Samsung Instinct HD spotted in the wild, powered on

We've already seen one exceedingly blurry image of Samsung's Sprint-bound Instinct HD, and one seemingly official image courtesy of Best Buy, but Phone Arena has now gotten its hands on what looks to be the most complete set of pics to date. That includes a peek at the phone's mostly familiar-looking interface, a quick comparison with some of its predecessors, and a look at some curiously repositioned Sprint and Samsung logos, which now match the Instinct S30 (whatever that may signify). Hit up the link below to check out the whole set for yourself.

Sony Alpha 850 full-frame DSLR given the hands-on treatment

Sony debuted three fairly high-end cameras earlier today, but there's no question that the full-frame, 24.6-megapixel Alpha 850 is the flagship of the lot, and sure to garner the most attention (if not necessarily the most purchases). Thankfully, the folks at Pocket-lint have managed to get their hands on the DSLR, and have naturally provided plenty of pics showing it off from every angle (paired with Sony's 50mm F2.8 Macro lens). Hit up the read link for the complete slide show, and a bit more time to contemplate the $2,000 price tag it'll be sporting come September.

FCC formally launches inquiry into wireless competition

Well, we can't say we didn't see this one coming. At today's meeting, the FCC has said that it will be launching a formal inquiry into the wireless industry and specifically into certain business practices of the big four: AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile USA , and Verizon Wireless. The commission hasn't yet detailed exactly how they're going to go about this, but you can bet they'll be looking into exclusivity deals between handset manufacturers and carriers. And who knows? They might be interested in the whole iPhone / AT&T / Google Voice conundrum, especially if it turns out that AT&T had a hand in dissing the app. According to Reuters, the agency is looking into "how competition affects consumers," with an eye towards further investigations into other areas, including cable and broadband.[Via Phone Scoop]

Switched On: Microsoft and Nokia trade posturing for pragmatism

Few tech giants have circled each other as intently over the past decade as Microsoft and Nokia -- Big PC vs. Big Handset, not quite direct competitors but hardly partners, and only occasionally backing common initiatives such as DLNA. But this year there have been signs that relations between the two companies have been thawing -- the Finnish tundra's warmed to the Seattle rain. In March, Nokia announced that it would support Microsoft's Silverlight on its S60 handsets. And earlier this month, the two companies announced a "global alliance" that will begin with Microsoft porting Mobile Office to Symbian in order to compete more effectively against fast-growing Research in Motion.Just weeks after that announcement, however, both companies have made moves in each other's space that show they're willing to break with longstanding positions in order to capture a share of the other's opportunity.

Spotify for iPhone gets thumbs up from Apple, subscription music with offline playlists is a go

Streaming and subscription music services are a dime a dozen on iPhone, and they seem to get past Apple's app store approval hurdles with relative ease. But Spotify was one whose fate wasn't so clear cut, given its offline playlist function -- which as the name suggests downloads songs ahead of time for you to listen to when there's no WiFi or phone service to stream from -- could very easily fall into the category of "duplication of core iPhone functionality" and get deep-sixed at the drop of a hat. Turns out that's not the case here, as an Apple spokesperson has told paidContent UK that the app's been given the metaphorical stamp of approval and would be hitting the store "very soon." A premium subscription will run about £9.99 ($16.20) per month, with an option to pay annually coming at a later date. Of course, there's a catch, as Spotify's service is only available in Sweden, Norway, Finland, the UK, France and Spain for now. The company expects to invade America sometime later this year, but that means another round of app store approvals -- and with Apple's track record on consistency, there's no telling how that'll turn out.

