Marantz announces VP-11S2 1080p DLP projector

Marantz is jumping back into the display pool for 2008, announcing the new VP-11S2 model 1080p DLP projector. Compared to last year's VP-11S1H, this model adds a second HDMI 1.3 input, and Texas Instrument's DarkChip4 chipset, boosting it up to 800 lumens of brightness and a 12,000:1 contrast ratio. No price was released, but considering the previous models hover in the $15,000 price range, we expect no less quality -- or cost -- from this one either.

Tata Motors' $2,500 1-Lakh car gets detailed

Remember that uber-cheap, almost entirely plastic car that India's Tata Motors was working up? Turns out, the still codenamed 1-Lakh automobile is expected to launch in mid-2008 and get around 15 miles-per-liter, which should give the Maruti 800 some serious competition in the budget car arena. According to R. A. Mashelkar, a nonexecutive director on Tata Motors' board, it should provide ample room in "both the front and rear" for a six-foot individual, and he also noted that a "new kind of welding" would be used instead of bolts in a variety of locations on the motorcar. Still, there's just something about the idea of riding in a brand new $2,500 vehicle that doesn't sit well with us -- probably something to do with the dearth of safety features, but who knows.

Hands-on with BetaBlue, JetBlue's WiFi-equipped Airbus

Generally we're the type to pass out the second we've stowed our carry-on items safely in the overhead bin, but on a recent test flight for a gang of reporters, photographers, Fortune 500 execs, and the obligatory PR team, JetBlue managed to keep us awake by magically letting us communicate with our friends and colleagues on the ground over IM and email.

Actually, it takes a lot more than magic for the Airbus A320 named "BetaBlue" to bring limited WiFi connectivity to properly-equipped passengers throughout the single-class cabin: quite a bit of technical and administrative work went into getting this service off the ground, from snatching up and deploying a rare slice of 800MHz ground-to-air spectrum to effectively managing cell tower connections while traveling over 500mph to developing clients that would maximize the precious bandwidth being shared by so many mobile gadget lovers. Keep reading after the break for all of our impressions from this media preview voyage, and don't forget to hit up the gallery below for glimpses of the entire experience along with some of the screenshots you can expect to see in-flight...

Dell XPS M1730 review roundup

If you're down with your "laptop" weighing some 10.6-pounds, and you don't mind shelling out copious quantities of cash in order to see those frame rates hold steady in the triple digits, the XPS M1730 has your name written all over it. At least, that's what we've gathered from reading the first batch of reviews to hit the 'net. Generally speaking, the adoration for this so-called Beast was universal, as just about everyone came away thoroughly impressed with its gaming performance, mesmerizing LEDs and cutting edge hardware found all over. Truth be told, the only real digs revolved around its unwieldy size, ho hum port selection, paltry battery life and the humongous power supply. 'Course, anyone remotely interested in this thing is probably willing to deal with the aforementioned negatives in order to posses such an incredibly powerful mobile gaming rig, and if you've been holding that trigger finger waiting for the critics to give you the all clear, feel free to fire at will.

Snag Vista Ultimate for free, in exchange for your privacy

Microsoft's been keeping its record pretty clean of late, but we suppose it couldn't end the year without a parting shot meant to cheese off the ultra-private, Microsoft-eats-children types. The company's latest diabolical plan involves giving away free copies of Windows Vista Ultimate, Office Ultimate '07, Money Plus Premium, Encarta Premium or Streets and Trips -- scary, we know. All you need to do is fill out a few surveys now and then, and download a little app that lets Microsoft watch your every move for three months. If you can manage to be a good little pod person for that long, you get a free copy of whatever software title you selected in the mail. But really, can you put a price on dignity? Exactly, you can't, so sign us up!

Tomato rolls out Tomato Video PMP

It looks like Korea's Tomato has trotted out yet another decidedly un-tomato like PMP, with its new Tomato Video player offering many of the same features of the company's U24 model in a slightly more streamlined package. That includes the usual 2.4-inch display, along with an FM radio, an e-book reader, an integrated microphone and speaker, and an SD card slot -- plus all the PMP features you'd expect, of course. Also as with the U24, you can get this one in your choice of 2GB of 4GB models, with the latter setting you back €66 (or just under $100).

