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2398. Tiny Toys Shopping Guide – Nightmare Before Christmas Little Taps and ChoroQ Qsteer R/C Racer

Nightmare Before Christmas Little Taps I’m not sure what the worlds obsession is with picturing things next to coins. I get that’s small when you use words like little, mini, tiny and micro… no visual necessary, but that’s just me. Anyway, here are two tiny toys that are just a bit bigger than a quarter, enjoy. First up we have Jack from the Nightmare Before Christmas, now he’s not the only character this toy comes in but with the season so close he’s the featured toy right now. This Little Taps toy will sing and dance to songs from the show and should come across any other Little Taps they all interconnect and will sing and dance together. You can pick up Jack for just $14.99. Next I offer you the ChoroQ Qsteer Mini R/C Racers. They come in mini version of the Nissan 350Z or the Mazda Rx-8 and also have some precision steering, which is amazing from such a tiny R/C. You’ll get a set of two with your $14.99 purchase so you and a friend/co-worker and create your own desktop racetrack to pass the hours. ChoroQ Qsteer RC Racers Both of these items are available from ThinkGeek and either would make a great stocking stuffer in my opinion. However, for the price I’d stick with the R/C racers. Nightmare Before Xmas Little Taps [via Coolest Gadgets] ChoroQ Qsteer Mini R/C Racers [via Coolest Gadgets] Relevant Entries on SlashGear


Copyright © 2006-2007 SlashGear

2396. What can you expect in the Xbox 360 Fall Update?

Well, first off the parental controls that everyone threw a fit about not to long ago. Then add to that the Xbox originals and social networking features. The new news is the news feed from xbox.com (maybe at some point we’ll be able to add our own RSS feeds) and you can get yourself a full profile with added info. Movie trailers are finally going full screen and more codec support for enhanced video (is the 360 getting the same DivX compatibility upgrade as the Media Center Extenders?). Lastly, dashboard navigation is said to be easier with dedicated Game Store and Video Store buttons. We’ll find out everything in a few days on December 4th, until then, we’ll just keep making educated guesses. Xbox 360 fall dashboard update deets [via CrunchGear] Relevant Entries on SlashGear


Copyright © 2006-2007 SlashGear

2395. HappyEar Flamingo Bluetooth headset

This little headset has apparently won tons of design awards and stuff like that. Anyways, it comes in 8 colors ranging from pastel to somewhat metallic. They last for an advertised 8 hours of talk time and 180 hours of standby time which is pretty amazing. They look nothing like a Bluetooth headset either. The only thing I don’t like is the company’s site where you cant find a single picture from any other angle except in the flash ad on the front page where you can’t really see anything. But, they do have a picture of a model wearing one, and it doesn’t look too uncomfortable, which is good since that’s what some of their awards were for. If you want one, it will cost you $80, you can get it here. The Flamingo: strut around in colourful Bluetooth headsets [via shinyshiny] Relevant Entries on SlashGear


Copyright © 2006-2007 SlashGear

895. Sony Ericsson Phones Get Camera Search Tech

A company called 23half Inc. announced that their product, the Thrrum Visual Browser, is available on some Sony Ericsson camera phones. The $5.99 software enables you to snap a camera phone picture of a book, product label or any other printed material, and LAUNCH AN INSTA-SEARCH based on the image. (props to PicturePhoning.com)

943. i-SOBOT $300 robot available for pre-order

SlashGear’s robot-mad tipster Robert Oschler has slipped a few new videos into our inbox of Tomy’s i-SOBOT, the 6.5-inch tall mini-marvel that is set to push the robot price point way down.  Available to pre-order from Amazon and other retailers for $299.99, i-SOBOT is expected to ship in October.   Check out the videos of i-SOBOT in action, [...]

2838. Ogg Vorbis / Theora Language Removed From HTML5 Spec

Rudd-O writes "It's official. Ogg technology has been removed from the HTML5 spec, after Ian caved in the face of pressure from Apple and Nokia. Unless massive pressure is exerted on the HTML5 spec editing process, the Web authoring world will continue to endure our modern proprietary Tower of Babel. Note that HTML5 in no way required Ogg (as denoted by the word 'should' instead of 'must' in the earlier draft). Adding this to the fact that there are widely available patent-free implementations of Ogg technology, there is really no excuse for Apple and Nokia to say that they couldn't in good faith implement HTML5 as previously formulated."Read more of this story at Slashdot.

966. AKG K 930 Stereo Headphones

The new AKG® K 930 stereo headphones offer first-class entertainment, outstanding sound quality and exceptionable comfort. And because they’re wireless, the wearer’s mobility around the home is almost unlimited. The headphones will be available in cool retro white or high-gloss black in stores in November 2007.

1093. Update on the $100 laptop

draft_2609_big.gif.jpg Break open the piggy banks, girls and boys, production of the XO1, the $100 laptop, has been ramped-up, with hardware suppliers being given the go-ahead to produce components needed to build millions of the machines. For less than the cost of a pair of designer jeans, a needy child can become a participant in the global online community as part of the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) program. Once disparaged by such tech worthies as Intel chairman Greg Barret and Microsoft’s Bill Gates, the laptop now draws praise from the tech community for its innovative design. Whether the child lives in the deserts of Libya or the mountains of Peru, there is a powering option available for them, including solar, foot-pump, or pull-string power. To accommodate schoolchildren without a roof over their heads, the laptops also come with a sunlight-readable display. More

1666. Shiny Video Review: Polaroid Click Free Media Backup - Photo Edition

Have friends who take a lot of photos and want to make backups but are a bit nervous of the whole drag and drop nature of most backup drives? Or they're worried that they'll forget to include something important? Well, this is the low-to-no intervention solution. It's available exclusively at Boots the Chemist, for £89...  

