Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

A retailer taking pre-orders for phones that haven't even been announced is considered business as usual, but there's something just a little out of the ordinary with Horizon Wireless' listing for the alleged touchscreen superphone outta Waterloo, the BlackBerry 9500 "Thunder" -- it's accompanied by a somewhat believable picture of the thing. Extreme blur always adds a healthy dose of credibility (we kid), but more importantly, the picture shows no telltale signs of being a render and looks essentially like what everyone's expecting it to look like. BlackBerry addicts who've been desperately fighting the urge to go to the dark side, consider this your shot of willpower for the day.

[Thanks, Yasim M.]

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patina: a superficial layer.

Today we have started a contest giving away an HP HDX Dragon computer package, which would be worth over $5,200 if you were to purchase it on your own, and we want to make sure you know about it. This is all part of the 31 Days of the Dragon promotion that we are a part of. We have a couple of videos that you should check out - one shows off the HDX Dragon computer, and the other gives some insight into the contest itself. We’ve been getting a lot of questions about how exactly people enter and rack up points to win, and that post will be coming later today. In the meantime, jump down to check out the videos for the scoop.

HP HDX Dragon Unboxing video:

HP HDX Giveaway contest announcement:

Tags: (T), (T), (T), (T), (T), (T), (T), (T), (T)

Section: Software + Apps, Games, Features, Review

Grab your chef’s hat, put on your oven mitts it’s time to start cooking!

In the game Cooking Academy you’ll be able to test out your culinary skills in the kitchens of a prestigious culinary school. You have the chance to prepare eggrolls, gyoza, pancakes, crème brulee and many more. Cooking Academy lets you prepare over 50 different recipes!

I decided to try out the game. As a chef in training you will have a Top Chef that guides you through each delicious recipe that you prepare.  Each cooking session begins with the Top Chef supplying interesting trivia about the food you are preparing. There are five categories for you to test your culinary skills; Appetizers, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Dessert. Advancing to the next category, which unlocks additional recipes, is done by passing your cooking courses and exams. If you do exceptionally well, the head chef will award you bonus points. I received bonus points for each recipe I prepared.  If you receive exceptionally high marks on each task within a particular recipe, you have the chance to move to the head of the class with an A+.

Keeping track of your progress is easy simply select the appropriate category to view the score for each recipe that you’ve prepared. I was awarded a bronze trophy after preparing several recipes. Unlike the television series Top Chef, if you screw up your culinary masterpiece the Top Chef will let you recreate the recipe until you pass.

Cooking Academy was developed by Fungazo and can be purchased for $19.95 USD by logging onto the Macgamestore.  You will need to be running Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later. You have the option to try before you buy thanks to the free 60 minute trial Universal Binary demo version of the game.

Full Story » | Written by Opal Tribble for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

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Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals

While we of course rock oh-so-very-hard on Rock Band's drums, the pedal just never felt right under our weakling calves. The problem is naturally exacerbated for folks in wheelchairs, since there's no way to avoid the kick drum or re-route it to another button -- at least out of the box. Some folks at Kinetic Communications modded up a doorbell to work as the kick drum button and screwed it to a drum stick. Not the prettiest mod in the world, but it got their wheelchair-bound buddy drumming for about $20, and it shouldn't be hard to replicate their instructions.

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Section: iPod + iTunes, iPod Accessories, Docks & Speakers

Got room for some more accessories for you iPod? Here’s another one of ‘em uber cool iPod accessories, this time from Scanydna with their Dock Pack which combines an iPod docking station, an iPod and a pair of speakers. The Dock Pack serves as a docking, playing and recharging accessory for your iPod. Docking the iPod on the Dock Pack gives out high quality audio courtesy of a 2x15 wat RMS Class T amplifier.

In addition, the Dock Pack comes with seven inserts for the different iPod models. It also has a remote control and stereo line output if you get one of Scandyna’s subwoofer models to complement your Micro SE speakers. The Dock Pack retails for $219, but if you insist on getting just the Dock, it will burn you some good $219. Later on when you decide to get the Micro SE speakers, it will cost you $199. So, we don’t have to tell you that getting the Dock Pack at onces is a better deal, right?

Via [Yaho News] Product [Scandyna Speakers]

Full Story » | Written by Arnold Zafra for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

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Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Chalk another one up for Sharp. The company has landed yet another partner willing to utilize its solar panels in order to make news, wow onlookers and give Mother Earth a modicum of a break. Napa Valley winery Far Niente has flipped on its self-coined Floatovoltaic installation, which was developed by Thompson Technology Industries and installed by SPG Solar. Nearly 2,300 Sharp solar panels were secured for the job, and we're told that the array generates 400 kWs at peak output, which "significantly offsets the winery's annual power usage and provides a net-zero energy bill." Don't expect that coveted bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon to be any cheaper as a result, though.

[Via CNET]

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Section: Apple, Apple News, Software + Apps, iPhone + Communications, Carriers, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps

With the recent announcement and demo of the Google Android Phone, one thing is for sure.  Google took a trick or two from their neighbors in Cupertino.  The Phone features a touch screen, and the most striking similarity is the home screen, shown in the picture above.  Most of the apps seen on the current home screen are givens for any smartphone, but the Market app is an app store much like the one that will be in iPhone 2.0 software.  Project leader Andy Rubin comments on the ability for developers to upload to the store (certified or not, unlike the iPhone) and be sold for a price:

“It would be a great benefit to the Android community to provide a place where people can go to safely and securely download content and where a billing system would allow developers to get paid for their effort.  We wouldn’t have done our job if we didn’t provide something that helps developers get distribution.”

Other notable similarities include swiping across the home screen to access more content and accelerometers.  Although the Android uses a similar “slide to unlock” feature, Google’s version presents the user with a 3x3 grid of dots that must be connected in the correct sequence for the device to become usable. 

Although Google will not manufacture the devices themselves, they will have full control over the OS.

Unlock Screen/Home Screen

Via [AppleInsider]

Full Story » | Written by Mark Rowland for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

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Section: Apple, iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPod Family, iPod Accessories, Docks & Speakers, iPhone + Communications, iPhone Accessories, iPhone

Don’t you just hate it when you have two Apple devices to charge but only one cord to charge them with?  Worry no more, Griffin will soon be selling the PowerDock!  This product is certified for both iPhones and iPods and can charge two Apple products at once using a standard 120VAC wall outlet.  It looks pretty slick to me and comes with a generous 8 Universal Dock inserts for your iPod loving personality.

This charging station would be great for large families with a lot of iPods thats need charging at one time.  It looks great and doesn’t come with any unneeded features that try to do more than it’s intended for.  It’s not for sale yet, but it will be anywhere from $49.99 to $69.99 when it is launched.

Full Story » | Written by Josh Holat for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

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Filed under: Wearables

This day and age, there's really no excuse to have too little room in your average pair of cargo shorts for all the gadgets needed in a day. Convergence and shrinking PCBs have left us with do-it-all handhelds that can fit in the rear pockets of size 2 jeans on a size 4 gal, so really, you have exactly zero reasons to actually buy that abomination pictured above. If you must know, the FreeHand is a wearable neoprene pocket that keeps your keys, flash drives, RSA token and chump change within easy reach, and if you're lucky, you may be able to convince the boss it's being worn to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome. Folks who haven't listened to a word we just said can ignite a Jackson right now -- or spend $19.95 on this, same difference.

[Via Coolest-Gadgets]

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