Video: Human-carrying robot bear gets cuteness upgrade

The original RI-MAN may have had the whole human-carrying thing down while still managing to be somewhat soft and cuddly, but it looks like the robot-makers behind it have decided to go one step further with their new model, which has been given a complete bear makeover (sans teeth and claws, thankfully). Now dubbed RIBA (or "Robot for Interactive Body Assistance"), the new bot is still intended to more or less act as a robot nurse, and can reportedly lift patients up to 135 lbs out of bed or a wheelchair, while also making use of a full range of tactile sensors and some special "soft skin" material to ensure the short journey is as comfortable as possible. Did we mention there's a video? Of course there is. Head on past the break to check it out.[Via Pink Tentacle

Coby's netbooks seemingly real, taking pre-orders

Sure -- we haven't seen or heard anything about Coby's netbook line since way back in January at CES, but that didn't stop them from showing up for pre-order, did it? Color us a little surprised, but here they are. Two models have appeared on Amazon for pre-order. The 12.1-inch Coby NMPC1220XPBLK apparently boasts a 1024 x 800 resolution, a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 CPU, 1GB of RAM, and a 160GB hard drive, while the NBPC1022XPBLK is a 10.1-incher with identical specs. The first runs $423, while the 10.1-inch model is $318. So tell us: will you be ordering one?[Via Liliputing]

Xbox 360 with 250GB HDD and Forza 3 spotted on Amazon Germany

Now that the Xbox 360 Elite has officially dropped in price and killed off the Pro, it was only a matter of time before there'd be a new rumor to pin on Microsoft's console. Amazon Germany, who previously listed the PlayStation 3 Slim a good 20 days before the official debut (it still has the same Amazon Stock Identification Number as it did when leaked), has gone ahead and posted a new Xbox 360 model, ASIN in tow, with a 250GB HDD, two wireless controllers, and Forza Motorsport 3. Price is listed at 279 euros ($397), a good 30 euros over the current Elite price. No release date, but Forza 3 isn't due out until at least October 23rd so we'd say you got awhile to wait and see if this pans out. Any chance we can get a built-in WiFi adapter along with that extra storage space?[Thanks, skipper]

Sony Alpha 500 DSLR gets a hands-on

Sony's announcement of the three Alpha line cameras just came today -- but we're already seeing plenty of them. Pocket Lint's got a fairly extensive hands-on with the Alpha 500, which boasts an Exmor CMOS 12.3-megapixel sensor, an ISO range of up to 12,800, with a four frames per second continuous shooting. It also packs an HDR shooting mode, and an HDMI output. The Alpha 500 will be out in October, and it will run you $750. There's one more shot after the break -- hit the read link for the full set.

WPA networks cracked in just under a minute, researchers claim

To think it was just a few months ago that we thought taking 15 minutes to crack WPA encryption was a feat. Researchers from Kobe University in Japan are claiming they can best that by a wide margin by cracking any WPA-protected connection using the TKIP algorithm within just one minute flat. The details will be revealed at a tech conference on September 25th. Feeling paranoid? Bump up your encryption to the still-secure AES algorithm or WPA2... and if you're just wanting to live life on the edge, consider downgrading to WEP -- it's as good as open at this point anyway.

Dual-screen gScreen laptop gets pictured, hopefully launching this year

We were pretty skeptical of gScreen's plans to produce a line of dual-screen laptops rocking when we first heard about them in February, but here we are, looking at the first picture we've seen of the Spacebook laptop. We're told it has two 15.4-inch displays -- since the company knows you don't always need both screens, the second stows away behind the first and slides out when you need it, just like the Lenovo W700ds. Except, you know, with a full-size screen. Inside, you'll have a selection of Core 2 Duos, 4B of RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 900M GT graphics, and a 7200rpm drive -- all of which explain why it's expected to cost just south of $3,000. gScreen's planning on having this on sale by the holidays, along with a dual-13-inch model -- let's hope the company can pleasantly surprise us yet again.

Twitter and Facebook for Xbox Live will be free for Gold members, 'free trial' for Silver

This shouldn't really come as too much of a surprise, but anyone wanting to enjoy Twitter and Facebook on Xbox Live will have to pony up for Gold member subscription, the same premium prerequisite currently needed for Netflix Instant Watch and pretty much all online gaming. Silver membership will be given a "free trial," but exactly what limitations that entails, or if they'll be an option to "upgrade" to the full version, is anyone's guess.

