Gadgety News

The Mir:ror tag is a little misleading as it’s not reflective (as far as I can see) and you’ll need to connect it via USB to a puter so hanging it on your hallway wall maybe a little tricky.

Instead of checking yourself out before you leave home you’ll be waving your various possessions over its USB-connected sensor.

Why? Well by the magic of small RFID stickers, enhanced-reality style info will be displayed on your computer.

What?

Put simply: Wave your brolly handle over it and get a weather forecast, your TV remote to get tele listings and so on.

An oddly cool concept yeah?

It’s made by Violet who are also to blame for bringing us the animated internet “buddy” bunny Nabaztag.

The RFID bit is in the little ‘Ztamps’ you stick to your gear, and the magic all happens through Violet’s new website.

The mir:ror can recognise quite a few things straight off however with dedicated stamps, but through the site you can configure more of your stuff to work with it.

$70 buys you the sensor, a skin for the sensor “puck”, 2 nanotagz rabbits (those little Nabaztaglets) and 3 ztamps.

You can buy more RFID stickers for the rest of your portable gear.

I’m strangely tempted

Dynamism via Technabob

Here’s one for those creepy Halloween phone-calls from your iPhone.

“Do you like scary movies?………………………”

Now the chance to disguise your voice either as Darth Vader or Mickey Mouse or just mess around with the echo layering effects is available at the app store thanks to SonicVox from Smule.

As an added bonus you can connect your iPhone through a 3.5 mm cable to the line-in of your computer and use it as a microphone with Skype.

Here’s the official blurb:

Tired of your same old voice? Seeking a little vocal variety? Get into character with Smule’s Sonic Vox, the real-time voice shifter.

• With Sonic Vox you can alter your voice with a swipe of your finger. Want to cross over to the Dark Side? Slide your finger to the left. Now say it. You know you want to. “Luke, I am your…”

• Or maybe you are feeling conflicted about having lost a “preciousssss” ring? Move your finger back and forth horizontally and go ahead, rant on.

• Transform your voice even more. Simply swipe your finger up and down and hear what happens… happens… happens…

• We recommend using Sonic Vox like a microphone: just plug your iPhone into speakers. You can test it out by just talking into your phone. Or try it with headphones.

• Adventurous? Connect your iPhone (speaker-out) to your MacBook (mic-in). Switch the system preference to Line-In. Launch Sonic Vox. Launch Skype. Make that call.

Here’s the link for it at the App Store

In my run of Halloween gadgety loveliness I’ve kinda ignored the more creative of you.

Well, why not treat yourself to the Dremel Pumpkin Carving Kit from Firebox?

So, instead of carving your hands whilst trying to get that grin suitably scary and the eyes level this kit is dead easy to use:

1. Hollow out your pumpkin
2. Download the stencils from this link
3. Stick one to your seasonal vegetables
4. Start hacking away at the skin
5. Carve with the pumpkin carver attachment

Then a totally cool piece of vegatitive art is yours

Continuing the Halloween ideas theme the fine and funky Mimobot flash drive creators have released a spooky limited edition version.

The RayD8gig.  It’s an “8 gb inverse colour version of RayD8″.

More importantly: it glows in the dark! FTW!

If you want one don’t hang around - you know when I said it was limited……

I’m talking only 200 of these will be available and it’ll cost ya $100.

Mimoco

The results of a poll conducted by The London Games Festival of 500 gamers shows that Sega’s blue hedgehog is the most loved character and Nintendo’s Mario had to settle for second.

As you read through the full top ten below you’ll probably recognise that most of these iconic characters have been showing up in games for a decade or more.

The n00bs (comparatively speaking) in the list are Grand Theft Auto IV’s eastern European gangster Niko Bellic and the other Rockstar front-man, Max Payne.

1. Sonic the Hedgehog (24%)

2. Super Mario (21%)

3. Lara Croft (Tomb Raider) (16%)

4. Donkey Kong (11%)

5. Pac Man (10%)

6. Link (The Legend of Zelda) (5%)

7. Max Payne (4%)

8. Pikachu (Pokemon) (3%)

9. Niko Belic (Grand Theft Auto IV) (2%)

10. Blanka (Street Fighter) (1%)

Do agree with the list - is there anyone missing?

Let me know
 

The Telegraph

It’s coming up to the Emergency Services’ busy period once more.

It’s also 2008 so when instructed to light your fireworks at arms length with a special taper we should laugh heartedly.

Not because we’re a little simple but because there is now the Firework Launcher.

This gadget keeps you well away from those annual explosives.

The aptly named Firework Launcher can fire off five fireworks in sequence at any one time from a distance of 25 metres.

It’s also programmed to only work with only one ID at time so if your neighbour has read this and purchased the same there’s no risk of setting off his ornate display when you’re trying to let fly 5 super airbomb repeaters at once :)

The Firework Launcher is battery-powered, available now and costs £19.99.

