Nissan, Renault and Better Place team for electric cars, charging points in Israel

While there are many rational and irrational reasons for the delays we've seen in production of a mass-market and massively adopted electric car, most of the major issues seem to be addressed by this new initiative going down in Israel. One of the primary problems with electric cars is refilling, and that's going to be nicely addressed by entrepreneur Shai Agassi's Project Better Place, which will build a charging network of 500,000 plug-in points across the country. Other issues were a bit more easily addressed: since Israel is a small country, the limited range of electric cars isn't as much of an issue, and the government subsisdies should make prices competitive -- with the eventual cost of ownership significantly less than gas cars to sweeten the deal even further. Nissan and Renault plan to built the cars, naturally, and hope to port the concepts into other vehicles in other countries in the near future. The plan is to launch the first cars in Israel around 2011.

Navigon's 8110 PND coming in March?

For all you PND fans (and we know you're out there) hanging around waiting for a hot new piece of navigational gear, you might want to turn your attention to Navigon's 8000 series. Specifically, focus your laser beams on the 8110, a high-end portable GPS unit that boasts a slew of nasty features like a gigantic (by nav standards) 4.8-inch WQVGA screen, a 533MHz CPU (with a graphics accelerator), 128MB RAM, 512MB ROM, Bluetooth, an RDS/TMC receiver (for traffic information), and an FM transmitter. The unit will sport the company's new MobileNavigator 7 software, which features a more realistic, enhanced 3D road view, as well as new "lane assist" functions. The 8110 is rumored to be available around March in Europe (in time for CeBIT), and will be hitting shelves with a €499 price tag.

Handpresso gets unboxed: how did we ever get by without?

Actually, that headline is a bit misleading, since we'd never actually subscribe to a method of coffee production that required any sort of effort before the coffee is actually in our body -- clearly defeating the purpose -- but this Handpresso thing is still quite the little gizmo in its own right. It works pretty much exactly like you'd expect: pump the handle to the right pressure level, add an espresso pod and hot water, flip the switch and blammo, you've got a few waking hours in a cup. Apparently the box is all fancy too, which is always nice.

Panasonic goes wild, reveals loads of TVs in Japan

Every so often, we see a firm go out of its way to let loose not just one or two new products, but enough fresh kit to totally overwhelm anyone trying to digest it all. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on perspective) for us all, Panasonic has done just that with a smattering of televisions. Up first is the 17-inch TH-17LX8 LCD TV, which will be available in five different hues and offer up a 1,366 x 768 resolution, HDMI input, VIERA Link and built-in SD slot. Next in line, we've got a trio of new LCD TVs in the LX series ranging from 20- to 32-inches in size, all featuring a 1,366 x 768 resolution and an analog / digital tuner to boot. Lastly, we've got three new plasmas (37-, 42- and 50-inches) with lackluster resolutions, a 15,000:1 contrast ratio and a bevy of inputs (including an SD slot and Ethernet port). The whole lot is slated to land in mid-February, so be sure and tag the links below if any of these just happened to tickle your fancy.

SkullCandy shows off MP3-playing Double Agent headphones

It's not like we haven't seen MP3-playing headphones before -- heck, we've even seen 'em from SkullCandy itself -- but the latest pair from the aforementioned firm simplifies things quite a bit. Quietly showcased at CES, the Double Agent cans sport a built-in SD slot and the typical assortment of controls on one earcup in order to take the external DAP / PMP out of the equation entirely. 'Course, we wouldn't recommend this to those who aren't fond of just shuffling through their tracks, but if you're aiming to consolidate, you can get one step closer to doing just that when this ships in March / April for a currently undisclosed price.

The last Sky Commuter concept craft hits eBay

Oh, what a tease! This here Sky Commuter prototype is the last remaining example of what could have been: after the company failed in the late 80's and the plant was shut down, all other prototypes of this personal commuter craft were destroyed. The vehicle is registered with the FAA as a "VTOL" (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) aircraft, but the prototype can only hover to about 10 feet before losing stability. It's going for $62,600, a virtual bargain, but you'd better move fast -- the auction ends in an hour.