1814. Starbucks to Sell Muslim Ramadan Frappuccino

Starbucks has rolled out a special RAMADAN DATE FRAPPUCCINO -- an icy coffee beverage flavored with date juice available only during the the Muslim holy month and -- sadly -- only at Starbucks in the Middle East.

1762. Gadget Makes Trip Tracking Truly Trivial

A company called Telespial Systems makes a product called the Super Trackstick, which makes tracking your trips and entering them into Google Earth super easy. A combination 4 MB flash storage drive and low-power (runs on two AA batteries for a month) GPS receiver fits into a compact holder, which has magnets on it. Just stick the unit on your car, motorcycle or RV, push the button, and off you go. When you get home, just plug the unit into your PC, then suck the data out using Google Earth. It records altitude and even temperature! Then you can take advantage of all that Google Earth 3D goodness. Sadly, it's also ideal for stalking people. Here comes the VIDEO! (Super Trackstick is now available here.)

1850. Company Demos Personal Aircraft, Future Jetpack

coondoggie writes "Earlier this week researchers with the company ESG Elektroniksystem in Germany demonstrated a form of 'strap-on jet wing' that lets a user truly fly through the air. The system, called Gryphon, consists of a six-foot wing and hand-held rotary controls for the rudder. The pilot has several different instruments available to him, including onboard oxygen and helmet that features a heads-up display. 'Researchers say the final version of the flying wing will contain an electronic system that will take care of some of the steering for the pilot which today can be a little tricky, researchers say. The company also plans to add small jets to the wing making it a true jetpack in the future.'"Read more of this story at Slashdot.

1857. How To Configure Real PC Parental Controls?

Orange Crush writes "As the resident computer geek in an office full of accountants, my boss recently asked me how she could reasonably keep her teenage son from using the family computer to 'access inappropriate sites.' I of course responded 'Give up now. There's nothing in this world that can keep a determined teenager from acquiring porn.' Sadly, she was dissatisfied with this answer. I mentioned that there was in fact software available for this purpose, but that all of it was trivially easy to bypass for a clever young mind. I really can't think of another answer. She could password protect the BIOS to prevent booting a different OS, but that's easily defeated with a screwdriver at most. The only solutions I can think of involve upstream firewalls/proxies/etc to which I gleefully redirected her to her ISPs tech support number. As much as I disagree with her reasoning — and ignoring the obvious 'go to a friend's house' loophole — is there really any other way (on a home budget) to netnanny a household computer?"Read more of this story at Slashdot.

1872. Sony releases new Blu-Ray video recorders

The Sony corporation of Japan has presented a couple of new Blu-Ray recorders, a technology that currently isn’t available for many people. Anyhow, the 4 recorders will start the shipping mode on the 8th of November and prices can go from 140,000YEN to 200,000YEN, which is the same thing as $1,220 to $1,755. All of them [...]

1874. Razer Announces Pro|Click Mobile Launch Date

By Shane McGlaun We previously wrote a bit about the Razer Pro|Click Mobile mouse. Razer announced today that the mouse would be available for purchase starting in October for $49.99. The mouse will come in red, pink, white, and black. Razer calls the Pro|Click Mobile mouse the most accurate portable mouse and with 1200 dpi resolution, they [...]

1883. Shiny Video Review: Dell XPS 1330 notebook laptop

In one of our latest videos, Alex and I take a look at the new Dell XPS 1330 laptop, which as you can see, is completely style-led and makes for a surprising change from Dell's rather dull image. Available in three colours, it's out now, and prices start at £730...  

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1930. Mac OS X Leopard

draft_2357_big.gif.jpg The new operating system has over 300 upgrades. Leopard makes organizing and cleaning your desktop even easier with a new stacking feature that is exactly what it sounds like, you can make stacks on your desktop just like you do on your desk. This might not sound like much but I find stacking stuff on my desk to be my most effective filing system. Another neat and useful feature is the Time Machine. You'll be able to access your files as they looked on any given date. Leopard will be available October of 2007. Via

2390. Nintendo DS or Sony PSP? Which is the SlashGear holiday choice?

As the holiday season fast approaches, we’ve been getting questions from readers regarding which portable games console they should buy for themselves, their friends or their kids.  It’s hard to believe that there are still people out there who haven’t decided on a side in the PSP/DS war, but here are a few factors you should consider before splashing your cash either with Sony or Nintendo.  Nintendo DS and Sony PSP Traditionally the Nintendo has been seen as the young-persons’ choice, but this year a range of “brain training” games has pushed it into the eyeline of the adult and even elderly market.  The clever controls - undeniably more innovative than the PSP’s, with both the usual D-pad and buttons as well as a touchscreen and stylus - have given games designers more flexibility, and its backward-compatibility with Game Boy Advance titles mean there’s a healthy, and cheap, back-catalogue to choose from. On the PSP’s side, however, are the media and processing capabilities which have made Sony such a contender in the lounge gaming market.  While UMD-based movies may have bombed, the handheld can still play films and audio stored on Memory Stick or streamed wirelessly from a PS3.  Recent sales figures from Japan show that PSPs there are being snapped up, with 250,000 sold in the four days following the redesigned Slim & Lite’s launch and, although it lacks the catalogue of classic titles, more recent games on the PSP - usually aimed at a teenage audience - score highly in reviews. Sony PSP Slim & Lite Both consoles have wireless, allowing for multi-player gaming, but the DS edges ahead a little with many multi-player games requiring only one game cartridge.  Pair the PSP with a PS3, however, and you can make use of Remote Play, which lets you access media and games on your home console wherever in the world you have a WiFi signal.  As for add-ons, the PSP can be augmented with a TV tuner, GPS, camera and more, but of course these are not necessarily cheap options and some require imports since not all are officially available outside of Japan. Many find the DS better for impromptu gaming, with the handheld working well in snatched moments on buses and waiting in queues; on the other hand, some have accused DS titles of lacking the in-depth gameplay that is available on the PSP.  It’s very much a matter of taste, and if you’re buying for anyone other than yourself then it could be worth asking them whether they settle down for longer periods or see themselves gaming more casually. Nintendo DS with camera Of course, for some it will come down to price: the PSP Slim & Light comes in at $169.99 while the Nintendo DS undercuts it at $129.99.  In the run up to the holidays retailers will be clamouring for your business with bundled games, cases, and the ubiquitous “travel pack” (which usually consists of a travel charger, some sort of case and maybe a screen-protector).  Here at SlashGear we’d recommend the DS for younger or significantly older would-be gamers, who should be well catered for by the simple interface and drawn in by the quirky, easily-grasped games.  For teenagers and media junkies we’d lean toward the PSP: its integration with the PS3 is fantastic, the games on offer are nicely biased toward those willing to invest time and effort, and it certainly has the power to see it supporting top titles for some time to come. Which handheld would you recommend, and why?  Let us know in the comments - but try to keep it focused on the hardware, and not let it get personal! Relevant Entries on SlashGear


