BUSINESS ERA

Sony has unveiled two very non-pricey, highly affordable point and shoot Cyber-shots with high end specs. The DSC-TX1 and DSC-WX1 are both new additions to Sony’s Cyber-shot range. Sony has blessed the TX1 and WX1 with a back-illuminated CMOS sensor, the Exmor R. If you’re wondering why the duo will have near DSLR specs, its mainly because of its sensor. Their sensors will be based on those found in Sony’s DSLRs, this promises to deliver optimal low-light performance without help from a flash or tripod - something that not many point and shoots are doing so well at the moment.

Both 10.2 megapixel TX1 and WX1 will be under the stunning budget price of $380. The $350 WX1 features the exact same G Lens, low-light optimized Exmor R CMOS sensor and Sweep Panaroma mode as seen in Sony’s $500 HX1 mega zoom camera.

On the other hand, the rather slimmer $380 Cyber-shot TX1 falls in step with other T series model with a 3.0 inch touch screen on the back panel. Though without the Sony G Lens on the WX1, it still boasts low-light optimized Exmor R CMOS Sensor and Sony’s new Twilight mode. Twilight mode works simply by combining a range of shots taken at various exposures to produce photos with greater dynamic range, this again hopes to enable users to get the most out of low-light photography. The TX1 has a shutter button, but all other controls are via the touch screen, which also lets you flick through images with a finger.

Both new Cyber-shot cameras will be able to record 720p HD (MPEG-4 @ 30fps).

Sony Press Release

SONY DEBUTS WORLD’S FIRST DIGITAL STILL CAMERAS WITH BACK-ILLUMINATED “EXMOR R” CMOS SENSOR TECHNOLOGY
New Cyber-shot® Cameras Excel in Low-Light Performance

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 5, 2009 – Sony today announced two new Cyber-shot® cameras (DSC-TX1 and DSC-WX1 models) that provide unprecedented advances in low-light performance with approximately twice the sensitivity of cameras with traditional image sensors.

These Cyber-shot cameras are the first to employ Sony’s new “Exmor R” back illuminated CMOS sensor technology to improve shooting in low-light scenarios, enhancing image clarity and drastically reducing grain.

“With these new “Exmor R” CMOS sensor cameras, Sony has vastly improved the customer experience for taking pictures with digital still cameras in low-light scenarios,” said Phil Lubell, director of the digital imaging business at Sony Electronics. “We’ve all taken pictures in dimly lit situations, like blowing out candles on a birthday cake, and the results were grainy and unclear. By redesigning the way these cameras capture light, Sony is leading the industry by creating this easy way to take amazingly clear, vibrant photos in low lighting scenarios.”

“Exmor R” Sensor Optimizes Low-Light Performance

Conventional image sensor architecture has required wires and other circuit elements to be positioned above the light sensitive photo-diodes, limiting the imager’s light gathering capability. Positioning these elements behind the photo-diodes, Sony’s “Exmor R” image sensors can gather more light, resulting in approximately twice the sensitivity compared to conventional sensors.

To further extend low-light shooting performance, the TX1 and WX1 cameras incorporate the hand-held twilight and anti-motion blur multi-shot modes introduced in Sony’s breakthrough Cyber-shot DSC-HX1. Using “Exmor R” CMOS sensor’s high speed, these modes capture six separate images in less than a second and utilize Sony’s BIONZ™ processor to combine the shots into a single image of extraordinary detail and low noise.

Combining the “Exmor R” technology with hand-held twilight and anti-motion blur modes delivers a breakthrough in low-light photography. Users can now capture images of stunning detail and low noise in scenes with no more than candlelight—without flash or the need of a tripod.

Innovative Sweep Panorama™ and High-Speed Shooting

In addition to their breakthrough low light performance, these new cameras also include Sony’s Sweep Panorama and 10 frames per second burst shooting features, which were introduced with the Sony® DSC-HX1 camera. The TX1 and WX1 cameras offer these features in smaller, more compact bodies that match nearly any unique style.

