Filed under: Displays

Asus is ritzing up its LCD inventory with four new high-end displays this month — the VK266H and VW266H at 25.5 inches (beating out the manufacturer’s current top end) and the VK246H and VW246H at good ol’ 24 inches. They all feature the company’s new Splendid Video Intelligence Technology, run at at 1,920 x 1,200, and have a 20,000:1 contrast ratio, which is a significant improvement over the current Asus flagship’s 3,000:1, but the max brightness is a bit lower. Why two at each size, you ask? Actual specs are identical across the board, but the VK266H and the VK246H have built-in webcams, while the VW266H and VW246H don’t — unfortunately, pricing info is not yet available, so there’s no telling how much extra you’ll be paying to record cringe-worthy YouTube diaries.

[Via PCLaunches; thanks, Vinit]

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Filed under: Digital Cameras

We’ve never really gotten the knack for video chat. Either we’re bothered by the lack of eye contact, freaked by the uneasy silences or just way too ugly, but whatever it is we’re sure the Minoru 3D Webcam is going to make it all much more immersive and difficult. Featuring dual cameras spaced about a face-width apart, Minoru creates a stereoscopic effect for viewing with old-school red and blue 3D glasses. The camera supports all sorts of video chat services, or you can shoot 3D video and shuffle it up to YouTube, and 2D is also available for all the squares out there. Minoru’s currently competing in the CES Innovations competition, and should be hitting shelves in December at a sub-$100 pricepoint.

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Filed under: Displays

They’re not much more useful or cost efficient than a second or third regular-sized display, but Korean company Nanovision’s soon-to-be-released 7-inch mini-LCDs — model-named MIMO — are novel, and probably a bit more convenient to hook up thanks to a USB interface. Two models will hit the streets of Korea in just a couple of days, and they both work in either landscape or portrait mode at 800 x 480. The UM-750 (₩183,000 or $152), has a webcam, touchscreen, and TV tuner, but its feature-challenged brother the UM-710 (₩98,000 or $81) doesn’t. Unfortunately, they’re only planned for Korea at the moment, so everyone else will have to consider a smaller but considerably less adorable alternative.

[Via Technabob; Thanks, Tom M]

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Filed under: Digital Cameras, Gaming, Peripherals

Remember that PlayStation Eye you purchased way back when? You know, that PS peripheral you used for all of 12 minutes before shelving indefinitely? It’s time to break that bad boy back out, as a detailed hack from the NUI Group shows how to convert it into a working webcam within Windows. Make no mistake, this isn’t the simplest hack in the whole wide world, but the long-winded instructions ought to guide you right through. What are you waiting for? Head on down and get to work!

[Via PS3 Fanboy]

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Filed under: Digital Cameras, Peripherals

Sure, it’s frumpy, overpriced and rather pointless for anyone who owns a computer with a webcam and knows how to use it, but ASUS and Skype are after the grandma / grandpa / computerphobic set with this here AiGuru SV1 videophone, and aren’t doing horrible job of it. The screen is great, the icons are ginormous, and operation couldn’t be much simpler. Unfortunately, the video quality is pretty inexcusable for a dedicated box like this: the VGA image is crap, and the framerate is totally weak — it could’ve been a problem with the network we were on, but it looked like a straight-up wired router to us. What gives, ASUS?

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Filed under: Peripherals

Man, with all these product intros today you’d think the world was going to end tomorrow or something. Anyway, just as predicted, Microsoft just kicked out the new LifeCam Show and LifeCam VX-5500. The $100 Show is a 2.0 megapixel cam that can take 8 megapixel stills, and a built-in mic with noise- and echo-cancellation, while the $60 VX-5500 does VGA video and 1.3 megapixel stills and has interchangeable faceplates. Both include a one-touch Windows LiveCall button that pops open your contact list and new LifeCam software which allows you to send video messages, share photos during calls, and initiate calls with a Vista gadget. Should be out in October — check the VX-5500 after the break.

