Integrate Skype IM into Pidgin [Featured Early Adopter Download]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/237586849/integrate-skype-im-into-pidgin

Windows/Mac/Linux (All platforms): Multi-protocol instant messaging client Pidgin can do a lot of things, especially through built-in plug-ins, but has yet to integrate internet calling service Skype into its offerings. Enter the Skype API Plugin, an early attempt at getting Skype's instant messaging features working in Pidgin (or Adium for OS X users). The good news: It's relatively easy to install and actually works. The bad news: Voice calls can't be made from Pidgin, and you have to keep the Skype application running in the background (which you might do anyways to make and receive calls). The plug-in also imports every out-call and phone contact in your Skype account as a contact, so heavy Skype users might keep this plug-in disabled by default. All in all, however, it helps reduce the number of contact windows on a desktop and provides a promising early look at (hopefully) tighter integration. The Skype API plug-in is a free download for Windows, Mac and Linux systems.

Skype API Plugin [via Geeks are Sexy]

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Strip DRM from Your iTunes Purchases with DoubleTwist [Featured Windows Download]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/238333447/strip-drm-from-your-itunes-purchases-with-doubletwist

Windows only: Freeware application doubleTwist converts your DRM-laden iTunes purchases to DRM-free MP3s that you can play pretty much anywhere. In addition to the DRM-stripping (which really is the marquee feature), doubleTwist is actually a full-fledged tool for sharing music with friends and syncing your iTunes library to any device—currently supporting devices like the PSP and Sony phones, Nokia N-Series phones, Windows Mobile phones, and even the Amazon Kindle. The DRM-stripping isn't lossless (sound degradation is reportedly about 5%), but at a conversion rate of about 100 songs per half hour, it's very fast. Brought to you by DVD Jon (the guy famous for cracking DVD encryption), this freeware, Windows-only (for now) app can free you from the shackles of Apple DRM.

doubleTwist [via Gizmodo]

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A Steak Toaster. Did You Hear Me? I Said a Steak Toaster [Good Eatin]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/238285649/a-steak-toaster-did-you-hear-me-i-said-a-steak-toaster

Sometimes, you just want a steak and you don't want to go through a whole process to get it. Who wants to light the grill just so you can have one measly steak? Why make a whole production out of it? What you need, my friend, is a steak toaster.

OK, so it's not called the steak toaster, it's called the Ariete SteakHouse Indoor Grill, but that's pretty much what it is. It holds your hunk of meat vertically, keeping the heating elements on the side so all the fatty, greasy juices drip down to a tray and don't smoke. Sure, for $220 you could just fire up the grill, go to a steak house or get a cheap George Foreman grill to get similar results, but then you wouldn't be able to brag to your friends that you have a steak toaster. [Product Page via Boing Boing Gadgets]

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Next-Gen Microsoft PC Concept Attaches to Your Neck Like a Symbiote, Feeds Off Your Life Force [Majority Report]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/238392371/next+gen-microsoft-pc-concept-attaches-to-your-neck-like-a-symbiote-feeds-off-your-life-force

The Momenta PC is a finalist in Microsoft's Next-Gen PC Design Competition that you strap to your neck. It records your whole life in an active buffer until it detects your heart rate going up. Then it really turns on, and records whatever's making you excited until you tell it to stop, so you can check it out later, Cloverfield-style. Or green, poorly lit raccoon-eye-style of a night you actually didn't want to remember. Or...okay there's about a million ways this is nothing but trouble. [Next-Gen PC Design via core77]

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Kojinsha's E8 UMPC Is Tablet Competitor for EEE PC [Sub-notebook]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/238742888/kojinshas-e8-umpc-is-tablet-competitor-for-eee-pc

Clearly aiming for the same market as the EEE PC, Kojinsha's new E8 UMPC has the added bonus of being a touchscreen tablet. It does, however, beat me how the Korean-made E8 is being labelled by some as a UMPC—it looks more like a sub-notebook to me.

