Friday, September 26, 2008

Lightning Review: The Wicked Lasers Torch Flashlight Can Burn Paper [Review]

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/402345538/lightning-review-the-wicked-lasers-torch-flashlight-can-burn-paper

The Gadget: The Torch flashlight from Wicked Lasers is currently being reviewed by Guinness as the world's most powerful flashlight. At 4100 lumens, the Torch can easily start fires and even fry eggs.

The Price: $300

The Verdict: Simply put, the Torch flashlight is like carrying around a floodlight in your hand. It is easily the most powerful and semi-frightening flashlight I have ever seen. However, let's not kid ourselves into thinking that this a practical device. The only reason anyone should ever buy the Torch is to impress other nerds.

Last month I reviewed the 160 lumens Duracell Daylite and found it to be a good choice for anyone looking for a powerful, practical flashlight. It's not a fair comparison by any means, but analyzing the results from that test against the Torch gives you a good idea of how bright this thing really is.

In order to illustrate its power, Wicked Lasers has released several videos showing the Torch burning paper, lighting matches and frying eggs. These claims are true—as you can see from my own test illustrated in the video above. But the heat this thing gives off is not all fun and games for pyromaniacs. It also severely limits the usability of the flashlight. After a few minutes of use, the Torch becomes too hot to hold in yo! ur hand. According to the user's manual, it should only be used in 3 minute intervals with at least 2 minutes of "rest" in between.

As you might have guessed, the battery life for the Torch is almost nil. I'm not sure what the exact figures are, but I doubt that you could get more than 10 minutes of continuous use out of a full-power 30-minute charge. And, to be quite honest, the scary charging unit above is fairly unreliable. I found myself frequently resetting the magnets because it registered a full charge prematurely.

Obviously, I can't recommend something this expensive, impractical and, quite frankly, dangerous—but if you are willing to drop $300 on a gadget that will impress your friends for a minute or two, the Torch will definitely get the job done. [Wicked Lasers]


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T-Mobile Removes 1GB 3G Data Cap for G1 Android Phone [T-mobile G1]

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/402239896/t+mobile-removes-1gb-3g-data-cap-for-g1-android-phone

T-Mobile's just rolled back on their 1GB usage cap on their 3G plans for upcoming G1 Android customers, instead going to a hold-up-while-we-figure-this-out route. The statement they give now states that they can reduce throughput for "a small fraction" of users who are using too much data, but exact terms and limits are still being reviewed before they're finalized. Statement after the jump.

Our goal, when the T-Mobile G1 becomes available in October, is to provide affordable, high-speed data service allowing customers to experience the full data capabilities of the device and our 3G network. At the same time, we have a responsibility to provide the best network experience for all of our customers so we reserve the right to temporarily reduce data throughput for a small fraction of our customers who have excessive or disproportionate usage that interferes with our network performance or our ability to provide quality service to all of our customers.

We removed the 1GB soft limit from our policy statement, and we are confident that T-Mobile G1 customers will enjoy the high speed of data access over our 3G network. The specific terms for our new data plans are still being reviewed and once they are final we will be certain to share this broadly with current customers and potential new customers.


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HappyWakeUp S60 Alarm App Uses Your Phone's Microphone to Decide When to Wake You [Cellphones]

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/402321521/happywakeup-s60-alarm-app-uses-your-phones-microphone-to-decide-when-to-wake-you

HappyWakeUp is a new cellphone alarm app developed for S60 (the other open platform) that only wakes you when it knows you're in a light sleep cycle. How does it know? Well, Computerworld says HappyWakeUp actually uses the microphone from your phone to statistically analyze your sleep habits based on noises you make, and when placed under your pillow, it determines what phase of sleep you're in.

HappyWakeUp runs through your normal alarm clock and won't delay the alarm any later than you have it set for. Rather, it's meant to wake you if you're in a lighter state of sleep 20-30 minutes before your wake up time, and could actually make getting up easier. [HappyWakeUp via Computerworld via Raw Feed via Wired]


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Hitachi makes like Toshiba and touts "super resolution technology"

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/402823320/

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We actually had to dust off our spectacles to make sure this wasn't some sort of misunderstanding, but clearly, Hitachi is pulling a Toshiba. Generally, we wouldn't make such a claim, but given that Tosh also calls its wizard-like upconverting technology Super Resolution, we'd say the likeness requires such a comparison. Reportedly, Hitachi has been toiling day and night on its own "super resolution technology," which will theoretically take SD images and scale them to near-1080p. Amazingly, we're told that it can also "convert HDTV images, such as digital terrestrial broadcasts, into images with even higher (what, SHV?) definition." The tech is executed on a frame-by-frame basis and should be exhibited at the upcoming CEATEC trade show in Japan; as for a release, Hitachi's currently aiming to get this into LCDs and plasmas "after 2010."
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Dell's tiny M109S pocket projector gets hands-on treatment

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/402856245/

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It's one thing to hear 3.46- x 4.12- x 1.46-inches. It's another thing to see how giant someone's hand looks beside Dell's absolutely minuscule M109S pocket projector. Based on a hands-on session with a near-final prototype of the pico-PJ, the cats over at Popular Mechanics were mighty impressed with what they saw. They noted that "colors were a little more washed-out than a top-end home theater projector," but given the size and the manageable $499 price tag, it still managed to wow. Peep the in-action video in the read link.
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Art Lebedev's Scartel WiMax handset concept: we're moving to Russia

