The Gadget Geek

Remo humanoid hobby robot now available, wherever adorably creepy gifts are sold

We’ve always wanted a really solid humanoid robot of our very own. Remo, a hobby bot recently released in Japan — who boasts two arms and legs and seems to be about the size of a Good Guy doll — could perfectly fit that bill. He’s got pressure sensors in his feet to help out his balance, two sensors in his “eye” section (with two color CCD cameras for image processing), and Bluetooth connectivity for communication with your PC. He also comes with the expressive faceplate you see in the photo — which should definitely keep your nieces and nephews from trying to touch him, anyway. Remo is available in Japan now, but something of this quality is, as you may have guessed, not cheap: he’ll run you ¥399,999 (about $4,400).

Remo humanoid hobby robot now available, wherever adorably creepy gifts are sold originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Dec 2009 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony Vaio P
Sony Vaio P
USB Overload: 24-Port Hub Offers More Holes Than You ll Ever Need
This USB hub has 24 ports. Who could possibly use such a thing? I regularly have to re-jig my USB setup to fit in everything I use (not to mention the gear I test) and I can’t ever see myself needing almost a quarter-century of sockets. We suppose it could be good for those who need [...]
Creativity In Smell Can Reward Handsomely!
Home remedies of using baking soda or vinegar for getting rid of domestic odors are good to learn in grade school. In the real world we need more sophisticated methods to do away with sickening smells. So if I were to ask you, what s your brightest idea for preventing domestic …

Toyota’s plug-in hybrids getting companion charging stations next year in Japan

What’s the best complement to a trial run of plug-in hybrids? Why, matching solar stations, of course! Toyota Industries Corp has announced that it’s been developing solar charging stations for its new Prius models. The first place to test out the chargers is unsurprisingly Toyota City in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, where 21 stations will be built across 11 locales including government offices and train depots. Probably not worth planning a trip around, but if you want to be that extra special sort of tourist, schedule your vacation for sometime after April 2010.

Toyota’s plug-in hybrids getting companion charging stations next year in Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 Dec 2009 01:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Keyspan USB 2.0 Server
Keyspan USB 2.0 Server
Wired s 20 Favorite iPhone Apps of 2009
2009 was the “year of the app,” especially for the iPhone, whose App Store is overflowing with more than 100,000 offerings. While it’s easy to make fun of the more ridiculous apps, some truly stellar wares stood out from that massive pile, and we’re taking the time to honor them. digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/gadgets/Wired_s_20_Favorite_iPhone_Apps_of_2009′; We recently published Wired [...]
Recoiling Socket In The Wall
Rambler Socket maybe the solution most of us are looking for as far as extension cords are concerned. I mean if you hit Extension Cord on YD, for most of the posts you will see readers nitpicking and finding fault with the design. Here s why Rambler Socket will knock your …

$16 million settlement over Comcast’s P2P throttling nets the affected $16

More than two years after information about Comcast’s data delaying techniques came to light, a class action lawsuit over the issue has come to a close with a settlement of $16 million and no statement of wrongdoing from the cable giant. That means Comcast continues to tout its newer bandwidth management protocols and those of you that used Ares, BitTorrent, eDonkey, FastTrack or Gnutella betwen April ‘06 and December ‘08 and/or Lotus Notes on the service anytime in the summer of 2007 can head over to the settlement website to either opt out of the class action or receive a $16 check. So is that enough cash to make up for the time wasted waiting for Naruto fansubs, Gutsy Gibbon images and the like to finish downloading?

$16 million settlement over Comcast’s P2P throttling nets the affected $16 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Dec 2009 21:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stanton T.90 Turntable
Stanton T.90 Turntable
Hipstamatic Gentrifies iPhone Camera
The Hipstamatic, contrary to its name, isn’t a camera to be used whilst wearing tight pants, showing your underwear and doing elephant trunk skids on your fixed-gear track bike. Instead, it is an iPhone application which will apply all manner of image degrading, film-like effects to your pictures. Hipstamatic is certainly not the only Lomo-fication application [...]
Haoshi X Rings Review
I’m a sucker for unique things and the Haoshi X Rings more than satisfy my wanton needs. I love the Animal Series of rings made of resin set in sterling silver. They’re eye catching, high quality, beautifully designed and unisex. My only regret is not knowing about them sooner to …