Copyright © 2006-2007 SlashGear

2017. Singularity Summit 2007 audio is now online

Audio for all talks and panel discussions at the recent Singularity Summit 2007 is now available free online and via iTunes podcast. ...

2076. Google Mobile Finds You, No Satellite Required

Google has announced version 2.0 of Google Maps for mobile, featuring a beta version of its new "My Location" service that serves as an alternative to GPS technology, which is not widely available on cell phones. It uses cell-tower ID information...

2132. Improving Fuel Cells for Cars

A new method for making materials just a few atoms thick could pave the way to automotive fuel cells that use readily available fuels instead of hydrogen, which is difficult to produce and store. ...

2144. Hydrogen brewing gets an electrical boost

A new microbe-powered fuel-cell design can extract up to 99 percent of the available hydrogen from biological compounds, using microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) to enable microbes to break down organic materials completely, to just water, carbon di...

2163. Congress to vote on open access and NIH funds

US investigators funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) may soon be compelled to publish only in journals that make their research papers freely available within one year of publication. Congress is this week expected to take final vote...

2171. MTV Takes on P2P by Making South Park Free

thefickler writes "MTV Networks, the biggest division of Viacom Inc. has announced plans to make every South Park episode available online for free as part of a plan to make the show available to a larger audience." This is apparently largely because of the success of a similar project where they put every episode of The Daily Show on-line a few months back. This action didn't hurt ratings, and it may have actually helped them.Read more of this story at Slashdot.

2234. Vudu TV Set Top Box - 5,000 Movies on Demand

vudu.jpg
Want to watch new movies without the hassel of running to the video store or downloading them from a torrent site? The Vudu set top box might be the right for you. At $400 the Vudu currently gives you access to over 5,000 movies at $2 to $4 a rental (24 period) or $15 to purchase outright. All you need is a fast ethernet connection and and of course a television. Vudu offers near DVD quality picture and sound, something that the xbox 360 and apple tv can't claim at the moment. The company is aiming to have over 10,000 titles available within the next couple of months.

2314. Dig Alfie Allen and want to send him a present this Christmas? Read on...

The sibling cash-cow that is Alfie Allen has kindly shared his top Christmas gadgets list online, because quite simply - what would we do this Christmas without knowing what Lily Allen's younger brother is pining for? I'm surprised we've managed this far without it! Included in his list of GIMME GIMMES, DON'T YOU KNOW I'M LILY ALLEN'S BROTHER AND WILL STAR IN DANIEL RADCLIFFE'S LEFTOVERS list are several games, such as SingStar Party, which is available on the PS2 or PS3...  

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2341. KEF launches Instant Theatre series with seven new high-end systems

kef-520-silver.jpgThe audio maestros over at KEF have been busy little workers by the looks of things, with today's news that their new Instant Theatre series is comprised of seven new home systems. The KEF Instant Theatre series (KIT) set-ups each come with either two or five main loudspeakers, a subwoofer (with integrated power amplifier) and compact DVD/CD player, with that crazy little thing called love HDMI technology inside. Each system is available in glossy black or matt silver, and feature just a single cable between components, so won't be spoiling your minimalist living room aesthetics anytime soon....  

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2360. Self-Destruction Button returns in miniaturized form

Filed under:
Who could forget the famed Big Red Button of Doom from 2005? Sure, nearly three years have passed since its inception, but there's nothing like a little (literally) impostor to conjure up memories of the not-too-distant past. Available now, the miniature Self-Destruction Button comes in black, white and green motifs, fits snugly in the palm of one's hand and even doubles as a keychain. This highly portable device ensures the instant vaporization of your person and most of your surroundings should you find yourself in some horrifically inescapable situation, or, something to that effect, anyway. Grab yours now for $26.94 -- Y3K is just around the bend!

[Via AkihabaraNews] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2364. Apple patents 8cm to 12cm disk adapters

Filed under:
We're not sure this is still relevant -- the patent was filed in May of 2006 -- but the USPTO has just published a patent application from Apple detailing a number of different 8cm to 12cm optical disk adapters. The application, credited to Tony Fadell, chief of the iPod division, says that since most software doesn't take up all of the available storage on a disk, it would be cheaper and simpler to use the 8cm disks when appropriate -- but that having to ship a standard adapter for slot-loading drives reduce any costs, because they're the same size as 12cm disks. The solution is to make the adapters smaller when they're not in use, and the filing goes on to detail several different folding and multi-part takes on the idea. Considering that such an adapter would make things slightly more complicated for the vast majority of Apple's all-slot-loading installed base, we can't see these ever actually shipping, but it's still an interesting idea. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2368. Ask Engadget: Best 3G smartphone?