Capturing wide landscapes is as easy as “press and sweep.” Sweep Panorama mode lets you reach beyond the traditional wide-angle lens and capture breathtaking shots. Using the high-speed “Exmor R” CMOS sensor, the cameras shoot continuously while you sweep across the scene. Using the BIONZ imaging processor, they automatically stitch the pictures together to create one stunning panoramic photo.

The TX1 and WX1 Cyber-shot models can take up to 185 and 256-degree panorama shots respectively in one easy press-and-sweep motion with an image size of 7152 x 1080 (ultra wide horizontal).

Advanced Technology and Compact Design

While the HX1 camera is a well-rounded solution for customers who are looking for high-zoom and speed in a smaller size than a DSLR, the TX1 and WX1 cameras are made for an audience that wants advanced technology in an even more compact design.

With its slim profile of just 16.5mm, the 10.2 mega-pixel TX1 offers streamlined, distinguished curves for a sophisticated look appealing to the fashion-oriented who are also looking for great performance. This model features a new operation on the touch panel that lets you scroll through images with an effortless “flick” of your finger and directly access menus on the 3-inch Clear Photo LCD Plus™ display.

With a Carl Zeiss® Vario-Tessar® lens, the TX1 camera lets you focus as little as 0.4 inches from your subject for extraordinary close-up shots. The 4x telescopic zoom is perfect for capturing far-away subjects, and Sony’s Optical SteadyShot™ image stabilization helps overcome camera shake.

The 10.2 mega-pixel WX1 camera has a 2.7-inch Clear Photo LCD Plus display and is just over three quarters of an inch thin—an ideal choice for DSLR owners who also want to carry a compact, high performance digital still camera.

The WX1 camera features a Sony G lens with an extraordinary wide angle 24-120mm 5x optical zoom. This lens’ f/2.4 maximum aperture offers nearly twice the light gathering capability of conventional lenses, and works together with the “Exmor R” imager and low-light shooting modes to provide low-light photography beyond the abilities of other compact cameras.

Tech Savvy Cameras

These cameras include the most recent Sony technology, including, Intelligent Auto (iAuto) mode which, recognizes scenes, lighting conditions and faces, and adjusts settings resulting in clearer images, faces with more natural skin tone and less blur; Face Detection that detects up to eight faces and optimizes focus, flash, exposure and white balance and intelligent Scene (iSCN) that delivers nine Scene Selection modes to quickly adjust for specific shooting conditions.

Pet mode is a new Sony feature that minimizes blur when shooting moving pets. This new mode also reduces glowing pet red-eye.

Additionally, the cameras have technologies Sony Cyber-shot customers have come to expect. These include Smile Shutter™ technology that automatically captures a smile, dynamic range optimization (DRO) that improves exposure and contrast, intelligent Auto Focus that captures fleeting moments and HD video capability that records HD movies in 720p high definition MPEG4 format.

With HD video capability, these cameras record HD movies in 720p high definition MPEG4 format for stunning large-screen home movie playback. You can record up to 29 minutes (or up to 2GB file size) in 720p format.

Pricing and Availability

The TX1 camera will be available in silver, gray, pink and blue this September for about $380. The WX1 camera will be available in black this October for about $350. Pre-sales will start in August. The cameras and a range of accessories will be available online at sonystyle.com, at Sony Style® retail stores (http://www.sonystyle.com/retail), at military base exchanges and at authorized dealers nationwide.

Thanks to Mark for the tip!

Sony have unveiled the BRAVIA Z5500, the newest member of the Motionflow 200Hz family. Like the BRAVIA WE5, the Z5500 also has a number of eco-aware features as well as an ethernet port for adding applicast RSS feeds and downloading widgets. The Z5500 also includes the energy saving switch that was unveiled with the WE5 model, check out the full press release after the jump.

