Handy Gadgets

Do you experience the nuisance of having to contend with your AAAA batteries slipping away from a weakened battery compartment in any of your audio gadgets? Not anymore! You can dispense with your improvised retainer for the handy 'AAAA' SMT Battery Clips from Keystone Electronics Corp. 'Equipped with flow-hole SMT solder tail, low profile Battery Clip is engineered to securely retain cells. Unit is made of .010 thick nickel-plated spring steel and withstands shock and vibration. Clip is available loose or on tape and reel with 500 pecies per 13.0 in. reel. Polystyrene carrier tape meets ANSI/E1A-481 standards, and is 24 mm wide with parts mounted on 16 mm pitch.'

Read: Thomas Net Press Release

Posted by Admin at 12:42 AM | Permalink

The Garmin Quest 2 GPS Navigator comes pre-loaded with City Select North America NT, which features full coverage of the entire United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico—including nearly six million points of interest like gas stations, ATMs, hotels, restaurants, and attractions. ' A number of portable navigation systems, such as the Magellan RoadMate 800, claim they can be used in the car and on foot, but while they may be compact enough, their odd shapes don't make them ideal walking buddies. The Garmin Quest 2, however, is a different story. Its PDA-like form factor makes it a perfect travel companion, whether you're behind the wheel or hoofing it. Maps are now preloaded on the device, one of several nice upgrades over its predecessor. Of course, there are some trade-offs for its diminutive size. The display is rather small and isn't a touch screen. Voice-guided directions are only available when the unit is used with the included vehicle mount. And, it's a bit pricey at $750. Still, thanks to its portability and accurate directions, the Garmin Quest 2 is a solid choice if you're looking for a versatile GPS device.'

Features:
•GPS antenna folds flush with the unit when not in use
• WAAS-enabled, 12 parallel channel GPS
•Preloaded with City Select NT data that provides mapping detail throughout the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico (including rural areas). Displays residential streets, addresses, and business listings.
•Built-in Americas basemap with automatic routing capabilities, including highways and exits
• Voice prompts for navigation instructions and warnings using 12-volt speaker (included)
• Sunlight-readable, 2.2” W x 1.5” H, 256-color, high-resolution, reflective TFT (240 x 160 pixels)
•LED backlit display and keypad
• Battery life up to 20 hours on internal rechargeable lithium-ion battery
•Waterproof: IEC 60529 IPX7 standards (submersible in one meter of water for up to 30 mins.)
•500 user locations (waypoints) with name, category, comment, and graphic symbol
•Route Planner lets you save 50 routes, specify via points, and preview turns
•Auto sort multiple destinations to provide an efficient route for deliveries and sales calls
•Customizable road segment and area avoidance
•Automatic routing allows you to select a destination and get detailed, turn-by-turn directions
•Automatic off-route and detour recalculation
•“One-Button Home” feature quickly routes you home no matter where you are
•Position formats include Lat/Lon, UTM, Loran TDs, Maidenhead, MGRS, user grid, and more
•Dual-position display mode
•Trip computer provides large speed display, odometer, stopped time, moving average, overall average, total time, max speed, and more
•10,000-point automatic track log lets you retrace your path
•Custom POI support
•11 voice languages preloaded
•Weighs just 5.5 oz. and measures 4.5” W x 2.2” H x 0.9” D

Read: Garmin Quest 2 Review - CNET

Posted by Admin at 3:39 PM | Permalink

Popular Mechanics previews the Adidas-Polar tech gadgets aimed at improving the jogging experience which will be available in the latter quarter of the year. 'Until now. Shoemaker Adidas and sports electronics pioneer Polar have created the first system that turns two of the most basic pieces of running gear—shoes and a shirt—into sensors. The shoes record your speed, distance and cadence, and a heart rate monitor gathers data from sensors embedded in the shirt, no wires required. A wristwatch-based computer sucks in the data, and displays real-time info such as distance traveled to help you pace yourself. Useful, if, say, you’re training for a marathon. But what’s the point for the average jogger? In a word, cadence.' The Adidas-Polar system is the first training running watch to calculate the details of your stride, accurately calculating how efficiently you’re running. (The iPod based SportKit, announced last month, doesn’t measure your cadence, although it does play your favorite power song on the push of a button.) Beginning runners tend to vary their canter as fatigue sets in and their form gets sloppy, causing them to waste energy moving their feet up and down rather than moving forward. By measuring the number of strides over time and distance, the Adidas-Polar system allows runners to keep track of their cadence, and by extension, how much energy is being wasted.

