A new $200 gadget combines a PC with an alarm clock. Called the Chumby, the device connects to the Internet over your home’s Wi-Fi network.
It’s covered in soft rubber and leather, and looks like a tiny, cartoon TV set.
The Chumby runs widgets, which are like little PC applications. The current incarnation comes with just one: an alarm clock widget. To get more widgets, you can download any of hundreds available on the free Chumby Web site or create your own.
You can also share widgets “Chumby-to-Chumby” over the Internet.
A single, hidden button on top brings up an on-screen control panel. USB ports let you directly transfer music files.
The Chumby has a 3.5-in. LCD touch screen, stereo speakers, a “squeeze sensor” and an accelerometer (to measure external force), which gadgets can use for games and other fun stuff.
So what is the Chumby? Well, it’s anything you want it to be. Some of the uses listed on the Web site include the presentation of news, weather, scores, animations, photos and music. But most of all — because it will ship in November — the Chumby is also the perfect holiday gift for the geek who has everything.
Portable solar phone, iPod charger is rugged, waterproof
We’ve seen solar chargers before, but the $139 Power Monkey Explorer Charger is both small and — best of all — water-resistant and ruggedized, so it’s ideal for sailing, hiking and those ill-advised road trips to Burning Man.
The Power Monkey stores enough juice for 40 hours of iPod use, 96 hours of cell phone use and 1,600 pictures, according to the company. The Power Monkey is compatible with a wide range of handsets from Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, Siemens and Sony Ericsson, and also all iPods.
New service unites all e-mail, social networking
A new service called Fuser puts all your e-mail (POP3, AOL, Exchange, Gmail, Hotmail, SquirrelMail and Yahoo) and social networking messages (MySpace and Facebook) into one appealing online in-box.
My Picks: Web phone calls integrated into social network
MySpace and Skype announced that MySpace users will soon be able to make Skype phone calls using MySpaceIM. Also, learn the strategies behind the latest online development craze — building applications that run in Facebook pages.
MySpace adds Skype VoIP to popular social network. Five tips for making a popular (and maybe profitable) Facebook app.
Mike Elgan writes about technology and global tech culture. Contact Mike at [email protected] or his blog, The Raw Feed.