Sleek styling, powerful performance and the smoothest, sharpest BRAVIATM picture ever
Motionflow 200Hz family expands with the addition of the new BRAVIATM Z5500, showcasing sleek design fused with the latest eco-aware features

Today Sony unveils a key addition to its BRAVIA™ television range, the Z5500, which incorporates the latest in cutting edge TV technology. Equipped with Sony’s pioneering Motionflow 200Hz and Image Blur Reduction technology, the Z5500 produces not only incredibly smooth motion and sharp fast-moving images, but also powerful sound when combined with the new HT-CT500 Home Theatre system. This model was specifically designed to perfectly complement the BRAVIA™ Z5500, providing a truly immersive Full HD home entertainment experience.

Sports and fast-moving action look better than ever. Using sophisticated algorithms, Motionflow 200Hz calculates three additional frames for every original, upping the frame rate from 50 to 200 per second. The picture is further enhanced by Image Blur Reduction, which ‘cleans’ the original frames before new frame insertion for even sharper images with reduced motion blur. The result is the smoothest and clearest motion reproduction ever achieved by BRAVIA™ TVs.

Taking Sony’s distinctive ‘draw the LINE’ design concept – which focuses on enhancing your overall viewing experience without distracting you from what is on screen – one step further, the BRAVIA™ Z5500 frame is as minimalistic as possible, removing any unnecessary excess and keeping only the essential lines of the frame. The result is a television that not only looks effortlessly elegant, but is also incredibly stylish, providing the perfect gateway to lose yourself in the stunningly realistic Full HD picture.
To complete the ultimate visual package, the BRAVIA™ Z5500 features BRAVIA Engine™ 3, the latest generation of this unique Sony HD picture enhancement technology. It intelligently analyses and optimises video signals from any HD or SD source, enhancing picture details, contrast and colour reproduction for breathtakingly natural results. BRAVIA Engine™ 3 is complemented by Live Colour Creation; this additional processing technology ensures the Z5500 is able to display incredibly vivid, lifelike colours, making you feel you are experiencing that movie or big match firsthand.

“The unique blend of advanced technology and leading design showcased in the BRAVIA™ Z5500 means that you can enjoy crystal-clear, amazingly smooth fast-moving images with Motionflow 200Hz, along with atmospheric sound from the HT-CT500 home theatre speaker”, says Hiroshi Sakamoto, Vice President, TV Marketing Europe. “We design our TVs to ensure that they contain the latest features and advanced technology, bringing the real world to your living room for a truly realistic and immersive viewing experience, without any compromise to look and feel.”

Available in three screen sizes (40-inch, 46-inch and 52-inch), the Z5500 is also DLNA™ certified, allowing it to be seamlessly networked via the built-in Ethernet port with other DLNA™ enabled devices within the home, even if they’re not in the same room, such as your VAIO® PC or Giga Juke™ music server. Using your BRAVIA™ remote control, you can quickly access content on connected devices and even control playback functions like pause, fast-forward and rewind; perfect for streaming your MP3s around the home. It’s also a convenient way to view your digital image collection, watch downloaded movies or camcorder clips, all in Full HD, and without the hassle of tangled wires cluttering your room.

For the first time, AppliCast™ lets you access an exciting range of online services without having to switch on your PC. Connected via the Ethernet port to the Internet, the Z5500 can display your favourite RSS feeds, from international news and share prices to weather forecasts, horoscopes, celebrity gossip, and more. Also accessed via the easy-to-understand XMB™ (XrossMediaBar) on-screen interface, there’s a choice of handy ‘widgets’ that can be simultaneously viewed while watching your favourite TV shows. Alongside a pre-installed analogue clock, calendar and ‘How To Use AppliCast™’ guide, the Z5500 can download other networked widgets from a list that includes: calculator, alarm, world clock and picture frame online, which allows you to display an image that is stored online when the TV is in Picture Frame Mode.

The Z5500 also comes equipped with CI Plus interface, which offers greater security for broadcasters, enabling them to offer premium content directly to your TV without the need for a separate set-top box. CAMs (Conditional Access Modules) using CI Plus will be available from broadcasters and cable operators supporting this TV . There’s also an integrated MPEG 4 AVC HD tuner for enjoying your favourite HD broadcasts without the need for a set-top box.

