Gizmodo: A340

Samsung A837 Details Hit: Tough to Military Specs, Star Trek-Alike Grill

Kit Eaton — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 10:20:00 EDT

Over at BoyGeniusReports they've got hold of images and specs of Samsung's upcoming A837 cellphone, due on AT&T, and it's a gruff one indeed. It's a quad-band, HSDPA-enabled phone, with push-to-talk, aGPS, MP3 player, Bluetooth and a 1.3-megapixel cam. Its military-spec design and toughness make it stand out from similar phones, but not as much as that pierced gold-color grill on the face. Does it seem a little original Star Trek communicator to you? Due around September 15 for between $99 and $150. [BGR]

Nokia N79 and N85 Roll Out Officially, With US 3G Aboard

Kit Eaton — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 04:00:00 EDT

After yesterday's dribble of info, Nokia's upcoming N79 and N85 are official now, and do indeed carry WCDMA support for US 3G goodness. The N79 has a 2.4-inch screen, 5-megapixel camera and comes with a 4GB microSD card in the box for storage, while the N85 has a 2.6-inch OLED screen, 5-megapixel cam and 8GB of microSD card storage shipped with it. Both also come preloaded with "10 made-for-mobile N-Gage" games and have FM transmitters aboard, for streaming your music over a nearby radio. Full specs below. Update: the N79 is due to cost around $515 and the N85 will be around $660, both expecting to ship in October.

Nokia N79

• Personalise your device with 3 Xpress-on™ smart covers
included inbox, with automatically matching wallpaper
themes
• Automatically change from portrait to landscape with
orientation sensor
• Easily navigate using the NaviWheel™
• Geotagging of pictures captured, and view them on a map
• Organize photos by albums and tags, and
synchronize with PC
• Upload and share pictures and videos directly toOvi and the web
• Enjoy great audio through standard 3.5 mm jack
headphones, built-in 3D stereo speakers or Bluetooth
technology
• Digital music player with support for playlist editing,
equalizer and categorized access to your music collection
• Synchronize and manage music with Nokia Music client
• Integrated FM transmitter and FM receiver
• Search, browse and purchase songs online inNokia Music Store
• Built-in GPS with A-GPS support and integrated 3-month
navigation license
• Multimedia city guides and navigation services available
for purchase. Drive: voice guided car navigation,
or Walk: pedestrian guidance for walking routes
Connectivity & Data Services
• GPS receiver with support for assisted GPS (A-GPS)
Full-screen video playback to view downloaded,
streamed or recorded video clips
• Access internet video feeds through Nokia Video Center
• Transfer videos from compatible PC,
using Hi-Speed USB 2.0
Games:
• N-Gage™ experience and one free game activation
voucher
• Try and buy from a broad catalog of innovative, made-for-
mobile titles that feature connectivity and stunning
graphics
• Titles developed by leading publishers

Technical Profile
System: WCDMA900/2100 (HSDPA), EGSM900,
GSM850/1800/1900 MHz (EGPRS)
User Interface: S60 3rd Edition, Feature Pack 2
Dimensions: 110 x 49 x 15 mm (L x W x H)
Weight: 97 g
Display: 2.4 inch QVGA (240 x 320 pixels) with up to
16 million colors
Battery: Nokia Battery BL-6F, 1200 mAh

Media
Memory: Up to 50 MB internal user memory,
4GB in-box micro SD memory card
Video playback: MPEG-4, H.264/AVC, H.263/3GPP,
RealVideo 8/9/10, WMV
Up to 30 fps, up to VGA resolution
Music playback: MP3, AAC, eAAC, eAAC+, WMA orientation sensor

Main Camera
Lens: Carl Zeiss Tessar™
Image capture: Up to 5 megapixels (2584 x 1938)
JPEG/EXIF (16.7 million/24-bit color)
Video capture: MPEG-4 VGA (640 x 480) at up to 30 fps
Aperture: F2.8
Focal length: 5.2 mm
Flash: LED camera flash and video light• Enjoy great audio through standard 3.5 mm jack
headphones, built-in 3D stereo speakers or Bluetooth technology

Operating Times
Talk time: Up to 210 min (3G), 330 min (GSM)
Standby time: Up to 400 hrs (3G), 370 hrs (GSM)
Video playback: Up to 5 hours (offline mode)
Music playback: Up to 24 hours (offline mode) • Built-in GPS with A-GPS support and integrated 3-month
navigation license

Connectivity & Data Services
• WLAN IEEE 802.11b/g with UPnP support
• Micro-USB connector, Hi-Speed USB 2.0
• 3.5mm stereo headphone plug and
TV-out support (PAL/NTSC)
• Bluetooth wireless technology 2.0 and
enhanced data rates (EDR)
• GPS receiver with support for assisted GPS (A-GPS) • Access internet video feeds through Nokia Video Center

Nokia N85

• Watch high-quality video on the 2.6 inch OLED display
• Full-screen video playback to view downloaded, streamed
or recorded video clips
• Access internet video feeds through
Nokia Video Center
• Transfer videos from a compatible PC,
using Hi-Speed USB 2.0
• Enjoy great audio through standard 3.5 mm jack
headphones, built-in 3D stereo speakers or Bluetooth
technology
• Easily control playback with the dedicated media keys
• Integrated FM transmitter and FM receiver
• Search, browse and purchase songs online in Nokia Music
Store
• Assisted GPS (A-GPS) provides fast and accurate location
information
• Multimedia city guides and navigation services available
for purchase.
• Drive: voice guided car navigation, or Walk: pedestrian-
optimized turn-by-turn guidance. Integrated 3-month
navigation license inbox
• More than 15 million points of interest with Nokia Maps 2.0
• Geotagging of captured pictures, and online sharing
• Organize photos by albums and tags, and synchronize
with PC
• Upload and share pictures and videos directly to Share on
Ovi or 3rd party services directly to the web
• N-Gage™ experience.
• Try and buy from a broad catalog of innovative, made-for-
mobile titles that feature connectivity and stunning
graphics
• Titles developed by leading publishers
• At least 10 games preloaded and one free game activation
voucher

