Filed under: Peripherals

Well, wouldn’t you know it? That PlantSense prototype we peeked around this time two years ago has seemingly found the fundage to start up production, and at long last the revamped product is available for you to purchase. Now christened EasyBloom, this USB stake sensor analyzes important data when stuck in soil for 24 hours, after which it uploads the data to your PC (via USB) for determining whether or not a flower / tree / etc. should be planted there. Additionally, it can “diagnose what is wrong with an ailing plant,” and it can even dole out a recommended list of which plants would be suitable for your environment. Sure, $59.99 may seem like a lot of green to toss out for something such as this, but it sure beats purchasing new flora every fortnight after you murder yet another round.

EasyBloom USB stake sensor now shipping, plants celebrate originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Oct 2008 14:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Desktops

Sony’s VAIO JS series, which was introduced at CEDIA alongside two larger siblings, is finally on sale and shipping… if you’re after the VGC-JS110J/S, that is. Sony’s initial plan was to have the full line out and about by “mid-October,” though just the bottom-end $999.99 model is currently ready to ship at Amazon. We’d expect the other variations to follow suit shortly, and if you’re still trying to make up your mind if this is the all-in-one for you, why not take a look at a review?

[Via ComputerMonger]

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Filed under: Desktops

Sony’s VAIO JS series, which was introduced at CEDIA alongside two larger siblings, is finally on sale and shipping… if you’re after the VGC-JS110J/S, that is. Sony’s initial plan was to have the full line out and about by “mid-October,” though just the bottom-end $999.99 model is currently ready to ship at Amazon. We’d expect the other variations to follow suit shortly, and if you’re still trying to make up your mind if this is the all-in-one for you, why not take a look at a review?

[Via ComputerMonger]

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Filed under: Cellphones, Peripherals

C’mon, what iPhone 3G user who actually takes full advantage of that 3G radio hasn’t been disappointed with battery life at one point or another? And be honest, you’re also disappointed with the downright naff battery extenders floating around out there. Granted, mophie’s iPhone 3G Juice Pack isn’t the most elegant thing in the entire world, but the “sled” design sure beats adding an unwanted appendage onto your handset. The device — which is shipping today to those who pre-ordered early — will reportedly provide up to 350 additional hours of standby, up to 6 hours of 3G talk time (or 12 hours on 2G), another 6 hours of web surfing and a 458% boost in overall happiness. Hell, you’d pay $99.95 just for the latter, now wouldn’t you?

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Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds

Given that a PSP-3000 Ratchet & Clank Entertainment Pack managed to sneak out a few days back (and, you know, being that today’s the official launch day and all), you shouldn’t be too floored to hear that the altogether brighter PlayStation Portable is now available across North America. ‘Course, you’ll have to fork over $199.99 for the aforementioned bundle if you want it today — the less-frills black PSP-3000 kit (with just a 4GB Memory Stick) should be around next month.

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Filed under: Cellphones

It’s been a long time coming (isn’t it always with Sony Ericsson and AT&T?), but the January-announced W760 Walkman slider is finally hitting the US on contract. Announced today, the shakeable W760a will be available in AT&T locations, bringing with it 3G support, a 3.2-megapixel camera, AT&T Navigator and “full HTML web browsing.” In case you haven’t seen already, it’ll be available in red, black and silver motifs, with the latter hue being exclusive to RadioShack for a limited time. Check it as early as today for $129.99 (with a 2-year agreement) after mail-in rebate.

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Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Robots

After the whole Tickle Me Elmo craze a few years back, you just knew Fisher-Price was going to ride this wave until it simply couldn’t stay afloat any longer. Elmo Live!, hailed as the “most innovative and engaging Elmo toy ever,” will officially hit store shelves tomorrow (October 14th) for $59.99, though we suspect the first batch will be snapped up in no time flat. Of course, those of you intent on retaining your sanity probably pre-ordered a few months back, but for everyone else, your battle to get one of this year’s hottest holiday gifts starts in under 24 hours. For those wondering what’s so special about this fellow, he supposedly tells jokes and makes movements that “give kids the feeling that Elmo is alive in their own homes.” Whether that’s really a good thing, however, is totally up to you.

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Filed under: Laptops

Finally, a netbook with a name cute enough to fit the design. Averatec’s 10.2-inch Buddy is now on sale after becoming official late last month, and it’s in stock for shipment to boot. As a refresher, you’ll get a 1.6GHz Intel Atom CPU, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, a 160GB hard drive, 802.11b/g WiFi, Ethernet, a 1.3-megapixel webcam, a WXGA panel, 4-in-1 multicard reader, three USB 2.0 ports and Windows XP Home running the show. Oh, and Averatec’s own e-store asserts that this 10.2-inch machine has a 12.1-inch LCD, but you know better than that. Yours now for $449.99.

[Via thegadgetsite]

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Filed under: Handhelds, Tablet PCs, Wireless

Go figure — Sprint goes live with its XOHM WiMAX service, and all of a sudden, the long-awaited Nokia N810 WiMAX edition pops in stock. Crazy, we know. After seeing this puppy announced (and in the flesh) way back in April of this year, it’s about time Nokia made it available to Americans with the cash to spare. As of right now, the 4.13-inch, QWERTY-packin’ Internet Tablet can be ordered for $493, and unless Nokia’s fibbing, it’s in stock for shipment. Hello 4G, we’re thrilled you’re here.

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Filed under: Desktops

Surely you remember the Atom-based Shuttle X27 barebones kit — you know, that cute little nettop case that was selling for $189 with its insides all hollow? For those with no time to fill it up, the full-fledged X2700N is now on tap. Boasting a 1.6GHz Intel Atom 230 processor, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, a 120GB hard drive and a GMA950 integrated graphics set, this Linux-based box can be yours right now for $379.99. That’ll also buy you a dual-layer DVD writer, gigabit Ethernet port, 802.11b/g WiFi, a handful of ports (six USB, VGA, DVI, audio in / out) and a 1-year warranty. ‘Tis a shame it’s not housing one of those dual-core Atom 330s, huh?

