Author: Chrissie

Are you looking for a new netbook at this moment in time, or at least in the immediate future? After all, you already have a decent smartphone, but would like something light and portable to tote around that can perform basic computing tasks admirably without breaking your shoulder in the process. Verizon Wireless might just have the thing for you, in the form of the HP Mini 210 netbook. This model will come in a Black Crystal color, where you get built-in 3G Mobile Broadband connectivity in a slim and lightweight design that ought to appeal to most road warriors. Gone are the days where netbooks tend to die after a while, the HP Mini 210 is a hardy device where it boasts up to a claimed 8.75 hours of battery life, making sure that you can even bring this on a long haul flight and get a whole lot of work done, taking breaks in between to watch reruns on the in-flight entertainment system. The HP Mini 210 has enough muscle to cater to both students and business travelers and basically anyone who wants to surf the Web, check e-mail, listen to music and access information while on the go. When used with a Verizon Wireless GlobalAccess service plan, you can rely on the HP Mini 210 to browse the Web or access e-mail in more than 200 destinations worldwide without worrying about the insane bill which arrives at your doorstep at the end of the month. Among the key features and specifications of the HP Mini 210 will include the Genuine Windows 7 OS, 10.1: LED, 250 GB hard drive, 1GB RAM, HP Webcam, integrated speakers, 1.66 GHz processor, Bluetooth capability and more. Super cheap too. You can pick up the HP Mini 210-1076NR for $149.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement on a Mobile Broadband plan. With regards to its Broadband pricing, prices start from $39.99 monthly upwards, where it offers 250MB of data and $0.10/MB overage, while $59.99 will net you a 5GB monthly allowance at a same overage rate.

© 2007 Freakitude dot Com.

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The Promptu System Corp’s latest free speech recognition app known as SoutOUT is now available on the Android Market, where it allows users to compose text messages in natural speech instead of letting their fingers do all the typing. Motorolad Droid owners will be able to check out this app over the Android Market. How fast is it able to detect the number of words spoken, and will it be able to handle non-native English speakers? Still, ShoutOUT bears some merit since at point of publishing, there are no other Android speech recognition app that can be used for text messaging, including Google Voice functionality in Android 2.1, which is able to hold a candle to ShoutOUT’s accuracy which has been fully integrated with the Android SMS client. Apart from that, it relies on Smartword, Promptu’s editing tool that allows users to see and select from likely word alternatives. Will this prove to be a hit of an app? Only time will tell, but something tells me that those who are way more used to typing out their text messages in a flurry of finger movements will prefer to stick to the keyboard. Of course, you might argue that sometimes you need to send a text message out urgently, and have both hands occupied. What can I say? If it is really that urgent and important, surely you will be able to pull over to the side of the road and make sure that you type it out within the fastest time possible with the least amount of chance for errors – after all, speaking when driving doesn’t exactly mean your focus on the road is still 100%, and should the speech recognition capability let you down during that moment, you might just send a well intentioned but wrong meaning along in the message. There are ways to go around this though, and in order to maximize accuracy for ShoutOUT,

a personalized acoustic model is assigned for every user during the app’s registration process. Guess this means other folks aren’t advised to use your Droid when speaking to compose a text message! ShoutOUT’s speech recognition is server-based, and 100% automated, where all message transcriptions that appear on users’ phones are created without any human intervention to ensure your privacy. Other features include Voice Addressing, full integration into the phone’s messaging service, message exchanges threaded by recipient, thumbnail images for contacts and one-touch navigation to all recent incoming and outgoing messages. So Voice to Text apps are still a fairly new concept that will streamline themselves as time goes on. This one is good to try if you are keen to the concept and don’t have other alternatives.

© 2007 Freakitude dot Com.

