Now that T-Mobile has invested all that money to get its 3G network going, the company is churning out new products to get users on that network. The latest from the telecom carrier is the webConnect USB dongle for laptops….

Now that T-Mobile has invested all that money to get its 3G network going, the company is churning out new products to get users on that network.

The latest from the telecom carrier is the webConnect USB dongle for laptops. The portable modem lets users connect their notebooks to T-Mobile’s 3G network and other Wi-Fi networks.

T-Mobile’s rivals already offer Verizon and AT&T offer similar services at comparable prices.

T-Mobile’s 3G USB stick is being manufactured by Huawei Technologies and comes with built-in access to T-Mobile connection manager software.

In areas with no 3G coverage, the software will seek out GPRS/EDGE networks. The device currently works with Windows XP and Vista and Mac support is expected soon.

The 3G USB laptop stick will be available starting March 25 and is priced at $50 with a two-year contract after rebate and $100 with an one-year contract. Without a contract it will cost $250.

Service plans for the device will start at $60 a month for up to 5GB of wireless data.

Via [wired.com]

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Should DSLRs Shoot Video?
Canon’s new DSLR, the 500D, is the latest in a line of hybrid still/video DSLRs, joining Canon’s own 5DMkII, Nikon’s less capable D90 and Panasonic’s GH1. This trend is obviously set to continue, but do we want it? Our rather…

Canon’s new DSLR, the 500D, is the latest in a line of hybrid still/video DSLRs, joining Canon’s own 5DMkII, Nikon’s less capable D90 and Panasonic’s GH1. This trend is obviously set to continue, but do we want it?

Our rather easy-to-make prediction is that each newly announced DSLR this year will have some kind of video capability. Pretty much every mid-range DSLR already has live view, which gives a compact camera-style live image on the rear screen. All that’s needed to capture video is to actually put that information onto the memory card, something that Canon’s Digic and Nikon’s Expeed processors already do in both compacts and SLRs. It’s clear that, technologically, there’s no barrier to HD video on each camera.

But like rising pixel-counts, the feature is there whether we want it or not. Are SLRs the best tools to shoot video, or is this just a gimmick to sell a few more cameras?

Let’s first look at the advantages. Capturing video from an SLR means that you have access to a pretty massive sensor. Even crop-framed DX sensors beat out many camcorder sensors in size, and this in turn means good low-light performance and a shallow depth-of-field. This last is what the fuss has been about — witness the jaw-droppingly filmic videos shot on the 5DMkII. This is due to the high-quality, wide-aperture lenses you can put on these cameras. Beter still, they’re – compared to pro video kit at least – dirt cheap.

Another advantage is that you only have to carry one camera. You can always use it as a still camera and then, if needed, switch into video mode. This is probably the most compelling argument for video in DSLRs — there really is no downside to having one more mode in there — it’s all in the programming after all.

On the other hand, these cameras don’t shoot video all that well. The Nikon D90, as has been mentioned before, doesn’t shoot true 1080p HD and what it does shoot it records in Motion JPG, literally a succession of individual, compressed jpeg images.

The Canons do better, recording in .mov format, but there are still problems. None of these cameras will shoot full HD for very long. The times vary, but you’ll max out at around ten minutes. This isn’t necessarily a problem (how many movies do you see with single, ten minute takes?) but it shows a limitation.

Another concern has been heat. Running power through them and reading data constantly isn’t what these still sensors were designed for. Again, not a large deal for the odd grab-shot, but hardly best in a full-time video environment.

None of this will stop video making its way into every camera made, and for the times you might need it (and even just for playing around) every extra feature will be useful. In the end it will end up like auto-exposure and auto-focus. At the beginning, camera nerds moaned (I may or may not have been one of them). Now, though, you would never dream of buying a camera without them.

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Onkyo Bluetooth Headphone Dongle Almost as Large as the iPod it Serves
These iPod headphones from Onkyo, the $270 MHP-UW2, probably sound extraordinary with their 30mm drivers and 50Hz-20kHz frequency response range. But — and you just knew there was a “but,” right? — they’re wireless, and we really wonder why. We…

These iPod headphones from Onkyo, the $270 MHP-UW2, probably sound extraordinary with their 30mm drivers and 50Hz-20kHz frequency response range. But — and you just knew there was a “but,” right? — they’re wireless, and we really wonder why.

We understand that certain people want Bluetooth sound — snowboarders, for instance, might have helmets with built-in cans. But to purchase a set of actual wireless headphones seems a tiny strange. Are we really so hateful of wires that running a cable a few feet from head to hip is impossible?

