iPod speakers that look like a piece of Lego

iPod speakers that look like a piece of Lego
While looking for some speakers for my daughter's iPod today, I came across these little blighters that look like Lego bricks.

How cool is that?

You simply plug one into the bottom of your iPod and press play and that's it. You can share your music! And you adjust the volume using two of the little nodules!

And of course, being so small, one of these little iBlocks will fit into your pocket or handbag no problem at all - unlike some iPod speakers that require a wheelbarrow to make them truly portable.

The iBrick comes in three flavours - white, red and black - and can be used with all 3rd Generation iPods onwards, including the iPod Touch. Sadly they don't work with iPhones though.

The sound is pretty impressive for something so small, with the Active Bass System making sure the speakers give out quite a kick.

To keep the legal eagles happy, it's worth pointing out that Lego have nothing to do with the licensing or development of this product and that no Lego bricks were harmed in the making of iBlocks.

iBlocks are available online for £12.99 from IWOOT.

T-Mobile unveils the G1 Google Phone

T-Mobile unveils the G1 Google Phone


Imagine walking into a shop, picking up an item that you are interested in buying, scanning the barcode with your mobile phone and then having said phone tell you where you can buy said item for the lowest price.

With the credit crunch is full swing and Christmas fast approaching, who wouldn't want to be able to do that?

Well, it's just one of the soon to be countless things you'll be able to do if you sign up for T-Mobile's latest offering, the T-Mobile G1, better known to one and all as the Google Phone.

As the name suggests, the Google Phone was made for the internet. You get a big 3.2" screen and its 3G capabilities plus Wi-Fi mean you get connected at the best speeds available, depending where you are. You've got a slide out QWERTY keyboard, and a track ball as well as the touchscreen for navigation and writing those all important emails, texts and IM messages.

In fact you'll never miss an email, an IM or even a Facebook update because the T-Mobile G1 is always online and always synched up. And automatic updates also benefit from the fact that the internet connection is always on.

The good news is that unlimited internet access is part of the package deals on offer with the G1 Google Phone.

It's also got a camera, an adequate enough 3MP one, an MP3 player, and it has built in GPS too (so you can find your way to the shop selling whatever it is you want to buy at the best price).

But what makes the Google Phone all the more desirable is the fact that it is the first mobile phone to use the Android operating system and that gives you access to the open-source Android Market.

Some applications are free, others you have to pay for, but the fun you can have is endless. Cat lovers can even download an application that will make the Google Phone purr!

The Google Phone is available for free on T-Mobile when you sign up for an 18 month contract at £40 a month.

You can then choose either:

Unlimited internet access and up to 1,250 talk minutes or 2,500 texts (or any mix of the two

Or

Unlimited internet access, 800 inclusive minutes and unlimited texts

Want one? Visit the T-Mobile website.

Why BlackBerry will be causing a Storm this Christmas

Why BlackBerry will be causing a Storm this Christmas


Up until now, BlackBerry smartphones have been snapped up by the famous and infamous (as in Hollywood stars and investment bankers) and the important and self-important (as in politicians and Gordon Ramsay - I might have got those two the wrong way round).

All that could be about to change though with the coming of the Blackberry Storm, a consumer friendly smartphone that could bring the cult of Blackberry to the masses - and in doing so pose a genuine threat to the Apple iPhone.

Yes it really is that good.

Gone is the traditional Blackberry slide out keyboard and in its place is a 3.2" touch screen - a first for BlackBerry. And it's not any only touch screen either. Oh no. The Storm has a "clickable" touch screen - press a key and it will sound like you've just pressed a traditional keyboard key.

The big screen makes reading emails, editing documents, watching video and surfing the net a doddle and you can also rotate the handset and the screen will automatically configure what ever it is your looking at to best suit the screen's width.

Of course, Blackberry have always excelled in the communications department. But all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy and the Storm isn't about to let that happen.

The Blackberry Storm is exclusive to the Vodafone network in the UK and you can download music from the Vodafone Music Store direct to your handset. Not only that, you can connect the Storm to your PC or laptop and take songs from your iTune library if you have one. The 16GB exchangeable memory capacity will be music to your ears too.

