Canon Snap

The Canon Snap is a concept camera that fits perfectly in the world of "small is big". It's tiny enough to wear on your finger yet powerful enough to give today's bigger cameras a run for their money.

It has a single button interface, which makes it uber-simple to take pictures. The development specs and pricing, however, are still under wraps.

Spice Spruces Handset Portfolio

Spice Mobile is sprucing up its handset portfolio with new and improved versions of S-808 and S-600; namely S-808N, and S-600N.

The S-808N sports a savvy metallic look, and features a 65K TFT vibrant color display, one-touch FM and MP3 player, built-in 128MB memory, 1.3 mega pixels camera with zoom, among others. With the S-808N, users can get options like video recording and video player, and video caller ID.

Meanwhile, the S-600N is an improvement over S-600. It features 256MB of internal memory, one-touch MP3 player, speaker phones, 65,000 TFT color screen, polyphonic/MP3 ring tones, games, and Java applications.

The S-600N also comes with unique features like Health Care - BMI, which gives the body mass index by entering weight and height; melody composer wherein the keypad can be used to generate different musical notes, and scheduled auto power on/off which gives control over daily schedules.

The S-600N is available for Rs 4,599, and the S-808N for Rs 6,299.

Nokia N81 and N81 8GB Shipping

Multimedia computers, Nokia N81 and Nokia N81 8GB are now available globally.

The phones come with dedicated music and gaming keys, and more memory for more storing and playing.

Bringing a new user interface (UI) to the Nokia Nseries is the 3D Multimedia Menu introduced in these devices. The menu makes it easier to discover and enjoy digital content as well as the Internet, and share experiences with others.

The N81 and the N81 8GB also offer millions of music tracks through the Nokia Music Store. With their integrated Nokia Music Players, creating play lists and managing music collections on the move is a breeze. Compatible, high quality headphones or speakers can be used along with the standard 3.5mm headphone connector for enhanced sound quality.

Besides, the devices afford a preview of the N-Gage games service, which includes playable demos of EA Sports FIFA 07, Asphalt 3: Street Rules, and Space Impact Light.

When N-Gage actually launches later this year, the full application will be available for download on these devices.

The Nokia N81 is shipping for about 360 Euros/$512/Rs 20,300 before subsidies or taxes, while the Nokia N81 8GB is available for around 430 Euros/$612/Rs 24,300 before subsidies or taxes.

Pelican PS3 SIXAXIS

Pelican's forthcoming device -- the PS3 SIXAXIS charging dock -- sports a unique design that holds 2 SIXAXIS controllers. It charges them through its exposed mini USB plugs. Additionally, the base of the unit houses 2 full sized USB ports, so you have the option to charge up 4 PS3 controllers all at once, should you choose to.

Motorola RAZR2 V8

A year after the release of the RAZR, Motorola was keen on getting out an update to the phone. Since then, Motorola has undergone many changes; the RAZR built the lost market position of the company. The RAZR is no longer just a phone from the Motorola stable -- it's a brand by itself. With all the changes happening in the company, the rollout of the RAZR2 wasn't going to be easy. The company had to make sure that the brand make progress and not regress. Two years passed, and finally the company was all set to launch the all-new RAZR2. The company launched RAZR2 after carefully molding it, taking into consideration all the feedback from its RAZR customers and experts. But have Motorola's efforts paid off? Or will it be that the RAZR won't yield the floor to the RAZR2?

Bundle

Motorola RAZR2

Stereo headset

micro-USB cable

mini-USB to micro-USB converter

Fabric pouch

Motorola badge lanyard

micro-USB Charger

CD and manual

Specifications

Network: GSM 850/GSM 900/GSM 1800/GSM 1900

Dimensions: 103x53x11.9 mm

Weight: 117 grams

Display:
2" External (256K TFT 240x320 pixels)
2.2" Internal (256K TFT 240x320 pixels)

Operating System: Motorola (Linux/Java) OS

Battery: Li-Ion 770 mAh

Genius Noise Cancel Headphones

Genius has announced eco-friendly, foldable, noise canceling headphones, HP-02NC, that are designed to eliminate surrounding noise from music listening.

