Hasta La Gadget!

We’d be lying if we told you that we fully expected to be hanging out with 50 Cent when we traveled around the world to Berlin, but earlier today we grabbed a moment with the Queens-based emcee to discuss his venture into the world of high-end headphones. In particular, we wanted to ask how his products, including the new Street On-Ears and Street DJ Pros, stack against some better known rapper-endorsed audio technology — namely Dr. Dre’s gimmicky Beats and his tie-in with HTC.

For starters, 50 was keen to stress that this is no plain endorsement: Studio Master Sound (SMS) Audio is his company and he’s invested in it. Regarding the products themselves, he reassured us that they have nothing in common with the Beats / HTC marketing about bringing hardware and software together to create some kind of eardrum wizardry. Instead, he just wants to bring together all-round qualities like durability, comfort, and “professionally tuned” 40mm drivers, alongside fresher styling than you’d get from companies like Bose or Sennheiser.

The booth at IFA was too hectic for us to give the new ‘phones a fair run-through, and in fact 50 Cent didn’t have a great deal to say about them at this point either. As you’ll see in the video after the break, he preferred to hold up his slightly older flagship wireless set, called SYNC, as evidence that SMS Audio has audiophile credentials to justify its high price points. Speaking of which, we’re not sure how much the latest models will cost or when they’ll become available, but for guidance the SYNC headphones cost $400 while regular Street wired headphones will set you back around $250.

Continue reading 50 Cent talks up two new headphones in his SMS Audio line (video)

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Portable Audio/Video

50 Cent talks up two new headphones in his SMS Audio line (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 19:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The folks at LifeProof have given us a hands-on experience with their iPhone 4/4S case lineup as well as their new NUUD iPad case. The iPhone case we’re finding is so thin that it appears that there’s no cover over the front – and yet there is. The iPad case allow you to dunk your device underwater – and the iPhone case does this as well. Basically what we’ve seen is that LifeProof iPhone and iPad cases make their contents impervious to damage – have a peek at how tough they are right this minute!

The LifeProof NUUD iPad case works with each of the 2 newer iPad models out on the market and protects with IP-68 and Military Standards to make sure your device will be protected like no other. For water you’re able to submerge the device fully up to 6.6 feet under the surface for 30 minutes. The case is sealed from dirt and minute dust particles at an IP-68 rating – the same is true of its rating against melting snow and ice. This case also protects your iPad against shock with the ability to withstand drops from up to 4 feet.

This unit allows you access to all of your buttons including volume, screen lock, power button, home button, and your dock connector as well. This case also has large speaker ports so you’re good to go with the beats, and you’re working with CrystalClear double AR coated real glass lens as well for high quality images. This unit weights in at 310 grams, 9.97 ounces, and is the following dimensions: 265 x 208 x 20.5 millimeters (10.43 x 8.18 x 0.81 inches). You’ll be able to pick this unit up now online at LifeProof’s store for $149.99 – there’s a cover+stand unit for this case as well for $29.99 more.

The iPhone 4/4S case is also shown off here complete with IP-68 rating against water and dust. It’s got Military Specifications MIL-STD-810F-516.5 (2 meters/6.6ft drop on all surfaces and edges. 26 tests) for shock and impact, and it’s ready for 2 meters of water – 6.6ft depth as well. This unit weighs in at less than an ounce and is made to work with all iPhone 4 and 4S models all around the world and for every carrier. It adds just 1/16” (1.5mm) when measured from the center of the phone when you’ve got it on your device, and again you’ve got fabulous double AR-coated optical glass lenses in place to make for the great crystal-clear vision.

The iPhone 4/4S unit is $79.99 and comes in a wide variety of colors and is also ready for purchase right this minute. In our talk with LifeProof they let us know that they’re prepared for the next-generation iPhone (still code-named iPhone 5) already and are planning on working with the Samsung Galaxy S IV as well when it’s eventually announced. They’ve also got cases coming for other Apple and Android cases including the iPod touch – expect great things from LifeProof now and in the future too!

