Philips Imageo sets hearts on fire

Who says you need real candles for a romantic dinner? Philips' Imageo candlelights are just as dreamy, if not better. What's more you don't have to deal with an open flame or dripping wax, unless you are into that kind of excitement. At the heart of the Imageo is an LED source that's configured to mimic the flicker of a real candlelight.

There's no on/off switch and to turn it on, you simply tilt the candle. Doing it once should impress your date and when you do it the second time, she'll start asking how you managed the trick. Any further attempts could potentially render you an idiot, so just leave it at that and be nonchalant about it.

The Imageo candlelight is available in sets of three and comes with a storage base that doubles as a conduction charging unit. If you are not out to impress, perhaps one stick (Candle Mini) will do. It's currently available in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia for S$99 (set of three), but if you really must have one of these, Amazon carries it, too.

Geekiest matching tees--ever

Does your heart ache when you are separated from your significant other for long periods? If it does, make sure everyone knows that with the 8-bit Dynamic Life Shirt. From ThinkGeek, this pair of t-shirts has a row of hearts across the chest each. When you are close to another person with the same t-shirt, all six hearts will light up in red. When you are not within 2m proximity of your loved one, only 2.5 hearts are lit.

A perfect way to affirm your love for your partner. The only danger is your colleague may have one, too. It could get embarrassing if your hearts start lighting up when you meet Hairy Bill at the water cooler--yup, these shirts aren't exclusively paired, so it'll light up when near anyone at all who has one, too.

A pair will cost you US$50. Unfortunately, ThinkGeek doesn't deliver to everywhere in Asia. Singapore, for example, is not on its list of shipping countries, though Thailand and Hong Kong are. Send them an email if you feel strongly about that, or just get a friend in the US to do you the shipping favor.

Apple releases latest Leopard 10.5.2

The latest update to Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard is available, with fixes for several different issues.

Apple posted a support document on its Web site and began informing Leopard users through the Software Update mechanism that Mac OS X 10.5.2 is now ready for public consumption. A combo update that includes some security patches is 343MB and can be downloaded immediately. The first update to Leopard, version 10.5.1, was released in November.

This time around, Apple has fixed some issues with Time Machine, the automatic backup software available in Leopard, as well as Finder. Time Machine now works with a wider variety of external hard drives, and you can now access the application through the menu bar like you would a list of Wi-Fi networks. There's no support for wireless backups, however, unless you pick up Apple's new Time Capsule external hard drive.

Finder now seems more stable, with fixes that should prevent it from crashing in certain situations. And Airport is said to work more reliably with improved stability and security.

Apple also released two separate patches for Leopard users that improve graphics performance and update WebObjects to 5.4.1. It's not clear whether those are included in the combo update; they aren't included in the list of new things in version 10.5.2 on Apple's site.

Tiger users also have some work to do, with new security updates released for both Tiger and Leopard. The Leopard combo update does include the security update released Monday for that OS. About 19 percent of the Mac installed base has upgraded to Leopard, Apple executives said on their earnings conference call last month.

Toshiba's 4-in-1 device just looks weird

Note to Toshiba: Different doesn't always mean better. Judging from the photos of its G450 phone, we wouldn't be surprised if the company has hired some of NEC's batty designers.

It's got the oddest-looking keys we've seen since the triangles of Nokia's Prism line, but not because of their shape--it's their positions, divided into two circular number pads. Then again, maybe it's not really classified as a phone at all; Toshiba is marketing the G450 in the UK as a 4-in-1 gadget that performs as an MP3 player, USB flash drive, and high-speed modem as well as a mobile handset, according to OhGizmo.

You'd think they'd want to conserve space instead of having two keypads, given that the whole device is only 3.8 inches long. But if they were going to go through all that trouble, couldn't they have thrown in a camera, e-book, and DVR, too?

Via Crave CNET

WildCharger keeps plugging away

The WildCharger was met with some skepticism when it was announced more than a year ago because it sounded too good to be true. The rollup pad promised to charge various devices simultaneously, regardless of type or brand.

But its manufacturer, appropriately named WildCharge, continues to prove its critics wrong by releasing new adapters compatible with more products. The latest of them will work with the iPhone, iPod, second-generation nano, and two BlackBerry models (the Pearl and 8800), according to Gizmodo.

The adapters still need to be placed on the back of the devices, which can then be charged when placed on the flexible mat. WildCharge has long hoped that the receivers could be integrated directly into their devices, but that would likely be a vastly complicated endeavor involving multiple companies, technologies, licensing, and standards. In other words, don't hold your breath.

Via Crave CNET

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