Your Blackberry Storm will also guide you to your destination with its turn by turn satellite navigation capabilities courtesy of GPS and BlackBerry Maps.

And it even comes with a camera - 3.2 Megapixel with video capabilities. Now that's not the best camera you'll find on phones these days, but it's more than adequate and far better than the iPhone's puny 2 Megapixel offering.

Oh, and before you ask, yes it makes phone calls too :-)

The Blackberry Storm has a UK release date of the 14th of November 2008. You can get one free on a 24 month contract from Vodafone or Phones4U with 600 inclusive minutes, unlimited texts and unlimited Internet and Email for £35 a month.

I'd recommend buying from Phones4U because they are also throwing in a six months of Vodafone Find and Go (Vodafone's 3D sat nav mapping service) and a free 8GB Memory Card.

The bluetooth bracelet that let's you know when someone's calling or texting you

The bluetooth bracelet that let's you know when someone's calling or texting you


Not everyone can afford the new Prada II mobile phone, let alone fork out the extra £250 for the Prada Link - the phone's digital watch companion that lets you monitor calls and read text messages without even having to take your phone out of your pocket or bag.

But if your current phone has bluetooth, you can buy a bluetooth bracelet that will allow your wrist to tell you when someone is calling or texting you. And for a fraction of the price too.

It's not always possible to hear your phone ring, particularly if you are down the pub on a Saturday night and your mobile is tucked safely away in your handbag. And there are other times when you don't want your phone to ring out loud, but would still like to know if someone is trying to contact you.

And that's where the bluetooth vibrating bracelet comes in. Synchronise it with your phone and it will alert you to incoming mobile phone calls and messages through vibration.

Unlike the Prada Link, it doesn't tell you the time and doesn't let you read text messages on your wrist, but for a tenth of the price I think we can forgive the bluetooth bracelet on those two scores.

It does have a proximity alert if you ever stray more than 5m away from your mobile phone though - so you'll never leave your mobile behind again.

Order your Bluetooth Mobile Phone Bracelet today from The Gadget Shop for £29.99.

New Prada phone comes with optional bluetooth watch

New Prada phone comes with optional bluetooth watch


At first glance, the new Prada II phone by LG looks rather like the original Prada phone. At ten paces you probably couldn't tell them apart.

Get up close and personal however and you quickly discover the Prada II is an altogether different animal.

And that's before you take into consideration the Prada Link, a bluetooth digital watch that lets you monitor calls and read text messages without even having to take your phone out of your pocket or bag. Now that is pretty cool.

There are some big differences with the actual phone too. For starters there's the slide out QWERTY keyboard and an excellent 5MP camera with a Schneider-Kreuznach lens and slow motion video recording.

Another giant leap forward is the HSDPA capability for fast internet browsing and downloads as well as Wi-Fi connectivity.

The Prada II is likely to retail at around £500 with the Prada Link watch coming in at £250. A lot of money, but it's still likely to sell in its millions even during the current credit crunch.

It will also be available for free on contract starting from £30 a month and a little bird tells me Phones4U will have the phone before Christmas and ahead of everyone else.

The must have USB travel kit for your laptop

The must have USB travel kit for your laptop

Now this is good - and if you're quick it will cost you less than a fiver.

The USB Connectivity Travel Case is basically for anyone who has a laptop and does a bit of travelling because it contains all the USB paraphernalia needed to keep you connected at home or abroad.

First up there's a set of USB connectors for starters so that you can connect and charge all sorts of gadgets to your laptop without trailing umpteen cables around with you.

Then there's a USB hub that transforms a single USB port into four ports - allowing you to connect and charge even more gadgets.

Then there's a very handy USB mini optical mouse.

And it doesn't stop there.

My favourite piece of kit inside the USB Connectivity Travel Case is the RJ-45 network cable. What's an RJ-45 cable I hear you ask sheepishly? Well, Sheepishly isn't hear so you'll need to ask me instead. It's the cable that connects your PC or laptop to an ADSL router so that you can go online. More than once I've landed somewhere without a spare RJ-45 and kicked myself for not bringing one.

And the icing on the USB cake is the earphone and microphone cable so that you can use Skype and other VOIP services.

