Gadgety News

FoxNews is ramming the fact that online gaming can lead to death and other nastiness. 

The report picks out a few extreme cases where people who met via online worlds ended up doing something bad so therefore games such as World of Warcraft should be banned. 

There’s a very halfhearted attempt to give ‘the otherside’ of the ‘debate’ but that’s quickly made to look irrelevant.  To be honest, we’ve heard similar things throughout the ages from looking directly at the moon will make you mad, listening to Black Sabbath means you’re a Satanist and Rap makes you automatically up for a drive-by and doing other things will make you go blind.  

As in most articles like this there is little in the way of real proof to substantiate the report. 

In fact online gaming and their worlds have become more popular whilst violent crime has actually been in a decline.  Hmmmm…..

Click the link to read the damning report.

If, like me, you lived your formative years through the 80’s when kids playing music through their tiny, hissy, phone speakers on the bus was just a futuristic dream - back then you had teenagers sat at the back of the bus into town carrying a huge boom-box covered in stickers blaring out hip-hop, or if you were lucky something more tasteful like Joy Division or Bauhaus.

Now you can relive those times and all it takes is an iPod and some cardboard.  Yup, cardboard!

This retro portable player comes flatpacked and has real powered speakers via 2 AA batteries (the ones in the 80’s took between 6 and 8 huge ‘torch’ batteries).

Go on - relive your youth, or become part of the retro-incrowd for £18.95 from Gadgets.co.uk- unfortunately you have to supply your own lino and B-Boy moves.

I liked this item so much I’ve taken the piece wholesale from Redferret.net.  Perhaps it’s the fluffy Sennheiser earphones that languish in the bottom of my manbag that prompted such joy when reading this article - or perhaps it’s just a mighty fine idea:

The BudCase is an ear bud keychain case for iPhone, iPod and other music player headsets. It’s made of Neoprene, fastens with Velcro and attaches to your keychain with a small clasp. It’s even got a small pocket for extra memory cards. Neat eh? $14.95.

 Born out of the frustrating fact that when leaving home, many people simply forget to bring their ear buds. The BudCase’s innovative design solves this problem. The BudCase is designed to be clipped onto a keychain where ready access to a music lover’s ear buds is made immediately available. Built from a flexible neoprene material, the BudCase securely holds ear buds while clipped on a keychain. A Velcro fastener makes opening and closing the BudCase quick and easy. Additional features include a second pocket which can be used to hold a USB memory drive or a spare key

Manhunt 2 has already been rejected twice by the BBFC for certification, effectively banning the game for sale in the UK.

Developers Rockstar contested the ban at the Video Appeals Committee, which ruled in the firm’s favour.

The game could now go on sale if the BBFC, which is “considering the judgement”, takes no further action.

In a statement, Rockstar said: “We are committed to making great interactive entertainment, while also marketing our products responsibly and supporting an effective rating system.

“We are pleased that the decision of the VAC has recognised that Manhunt 2 is well within the bounds established by other 18+ rated entertainment.”

David Cooke, director of the BBFC, said that the body “exercised great vigilance and care in ensuring that all violent games which are submitted to us are correctly classified”.

He said the body had twice rejected the game “for its focus on varied and cumulative killings”.

They did spend “over 30 hours” playing the game……least we know it’s playable then ;0,

More of this on The BBC site

I’ve just been sent a copy of the NTT DoCoMo press release. Oh joy - they’ve designed a mobile especially for the ankle-biters.

Before you start the rant they’re aiming it at the “child in an emergency” situation to help parents part with their hard-earned and quite convincingly I might add.  Have a read of this.

In an emergency, the child can quickly switch on the phone’s 100-decibel alarm, which produces two types of noise alternately. When the alarm is activated, the phone also emits a bright light (high-intensity LED) that is easily visible to people in the surrounding area.

The phone can be set to automatically notify loved ones when the alarm is activated, and provide the handset’s current location as well. Computer-generated phone calls can be placed to up to three registered numbers and messages can be sent to registered individuals who subscribe to the i-mode™ location service called imadoco search™. In addition, the child can discreetly message their location to a registered imadoco search user by simply pushing a button on the side of the phone

An amulet-style remote controller worn by the child can be used to make a misplaced phone beep if within a range of about 10 meters (may vary with usage environment). If the user moves even farther from the handset, the phone can automatically lock (requires presetting). If the handset remains out of the amulet’s range for more than five minutes, a message can be sent automatically to a registered DoCoMo phone.

