All 4 Toys

The SmartQ 5 Mobile Internet Device is the cheapest MID ever nowadays as it cost at just 899 Chinese Yuan or about $132 after conversion. Powered by ARM processor, the SmartQ 5 will come out with a 4.3 inch touchscreen display at 800480-pixel resolution, WiFi 802.11b/ga and Bluetooth connectivity, and SD Card slot. The MID is running under Ubuntu Linux and has pre-installed with StarDict dictionary and FBReader ebook reader.

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What could possibly come after the iPhone 3GS? The iPhone 3GSS, of course! Joking aside, Apple’s dropped the 4G bomb on one of its latest job postings while seeking for a “Cellular Technology Software Manager” with “expert knowledge of… WCDMA/UMTS, HSPA, HSPA+, LTE etc.” That’s right, LTE. Now, we’re not saying this means a 4G-powered iPhone is next in line in the annual product cycle, nor does this listing confirm Apple’s favored 4G radio, but given AT&T’s interest in LTE plus its prolonged love affair with Cupertino, it’s pretty hard not to consider LTE as a realistic option on future portables, be it iPhone or even iPad. Frankly, it won’t be the end of the world if a 4G iPhone fails to turn up this summer — most of us here would rather have something with improved battery life, real multitasking, and 720p camera over those insane data speeds. No, really.

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LG Electronics today announced in Korea the worlds first Full LED 3D TV, the LX9500, which uses an innovative backlight structure to deliver spectacular pictures for the ultimate 3D experience. Measuring a mere 22.3mm thin, the LX9500 boasts 10,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio and TruMotion 400Hz (480Hz), LED-backlit set with a full 1080p resolution, and more interesting features. According to Reuters, the LX9500 will be available in 47- and 55-inch screen size. The 47-inch model will be go on sale from next week in Korea for $4,134), while the 55-inch model in May. Full specs after the jump

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Hey Dan, ever heard of a staging area to do your testing? Apparently not judging by the screenshot above. MacRumors took that “iPad – test – dan config – 3″ content from the CBS.com homepage for a spin and discovered what appears to be HTML5 (not Flash) video. A bit more sleuthing reveals several “webkit” (the foundation of the iPad’s and iPhone’s mobile Safari browser) calls after peeling open the css. This suggests that CBS is preparing to serve up parallel HTML5 content with the launch of the notoriously Flash-less iPad — take that Hulu — becoming yet another high-profile company swayed into providing video and other content in an Apple friendly format. Then again, maybe CBS is just testing a “what if” scenario with no intention of moving this into production any time soon. US netizens can try it themselves by setting your browser to spoof the iPad’s user agent and hitting the source below (for as long as it lasts) but you’ll need the iPad SDK Simulator to view the actual HTML5 videos. Read more »

Boston Acoustics has unveils the TVee Model 20, their new soundbar speaker system which designed to be easy to set up and use, allowing to improve your television experience. It consists of a slim, single “soundbar” that can be placed above or below a television, or it can be easily mounted on the wall, while the wireless subwoofer can be placed anywhere in the room to deliver added dynamic bass response. The TVee Model 20 incorporating Boston Acoustics’ Hyperbolic High Rigidity Transducer technology (or HHRT) in its driver, which the company claims allows for the lower price. Other features include remote learning function to adapt to remote controls you already have, so you can change the volume without changing remotes. The TVee Model 20 comes in gloss black, hooks up via the television’s line-output, indicating that this is stereo, rather than surround, and connects wirelessly to the subwoofer, which will require additional power. The Model 20 will retail for $299 when it ships in March.

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Unless you’ve been in one of a few key test markets, you’ve been pretty much out of luck boosting your AT&T signal in the comfortable confines of your home since the 3G MicroCell first launched — until now. Starting in the middle of next month in a deployment that spans “several” months, customers across the country should expect to see MicroCells pop up in their local regions. The device itself will run a one-time fee of $149.99 before a $100 mail-in rebate (when purchased with a “3G MicroCell calling plan,” though we don’t yet know what that constitutes). Separately, there’ll be a $19.99 plan bolt-on that offers unlimited calling when connected to the device — and anyone tacking on a new U-verse or DSL line of 1.5Mbps or higher will get another $50 rebate. It’s not the end of AT&T’s spectrum or backhaul concerns, we’re sure, but it’s a start. Read more »

Xbox 360 lovers rejoice! because Microsoft has released the 250GB Xbox 360 hard disk, thus allowing you to expand the storage on your games console. With the more space on your console, you can download game demos, Xbox Live arcade games, DLC, full games, TV shows, movies, music, clothes, equipment, pets for your avatar and etc. The Xbox 360 250GB Hard Drive includes a data transfer kit to easily migrate all of your saved data to your new hard drive. It comes preloaded with great HD game demos, videos, and an assortment of Xbox LIVE Arcade game trials. Available in stores today, the 250GB Hard Drive is priced at US$129.99.

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We know which one we’d rather take — but alas, we came packing the meager 4GB card in our personal phone as we sauntered up to SanDisk’s booth at a CTIA press event this evening, not that juicy 32GB bad boy right above it. At the top there you can see the silicon that goes into each and every 32GB microSDHC to come out of the foundry, and it’s pretty insane: 8 layers of 32nm 3-bit-per-cell memory. The SanDisk rep we spoke to said that other companies not capable of pulling off the 8 layer trick will be at a significant disadvantage, since they’ll need to go with a higher density at the brutal cost of a lower yield rate — and as we all know, a chunk of silicon that’s failed QA is little more than a paperweight (and not a very effective one at that). We’ll take three. Read more »

In 1997, Hypersonic joined the likes of Voodoo, AlienWare and Falcon Northwest in the gamble that gamers would buy what were then gut-wrenchingly expensive (think $10,000) custom PCs. Ten years later, it was gobbled up by memory manufacturer OCZ, and soon came to our attention for selling a chic, tiny, but somehow nicely specced 12.1-inch laptop. Today, the company is no more. The Hypersonic website reads that the firm is no longer accepting orders, and Techgage – speaking to OCZ’s chief marketing office Alex Mei — reports that while OCZ will honor all warranties, the company is ceasing marketing and sales support for the Hypersonic brand. Sad, yes, but at least it’s one fewer temptation to lure us extreme gamers into bankruptcy. Read more »