Boston Innovative Introduces iPod boomboxes

Boston Innovative Products has introduced the iMep line of iPod boomboxes recently — MP-701-388, MP-702-388R and 388B. The boomboxes come in three models and offer the same features.

These boom boxes feature a 7-inch LCD screen and an integrated NTSC TV tuner and dock connector. Apart from playing MP3-CD playback, it also has an AM/FM tuner, RCA inputs, USB port and SD/MMC/MS memory card slot. The black MP-701-388, sports a front-mounted screen and uses a light-absorbing coating to reduce glare. The other two, the MP-702-388R and 388B feature a flip-up screen and come in red and black, respectively. All three models are priced at $300.

iPods Can Make Pacemakers Malfunction

iPods can cause cardiac implantable pacemakers to malfunction by interfering with the electromagnetic equipment monitoring the heart, according to a study presented by a 17-year-old high school student to a meeting of heart specialists on Thursday.

The study tested the effect of the portable music devices on 100 patients, whose mean age was 77, outfitted with pacemakers. Electrical interference was detected half of the time when the iPod was held just 2 inches from the patient's chest for 5 to 10 seconds.

The study did not examine any portable music devices other than iPods, which are made by Apple Inc.

In some cases, the iPods caused interference when held 18 inches from the chest. Interfering with the telemetry equipment caused the device to misread the heart's pacing and in one case caused the pacemaker to stop functioning altogether.

The study was held at the Thoracic and Cardiovascular Institute at Michigan State University. The results were presented at the Heart Rhythm Society annual meeting in Denver.

Jay Thaker, lead author of the study and a student at Okemos High School in Okemos, Michigan, concluded that iPod interference can lead physicians to misdiagnose actual heart function.

Thaker, whose father is an electrophysiologist and whose mother is a rheumatologist, said he asked his dad about a potential interaction between pacemakers and iPods.

"We looked online but didn't see anything. Then, one of his patients asked him if there would be a problem, so (my father) put me in touch with Dr. Krit (Jongnarangsin)," Thaker said in a telephone interview.

Jongnarangsin, a long-time friend of Thaker's father, is the senior author of the study and an assistant professor in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Michigan.

"Most pacemaker patients are not iPod users," Jongnarangsin said. For that reason, he said, it is unclear how often iPods cause misdiagnosis.

"This needs to be studied more," Jongnarangsin added.

Thaker said he is interested in doing a similar study about how implantable cardioverter defibrillators, known as ICDs, are affected by iPods.

Nokia N81 and N82: High-End N Series For Q4 2007

Nokia N81 and N82: High-End N Series For Q4 2007

Find the Nokia N95 bulky? Well, then I’m sure you’ll like the rumored Nokia N82 pictured here (left, white).

The Nokia N82 is a candybar phone that features:

• Quad-band GSM
• HSDPA
• Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP
• Wi-Fi
• GPS
• TV-out
• FM radio
• microSD
• Front VGA camera
• 5-megapixel back camera with Carl Zeiss lens and auto focus
• Series 60 3rd edition

If sliders are what you like, there is also the Nokia N81 (pictured black).

Features:

• 8GB of flash memory
• N-Gage gaming
• 2-megapixel camera
• Quad-band EDGE
• HSDPA
• Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP
• Series 60 3rd Edition

Both phones will supposedly launch in Q4 this year, probably at a not-so-wallet-friendly price.

Hello Kitty !!

he he herz a wallpaper which i made 4 a lil kitten whom i named kitty which waz with me for abt a day :)

Apple to Launch iPod Nano-Like iPhone?

According to rumor mills, Apple may be developing an iPod Nano- sized phone, something on the lines of the iPhone, but smaller. News reports reveal that Apple has filed fresh documents at the US patent office for the new product.

Reports say the documents contain details about a Nano sized telephone device with a display on the front, which may not necessarily be used as a touch screen and a back side interface which is designed to be touch and force sensitive, for one hand control of the device. The document reportedly states that due to the size of the device, a touch screen interface on the front of the device would result in visual obstruction reducing the effectiveness of the display.

The device is also rumored to have a translucent look, enabling the people to use multiple control interfaces using the small screen space. Using varying opacity, the user will be able to interact with one control mechanism, such as a numeric keypad or keyboard, while retaining partial visibility of information available via other interfaces on the device.

Analysts say this new 'Back-Side Interface for Hand-Held Devices', technology would not only save space but would solve some of the other problems inherent to touch screens. Also, Apple’s patent application has direct implications for both future iPods and iPhones. Reports say illustrations contained within the patent show the main screen's interface that allows on-screen overlay of the iPod click wheel as well as a keypad for placing phone calls or a keyboard for text entry. It could also address PDA-style functions.

Hello Kitty Keyboard. My Eyes Hurt.

About time for another Hello Kitty gadget. This time, it’s a Sanrio Hello Kitty USB Keyboard that attempts to blind you with its blazing pink and colored keys.

The keyboard features hot keys for connecting to the web, receiving emails, playing/stopping/changing music, and changing volume. Pretty neat I would say, if you don’t hate the cat I do.

US$48 from CartoonFansClub.com.

Creative ZEN Stone

I cannot help but smile in wonder if Creative meant its “Rock in color”, with pun intended, or not.

Some 2 years after Apple launched its iPod Shuffle, Creative launched its own plug-and-play, drag-and-drop, ultra-compact 1GB mp3 player Creative ZEN Stone today, rivaling the former. Available in 6 colors, the Creative ZEN Stone does look pretty neat with its smooth curves, glossy finish and no display. It will (also) have its own unique docking speaker system, the Creative TravelSound ZEN Stone, which will be available in black or white in July.

The Creative ZEN Stone MP3 player can be purchased at US$39.99.

With two (terribly) similar products now on the market for the music shufflers, tell me, which would you choose?

Black Xbox 360 Elite Ships And Already Sold Out

The sleek black Xbox 360 Elite is finally shipping. But if you had been slow in pre-ordering, it looks like you will have a bit of waiting to do as most online retailers already ran out of stock.

The Xbox 360 Elite sports a HDMI port and a 120GB HDD and will retail at US$479.99. Microsoft also released Black Wireless Controller, Black Rechargeable Battery Pack, and Black Play & Charge Kit to match the black console.