Mercedes-Benz Hearts The Apple iPhone New Cradle Allows Full Integration Into The Vehicle Architecture

Let's be honest:  when Apple unveiled the iPhone last summer, they forever changed the mobile market. Not only did they have Apple fanboys lined up half-a-week in advance to get their hands on the new phone, in retrospect, they also managed to pull off one of the greatest product launches in history.  Now, a year later, Apple has introduced a 3G iPhone; they've cut its price to a paltry $199; and in my opinion, they've eliminated any justifiable reasons to buy any phone other than an iPhone.

So why am I telling you this?  The reason, ladies and gentlemen, is because today, Mercedes has acknowledged Apple's current (and in all probability future) dominance in the mobile arena, so much so that they have unveiled a new cradle specifically for the device.  Available now for the Mercedes-Benz C-, E-, CLK-,
CLS-, S-, CL-, SL-, M- and R-Class (as well as the in the future for the forthcoming GLK-Class), the Apple iPhone cradle allows seamless integration between your device's music and telephone functions and your vehicle's architecture.

Here's how it works.  First, you must specify Optional convenience telephony (Order Code 386). The cradle then connects without any tools into the audio system either via the optionally available Media Interface or the retrofittable iPod® Interface Kit.  Once the cradle is installed, your iPhone's music and phone functions can be controlled with the help of the multifunction steering wheel controls, while the vehicle's display is used to indicate the phone status, music functions, etc.  Other features include automatic recharging while your iPhone is attached to the cradle as well as increased reception with the help of your vehicle's aerial.

If you're interested, as already noted, the new Apple iPod cradle is available for ordering immediately (check with your dealer for local availability), while pricing is set at € 249 (including VAT).

For more info, you can see photos of the new iPhone cradle and read its official details in the press release below.

via emercedesbenz 

Guitar Hero proved the market for music rhythm games is broader than previously thought. Rock Band took the genre to the next step and made it a more social experience by going beyond the six-string domain. Now Guitar Hero: World Tour is answering back. It's not just about guitars now that the full band is brought in. It's not just about playing classic songs either. World Tour lets you become the rock star in every way possible -- from playing the tunes to making the music itself. I got my first look at the next game in the hit franchise and there's no doubt about it: I'm impressed. Neversoft and Activision didn't sit on their laurels and pump out a cash-in sequel. There's so much new here that it's tough to decide where to begin.

t's tough to rock out without the proper equipment. Guitar Hero: World Tour adds drums and vocals to the formula to go along with the already present guitar and bass. It doesn't just add two new peripherals and call it a day, though. This next Guitar Hero game will add new features to the trusty guitar, as well.

The Guitar
World Tour introduces a new guitar controller that is even more feature-laden than past designs. Before you get in a huff about just buying the Les Paul or X-plorer models from past Guitar Hero games, know that Activision has told us these will still work in World Tour. They just won't have access to all of the new stuff the added features bring to the table. That being said, you're going to want the new axe.

The biggest addition to the new guitar is the touch pad located on the neck. While playing a song, this touch sensitive strip allows you to alter notes during sustains by sliding up and down the strip (giving more freedom and options than what you had before with just a whammy bar). It can also be used for tapping to play notes, particularly awesome if you want to mimic a slap bass. The real power of the touch pad comes in the music creator. We'll get to that soon.

Other changes have been made to the design as well. The back/select button has been made to look like the bridge of the guitar. It's easier to hit for activating star power and gives a more realistic look to the body. The entire body is bigger, as well, approaching something closer to a real guitar. The d-pad has been given a bit of style as well by reshaping it to look more like a knob.

All of the previous great features are still there on this guitar, too. It's wireless and sleek, has an accelerometer for activating star power (and more) and will make use of new custom faceplates. In short, it's the best guitar controller we've seen yet.

The Mic
The microphone peripheral is fairly standard. It's wired and comes without buttons. For menus and the like you'll need to use a controller. To activate star power in the game, you won't have to wait for a special section like you do in Rock Band. Tapping it or making a making a quick similar sound at any time does the trick.

