It certainly is hard to keep a secret in this industry. After leaks, leaks and more leaks, Dell has officially announced the new Studio line of laptops, sitting somewhere between the budget Inspiron line and high-end XPS line.

The two new models are the Studio 15 and Studio 17, which as you might expect, have 15- and 17-inch screens. They have a tapered design and large side hinge that's similar to the XPS M1530, although the Studio models curve the screen down at a sharper angle, while the XPS has a more rounded look (see pic below). » Read the rest of the entry..

As consumers are deluged with GPS products, manufacturers are continually looking for ways to expand the market--and that includes non-humans. Tracking technologies for pets (and kids) are hardly new, but Garmin is trying to stay ahead of the pack, literally, with more powerful devices. » Read the rest of the entry..

Sony has just confirmed the rumor we all heard back in April: video downloads will be available on the PS3 this summer. Details right now are scarce, but we do know the service will first be rolled out in the United States, followed by Japan and Europe later in the year. As we mentioned before, we would like to see a service tied in with Netflix since everybody and their mother seems to use the service, or even a Hulu type service, which offers TV shows from Fox and NBC, broken up by short 15-second ads. Our best guess though: iTunes-esque pricing, the most expensive of all three choices. Rent a movie, pay a high premium, and lose it . We can't see how this will be successful, considering Sony's quirky history with digital media downloads (see: Sony Connect and ATRAC3). » Read the rest of the entry..

Most new TVs have three or four HDMI sockets these days. But what if yours has fewer than you need? That's not as uncommon as you might think, especially if you have an older TV or even something like the Hitachi ultra-thin screen we reviewed recently. With Blu-ray players, games consoles, satellite, and media streamers, it's not a stretch to believe some people might desperately need more HDMI inputs. Happily, there are solutions for you, including this Lindy HDMI switch, with four HDMI inputs and one output. As it features what Lindy proclaims is a "high-quality Sony chipset," you shouldn't have any problems with compatibility or signal corruption. Happy days, as you'd be rather narked if you bought something like this only to discoverer it made a mess of everything you sent through it. » Read the rest of the entry..

ArchPort Shoes offers a hideaway wallet feature tucked into the sole of its "radically innovative" patented sandals and athletic shoes, with space for cell phones, GPS transceivers, wireless MP3 players, batteries, heaters, and other gadgets soon to follow.

Company founder Matt Potts came up with the idea back in 1989 while playing tennis. "It's just not comfortable to carry stuff in your pockets, especially a wallet," Potts told GPS Daily. » Read the rest of the entry..

Everybody knows Apple laptops are pricey. You know it, Crave knows it, Steve Jobs knows it. We also have a fair idea that its PC-selling counterpart, Dell, is relatively cheap. But have you ever stopped to examine just how much more you pay for Apple upgrades than you do for Dell? We have.

Having trawled the online configurator tools of both laptop makers, we've detailed just how much Apple takes the biscuit with its pricing. Base configurations look pretty similar on the surface, but when you start upgrading with faster internal components, Apple charges through the nose. » Read the rest of the entry..

In addition to an expected increase in sales to the U.S. military, iRobot says it will see growth in its unmanned robot platforms from foreign buyers.



The "Unmanned Systems Roadmap 2007-2032," a report put out by the Department of Defense last year, outlined a strategy to increase spending in unmanned technology for the air, sea, and ground.

iRobot, which has already been supplying the U.S. military with unmanned robots for use in ground reconnaissance and combat, has repeatedly said it will benefit from the military's increased need. » Read the rest of the entry..

There's not much good to say about a satellite dish sticking out from the side of your house. Depending on your part of town, it might either be stolen or the source of endless carping from aesthetically offended neighbors.

To deal with such urban complications, a few blokes who run a U.K.-based company called Sqish have come up with a solution that's either ridiculous or innovative--or ridiculously innovative, depending on your point of view. For about $300, they'll stick your satellite antenna in a compact box camouflaged with a custom sticker designed to blend into the wall behind it, according to Technabob. » Read the rest of the entry..

Hi everyone. Starting this week, I will be answering reader questions about all things GPS right here on Miss Direction and Crave. If you need product recommendations, have questions about the technology, or ever wondered if a GPS can actually tell you to drive into water, this is the place to be. I'll be posting these Ask the Editor blogs every other week so don't be shy, send in those questions, and I'll do my best to answer them all. So without further ado, on with the show.

Q: Can you help me? I am looking for a GPS that also has hands-free functionality. I live in California and as of July 2008, you cannot use a cell phone that is not hands free. Is there a GPS that has voice function? --Allen, via e-mail A: Hi Allen. You're in luck. There are quite a few portable navigation devices (PNDs) with integrated Bluetooth, which allows you to wirelessly connect a Bluetooth-enabled cell phone or smartphone to the GPS and use it as a hands-free speaker system. Some Bluetooth-equipped PNDs include the TomTom GO 930, Garmin Nuvi 660, and the Mio C520. Having reviewed a number of these devices, I'd have to say that Garmin and TomTom offer the easiest setup and best user interface for this, but you can also find more options in our roundup here. » Read the rest of the entry..

Of the growing number of smartphones with integrated GPS, you can now add the Motorola Ming to the list. Yes, you can now wheel and deal with the new Motorola Ming A1600 and the Motorola Ming A1800, which were just announced this week. The next-gen models of the Motorola Ming A1200 both feature a 2.4-inch QVGA touch screen, Bluetooth (with support for the A2DP profile), a microSD expansion slot that accepts up to 4GB cards, and a 3-megapixel camera. » Read the rest of the entry..