Dash Express unboxing and hands-on

March 26, 2008

Filed under: ,


Not much has changed since we got to play with a beta version of the OpenMoko-powered Dash Express GPRS / WiFi-connected GPS unit, but the packaging is quite nice and the final hardware feels top-notch -- and there are some thoughtful details like a separate cradle power connection so you can just grab and go when you get to your destination.

Gallery: Dash Express unboxing and hands-on



Gallery: Dash Express interface


 

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Posted by Syndicated Listing | Filed Under GPS | Comments Off 

Dash Express now shipping, price dropped to $399

March 26, 2008

Filed under:


We've been drooling over the GPRS-enabled, OpenMoko-powered Dash Express for what seems like forever now, but it's finally shipping -- and what's even better, the price has dropped $200 to $399. Pre-order customers can expect a note from Dash alerting them to a refund of the difference sometime soon, while the rest of us can take ol' Benjamin and his three best friends over to Amazon, which is the exclusive retailer for the next 30 days. Unfortunately, the monthly services fees are still kind of high: although you can still use the device as a regular GPS unit after the initial three-month grace period, if you buy the premium service you'll be out $13 a month, or $10 if you sign a two-year deal -- but hey, that's the price you pay to be on the front lines of the revolution, right?

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Posted by Syndicated Listing | Filed Under GPS | Comments Off 

Virginia Tech students create “smart” brake lights for cars

March 26, 2008

Filed under:


It's only taken about a million years, but someone has finally decided that improvements are possible in automobile braking lights. Students from Virginia Tech have developed a new system that can show not just whether you're stopping, but if you're slowing down, when you're about to stop, and how quickly you're pressing the pedal. The concept uses an array of horizontally arranged LED lights -- when you begin to slow, lights in the center glow orange, after a certain threshold side lights turn to red, and if you're slamming on the brake, they'll all flash red. The team, led by mechanical engineering Professor Mehdi Ahmadian, has plans for the system beyond the lab, though they speculate that it will be easier to add them as additional indicators on commercial vehicles at first. If this pans out, someday soon we may all be tailgating a totally psychedelic light show.

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Posted by Syndicated Listing | Filed Under Transportation | Comments Off 

Firewinder LED windmill, for the eco-friendly barbershop

March 26, 2008

Filed under:


We're all about the wind-powered LED rigs lately, but for some reason we're just not as captivated by the Firewinder LED windmill as we'd hoped to be. The vertical corkscrew features rows of white LEDs embedded in the blade's edge that brighten as the winds blow harder, which is definitely a neat concept, but in execution it looks more or less like a super-high-tech barber pole -- a look we're not certain we're willing to drop £99 ($200) for. Check the super-dramatic vid after the break.

[Via Inhabitat]

Continue reading Firewinder LED windmill, for the eco-friendly barbershop

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Posted by Syndicated Listing | Filed Under Household | Comments Off 

iHome’s iH69 computer / iPod speakers

March 26, 2008

Filed under: ,


We've seen a number of iPod speakers with pass-through dock connectors, but we've never really understood the point -- why would we listen to music on our iPod when we're already sitting at the computer, which has better speakers? iHome's latest rig, the iH69, tries to bring it all together, though, with an iPod dock integrated directly into a set of upright computer speakers. We're not sold on the idea until we actually hear 'em -- or we get a sub in the deal -- but those of you looking to save on some cable clutter should look for these bad boys to drop sometime in June.

Update: iHome pinged to let us know that this thing is still in concept / prototype phase, and isn't a final design or even assured to be produced (so you can bet that the iH69 name isn't solid either).
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Posted by Syndicated Listing | Filed Under Home Entertainment | Comments Off 

Happy birthday: take a trip in America’s largest flying gadget (part 4)

March 26, 2008

Filed under:


Sometimes even the plugged-in Engadget reader needs to pick up and head out for more relaxing climes. Well, for our fourth birthday this month we're treating six lucky people to two round trip tickets destined for anywhere Virgin America flies. We wouldn't want you traveling in something that doesn't have power, network, and a seatback terminal, though, so you don't have to sweat about completely unplugging to get from point A to point B. Check out the rules below, and good luck!
  • Leave a comment below. It is in honor of our fourth birthday, after all, so we wouldn't mind a bit of adulation -- but it's up to you.
  • You may only enter this specific giveaway once. Although you can enter up to six times through the course of this six part giveaway, if you enter this specific giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.)
  • If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine.
  • Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
  • Winner will be chosen randomly. That winner will get two round trip tickets anywhere Virgin America flies. Tickets are valid through May 31st, 2008, and are blacked out May 22-26. Approximate value is $599 per pair. You can only win once.
  • Entries can be submitted until Friday, March 28th, 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
  • Full rules can be found here.
Oh, and be sure to enter part 1, part 2, or part 3 for another chance!

