Filed under: Cell Phones, Computers, CES 2008 If there are any of you out there who are avid scuba divers, then we're sure you're well acquainted with the dangers and difficulties that go along with such a hobby. Most difficult of all when exploring what lies beneath the waves is maintaining a line of communication. So UTC (Underwater Technology Center) has developed the Underwater Digital Device or UDI. The UDI is a wrist-wearable diving computer that not only keeps logs of your dive, but also allows you to communicate with other divers and your boat. The UDI uses 2-way text-messaging, over a distance of up to 500 meters (or about 1,640 feet). There is no keyboard, so divers send any of 14 preset messages ("Watch out for that shark!") Over the same range, the devices can also be used as homing beacons so divers can find their boat.There is also an SOS beacon which functions at up to 1000 meters (almost 3,300 feet) letting other divers and the boat know you're in trouble. The SOS beacon can also be activated remotely, so if your buddy looks like he's in trouble, you can activate his SOS beacon for him. And with an estimated eight-hour battery life (assuming one message being sent every four minutes), this thing won't die right in your moment of need. We caught a glipse and got some hands-on with two of these underwater wrist gizmos this morning at the Cherry Picks demo-fest this morning and thought they could be useful and fun for us if we ever actually go scuba diving. Though the UDI was announced back in October, it seems to have been virtually ignored by most outlets, so we're writing about it now, since it looks like it's finally shipping at the price of $1,500.Related links:Toyota and Nintendo Team Up for "Elderly-Friendly" Car CellCoach Annoys Teenage Drivers Till They Get Off the Phone New Jersey School Forces Students to Carry GPS-Enabled Cell Phones  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, Computers, Video Games, TV, CES 2008Netgear is launching an absurd 18 new products here at the Consumer Electronics Show. However, at its press event this morning, Netgear focused on 3 new products aimed at simplifying serious home networking, part of their vision they call the "All Access Home".First up was the new RangeMax Dual Band Wireless-N Router, which features a pair of new fancy-sounding technologies called 'Metamaterial Antennas' and 'Push 'n' Connect.' So what does the marketing jargon really mean? You can expect longer range, faster speeds, less interference, and internal antennas for a sexier package. Netgear has also taken the decorative plastic dome that adorns every RangeMax device and turned it into a functioning button. Pressing down will put the router in set up mode, allowing you to connect to the router without bothering with software. Pressing the button quickly will turn on and off the blinking status lights, a feature anyone who keeps their router in their bedroom will be thankful for.Netgear also showed off the HD/Gaming 5GHz Wireless-N Networking Kit, which comes with an access point and a receiver for streaming HD content and games to just about any home entertainment device you can think of -- PC, Mac, HDTV, Home Theater System, etc. The networking kit was used to feed HD Video to one TV and an instance of 'Halo 3' to another, both of which were being hosted on the new ReadyNas Duo, a network storage device that brings Netgear's enterprise X-Raid technology to the home. Yes that's more fancy marketing speak. So what does that meanfor you? That means having a place to dump all of your photos, music, and videos that can be easily shared around the home and even be accessed through the Internet. The ReadyNas Duo has two drive bays and is automatically set up to mirror all your data on both drives so that if one fails your data is not only safe, but your access is uninterrupted. And to demonstrate this, the Netgear marketing rep yanked one of the drives out of the ReadyNas while it was downloading files via BitTorrent, streaming the HD movie to a television, and streaming 'Halo 3' gameplay to an Xbox 360. What happened? Absolutely nothing -- the network didn't even pause or stutter. Truly impressive.Sadly, pricing was not announced, but all three should be available soon from the usual suspects.Related links:Westinghouse Takes HD WirelessNetflix and LG to Bring Digital Movies to Your TVEpson's Home-Theater-In-a-Box Comes with 100-Inch Screen, Projector Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, TV, Home Video, Televisions, CES 2008Today, Pioneer showed off two significant concept models for its flat-panel plasma TV product line. Under the banner of Project KURO, a sci-fi-sounding internal anthem for change, Pioneer unveiled both the thinnest flat panel TV and a flat panel that boasts an unparalleled contrast ratio. To give you a better perspective, one TV has a screen frame 9mm thick (thinner than the iPhone!), as opposed to contemporaries that are 3.5 inches thick. The other, in techno babble, eliminates all idling luminance - or, if you prefer an example in English, the screen would not be visible in a dark room when displaying a black screen. The latter, dubbed the Extreme Contrast Concept Model, adheres to the golden rule of the plasma TV viewing experience: Black is the most important color on a display, controlling where an image starts and the shadows