Read: Popular Mechanics Article

Posted by Admin at 2:22 PM | Permalink

Bengt Halvorson writing over at The Car Connection reviews the 2007 Nissan Quest minivan and positions the vehicle at the top with the more popular marquees in its league. 'Automotive design, just like the latest fashion, can be a fickle affair. Automakers have a fine design line to straddle with new products, between bold and bland. Keep too conservative, and buyers may dismiss a new vehicle, however great, as too boring; but go a little too outside the norm, and it sure will be the talk of the town but it might not be the success it was hoped to be. The latter is the story behind the current-generation Quest minivan. When it was being planned, market research had shown that buyers were looking for a minivan with edgier styling - inside and out - and Nissan rose to the occasion with a design that broke away from the cookie-cutter ideal of what a minivan should be.'

Read: 2007 Nissan Quest Review - The Car Connection

Posted by Admin at 3:43 PM | Permalink

Erik Sofge writing over at Popular Mechanics shares his satisfactory experience after use of the $40 Norelco Bodygroom electric razor. 'The Bodygroom electric razor is already the butt (puns are inevitable when talking about this device) of potty-mouth jokes from all manner of Web and print journalists. And yet, it's a good idea: a razor designed for all points south of the neck, including—cue the adolescent giggles—there. To a certain extent the Bodygroom is simply a shaver that doesn't cut very close, greatly reducing the chance of nicking sensitive areas or otherwise things that you seriously do not want to irritate.'

Read: Norelco Bodygroom Review - Popular Mechanics

Posted by Admin at 1:16 AM | Permalink

The new PFT (Plug-in Compact Fluorescent Tube) lamps from the lighting products manufacturer, Litetronics, which are available in 2- and 4-pin starter models, provides a welcomed choice in portable light products. Even though there are other fluorescent lamps which basically satisfy the same need for portable lighting, the blinding glow from the incandescent bulb attached to the end of an extension cord may eventually become a thing of the past, with the marketing of affordable PFT lamps. 'When compared to incandescent bulbs, PFT lamps can use 80% less energy and last 13 times as long. Compared to other compacts, the 4-pin PFT lamps offer a 33% longer life. All PFT lamps offer a 2700K correlated color temperature and a high CRI of 85. Lumens range from 230-3,200. Two-pin PFT lamps are available in 5, 7, 9, 13, 18 and 26 watts, and the four-pin lamps are available in 13, 18, 26, 32 and 42 watts.'

Source: Thomas Net

Posted by Admin at 9:59 AM | Permalink

Ever so often there is the sorry picture of a cell phone user rubbing the device against some element of their clothing in the attempt to remove "foreign residue" from the device's screen. In the absence of a durable coating which would allow cell phone users to submerge the gadgets every now and then for a thorough cleaning, the ARclear self wetting adhesives seems a resonable alternative for preserving the freshness of the LCDs. 'Debuting at this year's show are two self-wetting adhesive films, ARclear® 90854 and ARclear® 90684, designed to provide temporary protection to the surface of touch screens and flat panel display screens in high-use, abusive or harsh environments, such as mobile phones, MP3 players, and PDAs. The adhesive virtually self-applies by spontaneously "wetting out" onto smooth surfaces. Both of these adhesive films can be repositioned repeatedly and are cleanly removable, even after an extended period of time, allowing users to replace the film when damaged while protecting the sensitive display underneath. These films are environmentally durable, with ultra-low peels to prevent build-up, high-shear resistance to prevent displacement and very low pressure lamination. They can be easily diecut to fit specific display surface dimensions. ARclear® 90854 is supplied on a clear, hard-coated film and ARclear® 90684 is supplied on an anti-glare, hard-coated film.'

