Gadgets Base

The latest low-cost, practically disposable handset to hit the market comes courtesy of Hop-On in the form of the $10 HOP1800. The handset will be available to use worldwide as it will come in two models, the dual-band 850/1900MHz or the 900/1800MHz for Europe and Asia. The HOP1800 is just the handset and will require a local and working SIM card wherever you choose to use the handset. The Hop1800 will offer users up to 4 hours of talk time and 150 on standby.

According to the press release is being marketed as the “perfect iphone traveling companion” thanks to the cost of “roaming fees going though the roof.” The HOP1800 is currently on the market and being sold just about everywhere to include “retailers such as drug and convenience stores, big box retailers and to businesses looking for a unique branding opportunity.” While the handset itself is selling for $10, Hop-On is also offering a $5 rebate should you choose to return the phone after using it in an effort to “keep it green,” which makes sense because at $10 simply tossing it in the trash after use, aside from filling up the landfills will not be a real loss to your wallet.

Via [SlashPhone]

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by Ryan Block, posted May 25th 2008 at 4:35PM
Suit up, space nerds, because the Phoenix lander is mere hours away from touchdown on Mars, and NASA’s blowing this thing out. Not only will you get a live video feed from their site, but apparently Mission Control ops will be liveblogging the touchdown and ensuing alien encouners / totally boring rock digging. Festivities kick off at about 6:00pm ET, prepare to set faces to stunned.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Read - Phoenix mission page
Read - NASA live video feed
Read - NASA Mission Control liveblog

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Filed under: Robots

by Darren Murph, posted May 25th 2008 at 5:54PM
Truth be told, we still can’t believe this is the first commercially available glow in the dark Xbox 360 chassis, but then again, glow in the dark hasn’t been remotely fashionable since Bill Clinton left office. Still, if history is beginning to repeat itself, you know you want to be first on the bandwagon, and there’s no better way to throw it back than with the XCM Glow Pearl case. As it stands, the shell isn’t quite ready to be ordered, but we’re sure it’ll be worth every penny when your BFF sees just how gnarly this thing is in the dark.

[Via technabob]

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Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals

by Ryan Block, posted May 25th 2008 at 6:26PM
Well, doesn’t Tranquil PC seems pretty stoked about their new Atom-based Harmony home servers? Though they’re not exactly mind-blowing (to us, anyway), two new fanless models should be shipping in June: the T7-HSAi (left, with a single 3.5-inch drive or two 2.5-inch drives) and T2-WHS-A3i (right, with up to two 3.5-inch drives), both featuring Ethernet, four USB 2.0 ports, 512MB or 1GB RAM options, and running Windows Home Server. With base configs and 500GB drives, the T7 will start at £278 ($550 US), and the T2 at £299 ($590 US).

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Filed under: Desktops, Storage

AT&T CFO Rick Lindner has let slip a semi-confirmation regarding the arrival of the much anticipated next-generation iPhone.  Widely believed to be announced during Steve Job’s keynote address at the Apple Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) on June 9th, the next iPhone is expected to run on the AT&T’s recently upgraded 3G network.  Lindner’s comments regarding the iPhone indicate that pricing has not yet been determined, which leaves the door open to continued rumors of a subsidized version of the device:

“There’s not been a product announcement. There hasn’t been any pricing decision made. That’s yet to come,” he [Lindner] said.

Other popular smartphone devices, including RIM’s blackberry devices and the Motorola Q are offered on all major networks at reduced prices, in exchange for a long term contract commitment.  Rather than profiting from the device sale, the carrier added packages or services to the plan, including data access and MMS messaging, to recoup the cost of the handset.  At its introduction, the iPhone bucked this convention by offering a full price handset and cheaper, unlimited data packages, a condition set by Apple. 

AT&T has also announced that they are well underway upgrading their network to offer 3G HSDPA and HSUPA capabilities.  Currently 275 markets (a term that AT&T leaves undefined) are served by 3G networks, with a target of 350 served by years end.  These higher-speed transmission protocols mean smartphones will begin to see web browsing and access speeds similar to low-end broadband.  If the iPhone 2.0 does drop at WWDC in two weeks, replete with 3G capabilities, the real question will be: Does the increased speed warrant a changed pricing scheme?  Apple is famous for playing by its own rules for simple pricing, as in the case of the iTunes Store (it’s Apple vs. all major media companies, and so far Apple is winning).  Given that the word ‘iphone’ topped Google’s fastest-rising list for 2007, and 3G iphone is set to top the 2008 list, Apple has a great deal of leverage at the bargaining table.  AT&T will be looking to recoup the estimated $20 billion they have spent upgrading their network, and the nickel-and-dime package options have worked in the past.  In the end, however, the world will just have to wait until the WWDC keynote on June 9th, when his Steveness will present his loyal fans with all the details.

