Posted Mar 18th 2008 3:14AM by Thomas RickerFiled under: cellphones, Digital Cameras Measuring just 8.5-mm thin, you’re looking at what Samsung claims to be the slimmest CMOS camera module of its kind. The 8 megapixel module is expected to supplant the 5 megapixel job found in todays top-end cameraphones sometime in the second half of the year. Fortunately, this isn’t just a case of megapixel marketing as the module also features anti-shake, a 1-cm macro, and face tracking technology. (Read the full post about ‘Samsung announces world’s thinnest 8 megapixel cellphone module’…)

Some of the best hacks are done by simply taking a second look at the things you have around. The amazing ipod Nano Media Center is a great example. Photographer Ben Long was taking a product shot with an already cobbled-together setup and needed to make sure the camera was straight. But instead of walking three blocks to the store to buy a level, he hacked together a home-grown solution with his iPhone. Ben fired up iLevel, an application which uses the iPhone’s accelerometers to turn it into, yes, a level. He sat it on the back of his Canon G9 and, using the self timer instead of a remote release to keep the whole rig steady, completed the assignment. (Read the full post about ‘Photographer Levels With His iPhone’…)

Posted Mar 17th 2008 5:01PM by Paul MillerFiled under: Portable Audio, Portable Video In the me-too world of obscure DAP manufacturers, there’s one sure-fire way to make sure you stand out in the crowd, and that’s codec support. Soundstream took that to heart with its new X-ITE MP28 touchscreen player, which supports MP3, WMA, ASF, WAV, FLAC, OGG, and APE for audio playback, and MP4, DIVX, XVIDV, AVI, and MTV for video. AAC is notably absent from that list, but uncompressed audio aficionados should have a field day. Other features include a 2.8-inch touchscreen, FM radio, voice recording and a miniSD slot. The player comes in 2GB and 4GB capacities, and Soundstream is based in the good old USA, so we might even end up seeing this one around. (Read the full post about ‘Soundstream’s X-ITE MP28 codec-happy touchscreen player’…)

Posted Mar 17th 2008 6:58PM by Donald MelansonFiled under: Misc. gadgets Dutch art group Studio Roosegaarde is no stranger to interactive art installations, but it looks to really be upping its game with its latest project, which promises to change its form in response to human sounds and motion, assuming it doesn’t blind them first. To do that, the installation will apparently make use of an array of tubes, sensors, LEDs and unspecified embedded electronics and “mechanisms,” along with some software that will let the light show “evolve” its behavior over time. (Read the full post about ‘Liquid Space project promises to make art react to you’…)

Toshiba has just announced that they will be giving a 128GB SSD option. The RX1/TAE features a 128GB of solid state disk with internal, KDDI EV-DO data module,1.2GHz Core 2 Duo U7600 processor, 2GB of memory, Intel 945GMS Express graphics, a 1,280 x 800 pixel panel resolution, and 6.2 hour or 12.5 hour batteries. The SS RX1 goes for about ¥400,000 or more than $4,000 when it drops in Japan this April. (Read the full post about ‘Toshiba’s Dynabook SS RX1 Gets Upgrade’…)

Polaroid is more famous for camera-based products, but here they are with a portable media player instead. Dubbed the MPU-43315, this Polaroid player comes with 60GB of internal memory (courtesy of a hard drive, of course), a 4.3″ LCD display, support for WMV, MPEG4, MP3, WMA and WAV media files along with the option to include selected DivX plug-ins at a later stage. Word on the street has it the Polaroid MPU-43315 will retail for less than £200 when it hits the market. Tags: camera, gear, MP3, robots (Read the full post about ‘Polaroid MPU-43315 PMP’…)

Leave it to a marriage of imagination and technology to make even a simple latte a masterpiece. Sure there are those baristas out there that like to add foam flair with latte art, but thanks to Oleskiy Pikalo, almost anyone can add intricate designs to their morning cup of joe without stepping behind the counter at your local coffee shop- that is if you have the right equipment.

Pikalo took a used Philips 8155 x-y flatbed plotter and modified it so that the unit shoots out edible ink. The result is a printer that puts whatever image you want onto a cup of foaming latte. If you look at the video, you see a demo of the plotter printing an image of a familiar coffee chain onto a cup of caffeinated goodness.

(Read the full post about ‘Caffeinated beverages become art with the Coffee Printer’…)

The number of partnerships between display manufacturers and the heavy-set companies that will distribute them keep on coming. This week, LG Electronics signed a deal to use Kodak’s patented OLED technology in many different applications ranging from TVs, cell phones, and (ohgod) picture frames. Kodak’s Active Matrix OLED (AMOLED) modules are supposed to display some of the most vibrant colors possible in screens through dopants resulting in rich color saturation and ‘luminous efficiency.’ As we’ve previously noted here in the Gadget Lab, OLED technology is supposed to create beautiful pictures, last longer than other TVs, and are more energy-efficient.  We previously checked out the first consumer OLED available on the market, the Sony XEL-1 11" OLED TV (See picture above). (Read the full post about ‘The OLED Dance Begins: LG Partners with Kodak to Use Exclusive Display Technology’…)

Erin sent word that missingmanuals.com now has David Pogue’s MacWorld presentation available for reading or viewing. The transcription is spot on and can save you a bunch of time if you just want to get to the secrets. Included in the transcription are using Spaces, Time Machine, the new help program, and more.

Most Apple lovers have already seen the video or know a bunch of the “secrets” but now that it’s in print, it’s worth a quick once-over to see if there’s anything else buried in Leopard that you haven’t discovered yet.

For me, I stumbled on a time saver in Leopard the other day.

(Read the full post about ‘Leopard secrets for viewing or reading’…)

I just find from Techcrunch that RipLounge, first 3D social networking, is now available for beta testing. More about this 3D social networking you can find from below video. (Read the full post about ‘3D social networking is available for beta testing’…)