Sony trots out "portable" Bravia B4000 series LCD TVs

While we doubt many will be lugging one of these around on their next business trip or outdoor adventure, Sony's new line of Bravia B4000 LCD TVs does at least look to be portable enough to tote from room to room, a task made slightly easier by Sony's thoughtful inclusion of a built-in handgrip. That somewhat distinct feature is apparently included on all of the models in the line (including 20, 23, and 26-inch varieties), each of which include virtual surround sound, Sony's trademark "BRAVIA Engine," dual HDMI ports, and integrated Freeview digital TV tuners. That last tidbit, of course, also means the sets are Europe-only for the time being, although that situation would seem to be only a slight hardware tweak away from being changed. No word on a price or release date just yet, but you will apparently be able to get each one in your choice of white or mocha colors.

Samsung's M110 "Solid" phone is rugged, boring

Samsung's M110 "Solid" phone is apparently making its way to the UK soon, bringing with it a ruggedized exterior sure to resist even the most violent attacks (or scratching, at least). Aside from the tough exterior the device, it's actually a fantastically boring GSM phone, featuring EDGE / GPRS data, a 240 x 320 screen, Bluetooth, a VGA camera, FM tuner... and MMS! The Korean electronics-maker claims this phone is the "first ultra durable handset," which is wildly inaccurate, though the device can apparently withstand shocks, water, and hanging out with Tara Reid for a night. Price is expected to hover somewhere near the £59.99 mark (or about $119), and will be available in the UK on the O2 network soon.

BiTMICRO introduces 832GB SSD for CES 2008

The folks at BiTMICRO are about to blow some doors off of the SSD truck with a new product they'll be showing at CES this year. According to a press release, the company is introducing a new, 2.5-inch solid-state drive with a whoppping 832GB of NAND flash goodness. The 3Gb SATA drive is a new addition to the company's E-Disk Altima line, and utilizes a technology the company calls multi-level cell (or MLC) memory, which apparently doubles the number of bits stored per memory cell when compared with single-level cell (SLC) NAND. The drives are expected to ship Q3 2008 in capacities ranging from 32GB to 832GB -- and you can be sure we'll be staring intently at them (and asking for demo units) as soon as CES rolls around.

Cobra announces NAV ONE 5000 GPS unit

While it's not specially-designed for truckers like some of the company's other GPS units, Cobra's
just-announced NAVO ONE 5000 device certainly looks like it'll get the job done for the average driver quite nicely, even if it may not exactly stand out from the pack. This one's biggest selling point, it seems, is its "ground-breaking" OptiView ultra-bright, five-inch touch screen, which the company claims is easy to view even in "extreme lighting conditions." Otherwise, you'll get Cobra's usual speed and red light camera location alerts, a "My Favorite Brands" feature that'll let you know when your nearing one of over 800 well-known restaurant and retail chains, text-to-speech functionality, optional real-time traffic data, and built-in Bluetooth for handsfree calling, among other standard features. If that works for ya, you'll be able to get your hands one of these for $510, with a 15-month traffic service subscription setting you back another $160.

Wolfking's Warrior Xxtreme gets reviewed

Are you ready for a blast of the obvious? If so, head on down to the read link and take a look at Extreme Tech's review of the Warrior Xxtreme. Wolfking's latest gamepad is obviously aiming at a smallish niche, and while it proved to be quite the device to have while gaming, it's not exactly the easiest thing to pound out a dissertation on. 'Course, we sincerely hope you didn't expect anything other than precisely those results, and it should be noted that Wolfking did a swell job of catering to righties and southpaws alike. Overall, we've serious doubts that touch-typists will be keen on swapping out their ergonomic split 'board for this thing, but hunt-and-peckers that spend the majority of their time in WoW raids may find lots to love.

Aerielle's i2i Stream now available

Satisfying our craving for a device that allows users to share music wirelessly to anyone within 30 feet or so, Aerielle's i2i Stream improves on the existing Engadget ghettoblaster by limiting exposure to only headphone wearers who choose to listen in. Broadcasting on the already-crowded 2.4GHz frequency, it promises one-to-hundreds broadcasts, with as many as three channels broadcast in the same location without interference. For $129.95 you and a friend can share an iPod, stereo or any other audio source without catching a sound pollution charge for up to 7 hours, or for $69.95 get just one and wait for another user to walk by. Should be on sale any minute now.