Continue reading Microsoft LifeCam Show and LifeCam VX-5500 make the scene

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Filed under: Peripherals, Portable Audio, Portable Video

So we know that Microsoft is gearing up to launch those new “Blue Track” mice on September 9th, but Ars Technica says that there’s a good chance we’ll be getting new webcams and — surprise! — Zunes as well. Sadly, the new mice might still be the most exciting things on the ticket — the LifeCam VX-5500 and LifeCam Show NX-8000 are pretty much just webcams, and we’re not expecting anything Zune hardware-related beyond beyond bumps to 120GB and 16GB and perhaps that blue flash number. Still, there’s a chance we could be surprised by those rumored new software and service announcements, but Microsoft’s going to have to reach deep into the wow box to steal attention from a certain black-turtlenecked raconteur who’ll be taking the stage in Cupertino to announce some minor new PMPs that day as well. Let the games begin!

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Filed under: Digital Cameras, Portable Audio

We’ve never been big fans of giving your tween some Nickelodeon-ized gizmo when you can simply hand down your current gear and use it for an excuse to upgrade, but apparently not everyone sees it that way. Nickelodeon, Viacom and Imation have jointly announced the latest line of kid-friendly Npower gizmos, which includes a digital voice recorder, a digicam and a webcam based on the “breakout hit” iCarly. Additionally, the outfit is churning out SpongeBob SquarePants-themed speakers, boomboxes, MP3 players and digiframes, and there’s even a few Dora the Explorer toys thrown in for good measure. All the (inflated) prices and shipping details are down there in the read link — we won’t bore the uninterested any longer by fleshing it out here.

[Via Electronista]

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Filed under: Peripherals

Wesco Limited is offering up a TIE Fighter webcam, which — truth be told — would look completely ridiculous sitting atop your LCD. That being said, those of you already chatting it up with your fellow nerds on an R2-D2 webcam won’t mind one bit. You’ll also be interested to know that there’s a complete dearth of specifications, though we do know that a pair of LEDs just below the camera lights up to brighten your cheery face. It’s available for now around $40, and proceeds go directly into funding George Lucas’ next extravagant vacation.

[Via DigitalDrops]

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Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Peripherals

Oftentimes, Brando’s assortment of “must-have” doohickeys don’t actually do much for your productivity level. This particular gizmo, however, bucks that trend in glorious fashion. The $23 USB 4-in-1 Web Cam is a fairly standard desk lamp with built-in LEDs that also acts as a webcam, voice input device and fan. Best of all, this one’s USB-powered, though that could spell disaster (or “USB hub”) if your sockets are already occupied with other Brando gear.

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Filed under: Digital Cameras, Peripherals

Logitech, a name long synonymous with PC webcams, just announced its newest, flagship camera which — are you ready? — is Mac-only. A move which, quite honestly, makes us feel, well… dirty. The USB 2.0 QuickCam Vision Pro works with iChat and Skype and features a 2 megapixel sensor, a quick autofocusing Carl Zeiss lens, and the ability to record VGA video at 30fps while mounted to your display or, redundantly, to your MacBook which of course have featured an integrated webcam for the last few years. Hitting shelves across Europe and the US in July for $130. See this chunk of a webcam attached to an Apple Studio Display after the break.

Continue reading Logitech’s flagship QuickCam Vision Pro is Mac only

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Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Consider yourselves fortunate. You’ve had well over two whole months without an episode of Crapgadget, but today, that grace period ends. The most recent laughable load includes an absolutely vile wristwatch that supposedly plays MP3s / MP4s if you can manage to glance away from the bezel and band. Furthermore, we’ve got a TV tuner and webcam — in one — alongside a way-too-expensive WiFi sniffing pen that doesn’t do 802.11n. Bringing up the rear is Connectland’s 180° X2 Revolving USB Hub, which clearly raises the bar in USB hub design stupidity. Per usual, we’re begging for your vote on the crappiest below, but we’ll understand if you just can’t bear the thought of spending another moment thinking about these pitiful creations.

