Sharp , Danger prepping low-end Hiptop

We're light on details and heavy on extraordinarily boring radiation analysis reports at this point, but the FCC's just cleared a Sharp device going by the model number PV150. Ring any bells? It should -- the Hiptop 2 went by PV100 and the Hiptop 3, PV200, suggesting that this'll be another Danger-developed device (as if the "Powered by Danger" on the ID label weren't evidence enough) slotting somewhere in between. Interestingly, there's no mention of 2.4GHz testing in the FCC docs, leading us to believe that the PV150 (Hiptop 2 1/2?) lacks Bluetooth and lending support to the theory that this is a lower-end device. On the upside, GSM 850 and 1900 are both on board, so T-Mobile would have little trouble slapping a "Sidekick" label on this one and rolling it out in these parts. Rest assured, we're going to be on the hunt for shots of this sucker.

ASUS reveals Pegasus Pocket PC Phone

There's not a whole lot of details to go on here, but it looks like the iF Design Awards got the first look at ASUS's latest Pocket PC phone, with the Unwired View blog spotting these two pics of the candybar-style handset. Dubbed Pegasus (a throwback to the origin of the company's name), the phone appears to be a slightly slimmed down revision to ASUS's P525 smartphone, measuring in at a mere 0.6 inches thick while still packing built-in GPS and a camera of unspecified megapixels. Otherwise, about all that's known about the device is that it's Windows Mobile-based, has a full numeric keypad and jog dial, and supposedly has a brushed aluminum finish and diamond-cut edges, although it's tough to discern that from the pics. For the rest of the specs, not to mention details on pricing or availability, it looks like we'll just to wait for a more official announcement.

Walt review Vista : Eh

We're willing to bet those among you that don't make gagging sounds whenever you're in eyeshot of a PC have probably already played with Vista a bit. Maybe you don't have the last beta installed on your machine, but you've sat down to a Vista box and at least logged a few minutes with oohs and ahhs at Aero and Flip 3D. So by this point you probably well understand that Vista, while being a major step forward for Microsoft, will for most users represent something more of a long overdue feature pack, finally bringing Windows up to date with OS X. Granted, Vista does diverge a bit with such features as tablet input and its best of breed Media Center interface (which we're absolutely stoked to start using), but we found ourselves largely agreeing with Unkie Walt's assessment that while this may be the strongest version of Windows yet, it's still got a ways to go to pull ahead of its competitors from a technological standpoint

LG's KE850 PRADA official : iPhone says,wha?

Check it Apple, LG just went official with their iPhone look-a-like LG KE850 Prada phone which they proudly tout as the world's "first completely touch screen mobile phone." A claim they can rightly make since the phone will hit select mobile shops and PRADA stores in the UK, France, Germany and Italy at the end of February and parts of Asia before March is through. Sadly, the KE850 is a non starter for the US market since this version is limited to tri-band GSM 900/1800/1900 with EDGE data. It's smaller that its fruity peer at just 98.8 × 54 × 12-mm resulting in a more compact, 3.0-inch display presumably with that 240x400 resolution we heard about earlier. In case you're keeping track (and we know you are), the iPhone goes quad-band GSM with EDGE and WiFi in a 115 x 61 x 11.6mm shell sporting a 3.5-inch, 320x480 display. Also, the KE850 seems to lack any significant on-board storage opting instead for microSD to boost capacity. Like the iPhone, it packs a 2 megapixel camera (with Schneider-Kreuznach lens) and LED flash and Bluetooth 2.0. However, there's no mention of multi-touch capabilities, an on-screen keyboard, or the accelerometer and proximity sensors found on the iPhone. The KE850 PRADA's UI is Macromedia Flash-based and opts for a minimalist, white-on-black display as opposed to the more, shall we say, OSXish GUI we've already seen floated. Feature-wise, the KE850 comes with a video player supporting MPEG4, H.264, and oddly, H.263 normally used for video conferencing; a document viewer supporting Microsoft's PPT, DOC, XLS formats, PDF and TXT; an audio player with support for MP3/ACC/ACC+/WMA/RA formats; and a "music multitasking function for messaging," whatever that is. How much? €600/$778... that's how much. Still, a compelling choice for those who can't wait for the iPhone's Q4 European introduction or 2008 Asia launch.

