iPad: It’s Official!!
The rumored Apple Tablet is called the iPad. It’s official! Sounds a bit weird and maxi-pad-ish, but whatever. It’s half an inch thin and weighs just 1.5 pounds with a 9.7 inch IPS display. It also has a 16GB to 64GB flash storage. It even has a compass 
Bluetooth and Wifi of course…And omg, Jobs just said that you can fly to SF and Tokyo and watch video the whole way on one charge. That is 10 hours of video and 1 month of standby charge. OMG! He’s downloaded all these apps unmodified from the App Store. First, Facebook. He runs it in a tiny iPhone-size window oin the middle of the screen. But he can tap the “2x” button and run things full screen. It’s the same resolution, but just bigger.
Read more at http://live.gizmodo.com/. They’re live blogging, and it’s awesome.
All pictures courtesy of Gizmodo. Go to live.gizmodo.com. Seriously, go now!
Hello Kitty and Swarovski Make Music
Mouse Computer recently announced the launch of the Hello Kitty Music Player adorned with 300 bling-bling pieces of Swarovski crystals (gasp!) So while this may not be a big deal to many, being a lover of Hello Kitty since age 2, this cutesy, sparkly news made my heart skip a little beat.
The cute mp3 player has 2GB of memory and allows for ten hours of continuous playback time, pretty nice! It also comes with specially designed Audio Technica earphones. It is said the tone quality can be enhanced with 5 EQ presets including Normal, Classical Jazz, Pop and Rock (how snazzy). The player supports MP3 and WMA format. The controls (play, stop, fast forward, back and volume) are placed nicely on the back of the player and don’t disturb the aesthetic on the front^^ Lastly, the included USB cable has cute, little illustrations of Hello Kitty printed on the connector section.
The adorable Hello Kitty Crystal Music Player will be available October 30th in Japan for approximately $150. I’ll be going to Japan next month, and I’m extremely tempted to pick one up…
And don’t forget about our blingin’ duckling earphones too!
Source: Fareastgizmos.com
Barnes & Noble’s Double Screen E-Reader
Barnes and Nobles has been developing their very own e-reader for quite some time now—and here are its first shots!
Officially to be released next week, this device features a black and white e-ink screen (just like the Kindle), but the major difference is the multitouch display like an iPhone. Barnes and Nobles will sell the books they publish at a much cheaper price than its printed counterparts, and it is said to have access to all the books scanned by Google Books project, which is great because a lot of those are out of print. The name of the gadget will be revealed very soon.
I’m not sure how I feel about e-readers, whatever the brand. I really like having a physical book where I can turn the pages, but I also love portable, sleek gadgets that save tons of space, so I guess I’m just torn.
Although I’m super excited to see how B&N does, I think I can wait until a truly unique e-reader that is pure awesomeness to come out before I make this investment…
What are you thoughts?
Source: gizmodo
Cute Duckling Earphones
Adding on to the cute piggy earphones, check out these Bling Bling Duckling Earphones from Gadget4All! These rubber duckies are so cute and come adorned with a headband full of blingin’ rhinestones. The earphones come in multiple colors of blue, green, orange, pink or white and are priced at a reasonable $10.00. Perfect for your iPod, iPhone, Blackberry, Samsung or whatever techy toy you have. They’ll also make great stocking stuffers and will be super cute for big group gift exchanges this Christmas so stock up now!
3.5 mm earphone 120cm (length) 15 g (weight)
Click here to buy.
A Cute, White Designer Netbook – HP Mini 110
Looks like the success of Vivienne Tam’s digital clutch spawned the creation of this new and much cheaper super cute white netbook. Designer Tord Boontie teams up with HP to create a lovely flora design which weaves around to create one extraordinary and sexy netbook. This new HP Mini 110 is said to feature Imprint 3D, the first ever three-dimensional surface technology which uses coats of in-mold decoration layering various inks, textures and colors to create complex and unique designs. What’s kind of neat about this netbook is that the design spills over to the palm rest and touchpad. Tord Boontie also designed 15 wallpapers, a custom theme, screen saver and icons, which of course come in the package. I really like the idea of cute, custom icons instead of the boring generic icons we’ve been seeing for decades.
Pricing begins at $399.00.
Images courtesy of ChipChick.
Have Fun and Work with Akihabara News in Japan!!
I follow a lot of blogs, and AkihabaraNews.com is definitely one of my favorite tech blogs. They have a lot of super hot info on new electronics that are out in Japan. Yes, drooling over things I might never have is one of my favorite pastimes.
Anyhow, it looks like Akihabara News’ mother company, Yep HIC, is looking for two bright eyed and bushy tailed interns for their office in Japan! The description states that they want FRESH GRADUATES that have either a sales/marketing or journalism/reporter backgrounds.
How awesome is that? And the best part? It’s a PAID INTERNSHIP! Well the best part is that you’d be in Japan. If I was a recent graduate, I’d DEFINITELY 100% apply for this. Sadly, I am not, so I’m passing this information to all my brilliant readers.
Check out the description below, taken directly from akihabaranews.com:
Hi everyone, I want to share a great opportunity we have for two people who desire working experience in Japan, and that will surely make a good impression on your resume!!!
