Hasta La Gadget!

Today, I’m going to show you three new devices. A Bluetooth keyboard, an iPad case, and a stand. A keyboard, a case, and a stand. Keyboard. Case. Stand. Are you getting it yet?

I apologize for the Jobsnote iPhone parody, but the best way to think about the ClamCase is as a replacement for three otherwise separate iPad accessories. Because if you think of it as what it actually is – a box which turns your iPad into a barely functional laptop – you’ll hate it.

The ClamCase has a bay up top to accept your new Apple media-slab, and a Bluetooth keyboard down below. The bezel has cut-outs for the various buttons and the two halves are held together with a wraparound hinge which can flip 360-degrees to either encase the iPad or get entirely out of the way.

Yes, it is ridiculous to try to turn a specialist machine into an all-purpose computer, especially as you’ll be reaching up every few seconds to tap the screen. On the other hand, it does combine three popular accessories into one sleek (and currently CGI-only) package. The site is down due to traffic right now, but if Google’s cached pages are anything to go by, the price will be a more-than-reasonable $70. Video promo below.

ClamCase [ClamCase via Twitter]

Jonathan Clifford Bergqvist is a pretty cool guy. When he decided that he needed a shoulder-mounted rig for shooting video with his Canon 7D, he decided it should be home-made, and fashioned from wood. But his dad, Erik, is flat-out awesome: Not only did he build the rig from scratch (and we mean from scratch – he starts off with a tree-branch with the bark still on it), he added a pretty intricate focus-pulling mechanism. Check the video of Erik in action:

Yes, the shoulder rig is impressive. The beautifully turned handles contrast with the precision-machined focussing apparatus, but the real star is Jonathan’s dad. I could watch videos of craftsmen like this at work all day long. MkII is already planned: The hose-clamp is tricky to get onto the lens, so that will be changed for an as-yet undecided replacement, and Jonathan has the cheek to complain that the rig “does not fold.” Just do us one favor, Jonathan: When your dad makes another one of these things, remember to post the video.

DIY Shoulder rig [Athanse Media via Switched]

The saga of the Milestone’s firmware update to Android 2.1 is finally over for one more territory. The United Kingdom is today awaking to the news that Motorola has made the freshest Eclair available to its loyal British users, with the download already awaiting those eager to be surfing along the cutting edge of Android innovation. What else do you need to know, it’s the finest software Google has to offer for your phone and it’s downloadable at the source link — get going!

Milestone gets Android 2.1 update in UK, available to download now originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 May 2010 05:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We guess TomTom was listening when we said it had to respond to Nokia’s Own Voice app for custom turn-by-turn navigation instructions, as the Dutch company has announced a new Darth Vader voice pack. Following in the footsteps of such luminaries as Homer Simpson and Burt Reynolds, the Sith Lord has contributed his vocal stylings to the cause of guiding the lost and confused down the right path. Though it wasn’t without hiccups — check out the video after the break for the recording session — the pack is now complete and ready for download, provided you have $13 handy to smooth the transaction. Yoda, C3PO and Han Solo packs are set to follow in the coming months. May the farce be with you.

Continue reading TomTom strikes back with Darth Vader voice pack (video)

TomTom strikes back with Darth Vader voice pack (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 May 2010 03:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC’s EVO 4G super-speced handset seems to be everywhere and nowhere at the same time. That situation looks set to change soon based on the pic above nabbed off The Shack’s internal website showing a big “coming soon” exclamation that translates to pre-orders starting “later this month.” Remember, in addition to Android 2.1, an 8 megapixel camera, and 4.3-inch 480 x 800 display backed by fierce Snapdragon silicon, the Evo also comes packing WiMAX with built-in hotspot capability. We’re still not sure if Sprint will charge for that or make it a freebie a la Verizon’s Palm Pre and Pixi offering, but we can hope.

[Thanks, Erin and David]

Sprint HTC EVO pre-orders start this month at The Shack originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 May 2010 01:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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