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Pingo – a social-networking robotic penguin gadget

Its tiny, it befriends you and appears to me as slightly creepy. But if you like your social-networking, you’re going to like Pingo. Its a tiny robotic penguin that sits next to your computer and interacts with you, delivers you news, reads emails, RSS feeds, headlines, weather and responds to voice commands – hey it does sound pretty useful! Pingo is also different from other similar products in that it links with the user’s facebook account. It launched two days ago, if you get one of these, you’ll be able to use its dedicated Facebook app to give it a personality, profile as well as manage its daily life.

New York, NY (December 8, 2009) – Pingo is one Facebook friend you’ll never ignore.

Tiny and irresistibly cute, Pingo is the first official mydeskfriend, a tiny robotic penguin launching today at www.mydeskfriend.com.

An ideal holiday gift for anyone passionate about the latest in gadgets, robotic toys, and consumer electronics, the interactive playmate can zoom around desktops, express moods, respond to voice commands, sing songs, and read aloud email messages, headlines, stock quotes, and weather.

The device integrates into its owners’ Facebook account via a Facebook application that allows users to give their device its own name, profile, and personality, as well as nurture its moods and manage its daily life.

Owners can set mydeskfriend up to read RSS newsfeeds from their news sites and blogs, spoil it with food and vitamins from a Facebook gift page, and lull it to sleep by gently rocking it in their hands. Pingo can follow fingers around a desktop, while sensory devices ensure that it never falls off a desk when moving around on its own.

Friends who have their own devices can play and communicate via Facebook, including poking, sending messages, and giving Facebook gifts directly from one Pingo to another.

The device can fit in the palm of hand and displays its moods, like happy and angry, by changing the color of its LED-lit eyes.

mydeskfriend retails for $149.99 and is available for purchase at www.mydeskfriend.com. Orders must be placed before December 14th in order to arrive by December 23rd via priority delivery service. The device is compatible with the following systems: Mac OS (10.5 and 10.6), Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7.

mydeskfriend is developed by Arimaz, a Switzerland-based company specializing in creating entertainment robotic devices and Internet-connected toys.

“mydeskfriend is the first of a new generation of Internet-connected robotic devices,” said Pierre Bureau, the CEO of Arimaz. “It’s fun, entertaining, and helpful, keeping you connected to the Internet and Facebook even when you’re not online.”

Check out the Facebook page mentioned above here.

Thanks to Gita for the tip!

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Gallery: Unboxing new Sony ICF-CL75iP Dream Machine clock radio

We’ve been sent one of Sony’s newest clock radios, the ICF-CL75iP. You will be aware we just only recently reviewed one of Sony’s clock radios, the ICF-C8WM. You can consider the ICF-CL75iP as a step up from the former as it boasts support for USB drives, iPods and iPhones and memory cards. Its also got a massive seven inch WVGA colour LCD. We’ll be reviewing it shortly, but for now check out some pictures we took of its unboxing.

Anything you want to know in particular, just drop us a comment or email!

Christmas SPECIAL: Win a Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) game console bundle with loads of extra gadgets, its worth more than 600 pounds!

Fingerprint scanner equipped iWallet: Ultimate security for your cash and credit cards

Got something important in your wallet? Of course you do, everyone does, but do you have something so important that it needs to be locked up in a fingerprint scanner secured bluetooth wallet? This is exactly what the iWallet is. It may not be Apple related but the iWallet is a personal hard case cash and credit card wallet that is tamper resistant, made of carbon fiber. You can only open it if it recognises your fingerprint with its incorporated biometric reader.

The iWallet’s bluetooth connectivity is used to link to your mobile phone. If both the iWallet and phone are more than 15-30 ft away from each other, a loud alarm will go off. This is to alert you in case you forget either device for instance at a restaurant or if they pick pocket one of them.

A downside though, if you left both out on a restauran table, there will be no chance of this happening. Nevertheless, this new innovative product is very cool and offers a new way of securing your valubles. Its pricetag ranges from $299 to $600 and depends on which material you’d like your iWallet to be made of. Check it out here…

San Diego, California, U.S.A.-December 8,2009- Developed by engineers which work on projects for NASA, the iWallet™ was created to help protect against someone from easily gaining access to your wallets contents:for example parents who have children who like to steal money from their wallet, or employees at a health club who have access to lockers. The iWallet™ can also alert you in the event you forget your wallet, and walk away.

Using Biometric, and Bluetooth Technology, the iWallet™ was developed to recognize the biometric fingerprint scan programmed by the owners choice. Unauthorized access is simply locked out. Combined with available Carbon Fiber and Carbon Fiber with Kevlar hard case construction, (now also available in fiberglass models) the iWallet™ acts as a portable safe protecting ones valuables; cash, credit cards, drivers license, social security cards, etc.

In addition, the iWallet™ can also be paired with mobile phones, and Blackberry’s using Bluetooth technology, should your iWallet™, and phone be separated by 15-30 feet from each other, producing an audible alarm, and acting as a theft deterrent for both your phone, and iWallet™.

Available models include : 100%Carbon Fiber, Two models, Carbon Fiber with Kevlar in a rich, classy black with blue or silvery finish, durable for everyday use, and can be maintained with a soft cleanser, or polished with a cloth like towel. Fiberglass models come in a variety of eight colors, and can be paired with Italian leather interior sleeves.

