Computer Gadgets New

Without any official announcement from RIM, the upcoming blackberry 8210 and 8220 have both been unveiled by online retailer Expansys. Of course, the 8210 and the 8220 are better know as the KickStart, which marks RIM’s first venture into the clamshell market.

Thanks to their online retail appearance we can confirm they will be featuring an internal 2.6-inch display with a 320 x 240 resolution and external 160 x 128 resolution display. Other features include a 2-megapixel camera with flash and video recording capability, Bluetooth 2.0, microSD card slot, a 3.5mm headphone jack and quad-band GSM (850/900/1800/1900MHz) support.

Overall both handsets will have the same feature set, except the 8220 will offer Wi-Fi and the 8210 will include GPS.

While the specs have been listed, Expansys did at least manage to keep the release date and price secret, of course without the official word coming from RIM, the specs are always subject to change.

Via [MobileBurn]

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We have covered viewing goggles like the Vuzix iWear and myvu before, and these have yet to catch on to the general populace. Maybe it’s the way they look, because no one wants to walk around looking like Cyclops from the X-men films.

There is a rumor going about that Apple is working to change the portable viewing arena with some fancy goggles that will allow portable viewing of video files. These video files can be taken off of an iPod or other Portable Media Player (PMP).

I have even heard that electronics giant Sony is working in partnership with Apple to perfect the technology of the screen inside the goggles. Of course, I really don’t have any validation of these rumors, other than the source I have listed below. I’m surprised all the other gadget blogs aren’t abuzz about it. Maybe they will be by the time this posts.

Well, if anyone can bring the portable video viewing market to its full potential, it’s Apple. I seem to recall a certain mp3 player market that didn’t exist about five years ago until Mr. Jobs stepped in with a certain ipod device that is now synonymous with MP3 Players as Kleenex is to tissue.

I suppose we will need to wait and see what the future brings as far as this rumor is concerned, as well as the future of portable video watching.

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Google seems to be advocating a lot of things recently, with the latest being their “Free The Airwaves” campaign.  Free The Airwaves is about asking the FCC to free allow anyone to use unused airwaves that currently carry analog TV signals.  About 3/4 of these waves are currently unused, and Google wants to leverage these waves for the good of everyone.  Its idea is to use it for cheap and easy wireless internet access, of course.

FCC engineers will be testing the airwaves that could carry Wi-Fi, with the ban on using the “white space” airwaves possibly coming by the end of the year.  This would be great news for just about everyone.  There are still places in the United States that don’t have access to broadband (shocking to realize sometimes, I know), and these waves should already be there anyway.  It should just be a matter of buying a device that can connect to the airwaves.

While this all sounds well and good, there is still one drawback; there would be no more reason for those who need the internet for work or other such reasons to go camping, or travel to other areas where broadband access may not be available as of right now.

Read [Free The Airwaves] Via [ZDNet]

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Those who were brought up in the West and have trouble with chopsticks even until today will definitely appreciate the TUKAANI eating device.

The sterling silver TUKAANI is a hand made eating device for Asian food consumers in the West. It may be held as traditional chopsticks. But unlike the disposable wooden chopsticks, TUKAANI is hand washable and much easier to set on – and use at table. The matt surface and taut movement allow steady grip in the hand. The curl at the end of the TUKAANI provides eased food picking and delivery to the mouth. The loop also allows easier hanging, storage and display.

Well, why not take this as a baby step before you master the chopsticks? After all, there is nothing quite like slurping down a bowl of steaming hot noodles with the help of chopsticks instead of using a fork…

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This morning Palm released some official press photos of the Treo Pro. Not much is known about the Treo Pro other than that it runs Windows Mobile 6.1, sports a flush 320×320 color touch screen, Wi-Fi, GPS, 256MB ROM and 128MB RAM. No mention of price or availability yet but the info definitely appears to be leaking out.

Slashgear has grabbed a video of it in action, along with a number of official and non-official press photos.