The Drums
Three pads, two raised cymbals, and one bass pedal make up the action elements of this new drum peripheral. That equates to the basic setup of a snare, two toms, two cymbals and a bass drum. The two cymbals are raised above the three primary pads and, on the prototype set we got a look at, had hinges and swivels on them so that you could position them how you wanted. To activate star power with the kit you simply hit both cymbals at the same time.

The first thing you'll notice when you see the kit in action is that it's quieter than the Rock Band drums, which is great news for neighbors everywhere. Each drum head is eight inches in diameter, slightly larger than Rock Band's kit, so you'll be less likely to miss when things get heated. Like the guitar, this puppy is wireless. That won't really aid you in your posturing, but it will keep your room less cluttered....

via xbox360.ign 

Bright Chunks At Phoenix Lander's Mars Site Must Have Been Ice

Dice-size crumbs of bright material have vanished from inside a trench where they were photographed by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander four days ago, convincing scientists that the material was frozen water that vaporized after digging exposed it.

"It must be ice," said Phoenix Principal Investigator Peter Smith of the University of Arizona, Tucson. "These little clumps completely disappearing over the course of a few days, that is perfect evidence that it's ice. There had been some question whether the bright material was salt. Salt can't do that."

The chunks were left at the bottom of a trench informally called "Dodo-Goldilocks" when Phoenix's Robotic Arm enlarged that trench on June 15, during the 20th Martian day, or sol, since landing. Several were gone when Phoenix looked at the trench early today, on Sol 24.

Also early today, digging in a different trench, the Robotic Arm connected with a hard surface that has scientists excited about the prospect of next uncovering an icy layer.

The Phoenix science team spent Thursday analyzing new images and data successfully returned from the lander earlier in the day.

Studying the initial findings from the new "Snow White 2" trench, located to the right of "Snow White 1," Ray Arvidson of Washington University in St. Louis, co-investigator for the robotic arm, said, "We have dug a trench and uncovered a hard layer at the same depth as the ice layer in our other trench."

On Sol 24, Phoenix extended the first trench in the middle of a polygon at the "Wonderland" site. While digging, the Robotic Arm came upon a firm layer, and after three attempts to dig further, the arm went into a holding position. Such an action is expected when the Robotic Arm comes upon a hard surface.

Meanwhile, the spacecraft team at Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Denver is preparing a software patch to send to Phoenix in a few days so scientific data can again be saved onboard overnight when needed. Because of a large amount a duplicative file-maintenance data generated by the spacecraft Tuesday, the team is taking the precaution of not storing science data in Phoenix's flash memory, and instead downlinking it at the end of every day, until the conditions that produced those duplicative data files are corrected.

"We now understand what happened, and we can fix it with a software patch," said Phoenix Project Manager Barry Goldstein of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena. "Our three-month schedule has 30 days of margin for contingencies like this, and we have used only one contingency day out of 24 sols. The mission is well ahead of schedule. We are making excellent progress toward full mission success."

Click Here for images associated with this press release...

via phoenix.lpl.arizona 

First thing, this thing is HUGE! I knew it was going to be big, but good grief. The only other laptop I have ever used is my brothers 3 year old Powerbook G4. (that was his graduation gift, the m17x is mine). The m17x dwarfs that thing. Its weight also is pretty massive, I would only recommend using on your lap if you are also a big, strong, person. Even the powerbrick is rather large.

When I took it out of the cloth sleeve it comes with, the first thing I noticed was the matte black finish. The only area that is glossy is the area around the screen. It has no blemishes on it, no scratches, or other such imperfections that I could see.

When I opened the case, I could not hear any creaking, and the screen is solid. It does not move while I am typing this. And on that note, there is no keyboard flex, save for the same area as the m15x, around the arrow keys. And even there it is very slight.

I went into command center. The only color area I have changed so far is the keyboard. I went through all the colors and noticed no color bleeding. So far thats all I've done with the CC.