Pricing and Availability- All Carbon Fiber models come with its own decorative box, and included with a cable for PC charging , and users manual. Suggested retail price $599.95 Fiberglass models come with its own decorative box, cable for PC, manual. MSRP $299.00. All models can be ordered through the iWallet™ website, or by calling the iWallet Corp.

Thanks for the tip Steve!

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D-Link revealed as Boxee hardware partner – Boxee Box to arrive in Q2 2010

The news of an actual dedicated hardware based Boxee device was annouced just last month, however at the time Boxee did not spill any news on who will be its hardware partner. The Boxee Box now its officially called is shaped more like a half-submerged cube, boasts HDMI, SD card slot, two USB 2.0 ports, WiFi, and ethernet for internet connectivity.

The Box will allow streaming of online content and storage of digital media to an HDTV. The device allows users to share playlists with friends on various social networking sites, including Twitter and Facebook. The Boxee Box also facilitates educational purposes such as university courses, panel discussions, academic lectures, presentations and web-only videos.

But its not just video content, Boxee Box users can access great music from sites like Pandora, last.fm, shoutcast, and We are Hunted as well as fun photos from sites like flickr, Picasa and the Facebook.

The Boxee Box is expected to be released in Q2 2010 for about $200.

[via D-Link, CrunchGear]

Christmas SPECIAL: Win a Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) game console bundle with loads of extra gadgets, its worth more than 600 pounds!

Win a Sony PlayStation 3 Slim game console, Logitech Steering Wheel, five PS3 games and more!

Thanks to everyone who took part in our last free gadget giveaway where we gave away the very impressive Xmi X-mini MAX II portable speakers, the lucky winner was randomly chosen today and contacted! Now, what have we got here? We’re now hosting our Christmas special giveaway. This has to be the coolest and funnest giveaway we’ve ever hosted. And because we’re all so excited that its Christmas, we want to spoil you all just abit. We’re going to be giving away for the next two weeks a full package game console and its the one that begins with P – PlayStation 3! And when we say full package, expect nothing less, the winner will not be disappointed.

The Prizes
We’ve got the Slim edition which means it is the newest PlayStation 3 with a slimmer body that consumes less power and weighs less. It also acts as a Blu-ray player and of course being a PS3, you’ll get to play online too.

Specifications? I’m sure most of you will know enough what a PlayStation is, but here it goes. The PlayStation we’re giving away is brand new and will be the 120GB capacity Slim version. In the box you’ll get an HDMI cable, a USB cable and one Sixaxis wireless controller. The console retails here in the for about £250.

But that’s not all!

We know at this time of the year, its not just going to be one person making use of this prize so we’ll also be throwing in a bunch of goodies that will allow you to get the most out of it:

• A DualShock 3 PS3 controller RRP £40
• Logitech Driving Force GT Steering Wheel RRP £80
• A Venom Pyramid Controller Charger RRP £19.99
• Sony Blu-Ray Disc Remote Control RRP £17.99
• Five of the bestselling PS3 games this year, these include Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Assassin’s Creed II, FIFA 10, Need For Speed: Shift and Pro Evolution Soccer 2010 – a total in excess of £200 of top games

So to summarise, there will only be one winner, unfortunately we just don’t have the resource to offer more winners! That one lucky winner will receive all of the above mentioned prizes which sums up to be about £600 or $980 USD.

How to Enter

Anyone, anywhere worldwide can take part. Please participate only once so that everyone will have a fair chance of the random draw at the date specified below. Everyone will have an equal chance of winning no matter when your entry is placed. Late entries will not be counted and ignored. To enter into the giveaway all you need to do is:

1. Subscribe to our RSS feed to stay up to date with us!
2. Leave a comment below with a valid email address (your email won’t be given out), this will allow us to get in touch with you ASAP if you’re the chosen winner.
3. Tell us if you have a game console at the moment and if you win who will you invite over to play along? (Specifying names not necessary, comment content will not affect chances of winning)
   
4. Follow us on Twitter if you’re already a Twitter user, just in case we can’t get in touch with you through email, we will also be announcing our future contests / giveaways via our Twitter! (Any retweet love will be greatly appreciated!)
5. That’s it!
6. Optional – if you’re a blogger yourself and have abit of free time, do a quick post about this giveaway, it will be much appreciated!
7. Optional 2 – this time only! To make it more fun each person can enter up to 10 comments during the next two weeks. Doesn’t matter when you leave your comment, all 10 at once or spread out over the 14 days. This is meant to increase your chances of being drawn when the contest closes on the 20th.

This giveaway will end on the 20th of December at 20:00 GMT, winners will be directly contacted following random draw the next day so please remember to leave valid contact details!

NB: DHL will be the delivery option for UK winners, if you’re non-UK you’ll receive the equivalent amount of Amazon e-gift voucher to ensure that you receive your prize ASAP.

Christmas SPECIAL: Win a Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) game console bundle with loads of extra gadgets, its worth more than 600 pounds!