Up close with the Ford Airstream's 360 degree TV

We had an opportunity this week to spend a few minutes mesmerized by the tube (literally) television mounted prominently to the floor of the passenger compartment in Ford's Airstream concept van. Granted, the big news here is that brick-like aerodynamics and hydrogen power make for strange bedfellows, but the bizarre display comes in a close second. Inhabitants of the van's quarters are theoretically able to use it to watch movies, but the thought of kiddies scrambling around a pole to catch the action on the other side of the picture is going to be a nightmare come true for parents of the distant future hauling down the highways and bi-ways in this thing. For what it's worth, the images looked extraordinarily bright (perhaps disturbingly so for the interior of a vehicle) and plenty crisp, but we'll ditch the movies -- we think could stare at that faux lava lamp for hours

Look at the pretty lights : Wiimote modded up purty

Chalk another one up for "interesting things to do with your Wiimote that most assuredly void the warranty." Leet hax0r "sir crx" of the MaxConsole Forums just got LED happy in his Wiimote, but unlike lame-o attempts by his predecessors, crx did his one up right, with a different LED color for each controller "port." The blue, red, green and yellow colors denote players 1-4 and make for quite the show -- in a complete Wii fanboy sort of way, naturally.

Duo-Gard's illumaWall adds LED action to translucent architecture

We've seen plenty of illuminated wall applications, LED-infused or otherwise, but the green-minded folks over at Duo-Gard are integrating that disco-inspired action we all know and love into its translucent paneling, which gives buildings a breath of fresh sunlight throughout the day while cutting down on energy costs and potentially boosting your morale. The company's new IllumaWALL melds the benefits of daylighting panels with the completely unnecessary, but entirely sensational night-brightening action of LEDs, as the polycarbonate structures feature built-in, fully programmable lights that can output a steady ambient glow or put on "a light show of pulsating colors" if you're throwing a party at your pad. As expected, pricing on these panels vary greatly based on your installation needs, but if you're already looking to craft a new domicile or office building, and need to garner a bit of instant notoriety, IllumaWALL could do the trick.

Team Xtender announces component to VGA adapter box

Its multi-console-connecting component cable has yet to make it out of "preview mode," but the folks at Team Xtender already seem to have another component-centered video game accessory in the bag, now showing off their XCM Multi-cable V2 PC Monitor Adapter. As that mouthful of a name suggests, the little black box will take the component end of the included multi-headed component cable (or presumably any other component cable) and convert it into a VGA signal by the time it reaches the monitor plugged into the other end of the box. Team Xtender has also been thoughtful enough to include a second port and a handy switch for those that still want use their monitor for computing duties. As with their component cable, however, they haven't spilled any details on pricing or availability just yet, although they are happy to sign up anyone willing to sell 'em.

Epson's EMP-1810 and EMP-1815 3LCD business projector

Epson just kicked out a new pair of 3LCD projectors in their EMP-1810 and EMP-1815. The 1815 is the king of this hill and features Epson's EasyMP (Epson Administrative SYstem for Meetings and Presentations) which, among other things, allows you to display content off CompactFlash cards and USB drives without the need for a PC. It will even source content off your PC over WiFi or project your laptop's display over a quick and dirty USB cable. Otherwise, the projectors share many of the same specs: 1024x768 pixel resolution; 3,500 lumens; 500:1 contrast ratio; 1.6x manual zoom lens; 2x analog D-Sub 15 RGB, composite, and S-Video inputs and another D-sub 15 for output; and direct shutdown for quick getaway. Both are relatively light for 3500 lumen projectors with the 1810 weighing in at just 2.9-kg (6.39-pounds). Ok, they don't throw 1080p, but they don't cost 5 Gs either. Both hit in early March with the 1810 going for ¥498,00 (about $4,121) and the 1815 for ¥448,00 (about $3,708). Look for 'em Stateside under the PowerLite branding soon enough.

HP adds Vista to its Pavilion labtop lineup,intros GD9200 model

If you're into confusingly minor laptop updates with mainly a boosted OS and perhaps some RAM and HDD space thrown in for good measure, January is going to prove a banner month for you. HP just announced the inclusion of Vista on four of its Pavillion laptops, including the sexy tx1000 we've been hearing so much about. The biggest bump looks to belong to the dv9200 17-incher, which keeps that sleek form factor -- for a 17-inch, at least -- of its dv9000 predecessor, but adds in Core 2 Duo options up to 2GHz and a base configuration featuring 1GB of RAM, a 120GB HDD and a super-multi DVD burner for 168,000 yen ($1,394 US, though we're sure Stateside pricing will be a little friendlier). Most notable is the inclusion of an HDMI port, and of course Windows Vista Home Premium. Other laptops getting the bump include the dv6200 and G5000, which are both being handed a fresh copy of Home Basic, while the TX1000 is rocking the Home Premium like it was meant to be done

