portable

Now that smoking is out and gadgets are in, the car lighter has evolved into a different kind of lifeline. But what if you don't have a car?

The TripleCharger can power mobile phones, PDAs, personal media devices and portable gaming consoles from a car, wall outlet or batteries. You do need a converter head for each type of device you want it to charge. There is a small USB connector for an iPod or DS Lite, for example, and other heads for various phone models, but they are not that pricey.

The TripleCharger Bundle from ElectronicMetro for $20 … Read more

It's not quite X-ray vision, but this portable radar can penetrate walls to detect people moving on the other side.

A device developed by U.K. technology company Cambridge Consultants provides a 3D image that indicates activity more than 65 feet away, according to an article in New Scientist Tech. (Cambridge provides videos of the "Prism 200" being used for spot checks and for longer surveillance.)

The radar isn't foolproof: Metal beams can present a problem, and a person who remains perfectly still might not show up, though movement from breathing can sometimes be detected. Other … Read more

The Phoenix IP Radio is a rather horrid-looking thing in an iPod'ish way, but it's definitely onto something: Portable, battery-powered internet radio streaming via built-in speakers and with no PC involved.

Just the fact that the Phoenix runs a Wi-Fi transceiver and its own amp & speakers on 4 AA's inspires a certain admiration. It has 8 preset station buttons, just like a car radio, and is also an alarm clock. Stream support includes ASX (Windows Media) and PLS (Shoutcast) playlists.

I don't imagine it sounds great with 2 watts of audio power trickling out of … Read more

Even in our perpetually clueless state we're somewhat familiar with the concept of gender-specific marketing, but we're not sure why this falls under either category.

For one thing, the photos of this 10-inch-screen Samsung portable TV depict representatives of both sexes gleefully viewing said product, which reportedly can be hooked up to an external hard drive. And the casing is a gender-neutral white--not even pink!--so it's unclear which features make this "exclusively reserved for female customers," as Akihabara News puts it.

The only clue that might tip it in that direction is a picture … Read more

Once again, I posit the question: why does Asia get all the cool stuff? (I sense I'm beginning to whine about this a bit.) Twinbird, a Japanese company that produces a variety of novelty gadgets, is coming out with a product called Link Zabady...or at least, that's how Engadget has translated it. At any rate, a big thanks to my fellow bloggers for bringing this fabulous gadget to my attention, even if I never get my hands on one. The Link Zabady consists of a splash-proof, 7-inch LCD screen with 480x234 resolution, a transmitter box, and a … Read more

A lot of portable DVD players look like they were made for kids--probably because they were. With DVD drives standard in so many laptops these days, adults have fewer reasons than ever to lug around a separate player.

But for those special occasions when you actually want to leave your computer at home (gasp) and don't plan on watching Spongebob or Dora, this player from Amadana may be just the ticket. It reminds us of a gutted and renovated San Francisco Victorian: Inside its beautiful bamboo exterior all the modern amenities you need. It has a 10-inch LCD, flat-touch … Read more

On Wednesday, Archos makes official the availability of its 504 series of PVPs, which actually have been available for days.

The 504, which sports the same gorgeous 4.3-inch wide-screen display as the sleek 604, blends excellent video playback performance with gigantic drive capacities--including the monster 160GB version (enough for, say, about 50 Amazon Unbox movies and room for a few thousand songs).

So you're tired of those wimpy space heaters from chain retaliers and want something that will really keep you warm this winter. We have just the thing: Behold, the BT400-47 Vulcan 47 Super Arctic Master from Aerotech Herman Nelson.

This puppy, which runs on 18 gallons of kerosene, is nearly 7 feet long and weighs 526 pounds without fuel. It also gives off 300,000 BTU, about 20 or 30 times more powerful than electric space heaters.

And lest you question the expertise of the Vulcan's manufacturer, consider the background of Aerotech's CEO: According to its Web … Read more

Delphi has officially launched the portable XM receiver it quietly announced last month. Marketed as "the first Micro SD Compatible MP3 Satellite Radio" the SkyFi3 is a lightweight unit (65 percent smaller than the SkyFi2) with a built-in receiver that can be used in concert with the Live Wearable "antenna" headphones (a $49 accessory) for true portability. It's near impossible to track down a photo of these 'phones (I've tried here and here), (probably because they're big and dorky).

However, the SkyFi3, with its big-buttoned interface, big and bright 9-line 2.8-inch display, … Read more