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 It’s a sad day when Hewlett-Packard decides to merge its Voodoo PC business unit with its consumer business.

This were the ultimate gamer PCs from a one time stand-alone company that put a unique business model into play — high-end performance, outrageous design and high-end prices. I mean, take a look at that box above!

Now, Voodoo’s laptops and desktops will be sold alongside HP’s consumer Compaq Presario and Pavilion PC lines — sort of the opposite of the Voodoo model.  It is just the next step of integration into the business units that deliver Compaq Presario and HP Pavilion, said the company. 

PCWorld has more.

Tags: compaq, hp, pavilion, pcworld, presario, voodoo pc

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Original post by Rico

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Just weeks after “reinventing” Voodoo with the Envy 133 laptop and Omen gaming desktop, it looks like HP’s had enough — it’s decided to straight-up merge the specialty PC shop with its core consumer business, and sell its products alongside the Compaq Presario and HP Pavilion lines. Yeah, that’ll make Voodoo seem totally hardcore. For it’s part, HP says it’s always been planning on this kind of merger, and that the move will make Voodoo product easier to buy worldwide and faster to get with no change in service for existing customers, but it’s also oddly ambiguous on whether the Voodoo name will live on — saying only that it’s “likely,” but that a decision hasn’t been reached. All this means that it’s even weirder that HP has both the Voodoo and Blackbird gaming lines, of course — any bets on which one gets axed first?

Read - PC World article
Read - HP CTO Raul Sood’s blog entry on the merger

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Original post by Nilay Patel

Memorial Day is right around the corner. With family get-togethers, trips to the park, grill-outs, and other social gatherings for those of us that don’t live completely on World of Warcraft, surviving the busy day of relaxation outside of the house can be a difficult task. Here’s a list of survival gadgets and gizmos to make this year’s holiday a memorable one.

Emission Free Neuton Push Mower

Many of you will be using the three-day weekend to perfect your backyard. Instead of mowing the lawn the traditional way, you may want to try the Emission Free Neuton Push Mower. This cool, gas-free mower uses 24-volt batteries to keep it juiced for a full hour. This mower is also amazingly silent and will keep your lawn looking great without the smell and mess of gasoline. Retails for $379

See more great gadgets after the jump.

Homehero Fire Extinguisher. Men’s Health describes the Homehero Fire Extinguisher as the Natalie Portman of portable firefighting: smart and hot. This is perfect for when Dad accidentally puts too much propane on the grill at the family gathering. Firefighter’s jacket not included. This product is available for $25 at Home Depot.

The JVC GZ-MS100. The camcorder connects to your PC via USB; then click the camera’s Upload button and your videos are sent directly to YouTube. The JVC GZ-MS100 features a 2.7-inch LCD, 3.5X optical zoom, auto backlight control, Cyberlink software, and a battery that should give you 2 hours of recording time per charge. Retails for $349.99.

Juketower Splash Proof MP3 player. You might be afraid to listen to your music on Memorial Day while catching water balloons, running through the sprinkler, or dipping your toes in the pool. With a Juketower Splash Proof MP3 player, you can listen to your favorite tunes without fear. This entertainment device includes a USB port, complete waterproof casing, and a built-in speaker. Retails for $137.62

Ultimate Style Steel MP4 Player Watch . If you’re stuck outside but can’t bear to be without digital entertainment, then an Ultimate Style Steel MP4 Player Watch is the gadget you need. The steel watch features a full-color 1.8-inch screen with a 160-by-128 resolution on which you can watch your favorite shows. The watch also plays music and has a voice recorder, among other features. Pick one up for $193.29.

Olympus 1030SW Digital Camera . The one camera that will keep on working no matter how much abuse your drunken Uncle gives it. This little camera works under 33 feet of water or can be dropped nearly 7 feet and keep snapping great shots (we encourage you to try it.) Perfect for underwater 10 MP candids of the kids in the pool. Retails for $399.

SportsCast Wireless Baseball Scoreboard. Want to keep up with baseball while grilling your burgers or tanning yourself? The SportsCast Wireless Baseball Scoreboard sends you stats for each MLB team, game, and inning every 15 minutes via satellite signal. This handy device also shows scores, standings, and schedules for all of the teams in the league. It uses 4 double-A batteries and has a 5-inch viewable screen. It sells for $99.

LED Drinks Pitcher . This see-through plastic jug can hold enough liquid for the thirstiest drinker. Operated from a single slide on/off switch located on the base of the jug, it phases through a pre-set light show using red, green and blue LEDs. This one sells for around $19.