The headphones come in a protective carrying case, along with an in-flight dual-plug adapter for airplane audio system usage

They are foldable, and can be stored in the soft pouch supplied. Using controls integrated into the headphone shells, active noise canceling technology can be easily adjusted.

According to Sandeep Ramani, the headphones reduce ambient noise, and provide a quieter environment to enhance audio entertainment. Ambient sound is synthesized with an anti-sound signal produced by the noise canceling circuit, and reduced, so music can be heard against a quieter background.

HP-02NC are available through Transtek, Tirupati, Ingram Micro, and Redington for Rs 6,499.

Motorola PEBL U9

Successor to the PEBL U6 is the Motorola PEBL U9. It's even more stylish and features the same opening pattern flap. It's mainly a music phone, which supports USB syncing through Windows Media Player 11. It has stereo Bluetooth capabilities and supports major audio formats such as MP3, AAC, and AAC+.
Apart from its internal memory of 25MB, it also has a microSD card slot capable of supporting a 4GB card. It has a 2MP camera, push email and voice commands as well. The phone will have Fergie's fergalacious content bundled along. No word on pricing or availability yet.

Asus with 3 New LCDs

Asus has released 3 new LCDs: the VW198, a 19 incher; the VW202, a 20 incher; and the VW22 a 22 incher. The VW198 features a WSXGA+ screen with a resolution of 1680x1050. It has 300 cd/m2 brightness and a 3000:1 contrast ratio. Its response time is 5ms, and it has built-in stereo speakers and both, VGA and DVI ports. As for the VW202 and the VW22, they both sport similar specs but have a 2000:1 contrast ratio

Fusion IO 640GB Flash HDD

Fusion IO 640GB Flash HDD promises insane read and write speeds (compared with what we're used to) - 800 MBps and 600 MBps respectively. These are DRAM speeds, making the HDD drive way faster than any other standard HDD on the planet. For all of that performance you pay USD 19,000 (Rs.7,60,000) - an even more insane price tag. The drive sits on a PCIe card slot.
The company plans to release smaller versions of the drive in capacities of 80GB, 160GB, and 320GB by the Q1 of 2008. The 640GB would run at approx. USD30 (Rs.1,200) per GB.

Nokia in New Content Ties

Nokia is now bringing a wide range of high-quality mobile videos to compatible Nokia N95 handsets through the Nokia Video Center.

The company has announced content tie-ups with CNN, Jamba, IBN, Sony Pictures, RooftopComedy, ROK, and Versaly Entertainment for content for the Nokia Video Center.

The Nokia Video Center is available only on the N95 and the N95 8GB version, and provides users access to mobile video content via 3G, WiFi, or PC.

Users can switch between a range of video services, choosing from branded on-demand video, Internet video podcasts, and other favorite forms.

Nokia's content partners will join the existing ranks of Reuters and Google's YouTube, and along with them, will appear in the main menu of the Nokia Video Center.

Meanwhile, the content on offer from various partners includes: CNN international news coverage, and IBN News; free music videos and cartoons from Jamba; movie trailers (current and upcoming), and games from Sony Pictures; stand-up comedy clips from Rooftop Comedy; male lifestyle programs from Versaly Entertainment; etc.

As of now, the service is available only in the APAC (Asia-Pacific) region.

Sony Ericsson P1i

Sony Ericsson launched the P1i to build on its range of P Series handsets. The P1i boasts of having push email features. Apparently, it also delivers on the multimedia front. But can it level above the P990i? Read on to find out.


