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chair
Director's Chair Folds Into a Messenger Bag, The World Rejoices
There are plenty of chairs out there that collapse into more portable forms, but this director's chair is undoubtedly the most convenient to carry. It can fold to a width of only four inches. More » -
gaming
Near-Final Pandora Linux Gaming Handheld Shown Actually Playing Something
"We will make a more professional video in a few days," says the title card, conveniently summing up the ethos of this homebrew gaming project. It may be past Christmas, but Pandora is alive. More » -
green energy
Kinesis K2 Puts Solar and Wind Charging Power In a Handheld Unit
There have been other handheld charging devices that utilize the power of the sun and wind, but none claim to match the capacity of the Kinesis K2. More » -
3g
Novatel's Portable MiFi Does 3G Wi-Fi in a Beautiful Package
Today, Novatel introduced a portable 3G hotspot router, the sleek and minimalistic MiFi, which transforms 3G internet access into a Wi-Fi hotspot wherever it goes to multiple users. -
dealzmodo hack
Dealzmodo Hack: Make Your Old USB Stick Into a Digital Multitool
With 8GB flash drives available for under $20 and 32GB drives edging into the mainstream, nobody can blame you for shelving old USB sticks. But there are a surprising number of uses for those rickety, sub-gigabyte keychains. More » -
review
Callpod Fueltank Two-in-One Portable Charger Lightning Review
The Gadget: Callpod's Fueltank, a 2-in-1 portable battery/charger that can power up any two mobile devices simultaneously, from phones to Bluetooth to portable media players. It uses the same tips as the six-way Chargepod charger, so anything compatible with that is compatible with this. More » -
modding
Atari 2600 Crammed Into Sega Game Gear Is Wonderfully Backwards Mod
An awkward cross-breed time-travelling mongrel is a fairly fitting description for this mod that's jammed an Atari 2600 emulator into the shell of a Sega Game Gear. Sure, it's not the prettiest of mods, but taking the '80s-era Atari and squishing it into the '90s-era Sega took some tricky work: it has a built-in 40-game Atari chip, and can actually take 2600 carts into a slot on the back. The resulting "Atari Game 2600" has a 2.5-inch screen and can go for 7-8 hours on AA batteries, which seems pretty impressive. [Ben Heck via Technabob] -
umpc
UMID's Mini Netbook Makes Eees Look Massive
Yes, the netbook market is tired and pretty jam-packed, but check out this shiny beast: it's a mini-netbook from Korean manufacturer UMID. And it's tiny. There's no official size info, but it looks smaller than a paperback book, and comparable to the old Psion PDAs, if you remember 'em, but far more capable. More » -
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3m mpro110
3M MPro110 Handheld Mobile Projector: Lightning Review
The Gadget: 3M's pocket-friendly MPro110 projector packs a sizeable screen into a tiny, battery-powered package. It's mainly for fast-moving business types, but could it also be an alternative to buying a 40-inch TV? More » -
portable video
Cowon O2 Hands-On: Will Play Your Most Rebellious Media Files
CNET got their hands on Cowon's new flash-based PMP, the O2, and they think it's one of the year's best dedicated media players. The 4.3-inch touchscreen player has a truly ridiculous list of supported codecs, an SDHC slot to expand its internal 8, 16, or 32GB memory, solid (if not too flashy) GUI, and a surprisingly affordable price: only $219, $249, and $299 respectively. More » -
micro projector
Scitech's VLP-100 Portable Projector Only Does QVGA Resolution for $350
News that Scitech Japan is to release the VLP100, it's first portable microprojector may interest until you learn of two snags: firstly it projects at a mere 320 x 240 pixels, and secondly it'll cost you around $350...roughly a dollar per vertical pixel column. Sure it's pretty tiny at 7.1 x 4.3 x 2.2-inches, weighs a mere 2.2-pounds, fits in 2W stereo speakers and Osram-made 4-LED lighting system at 350 lumens brightness. But it's designed to throw images up to 50-inches, meaning pixels around a tenth of an inch across. Call me picky, but that seems a lot of money for not much display...I'll hang on for the picoprojectors we've heard so much about. Due late this month in Japan. [AVwatch via Electronista] -
projectors
LG's HS102 Projector Has Divx Player Aboard, 2-Hour Battery
Projectors, unless they're of the mini- or HD-kind tend to have me thinking "meh..." apart from LG's new HS102. 'Cause though it has just 800 x 600 native resolution with switchable 4:3/16:9 ratios, it's got Phlatlight LED illumination tech that gives it a 2,000:1 contrast ratio and 150 lumen brightness and it's got a Divx player (playing files from USB-attached storage, it seems) built right into it. And there's a rechargeable battery jammed in there too, making this projector portable in the real sense, since it'll run for two hours unplugged. Out in South Korea for around a $555 equivalent, there's no word on when it'll hit these shores. [Naver via Zoomgadget] -
cooler tunes
BoomCooler: A Portable Party in an Ice Box
