Filed under: Cellphones

Oh sure, LG has teased us with a faux wood cellphone, and Hulger has actually produced one that four people in existence can afford, but this… this is something else. According to the captions in textlad’s Flickr pool, Nokia’s own eco-team designed and created the object of desire that you see above: an 8-megapixel “handset” that appears to function just fine. We can already tell you this thing isn’t coming to market, but we would absolutely love to be proven wrong.

[Via TreeHugger, thanks shellshock]

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Filed under: Storage

Not that we haven’t seen bamboo-based gizmos before, but there’s something about SimpleTech’s [re]drive that just screams upscale. This elegant, smooth looking external HDD was crafted to be easy on the eyes and Mother Earth alike, with the outfit utilizing “renewable, naturally grown bamboo and recyclable aluminum” along with an Energy Star power adapter and eco-friendly packaging. You’ll also find a USB 2.0 jack, automatic power up / down and 500GB of internal storage space. Not too shabby for an estimated $150.

[Via Wired]

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Filed under: Cellphones

Heads up, affluent sect. The immensely pricey Professional 105 line is expanding, as two new members slip in to tempt your stuffed wallet. Mobiado’s Professional 105 EM is available in Cocobolo and Ebony, and the frame is even constructed from anodized aluminum; you’ll also notice sapphire crystal buttons and a black finish. As for the Professional 105 GCB, it’s layered with a 5-micron thick 24-karat gold plating and jazzed up with a fancy logo ’round back. Both candybars feature quad-band GSM support, a measly 1GB of internal storage space and a ho hum 2-megapixel camera, but fret not, as it’ll (very likely) be the most expensive lackluster cellphone you’ll ever pay for.

[Via UnwiredView]

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Filed under: Desktops

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Filed under: GPS, Portable Audio, Portable Video

Better get used to it ’cause wood emblazoned consumer electronics is a trend that’s apparently here to stay. This time, it’s Burl Walnut (not bamboo) on this N3 which Cowon puts up for sale in Korea on April 28th. We’re not sure when deforestation become synonymous with ecological so we’ll assume that Cowon’s going for recyclability here and involved in some form of sustainable forest management program. Surely this isn’t just some marketing ploy. The 2GB DMB with GPS device will cost you ₩419,000 (about $437) — a $20 premium over the standard 2GB N3.

[Via Akihabara News]

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Filed under: GPS, Portable Audio, Portable Video

Better get used to it ’cause wood emblazoned consumer electronics is a trend that’s apparently here to stay. This time, it’s Burl Walnut (not bamboo) on this N3 which Cowon puts up for sale in Korea on April 28th. We’re not sure when deforestation become synonymous with ecological so we’ll assume that Cowon’s going for recyclability here and involved in some form of sustainable forest management program. Surely this isn’t just some marketing ploy. The 2GB DMB with GPS device will cost you ₩419,000 (about $437) — a $20 premium over the standard 2GB N3.

[Via Akihabara News]

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Filed under: Laptops

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Filed under: Desktops

Another day, another round of PCs exquisitely built from woods farmed halfway across the globe. On the docket today, however, are a number of particularly drool-worthy rigs from Universal Roaming. The Ryou collection consists of a half dozen models constructed from Japanese Judas trees and accented with lacquer, silver / gold powders and other culturally-inspired designs. Each diminutive unit houses a 1.66GHz Core 2 Duo T5500 CPU, up to 2GB of RAM, an 80GB HDD, dual-layer DVD burner, WiFi adapter, 3-in-1 multicard reader and Windows Vista, but there’s no telling how much you’ll be asked to lay down in exchange for such elegance.

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Filed under: Laptops

We already knew the GX600 would be showing itself at CeBIT this year, but apparently, quite a few siblings made the trek to Germany as well — including the aforementioned unit’s 14.1-inch sister, the GX400. Moving on, we’ve got the 15.4-inch GX620 and 17-inch GX720, and while the former looks to arrive in a wood, leather or carbon fiber finish, the latter supposedly arrives with a black lacquer coat and a built-in subwoofer (among other goodies). The GT-730 gaming lappie was also mentioned, but unfortunately, all we know is that it gets its graphics prowess from some form of ATI Mobility Radeon. The AMD-powered EX610 (15.4-inches) also turned heads with its integrated Blu-ray player and HDMI output, while the 17-inch EX700 sported the same along with a GeForce 8400M GPU. Hit up the links below for a couple more snapshots, won’tcha?