Filed under: , , You might've noticed the recent uptick in mobile industry news, which comes courtesy of the annual Mobius conference currently taking place in Amsterdam. It's pretty clear that the future is bright, what with 700MHz, 4G, a new Windows Mobile, Android, and a 3G iPhone all on the way, but what about the here and now? What we're wondering is:

"What's the best 3G smartphone currently available in the States?"

And yes, we mean 3G. You know, that hip cool thing that Apple isn't terribly fond of, which brings high speed internets, effective tethering, streaming video and music downloads on the run -- while supposedly beating battery life to a pulp. We're also talking about what's available in the here and now, but it could very well just be time to wait for the next great thing to come along, so be sure to let us know if that's the case for you. If you'd your own question answered, you can to hit us up at ask at engadget dawt com. Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2401. LG Phone did not killed the Korean man, his friend did!

cell phone exploded We recently saw a chain of news about a Korean man that was killed by an LG cellphone; after police investigation, it turns out that he was actually murdered by his friend that apparently also the first witness of the event. LG reaffirmed the public that its battery is safe and did not cause this tragedy. The media are quick in picking the incident’s story and putting LG phone battery as the main suspect. I guess bad news spread way faster than good news. [via slashphone] Relevant Entries on SlashGear


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2415. DoJ Sides With RIAA On Damages

Alberto G writes "As Jammie Thomas appeals the $222,000 copyright infringement verdict against her, the Department of Justice has weighed in on a central facet of her appeal: whether the $9,250-per-song damages were unconstitutionally excessive and violated the Due Process Clause of the Constitution. The DoJ says that there's nothing wrong with the figure the jury arrived at: '[G]iven the findings of copyright infringement in this case, the damages awarded under the Copyright Act's statutory damages provision did not violate the Due Process Clause; they were not "so severe and oppressive as to be wholly disproportioned to the offense or obviously unreasonable."' The DoJ also appears to buy into the RIAA's argument that making a file available on a P2P network constitutes copyright infringement. 'It's also impossible for the true damages to be calculated, according to the brief, because it's unknown how many other users accessed the files in the KaZaA share in question and committed further acts of copyright infringement.'"Read more of this story at Slashdot.

2435. Elecom ASP-S750 portable speakers

How can you call a speaker set portable if it requires a power outlest? Regardless, these speakers are small, compact if you will, and crank out a total of 5 watts of sound from the pair. The right speaker has a power switch and LED for power indication. It also has a volume knob, and is likely the speaker that the AC adapter plugs into. These speakers would be good for your MP3 Player or laptop provided you had access to a power outlet. They’ll be available in December in Japan for about $45. Elecom ASP-S750 compact portable speaker system [via fareastgizmos] Relevant Entries on SlashGear