it projects. By developing a screen that gives off no ambient light, the black is the blackest, to put it simply. The 9mm flat panel, on the other hand, creates a new form factor for 50-inch screens, getting rid of the bulky frames that characterize current models. While the concept models exhibited at CES do not combine the two innovations, Pioneer plans to integrate them when this next generation of flat panels becomes available to the public at some indeterminate point in the future. In case you hadn't noticed, we're pretty psyched about this announcement. Not only will we get to that holy grail of picture clarity, but the TV will seem to blend into the wall upon which it is attached. And, hey, we're not excitable folk - unless it comes to technology that really matters to you. %Gallery-12764%From PioneerRelated Links:LCD Prices to Dive Even Lower in 2008 Epson's Home-Theater-In-a-Box Comes With 100-Inch Screen, Projector World's Largest TV Measures 150 Inches  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, iPod, Portable Audio, CES 2008Remember those groovy lava lamps from the 70s? No? Remember those cool plasma spheres from the 80s? Are we that old?Either way, this new tube of psychedelia is brought to us by a little company called Aquallusion. The iTube (granted, not the most creative of names) was inspired by bamboo rain sticks (first one to tell us what those are gets a bonus), and it plugs into your iPod, Zune, CD player -- anything with a sound-out, and it not only plays back the music in glorious surround sound, but it also dazzles your visual senses with, well... watch the video above. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, Cell Phones, Computers, Editor's Picks, CES 2008Sometimes we see a simple innovation to an everyday product and think, "Why didn't we think of this?" Kreative Power's Powramid power strip is one of those products. Kreative simply took your standard power strip and made it circular. *Yawn*, we know -- but wait: This basic change in design, complete with 45-degree angles for the outlets, means that wall-warts (power transformers on the plug) and strangely-shaped chargers are no longer an issue. Oh - and you know how you sometimes accidentally step on your power supply's switch, shutting down all your gadgets? The Powramid has a (again, simple) switch cover that keeps you from such accidents. Need one now? Wait a month -- they'll be available in February.%Gallery-12753%Related Links:NRG Dock Juices Up Gadgets When the Power Is Out Cable Turtles Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: CES 2008If you haven't noticed, we've been posting a lot of pure, unadulterated gadget porn lately. Why, you might ask, are we so smitten with one new gadget after another? Well, the answer is simple -- we've moved the entire Switched team out to Las Vegas for the next six days to get our hands dirty with the latest gadgets and gizmos that will be unveiled and paraded around the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show, which is the world's largest gadget gathering (150,000 people plus), held every year in January.If you're wondering what to get in 2008 -- from super-thin flat-panel TVs and wireless robots to HD digicams and multi-function GPS devices -- then check back every day (or hour) to see what goodies we've found for you on the CES show floor. We'll be posting up-to-the-minute news on the latest gadget announcements, as well as giving you up-close video previews of the coolest gizmos on display. We'll also try and make sense of the thousands of new products on display and tell you what's worth saving your money for, and what's okay to skip.To get a CES-only view of Switched, as well as the latest posts from the show floor, just click on the "CES 2008" link to the left. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: CES 2008 Radio-controlled (RC) aviation is no new phenomenon in the world of gadgets and miracles. But this year,Toronto's Interactive Toy Concepts has brought something new to this year's CES in Las Vegas, however, with a toy it's billing as the world's smallest helicopter. The Mosquito Micro Aerial Vehicle (MAV) is an indoor flying machine that is only about 2.5 inches tall, 4 inches long, with a rotor diameter of just 3.5 inches!The Mosquito MAV boasts a dual-rotor design and uses micro motor technology to enable users to flyfrom roost to roost anywhere within a twenty foot range. The chopper comes with a built-in lithium polymer battery that lasts for a disappointing 7 minutes. The good news, though, is that charging the battery takes only five minutes. This toy helicopter will be available this year at most major retail and electronic stores for an affordable $49.99. Overall, we like Mosquito MAV for its precise flight control, its novelty and perhaps, most importantly, the doable price... Okay, we don't want to lie -- we really got a kick out of it because the look on electronics industry executives' faces when the helicopter whizzed by at CES Unveiled last night was priceless. But if shocking people with mini-helicopters is not your thing, we recommend you check out other superlative products from Interactive Toys. Perhaps something like the world's smallest radio controlled onrnithopter, a flapping creature labeled the iFLY VAMP, will make you fall in love as you give someone and give their Pacemaker the