T-Mobile responds to Vodafone iPhone injunction: $1,500 unlocked iPhones

T-Mobile just issued a press release in response to Vodafone's efforts to unravel the iPhone exclusive offering in Germany. In the statement, T-Mobile claims that they will appeal the ruling (they have two weeks to do so) and will continue selling the iPhone unabated. T-Mobile defends the locking strategy as good for consumers who receive preferential data rates and access to T-Mobile hotspots as a result. In addition, T-Mobile says that it will likely claim damages against Vodafone for the mess they're causing. Perhaps T-Mob hasn't noticed all the free press they (and Apple) are receiving?
Update: Reuters confirms that T-Mobile will sell the iPhone in Germany unlocked -- that will be the first unlocked iPhone officially available. The catch: it's €999! That's $1,478 at the current exchange rate for a phone which cost €399 (with contract) just a few minutes ago. Hackers and unlockers, your services are still required.

Cowon's US-bound Q5W gets price, release date

Good news for those not-so-patiently awaiting the launch of Cowon's totally hopped up Q5W (formerly known as the Q5) -- the US-bound uber-PMP is set to launch next week for slightly more jack than we heard earlier this year. Specs wise, we're looking at a 5-inch WVGA (800 x 480) display, 128MB of DDR2 SDRAM, 64MB of Flash memory, 802.11b/g WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, WinCE 5.0, a voice recorder, photo / text viewer, USB connectivity and support for more file formats than you can shake a flip-out antenna at. 'Course, such a well-spec'd unit won't come sans a premium, so don't be too shocked when you see that the 40GB version will run you $549.99 while the 60GB iteration demands an extra $50.

Microsoft clears up Zune 80 availability issues

Those of you searching in vain for a Zune 80 may not have longer to wait -- Cesar over at Zune Insider has just posted a note about the situation, saying that all the Zunes are ready and shipping, but the Zune 80 won't be widespread for the next 7-10 days. Apparently Microsoft's sales forecasts called for it to produce more flash Zunes, but the strong reaction from the press and consumers has led to increased interest in the Zune 80 instead -- which seems like the sort of thing you commission sales forecasts for, but hey, live and learn. Anyway, Microsoft's sorted things out and scaled up Zune 80 production, so all of you aching to get 80GBs deep into the social should be good by next week.

Study links WiFi with childhood autism

While there seems to be relatively few things that WiFi hasn't been linked to, it seems that a new study has managed to turn up yet another potential peril, in this case a link to childhood autism. According to the study published in the Australasian Journal of Clinical Environmental Medicine, the electromagnetic radiation from WiFi devices supposedly causes metals to be trapped in individuals' brain cells, which the researchers say slows clearance and accelerates the onset of autism symptoms. As Computer Weekly points out, however, a number of health agencies, including the World Health Organization, have repeatedly examined the issue and found no danger from WiFi devices (or cellphones, for that matter) operating at levels below international guidelines. Still, we have a sneaking suspicion that this is far from the last study of this sort we'll see, at least until each WiFi router shipped comes bundled with a tinfoil bodysuit.

Axiom Audio reveals real-wood PC speakers with plenty of oomph

We aren't about to believe that Axiom Audio's Audiobyte is actually the first luxury speaker system made for the PC, but it's pretty swank, regardless. The setup consists of a pair of ultra-compact speakers, a dedicated stereo amplifier and an optional (but totally necessary) subwoofer. Additionally, the firm offers 'em up in seven different finishes including lacquered, real-wood Burled Walnut, and the standalone amplifier pushes some 55-watts to each 6.5- x 5.5- x 4-inch speaker. The pair houses a 1-inch titanium dome tweeter and a 3-inch aluminum cone woofer, and the optional Audiobyte subbie packs an isobarically-loaded 6.5-inch driver, but is unfortunately passive in nature. Interestingly, the system's amplifier features an integrated USB plug, so DAPs can be plugged in directly for audio playback sans a running PC. As for pricing, the 2.0 setup will run you between $349 and $559 depending on finish, and the optional subwoofer will tack on another $179 to whichever pair you choose. Click on for one more look, won'tcha?

Sony's XEL-1 OLED TV limited to 2000 units

At this point, it's not clear if the interest around Sony's ultra-thin, XEL-1 OLED TV is plain ol' first-gen technology, gawker enthusiasm or valid consumer interest. As such, it's hard to say whether an initial production run of just 2,000 units spread across 700 stores in Japan is going to be a problem or not. However, if you're lucky enough to stumble across this storefront display you'd best not dawdle and dig deep for that ¥200,000 (about $1700 US) MSRP right then and there. As for the rest of us, the chances of that 1,000,000:1 contrast coming to the North America or Europe any time soon is just that, a million to one.

