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Hot Gadget Predictions For 2008

GeekSugar — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 13:16:56 -0800

Wondering what's going to be hot and not-so-hot in the upcoming year? Here are some of my gadget predictions for 2008!

OLED Televisions: Surprisingly OLED TV's weren't overly popular in 2007, even though they created quite the buzz with their super-slim design, energy saving technology, and exceptional screen quality. I can't help but think they are going to make a huge comeback in '08. Be sure to stay tuned for Samsung's latest prototype, a 31-inch OLED TV.

More Sleek and Stylish Storage Devices: For those of us who carry our portable storage devices on us 24/7, keep your eyes peeled for some fun new USB flash drives in '08. Check out these new flash drives from PQI called the Traveling Disk i201 which come in strawberry, pink, banana yellow, and blueberry blue colors. Storage capacity ranges from 1GB to 4GB.

Portable Media Players: Now that downloading movies off the net has become so quick and easy, more and more people will be investing in portable media players. Philips new flash based personal media player is fresh on the scene and is going to be a hot buy. With 2, 4 or 8GB capacities, a 3.5" LCD display, built-in speakers, and a five hour video life, you can't help but wish you got one for Christmas!

Fashionable and Functional Gadget Accessories: Gel cell phone cases became a growing trend towards the end of '07, so I'm sure we'll see more colors and designs in '08. With the debut of Kodak's chic new camera cases which were also a hit, you're guaranteed to see alot more custom-designed carrying cases for electronics throughout the year.

eReaders: With the release of Amazon's Wireless Reading Device, the Kindle last November, I couldn't help but get absorbed into the eReader frenzy. These handy devices are simple to use, lightweight and can hold over 200 book titles. . .It's time to say good-bye to our paperbacks and hello to the world of electronic-paper in 2008!

The Perfect Geek-Chic Fourth of July Chair

GeekSugar — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:00:04 -0700

If you've got the day off work and plan to take part in some Fourth of July festivities, have I got the chair for you! Taking you from poolside parties during the day to fireworks shows at night, the G-Flex Sound Booster Portable Audio Chair by Pyramat is not only a comfortable rest station for your butt, it's also a mini entertainment hub!

Powered by four AA batteries, this media chair features two built-in hi-fi performance speakers, and can easily connect to your portable gaming device, MP3 player and even a TV. And with the iPod/MP3 docking station's holster, you can remain plugged in while switching from music to game mode. Portability is easy with the included carrying handle, and you can easily fold up this chair when it's not in use.

And now for the best part - the price! Prices start at about $22 (for the pink one), which isn't too shabby, considering other media chairs can cost upwards of $500. Talk about a great conversation piece for a party!

Samsung Releases New Bluetooth-Enabled MP3 Players

GeekSugar — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 05:00:06 -0700

Samsung Electronics has released two new digital audio players, the YP-P2 and YP-T10. Both players boast built-in Bluetooth 2.0 capability, which means they offer wireless listening whether connecting to Bluetooth 2.0 headphones or speakers.

I got to check out the models at a recent press event and must say they are each small, but have fair-to-moderate sized screens for media viewing. I was intrigued by the design, which is decidedly un-iPod and something all you PC users might want to check out. The Samsung P2 (seen at left) and T10 (seen at right) MP3 players will be available in the US in September of 2007 but pricing is still to be announced.

To check out additional pictures and product information, read more

YP-P2: Widescreen Portable Video

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The P2 features an array of functions including video, music, photos, voice recording, FM radio and text, as well as portable file storage. It's 0.4 inches thick, but has a 3-inch wide screen. The high-resolution screen displays 30 frames per second in 16:9 screen ratio for seamless and steady video playback. The P2 features up to 35 hours of music playback, up to 5 hours of movie playback and is available with 4 GB and 8 GB NAND flash memory. The P2 is available in black, white and burgundy.

YP-T10

View 5 Photos ›

The T10 features full functionality in a slim player. It's 0.3 inches thick and 1.5 ounces, and T10 combines a music player, FM radio, photo album, video player, voice recorder, text reader and game player all in one. The T10 features 4 GB memory and is offered in three colors.

Samsung Wins 12 Design and Engineering Awards

GeekSugar — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 14:06:59 -0800

Samsung Electronics has won 12 International CES Innovations 2007 Design and Engineering Showcase Awards. Samsung's award-winners include three handheld cellular phones, two Plasma HDTVs, two digital audio players, two Home Theater-in-a-Box systems, a multifunction color laser printer, an ultra-Mobile PC, and a cutting edge washing machine. I must say, while the awards are varied, I'm not surprised. Samsung is such an eclectic company, but they deliver innovative, clean designs that I'm always intrigued by.