Geeky gadgets: 4 in 1 Red laser pointer has WiFi

Heading one step forward towards a gadget that does absolutely everything… well at least hopes to – is this 4 in 1 red laser pointer with WiFi. Tagged at a rather hefty $49.95, this latest gadget helps you by detecting WiFi networks near by. 802.11b/g wireless networks are supported and when they are detected, you’ll know that its approximately up to 150-feet away. The 4 in 1 laser pointer is of course also functional as a stylus for mobile devices and mobile phones, a LED flashlight and not to mention a laser pointer.

[via TechFresh]

Christmas SPECIAL: Win a Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) game console bundle with loads of extra gadgets, its worth more than 600 pounds!

USB gadgets: Meet the Gboard – there’s a gadget for Gmail too

Exactly like its name suggests, the Gboard is complementary to your existing keyboard and acts as your personal assistant by allowing you to quickly access your Gmail. If you’re a Gmail user and you’re so busy (or lazy) that you don’t even have the time to click on your browser shortcut then this 19-key Gboard keyboard is what you might want to check out.

Included on the keyboard are the most commonly used shortcuts to include search, stars, reply all, forward, archive, trash, next and so on. To get the Gboard going, just plug the keyboard into an available USB port, enable keyboard shortcuts in Gmail and start enjoying your newfound simplicity

The Gboard will cost you $19.99 should you choose to purchase it directly from the Gboard website.

[via Geeky Gadgets, Coated]

Christmas SPECIAL: Win a Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) game console bundle with loads of extra gadgets, its worth more than 600 pounds!

Apple gives Mac Pro a subtle speed bump

At the end of last week, Apple quietly announced a speed bump for the Mac Pro. The Mac Pro being the most powerful, most expensive and also the only tower-styled Mac has been in need of a speed booster. In addition to speed, new storage options are now available for both the Mac Pro and the Xserve.

For the quad-core Mac Pro (but not the eight-core model), you can now order a 3.33 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon “Nehalem” processor. This is an amazing CPU, with 8 MB of fully shared L3 cache, Hyper-Threading technology, an integrated memory controller, and Turbo Boost for short bursts of speed up to 3.6 GHz. Now that prices have come down a bit on 2 TB hard drives, Apple has made them a configure-to-order option for Mac Pro and Xserve systems. Using high-performance 7200 RPM SATA drives with 32 MB of cache and a potential throughput of 3 Gb/s, the Mac Pro can now have a total storage capacity of 8 TB, while the Xserve can max out at 6 TB of storage. The prices for those of you in the US can be seen in the screenie above, if you’re in the UK, click here to be brought to the UK site.

Christmas SPECIAL: Win a Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) game console bundle with loads of extra gadgets, its worth more than 600 pounds!

Reminder: Xmi X-mini MAX II portable speakers giveaway ends tomorrow

Hey everyone, just a very quick reminder to those who haven’t yet taken part in our Free gadget giveaway: Win Xmi X-mini MAX II portable speakers. I realise not everyone is on Twitter so its better that we give a mention here for those of you who are email subscribers. If you read our review on the speakers last month, you will know how impressed we were with their quality and portability. So if you’re in need of new speakers for your music player or PC, then don’t miss this chance to win a pair of very well made MAX IIs!

The contest ends tomorrow (Sunday) at 20:00 GMT, comments will be closed after this to stop late entries and winner will be notified on Monday! So enter now: Free gadget giveaway: Win Xmi X-mini MAX II portable speakers

NB: A massive gadget giveaway to follow starting from Monday – just cause its Christmas!

Christmas SPECIAL: Win a Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) game console bundle with loads of extra gadgets, its worth more than 600 pounds!

New ultra-thin ASUS laptop UM30

Unfortunately only to be available for those of you in Japan and some parts of Asia. ASUS’s new 19.6 mm-thick UM30 laptop, weighs 1.40 kg, boasts a nice sleek design finish with its shiny aluminum body. It is well equipped with Intel Core 2 Duo SU 9400 processor and runs Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit. A 13.3 inch TFT color LCD display with LED backlight, 320 GB HDD, 3GB DDR2 SDRAM are among its main specs. It will also support SD, SDHC, Mini SD and MMC.

The UM30’s reported retail price is to be around 100,000 yen which works out to be around £680 or $1130 USD, that’s pricing near the high end but considering its a laptop on a diet, this is the pricetag you would more or less expect. The UM30 will be available from tomorrow and in Japan.

[via Asus]

Christmas SPECIAL: Win a Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) game console bundle with loads of extra gadgets, its worth more than 600 pounds!

Concepts: Volkswagen Up! Lite – the new eco-friendly hybrid diesel electric mini

Volkswagen has debuted its Up! Lite concept car at the 2009 LA Auto Show. It looks very cool, metallic and looks to sport quite abit of tech on the inside too. With four seats, the Up! Lite offers enough room for young couples and their dog (or two children), but its strange these days why automakers can’t put in another seat to make it a five seater.

Underneath the hood, you will find VW’s TDI engine, an electric motor and a 7-speed Direct Shift Gearbox which work well to result in a small aerodynamic footprint. This works out an impressive 65 g/km of CO2 emissions and a fuel efficiency of up to 70 MPG of diesel.

This is an impressive figure but in my personal view not as impressive as it appears. I believe VW already has a similar vehicle – the Polo Blue Motion which can already do up to 62 MPG. Though the Up! Lite will of course sport more tech, reduce CO2 emissions and look much better designed.