Copyright © 2006-2007 SlashGear

2450. Linutop v1.2: low-power Linux desktop Revisited

Tech reviews are very much a snapshot process, making a decision after a relatively short period of time and of a single incarnation of the product. Useful, yes, but not an exact facsimile of living with something day in, day out that you’ve bought yourself. If you’re lucky - and assuming that no manufacturer ever pushes out a product so perfect there are no possible improvements - you get a company that’s constantly tweaking and augmenting; if you’re really lucky, you get an opportunity to revisit their product and ring the changes. Back in May I spent some time with Linutop’s fanless, Xubuntu-based micro-PC, framing my review from the perspective of a Linux-naive home user, to see if the compact device would make a decent alternative to a low-end Windows PC. At the time I criticised how tricky, for a fledgling user, it was to add functionality beyond what was preinstalled; since then, Linutop have released v1.2 of their software package, and asked if we’d like to check out the changes. Linutop Linux-based compact PC The hardware is unaltered from when I last reviewed the Linutop, so you still get an all-aluminium case measuring 3.66 x 1.06 x 5.9-inches and weighing just 9.9oz (280g), containing an AMD Geode LX700 processor, non-upgradable 256MB of RAM, 4 USB 2.0 ports, VGA-out, 10/100 ethernet and audio in/out. Aside from the RAM, there’s no internal memory; instead, Linutop provide a 1GB USB memory stick containing the modified Xubuntu OS, preinstalled software and room for your own files. What’s been fettled, then, is the software: Linutop quote boot time has been halved, improved media playback including digital TV capabilities added (via online stream or a hardware DVB-T dongle), PXE boot (simply add a single line to the startup config file to boot from the network) and more. Linutop connectivity If you’ve read my original reviewthen you’ll know that boot time was a significant issue for the Linutop: it took around two minutes, and there were no ’sleep’ or ’standby’ options to avoid that. Thankfully whatever OS changes have been made have almost halved that; v1.2 takes around 1m6s from plugging in the power (there’s no switch, you have to yank the power cord) to the desktop being ready to use. Not exactly instant-on, but far more comparable to the sort of low-end systems users may be used to. You’re still presented with the settings screen, but now there’s more choice in display resolution, including catering for widescreen displays, and this time changing resolution and keyboard layout (then restarting) worked as it should. Similarly, running multiple programmes or switching between settings is quicker and seems to stall the CPU far less than when I tried it last. There’s a pause loading programmes, yes, but only a minor one and well within expectations. Linutop software Firefox, the Gaim instant-messenger and AbiWord word processor are still preinstalled, but they’re joined by the VLC media player which can handle just about any media format thrown at it. Video can be played full-screen, another improvement in v1.2, and you’re able to stream video and audio files from external storage, Web TV or shared Windows folders across the network. The Linutop is also compatible with Skype, although - I’m told for reasons of keeping down size - it’s not preinstalled; you need to download the installation script from the Linutop Wiki yourself. Straightforward, yes, but you’ll only know about it if you visit the Linutop blog. There’s a useful readme file stored on the USB key that outlines DVB-T use, network boot, system recovery and more, but again no link to it - it really needs to show up on the desktop, or even better automatically open when you boot the Linutop for the first time. Without it, you’d easily be at a loss as to how to access the digital TV functionality, which would be a shame because it works relatively well despite the system’s Spartan specs. There’s no dedicated software; just plug in the USB tuner (Linutop supplied me with a Hauppauge WinTV Nova-T, complete with tiny aerial) and type ’scandvbt’ in a Terminal window. You need to tell it your country and then, confusingly, identify your nearest regional broadcast tower (for which I had to look online), but after that it automatically scans the available channels and loads them as a playlist into VLC. You can then reorder and delete them, but you have to remember to save the playlist before exiting as the software won’t do it automatically. Linutop DVB-T digital TV Like all TV tuners, your mileage will vary more with signal quality than anything else; needless to say, when supplied with a reasonable signal (through an installed aerial rather than the portable one included) the Linutop managed both window and full-screen playback with no problems. One issue with the lack of dedicated software is the absence of a signal-strength gauge; there’s no way of telling whether moving the portable aerial around would have a beneficial effect on image quality. I tried using a Freecom USB tuner but the Linutop would not recognise it; there is a scant list of compatible hardware on the project Wiki. With VGA-out the only way of connecting a display, you’re limited if you want to hook the Linutop up to a TV or other large display. It’s a shame, because it would make a compact and functional alternative to a normal DVB set-top box. When I asked Linutop about this, they pointed out that most flat-panel displays have VGA among their connections and as such they’ve no plans to add S-Video or similar. However, I was told that HDMI “could be interesting” as a future development. There has also been some interest in the PVR community as to using it as a MythTV frontend, although consensus is that the hardware would only support standard rather than high-definition media. There’s no option to record DVB-T TV directly on the Linutop. Of course, the home market is only one area Linutop are aiming at; the silent, low-power (no more than 5-6W) device is ideal for digital signage and presentations. There are new options for looped webpages, photo presentations and Flash, and you can set these to automatically run on boot so as to minimise user involvement. Linutop - supplied with Firefox browser Documentation remains a thorny issue; the Linutop Wiki remains the first signposted port of call, but it lacks the sort of “new user” information so necessary when dealing with an unfamiliar OS. The same NAS problem I experienced in May remains - searching the Wiki results in no guidance, the readme file details accessing Windows shares on other PCs but didn’t work for my LaCie NAS, the Xfce desktop environment support didn’t help and I was again left to the mercy of Googling for answers. Is it too much to ask for a simple “type in your username & password” script to make common setup issues like these straightforward? My request from last time still stands: a few bookmarks to basic Linux tutorials would go a long way in rescuing new users. Linutop tell me that they’re in the process of re-examining their Linux documentation to better cater for those new to the platform, but that they also prize the fact that the OS implemented is “standard” so as not to require changes from more adept users familiar with Xubuntu. Linutop Despite all that, the upgrade to v1.2 is a significant one, and it certainly broadens the Linutop’s scope as a home PC. It’s interesting to look at the state of competition; in my initial review I compared the Linutop to a cheaper Dell Dimension desktop which far exceeded the former’s specs (albeit consuming many times the power even when idle), and the past few months have seen ASUS release it’s Linux-based Eee laptop. Although ostensibly aimed at significantly different markets, the Linutop and the Eee could both be viewed as basic home computers and here the Eee laptop (priced from $299) could edge ahead with what’s supposedly a particularly user-friendly GUI and battery-of course its battery-powered portability. When I put this to Linutop they confirmed that their target is more professional than home, and it’s true that in school, library and business settings the Linutop undoubtedly makes more sense than the Eee. It’s smaller and likely more robust, consumes less power and - most importantly - has access to the UBUNTU software library. Would I still recommend the Linutop for a home user? Again, it’s a qualified yes. Just as some are buying an ASUS Eee as a second machine for when their kids are wanting to go online but the main PC is occupied, the Linutop makes for a great, low-maintenance system that, out of the box, can quickly get up and running. It’s also a decent Linux learning platform, with the backup that most mistakes can be erased with a simple restore of the USB stick (which you can do from an optional boot menu on restart). For a home looking for their first computer, I’d still lean toward a full, traditional PC, if only for the flexibility it brings, but anyone else - particularly business or library/public service users - should certainly consider Linutop’s offering. Thanks to Linutop for the loan of the unit; it’s available now for €280, while the v1.2 OS can be downloaded from the site by existing owners. Rating:

    3.5 out of 5 stars

Relevant Entries on SlashGear
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2486. Nokia launches WH-600 and WH-700 stereo headsets

Nokia has launched two new add-ons available for music and calling on the go - the WH-700 and WH-600 stereo headsets, both promising 'premium audio quality' and 'seamless changeover' between your calls and tunes.  

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2491. Hello Kitty vibrator finally goes on sale in the UK

hello-kitty-vibrator.jpgWhat to do if you're a big fan of Hello Kitty with an aching shoulder? Well, you'll be needing this Hello Kitty Shoulder Massager then. It costs £24.99, comes in four colours (pink, lilac, red and black, since you ask), and is available from UK website LoveHoney.  

