BUSINESS ERA

As expected, Microsoft is busting out the Zune yesterday, and we’ve got the rundown.Microsoft (MSFT) is reminding the world that the Zune still exists, via a handful of new features.

They also finally let slip the screen an unsurprising QVGA and some better news on the codec front: the Zune supports h.264, MP3, AAC and WMA. As for ballyhoo, wireless Zune-to-Zune sharing is where the real action is at, and it works pretty much like we’ve been hearing: you can share a full-length track with a friend, and they’ve got three times to listen to it over a three day period, after which they can flag the song for purchase on the Zune Marketplace unless they’re an unlimited “Zune Pass” subscriber, of course.

You can also share playlists and pictures with your buddies, along with what we suppose are “unprotected” homemade recordings. So far Microsoft isn’t mentioning Live Anywhere functionality, but they do hint heavily at future software updates to take even better advantage of the wireless capabilities. Of course, it all really comes down to matching your Zune with that snazzy new fall wardrobe of yours, and to that end the Zune comes in black, brown and white.

Source:latestgadgetstobuy.com

The iPod is already pretty forward looking in terms of design, but designer Gopinath Prasana decided to take things a little bit further with the iBangle concept.This iBangle design concept is a little

bit daring as the design fits right on your wrist instead of clipping to your belt.Don’t let its loose look fool you, the iBangle won’t easily slip off like other “clip-on” MP3 players. Apparently, that tiny blue button that you see in the illustration somehow fills the blue area with air, so it fits snug, but hopefully not too snug.

This MP3 player comes in the form of a - you’ve guessed it, a bangle, and features a multi-touch track pad for you to control your playlist. Guess this is a fancy version of the iPod Shuffle since it lacks the physical real estate for a screen or projector to keep you entertained with movies, so only songs will have to do. Since everyone comes with different wrist sizes, the iBangle boasts a cushion within that inflates so that it is able to fit into just about any wrist snugly.

Source:.latestgadgetstobuy

Mac users are not left out in the latest round of product releases from Seagate as the company has lined up an advanced range of mobile and desktop FreeAgent for Mac storage solutions and accessories, and they are the FreeAgent Go for Mac with USB, FreeAgent Go Pro for Mac, the 2TB FreeAgent Desk for Mac and FreeAgent Go Dock+, a powered USB hub and dock for the FreeAgent Go, where we’ll all take a look at it in further detail right after the jump. This comprehensive storage toolkit solution for creative professionals of today will not only offer capacity improvements but performance enhancements as well to help store, record, protect and share creative inspirations. All of the Seagate FreeAgent for Mac solutions will be available formatted as HSF+ for Mac OS X and are Time Machine ready for added convenience.

FreeAgent Go Drive for Mac
The new Seagate FreeAgent Go for Mac storage solution is a USB 2.0. Seagate FreeAgent Go Drive for Mac is available this month for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $99.99 USD for 250GB, $119.99 USD for 320GB and and $149.99 for 500GB.

FreeAgent Go Pro for Mac Drive
The Seagate FreeAgent Go Pro for Mac storage solution is slim, compact and offers fast throughput with FireWire 800 or FireWire 400 connections and includes the required cables and dock. The Seagate FreeAgent Go Pro for Mac is available this month for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $129.99 USD for 250GB, $149.99 USD for 320GB and $189.99 for 500GB.

FreeAgent Go Dock+
The Seagate FreeAgent Go Dock+ includes three available USB ports to act as a USB hub. The included protective case keeps the FreeAgent Go drive safe while on the road. FreeAgent Go Dock is available immediately for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $39.99 USD.

FreeAgent Desk Drive for Mac 2TB
The high-capacity FreeAgent Desk drive for Mac 2TB features a brushed aluminum arctic silver finish that is a perfect match for the current iMac Desktop. With a FireWire 800/400 connection, the FreeAgent Desk for Mac 2TB is now available for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $339.99 USD for 2TB.

Have you drawn up your shopping list yet?

Press Release

ProClip USA has recently announced a bunch of device holders which were specially designed to securely mount the recently released iPhone 3G S to car, truck and SUV dashboards alongside consoles. These were specially custom made to connect to vehicle-specific ProClip dashboard mounts, giving superior viewing and easier access. Of course, you can always attach the ProClip holders to other flat surfaces. Below are the new products available for your perusal.