Many components within are made of carbon fiber, resulting in it weighing a mere 695kg. Its disappointing that the Up! Lite will most likely never enter production, but you could see future Volkswagen vehicles incorporate technology within. Check out the gallery below…

[via Ubergizmo]

Wolfsburg, Germany / Los Angeles, CA — December 2, 2009 —Volkswagen – Europe’s strongest automotive brand – is setting standards worldwide when it comes to efficiency with its clean high-tech TDI and TSI engines. Now this is being followed up by latest coup at the Los Angeles Auto Show (December 4 to 13): the world premiere of the Up! Lite A progressive, fuel efficient and in all details cleverly designed four-seater with a hybrid drive. Combined fuel consumption: 2.44 l/100 km or 70 mpg/highway! No other car is more sustainable. With a drive concept consisting of a TDI (turbo-diesel), electric motor and 7-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) as well as top aerodynamics (Cd value: 0.237), Volkswagen is driving CO2 emissions down to a sensational 65 g/km. This makes the three-door concept the world’s most fuel efficient car – and from the perspective of its overall CO2 footprint the world’s most environmentally friendly four-seat car as well. Both technically and visually, the Up! Lite is a preview of the future. The image of the car body with its clean lines, as though sculpted from a block of aluminium, underscores just how fascinating a car tuned to aerodynamic perfection can look.

The ideal car for the daily commute to work

The technically challenging 2-Liter fuel consumption car might be launched globally. Many of the components of the 695 kilogram light Volkswagen are based on those of the future New Small Family, an entirely new model series that is already scheduled for market launch in initial countries at the end of 2011. The Up! Lite concept continues the Volkswagen strategy of offering high-tech and high-end quality in all of its vehicle classes, making progress affordable for every car driver. The Up! Lite was designed to be a versatile vehicle that makes trips into the city, commutes to work and naturally long trips as well significantly less expensive and more eco-friendly.

Hybrid drive enables electric driving

The centerpiece of the Up! Lite powertrain is the newly designed 0.8 TDI two-cylinder turbo-diesel engine with a power of 38 kW / 51 PS. Furthermore, the electric motor (10 kW) – designed as a pulse start module (starter, alternator and E-drive) – also reduces the load of the TDI, provides added propulsion (boosting) and works to recover kinetic energy (regenerative braking). During boost phases – e.g. in a quick passing maneuver – the TDI and E-motor combine for a total power of 48 kW / 65 PS. Incidentally, a version of the TDI used in the Up! Lite was also used aboard the L1 concept car that Volkswagen presented in September at the IAA Motor Show in Frankfurt.

In two of its operating phases, the hybrid drive of the Up! Lite was designed to operate without any TDI propulsion at all. First phase: In so-called coast-down, activated by the driver taking his or her foot off the gas pedal (car coasts, TDI engine is shut off). Second phase: Over shorter distances, e.g. in residential areas, the E-motor can power the Up! Lite all by itself. In this case, a lithium-ion battery supplies the energy. Since it is capable of pure electric driving, the configuration is classified as a full hybrid. Shifting work is handled by a 7-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) like the one used in the new Polo. Moreover, the Volkswagen is equipped with a Stop-Start system.

Comfort and safety without compromises

Naturally, on the Up! Lite there is nothing lacking in comfort or safety. ESP is on board, airbags are on board, ample space is on board, highly advanced information and control features are on board, and it is good to know that occupants are enclosed and protected by a highly innovative safety frame of aluminium, steel and carbon fiber. The Volkswagen concept has a top speed of 160 km/h (100 mph) and accelerates to 100 km/h in a respectable 12.5 seconds (0-60 mph in 12 seconds).

“Made in Germany”

Overall, the Up! Lite is a prime example of the art of innovative engineering with the “Made in Germany” seal. And indeed not only because of its efficient powertrain and lightweight body construction. Other examples include: The radiator grille that closes and opens automatically depending on the cooling needs of the engine (”active thermal management”); and instead of a classic rearview mirror, three cameras perform this job better and more aerodynamically; when the car is parked in the summer, hot air is vented to outside the vehicle (”passive park ventilation”); an “optimized Easy-Entry feature” enables extremely comfortable entry and exit from the rear seating area; longitudinal adjustments to the driver and front passenger seats automatically adjusts seat height as well; when folding the rear bench seat, the seatback is easily unlatched by folding the rear head restraints forward (”Easy Switch”); many vehicle features (including ventilation, Internet, telephone, MP3, video, telephone, trip computer, radio) are controlled centrally via an intuitive touchscreen with hand movement sensors.

Design of the world of tomorrow

Even the most innovative car must look good to really be fun. And the Up! Lite with its “Liquid Blue Metallic” exterior is fun. That is because the 3.84 meter long, 1.40 meter tall and 1.60 meter wide Up! Lite makes a futuristic, bold and – in its form – very independent appearance. It is a car that looks as though it were cast from a single mould. Compared to the E-Up! concept car presented at the 2009 International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt, it is lower in profile and – to satisfy even more demanding aerodynamic requirements – it is longer, nearly reaching the length of the Polo (3.98 meters).

