Cisco's Valet routers take a cue from Flip's design department

Admittedly, we were a bit hesitant when Cisco contacted us with jubilation over a router, but now we can kind of see why. The company has pulled in design experts from its recently-acquired Flip for what it's banking on is a much simpler and friendlier user experience, from the packaging to the set up and maintenance menus, with a new lineup of routers it's calling Valet. The hardware itself is not too shabby -- it'd probably be quite inconspicuous in a Tomorrowland exhibit -- but the internals are nothing mind-blowing. Both the Valet and Valet Plus offer 2.4GHz Wireless N, while the latter model boasts a longer range and a quartet of Gigabit ports (the standard only uses 10/100).

Eschewing the usual CD installation key is what Cisco's calling the USB Easy Setup Key. Similar idea to the other routers, just plug in and install the software. After two clicks of the menu, it auto-located our Valet and connected to a newly-minted, protected wireless service (in this case "BusyFish") with the password saved in our keychain. Adjusting guest access and parental controls are easy enough, and nice part of the USB key is that you can write the settings onto it, letting you simply plug it into another computer and auto-load the settings. Manual controls are still available and should be fine for most readers. Nothing mind-blowing, but for the audience Cisco's targeting, it's definitely a step in the right direction. According to Cisco, availability is "immediately" and prices are $100 for Valet and $150 for Valet Plus.

AMD launches 12-core Opteron server chips, Intel counters with the 8-core Xeon 7500

You thought six cores were nifty? This week, AMD and Intel have begun the multithreaded battle in earnest -- if only on the IT front -- with chips that have up to double that core density. This week, AMD has officially brought us that Opteron 6000 series leaked last week, a set of 8- and 12-core processors aimed at dual- and quad-CPU servers that it claims have both higher performance and lower cost than Intel's recent hex-core offerings. Not to be outdone, Intel has just introduced a 8-core processor series of its own, the Xeon 7500, that it envisions deployed in mammoth 256-processor configurations. In bulk orders of 1,000, a single 12-core Opteron costs nearly $1,200, while the cheapest single 8-core Xeon will set you back a cool $2,461 in the same quantity. We don't doubt they're powerful, and we'd kill for a pair of either in our gaming rig. At those prices though, we'll stick to building our supercomputer out of PS3s -- Oh, wait.

Battalion Touch CZ-11 multitouch gaming laptop gets Core i7 processor, keeps things classy

iBuyPower's back with a refresh to its simple, yet understated 15-inch touchscreen gaming notebook. The Battalion Touch CZ-11, newly announced today, features a Intel Core i7 processor, ATI Radeon HD 5650 graphics, a 15.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) multitouch display, 4GB memory, 500GB storage, WiFi b/g/n, and optional Blu-ray -- not too shabby, right? Prices start at $1,100 and climbs skyward fast -- hit the source link to see for yourself. And don't worry -- the flames are optional. PR after the break.

EATR's engine officially complete, and this robot's one step closer to reality

If you're anything like us, you've probably been keeping pretty close tabs on EATR, the biomass-to-power robot that's been making people nervous for some time now. Well, EATR's engine -- which is being built by Cyclone Power Technologies -- is complete, and the drone is now one giant leap closer to living in actual reality with us. The completed steam engine, called WHE, is a six-cylinder external heat engine which can generate up to 18 horsepower of mechanical power. As previously clarified by EATR's makers (a project that's getting help from the University of Maryland and DARPA), the robot will not feed on things like animals... or humans. No, this is no zombified drone -- EATR will harvest only plant matter for energy -- which, if you ask us, makes the whole thing much more mundane. Regardless, we'll be keeping our eyes on this project as it moves forward.

Amazon's frustration-free packaging is anything but for hard drives

It's all well and good to cut corners when you're ridding durable, miniature electronics of their brittle plastic clamshells -- but this time, Amazon's "Frustration-Free Packaging" initiative has gone too far. The company's shipping computer hard drives in the stuff. According to dozens of irate customers, Western Digital hard drives shipped by the e-tailer over the past several months have arrived in damaged cardboard containers, thin layers of bubble wrap, or even loose in a simple electrostatic discharge bag without an ounce of padding to keep them from harm. And while some buyers shipped them back immediately when they saw what had happened, many who tried them anyhow found their magnetic storage dead on arrival. While we're not certain whether Western Digital or Amazon was at fault for placing the drives on the "frustration-free" list in the first place (Seagate drive buyers haven't reported similar issues), Gadget Lab reports that Amazon is aware of the problem, and already working to ensure future (lack of) packaging avoids causing more frustration than it's worth

Windows 7 is safer when the admin isn't around

Not that we necessarily needed a report to tell us this, but the fewer privileges you afford yourself as a Windows user, the more secure your operating system becomes. Such is the conclusion of a new report from BeyondTrust, a company that -- surprise, surprise -- sells software for "privileged access management." The only way we use Windows 7 is as admins and we've never had a moment's bother, but some of you like stats, and others among you might be involved in business, which tends to make people a little more antsy about these things. So for your collective sake, let there be pie charts! The report looks into vulnerabilities disclosed by Microsoft during 2009 and concludes that all 55 reported Microsoft Office issues and 94 percent of the 33 listed for IE could be prevented by simply running a standard user account. Or using better software, presumably

Microvision lets others sample its PicoP Laser Display Engine

We're guessing that if you haven't bought a pico projector by now it isn't because they're just too big, but Microvision is doing its part to help make 'em smaller nonetheless. The company has begun initial shipments of its PicoP Laser Display Engine, found inside the Show WX, for other companies who want to make their own projectors -- or rifles. The circuitry that's half the size of the tech in competing pico projectors while still managing WVGA (848 x 480) resolution and a 5000:1 contrast ratio. No word on cost but we're guessing there's a discount if you buy in bulk, and shipping ought to be cheap.

Motorola's i1 hitting SouthernLINC Wireless, Georgians and Alabamians rejoice

Moto's i1 went from rumored device to ready for retail over the span of just a few weeks, and now we're finding out just where it'll be available -- though the news isn't exactly good. Motorola is announcing that the iDEN device will be hitting SouthernLINC first, a rural carrier that you may not have heard of if you're outside of Alabama, Georgia, or the western half of the Florida panhandle. That is the extent of this carrier's coverage, and so it's not a huge coming out party for this military spec push-to-talk smartphone, but we're hoping down the road it gets a little more love from carriers with slightly broader coverage maps.

