We all know about the Philips Xenium line of phones with long operating times. Philips has decided to augment this one a step further and added an option of using a regular AAA battery in addition to the phones battery pack. Their new handset, Philips Xenium 9@9j, again pushes the boundary of power technologies in mobile phones. This time it’s not the durability of the phones. It’s a possibility to use standard AAA batteries to operate the device. It was first spotted during Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

The technology sources from an Israeli firm Techtium, and it’s called Backupower. The 9@9j is the first phone to have it inside. Battery firm Energizer is involved as well. It has a standard lithium ion rechargeable battery, but it has the option to put the AAA - alkaline or NiMH rechargeable - battery in the phone’s easily accessible cavity, and it’ll offer three hours of extended talktime. If your lithium ion battery goes dead, the backup battery kicks in, charges up the lithium ion battery, so the phone can be up and running all the way.

It is the first cellphone actually accomplish this; and though it increases its size, those extra hours are going to be useful for people who spend time away from power sockets. The phone is expected in stores by April 2008. It’ll be fun going into Carphone Warehouse asking for that.

Source: Techchee

The game features enclose more gore and graphic violence than the previous installment, as several screen-shots show Ryu decapitating his enemies as well as cutting off their arms and legs and ripping their bodies apart. Dismemberment will handicap or immobilize an enemy, but not necessarily kill him. This has been confirmed to be a Rated M game.

Like Halo 3 and Skate, Ninja Gaiden II owners will be able to record their ninjitsu performances directly to the Xbox 360 hard drive, save films of gameplay at save locations, and then upload them for the community to watch. As for the Ninja fans, its seemingly certain that one will not be able to simply wait to watch – and a get a hand on to the - expert level performances and the obligatory upskirts that will be followed.

Source: Mcvuk
Image: Xboxer

Another reason is that Blu-ray Drive playback software that can decrypt HDCP hasn’t been released as a saleable item yet. Today, the only HDCP-supporting BD playback application is the OEM version of Intervideo WinDVD BD that’s grouped together with Sony’s VAIO VGN-AR18GP notebook. The AR18GP also offers an HDCP-compliant HDMI connector, which makes it capable of playing commercial movies without issue. Despite not being able to play commercial content, the drive can still be used as a storage device, particularly for those looking to create and distribute their own high-definition home movies on BD-R and BD-RE drives.

Source: T3

With the trend developed by the Piaggio MP3 and Gilera Fuoco three wheelers, there is another speculated rummage into this wave of interest being planned by the French scooter importer Sidam; which plans to try its luck with a new bike that alters the concept backwards.

The ‘Xnovo’ gives the tilting triangle wheelbase concept a less fun, more utilitarian application than its Italian forebears - this time instead of putting the two wheels at the front where they are actually useful in traction and stability context, they’ll be at the rear of the vehicle, since it’s easier and cheaper to put those wheels out back - acting like a mini-minivan with huge carrying capacity, a hard roof, windscreen and twin driven rear wheels each on its own swingarm.

The Xnovo seems to be more or less handled like a horse and carriage; may deal with larger luggage loads than a regular scoot, and the possibility that, because the twin rear wheels don’t have to handle steering duties, they might be cheaper to build than the twin front brigade. The luggage angle is definitely a big part of the concept for Sidam, with some advance sketches looking almost like a cross between a minivan and a Thai tuk-tuk.

There are three categories of scooters that the inventor plans to bring down on the drawing board; a fully petrol version fitted with a 500cc Piaggio engine, a hybrid version with a 200cc petrol engine and electric backup, and a fully electric version with brushless motors mounted to each rear hub.

The anticipations for a market launch seem to happen sometime later in 2008, with a projected price of around €8000 for the 500cc.

Source: TheBikerGene via SameerKumar

Has the technology leapt such an incredibly humongous distance that deleting text messages from one’s cell phones can actually cover all the lost tracks? A New York company claims to have marketed a product – also called ‘little gem’ that can recuperate the lost, or the deleted, data from cell phones and read it on PCs. However, this scoop of ‘advanced’ technology is amiable to a few selected cell phones, but not all. Todd Morris, the president of the BrickHouse Security – the company asserting the product’s release – claims to sell a small, portable SIM card reader that can retrieve deleted messages. The user can remove the SIM card, put it in the $150 device and plug the reader into a USB port. All the data automatically gets transferred into the computer memory. The company claims that its reader is perhaps, the only one that can track down deleted messages.

The data extractor comes with Recovery PRO software and works with any standard removable SIM card.
As for the concerns towards securing privacy and legalities, it does prove to vandalize the issue; however, the company claims that the product is for those parents who want to keep a check on their children, or higher authorities’ skepticism over their employees. Moreover, using it to investigate what data a stranger holds on their SIM cards is absolutely a legal course.
The device doesn’t work with phones that lack SIM cards, like those sold to Verizon customers, some Sprint 2-way phones, and some prepaid phones.