The styling itself portrays a compact vehicle that genuinely reflects its sustainable drive system and overall progressive concept. At the rear, the Up! Lite has the appearance of a distinctive hatchback sports car. As a result, the broad shoulder section is definitely reminiscent of the Scirocco. Furthermore, the look of the lower area is dominated by the large glass surface of the hatch, the LED rear lights and the rear fog lights (c-shaped) integrated in the bumper in typical Up! style. The counterparts of these lights are found in the front bumper as front fog lights. The car’s side profile has clean styling with markedly smooth surfaces. There are no edges except for the upper tornado line, the wheel wells and a connection line integrated there. The side cameras that replace the outside mirrors look like winglets on the wings of a cargo plane. A novel stylistic and technical feature: the 18-inch wheels are produced from a combination of aluminium and carbon fiber. That is because sports appeal and fuel economy do not need to be mutually exclusive.

Already thinking about tomorrow today

By the way: In Europe, Volkswagen is currently demonstrating that minimal fuel consumption can be realized in all segments today, in the latest versions of the Polo (3.3 l/100 km; 58 mpg/highway), Golf (3.8 l/100 km; 51 mpg/highway) and Passat (4.4 l/100 km; 48 mpg/highway).

Christmas SPECIAL: Win a Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) game console bundle with loads of extra gadgets, its worth more than 600 pounds!

iPhone apps: First augmented reality branded mobile application – Le Bar Guide demo

Le Bar Guide allows you to find bars in your area and information including peer reviews and star ratings of the bars. Its a great tool to avoid those rather dodgy ones which you and I have definitely stumbled into before. The application gives you a live view of the surroundings uses the augmented reality elements to directly bring you to your chosen destination. Yes, it is a rather geeky way to go out but why not make use of this free technology?

The application also gives you lots of nice extras, like access to information about local registered taxis in your area. Though the application is being launched initially to the US market, we have learnt that there are plans in place to roll out the application other countries in the coming New Year, the UK will definitely be one of them! While the technology is being developed for Stella Artois at this point, for those of you who don’t drink, don’t worry. The variety of applications that this technology will be suited for is virtually endless!

Check out the demo video below, looks great, runs smoothly and as practical as it can be…

Get the app via the App Store for free here…

Christmas SPECIAL: Win a Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) game console bundle with loads of extra gadgets, its worth more than 600 pounds!

Leaked: Documents of upcoming Nokia N87?

Here’s a picture of supposedly a leaked document of a new Nokia N87 mobile which has been mentioned to come with a 12-megapixel camera, dual LED Xenon flash, a 3.2″ capacitive WVGA display, 16GB of internal flash memory and a 600MHz processor. Its highly subjective to speculation especially at this stage where there isn’t even a prototype in sight, wonder what it will look like?

[via Ubergizmo]

Christmas SPECIAL: Win a Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) game console bundle with loads of extra gadgets, its worth more than 600 pounds!

Top 30 UK tech blogs to follow

We’ve featured this list before and now we’ve been given the opportunity to keep everyone up to date. Here’s the latest, updated list of top technology blogs based in the UK as worked out by the folks over at Wikio. Please feel free to check out the sites within our “neighbourhood” and retweet this page to spread the word if you’re on twitter

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Gallery: C6.BlackforceOne – Chevrolet Corvette C6 inspired by Air Force One

Check out the gallery below of the finely tuned C6.BlackforceOne. The design team LOMA-Performance, based in Germany were inspired by the military Boeing Air Force One which carries the President of the USA. The BlackforceOne is a limited edition (25-unit production) Chevrolet Corvette C6 which boasts a twin-turbocharged V8 engine generating an unbelievable 783hp. This atypical supercar will get you from 0-60mph in just 3.4-seconds with a top speed of 205mph. Pricing-wise, the C6.BlackforceOne will cost €190,000.

[via Serious Wheels]

C6.BlackforceOne

The name of this vehicle is a show in itself: C6.BlackforceOne. It is clearly reminiscent of the legendary Boeing Air Force One of the United States president – doubtless no accident by tuner LOMA-Performance. Yet when the C6.BlackforceOne available in Stealth matt black, Eurofighter matt grey and White Storm matt white (other colours on request) comes thundering round the corner, it is soon clear that it more than deserves its name – and has far more to offer than just an exciting label…

No less than two metres from outside wheel to outside wheel, the C6.BlackforceOne is based on the “normal” Corvette (original width: 179cm) and not on a Z06 or ZR1 model. This means around ten centimetres more on each side and creates a real masculine feel. LOMA-Performance makes no effort to disguise the source of the additional width – indeed clearly and stylishly displays the carbon fibre wheel arch extensions and carbon fibre side skirts available with or without visible screws: the ultimate racing look. LOMA has installed a carbon fibre front lip and rear diffuser with integrated LED reverse light alongside the extensions, also in carbon fibre. The optional LOMA-Performance rear spoiler with a carbon fibre finish is easy to fit and detach. Circular daytime running lights are an eye-catching feature of the headlights. The front lip, rear diffuser and daytime running lights are incidentally available for all C6 Corvettes, including the Z06 and ZR1.

