Dec 17

Hands On: ZAGGsparq Portable Charger

Posted in: charger, hands-on, portable, Today's Chili

IMG_9788.JPG

What makes the ZAGGsparq ($99 direct.) genius is its simplicity: It’s a portable battery with two full-size USB ports that let you charge any gadget that can charge over USB–no cables and no nonsense. You can charge two devices at once, either while the ZAGGsparq is plugged into an outlet or when it’s running on its internal battery.

To charge the ZAGGsparq’s internal battery, just flip out its prongs, and flip ’em back down when you’re done. At maximum capacity, it can store four full charges for an Apple iPhone. And below the USB ports is a power meter: When your press the rubber button at the bottom of the meter, the lights turn on to indicate the amount of charge currently stored. The ZAGGsparq measures 3.5 by 3.5 by 1 inches (HWD) and weighs slightly over half a pound.

More images after the jump.

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Dec 17

Starlight 64 stakes its claim for ‘world’s smallest’ N64 mod

Posted in: diy, gaming, hack, mod, nintendo, portable, Today's Chili
Until that iPhone N64 emulator guy makes with the goods, it looks like folks wanting the full Nintendo 64 experience “on the go” are going to have to turn to the generous talents of the modding community. Claiming to be “officially” the world’s smallest (we don’t know who the sanctioning body is for this title, so we’ll let him duke it out with the N64Mini guy), YouTube member spiritwalker47’s portable console is quite a number: featuring a 5-inch display, polycarbonate case with all the necessary controls, and a presumed battery life of three hours or so, the Starlight 64 is perfect for all your portable retro gaming needs. In addition, this guy has a docking station that throws composite video, S-Video, and up to four controllers into the mix. Ready to see the thing in action? Of course you are. Video’s after the break.

Continue reading Starlight 64 stakes its claim for ‘world’s smallest’ N64 mod

Starlight 64 stakes its claim for ‘world’s smallest’ N64 mod originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dec 10

Yobo’s handheld SNES gives your old carts a new lease on life (video)

Posted in: portable, Today's Chili, Wireless
If you’ve been lusting after the various one-off SNES portable mods we’ve been posting ‘lo these many years, this next item’s all you: Yobo, a company known for its various game system clones and accessories, is now offering a little something called the FC 16 GO. A riff on Hyperkin’s FC Mobile II (we’re assuming they share an OEM) this guy accepts SNES cartridges for classic game play, and ups the display size to 3.5-inches to boot. Your hard-earned $60 gets you a device with a fully functional built-in joypad, TV outs and two wireless 2.4Ghz controllers. Powered by either a replaceable, rechargeable battery or the included AC adapter. Check out the video after the break to see what you’ve been missing.

Continue reading Yobo’s handheld SNES gives your old carts a new lease on life (video)

Yobo’s handheld SNES gives your old carts a new lease on life (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dec 07

N64Mini makes claim to ‘world’s smallest’ portable N64, is still rather husky (video)

Posted in: hack, mod, portable, Today's Chili
N64Mini makes claim to 'world's smallest' portable N64, is still rather husky (video)

The N64 has been dead for two Nintendo console iterations now, but the dream for the portable version the company never created still lives on. We’ve seen plenty of homemade creations, but the latest from modder Zenloc claims to be the world’s smallest at 120 x 200 x 50mm. As it turns out it isn’t, the Retro 64 mod from earlier this summer is slightly smaller, but you’d need particularly large pantaloons to mistake either as pocket-sized. Sadly this one has ditched its D-pad in the quest to shave off a few inches, but we think it otherwise looks quite nice, and the modder hopes you will too, as he’s put the thing on eBay — humorously listed as “refurbished.”

Continue reading N64Mini makes claim to ‘world’s smallest’ portable N64, is still rather husky (video)

N64Mini makes claim to ‘world’s smallest’ portable N64, is still rather husky (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nov 22

Chinese Dreamcast portable mod may inspire KIRFs, or already is one

Posted in: console, kirf, mod, portable, Today's Chili, video
You thought the DreamTrooper would be the last portablized Sega Dreamcast mod you’d ever see? Nah. Turns out some folk in China quietly showed off an Oriental take on the mod — not too dissimilar from the form factor of the GameBoy Advance — just before the DreamTrooper’s debut. Details are thin here, but we’re hoping for a built-in optical drive and a decent battery life. If we’re lucky, some KIRF makers might pick up this idea and revive the legendary Dreamcast brand, so don’t go selling your dusty game collection on eBay just yet. Go ahead and watch some The King of Fighters action after the break. We know the Swirl still captivates your heart.

