Gadgets and just Gadgets

Yet another iPod gadget. If I were to buy all the gizmos that appear fot these devices, I think that my apartment wouldn’t be enough to store them.

There’s certainly no shortage of solutions out there for hooking an iPod up to your TV, but Hong Kong’s Acme Research nonetheless looks to have found a bit of room for some innovation, although you’ll have to judge for yourself if it’s an improvement or not.

As you can see above, the “LeDoc” (which does appear to be a legit device, despite appearances) employs a video camera to allow for some big screen iPod-viewing, and thankfully includes a remote so your hand doesn’t get in the way of the menus. On the upside, that roundabout system does at least make the dock cheaper than some other solutions, with it setting you back an even $100, although it seems you’ll only be able to take advantage of it if you have a pre-2007 iPod.

Tags: iPod, ledoc, dock, gadget, TV, device

We all have it, what people call the “personal space” or “zone” - the area around us that if impeded on makes us uncomfortable. The Eclipse Office Partitioning System was developed to address the issue of privacy and lack there-of in open plan designs seen in workplaces today. Cubicles don’t exactly illicit hard work so Designer Marcus Curran wanted to create something for the not too distant future. A partitioning system that not only looks good but defines and protects our “personal space”.

The Eclipse Office Partitioning System enables desk dwellers to cover up their space with panels in varying degrees, and it even touts the ability to change colors throughout the day to liven up the mood. Furthermore, the unit includes an RFID sensor ,wireless charging mat, pillar-based speakers, an internal projection system and a built-in lighting system to boot.

Moreover it sports a desk, task chair, expandable hood, integrated speakers, and power all set on casters for true mobility. It makes me think of rollie pollies and I have yet to decide if that’s a good or bad thing. Could you work in something like this?

[tags]
art, concept, cubicle, design, desk, Eclipse Office Partitioning System, EclipseOfficePartitioningSystem, marcus ward curran, MarcusWardCurran, office, video, yanko[/tags]

Another unimaginative PMP for you this weekend, which happens to vaguely rip-off the design of the RAZR2. This is the act-429 from Act Corp. No, it doesn’t have a phone also, it’s simply a regular little PMP that features a 2-inch screen and controls that mimic the look of Motorola’s flagship. It also has an FM tuner, a speaker — hey, at least you could pretend that this is a speakerphone — and e-Book and gaming “functionality.” Don’t expect to see this in your local retailers anytime soon.

Here are the product’s full specs:

2.0 inch TFT screen / Support AVI video format / Support MP3/WMA format / Support
SD/MMC card / Built-in speaker / E-album function, browsing JPG format file / Voice
recording function / E-book function / 6 EQ available / Game function / Multilanguage
menu / Show the lyrics while playing / Built-in Li-battery / No driver
needed (Except Win98) / A-B repeat function / With digital FM radio (optional)
/ Screen-protection, appear the favorite pictures in circle when waiting and playing

[tags]
Act-429, China, Fake, PMP, RAZR2, Motorola, Act Corp[/tags]

We have little choice but to take Joey Roth’s word for it, but we’ve got our reservations about this one. The so-called Felt Mouse forgoes the typical dome shape that most mice made this millennium share in favor of a totally blockish — and likely uncomfortable — design. Conceptually, at least, the critter is indeed wireless, and while you will notice a right and left click, you can forget about finding one of those fancy “scroll wheel” contraptions. The unit will apparently conform to your hand when you grab hold.

This wireless mouse is made from natural wool felt and laminated bamboo ply. The felt’s softness and playability makes the mouse comfortable without looking “cartoonishly” ergonomic. The button layout follows the golden rectangle.

I appreciate his thoughtful approach towards materials and the theory of 3/4 design, the brick design just makes my palm ache looking at it.
[tags]
art, bamboo, concept, design, felt mouse, FeltMouse, joey roth, JoeyRoth, mouse, wool, yanko, concept[/tags]

VX888 is a PMP with a 2.0-inch LG Shine-like mirror-finish screen, a pretty noteworthy model just by its looks alone.

Onda’s not exactly known for its originality, and even though the VX888 doesn’t do much to buck the trend, it’s not a half bad media player on paper. Aside from featuring an oh-so-trendy chrome backside, a glossy face and a strange connection with Absolut, this unit boasts a two-inch LCD, 1GB of storage, an FM tuner, photo viewer, built-in equalizer and support for XviD / AVI / FLV . The VX888 also boasts APE/FLAC support, besides the usual WMA, MP3. LRC lyrics is also here. Video playing is less than stellar at 24 fps with native XviD (AVI) support.

Additionally, this player reportedly utilizes Microsoft’s PlayFX for 3D headphone effects, PureBass and volume normalizing, but we’re not entirely sure we believe the claim. It’s available in 4GB . Nevertheless, those in China can press their luck for just 299 CNY ($40)

Tags: china, chinese, onda, pmp, VX888

If nothing else, these renders look absolutely amazing. It’s the LG Touch All-in-One, a tablet PC-looking device that uses touch screen technology like nobody’s business.