 

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Posted by Syndicated Listing | Filed Under Transportation | Comments Off 

Problems with census PDAs could prompt a return to pencil and paper

March 26, 2008

Filed under:

Harris Corp. may have nothing but good things to say about the HTC-made PDAs it's planning to supply for use in the 2010 census, but it looks like the handhelds are already starting to cause plenty of headaches for census officials, who are reportedly even considering a return to pencil and paper if things can't be resolved. As the AP reports, the problems start with the contract for the devices, which originally clocked in at $596 million, has since grown to $647 million, and could eventually balloon to as much as $2 billion. As if that wasn't enough, the handheld has also apparently proven to be "too complex" for some of the temporary census workers that took part in a test last year, and the device was reportedly "not initially programmed to transmit the large amounts of data necessary." As a result, census officials are now said to be considering a number of different options to scale back the use of the devices, only one of which apparently actually has the headcounters entering data into 'em as they go door-to-door.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Posted by Syndicated Listing | Filed Under Hanhelds | Comments Off 

16GB Samsung P2 now available from Best Buy Canada

March 26, 2008

Filed under: ,

You may still not be able to get an iPhone in Canada (at least officially), but you can now at least grab a spiffy new 16GB Samsung YP-P2, which is a whole 8GB bigger than the model currently available in the US. From the looks of it, Best Buy Canada is the among the first to offer the beefed-up, Bluetooth-packin' PMP, with it currently demanding $330 Canadian (a $40 discount off the $370 list price) on the retailer's website. Apart from the bump in storage, however, there doesn't look to be any other changes to the player, with it boasting the same 3-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth 2.0 support, and H.264, OGG, and WMV playback as before. Of course, it's not very likely this'll be a Canadian exclusive for long, though we've still yet to hear anything official on that from Samsung.

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Posted by Syndicated Listing | Filed Under Portable Video | Comments Off 

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T300 gets reviewed

March 26, 2008

Filed under:

We briefly got our hands on Sony's DSC-T300 digital camera (along with a bevy of other Cyber-shots) back at PMA earlier this year, but the folks at Digital Photography Review have now come through with a thorough review of the camera which, among other things, is particularly notable for its use of touchscreen controls. On that important point, they found the controls "generally pleasant to use," aided in no small part by the "largest possible screen for a camera of its size" (3.5 inches). They were also particularly impressed with the Cyber-shot's "small, smart design" and its impressive 5x optical zoom. It's not all good news, however, with the camera also boasting what Digital Photography Review describes as "terrible battery life," as well as "over-enthusiastic reds," and a noise-reduction feature that not only eliminates noise but reduces image quality no matter what the setting. Some pretty big trade offs, to be sure, but apparently not enough to keep it from getting an above average rating.

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Posted by Syndicated Listing | Filed Under Digital Cameras | Comments Off 

NASA’s Chariot lunar vehicle gets demoed on video

March 26, 2008

Filed under:

We've already gotten a pretty good idea of what NASA's new Chariot lunar vehicle was capable of, but now thanks to NewScientist (and NASA itself) we've got a glimpse of the behemoth in action -- on Earth, of course. As you can see for yourself after the break, the rig certainly looks to be quite capable of tearing it up on the lunar surface, with it boasting a plough to smooth things out for a moon base (or other potential lunar installations). What's more, while they're apparently not quite ready to be demoed just yet, NASA also has plans to outfit it with a drill and a back hoe, but apparently not a laser cannon -- at least none that they're tellin' us about.

[Via Slashdot]

Continue reading NASA's Chariot lunar vehicle gets demoed on video

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Posted by Syndicated Listing | Filed Under Transportation | Comments Off 

Next Page »