Throw in a cooler, some speakers and mix with a little hillbilly inspiration and you have yourself a BoomCooler. Billed as "the ultimate portable entertainment system," the BoomCooler makes it easy to roll your tunes from one party to the next thanks to some fancy wheels and a handle. It also cranks out a decent amount of sound with two Sony Xplod 6” x 9” 240-watt max 4-way speakers, a 1100-watt max 10” subwoofer and a 4-channel 600-watt amp. It is also iPod, Sirius radio, MP3, CD and AM/FM radio ready. But, the question is, can it hold your beer? Unfortunately, no. The BoomCooler's storage space is limited to dry goods only. Pfft...if my $900 doesn't involve getting drunk it is not worth spending. [BoomCooler via Uncrate] -
drm
Industry Leaders Developing "Buy Once, Play Anywhere" Standard For Digital Media
Many of the big guns in Hollywood, technology and retailing have joined forces to create the Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem (DECE) LLC—a consortium focused on building "a new digital media framework using industry standards" that will "enable consumers to acquire and play content across a wide range of services and devices." In a nutshell, the DECE hopes to create a system where users can download content, playback that content on compliant branded products and possibly store that media in a "virtual library" to be accessed at home or on the road. Unfortunately, I see a few problems with all of this. More » -
projectors
3M's Pocket Video Projector First to Hit Shops, 30th September
Back in May we brought you some more data on the upcoming 3M pocket video projector, but only guesses on its release date: now we know it's September 30th. The palm-sized MPro110 has a VGA and composite video input, so it'll be good for either your laptop or portable gadgets with video-out. It's got manual focus, but no speaker—but for most purposes I guess you won't miss that. The guys at PopSci liked it, noting that it's pretty basic but projects nicely onto walls, desks, paper and people in a variety of lighting conditions. We'll have to wait to closer to the launch to hear more details, but the gizmo is set to cost $359. [PopSci via TheEarthTimes] -
mods
DIY Mini Multi-Platform Console Mod
Retro gaming fans that enjoy a good DIY project will certainly get a kick out of the latest work of a console modder that goes by the name "Bacteria." Basically, he has devised a way to cannibalize those Plug-n-Play TV gaming units into interchangeable cartridges that can be plugged into a single, portable system (he also claims that a GBA add-on is currently in the works). Unfortunately, Bacteria continues to be uninterested in details like aesthetics and ergonomics (as we first noticed in his previous project), but that is something you can probably correct should you decide to take on the mod yourself. Hit the link for the complete instructions. [Modded by Bacteria] -
sony
Stella Artois PSP Rekindles Our Interest in Two Unlike Fads
The combination isn't exactly the most obvious, but hey, I'm a gamer, and hey, I like paying $5 a glass for a pretentious beer that tastes identical to Budweiser. The Stella Artois PSP was manufactured in a limited edition for the Fosters employees who'd be brewing the "import" in Australia for Australia—part of the official "please don't spit in our delicate European beer" bonus. [Lowe Rivet via Kotaku] -
storage
Aexea KeyXpress Data Key Flashdrive Could Hide on Your Key Ring
Brando's Aexea KeyXpress flash drives are designed to really make key-ring data portability true: they're shaped like keys, and are about as thin as your average door or car key (about 0.12-inches thin.) They're in three colors, have 4GB of flash storage aboard, come with a similarly tiny lanyard and that's about all you need to know. Oh: they cost $27. [Brando] -
scales
Wrist Watchscale, For When You Really Need to Weigh Small Stuff
The spoon-scales from a while back we called "perfect for dieters and dealers" because of the spoon part, but with this wristwatch scale... Well, it's just convenient for when you really, really need to weigh small quantities of stuff right then and there. Makers Jennings call it "The first Pocket WatchScale ever" and it measures in grams, ounces, Troy ounces and pennyweights, to a max of 10.5-ounces with 0.001-ounce accuracy. Strangely the one thing it doesn't seem to do is tell the time, but it's out now, for about $25. [Product page] -
power
Brando's Mini Universal Battery Charger is Jawsome, USB-Powered
Brando has a new universal battery charger available, working on the same jaw-grip/adjustable electric contacts principle as Thanko's version before. This time though, the gizmo is designed to be portable and draw its power from a USB source and it's got "high capability switch power supply with efficient transforming." It's even keyring mountable. So if you're constantly charging up a variety of batteries for all your gear, and don't fancy hauling all the power bricks around this might be an elegant solution. Can be yours now, for $12. [Brando] -
question of the day
Question of the Day: What Do You Use to Clean Your Screens?