LifeProof iPhone 4/4S case and NUUD iPad case hands-on is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

This week we’ve had the chance to catch up with the folks at iRobot who have let us in on several new robotic cleaning machines in their Scooba and Roomba lineups. In our interview with the group we started out with the iRobot Scooba 390, a device that works with a four-stage cleaning process for a scrub-tastic cleaning of your large flat floor – toss out your mops! We had a peek at the iRobot Scooba 290 next, made much tinier to make with the small bathroom cleaning – gotta get behind those porcelain thrones, after all.

The iRobot Scooba 390 uses a four-stage cleaning process that starts with preparation step, moves on to washing, follows up with a scub, and finishes it all off with some squeegee action. This unit is said by iRobot to remove up to 98% of your common household bacteria and is, in the end, the best item in your home to destroy your mop in a robot battle. You wont need a sweep with this device either, just set it down after you’ve added the necessary components inside (like clean water), and let it roll.

This interview filmed at Showstoppers during IFA 2012!

Next is the iRobot Scooba 230 which is, again, made much smaller to get in your smaller areas where the 390 never could. This unit is another floor washing robot that’s made to take the place of your mop. It’s able to clean around your toilet, under cabinets, and on tile, linoleum, or sealed hardwood floors. Like its bigger brother, the Scooba 230 uses a multi-stage cleaning process, this time just three required to take out 97% of common household bacteria. This time you DO have to sweep, mind you, but it’s just so cute!

The Scooba 230 will cost you $279.99 from iRobot’s online store, and the 390 will run you $499.99 USD – with free shipping, even! Also check the tail-end of the video out for the hero line of iRobot’s Roomba line – getting better all the time! Then make sure to head to our iRobot tag portal to see the rest of our iRobot coverage from the past and keep on picking up robots for your home!

iRobot Scooba 390 and 290 hands-on is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Well, this snuck up on us. Close to the end of the first official open-floor day at IFA, Samsung managed to eke out yet another product we want to get our hands on, soonish. This 13-inch Series 9 WQHD Ultrabook beams Windows 8 on 2,560 x 1,440 display (oh yes), making a visible leap beyond the existing Series 9 13-incher, which sticks to a more typical 1,600 x 900. Better still, the surface of the screen has a gentle matte finish. The engineering sample arrived in the Samsung spokesperson’s hands just seven days ago. The resolution matches ASUS’ high-grade gamer monitor in pixels, if falling ever so slightly short of the Retina Display on Apple’s newest MacBook model. There was no news on what the manufacturer will call the new display tech, further specifications, or even whether this was just a proof of concept — the device was chilling in the corner of the electronics giant’s innovation gallery. Hopefully, Samsung won’t hold out on those details for much longer. Take a look for yourself in our hands-on video after the break.

Continue reading Samsung smuggles new Series 9 prototype into IFA: 2,560 x 1,440 on a matte display (hands-on)

Filed under: Displays, Laptops

Samsung smuggles new Series 9 prototype into IFA: 2,560 x 1,440 on a matte display (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 11:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There’s a new mobile wireless speaker in town and it goes by the name Jabra Solemate – and it looks like a really strange shoe. This device is indeed as the manufacturer describes – about the size and weight of a water bottle – and is able to play wirelessly (with Bluetooth), with a standard 3.5mm audio cord, or with a USB cable. This device has an integrated subwoofer and dual tweeters to keep you banging even in the most mobile-minded of places.

What you’ll get here is a lovely little high-quality mobile speaker set up quite clearly to compete with similar-sized speakers – you know who that is. At the moment it’s not quite possible to tell which unit is “better” so to speak as we’ve not had a full test of this Jabra device. But given the quality of Jabra products we’ve worked with before, great things are bound to happen here.

This Jabra Solemate device is being shown off in collaboration with the platform known as ClubCreate, a User Generated Content group that makes music mixes across the world. With Jabra and the Solemate on their side, mobile music mixes are sure to be on the rise. And with the style and super odd look of the Solemate, we’re definitely going to be interested in sporting it in public.

Look at this little shoe device. It’s not mean to be worn on your foot, but the hook certainly is there. Stick to the surface and let the beats roll out! This device will be available extremely soon if not immediately (depending on when you’re reading this, of course) through a variety of major retailers and Jabra themselves for $199 MSRP. You’ll be able to pick up either white or black – your choice!

Jabra Solemate hands-on is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.