Technical Profile
System: WCDMA 2100/1900/900+GSM
850/900/1800/1900
WCDMA 2100/1900/850+GSM
850/900/1800/1900
User Interface: S60 3rd Edition, Feature Pack 2
Multimedia Menu
Dimensions: 103 x 50 x 16 mm (L x W x H)
Weight: 128 g
Display: AM OLED 2.6 inch QVGA (240 x 320 pixels)
with up to 16 million colors
Battery: Nokia Battery BL-5K, 1200 mAh

Media
Memory: Up to 74 MB internal dynamic memory,
up to 78 MB internal NAND flash memory,
8 GB in-box micro SD memory card
Video playback: MPEG-4, H.264/AVC, H.263/3GPP,
RealVideo 8/9/10, WMV
30 fps, VGA resolution
Music playback: MP3, AAC, eAAC, eAAC+, WMA

Main Camera
Optics: Carl Zeiss Tessar™
Image capture: 5 Megapixels (2584 x 1938)
JPEG/EXIF (16.7 million/24-bit color)
Video capture: MPEG-4 VGA (640 x 480) at up to 30 fps
Aperture: F2.8
Focal length: 5.45 mm
Flash: Dual LED camera flash and video lightMaps and Navigation:

Operating Times
Talk time: Up to 270 min (3G), 410 min (GSM)
Standby time: Up to 360 hrs (3G), 360 hrs (GSM)
Video call: Up to 160 min
Video playback: Up to 7 hours (QVGA, 15fps)
Music playback: Up to 30 hours (offline mode) Photos:

Connectivity & Data Services
• WLAN IEEE 802.11b/g with UPnP support
• Micro-USB connector, Hi-Speed USB 2.0
• 3.5mm stereo headphone plug and
TV-out support (PAL/NTSC)
• Bluetooth Specification 2.0 and
Bluetooth stereo audio support
• GPS receiver with support for assisted GPS (A-GPS)

Celrun's Lluon A1 Mini-PC is Half-Notebook, Half-iMac-Alike, Atom-Powered

Kit Eaton — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 05:00:00 EDT

This upcoming mini-PC from Cellrun is something a bit like the old iLamp-style iMac, a bit notebooky, a bit low-cost desktop Eee PC... but actually not like any of them too much: It seems to be it's own low-power, neat design desktop genre. It's got an 18.4-inch widescreen LCD, has built-in stereo speakers and microphone and has an Intel Atom purring away inside. Mainly the Lluon A1 is intended to be a multimedia PC since it's got an IPTV function which requires it to be dual boot—Linux for the IPTV, and Windows for standard PC functions. It's intriguing, and though there's no info on pricing, we know it'll be hitting the shops mid-September in Korea, Europe and North America. [Aving]

Mythbusters Will "Prove" Moon Landing Wasn't a Hoax

matt buchanan — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:50:00 EDT

A week from today the Mythbusters say they're going to tackle "one of the biggest myths of all": that the moon landing was a hoax. Um, isn't it the other way around? Waaay more people seem to think we took a tin can, loaded it up with rocket fuel and successfully shot ourselves to the moon and back. I'm not sure how showing how crappy your own fake moon landing looks proves anything, nor does going to NASA centers (the hoaxers themsleves!) for "evidence." Verdict: They're totally in on it. I mean, just look at Buzz Aldrin. [Wired via Dirty Laundry - Thanks Richard!]

Etch-A-Sketch Laptop Case Is More Fun Than the Computer Inside

Mark Wilson — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:20:00 EDT

While most of us have acquired too many responsibilities to waste the day away with a good, marathon Etch-A-Sketch session, every time we pull out the laptop to get more work done we can at least dream of less productive times with this Etch-A-Sketch laptop case.

Designed for a standard iBook, the construction is 100% wool felt. Velcro holds the case shut and the two knobs are completely nonfunctional (but you can still turn them and do a little make believing). The etched pattern was made from stitching plain black string.

Unfortunately, it's a one-of-a-kind case. But the link has enough information about the project that it could be duplcated with relative ease. [technabob]

Older Asus Eee PC Batteries Are Incompatible With 900A

Jack Loftus — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 20:52:00 EDT

There's a slight issue for Asus Eee PC owners who want to use their older batteries with the Atom-based Eee PC 900A revealed earlier this month—they won't work. That's because the tiny laptop uses a different connector (4400mAh, cheap) than its predecessors the 701 and 900. There's some good news, however, as jkkmobile notes the 900A's 8GB SSD implements a single pci-e card, not a split one; and the SLF flash should give you speeds comparable to the 900/901 4GB SSD. [HKPug via jkkmobile]

Quarter Million Dollars of Digital Photo Gear in a Single Photo

Jesus Diaz — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Here's a common scene—but still impressive—at the Beijing Olympics: dozens of photographers firing the most expensive digital photography gear available on the planet at full speed. The sound of all those shutters re-clacky-clicketing alone must give goosebumps to any photo aficionado, but the total price of all this machinery would actually make anyone faint. How much does this all cost?

