“Blitz” is a smartphone for tweens When I first saw the TXT8010, also known as the “Blitz”, I saw that it is billed as a smartphone for tweens. In all honesty, I thought that tweens were already into smartphones like BlackBerrys to do their Gossip Girl style conversations, but I must be thinking of teens. No, this phone is marketed to tweens, that 8-14 age category that a lot of companies market to for quick sales. I suppose they need phones too, so it really is no surprise that that Verizon has teamed up with UTStarcom for this audience. Features of this particular phone include the QWERTY keyboard, VCAST music, a 1.3 megapixel camera, and Bluetooth capability. I’m not certain how much internal memory this TXT8010, but it has a MicroSD slot for more. I’ve heard a criticism on this phone saying that tweens are not ready for phones this advanced, but in all honesty, I believe we’re living in an era that makes it impossible for a tween to function in today’s society without the aforementioned features. One thing I don’t have is the specs on the size of the phone. Perhaps it is a little smaller for tween hands. I do know that the “Blitz” is available for $70 with a two year contract. Source [ “Blitz” is a smartphone for tweens copyright by Coolest Gadgets ] Pressy idea: Educational Toys

Mojave Experiment: Success? Failure? Or Something else? On many of the online shows that I am prone to watch on my typical work day, I have been seeing ads for the “Mojave Experiment”. At first I thought it was a reference to the Area 51/Roswell incident, but Roswell is actually nowhere near the Mojave desert. The Mojave experiment is actually an ad campaign by Microsoft for Windows Vista that is more of a response to the negative criticism that Vista has been receiving. The ad features some random people responding to some questions about Windows Vista. Microsoft asks them questions like “Why haven’t you upgraded yet?” They usually say that they have heard about all the problems. Oddly enough, they don’t show the responses where people say, “I couldn’t afford it”. These people are then introduced to a new version of Windows called Windows Mojave. The people respond favorably, and then Microsoft tells them that Windows Mojave is actually Windows Vista. (Surprise!) The ad then shows the footage of the people wanting to get Windows Vista. I usually don’t like ending an article with a question that isn’t rhetorical, but I want to open up the floor for comments. Is Microsoft manipulating this little experiment to purposely produce favorable results about Windows Vista? If so, then this isn’t an experiment, is it? Source [ Mojave Experiment: Success? Failure? Or Something else? copyright by Coolest Gadgets ] Gift Ideas: The Coolest Gadgets Gift Guides.

The Room Tech Beingz Alarm Clock Alarm clocks are probably the most obnoxious of gadgets, even if it is one of the most important.  I typically just use my phone as an alarm clock, however, I’ve regretted that on several occasions.  Usually when my Mother decides because she’s awake everyone else should be too and decides to call me a good 2 hours before I actually need to wake up.  Which is why a smart person would probably turn off their cellphone and use an alarm clock to wake them up everyday.  Well this particular alarm clock has ways of making sure you get out of bed everyday. The Room Tech Beingz Alarm Clock is able to open its mouth and shout out three different alarm sounds.  It chooses from the three at random, so you’ll never know which noise you’ll get.  It also is able to play music and dance, which should be enough to at least make you crack your eyes open.  It includes an FM radio and is able to connect to your MP3 player.  It is currently being sold for $49.99 on Entertainment Earth. Source: Ubergizmo [ The Room Tech Beingz Alarm Clock copyright by Coolest Gadgets ] Gift Ideas: The Coolest Gadgets Gift Guides.

The iPower Portable Power Station includes a speaker Many have gotten frustrated with the battery life of their beloved iPhone, making it necessary to look into a device to keep it going all day long.  Most people turn to a battery pack to attach to their iPhone.  It’s convenient because it just snaps on and small enough to carry with you.  Well this iPower Portable Power Station has an extra perk besides a battery to keep your iPhone juiced.  It also has speakers built into it.  It will charge up your iPhone till the external battery is down to 5% then it will stop. That 5% is meant to be used for the speaker itself and will keep the speakers going for about 7 hours.  The battery will fit both the iPhone 3G as well as the 2G version.  One nice extra is that the battery pack also comes in white, so it will look better with those sporting a white iPhone.  Likely the iPod Touch would also fit into the battery pack too, however, they don’t actually confirm that.  It is currently being sold for $44 on Brando. Source: Gadget Lab [ The iPower Portable Power Station includes a speaker copyright by Coolest Gadgets ] Gift Ideas: The Coolest Gadgets Gift Guides.