I can’t knock these features really and, as with most Japanese devices, has been carefully designed not only to be ergonomic for the youngsters but the……..

…. soft-rectangle shape and round speaker grille enclosed by a ring-shape LED were conceived by renowned designer Kashiwa Sato to symbolize safety, peace of mind, creativity and the future.

Although I haven’t found a price, and the fact that it’s probably only available in Japan, I think this is the most credible kiddyphone that I’ve seen so far and it seems to have been quite well thought out, designed and executed.

In a press release from Toshiba they speak of a battery capable of recharging to 90% in under 5 minutes while remaining useful (i.e., 5,000+ recharges) for 10 years or more!  This is the world of the Super Li-ion battery.   Toshibas Super Charge ion Batteries, or SCiBs are readying themselves for the tasks at hand.

The range goes from the 2.4V version which measures 62 x 95 x 13-mm and weighs in at 150-grams all the way to  the big, bad boy 24V version which stomps in at 100 x 300 x 45-mm and a mighty 2000-grams.

But before you start throwing all your regular rechargables away Tosh’s first production run is for industrial-use only and will provide power to hybrid cars and the like.   So, when will we see phone, laptop and PSP versions eh?

This news tidbit was scalped from those lovely people at Engadget.com

D-Link has just launched the DSM-510 Wireless MediaLounge player in the UK. 

This little media player is able to stream video (hi-def over ethernet), pics and tunes to TVs and home entertainment centres from your puter via a wired or Wi-Fi connection.

The DSM-510 has received Intel Viiv verification.  “Huh?” you say.  This means that it will buddy up with Intel’s Viiv technology-based PCs and gives you access to the Intel Viiv Zone.  Said Zone offers a selection of on-demand, internet-delivered content, including movies, music videos, TV shows, and information services.  So, there you go.

Navigation is via the remote and a TV interface.  The DSM-150 will also work with standard Windows XP computers through Microsoft’s Windows Media Connect.

As well as HDMI and Composite Audio and Video outputs, the DSM-510 features Optical Digital Audio with support for 5.1 Channel Audio.  Nice.

If you’re a DivX fan (not just because you’ve downloaded or, indeed, bought pirated flicks of course), the MediaLounge is also DivX Home Theatre Certified, and will play all your legit, paid for DivX encoded movies.

There’s also a shopping list of supported formats and trust me, almost everything is there so fear not. 

The D-Link DSM-510 MediaLounge is available immediately for £189.99 directly from the lovely D-Link

Headsup given by the swell Pocket-Lint.co.uk

At last a constructive use for the video camera on your phone (apart from cheeky home flicks and the occassional ‘Happy Slap’).  The Pocket Films Festival is a celebration of the art of making movies with your pocket blower.  Now in it’s second year the craze seems not to be showing any signs of slowing down.

Japan’s first attempt at the Pocket Films Festival is based on a partnership between the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music and the Forum des images of Paris which has staged numerous audio-visual events including special feature screenings of as many as 1,000 films a year, in addition to organizing the Pocket Films Festival since 2005. Although we are inheriting from them the “esprit” of Paris, the center of the film world, and the format of a film festival where films shot with a mobile phone are screened as works of art, we are also keen to develop a set of plans for our festival that are unique to Japan.

So budding film makers - none of this “I can’t afford the gear to make a film worthy to show” nonsense.  Get yourself a decent mobile phone and start filming!! 

News snatched from Red Ferret

It’s almost too difficult not to go pun-tastic with this - just as the papers couldn’t res-train themselves at the time, but I shall try.

Emma Clarke, whose voice warned people to “mind the gap” in London’s tube stations for 8 years, was fired after a joke announcement was posted on a personal blog, now has taken her voice elsewhere.

You can hear her kindly guidance on the CoPilot 7 satnav which can be used on the HTC Touch and the Nokia N95.

Seems TfL’s loss is our gain.

Phwew, managed to avoid being railroaded into using silly puns just to make this platform more amusing in the short-term but only to lose credibility down the line.

DOH!