ROCCAT intros new line of gaming peripherals

ROCCAT may not be quite as well known as some gaming-centric peripheral makers, but it looks like its doing its best to make its mark with a new line of peripherals, including a gaming mouse and keyboard. Dubbed the ROCCAT Kone, the mouse looks to sport all the features an excessively-demanding gamer would expect, including no less than ten buttons, four removable weights, and a customizable light system with "thousands of colors." While you apparently won't get quite as many color options with the ROCCAT Valo keyboard (pictured after the break), you will still at least get illuminated keys (including 41 macro keys), along with 2MB of memory for storing up to five profiles, and even an integrated noise-canceling microphone. Look for it and the mouse to set you back €100 and €70 (or $147 and $103), respectively, when they hit Europe in February, with a matching mousepad also available for €20 (or about $30).

Toshiba unveils the Portege M700 tablet with touch capabilities

Toshiba joined the rugged, touch-capable laptop party this morning with the launch of the Portege M700, an LED-backlit 12.1 convertible tablet that intelligently switches between pen and finger input. Apart from that, the 4.4-pound machine also features a modular drive bay with dual-layer burner, spill-resistant keyboard, latchless lid, and a shock-absorbing magnesium frame. Nothing too exciting going on internally: the M700 is a pretty standard Santa Rosa-based machine, with processor choices ranging from a 1.8GHz T7100 Core 2 Duo to a 2.4GHz T7700, integrated X3100 graphics, memory expandable to 4GB, Bluetooth and WiFi. Available now in configurations priced from $1699 and going up from there.

Western Digital Passport portable drive hits 320GB

Face it, that 80GB HDD your laptop entered the world with isn't cutting it anymore, and just any add-on won't do. No, you've gotta do it up right with a newfangled 320GB 2.5-inch portable drive, and Western Digital's got just the thing with the newest member of its Passport lineup. The drive weighs less than 5 ounces, runs on the latest and greatest platters, and will set you back $230.

SmartPal V robot, now with additional lumbar units!

Straight out of Japan comes the latest mobile robot to ease our daily lives while threatening our jobs, Yasukawa Electric Corporation's SmartPal V. The 1.3-meter tall rolling bot is loaded with all the proximity, speech recognition, and object-detecting sensors we've come to expect from today's modern mech, along with improved dexterity thanks to additional joints and lumbar units as compared to previous models. This latest SmartPal, which was introduced at the 2007 International Robot Exhibition, also rocks its own accessories, such as a head-mounted projector to push the world's last remaining tour guides into early retirement.

Toshiba's new Tekbright 7-inch photo frame

We can't help getting distracted by fond memories of Lite-Brites with a name like this, but that toy of yore really has nothing on Toshiba Tekbright's 7-inch 720 x 480 photo frame -- as long as you discount love, rainbows and happiness. The Tekbright photo frame includes 64MB of built-in storage, USB 2.0, plenty of memory card slots, and simultaneous MP3 playback. The 129 Euro pricetag ($190 US) isn't exactly free, and the looks aren't anything special, but we're sure this Europe-only frame will find a home or three for the holidays.

XM / Sirius merger decision coming today?

Over nine months after the two satellite radio companies announced their intentions to merge, XM and Sirius may finally find out the fate of their plans today, if the Justice Department issues a ruling as is being rumored. Orbitcast reports that the general consensus among industry watchers is that the DOJ will hand down a decision before the closing bell on Wall Street -- a prediction further buoyed by Bear Stearns analyst Robert Peck, whose contacts in DC claim that a ruling is "imminent." As you're probably well aware, this proposed marriage is no ordinary merger, with strong opposition coming from terrestrial broadcasters who cite anti-trust concerns, but who are really just fearful of the market power such an entity would yield. Stay tuned for further updates as this story develops...

NVousPC outdoes itself with Romero Britto special edition laptop

NvousPC has never been one to shy away from unorthodox paint-jobs for its laptops, but it now looks to have outdone even itself with its latest eye-catching model, which it created with a little help from pop artist Romero Britto. As with the company's other laptops, however, the specs are decidedly less stand-out than the exterior, with this particular model boasting a 15.4-inch display, a T7600 Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, and a lowly CD-RW / DVD-ROM combo drive. No word on pricing or availability, but you'll apparently be able to get a closer look at it at Britto's Miami Beach gallery through February of next year.

