Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Transportation

While we’re likely still quite a ways away from having nuke detectors in every cellphone, the Department of Homeland Security is apparently at least making some progress in other somewhat portable options, with it now showing off a radiation-hunting Chevy Suburban XL built with a little help from Raytheon. Intended specifically for the DHS’s Domestic Nuclear Detection Office, the SUV boasts two sliding panels that can swing out for maintenance but remain neatly concealed when on duty, as opposed to current systems that are mounted in the back of pick-up trucks. That, of course, gets paired with a laptop, which provides a full spectroscopic analysis, and the entire system can be configured to trigger a number of different alarms, including a simple vibration alert to a dedicated PDA, or a scare-the-wits-out-of-everyone approach that involves setting off the car alarm, lights, horn and siren.

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Filed under: Laptops, Storage

Alright Avian Securities, looks like you might have some explaining to do. Dell claims that the 20 to 30% failure and return rates for SSD laptops cited by Avian’s report “don’t even vaguely resemble what’s happening in our business.” Dell says it wasn’t contacted in the study, and that “global reliability data shows that SSD drives are equal to or better than traditional hard disk drives we’ve shipped.” The company says that return rates are “are in line with our expectations for new technology,” and an “order of magnitude” better than what is being reported. To be fair to Avian, the original report cited an unnamed “large computer manufacturer,” which some in the press assumed meant Dell, thought it was never said explicitly. It looks like we’re going to need some more hard facts from both sides to get the true picture of SSD reliability and customer satisfaction, but for now let’s nobody panic.

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Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals

We know, it’s easy to get caught in all the magic that is Mario Kart Wii — “it’s like Smash Bros. but with karts and more banana throwing!” — but let’s not fool ourselves here: that Wii Wheel is potential the least functional piece of plastic Nintendo has shipped since the Virtual Boy. It apparently took the fine folks at MTV two whole videos to figure this out under the patient tutelage of a Nintendo rep, but while the Wii Wheel can potentially serve as a helpful reminder to hold the Wiimote with the buttons facing you, it adds zero functionality to the equation, and it’s only therefore “necessary” for the first 30 seconds of play — after which it can be tossed to your dog or teething child as a chew toy. Some might appreciate the ratio of turning a full wheel instead of a Wiimote, but we all know the truly hardcore are going to be kicking your ass with their Wavebirds anyways, to the point really is moot. Video is after the break.

[Via Engadget Spanish]

Continue reading Nintendo and MTV film helpful reminder: the Wii Wheel does absolutely nothing

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Filed under: Laptops, Tablet PCs

That’s Dell’s product rendering for its second generation Latitude XT convertible tablet. Expected in November 2008, the XT2 will ship with Intel’s latest Montevina, er “Centrino 2” architecture in your choice of ULV or LV CPUs, new UMA graphics supporting Vista Aero, and possibly the option of an ultra-thin, optical drive integrated directly into the laptop instead of the optional Media Base. Dell also plans to replace one of the three USB ports with eSATA, a definite trend for Dell laptops in 2008. Otherwise, it brings the same 12.1-inch, 1280 x 800 pixel display found on the original XT — which is fine by us.

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Filed under: Cellphones

We’re used to seeing fashion-centric devices bedecked in jewels all the time, but the E90 is pretty much exclusively the domain of the business set, and we’re having a hard time imagining Joe Stock Broker going, like, totally crazy over this pimped version. The Nokia phone has been set with 408 diamonds and an 18 carat white gold shell by Peter Aloisson and retails for around $80k. Yeah, Joe Stocks is really going to flip. We have nothing more to add, other than our traditional, time-worn plea to Nokia: please release a 3G version of this in the States, we swear it’s not to late.

[Via NokNok]

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