Buy a USB Connectivity Travel Case for a mere £4.99 from The Gadget Shop. Then do a friend a favour and buy them one too

The world's simplest camcorder for less than £100

The world's simplest camcorder for less than £100

Shoot anything. Share everything.

That's the motto of the Flip Digital Video Camcorder which claims to be the world's easiest to use camcorder.

And it certainly makes life a little easier for anyone who just wants to capture the moment and then play it back later on a computer or TV screen.

For starters, it is powered by two AA batteries so none of this "battery low" nonsense. Simply carry some spare AA batteries with you - or buy them when you need them when you are out and about.

Then switch the Flip Camcorder on, point it in the right direction and within three seconds you can be recording video footage. The camera focuses automatically and has x2 digital zoom for when you want to get up close and personal.

Another nice touch - no need to buy video tapes thanks to the Flip Camcorder's built in 2GB flash memory. This allows you to record up to 60 minutes of video.

The Flip Camcorder also comes with its own software so organising, editing and sharing your videos is incredibly simple. Plug in the connected USB arm (no cable to lose or carry about!) to connect it to your PC or laptop and you can even e-mail your videos to friends and family instantly - or publish them straight to MySpace and YouTube! It's even got TV Out (PAL) - and yes the cable is included.

And because the Flip Camcorder is only 4.17" by 2.16" by 1.25" in size, it will fit into your pocket or handbag no problem (assuming your handbag isn't as jam-packed as my wife's).

Perfect for kids, technophobes, going on holiday or for anyone who has better things to do with their lives than charge batteries, buy video tape and read manuals written in Pidgin English.

Order your Flip Camcorder today from Prezzybox for £99.00.

The keyring torch that needs no batteries

The keyring torch that needs no batteries

When the lights go out and you finally fumble across your trusty old torch, chances are it will be in dire need of new batteries.

Doh.

Of course you'll have no such problems with the Solar Keyring Torch.

Simply leave it in sunlight, and its tiny solar panel stores the sun's energy so that you can have light when you most need it.

And thanks to three bright LEDs it packs quite a punch in the brightness stakes for its diminutive size.

Perfect for when you've forgot to put the outside light on and are struggling to find the keyhole. Or you have a power cut and want to find the candles without tripping over the dog's bowl.

It comes in a shock resistant rubber casing (who doesn't drop their keys?) and naturally requires no batteries. Ever. The result, free light for life - and probably when you most need it too.

Set your photos free with the pocket sized instant printer that needs no ink

Set your photos free with the pocket sized instant printer that needs no ink

What with an abundance of camera phones and digital cameras, taking photos has never been easier. We're just not very good at printing them anymore. And of course it's even harder to do when you are out and about and would like to share your photos.

The answer could be a Polaroid PoGo Instant Photo Printer.

It's small enough to fit in your pocket and it never needs new ink. That's because the ink comes on the heat-activated Zink paper so ink cartridges just aren't required. What's more, the prints are smudge proof, water resistant, fade resistant and tear proof. And the paper is sticky backed - leave the backing on if you want a standard photo, peel it off if you want a sticker.

Simply send your images from your phone or camera to the PoGo Instant Photo Printer either wirelessly via the wonders of Bluetooth or with a USB lead (PictBridge-friendly camera).

Then less than a minute later, the printer will churns out a quality image on a 2"x3" slice of sticky-back photo paper. You can then peel off the backing and stick your piccie wherever you fancy! You can imagine the fun you could have this in an ofice - and kids will love it too.

The PoGo holds ten sheets of Zink paper at a time and you can buy more Zink paper in shops or online (30 sheets cost £7.95, 70 sheets £17.95).

The Polaroid PoGo Instant Photo Printer comes with its own rechargeable lithium battery or can be powered by mains electricity.

You can buy the Polaroid PoGo Instant Photo Printer and Zink photo paper from Firebox - the printer is £99.95

The sports bra that also monitors your heart rate

The sports bra that also monitors your heart rate

Thanks to New Year's resolutions, fitness and weight loss is on a lot of people's minds during the month of January.

By February far too many of us have fallen by the wayside, but for any females reading this who are still pounding the pavements or making full use of that shiny new gym membership card, here's something for you.

