This, er, desirable? little item is the Foldable Speaker, aimed at owners of iPods, rival mp3 players, laptops and old-school portable CD players (we think it's meant to look like an Apple when folded).

We've also thought iPod owners had a little more style and taste in their technology making decisions, so can't quite believe this would attract many of them. And we'd like to believe owners of other audio devices would be equally discerning.

But, if you have alternative tastes and need a set of travel speakers, you can buy them for $16.

April 28, 2006 in Audio & MP3 Players | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

Episodes of the hit TV show Lost are available from today for download via the Channel 4 website.

Each episode costs 99p to download, and you can watch it as many times as you like within a 24 hour period on a single PC (with Windows 2000 or XP using Windows Media Player 10).

So now you can relive the whole first season before the new series starts next week, and stay up to date with all the action during season 2, as each episode will be available for download one week after transmission.

Tech Boutique knows what's down the hatch and we can guarantee it has been worth the wait...

April 28, 2006 in TVs | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

Be-ez' LEmini satchel is apparently what all those living a 'urban lifestyle' have been waiting for.

Perfect for lugging around your gadgets, be it your iPod, digital camera or even your Mac Mini, we think this would be great for a weekend away or if you want to take all your technology with you on holiday (if you really can't be away from your laptop).

At £34.95 and available in three colours, we think this would be well worth investing in if you find you are always stuffing cables into your overnight case.

April 27, 2006 in Gadgets | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Back in March there was lots of chatter around a Microsoft project called Origami; this was an ultra mobile PC aimed at people that wanted their entertainment, internet access and computer at hand any time any where.

These tiny, lightweight devices hold all your music, video, photos and files and today our sister title Personal Computer World got its hands on one of the first in the country - Samsung's Q1.

This computer runs Microsoft Windows, and as you can see it's small and weighs only 779g, so is pretty easy to carry around. But not quite small enough to be handbag friendly, a point not denied by Samsung's PR girl.

The battery life is a bit short - lasting 3.5 hours, which isn't enough to use as an mp3 player or for watching films over the course of a day. But it does look pretty good, and we reckon it will find its uses over time.

The Samsung Q1 comes out on 1 June, costs £799 and we'll give it a closer look once we've charmed it out of the PCW boys' sweaty hands.

April 26, 2006 in Notebooks | Permalink | Comments (0)

Kodak have announced the launch of the 6megapixel Easyshare V610, which they claim has the smallest optical zoom on any digital camera.

It also comes with Bluetooth so you can share photos with people up to 30ft away, which we really like the sound of.

Meanwhile, Casio have also just announced the new EX-Z1000 10.1megapixel digital camera. This new model is due to be released in mid-May as part of its Exilim range.

April 26, 2006 in Cameras | Permalink | Comments (0)

Now here's a gadget I'm sure you've all secretly been waiting for... an automatic lawnmower.

The Automower from Husqvarna seems like the ideal tool for the lazy gardener when summer arrives and your lawn needs a serious haircut.

Simply mark a perimeter of where you want the mower to go with a wire, set it up once at the start of the season with the time and frequency you want it to work and let it run all the way through til autumn. It evens goes back to its docking station to recharge when battery power is low.

It all sounds too good to be true, and TechBoutique still wonders if you might wake up one day to find your cat has accidentally been given a shave, but apparently the built-in collision sensor ensure no animals will be harmed while your lawn is mowed.

It sounds like a gardeners dream come true, so if you can afford the hefty £1,500 price tag, then it could be the summer gadget for you.

April 26, 2006 in Gadgets | Permalink | Comments (0)

After recently marvelling at the speed, power and style of the Intel-powered 15in MacBook Pro, we were pleased to see that Apple released the 17in version yesterday.

With all the same features as the 15in model, but with a slightly faster processor, Apple claim this machine is up five times faster than the old Powerbook G4s, and much more besides.

This 1in thick beauty has a built-in video camera, the Front Row 'media experience' (for showing movies, playing music etc) with dinky remote control and a whole host of other features and software including iLife 06.

Great graphics, an impressive display and huge hard disk are just a few of the other reasons why this surely will be another sleek and sort-after notebook, even if the price tag is just under £2,000, ouch!

