Gadgets Blog

LaCie is a name synonymous with portable hard drives, and to date they have released a fair number of such devices to cater for a myriad of users who range from the ordinary to those who demand the highest level of performance without compromising on protection. LaCie’s latest effort would be the orange-clad Rugged XL, offering a whopping 1TB of storage space which makes it the largest capacity hard drive in LaCie’s line of award-winning Rugged series. We like the color in which it comes in as it will add much needed character to any creative desktop. More on the LaCie Rugged XL hard drive right after the jump.

Users of the popular Rugged drive will find that the Rugged XL is based closely on its predecessors in the same line, offering protection of its interior with an aluminum casing while the signature orange rubber sleeve helps reduce the repercussions of unintentional shocks and drops. In addition, LaCie has also thrown in an internal bumper and heat dissipating features to further enable the LaCie Rugged XL to withstand the challenges and blunders that can occur on anyone’s desk (or outside of the office - you never know when Mr. Butterfingers might actually perform for all and sundry to see). The LaCie Rugged XL was developed to cater for speed-intensive applications as well as large-scale backups, emphasizing on its versatility in use by playing nice with both Windows and Mac computers.

Two key interfaces in today’s fast paced computing environment are supported - USB 2.0 for universal compatibility and the extreme speed of eSATA which is able to hit a whopping 3Gb/s for speedy data transfer. Beginners and seasoned veterans alike will find the LaCie Rugged XL a snap to use, since it comes bundled with a complete software range such as LaCie Setup Assistant for easy formatting and the Genie Backup Assistant software for Windows users and Intego Backup Assistant software for Mac users. If you’re interested in picking up the LaCie Rugged XL 1TB, you can do so for $159.99 via a variety of channels.

Press Release

NEC is once again thrusted into the headlines of technology news with word of its latest release - the new 3.5″ amorphous-silicon transflective thin-film-transistor (TFT) liquid crystal display (LCD) module that boasts quarter video graphics array (QVGA) resolution, where it will feature higher reflection properties compared to its predecessors (we demanding consumers wouldn’t expect anything less than that, would we?). This display has been shortlisted by NEC to see action in a variety of small, professional applications including handheld terminals, personal digital assistants (PDA) and portable navigation device (PND) applications.

This new 3.5″ display will see NEC incorporate its latest technologies, including the new super-reflective natural light (SR-NLT) technology, which is a proprietary technology that enhances LCD performance in outdoor lighting environments. About time too, we say, as even until today, the latest and greatest gadgets fail to shine (pardon the pun) under direct sunlight, although they have brightened up considerably when indoors. NEC hopes to change that with their new release, where in the reflective mode, the display module will capitalize on NEC’s optimum LCD panel design so that excellent visibility is provided complete with viewing angle characteristics, regardless of where the user is. Not only that, this module makes reading displayed information a snap with the backlight off in order to further reduce power consumption.

At press time, most portable information display instruments in the market today are powered by either transmissive or transflective LCD modules which work in both transmissive mode (using the light from the backlight) and reflective mode (using the available ambient light). Regardless of which mode is used, the backlight is the biggest culprit, consuming anywhere from 70% to 90% of the displays’ total power consumption. NEC’s response is this 3.5″ messiah of sorts, where it reacts to the environment for maximum battery life, boasting a high reflection ratio of 16% and a contrast ratio of 20:1 in reflective mode. We can’t wait to check out devices that take advantage of this display in the near future.

Press Release

Going on a holiday can be fun, especially if you’re headed off to a foreign country where everything seems new to you in addition to having to adapt to a new culture and language. This fun feeling might not last too long as you start to get frustrated by your inability to communicate with the locals, especially for those who are particular about the kind of food they eat and how they like their steak done. Well, the Travel Translator will definitely come in handy as it is able to handle up to 12 languages.

It not only says the phrase you need out loud in the language of your choice, but will say it in your language as well as the translated one, so that you know exactly what you’re saying and can avoid any “excuse me but there seems to be a Belgian in my salad. Please contact a chiropractor” moments. This handy pocket sized gizmo holds over 8000 commonly used phrases in a whopping 12 languages, handily organised into eight categories, so the next time you’re desperately trying to buy some paracetamol after a few too many sambucas you’ll be able to zip in and out of the chemists without having to resort to an advanced series of mimes (with or without balloon animals).

We all know that learning a new language is no mean task, but we’re sure folks appreciate tourists who take the effort to connect with the local diaspora. The £39.99 Travel Translator ought to be something all English-speaking tourists not leave home without.

