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Will the YouTube camcorder wars never end? No, they will not. Pure Digital had fired the most recent shot by launching the HD version of its Flip Mino, a direct response to the high-def capabilities of Kodak’s first entry into the space.

It seems Creative is fighting back too–with the Vado HD. The price in the above ad is actually Singapore dollars; the device made an appearance in the company’s Singapore holiday catalog. ($299 in Singapore dollars comes out to roughly $195 U.S.)

Personally, I liked the original Vado better than the Flip Mino, thanks in no small part to its larger and clearer display. It’ll be interesting to see how these next-gen device stack up.

No word on U.S. availability yet.

Original post by Brian Heater

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Portable Audio

For turntablists, there have been a plethora of options when scouting a deck with integrated vinyl-to-MP3 capabilities. Until now, though, you’ve had to deal with second-rate brands (we kid) like Numark and ion — neither of which possess the prestige and haughty factor that comes with a Denon logo. The DP-200USB enables deep-pocketed DJs to rip vinyl straight to MP3, and you can even save the digital files to a USB drive thanks to the built-in USB socket. The unit will be available in Japan early next month for ¥31,500 ($310), though it’s hard to say if or when Denon will see fit to bring this Stateside.

[Via T3]

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Portable Audio

For turntablists, there have been a plethora of options when scouting a deck with integrated vinyl-to-MP3 capabilities. Until now, though, you’ve had to deal with second-rate brands (we kid) like Numark and ion — neither of which possess the prestige and haughty factor that comes with a Denon logo. The DP-200USB enables deep-pocketed DJs to rip vinyl straight to MP3, and you can even save the digital files to a USB drive thanks to the built-in USB socket. The unit will be available in Japan early next month for ¥31,500 ($310), though it’s hard to say if or when Denon will see fit to bring this Stateside.

[Via T3]

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Digital Cameras, Peripherals, Wireless

Late last month, Eye-Fi announced that its wares were finally supporting photo uploads to Apple’s MobileMe and the AdoramaPix service, and now, we’re seeing that its WiFi-enabled SD cards have a few more tricks up their sleeves. An Eye-Fi Manager update has opened up support for RSS feeds along with Twitter integration, enabling users to let their posse know when they’ve uploaded new photos for perusal. Additionally, the RSS support allows customers to “publish photos in a live real-time feed via RSS to the aggregator of their choice.” Hope you′re not a fan of post-processing.

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals

According to recent statistics, girls can like, totally rock now. Thankfully, PDP has teamed up with Radio Disney mainstays Aly & AJ to create some seriously rockin’ game controllers for the PS2 and Wii. Due out mid-October and priced at a rockin’ $69.99, tweenage Guitar Hero and Rock Band fans can choose either the rockin’ pink Strat-looking guitar with red skull and crossbones motif, or the totally rockin’ pink heart-shaped guitar with purple zebra print. Check out the rockin’ video after the break. And rock on!

[Via Video Games Blogger]

Continue reading Rock Band and Guitar Hero now for girls, too

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Original post by Joseph L. Flatley

Step one is to start exercising. Step two is to keep doing it. Step three is to see and feel results. But even if you manage to stick with the first two steps, the third one can be a little hard to attain. You may not see results right away and, depending on how long it’s been since you exercised, you may feel worse instead of better–at least in the short term.

That’s one reason people get personal trainers and go to gyms: to find other people to tell them how they’re doing and offer encouragement. Those services cost hundreds of dollars. The Fitbit Tracker, which is sort of like a pocket-size personal trainer, can watch you 24/7 and, with an accompany Web site, tell you how you’re doing, all for $99.

Launching today at TechCrunch 50 in San Francisco, the wireless device is no bigger than a standard thumb drive and is designed like a clip, so it can slip onto clothes. It’ll also fit neatly in any pocket. While you wear it, the FitBit has a built-in motion sensor that tracks exercise intensity levels, calories burned, sleep quality, steps and distance traveled.

Sleep quality is an interesting innovation: The FitBit also ships with a wrist strap, so you can wear it during sleep. According to James Park, CEO of Fitbit, human wrists experience slight tremors as we go in and out of REM sleep. The amount of tremors correlates directly to the quality of sleep.

The FitBit also ships with a 2.4-GHz wireless base and charging station. Slide the FitBit device on, and it receives a 10-hour charge. Walk by it while you’re wearing the device, and your latest information is automatically delivered to the station, which passes it along to the FitBit Web site. The site is free to access, but only those who bought a FitBit device can deliver and manage their workout, health, and sleep information. You can also measure your progress against friends and family. Park called this “peer motivation”.

The current FitBit Device has no display, but Park promises that the final product, expected this December, will feature an OLED display. The readout will include, among other things, a user-definable avatar that will shrink and grow to indication your progress. Kind of like a Tamagotchi, except you’re the one you’re keeping alive.

Original post by Lance Ulanoff

Mitsubishi’s i MiEV electric car has spent some serious time on the streets of Japan, but before long, the fuel-shunning vehicle will be roughin’ it here in the US of A. The auto maker is teaming up with Southern California Edison and PG&E in order to see how it fares in LA traffic and how to best integrate it with the power grid. As of now, the whips should be cruising down the carpool lanes in Q4, though a few modifications may be needed in order to comply with US laws. Plans are to test the i MiEV for three solid years, and hopefully the $30,000 ride will be made available for purchase shortly thereafter (or earlier, if we’re fortunate). What now, MINI?