As far as the screen itself, I love it. It does has a glossy finish and not matte. There is plenty of space to work with at the 1920x1200 resolution, which is precisely what I need as I am going to go into a graphic artist program in college. I dont have any blu ray movies, but I do intend on buying some. Thats why I go the blu ray drive. Right now, I am watching a standard DVD though. It looks better when not full screened. At full screen there is a lot of fuzz going on. But thats to be expected from trying to play any less then hi def media on a hi def screen...

via notebookreview 

EXPERIENCE MUSIC LIKE NEVER BEFORE WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF A.M.P. AUTOMATED MUSIC PERSONALITY FROM TIGER ELECTRONICS

Tiger Electronics, a division of Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE: HAS) has teamed up with Japanese distributor SEGA Toys to introduce the future of music mobility with A.M.P. Automated Music Personality, a mobile robotic music companion that revolutionizes how and where you listen to music. Gadget enthusiasts will get a first-hand look as A.M.P. Automated Music Personality makes his worldwide debut at the Tokyo Toy Show, the world’s premiere destination for the latest hi-tech toys, gadgets and cutting-edge electronics. SEGA will be hosting the robotic music companion at its Tokyo Toy Show booth from June 19-22 at Tokyo Big Sight.

A dynamic companion, A.M.P. Automated Music Personality will blast your music through his state-of-the-art stereo sound system - with attitude. Simply plug in any MP3 player and let A.M.P. Automated Music Personality show off some of his best dance moves. Perfect for the modern lifestyle, A.M.P. Automated Music Personality stands at 29 inches tall and features a sleek black and yellow modern exterior with stylized chrome detailing. Music has never looked this good! With five different modes and over 62 sound effects, numerous electrifying dance moves and 49 expressive LED light animations; A.M.P. Automated Music Personality connects you with your music in a unique new way.

"Hasbro is redefining the mobile stereo entertainment system with the introduction of A.M.P Automated Music Personality," says Duncan Billing, global development officer, Hasbro, Inc. "By using D.B.T.-Dynamic Balancing Technology, A.M.P. Automated Music Personality is able to balance in a manner that seems to defy gravity. With this impressive technology combined with a unique personality and incredible mobility; the way you listen and interact with your music will never be the same."

"Hasbro and SEGA have a long history of working together in both product development and distribution, and SEGA TOYS is delighted to premiere this cool new media bot to the tech-savvy Japanese consumer," said Isao Kokubun, C.E.O. of SEGA Toys.

Now you can kick that old stereo to the curb! Remote control operated and easy to use, just plug in any MP3 player into A.M.P. Automated Music Personality and secure your MP3 player in the case located securely on his back. You'll feel the beat as A.M.P. Automated Music Personality delivers powerful stereo sound through a 5" mid-range speaker and two high output tweeters. A.M.P. Automated Music Personality's Dynamic Balancing Technology enables him to dance and roll balanced on two wheels. You can also add more boom to any song with the dedicated bass boost button. Take control and be the DJ as A.M.P. Automated Music Personality becomes a virtual mixing deck. His distinctive touch pads serve as a way to layer different sound effects and scratches over your tunes. Use the left touch pad to add music effects and the right touch pad to control the audio.

Controlling A.M.P. Automated Music Personality is easy. Make him dance, watch him roll- it's up to you! Using the remote, you can easily manage all of his movements and cycle through his five different modes: Dance, Track, Drive, Park and Follow.

To get the party started, switch this robot into Dance mode and he'll show you how to get down. Whether its techno, hip hop or a rockin’ guitar jam from your MP3 player, A.M.P. Automated Music Personality will dance to the music utilizing his internal beat detection software. Watch as A.M.P. Automated Music Personality moves in sync to the rhythm of the song you are playing. A.M.P. Automated Music Personality will be sure to grab your attention as he expresses his personality through 49 LED lights and futuristic sound effects.

In Track mode, A.M.P. Automated Music Personality will always keep the music facing you so you'll never miss a beat. A.M.P. will orient himself towards you as you hold the remote control, keeping the music pointed in your direction.