The Padded Holder with Tilt Swivel is custom made with a neat and discreet design. It tilts 15 degrees in any direction for optimal viewing. Your iPhone 3G S easily slides in and out of the holder.

The Padded Holder with Tilt Swivel and Charging/USB Cable has a cable permanently attached to the base so when your device is slid into the holder it connects to the cable. Then the cable can either be plugged into your car’s 12V power outlet or any female USB connection. You can easily slide your iPhone in and out of the holder. The Holder angles 15 degrees for optimal viewing.

The Holder with Tilt Swivel and Pass-Through Connector will make docking and undocking, your iPhone 3G S, easier and more convenient. Attach your stereo cable, charging cable or any other iPhone compatible cable, to the bottom of the holder, to create a docking station. Your iPhone 3G S is conveniently on the dash within easy reach and slides in and out of the holder with one hand. The holder is custom made with a neat and discreet design and tilts 15 degrees, in any direction, for optimal viewing.

The Adjustable Holder with Tilt Swivel and Pass-Through Connector has all the benefits of the above Holder with Tilt Swivel and Pass-Through Connector plus it is designed to accommodate your encased iPhone 3G S. This Adjustable Holder will adjust from a width of 2.3″ (60mm) to 3.2″ (82mm).

The ProClip Vehicle Mount provides the mounting platform to attach any of the ProClip holders. The ProClip Vehicle Mount is the only vehicle specific, consumer installable mounting bracket in today’s global market. The mount clips into the dashboard seams, providing a very sturdy and tight fit. Average installation time is 2 minutes. No dismantling of the dashboard is required and there is no damage to the vehicle’s interior!

Guess there is a little bit of something for everyone, unless you don’t own a vehicle, of course, then you’ll just need to stash your iPhone 3G S into your pocket while you get about on public transport.

Source:coolest-gadgets

There have been a few different power inverters that you can toss into your car. Which makes it much easier to make sure your gadgets are always charged up and ready to go. However, if you’re actually needing to get quite a bit of work done while you’re on a trip, this case might be a better option. The power inverter stays in the case and has enough of a cord to plug into your car, even if it’s sitting behind the passenger seat. Then it also has storage for any items you might need to take with you from the office, to make sure that you can get your work done while you’re on the go.

Of course it’s not advised to type up your full report while you’re driving, but if you’re the passenger this would work out great. It features a thick strap that will hold up to 100lbs, so you can pack plenty into the bag. It has a total of 10 different pockets, one of which for your laptop. That pocket will fit laptops that are up to 15 inches. It also has 2 file pockets, 1 extra large front pocket, 2 water bottle pockets and then one pocket for a cellphone or iPod as well as various other pockets. It has a USB port and the power inverter has an extension cord with a range of 6 feet. You can purchase the bag for $132.99.

Source:coolest-gadgets

Although this isn’t the most aesthetically appealing webcam I’ve ever seen, at least they were kind enough to combine it with another gadget. It’s actually the absolutely most plain webcam I’ve seen around. It’s just a plain black bar that can swivel around to get the optimal angle. It also tosses in a small flash drive, so it doesn’t do just one thing. It’s not a combination I can think of a single reason why I’d need it, but it’s probably just one of those things that some people need for very random reasons.

Despite having two different devices in one, the specs on this are pretty basic. The USB drive itself has 2GB of storage to hold your various MP3s and documents. It has a few different automatic functions such as exposal control, flash control and white balance. It works driver free for Windows XP and Vista only. You can purchase the USB 2-in-1 Web Cam with the USB drive for $33.

Source: GeekAlerts

The portable storage industry for computers has a fair number of players in the market, and Toshiba is among one of the more notable names. This time round, the Toshiba Storage Device Division (SDD) has introduced its latest next generation USB 2.0 portable hard drive that not only totes your data, but it helps keep them safe and sound thanks to a complete system backup, password-protected encryption for added security and enhanced software features. For folks who want a worry-free non-enterprise, comprehensive and easy-to-use solution for their precious data, they won’t go wrong with Toshiba’s latest offerings.