Squeezebox Touch unboxed and in the wild

Well, what do we have here? Looks like someone got their hands on Logitech's Squeezebox Touch a little bit early and was kind enough to snap some pictures. According to the hapless owner and photographer, however, it's stuck in software update mode and the company's support line refuses to acknowledge its existence. Major bummer, but when it does work, here's what we've gleaned from the side of the box: a 4.3-inch 24-bit color LCD with capacitive touch, 802.11b/g WiFI, Ethernet, USB drive and SD card support, a variety of audio out including digital optical, and an infrared proximity sensor. Audio streaming support is still there, naturally, so you'll have access to Pandora, Sirius, Last.Fm, and pretty much every major provider. Hit up the read links to see the pictures and express your sympathy.[Thanks, Kris P]

China Telecom talking to Palm for the Pre?

Nabbing a contract with a carrier pushing into nine-figure subscriber count territory would go a long way toward helping any manufacturer's woes, so it's reasonable to believe that Palm would be shopping its latest wares around the streets of Hong Kong and Beijng where China's big three carriers are headquartered. Intriguingly, the Financial Times has just casually mentioned in a somewhat-unrelated piece that "China Telecom is planning to offer the Palm to its subscribers," a perfect fit considering that rival Unicom is poised to launch the iPhone and Telecom runs CDMA with nascent EV-DO coverage in the works. The Pre already knows a thing or two about CDMA networks from its Sprint and Bell launches, of course, so they've already got that base covered -- beyond that brief FT mention, though, we've got nothing, so it's hard to say when this might be hitting retail.

Iomega introduces StorCenter ix4-200d NAS

Iomega just expanded its StorCenter NAS line with the new-four bay StorCenter ix4-200d. Just like the smaller ix2, the ix4 can handle pretty much whatever you throw at it: filesharing over a laundry list of protocols, streaming to iTunes, an Xbox 360, handling your Time Machine backups -- it can even take video directly off Axis-brand IP surveillance cameras. On the hardware side, you're looking at dual Gigabit Ethernet ports, three USB ports for printer sharing and additional storage, and a "QuikTransfer" button that'll let yo copy files directly from a flash drive to the NAS without a computer. The downside? You'll have to pay for all that power: the 2TB version costs $700, and the top-of-the-line 8TB model will set you back a whopping $1,900. Yes, you can just get a dedicated server for that kind of money, but then you wouldn't be able to say you were rolling with NAS, now would you?[Via Yahoo]

Samsung Reclaim Corn-Fed Ecophone Impressions and Gallery

Yes, it's a dumbphone, but it's a dumbphone with ideals. The Samsung Reclaim is as much an environmental statement as it is a slide-out QWERTY messaging phone. The first thing you'll notice about Sprint/Samsung's $50 green blue handset is its size—it's adorably small and pebble-like when it's closed. Actually wait, no, the first thing you'll notice is the packaging. Remember all that talk about minimizing cardboard waste, and not including a manual? This is what we got:

US Pays More For Cellphone Service, Carriers Insist That We Are Not Getting Screwed

A survey by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) revealed that the US, Canada and Spain pay considerably more for cellphone service than dozens of other nations. Of course, the carriers were quick to spin the findings.
"On average, the OECD found that Americans pay $635.85 on cell phone service, compared to $131.44 per year in the Netherlands or $137.94 per year in Sweden."
As you might expect, the wireless industry issued a press release proclaiming the study was based on "flawed assumptions" that "just don't make sense." If you look at the data the way carriers would like, you're getting quite the bargain. The CTIA does have a point that the OECD's usage categories seem low — particularly when it comes to MMS use. Another reason U.S. prices seem high? Carriers charge a hell of a lot of money for service. They also spend millions on lobbyists who tirelessly work to eliminate consumer protections and price controls.
It does appear that OECD's findings are inflated—after all, the three countries mentioned on this list have bigger appetites for wireless technologies and services. Still, I have little doubt that carriers are sticking ti to us in one form or another. [DSLReports via Consumerist]

Qik Video Sharing Application Now Available for iPhone 3GS

Prepare to share your naughty bits, boring landscape panning scenes, and most embarrassing moments, because Qik is available for the iPhone 3GS, allowing you to share video using email, SMS, Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook, among many others. [iTunes via Qik]

