smartech

Digital Cube is one of those companies that still believe in media players, that’s for sure. And despite the growing popularity of tablet/slate machines, we hear a lot about lately, it just rolled out yet another audio-video device, i-Station T9, and seems quiet ready to turn it live in the coming months. With no price or shipping dates available, the new bud sports a 4.3-inch 480 x 272 LCD screen, and actually handles any common codec files you can think of (like DivX, XviD, H.264, WMV, and MKV), including high-def formats. It boasts an HDMI output and packs both WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, for third-party usage. Battery life is claimed to deliver up to 20 hours of music playback or half the time while watching videos, and that probably applies on all four colors offered.

[via iMP3]

This isn’t the best year to find new media players at the CES show in Vegas. Still, if you look closer, you just might see a few, hidden, while walking down the halls. One of them, which looks quiet similar to the Cowon S9, is iRiver’s 3.5-inch K1, also known as “Smart HD”, which may give you a sense of what it can play, besides the usual batch of formats we all know. Screen resolution is at 480 x 320 and the PMP itself boasts a DMB TV tuner,along WiFi, web browser, a built-in mic and integrated FM tuner. Internet support is definitely the trigger that caught our attention here, but mind you, it can also be used as a mini e-book reader, out of the box, the moment it comes out in South Korea at the end of the month. No price or US release info at the moment.

Update: It looks like iRiver’s K1 PMP will go live initially in Korea only. It will be offer in variant flavors, including the basic 8GB version, priced at â‚©229,000 (about $205), while a DMB mobile TV tuner add-on will run for â‚©279,000 (about $250) and the 16GB model for â‚©299,000 (about $265). In case you’re into the full fledged pack with WiFi, DMB tuner and 16 gigs of storage, the K1 will cost you â‚©349,000, or $310 US dollars.

It’s not that we were totally surprised when Sony’s new gaming console abruptly showed up in a June 09 Qore edition – after all, rumors are floating around for quite some time – Yet, having a first look on a future portable gaming device can definitely rock our geeky heart, which barely stands the endless expectation for the official announcement to take place. And with so many neat features crammed inside, It shouldn’t take long until we snack ourselves a copy or two. But until we’ll manage to fulfill this dream, you all should probably like to know that Sony’s new PSP GO – as for on the go – seems to be offered with a 3.8-inch screen display, along with a built-in Bluetooth connectivity, rounded sleeky slider design and 16GB of internal Flash, expandable via Memory Stick Micro slot. Other essential traits to be noted include a smooth integration with PlayStation 3 gaming console (full network support), thin-and-light body design (43% lighter than PSP-3000), “10-year life-cycle products” guarantee (meaning long term viability) and various new action-game titles like Gran Turismo, Little Big Planet and Metal Gear Solid – in plan. With no pretensions to be crowned as a PSP-3000 successor and without determined price-tag given, all that’s left is a vague “This Fall” release announcement, which Sony executives were willing to share. And while waiting for this dates to arrive, hit the jump and watch the video itself.

Update1: Sony just announced the PSP Go at the E3 convention, to be available on October 1 in North America and Europe for $249, with a month later release in Japan. Turns out it’s 50% smaller and 40% lighter than Sony’s first PSP-1000 console, as most other specs remain the same, with few surprises at the corner – like a built-in WiFi connection, a new auto-playlist feature which randomly plays your favorite music and called Sense Me, a new video delivery service, and a lack of the UMD drive, implying you’ll be loading your games either through the Memory Stick Micro slot or over PlayStation’s network. Stay tuned for even more. Meanwhile, you can read the full PR announcement after the break.

Update2: In case you were all wondering what will happen to your old UMD games, once getting the PSP GO, maybe you should know that Sony will be offering for purchasing digital copies of those gamese, but maybe – just maybe – the company will be generous enough to make it even free of charge. Stay tuned.

Update3: If inner parts will make you excited, the folks at levelup.cn have managed to get their hands on one of the few available PSP Go devices out there and as expected, dissected it into pieces. Hit the jump to see the picture or click the link for even more.

Update4: Firmware update 6.10 is out, and those of you who’ve managed to get their hands on a PSP GO console (even though it’s not officially out yet) will now enjoy Bluetooth internet tethering for remote internet access. Additionally, you’ll find a new SensMe feature that literally creates audio playlists based on moods.

Update5: It’s here. Sony’s new PSP GO console finally goes live and can be found at your local retailers for $249.99. Gamind Party !

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At last, after tons of expectations and millions, who’ve been anxiously waiting for this one to come out,  Skype officially releases an iPhone app, to enable worldwide VoIP calls over WiFi (not over EDGE or 3G ) without any extra charge. According to CrunchGear, the desirable application should be available for downloading from Apple’s App Store, somewhere in Tuesday – for free. You will also be able to collaborate with your contact lists, to make calls via Skype and chat with your friends and family, as long as you want. To make it even better, users with Skype accounts will have the ability to make SkypeOut calls, once they travel around hotspots. And last but not least, all your avatars will be automatically imported directly to your iPhone device, so no need to create new ones. Stay tuned !