Keyring Kites for portable, non-electronic fun You don’t have to cite a DS, PSP or iPod as the only forms of portable entertainment, although kids these days are probably limited to those three options. No sir, back in our day, we do things like flying kites during summer you know. How about toting a kite in your pocket, thanks to the Keyring Kite? Unclip the hinges on the small yellow case and voila! Inside you’ll find a brightly coloured blue and orange kite that folds out to an impressive 45cm diameter with 30m of bridle string. Get your Keyring out in the park or on the beach and see this cool kite in action! Keyring Kites are huge fun and easy to fly – all ages will love it! Order your Keyring Kite today and see just how much fun you can have with this miniature package! At £2.95, this is one of the cheapest modes of fun, clean entertainment around. [ Keyring Kites for portable, non-electronic fun copyright by Coolest Gadgets ] Pressy idea: Educational Toys

LP 2 CD for easy conversion We have seen our fair share of LP conversion devices in the past, but the LP 2 CD this time round takes a different route by converting all your old records into CD format directly, all without the need for a PC. Step up, the LP 2 CD: a one-stop-shop for popping your 33, 45 and 78 rpm records direct to compact disc, with zero bother. And because it doesn’t need to run through a computer, you can hook it up to a pair of speakers to use like a regular stereo for records and compact discs. The LP 2 CD cuts out the middleman by incorporating a flash memory and CD burner, so you never need to connect to a PC or Mac at all; it’s all right in one place with no cables for the mice to nibble through. Just whack your old vinyl platters on to the turntable, start playing the record and press the record button on the control panel. Your grooves will be automatically transformed into digital sound files as they play and stored on an inbuilt flash memory that can handle up to 80 minutes of music at once. A nifty track recognition mode senses the gaps between songs and splits the track listing up for you so you don’t end up with one long recording. The entire LP 2 CD package will ship in a solid metal casing, featuring a high-quality belt-drive, premium tone arm and cartridge. It might retail for a rather pricey £299.95, but think of the benefits of transferring your LP collection (or your grandfather’s) over to the CD format. Time to move on with the times, man, never mind the warm tones that pro-LP folk always tout. [ LP 2 CD for easy conversion copyright by Coolest Gadgets ] Cool Gift Idea: Digital Picture Frames, check out our reviews.

Arkon offers car mount bundles for Mio Moov and Navman S-Series GPS units Arkon will be making available premium upgrade aftermarket car mount bundles for both the Mio Moov and Navman S-Series GPS, and each of these mount bundles comprise of a custom cradle adapter as well as a location specific pedestal that is meant for use in the vehicle itself only. Users can choose from a variety of different mounts that attach to the windshield, dash, cup holder opening, lighter socket, sun visor, and air vent locations. Arkon offers the most extensive lineup of car mounting solutions for use with Mio, Garmin, Magellan, TomTom, and other leading GPS makers. If you’ve grown extremely attached to your GPS navigation system and can’t live (drive) without one, then I would suggest investing a small sum of money (anywhere from $17.95 to $29.95) on one of these puppies. [ Arkon offers car mount bundles for Mio Moov and Navman S-Series GPS units copyright by Coolest Gadgets ] Cool Gift Idea: Digital Picture Frames, check out our reviews.

iPower Portable Power Station with Speaker We’ve seen portable iPod/iPhone chargers in the past, but this time round there is something strangely different and yet still the same - the iPower Portable Power Station with Speaker. Yes, judging by the name of the device itself, it is able to juice up your iPod/iPhone within three hours (taking an equal amount of time to be fully charged at a power outlet as well), functioning as a portable speaker as well for you to share your tunes with people around. You can pick up the iPower Portable Power Station with Speaker for $44 from Brando. Product Page [ iPower Portable Power Station with Speaker copyright by Coolest Gadgets ] Cool Gift Idea: Digital Picture Frames, check out our reviews.

