Bandai's been busy in their genius labs brewing up some "high tech" amusement, and they have the newly announced
Tamagotchi Music Stars to show for it. You've probably been dying to create a digital diva or virtuoso all your own, and now you can, with six different options such as Glam Rock, Techno Sound, and Rising Star to choose from. Your character gets to join a band, go through hours of practice, auditions and rehearsals before making it big. Sound exhausting? Well fame comes at a price, kid. No word yet on price or availability, but you can check out their site for lots of info and a few shots of the designs. Oh: and rock on.
Filed under: Gaming
Bandai rolls out new Tamagotchi Music Star designs, earplugs not included originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 20:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read |
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments 
At $1,000, Fujitsu's netbook-esque
LifeBook U820 is nothing if not a tough sell, but NotebookReview.com seems to think that the category-defying device will appeal to at least a few folks out there, even if they are aware that they can get a similarly equipped netbook for less than half the price. As you might have guessed, they found the device's form factor to be its biggest selling point, with them going so far as to describe it as "the smallest and most feature packed mini tablet" they've reviewed. They were also especially impressed with the device's "incredible" battery life (over eight hours in "balanced" mode), and its overall build quality, which certainly seems to be a step above your average netbook or mini tablet. On the downside, it is still basically an average Atom-powered netbook on the inside, which is easy to accept at $300-$500, but a whole other matter when you hit four digits.
Filed under: Laptops, Tablet PCs
Fujitsu LifeBook U820 gets reviewed originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read |
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments 
Amongst the snooty winemaking set the idea of using tech to aid the vinification process has always been controversial, so if you're one of those types, we're guessing you are not going to care for this tale at all. According to the Telegraph, chemists at the South China University of Technology have been pumping rough wine through a pipe wired with titanium electrodes, artificially "aging" it as much as twenty years. The team ran a three month old cabernet sauvignon through the process for various lengths of time, subjecting the results to a blind test with 12 experienced wine tasters. Apparently, applying 600 volts per centimeter for three minutes was found to leave the swill "well balanced and harmonious, with a nose of an aged wine." We suppose this is all well and good, but to be honest, ever since they stopped making Ripple we really haven't been in the mood.
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets
Electricity used to age wine, does nothing for Mad Dog 20/20 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 18:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read |
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments NVIDIA still hasn't gotten official with the
less-than-secret card, but it looks like China's IT168 website has already gotten its hands on an actual GTX 295 and gone ahead and published some early benchmarks, which now seem to have not so mysteriously disappeared. This being the internet, however, there's already been screenshots taken, and while the benchmarks certainly impress, they're also rightfully leading folks to wait for some slightly more official numbers. If they are accurate, however, it looks like the GTX 295 will trounce ATI's top-end HD 4870 X2 in a number of tests, including a stunning 100% boost in performance in Dead Space, all while boasting a considerably lower power consumption too boot (hence the suspicion). We won't have to wait too much longer to put things to rest, however, as the card is expected to be officially unveiled at CES, with a whole slew of benchmarks inevitably set to follow shortly thereafter.
[Via
The Inquirer]
Filed under: Desktops, Gaming
Early NVIDIA GTX 295 benchmarks impress, raise suspicions originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read |
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments 
OK, guys and gals, we hate to break it to you -- John Koller, Sony's Director of Hardware Marketing has said it in plain English: "no plans for a PSP2 are underway." Apparently, the company is pushing developers towards the PlayStation store for their primary point of sale, a move that some people have taken to mean that the companies have been secretly developing games for some sort of new platform. Of course, in the light of some similarly "cryptic" statements
we reported yesterday, some folks might continue to be
gullible skeptical. Which is fine, as long as nobody asks us when
the device pictured above will be released. 'Cos it won't be.
Evar.
Filed under: Gaming
Sony PSP2 rumors debunked, probably not for the last time originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read |
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments iLuv certainly isn't
lacking in iPod docks these days, but those looking for something a bit more elaborate than your average desktop model will no doubt be pleased to see the company's new i9500 system, which opts for a vertical design that can accommodate four CDs in addition to the iPod of your choice. If that's not enough for you, the system will also handle SD cards and USB storage devices, and you'll also get all the usual stereo features like an AM/FM radio and alarm clock functionality. With 45W of power and a separate, somewhat sizeable subwoofer, the system should also pump out some decent enough sound, at least compared to iLuv's more modest systems. No word on a price just yet, but iLuv will apparently have more to say about that at CES.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Portable Audio
iLuv announces i9500 iPod / CD sound system originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read |
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments So, we're not really sure what's going on here, but three people have been killed by mis-using a Japanese foot massager. We've only got specific details about one death, which happened when a woman removed the protective cloth cover from the machine -- called the Shape-up Roller 2 -- then strangled herself when it got caught on her collar as she tried to use it on her neck. The manufacturer, Matoba Electric, issued a warning against removing the cover or using the device other than as directed, but has not yet recalled the device, which seems to be powerful enough to massage the tension out of a T-Rex's feet. We've got a feeling there won't be a Shape-up Roller 3 anytime soon. Video of a Japanese news broadcast about the accidents after the break.
[Thanks, Mechelle]
Continue reading Japanese foot-massaging machine pleads innocent to killing three people
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets
Japanese foot-massaging machine pleads innocent to killing three people originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read |
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments We know, it's not
December 19th just yet, but Santa's being super proactive this year. As of right now, Cowon's 16GB
S9 PMP is on sale and shipping to US consumers from
JetMall. You already know what the $239.99
will buy you -- the question is, are you able to hold off?
Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video
Cowon's 16GB S9 PMP ships early to America originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 15:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read |
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments 
The R&D-types at GE have high hopes for their
roll-to-roll OLED manufacturing process, but it looks like we have a couple years to wait before the tech is
cheap enough to really catch on. In the meantime, what do we have for you? How about some
super-expensive digiframes and a YouTube video of the world's first ever "OLED Holiday Tree?" Man, we hope those "War on Christmas" people don't catch wind of this one...
[Via
OLED Display]
Continue reading GE builds an OLED Holiday Tree, makes mistletoe out of disused RAM
Filed under: Displays
GE builds an OLED Holiday Tree, makes mistletoe out of disused RAM originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 15:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read |
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments You received this email because you are subscribed to the real_time feed for http://www.engadget.com/rss.xml. To change your subscription settings, please log into RSSFWD.