The E8 runs Windows XP, has an AMD Geode LX800 CPU under the hood along with a 40GB hard drive, and its seven inch screen has 1024 x 600-pixel resolution. It's also got stereo speakers, a single USB port, memory card slot (we don't know what sort) and apparently 3.5 hours of battery life. Sounding like quite a competitor for the little Asus, the E8 is available Februrary 29th for about $600. [Aving.net]

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Touchpad turns your iPhone into a remote trackpad

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/238719202/

Filed under: Cellphones

Just when you think you've seen the iPhone perform its last magic trick (making you eggs benedict, solving the inverse Galois problem, a brief appearance on Dancing With the Stars) something like this comes along to make your jaw drop just a little bit more. Touchpad for the iPhone is built on top of VNsea, but instead of allowing you to navigate your desktop on the device, it becomes what is essentially a wireless, remote trackpad, which gives you direct access to your system as if you were using a mouse or touch device for input. It sounds interesting in description, but looks amazing in execution -- check the video after the break to see what it does, then go get the app loaded up and try it yourself.

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Mossberg: "I can recommend the X300 for road warriors without hesitation"

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/238669996/

Filed under: Laptops

Walt's full review of the Lenovo Thinkpad X300 is now available. As usual for the man, you also get the bonus (or burden) of a detailed comparison with Apple's competing product which in this case is the MacBook Air. For those of you who remember Walt's MacBook Air review, that quote -- "I can recommend the X300 for road warriors without hesitation" -- stands in stark contrast to Mr. Mossberg's take on Apple's beautiful but compromised ultra-portable. As Walt points out, the biggest differences between the two are the selection of ports, built-in DVD or second battery, and a removable main battery afforded by the X300's relatively thick chassis. Of course, the choice of OS is also a consideration since the X300 can't run OS X while the MBA can run Vista. Walt does lament the fact that the X300 is only offered with an SSD. As such, it's limited to a maximum of 64GB of storage and contributes to the X300's relatively high price tag. It starts at $2,500 with a stripped-down, half-sized battery and no DVD -- $3,000 gets you the more popular full-sized battery and DVD config. Walt's aggressive, full-size battery tests resulted in "weaker battery life" at 3 hours and 5 minutes compared to the MBA's 3 hours and 29 minutes. That said, the Lenovo easily trumps the MBA with 5 hours and 15 minutes of juice when configured with both a full-sized and half-sized battery. The choice seems pretty clear at this point: form or function, which will it be sir?

[Thanks, Jacob L.]

 

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TG's Favicon PMP / navigator gets priced, even sexier

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/237635205/

Filed under: GPS, Handhelds, Portable Audio, Portable Video

Remember that elegant looking conglomerate we peeked in December of last year? Turns out, said device finally has an appropriate name and price, but sadly, it still isn't apt to head stateside. Nevertheless, the TG Favicon reportedly features a 532MHz Freescale CPU, TPEG navigation, dual DMB / PIP functionality, 4GB of internal storage space, an SD expansion slot and a 7-inch WVGA display. So, just how much coinage will you be asked to fork over to snag this beauty next time you're in Seoul? Around 422 US dollars, that's all.

 

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Samsung-built, Google-branded Android phones due later this year?

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/237695463/

Filed under: Cellphones

According to man-about-town, Robert X. Cringely, Samsung is readying not one, but two separate Android-based phones, one of which is due in September, with another model following around Christmas. If you believe what you read (and what his tipster says), these phones will not be labeled Samsung, rather they will be released as Google-branded gPhones. The model released in the Fall will be a "higher-end" model which apparently looks "somewhat like a Blackberry Pearl" but with a screen that flips and "a keyboard for texting" (though to be honest, that description makes little sense, as the Pearl has a keyboard). The second device will be a cheaper model (under $100), and will likely be released after the holidays. Of course, right now this is just speculation -- given the large gap of time between now and September, these plans could be completely rearranged or nixed altogether... even if they are accurate.

[Via IntoMobile]

 

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