Dell Latitude E6410 and E6510 emerge overseas, Core i5 / i7 and all

We spotted this suit-and-tie wearing pair sneaking through the FCC's lairs a few weeks ago, and now we know the whens and wheres of buying one... in the UK, anyway. The Dell Latitude E6410 is currently listed with a base price of £749 ($1,128) and features a 14.1-inch display (WXGA and WXGA+ options), a Core i5 or Core i7 processor, Windows Vista or 7, a pair of DDR3 RAM slots, NVIDIA's NVS 3100M (512MB) graphics, a variety of storage options, a Blu-ray or DVD drive, optional mobile broadband and all the expected ports around the edges. The E6510 steps up to a 15.6-inch panel (with a 1080p version selectable) and offers up a few extra CPU options, but otherwise it's identical. There's no word on when these kind fellows will make their way stateside, but if we were the betting type, we'd put our pounds and / or greenbacks on "real soon."

AT&T's 24Mbps U-verse broadband hits 22 new states, 120 new markets

Maybe you're sick of waiting for FiOS, maybe Time Warner or Comcast have rubbed you the wrong way, or maybe you just really want in on that mobile DVR action AT&T announced last week. Whatever the reason, if you're interested in U-verse the Max Turbo broadband service now available in 120 new markets across 22 states. That entails maximum download speeds of 24Mbps with 3Mbps upstream -- less than half the maximum speed offered by Verizon or most cable companies, but its cost of $65 per month actually makes it quite competitive against mid-tier broadband plans. What AT&T hasn't said is exactly which new states and markets can now join in the fun, but there's an availability checker on the site that will quickly tell you the good or bad news.

Celsius X VI II LEDIX, the $300k tourbillon dumbphone, gets handled

Yes, folks, what you are looking at is perhaps the world's most overly complex cellphone, and it has been given an overly complex name to match: the Celsius X VI II LEDIX. All those roman numerals don't convey the sense of power you'll feel in holding this to the side of your face while yelling at your assistant in a futile attempt at gaining the respect of your peers. Despite the phone quite naturally having a battery inside, the (soon to be broken) watch mechanism is purely mechanical, given another three hours of life each time you open and close this clamshell. Inside you can gaze at a design straight out of 1998 and functionality not much more advanced -- a simple browser, text messaging, and tri-band GSM. 3G isn't even on offer here folks, but when you're this rich you can pay other people to download high-res lolcat pictures for you.

Dell Precision M4500 now shipping with $1,549 starting price

With specs and prices easily reaching into the stratosphere, we weren't quite sure where Dell's new 15-inch Precision M4500 workstation would land -- the 17-inch M6500 has a starting price of $1,799, but that's only after $310 of "instant savings." Well, it looks like we're getting off (relatively) easy with the M4500, with a Core i5-520M 2.5GHz model running for $1,549 and still managing to pack in those NVIDIA Quadro FX 880M Graphics. Of course, we imagine you'll quickly be running up that bill -- 2GB of slow RAM, a 1366 x 768 LCD, and no WiFi just aren't going to cut it -- but with tempting options like a secondary 64GB SSD minicard drive and the ever-frivilous Precision ON, it's not like we were sticking near that base price anyway. Expect to spec out something truly delicious in the $2,500+ range. Our biggest disappointment? Backlit keyboard is optional, something that's standard even on the Vostro line these days.

Samsung's SMX-C20UN is compact, oddly angled, and YouTube friendly

Samsung's had this thing with the angled lenses lately. Apparently the camera is much more ergonomic when pointed down 25 degrees -- which is probably a much less natural shooting position as well, but we'll leave that up to you to decide. Anyways, the company's newest such beauty, the SMX-C20UN, features a 2.7-inch display, 1/6-inch (680K) CCD sensor, 10x optical zoom, SDHC storage, and support for H.264 video. As is usually the case nowadays, video can be edited on the camera and uploaded directly to YouTube -- perfect for capturing those embarrassing v-blogs before you sober up and your social filter kicks in. Available now for $200.

Sling working on player for iPad, Windows Phone 7 Series

Looks like Zatz got the goods from the folks at Sling, who have a few interesting tidbits currently in the development pipe. Zatz not Funny is reporting that Sling's Mobile Prouct Marketing Manager, Dave Eyler, has told him that the company is "actively moving towards H.264" and Silverlight support, as well as delivering streaming with resolutions beyond the current 320x240. Though there are no firm details or timelines yet, this means we should definitely be expecting SlingPlayer Mobile versions for the iPad and Windows Phone 7 Series. While Sling says it won't have anything ready for the iPad's launch, we've got our fingers crossed that we'll see it soon.

WD intros standard-height 2.5-inch 750GB Scorpio Blue HDD

Western Digital already shipped the industry's first 2.5-inch 1TB hard drive last summer, but unfortunately for most, it couldn't be used as a drop-in solution for upgrading one's laptop drive. The reason? It relies on an unorthodox 12.5mm height form factor, while the vast majority of laptops only support 9.5mm height drives. Now, the outfit has pushed out a 750GB Scorpio Blue, a 2.5-incher that does indeed utilize the standard height form factor, and while this here unit includes Advanced Format and WhisperDrive, the 5,400RPM spindle speed is admittedly disappointing. It's tough to argue with the $149 price, though, and it's available now if you've been hankering for more space within your mobile workhorse.

HTC EVO 4G dev guide released: it's really boring, but the phone is still cool

See that picture right there? That's a photo of the HTC EVO 4G, the universe's first Android-based 4G phone for the Sprint WiMAX network, plugged into a TV over HDMI. Sure, you could hit up this source link, a Google Doc guide for developers looking to sling together EVO 4G-compatible Android applications before the best-specced phone on the planet is released this summer, but you might get bored with the abundance of code and shortage of amazing photos like this one depicting the greatest piece of technology known to man. It's 720p out, just in case you were curious or lacking in faith.

Verizon begins Android 2.1 update rollout for Motorola Droid

Flippin' finally, right? Verizon Wireless put the long-awaited Android 2.1 update on hold for its cadre of Motorola Droid owners earlier in the month, with an all-too-vague "TBD" as the only detail as to when we could look for it to actually, really land. We've just happened upon what looks to be an internal Verizon email that went out this morning, and sure enough, it sounds as if the update will at long last begin hitting Droid owners in just a few minutes. At noon on 3/30 (that's today, vaquero), a grand total of 1,000 users will receive notification of the update, while 9,000 more will get a similar alert just before midnight. If all goes well, the rest of ya will see v2.1 slide down starting on Thursday, though it looks as if patience will be your only friend as you await your turn. Head on past the break for the full memo, but don't get your hopes up too high -- wouldn't want to be let down again, would you buttercup?

