Tech Gadgets Reviews

The vastly popular, low-end Flip mini camcorder treaded into high-definition territory Wednesday.

Pure Digital Technologies is pricing the Flip Mino HD at $230 — about $50 more than the previous standard-definition model. Weighing 3.3 ounces, the Flip Mino HD captures 720p high-def video, which can easily be uploaded via YouTube, MySpace, e-mail and other internet services. The camcorder includes 4GB of built-in memory — enough to record about one hour worth of HD video.

Pure Digital Technologies is seeing tremendous success with its line of Flip Video camcorders. With 1.5 million units sold since May 2007, the company’s Flip Video is currently the number-one best-selling camcorder in the United States, according to market research firm NPD Group. 

Product Page [Pure Digital Technologies]

See also:

• The Flip Video Camera Keeps it Simple and Brilliant

Photo: Pure Digital Technologies

A single shopping cart will change hands many times in a single day, so think about all the nasty stuff that gets accumulated across the handles each day. While most of these are harmless, they could prove to be a hazard to those with a less robust immune system. Never mind though, as a new shopping cart sanitizing system known as PureCart is now available, touting a 99% kill rate of common pathogens which are normally found on such carts. Perfect for paranoid parents to bring their kids out shopping for weekly groceries. We would like to see the local supermarket install one of these.

Just how fast does your operating system boot up? Most of us use Windows, and every single time we boot up Windows, we tend to spend at least a minute of our lives drumming our fingers on the desk or doing something equally worthless. Well, perhaps news of Linux-powered computer booting up within 2.97 seconds might move your heart to consider a switch? According to Lineo from Japan, this new technology is known as Warp 2 and comprises of a bootloader, a customised Linux software stack, and a ‘hibernation driver’ that is akin to familiar suspend-to-disk software. What sets this apart is Lineo’s hibernation driver writing a snapshot of RAM into its flash memory instead of to a hard disk, hence saving multiple alternative system snapshots for a (much) quicker boot up time.

Those who are lusting over the Nokia E71 but cannot afford to pay for it might want to consider the poor man’s version - the recently released E63. This model looks like the E71 at first glance, and we’re glad to report that it retains most of the business functionality without breaking the bank. Hardware specifications include :-

• Full QWERTY keyboard
• Touch sensitive Navi wheel
• 3.5mm audio jack
• 2.36″ 16 million colors QVGA display
• 110MB internal memory
• microSD memory card slot
• Quad-band GSM and dual-band UMTS
• Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity
• 2 megapixel camera

At $250 a pop, this is a pretty decent handset to bring home considering the amount of features you get with it. Sure, there’s no GPS, but then again how much more can you ask?

Over time I’ve begun to somewhat accept that some gadgets are helpful to keep the kids entertained.  Just as long as you don’t use them as a babysitter all the time.  Well if you have allowed your preschooler or even elementary school age child to have an iPod you’re going to need a way to protect it.  After all, young kids aren’t going to always be the most careful and even if they are, they’re still not a graceful bunch.  At some point they’re going to trip and fall, probably with the iPod in hand.  Well Tadpole is releasing a case that will make the ipod less likely to break when it’s dropped.

They also have a pair of matching headphones that look very kid friendly.  The only down side with this durable little case is that it doesn’t have a slot at the bottom.  Which means you have to take the case off in order to recharge the iPod.  Other than that it looks like it will hold up to any beatings your little ones might dish out.  To pick the set up it will cost you $14.99.  They will fit either the iPod Classic or the iPod Video.

Source: Popgadget

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Many users of AVG 7.5 and AVG 8 were stuck with Windows systems that didn’t operate after the AVG security scanner software mistakenly identified a necessary Windows component as a Trojan virus. 

The file user32.dll was tagged incorrectly as a banking Trojan after a signature update on Sunday.  The AVG scanner then advised users to delete the “harmful file.” So, of course…many listened.  And when they did, they were stuck with a system that either would not boot or else was knocked into a continuous reboot cycle.

AVG did respond to the whole problem yesterday on their site.  They offered advice to affected users and updated their definition files to get rid of the false alarm detection from the signature database.

Although false alarms obviously do happen with just about every security scanning vendor at some time, it is obviously a pain in the rear when it affects a core Windows file.  And this AVG snafu is following closely on the heels of their problem just last month, when it mistakenly identified CheckPoint’s Zone Alarm as a Trojan.

Many people seem to be thinking that AVG is really starting to go downhill as of late.  It gained much of its popularity because of its free version.  However, if you are looking for other reputable virus scanners that are also free, there are other choices out there.  One that is highly recommended is avast! Another you may want to check into is avira.

