Hasta La Gadget!

Ready for another round of Microsoft’s Laptop Hunters? This time it’s Lauren — not the infamous original LH — and mom seeking the perfect PC to take with her to law school. Top on the list of needs is a portable with speed and battery life, all for less than $1700. Shying away from the more expensive MacBook Pro — a pretty tame jab, much like the last ad — the dynamic duo settle on a Dell XPS 13a 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4GB RAM, 320GB HDD, and a $899 price tag. All in all, not the most exciting commercial the series has fostered, and with Apple finally going on the offensive, we really hope the gang in Redmond take it up a notch. See the relatively bite-free video for yourself after the break.

Update: Looks like Microsoft’s pulled the video, probably due to some audio sync issues — can we get Sheila on the case? We’ll let you know when it springs back up.

Update 2: It’s back online and now in HD.

Continue reading Laptop Hunters part five: same schtick, different Lauren

Filed under: Laptops

Laptop Hunters part five: same schtick, different Lauren originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 May 2009 18:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET)

Designed to get kids away from their video games and into the great outdoors, the Geomate.jr is like the Easy-Bake Oven of handheld GPS devices. It is a simple handheld device that distills the GPS experience down to its core function–telling you where to go–and …

HP has issued a recall for some 70,000 notebook batteries for computers that were sold between August 2007 and March 2008.

The recalled lithium-ion batteries can overheat and pose a fire and burn hazard to consumers, said the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. A complete list of the models that have been affected by the recall can be found here.

So far the Commission and HP have had two reports of batteries that  “overheated and ruptured resulting in flame and fire that caused minor property damage.”  However, no one was reported injured.

HP’s latest recall brings back memories of exploding Sony batteries about three years ago that affected companies such as Dell. Sony ultimately recalled more than 10 million batteries.

It is not clear who the manufacturer of the  batteries involved in the latest recall are as HP hasn’t disclosed it. Instead the company has offered a free replacement battery to affected consumers.

[via Electronista]

Photo: (Jonno Witts/Flickr)

What, you didn’t even know VTech was dabbling in home audio now? You should be ashamed! All jesting aside, the outfit’s first-ever WiFi radio — which was introduced “way back” at CES — is now shipping. Priced at $199.95, the Wireless Music Hub boasts built-in 3W stereo speakers (not to mention a 10W subwoofer), 802.11b/g support, an FM tuner and an auxiliary audio port. Additionally, it can play back MP3, WMA, AAC, WAV and RealAudio files stored on any nearby WiFi-enabled computer, though it can’t actually get more beautiful with age. Sorry.

Filed under: Home Entertainment

VTech’s $200 IS9181 WiFi radio now shipping originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 May 2009 18:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Why should iPods and iPhones get to have all the fun? The most recent additions to the crafty, artistic, and eye-catching Gelaskin lineup are customized to fit the BlackBerry Bold, Storm, and Curve 8900 like gloves.

Gelaskins are removable adhesive stickers designed by some pretty talented artists with nifty iconography, doodles, cartoons, and photos to help you personalize your gadgets and laptops. Their design and 3M adhesive prevents air pockets, is easy to affix (and remove), and will protect your gear from scratches and scuffs.

The new ‘Berry lineup is available direct from the Gelaskin Web site and runs about $15 a pop.