Small but potent - that’s how we would describe the Solid Metal Airsoft Pocket Pistol from ThinkGeek. Heck, it is tiny enough to be concealed in just about any pocket, and nice to know it is made out of solid metal alloy for a greater and more realistic feel whenever you handle it. All you need to do is whip it out for impromptu office battles whenever the boss is not around, but choose your targets carefully since you will only be able to shoot six times before you open yourself up to incoming fire during reloading. The shots are hard enough to sting and perhaps even cause bruises in some cases, so use this with extreme caution. We need not stress that this is not meant for little kids, and never, ever fire at somebody’s face. Each $9.99 purchase comes with 25 rounds of airsoft ammunition.

Guess LCD TV sets are getting more and more advanced, as they currently work out the growing pains of being thinner and thinner to coming to a compromise between performance and packaging. What’s next for the world of LCD TVs, you ask? Victor Company of Japan thinks that they have the answer with their new 46″ GD-463D10 3D LCD TV that was specially designed to be used in a business environment, although we’re pretty sure that folks who are still feeling flush despite the current global economic crunch won’t mind having one of these in their living rooms as part of their showcase to provide new visitors the all important “wow” experience. More about the GD-463D10 3D LCD TV right after the jump.

You will find that the GD-463D10 3D LCD TV is able to support full High Definition movies and images, so that means hooking up your Blu-ray player or PS3 to it works just fine as you enjoy the latest Hollywood blockbusters in fine 1,920 x 1,080 resolution. Of course, that’s not all as the whole point of this LCD TV is to introduce 3D images and movies to the masses - thanks to the use of polarizing filters. The GD-463D10 3D LCD TV is able to reproduce 3D images that can be viewed simply by wearing a pair of dedicated circular polarization glasses. JVC engineers have also worked hard to reduce the overall thickness to 39mm at the thinnest part, while the thickest part stands at a relatively svelte 75mm, minus the stand, of course.

While the LCD TV has been targeted for use in production and promotion of 3D movies and various events, JVC hopes to expand its sales to other market demographics including scientific, medical and educational applications in addition to simulations. there is no word on pricing, but we do know that only 2,000 units will be produced this year as it hits the ground running in July 2009.

Source: Tech On!

Microsoft has done quite well for itself in the past where gaming peripherals are concerned, and their latest effort would be the SideWinder X3 gaming mouse. The SideWinder line has had a pretty decent history as all of them were able to hold their own against other established gaming mice including the range from Razer as well as Logitech. This time round, the SideWinder X3 shows the world that Microsoft has a heart for ordinary gamers who might be caught up in the current global economic downturn, hence catering to a budget-conscious crowd by merging gaming performance and versatile design at price that surely won’t turn you into a bankrupt overnight - we’re talking about $39.95 here, folks.

A major gripe that many people have about gaming mice would be some of the more expensive ones cater only to right handers, leaving left handers out in the cold or having to force themselves to adapt to a right handed mouse as there is no other alternative. The SideWinder X3 takes on an ambidextrous design, coming with eight different buttons to offer not only comfort but performance that users of SideWinder mice in the past have come to know and love. You will be able to take advantage of the 2,000 DPI laser tracking engine whenever you’re hunting down your latest foe in the game, but for less stressful environments such as at work, the SideWinder X3 is equally at home by lowering its DPI on-the-fly to 800 DPI or even 400 DPI, depending on the situation.

Other features of the SideWinder X3 include IntelliPoint software to create and assign macros , a wide, dented scroll wheel for more precise click movement, low-profile lateral side buttons for easy access during gaming and everyday computing, wide-glide feet for smooth handling and a light, balanced feel. Expect to see this puppy hit stores sometime next month.

Press Release

The slotRadio is a simple device that comes ready to use with a microSD preloaded with 1,000 of hits selected from the Billboard charts themselves. The user can use from genres of Rock, Alternative, Country, R &B/Hip Hop, Contemporary, as well as Workout and Chillout.

If you don’t like any of the preloaded tunes, then you can just connect it to your computer and load up the tunes that you do like with drag and drop. So if you want an MP3 player, and don’t want to deal with the hassles of loading, or messing with iTunes, then you don’t have to. In short, this might be the perfect Portable Media Player (PMP) for those who are not in the iGeneration. That’s right, your mother or even your grandmother could use the SlotRadio.

This is the best part of the SanDisk SlotRadio: from out of the box, a new user can instantly immerse him or herself in a world of music. If he or she does not like what is currently playing, the user may cut to the next track, or to another genre. It even has a built-in FM tuner if you want to listen to more music.

This is the worst part of the SanDisk SlotRadio: it is too random. The device only has a forward advance button. So if I wanted to hear “Dream Police” by Cheap Trick again, I have to keep hitting the forward advance until it gets to it.

If this is the PMP for you, feel free to head over to the SlotRadio site for about $99. The company is even offering a Mini Travel Case ($14.99 value) for a limited time.