Gadgets Control

FotoNation, the company behind the face-detection technology included in many cameras, has come up with an interesting twist on self-portraiture. Instead of hitting the self-timer button on the camera and racing to get into the shot, FotoNation’s new "FaceTime" version of the timer would recognize when a new face entered the frame, give you a few seconds to compose yourself and then snap away. (Read the full post about ‘A New Twist on Self-Portraits’…)

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Pioneer has released its MEP-7000 device that targets the modern DJ who loathes to carry around a large stack of vinyls and regular CDs to a set. It comes with dual DVD drives, enabling the DJ to make full use of traditional audio CDs in addition to AAC and MP3 tracks. The inclusion of USB ports also enable flash drives, external hard drives and other removable storage to be used whenever one wants to play and mix music. Should you hook up the MEP-7000 to a Windows-based PC, you get direct control over Pioneer’s very own DJ software. The MEP-7000 can also be used independently, whereby its 4.3″ LCD display functions as a command center whilst the two OLED screens offer pitch and miscellanous track information for both sources in a mix. (Read the full post about ‘Pioneer MEP-7000 Pro DJ device’…)

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Gateway will be making available new colors for its line of M-Series and T-Series notebooks, with Merlot, Silver and Arctic Bloom joining Garnet Red and Pacific Blue. While the M-Series will get Merlot and Silver, both M- and T-Series will pick up Arctic Bloom. It is interesting to note that Gateway won’t be charging a dime more compared to the base notebooks for these new colors, so those who have held out for a more vibrant option will definitely be pleased with these new offerings from Gateway. Just make sure you have anywhere between $799.99 and $1,399.99 in your bank account before making a purchase. (Read the full post about ‘Gateway paints notebooks in new colors’…)

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They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. But sometimes, a crummy copy is just a crummy copy. Take for example, this poor Taiwanese knock-off of the Apple iPhone. This thing makes no bones about its source of inspiration. Heck, they couldn’t even come up with an original name and just called it the iFone. This wannabe version of the iPhone copies the basic case design of Apple’s beauty, but certainly falls short on the details. For starters, there’s no glass face or durable aluminum back here. We’re talking cheap plastic and shiny chrome plate. Plus, it looks like it’s about twice as thick as the real iPhone. Under the hood, you won’t do too much better. (Read the full post about ‘ifone is one phony iphone’…)

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3D GPS Mapping systems are at last coming to the States: Nav N Go is making its 3D-enabled GPS software suite available to manufacturers, so hopefully some upcoming devices will adopt it soon. Their 3D maps not only cover the US, but also 70 other countries, and show terrain, elevated roads and landmarks with up to 13 miles in a single view.

(Read the full post about ‘3D GPS Mapping to Come to US At Last [GPS]’…)

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We love thin things, and so does Apple. It markets its MacBook Air as the thinnest notebook, which turns out to be true only if you count recently-released models. And even those oldies which aren’t as thick as the Air (the Mitsubishi Pedion is 0.74", the Sharp Actius 0.54", and the Toshiba Portege 0.65" thick) tend to have uniform thickness, while Apple’s model tapers to a sharp point. How close, then, do current models get? Toshiba’s Portege P500, at .77" thick, is only one-hundredth of an inch fatter than the MacBook Air. However, close inspection of PDF spec sheets reveals that this is at its thinnest point, while the Air is .76" at its thickest point. (Read the full post about ‘Of Current Notebooks, Portege P500 Closest To MacBook Air’s Thinness?’…)

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You don’t have the ultimate bachelor pad unless you own a urinal. And as long as you’re going all out with the theme, the urinal might as well glow like the slutty fluorescents of a cheap motel sign. The Gloo urinal is built from plastic and filled with LEDs, at last bringing the same style we see in the Aurea to your urea. Of course, the $655 pricetag may make you wet yourself anyway. For those looking for more practical toilet lighting solutions, check out this little gadget. (Read the full post about ‘Gloo Urinals Inspire Good Aim, Bad Taste [Bathroom]’…)

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Razor Horizon Home Theater. We’re trying to work out why you’d want to stick a big black rectangular lump of wood underneath your expensive LCD television screen to power your audio, but we’re failing. Badly. Maybe it’s because the integrated CD/DVD will play ‘the whole gambit of other file formats like DVD-R/RW, CD-R/RW, MP3, VCD, SVCD, WMA, MPEG 1, MPEG 2, MPEG 4, JPEG, and more’? Or perhaps you just need more black in your life? Whatever. $399.95.  The Razor sharp design fits perfectly with your plasma or LCD wall mounted television. You’ll be amazed by the sheer class and functionality of the Razor Sound System with built in DVD player. (Read the full post about ‘Razor Horizon Home Theater - boxify your multimedia experience’…)

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TiVo today announced it would soon add Jaman Internet Movie Service to all Series2 and Series3 broadband-connected DVRs, giving users access to Sundance and international award winning movies that you’d probably have a hard time finding otherwise. The idea here is that Jaman supplements the mainly Hollywood offerings of Amazon Unbox, so you get a ton of movie choices from right there on your couch—at least enough to make your girlfriend think you’re smart or something. Rentals start at $1.99, but apparently some movies and shorts will be available for free. Not the good ones, of course. Press release after jump. (Read the full post about ‘TiVo Makes You Look Cultured By Bringing Jaman’s Obscure Foreign and Indie Movies To Your DVR [Foreign Films]’…)

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I guess having truckloads of moolah is a good thing, especially when you get to live out your childhood dreams and fantasies. Case in point - the Bat Cave Theater from Elite Home Theater Seating (Elite HTS). This unique setting envelopes you with the eerie feeling of being in fictional Gotham City’s famous Bat Cave, complete with enough chairs to enthrall your audience with the latest Hollywood blockbuster. Elite HTS has the track record prove its pedigree when it comes to over-the-top home theater systems, so this Bat Cave model is but another feather in its cap. No word on price, but if you gotta ask, you probably lack the monetary resource to remodel your home after it. (Read the full post about ‘Bat Cave Theater’…)

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