The guys over at CNET UK have posted a preview/review of Dell’s XPS One desktop, and are giving it the thumbs up on design and capabilities but a thumbs down on price.
The XPS One is a pretty big deal for Dell. It’s an all-in-one appliance not dissimilar to the Apple iMac. All the components are built into the monitor, so there’s no ugly box sitting on or under the desk. Anyway, the preview is good: check it out by following the link. [CNET]
Even though we still have no idea when it will hit our shores, the rampant speculation about who will have the iPhone in Australia continues. Last week it was Telstra that was the favourite to have the iPhone in Australia, thanks to the news that Sensis is developing applications for the iPhone. This weeks it’s Optus, because it appears parent company SingTel has the Singaporean distribution rights for the iPhone sewn up, according to ChannelNews Asia.
In truth I doubt that this means anything. Apple is going to choose the provider that will pay it the most for the privilege of being able to sell the iPhone locally. Hell, you could even take this news as good for Telstra, since Apple chose the incumbent provider in Singapore rather than smaller startups like StarHub or MobileOne. In any case, the race is clearly still far from won. [CNET]
I’ve heard of 2 port USB car chargers but a 4 port charger? That’s two more gadgets baby! Indeed, it makes complete sense to pick one of these up given the fact that many of our favourite gadgets can be charged via USB these days. And you really can’t go wrong for only US$12. [gadget4all via Ubergizmo]
Microsoft justice is cold but apt. If you tried to goose your Xbox Live Gamerscore to match Chen’s (he’s an achievement demon, but I still rock his face at Halo) with game save hacks, the long arm of Microsoft is squeezing your nuts right about now. To start, they’re nuking your Gamerscore, and you can’t go back and re-earn zapped achievements, no matter how many times you kill 50,000 zombies. But here’s the real burn: Your account is forever branded as a cheater, so everyone instantly knows that you’re a horrible human being. You can’t scrub that shame off, no matter how much shit you talk. [Major Nelson]
Callpod—maker of one of our favourite charging devices, the Chargepod—has just come out with a Bluetooth adaptor called The Drone. What’s special about this Bluetooth adaptor that’s not in any of the hundreds of other Bluetooth adaptor sticks already out? It “automatically pairs itself with your headset or headphones,” which saves about 30 seconds of waiting and having to type “0000″ into some prompt.
We talked about its European launch several months ago, and now the HTC Touch Cruise smartphone has finally come to Australian shores, priced at $1149.
The HSDPA-capable Touch Cruise is the first of HTC’s Touch range of phones to feature built in GPS navigation (though weirdly you have to install the navigation software manually). Most of the Cruise’s other specifications aren’t going to set the world on fire, but GPS is a nice touch, especially if you’re a fan of the TouchFLO interface, which is an overlay of Windows Mobile that vastly improves usability.
You can find the full release below the fold.
They say that inventors should find a need and fill it. I don’t know who needs a solar boosted pedal boat, but a design concept for one exists nonetheless. The boat features a centre cockpit where up to four passengers can sit, alternating pedaling duties in 2 person shifts. When you get tired (which should be after only a few minutes), switching to solar power can help lighten the load. I’m not sure if this concept will ever see the light of day, but in a world filled with non-solar powered pedal boats, it would be a welcome improvement. Video after the break.
Okay, this has to be the most bizarre corporate competition we’ve seen. Memory manufacturer Kingston is putting out a call for “both amateur and professional character designers to create the prefect spokesperson for HyperX memory modules”. That’s right, they’re asking people to draw, paint or computer-generate the perfect woman to sell memory modules. The top prize is US$5000 in cash and US$300 worth of Kingston products. [Kingston]
Researchers at New York’s Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute believe that truckers can put down the caffeine and NoDoze in favour of blue LED light to keep them awake on long rides. Apparently, certain wavelengths of blue LED light can trick the brain into thinking it is daytime—thereby increasing alertness. Possible applications of the technology include bathing the entire truck cabin in light, installing the LEDs in truck stops for quick “light showers” and blue light goggles. Yeah, I’m sure that will go over well with rugged trucker types. [New Scientist via Daily Tech via Tech Digest]
Wired’s Compiler blog has the first take I’ve seen on a potentially very cool service called Wikinear. Wikinear works with Yahoo’s Fire Eagle geolocation service (currently in private beta) and Google Maps to locate sites of interest close to your current location. It then polls Wikipedia for information on those sites, giving you a virtual tour guide of the area you’re currently in. You can see a screenshot of the kinds of results you can expect here. [Compiler]