Read: Thomas Net Press Release

Posted by Admin at 12:47 AM | Permalink

Thomas Net.com highlights the introduction of flint Square Jars with twist-off lug caps from the O.BERK Company. O.BERK Company is a major full-service supplier of glass, plastic, and metal containers; metal and plastic closures; and a total packaging resource for the cosmetic, food, healthcare, chemical, industrial, and specialty markets.with twist-off lug caps. Available in 12.5 oz size with 63/2030 finish and 18 oz size with 70-2030 finish, Square Jars are suited for filling hot food product including sauces, marinades, preserves, and coffee crystals. Users can choose from variety of closures, frosting, and labeling, as well as other decorating options. The Square Jars offer the freedom to select numerous closures, frosting, labeling, as well as other decorating options.

Thomas Net

Posted by Admin at 4:26 PM | Permalink

The Nokia 9300 though packed with handy features may be noted for those which are omitted such as Wi-Fi and camera capabilities. 'With the cover closed, the Nokia 9300 looks like a run-of-the-mill candy bar phone, albeit a fairly long, thick, and heavy one (5.2 by 2 by 0.8 inches and 5.9 ounces). The all-silver face is appropriately utilitarian for the 9300's target audience of mobile professionals, and Nokia keeps the design simple with a small power button on the top-right corner, a basic dial-pad layout, Talk and End buttons, two soft keys, and a five-way navigation control just below the 1.7-inch-diagonal, 65,536-color external display. The dial pad features bright white backlighting for use in dark rooms. Our only complaint here is that it's tough to activate the left or right navigation buttons without hitting the center Select button. And because the phone doesn't have dedicated volume buttons on the side, you have to pull it away from your face during calls to adjust the sound level with the navigation keys.'

The BBC News has indicated 'Nokia and Siemens are to merge their mobile and fixed-line phone network equipment businesses to create one of the world's biggest network firms. Both companies will have a 50% stake in the infrastructure company, to be based in Nokia's home country of Finland. "

Highlights:
• Full keyboard two 65,536-color displays and advanced voice features: handsfree speakerphone and conference calling capability
•High-speed data connectivity; up to 53.6 kbps GPRS, up to 236.8 kbps EGPRS (EDGE) and Bluetooth technology
•Messaging options: email with attachments, SMS, Instant Messaging and MMS
•Office applications: Documents, Sheet, and Presentations (supports the most common features of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint; Microsoft Office 97, 98, 2000, XP and 2003)
•Large memory storage: 80MB built-in memory plus Multimedia Memory Card (MMC)

Read: Nokia 9300 Review - CNET

Posted by Admin at 1:13 PM | Permalink

We are now into the hurricane season and the time to think about gadgets which are "self sustaining" and posses some utility for this period. At the top of your list of hurricane supplies along with non-perishable food supplies should be a radio and flashlight. With the Illuminator Wind-Up Flashlight Radio from C. Crane you have both devices in one package which can be powered without the use of batteries. 'The Illuminator is a wind-up AM/FM radio and a 3-LED flashlight in one. It never needs batteries, and the bulbs never need to be replaced. You can choose between one and three ultra-bright LEDs, which makes it an ideal light for the home, for work, in the car, or when you're out fishing. Handy wrist strap included. Weight: 7.4 oz. Size: 2.1" W x 5.75" L x 1.9" D.'

C. Crane [Product Page

]

Posted by Admin at 1:32 AM | Permalink

New Launches.com previews the latest addition to the some of the coolest line of clothing around. 'We have USB powered Beverage coolers, gloves, slippers and what not here is a something really unique, USB powered powered air conditioned clothes. Everyone actually does have a natural air conditioner which is sweating and the air conditioned clothes are designed to give that mechanism a shot in the arm. The clothes have two 10 centimeter fans located at right and left sides at the back of clothing at waist level. These fans draw in a large amount of air which helps to vapourize thus dissipating sweat and bringing down the wearers body temprature. The clothing comes with a switch to adjust the fan speed. Just connect your shirt to the USB port and be cool.'