Hands-on with miShare

Today we got an exclusive look at that miShare unit we spotted last week, and it seems to do exactly what it says on the box. If you missed it, the miShare is a little Linux-based device with a pair of iPod docking ports that can shuttle files from one iPod to another. We got to see it in action with a pair of nanos, and the operation was pretty painless -- if a little sluggish, they're claiming about 500K a second, at the low end of the USB 2.0 spectrum. The process involves plugging your iPods in and pushing the center button once they're both mounted. You can select on the miShare whether you want pictures movies or music, and the device will automatically transfer the last played or viewed item of that type. If you hold the button down for a second it'll instead transfer the iPod's On-the-Go playlist. You'll probably have a bit more trouble getting the files you've received onto your computer (hint: you'll want to enable manual library management) but instructions are included to make it as painless as possible. The miShare itself is battery powered, and can be charged with an included AC adapter. You should be able to pre-order the unit within a week, and shipments are set to begin next month. The device has been designed and marketed from start to finish by a pair of guys that'd love to hear your suggestions, so be sure to sound off in the comments.

Boynq rolls out Wake Up iPod speaker alarm clock

Yeah, what you see above actually is yet another iPod speaker / alarm clock mashup, but being that it's from Boynq, it looks noticeably better than most of the alternatives. The interestingly designed device does quite a few things aside from wake you from your slumber, as it also includes an FM radio and line in / out ports to compliment the built-in equalizer and 20-watts of amplification. Best of all, this thing plays nice with every dock-connecting iPod ever created (including the iPhone "on models produced after January 1st"), and the remote controllable snooze practically guarantees that you'll never be on time for anything again. Talk about user friendly..

Gears of War Goes Gold

The PC version of Gears of War has gone gold and should hit the stores globally on November 9. Now even if you’ve played through this game on the Xbox 360, you may want to check out the PC version since it brings a couple of new things to the table – such as a new boss fight (Brumak), newer levels, newer achievements, a new MP mode, and complete access to the game’s level editor.



Windows gamers can look forward to the Gears of War experience for the very first time, and will get to choose between doing battle via mouse and keyboard, or using the Windows-enabled Xbox 360 controller.

There's no word from Microsoft regarding the Indian release date, but we'll keep you updated as and when that happens.

Xbox 360 to get built-in HD DVD drive in late 2008

This certainly isn't the first time we've heard this rumor, but SmartHouse is reporting that Microsoft and Toshiba are working on an updated Xbox 360 with a built-in HD DVD drive. If that were all, we wouldn't bat an eye -- it's gotta happen sometime -- but there are some other, crazier aspects to this version of the rumor that set off some red flags: SmartHouse also claims that the new box will be Toshiba-branded and have dual HDTV tuners, electronic program guide capabilities, built-in wireless networking, and sport an "MP3 player" dock, which we'd imagine would be for a Zune. That's a hell of a box, right there, and while we've seen similar devices like Sony's PSX, they didn't exactly take the world by storm. Our money is still on a simple bump of the existing 360 to HD DVD, but get ready to hear a lot of about this rumor in the weeks to come.

How would you change the Palm Centro?

Palm's Centro hasn't exactly lit the world on fire, but might it have if it were simply tweaked in a few key areas? As we've done a number of times before, we're presenting to you yet another Palm device that could probably use some refining, and we're curious to know what alterations you would've made if given the chance. It's been an interesting past couple of months for Palm, to say the very least, and while the firm's CEO has shockingly responded to an open letter, saddened us all by announcing yet another OS delay and inexplicably (okay, maybe not so much) nixed the Foleo during that period, it still found time to officially introduce the sub-$100 Centro at an admittedly underwhelming DigitalLife press conference.

We're not setting out to beat a proverbial dead horse or anything -- after all, you know precisely how we feel about the device -- but there's nothing like a healthy dose of criticism (or adoration, to be fair) from the masses. So, here's your chance to let loose and tell the rest of us Earthlings exactly how you would've re-engineered the Centro. Are those keys a tad too diminutive for your liking? Is the whole "Sprint-only" thing cramping your style? Or is Palm's latest darling exactly what your heart desired? Rant away.

