Zumreed Dreams has a knack for coming out with quirky headphones, and their latest is just that. Poppin’ Canaltype Earphones help keep things neat and tidy by coming with a flat cord holder with two dips to hold each earbud in place. Plus, each set comes in a mix of 2 colors with 4 sets and a total of 8 different colors.The Dreams ZHP-009 Poppin Canatype Earphones retail for $39.99. 
We’re using to seeing lots of manufacturers strut out special red or pink versions of their products in honor of Valentine’s Day, but this is the first time we’ve seen a printer transformed into red. So if you think the standard black, gray or white printers are too dull, this is your chance to pick up an exclusive red Canon Pixma MP640R Network-Ready Wireless Color Multifunction Printer/ Copier/ Scanner. The printer prints pages as fast as 8ppm in color, it’s network ready via Ethenet or Wi-fi, it scans, and it has a built-in memory card reader. You can pick it up now for $149 at Best Buy.
The Star Wars merch just doesn’t stop lately. Japan’s Heart Art company has taken the iconic movie and made it into a funky bag. A direct Star Wars collectible from Japan, these retro-patterned mosaic handbags for fans for those fans who want to look hip while hey got a storm tropper on their bag. The bag is made of 100% cotton and measures approximately 8.5 x 9 inches. The Japanese Character Mosiac Bag is currently slated to be shipped on March 31st and retails for $17.99.
Puppy Tweets a new “toy” from Mattel that is about to transform Twitter as we know it. The device attaches to your dog’s collar and monitor’s his physical activity throughout the day. Each time it detects new activity, or on the otherhand – it detects laziness, the device will send out a tweet from your dog’s Twitter account about what the pup is up to at that moment. This is a super fun way for owners to keep on top of what their dog is doing during the day.Available in pink or blue, Puppy Tweets works by attaching the device to your dog’s collar. The device runs on a wi-fi internet connection, and a USB receiver needs to be plugged in, and your computer turned on in order for the device to send out tweets. You can also specify at what intervals you want your dog to send out tweets, so that his/her’s twitter followers don’t become overwhelmed. Currently, the system comes with over 500 different tweets, and more tweets will be available to download.
With over 73 million dog in the U.S., and 43 million dog owners, Puppy Tweets looks like it’s about to take twitter by storm, and we foresee more #Fail wails happening in the future as a result. Will all of these new tweets be considered Puppy Spam? Time will tell. But either way, our puppy can’t wait to try out this device. You can follow her at @littlebuttons. It will just be a bit embarrassing when she ends up having more Twitter followers than us.
This morning Mattel unveiled Barbie’s 125th and 126th career which was decided based on votes that poured in from her fans all over the world. News Anchor Barbie won the Girls’ vote and became Barbie’s 125th career in Barbie’s I Can Be doll series, but Barbie also unleashed a surprise on us – Barbie’s 126th career. According to Lauren Dougherty, director of Barbie marketing for Mattel, voting for the Computer Engineer Barbie became viral amongst female engineers and other women in the tech industry, so much so, that many, many votes also poured in for a Computer Engineer career for Barbie. Because this popular vote went to Computer Engineer Barbie, Mattel couldn’t resist but to reward Barbie with a 126th career choice as well.
Barbie designers worked closely with the society of women engineers and the national academy of engineering to ensure that computer engineer Barbie met the standards of her title. Computer engineer Barbie, which will be released in winter 2010, sports a geek chic binary code patterned tee (We’d so wear that!) and she comes equipped with everything a modern day geek girl would use. That includes a smartphone, Bluetooth headset, laptop travel bag, and last but not least – a pink laptop. No word on whether it’s a Mac or PC though. Both News Anchor Barbie and Computer Engineer Barbie are available for pre-order at MattelShop.
But Computer Engineer Barbie doesn’t just serve the purpose of answering the demand of the popular vote, it’s also designed to encourage young girls to aspire to have a career in the field of engineering one day.
“All the girls who imagine their futures through Barbie will learn that engineers — like girls — are free to explore infinite possibilities, limited only by their imagination,” says Nora Lin, President, Society of Women Engineers. “As a computer engineer, Barbie will show girls that women can turn their ideas into realities that have a direct and positive impact on people’s everyday lives in this exciting and rewarding career.”