Sony Ericsson P1i handset

Stereo headset (Standard Sony Ericsson)

1GB M2 Sony memory

USB cable

Carry pouch

Cradle

Extra stylus

Charger

CD and manual

Specifications

Network: UMTS/GSM 900/GSM 1800/GSM 1900

Sizes: 106x55x17 mm

Weight: 124 grams

Screen: 2.6" 262K color LCD touchscreen (240x320 pixels)

Operating System: Symbian 9.1 UIQ 3.0

Battery: 1120 mAh

New 40GB PS3 for UK, Australia

It's official! Gamers based out of UK, and later - even Australia, are getting an all new 40GB 'core' version of Sony's PS3 gaming console, as was confirmed by the company.

Particularly in UK, customers are in for a double whammy, with Sony having also announced a slash in prices of its 60GB PS3 console, which will now cost GBP 349
Meanwhile, the 40GB version is meant to be a compelling alternative to Microsoft's newly launched Xbox 360 Elite console. It will cost GBP 299 in UK, while in Australia, it will cost A$ 700, Sony said.

The 'core' version will be different from regular versions in that there will be only two out of the four USB ports, and the memory card reader and backwards compatibility chip will go missing. Interestingly in Europe, backwards compatibility is achieved through software -- so losing the chip should be of no great consequence to gamers in UK.

The new model will however retain the Blu-ray drive as standard, and come with a 40GB HDD, Wi-Fi connectivity, and a Sixaxis controller.

Sony claims its move is an attempt to boost sales ahead of Christmas. But observers suspect Sony is looking to come back -- more so with the PS3 having hugely suffered at the hands of the Nintendo Wii in recent times.

Google Buys Social Network 'Zingku'

In hot pursuit of its larger objective of providing more and more services through mobile devices, Google has now gone and acquired mobile social network, 'Zingku'. A move likely to fuel further speculation about a 'Google Phone' in the offing...

Started in 2005, 'Zingku' is a mobile social network that typically targets teenagers and 20-somethings, helping them to share photos, send invites, and conduct polls through mobile phones for free. There's also a 'shameless commerce' aspect to the network, which enables businesses send access code to customers to help them download and share 'mobile flyers'. 'Zingku' deploys standard text and picture messaging on mobile phones, and browsers on the Web, sans installation of special software. With the acquisition, the network has frozen new account sign-ups. Its Web site says that existing accounts will be transferred to Google unless cancelled by Oct 4. While the nitty-gritty of the acquisition hasn't been revealed, Google has confirmed "acquiring certain assets and technology of Zingku". All said, with a privacy policy that reads something like: "The success of our business depends on maintaining your privacy. Also, our mothers brought us up properly, so even if our business didn't depend upon protecting your privacy, we would still protect it because we would experience extreme guilt if we didn't," 'Zingku' sounds every bit like the cocky upstart that a Google would love to associate with...


Current user? Wanna share your experience with others? Write your User Review.

Sony Ericsson W580i

Sony Ericsson is known to convert several of its phones from other series to the Walkman series. The latest example of this is the W580i, derived from the original S500i - which we have already reviewed (September 17, 2007). Riding on the specs of the original W580i, the new Walkman phone delivers a few added features, which amply differentiate it from its parent phone. The uniqueness lies in the Walkman phone being - well - a Walkman, and the pedometer that comes preinstalled. We saw such a conversion even in the Z710's conversion to the W710. Now available at around Rs.10K, the W710 gives many mobiles a run for their money. Let's now look at the slider phone W580i and see if it's worthy enough to replace the clamshell W710i

Razer ProClick Mobile Bluetooth Mouse

We haven't seen much rolling out from the Razer stable. To keep things running, the company will be rolling out a new ProClick Mobile Mouse.
This mouse basically attends to laptop users. The mouse has an optical sensor and is Bluetooth 2.0 compatible. It'll be available in 4 different flavors: naughty, nice, sugar, and spice (black, white, pink, and red, respectively). It'll be available from the mid of October for USD 49.99 (Rs.1,999).

