Gadgets Blog

Despite all the advancements made in the world of portable gaming to date, there is just something appealing about going retro, even more so when you can carry those classic games with you wherever you go to kill time during short breaks at work or on a long commute back. ThinkGeek understands this and has released the Pocket Retro Game Emulator to cater such needs.

The Pocket Retro Game Emulator looks a bit like the GameBoy Pocket but that’s where the similarities end. Load on NES, SNES, GBA, Sega Genesis, or Neo Geo roms and play your old favorites in the palm of your hand. With 4GB of built-in storage and a mini SD slot for expansion you can bring every single game from the best classic consoles with you. Of course in typical all encompassing gadget style you can also play movie files, audio files, use the built-in FM radio, view jpg images, read E-books, do voice recording etc…

The Pocket Retro Game Emulator will come with four control buttons on the right alongside two shoulder buttons - just nice for games up to the 16-bit era. You will need to transfer ROMs over to the Pocket Retro Game Emulator via USB from a computer, but we won’t tell you where to get those. No idea if you would want to fork out $99.99 for this when the PSP already comes with homebrew solutions to handle old school games…

Microsoft has recently confirmed that they will be offering Windows 7 worldwide this October 22nd, which is pretty near, hence cutting short the life of the ill-fated Windows Vista operating system. Dell has stepped up to the challenge by allowing users to purchase Windows 7 factory installed on your favorite Dell configuration. This is the fruit of having worked with Microsoft over the past three years in order to come up with the best computing solutions possible, which means most of new Dell computers will have a Windows 7 option come this October.

Microsoft also confirmed that as with previous Windows launches, they are partnering with PC manufacturers like Dell to offer the Windows 7 Upgrade Option program. Later this summer, if you purchase select systems through retail or directly from Dell you may order a Windows 7 upgrade kit. It’s important to note that the Windows 7 upgrade kits will not be shipped until AFTER Windows 7 has officially launched (Oct. 22 as noted above). Once the Windows 7 Upgrade Option program is officially announced more details will be available including supported PCs, languages and countries.

Does this piece of news help you hold off your new computer purchase for at least a few more months, or you are fine with Vista running in your life?

Press Release

Mario and Sonic was thought to be eternal enemies, but necessity has brought both creative licenses together in the past, and who knows, with that, they could actually end up being best friends forever? With the GEN-X Genesis/NES Game System, this is possible since the device itself is pretty self-explanatory. While you can’t carry it around wherever you go like the Pocket Retro Game Emulator, you will be able to play legitimate games using your collection of old NES and Genesis carts that are collecting dust in the attic. Since it is meant to sit right smack in the middle of your living room, you will pay considerably less for this as well, retailing for just $49.99 each.

It is nice to know that ever since Dell bought over extreme gaming brand Alienware, they haven’t really affected the company’s performance in any way. Dell still churns out reliable (for most people, anyways - there are always horror stories to tell of any brand in this world) notebooks and desktops for millions of people around the world each day, and Alienware sticks to what it does best - working on drool-worthy gaming machines that cost a bomb, and yet people won’t mind forking out good money for it due to the overall aesthetics as well as performance that come in a single package. Having said that, Alienware has rolled out yet another masterpiece today - the Alienware M17x gaming notebook that is set to blow your mind away.

While the M17x isn’t exactly the best kept secret in the world, it is nice to get an official announcement, where Dell has touted it to be the “most powerful laptop in the universe.” That’s surely stating their faith that advanced alien civilizations out there don’t exist - but that’s a different can of worms for another day. What can you expect from a thoroughbred like the Alienware M17x? For starters, check out what a fully pimped out model can offer.

• Dual 1GB nVidia GeForce GTX 280M GPUs
• An Intel Core 2 Extreme Quad-Core CPU
• 8GB of 1333MHz DDR3 RAM
• A 1TB 7200-rpm (Raid 1 or Raid 0) or a 512MB of solid-state storage capacity
• A slot-loading dual-layer Blu-ray Disc Drive
• A nine-cell battery
• An nVidia GeForce 9400M G GPU with HybridPower technology
• 802.11n (2×2) Wi-Fi connectivity
• A 1920-by-1200-resolution edge-to-edge LCD Display

2GB of total video memory just blows our minds away. We’re guessing that this means the era of notebooks being viable gaming platforms is coming, although bringing down the price by a bunch would go a long way in helping that dream get realized. One thing’s for sure â€" we’d strongly recommend you sit right next to a power outlet if you plan to use this for more than a couple hours of hardcore gaming.

Press Release

Looks like Sony can’t really keep their secrets from leaking out to the public before the official announcement, as image leaks as well as whispers of the PSP go were already making their rounds well ahead of the E3 announcement. Well, for those who recently picked up a Sony PSP-3000 (yes, it is in its third iteration already for that particular generation), there is a new device that looks set to displace the PSP-3000 in due time - assuming it does crazily well, of course. We’re guessing that Sony is taking Nintendo’s similar approach as they did all those years ago, touting the DS Phat to be the “third pillar”, only bringing it to the forefront and discontinuing the Game Boy line when the DS was found to be doing exceptionally well. Only time will tell, but let us take a look at the Sony PSP go in greater detail today.

