Gadgets Base

Posted Jan 31st 2008 2:10AM by Steven Kim
Filed under: Digital Cameras
We got our hands on what’s probably one of the most anticipated cameras of the show, the Canon EOS Rebel XSi DSLR. The predecessor XTi model was crazy successful, so smart money says that the step up to a 3-inch live view LCD, 12.2-megapixel CMOS sensor, 9-point AF and Canon’s DIGIC III processing will help continue the trend. That’s a lot of features packed into this “starter” DSLR from Canon. With this body and all the lenses Canon has, this is one entry level that most folks will never need to leave.

Gallery: Hands-on with the Canon Rebel XSi DSLR

Posted Jan 31st 2008 6:15AM by Thomas Ricker
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Peripherals
Tidy, huh? If you’re an iMac or Apple Studio Display owner then you’ll see the immediate appeal of this LowKey Stand from Macessity. Constructed of 0.1085-inch thick steel “power-coated” to match your rig, it neatly hides your new slim Apple keyboard from view. There’s also a powered 4-port USB port up front which helps to offset the stand’s $60 price a tad.

Gallery: Macessity’s LowKey Stand for Apple neat-freaks

Slacker’s Portable radio will begin shipping today, after what seemed like a long wait, it was officially announced back in November. The Portable player was ready to ship during mid-December, but sadly they pushed that back till late January. Today to be exact, and a quick check of the Slacker website shows a now updated page. Slacker was set up at CES and we were able to get a little hands on time, which just made us want one a little more.

If you have not placed your order already, the Slacker Portable player is available in three models, a 15 station (2GB), 25 station(4GB) and 40 station (8GB) model that will retail for $199.99, $249.99 and $299.99 respectively.

Read [Slacker]

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Eye-Fi’s claim to fame would be to create the first wireless memory card for digital cameras in the world, and it comes as no surprise that the company has just announced that it will be working with Nikon Corporation to deliver “enhanced integration of the Eye-Fi Card with Nikon’s new D60 digital SLR camera”. Sounds pretty exciting to all you shutterbugs out there, doesn’t it? Anyways, Eye-Fi will also throw in Nikon’s “my Picturetown” online photography community to its Eye-Fi Service as yet another photo sharing option for users - as if there aren’t enough of these available in the market already today.

This collaboration will see Nikon’s D60 digital SLR make life much easier for photographers to wirelessly upload images via an Eye-Fi Card to their computer or favorite online photo sharing site. I like the hassle free environment instead of cursing oneself for not bringing the correct cable, especially if you’re a few hundred miles away from home. The recently introduced Nikon D60 DSLR will also hold the honor of being the first camera to be part of the “Eye-Fi
Connected” program. I guess that sometime down the road, there will be other digital cameras joining the D60’s rank where Eye-Fi endorsement is concerned.

According to Tadashi Nakayama, General Manager of Marketing for Nikon, “Nikon has been on the forefront of embracing wireless photography and finding innovative ways for users to share memories. By working with Eye-Fi, we’re making it easier than ever to save and share pictures without the inconveniences of wires and cables.” Amen to that, brother. Nikon’s D60 is smart enough to detect the Eye-Fi card when it is inserted, automatically adjusting its power timer settings to ensure that photos upload effortlessly for sharing and storing without having you to lift a finger.

Press Release

Nowadays, every gadget is trying to be a multi-tasker. Take the iPhone - it’s trying to be a portable computer, a music and video player and a phone (amongst other things). Not to be outdone, Garmin just presented the teeming throng of gadget hounds with the nuvifone, a cellphone that is also a GPS. Here is how nuvifone is being described: “[nuvifone] is the breakthrough product that cell phone and GPS users around the world have been longing for — a single device that does it all” No mention of the fact that there are many other options out there to do that, but I’ll reserve judgment on this device until it gets some use.

The nuvifone doesn’t have many details out yet, but is slated to be released in the 3rd quarter of 2008. Here’s a list of features:

• Google local search
• Garmin Online services - traffic, weather, fuel prices, hotel discounts, etc.
• n vi-like navigation on the road or in pedestrian mode
• Email, text, IM functions
• Camera, video camera, MP3 and MPEG4/AAC

However, it brings up an interesting point when it comes to GPS devices: they’re being viewed more and more as one-trick ponies or mono-tasking devices and unless they innovate (and pack in a few more features into the one package), it’s going to be really hard for any GPS maker to survive in the coming years. Chip are getting small enough that soon every phone will have a GPS – just like they (almost) all have Bluetooth. That’s just they way technology is.

