Buffalo's 802.11n WiFi dongle: small in size, tiny in price

by Thomas Ricker, posted Jan 15th 2009 at 3:59AM

Small, fast, and cheap... what could be better? Buffalo's WLI-UC-GN 802.11b/g/n dongle measures just 16 × 33 × 8-mm and costs a mere ¥2,100 (about $24). It supports both Buffalo's proprietary AOSS and the Wi-Fi Alliance'sWPS to simplify the process of connecting to secure WiFi networks. Look for the USB 2.0 adapter to ship in Japan and beyond starting next month. Check the hot male-to-female USB bunging after the break.

[Via Akihabara News]

Buffalo's 16GB 5mm USB Thumbkey: It's really small

by Joseph L. Flatley, posted Jun 24th 2009 at 6:58PM

This isn't the first time Buffalo's blown our minds with its lilliputian tech. The WiFi dongle, you have to admit, was pretty sweet. What can we say about the 5mm Thumbkey drive? For starters, it's really small. And it has a 16GB capacity. And it''ll cost you about $136 when it goes on sale (any day now). Sure, that's a tad pricey for a device that lacks gears and rubies -- but did we mention how small this thing is?

[Via OhGizmo!]

Seagate introduces FreeAgent Go Dock+ with powered USB hub

by Nilay Patel, posted Jun 24th 2009 at 4:58PM

We have no idea why Seagate buried this in a warmed-over press release touting rehashed FreeAgent for Mac drives, but there's a new $40 FreeAgent Go Dock+ that doubles as a powered three-port USB hub. Pretty convenient if you're into the whole FreeAgent Go lifestyle, we'd say, but we're sticking with our versatile bareback SATA docks.

Turn by Turn navigation in the App Store -- from AT&T

by Mel Martin on Jun 23rd 2009

The company that iPhone users either love or hate has just surprised everyone with a turn by turn navigation solution now available at the app store. While app is free, to use it you'll have to pay AT&T US$9.99 a month, which is charged to your monthly bill.

AT&T Navigator [App Store] is part of a partnership withTeleNav, and it gives voice directions, along with automatic rerouting and real time traffic updates.

The app will find the lowest gas prices along the way, but it doesn't integrate with your address book for entering destinations. You can enter destinations from a PC or Mac, and sync them to your iPhone.

The maps are not on your phone, so if you lose data reception, good bye navigation.

The app requires an iPhone running OS 3.0. AT&T offersthis service on some of their other smartphones, so I guess it wasn't a surprise to see it on Apple devices. This will be good for competition, as we await the announced product from TomTom and others who are keen to profit from the demand for navigation services.

If any of our readers try this app, we'd be interested in your thoughts.

Belkin rolls out new cases for iPod nano 4G

• June 5, 2009
• iPod Accessories
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Belkin has introduced its new Micra and Fuse Cases for the fourth-generation iPod nano. The Micra Glamcase offers a shiny, sparkling finish by embedding glass beads inside the clear case, while the Micra Dusk case offers a smoky charcoal tint, subtly changing the color of the nano inside, and the Micra Chex case adds a white checkerboard pattern to the device. Every Micra case is made from polycarbonate, includes a ClearScreen Overlay screen protector, offers open access to all ports and controls, and sells for $20, or $25 for a 2-Pack. TheFuse Case blends a matte black polycarbonate bottom with a colorful, glossy polycarbonate top piece, adding a paint drip design on the back reminiscent of Apple’s nanochromatic advertisements. Available in pink/black, yellow/black, red/black, clear/black, purple/black, and blue/black, the Fuse Case sells for $25. Belkin’s new Fuse and Micra Cases for iPod nano 4G are available now.

05JUN09

TUAW First Look: Parachute Panic for iPhone

by Dave Caolo on Jun 3rd 2009

I love iPhone games. Zen Bound, Frenzic and Peggle are among my favorites. Each feels right on the phone, from the utilization of the touch screen to the graphics and sound. Best of all, there's no definitive end, so I can continue to play for as long as I like.

Earlier this week, they were all knocked down a peg as Parachute Panic [App Store link] became my favorite. It's part Defender, part SketchFighter 4000 Alpha and a lot of fun. The goal is simple: Allow paratroopers safe passage from an airplane to the deck of a ship. As they fall, you must deploy their chutes (some open on their own but most don't; I'd have a word with the manufacturer) while avoiding rotating helicopter blades, abducting space aliens, electrical storms and hungry sharks. Additionally, you've got to alter the wind direction to ensure they hit the target and not the open sea.

Brando's Paper Storage Box inconspicuously hides your HDDs

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 3rd 2009 at 5:42PM

Oh, Brando -- how you make our hearts flutter. One day, you're pumping out new kit fit only for our Crapgadget roundup; the next, you're delivering gems such as this. The 5-bay HDD Paper Storage Box with Cover covertly hides up to five of your precious 3.5-inch hard drives, and it likely provides more security for your personal information than a fireproof lock box. 'Cause really, what data thief is going to shuffle through a cardboard container looking for valuable platters?

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Mojo Mobility shows off wireless charging on Intel MIDs

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 5th 2009 at 1:33AM

Despite overwhelming evidence showing that MIDs just aren't the next big thing, Intel refuses to give up on the idea. To that end, Mojo Mobility has seemingly drank the Kool-Aid as well, showing off a new wireless charging system on those very devices at Computex. The Near Field Power solution can be integrated into mobile devices much like the Palm Pre, and the Mojo pad enables current to be transferred easily as soon as the device is laid to rest on said mat. Heck, it's even smart enough to turn itself off once the device reaches a full charge. Unfortunately, pricing for the Mojo system is still undisclosed, but we're told that several OEMs are already looking into baking it into their next-gen products.

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so  I'm behind....

Facebook rolls out its revamped apps directory

by Josh Lowensohn

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As anticipated from last week's Facebook company blog post, the company has rolled out a redesigned directory of applications that has been tweaked to better show off verified applications. The company has also trimmed the number of categories down to just seven from a list that had grown to 22.

Verified applications are those that have gone through Facebook's new annual verification program, which costs $375, or $175 for students. Facebook vets these apps to make sure they conform to the company's standards both in content and in API usage.

Apps that have been verified get a little green check mark next to their name, along with a large badge that goes on their description pages. With this move it also nets verified apps more exposure within the directory. They're now shown off in a new featured section that goes on top of all the other applications in each category.

While users can choose to only view verified apps in each category, one area where verified apps do not have as much importance is with Facebook's search. If you do a search for an app, it does not tell you whether it's been verified or not within the results, something that Facebook could change as an additional incentive for developers to pay up to get verified.