If you’re the type who spends more time in your computer chair than basically anywhere else, Brando’s got a must-have coming your way. While the zany (and numerous) array of USB-powered gizmos we’ve seen is nothing short of overwhelming, the USB Chiller And Warmer actually ranks fairly high in the utility department. Sporting that oh-so-hip glossy white finish, the device is entirely USB-powered, rocks a built-in fan, and can keep your beverage cool or warm with the flip of a switch. Moreover, it claims to boost the temperature of your drink 29-degrees in 10 minutes, and chills 13-degrees in the same period of time. So if you’re already surrounded by a mini fridge and espresso machine, be sure to throw down the $24 required to keep your rear planted (and drink temperature satisfactory) around the clock.

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Ok, that’s three; we’re calling a trend. Over the last month, the industry has hit us with a pair of TV/monitor hybrid panels from Sharp and Samsung which target gaming/PC users first, and the occasional up-close hi-def TV/movie watching crowd second. Now 3GATE is prepped to launch this 24-inch widescreen display directly at that same, unsuspecting marketing demographic in Korea, and perhaps, beyond. The 2410WV sports a 24-inch A-quality panel from Samsung with Genesis Chip image processing just like their 2310W panel we’ve already seen. So, just like the other offerings based on that same Sammy panel, we’re looking at a 1920×1200 resolution, 500cd/m2 brightness, 1000:1 contrast ratio, 6ms response, and 178-degree viewing angle. All good. It also packs 2x DVI, component, composite, and S-Video inputs and super-thin bezel for hot, side-by-side panel action. No release date or price, it’s just good to see another 24 incher kickin’ around.

[Via AVING]
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If yesterday’s announcement by Samsung was a tiny step in the direction of solid state disk (SSD) ubiquity, then today’s announcement by SanDisk is a freakin’ leap. That’s right, the big bad daddy of consumer flash — SanDisk — joins Samsung and TDK today with a 32GB SSD drive all their own. The 1.8-inch SSD delivers a sustained read-rate of 62MBps and a random read rate of 7,000 inputs/outputs per second (IOPS) for a 512-byte transfer – more than 100 times faster than most hard disk drives. Fine, but the most notable detail in the press release is the price. According to SanDisk, their 32GB SSD could increase the end-user price by “around $600″ when released in laptops computers in the first half of 2007. That’s down — way down — from the $900 to $1,400 premium we were paying for SSD equipped gear. Come ‘ere, group hug all.
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While tossing an Intel Core 2 Duo chip into last year’s rig isn’t enough to impress anyone anymore, Shuttle‘s hoping to catch the eye of studio-bound media freaks who need that HTPC flexibility in a very tight space. Upping the ante on last year’s X100, the XPC X200 comes in two flavors (X200MA and X200BA), and measures in at just 5.5-centimeters tall and taking up “no more space an A4 sheet of paper.” Externally, the form factor has remained similar, but this rendition has received a trendy black makeover (including a vertical stand) on the outside, and a whole new lineup of hardware on the inside. Powered by your choice of dual-core / Celeron M Intel processors, this wee machine also touts Intel’s GMA950 integrated graphics set, a hybrid TV tuner for analog / DVB-T reception, SATA hard drive, up to 2GB of DDR2 RAM, 7.1-channel HD audio, FM radio tuner, dual-layer DVD burner, built-in 802.11b/g, PS/2 connectors, DVI output, multi-format flash card reader, an audio input jack, and an IR remote to boot. Notably, it managed to lose the FireWire and S-Video ports found on the X100, but it does boast five USB 2.0 ports in a feeble attempt to compensate. Both versions should be hitting the market soon, and while the somewhat stripped X200BA will run you just £499 ($972), the beefed-up X200MA will demand at least £637 ($1,240) depending on options.

[Via RegHardware]
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The wheels of the Consumer Electronics industry are starting to churn in the run-up to CES. Notably, FujiFilm has just launched the FinePix IS-1 this morning, a specialized infrared D-SLR for use in law-enforcement; medical, dental and science fields; and by those creepy men who crowd around public swimming holes. Like the FinePix S3 Pro UVIR this shooter follows, the budget IS-1 is also happy to shoot in visible light spectrums. Although, that requires the use of an optional, infrared cut filter which won’t deliver the quality you expect from modern DSLRs. Still, as an all purpose shooter for the mustachioed man on the beat, it serves. The IS-1 features a 10.7x optical zoom, 9 megapixel Super CCD sensor, picture stabilization, and support for ISO 1600. It also has an articulating LCD to ease operation in the lab. Ships February 2007 for an MSRP of $899.

[Via Digital Photography Blog]
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