Source: New Launches Via; Gizmodo

Posted by Admin at 1:45 PM | Permalink

Alpha blogger, David Katzmaier, shares his "preliminary observations" on the Samsung BD-P1000Blu-ray Player, the first set-top Blu-ray player to hit the market. 'I recently got the chance to spend about three hours with Samsung's BD-P1000, the first set-top Blu-ray player to hit the market, at the company's New Jersey HQ a few days before the product's official U.S. launch on June 25. During that too-brief time, I took a few preliminary observations (and some blurry photos), so here they are. Blu-ray video quality was excellent. No surprise there. The only Blu-ray software I had was Memento--the Blu-ray disc that'll be included inside the box of every BD-P1000--and a special demo disc that contained a few trailers, a Black Crowes concert, and some great close-up footage of intricate windup watches (?). I viewed all material on a calibrated, 56-inch, 1080p Samsung DLP, the HL-S5687W, in a darkened room with the player set to 1080p output mode.'

Read: Samsung BD-P1000: Blu-ray hands-on - Alpha Blog

Posted by Admin at 4:46 AM | Permalink

Kevin Massy reviews the2006 Honda Accord Hybrid for CNET's Car Tech resource and it seems the marquee may have a couple issues with the on-board stereo and fuel consumption to address in future models. 'The 2006 Honda Accord Hybrid rewrites the hybrid-car playbook in more ways than one. A strapping 3.0-liter V-6 egged on by an electric motor puts out 253 horsepower, making the Hybrid more powerful than its V-6, gas-only 2006 Honda Accord EX stablemate. However, before we start popping the organic champagne, the financial and environmental cost of this enhanced performance requires closer inspection: In our road test, the Hybrid did significantly worse than the gas-only model when it came to gas mileage. Low-end performance on the 2006 Honda Accord Hybrid is sluggish in large part due to the car's Idle Stop system, an energy-saving feature that could use some refining for future models. Aside from its hybrid technology, the Accord Hybrid has an impressive arsenal of tech under the hood, including Honda's i-VTEC variable-valve-timing system.'

Read: 2006 Honda Accord Hybrid Review - CNET

Posted by Admin at 6:22 AM | Permalink

Would you place more priority on your sense of sight or that of hearing especially during the night time hours? I would rather trust my ears to deliver correct signals than the blurry picture in front of a weary set of eyes. Speaking from experience, there is every possibility of you seeing things that don't exist when you would have been awakened in the middle of the night. The Bionic Ear offered for sale at C. Crane for $180, claims to amplify sound which should be a definite plus in aiding your personal security, since you can remain in the dark and determine the true nature of the noises in the next room or on the outside. 'Inside a building or house the Bionic Ear allows you to pick up voices between rooms, even if the person is talking at a low volume. Outdoor it will pick up animal and other sounds at a distance. Must be used in a quiet environment. Works much better than other amplifying devices that do not have a focusing dish. Comes with comfortable, full-size headphones. Tape-recording jack for recording sounds. Features 100 decibel cutoff to protect your ears. It is illegal to use this or any electronic/amplified device to overhear voices you normally could not hear (including the devices the media use on the football field). Made in the USA. Made of black plastic. Weight: 1 lb. Size: 17" L (including handle) x 12.5" W x 5.5" D.

C. Crane: Product Page

Posted by Admin at 3:41 AM | Permalink

The new Data Tork CEM3 wrench is equipped with dual LCD/LED displays, time and date function, judgment parameters and is available in 8 models and in American, Metric, and Newton measurements. 'Tohnichi's latest generation digital torque wrench provides upgrades on almost every product feature. Designed with the user in mind, the new CEM3 is constructed with a lightweight aluminum body and has a longer battery life to ensure greater assembly line productivity. A technician may experience up to thirty hours of continuous use. Understanding market demands for greater data storage, the new unit has an expanded 999 data measurement storage capability. New features include dual LCD/LED displays, time and date function, judgment parameters and tightening mode to ensure a high level of quality control.'

