Manufactum, the same company who apparently produces a totally sensational espresso machine, is offering up something a bit different with the Manuscriptum. Not vastly unlike many of the diminutive alternatives already out there, this two-pound PC gets stuffed with a 500MHz AMD Geode LX800 processor, an 80GB hard drive, up to 1GB of RAM and a motherboard that handles four USB 2.0 ports, VGA / serial connectors, dual Ethernet jacks and audio out. Additionally, this little fella is passively cooled and sucks down just 12-watts of power when in operation. As for the OS, you’ll find Debian Linux loaded on, and it also ships with OpenOffice, Foxit PDF Reader and Firefox to keep you busy right from the get-go. In the aforementioned configuration, the Manuscriptum will run you €449 ($650), but it sounds like you can pony up even more if you’re craving a customized rig complete with a 32GB SSD.

[Via LinuxDevices]
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If you have a seemingly insatiable appetite for screen real estate, Eizo’s out to satisfy. The firm has unleashed a new duo of FlexScan monitors, which both sport a 1,920 x 1,200 resolution VA panel and the ability to be set up vertically or horizontally. As for the 24.1-inch SX2461W (pictured after the jump), it promises to reproduce 96-percent of the AdobeRGB color space and features a 850:1 contrast ratio, 300 cd/m2 brightness, six-millisecond response time, HDCP-compliant DVI connector and a pair of USB ports. The 27-incher differs by handling 95-percent of the AdobeRGB color space, sporting 320 cd/m2 brightness and giving users a few more inches (but not pixels, mind you) to work with. Price wise, the little(r) fellow will run you a stiff Â¥137,800 ($1,202) when it lands next month, while the 27-incher will demand an additional Â¥40,200 ($350).

[Via Impress]
Read – FlexScan SX2761W
Read – FlexScan SX2461W
from engadget
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Developed by General Dynamics, the EFV (Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle) is the US Marine Corps’ latest amphibious vehicle — prototypes currently undergoing tests. It boasts an aluminum hull that comes equipped with an acutated bow flap to help planing when at sea. Features include: a Bushmaster II 30mm cannon, 7.62mm machine gun, and smoke/gas dispensers. The EFV can haul 3 crew members and 17 marines. Video after the break.

   

From techeblog
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Merely months after cranking out the P5000, Nikon apparently felt the need to up the ante rather hastily with the Coolpix P5100. Unfortunately, it seems that this unit is yet another shining example of why stuffing a 12-megapixel sensor into a compact camera isn’t exactly the greatest of ideas. Granted, the image quality here was noticeably better than that produced by the Fujifilm FinePix F50fd, but performance was sorely lacking when using any ISO greater than 400. Despite that shortcoming, reviewers were quite enthralled by the on board controls and overall ergonomics, and it was also noted that most shots could be brought “under control” with a bit of tinkering. Overall, the crew went ahead and awarded the shooter four out of five stars, suggesting that its reasonable pricetag was much to thank. If you’ve been eying this one from a distance, you owe it to yourself to check out the full review before pulling the trigger or just blowing it off.

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We’ve been hearing about the Q9h coming out on AT&T in months’ worth of leaked memos, but now we can finally put it to bed. On sale tomorrow November 2nd for a surprisingly low (and temporary) price of $200; you get the following.

• Windows Mobile 6 (duh)
• HSDPA (not sure yet if it’s 3.6Mbps)
• GPS with TeleNav, 2 megapixel camera
• Good 5, Express Mail, the standard software package

Gallery: Motorola Q9h

    
from engadget

It’s just not fair. While we’re lucky to bear witness to a single hot handset release per month, our Japanese brethren just received a batch of 10 new handsets to swoon over courtesy of NTT DoCoMo. The very best of the best from the new FOMA 905i series includes the Panasonic Viera P905iTV and 5 megapixel Sony Ericsson Cyber-shot SO905iCS. As you’d expect from a handset sporting the Viera branding, the P905iTV is all about the mobile TV with a feature that smooths-out 1Seg’s 15fps mobile broadcast rate to display it at 30fps on that 3.5-inch 480 x 854 pixel display. The 17.7-mm (0.7-inch) slab also packs HSDPA and a battery capable of a 1-month standby. Otherwise, it’ll pump that TV-to-vein fix for 6-hours straight or up to 80 hours of SD-Audio or 65 hours of WMA if that’s your preference. Meanwhile, the Cyber-shot SO905iCS brings a 5 megapixel CMOS camera with 3x optical zoom and 2.7-inch, 480 x 864 pixel display to the Japanese market. It features an LED flash, face recognition and anti-shake stabilization while busting a 24-mm (nearly 1-inch) girth. Plenty more of these two in the gallery below.

Gallery: NTT DoCoMo’s FOMA 905i handsets on the loose in Japan

[Via The Unwired and Impress]
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Simply swiping one’s credit / debit card at the pump is probably sufficient for the bulk of us, but for certain Shell customers in Chicago, paying for gasoline is getting even quicker. Ten stations in the Windy City are trialing biometric payment systems — crafted by California-based Pay By Touch, which has units in a variety of other stores already — that enable customers to scan their fingerprints, fill up and cruise off. The machines are purportedly linked directly to checking or credit card accounts, which customers initiate at the store or online. Unfortunately, we’ve no idea if Shell plans on expanding this to other locales after the pilot program has concluded, but Chris Susse, Shell’s manager of global refueling innovations (nice title, eh?) did note that he hoped the initiative would increase customer loyalty at the very least.

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