Hasta La Gadget!

Garmin already had a little fun at CeBIT this year, but it looks as if the PND maker is gearing up for quite a thrilling IFA, too. For starters, we’ve confirmed that the nüvi 1690 you’ve seen floating about is legitimate, and if Garmin prices those connected services right (read: gives them away), it stands a chance of being a real winner. Slated to launch on September 3rd just as IFA kicks off, the 1690 will pack a 4.3-inch WVGA display, North American maps, text-to-speech, Bluetooth handsfree support and EDGE data for pulling down weather, flight statuses, fuel prices, movie times, traffic and Google-powered local search results. It should be available at the tail end of Q3 for $499.99, though there’s no word on how pricey the connected services will be.

If you’re looking for even bigger and better things, there’s the nüvi 1800 family. The nüvi 1820 checks in with a 4.8-inch WVGA panel, a Linux-based OS, Bluetooth handsfree support, WiFi, lane assist, a traffic receiver, text-to-speech and a few features not found on your common PND. We’re talking about a full-fledged web browser (with YouTube support), multimedia player, access to email, internet radio streaming and even video streaming. Of course, you’ll have to provide the web access, but if you’ve got a MiFi or the like riding shotgun in your ride, you can keep this bad boy connected throughout the trip. Also of note, the nüvi 1860 packs all of the aforementioned goodies but throws in a 3 megapixel camera with geotagging for good measure. Garmin doesn’t bother to mention pricing details on either of the 18xx units, but we get the impression that both will sticker for well over the $500 mark.

Update: That $500 sticker on the 1690 will include two years of connected services — not perfect, but a solid gesture nonetheless.

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Filed under: Digital Cameras, GPS

Garmin’s connected nuvi 1690 and browser / camera-equipped nuvi 1860 leak out originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Aug 2009 10:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia’s BH-905 made some serious waves when it debuted back in early June, but what else would you expect from a product that calls itself “the best headset ever made?” The Bluetooth-equipped cans, along with its ten microphones, supple ear cups and A2DP / AVCRP support, are expected to launch globally next month for around three hundred bones, and the fine folks over at NokNok have already managed to score a pre-release model. Aside from visibly gushing all over themselves, they also note that the cans are far smaller than the original press shots made them seem, giving cautious travelers reason to breath a sigh of relief. Hit the read link for a luxurious hands-on look.

Filed under: Cellphones, Peripherals

Nokia’s world-beating BH-905 Bluetooth cans slip into the photo booth originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Aug 2009 08:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We just got a quick look at Samsung’s new trio, the TL220, TL225 and CL65, and outside of some pretty impressive specs, all three cameras offer a nice bit of innovation and looks in their own special ways. The TL220 and TL225 are the most interesting, with those snazzy front-facing LCDs. Luckily, that creepy clown picture from the press shots is just for entertaining children, and it’s easy enough to switch it to a live view of our charming, MySpace-ready face. Meanwhile the CL65 offers WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth 2.0 in a rather attractive package, and has a surprisingly usable WiFi upload interface for launching pictures and photos up to the wide blue internets. Check out a video of the TL225 (which bests the TL220 with a supercharged 3.5-inch LCD) after the break.

Continue reading Samsung’s new compacts in person: front LCDs, GPS and WiFi don’t go to waste

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Samsung’s new compacts in person: front LCDs, GPS and WiFi don’t go to waste originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Details are exceedingly light (almost dangerously light, in fact), but the Modula color therapy lamp is simply too soothing to overlook. The three-ringed lamp is built with a slew of multi-color lights (LEDs, we’re guessing), all wired up to be controlled via Bluetooth. The video demonstration shows a Sony Ericsson W880i doing the dirty work, but there’s no indication of how exactly end users are supposed to accomplish the color changing once it arrives. Those in the camp of “buy now, ask questions later” can get their pre-order in through the read link, but considering that only an EU-friendly 230V version is currently available, those on this side of the pond will need to invest in some serious converters to make it all compatible. The pain? Just €199 ($281) for hours upon hours of endless entertainment.

Filed under: Cellphones, Household

Bluetooth-enabled Modula therapy lamp changes color via cellphone originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Aug 2009 05:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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 Say you manage a construction site and need a rugged laptop computer. Rather than spend $3,000-$5,000 for a ruggedized laptop computer and locking pedestal stand for your pickup truck, Ford offers an in-dash computer with Internet access and wireless keyboard for $1,195. “I bet it’s the first time you’ve ever seen Google running on the dashboard of a vehicle,” says Bill Frykman, Ford Work Solutions business development manager. The package also includes remote access, Bluetooth, and Garmin-developed navigation – in other words, a Happy Meal of Technology for less than the cost of integrated in-dash navigation alone. This Ford Work Solutions system is available on Ford F-Series pickups, E-Series (Econoline) vans, and the Ford Transit Connect mini delivery van. The only downsides are that you can’t have Ford Sync, the industry-leading music and Bluetooth system, and the screen seems small for doing serious work. Ford says the center-dash location precludes a bigger screen, at least for now.