As a college student in 2000, I spent many a morning babysitting the daughter of New York Times reporter Penelope Green. When Penelope got a Modo, I was jeeeealous. The egg-sized device spewed information that was fed to it over a pager network by arbiters of urban coolness. Information about local restaurants or shops or events would show up on the screen (although I don't think it was location-based, or even searchable). It was there, take it or leave it. It was like TimeOut magazine, but more exclusive and wireless.

To get into this elite club, you needed to pick up one of these palm-sized devices at tony places like Fred Segal. They cost $99, which was quite a lot in babysitting currency, though there was no monthly or annual fee. Its creators—who hoped to fund the project ultimately with ad revenues—were prescient in encouraging retailers to create fancy cases for the gadgets long before people started to dress their music players like they were chihuahuas.

As one of the youngest non-diaper wearing people in Penelope's life, I made the case that she should really let me take her Modo for a test drive. Alas, the timing didn't work out. But Christmas was coming! What's more, she hinted that I maybe could maybe keep hers after the story came out. (This was in the pre-Jayson Blair days when newspaper reporters were allowed to keep things. See, newspapers were these printed things that...ugh, never mind.)

The company's founder basically bragged to Penelope about how little the Modo could do. "This is not a personal productivity tool," he said. "We'll never make anything like that.'' Low productivity? Clearly this was a college kid's dream machine. What's more, it was a thing of beauty. Penelope's story said that to use it you had "to engage with it in a physical way, stretching the rubber tongue toggle thing into place or sliding it back out again with your thumb." Hot!

iPods at this point were monochromatic, but these babies came in different colors. The article even suggested buying them in multiples and keeping one in the packaging as an investment, a la a Swatch watch or a Beanie Baby.

Just weeks after the article came out, Modo went belly up. Needless to say, my Christmas sucked. [Vintage Modo stories: Forbes; NY Times; Models.com; Useit.com]

Anna Jane Grossman will be with us for the next few weeks, documenting life in the early aughts, and how it differs from today. The author of Obsolete: An Encyclopedia of Once-Common Things Passing Us By (Abrams Image) and the creator of ObsoleteTheBook.com, she has also written for dozens of publications, including the New York Times, Salon.com, the Associated Press, Elle and the Huffington Post, as well as Gizmodo. She has a complicated relationship with technology, but she does have an eponymous website: AnnaJane.net. Follow her on Twitter at @AnnaJane.

The previous design was a lot sleeker, and placed the controls on the side. But it didn't have those awesome nubs. A test run of those units were shipped to selected people in February, and early feedback, plus a "sleepless night", lead to the updated, bigger look.

You'll need to Jailbreak your iPhone, but the iControlPad is supported by some of the biggest iPhone devs (including ZodTTD's PSX and GBA emulators). If you're interested in placing a pre-order, sign up for the newsletter over at: [iControlPad]

This latest entry attempts to camouflage the portable as some kind of Christmas decoration. The buttons glow, lights flash, yada yada yada you paid a $250 premium and then put a bunch of holes in it.

Sorry for all the negativity. I guess I was just holding out hope that the "PSPGo Mod" Google Alert that popped up in my inbox today was the one where someone finally hacked this thing with better wifi so it could download a file in less than a hour. [Acid Mods - Thanks, Wouter]

With the DS Lite, for comparison's sake, the AC adapter had a different proprietary connector, which was a nuisance if you lost it and happened to still have your original DS adapter handy.

For the PSP Go, there's this picture, which shows the range of accessories that mate exclusively with the new handheld's multi-use port. The old PSP used a mini-USB port. You get the picture.

Well, strike that, actually. With a little prodding and stretching, the pouch could definitely work for both models. [Joystiq]

Intel Atom
The current reigning king of low-cost, low-power processors, Intel's Atom flat-out dominates the netbook market. Its single- and dual-core processors are also some of the most powerful on our list, despite having abilities roughly equal to, in Intel's own terms, a 2003-2004 vintage Celeron. Based on the x86 architecture, the Atom is capable of running full versions of Windows XP, Vista (though not all that well), and 7, as well as modern Linux distros and even Hackintosh. While it requires far less power than a full-power chip, it's still more power-hungry than the ARM-based processors on our list, requiring about 2 watts on average. That's why netbook battery life isn't all that much longer than that of a normal laptop.

