There are about a million ways to stream music from your PC to other locations in the house, and now Sony has added yet another solution to this lengthy list: the 2.1 channel CPF-IX001 wireless streaming music system. The compact device uses your existing 802.11b/g setup to pull tunes from iTunes, Windows Media Player, Sony Connect, or other applications, and creates a unique IP address so multiple units can operate simultaneously over the same network. To cut down on wire clutter, Sony employed a so-called power line transmission technology that allows the main component to send both juice and audio signals to its subwoofer over a single cable — pretty handy, especially if you’ll be moving the system from room to room.. Expect to see these in stores sometime next month — although we don’t actually know what to look for, because Sony is being a little stingy with the product pics — for about $300.

Update: Thanks to Christopher over at ATRACLife for hooking us up with a pic.

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From engadget

You might have known it before by its nicknames: Goliath, Brobdingnag, the Colossus, etc. But now you’ve got a model number and price tag for Panasonic’s 103-inch behemoth; call it the TH-103PZ600, and expect it out September first for a princely Â¥6,000,000. Yes, that’s over $51,000 US (which is what all plasmas used to cost but a few years ago, if you recall). Oh, and not that you’d care but Panny’s also launching their 65-inch TH-65PZ600, 58-inch TH-58PZ600, and 50-inch TH-50PZ600 sets on the same date for significantly less (they top out at about $8,500 US). But really once you’ve seen the gaze of a 103-inch television, there’s no way you can go back. Which is precisely why if you don’t have the means, like us, you should never lay eyes on one; and if you do have the means, well, don’t be bummed out when during CES 2007 Panny, LG, and Samsung all announce their own 104-inch set.

Update: Ouch! We’ve just received official word on pricing and availability for the US version of this behemoth, and neither will make potential customers very happy: not only will American home theater buffs have to wait until December to pick one of these models up, they’ll have to shell out an eye-popping $70,000 to do so.

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from engadget

 

Last night a host of fancy society-types, car buffs and our good friends from AutoBlog got a unique chance to check out Tesla’s electric sports car. The zero-emissions whip (it’s so green it doesn’t even have a tailpipe) will get about 250 miles on a single charge, and reaches speeds of about 130-miles per hour, with a 0-60 time hovering around a pretty impressive 4-seconds. Stop driving it long enough to peek under the hood and you’ll find a 3-phase, 4-pole AC induction motor and a Power Electronics Module at the heart of this slick ride. Don’t run out to the car dealership yet, as these babies aren’t hitting the streets until mid-2007, and when they do, they’ll run you somewhere between $80,000 and $120,000. It sounds like a lot, we know, but just think of the looks you’ll get as you drive by at 124-mph, completely silently. Plus, it’ll be a great place to install your new Bluetooth-enabled head unit. Check the source link for a lot more pictures and even video from the big unveling.

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more pictures here.

From engadget

We always said those sophisticated tracking tags had to be good for something other than data processing and jazzing up passports, and as the list of applications continues to grow, a study at Stanford University is showing how RFID chips can be used to potentially save lives. 1 out of 10,000 surgery survivors will experience the misfortune of having a foreign object remain in them after they’re all sewn up, and nearly 67% of those remnants are surgical sponges. The traditional tracking system (eyes and careful counting) has failed enough times to cause 57 deaths since 2000, definitely not something you want to hear when you’re going under the knife. Researchers have determined that tagging sponges (and other supplies) with RFID tags allows for a chip-reader to scan the body and detect any remaining, erm, used paraphernalia, yet to be removed. Volunteer-led studies have shown a perfect success rate in discovering leftovers thus far, and hopes are to have every instrument in the OR RFID’ed. This may make a few folks queasy, but we’re all for keeping our innards a sponge-free environment.

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from engadget

Our friends at Panasonic are really coming out swinging today. Their new range of Lumix compacts has some considerable spec bumps, and even if the designs do seem a little “safe” after Samsung’s recent release, we’re sure most consumers could fine a decent fit among the new lineup. Headlining is the DMC-LX2 (pictured), a successor to their LX1 which introduced the first compact 16:9 widescreen sensor. The LX2 bumps the megapixels to 10.2, has a 2.8-inch widescreen LCD, ISO 3200 (though not at full resolution) and intelligent ISO control that can automatically adjust for the sudden movement of a subject. Despite the increase in resolution, Panasonic claims they’ve significantly reduced noise thanks to their Venus III engine. The LX2 also includes a 4x zoom, and optical image stabilisation. Next up we have the DMC-FX50 and FX07, dual successors to the FX01 shooter. Both of them share a 7.2 megapixel CCD, 3.6x zoom, optical image stabilisation, and that Venus III processor, ISO 3200 and intelligent ISO control featured in big brother LX2. The FX50 goes for a new 3-inch screen, while the FX07 sticks with 2.5-inches and manages a slightly more compact body. Finally, the DMC-FX3 takes some cues from its siblings, but cuts the megapixels to 6. The optical image stabilisation is always welcome, but the ISO 1600 and 3x zoom specs are a bit more standard. Some of the best news here is the prices for these four cameras, ranging from the $500 LX2 ($100 cheaper than the initial LX1 pricetag) to $280 for the FX3. All four should be out some time this September. Keep reading for pics of the rest of the lineup.

Read – DMC-LX2
Read – DMC-FX50 & DMC-FX07
Read – DMC-FX3

Lumix DMC-FX50

Lumix DMC-FX3

From engadget