Oh, and drop us a tip if you see the update hit your phone, alright?

Starting 03/30/2010, Verizon Wireless is pleased to announce a new software update for the DROID by Motorola. Users will be able to upgrade their software to version AP: ESE81/BP: C_01.3E.03P to receive new improvements and enhancements.

*Key Advantages:*

o Email - Yahoo Mail is now supported - customers can simply
sign in with their Yahoo! Email address and password. Note:
Yahoo! Email is not available over Wi-Fi
o Pinch to Zoom now available in the Browser, Maps, and Gallery
o Speech-to-Text - Customers can now use their voice instead
of typing whenever a text-entry box appears
o Google Goggles is now preloaded
o The new Gallery application uses 3D layout and shows both
pictures taken with the customer's Android device and images
from Picasa Web Albums account online

*Software Schedule:*
Below is the software-upgrade notification schedule (All times listed are Eastern Time):

o At noon on 03/30, 1,000 users will receive notification of
the update.
o At 11:59 PM on 03/30, 9,000 more users will receive the
update notification.
o After the first 10,000 users receive the update on 03/30,
there will be a 24-hour period when no additional upgrades
will be delivered.
o On Day 3 (04/01), 200,000 users will receive the update
notification at 11:59 PM. This schedule will continue each
day thereafter until the update has been delivered to all users.

*Download & Install Conditions:*

o An OTA download requires 40% or more power availability if
the device is not connected to an external power source or
20% or more power if it is connected to an external source
o If roaming, the customer will not receive the update. The
only option in this scenario is for the subscriber to enable
Wi-Fi and wait for a mandatory OTA. The wait period in this
case will not be more than 12 hours
o User must wait to receive the upgrade via OTA
o User is unable to make or receive calls, including emergency
calls during this time
o Users will see the following information when they select*
More info* on the update screen:/ This software update
includes new enhancements to support Yahoo! Email,
pinch-to-zoom, and many other improvements for your DROID by
Motorola. You will be unable to use your device or make
emergency calls for the duration of the install. The
software updates automatically, and your DROID will power
off and on as part of this software upgrade.

Philosopher ponders the implications of robot warfare, life with a degree in philosophy

H+, our favorite transhumanist magazine, has just published a chat with Peter Asaro, the author of a paper titled "How Just Could a Robot War Be?" In this interview (co-authored by our old friend R.U. Sirius) the gentleman from Rutgers explores the philosophical implications of things like robot civil war, robots and just war theory, and the possibilities of installing some sort of "moral agency" in the killer machines that our military increasingly relies on. But that ain't all -- the big thinkers also discuss the benefits of programming automatons to disobey (certain) orders, drop science on a certain Immanuel Kant, and more. We know you've been dying to explore the categorical imperative as it relates to the robot apocalypse

T-shirt modded to let you know when you have new emails, won't tell you why your friends are avoiding you

You probably don't have enough reminders that you're always a little behind, right? Well Chris and his wife Madeline decided to make one more for themselves: a t-shirt that lights up when you have new emails, and also tells you the number in your inbox. Using an Arduino Lilypad microcontroller, a few LEDs, conductive thread, and a Bluetooth dongle to communicate with an Android phone nearby (which has access to the inbox), Chris took a custom printed shirt and rigged up this badboy. It's actually pretty good looking as far as these things go, but we still don't know if we need this in our already alert-ridden lives.

Pixel Qi and OLPC to share all current and future screen tech

Our man Nicholas Negroponte was certainly excited about pushing the state of the art forward with future versions of the OLPC when we hosted him on The Engadget Show earlier this month, and now he's got one more tool to help make that happen: the OLPC Foundation and Pixel Qi just signed a permanent and free cross-license on a slew of next-generation screen technology patents, including Pixel Qi's sweet dual-mode displays. If you're recall, Pixel Qi's Mary Lou Jepson actually developed part of the 3Qi screen tech while at OLPC, so there was some mild confusion over who owned what -- but the two organizations have solved that problem by cross-licensing all future and current IP covering multi-mode screens. See, it's easy for two tech companies to get along... especially when one is actually a charity that's not at all concerned with profits. Super simple. So -- let's get working on that OLPC XO-3, shall we?

Desk Phone Dock promises to bring some landline charm to the iPhone

There's not much more than renders and / or polished photos to see at the moment, but this so-called Desk Phone Dock is slated to make its debut at the China Sourcing Fair next month, and it shouldn't have much trouble turning some heads among all the usual iPhone accessories. Complete details (including pricing and availability) will apparently have to wait until then, but the dock does promise to charge and sync your iPhone while it's in place, and it will function as a speakerphone as well if you don't feel like using the handset -- or simply as speaker for your iPhone, for that matter (that's a volume knob / mute button on top). Unfortunately, we won't be at the fair to check it out first hand, but we'll certainly be keeping a close watch on this one.

Lenovo ThinkPad X100e review

Ever since we first met Lenovo's ThinkPad X100e at CES we've had it on a virtual pedestal as the perfect solution between a netbook and a larger 13- or 14-inch ULV ultraportable. That's because in addition to carrying the renowned ThinkPad brand, its AMD Neo processor / ATI graphics combo promise more power than the typical Intel Atom N450-powered netbook, and with an 11.6-inch screen the chassis can accommodate a wider keyboard and touchpad. Sounds like the perfect mobile computer, right? Unfortunately, there are two things that hold the $549 X100e from being all we wanted it be. Thought we were going to give it up that easily?

Look and feel

Unlike the new Edge series, the X100e's angular edges and boxy build scream traditional ThinkPad design, and as part of the X Series family it looks more like a shrunken X201 or X301 more than anything else. Yet despite its strong ThinkPad design heritage, the "heatwave red" color of our unit is a dead giveaway of Lenovo's motivation to go after a bit more of the rebellious (or you know, Valentine's Day loving) mobile professional. Cherry red haters are not to worry, you can also nab it in the familiar matte black.