In this image alone I can count 23 cameras. I can see loads of Canon L-Series EF and Nikkor AF-S 500mm super telephoto lenses—each around $5,800 a pop—, a few 400mm, 600mm, 700mm, 800mm here and there. Let's assume a conservative average of $6,000 per telephoto lense. That's $138,000 total just on lenses. Most of them are probably using the biggest and baddest Canon and Nikon cameras, so we can assume an average $5,000 price tag per camera, which brings the grand total to about a quarter of a million dollars.

Now, there are 1,100 accredited photographers at the Beijing Olympics, which we can assume will have more than just one set of lenses and, at least, one secondary camera, just in case the first one breaks or they want to have two different set of lenses ready to shoot at any time. A good low-estimate per photographer would be $20,000 minimum, which brings the grand total to $22 million in professional digital photography equipment at the Olympics. [Stern via Dark Roasted Blend]

A/V Receiver Tee Declares Your Back THX Certified, Ready to Blast

John Mahoney — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 19:40:00 EDT

Aahhggg hooking up new A/V gear: the beautifully colored plug porn, just ready to accept fresh, pure cable connections. So satisfying, so fulfilling. Now you can spread that love all around with this new tee from Threadless—"A/V" designed by fellow hookup enthusiast Olly Moss. Olly, I don't know you, but I think we would get along very, very well. My back has been needing a few additional HDMI outs, and now it has them. Thank you sir. Take a detailed look after the jump, and then order it: [Threadless - Thanks, Graham!]

Sony Ericsson W760a Coming to AT&T, Says Rumor

Kit Eaton — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 06:18:00 EDT

We raved about the Sony Ericsson W760's whizzy Walkman interface when we first talked about this phone in January, and now over at Cellphone Signal they've got information suggesting the cellphone is coming to the US with AT&T. The confirmation comes from this leaked photo of a W760 bearing a teeny tiny little AT&T Deathstar logo. The guys at Cellphone Signal think that means you'll be able to buy this 3.2-megapixel cam, GPS-enabled phone "within weeks," though that sounds a little too like speculation. [Cellphone Signal]

Former Apple Employee Says They Are Slaves, Sues

matt buchanan — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 21:20:00 EDT

David Walsh, a network engineer who worked at Apple from 1995 to 2007, is currently suing them for making him work a little too hard. Specifically, he says they made him work more than 40 hours a week without overtime (because he was a "senior" engineer, a pseudo-management position he says was created to skirt paying overtime) and required him to be on call for seven days straight every six weeks. In other words, a pretty standard schedule in the Valley. Besides, if anything, MobileMe's launch made it clear Apple's network engineers should be working more, not less. I keeeeeed. Kind of. [Macworld via Valleywag]

Fold-Up Plane Finally Shown Folding Up

Mark Wilson — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 13:45:00 EDT

At last week's EAA AirVenture show in Oshkosh, aircraft startup ICON showed up with their folding-winged A5. On display, one setup showed it being towed, propped on a standard trailer and pulled by a standard vehicle. The company hopes to appeal to those who've always been interested in flying but have felt intimidated by all of its attached responsibilities including licensing (you don't need a full-out pilot's license to operate this) and storage (it really can fit in a large garage). And yes, their cockpit resembles a car's dash in a completely scary/awesome way. Here's our full gallery from the event:

The ICON A5 has been flown successfully, but a funny side note—the company announced the plane before testing it in the air. Good thing it works!

Tailcam Video Shows Awesome Plane's-Eye-View of A380 in Flight

Kit Eaton — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 10:00:00 EDT

This video is a feed from the Tailcam in an A380 as the aircraft takes-off. The cam feed can be shown on the seat-back displays and gives you an almost Superman-like view of the aircraft from 79-feet up at the top of the tail. It's pretty amazing watching the behemoth aircraft surge slowly down the runway and into the air... and there's another vid, showing it landing in to SFO as part of the recent Emirates tour.

This amazing system can also show you a view forward from the nose, and straight down beneath the plane. I'm pretty sure if you're trapped in a center-aisle seat it may well make up for your lack of window view. And it's a great chance to freak out (just a little bit) your nervous-flyer partners or parents... well, if your Mom is like mine, anyway. [Irintech via New Launches]

Biggest Airplane Model in the World Eaten by Biggest Cargo Aircraft

Jesus Diaz — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 08:00:00 EDT

This is an Airbus A380—the largest passenger aircraft in the world—eaten alive by an Antonov AN-124—the largest mass-produced cargo airplane in the world (which I filmed inside at Dubai's airport). Before you exclaim "Photoshop!", this is a real photo by Dmitry Avdeev. However, it's not a real A380: it's a 1/3 scale model, which makes it the biggest aircraft replica in the world. So big, in fact, that its 87-feet wingspan is 3 feet and 4 inches wider than a real Concorde. Seeing it completely built in video gives you an idea of its gigantic scale.

The Emirates A380 model has been placed at the Heathrow Airport roundabout previously known as the Concorde Roundabout—because it had a replica of that plane. It's not made of Lego bricks, but given the fact that it is bigger than my apartment, I won't mind living in one. [Emirates]

I Survived a Japanese Game Show: Dizzy Weddings and Chastity Belts

John Herrman — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:40:00 EDT

This week's bewildering I Survived... challenge dressed contestants as bride and groom before sending them across narrow bridges to meet and consummate their union like it's 1499. The catch(es)? They're surround by a sea of powder and the floor is spinning, both literally and figuratively. Before the challenge starts contestants are spun until they can barely stand, and during the (chastity belt?) unlocking are stumbled atop separate rotating platforms, making their simple task almost impossible.