The "Honoree" Awards included:

HP-T5054 50" Plasma HDTV
HP-T5064 50"Plasma HDTV with Multi Media Center
Samsung K5 portable digital audio player
Samsung K3 Portable digital audio player

View 12 Photos ›

For details on the rest of the lineup, just read more

Zeus WF327XAB [washing machine]
HT-X250 600-Watt Home Theater System
HT-TXQ120 1000-Watt Home Theater System
Q1P Ultra Mobile PC
CLX-3160FN color multifunction printer
Samsung SCH-i760 phone
Samsung SGH-a727 phone
Additional phone model to be announced

Daily Tech: Pics of Samsung's New S2 and S3 Players Surface

GeekSugar — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:00:19 -0700

Samsung's fresh new line of glossy portable media players will be available this June. - Engadget
Get ready Grand Theft Auto fans, Best Buy has just announced their locations that will be opening for a midnight launch of Grand Theft Auto IV! - Kotaku
The iPhone DevCenter has just announced that the iPhone SDK Beta 4 is out with OpenGL support.- CrunchGear
The US Defense Intelligence Agency has been using PC games to teach spies critical thinking skills. - Wired
TeamSugar user tdamji has discovered Ecocho, a new search engine that fights climate change. - Technology & Gadgets

Tech News Roundup - If Apple Made a Touchscreen Computer...

GeekSugar — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 12:00:36 -0700

It's funny cause it's true. If Apple Made a Touchscreen Computer... - Gizmodo
Everyone needs to know how to get their Mario on! NES emulator released for the iPhone - Engadget
Are you a Dead head? There's a decal for you out there somewhere. Decal Girl customizes your iPhone - Shiny Shiny
Could Commodore's rise out of vintage computer obscurity also mean that we should expect a line of portable media players? Commodore lends geek cred to MP3 players - Crave
Think you lost your photos? Tech Tip: Recover Your Lost Memory Card - Apartment Therapy

CES 2008: In Awe of eMagin's OLED Microdisplay Headset

GeekSugar — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 10:00:14 -0800

Before you start laughing, I'll admit that eMagin's SVGA 3DS OLED-XL microdisplay headsets aren't particularly sexy, but who needs glamorous gear when you've got extraordinary pieces of technology right before your eyes?! With this microdisplay you get both analog- and digital-signal process in a tiny compact display, therefore eliminating the need for an external television screen.
When I tested out the OLED microdisplay, it was connected to a Dreamaz Indicube personal media player, which allowed me to watch videos on a virtual screen size equivalent to 52 incheds by 2 meters! A great invention for those who would like to experience their videos from their iPod on a larger (portable) screen in complete privacy. The company plans to start shipping headsets in March.

Tech News Roundup

GeekSugar — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 17:07:29 -0800

Popgadget's got its hands on a Vessel portable Luau lamp. It's romantic, chic and a must-have.
Born Rich is featuring a CD player that looks like a piano. Talk about geek chic.
Engadget takes a look at HP's MediaSmart HDTV with Vista Media Center Extender. What more could you want from a television?
Chip Chick found an amazing stylish ant lounger with buddy pillow. The chair is so stylish you forget how innovative and techie it is.
Wired's got the rumor update - did Steve Jobs invite his friends to his keynote address on Tuesday? According to the rumor mill, the answer is yes.
Gadget Candy found WowWee's cutesy Robopanda. It's even cuter than it sounds.
Gizmodo's got its eyes on a Star Wars Projector Shaped Like R2D2, Does Not Project Leia Holos. I need one stat!

Apple Files Lawsuit Against Sex Shop

GeekSugar — Mon, 28 May 2007 06:46:10 -0700

Nowadays it seems as though everything is getting the i makeover. Ever since Apple unveiled the iPod in October 2001, it has become one of the most popular portable media players on the market. And with its popularity came the popularity of all things "i."

Another product getting 'i' enhanced is the iGasm, a vibrator by Ann Summers that connects to any music device through a headphone jack that will...you guessed it...vibrate to the beat.

Needless to say, Apple wasn't overly enthused about this new product which uses the company's recognizable 'i' in its name. But what really irked them was the fact that the iGasm's ads were practically identical to the signature Apple silhouette ads. According to the Product Reviews Net, Apple is now threatening to sue Ann Summers for using this image for her iGasm advertisements.

What are your thoughts? Do you think Apple is suing because of the silhouette ad similarity? Or do you think they want to steer clear from any 'erotic' product associations? Leave your comments below!

Use Microsoft SyncToy to Backup Your Data

GeekSugar — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 00:08:34 -0800

Just picture it... You are up in the middle of the night finishing off a project, which of course is due tomorrow. All of a sudden, your screen goes blank. You ctrl+alt+del a hundred times, restart your laptop and there it is... the infamous blue screen. Remember when Carrie's laptop crashed on Sex and the City? Heart wrenching! With so many sources feeding your laptop with data (your digital camera, e-mail, cell phone, portable media player, camcorder, PDA) it is essential to use a program such as the SyncToy for Windows XP, which can help you copy, move, and synchronize different directories.

Download the SyncToy PowerToy from the Microsoft PowerToys for Windows XP website.