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Jabra debuts Cruiser2 in-car speakerphone, Chill / Speak410 VoIP calling accessories
What's better than a Cruiser? Why, a Cruiser2! A year after unveiling the original, Jabra is using CES to launch its first revision of the aforementioned in-car speakerphone. This guy packs Bluetooth 2.1, dual microphones, an internal speaker and a built-in FM transmitter that beams tunes and talk to your car stereo. You'll also be greeted with voice guidance in nine different languages, and the internal battery will last through a solid 14 hours of yapping (or 13 days in standby). Moving on, the Chill corded headset and USB-powered Speak410 PC speakerphone are also debuting here in Vegas, with prices on those set at $29.99 and who-knows, respectively. Get the whole skinny just after the break. %Gallery-112391%
Jabra Go 660 Bluetooth headset 'solution' pairs an Extreme with a USB adapter
Jabra certainly loves to trumpet the noise cancellation abilities of its Bluetooth headsets, and while our own experiences haven't quite lived up to the hype, we always look forward to the company's latest name for its noise cancellation tech. Disappointing, then, that the new Jabra Go 660 "headset solution" (with its Extreme ear jewelry) is said to be the company's "first Bluetooth headset with Noise Blackout Extreme." That's despite the Stone shipping with tech that went by the same name this time last year. Hopefully that system has been improved since then and will now actually live up to its name, putting background noise in a headlock and rendering it completely unconscious. In addition to the headset you get a USB Bluetooth adapter for a computer so that you can quickly go from VOIP to voicemail. The Go 660 is available now for $110, including the adapter -- which of course you won't need if your system is already down with the Bluetooth.
Getac tosses 1.2GHz Core i7 into ultra-rugged V100 convertible laptop, drops it from atop ugly tree
Getac's long-standing V100 has never been a thing of beauty, but you'd think it may get a little easier on the eyes over the years, wouldn't you? Regrettably, we're still left looking at a fairly industrial little machine, but at least the improved innards make it that much easier to focus on the Device Manager rather than, well... the device itself. Boasting a 10.4-inch sunlight viewable display, 320GB shock-mounted HDD and an 83-key waterproof backlit rubber keyboard, the revamped V100 is ready to chew through all sorts of computations while laying low from jungle cats and pools of quicksand. The 1.2GHz Core i7 within is the real standout, and it's joined by a multitouch-capable LCD, 2 megapixel webcam, SD card reader, inbuilt Bluetooth, optional 3G and a GPS system. There's no telling how much this five pounder will set you back, but we're guessing it'll run somewhere between "way up there" and "you've got to be kidding me."
Researchers to map Ozzy Osbourne's genome
Ozzy Osbourne is about to join the ranks of a very fortunate (or unfortunate, depending on how you look at it) minority. DNA research lab Knome has announced that it is going to sequence the lead singer of Black Sabbath's entire genome. Knome, -- which focuses on DNA sequencing in the interest of disease research -- has said that Ozzy's "extreme" medical history (i.e., years of hard partying) makes him an ideal candidate for their purposes. Very few people have had their entire DNA mapped, and the sequencing will take about 3 months to complete, so we'll just have to make do by watching the video after the break until we get the results.
Comcast to offer Extreme 105Mbps broadband package starting in June?
We've had the megahertz and megapixels races, now how about a megabits per second contest? A Comcast customer has posted a note from his latest bill online, showing a new Extreme 105 service that will purportedly be launching on June 1. You'll need to obtain an Arris WBM760 cable modem to make it work, while also ponying up $249 for installation and $200 each month thereafter, but such is the price for sailing in the mostly unexplored 105Mbps downstream and 10Mbps upstream currents. Guess that will have to do until Google rolls out that gigabit fiber network later this year.
