High-Color Laser Designs for Your Gadgets

Coveroo has done it again with their latest product upgrade to their amazing line of high-end laser engraved back covers for cell phones, iPods, laptops and Blackberries.

The new state-of-the-art HighColor printing process engraves the design on your back phone cover with over 60,000 colors that won’t fade, rub off or peel like alternative skins.

Coveroo’s catalog of licensed brands has over 1,000 designs, from vintage images of Star Trek to 24. Or, choose from designs you created and l put it on a Coveroo.

You can also get the new (just in time for X-men Origins- Wolverine movie) Marvel Collection and NBA logos, which will be the first to be using this new color technology. The Marvel characters are Wolverine, Hulk, Captain America, Spiderman, and Thor.

Each Coveroo is a complete replacement for the back cover of your phone and can be slipped on in seconds. No sending your phone in, no stickers, no cases no hassle!

Prices are from $9.95 to $59.95 depending on your device. The color option will first be exclusive to the new Marvel and NBA designs, along with the existing UCLA, Garfield, Hot Wheels, Star Trek, Streetfighter IV, and Resident Evil 5 Coveroo artwork. More to follow!

Nintendo DSi hot new must have system

The King of Hand Held Video game systems takes the genre up a notch again.

Here we go again, if you’re interested in picking up the Nintendo DSi, pay close attention and read this post. The new portable console is here for $169.99.

The DSi features dual cameras for taking and editing photos that can be found on the front and back of the unit, while an interactive voice recorder takes hand gaming to a whole new level. Included is a SD memory card slot so you can play your favorite MP3 tunes, hopefully the speaker is better than the DS Lite.

But don’t get rid of your DS Lite yet, you won’t be able to play GBA games on the DSi. It does not come with GBA slot.

One thing for certain it’s always hard to find the newest game systems from Nintendo when they come out. Gee many people who want a Wii still don’t have one because they can’t find it on store shelves.

GameStop is a good place to find the not yes hard to find Nintendo DSi system.

Check back here real soon, we will do a full review for you, that’s if my kids or my nephew get a hold of it first.

Thumbs Up: Nintendo going after the teen to early 20’s group, you know, the ones that can not live without the latest and coolest gadgets.

Thumbs Down: Has no GBA slot like the DS or DS Lite. Don’t know about you, but I like playing my old classic Game Boy games.

Final Verdict: Nintendo missed the boat, not launching it for Christmas in North America. Now that we are in an economic crisis, I doubt many parents will buy one right now, if they just bought a DS for the kids. But this should be the number one stocking stuffer of 2009!

OtterBox protects BlackBerry Curve 8350i

OtterBox 1937 Yellow for BlackBerry Bold Defender Series™

OK you bought an expensive smart-phone, and oops you dropped it. Unless you pay a replacement fee to your cell phone company, your out of luck. Replacing it can come on your dime.

At Showstoppers, Las Vegas 2009, I visited OtterBox and loved the new products that will protect many smart-phone gadgets.

Here is an alternative, which combines the need for sleek style and protection from the elements, OtterBox launches an innovative case to safeguard the BlackBerry® Curve™ 8350i smart-phone from Research In Motion (RIM).

The new OtterBox 1937 Yellow or Black, $ 49.95, case for the BlackBerry Curve 8350i provides users with interactive protection in the popular Defender Series design to shield against drop, dirt and scratches.

Three layers of protection provide added security*:

Layer 1:
- Thermal formed protective clear PVC membrane covers the keypad from dust and dirt (layer optional)
- Built-in PC windows protect the screen and camera from scratches and dust intrusion
Layer 2: Hi-impact polycarbonate shell
Layer 3: Silicone skin absorbs bump and shock

OtterBox products @ ShowStoppers, Las Vegas 2009

“The new BlackBerry Curve 8350i will allow customers to work virtually anywhere with email, web access, data services and Push-to-Talk features; but those working in harsh environments need protection from the elements and that’s where the OtterBox case comes in,” said Curt Richardson, CEO of OtterBox. “This Defender Series case safeguards from jobsite mishaps like drops and scratches adding longevity to the smartphone.”

