Gadgetstronics

Posted Jan 25th 2008 5:33PM by Nilay Patel
Filed under: Gaming
Well that was fast — just a day after we’d heard that Best Buy was dropping the 80GB PS3 SKU, it’s gone from the retailer’s web site. We aren’t sure what this means for the broader US market — several other stores are still selling the 80GB model — but for now, it looks like customers of the Blue will have to get their PS2 fix from actual PS2s.

[Thanks, Rob]

Even though a YouTube service has been available on certain mobile phones since 2006, the range of videos on offer has been limited to thousands rather than the millions on the main YouTube website. All that is about to change, however, as Google expands YouTube for Mobile to match the Web version.

Those phones able to access YouTube for Mobile should not only start seeing a lot more videos being made available, but also will get access to some new features. These included being able to rate videos and share the clips with your mobile friends. Google is also working to make uploading of new videos to YouTube from your mobile a simple task, effectively allowing a “complete” YouTube video service on your phone.

Hunter Walk, product manager at YouTube, says the move to expand YouTube on mobile platforms is currently just to get people used to the idea of it. The company wants mobile phone users to become accustomed to sharing and viewing video on their phone. Eventually there are plans to start making money off the service by also displaying ads.

Read more at the Associated Press article.

Matthew’s Opinion

It’s great news that Google is expanding its mobile offerings through YouTube, and it is probably the right time to do this. Mobile phone data tariffs are still very expensive, so the demand for the service isn’t going to be very high. Eventually, as these tariffs come down, usage will go up, and by doing the groundwork now, YouTube for Mobile should be able to cope with demand.

Adding ads to this mobile service is difficult to do right now. Standard Web connections allow users a significant, or unlimited amount of bandwidth, so loading ads on a page isn’t an issue. When you are paying for the data you download to a mobile phone, you won’t appreciate the advertisement that just popped up on the screen. Again, this is something for the future, and Google has realized this.

That’s the result from a study done by Strategy Analytics. That’s an increase of 10% from the Billion phones sold in 2006 and the growth is expected to continue to 1.24B phones for 2008. The growth in unit shipped is driven by emerging regions, where Nokia leads. I thought that Motorola had dropped at the forth place, but here’s what the studay says:

1/Nokia
2/Samsung
3/Motorola

Those customers that were eager to get their hands on the Everex Cloudbook will have to wait just a bit longer than originally expected. The delay comes just a few weeks after the official announcement and unveiling at the Consumer Electronics Show. The Cloudbook was supposed to hit Wal-Mart on January 25, however it seems that customers will have to wait “for another month or so.” The delay is being blamed on the software, which according to Everex’s director of marketing, Paul Kim, still needed “a couple of last-minute software tweaks.” While its nice to see a company hold back a product that is not ready, its another thing to release the statement on the day it was supposed to be in-stores.

Read [ComputerWorld]

Posted Jan 25th 2008 11:59AM by Joshua Topolsky
Filed under: Gaming
In a bit of shocking news today, two members of the Rock Band instruments set have declared that come February 12th, they’re going solo. Citing “creative differences,” and the original bundled guitar’s inability to “clean up its act,” the two solo pieces will be on their own and available for $79.99 and $59.99, respectively. This should come as good tidings for players who’ve had trouble getting a bass into the mix (PlayStation 3 gamers), or those who’ve wanted to rock the drum vs. drum match-ups. No word on whether the microphone will join the fray and walk out on the trio, though rumor has it a number of labels are ready with offers.

The only time we use Bluetooth is to yap about in our cars while we’re driving or for transferring photos to and from our computer, but Marine Lance Cpl. Joshua Bleill is using it to help him walk again. The Iraq veteran has dual prosthesis with Bluetooth transmitters on board that sends signals between each motor, which updates each piece of the legs on what the others are doing, how it’s moving, and whether or not they need to make adjustments.

Older models of computer-controlled legs have to be “programmed” via wire by laptop computers before the amputee can use them. Those legs required more movement from the amputee’s remaining thigh muscle to generate motion in the prosthetic leg. Because of built-in motors, the Bluetooth legs allow Bleill to walk longer before he tires.

“We’ve compared walking several laps in both sets of legs and one, your legs come out burning and tired and these, you know, you sometimes are not even breaking a sweat yet.”

We weren’t kidding when we said it helps him kick ass. “So sometimes the leg kicks harder than I want it to, or farther, and then I start perpetuating, and I start moving faster than I really want to.” [CNN]

Sony has a smaller Blu-Ray optical module that can be used to produce thinner drives for laptops, including slot-loading drives, which raises the possibility of a Blu-Ray MacBook, especially given Steve Job’s comments about Blu-Ray during the recent MacWorld. The size reduction also comes with a price reduction – which was expected and very appreciated.

After an NPD report showed Blu-ray had 93% of the market for that week, the Blu-ray coalition had good cause to do (or keep doing) the victory dance. But Toshiba’s teary-eyed rebuttal makes sense, so we thought we’d share it:

During the week that is being singled out, both Blu-ray disc players and software were being given away for free with the purchase of 1080p TVs. It is also important to note that the instant rebate promotions that had previously netted Toshiba’s players’ MSRP’s to $199 and $249 had actually ended on Jan. 5th - causing an increase in HD DVD’s MSRP back to $299 and $399 during that same week.

It’s true, you should never take the evidence of one fluke week as gospel truth, but we’re not sure this defense is going to help HD DVD sales much, despite what Toshiba is calling “very positive sales trends” at the new $149 and $199 price points. (You know, the trends would be even higher if they were just free by the side of the road, but that doesn’t make it a good move.) God forbid this format war actually comes to a freakin’ end already! [Toshiba]

Posted Jan 25th 2008 10:59AM by Evan Blass
Filed under: Household, Robots iRobot may own the market for autonomous indoor cleaning devices, but when it comes to taming that wild jungle you call a backyard, the new king of the hill may well be the LawnBott LB3500. This fourth-generation LawnBott from Kyodo America improves upon its predecessors in nearly every category: even though it weighs ten pounds less than the entry-level LB2000, it offers up a greater coverage area, increased cutting width, greatly improved incline climbing capability, longer runtime, and best of all, a Bluetooth radio for programming or direct control by cellphone. Of course, all these high-end features don’t come cheap, and when the LB3500 does come to market (date: unknown), we imagine that it’s gonna cost a good deal more than the current high-end, $2,500 LB3200. Check out the gallery below for some more angles.

Gallery: LawnBott LB3500 offers Bluetooth control, stylin’ rims

[Via Slashgear]

Black and gold are the sexy way to go in the new line of glamorous mobile phones from Samsung. The L310 is sure to dazzle and enthrall all divas (and wannabes) with its chic flair and stylish design. Looking more like a fashion accessory than a cell phone, when flipped open, the ‘S’ shaped, gold-colored metal hinge renders an extra little dash of dazzle. It probably should have stopped there (all this dazzle), but it didn’t. For a bit more splendor, the camera on the cover is also glittered.

There are some cool specs that come with this glitzy new phone. Distinctive patterns and a hidden message icon indicate incoming calls and MMs. Multi media features include a 2.0-megapixel camera, MP3 player, external memory slot and Bluetooth connectivity. It also has a shopping list, which enables users to add and edit shopping items, calculate calorie consumption and also a fragrance type feature customized to the user’s favorite food and beverage.

In short, you can do almost everything with the Samsung L310 except eat this phone.

Coming along just in time for the day of the valentine, the Samsung L310 will be available in Russia and Hungary from February onwards for 240 Euros, which is around $350. Later it will be expanded into other European countries and hopefully, the US.

Read [New Launches]