Gadgets, Gizmos, and Games for Geeks

This week, Kensington Computer Products announced a very cool new FM transmitter for iPods. What’s unique about this model is that it’s the first to use the Radio Data System (RDS) to transmit and display song titles and artist information to car stereos that support this technology.

Toshiba has delayed the release of the first HD DVD recorder until the end of July as a result of inventory shortages of some components. The launch was originally slated for release in Japan on July 14 and is now set for July 27.

Microsoft wants you to have an 80’s style arcade party for free, complete with Pizza, free arcade game downloads and free 80’s tunes. Simply send an e-mail with your Xbox Live Gamertag to xlmail@microsoft.com, subject: “Arcade Party,” and Microsoft will get you your free stuff including a Papa Johns pizza, 1000 Xbox Live gamer points (for downloading Live!

According to this post at Kotaku, UMD format movies have been pulled from the shelves at Target stores this week. The format has struggled for acceptance amid sluggish sales of the only device that can currently play the format, the Sony PSP.

Sega of America has announced the release of it’s mech-combat game, Chromehounds for the Xbox 360. The game features 13 multiplayer modes and Xbox Live support for up to 20 players. In addition, the game has a single player mode where players experience “an alternate future where the Cold War never ended…” (now that’s a premise we’ve never heard before!)

This could be a huge breakthrough (if the manufacturers will adopt it, that is…) The Nikkei Net Interactive reported over the weekend that Ricoh is working on a single device which can play both Blu-Ray and HD DVD disks.

From the “early adopters get screwed” file… The folks over at MaxConsole have received copies of an anonymous and a (fuzzy) image of a purported HDMI port on what looks sort of like the back on an Xbox 360 MOBO.

A report claims that members of the Blu-ray camp, including Pioneer, won’t be ready to launch products in Europe until next year. Further reports show there’s a problem producing enough laser diodes for Blu-ray burners, and consumers will have to wait till January 2007 before Blu-ray really kicks off.

Axion Racing’s robotic Jeep Grand Cherokee is the first computer-controlled vehicle to conquer the complexities of climbing to the 14,110 foot summit of Colorado’s Pikes Peak. The tricked-out SUV climed to the top in just over 47 minutes, certainly not record time, but still quite impressive for a vehicle that has no driver.

I recently stumbled upon this nifty optical filter, called the Tvbeeboo. This device suction-cups onto the front of TVs or monitors up to 23″, and difuses the images in such a way to turn your old TV or monitor into a really cool ambient lighting source.

The folks over at Nintendo/Touch Generations thought it would be a nice gesture to send a birthday gift to President Bush for his impending 60th birthday. The gift: A Nintendo DS Lite and what could possibly be the most appropriate gift ever, a copy of “Brain Age.”

In a recent interview with PSM magazine, Kaz Hirai, president of Sony Computer Entertainment America, was quoted as saying: Generally speaking, over the past twelve years or so, there has been a consumer expectation that disc based games are maybe US $59 on the high end to US $39 on the low end… If it becomes a bit higher than US $59, don’t ding me, but, again, I don’t expect it to be US $100.

The folks at GoNintendo are reporting that someone at Sports Illustrated Kids jumped the gun and published the Nintendo Wii’s launch date. The article also accurately reflects the PS3’s launch date of November 17th (which has been officially announced.)

Sonare Technologies is now offering Babble, a sound processing device that allows you to have conversations at your cubicle or other open office, while preventing others from hearing what you’re talking about. The system scrambles your voice and projects the scrambled version over speakers.

Now it’s way too early to know how this Hi-Def DVD format war will play out, but the early reviews are playing out in HD-DVD’s favor. Now clearly, quality and performance don’t mean a win by any means (remember VHS vs.

In case the Xbox 360 and forthcoming PS3 are too sophisticated for your delicate taste, here’s a chance for you to return to the kinder, gentler, pre-Atari 2600 days… For the low, low price of $19.95 (USD), the folks at ThinkGeek are offering a complete electronics kit that allows you to build your own table tennis video game console.