The OtterBox for BlackBerry Curve 8350i smartphone allows use of all functions such as the trackball, camera and flash. Sync/charge jack is accessible through a silicone plug. Sound clearly transmits through acoustic vents so users can use headset and speaker. Push-to-Talk features usable through a silicone button. An included holster style swivel belt clip offers hands-free carrying.

Otter Box @ ShowStoppers, Las Veags 2009

Environmental Protection:

Drop and Shock: Protection against drop, bump & shock
Water Protection: Not tested or recommended for water protection
Dust Intrusion: Dust does not enter in a sufficient quantity to interfere with satisfactory operation of equipment

Colors:

OtterBox RBB2-CVPTT-20 for BlackBerry Curve 8350i Push-to-Talk Defender Series™

Layer 2: yellow or black
Layer 3: black
Belt clip: black

*Case NOT protected against water. Will provide some added protection against drop, bump and dust.

OtterBox for iPhone 3G Defender Series™ Cases

Visit www.otterbox.com to see the complete OtterBox case line for BlackBerry smartphones.

(Note: Product previews & reviews on the GadgetsAndGifts4U blog do not certify any endorsement of the product, but rather provide informative details on new products which might be of interest to consumers of all ages.)

iCandy Gadgets

Boring colors that cover your gadgets are old news. Why not get them a cool face lift from the gang at ColorWare.

Even President Obama, got to keep his boring black factory “BarakBerry,” maybe he will want his upgraded in custom presentational seal colors, like the one below.

One of their latest themes found the websiteis for the popular BlackBerry Curve, joining the BlackBerry Storm, DS, PC, Mac, iPhone 3G.

Your idea your doesn’t have to be out of this world. Just be certain it’s what you want before you order. A solid color will run you $129, but if you want a different top, bottom, frame or sides, it will be higher. Though you can stay with what you have since it’s the cheapest option, but it will just look like everyone else’s and have no identity whatsoever.

ColorWare which was founded in 2000 in Winona, MN, sells custom colored and engraved versions of computers and portable electronics. Or you can ship ColorWare a device you already own and get a custom paint job.

FOR GAMERS

ColorWare now does its color magic to video game consoles. Just mail in a PS3, Wii, or an Xbox 360 for clean, professional, and highly detailed colored coats.

If you send in your own game system, you’ll pay $99 for the coloring service and $25 per controller. Those prices may seem high, but are actually a bargain: ColorWare charges $399 and up for its laptop PC coloring services.

CoolWare offers color upgrades for many gadgets.

See links, FAQ’s and some more products shots below.

Digital Music Players, Computers, Gaming Consoles, Smart Phones, HDTVs

Image Galleries from CoolWare

The main website is @ http://www.colorwarepc.com/default.aspx

FACTS FROM COLORWARE WEBSITE:

What products does ColorWare customize at this time?

All products that are currently customized by ColorWare are viewable on our website under the Products tab. If you have a product that is not listed on the site please see the Prototyping section. Additional fees and production time apply for a prototyped product and some products are not eligible for prototyping.

If I want a new color in a year, can I have the color changed?

No. The ColorWare coloring is a one-time permanent process.

Does ColorWare offer any upgrade options after I have purchased and received my product?

ColorWare does not provide any after-purchase upgrade offers at this time. All available upgrades are offered when the unit is originally ordered. Any software upgrades that later become available for a computer can be handled through the software manufacturer.

Does the X2 coating go over the product screen?

Only the video model of the iPod brand mp3 player can have an X2 coating over its screen.

Can I get only the X2 coating on my product? If I have the front of an iPod colored can I get the X2 coating on the chrome back?

The X2 coating is the final stage of the coloring process and is not available on its own. In order to have the X2 coating on any part of your product it does need to be colored.

Can you just send me a colored case for my computer/mp3 player/phone?

We do not sell colored cases for any product. Our coloring process applies the new color directly to the existing case of your product. There are no replacement parts used in this process so we have no extra case components available.