Yet more 32GB and 2GB Creative Zen confirmation

As if the last two reports about a 32GB Zen from Creative weren't enough for you, here's another for a lazy Saturday. This time, Crave claims to have an unspecified confirmation that a 2GB and 32GB Zen is coming, and it's coming in flash form. Would that make this the highest capacity flash PMP out there? It'd certainly be pipping Sansa to the post.

Ricavision kicks out VAVE100 universal MCE / SideShow remote

Following up on the RICA 100 that Ricavision unveiled in May is the VAVE100, which doesn't deviate too far from its past siblings in the design department, but does offer up a 2.4-inch QVGA LCD, a shiny green MCE button and SideShow functionality. As we'd expect, this thing is a Class 1 (~50 meters promised) Bluetooth device with A2DP support, and it comes with its own docking station, a BT transceiver and a power charger. The remote enables users to control over 20 different components from up to 50-feet away via IR, and the buttons are backlit to keep you from fumbling around in the dark while trying to switch tracks. Unfortunately, you won't be using one of these to control your new gear (you are asking for new gear this year, right?) until next February, but you will save $25 by pre-ordering now for $274.

RCA's S2501 Jet Stream gets reviewed

Although we already had a chance to briefly try out RCA's Jet Stream DAP / wireless earbud setup at CES, the folks over at PCMag were able to get ahold of a finalized product and put it through paces of their own. Interestingly, they found a lot less to love when using 'em for more than a few moments on a crowded show floor, and while they did admit that gym rats could possibly fall in love, the average joe / jane probably won't. On the upside, the DAP proved durable and the wireless headphones exhibited strong reception, but reviewers found that they didn't fit well enough to really show off their talents. Additionally, the menu navigation was deemed "terrible," and they weren't exactly keen on plopping down over $130 for just 1GB of storage. 'Course, we're sure those who spend the bulk of their listening time on the track (listening to just a few CDs on repeat) could find room to argue, but for the rest of us, it was suggested that we wait for "a better implementation of Kleer's wireless technology to come along" before buying in.

Brick is back with the Mini MOB retro mobile

Is the mobile phone really mature enough for brick phones to make a retro comeback? According to the makers of the ironically named Mini MOB, the answer to that is yes. The Mini MOB is definitely designed in the retro brick phone style, but at only 3.5 cm wide, it could probably be considered a scale model. It includes some pretty standard specs -- camera, MP3 player, 128 MB card for the SD slot -- but also happens to have an amazing battery life of 30 days standby, and a full 72 hours of continuous talk time! That's almost enough to get us interested in picking one up, but at £160 ($320+) it ain't an easy decision.

DVB-H to become European mobile video standard

The European mobile phone community was rocked by the news today that DVB-H (or Digital Video Broadcasting - Handheld) is set to become the new standard for mobile TV across the Union. The technology -- a superset of DVB-T -- has been spearheaded by Nokia, and this move is meant to help widen the system's audience. Though the move has been opposed by some EU states, such as Germany and Britain, the standard is being pushed through. "DVB-H will be published by the Commission in the list of official EU standards," said an EU executive, adding that, "As a result, all EU Member States will have to support and encourage the use of DVB-H for the launch of mobile TV services, thus avoiding market fragmentation and allowing economies of scale and accordingly affordable services and devices." So much for our fledgling standard, DVB-X (the X is for extreme).

SMS-based SatLav service guides Londoners to public toilets

If you've ever found yourself stuck in London with the insatiable urge to urinate in an alleyway, help is on the way. Believe it or not, a new SMS-based toilet finding service actually has the aforementioned predicament as a top priority to solve, and the Westminster City Council is hoping that people utilize the system to keep streets a bit cleaner. Cleverly dubbed SatLav, the technology enables individuals passing through London's West End to text the word "toilet" to 80097 in order to receive a (hopefully hasty) reply with details to get to the nearest public restroom. Unfortunately, the service will cost users £0.25 ($0.52) each time they use it, so we're a bit skeptical that alleyway urinators will happily cough up some coin rather than just sticking to old ways.