You can find the Atom in just about every netbook, including those from HP, Dell, Asus, Acer, Sony, Toshiba, MSI, and, well, everyone else. The 1.6GHz chip is the most popular at the moment, but Intel is definitely going to keep improving and upgrading the Atom line. However, you're unlikely to catch an Atom in a handset; it's low-power, yes, but low-power for a notebook. Battery life on an Atom handset would be pretty atrocious, which is why Intel's sticking to netbooks for now.

Qualcomm Snapdragon
Based on ARM, which is a 32-bit processor architecture that powers just about every mobile phone (and various other peripherals, though never desktop computers) out there, Snapdragon isn't competing directly with the Intel Atom—it's not capable of running full versions of Windows (only Windows Mobile and Windows CE), it's incredibly energy-efficient (requiring less than half a watt), and is designed for always-on use. In other words, this is the evolution of the mobile computing processor. It's got great potential: Qualcomm is trumpeting battery life stretching past 10 hours, smooth 1080p video, support for GPS, 3G, and Bluetooth, and such efficiency that a Linux-based netbook can use Snapdragon without a fan or even a heat sink. Available in single core (1GHz) or dual-core (1.5GHz), it can be used in conjunction with Android, Linux, and various mobile OSes.

Unfortunately, Qualcomm is still holding onto the notion that people want MIDs, and is championing "smartbooks," which are essentially smartphones with netbook bodies, like Asus's announced-then-retracted Eee with Android. Snapdragon's got promise, but we think that promise lies in super-powered handheld devices, not even more underpowered versions of already-underpowered netbooks.

We're frankly not sure when we'll see Snapdragon-based devices sold in the US. We're sure Snapdragon will end up in smartphones at some point, as at least one Toshiba handset has been tentatively announced, but the only concrete demonstrations we've seen have been in MIDs, and Snapdragon themselves spend all their energy touting these "smartbooks." Snapdragon's Windows Mobile compatibility suggests we may see it roll out with Windows Mobile 7, if Tegra hasn't snapped up all the good handsets.

Nvidia Tegra
Nvidia's Tegra processor is very similar to Snapdragon—both are based on ARM architecture, so both are designed for even less intense applications than the Atom. Like Snapdragon, Tegra isn't capable of running desktop versions of Windows, so it's primarily targeted at Android and handheld OSes, especially forthcoming versions of Windows Mobile. What sets Tegra apart from Snapdragon is the Nvidia graphics pedigree: The company claims smooth 1080p video, like Snapdragon, but also hardware-accelerated Flash video and even respectable gaming (though no, you won't be able to run Crysis). They also go even further than Qualcomm in their battery life claim, suggesting an absolutely insane 30 hours of HD video.

While Snapdragon tends to be loosely associated with Android, Tegra is an integral part of Microsoft's plan for next-generation Windows Mobile devices. Instead of focusing on "smartbooks" and MIDs, which we think are part of a dead-end category, Tegra's commitment to pocketable handhelds could spell success. We've seen proof-of-concept demonstrations of Tegra already, but its real commercial debut will come with Windows Mobile 7—and if WM7 doesn't suck, Tegra could take off.

Others
We haven't included certain other processors, especially VIA's Nano, due to intent: The Nano requires lower power than full-scale processors, but at 25 watts, it's not even really in the same league as Atom, let alone Snapdragon or Tegra. The VIA Nano is really targeted at non-portable green technology, and looks like it'll do a good job—it outperformed Atom in Ars Technica's excellent test, and stands up to moderate use with ease. AMD's Puma (Turion X2) is in a similar boat: It's certainly markedly more energy-efficient than AMD's other offerings, but as it's targeted at laptops (not netbooks) with a screen size greater than 12-inches, it's not quite right for our list here.