Yamaha YHT-S400 sound system packs ultraslim soundbar, sub-infused receiver

We’re always leery of “world’s first” claims, but we’ve definitely never seen an AV receiver with a ginormous port on the front. The unorthodox device you’re inevitably peering at above is one part of the two-piece YHT-S400, which looks to provide cinema-like sound in areas where space is hard to come by. The 31.5-inch long soundbar measures just 2-inches high and is designed to fit in front of most 32- to 50-inch HDTVs without blocking the screen, while the accompanying “first-of-its-kind subwoofer-integrated receiver” provides the power, the bass and the connectivity. A trio of HDMI inputs are included, and HD audio signals from Blu-ray Discs are accepted via linear PCM transmission. It’s up for grabs now at $599.95, and if you’re hoping to add iPod or Bluetooth support, Yamaha’s YDS-11 and YBA-10 adapters are fully compatible.

Yamaha YHT-S400 sound system packs ultraslim soundbar, sub-infused receiver originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Dec 2009 02:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OSIM uCrown 2 rubs your head, looks like an electric chair appendage

You know, there are some things in life you never expect to do twice: get divorced, fall into the same puddle, write a post about scalp massagers. But here we are, looking at the OSIM uCrown 2 — an AA battery-powered “soothing head massager” that will jingle your worries away while using “patented air pressure technology, vibration, magnetic therapy” and heat to make your cranium a warm and cozy place to be. We give it credit for looking less like it came from the set of Spaceballs than your typical fare, but quickly take it back because of the ridiculous asking price of $200 and the fact neither model is brave enough to wear the uCrown with their eyes open.

OSIM uCrown 2 rubs your head, looks like an electric chair appendage originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Dec 2009 15:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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E3 2009: Dragon Age: Origins
E3 2009: Dragon Age: Origins
HP Investigates Claims of Racist Computers
Meet “Black Desi.” He and his friend “White Wanda” made a video titled “HP computers are racist,” which has been a viral hit in recent weeks. (See above.) In an attempt to prove their claim, Desi demonstrated that an HP MediaSmart computer’s facial-tracking software could not follow the movements of his face, but it could [...]
Many Reasons To Smile And X-mas Delivery!
The YD Store gives you many reasons to smile! For the moment there are some super artistic gifts ideas to choose from and they come with the vouch that they will be delivered by Christmas Day! The offer is valid for delivery within the United States, and since every minute …

Chromium OS lands on the Archos 9, doesn’t do much

Trying to satisfy that browser-only touchscreen tablet urge? Well, you’re sort of in luck. Those Atom-powered Archos 9 tablets are out and about, and the fine folks at UMPCPortal have slung a copy of Google’s Chromium OS onto one. Unfortunately, since there’s no touchscreen keyboard in the OS (yet), and the touchscreen input isn’t even recognized, this is more of a “proof of concept” than a killer app. Still, we like where this is headed.

Chromium OS lands on the Archos 9, doesn’t do much originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verizon to FCC: hey, you said ETFs were okay!

Even though the FCC just gave Verizon until Monday to respond to its inquiries regarding the company’s new $350 “advanced device” early termination fee, they’ve shown some hustle here and delivered their 77 (yes, seventy-seven) page response today. Here are the two big takeaways consumers are going to care about:

• The company justifies the advanced device ETF a couple ways; it starts out by referring to some 2003 statements by the FCC in which the Commission says that it doesn’t support the concept of customers breaking contracts and that carriers have a right to recoup those fees. Of course, that really doesn’t drive to the point here, which is that Verizon’s now charging two completely different ETFs based on a rather arbitrary line in the sand drawn by Verizon; to that end, the carrier says that the additional cost it incurs to procure the devices on its advanced list is greater than the difference between the two ETFs ($175) on average. It also says that it needs that extra guaranteed revenue to keep its broadband network up to snuff, since advanced devices are more likely to strain it.
• Regarding the weirdness at the end of the contract — where a customer still owes $120 23 months into a two-year deal — Verizon says that it’s still losing money (read: we should be thankful they’re prorating at all). As an example, it says that its average loss for a customer canceling 12 months into a contract is about double the $230 prorated ETF on an advanced device, and that statistically speaking, customers are far more likely to cancel early on than late. While we don’t doubt that, we think they’re trying to divert the conversation here just a bit.

It’s hard to say whether these responses are going to sate the FCC on the matter, but seeing how Verizon’s showing no signs that it’s interesting in changing its policies, this could still turn into a battle royale. Stay tuned — something tells us this isn’t the last we’ll hear on the matter.

