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Posts with tag bluetooth

Mitsubishi's NR-HZ001 GPS: ten million destinations and a couple big distractions


As you know, when an already distracted driver gets his hands on a GPS the results can be disastrous: that's why we're predicting a whole slew of train wrecks once the NR-HZ001 hits the streets. Beginning November 5th, the device -- which doubles as a digital TV receiver -- will start shipping with new Mitsubishi autos, either at ¥250,000 ($2,353) for full segment digital video or ¥200,000 ($1,883) for 1seg. Both versions feature an internal hard drive, Bluetooth, ten million destinations and something called Multi Relay Operation: the ability for the driver and passengers to control the unit simultaneously through voice recognition. But we have to ask: between the live TV and the scintillating conversation you and your passengers are bound to have with the GPS, who will be watching the road?

[Via Coolest Gadgets]

Dell's ink-free Zink PZ310 WASABI printer splashes down in FCC


Up until now, the words "Zink" and "Polaroid" were all but married together, but a breakup fit for The Hills is about to go down courtesy of the all-too-promiscuous Dell. Over in the deep waters of the FCC, we're seeing a new Dell printer that utilizes the ink-free Zink technology. The PZ310 WASABI is yet another handheld printer that comes bundled with a single stack of printing paper, Bluetooth technology for printing from your mobile / BT-enabled PC, a USB port for traditionalists and a Reprint button for obvious reasons. As with everything in the FCC, the agency is never kind enough to hand over any preliminary pricing / release information, but it ought not be long now before Dell starts shipping these things without even telling anyone.

Murata's new balancing robot loses a wheel, gains a trick

Murata's new balancing robot loses a wheel, gains a trickRiding a bicycle isn't exactly easy, especially if you're made of circuitry, wires, and a gyroscope. That was Murata Seisaku-kun's one trick, and now he's sadly obsolete. Meet Seiko, a 20-inch tall, 11 pound unicycle riding robot. Like her, uh, "cousin" Keisaku-kun, Seiko relies on a chest-mounted gyro to stay upright and uses Bluetooth to communicate with a PC that gives instructions. (Yes, she's a PC.) Lucky robot lovers can watch the whole family of robo-carnies do its stuff at CEATEC Japan 2008, but even luckier you can check out the elder bot on his bike in motion after the break without having to leave your chair.

Sony Ericsson's HCB-108 Bluetooth speakerphone helps you escape dystopia


New York's a maximum security prison and you're our final hope, Snake. Armed with your wits and this new HCB-108 Bluetooth 2.0 car speakerphone from Sony Ericsson, your mission is to extract Johnny X from the fetid bowels of viral marketeers. Should you need to contact us, the HCB-108 features duplex audio, noise cancellation, echo reduction, and an industry best 25-hours of talk and 1-month standby. God speed and give Goldie our love.

Debunk: the iPod touch Bluetooth chip is really the Nike+ receiver


Usually product teardowns are only interesting for the raw, visceral thrill of seeing chipsets and circuit boards splayed wide open, but iFixit's disassembly of the new iPod touch revealed something rather more interesting: a Broadcom BCM4325 Bluetooth 2.1+EDR chip. (That's the silver rectangle in the middle of the top circuit board there.) That's got a lot of people all atwitter, but there's an obvious explanation for it: Nike+, built into the new touch, is based on a proprietary low-power 2.4GHz communications protocol called ANT -- not quite the standard Bluetooth frequency, but awful close. Yep, sorry, it's for technojogging, not secret A2DP -- although we'd welcome actual Bluetooth support in the touch with open arms. Hit the read link for the complete breakdown.

Update: Just to be totally accurate, the BCM4325 also does WiFi -- and Nike+iPod has been called a "proprietary 802.11 protocol" in the past, so it's even less likely that it's there for actual Bluetooth usage.

CY-FI Bluetooth sports speaker, tiny Sigourney Weaver co-star


CY-FI just unwrapped its latest wireless speaker system for your bike. The CY-FI Bluetooth wireless sport speaker weighs just 4-ounces, supports hands-free and stereo Bluetooth profiles, and works for about 5.5-hours on battery when clipped to your bike or pretty much anything else. But by attaching it to a bicycle, Cy-Fi can call it a world's first Bluetooth sport speaker, which is nice. Unfortunately, the September 22nd launch with a $180 price tag is not.

Sony sports up new Bluetooth headphones

Sony's bringing a little more sporty swoop to its Bluetooth headphone line with the splashproof DR-BT160AS wireless cans. The A2DP headphones have a built-in mic and controls for phone calls and track / volume adjustments, and there'll be a version with a bundled Bluetooth adapter when they go on sale in October -- too bad we don't have a price yet.