The Universal Music Group division of the French entertainment company Vivendi agreed to enable streaming of its digital-music and video catalogue through the social networking service, Imeem Inc.   Imeem has been running since 2006 and raises its income via ads.  The companies said  that the 19 million a month Imeem users can listen to and share music and videos with each other.  Imeem stated on Monday that its model makes music “a central part of the social-networking experience.” The San Francisco based site said its users also have access to the catalogues of Warner Music Group, Sony BMG and EMI Music so that’s most of the biggies sorted for the site. Users will be able to stream the music and videos or buy them via Apple’s iTunes.

News spotted on The Wall Street Journal site

Downloading games and other features direct to the Sony handheld gadget has always been thought likely due to it’s Wi-Fi enabled browser capabilities and now it looks like the possibility is drawing even closer.  The exitement and expectation has increased since Eric Lempel, the PlayStation director of network operations (in charge of the newly launched PSP PC store) was published online admitting that direct downloads to the PSP was

 ”clearly something the company was looking at”.

He went on to say:

“With the capability of the PSP it’s something that should be possible … It’s just a matter of priorities and some technology that we need to make it all work right and make sure the content is delivered securely, just to protect some of our [intellectual properties]“.

Although there were no exact details as to when this will happen or whether this was just a goal in the far distant future it sure is something that PSP owners such as myself would welcome with open hand-helds.

Sourced from the great Pocket Lint

This has got be a first. A bit of tech that’s loved by many is not going to get the full Christmas Marketing Drive that is obviously expected. Nintendo has been forced to pull ads for its Wii because demand is already too high. All the space that Nintendo has bought for the Wii will instead be taken by their handheld DS.

A Nintendo spokesman is reported to have said: “We have been running the campaign all year round, but we want to take a responsible stance this Christmas and not fuel demand.”

According to Nintendo production has been stepped up to 1.8 million units a monthand has still not been able to meet the demand.

“Nintendo Wii” was the most searched for product by UK internet shoppers during November, according to data from internet research firm Hitwise.

There were thirteen as many UK internet searches for “nintendo wii” as there were for “apple ipod” and over twice as many searches for “wii” as for both “ipod” and “iphone”, reports NetImperative.

The volume of searches for “nintendo wii” has increased 158% since November 2006, while searches for “wii” have increased by 278%.

The Linutop is small. Very, very small. In fact, the silver box actually measures just 9.3 x 2.7 x 15cm. It runs a customised version of xubuntu Linux and, although tiny, it could quite easily take over your desk-top puters everyday tasks- not bad for something that makes a Mac-Mini look cumbersome.

For all your green-freaks out there the Linutop runs sipping a maximum of 5 watts - That’s less than an energy saver light bulb!

It of course has all the regular ports you would expect from a basic full sized PC, with a standard (SUB-D15) VGA port, 10/100baseT (RJ-45) Ethernet port, separate 3.5mm audio in/out ports, 4x USB 2.0 ports and of course a 9V DC IN port.

The Linutop has no onboard storage except its BIOS and 256MB operating RAM, so all non-volatile storage is held externally on a supplied 1 Gig USB key.

The Linutop is designed to be plug and play, and has a basic selection of software pre-installed, including:

• Firefox
• Flash Player
• GAIM (Instant Messaging)
• AbiWord (Word Processor)
• VLC Media player
• Calculator
• Onscreen Keyboard
• Thunar (a file manager)
• Calendar

SPECIFICATIONS
• Processor: AMD Geode LX700 (x86)
• Memory RAM: 256 MB
• 4x USB 2.0 ports
• Audio in & out
• Network: 10/100baseT Ethernet (RJ-45)
• Video: VGA output (SUB-D15)
• Size: 9.3 x 2.7 x 15 cm (3.66×1.06×5.9 in)
• Aluminum Case
• Power: DC in 9V - 1,5A (5W)
• Voltage Range: DC in 9V - 16V
• Operating temperature 10°-40°C
• Operating humidity 10%-90%
• Weight: 280 gr (9.9 oz)

The Linutop is available directly from Linutop for 290 Euros and comes with a 1 year warranty. It is also available in bundles of eight, for 2100 Euros.

Go to Digital Reviews for a full review

Here’s something for the loonies - you know who you are?

Check out this pogo-stick for the Xtreme-sports generation. Looking at it’s girth you can see it’s not exacxtly the same ‘toy’ that you may remember along with your Space-Hopper and Chopper.
 