April 25, 2006 in Notebooks | Permalink | Comments (0)

iPod owning fans of the Red Hot Chili Peppers can hear the band's new album, Stadium Arcadium, at iTunes Listening Parties around the UK (well, England, but we didn't want the Scots and Welsh to feel left out).

They're taking place in six Apple Retail stores (including Chav central at Bluewater) on Tuesday 2 May at 6.30pm. This is a week before its release, and you'll also get a free iTunes song card to download the group's first single from the album, Dani California.

The full list of Apple venues is:
Bullring (Birmingham), Brent Cross (London), Trafford Centre (Manchester), Bluewater (Kent), Regent Street (London), Meadowhall (Sheffield)

April 25, 2006 in Audio & MP3 Players | Permalink | Comments (0)

If arguments over who gets to ask out the cute guy are raging, we've found a simple way to reach resolution - the Shockball.

The idea is, you throw it to each other until one of you gets an electric shock. Apart from laughing at whoever gets shocked, it'll work out that aggression and solve the argument - the winner is the one who survives.

We think it will also work for any disputes over clothing, shoes, who pays.......

April 25, 2006 in Gadgets | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sister site Computer Active has just published its review of the waterproof  Olympus Mju 720 SW digital camera, which can be taken to a depth of 3 metres - more than enough to use when snorkelling on your holidays.

It can also be dropped from a height of about 1.5m, so is tough enough to cope with slippery fingers – and hey – it was great fun to drop kit you know you don’t have to pay for. Except this little camera didn’t break.

Like many of the digital cameras coming out, its super slim, dead easy to slip into a pocket and takes good pictures. It comes in three colours, dusty pink, polar blue and a boring steel silver. 

You can read the full review of the Olympus Mju 720 SW here. And while on the site, you can also read its review of the Tivoli Audio iSongBook speakers.

These are designed for your iPod, and while not water resistant, are weather proof. Although we can’t see why we’d carry these speakers around. But they have a neat retro look, decent sound quality and even have an alarm clock to wake you in the morning. 

The downside? They are an overpriced £300.

April 24, 2006 in Cameras | Permalink | Comments (0)

This portable digital (DAB) radio from Pure caught the eye of TechBoutique recently, not only due to its diminutive size, but also due to the low price.

Coming in at just £49.99, we can see the ONE being popular with those who want to take their digital radio out and about with them this summer, promising clear sound, easy controls and simple station selection.

Pure say you should get around 35 hours of listening from the ONE (with six C-size batteries), which is enough to last you a more than a day or two at the beach or park.

It also comes in a choice of four colours (our favourite is the pink).

April 24, 2006 in Gadgets | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you've always wanted an Ipod but have never had the spare cash, then the news that prices are about to tumble should be music to your ears, literally!

As reported today on thisismoney.co.uk, the demand for this must-have music player is still at a high. Apple bosses have hinted that prices may soon drop, with the smallest player - the cute 1GB Ipod Nano which holds around 240 songs - believed to fall below £100 for the first time.

Meanwhile, the 30GB Ipod video, which can store around 7,500 songs or 150 hours of video, could be set to fall to below £200.

So if you've always secretly longed to wear those ubiquitous white earphones, but haven't been able to justify the cost, then you might soon find they are more affordable than you thought.

We'll get back to you with an update when we know more...

April 21, 2006 in Audio & MP3 Players | Permalink | Comments (0)

LG has updated it's U880 clamshell 3G phone, and says it has improved the handset's music capabilities, keypad and screen. 

Although the U890's camera resolution is unchanged, it now takes sharper pictures as well, LG said. Like most phone cameras, its quality is good enough for quick snaps that you'd email to friends.

The U890 can c reate playlists to make it easier to find your fave tunes when out and about - and  you don't need to open the clamshell to get to them.

You can listen to music on Bluetooth headphones, if you have a pair, which gives the added advantage of no more wires. But watch out for the Bluetooth headsets though - some of them will leave you looking pretty dorky.

Being 3G, it means you can have video chats over the the 3 network, plus the phone is pretty light and although available only in silver, you can change the trim colour. And yes, pink is an option.