Yep HIC, Akihabara News’ mother company, is searching for two interns to work on different projects we have and would like to complete.
We are searching for different profiles with openings starting immediately in:
- Sales and Marketing
- Journalist / Reporters
We are looking for fresh graduates who want working experience, meaning that you will bean intern (internship).
As for the duration, minimum three months. Maximum? Up to ten months. As for compensation, it depends on your background. We can also help you find some accommodations if needed.
Oh, I almost forgot. We don’t care about the nationality or gender (mutants and or extraterrestrials are welcome too), but it’s mandatory that you’re be fluent in English.
We will have other openings in Design and Development positions early 2010… If you’re interested and want to plan in advance, don’t hesitate to contact us!
So please send us your resume (in English and with a picture please) as well as a letter of application with more details about you, the kind of person you are, hobbies and stuff like that… Please don’t send us the boring Letter of Application. We don’t wear ties or shave (frequently) at the office, so be yourself…
Ready to jump into the amazing life of a Japanese hi-tech company??? Send your resume to jobs[at]akihabaranews.com
This is heaven sent especially in these super rough times so hurry and apply. Good luck to all the applicants!!
Cute Domo iPhone Case
Have you been on an endless search for a cute iPhone or Blackberry case? At LIVINGcute, we’re constantly on the search for cute anythings, and Etsy is an awesome resource we visit and revisit quite often. And what stopped me in my tracks on my usual Etsy browse were these cute (cute, cute, cute!!!!) cell phone cases. Just look at how adorable the Domo iPhone case is! Looks just like him and the shape totally matches. And there’s a PINK version! How awesome is that?!
These handcrafted felt sleeves will safe-keep your beloved iPhone, Blackberry, iPod, iTouch – pretty much any of your fancy (or not so fancy) cell phones, digital cameras or mp3 players. Get one for each 
These are currently all sold out, but you can message the cool Australian designer, Angela on Etsy (SydneyAngel) and once her time frees up, she’ll make one for ya. How sweet of her.
Click Here to Buy
When Nature Calls on the Road
I hear guys ask over and over again, “Why do girls always go to the bathroom together?”
I haven’t once heard a really good reason, and to be honest, I don’t have one either. We’re not doing drugs, writing angry hate-messages on the wall, or doing anything scandalous, at least us anyway (I don’t know about Sandra though, haha) But it’s definitely a law in our group: when one of the girls needs to go to the bathroom, it’s CODE RED and pretty much a sin to let her go alone. I don’t know what it is about this unspoken treaty my friends and I share. We’re all really independent people outside of this space, but when nature calls, it’s serious business.
It’s even more serious when we’re on the road and we have to go. OMG, it is more like CODE DYNAMITE and whoever is driving better find a nice, clean restroom asap or all hell will break loose.
Thank goodness for Sit or Squat. It’s a hilarious and very informative website on all the public restrooms in your area. It utilizes Google Maps and can be viewed on your computer or more importantly, on your mobile device when you gotta go on the road. Here’s the description from their site:
Sitorsquat.com is a site that is dedicated to telling you where the closest place to relieve yourself is and whether or not that place is worth even sitting or squatting (or standing) at. This application is designed to be viewed either on your computer or your mobile device.* It functions worldwide as it is based on Google Maps. The toilets on Sit or Squat are submitted by anyone. The site can be personalized for each member based on their needs and preferences. A member is also able to create a list of their favorite toilets as well as share them with their friends. As time goes by and more data is recorded, the site will continue to get more accurate in ratings as well as more options in places to go. We all need to relieve ourselves everyday, so the chances of it being somewhere other than your home are pretty high. So for that reason alone, we bring you sitorsquat.com.
Do you have a favorite public restroom that’s clean (like nordstroms’ bathrooms!) or a disgusting one you’d avoid at all costs? Please share it on sitorsquat.com!
Getting the World Off Gas and On Electric Vehicles
Parents are cute. They typically talk about “life before the cell phone” and how they did so many marvelous outdoorsy things when they “were my age” instead of watching Lost or surfing Urban Outfitters.com.
My dad’s a little bit different. A bit on the eccentric side and likes to blurt out theories of the future vs talking about his past. About 8 years ago, I remember my dad swearing that he would never buy a hybrid. He angrily went on and on about how hybrids are silly “transition-mobiles” and they’ll completely die out in the next few years when fully electric cars flood the market.
So it seems for every 1000 strikes, my dad will get a hit or two and then sometimes score a homerun. Not sure if this will be the former or the latter, but this article regarding electronic vehicles I read last month really makes me believe my dad is onto something.
If you haven’t yet heard, a young man named Shai Agassi has a huge dream to bring electronic vehicles to the masses and get the entire world off gasoline. Yes, get the entire world to stop using gas for their vehicles. He has already convinced two countries to let him produce and construct a crazy infrastructure of charging stations throughout the land that will “fuel” all the electronic vehicles (EVs). 17 EV charging stations in Tel Aviv, Israel, have opened so far and Agassi’s goal is to have 150,000 places to plug in throughout the country by 2011. Wow!