Sony gives Xplod line a revamp Sony will be making available a quartet of new Xplod in-dash head units sometime next month, enabling iPod owners to hook up their beloved portable media players to the Xplod units while they’re on the road. The four models are the CDX-GT630UI, CDX-GT430IP, CDX-GT330 and CDX-GT130, and we’ll take a closer look at individual models right after the jump. The top-of-the-line unit (model CDX-GT630UI) is Sony’s first car stereo that can connect directly to iPod players, other digital music players and USB thumb drives via a USB connection. It also includes Sony’s unique ZAPPIN function, which offers a way of searching and listening to music. Providing several options for connectivity in the car, the CDX-GT630UI head unit connects to compatible iPod or other digital music players via USB, allowing users to control and charge their devices and enjoy exceptional sound quality. CDX-GT630UI also supports iPhone. The CDX-GT430IP CD receiver comes with an interface that allows for control of most iPod players. The included 1.5-meter cable has a 30-pin connector provides full menu control and allows the head unit to charge compatible iPod devices. The unit’s selectable front and rear/sub preamp outputs can be used to control the frequency and output level of an external amplifier. Other features include Quick-BrowZer, Passenger Control and Jump Mode technologies, satellite radio and HD Radio ready compatibility, and MP3 and non-DRM WMA playback, with black LED screen and blue key illumination. The CDX-GT330 unit provides versatility, through compatibility with most iPod players, and HD Radio and satellite radio ready functionality. It offers MP3 and non-DRM WMA playback support and two preouts. The CDX-GT130 CD receiver has one preout and a detachable faceplate with a black 13-segment LED screen. If you’re interested in any of these, you will be able to purchase the CDX-GT630UI, CDX-GT430IP, CDX-GT330 and CDX-GT130 stereos for approximately $160, $130, $100 and $80, respectively from this September onwards. Press Release [ Sony gives Xplod line a revamp copyright by Coolest Gadgets ] Pressy idea: Educational Toys

Epson introduces Artisan series of all-in-one printers Epson America Inc. has recently made available two new all-in-one printers that look set to cause more than a stir in the printer market with the Artisan 800 and Artisan 700. Both models look set to blaze the industry thanks to their superb performance, highly desirable features and stylish piano black finish that always seem to guarantee attracting the fingerprints of whoever lay their eyes on it. The Artisan series will look great be it at home or at the office, so head on after the jump to read more about the specifications before you decide on whether to purchase one for yourself or not. The Artisan 800 is the higher end version of the two, and will boast Wi-Fi connectivity that makes it a whole lot easier to share with other people in the network, not to mention doing away with yet another wired connection that could potentially trip some careless soul. In addition, the Artisan 800 will come with fax capability, an Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) and the ability to churn out Ultra Hi-Definition photos. Thanks to the 7.8″ smart touch panel and 3.5″ LCD display, you will have full control of the entire printer at your fingertips that makes it a snap when it comes to selecting, copying, enlarging, rotating, cropping, and printing photos sans a computer. Shared features of the Artisan 800 and 700 include hald a dozen Ultra Hi-Definition Claria ink that result in vivid, true-to-life photos with smudge, scratch and water resistance. As if that isn’t impressive enough, Epson touts that these prints will also feature fade resistance up to four times longer than photo lab prints. When used with Claria ink, the “smart nozzles” in Epson’s exclusive MicroPiezo print head with DX5 technology is touted to deliver up to five ink droplet sizes, as small as 1.5 picoliters for smooth gradations, accurate skin tones and sharp, grain-free prints. The Epson Artisan 800 and 700 will retail for $299.99 and $199.99, respectively. Each purchase comes with a 2-year warranty. Press Release [ Epson introduces Artisan series of all-in-one printers copyright by Coolest Gadgets ] Cool Gift Idea: Digital Picture Frames, check out our reviews.

