Filed under: GPS

Quite frankly, we were a touch overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of new nüvis announced for CES, but apparently, Garmin has managed to recuperate from its own outpouring and is dishing out yet another newcomer. On the docket today is the nüvi 850, a Bluetooth-less navigator that attempts to compensate for its lack of handsfree support by featuring a 4.3-inch 480 x 272 resolution touchscreen, a rechargeable Li-ion good for around four hours, a microSD slot, speech recognition, a 3D map view, support for MSN Direct and a built-in media player. Additionally, you'll find an FM transmitter, audio out and an internal (read: non flip-up) antenna to ratchet the style factor up a notch. According to Garmin, this fairly potent device will be up for grabs in Q2 for upwards of $800.

[Via NaviGadget]

 

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Truth be told, Teclast's M30 seems be to a real looker at first, but we're knocking off a few style points due the complete absence of originality. All it takes is a simple glance at the unit's predecessors to realize that the outfit isn't exactly going out on any limbs to innovate. Nevertheless, those still interested can look forward to a 2.8-inch 320 x 240 AMOLED display, USB 2.0 connectivity, FM tuner / recorder and support for AVI, RM, RMVB, BMP, MP3, JPEG and GIF file formats. Thankfully, the mediocrity is met with a suitable price tag -- just $69 for the 2GB model and $82 for the 4GB edition.

[Via DAPReview]

 

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Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Portable Audio

Sure, there's a smorgasbord of products out there designed to transfer your precious vinyl recordings to a slightly more modern format, but few pack the cool factor that comes bundled in gratis with Numark's TTi. This newfangled turntable not only brings back not-so-fond memories of your second high school prom, but it also boasts an integrated iPod dock, USB interface, a metal platter and pitch control to boot. Besides ripping records directly to your 'Pod, the unit also features a line-level output and comes with versions of EZ Vinyl Converter software for the PC or Mac should you prefer vinyl-to-computer ripping. We know, it's tough to leave the 70s, but the TTi should make the transition somewhat less painstaking when it lands in Q2 for $449. One more angle's waiting after the break.

Continue reading Numark's TTi turntable transfers vinyl to iPod sans a PC

 

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Filed under: Features, Misc. Gadgets

Ariel Waldman contributes Movie Gadget Friday, where she highlights the lovable and lame gadgets from the world of cinema.

To warmly welcome back an old Engadget classic, Movie Gadget Friday, we figured it might also be best to take a second look at a staff favorite also recently revived. Three years ago we analyzed the dystopian sci-fi sexiness of the Voight-Kampff and Esper machines, but just as we watched Blade Runner: The Final Cut again for the first time (now on remastered DVD, HD-DVD, and Blu-ray), we're taking a deeper look at a few more of the film's off-the-beaten-path devices.

Vid-Phōn
Pacific Bell's video phone network, which uses massively-sized, junky, old-school CRTs to transmit calls from just about any location, be it Deckard's car and the local bar. A call costs $1.25, and is sure to make drunk dials of the future just that much more horrifying. Vid-Phōns do not have embedded Voight-Kampff machines, so they can be considered fairly safe to use for confidential chats between replicants. More after the break.

Continue reading Movie Gadget Friday and Blade Runner return!

 

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Filed under: Features, Misc. Gadgets

Ariel Waldman contributes Movie Gadget Friday, where she highlights the lovable and lame gadgets from the world of cinema.

To warmly welcome back an old Engadget classic, Movie Gadget Friday, we figured it might also be best to take a second look at a staff favorite also recently revived. Three years ago we analyzed the dystopian sci-fi sexiness of the Voight-Kampff and Esper machines, but just as we watched Blade Runner: The Final Cut again for the first time (now on remastered DVD, HD-DVD, and Blu-ray), we're taking a deeper look at a few more of the film's off-the-beaten-path devices.