Jabra Cruiser Bluetooth speakerphone and Extreme BT headset unveiled
There was a time when man and woman alike roamed the earth without large earpieces hugging the side of their head -- but that time has long since passed. Jabra's got a couple of new devices right up its alley. The Jabra Extreme Bluetooth features noise blackout extreme, dual mics with DSP and automatic volume control. The going price to slot into your canal is $80 and it should be available now via Best Buy. Less bionically plugged in is the Jabra Cruiser Bluetooth speakerphone for car usage. Noise blackout, caller ID via voice, the ability to pair two BT devices at once, remote MP3 control, and built-in FM transmitter for taking that lovely sound and playing it through your car stereo. That one's being sold online or via AT&T / Verizon for a cool Benjamin. PR is after the break.
Jabra Extreme promises to beat background noise to a bloody pulp
Holding a meaningful conversation in the middle of, say, a rock quarry or a steel factory isn't the simplest task in the world -- it requires a booming voice, a knack for picking out voices in the most distracting environments, and extreme patience on the part of your callee. Bluetooth headsets are particularly susceptible to call-killing background noise, giving rise to a number of technologies designed specifically to hush it; Motorola's CrystalTalk and bone-conducting HX1 are both good examples. Jabra rolled out its latest two-mic noise canceling algorithm -- Noise Blackout Extreme -- when it launched the Stone a few months back, and now it's taking that same tech over to the lower-cost (and aptly-named) Jabra Extreme. Pretty, it's not -- at least, not compared to the Stone -- but at $80, it's more of a function-before-form sort of deal. Look for it to hit stores this month.
Intel announces quad-core Core i7 Extreme and Core i7 for laptops (update: now with reviews!)
As expected, Intel just announced its Clarksfield laptop chips, bringing Core i7 to the laptop form factor. There'll be three chips, two regular quad-cores and a Core i7 Extreme that can run as fast as 3.2GHz in Turbo mode, which selectively shuts off cores and uses the extra power to speed up the remaining cores while preserving battery life. The parts were demoed working in shipping-ready form on stage, but pricing and availability weren't mentioned -- we'll let you know what we can dig up.Read - Intel's Core i7 Mobile press releaseRead - HotHardware's Core i7 Mobile reviewRead - LegitReviews' Core i7 Mobile reviewRead - Laptop Mag's Core i7 Mobile laptop review
Rugged, waterproof Predator VX360 wearable camcorder destined for X Games
Had your daily dose of Sal Masekela? No? Shame on you! Though, we have to say, if this here wearable camcorder takes off, you could very well hear that very fellow doing color commentary over some pretty sick footage. The Predator VX360 is a rugged, waterproof wearable video camera that's engineered to withstand abuse from the elements while popping 1080 kickflips on the halfpipe, and unlike many head-worn alternatives, this one has its recording module (complete with a built-in LCD) strapped to an armband. The "eyeball camera" is still meant to cling tightly to your dome, but details are scant when it comes to resolution and the like. It's available now for daredevils in the UK, though the £549.99 ($892) sticker is apt to keep most of 'em at bay.[Via I4U News]
Want to BBQ with the iPhone? You don't even need an app
Not really -- if you really are planning to grill up some meat (or mushrooms and pineapples, they're good too) today or this weekend, you'll need a little more heat than your iPhone will give. But it's true, Apple's little handheld can get nice and toasty when it's really working*, and illustrator Chad Covino made a little Fourth of July BBQ-themed sketch about that very subject. We love it -- very nice work!My iPhone does get hot, but not so hot I can't pick it up -- usually when I'm running 3D for a longer stretch of time or when the phone is doing some serious calculating like audio or photo editing, I start to feel the heat coming off the back. Batteries are to blame for some of the more extreme problems, however, and that's not a huge surprise, given that batteries in any mobile device have their issues. The good news in that case, however, is that the phone is unlikely to actually explode -- the repair guy Wired talks to says that "a little bit of smoke eventually is probably the best bet." Not that a smoking iPhone is a good situation at all, but you can at least be sure that your iPhone is not quite as hot as the fire under your burgers this weekend.[* Note that the Apple KB article referenced here about temperature warnings/"don't leave the iPhone in the glove compartment" for the iPhone 3G and 3GS is not a new post, nor is the temperature alert screen unique to the 3GS; the KB was simply updated to include the newer device. Jim Dalrymple at The Loop has a solid rundown. FoxNews incorrectly reported that the support article was specific to the 3GS, but then did cite PC World's Melissa Perenson and David Coursey with personal stories of wicked-hot 3GS units. If your 3GS is overheating, check in with Apple support or your local AT&T store. -Ed.]