Update1: In case you haven’t noticed, the iPhone 3G is now available – contract free – in AT&T and Apple stores, priced at $599 for the 8GB version or $699 for 16GB lovers.

Update 2: It is now available in iTunes store, free of charge. You can get it from here.

Update 3: Looks like you’ll be able to dial up via 3G data connection after all, so no need to stay around WiFi spots in order to use skype – COOL !!!

Update4: Apparently, dialing over 3G connection will only work if you have OS 3.0 beta. Having said that, doesn’t mean you won’t have any crashes or audio malfunctions at all. The only way to make it work properly is to have the skype run over WiFi with a non-beta firmware installed.

[via CrunchGear]

It was back in March, when we first reported that Sling wants to have an iphone application, and we’re glad to relize it’s actually happening, as the company announces that the long awaited app is ready to be released and will be demonstrated in San Francisco moments before the software will get to Apple app Store. Still no pricing info, but the full press release is after the break.

Update1: Regretfully, older SlingBox devices won’t be able to stream any TV content directly to iPhone machines (except Slingbox PRO). That means, if you happen to have one of those first editions, you’ll have to shell out extra money and upgrade to Slingbox SOLO or Slingbox PRO-HD in order to enjoy a complete mobility via handhelds, and not just because of technical issues, but more of a greediness from the company itself. We do hope this weird desicion will eventually end up somewhere in the history pages of “failed-to-be-executed”.

Update2: May 12th 2009 – Regretfully, AT&T has issued an official statement, claiming it’d pull the plug out of Sling’s 3G streaming capability, which was integrated into the iPhone with the SlingPlayer. According to the company, this application -

“which would use large amounts of wireless network capacity, could create congestion and potentially prevent other customers from using the network. The application does not run on our 3G wireless network. Applications like this, which redirect a TV signal to a personal computer, are specifically prohibited under our terms of service. We consider smartphones like the iPhone to be personal computers in that they have the same hardware and software attributes as PCs.”

That said, users will be able to use WiFi connectivity in order to log into any web site that lets them view videos. In simple words, 3G – Out, WiFi – In. Now, it’s up to you to search one of the 20,000 hotspots AT&T has deployed across the US, in places like Starbucks, McDonalds, airports, etc.

[via engadget]

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This cute surveillance robot from WowWee was one of the biggest stars at the CES show in Vegas and today, after long anticipation, it’s up for pre-order, priced at $299. The new Rovio comes with a 640 x 480 multi-functional WiFi webcam, allowing users to remotely spy after their homes or offices from any web accessible device and stream the video signals (MPEG4 format) directly to the handheld unit with full audio recognition. In addition, it can take still pictures or coordinate its location accurately, thanks to the built-in NorthStar navigation system, that uses infra-red dots to identify the exact emplacement. Shipping is scheduled for next Friday and the entire gadgeteer world is under alert.

Update1: for more details, images a quick preview, click in here.

Update2: Shipping was delayed to December 17th 2008. Meanwhile, you can enjoy the in-action video after the break.

[via slashgear]

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Twitter users, if you happen to own a Nintendo DS device, you might be interested knowing you can use them both as your microblogging tool, thanks to DSTwitter, a cool twitter application with multilanguage support, that lets you easily twit your friends after ending another Mario Kart game playing. Actually, you can use it whenever you like but before doing so, you will have to make an effort installing the application by setting up the WiFi connection on your DS, Register to Scene Beta website, download the DSTwitter 1.3 version file, extract the contents of the RAR in the root of the memory card and run the program. Complicated but definately worth a try!

[via techdigest]

Today, After tons of rumors, speculations and some unsuccessful mockups, Apple is finally releasing the new iPhone second generation – known as the iPhone 3G, across 22 countries, on 8:00 AM local time. The new iPhone 2 will have a 3G HSDPA connection which will allow users to surf the web, download emails, get directions, and watch videos 2.4 x times faster than previous model and 36% faster than the Nokia N95 and Palm Treo 750 devices in pageloads (according to Apple).

The second biggest thing, other than moving to 3G network, is the built-in GPS navigation system that was added to the new iPhone 3G. GPS technology and iPhone software come together to bring users mobile phone mapping, enabling fast fix on your location, track your progress as you go, help you get from point A to point B, by using GPS-based iPhone maps and A-GPS technology, which assists getting the signals from GPS satellites, Wi-Fi hot spots, and cellular towers. Once you get the signal, a GPS blue indicator will turn on, so you will be able to start using the relevant applications. However, GPS on iPhone is active only when you need it. iPhone powers the GPS unit on and off quickly and automatically, so it won’t adversely affect the battery life. With the new technology, assimilated inside the handset, you will be able to get from the App store some cool applications that will let you take a photo with the camera, for example, and iPhone will geotag it with GPS location information. Another neat application is the Loopt, that will let you use location feeds to help you find friends on the go, within your range, wherever you are. Moreover, you will be able to receive live traffic information, indicating traffic speed along your route in easy-to-read green, red, and yellow highlights.

