FEPY

Sony’s NW-S200 series is the latest music player to join the Walkman fold. It’s a compact little player that’s been styled especially for crazy running types who can strap it to their toned arms and use all the special sports features. According to Sony it’s the first digital music player to be “completely water resistant” (I’m sure the likes of Oregon Scientific and Ministry of Sound would have something to say about that) to protect if from sweat and rain. There are also sports features like the Sony G-sensor (step count, distance travelled and calorie usage) and Music Pacer, which automatically picks up what pace you’re running at and changes the music to fit an appropriate tune that matches the beat.

Shuffle Shake is a new feature that lets you control your playback mode by shaking the Walkman three times and saying “there’s no place like home” (I made that last bit up). Available in silver, black and pink, with built in FM tuner and sizes of 512MB, 1GB and 2GB capacities. Just a shame it still uses the evil SonicStage software which always crashes my computer.

Available September 2006.

Origin: from Shiny Shiny

Posted by Fepy on Aug 31, 2006, 10:29AM

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Hang on, didn’t PodGear have an iPod speaker set called the HouseParty? As if all these millions of iPod speakers don’t confuse me enough already, Gear4 has to release one with the same name.

GEAR4’s HouseParty 24/7 is apparently an ‘around-the-clock mood enhancer’. It does all the usual iPod dock, charger and speakers business we’ve come to expect, plus it will apparently enhance your mood, which is no mean feat. Also includes an AM/FM radio and comes in white or black. There are two 6W speakers
plus a 12W subwoofer and ActiveBass 2.1 technology and it costs £99.99.

GEAR4 Website

Origin: from Shiny Shiny

Posted by Fepy on Aug 31, 2006, 10:56AM

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The October issue of PlayStation Magazine cited unnamed sources in a report stating that Sony will launch the next generation PSP in 2007. Right now, however, it doesn’t look like this will be quite what we were looking for: rather than a “proper” PSP2, Sony is apparently going to follow in Apple’s footsteps and gradually upgrade the PSP’s features and capabilities while keeping the price more or less the same.

The report suggests that Sony will upgrade the built-in memory from 32MB to 8GB based on memory chip industry movement; will add a built-in Eye-Toy-like camera; and will retool the UMD drive into a slot-loading drive. Naturally, the upgraded PSP will be slimmer than its predecessor.

The larger memory is expected to be used for Sony’s as-yet-to-materialize scheme for downloadable games and other content. Sony’s not one to kiss and tell, so odds are it’ll be a little while before any hard information on the next generation PSP is known. – Nicholas Deleon

Report: Next Generation PSP Coming in 2007 [Next Generation]

Origin: from Gizmodo

Posted by Fepy on Aug 30, 2006, 8:26PM

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We have a closer look and more details on the PSP GPS Addon we saw last week. The GPS goes on top of your PSP and can actually be folded down when not in use, making your PSP a little less bulbous. We’re not sure whether folding it will disable it, since the top part looks like it serves as an antenna.

Also, in addition to using the GPS as a regular navigation system, it’s going to be used in games! Titles like Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops will take advantage of the GPS, probably making you run around your neighborhood like a doofus to keep Snake out of harm’s way. Other games that will take advantage of this will probably be Double Dragon: Fist of the GPS, Castlevania: Concerto of Driving Directions, and Sonic Universe: Pull Over And Enter The Address Again Tails, We’ll Never F***ing Find Dr. Robotnik This Way.– Jason Chen

A Much Closer Look at the PSP GPS [pspupdates via Slashgear]

Origin: from Gizmodo

Posted by Fepy on Aug 30, 2006, 9:12PM

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A research team at Mitsubishi has developed a new type of digital camera shutter that will do a significantly better job at stopping motion and deblurring images. It works exactly how its odd name describes, the shutter flutters. With a traditional exposure, the shutter will open during the duration of the shot. The flutter shutter flutters multiple times and able to capture objects with an exposure time of 50 milliseconds.

