Texas-based KumoTek Robotics plans to unveil its KumoTek-X (or KT-X) HUMANOID ROBOT this week. The robot is a modified version of a Vstone robot — I’m guessing an updated and more programmable version of its RB2000 model (pictured). The robot, which will be sold in the U.S., is capable of walking, running, somersaulting and standing up from a face-up or face-down lying position. It’s controlled by a PS2 gamepad controller. The KumoTek-X is 13-inches high, and has 17 servo-actuated joints. It has more than 75 pre-programmed motions, plus you can program it with KumoTek’s “KT-X Alive!” programming interface, which the company claims is the “most user-friendly programming utility package to date that requires little-to-no prior experience with robotics or programming.” Sorry — no pricing or availability yet.

Original post by Mike

Filed under: Cellphones

Well would you look at that, instructions are now available for downgrading your iPhone from 1.1.1 to 1.0.2. It won’t downgrade your baseband, meaning so far you can’t re-unlock an iPhone that’s been 1.1.1-ified, but it’s still 1.0.2 in all its third-party application glory.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Original post by Paul Miller

Filed under: Cellphones

Engadget Mobile’s got the word on four new Verizon phones headed for a simultaneous launch in the next couple of weeks, so head on over and get the dirt on the new Juke, Pearl, Venus and Voyager before somebody beats you to it.

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Original post by Paul Miller

Filed under: Apple, OS X

The iPhone 1.1.1 update has a hidden little surprise for y’all: Bluetooth audio streaming is now available off of your iPhone for whatever you darn please, meaning you can finally listen to music from the phone wirelessly. Oddly enough, this “function” has been unleashed by a Visual Voicemail bug that leaves Bluetooth audio on even after you’ve left the Voicemail interface. Of course, it’s only mono audio, and the audio keeps playing out of your built-in speaker — if you plug in headphones to cut off the speaker you’ll lose Bluetooth streaming as well — but it’s nice to see Apple forking over some “should have been there in the first place” functionality accidentally to go along with all that stuff of the same ilk 1.1.1 took away from us.

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Original post by Paul Miller

Filed under: Gaming

Although Rock Band was available for pre-order from a number of e-tailers earlier this summer, we’re now hearing the “official word” from the suits at MTV regarding pricing. According to the MTV Multiplayer blog, both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions “will launch on November 23rd at a cost of $169.99.” Bundled in will be the game, a single guitar, a mic and a drum kit. Additionally, the PlayStation 2 version — which seemed to be on track for a 2008 release — will reportedly make it onto store shelves just before the last ditch holiday rush, as it is now scheduled to land on December 10th for $159.99. As expected, the PS2 / PS3 packages will include wireless guitars, and while an optional cordless axe will certainly be available for the Xbox 360, its bundle will (sadly) include one with a tether. Oh, and Amazon has already updated its pages to reflect the finalized figures.

[Via IGN]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Original post by Darren Murph

A French magazine called Wiiz has PUBLISHED SCANS of a Chinese magazine promoting the upcoming release of the Vii gaming system — a blatant Chinese rip-off of Nintendo’s Wii system.

Original post by Mike

Filed under: Gaming, Portable Audio, Portable Video

iriver’s G10 / Wing handheld game console has been a pretty serious flame-out for the company — while the concept of an 8GB 4-inch touchscreen handheld that rocked wireless multiplayer features over WiBro and WiFi seemed like a winner, endless delays eventually resulted in the device falling off the radar, and eventually just falling off the company’s plans. It looks like the G10 is about to get another go-around, however, as Postdata (iriver’s development partner on the G10) is showing off a revised played called the G100 at the WiMAX World conference. The G100 features a 4.3-inch touchscreen, WiMAX, WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, and a slightly modified keypad. No word on availability, but at this point Postdata’s way ahead of the game by just showing off actual devices.

[Thanks, Brian]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Original post by Nilay Patel

Filed under: Handsets, LG, RIM, Samsung, Verizon Wireless

Apparently due to launch in a couple of weeks, Verizon is prepping a phone blitz of fairly epic proportions. The new Samsung Juke, BlackBerry Pearl, LG Venus and LG Voyager are due for simultaneous arrival on the market, and are sure to turn heads. On the far left is the “Juke,” Verizon’s name for that U470 we spotted a couple weeks ago, which is supposed to arrive with 2GB of storage, A2DP Bluetooth and a 1.3 megapixel camera. Next up is the “new variety” Pearl rumored since August, with a 2 megapixel camera, A2DP and a 3.5mm audio jack. One to the right is the dual screen “Venus” slider, also known as the LG VX8800. The phone rocks miniSD expansion, A2DP, a 2 megapixel camera and some interesting touchscreen capabilities, including vibration feedback. Finally we have the beast of the bunch on the far right, the LG Voyager, also known as the VX10000. The phone sports a large external touchscreen, along with a lateral-clamshell form factor that opens up into a QWERTY keyboard and another well-sized screen, both screens are QVGA. Verizon is bragging of a full HTML browser, along with the expected microSD expansion, 2 megapixel camera, A2DP and some built-in stereo speakers.

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Original post by Paul Miller