Filed under: Digital Cameras, Displays

Sony’s VAIO CP1 looked mighty sexy in the press shots, but trust us when we say it’s even more stunning in person. We still think it’s overpriced at $300, but this WiFi-enabled frame was showing off all of its sides (RSS reader, split-screen Picasa viewing, music player) at CEDIA. Take a look at this fine piece of technological goodness in the gallery below.

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Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals

We know, we know — you already know most everything there is to know about Sony’s SOCOM PS3 Bluetooth headset, but up until now, the most important tidbit has remained a mystery. The device will be launching this fall as part of the SOCOM: Confrontation bundle for $59.99, or if you just loathe the whole SOCOM series, you can pick it up all by its lonesome for $49.99. Tough call, huh?

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Filed under: Digital Cameras, Displays

We had a hunch that Sony’s VGF-CP1 was just too svelte to stay locked in Japan forever, and now that CEDIA is upon us, we’re finally getting the news we’ve been waiting for: it’s coming to the United States. Rechristened the VAIO CP1 WiFi photo frame, this device features a 7-inch 800 x 480 resolution display, support for Google Picasa streaming, 128MB of internal storage space, an SD / Memory Stick / CF multicard reader and an RSS reader to keep you abreast on the latest happenings. Furthermore, it touts built-in stereo speakers and an internet radio player, not to mention the digital / analog clock. Check it in mid-October for three bills.

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Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Just as the world’s landfills could soon see an influx of unwanted televisions, many American warehouses are packed with e-voting machines that once held promise for a better way to vote. Instead, they turned into a multi-year fiasco, with hackers figuring out how to do everything save for their income taxes on ‘em and states reverting back to less vulnerable methods. Now, many states are scrambling for ways to recoup costs, even for outlets that will take them in for recycling. Oddly, Ohio cannot ditch the systems it purchased until a couple of related lawsuits get dealt with. The result? Buckeyes will probably still be using e-voting machines come November.

[Via Slashdot, image courtesy of BradBlog]

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Filed under: Gaming

Well, color us surprised! Here we have yet another “limited edition” PlayStation 3 bundle, this time with Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune packed in alongside a PlayStation Network voucher for PAIN, a DualShock 3 wireless controller and… a 160GB PS3 console? Yep, Sony’s formally introducing us to the new king, which will start shipping to North America this November in the aforementioned kit for $499.99. Curiously, there’s no word as to whether it’ll be released separate from the bundle (we’re guessing yes), and there’s no mention of PS2 backwards compatibility (so don’t count on it). In related news, the “new” $399.99 80GB version is finally shipping to retailers, so you should be able to snap one up in the very, very near future.

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Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment

When Westinghouse launched its 40-inch LCD HDTV / DVD combo unit earlier this year, we really began to think of just how nice it’d be to broaden Blu-ray’s appeal by shoving a drive into a new set for those looking for simplicity. Enter Funai — the company currently responsible for the lowest priced standalone BD deck on the market — which is reportedly aiming to loose an LCD HDTV with built-in Blu-ray player on the North American market next summer. The company typically brands its wares with names like Sylvania, Symphonic and Emerson, so we wouldn’t expect the highest-end stuff here. That said, we’re glad to see someone taking this very necessary step, even though you won’t catch us recommending ‘em to anyone but the technologically challenged. [Warning: read link requires subscription]

[Via CrunchGear]

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Filed under: Cellphones

With all the Touch Diamond / Touch Pro news surfacing for these US CDMA carriers, quite a few AT&T subscribers are beginning to get restless. Calm down, folks — it seems the AT&T Touch Pro is a reality waiting to happen after all. Based on some admittedly dodgy claims and even dodgier photographs, one particular soul has apparently paid $900 for a pre-release Touch Pro with North American 3G. Only time will tell if he got duped, but we’re going to believe that AT&T wouldn’t let this gem pass it by for too much longer until proven wrong.

[Via wmpoweruser]

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Filed under: Transportation

We’re beginning to think the US government is playing tricks with our head. Let’s see, in late 2004, a Boeing anti-missile airborne laser achieved first light; in October of 2006, a laser-equipped 747-400F was deemed ready for testing; in January of 2007, an MD-10 with Northrop Grumman’s Guardian anti-missile system took off; now, we’re back to the testing stage? Something doesn’t add up. Whatever the case, we’re being fed information that leads us to think that the US Air Force’s Airborne Laser has moved on to some “other” stage of testing. More specifically, engineers are making sure its “sequencing and control” functions are operating normally. Unsurprisingly, we’re left in the dark as to when this thing will see action (again?), but consider our interest piqued for a reason The Man didn’t intend.

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Filed under: Cellphones

Call it a hunch, but you shouldn’t have to wait too awfully long (like, hours / days / weeks) to secure Nokia’s North American E71 today. Said handset is now available at the company’s flagship store in Chicago, complete with a QWERTY keyboard and US-friendly 3G. Eager to grab one? Total cost will be $483 (plus tax) in addition to a roundtrip ticket to Chi-town, considering the store won’t ship to out-of-towners (or so we hear).

[Via IntoMobile]

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Filed under: Laptops

Acer played it safe early last month by telling Americans to expect its Aspire One “later this year,” but just a month and change after UKers had the privilege of toying with one on video, here she comes. So far, we’re seeing a couple of variations for sale here in the US, two of which include the $399.99 A110-1295 (8GB SSD) and the $422.99 A150-1006 (120GB HDD). We’re also hearing that select e-tailers are already slapping those shipping labels on there and moving ‘em out to anxious consumers, so be sure and chime in when your confirmation arrives. Wait, what? You already own six netbooks? Ah well, what’s another one amongst family?