What explains the price difference between buying a new product and sending in mine?

The biggest factor in the price differences are the warranties offered with each option. All new purchases from our site carry a one year parts and labor warranty that stands in place of the original manufacturer warranty. For colonizations, where you send your product to us, we include thirty days of parts coverage and one year of free labor. Please take note that the colorization process will likely void the original manufacturer warranty.

Do I have to send in my product or do you send me the pieces/skin to put on my product?

If you choose the Send In Mine service you do need to send your product to our facility. We apply the new color directly to the existing case of that product. No replacement pieces are used in this process.

Does the coloring process affect any existing warranty I may have on my product?

As far as we understand other companies’ policies our color customization typically voids the original manufacturer’s warranty. If you purchase a new product from ColorWare we do include a 1 year parts and labor warranty that covers the coloring and hardware of the product. With a new product you also have the choice to upgrade to a two year warranty. If you choose to send in a product under the Send In Mine service ColorWare includes a 30 day parts and 1 year labor warranty covering the coloring and hardware of that product. There are no warranty upgrades available with the Send in Mine service.

Can I buy the SideKick through ColorWare? What service plans does ColorWare offer?

We do not sell the SideKick. We also do not offer any service plans for the SideKick. The colorization service available through our site is for the customization of a SideKick that you already own.

Motorola world’s first carbon neutral phone is “GREEN” with envey!

Green products populated CES this year, as many companies wanted to show off how they would cut down their carbon footprint.

Motorola, Inc. was off and running with their MOTO W233 Renew lime green mobile phone with basic features.

The outer casing on the phone is made of plastic from recycled water bottles and 100 percent recyclable, but it is also the world’s first carbon neutral phone.
The device’s smaller size takes 20 percent less energy to create compared to many other phones, and it even comes with an envelope to send in your old phone for recycling.

MOTO W233 Renew delivers the quality you expect from a Motorola device while empowering you to reduce your carbon footprint. Not only is the plastic housing of Renew made from plastics comprised of recycled water bottles

Features include 2GB memory, nine hours of talk time, a music player but no camera or internet browsing capability. Come on Motorola, these features are basic to how we use other mobile phones today.

Through an alliance with Carbonfund.org, Motorola offsets the carbon dioxide required to manufacture, distribute and operate the phone through investments in renewable energy sources and reforestation. The phone has earned Carbonfund.org’s CarbonFree® Product Certification after an extensive product life-cycle assessment.

Renew will first be available at T-Mobile USA in Q1 2009. No price has been set yet.

Photo Credit: Roy Bassave/GadgetsAndGifts4U.com

Child’s GPS wristwatch lets parents LoJack their Kids!

Last week at the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, I came across a cool gadget. It’s from Lok8U (Locate You), a British manufacturer of a watch, called Num8 (new mate), a GPS Child Locator device which uses satellites to allow you to track your children.

You have seen these types of devices for years in sci-fi movies and televisions shows like Stargate, The New Knight Rider.

Num8 is the world’s first GPS locator device specifically designed to be worn by children. All you need is a mobile phone or a computer to find their precise location.

It attaches securely to a child’s wrist and it contains an embedded GPS and cellular transceiver which broadcasts your child’s location so long as it is on the child’s wrist. If taken off, it immediately texts an emergency message to the programmed mobile phone showing the location via Google Maps. The Google Maps image shows their exact location, the street name and the zip code.

To operate the waterproof device, the parent texts the message “wru” (where are you?”) to the child’s wrist device. The location is then sent back as a text message to the parent’s mobile phone.

The device also has the ability to operate a type of invisible fence, allowing a message to be sent as soon as the child leaves a predefined area.

But really the only thing that keeps your child safe is you keeping a real eye on them; after all there is no substitute for a parent’s non-tech vigilance. In the end technology always crashes when you need it most.

When we get one try out, we will see if the hype works as good as advertised.

The device will be available this spring in both the United States and Great Britain for the equivalent of $200, plus a $10 per month required GPS subscription.

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