These low-power processors aren't just, as we so often think, crappier versions of "real" processors. They've got uses far beyond netbooks, especially in the near future as the gap between netbooks and smartphones narrows.

Still something you still wanna know? Send any questions about why your iPhone can't play Crysis, how to tie a bow tie, or anything else to tips@gizmodo.com, with "Giz Explains" in the subject line.

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All this leakage stems from the June issue of Qore, which is a bit of a slip-up on Sony's part. The Go looks to keep the single analog joystick, though the overall design is quite a bit more playful and, well, circular than previous iterations of the PSP. Notice we didn't say "attractive": the circle section that houses the start and select buttons especially has kind of a late-90s feel to it, but we'll have to see how it looks in the hand. It should be packing Bluetooth and a memory card slot (probably MemoryStick, grah) in addition to the 16GB of internal memory.

Also lining up with the previous rumors is that the new PSP Go will not replace the PSP 3000, but instead try to live peacefully with the older device on store shelves. And that hefty 16GB of storage space makes sense considering what we've heard about possible digital game rentals and a music store. [Gaming Console Network (site currently down) via PlayStation Forums via Engadget]

Outside of that, the 550 and 550t (the latter adds topographic US maps) appear to be the same GPS device that users have come to expect from earlier Oregon models. Obviously, it would be nice if a cellphone was part of the package here, but keep in mind that this is intended to be a more robust GPS device for people mountain biking, climbing, hiking and otherwise traveling in the rugged wilderness—not those trying to find the nearest Starbucks.

Picture perfect: Garmin® Oregon® 550 with built-in camera
offers touchscreen GPS for all seasons, all reasons

OLATHE, Kan./May 7, 2009/Business Wire - Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, today announced the Oregon 550 and Oregon 550t touchscreen handheld GPS devices, integrating a 3.2 megapixel digital camera, which creates geotagged images, and a 3-axis compass into the popular series of intuitive touchscreen handhelds. The waterproof Oregon 550's easy-to-use interface and versatile features make it the ideal solution for customers looking for a multipurpose GPS device.

"As everyone looks for ways to do more with less, Oregon 550 and Oregon 550t can be the one GPS device you turn to for all of your activities, in any climate, on any terrain, at any time of year," said Dan Bartel, Garmin's vice president of worldwide sales. "Easy enough for beginners to master, Oregon will guide you in your adventures, capture the highlights and bring them back home."

There's no need to tote a separate camera in your pack or pocket as Oregon 550's 3.2 megapixel autofocus digital camera with 4x digital zoom automatically geotags each photo with the location of where it was taken, allowing you to mark, remember and navigate back to that exact spot in the future. With this waterproof digital camera, you can take and view pictures in landscape or portrait orientation, and 850 MB of internal memory offers ample storage. These pictures can then be printed or stored and shared online, making every trip even more memorable. Once your Oregon 550 is connected via USB, you can use my.Garmin.com to detect Oregon's photos, simplify the selection and uploading processes and then store those photos on Picasa, a popular online photo sharing community for friends and families around the world.

The built-in 3-axis compass and enhanced sunlight-readable touchscreen are two other key additions to the Oregon 550 and Oregon 550t (which features preloaded 100K topo maps for the entire U.S. in state-of-the-art 3D elevation perspective). The 3-axis tilt-compensated electronic compass shows your heading even when you're standing still, without holding it level. And Oregon's glove-friendly, color 3-inch touchscreen display is brighter and easier than ever to read and use in all conditions, responsive to the touch of your finger, yet resistant to the forces of nature. Weighing only 6.8 ounces, the Oregon 550 and Oregon 550t come with two precharged AA NiMH batteries. These batteries provide up to 16 hours of life on a single charge and don't lose energy when not in use. The included battery charger saves you money and reduces waste as batteries get recharged and reused. Also in the box is a carabiner clip and USB cable for high-speed USB connections. A microSD card slot provides even more storage for photos, mapping and memory and allows you to view pictures from other devices with Oregon's picture viewer.

Highlighting its versatility, Oregon lets you customize five profiles - automotive, marine, recreation, fitness or geocaching - making the most useful features the easiest to access through shortcuts.