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Love listening to your music that you can’t bear to part with it wherever you go? Well, Sony has just the thing for you then with their spanking new waterproof NWZ-W250 Walkman MP3 player that allows you to listen to your favorite tunes wherever you are, even when it is raining when you exercise. Of course, chances are most folks dressed in suits would eschew this for something more formal simply because of their lifestyle, but the more active ones among you who absolutely need your music whenever you sweat it out outdoors might want to give this a shot, especially when it is water resistant and can be used even in the shower. To top it all off, the NWZ-W250 Walkman MP3 player is wearable for easier portability, making it the perfect fit for sport and active lifestyles. The NWZ-W250 Walkman MP3 player is proud to be the first wire-free MP3 player from Sony which is capable of resisting rain splashes or sweat of a gruelling gym session. All you need to do after exercising is to rinse the NWZ-W250 under the tap until all your sweat and grime is washed away, or you can do so while having a post-workout shower with your favorite tracks still making music into your ears. Nice to know it doesn’t come in just one drab color, as you can choose from a quartet of sporty colors, while the light, all-in-one design does away with the classic tangle of headphone wires which will be a damper especially when you’re trying to concentrate on your workout, running session or dancing class. It ships with 13.5mm EX Series headphones that offer clear, powerful Walkman sound alongside total comfort and a secure fit during physical activity. For those who want to go through their playlist quickly, the ZAPPIN technology included will scan through stored tracks, playing a short sample from each song to help you choose the correct music at that particular time. The more forgetful ones will definitely love the quick 3-minute charge time that offers enough juice to keep it running for 90 minutes of non-stop audio playback. When fully charged, the battery offers up to 11 hours of uninterrupted listening time, which is more than enough even for marathon runners. No idea on pricing, but the NWZ-W250 Walkman MP3 player will arrive in store shelves from Sony later this May.

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By now we have plenty of USB flash drives in our homes, and among those how many do we actually use? After all, I am pretty sure that we would have come across many a situation where we received free USB flash drives from roadshows or companies, only to toss them into a box for “later use”. Most of us probably have a primary and secondary USB flash drive which we make use of most of the time, and out of these, how many caps have we lost? You can be honest – when we’re in a rush or busy transferring some data which is deemed as private by others, our train of thought can easily be distracted only for us to leave the flash drive cap behind. Transcend prevents this from happening through a very simple solution (which has been done before, mind you) – doing away with the need for a USB flash drive cap! Their latest iteration would be the Transcend JetFlash 500 retractable USB flash drive.This stylish JetFlash 500 will come with a smooth sliding USB connector that will effortlessly extend and retract with but a simple flick of the thumb, and I believe that those who have Obsessive Compulsive Disorders (OCD) might find flicking the USB connector in and out frequently – hmmm, they’d make pretty good testers for the durability of the slider, don’t you think so? Nice to know that Transcend isn’t boring as well, offering the JetFlash 500 in various colors and capacity options, where the final product comes in a smooth contoured shape that makes it suitable as a portable storage solution for users with busy and active lifestyles. As we all know, flash memory does have a lifespan and won’t be able to last forever, but good thing Transcend has the wisdom to know that even the most careful computer user will slip up sometimes, and dropping a USB flash drive could introduce some shock to the data within, and we wouldn’t want whatever precious material inside to end up as corrupted and unreadable now, would we? That is why the JetFlash 500 is solidly built to withstand a few bumps and falls, giving you peace of mind while knowing that its USB connector will also never become loose, fall out, or accidentally slip back into the drive when being plugged into a computer. All owners of the JetFlash 500 can download and install Transcend’s free JetFlash Elite data management tools onto the JetFlash drive. It will come in 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, 16GB and 32GB capacities.

© 2007 Freakitude dot Com.