Each of these new brightly colored easy-to-use portable hard drives from Toshiba help do away with the complexity of computer backup, thanks software specifically written for both Windows and Mac environments. Windows users will be pleased to know that Toshiba is the first storage manufacturer who has thrown in the NTI BackupNow EZ software that enables users to perform a complete system backup with but a click of the mouse button. In addition, should anything untoward happen to your data, the NTI BackupNow EZ allows the user to restore the complete system. Yes, this works as well even if Windows is unable to start. Not only that, the software is able to scan a user’s system and provide personalized recommendations on the best coverage for files, folders and the entire computer just in case one doesn’t know where to start.

As for those who are loyal to the Mac platform, Toshiba’s new backup drives will be equipped with NTI Shadow 4 for Mac, allowing users easy identification of files and folders to back up, alongside the selection of a convenient schedule for storage. Apart from that, Toshiba’s external hard drives can also play nice with Apple’s Time Machine right out of the box. You can choose from 320GB and 500GB capacities that will retail for $119.99 and $149.99, respectively.

Source:PRESS RELEASE

Some of you may remember when we reported on the IDVault, a device that kept all your passwords in one convenient USB thumb drive. I believe the creators of that particular device wanted to insure that user personal data was kept safe, so that he or she would not have to worry about entering a password.

It is also an extra level of security. In an age where everything is on the Net, someone could easily obtain our information with nothing more than a few passwords and numbers. The SmartSwipe was invented to insure that our credit card numbers would be safe.

The SmartSwipe is a credit card reader that plugs right into the USB drive, and makes you look like a retail cashier. However, it is designed for those who shop online and will encrypt the credit card data before transmitting it to the computer. This is different than most online security programs, that only protect information on the way to the Internet.

So not only can users feel safe about their online purchases and other credit-card related business, but they have an easier way of entering information rather than typing in their credit card number and expiration date.

Of course, you have to wonder if the $99.95 pricetag makes this device worth it. You must be making several credit-card purchases a day in order to justify this purchase. Then again, if you can afford to live like that, then you could easily work the SmartSwipe into your budget.

Source:coolest-gadgets

This isn’t the first USB drive with a little fingerprint security thrown in. It is definitely one of the cheaper versions though. When it comes to extra security though, some might not like that the drive is remarkably cheaper than the rest. That is, since it might be indication of a slightly more inferior product. However, for those that are willing to give the cheaper drive a chance, you might want to check out this USB Fingerprint Security Lock Flash Disk.

It comes with a decent amount of storage packed into it, 8GB to be specific. Which isn’t too shabby when you factor in that the drive is only going to cost you $37.61 a piece. Other than that, it’s a fairly simple drive, it comes with a strap to make it more difficult to lose. To get your data just press your finger to the USB drive. It claims that even if your hands are highly greasy or have anything on them, it will still be able to read the print. You can purchase the drive from Chinavasion.

Source: CoolBuzz

If you’re the type that enjoys nature and animals, then your gadgets might as well reflect that. I know that the cuddly gadgets get a little more grief than the rest, but having a diverse selection of gadgets is always beneficial. It means not everyone is stuck carrying around the same boring generic portable speakers everywhere. Someone has to shake things up and keep things interesting. Well this USB Mini Panda Speaker is definitely cute and not your average speaker.

He’s pretty basic, he has an on/off switch as well as an LED indicator to let you know if it’s on or off. It can be plugged into your iPod or any other type of MP3 and MP4 player. It’s a slightly more round speaker, so it’s probably not going to fit into your pocket. It could fit into a book bag or purse fairly easily though. The small speaker comes with an audio cable and a USB cable to help you keep it charged. You can purchase the Panda Speaker for $14 from Gadget4all.

Source: GeekyGadgets

I’ve never really had a ton of USB items that needed plugged in, but even with as few as I have, it can be extremely frustrating when you run out of ports. Then you get an extra hub and of course, that one fills up eventually. So although you may not really need 10 different USB ports, you’re just giving yourself the option to have a lot plugged in at once. It’s always better to have too many USB ports rather than too few.

The Elecom Compact 10 Port USB Hub would definitely leave plenty of breathing room to grow. Which would be especially nice for those that have a family computer. You could leave more plugged in and not have to worry about anyone fighting over who gets to use the spare port to charge their camera or iPod. The USB Hub comes in three different colors, you can purchase it in either black, silver or white. You can find it for ¥ 9,500.00 or about $101 from Geek Stuff 4 U, which might be a little more than some are willing to spend just for a little extra convenience.

Source: GeekyGadgets