Lenovo refuses to call the X100e a netbook, but we're going to call a spade a spade and say that size-wise that's exactly what it looks like. The inch-thick laptop is slightly longer than 10-inch netbooks, but it's still compact enough to fit into a small handbag and carry in one hand. Our one qualm about the entire design comes with the six-cell battery, which protrudes out of the X100e's rear – not only is it awkward, but it puts the system at 3.3 pounds. That's just too heavy for something this small, and oddly enough the larger, 12-inch X201 feels noticeably lighter in comparison. Three USB ports, VGA, Ethernet, a mic jack and an SD card slot surround the chassis. Lenovo, still refusing to call it a netbook? Riiight.

Keyboard, touchpad and screen

You know the feeling after you've had a great meal and you just can't wait to go back and for more? That's the only way we know how to describe our feelings about the spill-resistant, chiclet keyboard on the X100e (which is the same as that on the Edge 13). The black, matte curved keys – Lenovo calls them "keycaped" – feel as if they've been molded especially for our finger tips, and the entire panel is void of any flex or bounce. While the function buttons have been shrunken down, there are two full sized Shift keys and we didn't have to make any adjustments to our usual hand positioning when typing this review.

Like most Lenovo ThinkPads you'll never be at a loss for navigation options – there's the signature red TrackPoint in the middle of the keyboard and a smaller touchpad below. We're pointing stick people, but the touchpad is decently sized, though its multitouch capabilities are fincky. Truth is we've navigated and typed on a lot of netbooks and small computers, and there's no doubt in our minds that the experience on the X100e is the top of the game.

Unsurprisingly, we prefer the X100e's matte 11.6-inch, 1366 x 768-resolution screen to that of 10-inch netbook displays. It was sufficiently bright when we watched an 1080p Alice In Wonderland clip, but when we tilted the screen back colors were quick to fade. Horizontal viewing angles were also narrow, but were adequate for sharing the screen with a family member. Like on the Edge 13, above the display is a low-light webcam, which displayed our face fairly clearly during a video call in a dark room. You hear that? It's the sound of Chatrouletters rejoicing! The speakers located on the front lip of the laptop produce decently loud sound for a system this size, though Lady Gaga's Telephone sounded fairly tinny at full blast.

Performance and battery life

The X100e is the first ever ThinkPad to be powered by an AMD processor, and also one of the first ultraportables we've reviewed with the company's single-core 1.6Ghz Athlon Neo MV-40. Coupled with 2GB of RAM and a 5,400rpm 250GB hard drive the X100e was snappy when surfing the web, writing this review in Microsoft Word 2007 and listening to some tunes in Windows Media Player. In comparison to Atom netbooks, it felt slightly faster when opening programs and toggling between applications, but slightly behind ULV laptops we've tested.

Graphics-wise the X100e's ATI Radeon HD 3200 integrated GPU helps it boast better HD performance than most Atom netbooks. Out of the box we had no problems streaming 720p YouTube videos, and upgrading to Flash 10.1 pushed 1080p content along with very few pauses. Obviously when it comes to gaming the X100e doesn't fall anywhere close to the NVIDIA GT335M-powered Alienware M11x, but it did handle World of Warcraft at a decent 25fps. However while we were enjoying the multimedia boost, we noticed the bottom of the laptop getting increasingly hot. While the keyboard and touchpad stayed fairly cool, the left edge and the underside of the system created a very toasty spot on our jeans. We're inclined to blame AMD's Neo considering the HP dv2 showed similar lap-burning temperatures.

Yes, AMD's Athlon Neo gives the X100e a noticeable performance and graphics boost over the typical Intel Atom processor and even some lower end Celeron ULV processors, but when it comes to battery life it destroys the ThinkPad's chance of running with the gassed up Intel-powered lappies. On our video rundown test the X100e's 63Wh, six-cell battery lasted a pretty sad three and a half hours. Most netbooks with six-cell batteries run for double that time, and most ULV laptops last over four and a half hours. We don't even want to know how long the three-cell battery lasts on a charge, but there's the answer to why Lenovo only offers the X100e with six-cell battery options on its site. We know it's taken AMD a while to really get into the "netbook" or low cost ultraportable space, but its Neo processor is just too hot and energy hungry. We're not sure pushing a dual-core version of this processor out the door is the answer -- AMD just isn't playing on the same level as Intel when it comes to low-power CPUs, and the X100e unfortunately demonstrates that all too clearly.

Wrap-up

We wanted the X100e to stay on that virtual pedestal. We really did. But while it's impressive in many ways -- oh, that keyboard! -- its battery life and heat issues just cannot be overlooked. There's no doubt that for $549 the X100e packs more power and graphics than the average $399 netbook, but other 11.6-inch Intel ULV laptops, like the $400 Acer Aspire 1410, rock similar performance scores and run for about five hours on a single charge. We'd love to see Lenovo offer a version of the X100e with an Intel ULV processor, but we'd bet that for some, the X100e's extra horsepower and stellar ergonomics will be all it takes to hand over the plastic.

Four Letter Words robot plays word association, swears quite a bit

If you know us, you know how much we love our swear words -- the basis of which, of course, is the old fashioned "four letter word." Artist Rob Seward must feel the same way -- he's actually gone so far as to build a robot that can assemble letters out of fluorescent lights, displaying English language words up to four digits long. Drawing on a word association database developed at the University of South Florida, an algorithm is used to display a never-ending series of words for bemused viewers. Not all the words are "blue," mind you, but the thing does trend that way, as determined "by a variety of language and perception studies, especially Elliot McGinnies's 1949 study 'Emotionality and Perceptual Defense'" (you know the one).

MapQuest iPhone gets free voice navigation; TomTom lifetime map and traffic PNDs now available

Chalk up another two wins for cheap consumer GPS. Like Google Maps Navigation before it, the MapQuest 4 Mobile iPhone app has just now added gratis turn-by-turn voice directions... and ahead of schedule, TomTom has begun bundling its new 2010 Personal Navigation Devices, including the XL 340S and the XXL 540S -- with lifetime traffic and maps subscriptions. The latter are now available on Amazon for a $30-per-lifetime-subscription premium in a variety of increasingly feature-filled flavors, with helpful T (traffic), M (maps) and TM (traffic and maps) suffixes so you know which TomTom is which. If you prefer buying from brick and mortar, TomTom expects retail availability beginning in April. Full list of supported TomTom models and expected MSRP after the break.