Read: [Press Release] Thomas Net

Posted by Admin at 1:03 AM | Permalink

Energizer Holdings Inc, the parent company responsible for the Energizer brand of batteries (and Bunny), is taking the fight to its competitors by offering consumers the option of returning their purchases for refunds if they are dissatisfied with the performance of its high performance battery products. 'ST. LOUIS, June 13, 2006 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- Energizer is putting its money where its mouth is. Energizer is so confident in Energizer(R) e2(R) Lithium(R)'s performance as the world's best AA and AAA batteries in high-tech devices that it is offering a money-back guarantee to consumers. Today, there are so many battery choices that the consumer is becoming increasingly confused trying to decipher all the information in the market. With the guarantee, Energizer is making it easy for consumers to experience the Energizer e2 Lithium difference. Consumers need simply try the Energizer e2 Lithium AA and AAA batteries in their high-tech devices such as digital cameras, MP3 players or wireless headsets and, if the batteries do not live up to expectations, Energizer will refund the consumer's money. Specially marked packages with bright pink inserts are arriving in stores now."

Read: Energizer Press Release

Posted by Admin at 10:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

How many times have you had to query the increasing charges for your usage of electric power? With the price of crude oil today the increase of your home energy bill may be a natural consequence of the increasing cost of delivering energy to your home. There is however the remote possibility that some malfunctioning device on your home network may be precipitating the increase energy consumption. The Kill A Watt meter available for $29.95 from C. Crane is a neat, handy little gadget which seeks to assist you in deciphering just where your energy leaks may be occurring. 'The Kill A Watt Meter can help you reduce your power bill. It will help find power-wasting appliances then you decide whether it is worth keeping them plugged in. Great for keeping track of voltage sensitive instruments too. The Kill A Watt Meter displays Volts, Amps, Watts and frequency and it will also keep track of the total kilowatt hours used. Measures VA and PF for the electrical theorists. Works for devices that use up to 125 volts and draw a maximum of 1875 watts. Six-month warranty. Weight: 2.2 ozs. Size: 2.25" W x 5" H x 1.5" D'.

C. Crane: Product Page

Posted by Admin at 1:18 PM | Permalink

Even with the one major drawback the of not being able to record audio or video, the Toshiba Gigabeat S 30GB Digital Player impresses with the capabilities of holding about 7,500 songs and supporting many music, video, and photo file types.'The Toshiba Gigabeat S handles MP3, WMA Lossless, and WAV, as well as WMV and WMA. Other video formats, such as MPEG-4, AVI, DivX, and MOV, are automatically transcoded in Windows Media Player 11 (DivX video support was planned but not implemented). It also supports WMA subscription services such as Napster and MTV Urge, and it is compatible with Tivo To Go and Media Center recordings. It can be connected to and controlled via an Xbox 360 and soon the Starz Vongo download and subscription service, which will cost about $10 per month for all-you-can-eat movies. Our Urge subscription-music content, as well as photos and videos, transferred over smoothly and quickly after we plugged the device into our WMP 11 box. One important note: The Gigabeat S is an MTP device, so you need to use Windows XP or XP Media Center Edition. It does not have a UMS mode, so it cannot be connected as a hard drive to Mac or non-XP systems.'

Read: Toshiba Gigabeat S MES30VW Review - CNET

Posted by Admin at 3:33 AM | Permalink

For all those gadget loving folks who wouldn't mind a mini vacuum working its way around your furniture legs (and yours) as it cleans and stores the dust from off the floor, the Kärcher RC3000 Robotic Cleaner seems just the tool to relieve you of one more humdrum home task. I would however suspect there may be some concern allowing this machine to roam freely in an environment where your pets would have been accustomed to the absence of competition for their space. 'Tired of "maintenance cleaning" --- the daily chore of making sure the floors are cleared of dust, dirt and pet hair? Why not assign that chore to the very capable RC3000 Robotic Cleaner? Turn on the RC3000 with the touch of a button and let it take care of the rest, keeping your hardwood, tile, linoleum, concrete and low-pile carpet flooring clean as a whistle. Sound futuristic? The technology is here today, invented by top engineers at our German research facilities. The RC3000 is quite intelligent: it won't fall down stairs, detects any areas that require extra cleaning and knows exactly when to return to its home base.'