And in the case of these Onkyos, the Bluetooth component is even less compelling. The over-the-head style means that cable weight is not an issue, but take a look at that Bluetooth dongle. It’s massive, nearly as massive as the iPod itself (and if you use it with a Nano, it will seem even bigger).

Thankfully, the size means the battery life stretches to a decent eight hours (on a three-hour charge) and Onkyo has thoughtfully included both a USB charging cable and a couple of mini-jack cables so you can, presumably, keep listening via wire when the juice runs out. Also, they have remote controls on the headset itself and – most importantly – they look awesome. Available in Japan.

Product page [Audiocubes via Uncrate]

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Police Chief Unintentionally Shows that BlackBerry+Driving=Car Accident [Man Vs Machine]

Police Chief Brian Wilson, of Washington, issued a public apology after his squad automobile crashed into another automobile because his eyes were on his Blackberry instead of the road. Tsk tsk.

On March 18, Chief Wilson was at a red light when he took his foot off the brake to check his e-mail and news updates on his BlackBerry, causing his unmarked police automobile to move forward and rear-end the car in front of him. It is reported that soon after, Chief Wilson, who was given a verbal reprimand but not a ticket, Twittered declared that he was “mortified” at the situation. [APP via Topix. Image courtesy of Oxford Mail.]

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Shot of Jailbroken iPhone Sneaks Into Apple Patent Application [Apple]

Looks like somebody over at the Apple legal department has been enjoying a little Jailbreak action, because a sketch in a recent patent application includes some features a stock iPhone just doesn’t have. Update:

Let’s see here, we’ve got a custom wallpaper, that’s not granted. We’ve got the Installer and SMBPrefs apps, you’re not going to find either of those in the Officially Apple-Controlled Apple-Permitted App Store By Apple. Update: So after reading, it turns out that this image is actually illustrating a point, and isn’t a mistake. The patent explains that it covers all uses of the iPhone, including a customized background and other bonuses available to the Jailbreak community. This is interesting in itself; Apple seems to be at the least permitting Jailbreaking enough to cover it in a patent. [Engadget, thanks Travis!]

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8 Gadgets That Will Help Woz Win Dancing With The Stars [Tgif]

It hasn’t always been pretty, but Woz has definitely won us over with his appearance on Dancing With the Stars. The following gadgets will help him earn the same respect from the judges.

Photo Credit Robert Accettura

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USB Cigarettes [USB]

We’ve seen electronic cigarettes before, but not one that charges via USB.

It’s no surprise that this handy device shows up on Thanko’s website, since they’re guys who usually satisfy our cravings for wonky USB gadgets. The USB version of the electronic cigarette provides inhaled doses of vaporized nicotine, so smokers can puff away without all the harmful effects to second hand smokers. The kit comes with 11 filter butts and an atomizer. You can pick yours up for about $33. But beware, you might still look pretty goofy standing in public sucking on a plastic cigarette. [Thanko via Newslaunches]

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As sad as it sounds, most of us experience the world through photographs. Now MIT software engineers are taking that idea literally and mapping Flickr photos to regional maps in The World’s Eyes project.

By pulling GPS metadata from uploaded photos (and then skinning that data in a neat 3D visualization), users can see how photographers/tourists see a given area. There’s overlap, yes, but that’s entirely the point. It’s a project more about capturing stereotypes (like the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Statue of Liberty in NY), than giving a Google Street View objective turn by turn of an area. Add tags like “party” to the mix, and that worldview is altered in very interesting, less predictable ways.

As strange as this may sound, I could totally picture this visualizer on the PlayStation 3. The platform has focused quite a bit on a very special pic experience, and the style isn’t so far from Sony’s. All they’d really need to do is network it. [MIT via GearCrave]

Via [gizmodo]

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Every time we run a post with this background, I get a ton of people asking where I got it. So here it is—it’s called Night Blur, from Mandolux. Click the picture to ginormify it.

Mandolux, which we’ve highlighted before, has a ton of astonishing wallpapers, many of them designed for multiple monitors. It’s not the most intuitive site to browse through, unfortunately, but 20 minutes wandering around there’s pretty rewarding.

While we’re at, where else do guys get favorite wallpapers? [Mandolux]

Via [gizmodo]

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I have to admit, this Rube Goldberg machine is pretty friggn’ ingenious—even if it does result in a the gruesome death of a delicious Cadbury Egg. [Telegraph via Jezebel]

Via [gizmodo]

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