For more details about Computer Engineer, and News Anchor Barbie as well as more photos, check out Chip Chicklets.
Who doesn’t love Snoopy? Well apparently those in Asia do because they have released the Snoopy x Katoon Dual SIM Card Cellular phone. This commemorative edition phone celebrates 60 years of Snoopy. It is extremely hard to find any information on the actually manufacturers of this phone – ‘Katoon.’ But I will give them credit for the unique packaging and creativity that went in to this phone. The set includes 5 different face plates all depicting versions of Snoopy from the last 60 years. The phone features a Peanuts centric menu system, and also includes a Snoopy branded case, earbuds, and even wall charger. The whole collection comes inside a beautiful box with a ‘Celebrate Snoopy 60 Years’ bag.
Specs for the phone are as follows:
Frequency: GSM 850/900/1800/1900
Camera: 2.0 MP
Video: MPEG4/3GP
Sound Alert Types: 64 Polyphonic Ringtones, MIDI/MP3/ARM Audio Format
Image: BMP/JPEG/GIF Format
Voice: SMS Reading/Voice Commands
Card Slot: MicroSD, up to 2GB
Bluetooth: Yes with A2DP
Messaging: SMS/MMS
Browser: GPRS/WAP 2.0
Phonebook: Yes, save up to approx. 1000 contacts
Stand-by up to 72h; Talk time up to 1 1/2h
There is no guarantee if the actual phone itself is any decent, but it truly is a cellphone for the diehard Snoopy or Peanuts fan. The Snoopy x Katoon Dual SIM Card Cellular Phone is available for pre-order at Dream Kitty and retails for $499.99.
Its amazing how many people don’t know how to make rice. A simple dish, yet so difficult for some. The new Cuisinart Rice Plus Multi-Cooker features fuzzy logic technology that enables perfect cooking results everytime. The machine is pre-programmed for White Rice, Sushi Rice, Brown Rice, and Risotto. At a touch of a button you can make a lovely dish. The fuzzy technology kicks in during cooking and if it senses fluctuations will automatically adjust operation to ensure deliciousness. The machine can also be used for soups and even slow cooking. It’s almost like a modern day version of a crock pot with a brain. The Cuisinart Rice Plus Multi-Cooker with Fuzzy Logic Technology retails for $134.62 at Amazon.
Well it looks like CompUSA is slowly coming back from the dead. Taking a cue from the Sharper Image playbook in companies trying to resurrect themselves in a new era, CompUSA will actually be opening – not closing three new locations. These said locations will be in Houston, TX, Newark, DE, and Euless, TX and will feature a new shopping method called “Retail 2.0.” So what exactly is Retail 2.0? CompUSA’s pioneering a new concept which will outfit these new stores with 300 screens; from laptops to desktops to HDTVs that will be able to access the internet. Consumers will be able to access full product information, image galleries, product manuals, reviews, etc…they will also be able to browse a competitor site and comparison shop as if they were home. However there are no details if CompUSA will in fact beat or match a competitor’s price. I imagine they would if they are giving you this freedom. Talk about transparency with a single touch. The new Houston, TX location is open already, and both the new Newark, DE/Euless, TX locations will be open in a few weeks. It’s almost worth taking a trip just to see my old friend CompUSA in its new 2010 form.
[Via CompUSA Press Release]
Very often we find ourselves using torrents to download foreign TV shows. But no matter what you use torrents for, if you’re familiar with them, than you know that they can be unreliable and slow when downloading. That is where General-Search comes in. The site works as a file search engine for popular file sharing sites like RapidShare, MegaUpload and Uploading.com. The benefit here is that the downloads will be much quicker and reliable than traditional torrents – and you don’t have to use any special software. Overall, by using General-Search, you can search Rapidshare, Megaupload and Uploading.com for archived files, audio files, video files, docs, pictures, applications, CD and DVDs. General-Search’s search capabilities are also quite robust, and one quick and easy search will help you find a wealth of goodies that you might have had to search several different Torrent sites for. To date, the site gives you access to 4746162 files to download. But please keep in mind, that just like with Torrents – beware that some files may or not be legal to download and use, so download with discretion since it is very difficult for General-Search to screen all of these files.