SanDisk Sansa TakeTV 8GB video player leaked

Vanilla USB flash drives are so passé, so for those who want a little more flavor more from their generic sticks of memory, might we point you to the SanDisk Sansa TakeTV, apparently freshly leaked by way of buy.com? (It also briefly appeared on PC Mag's site and SanDisk's forums among other sites.) Sure, the TakeTV an 8GB flash drive, but it's also intended to plug into a USB dock with TV outs (and remote), which is capable of reading and decoding the DivX, XviD, and MPEG-4 video files up to 720 x 576 and 7Mbps for playback on your TV. All the old school simplicity of home sneakernet combined with the one-stop-shop convenience of a USB flash drive. Unfortunately buy.com won't tell us when it's out or how much it'll cost, so no one gets to take home TakeTV just yet.

slider is an 8GB N-Gager

Remember the sidetalkin' N-Gage? Yeah... well, this isn't it. This is Nokia's new N-81 gaming device built upon their revamped N-Gage gaming platform. The S60 device packs HSDPA (sorry, no US band support) for on-line gaming, integrated speakers (and 3.5-mm headphone jack), and D-pad navigation for getting your game on. Still, it's not just for gaming as it fully supports all the audio and video you'd expect in a new "pane-driven," UI which carousels your windows instead of lining them up in tabs -- a UI which will evolve in the coming months in line with Ovi. On sale Q4 in Europe in an 8GB flash model (€431/$585) or €360/$490 pre-bunged with a 2GB microSD card.

Sony has set up Playstation 3 kiosks at Shinhan Banks in Korea

Looks like people have a reason to go to the bank, even if you don’t have any money to dump into it.

Sony has set up Playstation 3 kiosks at Shinhan Banks in Korea. Besides the conventional print ads and commercials, it looks like Sony is pulling out all their ideas trying to get consumers to play their games. Forget BestBuy, they’re pioneering into banks.


And banks aren’t the only place their trying to tap into. In Mokdong, Seoul, a public demonstration of the Playstation 3 was setup in a multiplex theater.


What’s next?PS3 booths in McDonalds!?

What’s next?PS3 booths in McDonalds!? or in public Loosz ? he hee !!

DVD playback enabled on mod-chipped Wiis

A mod chipping company called Team Symbiote has apparently created an application for owners of its Wii mod chip that enables the console to play back DVDs. This may not be the first mod to enable DVD playback, but since Nintendo still hasn't got around to providing the console with playback capabilities, we thought it'd be worth bringing it up again. Nintendo, how about hurrying up and making it so normal people don't have to buy dodgy chips to play a DVD or two on their console?

damn !! wtf !?! which to buy now ? XboX360 ? PS3 ? Or THIS KINDA WII !? hard to make up right ? suggest something for me please ! I got 1 more year of time to buy anyone of them !

Blinged out iPod Shuffle doesn't come cheap

For the small price of 120,000 Norwegian Kroner (around $20,000) you can pick up a concentrated mix of gold, diamonds, and... iPod Shuffle. There's not a lot more to this blinged out creation: why anyone would want to place twenty gees worth of precious carbon on a $99 gadget, we'll never know.

India’s 1st GPS Navigation Solution

Satguide is India’s 1st GPS Navigation Solution which can guide the user from Kashmir to Kanyakumari across all national highways of the country. SatGuide also has detailed maps of the six metros for intra-city navigation. Satguide navigates the user to a desired location using GPS Technology. A user who has installed Satguide on his/her pocket PC has to select the destination point as the first input prior to starting, Satguide will then suggest the best possible route on a map displayed on the screen of Pocket PC. While driving, it prompts the user through voice commands with "turn-by-turn" directions to reach the destination

That would be really helpful & kool for me as I am an Indian and I'm damn sure that our city is in that 6 city metro list !! Hmmm will be using the service soon !

Boynq offers up a myriad of artsy speakers, peripherals

It's been a tick since we've seen any randomness from Boynq's labs, but it looks like the firm has worked up quite a number of design-centric speaker stations, iPod sound systems, and superfluous USB-related gizmos of late. Among the standouts are the iCube II (pictured), which sports ten-watts of amplification, an iPod docking port, line-in, dedicated treble / bass controls, and a rather sexy look, too. Additionally, the tooth-shaped Sabre operates much like the aforementioned device but touts twice the wattage and a video output, and the USB-powered Alibi webcam looks an awful lot like a robotic pet of some sort. Do yourself a favor and check out a few more photos of Boynq's zany lineup after the jump.

Xbox 360 Halo 3 Special Edition

Damn !! I'm still dreaming about getting ma XboX 360 !!