Memory Infinite Chain USB Drives

Memory Infinite is a unique way to have unlimited storage. The drive has a snake-like body - making it flexible and capable of attaching more of them to form a long drive with a huge capacity.
The drive is available in various colors, so you can build a necklace or a wristband - or for that even matter a belt. (But don't expect it to hold your pants up!) Availability and price are not known yet

Highlights: Tokyo Game Show 2007

With reports flying around of all the action at the Tokyo Game Show 2007, we thought we'd get you some of the highlights:

Capcom showed-off "Devil May Cry 4" PS3- and Xbox 360- playable demos that included the full Nero vs Dante fight scene. Both Nero and Dante pull-off some spectacular moves. It all ends with Nero throwing Dante against a large statue, and sticking a large sword into the latter's chest. Dante manages to pluck the sword out of his innards as he falls to the floor before suddenly jumping to the roof with Nero shooting after him...
Capcom showcased some new trailers of the game. One -- a collage of action sequences from the game, glimpses of a large, dragon-like creature that can fly, and some impressive air throws. The other, a story-focused trailer that throws light on the source of enemity between Nero and Dante, while offering a close-up of the new weapon aka 'Gilgamesh'.

"Devil May Cry 4" will be released simultaneously for the PS3 and the Xbox 360 early next year, with the PC version expected to arrive shortly afterwards.

Capcom also flaunted its upcoming "Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles". The Tokyo show saw two waiting queues outside the Capcom booth: one, offering players a chance to try the game with the Wii Remote Controller, and the other giving them a chance to play using the Wii Zapper housing.

As usual, the game has it's fill of creepy-crawlies, including zombie dogs and bugs. The difference is the ability to choose and customize an arsenal of weapons with pistols, shotguns, submachine guns, the works. And, there's an added color targeting system, a somewhat sticky targeting to help gamers hone their aiming skills, and helpful guides along the way. "Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles" is slated for a holiday season release on the Wii.

Konami showcased "Metal Gear Online", the multi-player PS3 version of its 'Metal Gear Solid' game series. While game play is somewhat like that in single-player 'Metal Gear Solid' games, the stilted, immobile first-person aiming mode is absent, and the game boasts some new shooting controls and mechanics.

A "Metal Gear Online" beta program is slated to begin in Japan sometime soon.

Bungie Studios' head of production, Jonty Barnes, announced that the beta testing of "Halo 3" over Xbox Live had thrown-up some interesting surprises. That mainly, they would have to triple their server capacity...

"Halo 3" will launch on September 25th in the US, and September 26th in Europe.

Electronic Arts (EA) showcased "FIFA 08" which is set for release in just over a week's time. Visually more polished, with near real player likenesses ever in a football game, the game allows players to make moves with more finesse than before.

Krome Studios showcased its upcoming "Viva Pinata: Party Animals" title at Microsoft's Xbox 360 booth. The game takes the characters from the original 'Viva Pinata', and places them firmly in a party game world. Players get to play either as Fergy Fudgehog, Paulie Pretztail, Franklin Fizzlybear, or Hudson Horstachio in a series of over 50 challenges.

Viva Pinata: Party Animals is expected to release on the Xbox 360 at the end of October.

Sega showcased the Wii version of it's arcade shooter, "Ghost Squad", which is developed to make full use of the new Wii Zapper peripheral.

"Ghost Squad" sees players taking on the role of a government recon team whose job is to bring down terrorists and save hostages.

"Ghost Squad", which exudes a kind of old-school charm, can have 2 players, given enough Wii Remotes and Nunchuck controllers. It will release on Oct 25th in Japan, and is tentatively scheduled for Q4 in the US and Europe.

At a pre-game show event organized by Sony, Epic Games showcased a recent build of "Unreal Tournament III" for the PS3.

All the game play modes, vehicles, and weapons not withstanding, it was confirmed that mod makers will be able to distribute mods they make for the PC version to PS3 users as well. And there will not be any arbitrary limit on what modders can do on the PS3.

Last but not the least, High Impact Games kicked some butt with an early version of its all new adventure dubbed "Secret Agent Clank". The game finds Clank in his first solo adventure after the earlier 'Ratchet and Clank'. So where's Ratchet? Apparently, he's been framed for a crime, and our hero Clank is on a mission to save his buddy.