Maplin via T3

A pool table in the shape of a coffin seems a great idea to me and  Casket Furniture thinks so as well

Their Manhattan Casket Pool Table has a starting price of $4995 but that can swiftly rise depending on various options.

Some of these optional features include 14K gold ($5000), Maple Housing ($4,500) and a granite one piece playing surface ($18,000).

So whether you’re a Goth or just want to throw the bestest Halloween party ever…………..

………this table is dead cool!

Sorry - couldn’t resist.  It was difficult being dead-pan all through this.  Just glad I didn’t corpse…..

errmmm,,,,yeah…I’ll keep a lid on it.

Well, the age of people like me is slowly coming to an end.

Bandai corp unveiled the  at the Japan Robo Fair.

NetTansorWeb is made for home use and is controlled remotely via WiFi and comes equipped with cameras and motion sensors to avoid obstacles.

It can be used for surveillance and it can even send the video to a cell phone. So far we’ve heard this all before.

Apart from all that though, it’s able to read RSS feeds, update your blog with certain filters and process reviews (which includes answering simple questions from readers).

So, If someone writes a comment in which they desire to see a certain part of a picture posted in an article more clearly, the robot will parse the text and react accordingly.

The NetTansorWeb has a battery life of 2.5 hours and is sized at 190×160×160mm. Bandai plans to sell the Japan-only robot in December for $500.

Thankfully it can’t play bass………

………………yet.

Crunchgear

If you’re a fan of retro musical instruments or Rolf Harris - or perhaps you want to play a version of Telstar the Very Cool Software Company has recently announced its first iPhone application: The Dubreq iStylophone.

For those of you too young for the refereces made above; the Stylophone is an electronic musical instrument (kinda), originally invented by Brian Jarvis in 1968 and manufactured in the UK by Dubreq.

You’ll be able to replicate the instrument’s sound as well as other features by using the phone’s touchscreen.

But, is it worth the $5.95 (£3.49*) asking price?

We’ll see on the 1st December when it will becomes available.

I eagerly await the iWobbleboard for the full Rolf-tastic orchestra

* correction

We all know that the Sony PSP 3000 isn’t due to be launched until next Tuesday but the PSP-3000 Ratchet & Clank Entertainment Pack has managed to slip into at least one Best Buy a few days early.

An Engadget friendly tipster, namely Aaron G, sent them a few unboxing shots.

It’s good to share - so for all of you that enjoy the voyeurism of vicarious unboxing………

Slip quietly over to Engadget and peek at the unboxing gallery

Yay!

We Brits are getting the rather fabby Korg DS-10 Synthesiser for the Nintendo DS before our American cousins!

I mentioned this app a while ago but now it has finally been released.

The synth as been developed by AQ Interactive and manages to pack a complete Korg MS-10 synth inside the handheld device.

This is no dodgy homebrew either; it has Korg’s official seal of approval and has been created by a crack team of game developers. The software makes full use of the touchscreen to generate new sounds and you can connect up gates just by drawing in the wires.

If you want to collaborate and make some serious tunes, you can hook up with up to seven other DSs wirelessly. You can also save up to six different tracks.

Can’t wait to see artists start getting their DS’s out on stage.

The average British household will work its way through more than 250 electrical devices over a period of 60 years, according to a new survey.

The poll of 3,000 households by Reevoo.com shows that electrical items rarely last longer than six years - and the kettle is the item Brits use and replace the most.

Over sixty years, each household will get through 20 kettles and spend approximately £1,000, which works out as a new kettle every three years.

The most expensive item is a home PC, replaced around 4 years at a cost of around £500 while the average oven costs more at £545, but lasts around 6 years.

In total, Reevoo.com reckons Brits will fork out £48,940 on electrical devices over their lifetime.

I heard about this monster and that was well over a year ago.

Finally, the Blackbird 002 from HP has finally flown the nest and landed in the UK - does it deserve the name that it shares with a powerful Honda motorbike and the fantastic spy-plane otherwise known as the SR71?

Well, the recipe looks promising as The Blackbird is loaded with HP technology as well as Voodoo DNA (Voodoo is well known for its own gaming machines and is now owned by HP).

The design has been pretty well thought out with its aluminium chassis, internal water cooling system as well as the tool-less architecture, which means that the owner can add new components without resorting to wielding the screw driver and soldering-irons.

If you wobble down to Harrods you’ll see the version loaded with an Intel Core 2 quad processor, two 500MB ATI Radeon HD3870 dual GPU Graphics cards, 500GB, and five internal hard drive bays if you want to add more memory…..of course you do!

The machine also comes with a Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer audio card, 15-1 memory card reader and is loaded with Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit edition with service pack 1.

Prices start at £3199 for this gaming beastie and it also comes with a 1 year warranty.

By rebranding “Wii Points” into “Nintendo Points” you would think that this was to become an overarching account system between the Wii and the upcoming DSi.