It's a minor update to the U880, so it's probably not worth signing up for a new contract to the latest handset if you have that phone. And at the moment it's available on pre pay.

April 20, 2006 in Mobile Phones | Permalink | Comments (0)

Laptops used to be those big bulky things that weighed a ton yet claimed to be portable.

Now, they're get smaller, sleeker and sexier. The latest is the Asus Lamborghini VX1, and walking around with this will certainly get you noticed.

It comes in black or yellow, is reassuringly fast (well, what else would you expect from a Lamborghini) and we hear, takes corners pretty well. It's not as light as we'd like, but you could just about cope with carrying it around all day, although with a three hour battery life, it won't be in use for much of that time.

It comes out in May, and costs a whopping £1,899. But it gives you an excuse to shop at the Lamborghini site and it will make the boys salivate....

April 18, 2006 in Notebooks | Permalink | Comments (0)

This little cutie is Sony's latest Cybershot, the T30 - and its size is great for slipping into your tiniest of handbags on nights out.

As you can see, it's super slim and very light to carry. Sony claims its battery will last for around 420 shots, and it comes with what it has dubbed 'double anti blur', which keeps photos sharp when the light levels are low.

Don't be fooled by such marketing spin though. The 'double' is because the T30 has image stabilisation and a faster ISO speed of 1000, for when you don't want to use the flash. Higher ISOs usually mean grainy shots, but Sony reckons it has minimised this problem.

It's a 7.2megapixel camera; although it's not a given that this will improve photo quality, especially when the camera is so small, it should produce decent shots.   

For the photographers, it also has a range of effects, a histogram to adjust your setting before reshooting and various flash options.

And the all important accessories? Well these include a black leather case, a spare battery for heavy sessions and a housing for underwater shots - be they in the shower or when deep sea diving.

It's out in May, but there was no word on pricing.

April 6, 2006 in Cameras | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you want your music with style, the obvious choice is Apple's iPod for many. But there are alternatives and Sony's new E Series Walkman flash mp3 players are not only tiny, they boast a three minute charge time for three hours of music.

It plugs into your computer's USB drive, so it charges while you transfer your music. But, the downside to flash drive mp3 players is you can't put that much music on them. These come in three versions - 512MB, 1GB and 2GB - and multple colours.

The bigger 2GB is not too bad - it'll hold around 25 albums, but drop to the 512MB version and you'll be transferring music regularly.

They also have a stop watch, clock and calendar, and the smaller two models have an FM radio as well.

Catching on to the whole iPod accessories trend, the E Series has its own little mini set of accessories, including an armband, a silicon protective case, an acrylic splash-proof case and a clip with three caps. 'Why?' springs to mind.

April 5, 2006 in Audio & MP3 Players | Permalink | Comments (0)

For those that like to look good when texting, Motorola has added three colours to its Razr V3i phone - it will now come in stylish dark blue, maroon and violet.

Coming out within in a couple of months, it has a 1.23megapixel camera - good enough for snaps of girls nights out - with a full screen view finder and zoom. Plus there's video capture as well.

As you'd expect, it's quad band, so can be used for talking - or MMSing photos - around the world, and you can load its MicroSD card with iTunes for when you want to phase out the gossip (as if). And of course, with its picture ID, you can screen out those unwanted calls.

We like. We want.

April 4, 2006 in Mobile Phones | Permalink | Comments (0)

We all know who really holds the purse strings, and tech companies are finally catching on that women have the spending power.

A survey by the Consumer Electronics Association - the organisation that holds the must-attend CES in Vegas every year - says women will spend $65billion on gadgets for themselves this year.

And according to Seattlepi.com, companies are now beginning to design tech gadgets with women in mind. In a survey from IDC, it found that only 14 per cent feel that tech products are designed with women in mind - pretty shocking when you think of how much money is sloshing around waiting to be spent.

There's a split on pink though. Pink is the lazy man's way of making a gadget appeal to women, but it works. Sony reckons it's the top selling colour for its Walkman Bean mp3 players.

Please, oh geeky designers and slick marketeers - no more pink. It's not the only colour.

April 4, 2006 in Gadgets | Permalink | Comments (0)