Computer Gadgets New

The iPod isn’t just a tool for turning your life into one long movie with the perfect soundtrack — it’s also a great way to become the victim of violent crime. So says crime think tank the Urban Institute, whose latest report posits that ipod-muggings have been the main factor behind a rise in the U.S. violent crime rate the last couple of years.

Robberies began a dramatic increase in 2005, posits the institute, right around the time iPods became commonplace, providing an easily identified, readily fenced high-value item for muggers to focus on. There are several potential holes in the theory, including the fact that the biggest increases in violent crime were in small and medium-sized cities, which would seem to provide less snatch-and-grab opportunities than crowded urban environments.

Did IPods Cause a Crime Wave? [AP]

Seagate will begin to ship its new Cheetah 15K.6 hard drive later this month, and it holds the honor of being the highest performance hard drive ever to come in a 3.5″ form factor. Claimed features include a 28% increase in sustained data transfer rates compared to previous generations. Despite accessing data faster than ever, the Cheetah 15K.6 hard drive consumes a whole lot less power, sipping up to 61% less watts/GB at idle. You can choose from 450GB, 300GB, and 147GB capacities. Pricing details are currently unknown.

Looks like Samsung has withdrawn itself from giving whatever remnant of life hd dvd has by canceling the launch of its BD-UP5500 hybrid Blu-ray/HD DVD player. This move comes after Toshiba has decided to kill off the HD DVD standard, so folks who love all things Samsung and still want to enjoy Blu-ray movies (in addition to the few HD DVD movies out there) can settle for the existing UP5000 player.

Microsoft is currently working on its new StartKey portable flash drive that will see action at the end of this year, storing essential information like a user’s Windows profile, applications, and settings, making it portable wherever he/she goes. Sounds like SanDisk’s defunct U3 platform, eh? This StartKey can even go so far as to carry an entire bootable installation, making computing more portable than ever. StartKey technology is not limited to just USB flash drives as Microsoft wants to make it compatible with different flash memory types such as SD cards. I suppose the StartKey can only work with Windows-based PCs that need certain patches installed before it can work, and will it pose a security issue for companies? Thanks to Tom’s Hardware for the image.
[Source]

Chinese manufacturers seem to be getting better and better at churning out portable media players, and the Ainol U80SE is the latest to impress. It is not only small, pretty and slim (I guess in many ways similar to the model holding it up), it even beats out on its predecessor by 0.8mm in terms of thickness. Features include :-

• 2.2″ QVGA display
• RM/RMVB /AVI/FLV/DAT/ASF/MP4/WMV/3GP/MPG video support
• MP3/APE/double FLAC Lossless audio support
• Picture browser
• Pre-loaded games
• E-books compatibility

No idea on just how much memory this device has, nor whether there will be a memory card slot of some sort for expansion options.

Overview

How about a 2-in-1 kind of combination product? NordicTrack Elite 7500 treadmill comes with a 7 inch Flat Screen TV. It is the company’s brand new product for 2008. A very gifted product for all of you who have a hard time keeping yourself provoked sufficient to finish the lap time on the runner. With a powerful 3.5 CHP Commercial Pro Motor and 2.5 precision machined rollers you get the best treadmill experience that is both soft and muted.

Features

NordicTrack Elite 7500 treadmill’s exciting feature is its 7 inch multi colored flat Screen ready for TV. It is attuned with most Satellite or Cable TV services, gaming consoles, VCRs, DVD players and other accessories. It is integrated with a DurX commercial motor that features a self-cooling process extending the life of the motor. It also reduces the vibration yielding in smooth operation.

This treadmill allows you to instantly adjust your speed up or down at the touch of a single button. The speed can be adjusted from 0-12 MPH. Lose weight, feel great and improve performance in just 8-weeks with i-fit interactive workout card equipment!Each card is planned by a Certified Personal Trainer automatically adjusting your speed and incline, while the voice of a personal trainer takes you through each workout. I-fit workout cards come in Wellness, Weight Loss, Body Sculpting, Performance and My Progress categories, giving you the most advanced interactive, result-specific fitness programs. It is incorporated with as many as 35 Workout Programs.