Continue reading Chinese Dreamcast portable mod may inspire KIRFs, or already is one

Chinese Dreamcast portable mod may inspire KIRFs, or already is one originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nov 20

OCZ needs a name for USB 3.0 solid state drive

Posted in: flash, portable, solid state drive, SolidStateDrive, SSD, storage, Today's Chili, usb, usb 3.0, Usb3.0

That faint sound you can hear right now is the approaching sonic boom of a new portable speedster. OCZ, already the proud patriarch of some pretty radical SSD varieties, has confirmed a new external drive that will hook up via the super speedy USB 3.0 interconnect (whose uncertain future we’ve discussed here). It’s no secret that SSDs tend to get all choked up around current-gen USB or Firewire connections, so we always welcome forward-thinking new drives with open arms. OCZ is still in the process of crowdsourcing a name for its new product, so don’t look for specs just yet, but if there are any mysteries left by January, rest assured that CES 2010 will clear them all up.

OCZ needs a name for USB 3.0 solid state drive originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nov 12

Sony surveying PSP Go audience, wants color suggestions

Posted in: handheld, portable, psp, sony, Today's Chili

Hey, remember when Nintendo was dissing the PSP Go for having a “concept problem” last month? We doubt Sony cared too much, but the concept is going to get a gentle massaging, judging by this here survey. An otherwise insipid market research form has revealed an eye-catching selection of PSP Go paintjobs, replete with tick-boxes for the discerning customer to make his opinion known. The presently available Piano Black and Pearl White are in amongst them, so perhaps what Sony’s looking for is a color that scores as well or higher than the current offerings, which might incite the company to make like Nintendo and bring a little more rainbow to its portable hardware. We’ve got our money on that sexy red number, and suspect / hope the turquoise will never make it off the drawing board.

[Via Joystiq]

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Sony surveying PSP Go audience, wants color suggestions originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nov 09

The NCube: probably the best portable Gamecube of all time (video)

Posted in: console, diy, gaming, hack, mod, nintendo, portable, Today's Chili

Oh sure, we’ve seen a few “portable” Gamecube systems over the years, but we’ve yet to set our eyes on anything as glorious as this. Not surprisingly, the NCube’s creator is yet another Ben Heck apprentice, with the case being a heavily modded Datamax Kid’s Delight and the display an unmodded Zenith PSone. There’s a 2-way switch for running off of batteries or the AC outlet, a relocated memory card slot and a rear-mounted disc drive that’s just begging to be broken. Hit the read link for a look at 90 grueling hours of work, or just jump past the break for a celebratory video.

[Thanks, Jonathan]

Continue reading The NCube: probably the best portable Gamecube of all time (video)

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The NCube: probably the best portable Gamecube of all time (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 17

LG GD900 Crystal makes a very portable fish tank, PETA magnet

Posted in: cellphone, hack, LG, mobile, mod, phone, portable, Today's Chili

Remember the good old days with your virtual pets on your keyring? Well, how about an injection of life that actually roams around inside your phone? Some dude in China had this exact idea — probably inspired by the waterproof LG GD900 Crystal in a fish tank — and popped open the hollow keypad of his own Crystal, slapped in two unfortunate little neon tetras, squeezed in some water and snap! There’s no mention on how long the poor things can survive in there for, but chances are PETA will be after your backside well before something goes wrong. We also went through the warranty paperwork, and honestly, we think this gentleman might be in a fishy area here. Video of the mod after the break, if you dare.

Continue reading LG GD900 Crystal makes a very portable fish tank, PETA magnet

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LG GD900 Crystal makes a very portable fish tank, PETA magnet originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 17 Oct 2009 01:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 15

Pocket steel drums aren’t made of steel, aren’t really drums (video)

Posted in: Music, portable, Today's Chili

You’d be surprised how many requests we get for more gadgets that help our readers celebrate their love of the Caribbean culture and music. Luckily for us, the kids at Vat19 are now hawking a mini steel drum set that seems like it just might do the trick (that is, if the ‘trick’ can be ‘done’ by putting more red, yellow, and green-colored crap on your desk). By all accounts, this thing is pretty unexceptional — it’ll let you bang out an 8 note major scale, let you record your performance, and that’s about it. Hell, it doesn’t even really sound like steel drums! But the distributor did manage to get it to play Just A Friend by the incomparable Biz Markie — and in our eyes, that’s definitely worth a mention. All the same, we’re rather have the Stylophone Beatbox. Yours for $18.95. Video after the break.

[Via Engadget German]

Continue reading Pocket steel drums aren’t made of steel, aren’t really drums (video)

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Pocket steel drums aren’t made of steel, aren’t really drums (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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