Archives for August 2007
Samsung's new cameras: Second batch
Will Greenwald, CNET.com | Aug 13, 2007
Following in the footsteps of last year's Samsung NV3, the i85 doubles as both a digital camera and a portable media player. The 8-megapixel aluminum shooter measures just 20.3mm thick and features a 36mm- to 180mm-equivalent internal zoom lens.
It can play MP3s and its 3-inch touchscreen can be used to watch movies. If those features aren't enough, the i85 also incorporates Samsung's World Tour Guide feature, first seen earlier this year on the L74 Wide.
Samsung also announced the next wave of its midrange NV-series of cameras, the NV8, NV15, and NV20. These three cameras sport 8-, 10-, and 12-megapixel sensors, and all feature brushed black, stainless steel bodies, and 3x optical zoom lenses.
Like most of the last generation of NV-cameras, these three use Samsung's unusual Smart Touch interface. Instead of buttons or a touch screen, a series of touch sensors lining the cameras' 2.5-inch screens control all the important settings and features.
At press time, Samsung Asia did not disclose any availability or pricing details.
See more of the latest cameras for this season
Via CNET Crave
Concept Haptic phone wows with raised keypad
Damian Koh | Aug 13, 2007
The brainchild of designer Lukas Koh, the Haptic phone features dual touchscreens at the front and back of the handset. What's unique is that the touchscreen can rise above the surface to mimic physical buttons. Now, ain't that cool? Even though it defeats the whole purpose of a touchscreen device, still we can't wait to see this in production.
Via Yanko Design
Mobile phone gets hitched to (fake) DS Lite
Mike Yamamoto, CNET.com | Aug 10, 2007
In the pantheon of phone straps and trinkets, this one stands above the rest on so many levels.
This "DS Cell Phone Charm" is a miniature replica of Nintendo's DS Lite, complete with functional clamshell lid and navigation buttons, but it opens up to reveal a geek's version of an old-fashioned compact mirror. In place of the real thing's double LCD screens is a "Double Mirror" that will come in handy, as GeekSugar says, so "you can check and make sure your lip gloss is popping before making a call." Or, when you're dressed up as Mario or Luigi, you can inspect your 'stache.
Via CNET Crave
Picture credit: geeksugar
Wii Hero Pack
Juniper Foo | Aug 10, 2007
Can you say Wii? History will be rewritten by something that sounds almost rude to the male gender. Thanks to enterprising third-party vendors like Camry International, there is now an accessory that will let you carry out your most medieval fantasies to the hilt, from Dungeons and Dragons to LOTR, to Samurai Warriors: Katana . We're already seen tennis racquets and even steering wheels, but we like the cut and thrust of this addon which lets you have a slashing good gameplay that ought to work up some sweat. Wiii…
See more images here
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Via Coolest Gadgets
Price: N.A.
Availability: Coming, more info here
Device: Wii accessory
Specs: Foam based
Outlook still murky for US$150 Medison laptop
Matthew Elliott, CNET.com | Aug 08, 2007
Responding to cries that its US$150 Linux laptop is at best vaporware or, at worse, a scam, Medison held a press conference last week at a Stockholm Hilton where it answered some, but not all, questions posed to it by the Swedish press, including Computer Sweden. After reading accounts of the exchange, we have no better feeling on whether this operation is legitimate, fraudulent, or a misdirected publicity stunt.
The only useful piece of information to come out the press conference was the promise that the company will start shipping its Medison Celebrity laptops around August 15. We placed our order on July 25, so we're giving the company until September 5 to deliver, which is the far end of its original four- to six-week estimate.
The company did have what looks like a working unit on display for all to see, but the company's managing director Valdi Ivancic didn't answer questions about who would be manufacturing the Medison Celebrity laptop, other than to say the company has an assembly plant in Brazil with plans for new plants in Central America and Europe.
Impressive: Expansion plans before the first Celebrity laptop rolls off the assembly line.
Ivancic explained that Medison plans to make more money from accessory makers advertising on its site than from sales of the US$150 laptop itself. He said that shipping is not included in the price of the laptop, which is odd since shipping charges weren't added or even estimated when we placed our order. Then again, our account has yet to be charged. Still, we'd like the chance to agree to the shipping charges before they're applied and the laptop ships. Support is also a question mark; Ivancic said he's talking with a company called InfoCare.
Now we're no Scandinavian entrepreneur, but it would seem to be that one ought to figure out how to ship and support a product before you begin taking orders. Being able to share these details at a press conference of your own arranging would go a long way to assure the public that you are running a legitimate business. Instead, Ivancic's exchange with journalists lacked details, but did include this gem:
Journalist: Will you sink or swim with this?
Ivancic: No, we won't.
Before the press conference ended, Ivancic steered the proceedings into the realm of the bizarre by mentioning that he may run for Prime Minister. Our US$150 and us are hoping that it's hard to launch a successful campaign for Prime Minister of Sweden on the heels of an Internet laptop scam. If our Medison Celebrity shows up by September 5, Ivancic can count on our votes.
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