As for look and specifications, the new iPhone 3G has a nice rounded sleeky design with a curved glossy back, coming in black or white flavors. It has the same good old 3.5-inch multi-touchscreen, identical 2 megapixel camera at the back (no front camera for video chats) and a flush 3.5mm headphone jack. Battery life presents substantial improvement, with 300 hours of standby, 5 hours of 3G talk, 8-10 hours of 2G talk, 7 hours of video and 24 hours of audio. Dimensions pretty much stay the same, although the new iPhone 3G is a little bit thicker, with 12.3 mm or 0.48 inches. However, we hear that it is hard to feel this extra inch difference and the sleeky arched design makes it much more comfortable in your hands.

You can find the complete keynote video here.

To learn more about the 22 countries to launch the new iPhone 3G and to see full specs and tips, just hit the jump and move forward, after the break.

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reative has officially unveiled the new Zen X-Fi PMP, coming out in Singapore at first mid-July, offering 8GB, 16GB and 32GB versions for $149.99, $199.99, $279.99 respectively. In addition, the new Zen X-Fi boasts 802.11 b/g wifi connectivity with Yahoo and MSN built-in messaging clients, a 2.5-inch LCD screen (320 × 240), an FM tuner, SD/SDHC slot expansion, 9 EQ,  9-pad keys and a speaker onboard. It will host some PDA features, including a calendar and an alarm clock and will support WMV9, MPEG4-SP, DivX 4 / 5, XviD, MP3, WMA, AAC (. M4a), WAV (ADPCM), Audible 4, JPEG file formats. Battery will be able to play 5 hours of video or 36 hours of audio, as dimensions are 83 x 55 x 12.8 mm to 68.75 g. The bundle includes a pair of EP-830 earbuds, for maximum music quality, as you listen to your favorite melodies. Moreover, Creative plans to release various accessories for the new player, like wireless TravelSound docking speaker, Silicone / Leather cases, Armbands, and more.

But wait, there’s more, Creative will offer limited edition 8GB/16GB Red Cliff versions (pictured after the break) which will include pictures of the film cast and the movie trailer preloaded – all for the same prices.

Checkout the videos and the other pictures after the break. You can read a full review in here.

[via slashgear]

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NBC has decided to offer iphone and iPod Touch users free full streaming episodes to watch on their devices, without any disturbing ads, whenever they hit the hotspot. The content includes full episode of shows like “The Office”, “30 Rock” and “Battlestar Galactica”, all displayed in DRM-free Quicktime format. To do so, just load your Safari browser, goto NBC website and find the “Watch Video Online Now” link, to start streaming – 100% free. The only downside is once you exit the Safari, you’ll have to download the episode all over again from scratch, and these file are really big. My guess, it’s going to be very crowded, so be patient.

[via iphonealley]

Onda wants to advance to a higher league, as the company has announced the release of the new VX777 PMP, equipped with a wide 4.3-inch touchscreen (480 x 272) and WiFi capabilities, to play web-radio stations whenever you hit the hotspot (it’s not clear if there’s a built-in browser) . The player features a microphone, a speaker, an FM tuner, 7 EQ, an E-book reader, a microSD slot, a TV output and storage capacity, ranged from 2GB up to 16GB. It supports wide variety of codecs, including MP3, WMA, WAV, FLAC, RM / RMVB, AVI, FLV, ASF, MP4, MPG, MOV, WMA, WMV, 3GP, SWF, JPEG, BMP, GIF or PNG, and plays 30 hours of audio against 10 hours of video. No word on price, but the V777 is set to be released in China around August.

[via mp4nation]

is a cool application that can stream all your music and media, directly to your jailbroken iphone or your iPod Touch player, via the local WiFi network. With this cool software you can listen to your home audio library over the internet wherever you are, browse and play your friends’ songs while they are online, and even invite them to join your private network, right from your very personal device. Simplify allows you to enjoy songs and playlists from remote computers, by installing itself on your Apple device from the multimedia section in the AppTap Installer. You can also download and install Simplify Media for your PC or Mac, and create one from your desktop. When you first log in, Simplify Media builds a list of remote music availabe to you. This takes several minutes, and performance may be sluggist until the full list of songs has been cached. Once it’s over, you are ready to set your own groups and share your media with the invited members. For more, checkout the video after the break.