From what I’ve seen it looks like a really solid device. I love it when Palm puts its special sauce on top of Windows Mobile, and with the latest flavor of Windows Mobile I can only imagine what Palm has done to improve the functionality.

The Treo Pro could definitely be a contender if it sports enough RAM, runs a fast enough processor, and is easy to use.

Check out the video and pics at Slashgear.com

This latest FCC showing comes not as not much of a surprise, but seems to almost be a formality, a right of passage so to speak. We have already seen the IdeaPad S9 and S10 a few times, but at least this listing makes them a little more official.

An interesting item to note that has come from this particular listing is that it covers both the S9 and S10 IdeaPad, and it also has just one User Guide, which just goes to show how little difference there will be between the two models. The main difference of course would be the display size. The S9 has an 8.9-inch display while the S10 has the slightly larger 10-inch display.

Otherwise things seem pretty standard here although there is a nice “hard drive/RAM panel” on the bottom of the notebooks, which would lead one to believe that both of those items will be easily serviced by the end-user.

Read [FCC] Via [SlashGear]

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Luidia Inc. has unveiled a new version of its eBeam software that makes interactive projection environments in classrooms possible. This new version brings new and improved functionality including Screen Recording and Scrapbook Image Writer, enabling teachers to access an extensive online image gallery in a snap.

The upgraded screen recording feature allows users to: record everything that happens on the desktop and include voice tracks from the computer’s microphone, playback instantly in the eBeam movie player, and then save the recordings as .avi, .wmv, or .swf (Flash) movies. The Scrapbook Image Writer allows users to export documents into Scrapbook from any application, such as AutoCad or Adobe Acrobat, with the print function. Simply open the document, go to Print, and select the eBeam Scrapbook Image Writer from the printer list. Documents are imported instantly into Scrapbook, where they can be saved, printed, or shared online for free. Teachers and students can access easily an impressive online library of photographic images into the eBeam Gallery. Type in any search term and take your pick of high quality digital images. Import the images into Scrapbook as either objects or backgrounds to add a multi-media dimension to any presentation.

If your organization or school is already running on Luidia’s eBeam system, best take note of this upgrade in order to keep up with the times. [Press Release]

Thinking of getting a portable DVD player to keep Junior entertained during long road trip, but can’t find the right combination since you wouldn’t want the DVD player to break down just after a couple of sessions under Junior’s inquisitive hands? Enter the Kid-Tough Portable DVD Player that is not only simple enough for kids to use, it is also toughened up to withstand even the most rigorous treatment. Skip proof technology ensures your kid won’t endure frustrating moments while trying to catch up on the latest Barney & Friends episodes, and is more than capable of handling even multiple drops thanks to its rubberized details. You can pick one up for $149.88.

You may love your gadgets, but hate the mess of cables that it typically involves. If you’ve got a bit of extra cash to spend on the ‘problem’, then you should take a look at FlatWire Technologies which is a company that makes FlatWire, ultra-thin, surface mounted wiring for audio, video, data and even low-voltage lighting.

FlatWire boasts the ability to be applied flat against walls and other surfaces non-invasively, then covered up with the same coloring, make 90 degree turns and run all types of signaling over it. Depending on the type of connection you need, there are specific interconnects that you need to buy.

While FlatWire by itself is more expensive than traditional cylindrical wires, the company touts total installation costs as being competitive. Of course, if you put a high value on aesthetics, then FlatWire will definitely win out.

Posted in Miscellaneous

The new version of USB Swiss Army Knife is now available. Victorinox has recently released a 16GB version of the USB Swiss Army Knife. The new model also comes equipped with a small torch, retractable ballpoint pen, Key Ring, and LED Mini White Light. Its USB flash drive is originally manufactures by the Victorinox company. The 16GB USB Swiss Army Knife retails for $212 from SwissFlash Flight 16GB Knife.
[Source]