Hasta La Gadget!

Recover from your case of the Monday blues with some sweet discounts. Check out Gearlog’s deals for Monday, February 23:

1. Woot’s deal of the day is the Philips Micro Hi-Fi System with Bluetooth, CD, SD, USB and iPod Dock selling for $99.99. The dock normally runs for around $175, saving you a large chunk off of the retail price. The entertainment system has a built-in mic and Bluetooth compatibility, making it possible to make phone calls through the stereo. This thing does it all, so click quickly, it’s only available today or while supplies last.

2. Looking for a cheaper way to play your music? Today only, get the Hi Fidelity Speaker System & Charger Docking Station w/ Remote for Apple iPod , iPod Touch , iPhone 3G, Nano for just $49.99 from Amazon.com. Normally $89.99, the speaker system offers big sound for not so much money. If you’re a Shuffle-owner, you’re out of luck, the speakers are only compatible with the above Apple products.

3. Need a way to plug all those gizmos and gadgets into your computer? The CyberPower USB Hub 7-Port 2.0 with AC Adapter and Flash Drive for just $25.95, down from $49.95. The USB hub offers connectivity up to 480Mbps, and has dual speed compatibility, which means the hub works easily with your USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 devices.

While they may not have an particularly desirable impact on your image, wireless Bluetooth headsets are convenient, and their continually dwindling size gives us the hope that some day you could wear one without anyone noticing. But, smaller size equals smaller buttons, an issue Philips is looking to dodge entirely with its latest stereo Bluetooth headset, the Tapster. It relies on touch inputs, not moving ones (other than a wee power button), meaning you’ll be able to administer a gentle stroke to adjust volume or a light tap to answer a call. It all sounds quite intuitive and convenient — providing of course the thing doesn’t start dialing when someone bumps into you on the subway. No word on price, but if all goes well you could be pairing these over Bluetooth 2.1+EDR A2DP, AVRCP, HSP, and HFP by the end of the year.

[Via Shiny Shiny]

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio

Philips Tapster stereo Bluetooth headset loves your voice, needs your touch originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Feb 2009 10:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If there’s a must-have mobile technology this year, that’s Bluetooth over Wi-Fi. Easy-to-establish, peer-to-peer Bluetooth connectivity seamlessly coupled with Wi-Fi speeds. As the video shows, the experience is perfect. I want this in my iPhone.

The new Bluetooth specification—technically denominated alternate MAC/PHY—will be official this April. And unlike other technologies, it won’t be in limbo for a while before reaching consumers. In fact, your phone may support it right now, according to Broadcom’s Mukul Suth: Some of their current production chips already have this ability and they will only require a software upgrade to implement it.

The alternate MAC/PHY method is quite clever: The two devices discover each other and shake hands using Bluetooth (being cellphones, computers, or any other shiny thing supporting the standard). When you start any file transfer, the communication gets passed to the Wi-Fi hardware layer, which will transfer your data at 54mbps. Once the transfer is over, Wi-Fi is disconnected and the control passes again to Bluetooth.

It just works. According to the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, the standard will allow you to easily:

• Wirelessly bulk synchronize music libraries between PC and MP3 player
• Bulk download photos to a printer or PC
• Send video files from camera or phone to computer or television.

Sounds good to me. Having this easy-to-use, straightforward ability to just connect to any device and transfer information in a fast way, without needing any wireless network or access points, will be great.

Not like Dell itself didn’t already confirm this puppy, but the first Dell-branded, ZINK-enabled product is officially official. The Wasabi PZ310 ultra-mobile printer promises to produce 2- x 3-inch prints in under a minute, and users with Bluetooth-enabled handsets can send over images for printing with just a few button mashes. The sub-7 ounce device measures in at 4.8- x 2.8- x 0.9-inches, and it’ll be made available in black, pink and blue hues. The middling minutiae is all posted up after the break, and those eager to get their paws on one will certainly appreciate the immediate availability and the $99 promotional price. Better hurry — only Round Rock knows when it’ll jump back up to the standard $149.

Continue reading Dell’s Wasabi PZ310 ZINK printer now available for $99

Filed under: Digital Cameras, Misc. Gadgets

Dell’s Wasabi PZ310 ZINK printer now available for $99 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Feb 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We could just hug LG for this one. The LBA-C300, which just ran by the FCC, is the texting equivalent of a Bluetooth headset — a Bluetooth device that allows you to operate your phone without actually pulling out your phone, except this time it’s for hitting your peeps with rapidly a rapidly composed “LOL” or “LOL, U R.” The generous keyboard looks incredibly typable, and while the entire unit borders on the size of some phones on the market, it means you can leave that bulky numeric keypad dumbphone or hard-to-use touchscreen smartphone in your pocket or bag and get some real communication done with the QWERTY Card. You can also view and store contact info, peep a clock, set an alarm and work you calendar from the device — the Bluetooth pairing means you can even remotely control your phone’s camera, though obviously much of this functionality depends on what phone you pair it with, LG phones are likely to get much better treatment. No word on release date or price, but we’ll probably know more once LG actually announces the device officially.

[Via Unwired View]

Filed under: Cellphones, Peripherals

LG’s LBA-C300 Bluetooth ‘QWERTY Card’ is the best calculator look-alike you’ve seen all week originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Feb 2009 11:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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