LG Touch introduces an entirely new user interface based on a revolutionary multi-touch display and pioneering new software that allows users to control LG Touch with just a tap, flick or pinch of their fingers. Hmmm this sounds awfully familiar. LG Touch combines four products into one small and lightweight handheld device—a revolutionary mobile phone, dual LCD for quick view, internet applications on a mobile phone for email, web browsing and a charging cradle with QWERTY keypad for easy shopping and e-mailing.

The designer didn’t give an real specs but since this is a concept, we can assume it’s more a practice of design and function. Before starting to check your bank accounts keep in mind it’s just a concept, so we’ll just have to make do with the eye candy.

Tags: concept, design, LG, lg touch, concept, LG Touch All-in-One, PC looking,

What’s small, cool, and made by Motorola? Not much? HA! We beg to differ. Take a look at the Sidekick Slide. It’s sexy, slidy, and runs Danger’s OS just fine. For now theirs isn’t yet a full review available but when I’ll put my hand on one, be sure that you’ll be the first to know.

The much-brighter LCD is similar to that of the Sidekick LX’s, except smaller. The back has a very polished feel to it and the 1.3-megapixel camera is a tiny bit better than the Sidekick 3’s, but not by much. The new Sidekick interface is loaded, but it’s just the standard fare you’d normally find. IM, Web browsing, messaging, etc. T-Mobile also got the Sidekick Slide to send picture messages, as opposed to sending e-mail with an attachment.

These are all four recent models: Sidekick 3, Sidekick iD, Sidekick LX and Sidekick Slide. What will you notice? Changes in flip action, changes in the flip sound effects, and remarkable difference in screen brightness and clarity. But one question, Motorola: if you’re so cool building the Sidekick Slide, how come you didn’t put a slide-open sound effect? I’ll be sure to follow up on that mystery.

For now theirs isn’t yet a full review available but when I’ll put my hand on one, be sure that you’ll be the first to know.

Tags: cellphones, hot, im, release, sidekick, slide, t-mobile, texting, Motorola, Sidekick Slide,

The new Slingbox Solo has a lower price ($180) than its predecessors and has built-in jacks for high-definition gear probably won’t mean much to you.

The Slingbox’s purpose in life is to transmit whatever is on your TV to your laptop or smartphone (like a Treo or Windows Mobile phone) across the Internet. The point, of course, is to allow people who travel — to another room, another city or another continent — to view all the channels and recordings that they’re already paying so much money for at home.

The new Slingbox Solo is tiny; its trapezoidal shape is meant to evoke the shape of a gold ingot, and it’s now about that size, too (9 by 4 by 2 inches). That’s about half the size of its predecessor, the Slingbox Pro.

(The Pro is still available, however — for $230, plus $50 for an accessory if you want to connect to high-def equipment. The Pro lets you connect up to four video sources — TiVo, satellite box, Apple TV, DVD player and so on — and switch among them by remote control. The Solo, as its name implies, connects to only one.

There are a few other ways to perform a similar stunt, but none with the Slingbox’s high video quality, super-simple setup and ability to display both recordings and live TV.

Tags: high def, place shifting, slingbox, Slingbox SOLO, TV,

Straight from the MPFreedom P2 event comes the following:

Today in NYC, Samsung finally launched its long-awaited YP-P2 PMP, aka “the P2,” the Korean powerhouse’s rival to the iPod touch. The P2 features a 3″ touchscreen display with an “EmoTure” interfaces that allows you to slide and tap your way through menus. But while it will ship fully functional with A2DP streaming Bluetooth stereo, its still-cooler Bluetooth cellphone speakerphone compatibility will come in a December firmware update.

Samsung announced that the PMP will actually receive three updates over the next four months. The first update is set for December and will include the Bluetooth 2.0 cell compatibility, as well as AAC playback. The second set of updates will be available in January and will feature games—titles TBA—and additional functions. The final update hits in March and will feature improvements that Samsung will decide based on market research. Also, it’s not Mac compatible.
[tags]
bluetooth, BlueWave P2, mp3, MP3 Players, samsung, YP-P2, PMP, updates[/tags]

www.engadget.com

I don’t know what’s with all these crappy phones coming out nowadays from Samsung in partnership with T-Mobile. For example, here’s the recently leaked Samsung Katalyst which will debut on T-Mobile. I believe that the phone will a deal of $49.99 for new customers as it’s so basic.

Currently slated to hit shelves in December, the Samsung Katalyst will be a new addition to T-Mobile’s Hotspot@Home service, and the first slider-phone in the Hotspot@Home line-up. The Katalyst is sort of basic, with mediocre features such as a now-standard 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, SMS, MMS, myFaves support, etc.

What makes the Katalyst different than say, the T629 from Samsung (@Home WiFi aside)? Almost nothing! They both have Bluetooth, a shitty 1.3-megapixel camera like all Samsung phones, and an “MP3 player” plus an IM client. Right now, the T629 is T-Mobile’s freebie phone, so I’m guessing the Katalyst will be its successor.

So if your T-Mobile coverage is lacking at your home or office, you can rest easy knowing come December, the T-Mobile Samsung Katalyst will be able to run on your existing Wi-Fi setup, and deliver all those missed calls and text messages.

Tags: T Mobile, Samsung, catalyst, hotspot@home, 1.3 megapixel, Wi-Fi, cellphone, mobile phone