3Skypephone launching November 2nd?

We aren't etching this in stone just yet, but we've seen numerous reports claiming that the recent partnership between 3 and Skype will soon lead to an actual piece of hardware. Reportedly, the 3Skypephone will be available on October 29th "for a pre-launch," and will be officially official on November 2nd. Specs wise, it should feature free calls to other Skype users / 3Skypephone owners, a two-megapixel camera, video capturing and an MP3 player. Interested consumers can supposedly choose from three different colors, and it should be available on the "£12 ($25) Mix and Match 100 tariff which offers 100 minutes or texts or any mix of the two." Ah well, at least we've but a few days left to find out for sure, eh?

Boynq rolls out Wake Up iPod speaker / alarm clock

Yeah, what you see above actually is yet another iPod speaker / alarm clock mashup, but being that it's from Boynq, it looks noticeably better than most of the alternatives. The interestingly designed device does quite a few things aside from wake you from your slumber, as it also includes an FM radio and line in / out ports to compliment the built-in equalizer and 20-watts of amplification. Best of all, this thing plays nice with every dock-connecting iPod ever created (including the iPhone "on models produced after January 1st"), and the remote controllable snooze practically guarantees that you'll never be on time for anything again. Talk about user friendly..

Vero ENB-100 Bluetooth kit offers solar-powered hands-free calling

Those that make a habit of chatting it up all day in their vehicle may want to consider Elan's new Vero ENB-100 device, which the company claims is the "world's first" solar-powered Bluetooth hands-free car kit. As you can no doubt surmise, it promises continuous charge-free operation as long as there's sunlight, and it'll even give you 15 hours of operation on a single charge if the weather isn't cooperating. Otherwise, you can expect the usual array of hands-free calling features, including a noise-canceling, omni directional microphone, a 1 watt "high-performance" speaker, and a voice dialing feature to let you keep your hands on the wheel. From the looks of it, however, this one's only available in the U.K. at the moment, where it'll set you back £60 (or about $120), although there's nothing to stop you from ordering one.

The T-Mobile Shadow

T-Mobile today has announced the long-rumored Shadow, a Windows Mobile 6 Standard device that looks not just better than its Wing stablemate, but arguably better than just about any comparably-equipped smartphone on the market today. Besides the "slick, slider design" and a juiced version of the standard Windows Mobile 6 UI, the Shadow features a rotating jog dial front and center, 2 megapixel camera, WiFi, and a new version of T-Mobile's myFaves interface allowing users to call, email, text, or MMS the peeps in their "fave five." Like what you see? If you do, good, because it turns out this is just the first in a whole line of upcoming Shadow-branded phones for the carrier -- a line that'll be focusing on multimedia connectivity and slanting the work / life balance a little more to the "life" side than some of HTC's and T-Mobile's other smart devices (ahem, Wing, we're looking straight at you). Grab the Shadow starting this Wednesday in "sage" or "copper" for a surprisingly reasonable $149.99 on two-year contract.

Lenovo's Y410: their first consumer laptop hits the big box

US netizens can now call dibs on Lenovo's 3000 Y410 laptop for the home. That's right, a consumer laptop -- their first for the US market. Released without fanfare, the new 14.1-inch glossy 1,280 x 800 model starts at about $700 depending upon the configuration you track down at your local big box -- another first for Lenovo. That gets you a 1.46GHz Pentium Dual Core T2310 proc, 1GB of memory, 160GB 5400rpm disk, dual-layer DVD writer, 6-in-1 media card reader, 802.11a/b/g WiFi, ExpressCard, and Intel X3100 graphics with 1.3 megapixel camera, Dolby Home Theater speakers with sub-woofer running atop a Vista Home Premium OS. The 1.02-1.45-inch thick / 5.5-pound sled doesn't look half bad either... for Lenovo. Now we're just wondering if the build quality and support matches that of their ThinkPad lineup. If so, then Lenovo's got themselves a winner here.

