Hasta La Gadget!

What good is a BlueTrack mouse in only pink and gray? Not nearly as good as one splashed in every pastel you can think of, and especially not as good as a new trio of varied ones. Microsoft’s Wireless Mobile Mose 3500 family — announced earlier this year as some of the most portable BlueTrack mice this planet has ever seen — just gained three new vivid members, and each of ’em are on sale now at Best Buy for a penny under $30. If we had to guess, we’d say these are perfect for the KIN demographic. Hey, stereotypes don’t just form from thin air, you know…

Microsoft throws a helping of vivacious onto Wireless Mobile Mouse 3500 line originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 23 May 2010 10:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oh sure, we’ve seen quite a few solar chargers in our day, but rarely do we get the chance to actually use one for the weekend. A new outfit by the name of Kiwi Choice gave us such an opportunity recently, and today it’s officially launching the U-Powered USB portable solar charger. Put simply, this here device folds out into a tri-pointed thingamajig with a trio of solar panels ready and willing to catch sunlight and store it within. The impatient among us can also juice it up via USB or AC adapter, with a full charge taking at least four hours. The device boasts a power capacity of 2,000mAh, and there’s also a magnet for storing it underneath your vehicle’s seat or dashboard. Oh, and there’s even a LED flashlight on the front in case of emergency.

The company ships the device with 11 different tips, one of which plays nice with Apple’s dock connector. We tested it out on a few obvious candidates, and while it had no issue juicing up our iPhone 3G, the in-house iPad saw the dreaded “Not Charging” logo appear moments after it was connected. The bundle also includes an AC plug and an in-car cigarette adapter for times when the solar charger is pooped, but unfortunately, neither of those options would charge the iPad, either. We will say, however, that it managed to charge every other handheld we had just fine, and while the build quality wasn’t exactly world class, it’s suitable for tossing in the car and having around when energy is needed. It’s available today for $49.99 if you’re interested.

Kiwi Choice launches U-Powered USB portable solar charger originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 May 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’re pretty big fans of the HyperMac external batteries here at Engadget, as they’ve saved us on numerous occasions from becoming mindlessly bored on coast-to-coast flights by keeping our laptops humming for a few more hours. Unfortunately, the integrated USB port — while handy — isn’t up for handling Apple’s new iPad, which requires a 10 watt USB adapter to even charge. We tested our lab iPad on our existing 222Wh HyperMac, and sure enough, the screen you’re peering at above is what we saw (read: “Not Charging”) — though it does seem to power the device as to not drain what’s left of the battery while connected. In order to remedy said quandary, the folks at Sanho have announced a new line of HyperMac batteries that support iPad charging, but unfortunately for you existing users, every available upgrade path involves shelling out more cash for a new pack. The revamped devices will be available in four different capacities: 60Wh ($169), 100Wh ($269), 150Wh ($369) and 222Wh ($469), able to extend the iPad 25Wh rated internal battery by 2 to 9 times, giving a total run-time of between 34 to 99 hours. Sanho claims these will be rechargeable up to 1,000 times and will include a one-year warranty, so if you’re interested, you can place your pre-order now and await a shipment notification in around a fortnight.

Continue reading HyperMac external battery packs refreshed with iPad charging support

HyperMac external battery packs refreshed with iPad charging support originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 May 2010 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Seems that April 6th ship date that GameStop posted back in March was a bit off, but hey — beggars can’t be choosers, yeah? SanDisk has just announced that it’s now shipping the planet’s first licensed Xbox 360 USB flash drive, which just became useful for easily transferring gamertags, game saves, map packs, Arcade downloads, etc. from one console to another. The device is pre-configured for plug-and-play, and SanDisk is even throwing in a one-month subscription to Xbox LIVE Gold for good measure. Naturally, you’ll be paying a premium for that Microsoft seal of approval, with the 8GB unit boasting an MSRP of $34.99 and the 16 gigger going for $69.99 (or £29.99 and £51.99 respectively in the UK). Hang tight if you can, though — we get the impression that loads more are on the way from every other storage outfit, and you know what competition does to pricing. Don’t you?

Continue reading SanDisk ships first licensed Xbox 360 USB flash drive

SanDisk ships first licensed Xbox 360 USB flash drive originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 May 2010 14:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Took you long enough, eh TiVo? Just under five months after the AN0100 802.11n WiFi adapter splashed down in the FCC’s database, the company responsible for the Premiere has finally decided to ship this here dongle. The newly christened TiVo Wireless N Network Adapter is designed to function with all dual-tuner TiVo boxes (though it won’t play nice with the DirecTV DVR with TiVo), enabling those who’d rather not run a 50 foot Ethernet drop to still access web features. Fortunately, it’s available now for those who’ve waited; unfortunately, it’ll cost you a staggering $89.99. Check it out now from TiVo’s website or pick it up later this week at your local Best Buy.

Continue reading TiVo’s $90 Wireless N Network Adapter now available

TiVo’s $90 Wireless N Network Adapter now available originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Apr 2010 10:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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