Source: BrickHouse, OhGizmo

Following Toshiba – that lately pulled the plug on its HD DVD next-generation optical disc format, its now Microsoft’s turn as it has presumably declared that it will culminate the production of the external HD DVD drive, its USB add-on drive for its Xbox 360 gaming console – though it will continue to offer warranty support for the outlying. Microsoft said as early as January 8th, right after the Warner Bros. announcement that they were dropping HD-DVD, and they have little choice with Toshiba’s announcement.

This drive was envisioned as Microsoft’s reciprocation to Sony’s PlayStation 3 integrated Blu-ray disc drive and represented around 30 percent of the one million HD DVD devices that were put on sale. That number nevertheless, compares unfavourably with the estimated more than 10 million PS3 units sold by Sony. Now that HD DVD players are out of the equation, speculation is mounting on whether Microsoft will finally came up with a Blu-ray add-on for its Xbox 360 console or instead focus on increasing high-definition downloads on its Xbox Live service.

However, the Redmond-based company repeated earlier claims that the phasing out of HD DVD would have diminutive impression on its HD future. With the Xbox Live Video Marketplace and other solutions, there are already additional ways of supplying HD movies to the console, according to Microsoft. Rumours have pointed to the company hurrying a Blu-ray add-on drive that would be available as a USB attachment for the Xbox 360 as early as May, offering a combined alternative to the PlayStation 3 and its built-in Blu-ray reader.

Source: Coolest-Gadgets

After an extravagant research demonstrating the flexibility over use of mobile devices, Nokia has formulated a concept that explains how future mobile tools could be more stretchable and adaptable, allowing the user to transmute their mobile devices into radically different outlines.

‘Morph’, a definition of the joint nanotechnology theory, developed by Nokia Research Center (NRC) an the University Of Cambridge (UK); and has been launched at the side of ‘Design and the Elastic Mind’ exhibition, put up from 24th February to 12th May at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. Morph features the exhibition catalog as well and on MoMA’s official website. Video after the jump.

It exhibits the ultimate functionality that nanotechnology may deliver; complete with transparent electronics, flexible data and self-cleaning surfaces. Among the noted names with whose help this ease in the mobile devising era has been witnessed are Dr. Bob Iannucci, Chief Technology Officer Nokia; Dr. Tapani Ryhanen, Head of the NRC Cambridge UK laboratory Nokia; and Professor Mark Welland, Head of the Department of Engineering’s Nanoscience Group at the University of Cambridge and University Director of Nokia-Cambridge collaboration.

This association between the NRC and the University of Cambridge was declared in March, 2007 – with an agreement to work co-operatively on an extensive and long term program of joint research projects; Morph being one of these undertakings.
The fundamentals of Morph might be accessible to integrate into handheld devices within a stretch of 7 years, though at the outset, only at the high-end. However, nanotechnology may one day lead to low cost manufacturing solutions, and furnishes the possibility of incorporating complex functionality at a low price.

Source: Fareastgizmos

Welcome to this miraculous world of high velocity, where things happen at the speed of lightening; where people fancy routing themselves as fast as a rabbit. Amid all these amazing occurrences, comes this phenomenal slice of technology!Apparently, it counts itself as being the world’s fastest toilet. Powered by a Boeing Jet engine and supervised by Paul Stender, the $10,000 vehicle’s top speed is in excess of 70mph, and it farts 30 feet long flames from its tailpipe - rather like, as imagined, a man forced to eat ten vindaloos one after another.So, does it imply that nothing is left sacred anymore? What about those ‘gemmed’ moments of peace and ease when a man could go about his everyday business without the provocations of agitations and disturbances.

This particular storehouse of amusement is claimed to escalate the bath-related-vehicles to a graduated level. If one presumes it to be just another ‘ordinary toilet’, then its time to rectify those erroneous statements! It is actually a toilet that spits fire. On second thoughts, toilets onboard of aeroplanes are much faster. However, on the contrary there are some teething troubles as well. It is virtually impossible to steer it – since it would be able to operate on only straight and flat roads, so thinking about the high centre of gravity or how one is theoretically supposed to take a turn, is evidently out of the question. Nonetheless, this invention cannot explain where one would be heading to. Video after the jump.

There is a window installed on the toilet so that one can really drive as he is relieving nature. This is another pivotal thought to be laid stress on, since evacuating and driving simultaneously must be included in the definition of such a toilet, otherwise the toilet on a Boeing/AirBus should be considered as the fastest toilet in the world. Anyway, Stender should consider improvising his invention to be more applicable. Here’s something to be given a thought on: why do the flames come out of the vents stack? It is hard to understand how will it take a person from one point to the other, but it seems to be a fun way to get the current of adrenaline gushing through.