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Garmin has a penchant for all things GPS, and their latest effort would be the Garmin Forerunner 110 sports watch which is touted to come in a sleek package, featuring an intuitive and affordable solution which will definitely come in handy where runners, joggers and walkers are concerned. Of course, there are some of us out there who won’t mind exercising for the sake of sweating it out, but others prefer to have a better and more complete idea on how far they have gone as well as the time taken in order to outperform themselves later on, thanks to the ability of the Forerunner 110 to store the most essential of real-time workout data. The Garmin Forerunner 110 was announced to prepare folks for world-class marathons in Paris, Boston and London, where curious onlookers can check it out at Garmin booths in each location. It takes but a few seconds of stepping outdoors for the Forerunner 110 to keep track of your distance, pace and time with but a press of the Start button, all without the need for complicated setup methods or excessive accessories. The Forerunner 100 is the result of numerous runners who have had the same request at race expos and retail outlets – “Show me the Garmin watch that has GPS and is easiest to use”, making it the ideal entry-level device that can easily track progress and goals in exercise and training. Apart from displaying time and distance, the Forerunner 110 can also show pace in two ways – averaged out either over the current lap/mile (if auto-lap is enabled) or over the entire duration of the run. For those who wear a Garmin heart rate monitor can also monitor just how hard their heart is working since the Forerunner 110 is able to display current heart rate data and features heart rate-based calorie computation. When you are taking a breather, the simplified menu system makes it a snap to review run data, change auto-lap, set an alarm or edit the user profile. There is no word on pricing for this water-resistant GPS-enabled fitness watch, as the Forerunner 110 will come with a high-sensitivity SiRFstarIV GPS receiver and Garmin’s HotFix technology which will quickly acquire and sustain satellite reception, regardless of whether you are about to embark on wooded trails under dense trees or in the urban canyons of skyscrapers.

© 2007 Freakitude dot Com.

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CTIA Wireless 2010 is the platform where many companies will roll out new smartphones and various other handsets to the masses, assuming they missed the Mobile World Congress boat which happened recently. LG has taken advantage of the situation with their brand new LG Cosmos that will be available via Verizon Wireless stores as well as online this coming March 25th, where it will boast a slide-out QWERTY keyboard for easy text messaging as well as built-in social networking tools to keep up with the times, letting you stay in touch with family and friends no matter where you are. Just make sure you keep a keen eye out on your data charges though if you aren’t running on an unlimited data plan. The LG Cosmos is one stylish and compact handset that comes in a candy bar form factor which is rounded in nature, accompanied by a metallic finish. Not only do you get web based email, you will also benefit from instant messaging and chat as well, apart from text, picture and voice messaging which we have come to take for granted these days. No need to purchase a Bluetooth headset for hands-free driving since it has a one-touch speaker phone function built-in as well, while you can perform a variety of commands thanks to speaker-independent voice commands, including Call, Send Msg To, Go To, Check, Contacts, Search, Redial, My Verizon and Help. It will also adjust your voice clarity automatically, depending on the surrounding noise level so that you get your message across to the other line loud and clear. Should you decide on a Bluetooth headset, there is always the option to pick one which works with its Bluetooth 2.1 profile. Other options include dedicated favorites shortcut keys, a Micro USB charging port, USB charging via computer as well as GPS support for enhanced location accuracy. Expect the LG Cosmos to retail for $29.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement.

© 2007 Freakitude dot Com.

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Amazon has just announced to the masses that they will be offering a new free application known as “Kindle for Mac”, where this piece of software is able to allow readers worldwide to enjoy books that were meant for the Kindle on their respective Mac computers. Just in case you were wondering whether there are enough tomes to get you interested, you would be well pleased to know that the U.S. Kindle Store (www.amazon.com/kindlestore) holds more than 450,000 books at the moment, and these aren’t dusty digital versions since they comprise of New Releases and 102 of 111 New York Times Bestsellers, making it THE place to look for some of today’s most popular books in digital format. This means that Kindle books can now be read on the Kindle, Kindle DX, iPhone, iPod touch, BlackBerry, PC and Mac, as well as the upcoming iPad. Guess there is no longer any more need to purchase a Kindle since you can experience the joys of reading on your Mac alone, eh? Kindle for Mac will boast Amazon’s Whispersync technology which automatically saves and synchronizes bookmarks and last page read across devices. This means you can always be up to date with your reading without having to search where you last left off even if you were dabbling with a plethora of devices to fulfill your daily reading quota. In a nutshell, Kindle for Mac allows you to read some on your Mac, followed by some on your Kindle later on, always pick up where you left off without missing a beat. Additional features will be thrown into the mix sometime down the road, including full text search and the ability to create and edit notes and highlights. Of course, you can pick it up on Amazon.