The Queue: How do you make that weird U thing?
Welcome back to The Queue, WoW Insider's daily Q&A column where the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Alex Ziebart will be your host today.Adam called yesterday's edition of The Queue 'the Extreme edition,' but I'm of the opinion he didn't quite follow through. So I'm posting something extreme to make up for it, which you can see in the video above. Extreme. If you don't feel it's extreme enough, feel free to post your extreme links in the comments below with your usual questions, as long as the links are safe for work (and sanity.)Eternauta asked... I have a question, too. I know it's pretty stupid and obvious, but here I go: Why is everybody DPS and why is it so hard to find healers or tanks?
The Queue: Extreme Edition
Welcome back to The Queue, WoW Insider's daily Q&A column where the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Adam Holisky will be your host today. Welcome back to an extreme late night edition of The Queue. What's so extreme about it? Read on after the break. Why is it coming out so late at night? Well, I've been busy today. I've finished up leveling my last two characters while two of my accounts are linked via the recruit-a-friend program. Now my Paladin and Warlock are level 60, and my set is complete. WTB account wide achievements now, please. "K. Thx. Bai," as the kids like to say.Dan Asked... "Does anyone know who the three characters in all the BlizzCon announcement graphics are (see posting earlier this week)? One looks just like Thrall, but the other two seem pretty vague... a paladin and some sort of demonic rogue looking thing (maybe an Orc)?"
Apple pulls Software Update for AirPort Extreme
Apple released AirPort Extreme Update 2008-003, but then pulled it several minutes later. The update now no longer shows up in Software Update, and the page it was on is missing from Apple's site. The update was originally recommended for all Intel-based Macs with Mac OS X 10.5.5. The update said it resolved "some issues with AirPort connections when roaming in large Wi-Fi networks." The file was available from this page on Apple's website, and via Software Update. It's unclear why the update was pulled, or if there are any consequences for those who have installed it already. If you installed the update, do you notice anything amiss? Let us know by leaving a comment. Thanks, Danny and Randall!
Rogers gets rugged with Motorola VA76r
Mil-spec (and mil-spec-esque) hardware seems to be all the rage lately, so Motorola was more than happy to oblige when Rogers asked for some rough-looking gear to slot into its lineup. Meet the VA76r, a beefy set that'll take pretty much all the drops, dirt, and spills you can throw its way and keeps things rockin' on the data side with triband HSDPA. You've also got a QVGA display, Bluetooth, 2-megapixel cam, and microSD expansion; the $199.99 CAD (about $194) you're going to pay on a three-year contract isn't the cheapest we've ever heard, but for those that need this kind of toughness (you know who you are), it's probably worth the cost of admission. No word on a US release, but we suspect Moto would love to launch this sucker on AT&T to do battle with Samsung's Rugby.[Via MobileSyrup]
Ubisoft hits the slopes with the Balance Board
Slowly but surely, more Balance Board-compatible games are appearing, justifying your purchase of Nintendo's newest peripheral in the process; by our calculations, Ubisoft's Shaun White Snowboarding is the eighth title to make use of the Board (after Wii Fit, Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party, We Ski, Boogie Superstar, Don King Presents: Prizefighter, All Star Cheer Squad, and Skate It).IGN has the first details and screens on the game, which has the advantage of full Balance Board integration, two- to four-player multiplayer support, and the "full involvement of Shaun White" (apparently he's A Big Deal in the world of snowboarding). It also has the disadvantage (for this blogger, at least) of not being 1080° Snowboarding.Shaun White Snowboarding is due for release during the coming holiday season, and you can catch some major air more screens and art after the break.