When you think perfume, you usually don’t think carabineer. If you are looking for a last minute gift for your guy, this very cool looking Eau de Toilette is perfect from Victorinox. Not only do you get a fragrance with a unique scent but also a really hardy looking case and even a box of chocolates shaped like Swiss Army pocket knives. The gift set retails for $75 and even if you don’t get it in time for V Day, it makes a really nice gift for any other occasion.
Could something actually challenge the Powermat? GenZ is a new eco power charging system from Domaine Consumer Goods that lets you charge your gadgets simultaneously. The GenZ features an auto shut off feature that powers off the unit when charging is done. This feature also prevents overcharging your devices and saves you money. The Gen Z lets you charge 4 devices at one time and includes 13 built-in connectors. Which means just about any cell phone, camera, Smartphone and MP3 players can be connected without having to purchase additional adapters right away. Unfortunately pricing and availability is currently TBD but once it is available, I’ll be the first one on line getting one.
The Jaybird Sportsband is a wireless headset that aims to be the perfect workout companion by letting you wirelessly stay connected to your phone and music while you burn calories.
Design:
Even the JayBird Sportsband packaging exemplifies the fact that the Sportsband is intended for those who work out and are athletic. It’s headband style design seems to be a growing popular trend for bluetooth headphones, since its design is pretty similar in style to the Jabra Halo that we reviewed not too long ago. So forgive us if we compare it to the Halo a lot. But unlike the Halo, its design is not foldable so you’ll need to be careful when tossing it into a gym bag, that it doesn’t break. However, the Jaybird’s Sportsband’s earpads do move and contour to your ears for extra comfort and improved sound quality unlike the Jabra Halo which earpads are stationary. The headset itself is a made of a rubberized material and if bent hard enough, it just might snap, but it is otherwise very sturdy. The headset is also adjustable to the size of your head, allowing for the earpads to fit onto your ears perfectly regardless of the size of your head.
Also, unlike the Halo, rhere are no touch controls on it’s earcups, but instead there are actual tactile buttons that you press to increase/decrease the volume, pair the device and go the next song or answer a call. I prefer this over touch controls on the Halo which aren’t always reliable. The previous/next buttons also indicate that the headphones have AVRCP support, unfortunately the iPhone doesn’t fully support AVRCP so you wont be able to take advantage of the previous/next buttons when playing music.
What’s in the Box:
In the box is of course the Sportsband, as well as a USB cable to charge the device, and User Manual. That’s about it – no carrying case or holster for your Sportsband.
Setup:
Typical of all Bluetooth devices, in order for them to work they need to be paired. The same goes for the Jaybird Sportsband. Unlike, the Halo It doesn’t turn on automatically when adjusting the earcups. To power your Jaybird Sportsband, you must first hold down the main center button on the right earcup and wait for a red light that then turns blue. Second, in order to pair the device you must again hold the center button down for at least a good thirty seconds and the blue light starts to turn red and pulses quickly between both colors to begin pairing phase. I paired it first with my Macbook Pro and then my Nexus One, so that they were both paired at the same time. Overall, the headphones paired easily between each device. To shut the Sportsband off you just hold down the main center button on the right earcup again and it shuts off by emitted a red light, and then a slight beep noise.
Call Quality:
Call quality was clear indoors and outdoors. Would I answer a phone wearing a pair of headphones all the time? Probably not, but having that option is certainly handy when you are exercising. I was able to pick up a call and chat for a few minutes clearly without any noise or feedback, and the party on the other end had no problem hearing me either. I was also able to walk pretty far away from my Nexus One without the call dropping out or getting any kind of noise. I would say that I was able to get as far as 30 feet away without audio starting to cut out.
Music Quality:
As much as we love to answer the phone to chit chat, really this device is going to be used for traveling, working out, or just lounging while listening to music. The need to listen to your music with out the pain of wires is becoming more the norm, but sadly the sound quality for these type of wireless bluetooth headsets are usually poor in comparison to its wired counterparts.And unfortunately, in the sound quality department the Jaybird Sportsband didn’t blow us away – the sound quality was just OK. I listened to music on both my Nexus one and Macbook Pro and even the iPhone, and I wasn’t that all impressed. In comparison to the Jabra Halo, the Halo performed much better. The Sportsband exhibited a lot of noise and feedback, especially when I turned the volume up. And yes, you could hear the bass in the Sportsband, but the overall quality of the sound was not very impressive. I had to keep increasing the volume in order to really feel the music and when I did – it became even more watered down with static… The sound quality did improve, when you played songs with higher bit rates, but most Mp3 players or cellphones will generally not be playing higher bit rates. We had expected more from this pair of headphones since our previous review of the JayBird JB-200 headphones left us very impressed with the headphone’s audio quality. The headphones also don’t provide noise isolation, but that really didn’t bother me as I like to be aware of my surroundings.