"Take Back the Beep" Voicemail Crusade Takes Back Its First Beeps

Who knew David Pogue's consumer insurrection against scummy, minute-hoarding voicemail messages would actually work? Sir David would like to report that most major carriers have at least responded to the campaign, and AT&T is cutting down on message length.
The collected responses provide an interesting glimpse of how each carrier deals with problems, and its customers. Pogue's results:
• AT&T is "actively exploring" how to make its messages shorter, and says that visual voicemail, which will make this issue moot in a few years anyway, is a priority.
• T-Mobile says the issue has their "attention," which is either a promising acknowledgment, or just a statement of an incredibly obvious fact.
• Sprint rightly reminds us that you can turn off extended messages on their service already, and explains how. Thanks, Sprint.
• Verizon would very much like David Pogue to shut his stupid face, please, because he said means things about them on TV Twitter. Everyone else was cool!
You can read the full carrier responses here, but there are two main takeaways here: the campaign is actually working, so, you know, good job everyone; and it's clearly not over yet, until AT&T follows through, T-Mobile clarifies what their "attention" is worth, and Verizon cools down a little bit. A reminder:

Solar Shower Heats Water In Two Hours, But You'll Need It Cold (Trust Me)

Is there a solar shower in this image somewhere? My eyes are inexplicably drawn to the right.
Seriously though, somewhere in this image is an outdoor shower that heats water up to 140 degrees in two hours using solar power. Of course, now all you can think about is a cold shower right? Well, the product page will bring you crashing back down with the imagery conjured up by the following line:
"you and your family can take several showers consecutively before the tank needs to reheat."
That is so wrong. [Herrington viaRed Ferret via DVICE]

Dell Vostro all-in-one

There are some pretty keen gadgets shipping out today, headlined by the Dell Vostro All-In-One. The desktop's good looks will be sure to please anyone in the market for a stylish PC to spruce up the office.
• The Dell Vostro all-in-one is now gracing North America after spending the last month exclusively in the Japanese market. The 19" desktop comes with a VESA mount or can be ordered with a nifty futuristic armstand. The base configuration includes a 2.6 GHz dual-core CPU, 2GB of RAM and a 160 GB HDD. Unlike its Japanese counterpart, the Northa American Vostro has a 1.3 mega-pixel webcam; pricing for the base configuration starts at $599 after $30 in instant savings and the armstand will add an additional $90. [Electronista]

iHome's iP1 iPod and iPhone speaker dock

Today's available gadgets covers everything from speakers to smartphones. iHome's high-end iPod and iPhone dock is up for grabs, along with a new laptop from Lenovo. The HTC Touch Pro2 is out as well, but watch out for the price.
• iHome's iP1 iPod and iPhone speaker dock we saw back in May started shipping yesterday, and it's certainly a far cry from the clock radio docks that the company is known for. The iP1 is iHome's first to use Bongiovi Acoustics' Digital Power Station audio enhancement, although the feature can be switched off if you wish. The speakers have a total output of 100w from two 4" woofers and 1" tweeters. On the video side, the dock sports both composite and component outputs. The iP1's lucite panel looks great, and the specs make it seem like a solid performer on paper. As with any speaker system, though, it's best to try before you buy. Available now for $299. [iHome via iPod NN]
• Lenovo's IdeaPad U450p is up for order as of today. The light-but-not-quite-ultralight 14" laptop packs an anti-glare LED-backlit LCD and an Intel ULV processor into a swanky brushed metallic body. The computer is available today starting at $799, but don't expect it to be waiting on your doorstep next week. Lenovo's pegged the estimated shipping date for mid-September. [Lenovo via Engadget]