Sony's SOCOM PS3 Bluetooth headset priced, detailed for North America

We know, we know -- you already know most everything there is to know about Sony's SOCOM PS3 Bluetooth headset, but up until now, the most important tidbit has remained a mystery. The device will be launching this fall as part of the SOCOM: Confrontation bundle for $59.99, or if you just loathe the whole SOCOM series, you can pick it up all by its lonesome for $49.99. Tough call, huh?

LG's 7000-series TVs win Gadgie Award for best menu design pertaining to a superfluous connectivity feature


Alright, maybe "superfluous" is a bit harsh, but we're still a bit confused as to why LG stuck Bluetooth into its new 7000-series LCDs and plasmas. Sure, if they offered a Bluetooth remote we'd take it all back in a heartbeat, but the fact is that there are about four people on earth that own stereo Bluetooth headphones, and none of them have been watching TV on mute all this time -- and the rest of us are too lazy to figure out how to beam pictures from our phone over Bluetooth, the other main function LG provides here. But would you look at that menu! It really makes it all worthwhile. Heck, LG could toss in some 802.11a, SCSI and a pinch of MIDI plugs if it meant more menus like this. Oh, and we suppose those purtiful icons will come in handy when browsing for photos off of the 7000's USB port, so good on you, LG, good on you.

[Gadgie was the winner of our Engadget Mascot contest last year, he approves this message]

LG injects 7000-series HDTVs with Bluetooth at IFA


Even though it's in nearly every phone available, only a few flat panels with integrated wireless networking have surfaced so far, and now LG's packing Bluetooth into its already highly anticipated "infinite black" PG7000 plasma and Scarlet LG7000 LCD models. Pricetags are still in the air, but LG says these flatscreens will hit worldwide starting with Europe in September.

Wii Balance Board used to control Roomba... for reasons unknown


For Roomba hacking extraordinaire longjie0723, it's just another day in the office. Grasping for one more way to control the circular vacuum with something video game-related, he keyed in on the Wii Balance Board. Granted, he's already had success controlling the Roomba with a Wiimote, so we assume that whipping this one up was a lesson in simplicity. We still can't really understand why this here hack is necessary, but unlike decisions made by publicly traded companies, independent DIYers don't need no logic to get their mod on. Video after the cut.

[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]

Sony intros wireless keypad attachment for the PS3


The news is flying fast and furious out of the Leipzig Games Convention today (we actually just got hit in the eye with a flying piece of news). Apparently Sony is launching a wireless keypad attachment that snaps onto the top of a SIXAXIS or DUALSHOCK3 controller into the mini-USB port. The pad features a "touchpad mode" for mouse input, and can be paired with phones and other gadgets via Bluetooth. No word on pricing, but the pad launches in November, and the add-on will come in eight different languages, which should really help us with our multi-lingual training.

Swany's g.cell snowboard glove secretly doubles as Bluetooth handset


Bluetooth technology has been finding its way into ski gear for years now, but Swany has taken things to a whole 'nother level -- one that's only reachable via the heated quad-lift. Unless this description is positively inaccurate, there's actually a Bluetooth module, speaker and microphone tucked within one of the g.cell gloves. When it detects an incoming call, it gives your wrist a shake (read: there's a vibrate function) and enables you to quite literally talk to the hand. Swany asserts that it'll last for 12 hours on standby (4 hours of talk time), though your phone may crap out a few hours earlier in extreme temperatures. Now that we think about it, wrestling that mobile out of our deep coat pockets with frostbitten hands is pretty annoying -- maybe that $495 price tag isn't so staggering after all.

[Via bookofjoe, thanks llya]

Motorola "Jay-Z" Bluetooth headphones hit the FCC, branches on the ugly tree


Hmm, Hov, you may want to check the fine print on whatever deal you've got with Moto, because these Jay-Z-branded MOTOROKR S7-HD Bluetooth headset aren't exactly big pimpin' -- and compared to Dre's big ol' cans, they look downright sad. Of course, the FCC's legendarily nasty product photography isnt helping here, but even A2DP stereo support and the integrated mic can't salvage this mess -- was this really worth unretiring for?

[Via Crave]

Acer Aspire One not immune to tnkgrl's modding ways, stuffed with Bluetooth and extra RAM


Netbooks have come a long way since the Eee PC 701 hit the scene. Gone are the square miles of emptiness surrounding the screens and keyboards as manufacturers start to put every inch to good use, but that seems to have little impact on folks bent on hacking these mini laptops to pieces -- with the Acer Aspire One the latest subject of such work. Tnkgrl has stuffed a miniscule USB Bluetooth 2.0+ EDR adapter under the palm rest and upgraded the RAM while she was in there. Next up is a hard drive upgrade and then the all-important "how to put the computer back together again." No real show stoppers, but if you've been waiting for reports from the other side before you put your own Aspire One under knife, here they are.



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