Gadgety News

While it likely won’t come as much of a surprise to those reading this, it seems that Apple’s recently released iPhone sales numbers and AT&T’s customer number don’t exactly match up, leading those ever so insightful analysts to conclude that many of the phones are being sold with the sole intention of being unlocked! GASP!

What is somewhat surprising, however, is exactly how many phones that might be.

MacWorld reports, Apple says it sold 3.7 million iPhones in 2007, while AT&T says it signed up about two million or so iPhone customers during the same time period. While those aforementioned analysts point out that Apple’s numbers were boosted by 300,000-400,000 sales in Europe, and likely a few sold over the holidays that were yet to be activated, that still leaves over a million iPhones running free out there. If you do the math, that seems to suggest that roughly one in three iPhones sold are being unlocked although, obviously, we’re not about to get a confirmation on that number from anyone.

This article is taken wholesale from Engadget.com and is a prime example of large companies praying on people’s good intentions - we all know that some ‘charity’ products contain added expense, but we give because it’s going somewhere needed - but when the price hike doesn’t match with the amount going to the charity…………..

The whole consumer motivation for (PRODUCT) RED is that a donation is made to those in need at no (obvious) additional expense to you. It’s The Man who makes the donation, you’re just pulling the trigger with the purchase of something presumably wanted anyway. But the (PRODUCT) RED XPS One confuses this whole system, at best. The RED XPS One costs an extra $300 over the regular XPS One’s base configuration. For that, you do get a bump — but it’s software only. More specifically, your $300 premium upgrades you to Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 (found online for ~$100 or less) and Vista Ultimate (~$300 or less), instead of stock Microsoft Works 8.5 (~$15) and Vista Home Premium (~$200 or less).

Based on those retail prices, you’re locked into almost $200 in add-ons that Dell and Microsoft will happily mark-up to $300 — $80 of which is donated to the Global Fund. Never you mind that the full-featured Vista Ultimate (even with RED-themed desktops, screensaver, and widgets) adds very little value to the vast majority of home users when compared to Vista Home Premium. Or that Microsoft says that “Vista Home Premium is the preferred edition for home desktops.” So why bother with Ultimate on the XPS One in the first place, except to up the perception of greater value? It’s not like this all-in-one desktop will ever step foot inside of an enterprise cubicle. Our advice: save your $300 and just give some cash directly, it might work out better for your taxes anyway.

A recent error on my part saw me throwing out a bunch of USB cables (how many do I need? I asked myself), only to discover one of them was for my digital camera - how do I upload my pics now?  If I had a card reader that would cover every eventuality……………

iMONO 80-in-1 High Speed Card Reader supports 8-bit read-and-write speeds - an Incredible speedy data transfer! No card adapters are needed as it [is] compatible with most popular memory cards [it] supports the latest card types [such] as SDHC, MMC4.2, CF4.0, micro SDHC and mini SDHC.

For $17 from Brando I’d be covered for pretty much every card out there!, and measuring a mere 100mm x 27mm x 15mm it could be carted around everywhere - job done :0)

With better resolution than Google 192.Com’s site  is quite outstanding.

With a view described as the same as that you’d get from the roof of a 10 storey building it’s pretty special.

I zoomed in on The Oasis leisure centre at the end of Shaftsbury Avenue and the result is that you can clearly see people swimming in the outdoor pool!

Save Windows XP.

Wha?

This must be a great big kick in Microsoft’s teeth to find that there is actually an online petition to keep XP alive after the release of Vista a year ago!

What is funny is that 57,000 people have already signed up to save XP!

I have to hold my hand up and say that I’ve had no real problems with XP and will be ordering my new lappy with XP and NOT Vista installed as I need something quite stable as I’m going to be using it as a portable Pro Tools studio.

Where do I sign?  Click the link at the top of this article to learn more ;0,

Microsoft plans to end most sales of Windows XP on June 30, despite a deep reluctance by many business and individuals about moving to Vista. InfoWorld believes such an expensive, time-consuming shift with problematic benefits should not be forced on Windows users, so we have decided to rally XP users to demand that XP be kept available.

From The Place of Ferrety Goodness Red Ferret

Last.fm has now launched it’s service that allows anyone to listen to music on the site for free for up to 3 times.

The company claims that this makes them the first music website to offer free, global, on-demand access to the largest licensed catalogue of music built on partnerships with all four major record labels - Universal Music Group, Sony/BMG, Warner and EMI - as well as CD Baby, IODA, the Orchard, Naxos and more than 150,000 independent labels and artists.  This service is ad supported and live here in the UK, the US and Germany and will continue it’s roll out over the next few months.

