Filed under: Audio/Video, TV, Green TechWe mentioned Sony's bad boy super-thin TV tech back in April -- the world's first OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) television. This next gen display technology offers several benefits over traditional LCDs and plasmas -- better color, better contrast (this guy features a 1,000,000 to 1 contrast ratio -- that's about 1000 times better than your average budget LCD TV), lower power usage, better viewing angles, and smaller packaging (the screen is only 3mm thin).Some details have changed since our first mention of what is now known as the Sony Drive XEL-1. For one, the design is drastically different, much more focused on maneuverability and showing off its super thin form factor. Also. the screen's resolution has changed. Originally, Sony was touting a 1024x600 resolution (near HD's 720 lines, but not quite) which would have been mind-numbingly crisp across its 11 tiny inches. The final resolution got bumped down to a still-respectable 960x540.So now for the bad news. Like all new technology, the Sony Drive is quite expensive -- ¥200,000 or about $1,740, which wouldn't be too bad if it measured 37 inches as opposed to its 11. Also, for those who have the money to burn, the XEL-1 will be released on on December first as a Japan-only affair. There is no word about releases anywhere else in the world. From Reuters and EngadgetRelated links:Sony Unveils its LCD KillerLife Sized Video Gaming on Giant TVWait Until After the Holidays to Buy a New TV, Analysts Say Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Car Tech, Green TechSlowly but surely, the automated future that industrialization and science fiction have long promised is creeping up on us. And if reality is to be believed, automation might actually run us over (or shoot us) if we're not looking. The BBC reports that an English town called Daventry is testing out a driverless car, controlled by a computer that -- drumroll please -- uses lasers to avoid obstacles. Essentially, they're just robotic cabs -- the cars are called by pressing a button along the route, and go directly to their destination. The testing is part of Daventry's investigation into new ways to increase the use of public transport and reduce reliance on cars. Running until October 5th, the demonstration is actually in effect for commuters looking to get from A to B within the town. The Cybercars are designed for short trips at low speed in an urban environment, and need only a very light track to operate -- think of them as a cross between a car, a trolley, and a golf cart. As weird as it sounds, it's this sort of forward thinking that is going to bring us out of our current automotive stone age, since it could potentially reduce the amount of vehicles on the road (not to mention serve as a designated driver when party goers have had too much to drink). Daventry District Council leader Chris Millar said all: "We can build lots more car parks and have lots more cars going in or we can look at a viable alternative to the car. We believe this could be the answer."Let's just hope the residents of Daventry are stocking up on laser-proof vests, lest one of these babies accidentally shoots a pedestrian/obstacle.From the BBCRelated Links:Why you should by a hybrid car nowNissan's all-electric concept car Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Computers, Video GamesJust when you thought it was safe to venture out into cyberspace wearing your elven-stitched miniskirt, a floral bikini top, and enough mascara to make Liza Minnelli blush -- you find out it's not. At least not in China, if you happen to be interested in playing Aurora Technology's MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) 'King of the World' (or any of the company's other MMORPG's, for that matter). Apparently, Aurora has laid down the law: Users are only allowed to play as characters of their gender. The company has gone so far as to freeze game accounts of male players who have decided to play female in-game characters, and it requires gamers (mostly all male,we're guessing) who chose female characters to prove their biological sex with an oh-so-very-foolproof self-portrait using a Web cam, according to a report by 17173.It's the ignorance of the past combined with the surrealism of the future! Yay, China. From NewsvineRelated Links:Virtual Barbie world sees meteroric riseChinese gamers told to take a break Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  With the crying babies, cramped quarters, spiteful flight attendants and pilots who like to get cute over the PA, air travel is truly one of life's more miserable experiences. For London-based advertising startup Ad-Air, though, it's the perfect time to sell you on something (hey, it works for SkyMall). Next month, Ad Air will begin placing ads on the ground along the flight paths of the world's busiest airports. Of course, since the eyes meant to view these ads are thousands of feet above the Earth, the advertisements are epically massive: approximately five acres each, or about four times the size of your average football field.The behemoth billboards are placed