Crave

With four new cell phones in the last three months, Samsung and Verizon Wireless clearly have become quite chummy lately. We've seen the QWERTY keyboard SCH-U740, the V Cast Mobile TV-capable SCH-U620, the 3G SCH-U540, and the low-end SCH-U340. And now it appears the two companies will round out their portfolios even more, with the new Samsung SCH-U410.

Sporting a rather generic flip phone design, the SCH-U410 doesn't offer an eye-popping feature set but it's not exactly a lightweight either. According to Mobiledia you'll find a VGA camera, Bluetooth, a speakerphone, voice dialing, and support for … Read more

Over the past month, Motor Trend has been working on a test to find America's best-handling car. It has dribbled out videos of some exciting on-track driving at Laguna Seca, plus commentary by test driver Max Angelelli. Motor Trend published the results of this lengthy test in its article, "Track attack! We find America's best-handling car". We could take issue with the title, which suggests only American cars are tested. The only American car maker represented is Chevrolet, with the Z06 Corvette. For the titular criteria, Motor Trend merely means cars sold in America.

We could … Read more

When we told you about several leaked Sony laptops a few weeks ago, there weren't any photos of the ultraportable Vaio TZ11 to share. But Andrew at NotebookReview.com managed to uncover some images and more detailed specs on a French retailer's Web site.

"Anyone think that keyboard redesign looks a lot like the MacBook keyboard?" Andrew asks, and our answer is a hearty yes. We just hope it's comfortable for typing--which is tough to do when the case is only 10.9 inches wide.

Like its TX series predecessor, the 2.6-pound TZ11 is … Read more

This is just sad. Technology is a wonderful thing, but there are times when it's just unnecessary--especially in parenting.

Take, for example, the "Reverse Alarm Clock," a prototype device from Carnegie Mellon University. Using icons such as the moon and sun, Electronista says, it supposedly trains kids to sleep and wake up at appointed hours. (Good luck with that.)

Apparently, some university researchers need to get out of the lab and spend a little more time around living beings, particularly families with small children. Otherwise, they'll continue to come up with ideas like the "Intellicot,&… Read more

Most of the swag companies proffer to entice reporters to write about them is predictable and boring--pens, book bags, shirts, etc. You know, things I can buy myself, thank you. But it's not every day I receive swag that's so utterly ridiculous I feel the need to blog about it. (So, good job, Hazmat Media, whoever you are.)

Inside a nondescript padded envelope delivered to my desk yesterday was a two-page, single-spaced missive titled, "My TiVo Gets Me." Best of all, it was accompanied by a black, felt headband sporting TiVo antenna ears.

According to the … Read more

Just ignore those Jedi wannabes and their toy Lightsabers, not to mention the irritating cubicle-mate who wants to show off his Darth Vader umbrella every chance he gets. The true Star Wars aficionado will reveal himself with this, to the awe of all: Atari's original arcade cockpit.

Voyager Arcade, a U.K. company that specializes in retro arcade machines (obviously), is offering this vintage 1983 cockpit refurbished to its former glory. (We didn't know there was such a thing as an arcade refurb.) And the price on this machine has even been slashed to 3,995 pounds, or … Read more

As anyone who has managed to get their hands on a Nintendo Wii will shamefully admit, one of its most fun features is the Mii Channel, its easy-to-use avatar creation tool.

While that's not news, the phenomenon of celebrity avatars making their way across cyberspace is. People are sharing formulas for making celebrities and Wii console numbers to become friends so they can share avatars. There are several sites dedicated to the celebrity-inspired Miis and even contests to see who's making the best one.

Celebrities include everyone from Ali G to Zach Braf. Many of them can be … Read more

The Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP) at NYU is very close to my heart. First, because it's one of those few magical places where you can say something like "That is so steampunk of you!" and actually have people know what you mean. Second, because its winter 2006-2007 student show was the setting of my very first video blog. Awwww!

So, this time around, I went over to the ITP spring semester show, which was held in one of NYU's building spaces on Tuesday and Wednesday, to see what the students over there have been coming up … Read more

We knew that one of these had to be out there. About a week ago we found a video boombox that seemed to have everything except an iPod dock--which, to many people, made it virtually useless. But Boston Innovative Products has come to the rescue with one that provides just that.

Its "iMep" line of iPod boomboxes are also equipped for DVDs, CDs, TV and radio, according to iLounge. They're a bit of a stretch for the manufacturer, which is better known for making air purifiers and other household appliances. But hey, Samsung and LG are making … Read more