[Via ComputerMonger]

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Filed under: Digital Cameras, Displays

Given that Digital Foci’s IMT-062 was getting a bit long in the tooth, we’d say it’s about time a suitable successor hit the streets. The IMT-063, or “The Executive” as its known around the office, is the outfit’s very latest Image Moments 6 digiframe, which features a 5.7-inch 640 x 480 display, LED backlighting, a two-tone chrome finish, 450MB of internal storage space, support for a multitude of card formats and USB 2.0 connectivity. Better still, the frame will also play back audio and video files, and the auto-rotate orientation sensor will keep your curious youngsters occupied for hours. Look for this one to leave the shipping dock next week for $149.

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Filed under: Laptops

Don’t hold out on us — we know good and well you’ve been eying HP’s bigger than big HDX 18 ever since it got real last month. For those unable to resist the urge to find out what life’s like with an 18-inch entertainment notebook gracing their lap (and likely the lap of the guy one cube over), you can order this sucker up right now. Yep, the HDX 18t Premium series gets going at $1,549.99, but it won’t take too many configuration tweaks to push that figure well over the $2k mark. Have fun!

[Via Laptoping]

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Filed under: Cellphones

It’s no shock to see a US 3G-enabled Touch Diamond showing up at Best Buy (unlike the hamstrung sibling over at CompUSA) — though we can’t say we were expecting the big box retailer to start shipping this soon. If its website is to be believed (read: don’t book it just yet), the unlocked Touch Diamond 3G you’re about to order for $699.99 will leave Best Buy’s warehouse within one business day. If that’s not cool with you, you can also pick it up “at most stores.” Shame there’s no white option listed…

[Via MobileTechReview]

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Filed under: Robots

The Rovio — one of WowWee’s finest if we should say so ourselves — is finally ready to roam around domiciles and keep baddies at bay. First announced (and spotted) at CES 2008, this long-awaited robotic sentry is up for pre-order right now, and it comes packing a 640 x 480 webcam to stream back live video in MPEG4 format. Furthermore, it can snap stills, head out on a customized patrol route and avoid obstacles with its infrared sensor. Get ready — this sheriff’s rolling into your town next Friday for $299.95.

[Via Random-Good-Stuff, thanks Juergen]

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Filed under: Home Entertainment

When dealing with product names like FTD-HD2232HSR/BK, it’s quite refreshing to come across something such as this which explains itself so well. ION’s LP 2 FLASH turntable does exactly what you think it does — it transfers your old records directly to a USB flash drive, SD card or computer without any additional equipment. It even detects the gaps between tunes and creates individual tracks accordingly. It’s available now for £130 ($228), though we think that flight to the UK might just kill the deal.

[Via MusicRadar]

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Filed under: Cellphones

Barely a month after Nokia’s North American E71 went on sale at the Chicago / New York flagship stores, we’ve received word that the QWERTY-less sibling (that’d be the E66) has now arrived at the same locales. The quad-band slider boasts support for AT&T’s 3G network, and there’s also a 3.2-megapixel camera, GPS, WiFi and all the other goodies you’d expect from another solid S60 contender. Snap it up now in Grey Steel for $540.

[Via IntoMobile]

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Filed under: Robots

We’re not even going to front — we had all but forgotten about Erector’s Spykee. Granted, it didn’t do itself any favors by showing off at CES and then doing nothing for the next seven months, but we digress. If a pre-order page on Amazon is to be believed, the Spykee Spy Robot should be released on October 15th. It’s sporting a hefty $299.99 price tag and a recommended age of 8-years and up, but we’ll need to see some actual shipment notifications later this fall before we really get our hopes up. C’mon Erector, don’t let us, um, down.

[Via I4U News]

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Wearables

We’ve stated it before, but this time you really have ran out of excuses to run. Thanks to Yamaha’s BODiBEAT, you can expect your tunes to automatically sync with your steps, giving you new reason to get out of the house and get to steppin’. Granted, the $299.99 price tag is pretty steep for just 512MB of space and 12-hours of battery life (marathon, what?), but we’re sure there are a few of you out there willing to pay the premium to keep your head nodding perfectly in line with your pace. Oh, and if you completely skipped over the headline, it’s shipping now. Right now.

[Via Coolest Gadgets]

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Filed under: Cellphones

Vodafone expected the Touch Pro to touch down in the UK this month, and sure enough, said expectation has become a reality. HTC’s mighty WinMo-powered smartphone is now available from official UK distributor devicewire, and if you just so happen to use pounds as your primary currency, you can claim one of your own for the eye-popping price of £514.99 (including VAT). We won’t bother converting that into dollars — trust us, you’re better off pretending you don’t know.

[Via coolsmartphone]

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Filed under: Laptops

Given that Acer’s contribution to the netbook craze was reviewed over a fortnight ago, it follows logic that the thing finally be available for purchase. Apparently the Aspire One is already on shelves in at least one Circuit City location, so chances are you can run out and grab one for yourself today as well. But what if you’re not totally convinced it’s the mini laptop for you? If you’re 100% okay with subjecting yourself to a 26-minute “geek session” (their words, not ours) that unboxes it and gives a few brief impressions, jump on past the break and hit play. We’re warning you though, don’t venture down there unless you’ve got your coke bottle glasses on. We’re serious.

Read - Acer Aspire One first look
Read - Acer Aspire One impressions

Continue reading Acer’s Aspire One now available: unboxing and impressions

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