The challenge works just as well as a spectacle and a marriage allegory. Spinning with excitement, you dress in odd, uncomfortable clothes and march down a narrow path. When you finally meet, you regain your composure and stand across from each other. Later, still drunk on optimism and champagne, you clumsily ratify the union in the eyes of the (evidently medieval) Catholic church. Confused and frustrated, you crawl back to your respective chairs and sit, wondering how you ended up where you are and how you can get out. Which is sort of how the cast members of this show must be feeling right now.

Anyway, here's a bonus pic of the co-host who is not very impressed with the host's awesome MC Hammer dance routine:

Stay tuned (to your Giz) for weekly coverage of the 45 seconds of this show that is actually worth watching. [ABC]

Photos Emerge of Emirates A380 Showers: Tiny, But Luxurious

Kit Eaton — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 07:44:00 EDT

See that happy-looking lady in the pic? She's standing in an Emirates A380 in-flight shower room, details of which have emerged after we first alerted you to this airborne luxury. The "shower spas" are pretty decently kitted-out, and the aircraft carries an extra 1,100-pounds of water to allow every one of the 14 first-class passengers to have a splash. As a result, the shower only runs for five minutes, and there's a traffic-light system to let you know how the time's going. And if you're planning on trying to form a new "mile-high, in the shower" club, you'd better forget it: the showers are small, "designed for single usage."

That extra 1,000 pounds of water (25% more than usual) means the aircraft will have to carry more fuel, which may weigh heavy on your environmental conscience. Or maybe lying in your massage bed in the private first class room, with remote-control doors and mini bar will make you forget your woes. [Mail on Sunday]

M.A.D. Gamepad Features Tiny, Detachable Steering Wheel

Mark Wilson — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:20:00 EDT

The M.A.D. Gamepad is a mini USB gamepad that features an even minier steering wheel. We're not sure it's the most practical, ergonomic gamepad we've ever seen, but we sure admire the effort and, we'll be honest, the ludicrousness. Here's what just the wheel looks like:

Actually, with the USB port right on the back, this wheel could make for a pretty snazzy DIY add-on to existing hardware. If only it were mini USB, the modders could really have some fun. Pick yours up for $20. [Brando]

I Pity the Fool Who Doesn't Get this A-Team RC Van

Jesus Diaz — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:27:53 EDT

Listen up you fools! I know that you cry and cry because you can't get a cool van like mine! Stop whining now and get the RC version for just 60 Washingtons! Or ask your mama for it if you don't have the money!

And remember, mother there's only one, so treat her right!

Fools! [Firebox via Toyology]

I Survived a Japanese Game Show: Shooting Balls, Breaking Faces

John Herrman — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 21:52:23 EDT

This week's over-the-top I Survived... challenges didn't have as much gadgety goodness as usual, but were strangely satisfying nonetheless. First, Velcro-clad contestants were dangled in front of of a teammate, who would try to pass them Velcro balls to catch. The objective was for the dangler, manipulated by two other contestants, to collect as many balls as possible without getting hit too many times by their opponent, stationed behind a cool pneumatic ball cannon.
Sort of boring, right? Well the second challenge was way better. Fans of MXC (Takeshi's castle, for non-Americans) will recognize the false door game, where contestants have to get through a series of doors, some soft and fake, some real and hard. ISJGS takes it to the next level, forcing contestants to swing - not run - into the doors.

This whole concept of this show depends on humiliating its participants. The producers, though, must have caught on to something more: everyone on this show is pretty annoying. Shrewdly, then, ISJGS smashes them into wooden doors. Thanks, ABC!

15.4-Inch Toshiba Satellite Notebook On Sale For $398

Elaine Chow — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 10:00:00 EDT

Let's say that you did have some disposable income at some point in time, but it happened to turn into a spankin' new iPhone 3G right before you realized Junior desperately needed a new computer for the school year. Don't worry, Gizmodo's here to help make up for your bad parenting without throwing you deeper into debt: Starting Sunday at 8am, Wal-Mart will be selling a 15.4-inch Toshiba Satellite notebook with an Intel Celeron processor for $398. The Toshiba will be decked out with 2GB RAM, a 120GB hard drive, CD-RW and Windows Vista Premium. [Check Out Blog]

iPhone Gets Stereo Bluetooth A2DP Adapter

Jason Chen — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:40:00 EDT

The iPhone (both 2.5G and 3G) might not come with an A2DP Bluetooth in place, but you can easily add it on yourself with this Infinixx adapter. It's $62, but works with the iPhone, iPod touch, iPod nano, iPod classic, iPod video, iPod color and iPod mini, meaning you can basically turn any fairly recent iPod into a wireless stereo device. You can also pair your Bluetooth headset to the iPhone directly to answer calls, which isn't supported through the dongle transmitter. Until Apple decides to put A2DP in the iPhone itself—and shorten the battery life even more—this is your only hope for wireless stereo music. [Brando]

AT&T-Branded Sony-Ericsson W350a Mysteriously Appears On eBay

Matt Hickey — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:30:00 EDT

It looks like the Sony-Ericsson W350a is coming to AT&T later this year. One of the handsets has appeared mysteriously on eBay with AT&T branding. It's not a super-new phone, but the fact that it's got the AT&T logo is something interesting. Was this a demo phone? A loaner from SE? Will AT&T carry the phone in the near future? We don't know, but Sony-Ericsson fans have just perked up their ears. [PhoneNews]

I Survived a Japanese Game Show: Spinning Babies, Spilling Milk

John Herrman — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:50:00 EDT

This week's ridiculous I Survived... challenge ran contestants through a relatively simple obstacle course. The catch? They've been dressed as babies, dizzied on a playground carousel and given two cups of milk to take along with them. The objective is to fill the team baby bottle at the end of the course.

