Hi-tech Frontier

USB finger There is no evil that blows nobody any good. That is what we should think Jerry Jalava, a young Finnish software developer who lost part of his ring finger in a motorcycle accident and decided to exploit the misfortune to put a USB memory stick into the prosthesis made it to hospital. According to Jerry in his own blog, it all started in May last year, when his motorcycle collided with a newly released against deer crossing the road. The boy was taken to a hospital in Helsinki, where he operated the hand, although doctors could not do anything to save his right finger. Once recovered, he returned to the hospital so that you make latex prosthetic for his finger. What is Jerry could not believe that the doctor was going to propose to introduce a USB memory stick into the prosthesis, which he gladly accepted. The best thing is that, according to the programmer, the flash drive is removable, so you can implement different models depending on who wants to use them.

Japanese karaoke mic for the Wii Only the Japanese obsessed with karaoke, they were an invention could happen like this: a silent microphone to sing without disturbing the neighbors. Silent microphone device is “Urusakunai Kara OK!” (Not Noisy Kara OK!), Designed by the Japanese company’s Wii console for the Hudson and its karaoke game is a microphone accessory in the form of a funnel where the mouth is to ensure that the voice sounds too loud. It is designed for karaoke titles as Karaoke JOYSOUND Wii, Hudson’s own. The aim is to boost the sales of these games since, due to the thin walls of the houses and the concern about disturbing the neighbors, make people prefer the bars to sing karaoke at home. This microphone is not a great novel. What is new is the use of the Wii’s USB connection.

iLuv I301 In-Ear Headphones iLuv I301 Product Description: These earphones may be small but the sound is big. These high-fidelity earphones, using Neodymium (NdFeB) magnets, offer clear sound with low distortion in a lightweight, simple design. Made to either clip comfortably on your ears or rest securely in them, these earphones feature in-line volume control and an adjustable slider for more comfort, and come in a choice of colors to suit your personal style. They are an ideal connection for your iPod or other digital devices with a headphone jack. Whats included In-ear earphones 2 extra sets of ear tips (small and large sizes) Specifications of iLuv I301 In-Ear Heaphones: Speaker Driver Diameter: 10mm Magnet: Neodymium-Iron-Boron (NdFeB) Maximum Power: 10mW Impedance: 32O 15% @ 1kHz Single Variable Resistor: 1k ± 20% Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20kHz Sensitivity: 103dB 3dB @ 1kHz Connectors: 3.5mm / Nickel-Plated / “I”-type / stereo Cable Length: Approx. 4ft Unit Weight: Approx. 0.04...

USB Rechargeable UFO Speaker Features: Recharged by USB ports Built-in rechargeable Lithium-ion battery 3cm speaker with 2.2W high quality sounds output SNR >= 89db Simple, just plug-in, no driver install On/Off switch with Blue LED power indicator Standard 3.5mm audio plug apply with music player and digital products, e.g. PC, Mac, iPhone, iPod, PDA, MP3 player, CD player ... etc. Dimension: 73mm dia x 35mm Weight: 45g Contents: USB Rechargeable UFO Speaker USB Changing/Audio Retractable Cable User Guide Price: US$ 15.00

Motion J3400 Need a tablet PC that'll last all day, do ya? Care for one that you can also see whilst outdoors? Look no further than Motion's brand new J3400, a rugged (albeit sleek) new tablet that comes equipped with dual battery compartments and an outdoor-visible LCD. Other specs include an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 1.8-inch shock-mounted HDD (a 64GB SSD is a worthwhile option), 2 megapixel camera, GPS, a biometric sensor, multicard reader, Bluetooth 2.1, Qualcomm's dual-mode Gobi WWAN chip, WiFi and a chassis that's IP-52 rated and meets MIL-STD-810F specifications. In other words, a three foot tumble onto plywood won't even faze it. This beauty can be yours to ruin in the field for the low, low starting price of $2,299, and yes, it's ready to ship this very moment.

iriver P7 PMP We thoroughly enjoyed our CES hands-on time with iriver's slick P7 PMP, but it looks like the touchscreen player is starting to make it out to the wild -- check out these unboxing photos. We're not sure why iriver's chosen "like a magazine" as the tagline here, but we're pretty anxious to get one of our own to try and figure it out.

