Gadgets

Sony is getting ready to ship a new 8GB removable hard disk drive for digital cameras in June. The bite-size drive, which has a Compact Flash type II form factor, is 1.5 inches wide by 1.5 inches tall and is set to replace Sony's existing 5GB version.

The 8GB Compact Vault will be marketed to digital-photography enthusiasts. The unit is also suited for digital video recorders and portable music players. Laptop owners running low on space will also appreciate the additional space the Compact Vault drive can provide. /p>

Sony says the drive will retail for $… Read more

Motorola has added four new colors--green, orange, pink and blue--to its line of Pebl phones. The Pebl design resembles a flat rock that you might find at the edge of a lake.

The dark look of the phone could make you think the phone was a rock, too. In fact, Motorola has designed a virtual Pebl pond for Pebl skipping.

To me, the metal hinge and case design also bear a striking resemblance to a men's electric razor. Too bad the Razr name has already been used.

The phone includes Bluetooth wireless technology and speech recognition for hands-free calling. … Read more

In an article about robots by Associate Editor Leslie Katz, she talks about humanoid robots and how helpful they are. It's perfectly clear when looking at these little helpers that they are, in fact, little robots.

On the other extreme, Repilee from the Q1Expo looks eerily realistic. Creepy, in fact. Rebilee is a little too "iRobot " for comfort.

It's human nature to personify robots. My daughter absolutely loves her Hasbro iDog which she has named "Magic." "I love you, Magic," she says every night. The puppy barks back approvingly.

There is clearly … Read more

Sony announced Wednesday that it will ship new PlayStation Portable add-ons in October. The add-ons will support voice over Internet Protocol, RSS feeds and Flash games in addition to the existing PSP features.

The new PSP-300 VoIP add-on and PSP-290 GPS receiver will also be available in October. Pricing for the new unit and add-on was not announced.

The PSP will still be compatible with existing game titles, movies and music. Currently, more than 107 games and over 347 feature films, TV programs and videos are available.

In a related trend, Sony and its movie partners will be shipping DVD-UMD (… Read more

Seems that once you write about a high-tech bra (i.e., the Warmbiz heated bra), you are forever strapped into supporting such uplifting news coverage.

So here you have it, Enlighted's custom-made scrolling LED message bras, which sell for $500 and up. The LED bra is just one in Janet Hansen's collection of light-up bras and other clothing, perfect for Burning Man attendees.

The Shiny Shiny girls gadget blog appropriately notes that the LED bra might be fashion-forward, but it's "feminism backwards."

"After years of reminding blokes that 'our eyes are up here,' someone'… Read more

"I want to be like Mike," was the mantra of many a 15-year-old boy in the '80s and '90s. Who could blame them? Michael Jordan was an overwhelming presence. Jordan's teammate, Dennis Rodman, also had stunning skills. But nobody ever said, "I want to be like Dennis."

Today, the first bulky media players like Archos and Rio that nobody really wanted have been replaced by the stylish and more mobile iPod series. Apple's design staff has performed astounding feats of technical execution and style.

Our colleagues at CNET Reviews took a look at the … Read more

Apple Computer is touch-screen happy.

Around seven patents recently have been filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on behalf of Apple for touch-sensitive screens. In particular, U.S. Patent Application No. 20060053387 from March 9, 2006 is for "operation of a computer with touch screen interface." Patent No. 20060007222 filed on Jan. 12, 2006 is for an "integrated sensing display."

The touch-screen technology should have applications with the iPod. But how? Rumblings on sites such as Think Secret speculate on a new video iPod with a larger screen that could be released in … Read more

Amid all the recent talk of Origami and other ultramobile PCs comes news of a rather cool-looking little 7-ounce wrist-worn PC from the Eurotech Group. Definitely ultramobile, and apparently ultrawearable to boot.

The Eurotech WWPC (wrist-worn personal computer) runs Linux or WindowsCE, features standard PC interfaces such as WLAN, Bluetooth and USB and comes with audio mini-speakers, a direct-access keypad, touch-screen and built-in GPS receiver.

Eurotech is targeting the indoor-outdoor product at people in potentially hard-core situations such as emergency rescue, security and health care. As such, according to press materials out on Tuesday, the wearable PC features a "… Read more

Cingular is once again selling the popular Razr phone from Motorola after sales were halted last week following the discovery of a glitch that was cutting off calls, according to a report Tuesday.

The AP is reporting that Motorola has shipped repaired versions of the thin Razr phone to Cingular, which has made them available in limited quantities in its stores. T-Mobile, the other carrier affected by last week's shipment halt, is expected to begin selling the devices again later this week, according to the report.

Cingular and Motorola representatives did not immediately return e-mails seeking comment. A T-Mobile … Read more