[Thanks, Daniel P.]

Verizon to FCC: hey, you said ETFs were okay! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple iPod touch
Apple iPod touch
OS X Surpasses Windows Market Share (On Phones)
A new survey from Comscore shows that the iPhone has jumped ahead of the ailing Windows Mobile in the US. Comscore measured actual ownership instead of sales figures (as in What phone do you use? ). RIM s Blackberry still comes out on top, but in October Apple jumped ahead of Microsoft, with almost nine million users [...]

EU settles affairs with Microsoft, no fines this time
Momentous moment alert — the EU has just closed the book on its lengthy investigation into potential Microsoft antitrust violations. Lasting through nearly the entire noughties, The European Commission’s dissatisfaction with what it perceived as monopolistic practices from Redmond has resulted in some hefty fines over the years, but the conclusion to hostilities has been pleasingly amicable. In exchange for Microsoft’s legally binding promise to offer up to 12 other browsers alongside its own, the European executive will give the company a clean bill of competition-friendly health. All this means is that the ballot screen will be around on Windows operating systems for at least the next five years (starting in mid-March 2010), which should give the EU plenty of time to think up the next batch of allegations to throw Microsoft’s way.

EU settles affairs with Microsoft, no fines this time originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 08:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mamba Shift Backpack Swallows Almost Everything
As a connoisseur (read: obsessive collector) of bags, I have discovered the ingredients of the perfect design. The problem is, I have no idea of the recipe with which they should be mixed together. Taken on their rather strong product releases over the past few months, it seems the folks at Booq have been taste-testing [...]
LATTEA Design Contest Coffee Cup Gets Personal
A lot can happen over a cup of coffee. Being a design addict I still treasure this disposable coffee cup I was served in once. It s got this interesting Victorian painting depicted on it and it looks simply awesome. Would you believe me, if I told you that …

University of Antwerp stuffs 13 GPUs into FASTRA II supercomputer

Continue reading University of Antwerp stuffs 13 GPUs into FASTRA II supercomputer

University of Antwerp stuffs 13 GPUs into FASTRA II supercomputer originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Dec 2009 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple iPod Shuffle 2nd Gen
Apple iPod Shuffle 2nd Gen
Squeeze, Grip and Tilt to Control Synaptics Concept Phone
Touchscreens have become a big hit among cellphone users. But what’s next after tap to click and the two-finger pinch and zoom? Synaptics’ Fuse experimental phone shows a device that you can interact with by squeezing, gripping, flexing and tilting the phone. The device melds multiple technologies such as multi-touch capacitive sensing, haptic feedback, 3-D graphics [...]
Floatin? on High Class
This is just the 50 feet flybridge motor yacht that you need. That’s what I’m about to stand by. This lovemobile has three decks of elegance. Like the yacht I just wrote about a few days ago, this is another fabulous automotive-inspired boat machine from Motion Code Blue. It’s called …

Pandora hits some production snags, will miss the holidays
Concerned for a long-suffering Pandora pre-orderer in you life? Well, you might want to keep them away from sharp knives and their dormant SD card full of rare ROMs for the next few weeks. The device has seemed tantalizingly close in recent months, but new word from the front lines means that we won’t be seeing the final devices ship out until well into the new year. Luckily, the list of tweaks sounds pretty minor, including an adjustment to shoulder button action perfection that we can all get behind, but we suppose it also serves as a sobering example of just how hard it can be to actually get good hardware (or even the crappy stuff) built. Cough, CrunchPad, cough.

[Thanks, Steve]

Update: Seems things may not be as serious as previously assumed, but until we see these things shipping en masse, we still aren’t getting our hopes up too high. It’s a personal defense mechanism, is all. Thanks, atomicthumbs!

Pandora hits some production snags, will miss the holidays originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Dec 2009 12:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CES 2007: Keynote Part 5
CES 2007: Keynote Part 5
The Coolest iTablet Fake Yet Caught on Video
Posted by a French blog, the video above purporting to leak Apple’s touchscreen tablet is obviously a fake, but it’s fun to watch anyway. Check it out yourself and tell us if you can spot the stuff giving away its phoniness. NoWhereElse.Fr Via The eBook Test See Also: Video Demonstrates Wired’s Concept iTablet App Video: Sports Illustrated Makes a [...]