generator

Here it is, Sony's Next Generation Portable, the NGP or the PSP2. Whatever its final name ends up being, the device boasts a healthy set of specs and features, including 3G connectivity, a touch screen, touch pad, two cameras, and a gorgeous OLED screen with four times the resolution of the original PSP.

While we'll continue to post news, impressions, and reactions, here's a your chance to see the new device from every angle.

Some video of gameplay footage for the PSP2 or Next Generation Portable (NGP), as Sony is calling the device, is starting to hit the Internet with much more to come. Our sister site GameSpot covered the announcement in Japan and has a demo "trailer" for Uncharted. Several other titles are in the works, including Wipeout, Killzone, LittleBigPlanet, Resistance, Hustle Kings, Hot Shot Shots Golf, and NGP exclusives Little Deviants, Reality Fighters, and Gravity Daze.

Sony says the NGP, which doesn't have a price yet and will be released late this year, is graphically as powerful as the … Read more

Sony, apparently eager to profit from the still relatively immature Android gaming market, announced a program to bring older PlayStation games to Android devices--phones and tablets--that pass the company's certification tests.

The new PlayStation Suite initiative "will not only deliver the PlayStation experience to a wider base of users around the globe, but will also be able to offer game developers and publishers the potential to further expand their business opportunities to these devices," the Sony Computer Entertainment division said today. Also announced is an accompanying developer program to make it easier for programmers to create suitable … Read more

It's never official until it's really official, but there continue to be strong indications that Sony will unveil its next-generation PlayStation Portable game console on January 27.

This time Bloomberg News is reporting that two sources who have knowledge of the company's plans say the new handheld will be announced next week. At the press conference, Sony will also "outline a strategy to use its networked entertainment services to share games, movies, and music among handheld products, TVs, and other devices," according to Bloomberg, once again citing a source who wished to remain anonymous.

And … Read more

A new type of solar thermal system for homes that can provide heat, hot water, and electricity is being tested in Boulder, Colo., over the next few months.

Cool Energy says its SlowFlow system could provide the average U.S. home with 80 percent of its heat, 100 of its hot water, and 60 percent of its electricity needs.

It's being developed with help from the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, and electricity and natural gas giant Xcel Energy.

The system consists of solar collectors, a Stirling engine, a hot water heater, a space heater, an insulated … Read more

A couple of months ago, I noticed that my third-generation iPod Touch (32GB) was having trouble holding a charge. After using it for a few hours, the battery was at about 30 percent, and if I left it sitting on my desk overnight, it was invariably dead in the morning, even after I turned Wi-Fi off.

I looked into getting a replacement battery and found out that Apple charges $79 (see complete chart of iPod repair pricing). Now I like my iPod Touch, which serves both as a Sonos remote and a remote for an old Roku player that I … Read more

LAS VEGAS--I had some hands-on experience with the Mobion Fuel Cell Generator in December and decided to bring it with me to CES 2011 with the intention of using it as the only charger for my iPhone 4 and seeing how this green technology would work out.

In case you're anxious, it worked out OK, though not perfectly.

Prior to the trip, MTI Micro, the device's maker, told me that while the generator itself would pose no problem, the fuel cell cartridge, which contains the fuel liquid, has not been approved to be included with carry-on luggage so … Read more

LAS VEGAS--For all the bicycle enthusiasts, especially those interested in longer-distance touring, China-based Jooyn Power Shenzen is introducing a rear-wheel mini generator that can power the company's bike lights, sound system, and controller up to 18 volts/1 amp. Each light includes a USB port for powering other devices at around 5V/1A, and the generator doubles as a rear light that flashes during rotation.

Solar-based systems are cool, but when reliable lighting is most important (say, for riding at night), they're just not optimal. If Jooyn's new generator (pricing and release dates to be announced) adds … Read more

LAS VEGAS--The early class of "pocket" pico projectors hasn't taken off as quickly as some people expected, largely because the image quality hasn't been good. Texas Instruments hopes to kick-start the category with a new DLP Pico HD chipset that will make its way into products shipping later this year.

The company says the new chip delivers "stunning" HD (WXGA) video and images on "nearly any surface, with more brightness and greater energy efficiency than ever before," and that it will usher in "a new era for portable high-definition entertainment." … Read more