High Impact's demo featured three playable sections named Neon Metropolis, Artificial History Museum, and Jack of All Trades. Neon Metropolis has Clank bringing down enemies with spy-themed weapons, cufflink bombs, a bow-tie projectile, among others. Artificial History Museum sees the agent sneaking past rows of security lasers. While, Jack of All Trades introduces a new playable character by the name of 'Captain Quark'.

"Secret Agent Clank" is scheduled for a 2008 launch.

Sony Ericsson K810i

Sony Ericsson released K810i long back - when the French Open was on amidst a huge advertising campaign. But for some reason, there was a delay in our receiving the handset for the review. Finally, we've got it. Is the phone a better buy than K790i? To find out, read on.

K810i comes bundled with the following accessories: -
Sony Ericsson K810i
Stereo headset (standard Sony Ericsson)
Sony M2 memory (128 MB)
Charger
Data cable
CD & Manual

Kingston MobileLite Reader

Kingston's MobileLite is a card reader in a pen-drive form. What makes it unique when compared to the DataTraveler Reader is its ability to read nine different flash memory card types. The list is as follows: MMC, SD, SDHC, MMCplus, MMCmobile, RS-MMC, microSD, and miniSD, MMCmicro. Among the nine, most are just the variants of the three basic formats - MMC/SD, miniSD, and microSD. Henceforth, I'll be using these 3 terms to address the formats readable on MobileLite.
While the DataTraveler Reader had a single card reader, this one houses 2 - one on either side. One section can read MMC/SD cards, while the other side is for microSD and miniSD cards.
When you slide a card into the specific reader, it gets locked-in. To eject it from the reader, there is a hinge provided above each of the 2 readers that helps slide it out. The side that houses the MMC/SD card reader has an LED which lights up when attached to a PC, and blinks to denote activity. The card reader is designed in such a way that it takes up more space than a standard pen-drive, and hence, blocks USB ports beside the ones it is slotted into.
Three Removable Devices show up in Explorer when you plug the reader into a USB port; there is no need for drivers. All three card formats can be accessed simultaneously.
For performance benchmarks, we carried out a simple read/write test with the cards provided to us - a Kingston 2 GB SD 50X Elite Pro, and an 8 GB SDHC card. We compared the read/write speeds to a laptop card reader and the DataTraveler Reader. We used the 2GB SD 50X Elite Pro to get the best scores.

Single File 700 MB

Laptop

Write: 4.5 MBps (2 Minutes 35 Seconds)

Read: 13.7 MBps (51 seconds)

MobileLite

Write: 8.3 MBps (1 Minute 24 Seconds)

Read: 11.86 MBps (59 Seconds)

The card reader performed well in the write tests. Also, add to that the card used was a 50X Elite Pro SD card. Under the read tests, there wasn't anything significant with the same 50X card as it gave very similar results to that of a standard card. Another thing to be noted is that this card reader didn't heat up unlike the DataTraveler Reader.

Conclusion

The Kingston MobileLite Reader sells for Rs. 350 with a two year warranty. The reader is just a bit overpriced when compared to standard card readers from Tech-com or other local brands. It's a good piece overall, especially if you have devices that use any of the three basic formats that this reader supports. Like your mobile has uses microSD and you have a digicam that supports MMC/SD cards, this will be a good addition to your portable kit.