Cowon A3 US launch details revealed

Cowon's been teasing us with its A3 personal media player for some time now, and it looks like the whole charade is now finally nearing a close, as the company has just announced the long-awaited US launch details for the PMP. According to Crave, the player will start shipping in early December, with it setting you back $349 and $399 for the 30GB and 60GB variations, respectively. If you've got a bit more money to spend, however, you may do well to consider Cowon's just-released Q5W player, which adds some WiFi to the equation, among other things.

Corega intros compact CG-1SG24TV 1seg TV

Although you're better off looking Sanyo's direction if you need one that's waterproof, Corega has a couple of new micro-TVs for those who can manage to keep their distance from the waterways. The CG-1SG24TV is set to arrive in black / white motifs and feature a 2.4-inch 320 x 240 resolution LCD, built-in 1seg TV tuner, an electronic program guide (EPG), integrated stereo speakers and a headphone jack to boot. Furthermore, this pocket-friendly unit gets all the power it needs from a pair of AAA cells, and you'll even get a set of earbuds thrown in for good measure. Expect this one to land early next month for around ¥12,800 ($119).

Homegrown Xbox 360 plush pillows warm the heart

We've seen Nintendo's famed NES brought back to life thanks to a needle and some thread, and now Microsoft's latest console is getting the hand-sewn treatment, too. eBayer inkyfingersjunior has apparently found his / her calling in life, as these Xbox 360 plush pillows look pretty snazzy. The units reportedly take some five hours to create and measure almost the same size as their functioning counterparts, 'cept these come with a little extra fluff and a lot less hardware. Currently, a number of variations are available to the highest bidder, but we can't help but favor the comical "Red Ring of Death" edition. Good luck resisting, fanboys

TiVo coming to PC via Nero software

TiVo has just announced an agreement with multimedia software provider Nero AG that will bring its familiar interface and feature set to the PC. According to the joint announcement made today, Nero will embed the TiVo experience in its next generation of software, allowing the millions of us who rely on USB dongles for our TV to finally join the exclusive realm of Series1, 2, and 3 owners. Plus, as Zatz Not Funny! points out, Nero's international presence should help spread TiVo to the far corners of the Earth like some digital Happy Meal. Hopefully this new PC timeshifting solution -- release window: unknown -- will also convince other purveyors of home theater-only hardware-based services to finally bring their wares to the desktop. Yes, we're looking at you, Sling.

Zonbu's prepping subscription laptops for 2008

The Zonbu Mini is about to get a portable friend. Zonbu has just revealed its Everex-built Zonbu Notebook, which will be hitting the market in Q1 2008. The $279 upfront pricetag is quite a bit heftier than the $99 Mini, but the subscription fee remains the same at $14.95. Specs are quite the improvement on the Mini, with a 1.5GHz VIA C7-M processor, 60GB HDD, DVD-RW / CD-RW drive, VIA Chrome9 HC integrated graphics, WiFi and a 15.4-inch 1440 x 900 display. Zonbu claims up to three hours of battery, and of course all those "hassle-free" promises and managed Linux software of the original. In a world of $399 Eee PCs and cheaper Black Friday bargains, a $279 laptop with a hefty subscription fee might not seem like such a steal, but it's not hard to see the appeal for a first-time PC buyer, and it certainly bests the Mini. The best news is that if you're willing to put up with some beta software, Zonbu is selling the Notebook as of today for those risk-taking luddites out there.

Zune users complain of fast-draining battery with latest firmware

We've already had a few reports of some problems with the latest Zunes (and the latest firmware), and it now looks like there's another issue brewing, with a number of users complaining of battery problems with Zune 30s and 80s loaded with the most recent firmware. Apparently, the Zunes have the unfortunate tendency to rapidly drain their batteries, even when the player is not in use. Judging from the discussion on the Zune.net message boards, that particular issue seems to be due to some unknown difficulty the Zune has with entering hibernate mode which it, seemingly, doesn't do at all (at least among those who've reported problems). Those finding themselves plagued by similar battery issues can apparently "fix" the problem by holding back and down on the d-pad to shut the Zune off completely when its not in use, although we're guessing few will be completely satisfied until Microsoft chimes in on the matter.

