We’ve seen the elusive Chumby hidden behind all sorts of facades before, but this one is probably the most heartwarming yet. The brilliant minds at MAKE have figured out a way to retrofit the highly tweakable gizmo into an old school telephone, putting all sorts of web-connected widgets at your fingertips while keeping that blast-from-the-past flair in tact. Sadly, it cannot yet make or receive calls, but what’s stopping you from taking this same project on and making sure that functionality remains in tact? Nothing, that’s what.

[Thanks, Gerry]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Chumby gets retrofitted into retro telephone, will soon make collect calls originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Jan 2009 00:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read

Popularity: unranked [?]

Share This

Popularity: 1% [?]

Share This

Filed under: iPod Family, iPhone, App Store

I’ve always thought that the lack of iCal todo syncing was one of the strangest omissions on the iPhone and iPod touch. Now, finally, it’s possible thanks to Appigo Sync (beta), a free small helper application for the Mac designed to interface with Appigo’s $10 Todo iPhone app (iTunes link).

Todo on the iPhone has been able to sync with on the web services Remember the Milk and Toodledo for a while now. With the addition of Appigo Sync, however, you can now get your todos from iCal (though, unfortunately, it can’t sync with both your Mac and an on the internet service). Like most other desktop syncing solutions for the iPhone, it works over WiFi and requires your iPhone and Mac to be on the same network.

Appigo Sync is a free download. Todo for iPhone is $9.99; there’s also a free Todo Lite limited to seven tasks, but which will allow you to test out the syncing (both iTunes links).

Continue reading Appigo Sync brings iCal todo syncing with iPhone app

Appigo Sync brings iCal todo syncing with iPhone app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 30 Jan 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Appigo Sync brings iCal todo syncing with iPhone app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 30 Jan 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Popularity: unranked [?]

Share This

Popularity: 1% [?]

Share This

In theory, we can’t really harsh on a diminutive tiny gizmo that can play back MP3s, record voice notes, capture live video, snap a few stills and double as a card reader in a pinch, but there’s just something about this thing that screams infomercial. As for specs, it’s got 2GB of built-in memory, a microSD expansion slot, USB 2.0 connectivity, a rechargeable Li-ion and a 3.5-millimeter headphone jack. Unfortunately, the thing’s selling for an nearly astronomical $60 before shipping, which definitely pushes it into “won’t ever sell without Billy Mays’ endorsement” territory. Seriously, check the vid after the jump if you think you’re immune to coercion.

Continue reading 5-in-1 multi-function MP3 player could use a plug from Billy Mays

Filed under: Digital Cameras, Misc. Gadgets

5-in-1 multi-function MP3 player could use a plug from Billy Mays originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 18 Jan 2009 14:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read

Popularity: unranked [?]

Share This

Popularity: 1% [?]

Share This

Filed under: iPod Family, iTS, iPhone

Apple has apparently bowed to pressure because the iTunes Store is now allowing upgrades to iTunes Plus on a per track basis. Back when Apple first dropped DRM on some of their music they started allowing customers to upgrade their previously purchased tracks to the higher bit-rate and DRM-free iTunes Plus versions. Unfortunately, until recently Apple required you to buy the upgrades for all of your qualifying music all at once, whether your wanted them all or not.

Now it seems you can upgrade your previously bought music to the iTunes Plus versions for 30 cents per track. The albums in my account seem to cost between $3 and $4 to upgrade. You can find all your qualifying music on the iTunes Store by following this link (iTunes link) or from the iTunes Store home page.

It’s nice to see that Apple has seen the light on this. Note that Macworld is reporting some kind of glitch with using the shopping cart and are saying you need to turn on the purchase with 1-click option in the iTunes Store preferences to get the correct upgrade price (and not be charged the full album price again).

[via Macworld]

Continue reading iTunes Plus upgrade available on a per track basis

iTunes Plus upgrade available on a per track basis originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 29 Jan 2009 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

iTunes Plus upgrade available on a per track basis originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 29 Jan 2009 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Popularity: unranked [?]

Share This

Popularity: 1% [?]

Share This

The huge NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) show is going on through this Sunday in Anaheim, California, so we thought we’d bring you a few of the highlights debuting there. Among the beauties on offer is Native Instruments’ Maschine Groove Production Studio, a hard / software combo loaded with 5GB of samples, 16 illuminated pads for making beats and patterns, two high resolution displays, and eight rotary encoders. The Stealth Pedal maraudes as a wah, but acts as an assignable expression pedal, with a double footswitch and the option to add a third pedal via USB, with a 24-bit USB audio interface and software. The Akai APC40 is a MIDI control surface designed in conjunction with Ableton to work out of the box with Live on a PC or Mac. Last (but surely not least) Roland’s resurrected the AX-7 with the updated and delicious AX-Synth “shoulder keyboard” AKA keytar. This bad boy’s got 49 keys, 7 LEDs, tons of control options, and a 128-voice polyphonic sound engine which is editable with included software. Check the gallery of each glorious item — and yes, we know that Edgar Winter’s not playing an actual keytar in the video (it’s just a giant keyboard strapped to his insane body), but seriously, who cares?