Logitech MX Air Mouse Now in India

Logitech's MX Air Rechargeable Cordless Air Mouse, a versatile laser mouse that works on the desk and in the air is now available in the country.
The MX Air Mouse can be used like a TV remote control wherein the user can sit back and air navigate the PC to enjoy media content effortlessly
The new mouse combines three important technologies -- Freespace motion control, gesture command, and wireless -- so people can point, select, and play media files with just a flick of the wrist.
Freespace motion control technology provides accurate, responsive navigation without any of the limitations imposed by previous in-air pointing devices. Users can hold the mouse in any orientation, point in any direction, and enjoy effortless, intuitive cursor control, according to Logitech.
Additionally, sophisticated algorithms are capable of distinguishing between intentional and unintentional hand movements, thus canceling slight involuntary tremors experienced when holding a device in the air.
Gesture-based commands allow users to change the volume by means of gestures. Users can press and hold the volume button, and simply gesture to the left to decrease volume, or to the right to increase volume.
In place of a traditional scroll wheel, the MX Air Mouse features a touch-sensitive scroll panel. A swipe of the finger across the surface enables the scrolling mechanism. In addition, there are large, Orange backlighted buttons for media functions like Play/Pause, Volume/Mute, Back, and Select.
The mouse uses Logitech's 2.4 GHz Digital Cordless technology, which offers a range of up to 30 feet (10 meters).
The Logitech MX Air Rechargeable Cordless Air Mouse is available for Rs 8,995, along with a 3-years replacement warranty.

1947 Limited Edition from Vertu

Commemorating Ferrari's 60th Anniversary, Vertu, in association with Ferrari, reportedly launched it's newest collection, the "Vertu Ascent Ferrari 1947 Limited Edition" at a glittering function in Mumbai yesterday.
Vertu claims working closely with the Ferrari design team on developing this limited edition phone. And to underline the exclusivity, only 1947 models of the phone will be ever made, bearing serial numbers from 1 to 1947.
1947 also happens to be the year when founder Enzo Ferrari built the first car to bear the famed Prancing Horse marque.
According to Vertu, the Ascent Ferrari 1947 Limited Edition handset uses hand-polished Titanium for the chassis, while drawing inspiration from Ferrari GT cars. Going further, the handset is encased in red and black Ferrari leather with black lacquer stripes running at the sides.
The bezel nose on the front features the Ferrari Prancing Horse, while the rear back plate bears a scaled-down Ferrari brake pedal crafted out of aluminium, claims Vertu.
The phone sports a high resolution sapphire crystal screen, stainless steel keys, and jeweled bearings; and features 4 hours talk time and 270 hours standby time, Bluetooth support, plus the capacity to store up to 1,000 contacts, 900 calendar notes, and 100 SMS.

Said to be handcrafted in UK, the limited edition phone comes along with a stylish case made from matching Ferrari red and black leather.

While the phone is available in stores pan-India, it carries a prohibitive price -- Rs 3.89 lakhs.

As of now, socialite Sunny Diwan of the Dheeraj Group is the only Indian owner of the Vertu Ascent Ferrari 1947 Limited Edition (number 60/1947). He coughed-up a whopping Rs 13.5 lakhs for the phone. Other bidders included Bollywood actor Jackie Shroff, and Sanjay Ghadvi, director of the 'Dhoom' series.

Logic 3 iPod Speaker Systems in India

IDLDPL has reportedly introduced the Logic 3 family of iPod speaker systems in the Indian market.
Logic 3 i-Station products are available in six models, including i-Station, i-Station 9, i-Station 8, i-Station 7, i-Station 3, and i-Station Traveller. The i-Stations recharge the iPod battery while it plays, and they all feature plug-n-play.

According to IDLDPL, the most advanced speaker system for iPod is the i-Station 8. The i-Station 8 is fitted with a backlit LCD to show track information, and display commands when using the multi-function remote control. The i-Station 8 operates from a combination of active sub-woofer, passive bass-radiator, and 8 neodymium drivers strategically placed in a vertical-line-array to deliver clear sound.
IDLDPL says with Logic 3 i-Stations, it is possible to play other mp3 players as well.
Logic 3 i-Station 9 and i-Station 8 are immediately available through retail stores (Reliance, Planet M), and some B2C Web sites.
The i-Station 9 and i-Station 8 are priced at Rs 7,999 and Rs 9,999 respectively.

Lenovo Unveils the 3000 Y410 NB

Lenovo has reportedly unveiled it's 3000 Y410 NB with multimedia features and an Audio DJ capability that enables users play music when their laptops are turned-off.