To control A.M.P. Automated Music Personality with the remote, shift him into Drive mode. Here you can manually control any and all of A.M.P. Automated Music Personality's movements with the remote.

If you are just hanging out, place A.M.P. Automated Music Personality in Park mode and his glossy black kickstand will deploy automatically which will enable him to remain stationary. Sit back and listen to your music through A.M.P. Automated Music Personality's impressive speaker system.

A.M.P. Automated Music Personality gives new meaning to the term "music server." Whether you are playing video games or having friends over, A.M.P. Automated Music Personality will bring the music to you in Follow mode. A.M.P. Automated Music Personality utilizes IR technology to seek out, locate and move towards the user's hand held remote. With specialized tire tread and built-in obstacle detection sensors, you can maneuver A.M.P. Automated Music Personality around most stairs, walls and other obstructions in his path. Bring A.M.P. Automated Music Personality to a quick stop in Follow mode by touching his head sensor and he will come to a complete stop.

A.M.P. Automated Music Personality also has built in features including an easy carry handle with a switch that will disengage the motor in the wheel and auto deploy his kickstand. When A.M.P. Automated Music Personality enters low battery mode, his specially designed kickstand will drop and he will alert you that his battery is running low while continuing to keep the music blasting. Solid and well-built, he has impact points on his back, front and both "hands."

Battery-operated, A.M.P. Automated Music Personality comes fully equipped with an AC power adapter, 6" headphone adapter plug and a carrying case for your MP3 player (not included). A.M.P. Automated Music Personality and his controller require six D batteries and three AAA batteries (not included) for approximately ten hours of continuous entertainment.

Technical Specifications:

• 12-watt stereo sound
• Bass boost touch sensor
• 2 tweeters & mid-range speaker
• 15 minutes of built-in music
• Audio input jack
• 4 control motors
• 2 obstacle-detection sensors
• Infrared tracking system
• 49 LED lights
• 14 touch sensors
• Piezoelectric gyroscope

A.M.P. Automated Music Personality will be available nationwide at select consumer electronics online retailers starting this October for an approximate retail price of $500. Visit www.ampbot.com for more information.

Hasbro (NYSE:HAS) is a worldwide leader in children's and family leisure time entertainment products and services, including the design, manufacture and marketing of games and toys ranging from traditional to high-tech. Both internationally and in the U.S., its PLAYSKOOL, TONKA, MILTON BRADLEY, PARKER BROTHERS, TIGER, CRANIUM and WIZARDS OF THE COAST brands and products provide the highest quality and most recognizable play experiences in the world. © 2008 Hasbro, Inc. All Rights Reserved...

via hasbro 

Konami will release 500 of these for sale in the UK, on 31st October, at the very reasonable price of £99.99 and for your cash you get an MGS4 logo emblazened on your timepiece along with your individual number between one and 500 to prove that yours is a genuine piece of gaming apparel art.

Apparently, there's currently a bit of a mistake and you can actually pre-order your watch now. So, act quickly if you want to beat the autumn rush. Huh? It's just a watch...

via techdigest 

NHK smashes the 4K image barrier

In today's world of broadcasting and commercial display technologies, video resolution seems to be the name of the game as we progress from full-HD to 4K (3,840 x 2,160 pixels), and now 8K (7,680 x 4,320 pixels) ultra-high-definition format. Developed by NHK, this Japanese prototype system is capable of displaying 32 megapixels' worth or 16 times more details than any consumer panel.

The theater on demonstration at CommunicAsia comprises two LCoS projectors with a combined 8,000 lumens brightness and a towering 6.6m x 3.7m 300-inch projection screen. If you think that is impressive, wait till you have a go at its triple-tier 22.2-channel cinema sound system. We're talking dual subwoofers, three, 10 and nine speakers at the bottom, screen level and overhead.