Now here for some even weirder, more interesting news. His company, called Better Place, just unveiled a battery swap system. This system, or gadget, replaces a dead battery in a matter of seconds and gets you back on the road quicker than the time it takes to fill your gas tank.
As you’ll see in the video below (with the super cute car from Yokohama, Japan), you pretty much drive your vehicle into a drive-through car wash type system and the battery swap is made underneath the car by robotic trays or “shuttles”. According to Agassi, this technology will make it possible for a person to travel longer distances in an EV without having to stop at multiple charging stations.
Agassi is tackling the main problem many people have with electronic vehicles: where to charge the vehicle.
Therefore, this issue is being attacked on two sides: 1) by building multiple charging stations throughout the country and 2) establishing a network of battery swap stations.
The naysayers mention that this technology has multiple flaws including the consumer’s hesitancy to constantly swap out their car batteries which is equivalent to asking the consumer to replace the engine when the car runs out of gas. Furthermore, the numerous swapping of the battery can damage its protective seal. It is also said that this process requires the standardization of batteries: a move the automakers are not likely to embrace.
Better Place mentions these concerns are minimal compared to the “coalition you need to make it happen.” The company believes that the problematic issues are not about the batteries or cars themselves and concedes that bringing together all the moving parts and components proves to be the real challenge in this gigantic project. He hopes to replicate this system in Denmark, Australia, California, Hawaii and other locations. I hope LA is at the top of this list!
Will you be willing to use Agassi’s system? Share with us your thoughts!
Top 10 Reasons to Purchase the New iphone 3G S
I love my work bff, Sandra (aka Sandy, Sandry). We’re so different but so similar, and we also share the same birthday (go Taurus!). She’s quite the cute geek herself and we are constantly talking to each other about Blogging, Macbooks, Wordpress and Twitter among many, many other dorky things.
I’ve actually been meaning to do an iphone post for quite some time now, but Sandra’s done all the legwork on the top 10 reasons to purchase the new iphone 3G S so I’m openly going to steal her post. Thanks, girl, I owe you one!
Here it is, straight from her blog, Grimy Goods:
The new iPhone 3G S is here and comes at a pretty sweet price. Get the goods at 16GB for $199, 32GB at $299 and for all you supersavers that just want to be a part of the iPhone phenomenon, you can still grab the dandy 3G for an affordable $99!
PC World has compiled a list of “ten cool things about the iPhone 3G S,” in other words, 10 reasons to buy!
1. It’s faster – Apple launched the iPhone 3G S by announcing it has a faster processor, more memory and “snappier performance”. Although the iPhone 3G is no slouch, it can be a little sluggish when opening and closing applications. If Apple’s demo videos are anything to go by, the iPhone 3G S will be a much zippier smartphone.
2. It has more memory – Apple will sell two models of the iPhone 3G S: 16GB and 32GB. There original iPhone came with 4GB, 8GB or 16GB of storage.
3. Video recording – Wow! A smartphone in 2009 that can record video? No way! Apple critics will point to the fact that the iPhone 3G can’t record video as an example of a phone that lacks some basic features, but for potential iPhone owners the addition of video recording is a real plus.
4. Improved camera – The iPhone 3G S has a 3-megapixel camera with autofocus,compared with the iPhone 3G’s 2-megapixel, non-autofocus camera. It still lacks a flash, but the increased megapixel count should slightly improve photos and tapping an area on the screen to focus on is a cool feature that should make mobile photography easier.
5. You can talk to it- The iPhone 3G S introduces what Apple calls Voice Control, a voice recognition feature that allows you to make a call and play music by speaking. Voice Control can find any entry in your contacts list, and users simply have to say a name or phone number to make a call. For music, you can ask what song is playing and hear the iPhone 3G S answer, tell it to play your favorite album, or play similar tracks to the current one.
6. It has a built-in compass – A built-in digital compass is another new feature of the iPhone 3G S. We aren’t sure exactly how often anyone would use this as a standalone app, but when combined with Google Maps, the compass will rotate maps to always match the direction you’re facing. Now that is pretty cool.
7. Internet tethering – The iPhone 3G S can now be used as a modem, connecting to a Mac or PC via USB or Bluetooth. Although AT&T in the US won’t be supporting this feature, Optus is one Australian telco that has confirmed it will be. Telstra and Vodafone are yet to announce whether they will offer tethering capability.
8. Accessibility features – Apple has included a number of features that help people with disabilities use the iPhone 3G S. These include Apple’s VoiceOver function, which reads aloud what is on the screen, a zoom function that magnifies up to five times, and a white on black display option that provides increased contrast.
9. Nike+ iPod integration - Previously only available for selected iPod nano models, Apple’s Nike + iPod is a fitness system that involves a Nike shoe communicating wirelessly with an iPod. The iPhone 3G S will be compatible with the system, which displays real time walking or running statistics.
10. New headphones – The iPhone 3G S will include Apple’s remote headphones in the sales package. The new headphones have a multi-button remote and volume control keys, as well as a microphone to handle voice calls.
Very, very cool! Please check out other articles by Sandra on her sexy, edgy blog, www.grimygoods.com