Read - Maschine Groove Production Studio
Read - The NAMM Show
Read - Stealth Pedal
Read - Akai APC40
Read - Roland AX-Synth

Continue reading NAMM Show 2009 round-up highlights: keytars and more!

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Wearables

NAMM Show 2009 round-up highlights: keytars and more! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Jan 2009 21:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

Share This

Popularity: 1% [?]

Share This

German and Latvian researchers at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) have successfully demonstrated how a single electron pump can be used to give the elementary particles a predefined “spin.” Aptly titled spintronics, the technology aims to manipulate a quantum-level property of electrons similar to the north-south axes in magnets. The results would be faster chips that require less energy than current electronics, which deal in electron movement. Of course, all of this is still a ways off from consumer use, so don’t anticipate to be overclocking your electron pumps anytime soon. Science-minded readers would be advised to hit up the read link to peruse the research paper.

[Via Nanowerk and Spintronics-Info]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Scientists use single electron pump to take subatomic particles for a spin originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read

Popularity: unranked [?]

Share This

Popularity: 1% [?]

Share This

We may not all be getting dental examinations at home just yet, but we have the ability to at least be thankful that companies like Sirona are doing their ideal to speed up our visits to the dentist and, frankly, make them a little more awesome. Their latest device is the CEREC AC, which makes use of the so-called Bluecam pictured above to capture images of “near inaccessible areas with the utmost precision.” That’s apparently made possible in part thanks to its use of a blue LED that illuminates the area, and some built-in shake detection and automatic image capturing software that ensures that just the right images are captured. The main CEREC AC unit comes into the picture to work some CAD/CAM magic on those images and, as you can see after the break, it seems more than ready to handle a few late night games of Marble Madness should the urge arise.

[Via Medgadget]

Continue reading Sirona dental digitizer makes cavities look better than ever

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Sirona dental digitizer makes cavities look better than ever originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read

Popularity: unranked [?]

Share This

Popularity: 1% [?]

Share This

Well, hello Oregon Scientific! Outside of those few mentions made at CES last week, we were beginning to wonder if you had any new tabletop displays in the pipeline. Apparently, you do. The RMR500 Eco Clima Control doesn’t deviate too drastically from the company’s past weather displays, but it does do something a tiny different than just inform users of temperature and humidity in four separate locations. What, you ask? It gets its juice from integrated solar panels — three whole months of power after just eight hours in the sun. Look for it to splash down this Spring for $99.

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Oregon Scientific’s RMR500 weather display includes integrated solar panels originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 11:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read

Share This

Popularity: 1% [?]

Share This

Behold the power of bad press: Monster Cable last week decided to drop its ridiculous trademark lawsuit against Monster Mini Golf. According to founder Noel Lee, Monster Cable will drop any opposition to the “Monster Mini Golf” trademark, won’t require any licensing fees, and it’ll also step up and pay Monster Mini Golf’s attorney’s fees in an effort to make things right. Of course, it wouldn’t be Noel Lee if he didn’t caveat his actions with some weird martyr nonsense — are you ready? “I will state that this is a landmark kind of situation, as public view wins over what’s the right thing to do for trademark protection of a famous mark. We have made the decision that public opinion, and that of our valued customers is more important than the letter of the law that requires us to prevent the dilution of our mark and risk losing it.” Yeah, somehow we just don’t believe Noel Lee really thinks that Monster is in danger of losing its mark over putt-putt — a better paranoia would be the fear that consumers will one day realize that Monster’s cables and power strips are just overpriced snake oil.

[Via TechDirt]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Monster Cable tries to make it superior, drops minigolf suit originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read

Share This

Popularity: 1% [?]

Share This

Belt tightening at Sony already underway during Sir Howard Stringer’s keynote.

There are plenty of directions to point fingers: trying to be a premium brand in a weak world economy, a strong Yen (harder to export) or difficulties in making the PlayStation 3 profitable, but whatever the cause, it looks like Sony lost $1.1 billion last year, the company’s first practical loss in 14 years. Of course, the report isn’t official just yet, earnings aren’t due until the 29th, and Sony has put out a statement to that effect, with no further comment — but let’s just state this is a pretty widely bandied number at this point. This seems to line up with rumors of additional cost slicing, with 16,000 jobs already cut at Sony thanks to the hard times. But don’t worry, the VAIO P with Windows 7 will save us all.

[Via Electronista]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Sony stated to be sitting on $1.1 billion annual loss, first in 14 years originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 10:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read

Share This

Popularity: 1% [?]

Share This