Features:
•Equipped with spring-bearing wheels to help navigate all types of flooring
• Optic sensors recognize stairs and other obstacles
• Dirt from the RC3000 is discharged into a filter bag in the base for easy disposal
•The RC3000 is steered by a navigation beam to its base station, where it is automatically emptied and recharged

Karcher: Product Page

Posted by Admin at 9:06 AM | Permalink

With the new Nintendo DS Lite you can use the built-in wireless mode to share games, chat or even play multiplayer games on-line via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection 'The Nintendo DS Lite, like the original Nintendo DS, is a portable gaming system with two vertically tiered screens. On the bottom is a touch screen that allows you to use a stylus or a finger for anything from selecting options to moving characters. There's also a normal face-button layout that allows a more standard method of control. The system plays its own proprietary cartridges (which are somewhere between SD and CompactFlash cards in size), in addition to its near-full backward compatibility with Game Boy Advance (GBA) titles--the system will not play multiplayer modes of GBA games, unfortunately. While DS cartridges are much smaller in capacity than the PSP's UMDs, they play without the often unbearable load times of Sony's proprietary format.'

Features;
•Less than two-thirds the size of the original Nintendo DS.
•Two bright screens can be adjusted to four levels to adapt to different lighting conditions.
•Microphone sits in the center of the unit.
•The stylus is 1 centimeter longer and 1 millimeter thicker than the stylus of the original.
•The Start and Select buttons were repositioned for easier access.

Read: Nintendo DS Lite Review - CNET

Posted by Admin at 4:45 AM | Permalink

CNET reviews Sony's first entry into the portable in-car navigation market 'The Sony NV-U70's design and form factor are perhaps its greatest assets. At 4.1 by 3.5 by 1.8 inches and 11 ounces, the device is light, compact, and ultraportable, so you can easily move it from car to car. As a bonus, Sony provides you with a nice soft pouch so that you can carry the device around and protect it from sustaining any major dings. And believe us, one glance at this sharp device and you'll want to do all you can to keep it looking that way. As with most Sony products, the NV-U70 sports an attractive design that's highlighted by a polished silver and charcoal-gray casing, minimal controls, and a 3.5-inch touch screen; it reminded us of a mini TV. The display shows 65,536 colors at a 320x240-pixel resolution and features an antiglare/antifingerprint coating, as well as a light sensor that automatically adjusts the brightness of the screen depending on the environment (day, night, and so forth). While both of these functions worked for the most part, we encountered some trouble when viewing the screen in bright sunlight

Features:
•3.5” High Brightness Touchscreen Display
•Anti-glare/anti-fingerprint screen coating
•Pre-installed maps of the mainland United States
•Built-in GPS antenna and 2-way speaker system
•Intelligent Auto-Dimmer
•Convenient “Repeat” Button

Read: Sony NV-U70 Review - CNET

Posted by Admin at 3:22 PM | Permalink

The RIM BlackBerry 7100i (Nextel) Cell Phone combines Bluetooth-technology, push email, PTT, speakerphone, GPS, and Java all in one handy package. 'Sprint Nextel is helping itself to another slice of BlackBerry pie with the addition of RIM's BlackBerry 7100i. The first of the 7100 series to make its debut on Nextel's iDEN network, the 7100i's design and feature set is similar to that of its siblings; it has a slim form factor, a great display, and a quasi-QWERTY keyboard with SureType technology. Yet, it also offers some new tricks--most notably support for Nextel's walkie-talkie services--that when coupled with the BlackBerry's push e-mail technology makes the 7100i a great device for on-the-go professionals. Plus, with a QWERTY keyboard, the 7100i is easier to use than the Nextel i930 by Motorola. Finally, at $199.99 after rebates, the BlackBerry 7100i is a good deal.'

Highlights:
•Walkie-Talkie Services
•Multimedia Messaging Service
•GPS-Enabled
•Speakerphone
•Lithium ion battery
•Compact wall charger
•Earbud headset
• Holster vDesktop stand
• USB data cable

Read: RIM BlackBerry 7100i Review - CNET

Posted by Admin at 3:49 PM | Permalink

With the decline in shortwave broadcasting proceeding apace, it is refreshing to learn of the existence of an "internet alternative" in the form of the Wi-Fi Internet Radio. Unlike the unrestricted access you enjoy when roaming the short wave bands, you will need to have a wireless broadband Internet connection to connect to internet radio. 'The Acoustic Energy Wi-Fi Radio picks up thousands of top Internet Radio stations and can even play MP3 and WMA audio from your computer! The Acoustic Energy Wi-Fi Internet Radio is the most exciting radio development this decade. That's because this revolutionary radio lets you listen to and enjoy over 2700 Internet radio stations from around the globe with no signal problems, no pops and crackles, no international content boundaries. And if your favorite internet radio stations are not listed, you can easily add them using the Add a Station Tool. Thus your selection of stations is virtually limitless. Best of all, you'll pay no subscription fees!'