2502. Shiny Video Review: Pink Fly Mobile SLT 100 and SL399E handsets

Ok, so it *might* be pink, but judging by the amount of entries I've been receiving from women the past week I've been running our Christmas give-aways, we have a lot more female readers than first thought. Don't start expecting pink fluffy iPod covers girls, but I'll indulge you in these two new mobiles from Fly. Both handsets are available from Virgin...  

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2518. Creative Zen with 32GB

Creative decided to add some new Zen models for the Christmas season, with the single change being a huge boost on the storage capacity, which means that the player is available with 32GB of memory, and a hefty price tag of €400 ($330). Sadly, it seems that this model will be a limited-edition, with only [...]

2530. Third party Amiga development continues as lawsuits drag on

Filed under:
We pretty much assumed we'd never actually see the "better than OS X" Amiga OS 5 as the suit between Amiga, Inc. and Hyperion (developers of OS 4) drags on , but our curmudgeonly hearts were stirred just a little by reports that third-party Amiga development soldiers on. Spurred by the twice-as-high-as-expected sales of "OS 4 for Classic Amigas with PowerPC Accelerator Boards" (say that three times fast), and the development of an open source Amiga OS replacement called AROS, it seems like enough people are still interested in the platform to potentially keep it alive while Hyperion and Amiga battle it out. There's even recently-released commercial software available -- something we'd have never thought possible. Just goes to show that you can't keep a good (or kinda neat) OS down, eh? Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2540. Palm offers up unlocked Treo 750 with Windows Mobile 6

Filed under: , If you loathe the carrier branding, or would just like to go gallivanting around the world with zero strings attached, Palm's now selling its co-flagship Treo 750 with Windows Mobile 6 direct and unlocked for $549. The GSM world phone can of course do the 3G thing in the US and Europe, so it's ideal the jet set type willing to deal with the Treo bulk, but other than the unlock it's the same old Treo, so we're sure you've already decided whether this one's right for you. The phone is available at Palm's online and retail stores.

[Via MobileBurn] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2547. Microwave beam car stopper tested, fries cars in nanoseconds flat

Filed under: Yeah, this idea has definitely been around the block a time or two, but Eureka Aerospace is doing a whole lot more than just envisioning yet another concept. Its 200-pound, 5-foot long prototype has recently undergone testing, and reportedly, it's been able to completely and utterly incapacitate any vehicle that dared roll in its path. The device has been used to shut down four whips thus far, each from a distance of 10 to 50-feet, and all it took was a microwave pulse lasting some 50-nanoseconds to do it. According to James Tatoian, the outfit's CEO, a version that weighs just 50-pounds and can disable rebel rides from 600-feet away is only a couple of years from reality, but it's highly doubtful that these will be available to the general public. Depressing, we know.

[Via Slashgear] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2548. Logitec's USB 1Seg tuner gets you 4-up


If you need TV, we mean need it so much that you ache for its lack, then this is the device for you. The Logitec LDT-1S30X4U has a pair of Japanese mobile 1Seg tuners for watching and recording two channels simultaneously on your PC. Daisy chain in another tuner and you've got 4x programs pumping in parallel. Enough to fix that jones if your CPU can take it. Available next month in Japan for ¥16,800 (about $152).

[Via Akihabara News] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2549. Limited edition Goods-branded Zune gets teased

Filed under: ,
It's about time we started counting down the days until the standard Zune actually becomes the most sought after -- you know, considering that a limited edition iteration seems to pop out every other week or so. This go 'round, we're being teased with an oh-so-shiny Goods-branded version, which looks to come in both 8GB and 80GB flavors. Apparently, they'll be available somewhere in Seattle this Saturday for the first ten customers with deep enough pockets, but we've yet to find out if ten of each flavor (or just ten total) will be for sale. Hit the read link for a few more pics, and feel free to drop your best guess at next week's special edition Zune in comments.

[Via GotZune, thanks Chris] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2556. Keyport Slide now ready for your $295

Filed under: ,
What? A month not long enough to scrounge up 29,500 pennies? That's really too bad, as the limited edition Keyport Slide is now available to anyone willing to fork over the aforementioned quantity of cash. Granted, we still think that's a touch entirely too pricey for what you're getting, but hey, at least you can pick between four colors, right?

[Thanks, William] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2618. Sarcos humanoid robot learns how to take a shove

Filed under: We've already seen some of Sarcos' robotics gear put to some slightly frightening use in the form of a military exoskeleton, and it now looks like one of the company's full-fledged robots is getting a chance to strut its stuff as well, with a little help from the folks at Japan's Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute. As New Scientist reports, they've developed some software that allows the robot to stay on its feet when its bumped, shoved or even kicked (which makes mere dynamic balancing robots look positively inadequate). The key to that, it seems, is that the robot's joints are never kept rigid, which allows them to give slightly when any of the array of sensors detect the slightest jolt, giving the software a chance to then adjusting the robot's feet as necessary to keep its balance. Not surprisingly, they don't seem to have given the robot the ability to shove back just yet, but you can check out its current capabilities in the video available at the site linked below.
 Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2620. Macbook ultraportable and Penryn Mac Pro due for Macworld, 3G iPhone in June?

Filed under: , , We've taken a "don't stop believing" approach to Apple ultraportable rumors up to this point, and there's no reason to think these "fresh" predictions from CNBC's Jim Goldman are anything different, but they at least serve as a nice refresher in the lead up to Macworld in January. Goldman predicts the new Pro laptop will be half the thickness of the MacBook Pro, the hard disk will be replaced with NAND storage, and Apple will be selling the thing for $1,500 -- the same price the black MacBook currently goes for. He's purportedly citing sources that claim to have seen the product, and says that the laptop is supposedly due to show up at Macworld. Jim's sources also say that the 3G iPhone is supposed to hit shelves by late May or early June of next year, which beats out some industry predictions of a late '08 release.