Nevertheless, I think we should respect the inventor’s hard-work and ideal as that of anyone else’s, as long as the ideal is not evil. This invention to us is probably the same as that of quantum gravity is to practical people. Still, the inventor Paul Stender seems to hold a convincing diversity towards the creativity of mankind. In spite of this, if it were to run on gas, it could surely be a solution to the menace of global warming.

Source: Attuworld

After all this time, Insomniac games finally revealed a hidden-at-the-sink treasure concerning its Nocturnal Initiative in a press release; the exceedingly regarded developer confirmed the dates for the launch of ‘Resistance 2′ – a follow up to the PlayStation 3 title – Resistance: Fall of Man – to be published by Sony Computer Entertainment America.

Although the exact dates haven’t been issued as yet, but the development and the formal announcement has been under research for quite sometime. Accordingly, the much anticipated gaming experience will have its curtains drawn open this autumn (and a possible release in early 2009) with a demo of the game already been scheduled for July.

Resistance 2 is a science fiction first person shooter video game. The game sketches its story as a group of a United States and a British band in a last gasped effort to save Europe and Asia from a horrific tormentor. It is speculated that in the upcoming decades, the Chimera - a species of unknown origin propagating a virus that converts other life forms into Chimera would overrun Russia and nearly the entire Europe. There is a fine line dividing survival and death, and the domination of the battle rests on the shoulders of U.S. Army Ranger, Sgt. Nathan Hale.

As for the game features, Resistance 2 gives the impression of being the biggest online game yet to be seen on a console – a definite treat for all the gaming enthusiasts. There are two separate story modes in the game, one designed for the single player operation; which will follow the story of Nathan Hale and a co-operative campaign having a storyline running parallel to Hale’s operation.

While the other that will assist a two player co-operative offline campaign or an eight player co-operative online campaign, with classes including a medic class, a heavy weapons class and a special ops class. As an impressive add-on, the online competitive mode can support sixty players per server.

The game will also feature twelve new Chimeran enemies, including Chameleon and Stalker baddies with cloaking ability. It has also tried to accomplish the room for perfection by taking feedback from the first game to improve long checkpoints and health system, as well as using more of PS 3 power to pile a greater count of enemies on screen and boost their intelligence to Key Stage 2. Novel vehicles, semi-randomly generated levels and a class system for online play – now, how can any gaming fanatic not hold on to that?

Source: Spong
Image Source: PS3 Fanboy

DRX – a member of the Sonic Retro Forums – has pulled off something unparalleled and extraordinary in the gaming arsenal. He was able to lay his hands on an apparent goldmine - a treasure of assets in the SEGA generation – after servicing for years into research and detective work. It included hundreds of prototypes, documentation and possibly a whole lot of other things.

As for the technical seeds, it can be run as parallel as a post-modern archaeology, with teams of researches exploiting over ASM code and decompressing art. Simon Wai Sonic Beta 2 Beta has been one of the discoveries amidst Sonic prototypes, but the amount of content involved is exceptional! According to DRX, the files he obtained represent an entire year’s backup of data from the Sega of America offices from 1993-1994. They are original builds of the games, designed to be burned onto developer cartridges for testing. As a result, much of the work is secured by a password or in odd formats.

It is not certain about the count of this material that will be exhibited to the common populace but it is positive for Sonic the Hedgehog to be released this Saturday, the 23rd of February – Sonic the Hedgehog (introduced in 1991) was called upon as Sega’s newest game and mascot, and was considered to be “cooler” than Nintendo’s Mario. This shift led to a wider success for the Mega Drive and would eventually propel Sega to 65% of the market in North America.
This valuable mascot – with its hip attitude and style – has the game sliced into four levels that can be played in the “normal” gamelay; the rest (including the several incomplete stages) have been accessed through the level select code. The debug code is of immense help while cracking the unplayable levels. The prototype is frequently examined by hackers to determine how Sonic the Hedgehog was developed; and it was recently quantified in an interview with Yuji Naka - a video game designer, programmer, the former head of Sonic Team - that this beta was from a demonstration cartridge that was stolen at a toy show in New York in 1992. In Asia and Brazil, the prototype version was put on cartridges as passed off as the final version by pirates who altered it marginally to stop the Sega logo from showing when the game boots up, as it was a common practice.

As for the other products that Sega was able to cultivate included Sega Saturn (1995) in the American market with Virtua Fighter which utilized a 32 bit processor and preceded both the PlayStation and the Nintendo 64, Dreamcast (1998) game console, in a novel idea to use off-the-shelf components - Dreamcast was not only competitive price wise, but it also featured technology that was ahead of its time, such as Tiled rendering, which allowed for massive geometry with little to no performance penalty.

As for the last nut in the shell, the intrusion of Sega - with its vast sale all over the globe, experiencing strong earnings growth across multiple divisions and evolving into a platform-agnostic software comany - has revolutionized the gaming backyard with extraordinary facets.

Via: DownloadSquad