The Heart Rate Monitor High Impact Sports Bra is a seam free sports bra that not only gives you the extra support you need while doing physical activity, it also monitors your heart rate.

The bra has a an integrated pocket for a NuMetrix™ transmitter which picks up your heart rate from electrode sensors that are knitted into the bra's underband fabric. The transmitter then sends your heart rate data to a special watch that not only displays your heart rate, but can be used as a stopwatch too (it even tells the time!).

The watch and transmitter are sold separately from the bra - which means you can buy a new bra when you need one or a second bra and use the same watch and transmitter.

The bra comes in three sizes and costs £19.50. The watch and transmitter cost £39.50. They are available online from Marks & Spencer.

Turn handwritten notes into typed documents with the Zpen

Turn handwritten notes into typed documents with the Zpen

When you're not in front of your PC and you haven't brought your laptop along with you, writing anything down generally means good old pen and paper.

Wouldn't it be great though if everything you wrote on paper could be transformed into a Word document at the press of a button? Then you would have it on your computer screen ready for editing, emailing and so on.

Imagine the time that would save businesspeople and students who are forever retyping handwritten notes?

Well, that's what happens when you're using a Zpen.

The Zpen is a pen, a scanner and a USB storage device all in one pocket size package. Write or draw on any piece of paper and the Zpen will store what you've done for later use.

Connect it to a PC or laptop via the USB connector and hey presto what you've written or drawn is on your computer.

The pre-loaded software will even convert your handwriting into typed text so you can edit and save it as a text document!

Simply attach the receiver to any piece of paper and start writing or drawing. The Zpen itself functions like an ordinary pen (it can be refilled with standard ballpoint ink cartridges), but while you're writing away, the receiver is recording every word or drawing.

The receiver has a storage capacity of 1GB so no shortage of space there (in fact you can use it as a USB drive for photos, music and anything else if you so desire).

Then when you get home or back to the office, this fantastic time-saving gadget will transfer your work onto your computer (the Zpen is compatible with Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Vista).

Just plug the receiver into a USB port and download your notes!

What do you get when you cross a pair of binoculars with a digital camera?

What do you get when you cross a pair of binoculars with a digital camera?

Get up close and personal with this rather clever gadget - the Mr iSpy Digital Camera Binoculars.

As the name cunningly suggests, this is a pair of compact binoculars that has a built in digital camera.

So from now on you will be able to capture what you see and then transfer the images directly to your computer. You can even switch to video mode and capture moving images.

Simply look through the binoculars as you normally would and adjust the focus as necessary. Then press the photo capture button to take a snap of what you're looking at. download them to your computer using the supplied USB lead.

The 1.3 Megapixel camera and the 32MB on-board memory mean you might not be competing with the paparazzi and their zoom lenses, but the family will certainly have fun with the Mr iSpy Digital Camera Binoculars.

The Nokia phone that comes with unlimited music downloads

The Nokia phone that comes with unlimited music downloads

When it comes to digital music, it seems that everyone and his dog wants a bite of the Apple.

Not surprising really considering the phenomenal success story that is iTunes. As of June 2008, the iTunes store has sold over five billion songs, accounting for more than 70% of worldwide online digital music sales.

One of the companies looking for a share of this musical action is Nokia.

The Finnish phone giant has launched Nokia Comes With Music whereby you buy a phone on either Pay As You Go or a contract and it comes with unlimited access to two million music tracks.

Which means you can download music till your heart's content without paying an extra penny.

First of all you'll need a Comes With Music compatible phone - and at the moment that's either a Nokia 5310 or a Nokia N95 8GB.

The Nokia 5310 is available on Pay As You Go for £129.95 when bought with £10 airtime on Orange) or you can get it free if you sign up to an 18 month contract (then you will pay £25 a month and get 200 inclusive minutes and unlimited texts as well as free music downloads.

If you want a Nokia N95 8GB Comes With Music you will have to go down the contract route. The handset will cost you £49.99 if you agree to an 18 month contract ( £35 a month, 600 inclusive minutes and unlimited texts a month plus free music downloads) or £169.99 on a 12 month contract (£35 a month, 350 inclusive minutes and 200 texts plus unlimited music downloads).