Competition hots up on slimline TVs TV manufacturers are constantly trying to out-do each other on specs. Brightness, contrast, number of inputs - it’s all fair game. We’ve already had the worlds Largest plasma but it looks like the next battleground will be the thickness of the screen. Sony are proudly proclaiming the new 40″ Bravia XZ1 holds the title of “World’s thinnest LCD TV” measuring 9.9mm at it’s slimmest point. To put that into perspective, it’s slightly thinner than my K660i. Quite a feat! More details after the jump Edge mounted LED lighting, replacing the conventional backlight. A separate receiver hooks up the inputs, sending the HD signal wirelessly to the screen. A nice touch, it means the screen can just sit on the wall with no distracting cables hanging down Newly developed Bravia Engine 2. The Sony Bravia processing engine is one of the better ones out there, doing a good job on upscaling SD content. You can read the full press release with all the details here. No word yet on a price, but I wouldn’t expect to see it at the budget end of the market… [ Competition hots up on slimline TVs copyright by Coolest Gadgets ] Pressy idea: Educational Toys

Canon ES3 and ES30 are Portably Good As much as I like the convenience of taking pictures in an age of the digital camera, I really hate the whole convoluted process of getting these digital images made into prints. My wife uses services like Snapfish, but what if I just want to take the picture and print it out right there? Aren’t we technologically advanced for this, or do we need to go back to the time of Polaroid Instamatics? Fortunately, Canon has come to my rescue with the Selphy ES3 and ES30. These two new printers are so completely portable, that you can take them just about anywhere. The ES3 and ES30 have integrated ink and paper cartridges, as well as PictBridge compatibility. These printers also have on-board clip-art features, and they have a 15 format memory card reader. The main difference between the ES3 and the ES30 is that the ES3 has more clip art choices than the ES30. Both of them have LCD screens, but the ES3 has a 3.5 inch LCD, and the ES30 has a 3 inch LCD. I do not have a release date, but I do have a price. The ES3 will retail for about $199.99, and the ES30 will go for about $149.99. Source [ Canon ES3 and ES30 are Portably Good copyright by Coolest Gadgets ] Gift Ideas: The Coolest Gadgets Gift Guides.

R/C Mini Tank Are you bored at the office? I’m sure we’ve seen plenty of remote controlled toys in the past, but that won’t stop me from adding the R/C Mini Tank to our annals. R/C Mini Tank is the coolest racing car you have ever seen. It is designed in the military tank shape. It can be charged on the remote control which is powered by 3pcs AA batteries only. Just install the batteries and enjoy playing it with your friends. Here comes with Green Tank and Camouflage Tank. It certainly doesn’t look too professional, and too bad there are no laser fights you can hold with this, otherwise you and your mate could build an elaborate obstacle course, waiting for someone to make that fatal move first. The R/C Mini Tank will retail for $14.50 a pop. Product Page [ R/C Mini Tank copyright by Coolest Gadgets ] Cool Gift Idea: Digital Picture Frames, check out our reviews.

USB + eSATA to SATA adapter With so many connection standards available to the computer user these days, it goes without saying that sooner or later you’ll run into compatibility problems, trying to let one device talk to another without some sort of middleman involved. Brando has your data transfer interests at heart with the USB + eSATA to SATA adapter that enables one to connect virtually any SATA device to your computer via the USB/eSATA port. Perfect for cloning, data transfer or backup purposes. This USB + eSATA to SATA adapter is compatible with all SATA devices, ranging from DVDs to 2.5″ and 3.5″ hard drives. You can place your pre-order for $33 today, and shipping will commence in October. Product Page [ USB + eSATA to SATA adapter copyright by Coolest Gadgets ] Cool Gift Idea: Digital Picture Frames, check out our reviews.

