Yesterday, Intel unveiled it’s new concept home entertainment PC at the developers conference down the street, at Moscone Center. I would have to say it’s looks very, very familiar.
According to a report on CNet News.com, it’s unlikely that Intel itself would build such a device, and thus far, the concept PC is just a piece of plastic, with a mock clock display, optical drive, and USB, audio and FireWire port connectors.
Playlist Magazine has compiled a nice list of cool iPod gadgets unveiled at CES. Among them is a the Movie Player, from Nyko…
“Nyko also demonstrated a nifty gadget that should satisfy many of those demanding a “video iPod.” Descriptively called Movie Player (although the name may change), it features a 3.5-inch TFT LCD screen, stereo speakers, and playback controls, and plays back video, image, and audio files stored on your iPod. You use the included software on your Mac or PC to convert your multimedia files (.mov, .mpg, .avi, .asf, .wmv, .jpg, .bmp, .tif, .gif, .wma, and .mp3 formats supported) to Movie Player format; you then mount your iPod on your computer as a hard drive and drag the files into a Movie Player folder. When you want to view your files, you slide your iPod into the Movie Player slot; it docks with the iPod and lets you use the Movie Player’s controls to choose and play the desired files. When docked with an iPod, the Movie Player can also record directly from a video or audio source using included AV cables. An internal lithium ion battery powers the unit. According to Nykos, the Movie Player will be available in the third quarter of 2005 and should retail for $199-$249.”
I came across this little TV Remote Watch. It seems kind of cool, and is a bit smaller looking than I would expect. It sells for $24.95, but I think it’s on sale right now for $19.95.
Manufacturer’s description:
“This versatile time piece intelligently keeps time just like a standard watch, yet functions as a micro TV remote control. The sleek look of the watch makes it easy to wear, not appearing at all like you’re carrying around a remote control. Remote functions such as volume and channel changing, mute, power and set up features make controlling your TV or cable box easy. This remote is pre-programmed to work with all major brands of TVs and cable boxes. Simply enter a short code that corresponds to your system. If you can’t find the right code, use the included search function to scan through all of the codes.”
I came across this little tutorial on how to make a reserve battery pack for an iPod, using an Altoids tin, 2 nine volt batteries, and 2 AA batteris. The author says it gives an additionl 10 hours of battery life. Looks pretty cool.
Rumors have been flying around about a 60 gig iPod, and a new version that would sync with iPhoto. Well, it’s here. Today Apple introduced the iPod Photo. It has a color screen, comes in 60GB and 40GB models, and will retail for $599 and $499. Apple says it has a 15 hour battery life, which is 25% better than previous iPods. It also comes with AV cables for displaying photos on a TV, or other monitor. It is estimated to start shippin in 1 – 2 weeks. Apple also introduced a U2 Special Edition iPod. It’s black, with a red scroll whell, and is autographed on the back by the band.
I want an iPod Photo! This may be just the excuse I need to upgrade. Of course, you know what’s coming next don’t you?… iPod Movie?
The very cool OQO Ultra Personal Computer (slightly larger than an iPod) is now available. It can be yours for only $1899.00. If Apple would make something like this I would be a happy camper.
OQO has announced their Ultra Personal Computer, available later this year. It looks really cool! I just wish it was Mac based :(
from the site…
“The OQO model 01 ultra personal computer (uPC) is a fully-functional Windows XP computer. The OQO has a 1GHz processor, a 20GB hard drive, 256MB of RAM, a color transflective display, and integrated wireless, as well as Fire Wire and USB ports. It is powerful enough to run your most complex applications.
Just 4.9 inches long, 3.4 inches wide, .9 inches thin, and weighing only 14 ounces, the OQO can fit in a pocket or purse and go with you anywhere. For easy typing and cursor control it has a complete thumb keyboard with TrackStik and mouse buttons as well as digital pen and thumbwheel. It is the much anticipated device for people who previously had to choose between the bulk and awkwardness of a laptop and the limited capability of a PDA.” more…
Cool new camera. I like the design…
from dpreview.com…
“Pentax has today announced its first swivel lens compact in the shape of the stylish Optio X which echoes Nikon’s early design of the 900 series. The right hand side rotates 180 degrees upwards and 90 degrees downwards. Manfactured from aluminium alloy and resin coating, the Optio X boasts five megapixels and is the slimmest camera in the range at 18mm. It will be available in October.” more…
As expected, Apple unveiled the new G5 iMac today at the Paris Mac Expo. It is similar in design to Apple’s new cinema displays. 17 and 20 inch models are available. The 17-inch models come with either a 1.8 GHz PowerPC G5 processor and a SuperDrive, or a 1.6 GHz PowerPC G5 processor and a Combo CD/DVD drive. The 20-inch model has a 1.8 GHz PowerPC G5 processor and a SuperDrive. Among the new design features are quiet operation (less than 25 dB), a two-inch thick profile, and an orderly, stacked set of ports on the rear right side.
The iMac G5 offers up to a 600 MHz front-side bus, 400 MHz DDR memory expandable to 2GB, AGP 8X graphics and 7200 rpm Serial ATA drives up to 250GB. It also offers a total of five USB ports (three USB 2.0) and two FireWire 400 ports There is an optional internal Bluetooth module and a built-in antenna and card slot to support an optional AirPort Extreme Card. The new iMac G5 also includes built-in 10/100BASE-T Ethernet and a 56K V.92 modem.
The new iMac G5 line will begin shipping worldwide in mid-September.