If this challenge is a metaphor, I'm a little lost. Even more lost, though, are the contestants, who apparently don't fully grasp that they are on a show called I Survived a Japanese Game Show, asking questions like "Where do they come up with this shit?" Stay tuned for more game show gadgetry next week. [ABC]

Satellite Pro S300, Tecra A10 and M10: Toshiba's First Centrino 2 vPro Notebooks Can Be Fixed Wirelessly Even While Frozen

matt buchanan — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:01:00 EDT

The Satellite Pro S300, Tecra A10 and Tecra M10 all have Toshiba's EasyGuard with shock and spill protection, a business card reader, a combo USB 2.0 eSATA port, and sleep-and-charge USB ports. A point of differentiation is that the Tecra A10 and M10 both rock Centrino 2 vPro, which has tech for the enterprise set so IT can fix your comp wirelessly, even when it's frozen.

TOSHIBA SATELLITE PRO LAPTOP ENHANCES INTEL CENTRINO 2 PROCESSOR WITH BUSINESS ESSENTIALS
First Satellite Pro With EasyGuard Technology, Docking Capabilities and Business Card Reader

IRVINE, Calif., (July 15, 2008) – Toshiba’s Digital Products Division, a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today announced the expansion of its Satellite Pro family with the Satellite Pro® S300 laptop. This affordable laptop PC with Intel® Centrino® 2 processor technology1 is packed with the key essential business features to increase productivity plus Toshiba’s fourth-generation EasyGuard® technology2, built-in docking capabilities and Webcam with business card reader software.

“The Toshiba Satellite Pro S300 laptop delivers the essential feature sets our customers need and more for an improved mobile computing experience at an incredible price point,” said Jeff Barney, general manager and vice president, Digital Products Division, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. “The design of the Satellite Pro S300 laptop is a direct reflection of customer feedback, providing mobile professionals with innovative and reliable computing performance that gives them the freedom to work or explore when they need and want.”

• Intel® Centrino® 2 Processor Technology: Based on the latest 45nm mobile architecture, this new technology provides mobile professionals with higher performance, advanced connectivity3 and long battery life4 while on the go. The Satellite Pro S300 also uses Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD to provide up to three times better graphics performance5.

Toshiba Satellite Pro Laptop Enhances Intel Centrino 2 Processor With Business Essentials
• EasyGuard Technology: Available for the first time in the Satellite Pro lineup, Toshiba integrated its fourth-generation EasyGuard Technology. Toshiba’s proprietary, value-add series of hardware and software enhancements is designed to better protect and secure the notebook during everyday computing. Components include HDD Protection, a spill-resistant keyboard6, fingerprint reader and Trusted Platform Module (TPM).
• Express Port Replicator: Toshiba’s Satellite Pro S300 is the first Satellite Pro laptop with built-in support for docking, giving users quicker access to a traditional desktop console and better cable management. This enhances the desktop experience plus mobile users can easily get up and go at the touch of a button.
• Webcam with Business Card Reader Software: Toshiba expanded the functionality of the standard 1.3 megapixel Webcam by integrating macro functionality with business card reader software to allow users to scan business cards and store them digitally.
• eSATA/USB 2.0 Combo Port: This port enables the high-speed transfer of files between the laptop and an external eSATA hard drive with transfer rates that are up to five times faster than standard USB 2.0. High-speed data transfer is
ideal for data backup.
• Sleep-and-Charge USB Port7: The Satellite Pro S300 features four Sleep-and-Charge USB ports, which enable users to charge select mobile devices such as, cell phones, MP3 players and PDAs whether the computer is on, off, in sleep
mode or hibernation mode.
• Green Attributes: The Satellite Pro S300 is ENERGY STAR® 4.0 compliant and has achieved a Bronze status through the Green Electronics Council’s Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT). The Satellite Pro S300 series is available with a one-year standard limited warranty8, which includes carry-in support at Authorized Service Providers throughout the country such as UPS Stores and Mail Boxes Etc. locations.

As a responsible global corporate citizen, Toshiba makes all new laptops to be RoHS-compatible9, effectively reducing the environmental impact by restricting the Toshiba Satellite Pro Laptop Enhances Intel Centrino 2 Processor With Business Essentials use of lead, mercury and certain other hazardous substances. During the third quarter of 2008, Toshiba will offer a computer trade-in and recycling program for all manufacturer’s PCs with no obligation for the consumer to purchase a Toshiba product.

TOSHIBA ADDS NEW INTEL CENTRINO 2 WITH vPro TECHNOLOGY TO FLAGSHIP BUSINESS LAPTOPS
Tecra M10, Tecra A10 Provide a Superior Balance of Performance, Mobility and Security for Business and Education Users

IRVINE, Calif., (July 15, 2008) – Toshiba’s Digital Products Division, a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today announced the Tecra® M10 and Tecra® A10 laptops with Intel® Centrino® 2 with vProTM technology1. These new laptop PCs feature Toshiba’s fourth-generation EasyGuard® technology2, Webcam with business card reader software and common motherboard designs.