[Via Wired]

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Transportation

Remember that Ohio-based firm that planned on converting 300 or so Saturn Skys into all-electric roadsters? Advanced Mechanical Products ring a bell? At any rate, said outfit has just hosted up a video of its fourth test drive of a prototype, which is shown sporting an “Electric” badge on the front fender and a whole mess of batteries and wires underneath the hood. Oh, and then there’s that unmistakable whizzing sound as it cruises on by. Check out the video after the jump.

[Via AutoblogGreen]

Continue reading AMP test drives all-electric Saturn Sky on video

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Transportation

Compared to the almost universally-embarrassing homebuilt electric vehicles we’ve seen pop up so far, the Bricycle electric recumbant bike is up there with the Tesla Roadster in terms of sex appeal — even though it kind of looks like a futuristic delivery truck. Designed to transport one person as efficiently as possible, the Bricyle (developed by someone named Brian — clever) isn’t completed yet, but it’s got a 48-volt electric-assist motor for when you get tired of pedaling through the 21 bicylce gears, and four-wheel disc brakes for quick stops. Sure, but can you get it in a color besides electric cucumber?

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Original post by Nilay Patel

Filed under: Transportation

Your retinas have been treated to plenty of external shots of Tesla’s Roadster, but have you ever stopped to wonder what kind of excitement sat just southwest of the steering wheel? CNET’s UK branch managed to get their camcorder within a Roadster parked on display over in Britain, and what they found was a rather robust interface that enables owners to get all sorts of involved with how and when the car charges. The representative did note that typical navigation functions were controlled via the JVC head unit, but the small panel just under the gauges enables motorists to control a number of aspects in relation to charging. There’s even a guide that explains which choices are cheaper and more beneficial for the long-term life of the battery. Have a look at the video in the read link.

[Via Digg]

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Transportation

Google.org, the search kingpin’s philanthropic wing, has just added another notch to its eco-friendly belt with a recent (and sizable) investment in Aptera Motors — makers of that absurdly futuristic gas-sipper we′ve been following. Along with ActaCell (an electric car battery maker), Aptera receieved a $2.75 million infusion via Google.org’s RechargeIT investment program. Hopefully, some of the cash will be put to use bringing Aptera’s Typ-1 vehicle to market, where its $30,000 estimated price tag and outrageous 230+ MPG fuel economy will be a welcome relief from rising fuel costs and concerns… and our lack of a fresh ride.

[Via SMASHgods]

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Original post by Joshua Topolsky

Filed under: Transportation

The all-electric Lightning GT sports car might have just had its formal debut yesterday, but that doesn′t mean prototypes haven′t been tooling around for a while — check out this video of the swoopy two-door doing the track thing in ultra-dramatic slow-mo. Of course, there’s no sound, so there could totally be a nasty 5.0L Windsor V8 block under that hood, but we’ll give ‘em the benefit of the doubt for now. Video at the read link — and be honest, is this thing enough to sway your feelings from the Tesla Roadster or the Fisker Karma?

[Via Autoblog Green]

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Original post by Nilay Patel

Filed under: Transportation

Well, would you have a look at that. That, dear friends, is Lightning’s immaculate GT — a £120,000 ($239,400) motorcar that is just one of two vehicles in the world to rely on lithium-titanate battery technology. Said innovation enables the vehicle to go from dead to fully charged in “just minutes,” though you will have to find a location that provides three-phase industrial power in order to see the benefits over traditional Li-ion cells. The firm’s Chris Dell asserts that the nearly exclusive quick charge tech more than justifies the exorbitant price tag, and he’s even looking to UK-based businesses to hopefully strike a deal in which motorists can swing by, juice up and be on their way while traveling. Anxious to take delivery? Looks like you′ll be waiting until sometime next year.

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Transportation

General Motors has already gotten a bit of cash from the US Department of Energy to further the development of plug-in hybrids, and it now looks like it’s taking things one step further on another initiative, with it teaming up with the Electric Power Research Institute and 30 utilities in 37 states to produce a charging infrastructure for electric cars. Among other things, they′ll be working to develop an affordable, reliable electricity source that’s weather-proof and child-proof, which they say could be installed in places like public garages, curbside meters, or workplace parking lots. The utility companies, in particular, will also apparently be working to ensure that the grid doesn′t get overwhelmed during peak hours. All that, GM says, will be done by 2010, which just happens to coincide with the launch of its much-touted Volt hybrid.

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Original post by Donald Melanson

Filed under: Transportation

Not that electric MINIs are anything new, but unless you were willing to pay for all the mods yourself, procuring one wasn’t exactly simple. Now, however, we′re hearing that MINI itself will be bringing scads of these buggers to American streets in the summer of 2009. Yeah, like, one year from right now. MINI USA VP Jim McDowell was the source of said statement (so it’s pretty much official, yeah?), though he didn’t mention whether all of them would be reserved for California or if they would be available sold out nationwide. Hey MINI, we′d say you’ve got a hit on your hands.

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Original post by Darren Murph