Sharper Image Weather-Resistant Grill Fork/Thermometer . If you’re into precision cooking, check this out: The temperature of that cheeseburger on the grill appears on the backlit LCD screen on the handle. It’ll beep when the intended temperature of the food is reached. The fork/thermometer lists for $34.95

Grilliput and Firebowl . Want a BBQ in your back pocket–literally? Measuring just 11.5 inches long and 1 inch wide, this gizmo can be stored virtually anywhere. When hunger strikes, it opens into a 9-by-10.25-inch barbecue. It’s like the Transformer that didn’t make it into the movie. Great for outings in the park or a camping trip on Memorial Day. A deal at just $12.95.

Mosquito Trap . If you’re planning to go camping, you may want to bring this doodad with you. Looking something like an alien preying mantis, it has solar-powered lights that automatically come on at dusk and provide a continuously changing cycle of beautiful colors. Bugs come to investigate, and are sucked inside to wither away. No electricity or extension cords are needed. Retails for $99.99

Solar Sun Jar. Here’s a light source that is efficient and also protects the environment. The solar sun jar contains a hidden solar cell, a low energy LED lamp, and a rechargeable battery. All you need to do to make this nifty jar light up is soak it in the sun while you’re fishing, cooking, or hiking. The light comes on automatically when the sun sets in a diffused-like glow, making it also a great choice for a night or garden light. Get your own for $39.95.

Post by Chris Gampat and Jared Preusz

Original post by Jared Preusz

Filed under: Ask Engadget, Laptops

We know, the vast majority of you either graduated or got past one more wave of exams this past week, but there’s no better time to buy a lappie for school than when you actually have time to enjoy it, right?

“I’m looking to buy a laptop before I head off to college in a few months. I know there’s too many choices out there in each category to ask for specific recommendations, but I’m wondering how current students feel about their machines. Is a subnote potent enough for university use? Is an ultraportable a better alternative? Or should I get a full-blown 15- to 17-incher as an all-purpose rig? My future GPA is hinging on your responses.”

Let’s hear it, bookworms. Is that CloudBook / Eee / 2133 Mini-Note treating you alright? Or would this poor freshman-to-be be better off with something larger? Toss out your opinions below — friends don’t let friends buy the wrong computer. If you’d like our readers to study a question of yours, send us an inquiry at ask at engadget dawt com, capiche?

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Watch out, battery-powered MAVs — your viability could be seriously in danger. Based on a patent application from University of Florida aerospace engineer Subrata Roy, he’s reckoning that a micro air vehicle could be propelled by plasma. Scientists have known that passing a current or magnetic field through a conducting fluid generates a force, but exploiting it for use in moving an aircraft has proven futile thus far. The phenomenon, simply known as magnetohydrodynamics, has typically been tested on larger crafts, but Mr. Roy’s invention would boast a wingspan of less than 15-centimeters and resemble a flying saucer more so than a 747. Of course, this fantastic idea has yet to become much more than just that, but for armed forces and entities obsessed with surveillance, this could undoubtedly be big.

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Robots

From what we’ve seen, the British military is pretty savvy on its robotics. Apparently mechanical beings aren’t integrated enough, however, as the British Ministry of Defense has launched its first ever Grand Challenge, which “encourages participants to turn their ideas into prototypes for machines the army can use in urban environments.” The six finalists that were chosen each received around $600,000 in order to construct their contraptions, and this August, we’ll see an unmanned buggy that can analyze a gunman’s movements, a self-propelled, remote-controlled camera and minuscule helicopters used for reconnaissance missions. Best of all, these creations won’t just be propped up on some shiny display — oh no, they’ll be taking part in a mock battle in Copehill Down, with even more loot and an enviable trophy on the line.

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Displays, Gaming

Rolling around jacking up innocents and tossing Molotov cocktails is pretty enthralling on your vanilla 46-inch HDTV, but can you even imagine the rush of swiping a hot dog, burning out in someone else’s whip and then snagging a new pair of kicks on this? Researchers (and gamers, obviously) down at UC San Diego have re-engineered their middleware to enable such masterpieces as this to be played on the big monolithic HIPerSpace screen, and needless to say, we can’t imagine much real work getting done with this new functionality coming to light. Head on down to the gallery to see what you’re missing — science, research and 4.0 GPAs are such beautiful things.

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Gurus at Purdue University have conjured up a prototype device which, when injected into a tumor, can actually track the “precise dose of radiation received and locate the exact position [of the tumor] during treatment.” Currently, the needle-sized device is held within a hermetically sealed glass capillary, contains a miniature radiation dosimeter, operates without batteries and instead relies on “electrical coils placed next to the patient” for activation. As small as the RFID-enabled unit is, engineers are still hoping to create a version that is around the size of a grain of rice, and hopes are to have it in clinical trials in 2010.