Gadgets Available Today

The gadgets launching today will satisfy everyone from pill poppers to Trek junkies. The new internet enabled GlowCaps will help keep tabs on what drugs need to be taken while the Myvu Crystal EV provides the entertainment in between doses.
• Vitality is launching a new internet enabled version of their GlowCap prescription reminder system. Patients attach the device on to the top of their prescription bottles, and GlowCap will give a light and sound alert when the drugs should be taken. The new GlowCaps connect to an included wireless home system that sends out information to caregivers giving them a detailed log of what medicines have been taken, and if the patient has failed to keep up with a drug regimen; the home system can also determine how many doses are remaining and alert a pharmacy if the patient is running out of medicine. The GlowCap can be purchased for $99. [BusinessWire]
• Myvu is updating it's video eyewear line with the Myvu Crystal EV. The EV boasts a 64" equivalent screen (a 30% upgrade over the original Crystal) shown in full VGA. A new "glance down" feature allows users to see what's going on around them with a simple tilt of the head. In addition to the spec updates, the Crystal EV also has the distinction of being the first eyewear viewer with an Apple iPhone Certification and is a part of the Nokia Forum. You can start living your Geordi La Forge fantasy for $300. [PR Newswire]

Google Chromium on Mac Kicks Every Other Mac Browser's Ass

Google Chromium 4.0, the pre-alpha version of Chrome, may still be buggy and crashy as all hell, but it's also incredibly fast, according to benchmarks: 34% faster than Safari, for one, and more than twice as fast as Firefox.
These numbers are based on Javascript benchmarks, which don't give a total view of a browser's speed but do tell us how adept a browser is at dealing with intensive code. Chromium scored 657ms on the test to Safari's 886ms. Firefox scored 1,508ms and Opera 10 Beta 3 (my personal browser of choice) lagged way behind with 5,958ms. Keeping in mind that Chromium is pre-alpha and thus better seen as a fun dev project than an actual candidate for a primary browser, we're pretty excited. Once Google irons out the bugs and gets some damn extensions, Chrome on Mac is going to be a stiff challenger to Firefox. [CNET]

Corsair's Flash Voyager GT: The World's Fastest 128GB USB Flash Drive

Corsair, who seem to spend all their time finding speed records and then breaking them, announced their Flash Voyager GT USB flash drive at the droolworthy 128GB capacity. Even better, the speeds totally don't suck: 32MB/s and 25.6MB/s read/write, respectively.
The first 128GB USB flash drive we say, the Kingston Datatraveler 200, was mostly a proof of concept, with relatively slow read/write speeds of 20/10MB/s. It was also prohibitively expensive at nearly $550. Corsair's drive has the speed to be really enviable, and it comes in even cheaper than the Kingston drive. Note, however, that we didn't say it's affordable, at all—Newegg is selling it for $400. Still, it's pretty great to be able to carry around even a massive music collection in the change pocket of your jeans. [Corsair]

Dell's Android Smartphone: New Photos and Specs

We've mentioned Dell's rumored phone could hit China in very near future, and if legit, this info backs up the impression of the device being all-but ready. Specs could include a 3.5-inch display (640x360), GPS, MicroSD slot, and 3Mp camera.
These new pics look pretty real, and match what we've seen before. Seems like the Ophone mini3i (as China Mobile may call it), is looking increasing like a done deal.
* Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE class 12* Size: 68.6cc* 103g grams weight* Dimensions: 58 x 122 x 11.7mm* Display: 3.5″ nHD 640×360 LCD, 18-bit, 262K colors* OTA capable* Microsoft Exchange support* Google, AIM, Yahoo and MSN IM support* 3 megapixel auto-focus, flash, 8x digital zoom camera with 30fps video shooting mode, built in photo editor* USB 2.0, Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR* A-GPS* On-screen QWERTY keyboard, hardwriting recognition, multi touch UI* MicroSD slot
[Boy Genius Report]

Awesome Porcelain Speakers Are Too Classy for My Desk

This 2.0 speaker set (the toaster-looking piece is a volume control, not a subwoofer) may not be the most powerful set at 10W per channel, but they promise excellent conduction (and style) due to the unusual construction of ceramic-wrapped cork.

Bluelounge's Refresh Station Charges Four Devices At Once, Looks Pretty In Pink

The Refresh charging station is like a beautifully slimmed down version of Bluelounge's Sanctuary charger, with half the connections: 2x iPod/iPhone, 2x USB, plus single Micro USB and Mini USB plugs.