The notebook weighs around 2.54 kg, and features a 14.1-inch wide-screen, front facing Dolby Home Theater speakers, integrated microphone, integrated Webcam, integrated recordable drive and shuttle center, and the latest edition Audio DJ.
The notebook incorporates a 5-in-1 multi-card reader, three USB ports, IEEE1394 interface for high speed communication between two devices, and Easy Capture that is a multimedia software application for easy photo editing, etc.

Powered by Intel Core 2 Duo T7100 processor 1.8Ghz, the notebook features 2GB RAM, 160 GB HDD, and discrete graphic nvidia GeForce Go 8400M GS.

It comes pre-loaded with Microsoft Vista Home Basic and the Premium edition, and offers connectivity options including integrated 802.11 a/b/g wireless LAN, 10/100 Ethernet, and Blue tooth.

The Y410 has security features such as biometric face recognition technology and one touch recovery, and a battery life of up to 4 hours.

The Y410 NBs are available at all Lenovo authorized storefronts with prices starting at Rs 50,000.

Sony s Swarovski Crystal DAP (E010)

This isn t the first player to come studded with some exotic stones. Sony has teamed with Abiste Corporation to role out the limited edition of the Walkman E010 in 1GB, 2GB and 4GB capacities. It is available in pink, violet, black, blue, and gold colors, and has a removable cap is where all of the Swarovski glass crystals are placed. When you place an order for any of these chic DAPs, they take two months to reach you

The 1GB will run you $134 (Rs. 5,400) while the 2GB will cost you $160 (Rs. 6,400) and as for the 4GB, it's $210 (Rs. 8,400). Take your pick quickly before the stock runs out as it is limited edition.

Fiire - Linux based Media Center

Having Linux based Media Center doesn't burn a hole in your pocket, but enables you to have a good rig to sizzle your entertainment. Fiire is a company doing just that - it sells media boxes and remotes. Their rig is based on the FiireEngine; it's a $799 (Rs.33, 237) box which packs an AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+ processor, a 1GB of RAM, 160GB HDD, RAID support for 6 eSATA drives (that would take the total capacity to 6TB), with a motherboard having an on-board the NViDIA 6200 graphics chipset. The system has DVI, VGA, S-video, but unfortunately no HDMI.

The FiireEngine accesses the company's FiireStation ($499-$899) set-top box to provide entertainment to wall-mount units. The remote provided, FiireChief ($149) controls the media center. You can have a "follow" wherein you can play a video in one room, move to the next room, and continue to watch the same video on a different screen in a different room. How cool is that? But I can see those dollars summing up to a way bigger amount. Well a cool concept with a high price tag, and still no HDMI is degrading

Malaysian laptop thieves using mystery gadget to pick which cars to break into

Malaysia's New Straits Times reports that tech-savvy thieves in the district of Petaling Jaya have been using a "special gadget" in order to identify which parked cars have laptops hidden inside of them, with 255 laptops stolen from cars there so far this year. The police, who have not been able to get their hands on one of these mysterious devices, are stumped and are recommending that people carry their laptops with them rather than leave them in their cars. There have been a few (almost certainly) apocryphal tales of thieves using WiFi and Bluetooth to detect the presence of a laptop in a car or home, anyone have any idea what these guys are using? Are they shopping at the Engadget store, or are the police there just trying to come up with a fancy rationale for a crime wave?

The Mysterious Nintendo DS Mp3 Player

Nintendo's set to release an official MP3 player for the nintendo DS, making it not only a game machine and a web browser, but a musical playing device too.The specs

• For Nintendo Ds (to be inserted into slot 2) and Game Boy Advance hardware
• To store music you need SD cards. Up to 2 GB cards are supported, this equals to 500 songs
• Choose between different skins
• The interface shows all important information
• The unit itself features another headphone port

The tentantive price and release dates are 29.99 Euros and October 8 respectively