• TomTom XL 335T (Lifetime Traffic Edition) - $190
• TomTom XL 335M (Lifetime Maps Edition) - $190
• TomTom XL 335TM (Lifetime Traffic & Maps Edition) - $220
• TomTom XL 340T (Lifetime Traffic Edition) - $200
• TomTom XL 340M (Lifetime Maps Edition) - $200
• TomTom XL 340TM (Lifetime Traffic & Maps Edition) - $230
• TomTom XL 340TM LIVE (Lifetime Traffic & Maps Edition) - $260
• TomTom XXL 540T (Lifetime Traffic Edition) - $230
• TomTom XXL 540M (Lifetime Maps Edition) - $230
• TomTom XXL 540TM (Lifetime Traffic & Maps Edition) - $260
• TomTom XXL 540TM World Traveler (Lifetime Traffic & Maps Edition) - $300
• TomTom Go 740TM LIVE (Lifetime Traffic & Maps Edition) - $320

Toshiba K01 goes official as IS02 in Japan

Talk about a globetrotter. Toshiba's K01 has made the journey from the American FCC to a Japanese carrier in the space of just one day. AU, part of the KDDI group and one of Japan's big three network operators, has picked up the phone and promptly renamed it the IS02. Coming with a 1GHz Snapdragon core, a 4.1-inch capacitive touchscreen of the AMOLED variety, and that indispensable (for some) QWERTY keyboard, this WinMo 6.5 handset will be available to our Japanese comrades in the latter part of June this year. Given the long waiting times both for this and its brandmate, the IS01, we have to wonder what's up with Japanese carriers. Have they developed an aversion to the cutting edge or what?

Large Hadron Collider to search for God Particle using 7 TeV proton collisions, via live webcast

The Large Hadron Collider is about to turn useful, people. Having recently jacked up its particle acceleration power to create 3.5 TeV (trillion electron volts) collisions, the researchers are today pressing ahead with plans to go to a full 7 TeV, which -- you won't be surprised to hear -- has never been done before. Provided the requisite 3.5 TeV per beam is reached, sustained and properly channeled into creating useful collisions, CERN will finally have the data it needs to start its long-awaited physics program based off the findings provided by the LHC. Best of all? The latest world record attempt is being broadcast live over the web right now so why not hit up that link below to witness some history in the making?

We'll keep updating this post as the event goes along, come past the break to see the latest.

8.38AM CET -- Hello! It wouldn't be the LHC without something going wonky and sure enough, we're told a power converter went down while things were ramping up this morning. Not to worry though, apparently these things happen often, and will be overcome without much fuss. First collisions are expected in about two hours.

8.56AM -- They've lost a beam. Cryogenics problems have caused one of the beams to go astray, meaning that the ramping process will have to be restarted. It's been four minutes now and they've yet to determine what the particular cause was or where that beam went. People near the Franco-Swiss border should probably remain indoors this morning.

9.40AM -- Time until the collisions is being filled with tours of the experiment control rooms. Lots of trendy people in there, wearing checked shirts, scruffy jumpers and denim jackets -- and hey, a dude named Wolfram! This is like a bad Bond movie.

10.09AM -- Earlier issue has been identified as an "electrical perturbation" that took out a couple of sectors of the LHC. The magnets in the relevant areas are presently being reset, which should take about an hour, to be followed by a new beam being injected and then ramping starting anew. Judging by all the interviews they're doing, we suspect they might be stretching this thing out just to give all of their physicists some screen time.

Sharp IS01 Snapdragon-powered 3G MID introduces AU to Android

After Softbank announced the HTC Desire and DoCoMo began pushing its very first Android smartphone (Xperia X10), Japan had big hopes for AU's press event today. An EVO perhaps, or maybe something more from this once proud home of the original superphones? Unfortunately, Engadget Japanese let out a collective meh in response to a 5-inch IS01 handheld from Sharp running Android 1.6 on a Snapdragon processor and measuring 83 × 149 × 17.9mm and 227g. While it looks like the classic Japanese eDictionary, the IS01 is meant to be used as a general purpose MID with a 5-row QWERTY, Sharp-built "New Mobile ASV" multi-touch capacitive display pushing a 960 x 480 pixel resolution and a 5.27 megapixel auto focus camera on back with a 0.43 megapixel jobbie up front for video calls. Rounding out the specs are 802.11 b/g WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, microSD slot, 1Seg mobile TV tuner, IrDA, 4GB of internal storage, and Qualcomm 3G CDMA data. Look for it to ship in October while a developer friendly version (JN-DK01) should be available in May.

Artificial Muscle ramps up production -- expect touchscreens that push back in 2011

Last we heard from Artificial Muscle, the company was trying to convince hospitals, cell phone manufacturers and more that its technology -- a silicon film that expands and contracts with an applied voltage -- would provide a real sense of touch to their cold, hard touchscreens. On at least three counts, it has succeeded. The San Jose Mercury News reports that two cell phone manufacturers are planning Artificial Muscle-based products in 2011, and that an "electronics entertainment product" will be released this Christmas. The company also plans to produce 1 million of the electronic actuators per month to anticipate further demand. While the Mercury News notes that Artificial Muscle's product isn't the holy grail of haptic feedback -- the entire screen stiffens when pressed, not just the spot you touch -- its adoption means the company may have set events in motion to ultimately reach that goal.

Archos 7 Home Tablet up for pre-order, could ship first week of April

The first week of April is going to be a good one for prospective tablet owners. If a certain highly talked-about slate isn't to your liking, it seems that Archos 7 Home Tablet we spent some time with earlier this month will soon be making its debut as well. Both Redcoon.de ("usually ships in two weeks") and Amazon.de ("soon") have the 8GB model available for pre-order, for €180 and €200 (or about $240 and $270) respectively. Not the most stunning hardware, to be sure, but for less than $300 you can't really complain.

Garmin's Forerunner 110 GPS watch handles just the basics, please

Garmin has managed to do GPS watches right with its long-standing Forerunner line, but the vast majority of 'em have been useful only to nerds who aren't deterred by lengthy setup procedures. The new Forerunner 110, however, changes all that. Designed to provide just the basics to runners and other fitness freaks, this SiRFstarIV-infused timepiece provides near-instant access to distance, pace and time "within seconds of stepping outside." Marketed as an entry-level solution for those who don't need added complexity in their life, it can also be used in conjunction with heart rate monitors to display current thumps per second and heart rate-based calorie computation, both of which can be logged once you sync it to your PC via USB. The inbuilt battery will last up to eight hours in GPS / training mode or three weeks in power-save mode, and while there's no mention of a price, we are told that it'll be available in black / gray, charcoal / red and gray / pink color combinations. Good luck choosing the most badical one.