willies. From Interactive Toy ConceptsRelated Links:World's First Remote-Controlled Beer Cooler Wi-Fi Robo-Webcam Can Be Controlled From Anywhere Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, iPod, CES 2008 Vestalife introduced these Ladybug iPod speakers, seen above, in November. They are co-branded with skateboard maker Element and we just found out that they have a ship date of February at a price of $125."Element is really excited about our design," said Anna Perelman, Vestalife marketing director. Perelman was demonstrating the speaker sets at CES Unveiled, an industry event held before the official start of this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. "And we're obviously excited about the market they appeal to. Element Skateboards is known for its incredible designs and artwork, so this is an excellent co-branding opportunity for both companies."The Ladybug has speaker wings that fold closed in a compact form and a series of audio inputs on the back in case an iPod isn't your only source for sound. Design, artistry and decent sound -- all in one clever package. Related links: Bose iPod Dock Goes PortableiPhone Dock RevealedRazer Pro|Type Keyboard iPod Dock Review  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cell Phones, Computers, Green Tech, CES 2008Three years ago Jay LeBoff got snowed in and lost power for four days. During that time, LeBoff was forced to rely on a cell phone as his only way of contacting the outside world for emergency purposes. But without power to recharge the phone, he would have been up a certain creek without a paddle if the battery gave out.The experience, and a little bit of environmentally-friendly thinking, inspired LeBoff to design the NRG Dock, an emergency power source in three different styles, two of which are taking advantage of the renewed interest in solar power.The NRG Dock Home comes in two separate parts, a large solar panel that charges a massive 12-volt battery capable of powering a laptop, and the NRG Dock itself, which has a variety of power adapters for phones, media players and other electronics, as well as a rechargeable flashlight. The Apartment model has the same dock, but instead features a smaller, removable solar panel mounted on top. The Apartment model doesn't generateenough juice to power a laptop, though, and carries a smaller battery, but the lesser size means the solar panel can be mounted on a wider variety of surfaces, including the inside of the window. The basic Designer dock has the same smaller battery as the Apartment model, but drops the solar panel in favor of a standard wall plug and functions purely as an emergency backup power source.Currently the NRG Dock is in the prototype stage, but the company hopes to hit a target price of $800 for the Home model, $500 for the Apartment, and $350 for the Designer. The Home and Apartment models will also qualify for a 30 percent tax break from the federal government and may qualify for additional tax breaks in certain states.Related links:Green Tech to be a Major Theme at Next Week's Gadget ShowFive Percent of U.S. Electricity Wasted by "Vampire" ElectronicsEco-Friendly Solar Powered Christmas Lights Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cameras, Computers, CES 2008Who can remember Biology 101, where you and a lab partner had to take turns squinting through the tiny eyepiece on a microscope, straining to see the blurry outlines of amoeba? Optics-maker Celestron has an interesting solution to this old and frustrating problem, combing a traditional microscope with an LCD screen. (Why didn't we think of that?)Introduced on the eve of the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show, the Celestron LCD Digital Microscope utilizes a 3.5-inch LCD screen and a built-in digital camera (capable of capturing still images and short video clips), has 128-megabytes of internal memory, and a USB cable for transferring images to a personal computer. While the picture taking, storing and transfer capabilities are good, the real prize on the digital microscope is the LCD screen, which allows a group of people to view specimens together, without having to readjust the lens between viewings in order to accommodate different people's eyesight abilities.The target audiences are regular consumers with an interest in science and the education market.The LCD Digital Microscope has an objective lens that provides three levels of magnification (4x, 10x, and 40x), 4x digital zoom (although we're not too crazy about digital zoom), a six-position color filter wheel, and top and bottom LED illumination. It also comes with five sample specimen slides.Retail availability starts in February and the LCD Digital Microscope carries a $299.99 suggested price tag.Related links:New Super-CT Scanner Could Change MedicineNew Pilot Helmet Allows Terminator Like X-Ray Vision10 Most Bizarre Science Experiments Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, Cameras, Home Audio, Home Video, CES 2008Who would have thunk it, but those Canadians sure don't mess around when it comes to... well, the "wow" factor. WowWee, a Montreal-based robotics company that brought us the Robosapien and the animatronic Elvis Head, is already dazzling the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas with some brand new products for 2008. Easily the coolest development from those guys