Martin Stiksel, Last.fm co-founder, said:

“We’re giving the listener free access to what is basically the best jukebox in the world. The ability to dip into such a uniquely broad catalogue from your laptop, home or office computer, and listen to whatever you want for free represents a new way of consuming music that in turn might change the way you listen to music.”

If you try streaming a track for a 4th time the site will point you in the direction of where you can buy it - well, you like it that much!

Last.fm is also launching an “Artist Royalty” arrangement, where unsigned artists can upload their music and will receive payment directly from Last.fm, every time one of their tracks is played. (ahem - check out ByeByeKuRt).

The iPhone telescope by Brando is now on sale for $19US

So, if you want a good zoom, a way of snooping or just want a phallic attachment to your slim iPhone this is a must!

But I think if you want something more covert there’s probably something a little (a lot) more subtle. 

Package Content

You want one don’t you?

I have been prodded and asked “why don’t you review more amps/effects/cabs, etc here as you’re a musician?”

So - here’s  a noteworthy piece of gadgety goodness that has recently caught my eye.

It’s the StompIO- which is a USB connected interface for AmpliTube and the makers, IK Media, call it a “Revolutionary stage controller”.

I think “revolutionary” may be pushing it - I have used a Line 6 Bass POD XT with a shortboard controller for the past 4 years for both live and studio work - have even used it DI’d for a gig when my rig failed to materialise on time!  The POD series are also amp and effect modellers that can be tweaked and new stuff downloaded via a USB connection to your puter through Line 6’s fabulous site.

The StompIO gives you control over all “Powered by AmpliTube®” software/plug-ins with the same feeling of a traditional stomp box - no need to even look at the computer screen or touch the mouse. 

The StompIO comes with 5 software packages: AmpliTube 2, Ampeg® SVX, AmpliTube Jimi Hendrix™, AmpliTube Metal and AmpliTube X-GEAR.

It costs 799 euros so isn’t dirt cheap and most of us musicians aren’t rich! - Until I actually hear the noises it makes I’m going to reserve my judgement for now. 

I have used Amplitute software before and know that their modelling is good - I’ve yet to put POD v Amplitude yet and would love the chance to get it through my rack and hear what it can do live.

This is just inspired!!

I thought the spork was the best idea when it came to multipurpose cutlery until I got wind of these beauties at Book of Joe!

They are a set of pen top eating utensils (I can stop jabbing at my steak with an old fountain pen then?) and ideal for camping and the likes.

 Briliant!

By the sounds of things it’s only (sorry) Japan that have been hit by the delay/stoppage of the Sony handhelds VoIP gadgetery.

So, I’m guessing, as of tomorrow the rest of us can get Skyped up!!!

 :0)

If you spend your time mixin & matchin on the 1s ‘n’ 2s - Bo!

Flud Watches brings you a replica of the classic Technics 1200… in wrist watch form!

You have a choice ’tween a stainless or smooth black leather strap and to add to the effect it even comes in a miniature flight case.

One of these classic looking Turntable Watches will retail for $59 dats ill yo!  All this scratchin’ is makin’ me itch, etc

Kickin it strictly old skool - JG. peace. out.

Well - I for one was excited at the news that the PSP was gonna get VoIP and it was more than a rumour as Sony themselves announced it on their website before getting to the CES.

But, because Sony’s mics aren’t up to Skypes’ specs, they have withdrawn everything prior to tomorrow’s would be release.

No news as yet as to when or, indeed, if they will be going forward with the service now.

Booooooooooo!

Television is dead - long live television!

All you digital-dodgers bewarned!  Your days are numbered.  The big boys have stopped selling anologue goggle-boxes.  Curry’s have announced that they are only now stocking digital tele’s.

Let’s face it;  they’ve been a dying breed for years now, partly due to the imminent switch over that’s taking place between now and 2012 and also thanks to our burgeoning obsession with monster screens and all things LCD or Plasma.

The out-of-town store people say they will continue to push integrated boobtubes, letting punters use an in-built freeview tuner to watch digital pics.

However, with slick HD ready tellies flying off the shelves, most buyers would rather have the fancier option of an LCD panel.  Curry’s says that 90% of the TVs they shift are digital anyway.

DVD players with only analogue tuners are also getting the chop, so best start thinking about where you sit in the HD wars if you’re in the market for a disc spinner……buy dual format if you can - tis the safe bet ;0,

T3

Ok - here’s a gadget for the more outdoorsy types amongst us.  The kinda person that will quite happily kill their lunch and live rough.  I have to admit; the closest I generally get to that is when camping at either Download, Glastonbury or similar.

