CrunchGear

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• 187x faster than Bluetooth: Sony preps TransferJet-compatible devices
• 11-year-old writes iPhone app, donates proceeds to charity
• CrunchDeals: A slightly-used NASA Space Shuttle
• Everything you need to know about Windows Mobile 7
• New Samsung point-and-shoots. Move along, people, nothing to see here
• Lens-mounted semicircle LED ring for lighting your macro subjects
• Ninjas unbox the Nexus One
• Thanko’s Spy Watch with built-in video camera
• Apple’s January 27 event invites just hit inboxes all over the world
• All the iPhone4/iSlate rumors in one image
• CrunchGear’s “Clean Out My Office” Contest
• Panasonic to sell plasma TVs with 5,000,000:1 contrast ratio

187x faster than Bluetooth: Sony preps TransferJet-compatible devices Posted: 19 Jan 2010 04:00 AM PST TransferJet is a close-proximity wireless transfer technology Sony introduced in 2008. The idea is to let two electronic devices quickly exchange data (theoretically at up to 560 Mbps) just by bringing them close together (touch is possible, too). By way of comparison: The data transfer rate for Bluetooth Version 2.0 + EDR stands at just 3 Mbps. Toshiba announced during IFA in Berlin last year they are planning to use the technology in their products soon. And now Sony made its move, too (if you don’t count the TransferJet-compatible LSI Sony announced in November). The company is preparing a number of computers and digital cameras that support TransferJet, enabling users to transfer data between these devices as long as they are no more than 3cm apart (Bluetooth: about 10m). Sony made several big product announcements yesterday in Tokyo, but Sony’s American website shows that some devices featuring Transferjet actually will be available in the US earlier than in Japan. Sony already lists the DSC-TX7 (pictured above) in their American online store for $400 (to be shipped on January 25), while the DSC-HX5V will set you back $350 and will be available from March 15 in the US (in Japan, both models will go on sale next month). An 8GB Memory Stick with TransferJet is listed in Sony’s American online store for $100 (release date in the US: February 8). America will also get TransferJet-compatible Sony notebooks (Vaio F series) soon, it seems. This model, the VPCF11MFX, for example, is already listed and has a price tag of $1,720 but lacks a release date as of this writing (in Japan, a total of three Vaio F computers will hit stores as early as this Saturday).

11-year-old writes iPhone app, donates proceeds to charity Posted: 19 Jan 2010 12:00 AM PST So we always hear about how hard it is to get an iPhone app approved by Apple, but here’s an interesting case; an 11-year-old boy managed to not just write an app, but get it approved, and now he’s donating some of the proceeds from the sale of that app to a children’s hospital. This kid didn’t just teach himself how to program, but he also managed to get the app approved, something that many adults can’t seem to manage. The app is called iSketch and it’s a drawing and painting program with your choice of brushes, and colors, along with the ability to send your drawings via email. Now 11 year old Cameron has committed to donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale of his app to the Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA in Westwood and Santa Monica. That’s something you have to respect no matter how old you are. Normally we find it hard to get excited about iPhone apps (well, except for Button) but this is something worth passing on, if only to help Cameron with his donations. If you want to know more, here’s a link to his blog as well. Here’s the letter we got today from Cameron’s father: Hi. My son Cameron is 11 years old and, last year, he had a medical problem that prevented him from participating in the physical activities he otherwise enjoys. (He is nearly fully recovered.) During that time, Cameron became interested in computers, and he began to read anything he could get his hands on. He watched Stanford University professors on iTunes, scoured the web for articles on programming and taught himself several different programming languages. (Neither my wife nor I have any idea how to program.) Cameron began to focus on the iPhone and iPod touch devices as the “apps” offered for sale for use on those devices seemed really cool to him. He began to work on a few different apps. After completing some summer camps on programming and continuing to read and learn, Cameron finalized an app, which he calls iSketch, and submit it to Apple. The app, which is a painting/drawing program, was approved by Apple for sale on its App Store in December. (He has since updated it several times..) Inspired by the care he received at Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center and Orthopaedic Hospital, Cameron has dedicated a substantial portion of the proceeds from his sales to purchase entertainment and electronic items for Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA's Child Life/Child Development programs in Westwood and Santa Monica so that pre-teens and teens will have additional age-appropriate options available to them during their Hospital stays. Cameron’s sales so far have been good, but he hopes to accelerate them so that he can donate even more to the Hospital.

CrunchDeals: A slightly-used NASA Space Shuttle Posted: 18 Jan 2010 07:32 PM PST If you just so happen to be in the market for a second hand space craft, NASA has a deal for you, pal. The Space Shuttles Atlantis and Endeavour are currently for sale with a price tag of $28.2 m each. Just think, you could park one of these bad boys in your trailer park and relieve its glory days. It’s probably best that you take the shuttle to a qualified space ship mechanic before you commit though. The last thing you wanna do is drop that kind of cash on a lemon.

Everything you need to know about Windows Mobile 7 Posted: 18 Jan 2010 06:21 PM PST MWC is a few weeks away - it starts on February 15 - and we're expecting to see a new version of Windows Mobile, version 7, to be launched with hardware soon to follow. We've heard some rumors about potential improvements over the current 6.x codebase, but a developer has told us that this new version is so distant from the old WinMo that it is almost unrecognizable. The worst part? It is completely non-backwards compatible, meaning all WinMo apps are about go extinct.

