Sierra Sounds' iN STUDIO 5.0 iPod-friendly speakers

We must admit, it's somewhat refreshing to see a set of Made for iPod speakers hit the marketplace that could potentially sound better than a poorly-amplified glorified tweeter, and Sierra Sounds' iN STUDIO 5.0 set is looking to up the ante by catering to the more discerning set.

The pair of monitors are purportedly best matched in one's recording studio, as they feature an integrated 50-watt dynamic amplifier, built-in iPod dock, a pair of auxiliary inputs, S-Video output, and a fully enclosed power supply to boot.

Additionally, users can control the action from afar with the wireless infrared remote, and Pod owners should be delighted that they can pick a set up in a black, red, or the oh-so-trendy white color scheme.

Set to ship later this month, the iN STUDIO 5.0s will run you just under four Benjamins.

Panasonic's ToughBook CF-08

Fancy yourself a tough guy? Then check the latest Panasonic Toughbook, the CF-08 tablet.

No, not a Tablet PC, this slab goes Windows CE 5.0 for instant-on, near virus-free access and up to 14-hours off battery -- you know, just as long as you don't mind keeping the brightness to a min.

The CF-08 brings a 1024 x 768 pixel, 10.4-inch touch-panel display capable of withstanding a fall from as high as 1.2-meters.
It comes powered by a 312MHz PXA270 processor and packs USB 1.1 (for keyboard and mousing, presumably) with 802.11b/g WiFi, Bluetooth 1.2, and fixed Ethernet providing access to data.

Thing is, even with a 267 × 208 × 36-mm footprint they only managed to squeeze in 64MB RAM / 64MB ROM -- come on Panny, how about SD expansion at the least? Hitting May 15th for an undisclosed price.

Medical robot can do organ biopsies during MRI scans

The Johns Hopkins Urology Robotics Lab based in Baltimore, Maryland has developed a medical robot called the PneuStep that is capable of carrying out organ biopsies in the process of an MRI scan.

The robot features a motor that provides power "without metal or electricity" which means that it can operate within the intense magnetic fields generated by Magnetic Resonance Imaging machines.

Instead, it is made of "plastics, ceramics and rubber" and is "driven by light and air": specifically, a series of pistons and gears which are controlled by a computer in the next room. The motor also happens to be far more precise than the bags of meat that we usually trust to remove our tumors.

The PneuStep could improve the treatment of prostate cancer, which is apparently in many cases impossible to spot outside of an MRI machine. Previously, surgeons relied on "blind" biopsies in the case of operations on organs like the prostate.

We'd imagine then that the addition of this robot to a surgeon's tool box will do wonders for patient morale.

SanDisk Sansa Connect sneaks into availability

This cool Wi-Fi™ based media player can access any open wireless network, so you can enjoy Internet radio wirelessly or get your music subscription library on-the-go.

Stay connected to your music, friends and fresh new entertainment streams wherever you are.

The SanDisk Xd Picture Card provides the highest capacity in one of the smallest memory formats available today.

Featuring rapid data transfer speeds, it is ultra compact for the most portable devices. The SanDisk xD Picture Card is compatible with all Olympus and Fuji xD compatible digital cameras.

Capacities: 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, xD

Room for your entertainment: This sleek portable media player features 4GB of built-in memory—store up to 1,000 MP3s.

Expandable memory: The MicroSD card slot lets you expand the capacity and easily store more new music.

Perfect for photos: The 2.2” TFT color display which is perfect for viewing and sharing photos.

PC requirements:
Windows® XP with SP2 or Vista®
Windows Media Player® 10 or 11
CD-ROM drive
High-speed USB 2.0 port required for hi-speed transfer
Wireless network required for wireless functionality