Hasta La Gadget!

We’re going to give you just a moment to sit back and peer at the image above, and we’ll politely remind you that this object was likely designed in the year 2008. For whatever reason, Seagate has chosen just about the ugliest design imaginable and applied it to its Free Agent Theater HD, though word on the street is that the user interface is actually a horse of a different color. The drive is simply a multimedia HDD that enables users to pop drives in that are full of digital media for easy viewing on the TV. It’s expected to drop in March for $229.99 (250GB) / $299.99 (500GB), or those on a tight budget (or Free Agent Go HDD owners, actually) can opt for a $129.99 media player / remote control-only version. A very strange demo video is hosted just after the break.

[Via Notebooks]

Continue reading Video: Seagate introduces Free Agent Theater HD, designs it like a Betamax player

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Storage

Video: Seagate introduces Free Agent Theater HD, designs it like a Betamax player originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Jan 2009 00:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We were all about what Gateway was doing with its MC Series, and if you were too with the exception of the price, here’s your sign. Launching today alongside the 13.3-inch UC Series is the bargain-minded MD Series. The 15.6-inch machines tout a lowly 1,366 x 768 resolution panel, support for Intel or AMD chips, a 512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3650 (or a GMA 4500MHD), 160/250/320/500GB SATA hard drives, up to 4GB of DDR2 memory, a 5-in-1 card reader, LabelFlash technology, WiFi, Ethernet, a DVD burner (Blu-ray is optional) and inbuilt speakers. There’s also an HDMI 1.3 socket, four USB 2.0 connectors, VGA, audio in / out, ExpressCard and a six- or eight-cell battery to boot. The 7.7-pounder ships this month with Windows Vista Home Premium and a starting tag of $799.99. Full release is after the break.

Continue reading Gateway trots out bargain-minded 15.6-inch MD Series notebooks

Filed under: CES, Laptops

Gateway trots out bargain-minded 15.6-inch MD Series notebooks originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Jan 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We haven’t heard much from SPOT since its Messenger was initially launched in August of 2007, but the personal tracker is finally seeing an update courtesy of some swank new functionality. Announced here at CES, SPOT Assist is meant to provide GPS-based roadside assistance, a first for a portable device such as this. Users who purchase the upgrade will be able to slam the above pictured Help button in order to receive roadside (or jungle-side, as the case may be) service around the clock in the continental United States (and Canada later this Spring). SPOT even notes that OnStar relies on positioning data received through cellular networks, though a bona fide GPS lock should provide a much more accurate indication of your true location. The Messenger is currently selling for $169.99, while SPOT Assist service will run $129 per year; full release is past the break.

Continue reading SPOT Assist brings GPS-based roadside assistance to Messenger

Filed under: CES, GPS

SPOT Assist brings GPS-based roadside assistance to Messenger originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Jan 2009 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ah, ha! Now we’re cooking with gas. iriver teased us here at CES with a few ho hum offerings, but the real punch comes courtesy of its new networked line of devices. The outfit is getting super official with its long (long!) awaited W10 WAVE WiFi phone, which will boast a 3-inch WQVGA (480 x 272) touchscreen, 4GB of NAND memory, USB 3.0 connectivity, an FM radio module, web browser and all the usual cellphone amenities. Moving on, we’ve got the P35 PMP, which brings with it a 4.3-inch WQVGA touch panel, the outfit’s SPINN platform, built-in mic / speaker, TV output, 16GB of storage, a microSD slot, USB 2.0, WiFi, DMB mobile TV (in certain regions) and support for basically every file format imaginable. Lastly, we’ve got the totally intriguing D50N Multimedia Networking Device. The MID-like unit serves primarily to surf the web and facilitate IM conversations, as it touts a 4.8-inch WVGA (800 x 480) touchscreen, full QWERTY keyboard, 16GB of NAND Flash and an e-dictionary (among other things). Pricing / availability have yet to be announced, but all the other juicy details are just beyond the break.

Continue reading iriver gets proper with WAVE WiFi phone, D50N PMP and P35 MID

Filed under: Cellphones, CES, Handhelds, Portable Audio, Portable Video, Networking

iriver gets proper with WAVE WiFi phone, D50N PMP and P35 MID originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Jan 2009 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Possibly one of the oddest contraptions to be unveiled at CES this year is coming to us courtesy of iriver. The WAVE-HOME multimedia communications device actually pulls double duty as a VoIP phone and a home networking controller (of sorts, anyway), as it provides an expansive 7-inch 800 x 480 resolution touchscreen for web browsing, photo viewing and interacting with all manners of connected widgets. Furthermore, the unit packs a 1.3-megapixel camera, inbuilt speakers, an Ethernet jack, SD slot, USB connectivity, a FM radio module and support for digipen input. So really, you’re looking at an unpriced UMPC that’s only fit for a desk. Clever, iriver. Full release is after the break.

Continue reading iriver announces WAVE-HOME Multimedia Communication Device

Filed under: CES, Misc. Gadgets, Home Entertainment

iriver announces WAVE-HOME Multimedia Communication Device originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Jan 2009 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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