Wacom nextbeat NXT-1000 We've been patiently waiting for Wacom to officially announce its upcoming Intuos4 tablet, so were were totally caught off-guard when the company instead unveiled a sort of foray into the music biz, a digital DJ interface destined for release in time to hit Japanese and European clubs this summer. It's called the nextbeat NXT-1000, a device with a plethora of knobs, buttons, and a small LCD for controlling samples, plus a touch-sensitive pad that seems to act as a turntable and a fingertip drum machine in one. That pad actually pops out, maintaining a wireless connection to the base and enabling fleet-footed DJs to show some moves off-stage while still dropping beats -- assuming their cans are wireless too. No word on cost at this point, but can you really put a price on that sort of musical freedom?

Axiotron's Modbook goes and Modbook Pro to get projected capacitive screens Resistive touch-screens are great when you have a stylus in-hand, capacitive screens offer more finesse when you're going at it with fingertips, and both are about useless when you're wearing gloves (for now, anyway). That changes with the projective capacitive screen, able to offer responsiveness to a bare fingertip and also react to non-conductive objects like styli, and it's that type of screen that Axiotron's MacBook-based Modbook tablets will be seeing in the near future thanks to a partnership with Touch International. Starting next month, Modbook buyers will be able to add a Synergy Touch screen as an option, while those going for the 15.4-inch Modbook Pro will receive one as standard. No word on what this accessory will cost, but we think it's a shame the two couldn't get these things to market before the end of glove season.

Lenovo Pocket Yoga netbook The mysterious netbook now has a name -- if little else. Images have surfaced on the company's photostream with this bad boy in a number of compromising positions, showing off its convertible design and touchscreen stylus capabilities. Tantalizing, yes?

Japan's HRP-4C 'fashion model robot' While that perv in the back is busy shooting HRP-4C's firm buttocks shaped from a glossy Stormtrooper alloy, the rest of us can marvel at the fact that Japan has produced a walking, talking fashion robot. Standing at just over 5-feet tall and 95-pounds, HRP-4C, developed by Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, will make its catwalk debut next week at the Tokyo fashion show. The she-bot features 30 motors spread throughout its body with an additional eight motors in its face for expressing general boredom and disgust with the help. Its main purpose is entertainment and to attract crowds much like its fleshy counterparts -- so don't expect home cooked meals and laundry service should you take the $200,000 robot home. Unfortunately, HRP-4C didn't function as planned today. Reports say that the robot, "kept looking surprised, opening its mouth and eyes in a stunned expression, when th...

Kogan Bluetooth GPS watch If we have one word of advice for folks looking to get into the tech game (that is, besides "why bother?") it would probably be "set the bar low." Don't try to change the world with an unlocked 3G Android handset until you've mastered the basics, like maybe a netbook or, better yet, a watch. Of course, it would be a bit much to expect a true visionary to stop short of a humble timepiece. To this end, Kogan's rebranding that old Mainnav chronometer, the one that packs Bluetooth, a GPS receiver, a temperature sensor, speedometer, pedometer, altimeter, and Google Earth functionality into a package that most of us would probably rather not be seen wearing in public. Available for AUS $129 (about US $85).

Mouse Computer rolls out a new Atom-powered nettop -- EGPA33DR32XP Mouse Computer -- who recently elicited a 'swoon' with their new Core i7 offering -- is back on the scene with a punchy little nettop for those of you requiring something a little less substantial. The perky, quirky EGPA33DR32XP (what a catchy name!) boasts an Atom processor with up to 2GB of RAM, 320GB HDD, and XP Home. Prices start at ¥39,800 (roughly $400). Available in Japan.

MSI Wind U110 Eco Looks like MSI's trying some new things with its next generation of netbooks -- instead of the expected Atom N280 or the NVIDIA Ion platform, the new Wind U110 ECO pairs a 1.6GHz Atom Z530 and Intel's traditionally MID-oriented Menlow chipset with an ATI Mobility Radeon HD3200 to achieve nine hours of battery life. Of course, it remains to be seen what that number translates to in the real world and we've got questions about performance, but it's an interesting mashup of laptop, netbook, and MID parts -- let's hope pricing stays firmly in netbook territory.