If you opt for a contract phone, then your access to the Comes With Music service will last as long as the contract does. If you prefer to Pay As You Go, you get 12 months access to unlimited music downloads.

The good news is that once your subscription to Comes With Music you get to keep all of the music that you have downloaded.

So what's the catch I hear you ask?

The first one is that you can only download the songs via one nominated PC and then transfer them to one nominated Nokia phone. And you can only listen to them via your PC and Nokia phone too.

If you want to burn or copy songs you will need to pay for permission to do so by visiting the Nokia Music Store.

You can change your registered PC (it doesn't work with Apple computers) once every three months up to two years from the end of your subscription. After those two years, access to your downloaded music will last as long as you are still using the last registered phone and PC.

The second catch is the word "unlimited". It's subject to the usual reasonable use and non-commercial use clauses.

But generally speaking, music fans should get more than their money's worth with the Comes With Music offer from Nokia - and it could well prove to be a game changer as far as the music download industry is concerned.

In truth though, neither is a big catch and you can't help thinking that if Nokia roll out the service with Comes With Music versions of its latest phones - like the Nokia N96 for example - it could pose a serious threat to the Apple iPhone. For now though, if you spend a lot on music downloads and are in the market for a new phone, Nokia's Come With Music could well be music to your ears.

Keep your drink can cool while you work on your computer with a USB fridge

Keep your drink can cool while you work on your computer with a USB fridge

Okay, I confess. I am a sucker for USB tack that I can plug into my computer and demonstrate to passersby.

This little beauty though is all about me.

Me me me.

Because while I slave away at a computer, I like to have a a cold drink close at hand. Problem is I'm forever getting a can of pop out of the fridge before settling down, forgetting about it, and then discovering it is no longer cold when I get around to drinking it.

And nobody likes tepid Coke (well a few strange people probably do, but I don't).

Enter the USB Fridge.

Big enough to keep a can cold. Small enough to care.

Powered by your PC or laptop via a USB cable, the USB Fridge contains a cold plate which chills to 8.5 degrees after being plugged in for just five minutes- perfect cold can temperature. And as it's only 19cm x 8.5cm x 8.5cm, your sure to find space for it on even the most cluttered of desks

The USB Fridge is available online for £19.95 from IWOOT.

Keep your feet warm this winter with USB heated foot warmers

Keep your feet warm this winter with USB heated foot warmers


Isn't it amazing how many cool things you can plug into your computer these days?

Take for instance these here heated foot warmers.

There's been plenty of times when I've sat up way too late, surfing the net, long after the central heating has gone to bed. On nights like this, slippers do a fine job of keeping your tootsies warm, but they don't deliver the goods like USB heated foot warmers do.

Simply plug them into a USB port on your PC, laptop or Mac, insert your feet and warm feet are yours for as long as your computer stays on. No software to install. Nothing to set up. Just warm feet courtesy of the compact, ultra-flexible heat panel in the sole.

Even better, the heat panel can be removed so that the footwarmers can be washed.

Be kind to your feet. Or the feet of a loved one. Buy some USB foot warmers. £14.99 from The Gadget Shop.

SAS Spy Cam

SAS Spy Cam




Actually this probably isn't the smallest video and audio spy cam in the world. The likes of Jason Bourne probably have access to smaller ones.

But for mere mortals like you and me, The Ultimate SAS Spy Cam is probably as good as it gets in the small spy camera department.

Its tiny size and simple operation make the Spy Cam ideal for a variety of uses - extreme sports footage (tape it to your helmet), keeping an eye on things when you're not there (valuables, babysitters, shop tills) or for the kind of undercover footage that you just couldn't get with a bog standard camcorder (see picture below for how neatly it fits into a shirt breast pocket for example).

Colour video and voice recording lets you clearly see who's there and what they're saying.


About the size of a USB memory stick, the SAS Spy Cam could be hidden in a packet of cigarettes no problem or even a packet of chewing gum. It's totally self-contained and - look Mum - no wires.

And with a record time of up to four hours per charge, the Ultimate SAS Spy Cam records 3GP video files onto a Micro SD Card that can be played back on your computer or mobile phone.

The SAS Spy Cam is available to buy online for £98.95 from Boys Stuff.

source:thegadgetblog