In addition, the television boasts BRAVIA sync technology, which enables you to control your BRAVIA™ TV, home theatre system and Blu-ray Disc player with just one remote control, meaning you can control all three products with the touch of a single button.

Continuing the emphasis of the 2009 BRAVIA™ range on incorporating energy saving innovations, the Z5500 series consumes 25 to 35% less power on average than comparable 2008 models. It also has a series of eco-aware features, which are grouped together under the new ECO setting on the XMB™ menu, for easy and convenient access.

These features include an auto shut-off function, which means the BRAVIA™ Z5500 will automatically enter standby mode (less than 0.19W) if no input signal or operation is carried out over a set period of time, meaning energy is not wasted unnecessarily. Also included is an integrated light sensor, which adjusts backlight brightness depending on the ambient room light to reduce power consumption. Complementing the light sensor, there’s an optional power saving mode that reduces backlight illumination levels for comfortable viewing in dim light.

The Z5500 features an ‘Idle TV’ mode, which functions like a PC screensaver, switching to a standby mode to conserve energy if there’s been no user activity for a preset time, which is useful if you’re inclined to drop off during late-night movies. The PC Power Management mode switches automatically to standby if no signal is received from a connected computer for 30 seconds. It’s handy if you’ve connected the TV to your computer for some big-screen gaming action and want to take a few minutes break without switching everything off. Also included is a unique easy-to-use electronic on-screen operation manual that reduces the need for printed paper instructions.

Finally, the Z5500 also features the Energy Saving Switch, which not only saves energy, but helps cut electricity bills down even further. Other televisions draw a small amount of power even when they’re in standby mode or switched off. Flipping a conveniently-placed switch on the BRAVIA™ Z5500 turns the set off completely, just like pulling the plug. Switch it back on again and the TV returns immediately to its previous state.

Create the complete home entertainment experience, with the latest Sony home theatre system

Providing the perfect partner to the sleek lines of the Z500, Sony’s new home theatre system, the HT-CT500, is seamlessly tailored for dynamic surround sound with an unobtrusive design. Thanks to a new Graphical User Interface, which allows easy operation of the volume control, input selector and other settings, the subwoofer can be hidden away. Whether you choose to wall-mount your BRAVIA™ or place it on a table-top, the stand-alone speaker bar lets you create a unique look. Perfectly-matched to attach to the base of the BRAVIA™ Z5500 40″ or 46″ TV, the HT-CT500 can also be left free-standing on the shelf below any BRAVIA™ TV series. This 3.1 channel speaker system delivers 400W of total output power, whilst also included are an additional three HDMI™ inputs for enhanced connectivity to your HD devices. Finally, there is Sony’s award winning S-Force PRO Front Surround technology for an incredible theatre quality experience.

Source:gadgetlite

Samsung first showed off their latest HMX-H106 full HD SSD camcorder back at the CES earlier this year, now its officially available worldwide. To refresh your memory, The HMX-H106 features 10x Optical Zoom with Schneider’s Varioplan-HD lens, full HD (1920 x 1080) with Time Lapse (interval recording) mode in 720p, a 4.7 megapixel (2880×1620) CMOS for still photos, a Schneider Wide angle lens offering a wide angle view of 37 mm and a 64GB SSD (and SD card slot) which should make it quite pleasant and quiet for filming.

For those of you who are sick of the convenience of Bluetooth earpieces and want to live your dream of talking to your fingers like pretend phone from your childhood should look into this concept device.

Designed by BCK, a team from Argentina, its a very simple concept. The user talks to the hand using the yellow ring that fits halfway down the little finger, and then listens with the pink ring on the thumb. (Why is the thumb look like its been drawn on the picture?)

This is one concept that probably won’t catch on, ever. Unless you can make a display to put on the palm. Maybe there is some alternate reality where this technology came into fruition. Enjoy this poem after the jump.