[simplifymedia via gmp3]

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This new ClearBoost case from Griffin, has a built-in booster antenna that enhance the wireless signal and sends it to the iPhone internal antenna, so you can get a better wifi connection to enlarge service areas, surf the net and get emails via your handset. In addition, it provides hard-shell protection for the iPhone, keeping it unscratched from top to bottom. Mind you, recent reviews state that the “signal boost works only under certain conditions” and “does not appear to improve iPhone performance under weakest signal conditions“. However, in some cases, the ClearBoost “deliver—improved cellular antenna performance…” and “can help stabilize shaky data and cell phone audio conditions when iPhone is in 2-3 bar range“. In any case, the Griffin ClearBoost is a worth trying accessory, priced at merely $35.

[via iLounge]

Sling Media, the company that turns any Internet-connected PC, Mac, or smartphone into a home television, wants a foothold in the iPhone application festival. The company has downloaded the SDK package (along with other 100,000 people) and started developing a designated Sling app. (hypothetically) which means, by the time Apple officially releases the new firmware version 2.0, around June, and launches the App store, you could watch TV virtually anywhere in the world through the iPhone, and although EDGE streaming is pretty lousy, it can really work great via WiFi connection. Stay tuned !

[via slashgear]

Maxian unveils the E900W PMP at the CeBIT show in Hannover. This new advanced device sports a wide 4.3-inch WVGA touchscreen (800 x 480), 30GB storage size, SD/MMC card slot, 9 EQ and a USB 2.0 connection with ActiveSync support. It is compatible with video codecs as MPEG-1, MPEG-2, Divx3 11/4x/5x/6x, Xvid, MPEG-4, ASP, WMV 7/8/9 H.264, audio formats like MP3, WMA, OGG, PCM AAC, Dolby Digital AC3 5.1 surround and even DTS, thanks to the SPDIF output. Image formats include JPEG BMP, GIF, TIF PNG, TXT, PDF and PPT. In addition, it runs windows CE 5.0 and houses a WiFi connection to surf the net. Mind you, the E900W is equipped with a Texas Instrument Davinci chip which supports HD format and can be found in Cowon A3 and Archos 605 PMPs. Although there is no word on price or availability I’m very impressed with the E900W and hope it will hit western shores.

[via aving]

This network media streamer can do whatever you ask for, concerning media aspects. The new Popcorn Hour A-100 can stream media via your wireless network, NAS, attached USB DOK, and internet streams. It can even house movies you download from BitTorrent. The A-100 box can handle almost any format you’d like, such as ASF, WMV, MOV, Xvid MPEG1/2/4, MP3, AVI, Matroska and more. It also sports HDMI and SPDIF coax digital audio outputs. Currently, the Popcorn Hour is lacking, so if you want to get yours, sign-in and get a number straight off their website.

[via boingboing]

Archos released the Archos TV+, a stationary version of its Archos 605 portable media player. The TV+ is the first WiFi Digital Video Recorder that comes in 80GB or 250GB storage capacities. With the Archos TV+ you can schedule, record and stream content whenever you want, through your WiFi network. You can watch your favorite stored movies, listen to your music and flip between your last vacation photos, in a simple push of a button, from the living room couch. The device comes with a cool QWERTY remote, for a full control of the UI and the web surfing (thanks to the touch pad). It supports a video on-demand service, so you can order your favorite movies from CinemaNow, or watch any video through one of the video web services such as YouTube, DailyMotion and others. The TV+ has a USB 2.0 host, for an easy and direct access to your digital camera photos or your portable media player movies. In addition, it has an HDMI output, so you can plug it to your advanced LCD TV and watch high resolution movies. You can get one for $229 (80GB) or $349 (250GB).

More pictures after the break.

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With the growth of information movability, we all need a portable hard drive to carry with us on the go. The new Seagate D.A.V.E portable hard drives are distinguished from other similar products, by enabling wireless connection from any laptop or cell phone, through WiFi or Blootooth technologies. Despite the limited 60GB storage capacity, this is definitely a cables saver. Price and availability are unknown for the moment.

[via slashgear]

Is the new iRiver Wing UMPC reminding you something? Well…If you thought about the Asus Eee PC, you guessed right. As we mentioned, the huge impression (and sales) of the Eee ultra mini PC, made other companies reconsider their line of products. The iRiver WING is a WiFi enabled portable device with a 4″ touchscreen and 4GB of flash storage. It runs Windows CE Pro and equipped with a full QUERTY keyboard. Other features include web browsing, emails, FM radio, VOIP support and SD expansion.

[via gizmodo]

One of the hottest issues at the CES is the MID (Mobile Internet Device). Take a look at the Intel Menlow, operating in a cool Aigo 4.5″ touchscreen device, equipped with WiFi, sliding keyboard, 3MP camera and Linux.

[via engadget]

More pictures after the break.

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