Microsoft facing patent lawsuit over Zune Buy From FM feature

Looks like someone at Microsoft should be paying slightly more attention to the mail: an ophthalmologist (yes, that's right) in Illinois named Edward Yavitz is suing Redmond over the Zune's Buy From FM feature, saying he wrote the software giant a letter in 2006 that disclosed his two relevant patents on the tech, suggested how it could be integrated into the Zune, and asked for a deal. Two years and presumably zero replies later, a young Joe Belfiore introduced Buy From FM along with the Zune 3.0 software, which Ed says directly infringes on his patents -- and his lawsuit, filed ten days ago, asks the court to permanently stop sales of the Zune and award him triple damages in cash. Oops. We haven't dived too deeply into the patents themselves, but it looks like Ed's going to have a bit of a fight on his hands here, as the patents seem to describe systems that have preloaded content about music that's then accessed when a data trigger is received over the air, not just storing song information for later purchase over the Internet. We're sure the good doctor's attorneys have some high-powered arguments to the contrary, so we'll withhold judgment and see where this all leads -- we're guessing a quick settlement is in the cards, as fighting Microsoft might end up actually costing more than any percentage of royalties on total sales of the Zune.

P.S.- If you're wondering why Apple hasn't been named for its similar iTunes Tagging feature... well, so are we. We'll see what happens.

Cowon's all-metal J3 PMP gets official

We'd already gotten a early look at Cowon's new all-metal J3 PMP earlier this month courtesy of the red dot design awards, but the company has just now gotten fully official with it, and detailed its complete specs. As expected, this one packs a 3.3-inch AMOLED touchscreen, along with 4GB, 8GB or 16GB of storage, a microSD card slot for further expansion, a built-in DMB TV tuner and FM radio, Bluetooth support, a built-in speaker and, of course, that brushed metal case -- not to mention a few familiar UI elements. Unfortunately, there's still no indication of a price, nor is there any word of a release over here.

Update: At least one website has listed prices of between 189,000 and 359,000 South Korean won, or roughly $166 to $316.

Dell Aero hands-on and UI walkthrough

We took a look at the Dell Aero during last week's CTIA bonanza, but AT&T and Dell weren't exactly forthcoming with letting us take the UI for a spin. Luckily, we're pretty resourceful folks, so we've wrangled some face time with a functioning device, and walked away with some insight into the phone's unique personality. Read on after the break for a bulleted breakdown of exactly what this phone is all about, a video of the Aero in action, and make sure to feast your eyes on the gallery below.

Update: We've just been contacted by an AT&T spokesperson and told on no uncertain terms that the final version of the Aero will definitely have the Android Market, so that's a relief -- and it also means we should be able to get our hands on Maps, even if the firmware doesn't include it.

Update 2: We've also had Dell reach out to us, who adds that "since the Dell Aero is not generally available, this is not representative of the final product." Seems like the software deficiencies here have riled up carrier and manufacturer alike, which is probably a good thing.
So here are our main takeaways about this device:

• The form factor is very, very sleek, though it feels surprisingly light compared to a Nexus One or Droid.
• The UI has been completely reskinned, and there are multiple skins available -- but also missing is Google Maps, Gmail, and a handful of other Google-centric features....
• It looks like AT&T and Dell want to turn this device into a glorified featurephone, which is a huge downer -- it's definitely loaded with AT&T bloatware.
• Dell has merged the home button and back button into a single target on the left side of the phone -- long press for home, short press for back, and it doesn't always feel very natural.
• Screen responsiveness wasn't super tight, though this is still an unreleased version, so we suppose that could change.

All in all, the Aero was somewhat of a disappointment for us. It seems that AT&T is doing just about everything it can right now to rob Android of its nerdy core and replace it with stripped down (and frankly boring) featurephone skins. We really hope that the carrier wises up and lets some "pure" Android fodder hit its airwaves -- because this is no way to treat a 'droid. Hey, at least we can still hold out hope for the Mini 5.

Innoband HomePlug AV+802.11n AP Starter Kit review

HomePlug has been around for years now, nearly as long as mobile broadband, Windows Mobile and sliced bread... combined. Unlike any of those three, however HomePlug hasn't exactly caught fire in the industry. For those unaware, the general principle with these devices is to send network signals (or other signals, we suppose) over a home's existing power network. In theory, this would prevent someone from being forced to run a 50 foot Ethernet drop, instead using the 50 feet (or more) or power wiring that already resides within the walls of a given abode to transmit the same signals. For whatever reason, early models were plagued with flaky performance and speeds that were far less than advertised. Granted, things have progressed quite aways since the HomePlugs of old, but has the tech finally reached a place where it could be adopted en masse?

We recently had the chance to test out Innoband's HomePlug AV+802.11n AP Starter Kit, which is a two-piece solution that consists of a transmitting unit (which connects to your router or modem via Ethernet and plugs into a nearby wall outlet) and a 802.11b/g/n WiFi transceiver, which is designed to be plugged into a different wall socket where you need an Ethernet connection or extended wireless coverage. Curious as to how things stacked up?
Generally speaking, HomePlug AV (the newest standard) connection kits serve a pretty specific niche. If you've ever dreamed of running an Ethernet cable from your loft upstairs down to the Xbox 360 in your living room -- you know, for optimal ping times in Xbox Live play and stutter-free Netflix Watch Instantly playback -- you've probably considered a HomePlug alternative. In many cases, WiFi dongles are available to take the place of a direct Ethernet run, but as we all know, wireless performance can vary with the wind, and when it comes to being entertained, none of us have time for that sort of nonsense. Innoband's solution allows for network signals to be passed over your existing power network, but the bonus here is that you'll also be able to extend your wireless network range to a location of your choice -- wherever you plug in the transceiver with the antenna is where you'll get a whole new area of 5-bar coverage.

We tested the solution out on a scenario that we felt would be fairly representative of how most folks would put this to use. We plugged in the non-wireless adapter near our WLAN router, and then we jacked the WiFi-enabled one in behind our television. We linked our Xbox 360 to the adapter via one of the bundled patch cables, hit the "Sync" button, waited around 20 seconds, and fired up Xbox Live. As we were hoping, everything loaded up just fine. In fact, we couldn't tell that we didn't have an actual Ethernet cable running directly between the console and the modem, and that's precisely the point. Our on-demand movies streamed cleanly, our online gaming experience was just as snappy as connecting via the Xbox 360 Wireless N adapter and we gained another blanket of WiFi coverage in our den to boot. If you couldn't tell, setup was dead simple -- no software installation was required, and everything was up and running within a matter of minutes.