One ring to hear your calls,
One ring to talk in,
Two rings to take your calls,
and with the Bluetooth bind them.

Okay, it didn’t really rhyme, but somehow I couldn’t get The Lord of the Rings out of my head when I saw this device. In the end, though, I decree this device as “silly”.

Of course, I never equated The Lord of the Rings with anything silly, even though there is a scene where a dwarf, and elf, and Viggo Mortensen are running across the plains in really fruity costumes.

Well, you never know what’s going to be a hit and what will be a dud.

Source:mobilecrunch

Panasonic last week officially launched their new Lumix DMC-GF1, its third Micro Four Thirds camera at the IFA in Berlin. Claimed to be thw world’s smallest and lightest possible DSLR camera with built in flash, the GF1 comes in three colours - red, white and black and has a retro-like thin body design that challenges that of the Olympus E-P1 “PEN”.

With its 4/3-type 12.1-megapixel Live MOS sensor Panasonic will be battling with Olympus with the introduction of a number of “Art Effects”. My Colour mode will provide the GF1 with a total of seven preset effects – Expressive, Retro, Pure, Elegant, Monochrome, Dynamic Art, and Silhouette, while Custom mode lets users manually set the colour, brightness and saturation levels. Key features of the GF1 include built in flash, 3-inch LCD screen and Live View functionality (it ditches the optical viewfinder).

With many DSLRs now also doing video recording, the GF1 doesn’t miss out on this feature, its videos come in HD 720p and 1080p. Movie recording formats include HD Motion, JPEG, QVGA, VGA and WVGA with iA (Intelligent Auto) also available for motion image recording.

Elsewhere there is Panasonic’s usual array of technological goodies including Optical Image Stabilizer (O.I.S.), Face Detection, Intelligent Exposure and Intelligent Scene Selector.

To arrive in October this year, pricing wise, the new Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GF1 will be placed at around $899.95 which converts to about £550 or €638.

Acer announces their first NVIDIA Ion platform nettop today: the Aspire Revo, together with an 11.6 inch Aspire One and a new range of Aspire all-in-ones.

The Aspire Revo features an Intel Atom 230 1.6GHz processor, up to 4GB DDR2 memory, up to 250GB of storage, 4 in 1 memory card reader, six USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet, both VGA and HDMI outputs, Wi-Fi and Windows Vista Home Premium or Basic. Models with dual-core Intel Atom processors are expected to be released later in the year.

More pictures, spec and official press release to follow…

All of the powerful spec described above comes in a compact 7.1 x 7.1 x 1.2 inches box. The Aspire Revo has been equipped with NVIDIA ION graphics, providing one of the most impressive graphic resolution at an affordable price not available from other brands on the market. The system is 5-10 times faster than traditional PCs with integrated graphics. Plus, the Aspire Revo can handle a wide variety of computing needs including high definition video, gaming, sharing digital photos, surfing the web, and other tasks consumers expect from full-size systems.

Although no official information on pricing and availability yet, the Ion-based desktops are expected to be priced around $300, perfect for those who feel put off by the credit crunch.

We’re very jealous, the folks over at Pocket-Lint recently got to play with the Acer Aspire Revo nettop which should already be out in the shops near you (since 5th of May). The Aspire Revo nettop is unique as its one of the first of its class to be equipped with new Nvidia ION chips allowing its Intel Atom powered core to display 1080p footage as well as playing games in 3D.

As you will see in the pictures, if you opt for the third option with a pricetag of £299.99 (options here). You’ll get to mount your Aspire Revo onto the back of your PC monitor using its VESTA mount and receive a wireless bar shaped game pad (will cost about £50 on its own) which looks much like that of the Wii’s.

Source:gadgetlite.com

The new Philips Xenium X830 is one of those phones where you would be completely amazed at what it can offer in large print but then in the small print you’d find out that it actually boasts multiple flaws. We must admit this new upcoming Xenium X830 flagship does look fab, a nice three inch TFT touchscreen display with five megapixel camera and autofocus to start off with. Its main feature is of course a battery that will last you 1.5 months until your next charge if you just leave it on standby but what it lacks is often unrealised until we take a look at its full specs.

