According to their own press release, Southwest is going to be testing in-flight broadband satellite Wi-Fi access so you can check your mail and do all sorts of stuff (though probably not surf porn or talk to someone on Skype). They’ll start testing on four planes this summer, with a wider rollout to come whenever they damn well feel like it. [PRNewswire] Tags: plasma, DVD, camera, consumer electronics (Read the full post about ‘Southwest Airlines Testing Satellite Broadband Internet Access For Your Pleasure [Gadgets]’…)

Posted Jan 23rd 2008 12:42PM by Ryan BlockFiled under: Announcements Two new bits fresh from the Greener Gadgets Conference going down in New York next week! First up, enter right here to win one of five tickets to the conference! The rules are after the break — you know the score, we only ask that you don’t enter unless you absolutely know you can attend the conference on February 1st, (which we’ll confirm before awarding the prizes).The second bit will be a lot more interesting for the designers in the crowd. I’ll be one of the judges of the Greener Gadgets design competition at the conference, which will award the best green electronics design concepts with $4,500 in cash prizes. (Read the full post about ‘Greener Gadgets Conference: win tickets or enter your own gadget design to compete’…)

We’re not saying pixel count matters anymore, or that anyone can tell the difference between an 8-megapixel shot and a 10-megapixel shot anyway, but if you want something unusual to brag about, the Pentax Optio S12 is certainly unique. The $280 camera has a 12-megapixel sensor not a whole lot else—that tiny little 5-oz. body measures 3.6″ x 2.2″ with a thickness of just under an inch. As you can expect, it’s got just a 3x optical zoom lens and a rather nice 232,00-pixel 2.5″ LCD, but sadly, in spite of its massive image sensor it only records VGA movies. I’m still trying to guess what it would be best for, besides cocktail party conversation, besides making massive poster-sized images of close-up subjects on the fly. (Read the full post about ‘Pentax Optio S12 Is the Tiniest 12-Megapixel Around [Digital Cameras]’…)

The H10 is replacing Sony’s previous low end in the external lens series, the H3. It has the same 10x zoom rating on its Carl Zeiss lens worth 38-380mm. It also has the same 8.1MP rating, an 3200 ISO, steady shot and face recognition. But has a larger 3-inch LCD and Sony’s D-Range tech that accounts for high contrast scenes. It’s surprisingly simple for such a big camera, lacking many of the advanced extras found in the much smaller and slimmer T300. It will take lens attachments for wide and telephoto tweaks to the existing focal length, though. $300. galleryPost(’sonyh10′, 6, ”); SONY HELPS FAMILIES CAPTURE THE ACTION WITH NEW COMPACT HIGH-ZOOM DIGITAL CAMERA SAN DIEGO, Jan. (Read the full post about ‘Sony DSC-H10: Sony’s Basic 10x Lens Camera [Digital Cameras]’…)

Zune owners take note, Microsoft has dropped the latest update for the Zune, the software update which is 2.3 will include lots of fixes, but sadly not any new features. With a slight confusion possible with the ‘2.3’, this is not the previously released firmware update 2.3. The software update 2.3 includes “performance enhancements around set-up, sync and as always general reliability.” Via [Zune Insider] Tags: Gadget, mobile phone, Ogg, gps (Read the full post about ‘Microsoft drops Zune 2.3 software update; lots of fixes’…)

We have received half a dozen tips earlier today from our Svenska readers talking about “Gizmondo coming back.” The story went from a vague November 2007 quote by ex-convict Carl Freer into a morning Internet craze, all fueled by a flash animation in a domain registered through an anonymous service. A bit of fact checking, with the help of a few Swedish journalist friends and whois, reveals that the rumors of a Gizmondo reappearance may have been greatly exaggerated. Actually, there’s probably enough material to completely smash them. (Read the full post about ‘Gizmondo Is Dead, Dead, Dead. DEAD and Not Coming Back [Rumor Smashed]’…)

Don’t you just hate sharing the office microwave with your colleagues? You can never be too sure what was the last item that went in. To stay on the safe side, why not consider the iwavecube Personal Microwave? This tiny, portable microwave makes it a snap to reheat just about anything without having to share it with anyone else. Being pint-sized doesn’t mean the features on it are scrimped - you get all the electronic controls and safety features available on a regular model, complete with a built-in carry handle and see-through door to boot. The iwavecube Personal Microwave can sit in your cubicle for $129.95. (Read the full post about ‘iwavecube Personal Microwave’…)

By Apple’s own admission, the new pink iPod Nano is aimed at the Valentine’s Day market. Says Greg Joswiak, “The pink iPod nano is perfect for people who want a great new color this spring, or who are searching for a special Valentine’s Day gift.” The pink Nano comes in 8GB only, and costs the same $200 as the rest of the lineup. Order now, or sleep alone on February 14th. Press release [Apple] Tags: cool gear, wireless, mobile devices, lcd (Read the full post about ‘Pink Nano Aims For St. Valentine’s Day Sales Massacre’…)

The ANEO GX-10 webcam comes with a twist - it has a trio of PC video interactive games to keep you occupied. The webcam is capable of placing you into the theme in real-time, translating your moves into the gaming environment. Sounds like something for kids, although I think adults who want to take a break away from the hectic office schedule would have a fun time with it as well. The ANEO GX-10 Webcam retails for $33 at Brando. (Read the full post about ‘ANEO GX-10 Webcam’…)

Toshiba targets business suits with its Dynabook RX1 SE120E/2W which was introduced in Japan. This 12.1″ notebook also gives allowance for the occasional drop, although you ought to make sure those accidents are no higher than 75cm. Intel Core 2 Duo U7600 processor WXGA (1,280 x 800) resolution 64GB SSD Shockproof from height of 75cmThe Dynabook RX1 is tipped to retail for $5,205. Tags: robots, mobiles, mobile phone, game (Read the full post about ‘Toshiba Dynabook RX1 SE120E/2W’…)