There's no stopping this guy, and now he's built himself an Atari 7800 portable just to make sure the kiddie hackers know who's the Heckendornest. Ben Heck built the 7800 portable with a 7-inch widescreen to accommodate that larger motherboard on the 7800 (compared to the 2600). Apparently large, complex motherboards just don't phase him anymore. The unit boasts rechargeable batteries, a combination driving / paddle controller, and an A/V output jack. Ben, you're a legend.

Admit it: having a synthesizer in your pocket just isn't enough. No, you need one on your person in order to truly feel whole. If we just rang your bell, you should take a long, insightful look at the Square Band. The latest revision of the wearable synthesizer includes a volume control and a couple of flexible solar panels, the latter of which were added partly for aesthetics. Apparently wearers can simply trigger buttons tucked under their wrist with their fingertips, upon which a superabundance of cacophonic sounds will emerge and completely freak out any nearby bystanders. You have to have one now, don't you?

[Via MAKE]

Sure, you've seen the portable wooden SNES, but if you've been looking for something with more of that fresh-off-the-showroom-floor sheen, maybe you should check into this Ben Heck-forum user's design. Using a modified Polycase, dual lithium-ion batteries, a 5-inch Zenith LCD, and a whole bunch of Super Nintendo, the modder created what could easily be mistaken for a bona-fide production model. Sure, the back looks a tad bit messy, but "Life of Brian" (the SNES fan in question) has managed to squeeze in a second controller port and A/V outs -- no small feat. Check the video after the break to see the handheld in action... a lot of action... like, the guy plays StarFox for a long time.

[Via Switched]

For the individual first on the waiting list for inflatable garb (and the average traveler looking to trim down that carry-on), the Jelly click is quite the dream come true. Granted, it seems as if this blow-up critter is merely a concept at the moment, but that's not to say some unorthodox peripheral company out there won't grab hold of the idea and run with it. In case you couldn't piece it together based on the photo above, this mouse lays perfectly flat for intercontinental jaunts, but a few light puffs turns it into a tool your hand can really get along with -- until it brushes up against a sharp object, that is.

[Via Yanko Design]

NEC has developed what it calls the first portable DNA analyzer -- with "portable" being classified as a briefcase half a meter wide -- that integrates all five stages in the DNA analysis process. Designed to speed up criminal investigations and aid crime prevention, the technology can fully analyze DNA within 25 minutes. Heading for full production in 2008, it should be ready in preparation for any GATTACA-style societies that have appeared by next year.

We know you've heard a lot of Zune 2 info today, but we've got the word on some other details and features that we thought our loyal, highly intelligent, and downright handsome readers would like to know. Also, the folks at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer have scored some quality hands-on time with the 80GB version, and you can see breathtaking video of the interface in action after the break. But first -- here's more goods on Microsoft's newest entry into the media player world:

• The new players will support lossless audio of the Windows Media variety (don't go screaming FLAC just yet)
  
• The WiFi is just b/g, so no n, a or x (the sexiest form of WiFi)
• Microsoft is still in the testing phase for battery life and will have numbers "later"
• You can manually sync up the player wirelessly on battery power, but you can't do auto-sync -- you'll need the dock for that action
• All your old accessories are said to work with the new models
• The screens are glass, not plastic
• Green is the new brown... but brown is sticking around on the 30GB models
• You can connect the Zune to an Xbox 360 to create "your own soundtrack"

[Thanks, Nikropht]

Fujitsu, always known to deliver a good time and a decent laptop, has broken out of the gate with a lineup of new portable computers that should make everyone pretty happy -- unless you're really, really picky. Enter the ESPRIMO Mobile U9200, V5505 / V5515, D9500, and M9400 -- laptops that seriously range in sizes and specifications. Keep reading after the break for a thrilling rundown of the multifarious models.

If you've ever dreamed of a cute little television which would speak to you (and we're pretty sure you have), you're in luck. Thanks to E-Revolutiona and Takara Tomy, that dream is now a reality. The two companies have gotten together and produced a 2.7-inch, QVGA TV called the Segnity which runs on AAA batteries or USB power, features a 1seg tuner (a a mobile terrestrial digital audio / video / data broadcasting service in Japan), and... talks to you. Apparently, the little display (which comes in black or white) will asking you things like, "Are you leaving already?" when you attempt to switch it off. No word on whether it whispers subliminal messages to you while you sleep, or threatens to kill you if you return it -- but we can certainly hope. Available at the end of September for about ¥10,000 (or $86). Check the video after the break to see the annoying device in action. [Warning: read link not translated]

[Via Akihabara News]

LaCie, always known to drop a fresh drive on us during our extreme times of need, has once again stepped up to the plate with a new line of petite storage options aimed at "people on the go" and other likeminded busibodies. The company's new "Little Disk" line was designed by the "award winning" Sam Hecht, and comes in 1.8- or 2.5-inch varieties, ranging from 30GB to 250GB, all with retractable, USB 2.0 connectors. Mr. Hecht also oversaw the creation of LaCie's other small offering, a portable DVD+RW drive with LightScribe technology (allowing you to etch custom labels into discs), that comes in both USB 2.0 and Firewire varieties. The hard drives and optical drives are available now, ranging from $99.99 to $119.99 for the disks, and $99.99 to $149.99 for the DVD writers.