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Filed under: Digital Cameras, Gaming, Peripherals

Hey, we’ve seen quite a few gimmicky game control schemes in our day. We thought we were jaded, believed that we could no longer be moved emotionally by a few dorks in a lab, promising to revolutionize video games with their insanity. Until we saw Cam-Trax. You’ll get it in a moment by peeping the video after the break, but the basic gist is this: Cam-Trax offers highly accurate and responsive tracking of random colorful objects you hold in front of your webcam and tell it to track. Gameplay can be EyeToy-esque, but it can also be so much more, since the unit can track many objects in a full three dimensions. The video shows everything from a glorified game of pong to a FPS, and promises to control “any game” with “any webcam.” Show us more, Cam-Trax.

[Thanks, Chen D.]

Continue reading Cam-Trax is “coolest thing since ice,” can provide Wii-like controls with any webcam

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Filed under: Digital Cameras, Peripherals

While it may look like an overhead projector without any hints to the scale, you’re actually looking at HP’s (relatively) tiny Elite Auto Focus Webcam. Compatible with all the major PC-based, video chat solutions out there (Yahoo, Skype, MS Messenger, AIM), the USB 2.0 cam clips onto your monitor and features a 3 megapixel CMOS camera capable of shooting video ranging from 640 x 480 pixels at 30fps quality on down to 1,600 x 1,200 at a stuttering 5fps. It also brings a built-in stereo microphone, face tracking and Magic-i video effects software, 3 programmable buttons, and a sliding “privacy cover” which lets your date know that the camera really is, off.

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Filed under: Peripherals

We thought Brando had finally reached the pinnacle of jokey USB armaments with its recent wireless missile launcher — the third such product in this evolving line — but apparently there is demand out there for a remotely-operated version capable of waging war over the internet. Filling this strange market gap will be the USB MSN Missile Launcher, which tacks a webcam onto the standard version and allows your buddies on the Microsoft network to randomly shoot at you throughout the day. Again, we’re not sure who buys a weapon whose main purpose is to attack its owner, so the $49 device may not be the huge hit its predecessors were when it ‘launches’ on the 18th.

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Filed under: Digital Cameras

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Filed under: Digital Cameras

Sure, it won’t get you live 3D representations of living cells, but this little USB microscope mashup over at Instructables should nab you some sweet pics of up-close detail with a minimum of effort. You can pull it off with basically any simple webcam — the one pictured here cost $5 — and toy microscope, but you’ll have to a little creative wiresplicing to get the white LED light source powered off USB as well. Still, it’s a neat project if you’ve got the time — now get to work!

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Filed under: Digital Cameras

IPEVO, better known for its Skype-related offerings, is gearing up to unveil its PoV handheld webcam at the Taipei Computer Show, but thankfully, it went ahead and uploaded most all of the nitty gritty onto its website for us to pore over. Apparently, the device is designed to enable users to easily show others “what they see,” and it features a VGA (640 x 480) resolution, adjustable focus, automatic white balance, a built-in microphone and USB 2.0 connectivity. You can also perch this bugger on your desk or desktop monitor, but c’mon, where’s the fun in that? No word on a price or release date just yet, but those tidbits should be readily available next month.

[Thanks, Roy C.]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Filed under: Cellphones, Household

Yeah, yeah, the caption reads “watch over your loved ones wirelessly…” but we know by “watch over” they mean spy. With SingTel’s dubious intentions aside, the Mobile LIVEcam looks to be a reasonably inexpensive and capable — albeit optically challenged — 0.3 megapixel remote camera. For only $240 upfront and about $6 month in service costs you get a 3G SIM card and the camera which can pan, tilt, zoom, and even record video onto a microSD card. If your preferred recording location is a bit dark, the camera features an infrared recording mode to help get the dirtiest of dirt ensure your family’s safety. The LIVEcam is controlled via SMS commands or through a web interface — also accessible by up to 20 others via password control — on your mobile phone, and with a touted 300 hours standby time, should give you enough time to capture the perfect shots. Yep, anti-privacy never looked so fun.

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Filed under: Displays

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!