Battery Life:
According to Jaybird the battery music time will last 8 hours, the total talk time will last 11 hours, standby will last 250 hours. Well first things first – the Sportsband did not last the 250 hours it claims on standby – by the next day the battery was already dead and I had to recharge it. It’s also annoying because it charges on by the included USB cable that was included and that needs to be attached to a computer in order to charge. The 8 hours of music playback was about right, but because the battery life is sucks on my Nexus one, I never made it to 11 hours of talk time. However, when I recharged my phone and attempted again (the Jaybird had not been recharged) it did last another few hours of talk time. So all in all, it’s battery life is solid, and as long as your phone has a decent battery life – the Sportsband will keep up with it.
Conclusion:
The Jaybird Sportsband definitely has a lot of nice features: earcups that pivot, a very comfortable design that stays on your head, dedicated buttons that you can operate easily, decent battery life, and solid call quality. However the few places were it lacked seemed to overshadow the other aspects that were good, like the overall sound quality for music and the fact that the Sportsband is not convenient at all for traveling without the fear of breaking it. Pairing can be temperamental as well, when trying to re-pair with a device after you switched to another device. If the Jaybird Sportsband and the Jabra Halo got together and had a kid, then maybe we would have the perfect Bluetooth handsfree headset once and for all. To its credit though, the JayBird Sportsband is much more affordable than the Halo as it retails for $89.99 or $79.99 at Amazon.
The Good: Adjustable earcups, sits on your head comfortably and doesn’t slip off, pairs quickly, tactile buttons.
The Bad: Sound quality was just passable and not outstanding, Sportsband doesn’t fold and could be cumbersome to travel with.
We’re proud to announce that we have now launched a Chip Chick app for the iPhone / iPod Touch and for Android devices. The purpose of the app is simple – it lets you read the latest Chip Chick stories on the go. You can download it now from the AppStore or from the Android Market. Also, we’d love to hear your feedback about the apps, so please don’t hesitate to send us comments or suggestions!
Incase has gone international with their latest Curated by Arktip line of MacBook Sleeves, and iPhone Slider Cases. This limited edition collection depicts New York, London, and Tokyo. The designer behind these awesomely cool designs is Evan Hecox who has found success in both commercial and fine art. And the 15″ sleeve and iPhone Slider cases still consist of the same durable and form fitted quality you would expect from Incase. The 15″ Evan Hecox Sleeve retails for $59.95 and the Evan Hecox Slider Case retails for $49.95.
There is a snow storm going on around us in the North East, so if there was ever an aproriate to talk about an MP3 playing Coca-Cola bear, it would be now. The Coca-Cola Bear MP3 isn’t just a huggable plush, it’s also an MP3 player and a dancing bear! Play some tunes and this cub will strut his stuff to the music. But as adorable as this bear is with his little red scarf, they left out one very important thing – a Coke bottle! They could have used it as a remote control – but hey, it’s just a suggestion. The Coca-Cola Bear MP3 Player retails for $149.99.
Toshiba has been a little quiet as of late with giving us some laptops that have truly impressed us… fortunately, today Toshiba UK announced the new Satellite U500-1EX – a portable laptop with a 13.3” multi-touch screen. The Satellite U500-1EX’s will feature multi-touch capabilities. The Satellite U500-1EX utilizes Microsoft’s Touch Pack for Windows 7, enabling users to easily flick through files and folders simply by touching the screen. Other touch controls, such as tap and double-tap, drag, press and hold, and flick and rotate. Pricing will be £649 (US $889) and as of now it looks like it will only be available across the pond.