Power Plant Growing Machine to help you with your harvest

Are you sick and tired of muddy gardening? Here is a very handy gizmo to save the day. NASA researchers have found the way that makes it possible to grow your favorite plants whatever season it is with no soil at all. Christened the Power Plant Growing Machine, this smart gadget operates based on so called “aeroponics” technique thanks to which plants are well grown

Shake Weight to take off weight in no time

If your workout routine takes a lot of your free time but your desire for staying in good shape is extremely strong, the Shake Weight seems to fits the bill. This training gadget offers a smart technique to keep your shape effortlessly and in no time. With just 6 minutes a day, you will be able to build strong upper body muscles while saving your time. Shaped like a real dumbbell, this gizmo is easy to use. So all you need to do just hold it while the Shake Weight will operate for you intelligently

NVIDIA GeForce GTX GPUs liquid cooled by BFG

Submerging a motherboard with all of the adapters and fans inside the case into vegetable oil is indeed not new and not very popular. This has fewer upsides than problems it may cause while assembling and using the PC. Makes it of course more exiting, but prime advantage of all this – liquid cooling – has found interest between overclockers and gamers. So, a liquid cooling kit for a processor alone is an average thing these days. And now we got an announcement from BFG which sais they will do VGA cards with liquid cooling.

Preorders of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard are available at Amazon

Amazon has recently added long awaited Mac OS X Snow Leopard to a preorder list. Preorders of the upgrade pack to the 10.6 version are available now for 29 USD. This is not the only upgrade plan available – you can also choose a 49 USD five user "Family Pack" alternative (a lot like Microsoft's three-license upgrade variant). Server version will run up to 499 USD, Box Set up to 169 USD and Box Set Family Pack will set you 229 USD back.

Mouse Computer NextGear L720EV4-WS64 - another gaming PC from the East

Mouse Computer is rolling out another hi-end personal computer. This is the second one in this month and a second gaming PC this summer. The first one is of course the MASTERPIECE V1200. The latest one - NextGear L720EV4-WS64 – is quite a lot less stuffed, but is also a lot cheaper. One thing about it warns me though – considering its gaming intensions, NextGear L720EV4-WS64 may not be future proof, as a momentary choice it's quite alright. Specs follow.

Live a digital life with the iTalk Voice Alarm Clock

Have you ever imagined controlling your alarm clock without inputting anything? Named the iTalk Voice Alarm Clock, this smart alarm clock is designed to be as much intuitive as possible. This digital alarm clock boasts easy voice operation so you can verbally program it. No more need to set your alarm clock when you are drowsy.

HTC Hero Unboxed (with Gallery)

In case you’ve forgotten, the HTC Hero has a 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen, 5-megapixel camera, HSPA, WiFi b/g and GPS, together with the latest Android OS 1.5 “Cupcake”. Where it differs from HTC’s previous Android devices, however, is in HTC Sense, the company’s new UI which integrates with the open-source OS and adds numerous widgets and other usability improvements

Nokia N86 Coming to Nokia USA?

Nokia’s trying to make a big deal today about the fact that the N86 8MP will be coming to Nokia’s US flagship stores in New York and Chicago along with nokiausa.com in the “coming weeks,” but in light of the company’s recent North American strategy shift, the US availability of the N85, and the handling of the N97 launch, we’d be far more surprised if it wasn’t coming. As for pricing, you’re going to be looking at $558 out the door — an oddball price, to be sure, but considering that you’re getting arguably the best S60 3.2 device ever conceived, it seems within the realm of reason (and you’ll be able to get it through third-party retailers for considerably less, we’d wager). Who’s in?

