Hasta La Gadget!

With the PSN finally back up, it’s time for important things — you know, messaging your buds for a Black Ops pwning spree or hitting up Netflix. Hyperkin’s Remotext for PS3 wants to help you get back into action with its hybrid remote / controller / chatpad. It features a slide-out Blu-ray remote panel, QWERTY keypad — better positioned than SONY’s offering — and two analog nubs with a near-complete set of gaming controls. There’s no sign of rear triggers, and Bluetooth connectivity is absent too, but it does come with a wireless USB receiver and rechargeable battery so you’re not left scrounging between the couch cushions for AAs. Although we’re doubtful it’ll prove functional for gaming, it could be appropriate for PS3s that spend more time sitting at the movies than getting their Move on. The DualShock 3 shouldn’t have much to worry about, but we’ll find out at E3, when the Remotext will be officially showcased. There’s no word on pricing or availability yet, but if you’re dying for more in the meantime, a press release is beyond the break.

Continue reading Hyperkin’s PS3 Remotext weds Blu-ray remote with keypad controller, DualShock 3 frets

Hyperkin’s PS3 Remotext weds Blu-ray remote with keypad controller, DualShock 3 frets originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 May 2011 10:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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For professional photographers, every second counts when downloading images on a deadline — especially when you throw enormous HD video files into the mix. With the $50 Lexar Professional USB 3.0 Dual-Slot Reader, photogs now have a fast transfer option to compliment their pricey high-capacity CF and UHS-I SDXC cards, theoretically enabling downloads at up to 500MB per second (though current cards max out at one-fifth of that). You’ll need to have a USB 3.0 port and high-speed flash to take advantage of faster transfers, though the reader is backwards-compatible with USB 2.0 and older cards — you’ll even be able to use that 32MB CF that came bundled with your DSLR. And what about appearance? Lexar Director of Marketing Jeff Cable sums it up: “It looks similar to our older card reader, the USB 2.0 reader, except that it says USB 3.0 right here on the front.” Bam!

Continue reading Lexar dual-slot CF / SD reader packs USB 3.0, downloads cards six times faster (video)

Lexar dual-slot CF / SD reader packs USB 3.0, downloads cards six times faster (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 May 2011 04:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You can use these USB-powered UltraLink UCube speakers on a bus, on the beach, or on the table at your favorite McDonald’s, but please — for the love of god — don’t. Remember: with great convenience comes great responsibility, and if these speakers are as impressive as the dramatic marketing video below implies, disruption of the peace is about to know no bounds. At $150 per pair, these sleek sound machines aren’t cheap, but each speaker is able to pump out 15 watts of peak power — you won’t be filling a large room with crisp, distortion-free sound, but they’re probably loud enough to play your tunes or flicks for a group of friends, or to annoy strangers in a park. UltraLink claims that the speakers use DSP-controlled power supplies to “store energy during quiet passages,” allowing the 3.25 inch cubes to reach their 15 watt peak output with 170-degree listening angles. We haven’t had a chance to go hands on, but if these speakers sound half as good as they look, we may have a better solution for playing music in the CES trailer next year.

Continue reading UCube speakers run off USB, are coming to an Amtrak quiet car near you

UCube speakers run off USB, are coming to an Amtrak quiet car near you originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 May 2011 04:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sure, it may not be as functional as a 3 megapixel camera conspicuously disguised as a magnetic cat, but what could be more secure than an oversized pseudo-padlock thumbdrive? Not your style? Well, surely you have use for a new towel, complete with iPhone pocket? No? Might you enjoy re-training yourself to breathe while basking in the glow of your iPod-ready black light? Fine. Negative Nancy (shown above). We’ll just leave you to your USB-warmed coffee and rage relief button. When you’re ready to come out and play, hit up the links below to help us crown the king of crappy combos.

Read – Brando Flash Drive (Looks like a padlock!)
Read – USB cup warmer (with a massive 56-inch USB cable!)
Read – A black light — with an iPod dock!
Read – Visualizing pulse meter (for learning how to breathe!)
Read – Gym towel iPhone pocket!
Read – The unfortunate offspring of the Staples Easy Button’s sordid love affair with a stress ball.

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Crapgadget: ‘atrocious amalgam’ edition originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 May 2011 08:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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That Android 3.1 update that Google announced during I/O is slowly rolling out to 3G Xoom owners as we speak. How’d we know such a thing? Why, it just landed on our in-house Xoom, of course! Most of the changes to Honeycomb are happening under the hood — better HTML5 support, faster performance, and USB host functionality for connecting peripherals like game controllers and mice — but there are some improvements that will be a lot more obvious to the user. Perhaps our favorite is the addition of resizable widgets. For the moment only the email and Gmail inbox, calendar and bookmarks widgets can be stretched or shrunk, but we’re sure others will follow. We’re particularly appreciative of the expandable calendar widget, which always felt a tad cramped. The task switcher also received a much requested upgrade and now lets you scroll through your last 18 launched apps, instead of just the five most recent. Lastly, the Android Market now offers movie rentals, alongside books and apps, which range in price from $1.99 to $4.99 for 24 hours of playback. There isn’t a ton of revolutionary stuff going on here, but it’s certainly a welcome and worthwhile update. Check out the video after the break to see Android 3.1 in action.

Continue reading Android 3.1 on the Motorola Xoom: hands-on (video)

Android 3.1 on the Motorola Xoom: hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 May 2011 19:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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