Is this Garmin's CES 2008 lineup?

Filed under: GPS

We'd recommend taking all this with a grain of salt for now, but we're starting to hear rumors that Garmin will be loosing a slew of new navigators at CES. Up first is four new Colorado models, which will likely look a whole lot like these. Moving onward, we're told to expect a widescreen version of the nüvi 260 along with the nüvi 780 (essentially a revamped nüvi 760 with MSN Direct 2). Last but certainly not least, we've received a laundry list of specifications for a nüvi 860, 880 (both of which boast voice recognition, supposedly pictured above) and 5000, the latter of which will purportedly boast a 5.2-inch 800 x 480 resolution screen and no battery, suggesting that it'll likely remain seated within your vehicle. For even more specs and an alleged shot of the 5000, be sure to take a look beyond the break.

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Netflix developing movie set-top-box with LG

Filed under: Home Entertainment

This one's just coming across the wires, but apparently, Netflix is actually developing a movie set-top-box with LG Electronics. If you'll recall, there was quite a buzz surrounding such a device years back, but rumblings had remained largely dormant until a few months back. Slated to launch sometime in Q2, the networked player would purportedly allow owners to stream in movies for viewing on their television, and it's being reported that the feature would be "included in all of its various price plans... at no extra charge." Pricing deets on the LG device have yet to be disclosed, but we're told that the firm could "embed the receiver into its $799 dual-DVD player [likely the BH200]." According to Netflix Chief Executive Reed Hastings, the LG partnership will hopefully be "the first of many such deals" for the company, and he added that he'd love to "see a hundred Netflix-capable boxes," suggesting that there could be deals struck with internet-connected gaming consoles as well as cable / satellite providers. We'll be keeping an ear to the ground for further details.

 

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Are compact fluorescent bulbs causing migraines?

Filed under: Household

Sure, we know you want to do your part for the planet and all that jazz, but what if conserving energy is killing you? Okay, well, it might not be killing you, but according to a new report out of the UK, it's possible that those new-fangled fluorescent bulbs everyone is telling you to buy these days may be aggravating your migraines, making you nauseous, or causing you physical pain (if you've got lupus). The Daily Mail says that because the bulbs work in the same fashion as typical fluorescent bulbs (which can be irritating to some), the subtle flickering inherent to the technology can cause problems. Britain's Migraine Action Association director Paul Jansen said, "For some people a migraine attack can be triggered by fluorescent lights, video screens, stroboscopic effects and flashing lights." And added that, "We hope that the Government will allow regular light bulbs still to be available to those who need them." On the flip side, compact fluorescent supporters say only older technology or low-energy bulbs have flickering issues, and that new models being produced are clear of problems. Surely that may be the case -- but we need something to blame this stabbing eye pain on.

[Via Switched]

 

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Qualcomm: yeah, Broadcom injunction smarts a bit

Filed under: Cellphones

In case there was any doubt, Qualcomm has publicly acknowledged that Broadcom's win in US District Court over the banning of its chipsets that infringe on Broadcom's patents will "hurt" as it immediately halts shipments and adjusts to provide a more law-abiding set of products. The company seems pretty convinced that the pain will be felt primarily in the first quarter, largely because redesigned silicon is already in manufacturers' hands with commercial availability following on in the next few months. Investors seem to agree, with shares sliding a mere 1.8 percent on the news; as analysts point out, the far-reaching nature of the ban is offset somewhat by the relatively speedy availability of replacement designs that don't infringe (or so Qualcomm claims, anyway) on any pricey intellectual property.

 

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Red to unveil the Scarlet "pocket professional" camera at NAB

Filed under: Digital Cameras, HDTV, Portable Video

Details are totally sketchy, but it looks like there's about to be another Red HD camera to lust after: a posting from CEO Jim Jannard on the Red user forums confirms that Red will be launching a "pocket professional" camera named "Scarlet" sometime this year, with prototypes to be shown off at NAB in April. Jannard says the camera won't be a competitor or replacement for the Red One, but that's all we've got for now -- but you know we'll be all over this thing as info comes in.

[Thanks, MonsterDog]

 

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Thiel showing off IP-based, high-end multiroom audio

Filed under: Home Entertainment

High-end speaker manufacturer Thiel is showing off THIELnet, its new IP-based audio distribution system developed in conjunction with Bicom. It's a system indeed, with multiple parts to mix and match: the distribution processor (dB1), speakers (SCS4D) and subwoofer (SSD1) are all IP-addressable, there's an IP adapter (dS1) for bringing third party speakers to the, um party and there's PC-based software (Streamer) to tie into your library. Maximum capacity for the setup is eight zones, each with eight speakers, and synchronization is done between zones to get rid of nasty echo effects. Good stuff, but we think what really sets this approach apart is that Thiel has kept everything digital right up to the speaker cones; each speaker has its own digital crossover and 250-watt amplifier. The outfit expects to be spreading this IP / crossover / amplifier module across its lineup, but it's kicking things off with the SCS4D. Pricing is still unannounced, but expect a high-end style ticket befitting the Thiel sound quality and name.

 

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TN Games readying 3rd Space GFR Vest and HXT Helmet

Filed under: Gaming, Wearables

Details are still fairly light on this one, but the folks at TN Games have just dropped us word that the company is about to expand its line of wearable gaming devices, with its new 3rd Space GFR Vest and HXT Helmet set to make their official debut at CES (if you're curious, those acronyms refer to G-Force / Racing and "Head and eXTremities," respectively). The new get-ups will complement the company's existing 3rd Space gaming vest (pictured at right) which, as we previously reported, was originally developed for medical applications before being re-purposed for gaming. While we'll have to wait for CES to get the full rundown on the new gear, both the helmet and vest promise to deliver "simultaneous physical impact and sensations directly to player¹s bodies from the virtual gaming environment," along with a "conveyance of acceleration, deceleration, centrifugal and G-force effects" in the case of the vest. Needless to say, those with weak stomachs will probably want to sit on the sidelines this time around, as we're guessing these'll pack a bit more punch than that Aura Interactor vest collecting dust in your closet.

 

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Zeetoo's Zeemote: the Wiimote for your cellphone

Filed under: Cellphones, Gaming, Peripherals

Zeetoo's Zeemote has actually been around the block a time or two before, but now it looks like this drawing board darling has grown legs. Reportedly, the Boston-area firm has secured some €4.7 million ($6.9 million) in funding from Nauta, Commonwealth Ventures and Egan Capital, which it will likely use to further develop and commercialize a wireless joystick for mobiles that looks (and sounds) strikingly similar to some other peripheral we've grown fond of. The Zeemote would purportedly communicate via Bluetooth in order to make gaming slightly more palatable on vanilla handsets, but we can't say we're champing at the bit to clutter up our precious pocket space with one of these things anytime soon.

[Via Joystiq]

 

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Home ringtones may not be music to your ears

(Credit: Hammacher)

Several months ago we thought the idea of custom ringtones for home phones was a pretty nifty concept that would be picked up by other manfacturers. Our prediction, naturally, was met with dead silence. But now Hammacher Schlemmer is trying to introduce one such gadget for the masses, ...

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Dymo's colorful spinmaster

(Credit: Dymo)

You can finally chuck that stomper and paper label. Someone's come up with a standalone CD/DVD printer that can actually output up to 1,200dpi graphics directly onto your CD or DVD. We've seen disc printers featured in printers, but the Dymo DiscPainter claims to ...

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