The Flybar works via an adjustable rubber spring system.  It can take up to 180lbs of bouncing dare-devil and can take you up to 4 foot in the air! It weighs less than 13lbs so it’s ultra portable.

Fancy a change to the folding bike and fancy doing kangeroo impressions on the commute? - This dream can become a reality for £149 from Boys Stuff

 via Shiny Shiny

Meet Tux Droid, a Linux only critter similar to the Nabaztag (but not as cute in my opinion).  It is of course wireless fed (2.4GHz), text to speech enabled and programmable. It flaps, reads your email to you, tells the time, streams Internet radio, is a motion sensing alarm, provides VoIP phone services and generally does everything that the Nab’ rabbit will do. How much for this open source coded critter?  £89.95 from Firebox

Via Red Ferret

“You may unfasten your set belts and log on”

Starting next week and over the next few months, several American airlines will test Internet service on their planes.

On Tuesday, JetBlue Airways will begin offering a free e-mail and instant messaging service on one aircraft, while American Airlines, Virgin America and Alaska Airlines plan to offer a broader Web experience in the coming months, probably priced at about $10 a flight.

More of this story can be read at the New York Times

This was but a whispered rumour a few months back but more information is slowly filtering though.  It sounds like the game will be based on a powerful 3D polygon engine but the gameplay will be pure 3D.  The game will be released sometime next year and, quite frankly, I can’t wait!

More info as I get it :0)

If you fancy yourself as a bit of a time traveller and happen to have one of the few (working) DeLoreans left - now you can add that all important ingredient - The Flux Capacitor! This model is sure to make you feel like an 80’s hero as it comes complete with lighting effects and adjustable power settings. Supplied in a matching box with a Certificate of Authenticity, and it looks totally cool. It will cost you around the £110 though - but think of what that would equate to in 1985! :0.

Marty McFly: Wait a minute, Doc. Ah… Are you telling me you built a time machine… out of a DeLorean?
Dr. Emmett Brown: The way I see it, if you’re gonna build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some style?

Beautiful :0)

Flux Capacitor Replica [via Uncrate]

Are you the kind of person that continually makes mistakes whilst trying to pull some bird…….I mean…….get aquainted with a lady?  Are you the type to attempt the chat after a kebab with extra chilli and garlic mayo?  Well, this handy gadget from Topland wants you to ”…..become a sociable person.”

This tool is about the size of a mobile and is a 2 in 1 bad-breath and alcohol breath analyzer.  It will test your breath for alcohol in just 13 seconds and then ranks the result on a six level scale visible on an LCD screen. It even promises to help users become responsible drinkers and cut down on killer hangovers.  Hmmm………..

According to the descriptions on the Etiquette Checker, the checker deems you drunk at levels 4 and 5 but doesn’t pronounce you “way too drunk” until you are off the scale.  I’m wondering “way too drunk” for what?

4 Biryanis, 8 pints and a duvet naan please squire!

Spotted on New Launches

About to move in with that significant other?  Want to ensure that the media hub that you have lovingly built up doesn’t get pulled apart should the happiness end?  Pixmania.com has come up with an idea to solve the problem of who gets which gadgets when a couple splits up.

The website has created the world’s first downloadable gadget pre-nuptial agreement (PDF) known as the ‘E-Nup’.

The document describes itself as humorous, but divorce lawyer Vanessa Lloyd Platt, of Lloyd Platt & Co, warned that the gadgets issue is a genuine area of concern. (as if we took these things likely!!)

“Together with the house and car, gadgets are the new battleground,” she said. “It makes sense to protect your belongings before you commit or split. Doing so can save heartache and hassle in the long run.”

Platt said that her firm handles 500 divorces a year and that Christmas is the most popular time for separations - she never mentioned that 100% of divorces start with marriage tho ;0,

Research by Pixmania.com suggests that the UK consumer electronics market is worth £11bn a year, and that the average home has 16 gadgets at a total value of more than £1,000. (and the rest!)

“The obvious place to launch the E-Nup was in the UK, as the British spend the most on gadgets, and online gadget spending this Christmas is set to break all records,” he said.

Pixmania.com said the items British couples were most likely to row over included flat-screen TVs, games consoles, MP3 players, digital photo frames and laptops/PCs.

Would you fight for your tech?  Would you fight to get your partners gadgets?  Are they worth fighting over?  What do you reckon?

Pic from Technamyte