SanDisk announces Sansa TakeTV, Fanfare video download service

Sansa TakeTV

• 4GB and 8GB sizes, $100 and $150 respectively
• Supports DivX (including Home Theater profile), XVID, and MPEG-4
• Up to 720 x 576 resolution
• On sale immediately
• Intended for use in downloading shows from one's computer to the TakeTV (which is then physically moved to the TV)

Fanfare online video service

• Launching with content from CBS, Jaman, Showtime, Smithsonian Networks, The Weather Channel and TV Guide Broadband, including shows such as CSI, Survivor China, Dexter, and Sleeper Cell
• Video downloads will be both ad-supported (free) and paid (not sure how much yet), depending on the wishes of the content creators
• Fanfare video will also be playable on Sansa portable media devices
• Yes, it's DRMed, and yes, it's proprietary: TrustedFlash, developed by SanDisk
• Launching in beta today, officially launching in 2008

CTT-Net intros TouchSense-enabled navigation systems

It's been a while since we last heard about Immersion's Touch Sense technology for LCDs, but it looks like the tactile feedback technology has now managed to squeeze itself into one of its biggest potential markets, with CTT-Net now introducing a pair of TouchSense-enabled GPS units. Aimed squarely at the Korean market, the CSN-7040 and CIN-7000 models each boasts 7-inch touch screens, and support for DMB mobile TV, along with the usual array of GPS and PMP features. But, of course, the real selling point is that tactile feedback, which Immersion says will "minimize driver distraction" by reducing the time spent glancing over at the unit. No word on pricing or availability just yet, it seems, or any word of the technology making into GPS units outside of Korea, though we're guessing Immersion is far from giving up on that last point.

NEC busts out a Nissan X-Trail-themed laptop

NEC's Lavie laptops have never been the most exciting machines, and true to form, when the company decided to release one of those oh-so-hip carmaker branded versions, they turned not to Ferrari or Lamborgini, but to the Japanese Nissan X-Trail. Based on the 12.1-inch Lavie G Type J, the unit features custom panels in the same red paint as the X-Trail, a custom palmrest with X-Trail logo, a waterproof nylon case made from the same material as the X-Trail's seats, and membership in a special Nissan website, where you can apparently buy more X-Trail branded gear. Specs are pretty variable since the machine is primarily BTO, but a sample configuration lists out at ¥243,495 ($2113), which'll get you a U7500 Core 2 Duo, Vista Home Premium, and a dual-layer burner. Of course, it's doubtful that we'll ever see this bad boy Stateside, but something tells us there aren't that many of you clamoring to show your X-Trail pride anyways.

HP announces integrated Sprint mobile broadband for business laptops

Those looking for a little EV-DO with their laptop but not willing to put up with the protrusion of a USB modem will soon have a few more options to consider from HP, which has announced a bundle of new business laptops equipped with some embedded mobile broadband courtesy of Sprint. Those include updated versions of the HP Compaq 2710p convertible laptop (pictured above), the 6510b, the 6910p, and the 8510 series, along with a couple of other unspecified models expected "later this year." Each of those will boast support for EV-DO Rev. A technology, and each will also get a free month of Sprint's mobile broadband service if you sign up for a one or two-year contract. Of course, this isn't the first time HP has offered integrated EV-DO in its laptops, with its partnership with Verizon having already resulted in a number of mobile broadband-equipped models.

Motorola Announces Special Edition Razr 2 V8 for Holidays

Motorola announced a new special edition of its Razer 2 V8 for the holidays called the Luxury Edition. The special edition Razr is clad in 18K and 24K gold plated accents against a black slate, vacuum metal finish. Pin stripes on the CLI lens along with an engraved diamond-cut pattern on the sideband and etching on the navigation wheel with an embossed snakeskin effect make for a luxurious feel says Motorola.

The technical specifications are quad-band GPRS/EDGE functionality with a size of 53 x 103 x 12.05mm. Talk time for the phone is 250 – 450 minutes and standby time is approximately 200-300 hours. The display on the inside is 240×320 pixel 2.2-inch with 262k colors. The external display is a 2-inch 240 x 320 pixel 262k color screen. The phone is expected to be available in Q4 2007 in select areas at an undisclosed price.

Hyundai W-100 - Watch Phones Get Smaller

While it was inevitable, it’s nice to see that watch-sized phones have finally shrunk to something that’s reasonably sleek enough to wear on your arm. And even though it’s physically a lot smaller than a regular cellphone, it looks like the W-100 from Hyundai doesn’t compromise when it comes to features.

Not only does it function as a GSM phone, but it also includes a 1.3 megapixel still/video camera, an MP3/video player, a touch screen interface, bluetooth, MicroSD card slot and most importantly, support for the English language in addition to Chinese.

