Last November Gizmag released the first information about the Porsche Cayenne-based Rinspeed Chopster and at the time we commented that the beautiful Cayenne was a most unlikely vehicle to mess with. The new 600 horsepower Chopster SUV will debut at the Geneva Motor Show and interestingly, it somehow got a lot better looking in the last three months. A collaboration between two of the most innovative automotive companies in the world, the Chopster offers 800nM of torque and costs around 325,000 Euro.  Read More

Dodge is bringing the historic Daytona nameplate to the Dodge Ram line of pickup trucks. As politically incorrect as that may be in these environmentally-sensitive times, Dodge is the biggest seller amongst the Chrysler Group’s array of brands because it is unashamedly about in-yer-face performance and raw power. Accordingly, the Limited-edition Dodge Ram draws inspiration from the winged 1969 Dodge Charger race car and will be the first pick-up truck to see the showroom floor with a spoiler as standard. The first 75 production Dodge Ram Daytona models were presented to Dodge dealers yesterday in a ceremonial parade lap at Daytona International Speedway.  Read More

Novint Technologies has released details of a new haptic interface device for computers that will , the Novint Falcon, which brings interactive three dimensional touch to the consumer mass market. The Novint Falcon, coupled with the company’s 3D touch software, enables people to experience a realistic sense of touch on their computer, fundamentally transforming how they play and interact. Sinificantly, the Novint Falcon is expected to retail for under US$100 and represents a significant breakthrough in 3D touch technology and accessibility.  Read More

Educators agree that early exposure to holding and using a writing tool is important for a child's motor skill development plus their ability to learn to read, and moving from finger-touch learning to holding a pencil is a major milestone, especially those entering preschool and kindergarten. That's why Leapfrog has created the LeapPad 'Plus Writing' system which has been turbocharged with the ability to recognise handwritten letters and numbers with a 'magic pencil'.  Read More

Today at 3GSM World Congress 2005, ComVu announced the availability of the world's first service that enables users to stream live video from a smartphone to a global audience. ComVu also announced a licensing agreement with Fifth Media to provide ComVu's PocketCaster software for the new AXIA A108 PDA phones. PocketCaster leverages AXIA's onboard 1.3 megapixel CMOS camera, and next generation Freescale i.MX21 processor, to transmit real-time MPEG 4 video to ComVu's automated streaming server network. ComVu's PocketCaster turns the smartphone into a live broadcast device, rather than solely a passive receiver of video content. ComVu's deployment of a simple, "one-to-many" live broadcasting service will create numerous new commercial opportunities for users. A typical user may be a blogger who wants to add live video to online reporting; or a mobile field technician in an urgent situation where text alone doesn't get across all that needs to be communicated.  Read More

Snapped yesterday heading from Detroit to Geneva, Carroll Shelby's GR-1 concept vehicle is possibly set to wow European audiences in the same way it has captivated Americans from the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance to the Detroit Motor Show. The entire car is polished aluminium and even the headlights are water-cooled. If Ford decides to put it into production, potential buyers can expect to pay around US$200,000 for it. This is the second concept car produced by the magical combination of Ford and Shelby - the pair fell out for a while but more than four decades after their original agreement to produce performance cars, Ford Motor Company and Carroll Shelby are back together producing exquisite production and concept cars.  Read More

We really like this idea. Japanese company Thanko has integrated the MP3 player with a set of lightweight headphones to produce the ButterFly2 MP3 player. Ideal for gym, rowing, cycling and other activities where you just don't want wires getting in the way or the fear that your expensive Bluetooth headset might get smashed, damaged, lost of go for an inadvertent swim.  Read More

Gizmag likes productivity tools, and though this is just a keyboard, it's not just any keyboard. It contains a scanner and a USB2 hub - and we think that warrants attention from all us cyberserfs who spend the majority of our working hours slaving over a hot keyboard. The KeyScan KS810 will be officially announced on CeBIT 05 followed by immediate sales. Recommended end user price is EU149 EUR.  Read More

Canon has announced the EOS 350D digital SLR camera, providing unparalleled performance to hobby photographers and users entering the digital SLR market for the first time. Featuring a Canon-developed 8.0 megapixel CMOS image sensor, the EOS 350D offers even more than its predecessor, the EOS 300D. Accompanying the new camera, Canon also announced two new zoom lenses that expand the EF-S series for digital SLR cameras.  Read More