A big, bright, beautiful screen is a great thing—but keeping it smudge and dust free can be annoying to say the least. This is especially true with touchscreen phones and other portable media devices. With that in mind, I came up with a two section poll that involves larger screens like monitors and televisions on one side and smaller screens like cellphones and handheld game systems on the other. But both ask the same question: how do you clean your screens? More » -
gps
Kapsys' Kapten is Screenless, Voice-Driven, Key Ring-Sized GPS
This tiny GPS system from Kapten shuns the current preoccupation for large, high-detail touchscreens... it has, in fact, no screen at all. There're a bunch of led-lit icons at the top, indicating car-, pedestrian-mode and so on, but that's it. All navigation requests and instructions are made by you talking to the Kapten and it talking to you. It's apparently aimed mainly at pedestrian users, and measuring 2.9 x 1.7 x 0.5 inches is small enough to slip onto a key ring. Somehow there's a Bluetooth chipset in there, alongside an MP3 player and FM radio, and it packs 4GB of internal memory. Sadly, the only instructions it'll utter will sound like "Tournez à droite, dans 100 metres" since it's being released in France next month for around $220, and there's no info on whether it'll move outside the land of the moody pout. [Navigadget] -
psp
Modder Adds Working Touchscreen to PSP
PSP modder jube808 has equipped his PSP with a DIY touchscreen, as part of his efforts to add features he feels Sony dropped the ball on with his beloved handheld. The on-screen keyboard looks pretty responsive, and can be used with fingers or a stylus. Such a mod is probably making PSP homebrewers salivate with PSP/DS hybrid potential. Another video has a closer look at the whole rig. More » -
iriver spinn
First iRiver Spinn PMP Impressions (Verdict: Lovin' It)
The guys over at Crave UK got their hands on the new iRiver Spinn PMP, and although they have not conducted a full review yet, their initial impressions were positive. They love the 3.2-inch AMOLED screen saying that "Images are stunning; videos are smooth and sharp." They also found the sound quality to be superb and the menus to be effective—although it may be a little too touch sensitive and the scroll wheel can be awkward at times. As far as PMPs go, the Spinn is pretty feature rich (and it is pretty damn good looking to boot). Let's hope that the love-in continues when the final verdict is handed down. [Crave] -
umpc
Lenovo's Ideapad S10 Ultra-Portable Notebook PC Officially Due in September
Lenovo's gone official with details on its Ideapad S10 ultra-portable notebook: it'll come with Windows XP pre-installed, measure 9.8 x 7.2 inches, weigh just 2.4-pounds in its lightest configuration, and pack in a LED back-lit 10-inch screen. Powered by Intel Atom N270 and 945 GSE express chipset, the diminutive PC also has some advanced heat-dissipation tech so that your lap and wrists won't get overheated. Interestingly Lenovo notes that "In some countries there will be 9-inch versions," different colors and "Linux preloads"... but doesn't say if those systems will hit the US eventually. Initially then, the S10 will cost you either $399 for a 512MB memory, 80GB HDD model or $450 for a 1GB, 160GB HDD model, and comes in black red or white. Press release info below. More » -
duracell
Duracell's PowerSource Mini For Pocket-Sized Mobile Charging
It appears that Duracell has developed an more portable and less expensive version of last year's PowerSource charger with the new PowerSource Mini. This device features a lithium-ion battery pack and a mini USB pivot arm that allows you to juice up your MP3 players, cellphones and other portable devices on the go. It also features a full-sized USB port that allows you to charge two devices at once. All-in-all the Powersource Mini should net an additional 24 hours of music on a Nano and about an hour of talk time on a Blackberry. Available now for around $50. [Tiger Direct and Duracell via TFTS and Coolest Gadgets] -
