How often have you been in a situation where you had to dress up? Whether it is a formal event, or just going to work in corporate American, many a Gear Live reader has felt the frustration of having to sacrifice gear for looks. I mean, honestly, how many pieces of gadgetry can you carry around in a sport coat and dress pants? Not much. Well, not much until SCOTTeVEST came around. I tried out their TEC Sport Coat and Hidden Cargo Pants at a wedding, and report back with the results after the jump.

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Click to continue reading SCOTTeVEST TEC Sport Coat and Hidden Cargo Pants Review

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Reuters is reporting that Sean Burke has filed suit against Microsoft because his XBOX system stopped reading discs (games, CD's, DVD's, etc.) after less than one year of use. Many XBOX owners can relate, as XBox hard drives are known for crashing. 'The defective XBox's stop working after minimal usage, after unreasonably, unconscionably, unusually and unexpectedly short amounts of time,' the lawsuit said. The suit will probably become class action, and seeks to represent anyone who has purchased an XBOX since the 2001 launch. I don't think this will hold up, as electronics fail all the time. We'll see.

Read More | Reuters

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Due out by next week, Innova Cases is ramping up to offer new Treo 650 owners their specialized brand of quality leather protection. I love the sexy angles they have on their site. These cases allow easy access to all commands, along with access to the headphone jack, camera, and sync ports. If you like to keep your gear scratch free, Vaja cases are among the best, but you do pay a hefty premium. These will retail for around $100.

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Today Sony made some major long-awaited announcements for its upcoming portable handheld. First off, it's going to be released this year in Japan, on December 12th, as has been promised. Secondly the price will be 19,800 yen, which is $185 US, according to this handy conversion table. Battery life is expected to be between 4 and 6 hours for game titles and a continuous 4 to 5 hours while watching video. For about $230 USD, Japanese gamers can also opt to get the system with a host of accessories, including earphones with in-line remote, a soft carry case with a strap, and a 32 MB Memory Stick Duo. Many folks are now planning to get both this and the Nintendo DS, considering the pricepoints.

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Read More | USA Today

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Continuing on with the Apple news for the day, here is the skinny on the new iPod Photo:

The unit has a 65,000 color screen with 220 by 176 pixel resolution. The battery life has been bumped up to 15 hours per charge (so why can't the black and white iPod have more than 12 hours?), and iTunes will import album art for display purposes, and will also be responsible for synching photos to the iPod. Supported applications for image management are iPhoto (for Mac users) and Adobe Photohop Elements or Album on the PC side. As for iTunes, in order to synch your pictures you will need to download the new version 4.7.

The cost of the iPod Photo will be $500 for the 40 GB model and $600 for the 60 GB. I am sure they will be popping up on the free stuff sites soon enough. If you can't wait for that, Apple is scheduled to begin shipping the new iPod's within the next two weeks.

One of the nicer features of the iPod Photo is that the dock has an S-Video out (along with regular video) that can be used to play slideshows (with or without music) on any television. In fact, if you are using a widescreen display, the iPod will adjust the photos automatically for that aspect ratio!

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If you are in the market for a 20 GB iPod, and are also a die-hard U2 fan, then the U2 iPod Special Edition is right up your ally. For just $349 USD you will get Apple's first ever colored iPod, which you can see is black with a red click wheel. Turn the iPod over, and you have each member of U2's autograph. With your purchase, you will also receive an exclusive U2 poster and the signature white iPod earbuds.

If $349 USD sounds a bit steep for a 20 GB iPod, this unit also includes an iTunes Music Store coupon you can use to get $50 off the purchase of "The Complete U2" album. Also remember, if you want to get your regular 20 GB iPod painted elsewhere, it will cost you $99 USD.

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Yes, you read that right. What is arguably the hottest phone currently available right now for all the hipsters out there can be had for just $24.99. The T-Mobile Sidekick II (a.k.a. HipTop 2) is a great device, combining a cell phone with internet browsing and an IM client. The negative? It only works with T-Mobile, so good luck finding reception. Some things are just too good to be true.

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Read More | T-Mobile Sidekick II for $24.99
Read More | Gizmodo Review - Sidekick Good, T-Mobile Bad

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In this installment of Playlist, we look at some young bands that will factor heavily in the near future of the music industry, as well as a band that just can't let the past go. A couple of rap groups, a couple of rock bands, and a Collection Essential that is only two years old. Buckle up for Playlist.

Click to continue reading Gear Live Playlist: Talib Kewli, Cake, Black Keys, Medvillain, Bright Eyes

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Want a free Palm Pilot? Well, the next site in the recent wave of free offer sites has arrived - FreePalms.com. The site has come under a bit of scrutiny from visitors, due to it's design being a carbon copy of how Gratis Internet designs their websites. Many wondered if the site would even turn out to be legit. Burke Jones, the person who runs FreePalms.com, sent us a message which may or may not ease your minds, which you can read by clicking the link below.

FreePalms.com currently offers the Tungsten C Communicator, Zire 72, and the Tungsten 3 to those who complete the site requirements. Click here to sign up.

Click to continue reading FreePalms.com: Get Your Free Palm Pilot

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Previous reports have been confirmed, as Apple announced the new iPod Photo line today. Here are some images for now - and they are gorgeous. The Apple iPod Photo is available in 40 GB and 60 GB models, and both music and photos sync with iTunes 4.7. Back with full specs in a bit.

Click to continue reading iPod Photo Is Official

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