Of course, since it's just a month before Macworld, it's about time the rumor mill heated up a little beyond incessant Macbook and iPhone rumorings, and MacBidouille is stepping up to stoke the flames. The French rag is claiming that the Mac Pro will get bumped to an 3.2GHz eight-core Penryn setup (totally believable) featuring NVIDIA QuadroFX graphics (sure) with a BTO Blu-ray burner available (maybe), and that DVD Studio Pro will be renamed Disk Studio Pro and refocused on BD authoring (another definite maybe). On top of that, MacBidouille also claims that OS X 10.5.2 will be released, and that it will be "the largest and most important intermediate system update ever released by Apple." We're a little less sure we buy that, but as always, only time and Steve will tell.

[Thanks, L2 and Mark]

Read - Jim Goldman predictions
Read - MacBidouille predictions Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2622. LaCie gets minimalist with its latest external hard drives

Filed under:
We've definitely seen some wild designs come out of LaCie's workshops, so the company's latest external drive, billed simply as the LaCie Hard Disk, is something of a departure. The monolith-looking unit was designed by Neil Poulton for the company, and features a smooth surface marred only by a power switch, fan grate, and USB 2.0 and power connections. Not available until January, but LaCie's taking preorders now, with sizes ranging from 320GB for $119 to 1TB for $399. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2625. Dell coming to Best Buy stores across the US

Filed under: ,
Consumers, get your wallets out, because two of your favorite, monolithic companies are about to join forces in a bank-account-decimating move the likes of which you've never known. Dell, your good PC-making buddies, are planning to launch sales nationwide at Best Buy stores over the next few weeks, beginning with the new XPS One, the XPS 1330 laptop, and the Inspiron 1521, amongst others. A handful of other products will be available at the outset, and we can only assume that those numbers will increase as time goes on. A major success for corporate capitalism, and a tempting introduction to a new line of credit for buyers. Spend carefully! Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2626. TiVo now offering Music Choice content to subscribers

Filed under:
Those looking for a bit more functionality from TiVoCast can fix their attention on the latest addition, which allows broadband-enabled boxes to access a wide variety of Music Choice videos and original programming. In an effort to further differentiate its DVRs from the standard fare doled out by cable companies, TiVo is providing its customers with access to Music Choice's "catalog of several thousand music videos," and it's noted that the number of selections is expected to "grow significantly in the coming weeks." The service, which is available immediately, will be offered up gratis to subscribers, and Dave Zatz has already had a chance to sit down (albeit briefly) with the new offering and give it a spin. For more details on his take along with an assortment of photos, be sure to check out the via link below.

[Via ZatzNotFunny] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2629. Sharp reveals gamer-centric 1080p LC-32GP3U AQUOS LCD TV

Filed under: , , Sharp's new GP3U family may be marketed towards the sophisticated gamer, but we're pretty certain just about anyone could get down with a set like this. Announced today, the 32-inch LC-32GP3U comes in a trio of hues (black, wine red and white), boasts a "unique swivel stand for ultimate viewing and gaming flexibility," and offers up bottom-mounted speakers to boot. Furthermore, this 1080p AQUOS touts a slim-line design, a Game Mode button on the remote for activating Vyper Drive and providing quick access to side terminals, a subwoofer audio output, two component / three HDMI 1.3 inputs, a VGA port, 10,000:1 contrast ratio, six-millisecond response time, integrated ATSC / NTSC tuner with Clear QAM support, 450 cd/m2 brightness and 176-degree viewing angles. If you're champing at the bit to fix your eyes on this one, all three versions will be available just in time for you-know-what for $1,599.99. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2630. Japan to use 700MHz band for inter-vehicle communications system

Filed under: , While the future of the 700MHz band is still up in the air 'round these parts, it seems that Japan has already decided what it'll do with it as it makes its own transition away from analog TV broadcasts. According to Tech-On, Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has deemed it suitable to use the 700MHz band (or 10MHz between 715M-725MHz, specifically) for an "inter-vehicle communications system" that it hopes will reduce accidents by allowing vehicles to communicate with each other (not exactly a new concept). This latest decision apparently comes after the MIC also considered using the 5.8GHz band for the same task, but found it to be more easily blocked by obstacles. As with over here, however, the 700MHz band isn't available for re-purposing in Japan just yet, with it only slated to be freed up on July 25th, 2012. Presumably, this all fits in with that worldwide mobile broadband standard for the 700MHz band, although we'll have to wait and see how all the details shake out.

[Image courtesy of toddemslie] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2633. Motion-sensing Britepack: the craze is still on

Filed under:
You only thought light-up gear was so last century. As fate would have it, kids aren't tired of rockin' blinky apparel just yet, and Tomorrow Incorporated is looking to take advantage of the lingering fad. One-upping the LA Lights kicks that once ruled the hallways, the Britepack book bag ($39.99) sports a semi-circle of LEDs that light up in a pre-determined pattern each time a step is taken, and they automatically go dormant whenever it detects that class is in session (read: it's sitting idly). Apparently, these packs will even be available in wheeled (oh noes) and non-wheeled versions, and while a couple colors look to be available as we speak, you can look forward to a host of "add-on accessories" to land next year. As much as we'd like to think that these just won't take off, we doubt TI will have a tough time moving its inventory. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2649. Win a Brando USB decoration birthday kit with Tech Digest!

We're nearing the end of our Brando competitions, with our second-last give-away being...the USB decoration birthday kit! Containing a string of LED lights, birthday hat and mouse pad, it normally retails for $18 from Brando, but we have one available for a dedicated Tech Digest reader. You have until 6PM Friday 7th December to enter, so take a look under the jump for how all British residents can win...  

