Archive for August, 2008
Join Bose announces SoundDock Series II digital music system
Bose is back again, this time with the SoundDock Series II digital music system that caters to both iPod and iPhone owners, bringing home high-quality audio performance despite being small in size. This is also the first “Works with iPhone” certified SoundDock system from Bose, and I’m sure it won’t be the last.
The system features a new auxiliary input that lets users connect other audio devices, such as an MP3 player, portable CD player or music-enabled phone. It provides dock-and-play simplicity and will charge an iPod or iPhone while in use. No additional setup is required. An included infrared remote controls the system and basic iPod and iPhone functions, including playlist navigation, from across the room. Volume controls are located on the unit. The SoundDock Series II system works seamlessly with the iPhone 3G and original iPhone models. It also works with most iPod models, including iPod touch and any iPod featuring a click wheel, including all nano, mini, photo, video and classic models.
If you do not yet have an iPod/iPhone speaker dock of any kind, would you consider the SoundDock Series II system when it is released early next month for $299?
Talking Wicked Witch Of The West
If you don’t like kids to mess up your lawn, why not get the Talking Wicked Witch Of The West? This nasty piece of work will definitely scare those who lack the necessary intestinal fortitude away from your home, although with the amount of horror media saturating our kids’ minds these days, they might end up loving the Talking Wicked Witch Of The West.
This is the 5′ 2″ tall statue of the infamous Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz that repeats the classic phrase “I’ll get you, my pretty… and your little dog, too!” spoken by Margaret Hamilton from the original 1939 film’s soundtrack when unsuspecting visitors activate its sound and vibration detection sensor. Suggestive of all the iconic character’s powers of enchantment, the witch stands menacingly with outstretched green clawed hands, and issues her warning – the leitmotif “Almira Gulch’s/Witch’s Theme” followed by Hamilton’s own voice – from a built-in speaker. Made from polyresin and painted in high-gloss lacquer for a look that resembles the finest porcelain, the statue’s facial features replicate the same striking details from Hamilton’s character, including the green skin, pronounced nose, gnashed teeth, wavy black hair, and furrowed brows – even the wart on the right side of her elongated chin. Every detail of the witch’s costume is reproduced, including her billowing black cape, bodice, full-length puffed sleeve dress, pointed hat with scarf, and belt pouch. For indoor or protected outdoor use. Requires two AA batteries.
I’d be careful about leaving this outside my home though, especially when it costs a whopping $2,500 to bring home in the first place.
Yamaha beings to ship BODIBEAT
Yamaha has finally taken up the task to ship it’s BODiBEAT device that threw up quite a storm when it was first unveiled. Just to recap, the BODiBEAT prides itself in being the first music player in the world that is able to select songs that match the pace of the user’s workout. This is made possible by synchronizing automatically one’s musical selections to the steps of the user’s walk or run. I wonder what happens when most of the songs are of the same beat, will the software tear its virtual hair out in frustration due to being unable to find a match? I would normally think that once a person’s workout pace drops, it is imperative to pick up that lost pace by increasing the speed of music and not the other way round, but I won’t argue with Yamaha on this point.
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Microsoft SideWinder X6 keyboard
Microsoft has taken the opportunity to announce the SideWinder X6 keyboard at the Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany, adding yet another member to the venerable SideWinder line of gaming peripherals from the software giant. It seems as though Microsoft Hardware laid low for quite some time, and the SideWinder name has not exactly lighted up the gaming world for some time already, so hopefully the X6′s debut will change all that. This is touted to be the most versatile gaming keyboard on the market thanks to the pioneering switchable key pad which can be attached to either the left or right side of the keyboard, catering for both left- and right-handers.
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Universities now luring students with iPods and iPhones
First it was free internet. Then, some universities were offering free laptops to students. And now, the Gray Old Lady reports that colleges are taking advantage of the popularity of both the iPod and iPhone by offering incoming students one of each.
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Digital Phone Set makes your home phone all “i-phoney”
It’s kinda hard for Ma Bell landlines to compete with the uber coolness and mobility that is the iPhone. A simple phone at home just rings and maybe has voicemail built in. So how can that compete with a million iPhone apps, built in camera, video player and wifi access? It doesn’t have a chance. Unless, of course, the landline you have is powered by the OpenFrame Home Phone Communication System by OpenPeak.
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Chococlock dispenses chocolate every hour
If you have a serious love for chocolate and need a way to make the time pass a bit faster while you’re stuck in this office, you might pick up one of these. Every single hour it will present a chocolaty treat to you and you have to snatch it off of the tray before it closes back up again. Which means you’ll have to watch the clock a bit closer, as if you weren’t watching it closely enough before. Sadly watching the clock never seems to make it move any faster, in fact it seems to go slower. Luckily if you need an extra boost you can hit the cheat button.
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Olympus Mju 1060
No sooner than I have reported on the Olympus FE-340, that the company has just announced a new digital camera model with the Mju 1060 Optical Zoom Compact Digital Camera. This camera is a point-and-shoot model that has 10 Megapixels and a 7x optical zoom.
Other features include Dual Image Stabilization to avoid blurring. The Advanced Face Detection can detect up to 16 persons for “perfectly focused and exposed faces plus correct exposure of other image areas”.
The Intelligent Auto mode can detect the most five used scene functions and can adjust the settings, focus, and exposure automatically. It also has Shadow Adjustment Technology and a panorama function for excellent widescreen images. There is also a TruePic III image processor for quicker image handling to promote higher image quality.
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