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/402879826/

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Never one to settle, Art Lebedev's design shop is trying its hand at handset design, and we like the looks of it. Art is teaming up with Scartel, a Russian carrier which just launched a WiMax network in Moscow and St. Petersburg, for a flagship handset of sorts, and has left no spec unturned -- at least in the wishful-thinking conceptual stage. In addition to a WiMax radio, the device has WiFi, tri-band GSM, microSD, dual cameras, 3.5mm audio, an A/V plug and a gargantuan 850 x 480 screen. There are minimal buttons at the base: a five-way joystick and call / end, and no keypad, so we're going to assume that we're looking at a touchscreen device. Now all that's left is to pick an OS -- would Android be too much to ask? Another shot is after the fold.

[Via Pocket-lint]

Continue reading Art Lebedev's Scartel WiMax handset concept: we're moving to Russia

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Olympus confirms micro Four Thirds cams coming in the next year

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/402890348/

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Panasonic might be the first to ship its new micro Four Thirds G1, but Olympus definitely stole the hotness crown with that retro concept cam, and the company just confirmed that it'll join the ranks of the shipping -- Olympus European marketing director Miquel Angel Garcia told Pocket-lint that we should expect a camera similar to the prototype within the next 12 months. According to Garcia, micro Four Thirds is "about design and style, not about a smaller black box" -- take that, Panny. Hopefully this means we'll be seeing the DSLR-sized micro Four Thirds sensor shake up the fashion cam market, but we'll see what Olympus has in store -- the sooner the better, guys.
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New LG netbook lands gently in Korea

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/402915410/

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LG can be forgiven for receiving a little help in getting its first netbook, the X110, out the door. However, the company doesn't seem to be really trying to distinguish itself from the herd with its second one either, the 10-inch Xnote Mini. It features the same basic setup as the rest, including an Atom processor, 160GB hard drive, 1.3 megapixel camera, and 3-cell battery all contained in a svelte 2.6 pound enclosure. No word on price or availability outside of Korea, where it's been released, but if you're looking for a lightweight 10-incher we think you can already do better without breaking the bank.

[Thanks, Chris]
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Road to G1 has been a three-year endeavor for Google, HTC

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/403061338/

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How many Google and HTC engineers does it take to build an Android phone? We don't have the punchline to that one, exactly -- but at least we have a pretty good idea of how long it takes. HTC's Chief Marketing Officer has revealed that it kicked off negotiations with Google some five years ago -- before it had even acquired Android, interestingly -- and has been deeply embedded in the Android team for the past three years. That's a long frickin' time, but we figure the first model's probably ten times harder to throw together than its successors are, so hopefully we'll see a nice cadence of "HTC Innovation" from here on out. We know it's been said many times before, but it probably bears repeating: Touch Pro and Touch HD with Android, guys. Please.
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Lenovo IdeaPad S10 gets reviewed

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/403101241/

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The folks at Laptop Magazine already offered up a few thoughts on Lenovo's IdeaPad S10 netbook after they got their hands on one last month but, as is their nature, they've now followed things up with a full review now that the unit is actually landing into the hands of customers. As you might expect, while they did find the netbook to be one of the most stylish options currently avaialble, they also found quite a few trade-offs, including a slightly less spacious keyboard than is normally found on a 10-inch netbook, and an unfortunately weak three-cell battery. Somewhat notably, they also found that while the S10 was a "bit warmer" than other netbooks, it wasn't the worst they've seen, with the highest measured temperature being 101° fahrenheit, which is a bit less toasty than some earlier reports. Be sure to hit up the read link below for the full rundown, including some benchmarks and, of course, plenty of pictures.
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Sony intros VAIO CR / SR bundles in support of breast cancer research

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/403171172/


It's crazy to think, but October is merely days away. That also means that Breast Cancer Awareness month is just around the bend, and Sony's being ultra proactive by announcing two new pink laptop bundles to support breast cancer research. First up is the Cosmopolitan Pink VAIO CR pack, which features a 14.1-inch LCD, 1.3-megapixel camera, Core 2 Duo CPU, Bluetooth, a built-in DVD burner and a matching case / mouse. If that's a tad large and / or underpowered for your tastes, you can check the Glossy Pink VAIO SR, a 4-pound rig with a 13.3-inch LED backlit display, up to 320GB of HDD space and a "Switch" mode that gives users the ability to toggle between high performance and power saving modes on the fly. The two bundles start at $870 and $1,399, respectively, though you can CTO them both 'til your wallet cries uncle.

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Celio's REDFLY down to $199, still $198 too expensive

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/403202184/

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For those who've managed to avoid hearing about Celio's REDFLY up until now, we hate that you've been absent for so many laughs. Essentially, this here is a Foleo wannabe that somehow made it into production, and no, you can't even use the thing without your smartphone. Still down for throwing away $199 for a handset companion? Be our guest.

[Via jkOnTheRun]
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