QuickLook.Technobrains

The GP2X-F100 Handheld Gaming Unit is the next generation in portable gaming systems. It’s origins begin way back in early 2001. The History of the GP2X started with the original GP32. The GP32 is not as old as the Nintendo portable units but is unique in how the games are created and currently distributed.

Game software designers and manufacturers that create the games for Nintendo or Sony rely on licensing tools, software and hardware to create the gaming titles. This is a very costly process therefore only larger well financed companies can create titles for Nintendo and Sony portable gaming systems. On the other hand, developers and manufacturers of games for the GP2X work on the premise of Open Source licensing that is available for FREE. This means tools, software and various source code are available publically to anyone interested in creating games or software titles for the GP2X.

Creating games at little or no cost to the developers sound great but tends to attract those that are financially challenged or only interested in creating games as a hobby. This tends to limit the number of quality games and increases the number of poorly written games..

That being said, why would anyone be interested in buying a GP2X? Sony and Nintendo game manufacturers have the financing and experience to create high quality commercial games. For those that can afford to buy the handheld units like the Sony PSP, the Nintendo Gameboy or the Nintendo DS quickly realize that paying $30+ for one game quickly adds to a cost factor that more than the cost of actual gaming unit itself. With the GP2X, many games are available for FREE. I might say these games tend to be poorly written or very basic in function but that is not always the case. With the availability of emulator software, I can run many original quality games written for other platforms and other gaming systems. This opens the door to hundreds of quality games not officially or originally created for the GP2X but will run on the GPX as if it was running on the original system the game was intended for..

Since the emulator software and the games designed to run on these emulators are mostly avaialble for FREE, this makes the GP2X available for under $200.00 USD a very attractive unit to buy. Before you go out and buy one, you need to understand what the unit has under the hood.

Specifications

For those that are technically inclined will have noticed that the GP2X uses 2 processors.One for the main operations and one for the video display processing. This ensures that the games run very fast. Also the operating software being Linux based also allows for an efficient processor due to the operating system having a small footprint.

The unit also allows you to watch videos. listen to music and read ebooks. This is a real flexible unit and is one way for cost conscious consumers to consider instead of the Sony PSP or the Nintendo DS. Even those considering a Windows Mobile device mainly for games may find the GP2X a low cost alternative. The GP2X uses 2 ARM processor similar to the processors used in many WIndows Mobile devices which only contain one processor.

The manufacturer expects to have over 50,000 units sold by Christmas. This does not seem like a lrage amount considering millions of Game Boy units have been sold world wide. If the manufacturer of the GP2X continue to upgrade and support the system, we will certainly see a surge in sales in 2007. Specially with the increase in games being developed and introduced for the GP2X.

You can certainly check out the GP2X more by going to www.gp2x.de and also go to http://archive.gp2x.de/cgi-bin/cfiles.cgi for a list of available games and other sofware titles available for FREE downloading.

Images: GP2X

www.mobis.com.tw/

802.11g SDIO Wi-Fi Card from Just Mobile – Mobis
Reviewed by: Bob Katayama

Lately Wireless LAN access has become the rage with mobile devices. Wi-Fi hotspots are popping up in all major cities and even ome cities are creating a FREE Wi-Fi zone in their downtown core. Many of the newer mobile devices come equipped with an 802.11b wireless LAN built right in. Most of the older devices do not and to take advantage of this technology requires you to purchase a separate SDIO Wi-Fi card. This is where the SDIO wireless card from Just Mobile comes in.

It is one of the smallest SDIO Wi-Fi cards around. Externally it looks like any other Wi-Fi as you can see in this image below. The Just Mobile card is the one on the far left.

The SDIO card from Spectec is slightly smaller but only by a couple of millimeters. Certainly the Just Mobile card is much smaller compared to the Sandisk Wi-Fi card. Sandisk is the most widely recognized manufacturer of SD cards but the Just Mobile works very well.

The Just Mobile driver integrates into Windows Mobile and allows you to use the familiar Windows Mobile wireless applet. Installation is a breeze. Just insert the CD into the PC and install while Activesynced. Takes seconds to install the driver.

2 clicks of the mouse and the driver is installed. Afterwards, you can insert the card and away you go. The Wi-Fi card will activate and automatically detect an accesspoint or Wi-Fi signal. The driver will prompt you the necessary information as required by the remote connection like the encryption code. Once all the proper information has been entered, your connection will be live and you can launch the Pocket Internet Explorer from the START button. The bright LED on the card is very visible and will allow you to see if the card is active or not.