New US e-passports to speed checkpoint times, freak out privacy types, in April or May

The feds are done debating and are all prepped to introduce RFID e-passports readable up to 20 feet away to US citizens who frequently travel to Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean in either April or May of 2008. The new passports should allow traveler info to be read as they're shuffling up to the border agent, who can verify their info and wave them along with little delay. Privacy advocates are obviously concerned about people capturing data or cloning the passports, but you can always "accidentally" destroy your RFID chip if that's enough of an issue for you -- the rest of us welcome our benevolent Big Brother with bellyfeel!

OpenMoko to unveil consumer-minded Neo FreeRunner

So far, OpenMoko's Linux-based open source wares have amounted to little more than a twinkle in the eye of Joe Consumer, instead getting fast-tracked into the hands of developers who hope to make the whole package stable and functional enough for the average buyer to give a flip by the time they're widely available. We'd say that's a solid policy -- especially if these guys hope to fight the oncoming Android steamroller -- and the next volley is about to get fired in the form of the "Neo FreeRunner." The spiritual successor to the original Neo1973 (pictured), the FreeRunner is being billed as a "compelling mass market device" thanks to some key additions: WiFi, motion sensors, a faster 500MHz processor, and 3D graphics acceleration. OpenMoko's previewing the phone at CES next week with shipments following on to developers in the spring in two triband GSM versions, one with North America-friendly 850MHz and the other with 900MHz. Consumer sales are expected to happen after that (shortly after that, hopefully) once the dev community blesses it with solid code.

Japan gets official on plans and details for world's fastest maglev

We'd already heard about Central Japan Railway Company's not-so-near-term intentions to deploy a speedy new maglev system in the country, but it looks like it's just now getting official with things, and it's still promising to have it up and running no sooner than 2025. By then, there should be 180 miles of track stretching from Tokyo to central Japan, which'll accommodate a maglev train capable of topping out at 310 miles per hour, apparently making it the world's fastest. That, as you might have guessed, comes at a fairly hefty cost -- $44.7 billion, to be specific -- which makes some similar, but decidedly less speedy systems pale in comparison. As The Register points out, however, while Japan's train will be the fastest maglev system, it won't quite keep up with the fastest conventional trains around, or whatever else might be around in the year 2025.

Lenovo rolls out Olympic-themed USB drive

Lenovo long ago revealed its Olympic-themed laptops, but it looks like the company isn't done with the technology tie-ins just yet, as it's now trotted out a similarly-branded USB flash drive to go along with the laptops (or your own). As you can see, the thumb drive should at least match the laptop quite nicely, but there unfortunately doesn't seem to be any word as to what capacities will be available, or any other details for that matter. We're pretty sure you can expect them to roll out sometime before the Olympics get underway this summer, however, with 'em likely to demand a bit of a premium over other, non-Olympic drives

Wiimote weapon kit takes uselessness to dangerous new levels

Wiimote add-ons of all sorts have been flooding in virtually since the console's debut, but when it comes to sheer uselessness and dangerousness, it's tough to beat this latest bundle from the folks at Dragon Electronics, which offers no less than eight ways to accessorize your Wiimote and nunchuck. That includes a pair of daggers, an axe, and a pistol to name a few, which the company says should provide "amazing, exciting, fantastic and training body reaction." If that sounds like the added depth of realism you've been waiting for, you can grab a set of your own right now for just under $30.

Maxian's E900T PMP / GPS navigator offers near-endless possibilities

At a glance, it's easy to mistake the Maxian E900T for other members of the Maxian family, such as the E900DIC or D900 Neo. Let's face it -- this company has some fundamental problems when it comes to differentiating between models. The latest entry into the lineup comes in the form of a wild, do-it-all PMP -- one which incorporates audio and video playback, a DMB receiver, GPS navigation, and an always-handy dictionary into one delicious package. The Windows CE-based system boasts an 800 x 480 4.3-inch touchscreen, a 30GB or 60GB hard drive, support for WMV, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DiVX / XviD, H.264, WMA, AAC, MP3, and OGG formats (amongst others), plus the aforementioned DMB compatibility. The E900T is capable of outputting 720p HD video, sports Dolby Digital and DTS surround sound, and includes Burr-Brown audio circuitry which it outputs via S/PDIF. When you slap this thing into its carmount, it also becomes a full featured GPS navigator, taking advantage of the GPS receiver in the cradle to provide turn-by-turn directions and other navigation functions you know and love, like locating Wendy's (in Korea, at least). No word on when, or if, this will be available in the States, but it couldn't hurt to write some letters of encouragement.