FreedomPop announces $99 iPod 4G Sleeve: 500MB of free WiMAX for your iPod touch

Having announced its iPhone-compatible sleeve earlier in the year, Sprint MVNO FreedomPop is now circling back for a second version that's compatible with the iPod touch. Aftermarket cases that graft cellular radios to the iPod touch are nothing new —Sprint launched ZTE's Peel in 2010, for instance — but what makes FreedomPop unique is its business model: everyone starts with half a gigabyte of monthly WiMAX service for free and can earn up to 5GB through a combination of friend referrals (10MB each) and participation in "partner offers and promotions." As with similar devices, the iPod 4G Sleeve works through a Wi-Fi connection and can also function as a mobile hotspot that allows up to eight devices to connect to it (though with only 500MB free to start, you might be reluctant to let too many friends hop onto the signal). Like the iPhone sleeve, the new model isn't yet available, but FreedomPop is accepting pre-orders at its site starting today for $99.

[Source: The Verge]

Wikipad specs get real

The Wikipad gaming tablet has been ticking off boxes on its way to becoming a real product, and after bedding down with Gaikai game streaming and settling in to a 10.1-inch form factor, the rest of the hardware is now set. The chunky handheld will brandish an IPS display with 1,280 x 800 resolution, NVIDIA Tegra 3 T30 quad-core 1.4GHz processor, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, at least 16GB storage and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Other notable items include 8-megapixel rear / 2-megapixel front cameras, six hours continuous gaming battery life and a 2D-only screen instead of the 3D originally touted -- at least, for the first model. The controller remains the same with a pair of triggers, bumpers, joysticks and start/select buttons, and will cover the slate's speakers and route sound out the front. The rest of the story is yet to come, namely exactly what that price will be and when you'll actually be able to pew-pew with it, but the company has promised to 'fess up soon. Meanwhile, though airy for a tablet at 560 grams (1.2 pounds), it's not exactly PS Vita or Nintendo 3DS XL territory -- but then a heavyweight contender could be exactly what handheld gaming needs.

[Source: Engadget]

Engadget's first UK Giveaway to win one of three Sony Xperia S phones!

You asked, you pined and here it is -- welcome to our first (but certainly not last) UK competition. To kick off proceedings, we have three of Sony's latest flagship, the Xperia S, to offer up to our readers on the eastern side of the Atlantic. As it's our first competition for Britons, we advise that you read up on the rules after the break, then just leave a comment below to enter.  Unfortunately, the adorable robot isn't up for grabs in our giveaway (we asked), but if you manage to track down a similar automaton around the UK, Sony's running a separate contest where you can net a free Xperia U in exchange -- visit the more coverage link for hints. Good luck!

[Source: To read the full article visit Engadget]

Pebble smartwatch missing September shipping date

The latest update sent to Pebble's Kickstarter investors (and a few Engadget editors) is a double-edged one. After announcing that the smartwatch will be available in a new orange edition, the makers admitted that the crowd-funded wrist candy won't be shipping to its backers on schedule in September. No new date has been disclosed just yet, but the delay was attributed to the project having to abandon early plans of making just 1,000 smartwatches. The level of production has now ballooned, meaning the factories involved are aiming to hit 15,000 Pebbles per week "as soon as possible."

[Source: Engadget]

Google Nexus 7 available at Carphone Warehouse from 26th of July

Wanting to get your hands on the Google Nexus 7 in the UK, but come up empty-handed so far? Carphone Warehouse sends word that it'll be stocking the highly-anticipated (and highly-demanded) Jelly Bean tablet from this Friday, July 27. Carphone's only stocking the more expensive 16GB version, which retails for £199.99 in the UK. That's also the version that's currently sold out on Google Play, so if you want to get hold of a 16GB Nexus 7 in Old Blighty, this may be your best bet.  In addition to the option to buy an N7 outright, Carphone is also offering the ASUS-made tablet on a tethered contract, which includes a Mifi and an (undisclosed) data allowance. Normally we'd say you'd have to be a bit mad to pick up a tablet on-contract with a mobile operator, but if you're after a Mifi anyway, you could certainly do worse than picking yourself up a free Android 4.1 tablet in the process. Prices on the tethered contracts are said to start at £20.50 per month.

[Source: Android Central … Click to read full story]

Drobo begins pre-orders for Mini and 5D storage arrays with Thunderbolt and USB 3.0

Data storage company Drobo is announcing the beginning of pre-orders for its Mini and 5D arrays, which we got to check out at its headquarters last month. The products are its first to add Thunderbolt (in addition to USB 3.0), and like its others, they let you use multiple disks of various speeds and capacities to keep a redundant backup of all your files. The approach, while expensive, gives you more protection against disk failure than a single backup drive, but is simpler to build and maintain than most RAID options.  The bigger 5D starts at $849 and takes up to five 3.5-inch drives, as well as a single optional SSD over mSATA to speed things up. The smaller Mini is the company's first design to use smaller 2.5-inch laptop drives, resulting in a much smaller, portable package. Otherwise, it has the same bay for an optional SSD, and starts at $649. Pre-orders are available right away (a list of retailers is available at the source link below), but there are still a couple of months to wait — Drobo is planning to ship "by the end of September."

