Despite rumours the new, internally powered PS2 would run just $99, in Japan it’s selling for the same price as the old model: ¥16,000 (US $140). Even though it’s no lighter on your wallet and isn’t any more svelte than the current model, it does in fact weigh less, and comes in black, white and silver. For now it debuts Nov. 22 in Japan only, but a stateside launch is most definitely in the cards, hopefully along with that price cut. [Machine-Translated Press Release via Kotaku via Saving Progress]
If statistics concerning the operating wattage, temperature and fan speed of your PC’s power supply gets you excited, Gigabyte’s Visuals USB gauge shall be right up your street. The device is capable of measuring all three, whilst simultaneously making your desktop look like your dashboard, and if that is not the very pinnacle of being cool, who knows what is?
The limited edition Deep Red PSP you’re gawking at launches in Japan next month in two flavors—one with the 1seg digital TV tuner, one without. The 1seg bundle also comes with a 1GB Memory Stick PRO Duo and a stand, while the standard box has a 32MB stick and is standless. No word on whether this bloody hue will hit stateside. [Mmbon, Akihabara News]
Rumors of the long-expected parental timer embedded in the Xbox 360′s impending fall update have been picking up steam in the last week or so, with the latest sort-of confirmation supposedly coming from a Guitar Hero III keychain. The included pamphlet reportedly describes the timer thusly: A simple tool that lets you manage how much time your kids spend on their Xbox 360. Manage in daily or weekly increments. Easy for parents to suspend and add time. Available in December 2007 only through Xbox Live.
Following the Open Handset Alliance getting official, we noted the conspicuous of the US’s two biggest wireless carriers, and dissected some of the reasons T-Mobile and Sprint were onboard but they weren’t. According to the WSJ, Verizon’s still mulling joining up, while AT&T “in part because it exclusively carries the iPhone in the U.S., is restricted from partnering with Google, people familiar with the matter say.”
Another niggling issue for the juggernaut pair is Google’s probable bid for wireless spectrum in the FCC’s upcoming 700Mhz auction. If it winds up turning up its chunk into a mobile network, it’d be pulling a Microsoft by competing and partnering with them simultaneously, which apparently they don’t take too kindly to.
Of course, this is on top of all the other reasons they weren’t exactly clamoring to jump aboard in the first place. [WSJ]
The Opera Sonora speaker line is perfect for those who argue with their significant other over why they can’t install a 27.4 mega system in their 900 sq. ft. apartment. Beneath the art house appearance of these contraptions, however, are fully functioning speakers that can connect to any audio source (radio, TV, DVD, ect…). And because the tonewood frames are the same material used to build instruments like guitars, high audio quality should be expected. No specifics on release dates or prices, but these things don’t exactly scream “cheap” at me. [7 Gadgets via Crave]
Aesthetically, Factory Joe’s “iPad Touch” tablet mockup doesn’t wholly differ from the pretty slick one our own Jesus Diaz conjured with his magic Photoshop fingers, but it does ratchet up the iPhone design elements. Oh, and MacBook Touch is a much better, if less reflective, name in our book. Another shot after the jump or scope the rest over there. [Factory Joe via Gadget Lab]
Oakely seems bound and determined to push this whole MP3 player sunglasses thing, and their latest release, The Split Thump combines a really bad name with extremely expensive sunglasses that are only marginally better looking than some of the fashion disasters of years past (you know, the kind of designs that someone in the 80′s thought we would be wearing in 2020). Each pair features MP3/WMA/AAC compatibility, 8 hours of battery life, and 512MB to 2GB of storage. Available for $250-$400. [Product Page via Acquire]
The Hono Light design by Japanese based company Metaphys brings a high tech edge to the traditional candle using an LED light source that flickers like a real candle and can be lit with a special magnetic match. It can even be turned off by blowing on it. Unfortunately, the product is only a concept piece at the moment —which is too bad because if you put a few of these together you could create some really interesting lighting solutions. [Metaphys via Dezeen via Boing Boing]
Although not as long or stabby as real screwdrivers, these pocket coin screwdrivers go many places where real ones cannot (when’s the last time you stuck a flat-head into your pants without getting a dirty look from your wife?). However, with these coin screwers, you can both screw in and out on the go with nothing but a pocketful of jingling to make anyone the wiser. A set of twelve can be yours for $8.50, which is the perfect price for stealthily unscrewing the train seat in front of you for subsequent laughs. [Leevalley via Book of Joe via Make]