The creator of this invention, Ramesh Raskar and his team at Mitsubishi has teamed with MIT to further develop this invention. Looking forward to seeing this developed further. – Travis Hudson

Mitsubishi Electric Develops Deblurring Flutter Shutter Camera [Digital Camera Info]

Origin: from Gizmodo

Posted by Fepy on Aug 30, 2006, 10:32PM

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Although this isn’t an actual Dreamcast system that you can play on your wrist—oh how we wish that were so—it’s the next best thing. This watch, comissioned by Sega, has an actual Dreamcast-like face which flips open to tell you the time. Classy and nerdy. You can pre-order one at Playasia now for the Sept. 29 release date. – Jason Chen

Product Page [Playasia via dc emu]

Origin: from Gizmodo

Posted by Fepy on Aug 31, 2006, 12:45AM

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It’s hard to imagine an eyelash curler that won a design award, but then, old-school eyelash curlers were in pretty serious need of an overhaul (if anything to do with eyelashes can be more serious than the thing where you stick one to your fingertip, make a wish, and blow on it, and if the lash is gone, your wish comes true). The Rubis pocket eyelash curler “perfectly curls and aligns your lashes, making them look longer and your eyes wider and brighter.” Does anybody still use the old school ones? Does this new design look revolutionary? Will half the planet soon be carrying them? Comments invited. [GT]

Rubis pocket eyelash curler [via PopGadget]

Origin: from Shiny Shiny

Posted by Fepy on Aug 31, 2006, 6:50AM

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It’s out of prototype and onto the market: Petscell, the mobile for your pet. If your dog or cat gets lost, you can dial up and ask him where he is, how long he’s going to be, and if he’d pick up some sushi and Riesling on the way home. You can even program it to call you whenever your pet goes outside a certain pre-set area, which it monitors via GPS. It also has ‘bread-crumb’ technology allowing you to follow the dots left behind where your pet has been, so you can call up, say ‘Grommit old pal, I’m on my way,’ and keep chatting all the way to the Queen’s Bones underground pub where he just stopped in to ask what time it was, met an old friend, and hung around to play snooker because he forgot you were getting home from work early and didn’t realize you expected him to meet you at the door like usual. [GT]

Petscell mobile for your pet [via Coolest Gadgets]

Origin: from Shiny Shiny

Posted by Fepy on Aug 31, 2006, 7:29AM

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Windows only: Avoid getting a cell phone service technician involved and update your Nokia phone’s firmware yourself with the now freely available Phone Software Update.

Choose your model online and download the free package that requires your phone is physically plugged in (first time I’ve ever used the cable, thank you Bluetooth) and charging to run. It’s not real clear what’s in the latest firmware, but keeping your gadgets up to date is always a good idea, right? Right? Warning: your phone looks like it’s dying during the 15 minute or so process, but trust the progress bar and press on. It’ll be ok. Oh, and be sure to back up ALL your phone data before proceeding. The Phone Software Update is a free download, Windows only, Nokia phone required. — Gina Trapani

Origin: from Lifehacker

Posted by Fepy on Aug 31, 2006, 1:00AM

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Researchers from Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) have developed a micromotor powered by the movement of bacteria.

The 20-micron (1 micron = 1 millionth of a meter) diameter revolving motor has 6 blades, each with a foot that sits in a 0.5-micron deep, 13-micron diameter groove etched into a silicon substrate. The surfaces of the feet and the groove are treated with proteins that cause the bacteria (introduced via a connecting groove) to move in one direction, pushing the feet (and spinning the motor) as they pass through the groove.

The researchers believe microbial motion can be harnessed as a power source for microdevices in the future, with potential applications that include motors for micromachines and miniature pumps for tiny medical devices.

The research results were published in the August 28 edition of PNAS (online edition).

[Source: Sanyo Shimbun, Jiji]

Origin: from Pink Tentacle

Posted by Fepy on Aug 30, 2006, 3:02AM

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