Elecom has released two more webcams for the masses - the UCAM-K30H and UCAM-DLJ200H. The former will feature a 300k pixel 1/6″ CMOS sensor, while the latter has a much higher native resolution count at 2 megapixels thanks to its 0.25″ CMOS sensor. Both will be able to provide VGA video at 30fps, boasting a maximum resolution of 1,600 x 1,200 at 15fps. You won’t need any driver to get the UCAM-DLJ200H going, and interestingly enough it is able to be used with the playstation 3 via plug-and-play. No idea on the pricing though. Tags: game, games, digital, hdtv (Read the full post about ‘Elecom Has Two New Webcams’…)

Final Fantasy fans are going to be happy to know that Square Enix are really pushing the boat out with the forthcoming demo of Final Fantasy XIII. In Japan at least, the PlayStation 3 demo promises to be at least 2 hours long.

The news comes from Japanese magazine Famitsu and the demo will come free with the Blu-ray edition of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete – a re-release of the CGI film with lots of extras. The film runs 110 minutes (without extra scenes) making the game demo actually longer than the content you are paying for to get it.

The demo will take place at the beginning of the game meaning if you play through it you are likely going to have to play those same 2 hours again when you buy the full game; unless they allow you to use a save game.

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You may love your gadgets, but hate the mess of cables that it typically involves. If you’ve got a bit of extra cash to spend on the ‘problem’, then you should take a look at FlatWire Technologies which is a company that makes FlatWire, ultra-thin, surface mounted wiring for audio, video, data and even low-voltage lighting. FlatWire boasts the ability to be applied flat against walls and other surfaces non-invasively, then covered up with the same coloring, make 90 degree turns and run all types of signaling over it. Depending on the type of connection you need, there are specific interconnects that you need to buy. (Read the full post about ‘Flatwire - clean up your cabling’…)

philips_swarovski-usb-drive.jpg If you’re a multi-millionaire who doesn’t look here and there before swiping credit card then the Philips’ latest usb drives are just for you. But mind you, your choice of Happy Laura or Naughty Raymond is not going to make you a fashion icon — you’ll only get a second glance due to the Swarovskis. But don’t you think $223 for a 2gig not-so-good-looking drive with crystals all over it’s body is simply too expensive? If you ask me, it’s not at all worth it. (Read the full post about ‘Philips Swarovski-studded usb flash drives for born rich’…)

by Thomas Ricker, posted Aug 19th 2008 at 5:20AM Compal’s been a vocal supporter of Intel’s MID followup to the tragic UMPC platform ever since It was announced in April of last year. Hell, the Taiwanese ODM even dedicated a team to crank out all the devices expected in the first half of 2008 but never came thanks in part, to Intel’s Atom slippage. Now Compal looks ready to toss a MID to consumers (either direct or through a third-party manufacturer, it’s not clear) with the unveiling of this handheld at Intel’s IDF in San Francisco. The QWERTY slider packs GPS, a Linux-based OS with media player, browser, eMail and IM clients, and Option’s GlobeTrotter Connect and GTM501 HSPA data kit offering tri-band HSUPA/HSDPA and quad-band GPRS/EDGE connectivity the world-over. (Read the full post about ‘Compal’s MID slider with global HSPA/EDGE data — first UMPC it, now you don’t’…)

by Darren Murph, posted Aug 19th 2008 at 5:04AM We’ve never been big fans of giving your tween some Nickelodeon-ized gizmo when you can simply hand down your current gear and use it for an excuse to upgrade, but apparently not everyone sees it that way. Nickelodeon, Viacom and Imation have jointly announced the latest line of kid-friendly Npower gizmos, which includes a digital voice recorder, a digicam and a webcam based on the “breakout hit” iCarly. Additionally, the outfit is churning out SpongeBob SquarePants-themed speakers, boomboxes, MP3 players and digiframes, and there’s even a few Dora the Explorer toys thrown in for good measure. All the (inflated) prices and shipping details are down there in the read link — we won’t bore the (Read the full post about ‘Nickelodeon and friends unveil more Npower gizmos’…)

How many more peripherals does the gaming demographic have to suffer before nonsensical models that actually made it to production are ditched? I think the Wii Sqweeze is definitely a nutty idea, as it brings exercise gaming to a different level by featuring rubber handles that can be pressed (maximum range of motion - 3″). It will be launched as a fully operational Wii controller sometime next year, and you will first need to self-calibrate it before using by squeezing 50% of your maximum strength. Other than sports titles, I don’t think you’d find much use for this peripheral in other genres. Hey, at least it gives Wii developers another 3 years headstart to come up with an Olympics 2012 title that can be used with the Wii Sqweeze. (Read the full post about ‘Wii Sqweeze’…)

by Darren Murph, posted Aug 18th 2008 at 9:59PM A Wii Wheel for racing? Fine. A club attachment for golfing. Eh, okay. InterAction Laboratories’ Wii Sqweeze? Puh-lease. Recently “demonstrated” by CEO Greg Merril, this goofball peripheral possesses a pair of rubber handles which “allow for shoulder abduction and adduction.” Reportedly, the unit was shown off playing some sort of bow hunting game on a PC, though the company promises native Wii compatibility before its 2009 launch. Can we get a show of hands from people who’d actually buy this thing for more than $4.99? (Read the full post about ‘Wii Sqweeze: yet another limited-use Wiimote peripheral’…)

by Darren Murph, posted Aug 18th 2008 at 12:17PMIf you’ve been putting off that purchase of Popcorn Hour’s evolutionary A-110 HD media streamer or all new B-110 motherboard, here’s a decent compilation of facts and opinions to help you make up your mind once and for all. The cats over at DigitalReviews took the time to not only detail, test out and report back on the newest duo from the company, but it also revisited the original (and heralded) A-100 in order to give a better comparison. Overall, critics did tend to prefer the A-110 over its predecessor, but the minor list of changes made it a hard sell for folks teetering on upgrading. (Read the full post about ‘Popcorn Hour’s A-110 HD media streamer / B-110 motherboard reviewed’…)

A colleague of mine, Carli Morgenstein, informed me that an AT&T wireless support representative made efforts to "boost" her iphone 3G cell phone network, and since then her 3G connectivity has dramatically improved. Morgenstein, a designer at Macworld, said before speaking with AT&T she was having frequent problems receiving and making calls; sometimes she would receive a voicemail an hour after someone actually left it. She said she explained the issue to AT&T on Friday evening, and the support representative acknowledged that her "network is low and we’re going to boost it." Then, while staying on the line with Morgenstein, AT&T "did something from their end" and called each member on Morgenstein’s family plan to confirm the boost was successful. (Read the full post about ‘Can AT&T Remotely ‘Boost’ Your iPhone 3G Network Performance?’…)