But as always, if you are told to delete a file, and it looks like something you may need, double check it.  VirusTotal is great for just this sort of thing.  Type in the name of your file, and it will check it with all the biggie virus scanners.  Less chance of you deleting something critical and being stuck in reboot land.

Via [securityandthenet]

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Panasonic is already a sizable company, but they are going to get that little bit bigger with the confirmed takeover of Sanyo.  Sanyo have been struggling recently, and it’s probably not a coincidence that their downturn coincides with the economic crisis that we are facing.  Nevertheless, they are still worth a substantial $18.5 billion which will boost Panasonic’s value to around $107.8 billion, making it one of the biggest consumer electronics companies.

The reason behind this is that this takeover will give Panasonic access to two key technologies in the shape of solar panels and batteries which will help them greatly in their own hand-held electronic products, in fact, Sanyo is the market leader in the manufacture of rechargeable batteries.  They will also acquire a company specializing in portable gadgets which generates $4 billion per annum in revenue.

This is the first major buy-out in the crowded Japanese market; although, considering the way the economy is going, it probably will not be the last.  Having said that, many companies have adamantly said that they will do everything possible to avoid being taken over: Pioneer is an example.  Who knows what will happen regarding companies like Sony and Toshiba, as they may either conserve their valuable money, or choose to mop up the struggling companies to make their empire larger to keep up with Panasonic.

Although this is not 100% definite, it is very likely which could prove disastrous for European and American companies as the Japanese companies grow and grow, meaning they may be able to out muscle the western companies out of the market.  It may also be bad news for current Sanyo customers, as it is likely that their customer service may be in a mess for a few months (although from my experience it may be hard to get any worse!). 

Source [BusinessWeek]

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Today in the USA, we honor our soldiers.  While today’s soldiers are usually outfitted in the latest gadget gear we all know about, Gadgetell takes a look back at previous generations of gadgets.  Our findings might surprise you.

Motorola intros the WWII RAZR

Meet the Moto SCR-536.  Imagine the soldiers dancing in a foxhole when the CO calls with the “Hello Moto” ringtone blares.  OK, maybe not.  But this is the real deal, the Handie-Talkie was the world’s first two-way AM radio.  It weighted just under 7 lbs and had an 8-hour talk time.  I’ll avoid any comparisons to Moto’s current line up, feel free to make your own and chuckle.  Moto’s device was way ahead of the competition and up to 26lbs lighter.  Way out in front.

Google War Maps?

Um, no.  But similar.  Introduced in 2006, DARPA’s TIGR (Tactical Ground Reporting System) replaces stale map information with a multimedia display that has become a patrolling soldier’s best friend (or at least one of them).  The map is continually updated with info from other patrols, historical significance of problem areas, icons, etc.  Months of data is presented helping troops pick the best routes, become aware of danger zones and being as prepared information-wise for duty.

Where would KFC be with this?

Lore has it the spork (half spoon, half fork) was created out of necessity during the Civil War.  The original utensil also added in a knife for cutting in addition to the scooping and stabbing features of the spoon and fork.  It is not clear if the spork is, in fact, the reason the North won.

A phone, a map and a spork.  What more is needed?  Happy Veterans Day.

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by Thomas Ricker, posted Nov 11th 2008 at 4:59AM

It’s all here: 2.5-inch, 9.5-mm thick form factor; 3.0Gbps SATA interface; 250GB per platter for a 500GB total capacity; 5,400 RPM spin; and hardware-based data encryption using a 128-bit key (we presume, they don’t say). That puts Hitachi’s new 500GB Travelstar hard disk drives on par with pretty much everyone else. Even the 1.4 watt read/write power draw that Hitachi says, “is lower than any other 500GB 2.5-inch hard drive on the market today” was just matched by Fujitsu who goes even further with 256-bit encryption. No use crying Hitachi, that’s what happens when you show up late for a party. Expect to see the 5K500.B disk ship worldwide in December while the 1.4 watt E5K500.B (”E” for Eco) is expected by the end of March 2009.

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Everything seems mandatory to be “smart” these days, and the same goes for even medical pills. Philips have come up with an intelligent pill which has a microprocessor inside, alongside other components such as a battery, wireless radio, pump and a drug reservoir that will release medication in a specific area in the body at the right time. Dubbed the iPill, this capsule is smart enough to measure acidity via a sensor to determine its location in the gut, thereby releasing drugs as and when required. The iPill also doubles up as a thermometer of sorts, reporting the local temperature to an external receiver. This prototype is already ready for serial manufacturing.