The ipod compatible music port makes it easy to plug in your iPod and listen to your music through two premium speakers. Integrated into the treadmill’s console is the Intermix Acoustics the premium sound system combining high-end speaker and subwoofer components to give you the best in crystal-clear sound quality.

The Elite 7500 treadmill is embedded with Polar wireless telemetry, providing accurate heart rate readings via contact sensors. Moreover, it also comprises of two hand-grip sensors that are suitably built into the treadmill’s handlebars. Last but not the least is the Space Saver treadmill featuring an Air Light shock and a self-locking latch, making folding and unfolding your treadmill easier than ever before.

NordicTrack Warranty

Nordic Track Elite 7500 treadmill gives you a lifetime warranty on the motor, 5 years on parts and 1 year on in-home labor.

Price

Nordic Track Elite 7500 treadmill is available at a price of $2999.00.

Source: Norditrack

<!– ch_client = “mmliewcf”; ch_type = “mpu”; ch_width = 468; ch_height = 180; ch_color_title = “0065CE”; ch_non_contextual = 1; ch_default_category = “200001″; var ch_queries = new Array(”NordicTrack Elite 7500 Treadmill”); var ch_selected=Math.floor((Math.random()*ch_queries.length)); if ( ch_selected

The DreamCom 10 laptop is definitely different from the rest that you see in the market today, since it’s main selling point is the ability of being molded to the best possible ergonomic form factor, which is different for each individual. The keyboard can be moved back and forth, along with the ability to be tilted instead of remaining flat. Heck, even the display itself can be adjusted to slide upwards and downwards, offering users with various levels of viewing to suit different heights. Other than all the shuffling that’s going on, the DreamCom 10 also packs quite a punch with a 2.6GHz processor, up to 4GB of RAM, a 15.4″ monitor, and UMTS/HSDPA support. It is powered by Windows Vista. There is no word on pricing or availability, and I wonder whether there is a need to oil all those hinges from time to time.

Kids are notorious for going against your will and instructions, and getting them to brush their teeth is almost as tricking as asking them to finish up their vegetables during dinner time. The Circus Toothbrush Timer could prove to be a valuable ally on your side.

Don’t clown around when it comes to brushing your teeth! Kids can keep their pearly whites squeaky clean with a little help from this friendly clown toothbrush timer. This bright and funny clown features a small hourglass timer on his head that kids can flip over when they begin brushing. The timer, which lasts for 2.5-3 minutes, will keep them focused on doing the job right for an effective amount of time. Kids will look forward to flipping over the timer and the action will help them develop good hygiene habits. Now that’s something worth smiling about. And, when their time is up, the clown puts on a smile! Wooden clown stand has non-skid bottom and features a cup for holding toothbrushes. Handmade in China.

Well, anything that helps the kids keep those pearly whites clean is always a good thing. Hand over a quarter of a Benjamin for this Circus Toothbrush Timer and take a whole load of stress off your shoulders before sending the kids to bed.

The Nkryptor Puzzle
It might only be the size of a cassette tape, but beneath its hand-crafted exterior of high grade aluminium, there lies a bonus PC game. The challenge is not just to win the game and enter the prize zone beyond, but to find a way into the Egyptian-themed box in the first instance…

See price

Posted Mar 5th 2008 6:54PM by Donald Melanson
Filed under: Digital Cameras, Storage

Toshiba’s A and K series Gigashot HD camcorders already boast 100GB and 80GB of built-in storage, respectively, but if you want to keep some of that space free, you’ll soon be able to do so with Toshiba’s new tailor-made DVD burner, which will apparently let you both off-load data or record directly to DVD-Rs. What’s more, the drive also boasts composite, component and HDMI outputs to let you hook it up to your TV, and it thankfully includes a handy remote control as well. Look for this one to set you back ¥17,800 (or about $165) when it hits Japan on March 17th.

[Via Slash Gear]