Samsung C3110H slider We're certainly seen simpler from Samsung, but the Anycall-branded GT-C3110H is pretty fancy for a low-end slider. The quad-band GSM phone sports a 2-inch 220 x 176 resolution display, 1.3 megapixel camera, FM radio, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, microSDHC card slot, speakerphone, up to 8.5 hours of talk time (510 hours in standby), a built-in music player and an incredible 15MB of internal storage. Yeah, fifteen megabytes. All told, it's not a half bad choice for just HK$1,080 (around $139 in greenbacks), and you'll even get to choose between black, purple and silver. Wicked, we know.

Mickey Mouse phone To make a phone that pays homage to Disney and to Mickey Mouse with the respect they truly deserve, you can't just slap a logo on a candybar, nor can you glue ears on a clamshell and call it good. Far from it -- to do this up right, you've really got to take it to the next level. But how? Here's an idea: a scary three-dimensional Mickey Mouse head. Eh? Eh? Anyone? We're just going to go ahead and anoint the "Characteristic Chinese Doll phone" as the ultimate form factor -- the perfect combination of usability, portability, and that scary "I love Disney just a little too much" aura that a less-ridiculous device simply isn't going to be able to pull off.

Sprint Treo Pro After months of delays and at least one false start, the Sprint Treo Pro is finally on sale as promised -- and from what we can tell, Sprint reps are already confusing the Pre and the Pro. Ouch. Nevertheless, we're glad to see this thing make it out into the world -- anyone going to drop the $199?

Samsung S5600 It'll be a little while yet before Samsung's latest touchphone for the masses hits the streets, but in the meantime, GSMArena's gone ahead and hooked itself up with an early preproduction unit for a hands-on preview. Some features -- most notably the camera -- weren't working, but what was functional seemed pretty well-equipped to take the midrange market head-on this year; the reviewers admit that the handset's pretty plain-looking, but the ergonomics work pretty well and the plastic seems to be of high quality. Interestingly, they found that the S5600's secretly equipped with GPS, despite Samsung's failure to make mention of it at the device's launch, so that's a nice little surprise -- and if you're into TouchWiz, you'll be delighted to know that the phone's equipped with the very latest incarnation. The site thinks that the S5600's media player is good enough to take on full-time duty, too, and the micro-USB port is ...

Sony Ericsson C905 The C905's specs are enough to make even the occasional smartphone devotee swoon, but here's the thing: an 8.1 megapixel slider with AGPS, WiFi, and TV-out is about as useful as a PS3 running Vista if the firmware keeps crashing and burning. It seems that specific batches of C905s sold in the UK have been returned at crazy high rates -- up to 30 percent -- on account of nasty firmware bugs and unidentified "speaker faults," a problem eerily reminiscent of the earpiece problems recently seen on the European version of the Nokia 5800. For what it's worth, Sony Ericsson is aware of the problem and appears to be taking steps to correct it -- but unfortunately for those guys, most of the returners are probably lost to competing handsets at this point.

Toshiba REGZA SV LCD HDTVs Toshiba's SV series, which was introduced alongside a smattering of other new HDTVs at CES this year, is headed to the UK. Arriving in both 46- and 55-inch sizes, the sets utilize Tosh's Deep Lagoon design, a LED-backlit panel, 10-bit video processing, Resolution+ upscaling technology, DLNA support, four HDMI sockets and PC / USB connectors for good measure. As of now, no price tags have been handed down, but Britons can start saving for an August 2009 release.

Meridian and Sooloos Control 10 touchscreen Given just how zany the past few months have been in the HD world, you probably forgot all about Meridian and Sooloos' little tie-up back in December. Lo and behold, the newly conjoined company has just released its first jointly developed product, the Control 10 touchscreen. The device integrates Meridian's proprietary connectivity with a Sooloos touchscreen in order to create what's called the "most user-friendly media-access solution yet." For those with lots of Meridian equipment, it'll be hard to let this one pass given just how well it'll integrate, and there's also RS-232 for more widespread control. Reference Price: $5,000