To reproduce the brilliant image clarity, the Japanese broadcaster has also developed a matching 8K studio camera, hard drive recorder and a high-bandwidth optical transmission system via IP networking. If you've missed this once-in-a-lifetime experience, you could visit Japan's Kyushu National Museum and pop by its Theater 4000 equipped with the same 300-incher instead....

via cnet 

Exclusive Photos of Toshiba's Hot New Qosmio X305 Gaming Laptop

ust as the laptop gaming market is heating up we snagged some exclusive leaked pictures for you of Toshiba's hot new upcoming gaming laptop, the Qosmio X305.  If you think the X205 was impressive wait 'till you see this baby! 

A sneak peak at some of the specs includes a 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX with turbo cache VRAM, Intel's hot new 3GHz dual core processor that we hear can be over-clocked for even more frames per second, dual high-speed 7200RPM hard drives of 200GB each for a total of 400GB, up to 4GB of DDR3 RAM, and a 17 inch WSXGA+ with 1680 x 1050 resolution.  It also packs a couple S/P DIF and REGZA link HDMI ports and a sweet four speaker (that's right 4!) Harmon Kardon stereo speaker system with subwoofer.

We expect entrants like the Qosmio X305 over the next few quarters to really accelerate the laptop gaming market and will soon have a gaming laptop buyer's guide for your pleasure.  Launch date is expected to be July 14th. LogicTV will have a first look at this unit soon...

via logictv 

U.S. backs $30 million to build plug-in hybrids

ASUS Unveils World's Slimmest 22-inch Widescreen LCD Monitor

Catering to discerning users who require a robust performing yet sublime addition to their digital home devices, ASUS, producer of high-quality displays, today launched the LS221H LCD monitor. This ultra-slim 22" widescreen LCD monitor combines pleasing aesthetics with leather material, superb display capabilities, and features a 9H-hardness glass panel for scratch resistant protection.

Experience True Beauty with Luxurious Craftsmanship
With a thinness of just 248 millimeters, the LS221H is so slim that it seems like more of an object de art than a display unit. Clean lines, diamond-cut corners and edges of glass combine seamlessly on the piano-painted glossy black chassis; while the lower half panel of the LS221H is dressed in genuine leather to present an exquisite outlook that exudes luxury and warmth in digital living. The LS221H is also equipped with a 9H hardness-rated diamond-cut glass surface that protects against damage or pollutive substances. The anti-reflection glass also provides a 96% transmission rate and a reflective rate of less than 2% - allowing users to view clearer images and more vibrant colors. This perfect combination of hard and soft elements subtly emphasizes the luxurious nature of the LS221H; while leading the "soul" of the product into perfect alignment with boutique displays and interior design. Additionally, the Light-in-Motion II dynamic lighting effects from LEDs built into the base add to the ambience; and an embedded HDMI input does away with cable clutter and provides HD multimedia enjoyment with the best quality.

Internal Beauty for Bright and Vivid Images
Proving that this beauty is not just skin deep, the LS221H is equipped with a ASUS Smart Contrast Ratio (ASCR) 4000:1 and two-millisecond response times that delivers sharp, vibrant images of the very best quality without any ghosting. The "Aspect Control" function allows selecting display modes between Full and 4:3 modes for perfect enjoyment of true-to-life HD video games and movies without image distortion; and the ASUS Splendid Video Intelligence Technology automatically corrects and constantly adjusts every detail of the image to optimize visual quality – providing deeper colors, sharper contrasts and an overall brighter picture. Five video preset modes, three skin tones, and five color temperature settings also allow users to easily customize the LS221H to their personal preferences.

Specifications

• 22" widescreen LCD panelOptimal resolution: 1680x1050 WSXGA+
• 2ms response time(gray-to-gray)
• ASCR (ASUS Smart Contrast Ratio) 4000:1
• 16.7 million display colors
• 300nits brightness
• 170°(H)/160°(V) wide viewing angles
• 9H hardness protection glass surface
• Splendid™ Video Intelligence Technology
• 5 video preset modes and 3 skin-tone selections
• Inputs: D-SUB, HDMI
• 3-year system and panel warranty
• 1-year zero bright dot warranty