Franklin's 12-Language speaking translator

As international jet-setters, we're always looking for tools that make it a little easier to discuss the latest gadgets with our foreign friends and colleagues. Usually we employ an electronic, translating dictionary for this task, but we always end up sounding like idiots as we futilely attempt to pronounce those crazy words they use in other languages. Well luckily for us, Franklin has just introduced a pocket translator that will put an end to our pathetic gibberish, as the new TGA-490 is actually able to speak aloud over 450,000 words and 12,000 phrases. What's more, you can forget about the old school machine-speak from back in the OK Computer days -- Franklin's device spits out human-sounding words recorded by real humans. All your favorite languages are supported here -- including Mandarin, Japanese, and Korean -- and you can translate back and forth among any of them, not just with English. Other nice touches include an MP3 player (of course), currency converter, world clock, alarm, and the ever-present voice recorder. No word yet on price or release, but when you begin to notice an uptick in the quality of our foreign-sourced posts, you'll know that the 490 has indeed hit store shelves.

Netflix "Watch Now" feature offers movie download alternative

Just as online music stores introduced the "rental" model to music listeners, it looks like we're finally getting beyond the rent / purchase model for online movies, with Netflix mixing things up with its new Watch Now feature. A user gets an hour of video watching for every dollar they spend monthly on the service -- a $17.99 subscriber gets 18 free hours of video. There's no concept of buying or renting a movie, instead you just watch what you want to watch, with every minute spent watching each movie counting against your total, but nothing more. This helps users catch the last few minutes of recent rentals they might not have finished, or preview a bit -- or the whole thing -- of a prospective selection. With a good enough connection, the quality apparently approaches DVD, but there aren't any portability options or DVD burning here: it's all browser based and not a whole lot more. The feature is also XP only at the moment, but Netflix hopes to expand to other platforms, including cellphones. Currently there are roughly 1,000 titles available, which Netflix hopes to expand to 5,000 this year. Netflix is live with Watch Now for select customers right now, and will slowly expand to the rest of its subscribers over the next six months. It seems we've been waiting for Netflix to get into this gig for years -- oh wait, we have -- and while it does seem to be taking

University's Morgui robot deemed too scary for kids

Terrifying robots most certainly aren't anything new, and be it frightening or downright creepy, there's probably a bot out there weird enough to freak just about anyone out. Enter Morgui, the University of Reading-based robot that has been around for some time, but is just now getting the credit a bizarre skull that follows humans around should. The creation, which consists of a disembodied head, oversized blue eyes, and a classically evil grin, has been officially banned from testing around anyone under the age of 18 (permission notwithstanding) by the school's ethics and research committee, leaving the "Magic Ghost" to spook only mature audiences from here on out. Mo, as it's so aptly nicknamed, sports a metal head, the ability to detect visual / auditory cues, and sensors for radar, infrared, and ultrasonic detection as well, but oddly enough, it cannot detect human emotion, so you better not count on this fellow to have sympathy on your soul when you're screeching. The purpose of the machine is to judge how "people react to robots," and when the bot just so happens to lack any form of facial covering beyond a skeletal structure, we're sure the reactions are quite noticeable.

Big brother could slow British motorcycles down, track routes

Most would argue that the UK certainly doesn't need one more piece of surveillance equipment watching its citizens, but regardless of the naysayers, it just might be getting another anyway. The latest implementation of Big Brother in our everyday lives comes courtesy of the Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA), which are devices (presumably GPS-based) that will purportedly track motorcyclists' speeds and throttle things down if they attempt to break the posted speed limit(s). Moreover, the ISA could even be used to track bikers' journeys, and if things "prove successful," could eventually find its way into cars and other vehicles (like Segways beefed-up wheelchairs) in a reported attempt to "drastically cut the death toll on the country's roads." As expected, bikers and bike sellers are less than enthused about the new device, as they expect customers will be the ones footing the bill for the homing beacons and that sales could drop when folks realize they can't get a little footloose every now and then. While there's no hard dates on when (or if) these trackers / speed-controllers would hit motorcycles in the UK, the ISA has already undergone testing at the Motorcycle Industry Research Association (MIRA), so those looking to kick up a little two-wheeled dust best get a move on before the eyes in the sky put the clamps on your fun.

Soundoiler unveils duo : the wireless speaker lamp

Seemingly, it's just not to efficient enough to buy lighting tools for your home anymore, as lamps these days have to have at least one other random function thrown in for good measure, and Soundoiler's duo is no different. Melding form with function, this stylish lamp features a built-in speaker to go along with its lighting capabilities, an integrated control pad to dictate volume / channel selection, and an optional "maestro" transmitter that pipes in audio from your wirelessly-enabled DAP. Moreover, the lamps can be purchased in pairs and setup to function as stereo speakers, correctly separating the left and right channels during playback, and if that weren't snazzy enough, there's also a foot-controlled power / dimmer switch so you can set the mood without even lifting a finger. Soundoiler's multi-purpose fixture can be picked up now for $279.95, while the wireless addition will run you an extra $79.95, but the wow-factor in your living room is presumably priceless.