© 2007 Freakitude dot Com.

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Dell has announced yet another stylish series from the Vostro family – this time round it is the Vostro 3000 series to hit the deck, where it will come across as a range of thin, lightweight as well as durable laptop that won’t crack under pressure easily. Folks who are always on the go and demand the best performance from their machines might very well consider the new Vostro 3000 series, considering it comes with a choice of powerful processors, high-end graphics as well as built-in security, targeting small businesses that require robust mobile computing solutions. With the Vostro 3000 series, one will be able to find the latest powerful Intel Core processor technology inside, and for those who need even more processing firepower, there is the option to throw in an Intel Core i7 Quad Core processor. This 13″ laptop comes with a built-in integrated optical drive, so you need not worry about the problems that come with a measly netbook. Folks who want portability and productivity, there is always the Vostro 3300 – touted to be among the industry’s thinnest commercial 13″ laptop that boasts an integrated optical drive. As for those who are always living out of a suitcase more than in a home, the 14″ Vostro 3400 is more than capable of offering a whole day’s worth of computing with an 8-hour rating for its battery. All of the new Vostro 3000 series laptops will come with an embedded webcam and microphone that makes it a snap to hold video calls wherever you are, while the Vostro 3500 and 3700 sport the option for high definition WLED screens with the 3700 being able to hold up to 1GB of NVIDIA® GeForce discrete graphics, letting you get your game on wherever you are. The presence of an HDMI port ensures that you can make high definition presentations to clients when required – assuming there is a nice HDTV available wherever you are, of course. Since these Vostros are meant to travel a whole lot, the hinges and laptop itself are encased in aluminum for extra protection, while you get round the clock customer service should something go awry.

© 2007 Freakitude dot Com.

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Motorola seems to have found their mojo back with the recent Droid release last year that seemed to pull the company out of the doldrums. After all, classic Motorola elements were in there including a solid build, great hardware and general all-round toughness. Well, fast forward to 2010 and you have the next Android powered handset from Motorola known as the Motorola Devour in one of our infamous motorola reviews. This smartphone will arrive in the markets from Verizon Wireless this month and has the honor of being the first Verizon Wireless handset that comes with the MOTOBLUR content delivery service which aims to make wireless phones more personal and customizable. To get a better idea on what Motoblur is all about, this is the first solution of its kind from Motorola that allows one to synchronize contacts from work as well as personal e-mail services, which comprises of Gmail (among others), alongside posts, messages, photos and more from popular sites such as Facebook, MySpace, and even Twitter. All content will be delivered automatically to the home screen via MOTOBLUR, resulting in easy-to-manage streams that you can keep track of with but a single glance. Among the other main features and specifications of the Motorola Devour would include a touch-sensitive navigation pad, a 3.1″ capacitive touch screen display, Bluetooth connectivity, pre-loaded apps including Gmail, Google Talk, YouTube, Google Search and Google Maps. Of course, Motorola hasn’t forgotten to throw in Android Market access that allows users to check out over 20,000 applications for their personal use. Not only that, you have a Happenings Widget which will see status updates, wall posts and photo updates from popular social networking sites being sent straight to you in real time, letting you compose a response when necessary using the slide-out full QWERTY keyboard. Each purchase comes with an 8 gig SD card, where you will need to subscribe to a Nationwide Talk or Nationwide Talk & Text plan and a Data Package for smartphones if you want to best leverage the Motorola Devour. Prices start from $39.99 monthly all the way to $59.99 per month with the Nationwide Talk & Text plans. Keep an eye out for more motorola reviews to see what they come up with next.

© 2007 Freakitude dot Com.