on temporary framing just above the Earth and are surrounded by fencing or landscaping so that they're invisible from the ground. They'll be lit up at night if local legislation allows, and when placed over fertile land they'll be made of a PVC mesh to allow air and moisture through -- otherwise they're made from giant sheets of vinyl.With the deals it's currently negotiating, Ad-Air estimates it will serve ads to up to 10 million captive viewers per year. The first ads roll out in Dubai this October, and London's Heathrow airport has signed on as well.Is anyone else a little saddened by this? To those of us without a B.A. Baracus fear of flight, watching the homes, trees and cars zoom into focus as you come in for a landing is the one part of flying that's actually enjoyable. It seems another one of life's simple pleasures has bitten the dust. From GizmagRelated Links:Alaska Air to Test In-Flight Wi-Fi This SpringVirgin America Details In-Flight InternetAmerican, Lufthansa Adding In-Flight Wi-FiJet-Blue May Add In-Flight Text Messaging Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, Video GamesWhether you say it like Keanu Reeves or Joey Lawrence, there's only one word to describe these new mini Atari key chains from Firebox, and that's, "Whoa." The baby joystick and paddle aren't just inspired by their legendary forefathers -- they actually have old Atari classics built right into them! Each key chain comes with a pocket-sized reel of cord with RCA jacks on the end and a battery inside. Plug one end into the controller and the other into a TV and in no time you're getting your 1983 on. The joystick comes in two configurations, either with 'Asteroids' and 'Millipede' or with 'Centipede' and 'Yar's Revenge.' The paddle has 'Pong' and 'Breakout' built in.Granted, it would be a lot cooler if you could simply plug the controller directly into the TV without having to hump the reel around with you too. But at $15 a pop, that's not going to stop us from buying both. Now, if only there was a way to connect these little guys to the Atari emulator running on our PSP ...Related Links:'Pong' Video Game Slot Machines ComingBest Ever Celebrity Gadget AdsPlay Nintendo Games on iPhone Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, iPodA group of researchers at the Urban Institute, a Washington-based organization, have released a study (PDF) that links a rise in robbery to the popularity of iPods. The authors readily admit that "rigorous empirical tests" are just not possible for the two year rise in crime. The theory is based around a series of three observations:First, the increase in robbery has been disproportionately large compared with burglary and theft.Second, the increase in robbery is greatest among juveniles, with whom iPods are most popular.Third, the increased rate of robberies was particularly pronounced from 2004-2006, right when the iPods came to market and catapulted towards ubiquity.The researchers also proposed a number of reasons why the iPod may be particularly susceptible to robbery. For instnace, iPods can not only be resold but they can also bereused after being stolen. What's more, no subscription is required as it is with a cell phone. Also, wearing an iPod makes a person a target since he is distracted less aware of his surroundings.From The ConsumeristRelated links:Kids Spend Too Much Time Online, Say ParentsYour Old Hard Drive is a Criminal's Gold MineSurveillance Cams Don't Reduce Crime, Study Finds Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Audio/Video, Cell Phones, iPod, Green Tech Oh fuel cells, we hear so much about you. You're supposed to power everything from our cars to our laptops, and yet there aren't a lot of consumer fuel cell products out there. And those that do exist aren't really practical. We want to love you, we really do.Medis Technologies is trying to break that mold with the 24-7 Power Pack, a fuel cell charger for cell phones and other portable electronic devices. The Power Pack claims to add up to 30 hours of talk time to your average cell phone and 80 hours of playback to an iPod.Keep in mind that fuel cells aren't like your standard batteries. They don't recharge in an outlet, and you don't throw them out when you're done with them. Instead, you add new cartridges to them when they burn out. These ones claim a lifespan of about three months. The Power Pack costs $25, and $20 gets you a refill cartridge.From UberGizmoRelated links:10 Super Fast, Super Green CarsCalifornia Bans Cell Phone Use for Teen DriversFord and Electric Car in the Same Sentence? Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Computers, Green TechWhile we live in a time when it's hip to be green and energy efficient, it turns out that the new digital backbone of our very existence isn't as green as it could be. Data compiled by research firm Uclue indicates that the Internet burns 9.4 percent of all electricity consumed in the U.S., and 5.3 percent worldwide. Of course, this research isn't talking about your Facebook page -- it refers to all of the computers and networking equipment that the Internet runs on.A collection of servers for hosting Web pages and other online content is known as a data center or server farm. Some of these centers are bigger than your local Super Wal-Mart and can draw huge amounts of electricity to keep thousands of burning-hot processors cooled down. This point is not lost on Google, which built its latest data center near a hydro-electric dam to save on power bills. IBM is also working to reduce power drain in its data centers by using liquid coolant that itself can generate electricity. Moves like this may help to reduce the overall drain of the Internet on our power resources, but as its usefulness continues to expand and more and more people get online, that 10 percent number is primed to explode. From SlashdotRelated Links: IBM Greening Up Data Centers Apple Getting Greener Why You Should Buy a Hybrid Car Now  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cell Phones, iPhoneApple said it was coming. On Monday the company warned that unlocked iPhones would be made "permanently inoperable" by a future update, and that's exactly what has come to pass with the latest iPhone update that's just been released. Those brave (or foolish) souls who unlocked their phones from the AT&T network and then applied this latest firmware update from Apple now have a very shiny, pretty, expensive and ultimately useless hunk of metal and glass. This sort of gadget death is called "bricking," a term that originated from the hacking of Sony's PlayStation Portable handheld gaming device. With the PSP, hackers and Sony have been engaged in a seemingly never-ending battle of updates and hacks. Hackers crack the current version of the PSP software, which enables it to play illegal copies of games and run unauthorized software. Sony then counters with an update to disable the latest hack and, possibly, brick modified consoles. A few days or weeks later, hackers strike back with another crack and the battle rages on for eternity.Apple is no doubt setting itself up for a similar war with the iPhone unlocking movement. However, this battle will be perceived differently from a PR stance. iPhone users generally aren't trying to do anything illegal with their devices; they just want to use them with a cellular provider other than AT&T. For this reason, Apple's likely to come out of this conflict looking like a spoiled kid saying the equivalent of, "If you don't want to play how I want, then I'm taking your ball/iPhone and going home." The company runs the risk of turning away those who haven't already been turned off by the recent iPhone price cut, circus, and that's not good for the bottom line regardless of how dedicated your users are.What's worse, we can confirm the reports swirling around today that the update is also zapping iPhones that were not altered or unlocked. When Switched updated its beloved iPhone this morning, we were forced to delete and reload all of our contacts, photos and music in order to get the thing working again. So, update at your own risk.From BBC NewsRelated Links: Apple Offers $100 to Slighted iPhoners How to Unlock Your iPhone for Free DIY iPhone Battery Replacement (Proceed at Your Own Risk)  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: ComputersIs your computer still on the fritz and that helpdesk worker you called a week ago still hasn't shown up? We know what's keeping him. A new online survey indicates that nearly half of IT workers have fallen asleep on the job. About the same number have kissed a co-worker -- on the job. That first statistic should be no surprise to any techie who has pulled an all-nighter or come in at an ungodly hour of the morning to get some software release completed. However, that second statistic is a bit surprising. Perhaps that lends a little more credence to the theory that geeks do it better.From SlashdotRelated Links: Geeks Do It Better Kids Spend Too Much Time Online, Say Parents Alarm Wakes According to Body's Sleep Clock  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: ComputersJust few short days after we asked you if it was time to 'downgrade' from the Windows Vista operating system back to Windows XP, Microsoft has announced that it will extend XP's run for those of us uninterested in the seemingly guaranteed headaches Vista has to offer. In response to a variety of problems reported by customers and lackluster Vista PC sales cited by manufacturers, Microsoft will continue to sell XP five months past its original end-of-life date, now through to the end of June 2008.Microsoft is also extending sales of Windows XP Starter Edition, a very stripped-down version of the operating system built for very low-end PCs in developing countries. Starter Edition's stay of execution has been extended until the end of January 2010, which is a wise move for Microsoft since few people in the emerging markets it is targeting can afford the high hardware requirements that Vista demands.Microsoft's current forecast expects that XP will account for about 22 percent of Windows sales in the current year to June with Vista comprising the remainder, a surprisingly high percent for an OS that is supposed to be being phased out. From ReutersRelated Links:Is it Time