Nokia's N810 internet tablet gets unboxed

Look, we're right there with you -- wishin', hopin', gettin' down on our knees and begging like crazy for someone to take pity on us and pop for the N810 this holiday season. Well, at least one lucky gentleman has already had the pleasure of cracking open the sweet stuff -- AKA, Nokia's latest and greatest internet tablet -- and has put all sorts of nasty pictures on the internet (we suspect in an attempt to make us insane with jealousy). The post also has some useful and interesting info in regards to the software and functionality of the device, so you can get informed while ogling the photos. We recommend you hit the read link and check out all the graphic details... and don't forget -- the Engadget crew needs love too, so feel free to drop something silver in the mail for us come December.

Sarcos' military exoskeleton becomes a frightening reality

Have you been waiting for a legion of half-man, half-machine storm troopers to descend upon your city and blaze a round of hellfire in all general directions? If you said yes, that's kind of weird. At any rate, you can consider yourself one step closer to cyborg annihilation thanks to a company called Sarcos and its semi-scary exoskeleton -- which will make any regular old soldier into a Terminator-like killing machine (as far as we can tell). Sure, they demo the unit lifting heavy equipment and reducing fatigue of the user, but we know what this thing is really for -- and it doesn't involve food drops. Check the video after the break to have your mind shattered into a million delicious pieces.

Rock Band, Guitar Hero, and DDR get cheap rip-offs

When you're out trawling for a copy of the rapidly selling out Rock Band, you may run into a cheap knock-off or two of the rhythm game genre. Our tipster spotted several units including a Guitar and DDR imitation in Macy's, and a Drum game in another store. All of them plug directly into a TV, but none are particularly cheap at around $40 each. The usual target audience for these kind of gadgets are unsuspecting parents looking for a present for the kids, so make sure you include a rigorous education program in the perils of game rip-offs when you hand in your holiday wish-list.

Chrysler's Jeep Renegade concept is pure Halo

Let's face it, car designers need to look deeper for next-generation designs these days. In a more carefree time, you could put two nasty, rectangular hunks of metal on top of one another, stick on a few over-sized tires, mount a faux-wood steering wheel to the dash, and call it a Ford. These days, it's a buyer's market -- and you need to step up your game. Enter Chrysler's Jeep Renegade 2008 concept, a design boosted directly from the collective unconscious (namely, the minds of Halo players everywhere) that looks like a tank, yet runs on a lithium ion-powered electron motor and a small Bluetec diesel generator, giving this never-to-be a combined 110 MPG range. Roof mounted gatling gun and Covenant-destroying missiles not included.

PlayStation controller cuff links impress Sony interviewers

For the ladies out there, we've no doubt that rocking a set of Wiimote earrings would totally increase your chances of lookin' good stupendous in a Nintendo interview room, but for the folks hoping to get a leg up on the competition for that open spot at Sony, here's your ticket. These sterling silver cuff links each measure 0.75- x 0.5-inches and closely resemble the famed PlayStation controller, and in case that wasn't overboard enough, you can even opt to engrave the backing with Sony's stock ticker symbol for extra brownie points. Sure, $150 seems a bit steep for the pair, but practically guaranteeing yourself employment is probably worth the cost. Click on for an on-shirt shot.

ThirstyLight keeps watch on plants so you don't have to

While it won't keep watch on your plants and water them like some devices we've seen, the so-called ThirstyLight will at least handle one part of that equation, with it sending out a signal in the form of a blinkin' LED light when your plants' soil gets dry. That's handled by a "Drypoint Digital Circuit," which checks moisture levels once per second and is able to discern between five different levels of dryness (relayed to you by blinking patterns of increasing urgency). If that sounds like the solution to your plant problems, you can pick one up now for $10, or get 'em in bundles of three, six, or twelve at a discount.

Iiyama kicks out new ProLite touchscreen monitors

Despite their lack of mainstream appeal, touchscreen monitors are slowly making inroads onto Joe Public's desktop, and display specialist Iiyama is hoping to come along for the ride with its new line of ProLine models. Coming in 15- (T1530SR), 17- (T1730SR), and 19-inch (T1930SR) flavors, the latest ProLines feature 800:1 contrast ratios, either 280 or 240cd/m² brightness, 5ms or 16ms response times, and either 1,280 x 1,024 (T1930 and T1730) or 1,024 x 768 (T1530) resolutions. Available immediately, the monitors range from £329 ($677) to £399 ($821) depending on size.

Researchers create "perching" robotic aircraft

Sure, your average helicopter can land in a whole mess of places, but what if you really need to squeeze that sucker onto a steep incline? Normally, you'd be out of luck if the slant were anything more than a measly 20-degrees, but some Georgia Institute of Technology researchers have managed something a bit more extreme. Eric Feron, an aerospace engineer, and colleague Selcuk Bayraktar have created a new breed of robot helicopter which can land, or "perch," at inclines up to 60-degrees. On a similar tip, MIT researcher Jonathan How has fashioned another unique unmanned aircraft which can take off and land from a "prop hang" position, wherein the plane stands on it's tail in midair. The hope is that these new technologies will help get aircraft into -- and back out of -- complicated spots with a new level of maneuverability. Also, the engineers probably just love blowing people's minds. Check the videos after the break to experience the gravity-defying moves yourself.

Buffalo announces 320GB portable hard drive

You can never be too good looking or have too many gigabytes on your person, which is why Buffalo has just announced what it's touting as the "world's largest" portable external hard drive, a 320GB dynamo called the MiniStation Turbo USB HD-PS320U2. This 5,400rpm platter features 256-bit AES encryption courtesy of Buffalo's Secure Lock Ware utility, and Windows users also getting Memeo's AutoBackup software thrown in to boot. Look for this portable powerhouse next month for around £155 ($319).

Sony rekindles rumors of PSP phone

It's been a hot minute since we've heard any marginally believable chatter surrounding the so-called PSP phone, but the idea of such a device has been given new life thanks to Sony Computer Entertainment co-chief operating officer Jim Ryan. Apparently, Mr. Ryan told the India Times that the "PlayStation is a proven success and so is Sony Ericsson," and that "convergence with the two arms working together is definitely plausible." Granted, he did note that it could be quite some time before such a device would see the market, and that if indeed it did, it would likely resemble a handheld gaming system with a phone blended in and not vice-versa. So yeah, we're not really any closer to knowing whether this thing truly is somewhere in the pipeline, but here's to hoping that we don't have to wait another year or so to find out more.

Samsung's BlackJack II fittingly launches on Black Friday for $150

If you're already drafting a plan of what stores to hit in what order come Black Friday, and you've been craving Samsung's forthcoming BlackJack II, we've got yet another locale that you'll need to show yourself at. CNET has it that Sammie's SGH-i617 will be landing on AT&T tomorrow, and just in case you still weren't connecting the (dark) dots, it'll initially be available only in black. Reportedly, the red edition is slated to surface around December 12th, and both will demand $149.99 and your name on a two-year contract. Don't worry about showing up early, though -- the chances of this thing selling out before noon tomorrow (or ever, to be frank) are slim to none.

Ricoh's new Caplio RR770 sports 3-inch LCD

Continuing its trend of pushing out evolutionary -- rather than revolutionary -- digital cameras, Ricoh has just introduced the new Caplio RR770, a model barely distinguishable from the now two-generations-old RR730. Just as the move from the 730 to the RR750 brought with it little more than a minor resolution bump, the 7.16 megapixel RR770 improves upon its predecessor by simply upgrading the LCD to a 3-incher -- but retaining the ho hum 3x optical zoom and limited scene selections of Caplios past. Price and release are currently shrouded in mystery, but don't expect to spend much more than $250 on this unremarkable shooter.

Wii Light Sword brings out the Skywalker in you

We knew it was just a matter of time before something like this happened, particularly with Star Wars: The Force Unleashed headed to the Wii next Spring, but it's good to see a lightsaber attachment come early. Available to order now through Play.com, this third-party accessory sports a power up / down effect to get your saber a-glowin' (and dimmed back down), 22 ultra-bright LEDs and an on / off switch for good measure. The adornment relies on a trio of AA cells to stay lit, and while it isn't slated to ship until later this month, you can commence searching for an extra £14.99 ($31) right away.

GM reaffirms commitment to 2010 Volt launch

Although we haven't noticed an atypical resurgence in doubters, General Motors' Bob Lutz apparently has. The exec has come forward and stated that the 2010 timeline for its much-anticipated Chevy Volt is still valid, despite the fact that employees working on the vehicle are "becoming increasingly nervous." While speaking at the Reuters Autos Summit in Detroit, Lutz also noted that there was "a lot of skepticism within the company," but that those in leadership roles firmly believe that it "has to be done." More specifically, GM is hoping to "leapfrog anything that is done by any other competitor," and while we're delighted to hear that the commitment is still strong, three years offers up a lot of time for situations to change.

Exmocare's wristwatch cares about your feelings

Exmocare has been prepping this watch for quite a while now, but it certainly seems to be shaping up of late. The Exmocare wristwatch monitors your heart rate, heart rate variability, movement and galvanic skin response, all of which the watch uses to determine how you're doing, specifically emotionally. If something's too outside the norm, the watch can report the condition to a loved one or caretaker over email, SMS or IM. It's primarily designed for elderly patients, and will be hitting the market early 2008.

Fujitsu's LifeBook S6510 gets reviewed

Fujitsu's LifeBook S6510, which we just caught wind of earlier this month, has made its way over to Notebook Review not a moment too soon, and the kind folks over there have put the machine through its paces in order to give you the skinny. As expected, reviewers marveled at the thinness of the 14.1-inch lappie, and even with the optical drive loaded in, they were delighted to find that it only weighed four pounds. Additionally, it was stated that the S6510 was surprisingly rigid, and while the LCD didn't exactly live up to the standards Fujitsu has set for itself, it was far from abysmal. Furthermore, the unit performed admirably in a plethora of tests, the keyboard was a joy to use and the battery life was right on par. Notably, the unit did emit quite a bit of heat, but all in all, this LifeBook should certainly fit the bill if you're looking for a business laptop that won't add any undue strain on your back.

Alienware gets official with Area-51 m15x, m17x laptops

While they don't exactly come as much of a surprise after a couple of leaks and that little website slip-up, Alienware has finally gotten official with is new Area-51 m15x and m17x laptops, which each pack more power than you'll likely need in your choice of two eye-catching designs. The m15x, as you can no doubt surmise, is a 15.4-inch model, which gives you enough room for dual hard drives, along with your choice of Core 2 Duo Extreme processors, NVIDIA GeForce 8800M GTX graphics, 667MHz DDR2 memory, and plenty of other high-end specs to match. The m17x appears to be identical in most respects, but its 17-inch display also affords just enough room for a third hard drive which, as we had heard earlier, can include SSD if you so choose. Still no word on a release date, but Alienware will gladly inform you of that little detail if you're willing to hand over your email address.

Bluetrek unveils the Sense touch-sensitive Bluetooth headset

Although we've certainly seen our share of glitz in the Bluetooth headset market, thankfully several manufacturers have realized that the less noticed a headset is, the better -- and Bluetrek's new Sense headset seems as low-key as any. The piano black device features a touch-sensitive talk button, voice alerts for common functions like redialing and pairing, voice dialing, and a detachable thin support wire designed for glasses-wearers. At £49 ($100), it's not necessarily the deal of the century, but it'll definitely stack up well against similarly austere headsets when it goes on sale early next year.

Cambridge SoundWorks i765: Superpowered Dock Radio

There's not much this Cambridge SoundWorks i765 radio can't do. It's an iPod dock. It's a clock radio with alarm. Its slot-loading CD player also plays DVDs to an attached TV. It looks like a nice all-in-one solution for small apartments or dorms.

But here's the thing: it's $500. And that's before you buy a little LCD panel to go along with the DVD player. While I'm sure it sounds better than a laptop's speakers, it seems like it would be almost as cheap to buy a little laptop and some nice speakers. You'd only lose the AM/FM radio, but you'd gain, you know, a computer.

Ah well. It should get much cheaper in a year or so. These sorts of dock/radios always drop to more realistic prices surprisingly quickly.

