Hasta La Gadget!

Where we come from, microSD to USB adapters are free pack-ins with our memory cards, and video stands for our phones — on the ultra-rare occasions that we feel the need for such functionality — are MacGyvered out of whatever odds and ends we happen to have in the vicinity. It doesn’t take a lot of technology to keep a phone from falling over, after all. Alas, Sony Ericsson has stumbled upon a great way to relieve you of a few dollars with its fancily-named IM920 Video Viewing Stand, a product which does nothing more than integrate those two functions into a single 13-cent piece of black plastic. The best part, though, is that it can’t even do that well — it appears from the company’s press shot here that you’ve got to split the “stand” duties between the IM920 and the Satio’s port connector. In case you’re feeling any uncontrollable desire to burn cash on this finely-crafted gizmo, allow us to help you: it’s expected to be available “within 6 months,” so you’ve got some time to cool off.

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Sony Ericsson IM920 “Video Viewing Stand” is a microSD to USB adapter… shaped like a stand originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Jun 2009 05:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Don’t get all worked up here, you won’t find anything too far out of the ordinary. That said, there’s nothing at all wrong with new LCD options in the 20-, 22- and 24-inch segments, and that’s exactly what ViewSonic‘s delivering. The VG2027wm, VG2227wm and VG2427wm are all equipped with 1,920 x 1,080 Full HD panels, a 20,000:1 contrast ratio, 300 nits of brightness, an integrated two-port USB 2.0 hub, DVI / VGA ports and built-in stereo speakers. The new trio can be had right now for $319, $399 and $499 from smallest to largest. Sexy side shot is after the break.

Continue reading ViewSonic intros new 20-, 22- and 24-inch VG27 LCD monitors

Filed under: Displays

ViewSonic intros new 20-, 22- and 24-inch VG27 LCD monitors originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Jun 2009 03:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Just a week after the Sony Ericsson Idou became official, the other phone that the company unveiled at GSMA 2009 was released into the wild. The W995a is notable not because it has an 8.1-megapixel camera and a Walkman player–we’ve seen those before–but because it had a 3….

Putting one of the best-known video game franchises together with the music industry’s all-time biggest brand name seems like a no-brainer way to sell a lot of plastic discs. We’ve previously voiced our concerns about the timing of this long-in-the-making first foray by The Beatles into digital music, but even if this might have a bigger money machine a year ago, it’s still virtually guaranteed to be the one game coming out of E3 that non-gamers will sit up and take notice of.

Unlike previous music game forays by Metallica, AC/DC, and Aerosmith, the Beatles version of Rock Band goes to great pains to stand out visually from the main Rock Band franchise. The graphics, menus, and interfaces are all new, and all designed to emphasize the historic nature of this collaboration.

The trippy magical history tour look through the band’s past reminded us of the recent Beatles-based Las Vegas show, Love. 3D avatars of John, George, Ringo, and Paul change their looks depending on the era, and while standard Rock Band plastic instruments will work fine, MTV Games would no doubt prefer you to buy the new versions, modeled after some of the band’s iconic gear (such as Paul’s Hofner bass).

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Kratos — still cranky.

If there’s one thing the semi-beleaguered PlayStation needs, it’s more high-profile exclusive games that can drive system sales. After all — brand loyalty aside, it’s the actual games that sell systems, and a big hit (such as Microsoft’s Halo) can add considerably to a console’s fan base.

God of War (and its sequel) were both big hits for the PlayStation 2, and the franchise’s appearance on the PS3 has been eagerly awaited since that system’s launch. We got a glimpse of the game-in-progress back at the Game Developer’s Conference earlier in 2009, and at E3, it’s one of Sony’s main pushes.

Those expecting a major departure (aside from greatly improved graphics) obviously are not familiar with the addictive charms of angry Greek demi-god Kratos. The series is basically Bulfinche’s Mythology filtered through the UFC. Guide your bald-headed killing machine through ancient Greece and the underworld, slicing and dicing pretty much everyone you run into, from foot soldiers to giant Clash-of-the-Titans-style beasts.

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