“The Toshiba Tecra M10 and Tecra A10 provide the real-world mobile computing features that our business customers need most — in the office or while traveling,” said Jeff Barney, general manager and vice president, Digital Products Division, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. “These new laptops give Toshiba’s customers the clear competitive edge and deliver Toshiba’s mission of creating innovative laptop PCs that improve the productivity and lives of our business customers.”

Toshiba’s Tecra M10 and Tecra A10 include the following leading-edge technologies:
• Intel® Centrino® 2 with vProTM Technology: This new micro-architecture helps keep mobile workforces, managed and secure. With hardware-assisted remote isolation, diagnostics and repair, IT professionals can manage their mobile workforce wirelessly, even if the system’s operating system is unresponsive.
• EasyGuard Technology: The Tecra M10 and Tecra A10 are Toshiba’s first laptops to incorporate Toshiba’s fourth-generation EasyGuard technology, including HDD protection, spill-resistant keyboard5, SmartCard reader, fingerprint reader and Trusted Platform Module (TPM).
• Webcam with Business Card Reader Software: Toshiba expanded the functionality of the standard 1.3 megapixel Webcam by integrating macro functionality with business card reader software to allow users to scan business cards and store them digitally.
• Common Motherboards: To better reduce the cost for customers and simplify the deployment of new laptops, the Tecra M10 and Tecra A10 feature a common motherboard and image, allowing companies to qualify both systems by qualifying one. This value-added feature also helps to lower the cost of service and support.
• eSATA/USB 2.0 Combo Port: With an increased emphasis on data backup and protection, Toshiba incorporated an eSATA port to enable the high-speed transfer of files between the laptop and an external eSATA hard drive with transfer rates that are up to five times faster than standard USB 2.0.
• Sleep-and-Charge USB Port6: All Tecra M10 and Tecra A10 feature Sleep-and-Charge USB ports, which enable users to charge select mobile devices, such as cell phones, MP3 players and PDAs whether the computer is on, off, in sleep mode or hibernation mode.
• Solid State Drive Option: Toshiba offers a full Build-to-Order configurability on these Tecra series, allowing customers to add a 64 or 128 GB solid-state drive8 for enhanced reliability.
• Green Attributes: The Tecra M10 and A10 are ENERGY STAR® 4.0 compliant and have achieved a Bronze status through the Green Electronics Council’s Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT).

The Tecra M10 and Tecra A10 series are available with a one- or three-year standard limited warranty9, which includes carry-in support at Authorized Service Providers throughout the country such as UPS Stores and Mail Boxes Etc. locations. As a responsible global corporate citizen, Toshiba makes all new laptops to be RoHS-compatible10, effectively reducing the environmental impact by restricting the use of lead, mercury and certain other hazardous substances. During the third quarter of 2008, Toshiba will offer a computer trade-in and recycling program for all manufacturer’s PCs with no obligation for the consumer to purchase a Toshiba product.

[Toshiba]

Lego Concorde Can Brick the Speed of Sound

Jesus Diaz — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 05:45:00 EDT

This Lego Concorde may not be as big as the Lego Airbus A380, the biggest Lego airplane in the world, but it's still huge. It's not only pretty, but this huge plane can maintain its structural integrity while being swooshed around by Ed Diment. It also allowed me to easily make bad headline puns, which is always a plus. As you can see in the gallery, its nose and landing gear are fully articulated, like the real one. [Brothers Brick]

I Survived a Japanese Game Show: The Three-Person Exercise Bike

John Herrman — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 20:20:00 EDT

In this week's episode of I Survived... contestants found themselves on an elaborate interconnected exercise bike/conveyor belt contraption. The object of the game is for the tricyclist, peddling on and against a moving belt, to remain in the prize zone for as long as possible. His or her teammates peddle on stationary bikes beside the belt, and the faster they go the slower their triker is, uh, conveyed. When the belt goes too fast or the contestants wear out, the tricycle rider is dumped into a pool of freezing water.

The concept seems more like a Greek mythological punishment than a game show challenge. The crime: conspiracy to further destroy American television. Stay tuned for more game show gadgetry next week. [ABC]

NES Cartridge Modded into NES System With Screen, Space-Time at Risk Again

Kit Eaton — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 12:00:00 EDT

I've changed my mind: this has to be the most jaw-dropping NES mod ever, beating April's one. And this time the space-time continuum is at risk of ripping. Modder Darkeru over at Ben Heck forums has twisted reality around by including an entire NES emulator system, plus controls, plus an LCD screen into an original NES cartridge. It got a tiny bit beaten-up during the mod work, but I think we can forgive that because it's so ingenious. If I was wearing a hat, I'd doff it in Darkeru's direction. [Ben Heck Forums]

How I Survived a Japanese Game Show: The Gigantic Human Prize Claw Game

John Herrman — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 11:30:00 EDT

The new episode still follows most of the tired reality show conventions and spends too much time on the stunningly boring contestants, but the brief game show events still impress. This week's challenge: become a human claw game, picking up prizes as teammates control your x, y and z axis movement. This challenge aired much to the chagrin of Claw Machine Boy, whose chronic PTSD triggered hard when this episode aired. Stay tuned for a weekly review of the 45 seconds of this show that is worth watching. [ABC]

Sony a900 25-Megapixel DSLR Spotted in the Wild?

matt buchanan — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:19:45 EDT

We are starting to butt up to Sony's flagship a900 DSLR's release date—August or September, though Sept. strikes me as more likely—so it makes some sense it'd be spotted prancing about in the wild. It's hard to be certain it's an a900, but the spotter says three things made it stand out from other Sonys: the optical viewfinder, the thumb rest, and the side ports. (Compare with the a350 and a700.) Either way, we'll be seeing more of this full-frame 25MP monster soon. [Dyxum, Thanks Dario!]

