Gadgets

Draft 802.11n proposal approved

The IEEE has unanimously approved a draft version of the revised standard for the next generation of Wi-Fi technology, known as 802.11n at the moment.

Representatives at a meeting in Hawaii voted to endorse a preliminary standard proposed by an Intel-backed organization known as the Enhanced Wireless Consortium, which combined aspects of competing proposals from two other groups.

The 802.11n standard could allow notebook and handheld device users to connect to wireless access points at up to four times the speed of current Wi-Fi chips. The technology behind the improved performance is known as MIMO (multiple-in, multiple-out). MIMO … Read more

Ousted 'Project Runway' designer takes on gadgets

If you're as addicted as I am to the Bravo reality TV show "Project Runway," you know that the adorable and talented young geek designer Diana Eng, who favors fashion that integrates technology, got the boot last week.

On the show, a group of designers battle through a series of fashion-related challenges to win $100,000 that they can use to start a clothing line. Eng, 22, may not have netted the grand prize, but she's moved on to a venture potentially even more compelling to us gadget-heads. Eng is co-hosting Switchit.tv, an online do-it-yourself … Read more

This mouse makes phone calls

It's an optical mouse. It's a phone. Wait, it's an optical mouse that doubles as a phone.

The Sony VN-CX1, due out in February from Sony Japan, unfolds to become a fully functional VoIP phone that works with voice over Internet Protocol provider Skype. The 800 dpi mouse has a 3-foot cord and a built-in speaker; its scroll wheel also functions as a phone volume controller.

The product connects via USB/USB 2.0 and is compatible with Windows 2000/XP only. It comes in white, black, blue, red and leaf green and reports have it debuting … Read more

DVD snafu may keep 'Munich' off medals stand

The DVD, usually a gold mine for movie makers, appears to be giving the shaft to director Steven Spielberg. His latest movie, "Munich," is a favorite to win honors from many organizations, but that isn't likely to be the case in Britain.

Voting members of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) have until Thursday to get their nominations in for movies deserving accolades. The problem is that many of the members still haven't seen "Munich," because the preview DVD sent to BAFTA members doesn't play in DVD players in Britain, … Read more

HP one year later...

A lot can change in a year.

At the Consumer Electronics Show last year, Carly Fiorina, who then served as CEO of the computer maker, delivered a speech touting the company's plans for a media hub delivered via set-top boxes, according to her CES keynote speech.

HP's plans called for a Media Hub that would allow users to access, manage and view any digital content - photos, music, TV, or video - via a digital set-top box, dual tuner and digital video recorder. That digital content would also be combined with the capabilities of HDTV.

But since her … Read more

Got earphones, but what about eyephones?

So you've finally found that perfect set of earphones for your digital music player. Well, the shopping might not be over if you've moved on to a music player with a video screen.

Rochester, N.Y.-based Icuiti is the second Computer Electronics Show vendor we've learned of that's showcasing video display headsets for use with music players and other devices.

Icuiti's DV920 Video Eyewear, an upgraded version of an earlier display, is marketed as "a home theatre experience that fits in your pocket." It can be used with DVD players, A/V … Read more

In-dash Xbox could make for wild ride

Nissan and Microsoft are getting set to unveil a concept car with an in-dash Xbox 360, according to Ars Technica and other sources. Should the vehicle ever make it to the pavement, we really, really hope it's true that game-playing only activates when the car's in park.

The car, called the Nissan Urge, lets drivers use the steering wheel and pedals to play Microsoft's "Project Gotham Racing 3" on a 7-inch LCD screen that folds down from the roof where the rear-view mirror is normally positioned. PGR 3 takes players on speedy chases through the … Read more

Sanyo pops out hand-size HD camcorder

Back in late 2004, Sony introduced the first high-definition camcorder for consumers. It costs around $2,000 and took two hands to operate without shaking. JVC also came out with an HD camera.

Expect such cameras to become more common this year. Sanyo, for instance, will showcase the HD1 at the Computer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week. Based around the same design of the palm-size video cameras Sanyo already sells under the Xacti brand, the HD1 can capture HD-quality video, as well as 5.1-megapixel stills.

Other companies will come out with HD cameras this year because chips … Read more

Headset turns video iPod into big screen

A Bellevue, Wash.-based company plans to release a new headset this year that makes it seem like you're watching the video iPod on a big-screen TV, according to a story in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

eMagin's "EyeBud" displays video from the iPod in front of one eye, using optical technology designed to make the picture appear larger and with a higher resolution than the iPod's screen, according to the story. The company's CEO likened the headset, expected to retail for as much as $599, to watching a 105-inch display from 12 feet away, the … Read more