A few months ago, we tested the SimpleDrive from SimpleTech, this time we had the opportunity to lay our hands on the new SimpleTech series, the Signature Mini Drive. Our test unit is a Signature Mini Black Cherry 320GB. The packaging could be confused with a chocolate box. Just like the previous version, we are still in awe with the slick design of the enclosure. It is very portable, weighs less than half a pound, measures around 3 in. by 5 in. and does not require any bulky external power supply, just a two-headed UBS connection cable. Windows XP and Vista detected the device within seconds and it was ready to go. Mac users would want to reformat to MacOS Extended before they can write onto the disk. As we pointed out in our review of the SimpleDrive, if the unit needs to be compatible with both Windows and Mac, format the drive in FAT.

Click for live photos gallery,

NVIDIA is releasing two new high-end graphics cards called GeForce GTX 280 and GTX 260 (official photo gallery), both are part of the GTX 200 Series. The timing is perfect: it will allow the NVIDIA to sweep contracts for the second half of the year. In the GPU world, performance is the name of the game, and this is not a small update. Engineers have improved many aspects of the GPU, increasing efficiency and performance wherever they could, in addition of adding raw processing power by integrating more 240 stream processors* (versus 128 previously) along with additional internal memory and to optimize performance. Let's cut to the chase: here is the minimum that you should know about the GTX 200 Series:

I know that the SanDisk Ultra II SDHC 4GB was released a couple of years ago, but that doesn't mean one can't pick if off the shelves still. Granted, many people have already moved on to 8GB, 16GB and even 32GB capacities, but if you're picking up a basic point-and-shoot digital camera these days, 4GB is pretty sufficient at this point in time (for casual users - those who shoot more often will definitely find a larger capacity SDHC memory card more accommodating in more ways than one).

CrackBerry managed to snag a BlackBerry 9000 for themselves, and here they are with a review. I have digested the entire review and churned out a bulleted list of all the important points to consider if you're thinking of getting the BlackBerry 9000.

• Decent battery life during testing
• Extremely fast compared to the Curve, does not suffer lag
• 480 x 320 LCD display is crisp, bright and sharp
• Subtle changes to keyboard for better typing
• Externally accessible microSD memory card slot
• GPS navigation
• Extremely bright notification LED and trackball
• Convenience key location is questionable
• Easy accessibility to SIM card

When we first played with the Logitech diNovo Mini, we loved the concept and it looked like it solved all our Media Center remote issues as it features a mouse and a QWERTY keyboard in a small and elegant package that can actually stay on the living room table without looking bad. In this review we will give you our verdict about the strengths and the weaknesses of this device and we will tell you whether or not you should get one.

The diNovo Mini connects to the PC via Bluetooth. Even if your computer is equipped with a Bluetooth receiver, we recommend using the USB dongle that is provided in the box. It is easier because it is pre-paired with the remote, so upon connection, it will find the remote by itself, without requiring you to discover it "by hand".

And voila! The remote should work, but if you want to customize additional shortcuts, you will have to install SetPoint, the software provided by Logitech.

Unlike infra-red (IR) remotes, the diNovo Mini does not need to be pointed at the receiver and does not stop working if something (or someone) is in the way. We tested at a distance of 7 yards (about 7 meters) and it worked fine.

• 22" widescreen LCD display
• 1,680 x 1,050 resolution
• Viewing angle of 120/90
• 5ms response time
• 250 nit brightness level
• 600:1 contrast ratio
• Interface: 1 x DVI, 1 x DVI/VGA

Today, Mio unveiled four new GPS: Mio Moov 200, 210, 300 and 310, for a MRSP of $179.95, $199.95, $229.95 and $249.95 respectively. The 200 and 210 have a 3.5 TFT Anti-Glare Touch Screen (320 x 240) and the 300 and the 310 have a 4.3" TFT Anti-Glare Touch Screen (480 x 272). All the units come with the text-to-speech functionality, the 210 and the 310 include a one year free Traffic Messaging Channel (TMC) subscription subscription that gives real-time traffic updates. That's a good list of features for a relatively low price point.

This time, Mio has decided to get rid of all the non-navigation features that are usually present in their devices like MP3 player, video playback or photo browsing. We think this is a good news, since the majority of users do not use their GPS for entertainment - they all have a phone for that.

We tested the Mio Moov 310: it has a sleek and neutral look that fit most car interiors; I personally prefer the look of the Sony Nav U, but at that price, it is ok. The mount is small and discreet, but does not stick on all dashboard materials; I had to fix it on top of the instrument cluster since it would not stick on the dashboard texture (see photos). If you buy one, make sure that the texture of your dashboard is compatible with the mount adhesive.

Everyone has heard of noise-canceling headphones but surprisingly few people actually used noise-canceling headphones. It is understandable, shelling several hundred dollars to get something that “might provide more comfort” is not tempting, at first. Off course, the best thing is to try some for yourself, but we might have an easier time to get tests units, so here’s our review of the Sony MDR-NC500D noise-canceling headphones.

Let’s get into it: I have taken the headphones for a trip to Europe. That’s a 9 hours flight right there – an ideal testing ground for our gadget. So how does it work?

In short: it is good. It does not completely remove the plane’s noise, but the engine noise goes from “surrounding you” to being a “distant noise”. I have been impressed with the quality of the noise reduction.