[Via AspireOne, thanks Tony and Timothy]

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Filed under: Cellphones

You’ve piddled around in our unboxing shots and replayed that hands-on video countless times. Now, the time has finally come to bust open the piggy bank and secure your very own Nokia N78. Dramatics aside, the HSDPA-packin’ handset that also musters a 3.2-megapixel camera and A-GPS can now be purchased at Nokia flagship stores in Chicago and New York, numerous online retailers and the occasional mom ‘n pop shop for around $560. So, who’s getting one?

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Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Thanks for keeping your promise, Yamaha. The almost unicorn-like Tenori-on music maker has at long last gone on sale here in America, offering USers willing to part with $1,200 the chance to get lost inside a cacophonic wilderness. Good luck finding one in stock.

[Via CNET]

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Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

It doesn’t sound like Qualcomm has all of its legal woes here in America worked out just yet, but apparently that won’t stop fat-walleted USers from snapping up the forthcoming HTC Advantage X7510 real soon. Both Dynamism and On The Go Solutions are expecting stock any day now, and they’ll be shipping to your US-based address so long as you’re willing to accept a $1,299 charge on your preferred piece of plastic. Before you brush this off as absurd, listen to that devil on your shoulder whispering things like “5-inch VGA display” and “HSDPA.” Hmm.

[Via Pocketables]
Read - Dynamism
Read - On The Go Solutions

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Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment

Sharp’s biggest announcement at InfoComm isn’t the plethora of new projectors and LCD monitors. No, dear friends, it’s the proclamation that its 108-inch LB-1085 1080p display will soon be available right here in the US of A. Sharp’s smart enough to not let out a US price just yet, but our handy Japanese currency conversion calculation puts it somewhere around $100,000. Chump change, right?

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Filed under: Portable Audio

If that Swarovski crystal-clad E010 was a bit too rich for your blood, why not take a gander at said unit’s successor? The recently introduced NWD-E020F series sports that well-known USB stick style, and as you can tell, you can customize yours in (almost) any color you choose thanks to the bundled (and changeable) Style-Up panels. By juicing this one all the way up — which takes just an hour, by the way — users can expect a respectable 28 hours of continuous playback; as for file compatibility, the E020 will play nice with MP3, WMA, AAC and LPCM formats. Get yours here (as in, the US of A) sometime soon for $69 (1GB) / $79 (2GB).

[Via CNET]

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Filed under: Cellphones

Unless you’ve been squarely camped out under an atypically large boulder the past few months, you aren’t apt to be taken aback by this news. Sure enough, handset sales declined 22-percent in Q1 2008, though the industry did move some 31 million mobiles during the post-holiday quarter. It was noted, however, that smartphones comprised 17-percent of all mobile sales, which marks a 10-percent increase from the prior quarter. When taking a look at the top five handset manufacturers, you’ll find Motorola shakily perched at the top (27-percent), while RIM slipped past Sanyo to grab the five spot with 5-percent. Check the read link for all the gory details.

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Filed under: Portable Audio

If there’s one thing that could put a stop to terrorism once and for all, it’s this DAP. Nothing strikes fear into the heart of an anti-American jihadist like this hideous MP3 player loaded up with Deerhoof b-sides and the entire Duran Duran back-catalog. The next time you snake under barbed wire and behind enemy lines, let them know where you’re coming from by flashing this baby before you unload round after round of righteousness. Sure, it’s only got 1GB of storage, but it’s not about how many tracks you’ve got — it’s about showing off your American spirit with this Chinese-made product.

[Via anythingbutipod]

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Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Even though we’ve seen a couple of US e-tailers offering HTC’s latest Advantage, the X7150, up for pre-order, it seems that the handheld won’t actually be sold here for at least awhile. According to jkOnTheRun, the X7510 possesses one of those hotly-debated Qualcomm chipsets that cannot be sold on American soil — presumably due to all those legal issues the firm is currently wading through. Of course, folks that just can’t fathom living another quarter without one can cough up the requisite dough to snag one from an importer, but otherwise, it looks like you USers are clean out of luck (at least for the moment).

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Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment

You heard it right — Hitachi’s UltraThin 1.5 family that caused such a stir at CES is finally available for US consumers. Available in 32-, 37-, 42- and 47-inch sizes, the lot has been broken down into two distinct clans: the Director’s Series (X) and Ultra Vision (V) models. Each member of the former comes with a 2-year warranty and a sticker ranging from $1,999 to $4,699, while the latter gets a 1-year warranty and price tags between $1,799 and $4,499. Curiously enough, it seems that several sets (the UT47X902, UT47V702, UT32A302/W, UT32V502/W, UT42V702 and UT37V702) may actually not yet be ready for shipping judging by their July to September availability dates, but we’ll leave it to you to sort out the contradictions in Hitachi’s press release with your dealer. Hit the read link for more details, and hop on over to Engadget HD for a gallery of press shots.

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Filed under: Ask Engadget, GPS

Yeah, you definitely have our permission to be incredibly envious of someone who is actually going to be motoring about in both Europe and North America on a frequent basis, but in all seriousness, we’re betting Sneaker isn’t the only chap out there looking for the best GPS for intercontinental travels.

“I’m headed to Europe in the near future and will be doing some extensive driving. Thus, I’m wondering which GPS units your readers have found to be effective for cruising on the back-roads of Europe, while still getting the job done in North America as well? Would appreciate some recommendations.”

You’ll notice a budget is glaringly absent here, so feel free to toss out your recommendations from low-end to princely. Meanwhile, you can beam in a burning question of your own by writing us at ask at engadget dawt com — who knows, you might find your very own words in this space next week.

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