2667. YouTube Breeding Harmful Scientific Misinformation

Invisible Pink Unicorn writes "University of Toronto researchers have uncovered widespread misinformation in videos on YouTube related to vaccination and immunization. In the first-ever study of its kind, they found that over half of the 153 videos analyzed portrayed childhood, HPV, flu and other vaccinations negatively or ambiguously. They also found that videos highly skeptical of vaccinations received more views and better ratings by users than those videos that portray immunizations in a positive light. According to the lead researcher, 'YouTube is increasingly a resource people consult for health information, including vaccination. Our study shows that a significant amount of immunization content on YouTube contradicts the best scientific evidence at large. From a public health perspective, this is very concerning.' An extract from the Journal of the American Medical Association is available online."Read more of this story at Slashdot.

2671. Lenovo Announces ThinkPads Preloaded With XP

BBCWatcher writes "Lenovo just announced new ThinkPad T61 models preloaded with Microsoft Windows XP. Ironically they're called ThinkPad T61 'TopSeller' models. Lenovo says they're aimed at small and medium-sized businesses. The XP TopSellers are available immediately, and the part numbers are 6465-03U, 7658-04U, and 7664-06U (PDF links). "Lenovo recommends Windows Vista Business"? Not so much."Read more of this story at Slashdot.

2673. House Bill Could Criminalize Free Wi-Fi Operators

Velcroman98 sends word of a bill that passed the US House of Representatives by a lopsided vote of 409 to 2. It would require everyone who runs an open Wi-Fi connection to report illegal images, including "obscene" cartoons and drawings, or be fined up to $300,000. The Securing Adolescents From Exploitation-Online (SAFE) Act was rushed through the House without any hearings or committee votes, and the version that passed on a voice vote reportedly differs substantially from the last publicly available version. CNET reports that sentiment in favor of such a bill is strong in the Senate as well.Read more of this story at Slashdot.

2680. More USB Video Cards!

By Andrew Liszewski If screen real estate ranks higher on your list than graphics performance, a couple of these USB video cards could be a nice addition to your workstation. They’re from a sister company of Buffalo named Kuroutoshikou and are available with either a DVI or RGB video connection. They’re both capable of displaying either 1440×900 [...]

2694. Transcend M5 - Multi-card reader

Transcend has presented its latest multi-card reader, codenamed M5 and available in pink or ivory. Besides the small size, the card reader also features an “attractive modern style”, and an “adapter-free-multi-format convenience”. The M5 is capable of reading a couple of different memory cards, including CompactFlash, SD, xD, Memory Stick, miniSD, MicroSD, and last but not [...]

2699. Astro's slick new A40 gaming audio headset

Filed under: , Gamers always seem to get the hottest gear, and the A40 gaming headphone system from Astro is no exception. Sold as a complete kit with a headset and matching mixer, the $249 package lets you mix 5.1 game audio and communications audio independently to your liking, all without waking up your roommates. The daisy-chainable Dolby Digital processor / mixer also enables some other interesting features, like private comm channels for in-person Xbox 360 teams, and outboard surround processing from a PC. The headset itself features an adjustable boom mic and interchangable faceplates. Each is also available separately: the A40 headset is $199, while the mixer is $129, and it's all available on the 17th. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2735. Tesla co-founder gets the boot, "not at all happy" about it

Filed under: Former Tesla CEO and co-founder Martin Eberhard got a vague demotion to "President of Technology" in August, so perhaps we should've seen it coming, but it looks like he's now been phased out entirely -- which doesn't really point to happy fun times in Tesla land. We're not sure if it has something to do with production delays, personality differences, or maybe that scruffy beard he's been working on, but whatever the reason, Eberhard (or at least his message boarding impostor) isn't too pleased: "I am not at all happy with the way I was treated, and I do not think this was the very best way to handle a transition -- not the best for Tesla Motors, not the best for Tesla's customers (to whom I still feel a strong sense of responsibility), and not for Tesla's investors." He did mention that he'll be available to the new CEO, Ze'ev Drori "should he wish to avail himself of my experience," but he won't be taking on advisory board responsibilities as the company's official statement suggests.

[Via All Things Digital] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2738. New Slimline and Stylist Compact Stereos from Kenwood

New Slimline and Stylist Compact Stereos from Kenwood Kenwood announced trio of slimline CLK compact stereos in Japan today. It plays redbook CD, CD-R/RW, MD media (only on CLK-7i-S) and works with IPOD, MP3 as well as MP3 with USB connection. The top model CLK-7is only available in silver, weighed in 5.7lb and will be selling at 50,000¥ (~$449) The rest of the two CLK-5i-S/W models are available in black or silver finish. It lacks MD support and roughly 1lb lighter than CLK-7is but 10,000 yen cheaper (about $110 USD)

Kenwood presents a new stereo [via akihabaranews] Relevant Entries on SlashGear


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2741. Design Town Vintage Style Radio looks old

It has a handle on top, like the ones that used to come on your lunchbox, and it has a telescopic antenna. To make matters worse, it only plays AM/FM radio, seriously, who listens to that crap anymore? So you get three knobs, one for changing between AM and FM, and one for the changing the station. The last is the Volume knob so you can “crank that soulja boy” and then “superman that ho” or whatever it is you do. It measures 6.9×4x2.6 inches and probably uses some hideously large batteries to power itself, or (gasp!) it has to be plugged in. you can get it in sky blue, or apparently some shade of pink or salmon, whatever you want to call it, it will cost you $15 and appears to be available now. Vintage Style Radio [via GeekAlerts] Relevant Entries on SlashGear