Bluetooth Speakers Resemble Strange Chocolate Candy

I’m sure you’re wondering what in the world that cool little ball is. Don’t worry, I had no idea either. This MBS-100 is Sony Ericsson’s answer to a portable cell phone speaker. The best part about this little guy is that it will actually stream music wirelessly from your phone via Bluetooth.

The internal battery will net you roughly 5 hours of music playback, which isn’t too bad considering that it runs off of Bluetooth. Unfortunately, the MBS-100 is only slated for an early 2008 launch in select Asia-Pacific markets.

Darklite DVD Remote Matches Your PS3

The PS3 hasn’t exactly become the runaway success SONY had hoped, and at the moment it seems like being able to play Blu-Ray DVDs is its most profitable feature. And if that’s the reason you picked one up you might also be interested in the Darklite DVD Remote from Messiah Entertainment.

Pelican intros Controller Charging Station for PlayStation 3

Nyko's SIXAXIS charging dock may serve the same purpose as Pelican's forthcoming device, but we'll give the sexy award to the latter. The Controller Charging Station for PlayStation 3 boasts a very unique, if not admirable design that holds two SIXAXIS controllers above ground and juices 'em up through the exposed mini USB plugs. Additionally, the base of the unit is home to two full sized USB ports (shown after the jump), so there's always the option of charging up four PS3 controllers at once should you choose. The price? $29.99 when it lands in just a few weeks.

Onkyo Announces Affordable 7.1 Home Theater System in a Box

When I hear the name Onkyo, I think of nice home theater products that are very expensive. Some of Onkyo’s AV receivers alone can run you into the $5000 range. When Onkyo announced their latest home theater in a box system I expected to see it priced well above what your average home theater fan is willing to spend.

Consider the specs on the HT-SP908 system with a full 1080p upconverting DVD player, 7.1 channel surround sound, XM and Sirius satellite radio ready, and an included iPod dock and the price of $1099 is a bargain.

The AV receiver is the Onkyo TX-SR605, which has a pair of HDMI v1.3 inputs and one output with the ability to decode Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, and DTS HD Master audio. The Onkyo DS-A1X remote interactive iPod dock is included. The speakers include a powered 10-inch subwoofer and each satellite has a pair of 3 1/8-inch woofers and a 1-inch dome tweeter inside. If you don’t have the space for a 7.1 system Onkyo offers the HT-SP904, which is a very similar 5.1 system selling for $899.

Nokia Officially Announces N810 Internet Tablet

Today Nokia officially announced its N810 Internet Tablet. The pocket-sized device connects to the internet via WiFi hotspots or your Bluetooth enabled phone. Using the N810, you can make VOIP calls, check web based mail services like Gmail and watch YouTube videos.

The N810 has a built-in VGA camera for video chat sessions. An integrated GPS receiver allows you to find local attractions with pre-loaded maps. You can also get voice-guided turn-by-turn driving directions with upgraded Wayfinder service.

An optional 10GB memory card allows you to store up to 7500 songs and the N810 can play the music for 45 hours. Maemo Linux is the operating system used and the web browser is Mozilla based with Ajax and Adobe Flash compatibility. The Nokia N810 is expected to ship in November at an MSRP of $479.

Sony Announces the HDMS-S1D Digital Photo Album

Sony announced a new digital photo album called the HDMS-S1D recently that features an 80GB internal HDD capable of storing up to 50,000 digital photos. The photo album connects to HDTV sets via HDMI and has multiple methods for importing photos available.

The S1D can import photos via virtually all memory card formats plus CD, DVD, and USB or over an Ethernet network connection. Once photos are imported, they can be managed with the included remote control. Organization options allow for grouping photos by date or events like birthdays and holidays.

Photos can be rotated, edited and deleted from the system via the remote. The S1D has the ability to arrange photos for a slideshow or into a digital scrapbook with Sony’s x-Application that is included. The application includes 30 pre-loaded music tracks to set your photos to and you can print photos directly from the S1D to your printer. Pricing for the HDMS-S1D digital Photo Album is around $400 and is available at Sony retailers or the Sony Style website.

SILVER SEAL Antibacterial Dishwasher Safe Mouse & Keyboard

If you have small kids or work in an office where several people share your mouse and keyboard you are probably aware that the mouse and keyboard of most computers are hotbeds for germs and viruses. Seal Shield has a new mouse and keyboard called the SILVER SEAL that have antibacterial properties and can be washed in the dishwasher.

This is the ideal mouse and keyboard for use in medical settings since the silver ion is embedded into the plastic so the antibacterial properties don’t wear off over time. When it comes time to clean the mouse and keyboard of dirt and debris, they are both completely submergible and dishwasher safe. The SILVER SEAL mouse and keyboard will begin shipping in November at an undisclosed price.

Iqua Solar-Powered Bluetooth Headset

A few days ago at 3GSM in Barcelona, Iqua (in partnership with Suntrica) showed off their solar-powered bluetooth headsets. Modeled on their existing Vogue headset (pictured above), I assume it’ll have some solar panels on the outside, which can be used to charge the internal battery. The only hard numbers available say it’ll weigh 14 grams (no details about talk time, charge time, or battery life), and if it’s got the same specs as the Vogue, it’ll be a pretty typical headset otherwise.

Joystiq's hands-on with the PlayStation Eye

The fanatical crew of card-and-video-game enthusiasts over at Joystiq have apparently had the unique pleasure of a hands-on with the newest and wackiest PS3 accessory, the PlayStation Eye and its bundled game Eye of Judgment. If you'll recall, the interactive, VGA camera is integrated with the Magic: The Gathering-like game, which uses real cards and a mat that the camera is aimed at. We understand the Joystiq team really put the game (and the Eye) through its paces in a 36-hour, pepperoni-pizza-filled, jolt-drinking marathon, which ended when one of the players' chaotic-neutral wizards cast "sleep" on everyone, but exhausted his remaining mana in the process. Browse on over to the Joystiq'ers pad and get all the nasty details.

HP offers up HD DVD / Blu-ray drives on select Pavilion desktops

Just last month, we heard rumblings that HP may begin offering up two-faced optical drives in its desktops, and sure enough, a variety of select Pavilions are now being served up with HD DVD and / or Blu-ray compatibility. The d4995t, m9000t and m9000z all give users the option of purchasing a vanilla dual-layer DVD burner, an HD DVD / Blu-ray combo player (that also burns DVDs), or a drive that burns Blu-ray / DVD and reads HD DVD. Additionally, a number of lesser-spec'd rigs also provide users the option of picking up an HD combo drive of some sort, and you can even snap up ATI's TV Wonder Digital Cable Tuner on the d4995t and m9000t (among others).

Animated WiFi detector shirt keeps you single with signal

Life's great priorities -- human interaction and network access -- seem to exist in perpetual tension, but those of you who know exactly where you stand might want to check out this Wifi Detector shirt, which will simultaneously inform passerby that a WiFi network is nearby and that they probably don't need to speak to you. The detachable detector / display combo runs off three AAA batteries for "hours" -- just long enough for you to alienate the locals before heading back to your parents' basement. Scarily enough, it's already out of stock, but ThinkGeek should have more in a couple weeks for $30.

HP's iPAQ 110 and 210 PDAs

We know that you're all on pins and needles right now waiting to find out when you can get your hands on those new HP PDAs, the iPAQ 110 and 210, and how much it will cost you when you do. Well, you're in luck, because the company has just added shipping dates and pricing to its website, thus making your Fall plans a little bit easier. If you'll recall, both WiFi equipped, Windows Mobile 6 devices feature color TFT touchscreens, Marvell PXA310 624 Mhz processors, and Bluetooth 2.0. The devices will be shipping on October 8th, with the 110 selling for $299, and the 210 for $399.

Euri's multimedia ring box

We'd highly recommend spending a bit more time (and money) on the actual ring rather than the box it comes in, but for those looking to wow your tech-savvy fiancée even more when popping the question, take a look at Euri's multimedia ring box. This ring holder sports a two-inch LCD internally, along with a clock, calender and alarm, and is available in a number of hues. There's even an unspecified amount of internal storage included, and you can upload your favorite pre-engagement photos via USB and have them displayed on the big day. Granted, this snazzy box is $198.95, but you only get one shot (well, usually) to get a YES

Samsung's Armani and Serenata take a catwalk

Samsung's pair of uber designed Armani and Serenata cellphones were caught out on the town in a European paparazzi twist-up last night. Don't worry, we won't distract you from your vanity by running down the specs again. We will, however, swing open the stall door to more glamour than you can shake a rolled-up Benjamin at. Just click the read links for your fix. Go ahead, everybody's doing it.

Energy Sistem intros Ingenio 4000, 5000 PMPs

Energy Sistem may not exactly be the most household name, but its latest pair of PMPs looks to be decent enough to garner it a bit of notice, at least from those willing to tread in less-familiar waters. Of the two, the unfortunately-named Inngenio 4000 DUET HDP M-EX is the slightly higher-end model, with it boasting a 2.8-inch display, 6GB of storage, a miniSD card slot, an FM tuner and support for Xvid video files, among other more common formats. The Inngenio 5000 HDP M-EX, on the other hand, cuts the storage down to just 2GB, and relies on a standard SD card slot for expansion. It does, however, boast a slightly larger 3.5-inch LCD, although, despite appearances, neither display appears to be a touchscreen. From the looks of it, both are available in Europe now, with the Inngenio 4000 running €155 (or about $220) and the 5000 setting you back €120 (or roughly $170).

Sony's Cyber-shot T200

You may remember Sony's new Cyber-shot T200 from way back at IFA, where we had the great and terrible pleasure of getting our grubby mitts all over it. Well, CNET Asia has gotten their mitts on the device for a thorough review, and we thought we'd bring you the many, many highlights. Overall, they seem to like the design, but aren't crazy about the loss of some buttons, which they say makes the camera feel a little cramped, though the large, 3.5-inch touchscreen display makes up for it. The camera's smile detection -- which is one of its more novel features -- is reported to be inaccurate and touchy, and the speed of startup and first shot on the T200 apparently leaves something to be desired. CNET says that the camera's image quality is "decent," but that they detected noise at ISO 400, and anything past ISO 800 was a nasty mess. Overall, they're not in love, but they do seem to be feeling a strong "like." Browse on over and catch the whole review.

Nike's Amp+ watch

Quietly -- too quietly perhaps since Apple hasn't update their site yet -- Nike's $79.00 Amp+ Sport Remote Control just made its first appearance on Nike's online store. That "+" indicates that this device integrates with Apple's wee iPod nano receiver for Nike+ shoes allowing you to wirelessly track and monitor your runs and personal progress. Yes, it's a watch too; an LED display shows the time of day with those biggie, iPod icons appearing only when activated by the remote. It's also water resistant for you Mr. Sweaty McFaty, up to 50-meters in fact just in case your glands react unfavorably to your new Twinkie-free lifestyle.

Dell gets official with webcam-packing SP2008WFP monitor

Not that it'll come as much of a surprise to anyone that followed ourWeek o' Dell Scoops , but the company has now finally gotten official with its 20-inch SP2008WFP monitor, which is particularly notable for inclusion of a built-in webcam. That cam is of the 2.0 megapixel variety, and also includes a built-in microphone to let you get in some videoconferencing with minimal clutter. Otherwise, you can expect some pretty solid specs across the board, including a 1680 x 1050 resolution, a 2,000:1 contrast ratio, a 2 ms response time, a 300cd/m2 brightness rating, and both VGA and DVI ports (with HDCP), not to mention four USB 2.0 ports. One thing we didn't know before was the price, which has now been revealed to be just $289. No complaints there.

Blog Tang A+

While the Blog Tang A+ seems to fall short in the blogging department, there's plenty to make up for that. Like a 4.3-inch LCD, 30fps "high-def" video and up to 160GB of storage. Codec support is plentiful, including fan-faves like OGG in addition to the usual video and audio suspects, and there's line-in recording as well as TV out. The 40GB version starts the bidding at 1,299 yuan ($173 US), with prices up to 2,199 yuan ($293) for 160GB

Audio Technica's

Audio Technica's no stranger to high-end cans, and we must say, its flagship set for 2007 (its words, not ours) looks mighty sexy. The ATH-ESW9 Sovereign Wood Headphones are crafted from "Japan's finest Hokkaido cherry tree," feature 42-millimeter neodymium magnet drivers with fiberglass housing support, and come bundled with a carrying case to keep these beauties clean when not in use. You can pick these up to listen to (or just look at) come October 19th for ¥37,800 (or about $330).