Category: Gadgetry

Sony has announced a new version of the Playstation 2 will be released before x-mas in Japan, and later in the US. The PSX, as it is called, will be based on the same chipset for gaming as the Playstation 2, but adds significant new features, inlcluding a TV tuner and 120 GB hard drive for TiVo functionality, a DVD-R (or DVD+R?) for archiving programs and ethernet connectivity. Price is unknown, but expect around $499 initial price at least. Check PSX Extreme for pics.

Mini411.com is a website for mini-computer users, such as the vulcan mini-pc, tiqit and oqo. Forums, etc…

[Editor’s Note: I smell a shameless self-promotion! Brand new site. No content. But I guess that’s why the guy’s postin’ an item here. But hey d00d, how about linking to us on your Links page? We showed ’em yours, now show ’em ours — or…er…something like that.]

Sony announced that a new “controller” will be available for the Playstation 2 — the EyeToy. Essentially just a USB camera that hooks up to the PS2, the EyeToy comes with software and mini-games that capture your image and allow you to interact with on-screen elements — no joystick required. The peripheral will come with a dozen mini-games such as a boxing game in which you must dodge your opponent and land some blows to win, and a soap-bubble game in which you move your hands to scrub virtual bubbles from the inside of your TV screen. Price is just $40, available in Fall 2003. Its possible that other game maker could make use of this hardware for broader applications, especially communcation via the network adapter or even for mapping your mug on characters in the games.

RCA has released details on the new totally redesigned Lyra HD MP3 player. Housed in a sleek metallic case, the new Lyra is significantly smaller than previous models, and looks to be roughly the same size as the new iPods. The unit holds up to 40 gigs of tunes and data (it works as an external hard-drive) and plays MP3, MP3Pro and WMA files. It uses USB2.0 for transfer, and comes with sync software (for PC) to keep your mobile music the same as your PC. MSRP is $330, with release this summer. Given the strengths of the previous Lyra, and the corrections that seem to have been made on this model, this could be a great device.

Sharp is releasing two new versions of their GNU/Linux powered Zaurus to the Asian market; the SL-C750 and C760 use the same clamshell-style design with full keyboard, and like the previous model C700, the 3.7″ 640×480 VGA screen can be twisted around to cover the keyboard for stylus-only input much like new “convertible” tablet-PCs. Both units run on the PXA255 400MHz chip (the same as the fastest PocketPCs) and will have 64 megs of SDRAM plus another 64 or 128 megs of flash memory for storing the OS and applications. Release date and price in the US are uncertain, but look for it around $700 from direct importers.

The Gadgeteer has a review of an open-source handheld gaming device called the Game Park GP32. While it looks alot like a Gameboy Advance, the device uses emulators and ROMs (blackmarket downloaded games from the likes of Atari 2600 and Commodore 64) as well as games specifically designed for it with open-source tools.

The latest offering from Tadpole Computers is SparcLE, a SPARC station packed into a laptop just 1.5” x 10.5” x 12.8”. It runs an UltraSPARC processor up to 650MHz, has a 15″ screen, CDRW/DVD, 2 gigs of DRAM and 80gig HD and runs Solaris 9 OS. It has three USB 2.0 ports, Type II PC card, PS2 ports, serial and VGA-out, plus 10/100 LAN and integrated 802.11b for wireless network administration. Prices start at around $3000.

The EyeTop head-mounted display is one of the few consumer-grade HMD’s for every-day use around — hidden subtlely in a pair of wrap-around shades, the tiny QVGA 320×240 16-bit color LCD takes up only 16 monocular degrees of your vision, allowing you to interact with meat-space while a portion of your wetware does something else, such as viewing video, checking somebody’s whuffie or using using a rearview videocam system without needing to turn your head. The system costs $700, which is on the high end for a system of such low resolution, but you have to give marks to the design, which can be switched from right to left eye or removed entirely, I suppose. The belt-worn control unit takes any RCA video input, such as laptop, properly outfitted PDA, Archos Multimedia Jukebox, portable DVD or game machine. Link from Gizmodo.

C|Net has got a first look at the Samsung SPH-N270 “Matrix Phone, just like the one in the movie (that is, it LOOKS like the phone in the movie). The tri-band phone for Sprint PCS has a hidden 65,000 color screen behind a pop-up earpiece, plus polyphonic ringtones and “voice tones” (including one by Morpheus) and a bunch of other little software nuggets. Nothing revolutionary though, and no IR, no Bluetooth, and no GPRS. In other words, if you want to spend $500 to contribute to overhyping a movie, go right ahead, but you’ll wish you got a t68i.

HP has announced a new laptop on the way — the X1000, which sports a 15.4″ widescreen TFT, Centrino chipset, 40-80 gig HD, WiFi and Bluetooth, SD card slot, firewire and USB 2.0, optional DVD-RW and 5 hour battery life all packaged in a 6.5lb 1.3″ thick machine. Available in the next couple weeks, with prices starting at just $1200 and going up to $2300. Thanks to gizmodo for the link.