794 PS with bi-turbo charging

The bi-turbo engine conversion is, however, exclusive to the C6.BlackforceOne and raises an incredible 794 PS from the V8 engine. 675 PS still reach the rear axle after transfer via a LOMA-Performance carbon fibre sports clutch, highly durable carbon fibre drive shafts and an overhauled gear unit; skilled hands are certainly needed at the wheel of the high-speed Corvette. It should hit 100km/h in just 3.4 seconds to furious roars from the LOMA Cup Sport Superlight exhaust unit and reach 330km/h. “Only” 330km/h? Yes, that’s right, because LOMA believes in good acceleration in all situations rather final speed as a status-symbol, and has adjusted the C6.BlackforceOne accordingly.

A propos adjustment: coilover suspension is fitted beneath the body to allow separate adjustment of pressure and rebound damping. Even the stabilisers are adjustable. An extra 8 centimetres’ tread at the front and all of 14 centimetres at the rear ensure the C6 really hugs the road.

The impression of sheer unlimited curve speed is of course also down to the Michelin Sport Cup high performance tyres in the dimensions 275/30R19 and 335/25R20 mounted on 10 x 19 and 12 x 20-inch shining black OZ Racing Ultraleggera HLT alloy wheels.

Racing technology for the road

LOMA-Performance can install a carbon fibre/ceramic brake unit from Mov’it for brutal deceleration to match the brutal acceleration. This is an impressive 15.5 kilograms lighter on the front axle and 10 kilograms lighter on the rear axle than, say, ZO6 brakes.

In the interior, too, the team headed by Managing Director Mario Radosavljevic have been hard at work creating a great ambience with both technical and luxury features. The door panels, for example, are finished in carbon fibre and sections of the cockpit are covered with Alcantara. C6.BlackforceOne customers can choose from 300 different types of leather. The sports steering wheel – 34 centimetres in diameter with Alcantara – is smoothed off on the underside; the refitted seats with shoulder rests are only half as thick as their series equivalents. Special foam ensures these ultimate sports seats are still comfortable and great for long journeys.

All electrical functions have been retained as has full airbag functionality.

Limited Edition

C6.BlackforceOne production is strictly limited to 25 vehicles. All are numbered and come with a full guarantee. LOMA provides an additional 12-month guarantee for the spectacular engine tuning. The prices for a complete vehicle start at 190,000 euros.

Those who want to experience the monster live will find it at the Essen Motor Show from 28 November to 6 December (Hall 6, Stand 215).

Christmas SPECIAL: Win a Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) game console bundle with loads of extra gadgets, its worth more than 600 pounds!

OS Xbox Pro casemod runs Windows 7, Mac OS X and Ubuntu

Just the video of the entire casemod process already deserves a mention on this blog. Will Urbina, a modder has created an “OS Xbox Pro” using the original Xbox dev kit, in addition he has put into his new PC some of the best bits of hardware resembling that of Mac Pros. It is absolutely ballistic! The OS Xbox Pro has a 2.93GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550s, an NVIDIA GeForce 9800GT card, 8GB of RAM, an 16GB solid state drive, and four traditional hard drives.

As you will see in the video, it boots to Windows 7, Mac OS X Snow Leopard and Ubuntu. Unfortunately for Xbox fans, no, it doesn’t play Xbox games anymore, its just the case that he wanted! All this was within a budget price of $1500, that’s incredible.

Check out the video below, if you’re planning on doing something similar this holiday season, be prepared, as it could take awhile!

Check out more of Will’s mods here…

Christmas SPECIAL: Win a Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) game console bundle with loads of extra gadgets, its worth more than 600 pounds!

Video: How to upgrade your laptop or Macbook’s hard drive

Found this very useful quick clip recently. If you’re like me, you could only afford a 200GB hard drive when you first bought your laptop and one year later, you’ve already run out of space, this do it yourself tutorial could help you and save you from hiring someone else to do it for you. Tom Merritt from CNET shows you how to backup, create a bootable image of your Windows PC or Mac using some easily downloadable software. He then teaches you how to take out your existing hard drive and the things you need to watch out for.

Christmas SPECIAL: Win a Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) game console bundle with loads of extra gadgets, its worth more than 600 pounds!

Free gadget giveaway: Win Xmi X-mini MAX II portable speakers

They’re portable, lightweight, rechargeable, stylish, innovative and dangerously loud, what could they be? It’s the Xmi X-mini MAX II portable speakers that we’ll be giving away as our free gadget giveaway this week. You may recall that we recently published a review on these and boy were we impressed at how outragously loud these tiny speakers were. Not only has Xmi’s award winning technology made these badboys loud, but they’re also capable of subwoofer-like heavy bass, its nothing like what we’ve tested before. So we’ve decided to give it away to one lucky winner who will be able to experience this superior quality!

How to Enter

Anyone, anywhere worldwide can take part. Please participate only once so that everyone will have a fair chance of the random draw at the date specified below. Everyone will have an equal chance of winning no matter when your entry is placed. Late entries will not be counted and ignored. To enter into the giveaway all you need to do is:

1. Subscribe to our RSS feed to stay up to date with us!
2. Leave a comment below with a valid email address (your email won’t be given out), this will allow us to get in touch with you ASAP if you’re the chosen winner.
3. Tell us what you use for music at the moment and how you are going to make use of this if you win!
   
4. Follow us on Twitter if you’re already a Twitter user, just in case we can’t get in touch with you through email, we will also be announcing our future contests / giveaways via our Twitter!
5. That’s it!
6. Optional – if you’re a blogger yourself and have abit of free time, do a quick post about this giveaway, it will be much appreciated!