[Source: The Verge]

10 Amazing Pet Gadgets that will Blow you Away

Here is a list of the top 10 gadgets for pet owners.

1. Global pet monitor

This device is a small collar-mounted piece of technology that utilises GPS software that not only keeps track of your pet’s whereabouts from your mobile phone, but also helps to deliver information such as health monitoring, activity level and external temperature.

2. Cat DJ scratching deck

Yes, you read correctly. This hilarious cat ‘scratching pad’ designed by Suck UK is a novelty item DJ turntable deck that comes with a carpet textured record that spins as your cat paws at it – ingenious.

3. Frobo pet bowl

Another great gadget, this bowl is specially designed to give your pet access to chilled water for up to eight hours. This product is great for long car journeys or if you’re used to preparing ice cubes to melt in your dog’s water bowl whilst you’re at work.

4. Electronic Nail file

Few dogs enjoy their nails being trimmed. This gadget is a lightweight, hand-held battery operated nail file for pets with long claws. It works by removing the thinner layers of your pet’s nails to leave a smooth and nicely finished result. Be careful with Frodo’s nails or you may need to consider some cheap RSPCA pet insurance as well.

5. Pawz dog boots

Reusable, waterproof and disposable, this range of dog boots are every dog owner’s must have item. Think of all the times you’ve walked your dog after it’s rained and the mud gets right into your dog’s paws and pads? These dog boots are your answer.

6. Video camera for pets

It’s a simple small camera device that attaches to your dog or cat’s neck so that as they wander around the house while you’re at work, you’re able to log online and see what they’re up to (or what they’re seeing).

7. Frolicat Bolt

This amusing gadget is an interactive toy for your cat or small dog. It’s a small tower device that shines a laser that moves randomly in many different directions, so that your cat or dog can chase it for hours and exercise while it plays.

8. A dog treadmill

Treadmills are proving very popular in the world of dog exercise. Think of all the time you’ll save being able to exercise your dog at home (but you’d better join a gym yourself to compensate). A treadmill will be easier on your dog’s joints instead of the hard tread of the streets.  It’s a known fact that well exercised dogs have less behaviour problems.

9. Glofish

Glofish are a novelty themselves. Bred originally to help scientists detect environmental pollutants, these little fish are fluorescent and retain their glow all times of the day. Imagine how cool they’d look in a tank with a black backdrop?

10. A laminating dog leash

While retractable dog leashes are great for allowing your dog a controlled amount of freedom to roam as they’re walked, imagine a retractable lead with a built-in torch for those long walks at night? At least you can see where Rover’s wandered off to.

[Sponsored Article]

New Parrot AR Drone at CES 2012

The guys at Engadget spotted some superb signage at CES 2012, touting AR Drone 2.0 for everyone to see. If the sign on their stand is any indication it seems that Parrot may be announcing version two of their flying machine at CES 2012.

You can see me flying (and reviewing) the original AR Drone below, or check out the signage on Engadget.

MiFi goes white !

Now that geek is chic, rucksacks are set to overflow with tablets, laptops, e-readers and gaming gadgets. To keep them online all the time, Three’s award winning MiFi offers a portable Wi-Fi hotspot which lets up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices connect securely to the internet at once, without the fuss of cables and wires. Smaller than most phones, the MiFi can slip easily into a bag or pocket and be on hand to connect you to the internet at the touch of a button. 

The new MiFi hasn’t just had a winter white makeover, it also now features next generation HSPA+ mobile broadband technology, meaning that you can download videos, browse pictures, tweet and surf the web around 50%* faster than before. 

The MiFi screen displays key information like the amount of data used, speed of the connection and length of browsing time, as well as a new look dashboard for viewing SMS and changing settings. In addition, the Wi-Fi user name and password can be seen on screen for fast pairing with new gadgets.

Personally, I have a MiFi for using when I am out and about… I just kind of wish I had this one that would look cool alongside my Apple gear. You can check it out here.

Ask WT1: Best Vlogging Camera? (Ft. TysiPhoneHelp)

I just love this guy, to be honest only started watching a regularly a couple of weeks ago. Lamarr is just so so funny. In this video he discusses Apple, iPhone 5 rumors, typing up tangled cords, & advice on the best vlogging camera!