Speaking of wireless, we did find the range to be a bit weak. We had trouble getting a solid connection on our MacBook Pro from around 150 feet away, but anywhere between 0 and 75 feet netted us a fantastic internet experience. It's pretty simple to connect; just look for "Innoband" in your list of wireless networks and punch up the security key that's pasted on the underside of the wireless adapter. Our first test was to see if downloads were any slower due to routing network signals over the home's power lines, but out of the 15 files that we download from various sites (all between 35MB and 400MB in size), we didn't notice a performance hit. We saw download rates of around 900Kbps over the Innoband connection, matching the rates we experienced when connecting directly to our WLAN router. Obviously your experience will vary based on the connection in your home, but for the average cable / DSL user, you won't notice any slowdowns here. Oh, and as for uploads? Speeds over the Innoband matched our WLAN router, too.

We also tested one final scenario in hopes of uncovering something magical, but alas, our hopes were dashed when the units failed to communicate after attempting to sync for 10 to 15 minutes. We kept the non-wireless receiver plugged in (and connected) near the router, but we jacked the WiFi-enabled adapter in at a nearby barn. Said barn was only 200 some-odd feet away from the house, but it possessed its own power meter. Given that lines to the home and barn were both ran to the same outdoor pole, we were hoping that the Innoband solution would be able to drag network signals from the home to the barn. Unfortunately, that never panned out, so it's certainly something to keep in mind if you had such a scheme all worked out in your head.

Overall, the HomePlug AV+802.11n AP Starter Kit is a solid bet for those who just can't get by with their existing wireless network (or don't feel like spending big bucks on a wireless dongle for your Blu-ray deck, Xbox 360, etc.). Performance was impressive throughout our testing, and not once did we experience an unexpected dropout, connection timeout or any other unwanted interruption. The added bonus of extending the wireless range in your home makes this even more succulent to those in a McMansion, and folks who'd love to make their sunroom or outdoor patio a WiFi-enabled locale will also find even more to love. The only knock we have is the somewhat disappointing wireless range (it tended to get flaky / sluggish beyond 100 feet away), and while we wish the MSRP ($169.99) were lower, it's actually quite respectable when you consider that this kit could prevent you from buying a WLAN router, a huge spool of Ethernet (and the apparatuses to conceal the drop) and at least one WiFi adapter. That said, this makes the most sense for someone who's just now starting up a home network, but it's definitely worth a look if you could imagine this benefiting your setup in any way, and you want a non-wireless version, that's also around for $110.

Inhabitat's Week In Green: 3D printed veins, solar cell towers, and the Ingocar

At Inhabitat we've seen 3D printers that create entire buildings out of stone and complete meals out of simple ingredients, but this week we watched in awe as scientists used a 3D printer to create the world's first "printed" human vein. And if advances in biotech get your blood flowing, you'll be excited to hear that this week a team of researchers successfully tested a new type of nanobot that travels through the bloodstream to turn off tumor cells. Contact lenses are also getting a much needed upgrade as scientists unveiled a new type capable of fighting glaucoma and other diseases by dispensing a powerful dose of medication.

In other news, solar energy is lighting up the world at large as India gears up to power all of its cellphone towers with photovoltaic cells, saving 5 million tons of CO2 and $1.4 billion annually. And speaking of silicon cells, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory recently unveiled its latest creation: a super robot capable of assembling an entire photovoltaic cell in 35 minutes flat. We also looked at a prototype of a prismatic solar balloon that uses a colorful new type of solar cell to soak up the sun's energy from high in the sky.

Finally, this week we took an in-depth look at the Ingocar, a hydraulic hybrid drive vehicle so light and efficient that it promises a mileage of 170MPG. This next-gen vehicle uses hydraulic fluid under pressure to accelerate, brake, and eliminate the need for a heavy mechanical drive train, making it 50% lighter than hybrid electric vehicles. And if you've ever experienced the maddening anxiety of circling for a parking spot on crammed city streets, relax - there's an app for that!

Windows Phone 7 Series screwed and chopped onto HTC Touch Diamond

If there's any better argument for rigid spec requirements for Windows Phone 7 Series hardware, it's this video of an HTC Touch Diamond running the OS at an especially syrupy pace. Indeed, the lag is so severe that it could very well be some trickery in the form of a RDP client running on a 7 Series emulator, which is in turn running on a PC -- which, now that we think of it, is a pretty good possibility. Whichever way they achieved this feat, it's certainly not a recipe for a viable handset. But we do know that these sort of "ports" are only going to increase as time goes on. See for yourself after the break.

WSJ: Apple 'developing new iPhone,' plus another for Verizon (update: iPhone HD, front-facing camera?)

You heard right, folks -- according to the Wall Street Journal, Apple is currently "developing a new iPhone to debut this summer," and as if that weren't enough, it's also "working on another model for US mobile phone operator Verizon Wireless." As of this moment, details about the break are nowhere to be found, but it's not like either tidbit is shocking. This summer will mark the one-year anniversary of the iPhone 3GS, and if the Cupertino-based company keeps with its historical refresh pattern, we're just a few months out from seeing the latest and greatest iPhone. There's also been no shortage of iPhone-to-Verizon rumors over the years, with the latest of 'em happening during the run-up to the iPad's launch.

Update: We're now learning that the "next iPhone is being manufactured by Taiwanese contract manufacturer Hon Hai Precision Industry," which just so happens to be the same outfit responsible for crafting all prior iPhones. That's according to "people briefed on the matter" and sourced by the WSJ. It's also stated that the world's first CDMA iPhone will be manufactured by Pegatron Technology, which we caught just last week dabbling in some of NVIDIA's Tegra 2-based wares. If all goes well, Pegatron could begin mass production of the CDMA iPhone (exact model not disclosed) this September, so it's hard to say if Sprint or Verizon would have access before the all-too-lucrative holiday season. As for quotes on the matter? Most everyone involved wouldn't say a word, but an AT&T spokesman did utter the following: "There has been lots of incorrect speculation on CDMA iPhones for a long time. We haven't seen one yet and only Apple knows when that might occur."