Get your grind on a different way with Street Gears
Gala Networks Europe, holders of Flyff and Rappelz, have announced their third and newest MMO, Street Gears. SG is based around inline skating, with an anime aesthetic and extreme gameplay that combines racing with track skating. It's being developed by NFlavor, who created Rappelz, and who have given it a cel-shaded look that's sure to appeal.As with the other two titles in their stable, Street Gears will be free-to-play, and will become available in June on the gPotato portal. GameTrailers has the trailer up, so check it out!
Community goes extremely overboard on iPhone Extreme
Tom from iPhonebuglist.com was poking around in Apple's online feedback form, and as you can see above, he found something interesting hidden in the HTML code. There was a product tag on the form not for the iPhone, but for the "iPhone Extreme." The page has since been fixed, and there's no trace of it ever appearing.We completely agree with Apple Insider on this one: it's a stretch to say this is anything more than a coder mixup. Still, there it is, right there (in a Windows window! Tom, how dare you!). Could it be a "sport" version of the iPhone? Or a home device designed to serve as a standalone, Mac-less dock for your iPhone on your Airport Extreme network?Probably neither. I'm pretty sure a comment over at 9-to-5 Mac has it right (although the site themselves went way overboard, calling a February release on what is really an imaginary product): whoever coded the page just used the Airport Extreme template, and did a mass cut-and-paste with "iPhone" and "Airport." Amazing that the Mac community can get so worked up over what almost surely is simply a coder's mistake.Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
Today's swing-for-the-fences video : The Bigs
As baseball players keep bulking up in unnatural ways, we wonder if this extreme version of the sport is what fans want to see; upcoming 2K Sports baseball game, The Bigs, seems to take that pro-girth approach. ("Big" is right there in the title.) Two trailers for this NFL Blitz- and NBA Jam-style baseball title show some of the flashy effects.And maybe we shouldn't connect The Bigs with the current state of baseball; if we want straight simulation, we can play another title. See the trailers and decide for yourself after the break.
Twenty20 helmet camera records sweet jumps
It's not like the world really needed yet another alternative when it comes to helmet cams, but considering just how diminutive Twenty20's iteration really is, we can't kvetch too much. The ten-ounce device comes ready to record with a battery pack, helmet mount, external microphone, and a CMOS image sensor. The company claims that the OmniVision-equipped camera can last a whopping 16 or so hours from a single 9-volt cell, and the aluminum exterior supposedly protects it from any bangs, bruises, and extreme temperature damage. As expected, you will want to bring along your own video recorder to capture the action that the unit records, and just in case you're hoping to capture a bit more of what's going on, the outfit even sells a wide angle lens kit, motorcycle mount, and wired controller for your convenience. The basic camera set is available right now for a reasonable $249.99, and while we wouldn't recommend endangering your life just to capture a jaw-dropping vid, we're sure the collective YouTube universe will appreciate your valorousness.
Airport Extreme Base Station Update
Apple has just released a new update for AirPort Extreme base stations. The update includes general fixes, security improvements and addresses compatibility for the 802.11n base station. To install this update, you'll need AirPort Utility 5.1 for Mac or Windows. The first security concerns seem to be the AirPort's ability to allow incoming IPv6 connections, which it does by default. The new update changes those default settings to limit inbound IPv6 connections to the local network only. You can check your settings after installing the update by opening AirPort Utility, selecting an 802.11 Extreme base station, clicking Advanced -> IPv6, and making sure that Block incoming IPv6 connections is checked. A second security issue allows file names from a password-protected AirPort Disk to be viewed by users on the local network without a password. This is patched to require validation before file names (not file contents) can be seen.