New Samsung point-and-shoots. Move along, people, nothing to see here Posted: 18 Jan 2010 04:40 PM PST There are so many cameras out there that I just don’t see the point in reporting every time someone changes their lineup by adding one “x” to the optical zoom or subtracting a millimeter from the case size. I’m opting not to write up Samsung’s latest cameras because of the simple fact that there is nothing interesting about them. Furthermore, the PR company in charge of promoting them has locked the press releases inside >100MB files containing insanely high-resolution images. We’re actually taking a post-CES day off here at CG and I’ll be damned if I’m going to spend half an hour extracting the relevant information from a few breathless 4000-word press releases and resizing 20-megapixel images just so our poor readers can be bored to tears by the lack of compelling features. Want to know which camera to buy? Here you go. Update: Actually, this one has a nice AMOLED screen. Nice, but it’s only on that 15x zoom one, which will probably cost ~$450.

Lens-mounted semicircle LED ring for lighting your macro subjects Posted: 18 Jan 2010 04:10 PM PST It was just a day or two ago that I was recommending Brando’s flash accessory kit to someone. Among the many (many, many) products at that online shop, their photographic accessories are some of the best deals, because even the most basic softboxen and other photo extras are ridiculously expensive elsewhere. Sure, they may not be as high quality as the “real” versions, but they do 90% of the job for 50% of the price. This LED kit is a bit specific in its applications, but if you take a lot of macro shots you know that lighting is hard to get right on tiny subjects, and having a one-sided light source like this can add some much-needed contrast to what might otherwise be a flat-lit shot. It’s basically a donut flash like the one Dexter uses (that’s all I can think of, I’m catching up on the latest season) but not nearly as bright — up close, that could totally blow out a macro subject (or scare it off). You can control which side of the donut is lit, or have it fully on. There’s a diffuser so you don’t need to worry about bulb rings, and at $58 it’s cheaper than a flashlight with a comparable number of LEDs. Check it out over at Brando.

Ninjas unbox the Nexus One Posted: 18 Jan 2010 03:14 PM PST Yes, ninjas. What’s next? The Predator unboxing the Moto CLIQ?

Thanko’s Spy Watch with built-in video camera Posted: 18 Jan 2010 11:00 AM PST For some reason, Toyko-based USB accessory maker Thanko is selling a wide range of “spy gadgets”, with a button camera and an HD video pen as the latest additions to the line-up. Today Thanko gives us a wrist watch [JP], which may look rather unassuming from the outside but actually sports a micro spy camera. The so-called Video Camera Analog Watch is the updated version of a spy watch that Thanko started selling in late 2008. This new model has 4GB of internal memory, which is enough to store two to three hours of video in 640×480 resolution and at 30fps. If you have a Windows machine (XP, Vista and 7 are supported), you can transfer the material via USB as AVI files to your computer. The micro camera is placed between 1 and 2 o'clock on the dial. The watch (weight: 115g) is already available in Thanko’s Japanese online store and costs $85. If you’re interested in getting one but live outside Japan, I suggest to contact import/export specialist (and Thanko partner) Geek Stuff 4 U.

Apple’s January 27 event invites just hit inboxes all over the world Posted: 18 Jan 2010 09:22 AM PST Huzzahs and alarums! Apple’s January 27 event has just been announced to tech journos all over the world with a new invite reading “Come see our latest creation” hitting inboxes left and right. The event will happen on January 27 at 10am PST. More as we get it. You can read all about our iSlate obsession here. via Giz (Where’s our invite!)

All the iPhone4/iSlate rumors in one image Posted: 18 Jan 2010 09:03 AM PST Good old Steve just put up a great graphic detailing all of the possible rumors about whatever the heck Apple is releasing whenever it will release it. Rumors include the “glowing Apple logo” as well as a “touch sensitive case.” I think the iSlate will also give worms to ex-girlfriends. Click to embiggen.

CrunchGear’s “Clean Out My Office” Contest Posted: 18 Jan 2010 08:17 AM PST This week I’ll be running a “clean out my office” involving a whole bunch of stuff I can’t get rid of and is too valuable to potentially throw away. Today’s special treat? Lots of Plantronics Voice-Music-Gaming headsets with USB thinger for listening to stuff over USB and using Skype. I think I have like nine. How do you win? Follow me and CrunchGear on Twitter or, if you’re not socially inclined, comment here and I’ll pick you randomly. I’ll give out three to commenters and six to Tweeples who re-Twoot something I post to the CG feed and my feed. I’ll have different contests during the week, so fear not.

Panasonic to sell plasma TVs with 5,000,000:1 contrast ratio Posted: 18 Jan 2010 08:01 AM PST Panasonic still believes in plasma. The company, which owns the biggest plasma panel plant in the world and is the global leader in this segment, today announced [JP] the VIERA G2 series, which consists of a total of three new plasma TVs. And as Panasonic sells these devices in the US, too, chances are the new line-up will find its way outside Japan in the future as well. The main selling point of the G2 TVs is the native contrast ratio, which stands at an impressive 5,000,000:1, the highest for a plasma TV so far (according to Panasonic). By way of comparison: The $6,000 Panasonic Z1 only had a contrast ratio of 40,000:1. Buyers will be able to choose between three sizes: 42, 46 and 50-inches. Needless to say, all TVs are full HD, and Panasonic claims they reduced power consumption by 30% (compared to the G1 series introduced last year). To be more concrete, power consumption stands at 398W for the biggest model, at 365W for the 46-incher and at 335W for the 42-inch VIERA. The new TVs will hit Japanese stores next month. Prices: $2,400 for the 42-inch model, $2,700 for the 46-inch model and $3,500 for the 50-incher.

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