[Via PhotographyBLOG]

Read -- LaCie Announces the New Little Disk Family of Mobile Drives, Design by Sam Hecht
Read -- LaCie Ships Portable DVD±RW Drive with LightScribe, Design by Sam Hecht

We've seen a lot of portable NES mods come and go -- we're on pretty friendly terms with Ben Heck, after all -- but this is the first portable NES we've seen that integrates an actual NES controller. Of course, that makes the whole package pretty damn chubby, but hey, now you'll be working out those biceps in addition to improving your eye-hand coordination. We don't have a lot of info apart from this picture -- anyone know where this thing came from? Let us know in comments!

[Via Tech Digest]

Grundig, fine purveyor of all sorts of electronics, is worried that you're not watching enough TV. Sure, you've got one in the living room, the bedroom, and the kitchen, but what about out in the garden? At your beach house? What about one to take camping? Well that's where the company's Davio 7 portable LCD TV comes in. Your new best friend boasts an active matrix, 7-inch, 720 x 576 screen, a DVB-T digital tuner with MPEG2, standard analog tuner, passive magnet antenna, and a whopping two hours of playing time with its lithium-polymer battery. Grundig claims that it's the perfect thing for "TV fanatics and outdoor enthusiasts," which would seem to be a contradiction in terms -- unless of course you're trying to sell a portable TV. Priced at around €179 (or $241), no word yet on availability.

No, the laptop industry hasn't bypassed the idea of quad-core laptops in favour of octo-core machines, since NextComputing's 8-core flextops are machines you wouldn't want anywhere near your lap. Based as they are around the Intel Xeon 5300 processor, the NextDimension Pro and Evo can take advantage of the relatively low power requirements of 100W for two quad-core CPUs (down from 160 Watts for its power hungrier desktop equivalent). For a sense of just how expandable the NextDimension machines are, consider that they can hold up to twelve 160GB 2.5-inch 7200RPM hard disk drives. They also manage to pack in four PCI / PCI-e slots in the Evo model, and Firewire, Gigabit Ethernet, and support for 24GB of memory through four DMA channels on both models. These 20-pound desktop machines with a handle will be shown off at Interop Las Vegas later this month, but beyond that we're not sure when or for how much you'll be able to lug one away.

AppleInsider has the word on the updates to Apple's portable range, which have been missing out on all the Santa Rosa action that seemingly every other notebook range has been enjoying lately (this is getting to be a habit). If AI's sources are correct, then we're to expect some rather uninteresting updates to the MacBook range. The next refresh of the MacBooks will supposedly be particularly unimpressive, as AI says they'll be missing out on the Santa Rosa architecture and those LED backlights that SJ promised. For those updates you'll have to cash in for the MacBook Pros, which will be getting Core 2 Duo Santa Rosa CPUs up to 2.4GHz, and the LED backlights if the rumor proves right. In a resurrection of a rumor that seems to have been circulating since the PowerBook 2400 was discontinued in 1998, AI is also saying that an ultra-portable Apple laptop will come with on-board NAND flash for boosting application performance, a 13-inch LCD, and will be thinner and lighter than existing Apple laptops thanks to the absence of an optical drive. Like most cases of Apple rumors, it'll only exist when it's out. Until it does / doesn't, we'll continue to see this kind of speculation.

With a pretty snazzy looking gadget like the Clix 2, you'd rather display it prominently than set it among all the papers, fast food wrappers, and other crap on your desk, so iRiver has come out with an affordable dock that does just that. And not only does the Clix Charge juice up and sync the pocketable PMP, it also sports a speaker on the bottom for annoying fellow mass transport passengers or providing tunes at a very small party. The 29,800 won ($32) accessory will hit Korea on the 15th, and we'd expect a stateside appearance to happen shortly after.

Satellite provider DIRECTV has released the Sat-Go, their first portable satellite receiver with an integrated 17-inch LCD display. It sports a briefcase form factor, with the dish, tuner, and display all built in, and can be operated using either AC or DC power sources. It can also connected as a second satellite tuner when you're not traveling, and it has S-video and component inputs for throwing content on the LCD at up to 1280x1024 -- not widescreen, but still capable of 720p. Existing customers can purchase the unit for $1,499, and it should also be available soon at retail locations. Now you can fulfill your dream of watching NFL Sunday Ticket while tailgating at the big game, or checking out When Animals Attack! while actually getting mauled on safari.

Read - DIRECTV Release
Read - DBSTalk Review