On the trail: With its high-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver and HotFix™ satellite prediction, Oregon 550 locates your position quickly and precisely and maintains its GPS location even in heavy cover and deep canyons. And you can store up to 2,000 waypoints, 200 routes, 5,000 geocaches and a tracklog of up to 10,000 points and 200 saved tracks. On the mountain: The built-in barometric altimeter tracks changes in pressure to pinpoint your precise altitude, and you can keep an eye on changing weather conditions by plotting pressure over time. On vacation: Explore with confidence, thanks to the detailed U.S. topographic maps preloaded in the 550t or the worldwide shaded relief basemap in the 550. On a mission: The simple-to-use touchscreen interface makes it easy to navigate efficiently and tackle your task quickly. In a group: With Oregon 550, you can share your waypoints, tracks, routes and geocaches wirelessly other Oregon and Colorado users. Out geocaching: Go paperless with Oregon, which can store up to 5,000 caches, by quickly downloading cache information from Geocaching.com. Oregon stores and displays key information such as location, terrain, difficulty, hints and description, so that you don't have to tote printouts with you. (And lucky geocachers may even stumble upon a limited-edition Oregon geocoin.)

And Oregon does the work of several devices, just by adding various accessories to suit your activity or optional MapSource® microSD cards preloaded with detailed maps.

On the road: Optional City Navigator mapping provides detailed street maps, millions of preloaded points of interest and onscreen turn-by-turn directions to your destination, and an optional Auto Nav kit adds a suction mount and car charger. On a hunt or on a hike: Using a separate TOPO U.S. 24K DVD or microSD card brings you the highest level of topographic detail available, with maps comparable to 1:24,000 scale USGS maps, featuring terrain contours, topo elevations, summits, routable roads and trails, parks, coastlines, rivers, lakes and geographical points. On the water: Add BlueChart® g2 maps, which provide everything you need for a great day on the water, including depth contours, navaids and harbors. On the run or on a bike: Ideal for a trail workout, the lightweight Oregon is compatible with Garmin's heart-rate monitors and speed/cadence sensors, and an optional handlebar mount makes it easy to track your speed, distance, elevation and location.

And wherever you are, whatever you're doing and whomever you're with, you'll always have Oregon 550's built-in camera to capture the moment, record the location and share the memories.

[Garmin]

Gamepark is currently developing the SDK and plans to have the store up and running by August 2009. At that point, anyone interested in making games for the platorm can do so—although a pricing structure has not been announced. However, they do compare the experience to what Apple has done and they expect both free and paid apps to be part of their offerings.

Open source or not, I don't think the Wiz stands much of a chance (the name certainly doesn't help matters) given all of the stiff competition, but interested parties can pre-order the basic unit now for around $190 (without Wi-Fi—lame). [GP2X via TechRadar]

The Dsi—at least the Japanese version—currently connects to the DS Shop and DSi Ware, Nintendo's bite-sized gaming store. But according to Developer, the company is allegedly hoping to get shorter-form non-gaming stuff on the device as well-things that could turn your Dsi into a personal lifestyle gadget, rather than just an entertainment one.

I guess it'd also be a way for the Dsi to really differentiate itself from the DS Lite. While the DSi is definitely more gadgety (what with camera and audio player), many were underwhelmed thanks to what they were losing.

There's only a week until Nintendo president Satoru Iwata's keynote, so we expect to hear more then. [Develop via Kotaku]

In short, it looks nice. The DSi hardware itself is no longer glossy or plasticky. Instead, its matte finish gives it a feel that is ever-so-slightly rubbery, which sits nice in the hand. The thinner physique and bigger screens of the DSi are noticeable, but not necessarily drastic. And of course the inclusion of the non-proprietary SD card slot is welcome, if a bit foreign at first.

I ran through about 30 minutes of various DSi audio and camera demos (no web browser demo, hrm), and from what I saw, I'm intrigued. While the camera and audio apps are essentially tech demos that, in my opinion, won't get much play from users after about a month, they show off what these new hardware features are capable of.