The ATAX is pretty impressive. Made of 1095 tool steel (ok….?) and weighing 16 oz, it boasts almost all you need (apart from a fold-away hotel and chef!), here’s the list for all you Rambo’s out there:  a catapult mechanism, a hammer, nail remover, rangefinder, inclinometer, wire cutter, nut gripper (OooO!), animal skinner, compass, clock, sundial and of course an axe. 

It aint that cheap at $199.95 - you need to slam down 100 bucks as a deposit but it does ship with an instructional DVD video.

via Red Ferret

Could this be the future of video-conferencing?

Charlie recently delivered a pre-recorded speech on the environment as a hologram in a Star Wars stylee to an Abu Dubai audience using only a single camera and projector. 

The techs from British firm Musion were able to employ a century-old trick known as “Pepper’s ghost” to record the Prince of Wales speak at Highgrove last year and then rebroadcast the performance as a way to congratulate the Middle Eastern country on its plans to build a zero carbon city.

Environmentalists note that this method reduces the amount of fuel wasted on transporting celebrities around the world but this does mean that all such venues will have to have this gear before a decent dent is made.

Get your credit cards ready people - the “Lego of Gadgets” store is now open and awaiting your orders.

For people unaware of what Bug Labs is all about here’s a quick taster:  Their vision is

“…a future where CE stands for Community Electronics, the term “mashups” applies equally to hardware as it does to Web services….”

It’s all about Open Source and being able to create without requiring soldering knowledge or practical training in electronics.

Check out their Store - be prepared to want something……….

Those clever Dutch people at Polymer Vision are proud to present their mobile phone project named ‘Readius’.

What’s special is the display - it can be folded away when not in use!!

This means that you can have a nice large screen AND pocket your blower without unsightly bulges.

When unfurrled the display measures 5-inches, (13cm) which is pretty fab for a phone. It’s said to have the same feel as electronic paper, pretty much like the Kindle does - so this points at the possibility of  being able to read e-books as well as content from the interweb.

Users will be able to set up their email accounts, news sources, podcasts, audio books and blog feeds at home on their computer, and the data is then pushed to the device whenever it is updated.

No news on release or price yet - but I reckon that this is pretty exciting stuff!

A couple of UCLA students, Kevin Eustice and Peter Reiher, have written and tested some software that with their antennae set up will grap music playlists stored inside laptops.

The plan is to roll this out to wifi-enabled MP3 players and throw these tunes up front and create the playlist thus, perhaps, making DJ’S so 90’s!

Wi-fi playlists and ‘pod parties’ aren’t new but this software works on ‘votes’, ie how many people present have that track on their player.  Notice I said “people present”? - Smart Party can triangulate people’s position, it can also deduct their votes when they leave the party, making everything all fair and square.

I reckon the only downside of this is that people who ‘want’ an iPod or similar will know where to ‘get’ one from - also the amount of MP3 players that are gonna be dropped in the toilets, etc.

But for the pure eclectism of the potential tunes - I rate this idea!  Not sure how this will stand as far as DRM is concerned.  Loop holes anyones? 

[New Scientist]

From the makers of Dream DX dog comes the Dream Cat. A pretty realistic catbot until you discover that it doesn’t purr or meow - it talks!

Yup, the feline droid is preloaded with 333 words (all Japanese at the moment). It has sensors over its body and depending where you touch it responds accordingly. A gentle pat on the head will give a very cute response and if you interact with it after a long time it gets angry - just like a real cat, but I’m guessing this one wont take a swipe at you with claws drawn.

The Dream cat is powered by 2 x AAA batteries and will be available in Japan soon for 10,290 Yen (about £50).

Watch the pussy in action here: You Tube Dream Cat

This is Toshiba’s new G450 USB HSDPA.

It’s Tosh’s USB HSDPA modem for people that require their data on-the-go - but in a neat 1-2 it also doubles as a capable mobile blower!

With its unconventional keypad and a 96 x 36 pixel OLED display you’re unlikely to want to use it as your main phone - but then again, who am I to tell you what you’ll do or not? You’ve seen the hideous gold/diamond iPhone case that’s on sale yeah?

The modem/phone has tri-band EDGE/GSM, 2100 MHz HSDPA and 300 hours standby time coupled with 3 hours talk time and it comes in a choice of three colours for around $290 in Europe.

Via Unwiredview