I was connecting to an 802.11b accesspoint therefore there would be no reason why I would want to install an 802.11g card on an i-Mate Jasjar which already comes equipped with an 802.11b Wi-Fi card. Surprisingly though, it does make sense to install the Just Mobile 802.11g card. I found out that on the i-Mate Jasjar, the Just-Mobile performed better than the included Wi-Fi card. The accesspoint used is a D-Link 802.11b. The Just Mobile card automatically connected using the 802.11b protocol. The web pages would clearly appear 1 – 3 seconds faster when compared to the integrated 802.11b card on the Jasjar.

Altec Lansing is a major speaker company that has been around long before desktop computers and even FM radio. In the early 1920′s, the founders started to create what is known today as Altec Lansing. Through the 1940′s and still today, Altec Lansing creates innovative audio products. The InMotion IM500 is another one of their creative product releases.

Designed specifically to work with the Apple Nano mobile audio player, the InMotion IM500 is a sleek speaker system. Though it is a one piece unit in design, the unit consists of the speaker, amplifier and docking system all-in-one. 

General Specs:

1. 0.67 inches thick
2. Weight 12 ounces
3. Runs on AC or 6 AAA batteries
4. Charges and syncs your iPod
5. Comes with carry case

Suggested retail pricing in the US is $129.95

You can go to Altec Lansing for more details.

Available for the Symbian S60, K-Rally seems like the ulitmate “Spy Hunter” type revisited with updated graphics. Look like a real intense action packed game from this video. You have a choice of different cars and different racing tracks. The game is a top view type with a clear view of the action and looks well designed.

Here is a screenshot:

You can also go to Infinite Dreams to view their trailer video. Hopefully Infinite Dreams will release a Windows Mobile or Windows Smartphone version of this game. The Symbian version is currently available for $14.95. If the WIndows Mobile version is available at the same price, K-Rally will certainly be a popular game for sure.

www.globalsat.com.tw

TR-101 Personal Tracker from GlobalSat
Reviewed by: Bob Katayama

As newer more feature rich cellular phones come out in the marketplace, this will create a wider gap between technically challenged users and the technology wizards. The Personal Tracker GlobalSat is a unique product that maybe suitable for the technology challenged users.

The TR-101 will allow those that need the ability to call home or a couple of numbers only can do so easily and without a learning curve. Anyone can learn its function within minutes.

The TR-101 comes with the ability to call 3 phone numbers and also send a SMS message in an emergency to 3 numbers. The phone also supports incoming calls from up to 10 different phone numbers.

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www.trialaction.com

Dragon Ball from TrialAction Games
Reviewed by: Eric Pankoke

One thing I like about the PDA game market is that unlike the PC and console markets, the developers are not shackled by the mantra “sell fast, sell many”. As a result we are often treated to unique, simple and fun games like Dragon Ball from Trial Action Games.

The premise behind Dragon Ball is rather straightforward. On each level there are several dragons trying to get from point A to point B along a track. Your objective is to destroy the dragons before they reach their destination. If a dragon reaches the end of the track you have to restart the level. Once you have used all of your lives the game is over.

So how do you get rid of those pesky dragons? Well, it seems that each dragon is made up of a series of sections, each section being one of several colors. Armed with your trusty “section shooter”, you must insert sections into the dragon’s body such that you create a string of at least 3 sections of the same color. Once you’ve done that, the connected sections will go away, and the remainder of the dragon will join back together. Once you’ve destroyed all of the sections in the dragon’s body, the head will disappear and that dragon is gone.

You control your shooter with the left and right directions on the D-Pad, and you can use either the stylus or the up direction on the D-Pad to fire. I prefer the D-Pad up direction, but unfortunately on my device it’s a bit sensitive, and quite often I find myself shooting on accident. Unfortunately, I can’t disable the use of the D-Pad for firing, so since the option is always there I choose to use it instead of the stylus. Optimally, it would have been nice to be able to configure the fire option to one of the hardware buttons.

From time to time sections of a dragon’s body will temporarily turn into a power-up. If you can destroy that section while it’s transformed, you will be awarded the corresponding power-up. Power-ups come in two different flavors. The first type of power-up affects every dragon on the screen. These power-ups include such things as slow-motion, stop, and reverse. The other type of power-up comes in the form of special sections that you can fire. These include a bomb that destroys everything around the vicinity of contact, a lightening bolt that destroys everything in its path, and a multicolored ball that takes on the color of the section it makes contact with.

In addition to the dragons themselves, the tracks are designed in such a way to provide their own challenges. Some of them have many twists and turns, so if your timing is off you might end up hitting the wrong section of a dragon as it rounds a bend. Other tracks cross over each other in sections, so a shot fired at a dragon passing under a section of track might inadvertently miss that dragon. There are even cases where the track has two exits, so you have to constantly watch both to make sure a dragon doesn’t get too close to either one of them.

So besides vanquishing the bad guys, what do you get for your time slaying dragons? Why, you get to rack up your score, of course! When you destroy sections of a dragon, you get points. When you destroy the entire dragon you also get points. In addition, you can score points with combos. Once you’ve destroyed a group of sections, if you can destroy another group with the next shot you have scored a combo. Each time you do this in succession the amount of the combo increases. On the flip side, the first time it takes you more than one shot to destroy a group of sections, the combo is over. The final way to score points is through a chain. Chains are formed when you destroy a group of sections, and the remaining sections that join back together have enough sections of the same color in a row to get destroyed themselves. A well placed shot could destroy 3 or more groups of sections in a dragon.

The game plays well, but is it easy on the eyes? You bet it is. All the “functional” screens (splash screen, menu, level map, etc.) are detailed and look very nice. The actual levels are a bit less detailed, but appealing none the less. Sections transforming into power-ups and back look good, and the effects when firing a bomb or lightening are pretty slick. Overall Dragon Ball presents a very professional visual appearance.

The audio is also first rate. While it appears that there is only a single track, the music matches quite well with the atmosphere. The sound effects all work together well, and the shattering of sections when destroyed gives quite an interesting impression of what the dragons might actually be. I quite enjoyed the audio element of the game.

Now we arrive at the “but…” section of the review. For the player in general, the biggest drawback to Dragon Ball will be the replay factor. There are a lot of levels to this game, but for all of the difficulties I’ve had with it, I’ve still managed to clear more than half of them already. If you aren’t into multi-pass games this might not be an issue, but I don’t think there’s much impetus to play the game once it has been completed. The next problem, and it’s possible that this is just specific to me, is that the game locks up a lot. I pretty much have to shut down the game after playing each level, and even then sometimes that’s not enough to keep the game from freezing the next time I launch it. And, since this is a full screen game, I’m pretty much forced to do a soft reset every time it freezes. I recently had to do a hard reset on my machine, and I’ve installed very little since then, so I don’t believe it’s an issue with any malicious software that’s running in the background. In fact, except for a couple of runtime files for different development environments and Total Commander, I don’t have anything else installed on my device yet. I’m using a Dell Axim X5 running WM2003. I’ve had problems with games locking up on me before, but not on a consistent basis like Dragon Ball.

Dragon Ball is a good game and presents the “three in a row” puzzle game in a unique new fashion. Good graphics and sound effects will keep you entertained until you’ve worn out all the levels, though there’s not much to bring you back for seconds. If it weren’t for the constant lock-up problem I have, I’d be a lot more eager to recommend this game, but in fairness to the product I will in this case provide two scores accordingly.

Cons:

Little replay value
Lock-up issues on my machine

Pros:

Unique twist to a seasoned puzzle game style
Quality audio and visual elements
Lots of levels

Overall:

8/10 (without the constant freezing)
5/10 (with the freezing problem)

The Experts @ Technobrains have just completed a review of the Inka Pen. Normally pens are just your run of the mill household item but not so for the Inka Pen. The Inka Pen is a marvel of modern technology.

We also asked the founder of Inka Corporation – Greg Adelman, a few key questions.

Our group review has a new format and we certainly would like to hear from you on if you really like this new format for the group review.

Bob Katayama Executive Editor

Inka Pen from Inka Corporation
Reviewed by The Team
Technobrains Expert Associate on Mobility

Inka Pen Review

Being a self-proclaimed connoisseur of fine writing instruments, I was absolutely thrilled to be given the opportunity to review the Inka Pen.

Upon receiving the Inka Pen, one of my first observations was that the Inka Pen is one who truly seems to care about the environment. In addition to developing a pen for those who put their bodies and their gear to extremes (more on that later), Inka Corp packages their reuseable pen in recycled packaging, which is also recyclable. Environmental responsibility, one of the companies guiding principles, is summed up in this one quote from the pen’s packaging insert: “This versatile pen is designed to last a lifetime. We hope it will replace some of the billions of disposable pens thrown away each year.”

Of all the interesting claims Inka makes of its writing instruments, the first one to catch my eye was the temperature range: -30 to 300 F. I’ve got to tell you, curiosity couldn’t kill that cat. I placed the Inka in a commercial freezer with a chilling ambient temperature of -20 and left it there for three hours and 15 minutes (the butcher was a great conversationalist). Immediately removing the pen from the freezer and placing it to paper, I was able to write a full sentence without any ink degradation whatsoever. The only difference I noticed with the pen is that the top was a little difficult to take off once it warmed up. This was explained by the loud “POP” when the air seal finally broke. Evidentally, the change in temperature had created quite a vacuum.
_________________
Jarhead

Click image for larger view

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HFI-2200 Headphones

Headphones have been around for decades and each year we see a flood of new styles and sound

improvements. The line of headphones from Ultrasone are not your average headphones that are part

of the collective. The HFI-2200 ULE headphones are very unique. First off, the HFI-2200 ULE are designed

in Germany. A country known for its design excellence.

By looking at the headphones, you might think these are just like many other home stereo headphones.

Closer examination says otherwise. These headphones excel over most on the market. First, let

me describe the physical advantages of these headphones.

Physical Advantages:

1: The headphones cable is 3 meters in length. About 2 – 3 times your typical cable length.

2: The headphone cable is actually detachable and uses a 3.5 mm gold plated stereo screw in connector.

3 The soft padded ear pads are detachable for cleaning and replacement with no tools.

4: The shell of the headphones are constructed with high impact solid plastic.

5: The headphones can be folded into a compact shape for easy storage.

Audio advantage:

1: Comes with built in S-Logic Natural Surround Sound.

2 – Metal bufferboard which reduces magnetic emissions

3 – Frequency response of 10 – 25,000 Hz

It is very exciting to hear the S-Logic Natural Surround Sound in action. It is not normal to have surround

sound that is built into the headphones themselves. The sound really seems to surround your whole head.

The actual speaker driver is decentralized thus the sound does not enter the ear canal directly. This may

seem out of the ordinary but certainly delivers the cleanest and soft sound. It is so comfortable that wearing

the headphones and listening to music for 3 hours is not stressful to the ears whatsoever.

The human ear has a normal hearing range of 20 – 20,000 Hz. With the HFI-2200 ULE, the audio range is 10 -

25,000 Hz which means you are sure to hear every bit of audio within any music that the human ear can

detect. With the wider frequency range, even very subtle sounds not heard in most headphones are reproduced

and also allows for the cleaner reproduction of mid range sounds. The really low bass and the very

high treble sounds are not overpowering at all. The open back design allows rear speaker sound to exit

thereby minimizing reverberation which can cause interference.

The headphones come in a sturdy box with the 3 meter cable, 3.5 mm to 6.3 mm adapter for home stereo

use. Also included is a demo CD which demonstrates how the full orchestral plus other sounds are repoduced

in true surround sound.

HFI-2200 Headphones

Pros:

- Excellent sound reproduction.

- Allows for a lower volume level thus minimizing hearing damaging if sudden increase in sound levels

occur.

- Solid construction.

- Very comfortable sound and padded headset.

- The extra long cable is a real treat and allows for extended mobility.

Cons:

- none

Rating of 10 out of 10

The HFI-2200 ULE headphones are a wonder of technology and a real pleasure to wear and listen to. If you

listen to classical, jazz or other music categories that have numerous instruments, you will enjoy the range

of sounds that encapsulates your whole head. If you currently use ear bud headphones at home, you may

want to give your ears a rest and switch to these Ultrasone surround sound headphones. Your ears will

thank you. Ultrasone manufacturers a wide range of headphones for home, professional, DJ and mobility

use. All their headphone products utilize the S-Logic Natural Surround Sound. The mobile version called the

iCans are also an excellent version for those on the go. You can read my review of the iCans HERE. If you are

in the market to replace your aging headphones and are looking for that perfect pair, you have to check

out www.ultrasone.com.

iCans Review

Over the last decade, I cannot remember how many headphones I have gone through from

earbuds to professional headphones that fit snuggly over the ears. All headphones were originally

acquired due to a level of performance, craftmanship, and a recognizable manufacturer. I just

came across a manufacturer located in Germany that I have never heard of before. ULTRASONE

AG produces the iCans. I recently did a FIRST LOOK of the product.

