Syabas, makers of the Popcorn Hour A110 and C200 network media tanks, have announced yet another streaming device called the Popbox. Unlike previous offerings the Popbox has no internal hard disk and relies on streaming video from external sources such as; USB devices, a local network and the Internet.

The Popbox supports a number of content providers (see screenshot above) however due to copyright some services, such as Netflix, are unlikely to be available to UK users.

According to Syabas the Popbox uses much of the C200’s hardware and is just as proficient with audio and video formats. One notable difference though is the interface which looks a lot more professional than the C200.

On that note Syabas are also promising a much improved and Flash based UI for the C200 early in 2010.

The Popbox will feature an App store allowing the user to download and install applications to the device. The Popbox is due in March 2010 priced at a very reasonable $129 although there is no word as yet on the UK price or delivery date. If Syabas run true to form expect bulk deliveries to be patchy for the first month or so.

Audio/Video outputs:

• HDMI v1.3a (up to 1080p)
• Component video (up to 1080p)
• Stereo analogue audio
• S/PDIF audio

  Interfaces:

• 10/100 Ethernet interface
• 2x USB 2.0 ports (1 front and 1 rear mounted)

via Digitalera

The new LG LU7000 LCD TV was launched at IFA back in September 2009 and we’ve had the 22” version on long term test for 6 weeks now, so how’s it performed? Read on and find out……

First Impressions

The LU7000 is finished in a very classy looking piano black, has a DVD player tucked away in its sloping stand and looks a million dollars. A thin transparent section below the frame finishes the TV off nicely.

The TV can be mounted on a standard bracket or you can use the inbuilt stand. A small base plate is slipped on to the slopping DVD to make the bottom flat when using the stand. This keeps the TV looking neat when it is hung from a wall.

The viewing angle from left and right is good however, as usual; it’s not so good from below. The LU7000 isn’t full 1080P HD and isn’t 720P either it’s the rather unusual, for TV at least, 1360×768. It does produce some damn good pictures though.

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Dutch company Lemnis Lighting have launched a light bulb based on LED technology. Available in screw or bayonet mounts, the E300 uses just 6 watts of power but has a comparable output to a conventional 60 watt bulb. It’s also dimmable, making it a perfect drop-in replacement for many lights around the home.

The good part is that Lemnis estimate a lifespan of around 25 years. The not so good part is the price, you’re looking at around £30 each (although hopefully that will come down in time)

You can get them now at Ryness.co.uk

[via Which news]

The LG 22” LU7000 released back in September has just arrived for review. We’ll take a good look at it and report back fully in a few weeks but in the meantime here are our first impressions of the TV.

The LG is quite a looker with a DVD player built into its sloping stand and a nifty pair of sliding doors for the DVD.  This makes a nice change from the more conventional slot loading mechanism and gives the LG a very sleek and stylish look.  Unfortunately it doesn’t share the gorgeous Borderless design of it’s larger siblings.

The LU7000 has a full set of inputs including a USB 2.0 port that can be used to display your digital camera pictures as well as play your MP3s.

Expect to pay around £300 for the 22” and a little less for the 19” version.

LU 7000:

• Built-in DVD player
• Invisible speakers, 10W
• 1386×768
• HD ready
• 2 x HDMI
• 2 x Scart (1 x Full)
• 1 x RF
• 1 x Composite
• 1 x component
• 1 x PC input Plug and Play
• Digital Audio Out
• SRS TruSurround XT
• Freeview
• USB 2.0 (JPEG/MP3 Playback)
• Energy Saving Recommended

If you’re concerned about water use in the home, power showers are a good place to start looking for savings. The EcoCamel shower head restricts the flow of water from the shower to 7 litres/minute - around half the flow of a decent power shower – which should result in significant saving if you use the shower a lot.

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We first saw a practical demonstration of wireless gadget charging at CES 2008 but it was still a concept product back then. WildCharge have since put the idea into production and Firebox are now selling the WildCharge pad for £49.99.

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These designer bathroom scales from WiThings have a nice tech angle – not only do they measure your weight, fat mass and lean mass but they also upload the data to a private (password protected) website automatically so you can track your weight loss (or gain).

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Here’s a new twist on an old theme. The kitchen knife has remained essentially unchanged since it was invented – after all, there’s only so much you can do when you want a sharp, pointy bit of metal.

But do you really need a kitchen knife to be pointy? That’s the question industrial designer John Cornock asked after a news report on knife crime pointed out that the most common weapon used in impulsive stabbings was the kitchen knife.

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JOBO have just announced a new range of ultra-slim digital photo frames. Named the “Nano” series, these 7” frames are 0.35” thick (0.9cm for anybody born after 1970).

The buttons you see on the picture are normally invisible and only show when you touch the screen – a nice touch. Basic screen resolution is 480×234 but the top end “media” version gives you an 800×480 screen and displays photos or slideshows (with audio) from SD/MMC cards.

Right now we only have US pricing ($119 for the media version) but since Jobo are a German company I would expect them to hit our shores soon…

Summer is here again and what better way to celebrate than launching a new lawnmower? Swedish garden tools manufacturer Husqvarna have just announced the Automower 260ACX. It’s a robotic lawnmower that returns automatically to it’s charging / base station when it runs low on juice so you can get on with more useful pursuits than mowing the garden.

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