that like to say "eh" is something we first mistook for a miniature Batmobile, a sweet little thing Wowwee call Rovio. The device, a Wi-Fi-enabled robotic webcam, streams audio in addition to video and gives users remote control from any Web-connected gadget, such as a computer or even a cell phone. Owners can direct Rovio to move to a specific location with the touch of a button, and the robot will get itself to the destination. Using the impressive NorthStar navigation system, Rovio knows where it is, where other objects are and moves from way point to way point on its own. Whether you want to know what's shaking with the fam when you're away or simply solve the mystery of which dog has been peeing on the carpet, you need look no further than Rovio for help. Wowwee has certainly wowed us with mass-market robotic inventions that dance, growl, fly, sing, and sometimes just act cute, but this is the first wireless one we've seen that has both a gee-whiz factor and a genuine practical use. Unfortunately, we'll have to wait until the Fall for this one to hit stores, and it'll be a semi-hefty $299 a pop, but it's certain to make you the coolest gadget hound on the block (at least judging by the attention the Rovio was getting on the CES show floor this evening).From Wowwee%Gallery-12695%Related Links:Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 HD Webcam Robot Dog Listens to Your iPod, Dances and Seeks Attention AIBO Robotic-Dog Coming Back in 2008! Maybe.  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: CES 2008If you wander by the Interactive Toy Concepts booth at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, there is a good chance you'll be greeted by a friendly bump from a drink (beer) bearing device called the RC Cooler. The RC Cooler is exactly what it sounds like -- a radio-controlled cooler. The soft-sided, collapsible cooler sits atop four wheels and a radio receiver powered by eight "C" batteries (which will survive only three hours of constant use). The round gray plastic remote takes a single 9-volt battery that shouldn't need to be swapped out nearly as often. After beating back the CES-show-floor-gawkers who were trying to get a good shot of this thing, we were able to get a good look have to admit we were smitten. Yes, it's silly, but it seems to handle well, which makes it really useful for lounge-chair potatoes who like to party!Now, when you're lounging poolside at your barbecues, you won't have to get up and fetch a beer or hand one over to a friend. Just send out the RC Cooler with a full load of 12 beverages, while you sit back and relax with the remote. The RC Cooler will be available in the Spring, for $49.99, just in time for the lazy host in all of you to pick one up for the first pool party of the season.Related links:More CES Coverage at Switched.comDecorate Your Desk With the USB Christmas TreeDough-Nu Matic Makes a Dozen Donuts in Less Than Six Minutes Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Car Tech, CES 2008The personal navigation device market keeps growing, with more companies and brands getting into the mix. Soon you can add the Goodyear brand to your list of GPS-enabled devices to consider.The tire company will have eight units debuting with its brand name at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next week, all manufactured by New York-based NCC, which previously has put out products under the Westinghouse and Stanley names.In a market dominated by Garmin (number one in the U.S.) and TomTom (number one worldwide), is there room for more GPS devices? It will be interesting to see if the Goodyear name can help propel these devices to a respectable marketshare.We'll take a close look at these new devices and more while at the show this week. Check back for updatesFrom Engadget.Related links:Garmin Launching Loads of New GPS Devices at CESTomTom to Add Video to GPS Units?Lost? Get There By Text Message Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, Computers, TV, CES 2008We all love our HD and our home theater set ups, but all of the wires are certainly a pain, and plenty unsightly. But Westinghouse is hoping to "cut the cord" and usher in the era of wireless HD. The company, known for its quality budget TVs, will be showing off an LCD HDTV with wireless HDMI technology that will allow the television to be mounted anywhere in your house -- without running cable from your set top box. So now you can hide your ugly cable box in a cabinet or in another piece of furniture, and then mount the television across the room. It also means you can wall-mount your TV without unsightly wires.Of course, no home theater system would be complete with out a surround sound system. And what would a fancy wireless TV be without a fancy wireless audio system? Westinghouse will also be showing a wireless receiver and speakers that have a range of 65-feet and introduce no latency (which can be an issue with wireless) so that the image and audio are always perfectly in sync.We're looking forward to seeing these wire-free Westies in action to see if they live up to the hype -- check back over the next few days for our hands-on impressions.Related links:Epson's Home-Theater-In-a-Box comes with 100-Inch Screen ProjectorOnkyo HT-SP908 Home-Theater-In-a-BoxWireless Electricity = WiTricity Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments