Gadgets Base

I almost hate to say this is an accurate date, but so far the rumored October 2 launching of AT&T’s BlackBerry Bold seems to be holding true. Of course with so many other carriers managing to get it to market it seems AT&T is just at the point of saving face here, and really cannot stand any more delays or criticism with this release.

Anyway, the latest addition to this rumor adds yet another date of September 24, however that is supposed to be when dealers can begin placing their orders. That way they are ready for consumers on October 2. This was further confirmed by a reported leaked email that cam from a “few AT&T dealers” via the “head office.”

“AT&T is pleased to announce the launch of the new blackberry Bold. It will be available to order on September 24, 2008. ”

Unfortunately its still a few weeks away, at this point we can only hope it stands true. The one good point is that maybe we can see the Bold a bit earlier than October 2, because the dealer ordering should not take but a day or two.

Via [CrackBerry]

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Folks who own a dog or cat will know that not all animals from both species are obedient enough for you to handle various body parts of theirs without shifting uncomfortably or even biting/scratching you. Enter the Pedi Paws, a device that ought to make life a whole lot easier.

Pedi Paws gently and painlessly trims pet’s nails. The secret is the innovative rotary emery bands that gently remove thin layers of nail without the pain of traditional clippers. Protective cap catches the filings for easy cleanup. It’s fast, easy and saves on visits to the groomer! Precision high speed motor operates on two C batteries (not included), cordless, to use anywhere!

Why not make grooming time with your pet a whole lot easier with Pedi Paws? After all, surely $19.98 is not too high a price to ask for your beloved pet’s well being?

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No need to scour the interwebs for hot gaming news, Gamertell‘s already done that for you!  Here’s a look at this week’s top stories…

• Download Command & Conquer: Red Alert for free compliments of EA
• Sony delays Life with playstation release
• Stardock creates Gamer’s Bill of Rights
• Future PSP firmware updates hint at new features for Fall 2008
• Tony Hawk’s Motion announced for DS

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With living spaces these days getting more and more expensive without increasing in size, it makes perfect sense to try and make the most out of your situation. Take a look at the offerings from Ikea and you’ll know what I mean - practical, space saving and easy on the eye. The Under Cabinet TV With DVD Player is surely a subscriber to that mantra.

Mounted under a cabinet in a kitchen or office, this compact media center lets you enjoy TV programs, DVD movies, music CDs, and AM/FM radio without creating countertop clutter. The 9″ diagonal screen flips down and can be swiveled 270 to achieve the preferred viewing angle; its 16:9 aspect ratio makes it ideal for watching movies. Its TFT active matrix LCD (the same as those used in flat panel televisions) produces sharp, detailed images with rich color in widescreen or standard 4:3 formats. It has a digital/analog television tuner, receives 135 cable channels, and it can be used as a stereo system, playing CDs as well as tuning in AM/FM radio stations. Plugs into AC and mounts easily with included hardware. Remote uses two AAA batteries (included) and has a magnet for attaching to a refrigerator.

Hammacher is currently making the Under Cabinet TV With DVD Player available for $299.95.

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Hate parking in NYC?  Me too.  Smart has worked a deal for their diminutive Smart Fortwo with specific parking garages in the Big Apple getting them much cheaper rates.  And it is not out-of-the-way parking garages either.  The list includes Madison Square Garden, Javits Center, Times Square and Upper East Side; all places you want to be.

The garages knock 50% off the rates, bringing the payment from “you’ve got to be frickin kidding me” to merely “wow, thats a rip off”.  New York, like most cities, is renown for its high parking prices.  Personally, I think it is fantastic that smaller cars get a better rate than say a pimped Escolade with 22” wheels. 

So far this year, Smart has delivered over 16,000 of their Euro-inspired Fortwo.  The announced 2009 model makes some small changes and adds two new colors to the line up: Rally Red and Metallic Grey.