Vid-Phōn
Pacific Bell's video phone network, which uses massively-sized, junky, old-school CRTs to transmit calls from just about any location, be it Deckard's car and the local bar. A call costs $1.25, and is sure to make drunk dials of the future just that much more horrifying. Vid-Phōns do not have embedded Voight-Kampff machines, so they can be considered fairly safe to use for confidential chats between replicants. More after the break.

Continue reading Movie Gadget Friday and Blade Runner return!

 

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Filed under: Wireless

Simmer down, NFL fans -- we're talking real football here, so we'd recommend hoping a flight to Europe if you're interested in taking advantage of this. Reportedly, Bluepod Media has inked exclusive BT marketing rights with a bevy of Premiership football clubs including Blackburn Rovers, Birmingham City, West Ham, Portsmouth and Wigan Athletic (among others). The deal was worked out after successful trials at Portsmouth and Birmingham City, and going forward, Bluepod will be working with third-parties to "create and distribute branded content to football fans within all stadiums on match days." Best of all, said content will be offered up to attendees gratis, while brand owners will be shelling out cash on a per download basis. Don't worry, dear Americans, you can always order up a hot dog from the comfort of your Safeco Field seat with your DS -- how's that for a consolation prize?

[Via IntoMobile, image courtesy of Hobo Tread]

 

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Filed under: Desktops, Features

Although it was (and still is, really) astoundingly easy to simply point the finger and laugh at Everex's completely unsightly, totally underwhelming TC2502 gPC just months ago, it appears that this thing may actually have a chance at gaining a wee (keyword: wee) amount of steam in the desktop market. Shortly after finding its way to Wal-Mart shelves, the box sold out -- a feat few surmised would actually take place. Furthermore, it seems to have sparked, or at least been the poster child of, a quiet revolution of ultra-cheap, open source-based machines, tagging along with the likes of Asus' Eee PC, Shuttle's KPC and the recently announced Linux PC from Mirus Innovations.

On the real, the rig was absolutely lambasted in a PC Mag review, but truthfully, we aren't exactly shocked given the hardware selection and (relatively) unfamiliar operating system. Then again, we've a sneaking suspicion the reviewers in this scenario weren't the target individuals Everex (and Wally World, to be frank) was gunning for. Stepping back, it's hard to miss the recent infatuation by the general public with machines touting rock bottom price tags and nary a hint of the world's most widely used OS, so in a sense, these guys and gals must be doing something right, be it marketing or otherwise. Still, we figure we'll need more than an abacus to count up just how many tweaks our dear readers would make to the gPC if given the chance -- maybe starting with the atrocious chassis and the dearth of wireless connectivity options -- so don't let us down, alright?

 

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Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Looks like Bug Labs is fixing to release its BUGbase in more than one version due to apparent issues related to solid, stable open source WiFi chipsets and drivers. Picking up the Hiro P Edition monicker (let's hope it doesn't snow crash), this revised first BUGbase will ship without 802.11, but adds a small joystick control, and as recompense for the wireless sacrifice, Hiro P owners will get a free BUGvonhippel module (the hardware breakout box, basically), and the option to snag a pluggable WiFi attachment on the cheap at a later time. For those who want to wait for the full, integrated-WiFi experience, Bug's not yet offering a set schedule for the "regular" base kit, but Hiro P goes on pre-sale at the Bug Labs store for the regular early adopter price this Monday.

 

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Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Rumors of Microsoft's successor to Vista have been cropping up virtually since day one, and if this latest one is to be believed, it looks like one of the earliest may have been right on target after all. According to TG Daily, "several industry sources" are now saying that the a very early version of the so-called "Windows 7" OS has already shipped to "key partners," and that Microsoft is now eying the second half of 2009 for a release of the real deal. That's a slight revision from the most recent rumors, which had pegged the debut as late as 2010 or, more vaguely, sometime within the next three years. As if that wasn't enough, Microsoft's apparently also lined up the next two early versions to be released, with the so-called M2 build slated for April or May of this year, and the M3 release slated to drop sometime in the third quarter. Given recent history, however, it's probably not the best idea to start marking your calendars just yet.

 

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Filed under: Laptops

 

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