Party-A-Cargo Brings the Bro-Down to Wherever Your Truck Can Park

Elaine Chow — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 10:00:00 EDT

Hey dudebro, looking to take a bro-dtrip but afraid you'll make the ultimate braux-pas: not bringing enough beer and having a totally whack sound system? Chill out man, Party-A-Cargo's got your back with its tow hitch mounted kegerator. The Party-A-Cargo Ultimate can store up to 160 glasses of beer and contains a jockey box with two 6 inch by 9 inch speakers and a 10 inch subwoofer.

The case, which hooks up to the back of your SUV, also has a built in CD stereo and Sirius Satellite Radio, a battery charger and a 12-volt power adapter. A locking door ensures that those dickwads at Alpha Gamma Phi won't try to make a grab for your beer while you're gone. Party-A-Cargo offers three different versions of its frat-friendly fun box, ranging in price from $2,895 to $3,795. [Born Rich]

Sony Ericsson Cancels Paris and BeiBei Smartphones

AddyDugdale — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 08:45:00 EDT

Sony Ericsson's Paris, much coveted by S-E purists, has been canned, according to the Unofficial Sony Ericsson Blog. The Paris, aka the P5i, has been filed under T (for trash) alongside its sister smartphone, the BeiBei, or the G702. Apparently it's to do with the less-than-enthusiastic reactions from some of the mobile phone bloggers, who weren't exactly gagging for it. There's also speculation that a lot of its features were already lagging behind those of its competitors—and this is before it had even hit the streets. I guess we'll never have Paris. [Unofficial Sony Ericsson Blog via Mobile Mentalism]

Spock Ears Make Me Say "Knit Long and Prosper"

AddyDugdale — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 06:40:00 EDT

This is a momentous day for me (I won't spoil the surprise) and what better way to celebrate momentous days than by knitting a pair of Spock ears for my lugs. If I were going to the New York meet-up you would be able to identify me by these furry little thingies—sod the fact that I would probably collapse from heatstroke before I even got to the sodding ballgame—and I could be the fount of mirth whilst you watched the rounders match, or whatever it is they're playing on the pitch. Anyway. Ears. Spock. Knitted. Look like sideways boobies. What more do you want on a Friday? [Yarn Songs via Boing Boing]

How I Survived a Japanese Game Show: So Far, Lame But With a Touch of Gadget

Brian Lam — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 21:00:46 EDT

The new ABC show this week, How I survived a Japanese Game show, combines the Japanese entertainment staple with an American reality TV series, featuring your usual cast of Jerry Springer rejects. Besides the weirdness and bright vibe typically found in such gameshows, there is the tech. The premier episode featured a conveyor belt that contestants had to run on with plate of mochi on their head. You either run long and fast enough to feed your team member and earn a point, or fall into a pit of flour. It's kind of hard to explain, but we have a video.

Lisa, who grew up watching them will probably write about how shitty and tacky and how culturally out of context the show is on her blog. But we did enjoy when the host would make fun of the Americans in Japanese. See, it's better because everyone is making fun of everyone.

I just hope next week's contraption is a little bit crazier because that's what does it for me. What did you guys think of the show? If anyone knows the crew members who design and build these contraptions, please email me. I want to quit my job and work on these sets! [ABC]

A-DATA Turbo Series CF 350X Is the World's Fastest Compact Flash Card

Jason Chen — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:30:00 EDT

A-DATA's Turbo Series CF card is 350X, which gets you a 52MB/sec read and 47MB/sec write, and comes in 8 and 16GB sizes. It's the fastest Compact Flash card in the world, which is made out of Single-Level-Cell (SLC) flash memory, and has dual-channel support.
[A-Data]

Beast With a Billion Backs, New Futurama DVD, Out Today

AddyDugdale — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Today is June 24 and, for Futurama fans, that can only mean one thing: the latest offering from Matt Groening and Co. is out today. Beast With A Billion Backs is a "depraved, yet sensuous" episode that, according to head writer and producer David X. Cohen, refers to as "disturbing." (Yay!) "There is certainly more of an adult theme in this film than the average Futurama episode" he adds. With David Cross voicing the Beast (everyone's favorite gymnophobic, Dr Tobias Fünke), Beast With a Billion Backs welcomes back a whole bunch of familiar faces—and voices, which include Professor Stephen Hawking. Trailer is below.

You can get Beast With a Billion Backs here, and expect to see the third DVD, Bender's Game, out towards the end of the year, as it is currently in post-production. [YouTube and Wired]

Lego Airbus A380 Is Biggest Lego Airplane in the World

Jesus Diaz — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 20:10:00 EDT

Behold the biggest Lego airplane in the world, made after the largest passenger airplane in the world, the Airbus A380. Made at a 1:25 scale-9.5-foot long, 10.5-foot wingspan, 3.2-foot tall—the Lego A380 uses 220 pounds (100kg) of bricks. That's a mindblowing 75,000 pieces in eight colours—15 Lego Millennium Falcons.