Product page [Smart USA]

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With the launch of the Inspiron Mini 9, it seems Dell has decided to hold back the details on what most would consider a pretty important feature. The fact that the Mini 9 already includes an integrated 3G card. According to Dell spokeswoman Anne Camdenm “there’s a hidden bonus, however: an integrated 3G card.” Of course the first reaction is nothing more than, Very Cool! However you cannot help but wonder if that “hidden bonus” added any additional cost that may go unused by lots of buyers. Could Dell have shaved a few extra bucks off the pricing? Maybe, maybe not.

Anyway, as of now, Dell has not announced (other than Vodafone) which wireless carriers would be picking up the device. This could mean for some slow initial sales here in the US. Personally I was planning to purchase the Mini 9 for myself, but I may wait for some carrier announcements with the hope of seeing a subsidized version become available.

Based on statements from John Thode, vice president and general manager of Dell’s small-screen devices “the names of Dell’s telecom partner or partners were cut before the announcement.” Thode did go on to mention that they will “sell it with telco operator channels, so [customers] won’t have to make a decision about which operator to support.”

Aside from a little waiting for any carrier announcement here in the US, the other major concern would be the battery life. The Inspiron Mini 9 features a 4-cell battery which should give about 3 hours of life under the best conditions, however with the active 3G connection that is sure to drop quickly. Mobile road warriors may want to begin thinking about a mobile charging solution or possibly a spare battery or two.

Read [PC Mag]

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by Joshua Topolsky, posted Sep 6th 2008 at 10:03AM
Apparently, not only is Sony’s fancy new full-frame DSLR — the A900 — showing up in ad leaks all across the interblogs, but it’s been caught with its lens cover down in real life. An eagle-eyed forum poster managed to snag shots of what appear to be the camera in action, taken in Belgium this August doing what it does best… snapping pictures. There’s not much more to say, but this should thoroughly wet your whistle for the model’s forthcoming introduction, which we can only imagine will be happening sometime around the upcoming Photokina.

[Via Digital Photography Review; Thanks, Douglas]

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Filed under: Digital Cameras

by Darren Murph, posted Sep 6th 2008 at 7:50AMQuite honestly, there’s absolutely zero proof that Intel and Microsoft are yapping it up in regard to Larrabee, but considering just how logical it sounds, we couldn’t help but pass along the latest whispers surrounding the two. According to those fabled “industry insiders,” The Inquirer has it that Intel is currently on bended knee asking Microsoft to integrate Larrabee into the next-generation Xbox. If it were to land such a deal, developers would — in essence — be forced to develop for Larrabee given the need for console titles, which could then make things all the easier for Intel on the PC side. Like we said, this is all speculatory for now, but so long as the dots continue to connect, we’ll at least give this one a fighting chance at materializing.

[Via Joystiq]

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Filed under: Gaming

Microsoft has invested about $300 million dollars in a new advertising campaign featuring comic legend Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates, but their first foray, which aired September 4th, is questionable at best. 

The ad features Jerry Seinfeld going to a store known as Shoe Circus, which is presumably not a real place of business.  He happens to meet Bill Gates there, and helps him try on shoes. 

That’s about it.  The only mention of a product is at the end, where Jerry suggests that Bill make computers out of cake so we can “eat while we work”.  I’m still waiting for the punchline, or at least one funnier than that. 

I guess I should expect such material from Seinfeld, whose self-titled show was, as he said, “a show about nothing”.  Usually shows lacked any sense of moral theme, and if there was one, it was subtle.  I suppose the subtle theme of this ad is that Microsoft listens to everyone’s opinions, no matter how stupid they are. 

Of course, Seinfeld took a while before it worked.  The first episode was considered “weak” by NBC reviewers, but it was a phenomenon by the time it said goodbye.  Perhaps these commercials will get better with age. 

Via [TechCrunch]

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by Thomas Ricker, posted Sep 6th 2008 at 6:35AM
There you have it, more supposed ipod nano 4G love, unboxed and wearing a distinctive iPod nano 2G lime-colored coat. Must be cold in the house that fruit built from all these leaks.

Update: As noted in the comments, that 2G coloring is matched with a an old-style squeeze connector for the dock making this leak, at least, highly suspect.

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video