[Via Physorg]

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Desktops

While there have certainly been questions surrounding AMD’s ability to deliver its Phenom 9700 / 9900 chips on time, it looks as if the chip maker is right on target with the launch of its triple-core lineup. Just as we expected it to, AMD has indeed began shipping its Phenom 8400 (2.1GHz) and 8600 (2.3GHz) to Dell — for use in its OptiPlex 740 — and HP (respectively), which has it mounted in the AL195AW desktop. Reportedly, the CPUs are only shipping in volume to PC manufacturers at the moment, and unfortunately, it failed to spill the beans on when they’d be available on a wider scale. Nevertheless, those parked across the pond can get their fix of tri-core sweetness by picking up one of two Mesh Computer rigs that are being made available as we speak.

[Via PC World]
Read - Dell OptiPlex 740 [PDF]
Read - HP AL195AW
Read - Mesh Computer Matrix xXx Plus
Read - Mesh Computer Matrix xXx Pro

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

In the oddball acquisition of the day, Dell just swept up email services provider MessageOne in a $155 million cash deal. How odd? Get this, MessageOne was co-founded by Michael Dell’s brother Adam who now manages investment funds — the very funds with partial ownership of MessageOne which Michael and his genetic crew are investors in. As such, Michael, his wife, and kids will receive $12M from the deal, Adam about $970k, and their parents about $450k. For Michael’s part, Dell says that he will donate his family’s proceeds direct to charity and was excluded from negotiating the acquisition. Still, we can’t help but question the merits of such an acquisition when the only comparison that comes readily to mind is Apple’s dot Mac service — a service Apple is rumored to be shifting to Google in order to focus on core business. Don’t get us wrong, we get Dell’s whole Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) business strategy, but do they really expect to compete directly with Google and MicroHoo while staying true to their PC roots?

[Via New York Times]

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Original post by Thomas Ricker

Filed under: Cellphones

Nokia, you’ve done it again. As usual, the Finnish mobile phone kingpin has produced the kind of innovation and “wow” that we’ve come to expect with its latest patent request: a virtual keyboard. That’s right, until now we’ve had to suffer the indignation of using a physical keyboard, vainly hoping that one day a company would come along with a concept that would upend the establishment and put a stop to the tyranny of single use, out-dated plastic keys… and now that day has come. Still, something seems vaguely familiar about this patent which details the workings of a “Mobile device with virtual keyboard.” Okay, this system differs from others in that it expects you to wiggle your fingers around in front of the phone’s camera, and responds to sound as well as vibrations, yet somehow we feel like the company’s efforts could be better directed. A nice new QWERTY model wouldn’t bother us, for instance.

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Original post by Joshua Topolsky

Filed under: Displays, HDTV

Believe it or not, Samsung took the opportunity to unveil a couple of newcomers at Macworld, proving that there was indeed something left in the tank after CES. And on paper, this pair is one to be reckoned with. Up first is the 24-inch SyncMaster 2493HM, which features a 1,920 x 1,200 resolution, 10,000:1 contrast ratio, five-millisecond response time, 400 cd/m2 brightness, 160-degree viewing angles and DVI / HDMI inputs to boot. As for the 25.5-inch 2693HM, it mimics its smaller sibling in most every way, but does include a VGA input and steps the contrast ratio down to 3,000:1. Both units also include built-in multimedia speakers and stunning good looks, and best of all, they can become yours right this moment for $599 and $699, respectively.

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Video, Wireless

Though it once appeared as if DVB-SH was headed for high times in Europe, DVB-H eventually won out as the nationwide standard, but that certainly doesn’t mean other standards can’t compete within the region. Reportedly, Alcatel-Lucent has agreed to launch the first trial of the technology in Italy with RAI and 3 Italia, and while DVB-SH would likely be more costly to implement due to its position in the spectrum, European telecoms are grasping for options to satisfy the growing desire for mobile TV. If all goes as planned, the trials will take place in Turin over the next few months, but it wasn’t clear when Jane / John Doe would be called in to participate. Also of note, a cellphone provider has yet to be selected, but it sounds like Samsung and Sagem both made it onto the short list.

[Via mocoNews]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Desktops

Not sure how we missed this the first time around but NEC has an interesting little all-in-oner set to break from its Japanese borders. The Powermate P (P5010 to be specific) combines that 17.1-inch 1440 x 900 pixel display with a 1.6GHz AMD Turion 64×2 TL-52 processor, integrated ATI Radeon X1200 graphics, up to 4GB of memory and 200GB SATA disk, WiFi, and slot loading dual-layer DVD writer. Ok, not a workhorse, but not too shabby for a 4-kg (8.8-pound) slab. Available now in Australia and New Zealand (and Japan of course) for about $1,741 of the US green or $1,999 of that local Aussie stuff.

[Via AVING and Gizmag]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Original post by Thomas Ricker