These are certainly not your average headphones. For starters these headphones come with

S-Logic Natural Surround Sound built in. Typically surround sound is generated by the driving

sound source and not the receiving speakers or headphones in this case. When I first tried on

these headphones, I was very surprised that the sound was not your treble ladden sound but one

that expressed very low bass sounds as well.

Switching back to my traditional earbuds, I noticed a clear difference in sound and felt cheated

with my earbud headphones. The range of sound immenating from the iCans is a shear pleasure

to listen too. The full crisp sound is something that is not found in other headphones I have

experienced. Having tried various sound sources like, FM radio, CD, DVD, Internet radio, MP3 files,

all sound great using these headphones..These headphones bring out subtle sounds not heard

through numerous other headphones. You can say I am a headphone junky. I can now spend

hours listening to music and not feel tired or the need to take a break from music as I have with

other headphones. According to the manufacturer, these S-Logic Natural Surround Sound, reduces

the output by 3 – 4 decibels. This will certainly help reduce any ear damage from sudden

increases in sound levels.

iCans From Ultrasone

Another unique feature of the iCans is the decentralized or off centre speaker driver placement.

The sound is not driven into the ear canal directly. The sound hits the outer ear and enters via the

outer ear indirectly. This certainly gives the impression the sound is emanating from an external

source and not speakers directly attched to your ears. If you listen to a full orchestral recording

that clearly has stereo separation, you will certainly experieince this with the iCans. Various instruments

that fall in the frequency range of vocals can be distinguished with these headphones. If

you appreciate the full range of a drum kit and cymbals, a great recording with these sounds will

come to life.

The iCans are designed to fold like a pair of glasses and can be easily stored away. The headphones

come stored in a metal padded can like case thereby the name iCans most likely.

iCans From Ultrasone

The case though is not that practical for everyday use outside. I would have preferred a more

hinged eyeglass style carry case instead. That said, you may spend more time using these headphones

instead of being stored away. The quality of the materials are excellent. The headphones

utilize very light and durable materials. One of the lightest headphones I have experienced

without the feel of the unit being low grade or flimsy. The earpads and the outer fabric are very soft

to the touch.

If you create much of your own digital music, I would recommend you create the files for portability

while listening to the file on your desktop using the iCans. As the website title indicates

www.lost-sound.com, you will certainly minimize the lost sound when listening to the end product

on your mobile music player. Use any existing mixing utility you have to adjust the bass, midrange,

and treble before creating your audio sound file from your CD’s. Then these sound files or sounds

will jump out at you when you listen to them through your mobile audio player and the iCans.

I recently reviewed a digital audio book called the Playaway. By using the iCans instead of the

headphones include with the Playaway, the audio quality was improved by leaps and bounds. The

voice of the reader was crystal clear. The audio books included headphones were good but using

the iCans truly makes it a more enjoyable listening experience.

The manufacturer states that since you have a fuller sound range, you can listen to music at a lower

volume level compared to other headphones. This is certainly true.

Here are other features in the iCans not found on other mobile headphones.

- S-Logic Natural Surround Sound.

- ULE Technology (Ultra Low Emission) Reduces over 90% of the magnetic field affects.

- Frequency range of 20 – 20,000 Hz. (many mobile headphones are typically around 100 – 18,000

Hz)

- Speaker driver uses mylar film for optimum lightweight and strength.

- Produced in Germany and not somewhere in Asis.

These headphones do truly enhance the listening quality of any sound source. The lightweight

design will allow you to miminize stress on your head. The sound is one of the clearest I have

listened to.

Pros:

- Great sound quality

- Minimizes battery drain due to a lower volume level required to listen.

- Lightweight

- Solid construction

Cons:

- Metal case impractical for mobile use.

Rating:

9 out of 10

The iCans from ULTRASONE are a great pair of headphones. You should be able to purchase

these at a dealer near you or online for around $150.00 USD or less. These headphones will

greatly enhance your audio listening experience. If you have been using headphones that

come prepackaged with your digital audio player only, you have to give the iCans a try. You

will not be disappointed with the quality. The price maybe prohibitive for some but is an

investment in quality and protection of your hearing. Don’t let low grade headphones

damage your hearing.