But jumping on the cellphone bandwagon won’t be enough to guarantee their survival. Just look at how Motorola is struggling. There are ways to delay the point where phones will take over: larger displays, better design, faster computing. But in the end GPS makers will be squeeze from two sides: GPS car integration and GPS phone integration.

I guess we’ll see how this irons out.

[Garmin via Gizmodo] and Ubergizmo

Posted Jan 30th 2008 9:03PM by Nilay Patel
Filed under: Portable Audio
We’d heard at CES that Slacker Portable wireless PMP was due to be released tomorrow, and now Laptop’s gone and confirmed it for us. Slacker’s marketing VP says that 2008 is about expanding the Slacker service, with additional products, including some from Logitech, and even Slacker apps for mobile devices. Still, they’ve got to get those initial $199 4GB and $299 8GB units out the door — tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your life, Slacker.

As a member of the female population, I enjoy a number of things that don’t pertain exclusively to being a girl. I love video games, gadgets (as if writing on this site couldn’t make that point obvious) and all things tech related. Hell, I even love power tools - I’d much rather get a new power tool than a new pair of shoes. That doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy girly things like massages, gossip or the color pink.

Where I take objection to the whole “girl = pink” equation is when consumer electronics and gadgets are slathered in a coat of pink to “appeal to the female demographic”, well, it makes me want to punch a marketing executive.

Next in the long line of “girlifiying” gadgets is the new Blackberry Pearl 8130 in a pretty, pretty pink color. So, I’ll be calling it the PinkBerry (yes, I’m aware of the frozen dessert treat of the same name, but just work with me here) for purposes of this review.

The PinkBerry, according to the company, is equipped with the same communications features and wireless broadband connectivity as the original and makes it easy to perform essential tasks away from the office, such as managing e-mail, and connecting instantly to the Internet. It also lets customers take pictures, listen to music, watch videos, and more. In addition, the device includes built-in navigation to support the location-based application, VZ Navigator, so customers can get turn-by-turn directions to wherever they want to go.

For taking photos and video, the PinkBerry sports a 2 megapixel camera with flash and 5x zoom, is able to record video, and comes equipped with advanced media player and enhanced desktop media manager software – allowing users to manage music, pictures and video between their PC and BlackBerry Pearl .

The PinkBerry…err…BlackBerry Pearl 8130 is available from Verizon Wireless for $199.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement.

[via Gizmodo]

If you’re a fan of the Simpsons and have a crush on Mr. Burns, this webcam available at ThinkGeek and priced at $50 can become the next item on your wish list.

While the camera has basic features, the important detail is being shaped exactly like the Simpons character.

In terms of specifications, the webcam can record/display video at the usual 30 frames-per-second, with a 640×480 resolution. As expected, it comes with a built-in microphone and is compatible with most Windows versions, as well as Skype, MSN, Yahoo, and AOL messenger services.

To make the placement of the webcam easier, there is a clip that can be “connected” to a laptop, or LCD monitor.

Product Page

Via GeekAlerts

The Motorola Z10 offers a 3.2 megapixel camera capable of QVGA video capture at 30fps and on-board video editing software, as well as the following features:

* Symbian 3.1 UIQ
* GSM 850/900/1800/1900MHz
* WCDMA 2100MHz
* GPRS/EDGE/UMTS/HSDPA
* 2.2″ 16m color TFT, 240×320 pixel resolution
* MMS/SMS/IM
* POP/IMAP/SMTP
* Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP
* internal memory
* microSD card slot
* Speakerphone
* On-board video editing

Via MobileBurn.

Yup, if you guessed this was a UFO, crazy new portable grill or drug paraphernalia, you are wrong.  This funky looking Gizmo is called the Swiss Hot Steam Humidifier.

This compact humidifier boils water eliminating waterborne bacteria and viruses before pouring hot steam into the air improving air moisture in warm but very dry winter homes. The unit fits just about anywhere and is a conversation piece but actually works and can produce steam in as little as three minutes. You can adjust the output from one to two gallons per day and adjust the power consumption from 150- to 300-watts at the touch of a button. An LED illuminates when the humidifier requires additional water and the reservoir removes for ease of filling under a faucet.

Gimmie!

Suggested Price: $99.95