to Downgrade from Windows Vista?Dell Goes Back to Windows XPVista Sells 40 Million Copies Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cell Phones, iPhoneThis week, during his runway show at Milan Fashion Week, Giorgio Armani unveiled a designer phone that packs some pretty high-tech, advanced features. The handset, which is manufactured by Samsung, boasts a massive 2.6-inch touchscreen, 50 Megabytes of built-in storage, Wi-Fi, GPS and a 3.0 Megapixel camera. The touchscreen is rumored to employ haptic feedback technology, which vibrates the phone under your fingers ever so slightly as you tap on the touchscreen. Unlike the iPhone's touchscreen, this gives off the tactile sensation of actually touching buttons. However, the most innovative feature is the phone's so-called rape alarm. The handset can be configured to send a text message to five preprogrammed numbers of friends or family in the event of an attack. They can either call the phone to gauge the situation, call the police or activate the phone's GPS feature to track the owner's whereabouts and movements. The distress signal is activated by pressing the phone's side-mounted volume control four times -- which hopefully has a keylock.The £375 Armani phone also has its own kind of Lojack in the event it is lost or stolen. If the SIM card is removed and replaced with a new one, a text message containing the phone number associated with the new SIM card is secretly sent out to three preprogrammed numbers.Unlike the $25,000 Ferrari phone we reported yesterday, it's nice to see a designer phone that actually has some features worth the higher price, and isn't simply a case of slapping on a fancy label.From Textually.orgRelated Links:Nokia's New $25,000 Ferrari PhoneNew T-Mobile Sidekick LX and Sidekick SlideIntel Shows Off Prototype iPhone Killer Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cell PhonesWhile everyone today walks around with a cell phone in his pocket or purse, most people have the common sense to set it on silent when in theaters or, say, giving speeches. Forget that, and you run the risk of embarrassment, like a woman at a recent press conference for presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani who was called out by the man himself during his speech when her phone rang. Odd, then, that he would interrupt his own speech when his cell phone rang as he stood on the podium at the National Rifle Association. It was his wife, of course, who he chatted with for a few moments before saying he'd call back later. Impromptu glimpse into the "real" Rudy Giuliani? Not likely. Apparently that same call happened during another speech in Florida, making this seem like a very poorly-planned comedy skit. Unfortunately for him, nobody's laughing.From HeraldTribune.comRelated Links: How Presidential Candidates Are Using the 'Net Cell Phone Lobby Responds to Ban on Texting While Driving Nokia's New $25,000 Ferrari Phone  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

  Filed under: Cameras, Advice, Columns, ReviewsA reader writes: I'm getting ready to go on vacation, and I want to bring along a small point-and-shoot digital camera. Thing is, I want the thing to be able to do a little bit of everything, so I'm willing to spend around $300. I'm mostly concerned about picture quality, fast movement, and lots of flexibility in terms of lighting situations as I'll be taking pictures both during the day and at night, inside and outside.Hey reader: There are plenty of $300 point-and-shoot digital cameras out there, so we understand your confusion. Sounds like you need a feature-packed camera that won't break the wallet -- or the fanny pack -- for your vacation.We recently got to play around with Panasonic's new Lumix DMC-FX33 camera, and despite the crazy confusing name, it's a great little unit. It's super small, has a big 2.5-inch screen and has plenty of scene modes for all your vacation-taking needs.One thing that really sets this one apart is how easy it is to use. If you want to turn off the flash, just push a button. If you want to take a picture inside and don't want to think about the flash and ISO settings, just put the camera in auto mode and it will adjust everything for you. All that said, if you're a bit of a camera geek like we are, you can manually set just about everything.What makes this camera stand out is Panasonic's use of 28mm Leica optics, which are some of the best lenses in the biz. Typically, Leica lenses are only available in much more expensive cameras.Outside of that, this camera has all the standard features you would want in this price range. It does 8.1 megapixels, has a wide 28mm lens, uses inexpensive SD cards, does 4x optical zoom, has a macro setting (for close-up pictures of flowers and what-not), a widescreen video mode and this it's pretty quick when you need to take multiple pictures. Finally, for fashionistas, the Lumix comes in an assortment of colors: black, silver, blue, and the brownseen above.Related Links:Just Tell Me What to Get: 42-inch PlasmaJust Tell Me What to Get: Bedroom HDTVCamera Posts at Switched Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments