Gadgets

Yet another rechargeable battery company has released an alternative to a bag full of AA batteries. This time around, it's Big Wave Power, which introduced its Titan I portable power source this week.

The device weighs only 4.8 ounces and is thinner than a deck of cards, 4.10 x 2.41 x.67 inches and recharge virtually any DC-power portable electronic device.

The company claims the Titan I can last over 3500 recharge cycles and can charge two devices simultaneously, one from the USB based 5 volt port, and another on the 9 volt FireWire based port. … Read more

TiVo has a new promotion that started this week that lets consumers get a free digital video recorder for the cost of a one-year subscription at a higher-than-normal rate.

From now until Nov. 29, a 40-hour recorder sells with a zero balance if the consumer signs up for TiVo service at a monthly price of $16.95 for at least one year, according to the Alviso, Calif.-based company's TiVo Your Way site.

TiVo's service traditionally costs $12.95 per month, $155.40 for 12 months and $299 for a subscription that lasts the lifetime of the recorder, … Read more

At the 22nd annual Flat Information Displays (FID) Conference, this week, vendors showcased the latest advancements in LCD, plasma and projection technology.

But a literal head turner was the eMagin Z800 3DVisor stereoscopic headset.

The visor allows for interactive 3D video game content or viewing movies on the equivalent of a 105-inch screen viewed at 12 feet, in full-color stereovision.

Complimenting the video is an integrated audio system with high-fidelity earbuds and a built-in, noise-canceling microphone. To power all these capabilities, the 3DVisor requires only a standard USB port.

Two high-contrast microdisplays inside the visor allow for full-motion video in … Read more

If you do not speak English, I am at your disposal with 187 other languages along with their various dialects and sub-tongues. -- Robbie the Robot, in Forbidden Planet

And for a mere $49,999.95, you too can chat with the special edition, life-size, fully animatronic remote-controlled version of the famous robot from the classic 1956 science fiction film.

The 7-foot, 100-pound robot is being sold by luxury goods retailer Hammacher Schlemmer and is created from the same blueprints, molds, and templates used to create the original costume.

Renowned Hollywood artist Fred Barton was commissioned to restore the original … Read more

Ahoy polloi! The upscale Razr phone, which has retailed for around $199, can now be found for around half that at select retailers.

Best Buy is advertising the phone for $89.99 this week, while Canadian carrier Rogers is selling it for about the same. (Canadians can also now buy the pink version of the phone which won't come out until December in the states.

Wal-Mart is expected to offer a similar price on the phone come Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.

The substantial price demonstrates how Motorola wants to capitalize on the success it has had with … Read more

If you've always wanted your name up in lights and are willing to settle for having it down on your belt, you might be just the demographic makers of the scrolling LED belt buckle are looking for.

The flashy accessory sold on ThinkGeek, IcedOut Gear and elsewhere features 147 light-emitting diodes surrounded by a chrome frame. You can store six messages containing up to 256 characters per message (enough room to walk around advertising your basic philosophy of life). Your message of choice scrolls from left to right and up and down at programmable speeds. For those who appreciate … Read more

The new Samsung SGH-d307 could make text-loving people like my sister very happy. With a flip of the display, the clamshell handset's numeric keypad swivels into a mini QWERTY keyboard, which could make it easier for sis to fire off ever-more detailed messages to text buffoons like me who can barely muster an ill-punctuated reply.

The phone, nicknamed "The Transformer" on Samsung's site (and shouldn't all gadgets have a nickname?), follows in the style footsteps of the now-defunct Motorola MPx, which got lots of attention last year for its dual-hinge configuration. The SGH-d307 weighs 4.… Read more

Some people sing in the shower, and apparently, some people sing on the john too. A toilet that plays MP3 music files really caught our eye and ear.

Japanese bathroom manufacturer Toto is now offering a commode that senses when you enter the room and automatically lifts the pre-warmed lid. Additional sensors next to the toilet activate an MP3 player with 16 preloaded tunes and a media slot for SD cards so you can load in your own music library.

After you're finished, the toilet automatically flushes and closes the lid. There's a separate attachment for a bidet … Read more

Tired of being tethered to a power outlet? Let the sun shine in, says Dutch firm Soldius.

The company out of Apeldoorn, Holland, has developed a consumer-use solar charger for mobile devices such as Apple's iPod, Research In Motion's BlackBerry or cell phones from Nokia, Motorola and others.

The 5-inch by 3-inch device known as Soldius1 converts solar energy into 6.58 volts at a maximum of 320 milliamperes of power after only about three hours in direct sunlight.

Battery life varies depending on the device, but you can keep it hooked up while in use, the company … Read more