Best Gadgets News

by Darren Murph, posted May 30th 2008 at 3:25PM Nothing too notable here — just that Toshiba is apparently fixing to unveil a brand new DVD player in the age of Blu-ray that will be “capable of producing high-resolution images from regular DVDs.” As you’re laughing heartily, ponder this: are we looking at a simple upconverting DVD player? Or will that Cell-based SpursEngine chip bring “super-resolution” to a standalone deck? (Read the full post about ‘Toshiba knows no shame, plans to release super-resolution DVD player’…)

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The first installment of the episodic Penny Arcade game, “On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness,” has broken the three-day sales record for an initial offering on Xbox Live Arcade by earning $330,000 over that time.

(Read the full post about ‘Penny Arcade breaks XBLA sales record’…)

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by Darren Murph, posted May 30th 2008 at 12:22PM
Ah, bugger. Just days after Apple Core began offering its aTV Flash on a foolproof USB stick, the outfit has officially pulled the software. Apparently there have been a few “questions arising regarding the fair use of a particular file present on the aTV Flash, and conflicting opinions as to whether or not it falls under the fair use category.” In order to keep itself off of the hot seat, it has “proactively” (and voluntarily) discontinued offering the product “until further notice.” Not all hope is lost, however, as Apple Core is currently working with the party in question to resolve the dilemma, and it should be keeping us all in the loop as discussions progress. (Read the full post about ‘aTV Flash voluntarily pulled until further notice’…)

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I don’t know about you, but I’m all thumbs when it comes to MP3 Player technology. I know that most MP3 players have some iTunes-like program to make music downloading and syncing easy, but I’m just not down with that.

So wouldn’t it be easier if I was to buy my mp3 player with tunes already programmed into it? This is the idea behind the REDI, a 1GB MP3 Player that comes preloaded with about 250 tracks, or six hours worth of music.

For example, one of the REDI models comes ready for exercise with the “Ultimate Workout Mix”. I’m not certain what songs are on this model, but I’m thinking that “Physical” by Olivia Newton-John has to be there somewhere.

(Read the full post about ‘REDI MP3 Player’…)

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by Ryan Block, posted May 30th 2008 at 4:07PM
Watch out, everybody, the Optimus Popularis has gone from foam mockup to proper-looking prototype. (We’re really digging that full-length display in the space bar.) With any luck, we won’t have to watch this one develop over the course of 2-3 years like we did the Maximus — and with a little more luck, this one will be easier to type on, too.

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Filed under: Displays, Peripherals

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by Ryan Block, posted May 30th 2008 at 2:32PM
Whoa, hard to believe its been three years since the last internationalized version of Engadget launched, but we’re back and have a number of new sites in the pipeline — kicking off with Engadget in Polish!

Why Polish, you ask? Well, besides the fact that we had some amazing talent waiting in the wings to blow it out, it’s also a smaller (dare we say underserved?) market to soft-launch in that allows us to work out the kinks as we prepare to do even more international versions of Engadget in the coming weeks and months.

So if Polish isn’t your bag, just hang tight, you’ll be seeing even more localized Engadgets soon enough. (Read the full post about ‘Introducing Engadget Poland!’…)

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In this week’s Wired Gadget Lab Podcast, Dylan Tweney, Daniel Dumas, and Jose Fermoso discuss the yet-to-be released Dell mini notebook, unexpectedly revealed by Michael Dell this week at the D6: All Things Digital Conference. While light on actual details, the nice-looking cherry-red design sets the groups’ hearts aflutter (especially Dylan’s) and makes them wonder if other new laptops will follow its stylish design.

They follow that by talking about the upcoming Nokia N96 multimedia phone (that includes everything from flash video to an integrated DVB-H receiver for TV-watching), and further expose the artist who falsely claimed to create the biggest drawing in the world through GPS.

(Read the full post about ‘Gadget Lab Podcast #31: Dell’s Mini Laptop, Nokia N96, and Fake GPS Art’…)

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TiVo subscribers will soon have access to on-demand movies and shows from Walt Disney Studios and the agreement not only includes Disney-ABC, but CinemaNow as well.

The new services will be available to subscribers who have their TiVo DVR connected to the Internet via a broadband service. Video content will be available in standard definition and high definition for a 24-hour rental period.

The on-demand service will be offered to TiVo customers with Series2 or Series3 DVR boxes later this year.

TiVo has seen competition from satellite and cable operators who have been providing their own DVR solution in addition to on-demand services.

(Read the full post about ‘TiVo to offer Disney content on-demand’…)

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by Darren Murph, posted May 30th 2008 at 1:57PM
DigiTimes has it that HTC has already shipped its first batch of over 10,000 Touch Diamond mobiles to Hong Kong CSL, which has consequently sent our saliva glands into overdrive. The report continues on to say that deliveries to European / Asia-Pacific operators should get going in June, though no further details were mentioned. (Read the full post about ‘HTC ships first batch of Touch Diamond handsets’…)

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by Donald Melanson, posted May 30th 2008 at 4:41PMIt’s not confirmed by Sony just yet, but Videogaming247 says it has it on “good authority” that the upcoming version 2.40 firmware update for the PS3 will at long last bring with it in-game XMB, as well as the slightly less-anticipated trophy support. If those sources are to be believed, the update will be dropping sometime in June, with some speculation further pointing to a release in advance of Metal Gear Solid 4’s June 12th launch. (Read the full post about ‘PS3 firmware 2.40 said to be bringing in-game XMB, trophies’…)

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