Project Grizzly inventor crafts real-world Halo suit for military use

While it's not likely that you'll encounter the Arbiter on any given day, the slightly off-kilter Project Grizzly inventor has gone out of his way (and possibly his mind) to create what resembles a real-life Halo suit, sporting protection from gunfire and ensuring you an award at Covenant gatherings. Troy Hurtubise created the suit, dubbed Trojan, in hopes of protecting Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan and US soldiers in Iraq, and considering that it has withstood knives, bullets, light explosives, clubs, and even a round from an elephant gun, it sounds like quite the winner. Proclaimed to be the "first ballistic, full exoskeleton body suit of armor," Trojan is crafted from high-impact plastic lined with ceramic bullet protection over ballistic foam, and features nearly endless compartments, morphine / salt containers, knife and gun holsters, emergency lights, a built-in recording device, pepper spray, ingestible transponder for those "last resort" scenarios, and there's even a fresh air system powered by solar panels within the helmet. Mr. Hurtubise claims the 18 kilograms (40 pounds) suit is comfortable enough to make road trips in (yes, he tried it), and if any major military would take him up on it, they could reportedly be produced for "around $2,000 apiece." Now that's a bargain, folks.

Avega Systems intros pearly white Oyster WiFi Speakers

While we got a small taste of Avega Systems' master wireless scheme at CES, SciFi has sniffed out a forthcoming set of tower speakers from the company that looks to utilize that WiFi freedom the Aios platform supposedly enables. Requiring just a power source, these pearly white towers feature a trio of full-range drivers, a tweeter for the highs, and an Oyster nametag. Additionally, they can purportedly "accept wireless music streams from your PC or media server, game consoles," or essentially anything capable of stream audio over WiFi. Although there's no word just yet on price, we don't envision these coming cheap, but we'll find out for certain when Avega rolls 'em out in March.

New Xbox 360 due for late '07 to handle IPTV

According to a pre-CES briefing that Windows expert Paul Thurrott received from his Microsoft pals, the big M will be coming out with a new version of the Xbox 360 (Zephyer?) at the end of 2007, which will feature a larger HDD and some new hardware to enable that IPTV functionality Robbie Bach was talking about during the Microsoft CES keynote. It also stands to reason that such a Xbox 360 might be sporting a fancy new HDMI port and perhaps run just a wee bit cooler -- meaning HDCP and less fan noise, natural fits for home theater use. It still seems a bit unreasonable for Microsoft, which has been bragging about its 10 million strong installed base, to leave those early adopters out in the cold, but if that's the way it goes down we can't say we won't welcome the excuse to ditch the fan and disc drive hullabaloo of our current gen box.

Did Apple swipe "Visual Voicemail too"?

We're guessing not, but El Reg has a piece up squarely accusing Apple of another swipe, this time of the term "Visual Voicemail" to describe the iPhone's voicemail UI. Visual Voicemail, which is owned by Citrix and originally developed by Net6, has been around for years and may (or may not) be what's powering Apple and Cingular's solution for the common problem of having to wait through all the voicemail you don't want just to hear the voicemail you do. And "Visual Voicemail" is, in fact, capitalized on Apple's site, meaning if legit usage of the term or licensed software isn't in the cards, Apple could soon find itself in two simultaneous pots of hot water.

ZOMG,Zune runs teh Linux

A tip like "omg its true. mys videl was really workin on teh zune linux." doesn't really inspire confidence -- in the story, or in the future of mankind -- but if this YouTube video is to be believed, it seems as if some foolio named "MysVidel," who can't even manage to get a camera to focus properly, has hacked up his Zune to run Linux. It could very well just be a video playing back on the Zune, meant to fool the casual viewer, but the button presses are well enough timed that we're willing to give this one a fair shake. Don't let us down, MysVidel. As for tipster -- our hope in you is lost already. Like always, check the video after the break.

Seagate booth tour

Seagate like IBM makes a essential component in many of the devices we buy today. Every electronic device sold today has some sort of storage and Seagate hopes that they continue to consist of spinning platters. While they were showing just about every DVR on the market at their booth, our Series3 had a Western Digital drive in it.

Happy B'day

these 2 days off!!!no post as busy celebrating my b'day!so sorry 2 those who are intending 2 look forward 4 my new posts!