Features:
•Compatibility With All Three Major Streaming Formats
•No Subscriptions to Pay
•Plug and Play Simplicity
• Alphabetically Listed Channels
• Search by Country or Category
•Supports Real Media, MP3 and WMA Compatible Formats
•Plays Music Stored On Your PC or Mac
•Clock With Alarm
• 802.11b and 802.11g Compatible
• Offers 128-bit (max) WEP Security
•Also Supports WPA Encryption (WPA1)
•Supports HTTP Protocol

Source: C Crane

Posted by Admin at 8:56 AM | Permalink

If you are contemplating upgrading your home entertainment you now have the option of installing a BeoLink Wireless 1 system from Bang & Olufsen which functions as both a transmitter and receiver and provides wireless transmission of quality audio between rooms. 'Bang & Olufsen, the worldwide provider of exclusive, high quality audio and video products, introduces its first multi-room wireless solution, BeoLink Wireless 1, which will be available in all North American stores this May 2006. With BeoLink Wireless 1, Bang & Olufsen sets a new standard for wireless audio solutions with its unrivalled performance and superior sound quality that can be seamlessly dispersed room to room, without any delay in sound distribution throughout an entire household, office building, and/or multi-unit development of choice.'

Read: Thomas Net: Press Release

Posted by Admin at 2:48 PM | Permalink

Mashfique H. Chowdhury posts an informative review of the 2006 Audi A4 1.8T Sedan on DriveArabia.com. 'Audi automobiles always manage to make a good first impression. The styling is clean and elegant, and the exterior build quality is impeccable. Inside, the dashboard and centre console design is very simple, but still gives us a warm fuzzy feeling. Most of the surface materials are soft to the touch, and all the gauges and digital displays are readable, even though they are blood-red in colour. Most basic luxury amenities are standard, including a decent stereo with glovebox-mounted CD changer, power windows, electric mirrors and good automatic air-conditioning. Our test car was missing some key luxury features though, like sunroof, leather and electric seats. There was the usual bunch of cup holders, including one that stylishly pops out of the dashboard. Everything worked as they were supposed to.'

Read: 2006 Audi A4 1.8T Multitronic Review - Drive Arabia

Posted by Admin at 12:46 AM | Permalink

CNET reports on the launch of the new gold and silver version Motorola RAZR V3i which represents a collaboration between Motorola and Italian designer Dolce&Gabbana. 'The Motorola D&G fashion phone has the same features as other Razr V3i models: Bluetooth, a 1.23-megapixel camera, video capture and playback, and iTunes software. In conjunction with the latest phone, Motorola and D&G are offering a line of D&G phone accessories, including a gold leather phone case, a gold H700 Bluetooth headset, and gold wired stereo headphones with a gold on-wire volume control. These accessories can be purchased on their own.'

Features:
•Updated and streamlined Motorola RAZR V3 design
•1.23 megapixel digital camera with 8x digital zoom, video capture and full screen viewfinder
•iTunes® music software or Motorola’s Digital Audio Music Player** with mini-USB stereo headset
• Airplane mode
• Hot swappable MicroSD™ memory card
•262K color wallpapers & screensavers on internal display
•65K color support on external display
•Speaker independent name & digit dialing
• Dedicated browser and messaging keys***
•Integrated Class 1 Bluetooth technology with imaging, printing, peer to peer gaming profiles
• Motorola’s SCREEN3 technology* solution featuring zero-click access to news, sports, entertainment and other program content*
•Rich, pre-loaded or downloaded J2ME™ games, screen savers and MP3 ringtones

Read: Motorola RAZR V3i Preview: ZDNet

Posted by Admin at 12:53 AM | Permalink

Vonage America Inc., subsidiary of Vonage Holdings Corp., a leading Internet telephony provider in North America, and D-Link, the end-to-end networking solutions provider have announced the availability of the Voice Terminal Adaptor (VTA), a two-line Internet Phone Adaptor configured with the Vonage service. The D-Link VTA phone adapter can connect up to 2 Vonage lines through your high-speed Cable or DSL Internet connection. This small device is great for all your phone needs and perfect for existing home networks. Just plug into your current router and use the two standard telephone jacks to connect your existing phones or phone and fax machine. The device is now available for free, new subscribers at Vonage direct, www.vonage.com, after a $49.99 instant rebate, exclusive of a $9.99 shipping and handling fee. It will also be available at retail with a MSRP of $49.99 with a $40 rebate after 60 days in service.

Source: Engadget

Posted by Admin at 4:44 PM | Permalink

There are some quality audio, video, and photo (hard drive) players on the market which certainly rival, and in some cases surpass the popular Ipod especially in terms of features offered. 'The $250 iAudio 6, Cowon's first microdrive player, rivals most flash players in compactness, thanks in part to a 4GB, 0.85-inch hard drive. This feature-packed and excellent-sounding player/recorder supports all sorts of music, video, and photo files (but no album art), and it boasts a slick, high-resolution 1.3-inch OLED screen. While the iAudio 6's interface is an improvement upon that of past Cowon players, it can still be tricky to use. We also believe that Cowon, despite utilizing cutting-edge HDD technology, should have opted for more reliable flash memory, or at least produced a 6GB or 8GB version. Yet, we can't question this player's deft looks and high-octane performance.'

Read: Cowon iAudio 6 (4GB) Review - CNET

Posted by Admin at 1:45 PM | Permalink

Even though the JVC EX-A10 may be considered a little pricey, the portable music gizmos on the market do not come cheap and can in no form or fashion equal the experience stimulated from listening to a quality home stereo system. 'In a market crowded with look-alike, silver plastic home-theater-in-a-box systems (HTIBs), the sheer elegance of JVC's EX-A10 desktop stereo system will be an attractive option for some buyers' bedrooms, dens, or offices. The EX-A10 comprises two minicomponents--the matching 9.5-inch-wide A/V receiver and DVD player come decked out in real satin aluminum--and the speakers' beautifully finished solid cherry cabinets exude class. Pop off their black grilles and you'll see what makes the EX-A10 truly unique: instead of the usual plastic or metal drivers, the JVC's woofers and tweeters are crafted from birch wood that's been treated with sake, the Japanese rice wine. At 10.1 inches tall, the speakers are a tad larger than the average HTIB models, but the entire system could easily fit on a bookshelf or a desktop. The JVC EX-A10 sells for $1,000.'

Features:
•DVD - CD Player
•Pair 2-Way Woodcone Speakers with bi-amplifier configuration
•Digitally-tuned AM FM Radio / 100 Watts Total
•Amplifier for woofers: 30W + 30W (10% THD at 1KHz,) / Amplifier for tweeters: 20W + 20W (10% THD at 10KHz,)
• Input Terminals - Audio: Optical Digital input x2, Analog terminal x2
• Output Terminals - Audio: Headphone output x1, Subwoofer x1
•AM/FM Radio Tuner
•Plays DVD-Audio/Video, DVD-R/-RW(Video Format), CD, SVCD/VCD, CD-R/RW, MP3/JPEG (CD-R/RW
•Original Birch Wood Cone Speaker for natural resonance with ideal acoustic characteristics
•DVD-Audio high-quality Sound playback
•Hybrid Feedback Digital Amplifier for noiseless, high-fidelity sound
•Dolby Digital/DTS Decoder (2ch)
•DVD Express Play Start
•192kHz/24-bit Audio D/A Converter
•10-bit/54MHz Video D/A Converter
•Virtual Surround
•Die-cast aluminium speaker frame and edgewise-wound 4-layer voice coil for a dynamic sound.

Read: JVC EX-A10Review - CNET

Posted by Admin at 1:29 AM | Permalink