The PSP go will arrive in stores for folks living in North America this October 1, while Europe/PAL territories and Asian countries will get theirs a month later, retailing for $249 and an equivalent amount in Euros, of course. As stated earlier, the PSP go will co-exist with the PSP-3000 in retail stores as gamers as well as those who are curious learn to decide which is the best possible portable gaming system for them. What makes the PSP go different is it won’t come with any UMD drive - instead, it will ditch all disc-based content by catering to those who want on-demand entertainment, featuring 16GB of internal memory as well as the ability to receive digital entertainment via the PlayStation Network. Sounds fine and dandy, but what about less developed markets where over-the-air download speeds are excruciatingly slow? Guess those folks will just have to settle for regular PSP-3000s.

Some of the interesting features available on the spanking new PSP go include an easy sliding panel alongside original applications, a game sleep function that lets you operate the XrossMediaBar while suspending gameplay for the moment, Bluetooth connectivity and a wide range of accessories to go along with it. What do you think of the form factor, and will the PSP go do for Sony what the DS Lite did for Nintendo?

Press Release

Getting lost is no fun, not when you have a bunch of kids sitting in the back row who can’t stop asking the question, “Are we there yet?” Having a GPS navigation system is more or less indispensable these days, especially when driving around has gotten so much more convenient. For folks who tend to drive out of state frequently and head off to unfamiliar places, toting a GPS navigation system is a God-send since you don’t have to worry about folding up any maps once you’ve got your bearings, and there is always the software to blame before your wife lets loose on you a verbal tirade on how you are too stubborn to stop by and ask someone for directions. Hey, you asked the GPS software, didn’t you? TomTom is offering yet another model for the masses - the White Pearl, which is a special edition navigation product with a twist.

The White Pearl comes with a stylish, pearlescent design which makes it ideal for a gift, and it will definitely add a touch of glamour in your vehicle. Each purchase comes with a chic pearlescent finish EasyPort folding mount to match the White Pearl itself, and is based on the TomTom ONE IQ Routes edition, making sure that driving is stress-free all the way to your destination. In addition, TomTom has also thrown in new features such as special Points of Interest including ‘Places to be seen’ and ‘Shop ‘til you drop’, making sure everyone in the family has something to look forward to each time they step into the vehicle with you.

While we don’t know when the US will be getting this device, folks in the UK can get their hands on the TomTom White Pearl from this month onwards via Amazon.co.uk for the recommended retail price of £179.99.

Press Release

Kingston does not only offer memory products for your computers, notebooks and mobile devices, they also include accessories to keep those said products running at optimal level by being cool. Cool as in the temperature, and not according to what society deems as “in” at this moment in time. Their latest offering? The HyperX Fan that was specially designed to keep Kingston HyperX memory running cool.

The HyperX Fan is made of anodized aluminum and in the same familiar blue color as the HyperX heatspreaders. When turned on, the fan blades are illuminated by eight small blue LEDs. Power use is minimal and noise is not an issue as the fan runs at a whisper-quiet 25 dBA*. The fan is available as a standalone or bundled with Kingston’s 6GB 2000- and 1800MHz triple-channel memory kits with the T1 heatspreaders for Intel Core i7 systems.

Each purchase of the HyperX fan will come with a one-year warranty and free round the clock technical support. It will cost you $23 a pop, but you can get it in a bundle of memory included as well.

Press Release

Kingston is no stranger when it comes to memory products, and you name it, they’ve got it. Anything from SD to miniSD and its smallest variant, the microSD alongside their High Capacity counterparts are available, and if you’re one who prefers to tote around USB flash drives, feel free to do so with Kingston’s wide range of said merchandise. Let’s not forget memory for computers, too, as Kingston has had some fair bit of success in this arena to date. What we are here to look at today would be their latest upgrade bundles of the Kingston SSDNow V Series solid-state drive (SSD).

These upgrade bundles will specifically target mass-market consumers as well as small and medium businesses, where it will come in two different configurations - 64GB and double that amount, at 128GB. Both products are the first in a new series of low-cost, value-driven SSD solutions that aim to help existing desktop and notebook owners gain an increase in performance. According to Ariel Perez, SSD business manager, Kingston, “The SSDNow V Series upgrade bundles are a terrific solution — given the current economy — for cost-conscious consumers who want an instant performance increase on an existing computer at a very reasonable price point. “We are trying to garner mass-market adoption of SSDs by bundling together all of the software, hardware and step-by-step instructions in a couple of low-cost options aimed squarely at everyday users. The V Series upgrade bundles are a perfect complement to our existing line of SSDNow products that target enterprise customers and prosumers.”

Each of the SSDNow V Series upgrade bundle kit will come with the following :-

• Kingston SSDNow V Series solid-state drive
• Acronis True Image cloning software and CD installation guide
• 3.5″ mounting brackets and hardware (desktop bundle only)
• SATA data and power cable extenders (desktop bundle only)
• 2.5″ USB SATA external enclosure (notebook bundle only)

Press Release