Jan 10

‘3-point’ USB 3.0 hub is self-referential fun and functionality

Posted in: Today's Chili, usb, usb 3.0, Usb3.0
Admittedly, at first we didn’t get it — the hub (with actually helpful, twisting ports) was about 90 degrees counterclockwise from the pictured position and we couldn’t get past the aesthetic similarities to the Dodge Ram logo. That’s when the friendly overseer of the Dun Cheng Technology Corp. booth in the CES International Hall twisted both our minds and the hub itself to reveal an intentionally meta moment — “3-point,” as in USB 3.0. Needless to say, we were very amused.

‘3-point’ USB 3.0 hub is self-referential fun and functionality originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 10 Jan 2010 19:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jan 10

Saygus VPhone Coming Real Soon Now?

Posted in: Android, Today's Chili, Verizon Wireless

saygus.jpg

The Verizon-powered, video-calling, Android VPhone may be rolling out within weeks, the phone’s creator Chad Sayers said to me at CES.
We first saw the VPhone back in November, when Sayers – the president of a small, new wireless firm called Saygus – brought it by our offices. The phone is being processed through Verizon’s Open Development Initiative, which is the carrier’s effort to get devices onto their network that they won’t have to service or support.
The VPhone will have its own, non-Verizon-branded service plans, but the plans will be affordable, Sayers said. Saygus’ video compression technology lets the phones use relatively little bandwidth, so they won’t be network hogs, he said.
Sayers had the same VPhone at CES as we saw in November, but he had some updates on the business. For one thing, the phone will now run Android 2.0. It has no Google apps, but is compatible with the Android market.
Sayers was very optimistic that the phone would make it out of Verizon’s labs soon, and he’s lining up sales channels. The deaf community is particularly enthusiastic about an inexpensive video-chatting phone, Sayers said.
Saygus hasn’t given us any reason to doubt their sincerity, but I’m still withholding judgement until I see a fully working phone – which they haven’t shown yet. As we learned most recently from the CrunchPad debacle, companies can promise a lot – but bringing the products to market is another thing entirely.
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Jan 10

Favi RIOLED-Q and RIOLED-V pico projectors launched: the future is bright, wireless

Posted in: pico projector, PicoProjector, projector, Today's Chili

Looks like the world’s still got appetite for some more pico projectors, as Favi‘s releasing a pair some time between late February and early March for prices yet unknown. First is the RIOLED-Q (pictured) which sports a pretty 800 x 600 native resolution at 50 lumens — supposedly the best brightness in class (like the Optoma PK301), along with built-in SD / MMC card reader, battery, three-watt stereo speaker and an ever-so-handy digital keystone correction. Joining the party is the smaller RIOLED-V which is shy about its display specification, but proudly packs a card reader and WiFi to cater its various web apps for YouTube, Flickr, Picasa, Yahoo News, Weather, Email, Internet Radio and web browser. Too bad it doesn’t do phone calls.

Gallery: Favi RIOLED-Q and RIOLED-V pico projectors launched

Favi RIOLED-Q and RIOLED-V pico projectors launched: the future is bright, wireless originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 10 Jan 2010 17:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jan 10

EverTune challenges Robot Guitar for in-tune supremacy

Posted in: guitar, Today's Chili

Gibson’s Robot Guitar may have gotten off to a head start, but EverTune is here at CES with an automatic guitar tuner of its own that promises to keep your guitar in tune forever. To do that, EverTune makes use of a simple mechanism that relies on springs to maintain the same amount of tension on each string as the tuner post loosens, which should ensure that your guitar won’t go out of tune even while playing (something that other self-tuning guitars can’t account for). Unfortunately, EverTune isn’t ready to announcing anything about availability (or pricing, for that matter), but it saying it will “soon be available on a wide range of electric guitars,” and that it’ll also be available as an installation kit through select retailers.

EverTune challenges Robot Guitar for in-tune supremacy originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 10 Jan 2010 11:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jan 10

HyperMac: Candy Colored External Batteries for Mac, iPhone, iPod

Posted in: iPhone, ipod, Mac, power, Today's Chili, usb

CES - HyperMac - iPod Battery

At CES this week HyperMac, an external battery company, came armed with their entire lineup of brushed aluminum external batteries for the MacBook and MacBook Pro, but also announced a lineup of external batteries for the iPhone and iPod, complete with color cases that match the iPod model you own. 
HyperMac made waves with its lineup of external batteries for the MacBook and MacBook Pro that can power a MacBook for between 20-30 hours beyond the life of the internal battery. With its new iPhone and iPod USB external batteries, HyperMac promises you can get hours of additional battery life on your iPod Touch, iPod Nano, or iPod Shuffle as well. 
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Jan 10

CES: Powermat Unveils 2010 Wireless Charging Products

Posted in: charger, power, Today's Chili

CES - 2X Portable Mat - Integrated Battery

Powermat is a well-known name when it comes to inductive charging. Its first wireless charging devices were unveiled at CES back in 2007 ( we did a hands-on review in August of 2009) and its first line of charging mats his the market in October of 2009. Now Powermat wants to take the concept of charging your mobile phone, music player, or portable gaming device a step further with its 2010 lineup of products. 
All of the 2010 products address some of the common concerns and complaints from consumers interested in Powermat’s products but who may opt for other charging peripherals. The company is working on a line of larger charging mats, fold-up portable charging mats. Additionally, the newest Powermat receivers will remove the bulky Powermat medallion from the back of your device and replace it with a smooth back, for a more sleek and attractive look. 
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Jan 10

CES: Psyko 5.1 Gaming Headphones for PC and Xbox

Posted in: gaming, headphones, Today's Chili

CES - Psyko Gaming Headphones - Speakers

Psyko Audio Labs announced and released its 5.1 Gaming Headphones for the PC at the end of 2009–and promptly sold out of them. For CES this year, Psyko unveiled a completed version of their 5.1 Gaming Headphones for the XBox, which they expect to be ready for store shelves sometime early 2010. 
At CES, Psyko had the XBox version of their headset available to use while playing games like Halo 3 and Gears of War, and its quality matches up with its PC counterpart. 
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Jan 10

CES: IOGear Unveils Wireless, HDMI Home Theatre KVM Switches

Posted in: Today's Chili, TV, video, Wireless

CES - IOGear - LogoIOGear is more commonly known for its desktop and laptop KVM switches and peripherals, but at CES this year, home theater and media devices dominated the company’s booth. It is making a strong push into the home theater market, including the ability to wirelessly transmit HD content from the devices in your entertainment center to your TV. 

IOGear’s wireless HD products are designed for a range of audiences. For most consumers, the new 2- and 4-port HDMI switch will draw the most attention, since you can connect all of your HDMI capable devices in your home entertainment center to it and then connect the switch to your TV, freeing up valuable HDMI ports.

The HDMI switch is completely wired, but both
models come with a wireless keyboard that can be used to control any
device on the switch that accepts keyboard input. For example, a key
combination switches the input from your HD receiver to your XBox 360,
where you can use the keyboard to update your Twitter or Facebook
status. IOGear’s HDMI switch also has USB ports on the front for
additional peripherals if any of your connected devices need them.

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Jan 10

Sideline Cinq USB companion monitor hands-on

Posted in: Features, hands-on, HandsOn, LCD, Today's Chili

We don’t normally get adrenalized with LCD monitors, but when they get a dash of that DisplayLink magic then it’s another story. Enter the Sideline Cinq — a 10.1-inch, 1024 x 600 vibrant LCD (with SD card reader) that needs just one USB cable for both data and power, plus it’s kosher with both Windows and Mac. Sure, the Cinq looks bulky, but at 15.6 ounces you’d likely need some serious lottery luck for it to cause any damage. There’s also a stand to avoid the attachment’s sticky tape mess on your machine — you can go landscape or portrait. The only grumble we have is that it needs a non-glossy option. $249 and the Cinq’s yours in Q3, or $199 if you pre-order from Sideline’s site. Now, how about three of these for some hardcore flight-sim sessions?

Gallery: Sideline Cinq USB companion monitor hands-on

Sideline Cinq USB companion monitor hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 10 Jan 2010 09:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jan 10

Toshiba introduces DisplayLink-enabled Dynadock V10 USB port replicator

Posted in: Today's Chili, usb

Don’t call it a docking station. Toshiba’s latest Dynadock is classified as a USB port replicator, but what makes this one a wee bit special is the integrated DisplayLink DL-165 chip that enables 1080p content to flow from a USB port and onto a DVI monitor. Put simply, this device acts just like a typical USB docking station, but with minimal bulk; as for inputs, you’ll find four USB 2.0 sockets, a single DVI port, mic in, headphone out, a power port and support for resolutions as high as 1,920 x 1,080. It’s available now in Europe for an undisclosed amount, but who knows if it’ll ever head Stateside.

Toshiba introduces DisplayLink-enabled Dynadock V10 USB port replicator originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 10 Jan 2010 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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