electronic gadgets

FBI Withdraws Unconstitutional National Security Letter After ACLU and EFF Challenge

2008-05-08T16:35:00.000-07:00

San Francisco - The FBI has withdrawn an unconstitutional national security letter (NSL) issued to the Internet Archive after a legal challenge from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). As the result of a settlement agreement, the FBI withdrew the NSL and agreed to the unsealing of the case, finally allowing the Archive's founder to speak out for the first time about his battle against the record demand.

"The free flow of information is at the heart of every library's work. That's why Congress passed a law limiting the FBI's power to issue NSLs to America's libraries," said Brewster Kahle, founder and Digital Librarian of the Internet Archive. "While it's never easy standing up to the government -- particularly when I was barred from discussing it with anyone -- I knew I had to challenge something that was clearly wrong. I'm grateful that I am able now to talk about what happened to me, so that other libraries can learn how they can fight back from these overreaching demands."

The NSL was served on the Archive -- a digital library recognized by the state of California -- and its attorneys in November of 2007. The letter asked for personal information about one of the Archive's users, including the individual's name, address, and any electronic communication transactional records pertaining to the user. Kahle, who is also a member of EFF's Board of Directors, decided to fight the NSL because it exceeded the FBI's limited authority to issue such demands to libraries.

The Archive responded to the letter by handing over only publicly available documents and simultaneously filing a lawsuit challenging the letter. This lawsuit is the first known challenge to an NSL served on a library since Congress amended the national security letter provision in 2006 to limit the FBI's power to demand records from libraries.

The NSL included a gag order, prohibiting Kahle from discussing the letter and the legal issues it presented with the rest of the Archive's Board of Directors or anyone else except his attorneys, who were also gagged. The gag also prevented the ACLU and EFF from discussing the NSL with members of Congress, even though an ACLU lawyer who represents the Archive recently testified at a congressional hearing about the FBI's misuse of NSLs.

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New Sony VAIO VGF-HS1S and VGF-HS1

2008-05-07T02:33:00.000-07:00

In January of 2007 Sony introduced the Sony VAIO TP1 home theater PC with the unique round shape.
Today Sony announced two new AV Home Server with the same form factor dubbed Sony VAIO VGF-HS1S and VGF-HS1.

The new Sony VGF-HS1S packs 1.5TB of storage and the VGF-HS1 still has a 1TB capacity ideal for HD video storing and displaying on a connected HDTV.

The new Sony home media servers connect via 10 Base-T/100Base-TX/1000Base-T to your LAN. Via Memory stick and SD Card reader slots you can upload also media including photos.

The Sony VAIO VGF-HS1S and VGF-HS1 support the following media formats: AVCHD, MPEG2, HDV (MPEG2-TS), JPEG, BMP, PNG, JPEG, BMP, PNG, WAV, MP3, ATRA, ATRAC Advanced Lossless, AAC and WMA.
The Sony VGF-HS1S and VGF-HS1 will start shipping in Japan on May 17th.

HTC Touch Diamond official

2008-05-07T02:31:00.001-07:00

The HTC Diamond leaked already, but today HTC made the HTC Touch Diamond official.

The HTC Touch Diamond is defined by its compact size, Internet and its new 3D touch interface called TouchFLO 3D. See the cool Hi-Res Photos of the HTC Touch Diamond.

TouchFLO 3D provides animated access to people, messaging, email, photos, music, weather and more. In addition, HTC is introducing a new touch-sensitive control for interacting with Touch Diamond.

Other features of the HTC Touch Diamond include HSDPA 7.2 Mbps, HSUPA, 2.8-inch VGA touch screen, 3.2MP camera, 4 GB Internal Storage, 256 MB flash, 192 MB RAM, Wifi, GPS, Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR and Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional.

Measurements of the Touch Diamond are 102 x 51 x 11.33mm and the weight is 110g.

The HTC Touch Diamond will be available to customers across all major European carriers in June. It will be available later this quarter in Asia and the Middle East. The North American and Latin American versions of the Touch Diamond will be available in the second half of 2008.

3G iPhone in May 2008?

2008-05-05T17:04:00.000-07:00

The usually reliable Register links to the inside scoop on the 3G iPhone. Apparently tech blog Sevenclick spoke to a manager at Spain's Telefonica. Among the tidbits: Telefonica and Apple have not yet reached an agreement; Apple is demanding 30% of revenue; Spain missed out on a 2007 iPhone launch because Apple can't make enough phones. And the money quote:
When iPhone will be launched in Spain?
Telefonica expects it on May.

Will Telefonica release a 3G iPhone version on May?
Yes! They expect it.

It's rumor, but May doesn't seem like too crazy a date for iPhone v.2. Apple updates the iPods yearly, after all. Living in Spain, all I can say is "Please God, don't let it be Telefonica".

Let your imagination run wild with the NeoCube

2008-05-04T16:52:00.000-07:00

What can you do with a toy built out of 216 tiny high-energy rare-earth magnets? Well, you can make just about any shape you wish. It’s the NeoCube.

NeoCube is being touted as an entertainment device that serves as a ”dual hemisphere brain stimulator”, a “stress reliever” and a “boredom buster” according to the seller. What it is mainly depends on you and your imagination. NeoCube can bend, fold, tear-apart and then come back together again. Take a look at the video to see the NeoCube in action to see what it can do.

At $39.95 you might want to pick one up to play with at your desk. You could find yourself wasting an afternoon just seeing what you can make with one. Just be sure to keep the little ones away from the NeoCube. Swallowing the magnetic spheres would be very dangerous.

