OK, so it has nothing whatsoever to do with cars. But visual puns are just too powerful to resist sometimes.

Kind of like ST Ericsson neat new charger. One of the big problems with the newer generation of gadgets is that they’re huge power sucks. And while they have the high-capacity batteries necessary to last more than ten minutes, those batteries still have to be charged, and there’s no quick way of doing that. This is due simply to how much charge you can get into a battery through a charger.

The PowerHUB addresses this problem with a brisk boot to the rear.

Continue Reading

Onlookers may already be impressed with your stable of sexy Apple products, but perhaps its time to replace those bland blacks and grays with something more meaningful. HunterGatherer’s InCase products for the iPhone and and 15-inch MacBook Pro are “a purposefully fake version of something natural,” according to designer Todd St. John. “I also enjoy seeing it as a wrapper for a concentrated brick of technology.” How poetic. For the MacBook, the $60 sleeve is simply a clutch for safekeeping, while the iPhone’s $50 slider case is a new skin in its own right. And if your friends still aren’t jealous, tell them HunterGatherer has worked for Nike, VH1 and the New York Times. If pure technology doesn’t fill them with envy, name-dropping surely will.

Twitter’s the new tech hype machine, and if you keep your ears to the wire, you’ll get tidbits of news in unlikely places. The latest comes from Microsoft’s Office ’10 Twitter page, which has oddly dedicated 40 percent of its posts so far to Zune-related issues. First, we’re told that June 2009 will be “an important month for Zune lovers,” followed by confirmation of a new product launch. “Hold off from buying an iPhone/Pre,” the feed sayeth. There are other dots to connect here. We’ve heard that Microsoft is working on an iPhone rival, codenamed Pink, plus the possibility of a Zune HD. Then, there’s the fact that E3 falls on the first week of June, raising the possibility of some Xbox connection. Also, Xbox Live director of programming Larry Hyrb is tweeting about “the coolest opportunity I’ve had in a long time.” So the takeaway is this: Microsoft is working on something, and they think it’s going to be awesome. [Twitter via Engadget]

Your camera’s panorama function has its place, but when you’re ready for the real deal, there’s the Gigapan Epic 100. The previous Gigapan model was designed for digital cameras, but the latest version accommodates DSLRs, making it a worthy tool for the professional or budding amateur photographer. More than just an automatic swiveling utility, the Gigapan bases its movement on the camera lens’ angle-of-view. It also requires calibration and reminds you to set white balance and exposure, ensuring a smooth transition between each frame. Everything gets when you get back to a computer. At $450, the Gigapan Epic 100 isn’t for everyone, but if you live by the beach or some other breathtaking spot that justifies sweeping landscape photos, it might be worth the investment. [via Wired]

Continue Reading

Okay, so the name is a mouthful, but at least the Pro-Form Precision Trainer XT Heart Monitor makes it easier to stay in shape. A chest strap monitors heart rate and transmits the data up to 25 inches to the accompanying watch, compatible Polar exercise equipment and most treadmills and stationary bikes. I can see the use in that if you want to run on the treadmill and get your heartrate without keeping both hands on the machine. Other features include user profiles to keep tabs on burned fat and calories and an intelligent training program for getting the best workout possible. It’s not clear how much this would normally cost, but you can get one today through Woot for $19.99 plus $5 shipping. [via Woot]

Because we’ve heard of alarm clocks that hide out of reach, pose math problems and shoot puzzle pieces into the air, the Cube Clock at first looks like another sadistic attempt to wake up its master through frantic use of the brain. Not so. The Cube only resembles the classic Rubik’s Cube puzzle in appearance only — not even in name, so perhaps the rights to “Rubik’s” weren’t secured. Just the top set of squares rotates, so there’s really nothing to solve here. On the bright side, this clock also displays date and temperature. Seems like a pretty benevolent gadget, actually. [Chocosho via Dvice]

So you bought an expensive DSLR with high definition video capabilities, but you can’t get over the inherent shakiness of your hands or the mediocre camera microphone. Redrock Micro would like you to slap a rig on it, Hollywood style. The camera attachments include bigger viewing screens and stainless steel rods for gripping. My personal favorite model includes a shoulder mount and a cage for strapping a shotgun microphone to your dome, because nothing says “professional” like a Frankensteinian camera set-up that’s physically attached to the head. Seriously, though, the ability to do a proper film shoot with a DSLR’s lens variety would be pretty cool, though you’d have to pack a lot of SD cards to get the job done. Pricing starts at $195 and goes all the way up to $2,445 for the proper cinema bundle. [Redrock Micro via Dvice]

There’s only so much you can do to avoid looking like this guy when using a Bluetooth headset, but Jawbone’s effort is among the best we’ve seen so far. The third generation headset, dubbed Jawbone Prime, makes several improvements on an already-winning formula. Improved NoiseAssassin technology can withstand 6-9dB more background noise, and Wind Reduction takes the best combined audio signal from two sources. Advanced Voice Activity Detector works better than before, putting out back-up noise reduction when the detector loses contact with your face. Other features include 4.5 hours of talk time and 8 hours of standby, a weight of .022 pounds and on-the-fly switching between eight Bluetooth devices. For $129.99, the Jawbone Prime comes in three colors, but a limited edition will follow with a greater assortment. [via MobileCrunch]

Crackberry too feature-rich for your blood? Perhaps the new Peek Pronto is the answer. Like the original Peek that came around last fall, the Pronto is dedicated solely to sending and receiving e-mail, but for an extra $30 up front and the same $20 monthly fee, it adds several noteworthy perks. E-mails are delivered instantly, doing away with the original peek’s two to five minute window, and up to five accounts are supported instead of the original two. The Pronto can also send text messages and adds a .PDF and .DOC reader. Like the basic Peek, the Pronto works with popular e-mail services such as Gmail and Yahoo, and should run for two or three days on a charge. There’s a product page up on Amazon, where the Pronto is available exclusively for $79.99, but no purchase option yet. [via Peek]