With the audio suite of apps you can take an mp3 AAC file (or create your own recording), and manipulate both speed and/or pitch using a two-axis coordinate system on the touchscreen. Voice warping seems relatively intuitive, and just briefly listening using the DSi speakers, it didn't sound half bad either. There's even a neat feature where there are various Nintendo-themed visualizers and you can use the L/R bumpers to add your own sound effects on top of songs.

The camera software was also fun to play with, as there are effects that let you warp and distort images on the fly, add graphics on top or use the emoter—and automatically contort faces into specific expressions (my favorite). The use of the L/R bumpers as the shutter also gives the feature a nice feel. Essentially, the Game Boy Camera has been reborn.

Nintendo demoed Warioware Snapped, which makes considerable use of the camera (something available to all developers), and shows how creative software could make the DSi more than just a light hardware refresh. With Warioware, you set the DSi on the table, and let the front side camera detect your face and hand. After that, your silhouette appears on screen while you're directed to move your head and hands in various manners. And it didn't seem at all like it was a gimmicky feature making use of inadequate hardware.

I only spent a short amount of time with the DSi, so I can't make any judgments. But I can say that I'm looking forward to its release and how games will take advantage of these new features. [Nintendo DSi]

Magellan, Garmin and plenty of other companies have outdoor GPS, but Lowrance's focus here was building one set of devices that could be used in all kinds of activities including hiking, hunting, off-roading, skiing, and of course boating. The key is map openness: On land, it can use maps from Accuterra, Navionics and others. On the water, it takes Navionics, Fishing Hotspots and more. And for in-car use, you can load up a Navteq database. Needless to say, the openness is extended to community maps and trail guides in the Open GPX format.

The tech specs of the Endura line are similar (or better) than most of the competition: All three are waterproof to the IPX7 standard. They have rubber "armoring," take AAs (so you don't have to charge up in the jungle) and MicroSD cards up to 32GB, and have "attach points" so you can clip it to your jacket. Most important, the touchscreen is capable of use with gloves on or off, so you don't have to freeze your fingers off trying to get back to base camp.

The top of the line Sierra ($550) comes not only "fully loaded" with a lot of map content, but it has a barometric altimeter and a 3D compass, plus 4GB built-in memory for your maps or even music, pics and video—not that you'd waste your storage on that stuff. The step-down Safari ($385) can play MP3s and, like the Sierra, has headphone jack and a speaker. The basic Outback ($230) has none of those frills, but similar software for doing most of the basic navi stuff. These guys are due out in May, just in time for the weather to get nice. [Lowrance]

Acekard, makers of many fine flashcarts for the original DS and DS Lite, have done in a month or so what many thought might take much longer, or even be impossible: load homebrew code on the DSi. And on top of that, Acekard is claiming support for all of the DSi's new hardware goodness like the camera and SD card, which is surely wetting many a homebrew mouth today with anticipatory drool.

The Acekard 2i should be available via your favorite gray market gaming gear vendors soon. [Acekard via Kotaku]

It's Atom-powered, of course, with 1GB memory and up to 32GB of SSD storage, and crazily jams in Korean wireless broadband WiBro, digital TV receivers, HSDPA, WiMAX, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. Its touchscreen is a respectable 1024x600 pixels, and while the keyboard may challenge the fat-fingered, the machine can run XP, Vista or Linux. Skinny-fingered netbook fans will have to hold their horses though as there's no info on price or whether it'll make it over the Pacific. [Aving]

The DS-DSLR app enables controlled bracketing, custom interval shots, timed long exposures—everything dedicated remote apps do. The DS's unique hardware even allows for a noise-activated shutter control via the built-in mic for snapping a shot the second a balloon pops. So a powerful, instant-on, 218 gram remote that also plays Mario Kart. Not bad at all. [Panocamera via BBG]

The bottom line is that email services on consumer phones are getting better all the time, and you can still pick up a phone like the Blackberry Pearl with email at a value that makes wasting money on a second gadget like the Peek unnecessary—even if the service is stellar. So, what do you think—does the Peek stand a chance? [Peek via Silicon Alley Insider]