Dyson Hot™ fan heater warms up every part of the room – fast

Conventional heaters have limited settings; like a watched pot that never boils, they can’t always heat a whole room quickly. And central heating is sometimes wasted on the whole house. Engineered to heat the room, Dyson Hot™ fan heater is the fastest to heat the room evenly.

Dyson Hot™ fan heater can be set between 1 and 37 degrees celsius to heat a room. When it hits the desired temperature, it monitors the room temperature by measuring surrounding air. If a drop is detected, the heater turns back on to maintain the set temperature. 

James Dyson says: 

“Other fan heaters rely on inefficient motors or dust friendly grills. As the heat rises you’re left with a partially heated room and a worrying burning smell. Dyson engineers have developed a heater that produces no smell and heats the whole room”.

It took a team of 22 engineers - including experts in thermo dynamics and fluid mechanics - over three years researching, developing and testing Dyson’s patented Air Multiplier™ technology for its application in a heater. 

How it works: Using patented Air Multiplier™ technology, air is drawn in through a mixed flow impeller, a combination of the technologies used in turbochargers and jet engines. It is then accelerated through a 2.5mm aperture (the thickness of a £2 coin) set within the loop amplifier.  This creates a jet of hot air which passes over an airfoil-shaped ramp channelling its direction.  Surrounding air is drawn into the airflow, amplifying it 6 times in a process known as inducement and entrainment.  

Safety: Low surface temperatures throughout and no visible heating elements. And if tipped over, the machine has been engineered to automatically cut out. 

Remote Control: Turning the Dyson Hot™ fan heater on and off, adjusting temperature, airflow rate and controlling oscillation can be done easily from across a room.  The remote control is curved and magnetised to store neatly on top of the machine. 

Precision: Dyson Hot™ fan heater has temperature controls and an intelligent thermostat. Variable airflow and oscillation is controlled either by remote or on the front of the machine. 

Cooling fan: Unlike conventional heaters it has a dual-mode function as a cooling fan. In keeping with Dyson’s Air Multiplier™ range it couples high airflow and velocity.

Casio Develops Bluetooth® Low Energy Watch

Just yesterday, Casio Computer Co., Ltd., announced that it has developed a watch equipped with Bluetooth® Low Energy Wireless Technology,*1 a new technology for short-range communication. A prototype of the watch will be exhibited at Casio’s Booth (#11006) at the International Consumer Electronics Show to be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center on January 6, 2011.

Casio has been transforming the definition of the wristwatch for years by applying the latest technologies. Now, Casio’s prototype Bluetooth® Low Energy Watch is poised to create new possibilities for the way people use their watches yet again.

Taking advantage of the low power consumption of the new Bluetooth® technology, the new watch powers Bluetooth® wireless communication functions with its single button-cell battery, the same kind used in small devices and watches. And it does this without losing any battery life*2 compared to conventional wristwatches. This makes the new Bluetooth® Low Energy Watch highly useful because users can wear it everyday just like they expect of a wristwatch, without the bother of the recharging required by typical mobile devices.

Casio’s new prototype can communicate with smart phones equipped with Bluetooth® Low Energy Wireless Technology, which will be available in the near future and be able to connect to networks of various kinds of devices. The new prototype demonstrates how Casio hopes to expand the ways people use their watches, unlike anything ever seen before, as new applications are developed for smart phones to enable communication between watches through smart phones.

Main features:

•  Wireless communication is powered by the button-cell battery used in small devices and watches

•  Battery life with the communication functions is the same as previously released watches

•  The size of the watch case is a comfortable 53.4 (D) x 44.4 (W) x 12.8 (T) millimeters

Main functions:

•  Accurate time information can be transmitted from a smart phone to the watch to ensure correct time

•  The watch includes an alert signal to notify of incoming calls and e-mail messages sent to the user’s smart phone

•  A smart phone’s ring alerts and vibration can be stopped by tapping the watch

•  Alarm and vibration functions of a smart phone can be activated using a watch button.

 

Casio aims to produce its first Bluetooth® Low Energy Watch in 2011. Meanwhile, Casio will call for partner companies to develop applications compatible with smart phones and other household devices in such areas as sports, health, home entertainment, security, and communication with family members and friends. Casio expects its new watches to offer people around the world a wide range of new lifestyle options.

*1: Designed in accordance with new Bluetooth® Core Specification Version 4.0 standards, Bluetooth® Low Energy is a new technology that enables wireless communications with very low power consumption. Casio participated in determining the standards for Bluetooth® Low Energy as a member of the Bluetooth® Special Interest Group (SIG), an association of companies that decides on Bluetooth® standards and authorizes certification.

*2: The battery life is estimated at approximately two years based on the prototype model, assuming that the Bluetooth® wireless communication function is used for 12 hours per day.