On a week that couldn't possibly get any bigger for Apple, that's exactly what just happened. Everyone suspected that a fourth-generation iPhone was in the works, but having an outlet like the WSJ confirm it just makes the summer that much harder to wait for. There's also the possibility that 2010 will be the final year that AT&T retains its death-grip on the iPhone, but by the sound of this report, it still seems as if the nation's largest GSM carrier may nab exclusive rights on the latest iPhone. We also can't help but wonder about the future of a true 4G iPhone -- will Sprint manage to grab a WiMAX-enabled version? Will Verizon get its grubby paws on an LTE model? We figured only Jobs would know, but now... there might just be someone else out there willing to spill the beans.

Update 2: Soon after the news broke, we were informed that the next-generation iPhone would be announced on June 22nd (a Tuesday, naturally) and would be dubbed the iPhone HD (a name that has been tossed around before). That certainly makes sense given that Apple almost certainly has to up the pixel count in order to rival the EVO 4G, HD2 and all of those other high-res handsets, but we're still reserving judgment until we see that fateful media invite hit our inbox.

Update 3: John Gruber's just weighed in with some more tidbits, in his characteristically polite way. Gruber says the next model will have an A4-class SoC, a 960 x 640 display, a front-facing camera, and that iPhone OS 4.0 will enable third-party multitasking. A pretty safe set of predictions, in all, but Gruber's done pretty well in the past, so we'll just have to wait and see.

MEDL Technology's 'The Panel' hands-on

MEDL Technology's portable LCD display "The Panel" sounded like the perfect laptop sidekick, but would you really want to slip the 13.3-inch screen into your messenger bag? We invited company co-founder Eric Liao -- and his prototype Panel -- to a local Starbucks to find out. The verdict? Lightweight and incredibly easy to use, but at this point most features (including those all-important analog video inputs) aren't quite ready for primetime. Housed in a silvery frame that perfectly matched the brushed aluminum finish of our Mac and Dell laptops, the screen was equally easy to hook up to either one. Using a DisplayLink USB graphics chip, we only had to plug in an USB cable to instantly connect the external screen, once the driver was installed. The Panel was nice and bright, even eclipsing our LED-backlit XPS M1330 on maximum settings -- though the screen looked washed out, viewed from off-angles -- and featured smooth action and no perceptible audio sync issues when playing a DVD-quality movie. Basic functionality's all we got to test, sadly, but Liao made a number of intriguing promises for The Panel's future.

At 80 percent brightness, Liao says the device's 4200mAh rechargeable battery gives it 4 to 5 hours of spreadsheet slinging bliss, and those buttons on the right side might be used to control more than brightness and contrast -- should the company adopt wireless USB as originally planned, Liao intends to have them double as arrow controls, allowing you to cut the cables and still have basic e-reader functionality. A headphone jack is still in the works, which should allow audio passthrough from HDMI and possibly USB. Last but not least, there's a reason The Panel looks so good lying prone next to that Macbook: should cost decrease, future revisions may include a tablet-style touchscreen. Shame most of these ideas are still on the drawing board, but even the primary product is shaping up nicely. Hit up our gallery for the visual scoop.

Toshiba introduces Canvio line of portable hard drives

Toshiba hasn't exactly flooded the market with external hard drives since jumping into the game a couple of years back, but it has now expanded its offering a bit further with its new Canvio line of portable drives, which keep things about as simple as can be. Available in 500GB, 640GB, 750GB or 1TB capacities, the less than six ounce drives all come bundled with the Windows-only NTI BackupNow EZ software, which promises a "set-it-and-forget-it" operation, and they're each available in your choice of five different colors. Look for the whole lot to be available from all the usual sources starting today, with prices ranging from $119.99 to $199.99.

US Airways finally secures Gogo in-flight WiFi, adding to all A321's by June

We heard last summer that 2010 would be the year for US Airways to gain in-flight internet, and sure enough, America's worst legacy airline has made good on said promise. As of now, a grand total of five Airbus A321 planes are equipped with Gogo, and if you're lucky enough to end up on one, you'll get a single free session through June 1st provided that you're a first-time Gogo user. Speaking of early June, that's when all 51 of the outfit's A321's will be lit with WiFi, and better still, you'll be able to see right away if your flight will be wired (or unwired, as it were) at the time of booking. There's no mention of expansion plans beyond that, and we still haven't received an apology for refusing us a gratis glass of water on a 6.5 hour flight in August of 2008. No, we're not bitter. At all.

Zune HD v4.5 firmware 'coming soon,' adds SmartDJ, new codecs, and Marketplace access via AV dock

We know you've been waiting at the edge of your seat for that added codec support and SmartDJ for Zune HD, patient ever since its CES unveiling, and now we're here to assure you that it's coming with the next firmware update, version 4.5. We had a chance to preview both SmartDJ and Marketplace access via the AV dock connection this afternoon (video coming soon) -- the former being very smooth and easy-to-use, the latter being convenient except for having to input text using the simple remote and an on-screen keyboard. According to Marketing Manager Michael Yaeger, there's nothing in the cards right now for a new, more text input-friendly remote. While we had his attention, we also asked him about Mac support and international Zune HD releases -- neither of which he could answer definitively, but it doesn't sound hopeful in the near future. As for release date, we couldn't get anything more specific than within the next few weeks, but at least it's next on the docket. Press release after the break; so with that out of the way, how about some answers on that 64GB model, eh Microsoft?

Corsair's Padlock 2 offers 256-bit AES encryption inside a rugged body

Our British readers will already be painfully familiar with the comical propensity that government officials (even spies!) have for losing sensitive data while on the move. It might be an idea, therefore, to give your forgetful local representative a break with one of these new Corsair USB drives. The Padlock 2 features OS-agnostic password protection via the keypad you see above plus 256-bit encryption of the data stored on the flash inside. So even if someone is tenacious enough to pry the case open, he'll have a hard time getting anything useful out of it. Oh, and don't worry about forgetting the passcode, there's a procedure for wiping the drive clean and generating a new one. 8GB units are available immediately, and we've spotted them online priced at £46 in the UK and $59 in the good old US of A.

Apricorn's Aegis Padlock Secure USB HDD goes Pro, solid state

You gain an immense sense of security when your gadget has a number pad on it, but if last year's Aegis Padlock Secure drives weren't quite sophisticated enough for you, this year's Pro revision might fit into your dashing lifestyle of international mystery and intrigue. The new version from Apricorn comes exclusively with 256-bit AES encryption and, if you don't mind platters, offers up to 640GB worth of storage for $199. But nothing says you've made it quite like solid state storage, and for $419 you can get 128GB of the stuff, or 256GB for $799. Nobody said living dangerously would be cheap!