Read - MSI laptops at CeBIT
Read - More MSI laptops at CeBIT

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Filed under: Peripherals, Portable Audio

So you like wooden headphones, and you’re down with JVC’s offerings, but you don’t have a thousand bucks to spend on the company’s swanky HP-DX1000 over-the-ear cans. Before, you might have had a problem. However thanks to the new HP-FX500s earbuds, you can proudly sport the dead tree look and have your Victor sound for only ¥15,000 ($131). These buds tout a sensitivity of 100dB/1mW and frequency response of 8Hz to 25kHz and , which is not quite as good as their bulkier big brother, but what can you expect for around ten percent of the price, right?

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Filed under: Portable Audio

Funny, that DAP on the left looks more like a grenade than an acorn to our jaded eyes. Nevertheless, you’re looking at the “Acorn-type” speaker (￥3,499 / $31) and MP3 player (￥6,999 / $63) from Evergreen. The DAP hosts 1GB of flash for the all the MP3, WMA, and/or OGG files you can stuff in a shell. Just the latest creation from Evergreen’s new DIY DAP kit (pictured after the break). Hmm, a pair of nuts, wood… you so naughty Evergreen.

[Via Akihabara News]

Read — DAP
Read — speaker
Read — DIY kit

Continue reading Evergreen’s do-it-yourself Acorn DAP and speaker pair — but why would you?

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

Filed under: Home Entertainment

We aren’t about to believe that Axiom Audio’s Audiobyte is actually the first luxury speaker system made for the PC, but it’s pretty swank, regardless. The setup consists of a pair of ultra-compact speakers, a dedicated stereo amplifier and an optional (but totally necessary) subwoofer. Additionally, the firm offers ‘em up in seven different finishes including lacquered, real-wood Burled Walnut, and the standalone amplifier pushes some 55-watts to each 6.5- x 5.5- x 4-inch speaker. The pair houses a 1-inch titanium dome tweeter and a 3-inch aluminum cone woofer, and the optional Audiobyte subbie packs an isobarically-loaded 6.5-inch driver, but is unfortunately passive in nature. Interestingly, the system’s amplifier features an integrated USB plug, so DAPs can be plugged in directly for audio playback sans a running PC. As for pricing, the 2.0 setup will run you between $349 and $559 depending on finish, and the optional subwoofer will tack on another $179 to whichever pair you choose. Click on for one more look, won’tcha?

[Via CyberTheater]

Continue reading Axiom Audio reveals real-wood PC speakers with plenty of oomph

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

Filed under: Peripherals

Why spend hundreds, thousands on a wooden keyboard when there’s a sufficient alternative available for the low, low price of $16.99? Granted, the iteration you see above does seem to lack the level of quality exemplified in Hacoa’s version, but it’s also around $283 cheaper — not to mention that delightful mouse that comes in this package. Still, we wouldn’t be surprised if that (presumed) wood finish starts to peel off after a lengthy night of WoW — you get what you pay for, remember?

[Thanks, Phuong]

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

Filed under: Peripherals

We’re not much for whittling our own keyboards. Then again, we don’t think dropping your PC into a vat of vegetable oil is a good idea either. Still, if nothing gets you hotter than the thought of taking a serrated blade to the Caps Lock key then by all means, have at it. The Hacoa DIY keyboard, ready for pre-order in Japan for ¥34,800 or about $300.

[Via Impress]

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

Filed under: Peripherals

We caught a glimpse of Marubeni Infotec’s wooden input peripherals earlier this year at Computex, and now the makers of the Hacoa brand are reportedly readying a DIY kit that will enable users to actually assemble one of their own. Apparently, the company is downright tired of working long hours just to crank out a minimal number of ‘boards, so it’s hoping to offload some of the labor and attract industrious consumers by offering up the Ki-Board DIY Kit. The package will purportedly include your choice of maple or walnut wood, a USB keyboard base, a few tools / connectors and a “plank with the beginnings of keys carved into it.” Word on the street has it that these bundles will go on sale later this month for around ¥34,800, or just over $300.

[Via PinkTentacle]

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

Filed under: Portable Audio

Audio Technica’s no stranger to high-end cans, and we must say, its flagship set for 2007 (its words, not ours) looks mighty sexy. The ATH-ESW9 Sovereign Wood Headphones are crafted from “Japan’s finest Hokkaido cherry tree,” feature 42-millimeter neodymium magnet drivers with fiberglass housing support, and come bundled with a carrying case to keep these beauties clean when not in use. You can pick these up to listen to (or just look at) come October 19th for ¥37,800 (or about $330).

[Via AudioJunkies]

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