quicklink=false
Quotable: John Paczkowski on Dell's Upcoming MP3 Player
Patches from All Things D headlined his Dell MP3 player post in a way that tickled me elmo: More » -
camcorder
Toshiba Launches Small, Cheap HD Palmcorder: Camileo H10
Toshiba's budget HD camcorder, the Camileo H10, actually doesn't skimp on features, it seems. The SD-based device records in 720p to its internal 64MB memory, or SDHC cards (up to 8GB, around 4 hours of footage) and has a 10 megapixel CCD. It squeezes in a 5x optical zoom, video stabilization, motion-detection shooting, night mode, HDMI output and a 2.7-inch display. Not bad for $350, and available from the end of July. [Pocket Lint] -
playstation 3
PS3 Gets Video Store and Rentals Tonight
Unveiling the new Home, Sony revealed that video rentals and purchases are finally coming to the PS3. Video will be fully integrated into the PlayStation Store, which will have a new video section. And you can transfer them to your PSP via USB, and have them on multiple devices at once! Standard and high def, with rentals running $3-$6 and $10-$15 for purchases. It takes about an hour to download a two-hour movie. Most of the major studios are on board (Kotaku has a partial list in their liveblog), and it goes live tonight! -
ipod recorder
Alesis ProTrack Converts Your iPod Into a Pro-Quality Digital Recorder
This isn't the first product to come down the pipeline offering portable audio recording capabilities for the iPod, but the new ProTrack from Alesis is definitely the most feature-rich. According to the press release, the ProTrack is "the world’s first professional handheld digital stereo recorder for iPod" with two built-in high-quality condenser microphones, a pair of combination XLR - 1/4-inch inputs and a 1/8-inch stereo output. The device should be available sometime in Q3 for iPod (Classic or 5th Generation), or iPod nano (2nd or 3rd Generation)—but a price has yet to be determined. More » -
laser disco portable, brando
Brando's Portable Disco Lights Do it Psychedelically with Lasers
Laser beams plus funky light patterns plus party: sounds like a winning combo. It certainly looks that way for this Brando gadget: the green laser light spewing from it can be tweaked into a number of impressive patterns (diffraction grating, anyone?) And though it doesn't look like it reacts to music, the shifting, changing light-show it makes can only be described as psychedelic, with a dab of Matrix. It's mains-powered, just 3.1 x 2.8 x 1.2 inches in size and comes with a stand that looks ripe to be modded into a motor-powered platform. Costs $65. [Brando] -
samsung dlp pocket projector
Samsung's P400 DLP Projector is Tiny for Portability, Sleek too
Samsung's new P400 Pocket Imager projector is designed mainly for businesspeople on the go, so it's pretty tiny. Inside, its DLP unit is a native 800 x 600 resolution and its LED lighting pushes out 150 lumens, resulting in a 30- to 40-inch display capability with 1000:1 contrast ratio. It takes the standard RGB, composite, S-video and audio inputs, and has two 1-watt speakers. Plus, though it's no pico-projector, it's just 5 x 3.7 x 2 inches in size and weighs 1.9 pounds, so it'll carry nicely in your laptop bag. And you know what? Just coz it's businessy doesn't mean it has to look ugly or utilitarian: so Samsung has actually made this thing look pretty good. Available now for $749, full press release below. More » -
docks
Eino Speakers: An Attractive Portable iPod Dock At Last
Ruggedized, retro aviation, we've done portable iPod docks a-plenty. But until now I've not liked the look of any of them... so here's the Eino. It's pretty simple, with two speakers per channel pushing out 1.4W from a Class-D amp and a bass-enhancement system called Maxx BassR. The 7.7-inch wide thing fits into a carry case, with room for your iPod. And if you're not into the color combos in the pic, there's a blue, white and black frame option. It's available for around $56, but that's from a Japanese site. [Technabob via BBGadgets] -