Seek Portable GPS Device Fits on the Wrist A few days ago, we covered the Suunto X10, a GPS device that fits on your wrist. While there may not be a huge market for the GPS on the wrist, some concept designer apparently has a plan for a wrist GPS boom. The designer, Jukka Roitto, has taken the wrist GPS one step further by putting a search engine and navigation guide on his concept model, which he has dubbed the Seek. The name may be simple, but what the Seek does is pretty complex. The Seek is meant to help a person look for local attractions in an area, such as theaters, restaurants, or clubs. So, if you’re in a strange new town, and you’re looking for a place to eat or have fun, just Seek and you will find! The user interacts with the Seek with a full touchscreen. I have seen other photos of the Seek that have the touchscreen retracted, but I don’t see how it could, unless they are using that new LED screen technology that can somehow roll up. There are other functions that the Seek has, such as a Portable Music Player. In fact, it can even give the name and artist of the track, and I think I see a place for a headphone jack. Well, this is a concept product for now, so one cannot say if any of these features will ever come to pass. You got to admit that the Seek looks very futuristic, like something you would see in a classic science fiction movie. Source [ Seek Portable GPS Device Fits on the Wrist copyright by Coolest Gadgets ] Pressy idea: Educational Toys

H2O Desk Calculator Just when you thought that solar-powered desk calculators were the end all and be all of the device’s evolutionary branch, along comes a water-powered calculator that defies conventional wisdom. Runs on water – no need for a light source! Plain tap water powers this unique, H20 desk calculator! Add a few drops of water to the removable battery and insert it in the calculator for up to three months of use. When the display begins to fade, just refill the battery! It’s more reliable than a solar-powered calculator – and friendlier to the earth, too. Go green with the $24.95 H2O Desk Calculator today. [ H2O Desk Calculator copyright by Coolest Gadgets ] Pressy idea: Educational Toys

The USB Mixa Tape holds 1GB of sappy love songs A little while back there was the USB stick that came in packaging resembling a mixed tape.  However, all it really was, was a bit of fancy packaging and not much else.  Well this new USB drive resembles a mixed tape all the time.  Instead of just getting sent to you in packaging that looks like it, then once out of it just looks like a boring USB drive.  This one not only comes in the shape of a tape, but it comes decked out in fun stickers too.  Luckily they allow you to choose the stickers and just include them when they ship it out. To use it, there is a sliding button on the top that when pushed will pop out the USB connector.  So you won’t have that awkward piece sticking out the side all of the time.  The drive is 1GB and will hold up to 250 songs.  Which means if you intend to pass this along to someone special you’ve got plenty of room for cheesy love songs.  The tape is being sold for  £19.99 or about $37. Source: RGS [ The USB Mixa Tape holds 1GB of sappy love songs copyright by Coolest Gadgets ] Gift Ideas: The Coolest Gadgets Gift Guides.

Dad’s Cab novelty taxi meter Ask any dad and he’ll tell you that he wears many hats, and among the more popular ones would be that of a driver - at least until the kid is old enough to drive. Enter the Dad’s Cab novelty taxi meter. Gifts for dads don’t come much better than this Gift of the Year Award winner, Dad’s Cab. Dad’s Cab is a novelty taxi meter that comes with an assortment of forfeit cards that overworked dads can dish out to their blood-sucking children by way of a bill. Payments include ingenious tasks like ‘tidy your room’ and ‘make dad a cup of tea’ – that’s no more free rides for the kids and some well-deserved rewards for dad! Using the adhesive strips provides you can safely secure your Dad’s Cab taxi meter to the dashboard of your car. Turn on the taxi meter every time you find yourself acting as the household taxi driver and let the meter clock up and up! There are additional signs for ‘mum’s cab’ and ‘family cab’ as well as a Terms of Carriage Notice. And for early morning starts, Dad’s Cab also doubles up as an alarm clock! This is a fantastic gift idea and the perfect present for dad’s everywhere – order yours now! The Dad’s Cab is powered by a quartet of LR44 batteries and will retail for £9.95. [ Dad’s Cab novelty taxi meter copyright by Coolest Gadgets ] Gift Ideas: The Coolest Gadgets Gift Guides.