Gigabyte Booktop M1022 and Touch Note T1028 Arrives in the U.S

Ready to battle the whoever is reigning supreme or threatening to take over the touch screen netbook/nettop market in the U.S. is Gigabyte with the availability of the Gigabyte Booktop M1022 and Touch Note T1028 netbooks.
Both Gigabyte touch screen machines are now selling at Amazon, with the Booktop M1022 having a price tag of $449, while the Touch Note T1028 is selling for $599

Samsung Ultra S Elegant Edition Available in Hong Kong

Samsung has unveiled a new version of the existing device, designed for girls or for everyone who digs pink color (actually that’s “Sakura pink”) for their handset. It’s called Samsung Anycall Ultra S S7350H Elegant Edition and it comes together with a pink leather pouch and a makeup mirror — ok, it’s for girls, only!

iPhone 3G S launched by 3 Italy for a Good Price

3 Italy has recently launched Apple’s new iPhone 3G S, and its prices are quite attractive.
On contract, the 16GB iPhone 3G S costs as low as €99 ($140). The 32GB model is obviously more expensive, starting at €199 ($280) with a contract agreement

BlackBerry Storm Get Cut Price at $99

We’re pretty sure the BlackBerry Storm 2’s announcement is coming soon, and we just got a little more evidence: The not-so-loved original Storm’s price has just been dropped to $99 with a 2-year contract.
If you’re sure you need to stick with Verizon, this probably looks enticing, but we’d definitely recommend waiting. The Storm 2 will probably cost in the $150-250 range to compete with the iPhone, Pre, and various Android offerings, and for all we know, it might be great. Even the BlackBerry Tour might be a better option that the original Storm, which isn’t the worst phone ever but hasn’t exactly been a fan favorite either. [Verizon]

Dell Mini 9 makes surprise reappearance on Dell's website

The official word from Dell may be that its Mini 9 netbook has hit "End of Life," but it looks like the company may have had a change of heart or (more likely) a surplus of excess stock, as the popular netbook has now made a surprise reappearance on its website. With a starting price of $299, however, it's not as cheap as some of the past deals we've seen, but you do still have your choice of quite a few configuration options, and a promised ship date of August 24th. So, if you've been holding off, you better get in now before they disappear, again.[Thanks, Rob and Nathan]

Unbagging: Joshua Topolsky

Who better to kick off Unbagging with, right? In the picture above you'll note Josh's Leatherman, dual EV-DO cards, heart pills, vast array of phones (all active, mind you), and totally awesome Ray-Ban Wayfarer IIs. Before you ask: yes, he does carry all this stuff around. Take a look at the full rundown of assets after the break.

Stealth Computer kicks and shoves its Warrior 2000 rugged tablet out the door

Stealth Computer isn't exactly going for much subtlety with a rugged laptop line called "Warrior," but subtlety is hardly part of the equation when we're talking about a convertible tablet that's protected from repeated drops, shocks, dust, water, and, um, lint. Like most such ruggedized computers, however, all that comes at some expense to performance, although this new 13.3-inch Warrior NW-2000 model is certainly still more than adequate with a 1.06GHz low-voltage Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, and a built-in DVD burner, not to mention optional 3G, GPS, and all the usual security measures like a fingerprint scanner and various password protection options. Oh, and a starting price of $4,895

Sharp's AQUOS DX2 HDTVs don't need any help to burn Blu-ray discs

So, Sharp, you introduced the world's first HDTV line with integrated Blu-ray players last year, what are you going to do next? Only naturally, the Japanese lineup of DX2 series one-ups the original DX by adding Blu-ray recording as well. It doesn't appear that these pack the LED backlighting of the new X-Gen based displays headed our way this fall, so for now buyers will have to make do with the 15,000:1 contrast ratio shared with the other D-series televisions. Still, the big deal here is that the 1080p (52-, 46- and 40-inch) and 720p (32- and 26-inch) displays will burn up to 30 hours of HD video on dual-layer Blu-ray discs, by way of transcoding and compressing to MPEG-4 format without any messy external boxes or wires. The price range from ¥170,000 ($1,740) at the low end to ¥480,000 for the largest size when these ship September 15 but don't count on seeing them on this side of the Pacific (or the Atlantic.)[Via AV Watch]

Sony S-Series Walkman lists itself on French retail site, just wants to be noticed