iriver
iRiver Volcano T7 Is MP3 for Chewing Gum Diehards
Available in five colors, the Volcano T7 is the latest DAP player. Reminiscent of a memory stick and with a small OLED display, it's available in both 2GB and 4GB versions. There's also a USB 2.0 port, an FM radio, and an equalizer. There's also a recording function, both for voice and radio. Now available in Europe in five colors—white, black, pink, blue and chocolate—the Volcano T7 costs the equivalent of $48 for the 2GB and $78 for 4GB. [Akihabara News] -
totally free
Nine Inch Nails Releases Free Album In High Definition Audio
Tren Reznor is not only breaking the old distribution model, he's even breaking the newest, like Radiohead's pay-what-you-want: Nine Inch Nails' latest album—The Slip—is 100% free, no payment required in any case, not even when you download the whooping 1.2GB version—which includes high definition WAVE 24/96 files (better-than-CD-quality 24bit 96kHz audio.) You can also choose from high-quality MP3s, FLAC lossless and M4A lossless. Note to record labels: drop dead. [NIN] -
concept
Yamaha Keyboard-Notebook Combo Concept For On-the-Go Ivory-Ticklers
Milan's Salone di Mobile always has a bunch of concept gadgets designed by tech companies, and this is one of Yamaha's efforts. It's a keyboard-in-a-folder, and is the perfect tool for busy musicians and composers. Travellers stuck in the same train carriage as someone carrying this should thank their lucky stars that Yamaha didn't make a version for drummers. [Yamaha Global Gateway via Yanko] -
gadgets
Targus Speaker Book Brings Compact Tuneage: No Reading Involved
Finding a way to make portable speakers truly portable has proven difficult for manufacturers over the years. This new Speaker Book represents Targus' stab at a solution. The unique design features flat, foldable NXT speakers that can connect to just about anything using via a standard 3.5-millimeter cable. It can also be powered up via USB, or four AAA batteries. Unfortunately those of us in the States won't be able to test it out anytime soon—the Speaker Book is slated for a UK only release early this summer. [i4u via Crave] -
gps
Archos Updates the 605 Wi-Fi With GPS, Mobile TV and Flash Video
The 605 WiFi PMP was cool and all, but it has been given new life thanks to an add-on that delivers driving directions and free or paid traffic notification in addition to its normal media functions. The system is even sophisticated enough to simulate position changes in the event that a signal is lost. There is also a new Web TV and Radio plugin that will give users access more than 9,600 Web radio stations, 600 Web TV stations and 110,000 podcasts streamed live over the Internet. It will also feature full support for Adobe Flash 9 and WMV9.Update: Some new info about streaming TV and a movie deal with Paramount. More » -
gadgets
The PS3 and the Wii Get LCDs For "Portable" Gaming
I don't know why anyone would want to port around an entire PS3, but now you can thanks to Clearvision's new LCD attachment. And don't worry Nintendo fans, you haven't been left out of the fun, because China Vaison has developed a similar screen for the Wii console. Both screens measure 7 inches and feature integrated speakers along with a convenient flip-top design. The Wii version (and presumably the PS3 version) also take component outputs. Still, they both pale in comparison to the 12-inch XBox 360 version released last year. [SM and CV via Kotaku and TFTS] -
portable dvd
Philips DCP951 Portable DVD Player Likes iPod Touch, Kitchen Counters
The Philips DCP951 portable DVD player ditches the laptop design of previous portables for a shiny tablet layout that works as well on the road as it does in the kitchen. As the successor to the DCP850, this portable has a half-inch bigger LCD screen and a dock for the iPod Touch. Price and info are below the jump. More »


