Sanyo PLV-Z700 LCD projector Sanyo has introduced out a new LCD projector for the masses, and although it might be pretty expensive at first glance, the features and functions offered on paper more than make up for the price. The Sanyo PLV-Z700 might be classified as an entry level projector, but it offers a performance that is a class above. How does full High Definition support sound to you over a projector? This model will make use of a 3LCD panel coupled with one of the most advanced lens-shifting technology in the industry, a variable iris and Sanyo’s very own 3D color management system. The PLV-Z700 is one of Sanyo’s least expensive projectors designed for residential installations, offering a Full HD panel providing 1920 x 1080 resolution from high definition sources such as Blu-ray discs, HD camcorders, a wide variety of video on-demand services plus paid TV services from cable and satellite companies, in addition to terrestrial-based HD broadcasts. Outfitted with an extremely versatile lens-shifting function, the PLV-Z700 can effectively adjust the equivalent of 3 screens vertically and 2 screens horizontally. Combined with the 2x zoom, which allows for an extremely long or short focus, it is possible to create a large screen projection virtually anywhere, even in small rooms such as dens or bedrooms. Some of the specifications are :- Resolution: 1920 x 1080 (Full HD) Native Aspect Ratio: 16:9 Color range: 1.07 billion (10 bit) Brightness: 1,200 ANSI lumens (Dynamic Video Mode) Contrast Ratio: 10,000:1 (Dynamic Video Mode) Projection Lamp: UHP 165W Screen Size: Minimum 40″, Maximum 300″ (with projection distance of approx. 4-60 feet) Projection Lens: Manual Zoom 1-2.0x (f=22.6-45.3mm, F2.0-F3.0) Video Modes: 5 (Brilliant Cinema/Creative Cinema/Natural/Living/Dynamic) Noise output: 21 dBA (Cinema Black Mode) PC I/O: Mini D-sub 15-pin, analog RGB Video Input: HDMI x 2 (ver1.3b w/Deep Color), Component (Y/Cb/Cr) x 2, Composite (RCA) x 1, S-Video x 1 Dimensions: 15.75 (W) x 5.75 (H) x 13.6 (D) inches Weight: 16.5 lbs Interested parties will be able to pick up the Sanyo PLV-Z700 this October for $1,995. Product Page via Press Release [ Sanyo PLV-Z700 LCD projector copyright by Coolest Gadgets ] Pressy idea: Educational Toys

Nokia N79 joins the N Series party We’ve taken a look at the Nokia N96 and the Nokia N85 yesterday, so let us shift our focus over to the Nokia N79 today. This will be the latest addition to the vaunted N Series range of cell phones that aims to bring together a perfect blend of intelligent, customizable design with the functionality of a multimedia computer. According to Juha Kokkonen, Director, Nokia N Series, “The Nokia N79 packs cutting-edge technology into a compact design - a characteristic of the iconic Nseries - that allows people to discover, create and share their passions with others. It has been designed for those who want a device that is as appealing as it is powerful and comes with interchangeable covers that have automatically matching screen themes. This balance of performance and style means that it is a powerful and defining step forward from the popular and very successful Nokia N72 and Nokia N73.” Just like much older Nokia phones that come with interchangeable covers to reflect your mood, the Nokia N79 takes the same route with Xpress-on smart covers that come in Light Sea Blue, Espresso Brown, Olive Green, White and Coral Red colors. Each purchase of the N79 will come with any of these three colors. Enough about the external aesthetics - what’s more important are the things inside, and the Nokia N79 doesn’t disappoint - at least not on paper. You will find the N3.5G HSDPA and Wi-Fi connectivity options to be a boon for those who travel frequently and need to be connected at all times. It is also a snap to access various online services like Friendster, Flickr, YouTube, Nokia Music Store, N-Gage, Nokia Maps and Share on Ovi. Just like the two cell phones mentioned earlier in the post, the N79 will also feature a 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics. This digital camera is accompanied by dual LED flash and video light for you to capture vivid images be it night or day. In addition, the N79 comes with a microSDHC memory card slot, A-GPS navigation, a built-in FM transmitter, and at least 10 pre-loaded N-Gage games. You will be able to pick up the Nokia N79 when it ships in October onwards, retailing for approximately 350 Euros before taxes and subsidies. Press Release [ Nokia N79 joins the N Series party copyright by Coolest Gadgets ] Gift Ideas: The Coolest Gadgets Gift Guides.