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Samsung is slowly but surely maturing in the world of camcorders and digital cameras with the recent introduction of the HMX-U20 as well as the HMX-U15. Both of these models will build on the success of the Samsung HMX-U10, where one is able to experience new features and functionality which includes a built-in USB connection, a true 3x optical zoom for the HMX-U20. Both the HMX-U20 and HMX-U15 are equipped with high-performing 1/2.3 inch CMOS sensors that go a long way in capturing stunning, 1,920 x 1,080 full HD resolution video at 30 fps in the H.264 format. Apart from that, you can also use either device to shoot still images if that is your cup of tea, with the HMX-U20 capturing 10-megapixel digital still images, while the HMX-U15 does slightly better at 14-megapixels. Basically, this is a two-in-one digital imaging solution, doing away with the need for a dedicated digital camera, although some others might still prefer the flexibility and quality of a more powerful compact digital camera or DSLR. Hyper Digital Image Stabilization has been thrown in to produce blur-free video, with the HMX-U20 adding a true 3x optical zoom to get up close and personal with a subject of your choice from afar. Apart from that, Samsung allows you to get more creative with time lapse recording, letting you program the camcorder to record at a pre-set interval of one image every one, five, 10 or 30 seconds. Both models also sport a built-in, swing-out style USB connection that makes it a snap to connect to a computer when it comes to data transfer, doing away with the need to carry yet another USB cable. In addition, both camcorders can be charged when plugged into a powered USB port, which also eliminates the need for a separate charger when traveling. Since the world is moving into high definition these days, HDMI connectivity is also included for you to have seamless connectivity with your spanking new HDTV. Both devices rely on the SDHC memory card format to store all recorded video. The Samsung HMX-U20 and HMX-U15 will be released this spring for $229.99 and $249.99, respectively.

© 2007 Freakitude dot Com.

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Toshiba Storage Device Division (SDD) is one of the pioneers in the industry to bring small form factor enterprise-class and mobile hard disk drives (HDDs) to the market, and they relied on their expertise by unveiling a new high-capacity, high-performance, power-efficient small form factor product line which will target enterprise applications. Capable of holding up to 600GB of storage space in its high end range, the new MBF family will represent the industry’s highest-capacity 2.5″ enterprise-class HDD which boasts Toshiba’s first enterprise-class self-encrypting drive (SED) offering. The new MBF series is capable of demonstrating the successful integration of Toshiba and Fujitsu’s HDD business last year, where it underlines Toshiba’s capability and commitment to consolidating their leadership in the enterprise segment. This series is more than capable of meeting the exacting standards of the enterprise market with 10,025 RPM spin speed and a 6Gb/s SAS interface which is great for action in mid-range volume servers, mainstream storage arrays, blade and rack-mount servers and other business-critical, power-conscious, data-intensive applications. Apart from that, Toshiba has not forgotten about being green, thanks to its inherent lower power consumption which reduces power consumption up to 28%, thanks to a new enhanced power condition state that allows the hard drive to spin at a lower RPM when it remains idle. Selected models of the MBF series do come with an option of drive-based encryption that was specially designed to the Trusted Computing Group (TCG) Enterprise Security Subsystem Class specification. Basically, it means that you don’t have to worry (too much) about your data being hacked into, leaving you with peaceful nights of sweet slumber whenever you are away from work. The MBF product line will come in 300GB, 450GB and 600GB capacities as they ship in volume this April 2010, where samples are already available for design development. If you’ve been thinking about a new HDD but not sure where to start, these aim to please on every level and may well just be worth the wait until April.

© 2007 Freakitude dot Com.