The vudu is an elegant black box that promises to keep you far away from any DVD rental store. It is a “movie on demand” box for which the prices range from $.99 to $3.99. There is also an option to buy movies, which can cost as much as $19.99. The number of movies that you can own is determined by the storage space available on the vudu.

Technically, the vudu is a small computer that is specialized in streaming/downloading movies to display them on TV, in High Definition or not. The box can be updated to the most recent vudu software. So, is this the “vudu magic” of on-demand TV? We put the vudu box to the test.

Physically, the Vudu is a small box that is comparable to a mac mini. On the back, it has plenty of audio and video outputs that make it compatible with virtually every TV. It connects to the network via a wired Ethernet connection (the documentation does mention the possibility of using a USB Wi-Fi dongle, but we did not have a compatible USB key). The box is very silent and you can either display it or hide somewhere in your AV furniture. Fortunately, the vudu does not get hot enough to cause software instability or shutdowns.

We’re staying on top of this hot PSP topic: now that Skype has landed on the PSP, many of you might like to know how well it works. We tested it and our verdict is that it works really well. To use it, you need to install the PSP 3.90 update and you need a microphone. In my case, I used a plain Sony headset (see photos). Don’t forget to plug the headset into the PSP audio remote, it is required.

Upon entering your login/password, you will find Skype’s familiar environment, with your contacts. Simply choose one, place a call and voila. The sound quality is excellent. I tried to call a couple of people and it worked flawlessly – they were even surprised to know that I was talking on Skype for PSP (they found it increadibly cool too), as if they expected a mobile device to sound noticeably worse (than a PC).

It just works and it sounds great. The user interface is speedy, just like the regular PSP menus, no problem there.

Photo galleries: exterior, applications, web, photos samples

With the "Put the fun of a PC in your pocket" tag line, Sony is going after the "young adults" crowd. The company thinks that there are not many devices that would allow students to have good "mobile entertainment" (as defined below), without paying an expensive wireless subscription fee. This is true and that's the idea behind the Mylo 2.

Although the original Mylo did not have the success that was hoped by its maker, Sony has learned a lot, and it designed the Mylo 2 to address the weaknesses of the first one. In this review, we will put the Mylo 2 to the test and share our thoughts with you. Feel free to ask questions, share your opinion or write your review (if you own the Mylo 2) in the comments section at the bottom of the article page.

Every device is engineered to solve a problem, and the Mylo 2 has been built to provide "good" mobile entertainment and communications. For Sony, that means:

• Desktop-like web browsing
  • Including Flash games and web video
• Good email support
• Broad instant messaging support
• Social Networks
• VoIP

[CES 2008] The Logitech diNovo Mini is a Media Center remote control that features a full QWERTY keyboard and looks good on the coffee table. (Ubergizmo’s photo gallery. Official photo gallery)

When we got to play with the Logitech diNovo Mini, it was like a dream come true. I have been a Media Center person for many years, and it has always been frustrating that I had to have a full-size keyboard (wireless or not) lying around for searching TV shows or movies. The big keyboard is much cooler than typing on the numeric pad of the remote, but it looks bad on the coffee table. Heck, even the MCE remote looks kind of ugly.

Then the diNovo Mini came. Closed, it looks like a pebble that looks good even in a minimalist loft… Open it and there is a full QWERTY keyboard, a directional pad and a few Media Center buttons. It is neat, comfy in the hand and functional. The directional pad has two modes (switchable via a button): directional pad for navigating menus or touch pad to emulate the mouse.

When the first images of the Shadow (codenamed “Juno” by HTC, the manufacturer) started to hit the web, there was a lot of excitement around this elegant phone, powered by Windows Mobile 6, and equipped with a sliding keyboard. Even though it does not have the rumored 640x480 VGA display, hopes were high that this was going to be a great Smartphone.

From the outside, the Shadow has everything a good Smartphone should. Sure, it has a Pearl-like keyboard, but it is fine if you don't text a whole lot (if you do, close this window and get a real QWERTY phone) and it is better than typing on a numeric pad. The display is nice, bright and the phone feels great in the hand. After a week of testing, it's time to tell you if the T-Mobile Shadow lives up to the legend. (Photo gallery)

Red Ferret has taken the Invisio G5 Bluetooth headset out for a ride, and here's their take on what the manufacturer claims to be the "smallest and lightest headset in the world".

Yeah, it’s actually a nice product. You can tell that the company has learned from the past and thought about the design in a bunch of small ways as well as major things like the portable charging case. Its ear friendly form factor, ease of use and flexible power charging mark it out as a bit different in a world full of ho-hum headsets. The use of a standard mini USB port on the charger indicates that you may be able to charge the unit from a generic laptop cable, however there’s nothing in the manual to confirm or deny this. It would also be useful to know whether the unit should be stored permanently in the charging case even when you’re not using it, or will that reduce the efficiency of the battery? Despite these small queries the headset deserves to be taken seriously, even without the usual marketing ‘smallest’ ‘lightest’ flim-flam. Now all I’ve got to do is avoid losing it down the back of the couch.

This £79.99 headset is pretty pricey compared to other generic Bluetooth headsets in the market, but the tiny size has to cost something, right?