Via [IntoMobile] Via [gadgets on the Go]

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Vudu, while maybe not attracting quite as much attention as originally hoped, are proving they are still alive in the small but welcomed movie set-top-box market. The Vudu box was originally launched back in the Fall of 2007, but sales may have been slow because of the limited availability, up till now it could only be found directly with Vudu or with Amazon.com.

However customers can now purchase the Vudu box in one of 24 Best Buy outlets in California, which should help overall sales and awareness of the product. While the management from Vudu would not comment on the strategy behind the limited availability of Best Buy locations, its safe to assume that they are most likely looking to see just how well they will sell.

According to Patrick Cosson, VP of marketing at Vudu;

“Brand awareness is growing very quickly, as our Web site traffic is growing very quickly,” said Cosson. “And it’s growing all across the country—in all kinds of markets.”

Hopefully they move well and eventually move on to stores in other states as well. Currently Vudu offers around 5,500 movies, about 1,000 TV episodes and only 150 HD movie titles. The Vudu currently retails for $295.

Via [Video Business]

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by Ryan Block, posted May 25th 2008 at 1:58PM
Don’t worry if you’ve never heard of ‘em, but Hop-On’s got a new $10 disposable cellphone that goes by the name of HOP1800. Dual-band on 850/1900 or 900/1800, featuring totally rad vibrating or polyphonic MIDI ringing, Hop-On’s billing this one as the “anti-iphone“; we’re not exactly sure what makes this the anti-iPhone other than the fact that it, um, doesn’t actually do anything (except make calls), but hey, sounds like an easy way to sell some throwaway handsets.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

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Filed under: cellphones

It could be the first 21st century plague. Or a class action lawsuit waiting to happen. In any event, a Santa Fe, New Mexico man is leading the charge to get wireless hotspots banned from public buildings in his city, claiming he and others are ultra-sensitive to Wi-Fi radio frequencies.

No medical or scientific groups have come out yet to substantiate claims like these, which have been making the media rounds for the last couple of years; a British woman who is trying to raise awareness about what some are calling electro-sensitivity received some press last year. Her story (and even the photo of her in protective headgear, which looks like a beekeeper’s helmet) may remind you of a Todd Haynes film from 1995, “Safe,” starring Julianne Moore as a woman who was having unhealthy reactions to toxins in air, water and food - “environmental pollution.” Are we now on the cusp of spectrum sickness?

I’m ultra-sensitive to screenplay opportunities and I smell a Charlie Kaufman film in this. That is, if Judd Apatow passes.

For the record, the World Health Organization has weighed in, saying there are no direct links yet between the symptoms and Wi-Fi. ES sufferers say Wi-Fi makes them dizzy, gives them headaches and indigestion. Of course the same thing can happen to those who watch too much political coverage on television, but no one’s asking the FCC to ban cable news. Yet.

Read [KOB.com] Read [Daily Mail] Read [World Health Organization]

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GooSync, a useful tool that lets you sync your Google appointments and tasks to your smarthphone, has just added support for synchronizing your Gmail contacts as well. What’s even better is the fact that GooSync works both ways. That is, whenever you add new contacts from your Gmail accounts, it automatically updates your mobile phone’s directory the next time you run the syncing process and vice versa.

But before you get too excited and go on a syncing frenzy, there’s one catch however. Gmail contacts to mobile phone synchronization only works if you have a GooSync Premium account. To upgrade to premium account, just log-in to your GooSync account and hit the “Upgrade” button. If you’re not yet using GooSync, head over GooSync’s website and find out what you’re missing for not using this cool application.

Via [IntoMobile]

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by Joshua Fruhlinger, posted May 25th 2008 at 7:10AMWhat we have been calling the Asus Eee Box looks to finally have an official name. Based on unnamed sources, the Inquirer is reporting that the desktop PC will be called the Asus EBOX. As already speculated, they are saying it will be revealed on June 3 at Computex. Specs also look to be what we’ve been told already: 160GB HDD, 2GB RAM, and a Linux OS. Nothing much more to see here, but we’re hoping Asus will give this thing a competitive price for those looking to tinker with a slick open-source box.

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Filed under: Desktops