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Nikon is at it yet again with another digital camera for the masses – the Nikon Coolpix S8000 is the latest in the Coolpix range which proves the age old adage of not judging a book by its cover. After all, it comes with a slim and slender body that is actually capable of holding a powerful and versatile 10x Optical Zoom-NIKKOR ED glass lens which will no doubt deliver extremely sharp, crisp images regardless of whether you shoot an image from far off or from a close up. In order to remove blur at any focal length, the S8000 is equipped with a 4-way Image Stabilization System and ISO settings to 3200, alongside the ability to record HD movies (720p) at 30 frames per second (fps) with stereo sound. Not only that, you can instantly preview your snapped photos thanks to its 921k pixel Clear Color Display LCD right there and then. The Coolpix S8000 is a 14.2-megapixel shooter which also comes with a new feature known as Creative Slider, where it will make it a snap to adjust brightness, saturation and color tone in-camera thanks to the Rotary Multi Selector. As for the Advanced Flash Control, this feature allows users to create more natural-looking flash shots by utilizing higher ISO settings and faster shutter speeds in low light as well as apply Multi-area Auto Backlight Compensation for even exposures. Apart from that, the S8000 is also more than capable of snapping fast moving objects thanks to its improved Sport Continuous Mode, enabling high-speed continuous shooting at up to approximately 4 fps for 45 frames (at 3-megapixel resolution), while a fast start-up time and a quick shutter-release time ensures you will never miss a crucial moment. Similar to a fighter jet, the S8000 can also acquire the subject and lock focus using Subject Tracking, although no missiles will be fired, just the shutter button. Expect to pick up the Coolpix S8000 sometime this month for $299.95 in black, red, bronze and champagne silver colors, a sleek color range that will cater to the elite style, even if you don’t have the elite budget.

© 2007 Freakitude dot Com.

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Sony Ericsson takes the high road with their latest cellphone to be announced which will be part of their GreenHeart portfolio – we’re talking about the Sony Ericsson Aspen. Sounds like some sort of high end resort, doesn’t it? That’s kind of the point. Well, this eco-minded smartphone will run on the much maligned Windows Mobile platform, but comes with an added twist – it has the latest Windows Mobile 6.5.3 version which brings a slew of improvements and updates. The Sony Ericsson Aspen is positioned as a business smartphone with green credentials, boasting multi-tasking capability with a touch experience and QWERTY keyboard which is more than handy to get those text messages and emails sent out in double quick time. Apart from that, you can organize and adapt panels to change during the day while using Slide View for quick access to common features. Viewing and editing office files is a snap thanks to its one touch operation, either that or you can always fall back on its navigation keys if you’re a sucker for something more traditional. The QWERTY keyboard supposedly allows fast and easy typing, while setting up your email account(s) is a painless affair for a portable maximized messaging experience. All your phone’s data can be secured thanks to the Microsoft MyPhone service which is capable of remotely erasing phone data when the handset is reported as lost or stolen. The latest version of Windows Mobile 6.5.3 will also see it being way more stable than its predecessors, speeding up proceedings while giving you a much more satisfactory user experience. They say that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, which is why the Aspen balances the work aspect with some fun features such as a Media Browser and PlayNow functionality, offering quick access to social networks as well as your array of media files. a-GPS support is also built in to help you find your way around, while Google Maps ensure you won’t get lost in an unfamiliar place. It also comes with a 3.2-megapixel camera that can capture impromptu moments at decent quality, boasting a self-timer, smart contrast, multishot capability and a 4x digital zoom. No word on pricing, but the Sony Ericsson Aspen come in Iconic Black and White Silver colors in selected markets from the second quarter which in layman’s terms, is just a couple months away.

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In this day and age of the ever growing technology base and a dwindling economy, it can be down right frustrating to want it all but not have enough coin to do so. But thankfully the tech giants of today are rather understanding of this and are creating more and more all in one tools and gadgets that satisfy our hunger for toys and our wallet as well. If you have been on the fence about picking up one of those handy dandy portable DVD players, but not sure how to fit it in the budget, take a look at the Coby TFDVD7008 as it offers some awesome affordability with the convenience of an all in one DVD/CD/MP3 player as well. Finally something you can sink your teeth and your tunes in when you are on the road or in the sky. The Coby TFDVD7008 comes equipped with all of the basics and then some, including a 7” widescreen TFT LCD color display, and is compatible with DVD,DVD±R/RW, CD, CD-R/RW, JPEG, and MP3. Take it on the plane or road trip and you won’t be competing with outside noise with its integrated stereo speakers and headphone jack for private listening. If you think the kiddos will like it then you will love the parental lock controls, or its multiple five language and subtitle capabilities if you are using it to entertain some out of towners. Display resolution is 480×234 which is not the greatest, but you aren’t needing anything HD or plasma capabilities so it does the trick quite nicely. The battery is nice and long lasting and fully rechargeable with its 1300 mAH. And, if you don’t want to pick it up direct from the manufacturer, you can pick it up at Amazon with all of its accessories for less than $100 bucks, or stand alone for under $50. An all in one that doesn’t break the bank, ya cant help but love it.

