[as originally posted on Destructoid]

Remember the Commodore Computer, the definitive computer of the 1980’s? I can see it now: half of our readership is scratching their heads in confusion (or hitting up the wiki) while the rest are grinning as memories of Commando and Blue Max float through their heads.

Next week (March 15th) in Hannover, Germany, CeBIT 2007 will take place, and the Commodore computer will rise from the dead - relaunched as a gaming rig. According to Gamesdog, the new PC will be gaming focues and contain gaming hardware of the highest specifications.

Bala Keilman, CEO for Commodore Gaming said, “25 years ago, Commodore launched the best selling personal computer of the late 20th Century, the C64, and defined the early computer games experience for millions of people worldwide. ”

“We are privileged and excited to bring the Commodore brand back to the gaming community and mark a new chapter in its history with this exceptional machine. We’re sure that it will deliver what gamers need and want.”

If they can even come close to the success of the C64, which sold around 17 million units, then Commodore would become the name in PC gaming.

For those who want to brush up on their Commodore history, check out this page that has Java emulation of many Commodore 64 classics, playable right from your browser.

Do you suck at taking pictures? Does your photography of normally decent looking people come out looking horrid? Well, you’re not alone. It’s a good thing that Irish company FotoNation has a new technology to cover your ass and fix your jank portraits.

FotoNation’s Face Tracker technology makes taking photos much easier with its ability to detect the location of faces and adjust the camera’s settings for the best possible picture. And if the subject is ulgy, then it throws the camera out of focus to protect your precious eyes. Okay, I lied about that last part. This technology automatically finds and focuses on faces regardless of where they are in the viewfinder, and then adjusts focus and exposure for results that may even make it look like you know what you’re doing.

So you think you need this? The upcoming Pentax Optio A30 is no slouch with 10 megapixels, anti-shake functions, and this face tracking feature. Also, Pentax has more to choose from with the Pentax Optio S7 and Optio A20 digital cameras, so you really have no excuse for your crap head shots anymore.

This gorgeous little number is Canon’s new TX1 digital camera, and Canon wants you to think of it as a hybrid imaging device. Its tall, camcorder-style design gives engineers more front-to-back room to work with, permitting Canon to fit a 10x optical zoom lens inside. The lens retracts into the camera body when powered off. Consider yourself teased.

If you’re not rubbing your legs together in lusty anguish, then this will send you over the top: the TX1 also records HD video at 720p. Optical image stabilization and a 1280×720 30fps movie mode should make for excellent quality video, allowing you to ‘have it all’ in one sleek package.

Canon packs in the latest in their digital processor line, the DIGIC III, giving it 2.2 frames per second continuous-shooting speed. Throw in Face Detection autofocus and ISO settings from 80 to 1600, and this ultracompact is set to catch anyone’s tech-loving loins ablaze. Look for this very soon, set to sell for about $500.

New from the “because metal wasn’t working well enough” category comes this mostly natural computer. From German company Holzkontor, these computers are made from wood - well, except for the electronics that make a PC a PC. You can also buy ala carte: monitors, keyboards, and mice can be sold seperately, and are available in several finishes.

So, what do you do? Do you finally use the furniture polish that computer and electronic manuals have been warning us about for years? What about termites? Never has ‘computer bugs’ been such a literal term.

[via Techie Diva]

This review is brought to you by Dick McV

At CES, I managed to pick up a pair of NEMO headphones to review for the site. NEMO is a company that’s been selling its headphones in Japan and is making its first bid into the US marketplace.

These headphones aren’t your standard headphones, as you can tell by the image. For one thing, they’re not quite noise-cancelling, but they’re at least noise-blocking. In addition, the headphones work a little differently. As the product rep explained it to me, the sounds from the headphones are actually being projected away from the center of the ear. With the sound waves not rushing into the ear canal, you are actually listening to the reflection. The sound then resonates within the ear canal to produce extended base as well as the surround sound effect.

So, what’s good about these headphones? Well, the noise-blocking capabilities are very effective. I took them around on Syracuse’s Centro bus system, and in the back they have an extremely noisy heating/cooling unit back there; bad enough that you’ve got to shout over it to possibly understand another person 2 seats away. The headphones blocked out the fans to a weak hum, and I could enjoy my music in peace.

(more…)

Who wouldn’t want a piano that looks like an alien aircraft? As an artist, this is really appealing. You could fly to a venue, tinkle ivories, woo ladies, and then fly home — all in one device! Maybe it seats two.

Okay, so it dosen’t fly. But it really plays, and judging from this video video, it plays well and sounds wonderful. This fully functioning 88-key piano was designed by NYT-line for Fazioli, and some pictures are viewable here. The shape was inspired by the sea and its waves, and is supposed to evoke the feeling of movement.

Sorry, but I see ’spaceship’.

In the category of we didn’t really need it, but what the hell goes this scent-emitting USB device. Before you get your hopes up about dual functionality, I should tell you that these things are only fragrance dispensers — there is no internal memory. The Web site makes mention of scents like rose and lavender, but maybe they should consider scents for a more devious use. Priced cheaply enough, foul-scented versions could be covertly placed in a co-worker’s USB ports to ‘plant a smell’. Secretly knowing the reason behind your co-worker’s cries of “My God, what is that smell?” could be a lot of fun.

[via Everything USB]

Victor is keeping the lead on the growing HD camcorder market with the GZ-HD7 (part ot the Everio series), bringing a full 1920 x 1080i resolution to the table. This “full HD” camcorder, with its 60gb hard disk and HDMI output, looks to kick the ass of anything else out in the consumer market, far outshooting the current max resolution of 1440 x 1080i. Your naughty movies have never looked better.

Victor will bring this to the market in March, and will be asking ¥200,000 (roughly $1650 US) for the unit.

[via Tech-On]

Just in time for Valentine’s Day are the horribly ulgy (what? no darling, they’re gorgeous!) heart-shaped headphones with an equally horrible name: Ear Drops. Ear Drops are pink silicone plug type earbuds that look like they’ve been bedazzled to death, but still stick to the winning forumula of pink plus shiny. Makers Elecom must know Valentines as they’ve thought of everything, rounding out the collection with cheapies (around $15) for the cheap bastard valentine out there.

Ear Drops will be available this month in Japan.

[via Elecom]

In this Japanese blockbuster for the small screen (well, it depends on how big your monitor is), Sony shows off many features of their UMPC, the VAIO type U. The Movie is actually a large collection of videos organized to show potential buyers the functionality of type U, and although the site is Japanese, there is little in the way of gaijin protection, so you should be fine. Be sure to hit the “Angle Select” and “Scene Select” views at the bottom of the page for even more videos.

I’ve had a chance to play with this year’s models and have been impressed, although typing is still difficult. One of the best importers I know of, Dynamism.com, has the UX91 available for preorder at prices that will make you sweat, but before your glands get going, know that you can land last year’s models for about $1000 less.

[ooh, The MOVIE]