That Sony S-Series Walkman we spotted a couple of weeks ago has reared its speaker grill-laden head once more, only this time in what looks like an accidental unveiling on French retailer Materiel's website. According to the specs list -- accompanied by some new official press shots that give us little reason to doubt its validity -- the 8GB NWZ-S544 and 16GB NWZ-S545 feature a 2.4-inch QVGA widescreen display, stereo speakers, a microphone, FM tuner, a Li-ion battery for a reported 42 hours of audio / 6.5 hours of video, and what appears to be a built-in stand for convenient video watching. Codec support includes MP3, non-DRM AAC, WMA, H.254, MPEG4, and WMV. No fanciful colors like in the first pic, we've only got black listed for now, to the tune of 129€ ($182) for the 8GB model and 149€ ($211) for 16GB. We're still waiting on Sony to fess up to the device, but really, it can't get much more official. A price and release date for US would be nice, though.[Via Sony Insider]

How would you change Amazon's Kindle DX?

You didn't have to read much of our recent Kindle DX review to get a handle on our opinions of the super-sized e-reader, but as you've likely gleaned from the headline, this one's not about us. Instead, we're asking you to chime in with your take on this here device during this week's How Would You Change. Did you really gain anything from the larger screen? Have you found it useful in your line of work / education? Are you down on the keyboard? Given Amazon's history, we can't imagine that the DX will stay in this form forever, and listen, wouldn't you want to have a say in what gets changed on Revision B? Drop your most intimate thoughts on the matter below -- who knows, maybe Sir Bezos is tuning in just to cash in on your two pennies.

LG GD900 Crystal submerged in a fish tank

It's really a shame this isn't an out of box feature, but some ingenious modder has graced LG's GD900 Crystal phone -- you know, the one with the gesture-based transparent keypad -- with a custom water-resistant case that renders it perfect for swimming with the fishes. And so they did just that, dipping it into a fish tank. It'd make for one insanely hip charging dock, but we digress. Meanwhile in Russia, mobile@mail.ru has delivered some impressions on the device, with good words to say for the keypad's gestures but lamenting it's $899 suggested price tag, a figure higher than even the super sexy BL40 Chocolate. Aquatic footage is six feet under after the break, and hit up the read link below for the machine-translated impressions

Blu-ray support coming with iTunes 9?

Take this rumor with a fairly large grain of salt and please hold your "bag of hurt" comments until the end. Boy Genius claims he's got it on word from a "pretty reliable source" that the next big iTunes revision will include better organization options for your iPhone / iPod touch apps, something vague concerning integration with Twitter, Facebook, and Last.fm, and... Blu-ray support. To be fair, the HD disc format wars are all but over at this point, and the most recent Final Cut Pro actually lets you burn video directly to a third-party BD drive, only to have to play the discs on another, non-Mac device. This is all pretty sketch at the moment, and we doubt the boys in Cupertino will be showing their hands until just after the eleventh hour -- let's not forget, also, that iTunes is also available for Windows which does support Blu-ray natively. In possibly related whispers, AppleInsider has offered some none-too-descriptive hints at possible iMac refresh with some improvements catering to the "semi-professional audio / video crowd." Between this and talk about a tablet, we can't wait for the next Apple press conference, if only to subside all the rumors for a few months.

Sony's Party-shot dock crashes faux festivities to prove its potential for automated blackmail

You probably already know exactly how each and every one of your friends would feel about seeing an autonomous robot photographer at your next shindig. Crave Asia managed to snag one of Sony's new Party-shot docks for the office, and while the set up is described in an almost heartbreaking tone -- "We've got the lights, we've got the disco ball, but unfortunately we've got no friends," says the narrator -- you do get a pretty good feel for how the gizmo would work in a more celebratory setting. The swivel seemed to move a lot slower than we expected it to, although we can't be convinced without seeing it firsthand in a setting with more than two people. Now all that's left to prepare for is how to convince your camera shy guests that there'll be enough narcissistic attendees blocking the lens anyway. Video beyond the gates of the read link.

Gadget Deals Of The Day

Dealzmodo finishes off the week with a huge selection of monitor deals. If you're planning to pick up Madden 10 next week and live near a Micro Center, check out the incredible pre-order deal they're running. Enjoy your weekend