wouldn’t it be nice if you could just circumvent the whole boring, sheep-like process and have one delivered to your doorstep? Well thanks to Alibaba.com and the weird and wacky copyright laws of Hong Kong, now you can! According to the wholesale goods supply site, you can just order up the “original” Apple device direct from a company called Union Camera and have them sent to whatever poorly lit dock, abandoned warehouse, or suburban safe-house you desire. The best part? They’re network unlocked. You know, something seems wrong about this, but we just can’t put our finger on it…

Update: As some commenters point out, it seems to be $1000 minimum order as opposed to 1000 pieces. Guess we’ll just have to start the process and find out.

[Via PMP Today]

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Filed under: cellphones

For users who still haven’t gotten over the YouTube craze yet (read: everybody), more good news is coming. TiVo will be joining the YouTube party as well. As it was announced earlier this year, TiVo users can finally expect the update to show up over the next few weeks. More accessible YouTube videos can only be a good thing, right?

The Anobar is a FED (Field Emission Display) bar that sits on top of your TV, boasting a resolution of 640 x 96 that guarantees the bane of motion blur is a thing of the past as messages scroll through in real-time, featuring e-mails, Twitters, breaking news headlines and information from a compatible feed. This is available in Japan only at the moment, and the prototype is highly expensive, touching nearly $2,000 to manufacture alone. Hopefully a mass manufacturing process will be able to bring down the ridiculous price in due time, as it will go a long way in alerting me of important work e-mails while I’m catching the Superbowl live without having to get up from my La-z-Boy.

Just about anyone who has ever shot a wedding or a sporting event and tried desperately to get that almost unattainable shot loved their Canon 200mm f/1.8L lens. It offered up a great combination of focal length and aperture speed which made those otherwise unattainable shots possible. So, back in 2003 when Canon went and announced they were actually discontinuing that lens, you could practically hear the tears and shocked gasps of photographers around the globe. Now, finally, five years later, Canon announced the replacement for this legendary lens: the Canon 200mm f/2L IS.  Can you almost hear the crowds clapping in glee?

Now, anyone that was upset by the f/1.8L being replaced, Canon more than made up for it with the f/2. It has image stabilization, knocks 60cm off of the minimum focusing distance (which is a very nice touch for when you are trying to get those macro shots!), and even adds seven new glass elements. You’d think this would make for a heavier lens, but actually, they reduced the max aperture by a mere third of a stop, which knocked off 500 grams off the lens weight. (Hey, every little bit helps.)

When you pay this much for a lens, you obviously expect the best that lens manufacturing has to offer, and with Canon’s L-glass series, you get it. The lens ships in Canon’s 200-series hard case, and instead of a front lens cover, the 200mm ƒ/2 uses a leather-like ‘’sock’’ which extends over the front of the lens to cover not just the front element but half of the lens, as well.

The lens is very solidly built, with the distinctive white color of Canon’s pro lenses. As with most heavier lenses (even with the shaved off weight, this one still weighs in at 5.6 pounds), you’re better off using it on a tripod rather than hand-holding it. A tripod collar comes standard, which can rotate the lens through its entire axis. Two sling lugs are attached to the tripod mount, should you wish to carry the lens this way. The lens is completely weather-sealed with rubber gaskets in critical areas. Just another bonus in my mind.

The f/2 is the clear high point of Canon’s lens technology. You want it? It’s probably got it. But, keep in mind, all this sweetness doesn’t come cheap. Retail price on this girl is about $5,500.

Read [PCPhotoMag]

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Judi from Web worker daily has an interesting post about her switch from Backberry (8800) to iPhone. I read it and I mostly agree with her. Obviously both platforms have great strengths and how you will come to appreciate them will depend on how you use your phone. Basically, it comes down to this:

• iPhone (2.0) is better for: Web browsing, SMS conversations, Bluetooth pairing, Multiple calendars, multiple homepages.
• Blackberry (4.2) has an edge with: Email, keyboard, dialing shortcuts, magnetized sleep and longer battery life.

Read Judi’s post and make an educated switch – that might save you a load of cash. Oh by the way, 33% of iphone owners had a second phone not so long ago, mainly blackberry phones, I suspect. That’s another expensive solution.

Getting a ticket for a traffic violation sure is a downer no matter how you look at it, and Aliph identifies with your pain especially when you’ve been caught talking while driving without a hands-free device. In order to encourage safer driving habits, Aliph is offering offenders a $20 discount whenever they pick up a spanking new Jawbone Bluetooth headset via its online shop. In order to qualify for the discount, head on to Aliph’s website, type in your citation number and voila - you save $20 off your new Jawbone.

They look nothing alike, but you’d be surprised how much can be compared between the iPhone 3G and BlackBerry Bold. To help you choose which one to buy, The Boy Genius Report on Thursday hammered out a very useful 3,000-word point-by-point comparison. And we know you Gadget Lab readers love things short and sweet, so here’s a cheat sheet!

1. Design
IPhone 3G wins for its gorgeous screen and minimalistic design. The Bold’s the cleanest looking BlackBerry ever and the faux leather back is appealing, but the iPhone’s iconic design makes it the obvious winner.

2. Build Quality
IPhone 3G wins for its scratch-resilient screen; its lack of moving parts (i.e., flash-based memory; lack of a QWERTY keyboard) dictates better durability.

3. Size
Tied. The Bold is the biggest BlackBerry ever, but it makes good use of its keyboard. The iPhone is taller than the Bold, but slimmer and less wide.

4. Screen
Tie. The Bold’s screen, though smaller, looks better because of its denser PPI. But the iPhone’s display is larger and has more real estate.

5. Operating System
IPhone 3G, of course. Because of the App Store, the iPhone 3G’s OS truly turns the handset into a miniature computer.

6. Call Quality
Tied. Both phones had extremely good call quality.

7. Battery Life
The Bold wins: In terms of general everyday usage, it lasts longer than the iPhone 3G.

8. Keyboard
The Bold. Because it has one.

9. E-mail
The Bold wins: People buy blackberry phones with e-mail in mind; RIM has practically perfected e-mail. IPhone 3G’s e-mail is good, too: its HTML rendering is state of the art, but other than that RIM has e-mail pegged.

10. Corporate Usage
BlackBerry handsets were made for enterprise users; the Bold is the clear winner because of its seamless integration with Outlook and Exchange. With iPhone 2.0, Apple is just beginning to step into the enterprise zone and has a lot more to prove.

11. Pricing
Tied. The Bold’s pricing hasn’t been announced, but TBGR estimates it should cost aroud the same as the 16GB iPhone 3G ($299) with a similar two-year contract.

12. Device Longevity
It’s difficult to tell at this point, but the iPhone 3G will likely prove to last you longer because Apple’s software updates coupled with the App Store keep making the iPhone more powerful.

13. Personal Opinion
It boils down to what you need. Business users and BlackBerry fans will want the Bold. General consumers will want iPhone 3G. And business users who enjoy the casual perks of the iphone 3G will carry around both.

BlackBerry Bold vs. iPhone 3G: yeah, we definitely went there [The Boy Genius Report]

(Photo courtesy of TBGR)

Kingston has just released their limited edition 4GB DataTraveler Terra Cotta thumb drive in Japan. The main selling point of this thumb drive will undoubtedly be its stylish art work on its gold-colored casing. This drive looks firmly aimed at those who are willing to pay a premium for an item that stands out from the crowd. Other features of the Terra Cotta drive include a password protection software, Vista ReadyBoost support, 15MB/sec read speeds, and 7MB/sec write speeds. There isn’t any price tag set on this USB drive yet.