Gadgety News

Imagination Technologies are being a little coy at the moment and will only own up to saying that it’s signed a licensing deal with a “major international consumer electronics company”.

EETimes.com, however, has spilled the beans by reporting that the company in question is, in fact, Sony, and that the deal concerns Imagination’s PowerVR architecture being used in the successor to the PSP!

According to EETimes sources, the PSP 2 will use Imagination’s SGX55x core - something else that IT hasn’t officially announced yet.

As EETimes says, if this is all on the level it’s going to be pretty cool for Imagination - especially when you throw in the fact that their PowerVR MBX technology has already found its way into the iPhone, among other devices.

EETimes.com - Thanks to Laura for the heads-up

Don’t get me wrong but…..

This kinda thing doesn’t usually get my juices flowing but T-Mobile’s new Mobile Broadband Share Dock is one of the slicker versions out there.

The funky unit consists of a USB HSDPA modem and a base which shares the connection over WiFi, which means you can unplug the modem and take your access on the road.

Sorted.

Well, as long as you don’t need a persistent connection at home and can live with the bandwidth.

£20 per month will get you this dock and should be hitting the UK in the next couple of days.

PocketLint

The Crystal Weather Station.

A gadget that will take this favourite subject of most Britains and make it into an aesthetic point of conversation.

This device will give you a weather forecast by illuminating a crystal-etched 3D icon.

As well as providing you with a stylish weather warning it will also show the time via the retro-styled, radio controlled clock.

An added bit of flash is that you can change the display mode from time to indoor temperature by waving your hand in front of it. 

Talking about the weather is now cool again - with a 40% chance of showers…………..

 
For some reason I have an urge to listen to some Weather Report………….
 

Gadgetshop

Kensington’s Wireless USB Docking Station is pretty neat and straightforward device - one of those that makes you think, “why hasn’t anyone else done this before?”.

Plug in up to five USB devices along with your external monitor in order to access all of those thingsswithout being tethered to your lappy.

The range maxes out at 15-feet, but just think. You’ll never have to plug in that printer, scanner, external HDD, etc again when you come back home with your laptop.

It’s coming out soon and the only price at the moment is around $300 (£150 before we get hit with Brit-tax).

Via Electronista

Given that the Wii is stoopidly addictive all you eco-friendly Wii-fans will probably feel a little guilty at the amount of AA batteries you’ve thrown out.

Fear no-longer as Sanyo has come up with the Eneloop charging station.

It comes complete with a battery pack replacement for your Wiimote and a charging base that can support as many as four controllers at once.

I like the way it kinda looks like a rifle rack……..kinda……..a bit……perhaps…….?

Remotes take about 220 minutes to recharge and Eneloop will even charge sequentially so you don’t have to wait an extra couple hours for your next hit of Wii-action.

Its available for $73 to import but I think that it should go global - just like the warming.

Akihabara News

Word is that Sony’s 2.41 firmware for the PS3 is apparently out and riding the network updates.

This is according to the official PlayStation Blog.

Now deep breath, install, cross everything and hope your system doesn’t bork like it did for the 2.40 unfortunates out there.

Good luck PS3ers!!!

Sony has had to pull the 2.40 firmware update from both its in-console update and website after some users reported that the firmware had bricked their system.

SCEA PR director Patrick Seybold told Joystiq that

Sony is “looking into it right now and will work with those customers directly to address any issues they may be experiencing.”

Have you d/loaded it?

Is your PS3 still working? - let me know :0)

I’ve been asked by a number of you to expand upon the PS3 Firmware update I mentioned earlier.

Well, this firmware update for PlayStation 3 will include support for a variety of features that fans have been asking for: The ability to open the PS3’s system menu while running a game, custom soundtracks, and ‘Trophies’.

OK, you don’t get access to every system function of the PlayStation 3 but you can change system settings and send messages to your friends, without leaving the game you’re currently playing.

You can also browse through your lists of video, music, and photos stored on your PS3 while playing a game, but you can’t view them.

Some games will support custom soundtracks - this means that you’ll be able to turn down the in-game sound volume, open the XMB, and play whatever track you like - something I tend to do when playing Counter Strike Source, nothing like a bit of Ministry, Pigface and NIN whilst taking out terrorists!  :0P 

Sony said that it will not require developers to add support for custom soundtracks, and did not announce any game that would definitely feature them. (Sony representatives demonstrated the feature running with a specially-programmed version of PixelJunk Monsters.)

But what about these Trophies?

It seems, for the most part, it’s cop of Xbox 360’s Achievement system.

The difference is that instead of the goals being worth certain numeric point values, they’re broken up into Gold, Silver, and Bronze designations, the Golds being the most difficult to earn obviously.

As you gain Trophies, they translate into experience points in an RPG stylee “Level” that goes on your profile.

If you are the competitive type you can directly compare the size of his trophy collection to yours – you can do it by listing every game you’ve both played, or actually go in and compare individual trophy acquisitions.

And that’s pretty much all I know at the mo.

Xbox 360 developers shouldn’t have a hard time taking their Achievement lists and translating them directly into Trophies.

I think Sony’s version wins in the looks stakes compared to the Xbox 360’s lists.

Asus has launched the world’s first VGA and multimedia docking station.

The lovely ASUS ROG (Republic of Gamer) XG Station has gained the red dot design award honorable mention 2008.

The Asus XG Station is bundled with the EN8600GT/HTDP/256M graphics card and is equipped with an Express Card interface “seamlessly integrating notebook computing with powerful PC graphical power”.

It also incorporates 4 USB 2.0 ports and Dolby Technology – doubling as a USB hub that delivers true AV enjoyment.

Read the full press release at New Launches

This work of valve artistry is the PrimaLuna Prologue Eight.

Ok, looking closer it might look a little like a hard-drive caddy with a power brick and few light-bulbs on it but its makers say that the aural pleasure will blind everyone and then the love will truly start. 

For a pod-dock and CD player that costs £1,590 it had better live up to the hype!