Amazon’s boosting the minimum order eligible for free shipping to $35, a $10 increase. That’s the first time in more than ten years the price has gone up. [Amazon via Lifehacker
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It’s not news every time a Kickstarter product starts shipping to backers, but in the case of 3Doodler, it’s worth a mention. At last count, the startup had raised $2.3 million to fund its 3D printing pen, and with a cost of $99 per device, well, you do the math: that’s a lot of people waiting for their new toy to arrive. And we mean it when we say “toy” — while you won’t be creating anything useful like a gun or a Van Gogh knockoff, there’s really nothing more addictive than “drawing” in the air with melted plastic, and watching it solidify. For those of you who ordered early, you already know what you’re in for. As for the rest of you, your next chance to get one will be in early 2014, though you can place a pre-order today if you like. Really, though, we suggest you revisit our hands-on video, embedded below; we’re descriptive writers, but nothing we say can do justice to a pen with molten plastic flowing out of it.
Filed under: Misc, Peripherals
Ready to make a date with a next-gen console? Microsoft’s Xbox One goes up for sale on November 22nd, Redmond officially announced this morning. By way of a reminder, the PlayStation 4 will also land in the same month: November 15th for US customers — just in case you can afford to two-time it. If not, well, we all get to witness the assuredly bloody fight for our hard-earned cash come this holiday.
The Xbox One launches in 13 territories initially (UK, Ireland, Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, US, CAN, MEX, BRA, AUS, NZ) and costs $499 /€499 / £449 — Microsoft’s calling it a “global” launch, though the list was cut down considerably from initial plans. “Many more markets” will see the console arrive in 2014, a note from Microsoft spokesperson Larry “Major Nelson” Hryb says. The aforementioned territories list notably excludes Japan, a territory traditionally important in the video game market. The console is also in “full production” in its charge toward homes everywhere, and Microsoft made one last internal tweak before sending it out: a 10 percent clock speed increase (from 1.6GHZ to 1.75GHZ). “It means that the processing power to make those games that we’ve been showing off at Gamescom that already look great will look even better,” corporate marketing VP Yusuf Mehdi said in a video announcing today’s news (find it just below the break).
When Xbox One arrives at retail this November, the $500 package includes the console itself, a new wireless gamepad, the new Kinect, a headset, and various cables for attaching it to your favorite television. Limited editions of a special “Day One” version of the console are also available, which include an insignia on the controller and an exclusive Achievement. Microsoft is apparently making an extra set available starting today, should you still be on the hunt.
Filed under: Gaming, HD, Microsoft
Source: Major Nelson, Microsoft
After a series of delays, it looks like PlayJam’s GameStick is making its way to market relatively soon. Whether your allegiance lies with Amazon or GameStop, come September 30th both will begin shipping the tiny console, as noticed by Liliputing. What’s more, PlayJam itself promises that the last of its crowdfunded unit-allotment will ship directly to backers by mid-September. The news doesn’t stop there, as it recently passed FCC certification too. Uncle Sam’s documents — RF exposure statements! Label placement! — don’t contain much we didn’t already know, but if you want to see the GameStick’s user manual, here you go.
[Thanks, Dave]
Source: FCC, Liliputing, GameStick
The shuttle program is dead
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B&H may have jumped the gun a bit, but here’s the word from the proverbial horse’s mouth: Samsung’s high-specced ATIV Book 9 Plus will be available for pre-order in the United States beginning August 18th, with shipments of the $1,399 laptop to commence shortly thereafter. For those in need of a brief recap, the 13.3-inch rig packs a QHD+ (3,200 x 1,800) touchpanel, a Core i5 4200U processor, 128GB SSD, a battery good for 7.5 hours and a copy of Windows 8.
Meanwhile, that ATIV Tab 3 that we handled back in June is getting a proper ship date of its own, with Sammy assuring Americans that they’ll be able to snap one up starting on September 1st for $699.99 — thankfully, that tally does include a Bluetooth keyboard / cover combo. It’s said to be the planet’s thinnest Windows 8 slate at 0.31-inches thick, with a proposed 7 hour battery, preloaded Office Home & Student and one of those always-lovable S Pens. For whatever it’s worth, it appears that Samsung’s distaste for Windows RT in the States hasn’t carried over to tablets with Windows 8 onboard… yet, anyway.
Oh, and for the enterprising individuals in attendance? Samsung has promised “to introduce versions of both products specialized for business use in the fall.” Nifty!
Filed under: Laptops, Tablets, Samsung
Source: Samsung
Brits who can’t stand waiting for gadget purchases can swing by a Currys or PC World to pick them up immediately, but that also requires the hassle of visiting a big-box store. As of today, impulse buyers won’t have to brave that gauntlet: both Currys and PC World are offering same-day delivery for online orders. UK residents buying small gadgets from either shop before 9:30AM can spend £15 ($23) to have the goods reach their door by 10PM that night. The stores are also offering Sunday afternoon deliveries at similar pricing, and the £5 ($8) next-day option now includes all orders made before midnight. Extra-speedy shipments are initially limited to those in greater London and a handful of other post codes, but the retailers promise wider availability in the near future.
Filed under: Misc
Remember that luggage tracking device we did a hands-on with back at CES? Well, now you can finally get your own hands around it. Trakdot Luggage has just started shipping. The little box auto-transmits its location via quad-band GSM chip and triangulation, letting you know where your toiletries are at all times (except when you’re actually in the air, naturally). Trakdot will run you $50, a price that includes a luggage tag and batteries (which should give you around two weeks of use). You’ll also need to drop $9 for the activation and $13 for the annual service fee, if you want more than just a suitcase paperweight. And as for actually tracking the package, you’ll have to rely on your parcel carrier for that information.
Source: Trakdot
We’ve already adjusted to the consumer utopia of buying just about everything online with a single click, but waiting for it to show up is still the hardest part. eBay Now
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It can be FedEx. It can be UPS. It can be any shipping service, really. They all promise to get your packages to where you want them to go but there’s no guarantee they’ll treat your packages with any sort of tender, love or care. Most likely, they’ll be thrown around, banged around and destroyed in the process. Just look at this FedEx employee have fun tossing FedEx packages into her truck. I can see the appeal of chucking boxes but doesn’t this just create chaos and add more work later?
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This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