The full specs of the X830 are listed below, you will notice that it won’t have 3G, WiFi or GPS, these are features that you would expect for a phone of its class. We hope they’ve just forgotten to put them in!

Source:gadgetlite

The peripheral purveyors over at Genius today announced two new smart looking graphics tablets - going by the name of the EasyPen i405 and the MousePen i608. Both tablets are priced below $100, which should make hand drawing, sketching and signing abilities more attractive to everyday computer users.

The EasyPen i405 includes a 4″ x 5.5″ tablet with 28 programmable hot-keys, plus a cordless pen with 2 buttons and 1024-level pressure sensitivity. The MousePen i608 gets the same pen, 1 extra hot-key, a cordless mouse and a tablet size increase to 8″ x 6″.

Bundled with a stack of software and compatible with both PC and Mac, the EasyPen i405 and MousePen i608 will hit Amazon and other big retailers this month for a modest $79 and $99 respectively.

Note: If you’re after a bigger bargain, check out Genius’s now discontinued 8″ x 6″ MousePen at Amazon.com. 4 Stars from 256 reviews and currently just $55.

If you do a lot of traveling and have trouble keeping all your gadgets charged - particularly in foreign countries with different plugs and voltages - then this slim, rugged, all-in-one back-up power solution may make your life a lot easier. Called the PowerGorilla Portable Laptop Charger, it is essentially a high-capacity battery the size of a slim paperback - that will not only charge almost any gadget in over 150 countries worldwide, but charge two devices simultaneously when you’re also short on time.

Equipped with a full kit of adapters, the PowerGorilla will work with just about any battery-powered device of up to 24 volts including laptops, video cameras, cellphones, iPods/iPhones, DVD players, Sat Navs and more. Simplifing the charging process when you’re on the road, this slim portable power supply acts as a power hub and can even be daisy-chained to charge your gadgets while charging itself from the mains.

Fetching up to 6 hours of extra laptop power (ideal for long flights) and over 20 hours for other gadgets, the PowerGorilla includes surge, overcharge and overheat protection, a sleek LCD display for status and voltage info, plus a worldwide AC adapter pack for easy charging no matter where you find yourself.

With fixed voltages of 5v, 8.4v, 9.5v, 12v, 16v, 19v or 24v and a weight of just 1.39lbs (631g), the PowerGorilla is ready for action and available now from Firebox.com for $247 | £150 | €172. Beware of (aping) imitations.

Source:markstechnologynews

The number of different eReaders on the market is growing rapidly, but in the aesthetics department - none look cool-er than this super-thin, ebook reading / music playing hybrid. Called the COOL-ER eBook Reader, it features a black and white e-ink display that’s unaffected by direct sunlight and can hold from 500-800 novels on its (expandable) 1GB of storage.

The COOL-ER features a large 6-inch display, yet measures a mere 7.2″ (183mm) tall, 4.65″ (118mm) wide and 0.43″ (11mm) thick. It weighs a tiny 6-ounces (almost half that of Amazon’s Kindle 2) and will handle MP3 music files plus PDF, RTF, TXT, HTML, JPG and more.

The iPod styling knockoff is blatant, yet well executed and even includes a form of Apple’s scroll-wheel for easy navigation through menus and for turning pages. The eReader’s Lithium-Polymer battery charges in around three hours and will get you up to 8000 page turns, while storage can be boosted with the addition of your own SD card.

Available in 8 colors and with a 25% lifetime discount at coolerbooks.com who stock over 300,000 titles, the COOL-ER eBook Reader is available now from Firebox.com for $310 | £190 | €217. With the convenience and the colors, how could this thing not make you cooler more well-read?

Source:markstechnologynews

If you’re a knotted-up stress-head like me and don’t have the time for frequent massage therapy sessions (lack of time is part of the problem, right?), then this robotic wonder-chair may be just what the doctor ordered. Called the Only Whole Body Massage Chair, it delivers the most comprehensive robotic massage available - delivering Shiatsu, penetrating kneading and gentle traction to over 1,200 square inches of your body.