© 2007 Freakitude dot Com.

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Vizio knows that most home theater enthusiasts would love to accessorize their setup, which is why they have a brand new line up of accessory components that aim to further enhance the performance and installation of their HDTV and HD audio components. First off the blocks would be a wireless HDMI adapter that comes with a 4-port switch that is capable of delivering HD quality video and audio from a variety of source devices including Blu-ray players and set-top boxes to virtually any HDTV sans the need for an HDMI cable. This would come in handy where keeping a neat living room is concerned, as the lack of visible wires also makes it easier to clean the back of your TV rack/mount whenever small colonies of dust bunnies start to congregate. Apart from that, Vizio also has a new range of extremely slim wall mounts that cater for HDTVs which range from 19″ to 65″ in size, as long as they don’t tip the scales at more than 130 lbs. You get both swivel and tilt capability with these new wall mounts that provides for a more enjoyable viewing experience. To make sure that your senses receive the very best performance possible, Vizio is also offering a new range of premium HDMI cables alongside an environmentally friendly cleaning foam which is capable of keeping HDTV displays as well as other electronic components free of dust and scratches.

Last but not least would be Vizio’s two new universal remote controls, where one of them looks as though it is from the future, featuring a 3.5″ LCD touchscreen display with automatic backlight control. Known as the XRT100, it offers digital touchscreen control of VIA-enabled television sets, but also has the ability of functioning with any legacy A/V component which ought to make it all the more attractive for those who have yet to upgrade the rest of their home entertainment system. You won’t be able to enjoy multi-touch control on the 3.5″ LCD touchscreen though, but at least its one-touch controls are more than enough to handle the majority of your home theater system components without missing a beat, alongside the ability to display favorite apps grouped by user or genre.

More Universal Remote Controls

© 2007 Freakitude dot Com.

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When Palm’s Pre was announced at the last CES alongside their webOS platform, the world was abuzz at what could possibly be an iPhone killer. Unfortunately as time has proven, while the idea was great, the execution wasn’t done properly, which was why the Palm Pre (and its follow up, the Pixi) failed to make that much of an impact around the world despite it being a really great handset to use. Well, CES 2010 sees Palm coming back with a vengeance with the announcement of two more Palm handsets that are based on the webOS platform – the Palm Pre Plus and the Palm Pixi Plus, where they will be made exclusives over Verizon Wireless’ network this coming January 25th for a yet undisclosed price. At first glance, the Palm Pre Plus looks the same like the original Palm Pre, where you are greeted with a large, vivid touchscreen display, a high-performance processor and a slide-out keyboard. While the keyboard is still easy to use and makes for quick typing, the navigation button has been removed, making that the most glaring difference. You will get double the memory with 16GB of storage space, while it already comes with the Palm Touchstone Back Cover that makes it Touchstone Charging Doc-ready right from the get go. As for the Palm Pixi Plus, Palm addresses the Pixi’s greatest weakness by throwing in Wi-Fi support. Yes, at long last you are able to go online from various hotspots without suffering from such indignation amidst a slew of other smartphones that have long supported such a feature. Apart from that improvement, there is also word on the all-new Palm mobile hotspot. This webOS app allows you to create a personal Wi-Fi cloud that can support up to 5 other Wi-Fi devices, which means there no longer is any need to purchase software like Joiku and the ilk. Would all the improvements stated above make you want to open up your wallet and go all out to bring home either Palm device, or are you much more of an iPhone or Android fan?

© 2007 Freakitude dot Com.