Nintendo goes on the piste

2008-05-02T17:02:00.000-07:00

New winter sports game, just in time for summer

If the thought of a spot of hula-hooping or doing the Yoga tree on the Wii Fit just isn't radical enough for you, there's a new Nintendo game on the horizon that could up the adrenaline levels. Then again, it's called Family Ski (should that be Family Skii?), so maybe not.

What Wii Sports lacks in enthusiasm this more than makes up for, with bounty of tricks and races to keep the competitive fires stoked and a full size ski resort to hit the slopes in. Customizing looks set to be a big part of proceedings too, with clothing, accessories, new characters and new slopes available the further you advance in the game.

As always with the ever inventive Nintendo, the interactive side looks set to be classic chintz with the nun chuck and remote operating as virtual ski poles and though it's not strictly necessary, the Wii board looks like another essential ingredient to make the most of the game.

Due June 13 across Europe for the usual £40, this will be the first time we've donned salapets and bobble hat since that truckload of homesick Swedish playmates rolled into town. Good times.

Mario Mirror Keychain, Star Mirror Effect

2008-04-30T16:38:00.000-07:00

If your girlfriend loves Mario more than you, then this Mario Mirror Keychain will be perfect for her. Behind the face of Mario reveals a mirror that she can use to love herself. No mirror, she can love Mario. Maybe she’ll love you then, just maybe. $2.99 for some mirror power.

Samsung Techwin launches new VLUU i Series

2008-04-29T16:23:00.000-07:00

Samsung Techwin has rolled out a couple of latest digital cameras known as the i100 and the i80 to its VLUU i Series lineup. Meant for basic as well as entry-level shutterbugs nicknamed as a ‘Digital Nomad’ by Samsung, both the VLUU i100 and i80 sustain a multi-charging function which allows data program and battery charging through USB without the need and bother for an adapter. In addition to capturing pixel perfect pictures with its 10.2 megapixel sensor and 3x optical zoom lens, other shared features include a video recording capability, MP3 playback, a text viewer and voice recording. The VLUI i100 will come in silver, dark gray, brown and red colors while the VLUU i80 has only black and silver as your choices. The previous will retail for less than $400 while the second lies a shade under $300.

Kindle: Amazon's New Wireless Reading Device

2008-04-28T05:01:00.000-07:00

According to amazon:

Three years ago, we set out to design and build an entirely new class of device—a convenient, portable reading device with the ability to wirelessly download books, blogs, magazines, and newspapers. The result is Amazon Kindle.

We designed Kindle to provide an exceptional reading experience. Thanks to electronic paper, a revolutionary new display technology, reading Kindle’s screen is as sharp and natural as reading ink on paper—and nothing like the strain and glare of a computer screen. Kindle is also easy on the fingertips. It never becomes hot and is designed for ambidextrous use so both "lefties" and "righties" can read comfortably at any angle for long periods of time.

This is the future of book reading. It will be everywhere." Michael Lewis

Echostar Begins Testing Mobile TV Options - Confirms suspicions about plans for spectrum acquisition

2008-04-27T05:35:00.000-07:00

When Echostar snagged over $700 million in the FCC s recent spectrum auction, analysts started speculating what the company’s strategy were. All predictions pointed to the belief that the corporation was setting up to use the spectrum to widen its mobile TV service. It now appears that these predictions are definite after the company has announced a new joint venture with Alcatel-Lucent to test DVB-SH mobile TV technology here in the U.S. The licenses acquired in the range auction would be well-matched with this testing. Many analysts retain that it s a bad business move due to the cost of initiating such a service and the existing competition in the marketplace.

LG VX9400 TV phone launches on Verizon Wireless

2008-04-26T08:15:00.000-07:00

CTIA 2007 -- Verizon Wireless has launched its second MediaFLO mobile TV handset, the LG VX9400. Mobile TV has been a major talking point at the CTIA conference and LG has been showing off the VX9400 proudly. Sporting a unique form factor (the screen swivels into landscape orientation) and MediaFLO, the device is designed to work with V Cast TV.

Features of the LG VX9400 include:

QVGA screen with 262k colors
EV-DO 3G data
Bluetooth with A2DP stereo support
1.3 megapixel camera
microSD card slot

Because of the TV technology, Verizon Wireless will keep an exclusive on this handset. It's available now for $199.99 with a 2-year contract. Note: V Cast TV is only available in select markets, but the list is expanding.

Check for the latest े phones @ electronic gadget

Skype Releases Beta Software for Mobile Phones

2008-04-26T07:58:00.000-07:00

Skype today released a beta version of "Skype for your mobile phone," a software client for mobile phones that can collect calls from Skype users and make Skype-to-Skype and SkypeOut calls. Additional features include chat, group chat and presence.

The beta version helps Skype gauge the response from users. This phase is expected to last several months, after which a public version of the application will be made available. Skype for your mobile is primarily supported in seven markets: Brazil (Rio de Janeiro), Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Poland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Additional phones and markets will be added over time.

Our latest electronic gadgets @ electronic gadgets

Looking for HDTV Furniture

2008-04-14T08:38:00.000-07:00

High Point-- Producers of ready-to-assemble furniture aren't in the consumer electronics business, but they've spent many a night trying to catch the HDTV express.

On the surface, that would appear to be a Herculean task, given the recent rapid-fire changes in consumer electronics and the furniture industry's knack for reacting ever so slowly.

But RTA producers say they have little choice but to try to keep pace with their electronics brethren, particularly those who are turning out millions and millions of high-definition televisions annually.

Check out for the latest hdtv furniture @ HDTV Furniture