This giveaway will end on the 6th of December at 20:00 GMT, winners will be directly contacted following random draw the next day so please remember to leave valid contact details!

Christmas SPECIAL: Win a Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) game console bundle with loads of extra gadgets, its worth more than 600 pounds!

Asus goes multi-touch with T91MT Eee PC

The T91, Asus’s well known tablet style Eee PC netbook finally gets a much needed upgrade. This second gen T91 is to be known as the T91MT, the new netbook will be getting a multi-touch display. Apparently this means, the T91MT will become the world’s first convertible tablet netbook featuring a multi-touch screen that supports Windows 7 many-finger gestures. The T91MT’s new 8.9″ multi-touch screen will allow users to pinch, flick, swirl, scroll, zoom and flip through images, web pages and more using multiple fingers.

No official date on availability yet but T91MT buyers will still be getting a 1.33GHz Intel Z520 Atom CPU, Intel US15W chipset and 1GB of DDR2 memory, however, one major upgrade is it will now come with a 32GB SSD. Pricing for the T91MT in the US will be $550 which equates to £335/€368 if it were to follow conversion rates without inflation. This means the T91MT will be $80 more than the first generation original T91.

[via PCLaunches]

Christmas SPECIAL: Win a Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) game console bundle with loads of extra gadgets, its worth more than 600 pounds!

Leaked: BBC iPlayer application coming to iPhone

It looks like all the waiting may finally be over. Its been leaked just over the weekend that BBC could be in the middle of developing an iPhone / iPod Touch application for their free UK online TV and radio catchup on-demand service – iPlayer. Leaked from the BBC’s latest monthly press pack, normally the monthly press pack is created to provide viewing figures and usage statistics for the iPlayer video on demand service in the UK. But this latest one also shows an image of an iPlayer application running on the iPhone.

While iPhone and iPod Touch users may be able to use the free service using Safari, no additional functions are provided and of course its not the same as having an application specifically designed to support the devices in question. It looks obvious that there will be a downloads option and what appears to be a live stream option which should run exactly like that of iPlayer on your PC. This will be excellent as users will be able to download content then watch it while offline.

From the image leaked, it looks like WiFi will be one of the connectivity options, which does mean iPod Touch should probably be able to benefit from the application as well. However, this does make us wonder whether there will be a WiFi only restriction and also will non-UK users still be limited? BBC is yet to confirm whether this free service for the Apple handhelds is actually in the works.

[via ElectricPig]

Christmas SPECIAL: Win a Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) game console bundle with loads of extra gadgets, its worth more than 600 pounds!

Nissan’s new “Scratch Shield” paint heals itself – to be applied on DoCoMo phones

We’ve all done this, scratched the paint off a brand new phone or gadget. It hurts and it stings, but usually over time we ignore it and forget about it because it most cases not much can be done then to put on a protective case. Nissan however, who recently invented a new “Scratch Shield” clearcoat paint has announced that they will be applying their new technology on DoCoMo mobile phones. This special paint has been said to be able to heal itself when damaged.

Is it a new technology or is it just scientists coming with new ways to apply chemicals? We’re not in the most suitable position to criticise this. What we do know is this clearcoat “uses a special top layer of highly elastic resin that gives the coating a ‘flexibility’ that reportedly means that it can prevent or ‘heal’ 80% of surface marks.”

Check out the official press release below…

NISSAN’S amazing “SCRATCH SHIELD” paint to be applied to mobile phones

- NTT DoCoMo to license “Scratch Shield” paint technology in Japan -

YOKOHAMA. Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., today announced it will license its breakthrough “Scratch Shield” paint to NTT DoCoMo, Inc. for mobile phone application in Japan. The self-healing paint, currently applied to certain Nissan and Infiniti vehicles worldwide, was developed in collaboration with University of Tokyo and Advanced Softmaterials Inc.

The Scratch Shield, a world first in paint technology, was commercially introduced in December, 2005. The Scratch Shield paint self-heals fine scratches and is capable of restoring the vehicles’s paint surfaces overnight or up to a week’s time in more severe cases. The Scratch Shield paint is also more scratch-resistant than conventional paint, therefore, contributing to a more durable and long-lasting paint coat.

This unique self-heal quality of the paint is ideal for mobile phone application, which is susceptible to scratches over daily use. NTT DoCoMo, Inc. will license the Scratch Shield for its mobile phones to be introduced in Japan, which will be a value-add feature for customers.

Nissan has been licensing its unique technologies for various non-automotive applications since 2004. Other technologies that have been licenced include the around-view monitor and far infrared image sensor. Nissan will continue to research and develop breakthrough tehcnologies that can benefit other industries, and promote these non-automotive applications globally.

[via Autoblog]

Christmas SPECIAL: Win a Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) game console bundle with loads of extra gadgets, its worth more than 600 pounds!

USB gadgets: UBoard – keep your desktop organised at work

Is it just a table for your gadgets and monitor to sit on? The UBoard may look like it, its been elegantly designed to fit in with the theme of Macs but this doesn’t mean its exclusive to Apple products. In fact the UBoard, is like a USB hubs, its got three ports on its side which makes it very convenient to use and highly accessible.