Product Specifications – Satellite U500-1EX
Intel® Core i3-330 (2.13GHz, 3MB cache, 1066MHz FSB/64 Bit)
Microsoft® Windows® 7 Home Premium with Microsoft Touch Pack
4GB RAM DDR3 320GB HDD
13.3″ TFT WXGA TruBrite 1,280 x 800 display
Multi Touch Enabled HD Widescreen
Web Camera with Face Recognition Eco Utility tool with Eco Button
Integrated WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 2.1 with EDR DVD Super-Multi drive
Intel® HM55 Express Chipset, featuring the Mobile Intel® HD Graphics
Weight: 2.15kg
[Via Toshiba UK Press Release]
The Panasonic toughbooks may not be the most gorgeous looking laptops, but many field technicians working for utility companies and other field service agents have really come to depend on them for their day to day tasks. Today Panasonic has launched the CF-H1 Mobile Assistant. It’s new design is rugged, ergonomic, has long battery life and anti-reflective daylight view screen. The mobile assistant is MIL certified and capable of withstanding drops, vibration, extreme temperatures and shock. The Mobile Assistant will Operate with Windows 7 and it sports a Dual Touch capability. Pricing and availability is TBD.
Panasonic Toughbook CF-H1: Select Features and Specifications
|
CPU |
Intel® AtomTM processor Z540 1.86GHz |
| 2nd Cache | 512KB L2 cache, 533MHz FSB |
| Core Logic | Intel® System Controller Hub |
| Memory | 2GB DDR2 SDRAM x1 |
| LCD | 10.4” XGA (1024 x 768) |
| LCD Brightness | 500nit with anti-reflection |
| Storage | SSD 64GB |
| Antennas | 7 (WLAN x 2, WWAN x 2, Bluetooth, RFID, GPS) |
| WLAN module | Intel® WiFi Link 5100 (a/b/g/n) |
| Input method | Dual Touch LCD Touch Screen and Digitizer |
| Security (option) | Finger Print Reader, TPM1.2 |
| Bluetooth | V2.1+EDR (Toshiba Stack) |
| Battery | Li-ion 7.2V, 2900 mAh x 2 packs |
| Operating time | Approx 6 hours |
| Dimensions | 10.4 x 10.6 x 2.3-1.3” (264 x 268 x 58-34mm) |
| Weight | Approx. 3.4 lbs (1.5Kg) |
| Camera (option) | 2.0M Pixels Auto Focus Dual LED Light |
| AC Adaptor | Input: 100 V – 240 V AC, 50 Hz/60 Hz, Output: 16 V DC, 3.75 A |
| RFID Reader (option) | ISO 15693 |
| Contactless Smartcard Reader (option) | ISO 14443 type A/B |
| Sound | WAVE and MIDI playback, Monaural speaker, Intel® High Definition Audio Interface 24bit full duplex stereo, AC97Rev2,3 Compliant |
| Headphone / Mic | None. BT Headset recommended |
| Interface | Docking Connector |
| Handle | Integrated fixed handle for easy grip / pick up |
| Strap | Ergonomic Rounded Strap for comfortable long term use |
| OS | Windows7 Professional Downgradable to Windows XP Tablet with SP3 |
| WWAn (Option) | HSPA 7.1 Mbps |
| GPS (Option) | GPS (WAAS) |
Belkin has redesigned their cooling pad to now include a funky new technology called AirFlow Wing. This new repositioned fan and wave shape enhances circulation to let hot air flow up and away from your laptop. It will be USB powered, sit comfortably on your lap or desk, and fits 15.4” laptops . It will be available as of April 2010 and is already available for pre-order at Amazon for $24.99.
Last week Casio launched a Baby-G watch focused on Earth Day. Today they announced a collaboration between Baby-G and Pastry a fashion brand, by Vanessa and Angela Simmons. Pastry will take the Baby-G to new posh heights by making it even more feminine than before. The BG5601 takes the classic 80’s inspired watch and makes it retro-fresh with an urban look. The watch comes in a one-of-a-kind pink packaging, complete with hearts and stars motif. However this special edition Baby-G will not be available to us common folk and will only be given by Pastry to VIP customers and celebrities…but we may just be able to get a hold of one for our loyal readers…so stay tuned.
Speck strikes again with a new additions to their fitted line of iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS cases. These hip new cases may not be as snazzy as those Artsprojekt ones, but they are still pretty damn fine. There are 11 new designs with soft fabric argyle designs, pinstripe, houndstooth and many more to match your preppy self. Fitted features a durable, lightweight snap-together design, and openings to allow access to all ports, sensors and controls. These new Fitted cases retail for $29.95.