Itsy-bitsy Bluetooth headset

At first glance, this may look like an odd-shaped bolt from your toolbox. In reality, it's a Bluetooth headset from Japanese company Adtec. The AD-HSM10 wireless headset weighs just 5g and sits in one ear. Despite its small size and weight, the specs rate it as having 3 hours talktime and 100 hours standby time.

It will cost 8980 yen (about US$79) when launched and comes with a docking station for charging. Now this is one product that requires a "keep out of reach of children" warning label just in case they swallow it.

Adtec (via Engadget)

ASUS U series gets the SSD treatment

The ASUS U1f was a classy number which combined a stainless steel frame and leather on the palm rest to offer a luxurious design. The latest upgrade, the ASUS U2, goes a step further by boosting performance in two key areas.

Though the 11.1-inch notebook still does not include an integrated optical drive, the new Core 2 Duo ULV processor will likely give the U2 a much faster computing experience than the older U1f. Another factor to consider is the replacement of the standard harddisk with a 32GB SSD, which has no moving parts and offers a speedier read/write access than the former. Other features such as a fingerprint scanner, integrated Webcam and an LED-backlit display are passed down to the U2 as well. No news on the price and availability of this unit--though with its 32GB SSD, we expect the price to be significantly higher than the S$3,988 (US$2,623.68) one has to fork out for the U1f.

Samsung BD-P1400 firmware upgrade

For vigilant BD-P1400 blu-ray player users, Samsung has just released a new firmware upgrade to address the 1080p24 onscreen judder and Live Free or Die Hard disc compatibility issues. These were two major problems reported by early Asian adopters in local forums including intermittent audio dropout. This firmware upgrade is currently only available online using its inbuilt network port.

In a separate note, Singapore electronics retailer Harvey Norman has been offering this Samsung HD player at S$699 (US$459.87) promotional launch price bundled with three Blu-ray Fox titles. This makes the BD-P1400 the most affordable standalone kits in the Singapore market, not to mention its enticing raw (bitstream) Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD surround sound output capability via HDMI.

LG's Xcanvas upgraded with 120Hz panels

These LG LCD TVs (available only in Korea) have just received a speed boost. They have been upgraded with a 120Hz refresh rate to counter motion blur and gives smoother onscreen actions. This should provide an edge for the full-HD Xcanvas over its regular counterparts, while bridging screen response performance gap against plasma TVs.

Three sizes are available: From 42 to 47 and 52 inches and all models come in a unique wooden bezel. Other standard bits include JPEG and MP3 playback via inbuilt USB, 1080p-enabled PC input and digital optical audio output.

Via Akihabara News | Photo credit: LG

Asus' E90 Communicator lookalike

French site GPS and Co has information about a new Asus handheld which bears a passing resemblance to a certain Nokia device. Pictured here is the Asus M930W, a WM6 (Windows Mobile 6) PDA-phone with both numeric and QWERTY keypads like the Nokia E90.

From the available images, the external display has portrait orientation while the one hidden in the clamshell design is in landscape mode. Though GPS and Co reported that it will run WM6 Professional, the screenshots seem to suggest that it's the Standard version for smart phones without touch displays instead. Other specs include HSDPA, 128MB RAM and a 3.2-megapixel autofocus camera.

One interesting point is how the internal display doesn't span the entire surface of the cover. The excess space on the left and right makes it look like another Asus product, the Eee PC. We don't think that's intentional, but is probably because WM doesn't support such a wide aspect ratio to fit the length of the PDA-phone.

Click for larger images:



Via GPS and Co (via Gizmodo)

Crave is...

The name says it all. Crave is our new blog about cool gadgets and other crushworthy stuff.

Drop us an email if you have tips or suggestions.

Crave for...

» Mobile Phones (575)

» Digital Cameras (356)

» Notebooks (367)

» PC & Peripherals (372)

» Handhelds (213)

» Printers (37)

» Home AV (394)

» Music & Play (358)

» Gadgets (844)

» Future Tech (124)

Previously...

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

Subscribe to
Crave

Today on CNET |  Reviews |  Crave |  Blogs |  CNET TV |  Digital Living |  Downloads