We just have to trust Sony when it says that its new KDL-40ZX1 LCD TV is the world’s thinnest so far. Measuring a mere 9.9mm, this 40-inch LCD beauty weighs 12.2kg. Makes you wonder where it puts all that weight considering that it is so thin? Anyway, the KDL-40ZX1 is said to feature wireless video reception which Sony has dubbed the Bravia 1080 Wireless. In addition, this LCD panel also features a 3000:1 contrast ratio, a full 1080p HD resolution, three HDMI ports, both a digital and analog tuner, as well as LAN and USB ports. However perhaps the most exciting feature of the KDL-40ZX1 is its “Flow Motion 120 HZ” which displays video and still photos in either 60 fps or 24fps. (Read the full post about ‘Sony unveils the world’s thinnest LCD TV; the 40-inch KDL-40ZX1′…)
One of the coolest features of the current generation of consoles are their wireless remotes. Not being tethered to the system means users can finally sit back and enjoy their gaming experience from as far away as they would like. Of course the downside of this is that users have to rely on batteries to power their controllers. Batteries run out and have to be replaced, which ends up being inconvenient and expensive. Plus, they always seem to die at the worst possible time. The ChargeBase 360 from popular accessory maker Nyko is designed to be a solution to the battery problem. As the name would imply the product is a base for your Xbox 360 controllers. (Read the full post about ‘Review: Nyko ChargeBase 360 for Xbox 360′…)
LG wants in on the netbook market with plans to roll out the X110 netbook in a couple months’ time. This 3G-integrated device will come with the following specifications :- Intel Atom 1.6GHz processor 1GB RAM SDHC memory card slot VGA out Ethernet connectivity 1.3 megapixel webcam Three USB 2.0 ports 160GB hard drive For €399, the LG X110 will ship with Windows XP SP3. Better find a decent data service provider that offers competitive rates for an unlimited access account if you plan to use the LG X110 at just about anywhere you are. Tags: lcd, Ogg Vorbis, digital, home cinema (Read the full post about ‘LG X110 Netbook’…)
Sony just launched new Walkman portable media players: the S, E and B Series. The most interesting one is the high-end S-Series. It comes with a new music management software that’s built to be friendly with music collection ripped from CDs (non-DRM files). It also supports windows media video with DRM (WMV) and can play video at 30fps on the 2″ QVGA (320×240) LCD display. We would have preferred DivX or H.264, but both are not mentioned anywhere in the specifications. For travelers, the S-Series can act as a noise-cancelling device. If it is anything like previous models, I can tell you that it does reduce noise, but I don’t expect it to be as good as dedicated noise-cancelling headphones - but it’s not a bad compromise. (Read the full post about ‘Just Launched - New Sony Walkman Players’…)
Just as small, fast-moving mammals replaced lumbering dinosaurs, pocketable gadgets are evolving to fill niches that larger, deskbound computers can’t reach. But as they shrink, these gadgets are faced with problems mammals face, too, such as efficiently dissipating heat. The recent example of Apple’s first-generation iPod nanos causing fires in Japan raises the question of whether increasingly innovative product designs are impinging on safety. The nano incident illustrates how risk can increase as devices decrease in size, says Roger Kay, an analyst at Endpoint Technologies. "As [gadgets] get smaller, the tradeoffs become more difficult, the balance becomes more critical and there’s less room for error," Kay said. (Read the full post about ‘Gadget Designers Push the Limits of Size, Safety’…)
Mythic Entertainment has released a new trailer for Warhammer Online, straight from the recent Leipzig conference, showcasing battle mechanics within the game.
We feature so many of Brando’s products here on GLab that it seems a little unfair to keep calling the Hong Kong based plastic-monger a “crapware vendor”. We have therefore decided to upgrade its LABDEX listing to “beloved crapware vendor”. The latest neat convergence box is this external battery pack for the iPhones 1 and 2. Like other external batteries, the iPower Portable Power Station juices the battery of the iphone from its own reserves. When the iPower’s battery charge falls below five percent, it stops feeding the iPhone. Why? Because of the other feature, an external speaker. Apparently, that last five percent is enough to keep the iPower’s speaker running for seven more hours. (Read the full post about ‘Brando’s Hybrid Speaker and Battery Pack for iPhone’…)
Sony will be making available a quartet of new Xplod in-dash head units sometime next month, enabling iPod owners to hook up their beloved portable media players to the Xplod units while they’re on the road. The four models are the CDX-GT630UI, CDX-GT430IP, CDX-GT330 and CDX-GT130, and we’ll take a closer look at individual models right after the jump. The top-of-the-line unit (model CDX-GT630UI) is Sony’s first car stereo that can connect directly to iPod players, other digital music players and USB thumb drives via a USB connection. It also includes Sony’s unique ZAPPIN function, which offers a way of searching and listening to music. (Read the full post about ‘Sony gives Xplod line a revamp’…)
by Darren Murph, posted Aug 28th 2008 at 4:46AMIn a move that we can only hope signals a trend, GPS maker Navigon has announced that real-time traffic updates will now be free for all users of its wares. For awhile now, the outfit has offered gratis traffic updates on its higher-end models, but now, it’s taking the Free Real-Time Traffic Updates for Life program to each navigation system it produces. There’s no extra hardware to buy, no hidden fees — just good, clean, free traffic updates. (Read the full post about ‘Navigon brings gratis real-time traffic updates to entire product line’…)
by Chris Ziegler, posted Aug 28th 2008 at 3:05AM Nothing says “I’m mad as hell about my iPhone 3G’s battery life and I’m not going to take it anymore” better than blasting it out of a loudspeaker. Bonus points for that loudspeaker being integrated with a battery pack, which in turn connects to your — you guess it — iphone 3G (or original iPhone, if that’s how you roll). Well, $44 to the folks at Brando will buy you that very opportunity, it turns out. (Read the full post about ‘Brando unites external iPhone battery with speaker at long last’…)