This supreme stress reliever features 22 integrated inflating air cells in the armrests alone, for therapeutic message from your upper arms all the way down to your finger tips. Your hips and outer thighs are treated by inflating/deflating air cells on both sides of the seat, while your tensed-up back receives a four-roller kneading and squeezing - which apparently provides the most faithful reproduction of actual hand massage available.

This high-tech massage chair also features optical sensors, which scan your body for Shiatsu points to develop a custom massage program tailored-made for your build. Also, not to neglect your legs, the chair includes 14 air cells which work on your calves, ankles and feet. The whole body massage is fine-tuned via a remote control that provides instant access to all the chair’s functions.

The Only Whole Body Massage Chair is available now from Hammacher Schlemmer for $6,000 and looks like a very convenient way to thoroughly relax at the end of each day. Newspaper, glass of wine, whole body massage chair…heaven!

Source:markstechnologynews

For those of you in larger families, there’s not always just one camera for the household. It being just me within mine, even I have two different types of cameras. Which makes charging them up a little obnoxious. Personally, I’m getting tired of trying to remember which cord goes with which camera. Well instead of putting yourself through all of that nonsense, you could pick up this universal camera charger that not only simplifies your life but is capable of charging your camera in an eco-friendly manner.

The charger can function with 85% of the block camera batteries. If you’re concerned that it won’t work with your cameras there is an online tool they offer to allow you to check things out before you purchase the universal charger. It’s compatible with both Solar Technology’s FreeLoader and FreeLoader Pro solar gadget chargers. The CamCaddy can also be hooked up to your car socket or your PC or laptop. For those of you that do a bit of traveling in both the US and the UK you’ll be happy to know that it comes with an adaptor for both US and European outlets. You can purchase the gadget for £24.99 or about $41.

Source: Ubergizmo

r 3rd, 2009 by Ally in Audio/Video Gadgets

Summer might be over for most of us, but those who live in tropical climates that is basically sweltering all year round, the Handycooler Personal Air Conditioner might come in handy especially during the more unbearable moments.

Take cool air with you with our new Handycooler personal air conditioner! Evaporative cooling is the trick here. Simply drizzle a few ounces of water onto a sponge, and place it in a device a little bigger than a cordless phone, and enjoy cool breezes wherever you go. The fan draws air over the damp sponge, cooling it by up to 25 degrees Fahrenheit. The ducted fan rotates to move the air where you want it, but you’re gonna want to blow that heavenly cool air right past your sweating noggin.

It will require a quartet of AA batteries to keep running, so we’d suggest getting rechargeable batteries to go along with this if you want to be environmentally friendly in the long run. Of course, four batteries will bring you around 5 hours of cooling, but you can always opt for USB power whenever your computer or notebook is turned on. The Handycooler Personal Air Conditioner will retail for $39.99 a pop.

Classic as we know it, is dying. It is due to the sales of the iPod touch and iPhone are climbing, but the sales of the traditional iPod are declining.

Yes, pretty soon those iPods that were so hot a few years ago will be seen in the same light as the Sony Walkman (The ones that just played cassettes). Then I suppose all that we will have is just touchscreens, because that’s what everyone wants, right?

It would appear that Microsoft is seeing the end coming for their traditional Zunes. Yes, the Zune HD is planning on being “the” Zune as Microsoft will no longer be making the earlier version of the Zune. (Not that anyone was buying them. Oh, snap!)

Yeah, I think we all know how much people have been making fun of the Zune since its initial announcement. Perhaps this supposed iPod come lately will have a revival when the Zune HD appears on the market September 15th.

So, if you want a Zune without a touchscreen, better hurry out to the nearest store and get it. Otherwise, the only Zune you’ll be buying will have to have a touchscreen and cost $220 for 16GB and $290 for 32GB.

Source:wired.com