But that is where you become disappointed to learn that the company’s new Nintendo Points won’t be transferable between the two consoles.

Instead, when you buy a points card (available in 1000, 3000 and 5000 points versions), you’ll have to pick a console and spend all the points in that one place.

Not exactly an ideal option, to be sure, but it seems like it’s one that we’ll be stuck with — unless Nintendo has some plans to make some major changes to the way the Wii and DSi do business.

Siliconera via Wiifanboy via gamesindustry.biz

This is an oddity from our Japanese friends.

I’m not entirely sure of the aim, if indeed there is one.

Shove your finger into the Tutukki Bako (Tutukki Box) and be “amazed” as you look at the screen.

Your digit appears on screen as you clumsily stoke a tiny panda, poke a small, terrified stick-man or even taunt a rather concerned looking female face as your finger suddenly appears to have ruder conatations. (click the top pic to see what I mean!)

This toy thing costs about $30 and funnily enough it’s only available in Japan for now (and probably forever).

Does anyone know the reason for its existance?

Crunchgear

Ok tightwad!

Yeah, you know who you are.

Perhaps you see yourself more as being frugal - no matter.

You opted for the 40GB PS3 and have discovered that the number of USB 2.0 ports isn’t enough.

In strides the Nyko Media Hub+ like a cheap mercenary.

In addition to adding some much need USB ports it has a memory card slot that reads both SD and Memory Stick cards, further expanding its media capabilities without looking out of whack when connected to the PS3.

And, even better, it’s self-installing and requires no additional power.

Yeah, yeah, I’m getting to the price!

Can you spare $19.99?  Of course you can

Source: IGN

The PSP-3000 may not seem like a great deal different to the PSP-2000.

Ok, there’s a few cosmetic changes, but apparently it’s the firmware that makes all the difference according to Eurogamer.

So, if you’ve only recently bought a PSP there’s no need to kick yourself!

Yeah, the new screen is much “richer, warmer and deeper than the PSP-2000.”

The third brightness setting is brighter than the current gen’s fourth brightness level, says Eurogamer.

Does the PSP-3000 screen fare better in glaring light than the PSP-2000? You’ll have to wait and see since EG wasn’t able to get a day of sunlight over here in Autumnal England.

The D-pad and other buttons are more pronounced and feel much firmer according to Tom Bramwell.

The built-in mic performed well during Skype calls.

Regarding firmware v4.2, a “USB Auto-Connect” option will automatically revert the handheld into USB mode when plugged in but not during gameplay and it won’t charge during gameplay either. It will charge when in USB mode like the current gen does.

So, some changes but not much.  If, like me, you have the 1st Gen model it might be worth the change.

Engadget have revealed Nintendo’s latest pocket pleaser.

The new Nintendo DSi will still retain both touch screens, although both displays have had an increase in size to 3.25″ from its original 3″. Everyone will appreciate a combined extra half-inch.

In addition the screenage the DSi has slimmed down by 12% compared to its predecessor, partly due to the omission of the GBA cartridge slot.

That’s a little odd as games like Guitar Hero: On Tour (a game that requires the Guitar controller add-on which fits into the GBA cartridge slot nicely) won’t work on the new DSi.

Other improvements include a front-facing VGA camera located on the inside hinge, while a 3 megapixel external camera will compete with your cell phone for casual photographs.

Not only that, the DSi will support SD memory cards with a new SD card slot, and the integrated browser application makes it a contender for the iPod touch since you can also play back your favorite MP3s!

The Nintendo DSi is said to be out in Japan on November 1st for $179 or thereabouts.

The rest of the world will get it next year at some point.

Will you be chopping in your old DS for the DSi?

Engadget

Granted, in the next 3 years all manner of things could happen but apparently Nintendo is prepping a new Wii to be released in 2011.

According to sources Nintendo is already presenting the so called Wii HD to developers.

The Wii HD is supposed to be able to handle digital content - a function that the Xbox 360 and the PS3 do today and Ninte recons that in 2011 that will be even more important.

I wonder where gaming will have actually have taken us by 2011.

Ok, there’s been more than a couple of rumours flying around about the new lithe Xbox 360.

Couple that with the fact that there has been no official confirmation of any such device and so this news should be treated with your usual dose of scepticism.

This time though, the rumour has been credited to a proper Microsoft source, Microsoft India’s Retail Services Manager, Rahul Datta. According to this site, Mr Datta let slip that an announcement about the Xbox 360 Slim could be expected in December.  Ooopsy!

That was closely followed by a PR rep pouncing to undo the exec’s loose-lipped utterings.

He cooly stated that he had simply pointed out that the business is evolving and that there may be some kind of announcement (not necessarily related to this strange Xbox 360 Slim that everyone keeps on about) which might be made in a few months. Maybe. Perhaps. Kinda.

Sounds pretty promising, and Microsoft would want to keep a tight lid on such news when there’s the important business of Christmas to contend with.

The saga continues……………

(via ElectricPig)