Check out the official press info below…

Pyramid introduce a new product UBoard – USB Multi-Board for Your Keyboard & Office Life. UBoard will give you a brand new experience. Whatever your job maybe, UBoard will simplify your working environment and help you to reduce the working time. Additionally, UBoard’s simple and slim design will fit perfectly into your desktop.
Features:
* UBoard will make your disarranged desktop simple and effcient.
* Monitor too low, inconvenient keyboard, UBoard will make you notebook more efficent.
* UBoard can make the most optimizd working environment possible-where you could use the.
* Material : Tempered Glass, Frame-ABS
* Size : 555 x210 x 80 mm
* Weight : 1.6 kg
* Power : 5V USB Power
* Port : 3 Port
* Operating Temperature : 5°C ~ 55°C
* OS : Window Vista, Mac OS 10
Model No: UBoard
Retail Price: US$49.95

Christmas SPECIAL: Win a Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) game console bundle with loads of extra gadgets, its worth more than 600 pounds!

Latest concepts: Canon Nova DSLR camera is like a game controller

We haven’t featured a gadget or technology concept in a while but this one caught our attention. If you’re keen on photography, you probably have got a DSLR camera. You’ll probably also realise the most inconvenient thing about these professional gadgets – they’re heavy and bulky. This latest Nova DSLR camera concept by Erin Fong tries to tackle these issues.

The camera is shaped like a game console controller, has two arms extending from the main camera body, which are designed to facilitate both left and right handed users. Getting the control buttons onto the extension arms, the Nova DSLR makes it easy to click photos and search through other features. In addition, the arms can be jabbed back together to function as one extension making the camera even more versatile in utility.

We can’t help it wondering one thing though, its pictures may turn out to be abit fuzzy as this design does appear to us as not the steadiest to hold! Nevertheless, an excellent, innovative idea.

The Nova DSLR Camera takes different forms with the mobility of the camera arms, giving comfort to left-handed and right-handed users. In addition, the buttons are located at the fingertips allowing users to simultaneously take pictures and easily locate the features they need. Whether the Nova is used with one or two handles, the flexibility of the camera’s form gives users a greater versatility in image capturing along with an enjoyable experience while using the Nova camera.

[via Erin Fong]

Christmas SPECIAL: Win a Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) game console bundle with loads of extra gadgets, its worth more than 600 pounds!

Raptor-Gaming H2 USB gaming headset

Raptor-Gaming has recently released the H2 USB gaming-headset, a gaming peripheral that comes with a noise-canceling microphone and a long cable with a mini control unit that allows you to adjust its volume. This makes it excellent in particular for online gaming involving multiplayer interactions.

It has a frequency that ranges between 50 Hz and 20 Khz, while the microphone sports a sensitivity of -58 +/- 3dB and a frequency range of 40 to 15000 Hz. The headphones weigh 320g, sounds quite heavy I would add, maybe this is so it won’t fall off your head? The Raptor-Gaming H2 USB headset is due to be available by the end of this year with a pricetag of 70 Euros.

[via TC Magazine]

Christmas SPECIAL: Win a Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) game console bundle with loads of extra gadgets, its worth more than 600 pounds!

Weekly Roundup 28th Nov 2009

• Gallery: New 2011 BMW 5 Series
• Gaming gadgets: Razer launches Imperator gaming mouse
• Motorola Milestone (Euro Droid) sim-free now available for pre-order
• UK: Apple iPhone 3GS to arrive Tesco Mobile
• Android 1.6 phones get Google Maps Navigation – free GPS app with voice guidance
• New netbooks: Asus Eee PC 1201N boasts Atom 330 and ION

Hope everyone has had a good weekend so far, the above were some of the gadgets and tech we featured this week. Its not always possible to talk about them all here at GadgetLite so the list of links from our neighbouring friends’ blogs below hopefully gives you a bit more for your craving needs! If you own a tech, gadget blog yourself you can always Twitter us some links to be shared and featured in this list, for now have a good weekend everyone!

• New City-Focused iPhone GPS Nav Apps On Sale For Black Friday | Cult of Mac
• Nokia X6 now shipping and available in “select markets” » Unwired View
• Sony Vaio X Series Ultra Thin Notebook – Hands On | Geeky Gadgets
• 3UK offers MiFi with iPod Touch
• Toshiba Satellite T115 – A Review of the Toshiba Satellite T115
• Google updates movie search for iPhone, WebOS, or Android-powered device « Boy Genius Report
• GrooveNeo iPod Alarm Clock Radio
• Zenmo DeskBook Pro Docking Station » Coolest Gadgets
• $3.2 Million Apple iPhone 3Gs Supreme
• First ELSE Phone Rethinks the Mobile Phone
• Orange UK Gives Away 3G Enabled ASUS EEE 1005HGO For Free
• Blazer Pentium 1.0 Sneakers Give The Chips Feet To Run | Walyou
• OhGizmo! » Archive » Fossil Palindrome Too By Philippe Starck
• Google Chrome OS on a USB flash drive
• Nintendo Monopoly: Buy Your Nintendo Properties Here | Fun Gadgets at Hardware Sphere
• MSI Wind U230 Launched
• makerbot prints ipod docks on [technabob]