With that amount of bricks, and knowing how long my Falcon is taking, I'm not surprised that it took 600 hours for the entire team of professional Legoland model builders to assemble this beast. [Giz's Lego Trip]

Hands-On With the $25,000 ITC All-in-One Home Entertainment System

John Herrman — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 20:00:00 EDT

SE2 Labs let us have a look at the ITC One, an integrated movie, TV, gaming and music system announced last year. The all-in-one approach purports to simplify setting up a high-end home entertainment system easier by cramming everything you could imagine into an expensive box. The concept is interesting, but so is the $25,000 price. The system is beautifully assembled and impressively spec'd, but unless you've got that kind of money just floating around and don't know what Blu-ray discs are, this probably isn't for you.

The obvious worry is that such a system will just be a pile of components, cobbled together with little regard for usability and ergonomics. The ITC One is not that. The company has combined an Xbox 360, Wii, Apple TV, iPod dock and a DVR with various audio/videophilic hardware in a relatively graceful manner, packing everything into an attractive aluminum case. Space is at a premium in this setup, so most of the internal components are stripped of their shells, and in some cases augmented (optical audio out is bypassed to connect straight to the S/PDIF connectors on the Xbox and Apple TV, and the Xbox gets a new heat sink and fan).

Most of the hardware is plugged into a central supply, which ITC claims saves 50% power at idle and 33% during use over an equivalent traditional cabinet of hardware. Networking is shared, and the systems can be controlled with face-forward LCD or the all-in-one remote, which is simple and well designed, with motion sensitivity, 4-6 month battery life on 2 AA batteries with an Apple-esque charge indicator. It's also got a brilliant alarm that beeps when you press the "lost remote" button on the primary unit (honestly, this should be everywhere).

For $25,000 though, we expect more than a clean build and clever remote, and there are some departments where the ITC One disappoints. First, Blu-ray is not standard. Seriously . If you are the kind of person who is planning on dropping this much cash on a home theater setup you probably expect to be able to play the dominant HD format. A BR player will be available as an upgrade, but you'll have to say goodbye to your precious Wii to make space.

Second, it seems like a massive chunk of the hardware cost is for overpriced (and over-hyped) A/V hardware. The Vidikron upscaler, power conditioning hardware and aforementioned optical out bypass are all perfect examples of the cost-ineffective gimmicks that plague home theater today. You could buy all of the core hardware (Xbox, DVR, Apple TV, etc.) in here for less than $5,000, and it'd be pretty hard to justify the $20,000 premium for the slick presentation and under-the-hood hardware improvements.

It's clear that a lot of thought has gone into the ITC One, and it took some inspired designing and engineering to cram all of this hardware into an attractive, usable box. The strange decision not to include Blu-ray by default (or even at all, at until they finish engineering it) leaves the One crippled, and the pervasive A/V hypeware pushes the price way out of reach for just about anyone, into the realm of professional theater installs. The ITC One is available now.

[SE2 Labs]

Insider Vid Shows WowWee Femisapien Fembot Knows All the Moves

Kit Eaton — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 11:00:00 EDT

The Sega E.M.A. fembot we showed you on the weekend is really the WowWee Femisapien, and WowWee has just popped up a couple of "insider videos" of it in action. They show the cleverer parts of the tech, and get Femisapien doing a little swashbuckling: though the two 'bots are just going through a set of scripted moves, the end result fencing match is impressive. In the second video, WowWee inventor Mark Tilden shows exactly how smart Femisapien is at learning moves as you pose it.

While Femisapien's no Uma Thurman with those blades, the range of motion and the accuracy of the robot's pose-programming does mean this is going to be one cool toy to play with.

Interestingly Geek Alerts is saying that Femisapien will be available in the US soon for $99, which is at odds with the $175 we mentioned earlier. Guess you'll have to wait to find out how much you'll pay to do robotic reconstructions of scenes from Zorro. [Geek Alerts]

Philadelphia to Fake Out Drivers With 3D Speed Bump Images

Sean Fallon — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 19:30:00 EDT

A new program dubbed "Drive CarePhilly" is being rolled out in Philadelphia in an attempt to get drivers to follow speed limits. As part of the program, approximately 100 intersections will be fitted with high tech 3D decals that they believe will fake out drivers into thinking there is something in the intersection. While I can see this plan working initially, what happens when the locals grow accustomed to the decals? If they know the bumps are fake, what is to prevent them from speeding? It just doesn't seem logical in the long term. [KYW via Fark]

Air-Conditioned Bed Is Almost Way Cheaper Than A/C

Mark Wilson — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:40:00 EDT

For those who have been softened by years of artificially produced 72-degree work, sleep and play, this "air-conditioned bed" is a promising tool to fight midsummer sleep sweat. A simple air pad that circulates fresh air under your body, the air-conditioned bed gets the cool air just where you need it—under your sweaty backside (a lesser man might call it "swass"). And for a measly 24 cents a day in operating costs, the $399 price tag becomes a little more reasonable. [Japan Trendshop viaLikecool]

Gun Unsafety Video Shows Exactly How Not to Fire a Gun

Kit Eaton — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:20:00 EDT

We don't go too nuts about real guns here on Giz, and over at Geekologie they found this video that shows why: there are some very dumb people out there. People who should never go near a weapon, let alone own or try to fire one. It's a compilation of clips, some you'll have seen before, some perhaps not... but put them all together and it's horrifyingly fascinating blooper reel. My prize goes to the poor guy in the test range who suffers again and again... and again. [Geekologie]