SentySafe Fire- and Water-Resistant Hard Drive Enclosures

SentrySafe has teamed up with Maxtor to create a line of fire resistant and waterproof USB hard drives, the better to protect your data in a disaster. The drives can withstand temperatures up to 1,550° Fahrenheit for 30 minutes and can be submerged in water for up to 24 hours.
They're maddeningly expensive for the capacity—$260 for an 80GB version—but have undeniable appeal to industrial strength data solution fetishists like myself.

Sentry is also selling a safe with slots of DVDs with a USB cable passthrough to a small drive inside. In fact, it looks like all these units may use 2.5-inch drives instead of full-sized 3.5-inch ones—that would explain the lack of capacity.

Toilet Tunes

"Toilet Tunes" is a simple light-detecting audio player designed to both cover up the symphony of gastrointestinal sounds that accompany your Opus Number Two and to remind you to put down the lid after your final note has rung true. A simple stick-on sensor takes three AAA batteries and attaches to the underside of the toilet lid, triggering the pre-recorded music (including Latin guitar!) or nature sounds from the tank-top speaker.
It's $30—but what price art?

SiCortex intros SC072 Catapult -- 72 processor cluster for $15000

Off hand, we can't think of how we'd truly utilize the horsepower generated by a 72-processor cluster shoved into a "whisper-quiet, low-power deskside cabinet," but we'd happily draw up a plan if forced. SiCortex -- the same folks who delivered the bicycle-powered supercomputer -- has introduced its new SO072 Catapult, which features a standard Linux environment, 48GB of RAM and a trio of (optional) PCIExpress slots. This aptly categorized high performance computer (HPC) sucks down less than 200-watts of power, sports a pair of gigabit Ethernet ports and has room for six internal hard drives. Reportedly, each of the 12 SC072 nodes is a multi-core chip with six CPU cores, and while $15,000 may seem steep for your average tower, we'd say this is a pretty good value considering the hardware.

Haier and AOL's PMP makes its debut as the ibiza Rhapsody

We haven't heard much of anything about Haier and AOL's WiFi-enabled PMP since CES way back at the beginning of the year, but it looks like the device has now finally made its way out the door, with it now dubbed the ibiza Rhapsody. From the looks of it, there's three different versions of the player, including a 4GB, an 8GB, and a 30GB model (each also available in a range of colors). Apart from that, however, the players all appear to be identical, with each boasting a 2.5-inch display, an FM radio, built-in WiFi, Bluetooth and, of course, integrated support for Rhapsody-To-Go and AOL's video service. Nice enough specs to be sure, although the player isn't exactly on the cheap side, with Amazon currently listing the 4, 8, and 30GB players for $230, $250, and $330, respectively.

N82 launch event in Helsinki today

In the next few hours, infosyncworld will be dropping the bomb on the new Nokia N82 launch in Helsinki (its 3am over there now). I really like this phone as this phone has a 5-megapixel Carl Zeiss camera that can auto-focus with a Xenon flash added. There’s also GPS maps, Wi-Fi for WLAN access, and 3G networking, which in Europe means HSDPA.

In the meanwhile, stay tuned for my review on the new Nokia feedback screen technology as I will be attending a Nokia event tonight and talking to the Nokia developers that created it.

N82 launch event in Helsinki today

In the next few hours, infosyncworld will be dropping the bomb on the new Nokia N82 launch in Helsinki (its 3am over there now). I really like this phone as this phone has a 5-megapixel Carl Zeiss camera that can auto-focus with a Xenon flash added. There’s also GPS maps, Wi-Fi for WLAN access, and 3G networking, which in Europe means HSDPA.

In the meanwhile, stay tuned for my review on the new Nokia feedback screen technology as I will be attending a Nokia event tonight and talking to the Nokia developers that created it.

Asus R50A to be launched

Asus has plans to launch the R50A in the near future, also known as the R3. No idea of its full specifications, but we do know that it will come with full computer and GPS functionality, which means you'll be able to perform all your office tasks on-the-go without a hitch, although you can forget about indulging in graphics intensive games. Chances are pretty good the Asus R50A will make an appearance at CES 2008, so keep your eyes peeled.