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Newman has never had much luck cranking out portable media players that were easy on the eyes, and unfortunately, things aren’t getting any better with the M8000. The bulky PMP features a 4-inch 320 x 240 resolution display, support for NES emulation and text viewing, a 1.3-megapixel camera, integrated speaker / microphone, video output, USB 2.0 connectivity and compatibility with a smattering of file formats. Unlike many craptacular rivals, this one comes in black or white and can be equipped with up to 250GB of internal hard drive space. Of course, it’s not like anyone with a shred of dignity is going to fork out $388 for the quarter-terabyte edition, but if you’ve got the coin to roll, you can certainly test the limits of buyer’s remorse.
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It looks like Verizon isn’t taking those 700MHz spectrum open access rules very seriously, and a certain competing bidder isn’t real happy. In a petition filed with the FCC by Google, the company alleges that Verizon is willfully ignoring the “plain meaning of the [open access] rule” by suggesting it will allow one type of access for users who use Verizon-approved devices, and another for those using third-party units. According to the document, “Verizon’s position would completely reverse the meaning of the rule such that the open access condition would apply to none of Verizon’s customers, and thereby render the condition a nullity.” The search giant is calling for the FCC to block Verizon’s $4.7 billion bid on the spectrum unless the company agrees to comply with the previously-decided open access rules. Since this isn’t the first inkling we’ve had that Verizon wasn’t down with open access, we’re not surprised, but it looks like Google has a little more fight left in them — and that could make all the difference. [Warning: PDF read link]

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We know that you love swarming bug-bots as much as we do, so of course we were thrilled to tell you about BAE Systems’ MAST project the other day. Luckily, the Army-contracted company didn’t stop at mere photos to scare the living daylights out of humanity, they also created a really cheesy, yet deeply frightening video to go along with them. Enjoy a glimpse of the Skynet-controlled / shredding-guitar future of warfare after the break — and don’t say we didn’t warn you.

Get ready to pay atelier sneaker prices for these babies, because designer MSTRPLN (not to be confused with MSTRKRFT) and Ubiq (not to be confused with Ubiquio) teamed up to produce some straight black Nike Dunks with built-in WiFi detection. It’s called A Step in the Right Direction, and we might actually agree.
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status, but until MTI Micro is edging dangerously close to vaporware2009 comes and goes, we suspect we still owe it the benefit of the doubt. The ever-boastful company is at it once again, this time showing off a purported fuel cell powered-GPS prototype at the International Small Fuel Cells Conference in Atlanta. The Mobion-powered device promises to provide “three times as much energy as GPS devices powered by four disposable AA batteries,” meaning that users could see up to 60-hours of continuous use on a large, full-color screen navigator. You’ll also find an integrated USB port for using it as an energy source, so you could theoretically utilize your NAV to charge your handset / PMP / ray gun. At this point, however, we wouldn’t get too excited here — it’s not like there’s any guarantee that we’ll ever see this thing in commercial form.
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What do you know? Yet another outlet for you to happily blow $179. As of today, Popcorn Hour’s heralded A-100 HD media streamer is finally available for the public at large to pre-order. Previously, folks had to actually sign a list just to be blessed with the privilege of placing an order, but now it seems supply is at long last flowing in nicely. The company has even set up a forum to keep customers informed of order status, but we wouldn’t dillydally around — these are still being sold on a first come, first served basis.
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If Pioneer’s AVIC-F500BT satnav unit got you all hot and bothered, then big brothers NavGate AVIC-F900BT and AVIC-F700BT should totally wreck your lifestyle. The new units sport all kinds of funky functions, like a 5.8-inch WVGA touchscreen display, built in DVD player (CD for the F700BT), 3D mapping with text to speech, PMP functionality with playback of MPEG, DivX, MP3, and WMA files, plus Bluetooth support for cell phones and the ability to manage up to 300 contacts. The do-it-all units also feature SD card support and USB jacks. Both new models will go on sale in Europe, Russia, Australia, and the States sometime in June, no word on pricing yet. You can watch a demo of the unit in action in the video after the break. C’mon… you know you want to.
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Toshiba is getting back in the swing of things with a round of Summer updates for a bunch of laptops (at least in Japan). First up on the block is the Qosmio F40, the €1352, 15.4-inch model which now trades its HD DVD drive or a DVD multi option, sports a Core 2 Duo T8100 CPU atop a GN965 Express chipset, 2GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, and HDMI outs. The company has also updated the Dynabook AX (€922), which now comes in a pink, white, or shiny black casing, with a Celeron 550 CPU on board, 2GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, HDMI outs, and a Super Multi optical drive. The 15.4-inch, WXGA-screened TX gets an bump in the form of the Core 2 Duo T8100, plus 2GB of RAM, 200GB hard drive, and those HDMI / Super Multi drive fixin’s, all for €1100. Finally, the smaller, 13.3-inch CX line sports the same CPU, 2GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, everything else that the other models have, and a totally awesome €1230 price tag.
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Black Edition Bluetooth speaker — that was introduced around a fortnight ago — will also include the same technology. Yep, a NFC-enabled Bluetooth version will soon be available for purchase, giving owners of Just days after we got wind of the NFC-ified Nokia 6212 comes word that the PARTYNFC handsets the ability to pair up their device by simply getting up close and personal with the speaker. Specs wise, expect it to boast six total watts of power, a 5-button user interface, eight hours of battery life and an auxiliary input for times when a vanilla DAP will have to do. Word on the street has this one landing in the summertime for £79 ($156), but we’ve yet to see any official details on US pricing / availability. Check the full release after the jump.
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For those breaking into a sweat trying to decide whether or not the Nike+ SportBand is really worth your hard earned dollars / euros / pounds / Schrutebucks, simmer on down. The runners over at the Stuff offices have snapped one up and tossed out their two pence. Summarized as a “Nike+iPod system without music,” the unit was given fairly high marks all around. It was noted that calibration was highly recommended before taking on the London Marathon, but that setup was a real lesson in simplicity. Design wise, most everything was kosher save for the detachable face (Link USB drive) that may not fit perfectly in slim laptops sitting flush on a table and the non-backlit display that proved difficult to see at night. Believe it or not, critics still found the SportBand to be a joy to use despite the aforesaid quirks, but given the drawbacks, we’d certainly recommend trying out a pal’s before throwing down for your own.