Kodak's New Wi-Fi Card

Kodak has unveiled an 802.11b WiFi card for its Easyshare Printer Dock Plus. With the card inserted in the dock you can send pictures from a docked Easyshare camera across your wireless network, allowing you to share, display or print anywhere the signal is strong enough. The dock also becomes a wireless printer for any 802.11b-enabled computer or Easyshare camera. It should be available in June for just under $100.
So not only does Kodak not want you to go to Wal-Mart to print your photos, they don't even want you to walk over to your computer and plug your camera in. This may fall into the category of giving us what we didn't know we needed, or just giving us what we don't really need, but either way it's a strong attack in the ongoing American war on physical activity. Its been interesting watching Kodak reinvent (and save) itself as a digital imaging company, and it's good to see that process involves innovation and not just massive layoffs

X-Micro rolls out EVA 220, X-VDO F510 portable media players

It's not often X-Micro pops up on our radar, but it looks like the company is still kicking it at the PMP game, with it recently introducing another pair of new players you'll likely have trouble distinguishing from the multitude of similar devices competing for your tunes. On the low(er) end, the company's got its EVA 220 MP3 player, available in 512MB, 1GB, 2GB, and 4GB varieties, and boasting a 128x64 blue blacklit display, a built-in FM radio, and support for nothing more than plain old WMA and MP3 audio. Offering a few more capabilities than that its the company's new X-VDO F510 PMP, which is available in the same 512MB, 1GB, 2GB, 4GB varieties, but adds a 1.8-inch TFT display and support for video playback, among other minor upgrades. No word on pricing or availability for either of 'em just yet though, so you'll have to somehow curb your enthusiasm for the time being.

Lenovo to auction Olympic laptops for charity

In celebration of the "one-year-out mark for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games," Lenovo has just announced that it will be conducting a series of back-to-back, week-long auctions to gift high bidders with its svelte Olympic-themed machine. Beginning on February 8, 2008, a "Cloud of Promise" laptop will be available for bidding each week leading up to the Olympic Games, and a number of them will even be "autographed by athlete ambassadors." Reportedly, "100-percent" of the proceeds will be distributed through the Lenovo Hope Fund to select philanthropies, including Right to Play, and the auctions will take place at the currently unavailable www.lenovohopefundauctions.com website.

Good to see IBM/LENOVO do such charity programs !! - prashanth

Ultra Small TV Tuner Ready To Invade Cellphones

Not an Ultra Small PC, but Ultra Small TV Tuner. Sharp who has been developed the most wanted digital device that will allow users to enjoy TV show on their cellphone, PDA, or other handy mobile devices. Sharp digital TV tuner module “VA3A5JZ912″ is the world’s smallest digital tv tuner been created today. It comes with 7.3 x 7.3 x 1.25 mm of dimension and consumes as low as 85mW of power.
Sharp planned to mass produce the device start in Q3 this year with target 1 million units per month

That's really kewl right ! I find it sooo hmmm

SophiaMobile NANI PDA Phone

Sophia Mobile showcased NANI PDA Phone during the event without threads 2007 of the demonstration of Japan. The measures 140 x 80,5 x 17m m and weigh 180 grams, the telephone work in platform of moving body 6,0 of Windows and 4,3 to an exhibition of inch WVGA, to a connectivity of 802.11b/g WiFI, the interface of the USB, the aid of OTG, WSIM are amused (AirH), and to incorporated player of average with the aid for the formats of MPEG1/2/4, WMV9, DivX, Xvid, WMA, WAV, MP3, and OGG.
You can also include capacities of satnav adding an optional module of the GPS.

Alienware Offers Notebooks with Solid State Drives

The solid state drive (SSD) options has been add to Alien notebook PCs. The offered SSD choices include 32GB units, as well as 64GB RAID 0 option with two 32GB drives.

These Flash memory-based Serial ATA drives are available on the 17-inch Area-51 m9750 and Aurora m9700 laptops, as well as on the 15.4-inch Area-51 m5550.



The system with 32GB solid state drive is for $500 more expensive than the same laptop configuration with a standard 80GB hard drive. If you purchase the Alienware notebook featuring 64GB SSD RAID 0 storage, you will have to pay $920 more when compared to laptop with 160GB HDD RAID 0 solution.

Asus C90 Gaming Laptop

Asus C90, the notebook PC boasts its flexible upgrade capability, allowing users to easily swap its components, including RAM, hard drive, processor, GPU, and optical drive. This is a perfect solution for gamers since the development of gaming technology is quite rapid and always requires higher and higher resources.


The basic configuration of Asus C90 laptop will include an Intel Core 2 Extreme X6800 (2.93GHz) processor, a 512MB GeForce 8600M GT graphics engine, up to 3GB of DDR2 main memory, and a 15.4-inch display with 1680 x 1150 (WSXGA+) resolution. Beside the traditional DVD burner, users can choose between HD-DVD and Blu-Ray drives.