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Most notebook cooling fans look the same – they all come in a single, rectangular design that is more often than not boring to say the least. This one from UXSight, however, is slightly different, as it does bear some resemblance to shurikens from ninjas of yore, coming in the form of a mini folding fan. Yes sir, this black notebook cooling pad features an integrated fan which will help dissipate hot air away from your notebook to keep things running nice and cool. As we all know, electronics are loathe towards heat and dust, so this kills two birds with one stone. Boasting a low running noise, it requires not a power adapter since juice is provided directly via a USB port. When not in use, you can fold up the fan’s “fins”, so to speak, for easy transportation. For only about $10 bucks, this will keep your games running a nice long time.

© 2007 Freakitude dot Com.

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Kyocera isn’t exactly one of the larger players in the cellphone arena, and their offerings fail to impress the masses most of the time, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t a honest, hardworking company. Well, perhaps the tide might turn in their favor with the announcement of two new cellphone launches – the Kyocera Laylo and Domino phones which will be available from MetroPCS, making it to retail stores just in time for the holiday season to show off to your family members and friends that you have finally decided to ditch that monochrome display handset without a digital camera built in. The Laylo will come in a slider format, boasting an eye-catching red color with a soft-touch finish and a reflective twist. A quick slide downwards will open to reveal a hidden vanity mirror, which more or less places this in the domain of the ladies. Know of any guys who would want to carry a vanity mirror with them wherever they go? Well, the Domino will take on a candybar form factor instead, where it will also sport the Yuletide color of red while offering features that are a notch above other handsets of similar price levels. A further search shows that the Laylo comes with a 2.2″ contoured high-resolution display and a 1.3 megapixel camera apart from the aforementioned discrete vanity mirror. You get a relatively generous keypad within with excellent tactile and visual separation of the keys for faster, easier typing. Other features include Bluetooth 2.0 connectivity, a WAP 2.0 browser, BREW 3.1.5 and a paperless user guide to get new users started while saving some trees in the process. The Domino, on the other hand, also comes with a large display with legible and large fonts. Other features like Bluetooth 2.0 connectivity, a WAP 2.0 browser and BREW 3.1.5 are also thrown in to offer more bang for your buck. Any takers for a new phone this holiday season?

© 2007 Freakitude dot Com.

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Heard of Berkeley Varitronics Systems before? Never? Well, take note of the company now as they have just annonuced a new advanced hand-held cellphone detector, where it is aptly known as the Bloodhound, paying homage to our four-legged friends who fall under that category, boasting a keen sense of smell. The Bloodhound is able to empower security officers to scan real-time for unauthorized cellphone activity in correctional facilities, helping detect the precise location of the caller courtesy of a Direction Finding Antenna. Interestingly enough, it seems that security officers are losing the battle since contraband cellphones get more commonplace, being smuggled into correctional facilities so that criminal activity can continue behind the bars. Locating and confiscating contraband cellphones which are being smuggled can be a tricky task, even with the help of monitoring sensors, X-ray scanners, metal detectors, drug and bomb dogs. Even cellphone jamming isn’t sufficient to address the growing problem of handset smuggling, which is why the Bloodhound cellphone detector was invented. It is definitely a boon since it is capable of detecting a cellphone within a correctional facility without interfering with citizens’ or public safety communications. Just like its flesh-and-blood counterpart, the Bloodhound was designed to track down and pinpoint contraband cell phones without interfering with authorized communication channels. It uses a high speed scanning multi-band receiver harnessed to a DF-Direction Finding Antenna, enabling security officers to ’sniff out’ the RF energy – similar in method as to how an actual Bloodhound dog is able to detect a scent which a human could never discern. The Bloodhound’s special algorithm can trigger on to a cellphone while it is still active, and a headphone jack with a progressive audible alert tone and an accompanying vibrator is able to alert security officers of cellphone activity whenever they get closer to the source. Don’t you think that teachers in schools and lecturers at colleges would love to get their hands on the Bloodhound as well?

© 2007 Freakitude dot Com.

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