New York Times: In the coming months, the likes of Microsoft, Hitachi and major PC makers will begin selling devices that will allow people to flip channels on the TV or move documents on a computer monitor with simple hand gestures. The technology, one of the most significant changes to human-device interfaces since the mouse appeared next to computers in the early 1980s, was being shown in private sessions during the immense Consumer Electronics Show here last week. Past attempts at similar technology have proved clunky and disappointing. In contrast, the latest crop of gesture-powered devices arrives with a refreshing surprise: they actually work.
The BBC is planning to invest £25m in children's TV programmes over the next three years, meaning TV Brackets and TV Mounts could be reaffirmed as positive assets to any modern environment.
LCD TV's, programmes and TV Brackets and TV Mounts have taken a battering in recent years with many suggesting that watching TV may encourage laziness. LCD TV's and therefore accessories like TV Brackets and TV Mounts have become staple additions to most homes, but our love affair with the LCD TV has been
changeable. Click here for more info!
Gizmodiva.com: The you and me wall clock is great for couples in a long distance relationship. Keeping track of each others time is the key to make a relationship work in such cases and the ‘You and me wall clock’ is only helping as it keeps track of other time zones too. This clock comes with a total of 6 different blank spare hands and a marker; which means if you are seeing different people in different countries then this is the best thing to have ever happened to you provided you don’t confuse yourself and mess things up. Don’t expect any colors other than bright, hot pink and nothing less than $54.95 can get you the ‘You and Me’ wall clock.
BornRich: While the $40,000 “Emperor 200” workstation is still fresh on every geek’s mind, the creative folks at Novel Quest did not wanted to rest on their past glory forever, and has been secretly working upon another deviation of the Emperor workstation, which is as luxurious as its predecessor but, comes for a far less price tag of $4,950!! The “Emperor 1510” inherits the signature Emperor scorpion shape with all the hi-tech features remaining the same including, tilting capabilities, integrated audio system, LED lighting to name a few. The all new Emperor 1510 will officially be launched on December 15, but is available for pre-order.
Walyou: We have become dependent on USB flash drives, for these compact devices are both extremely practical and convenient. While these offer many advantages, they also hold very important personal and professional data and therefore we would not want to lose this information. Ironkey knows how important it is to keep your data safe and raised the bar on data security and protection.
The Ironkey USB Flash Drive holds your important documents, pictures, and online passwords secure by its own Cryptochip, which provides military grade AES encryption for safeguarding. If it is physically damaged or the password is incorrectly entered 10 times, the internal data will self destruct. In addition, it is filled with epoxy based compound, making it waterproof and preventing individuals from reaching its internal hardware. In the case it is lost or stolen, you can rest assured that your data will be secured.
PCWorld: The Gboard is essentially a standard numeric keypad that connects to your PC via USB. The specially labeled keys are programmed with macros that correspond to Gmail's keyboard shortcuts. So, rather than having to remember that # moves an e-mail to the trash and e archives the current conversation, you can simply hit one of the 19 clearly labeled keys on this keypad.
Shiny Shiny: If you've got a messy other half, flatmate or family and you're particular about cleaning then you'll love this little gadget.
The Indoor Outdoor Roomba Robotic Sweeper is a mini cleaning marvel. It has two hard brushes on its belly, which will scrub your kitchen and living room floor to perfection as they go at 1000 times per minute.
It works automatically sweeping away the remnants of lasts night Chinese, dog hair, and well, anything else that ends up on the floor, storing it in its mini dustbin.
Gizmodiva.com: Just when you though USB devices couldn’t get any funkier, AromaUSB has made its appearance. Just plug it in your computers USB port and this device dispenses a fragrance to get rid of all the odd smells around your work station. It doesn’t have any memory though and is available in lavender, lemongrass, and orange fragrance. The AromaUSB is completely customizable from color to shape.
TrendOriginal: The Orb is an innovative new Bluetooth headset which transforms a wireless earpiece into a ring you can wear on your finger when not using the device for making calls or listening to music. The Orb uses NXT technology to deliver bone conduction audio to the ear.
A more sophisticated version will offer a Flexible Organic Light Emitting Device (FOLED) screen that displays caller ID, calendar reminders and voice-to-text information, into the ring device while located at the finger of the user. The base model Orb is scheduled to launch in January 2010.
TrendCentral: Apple has yet to introduce the long speculated MacBook Tablet, but ask any angry engineering or graphic art student,and they'll tell you the release of one would change their life. Well, a few revolting geeks of Switzerland's Cosm!k' Art Deco Team couldn't wait any longer and decided to make their own. By fitting a flat screen and an Apple iBook G4 laptop into a coffee table, they've created a coffee table jukebox with synched visualizers. It can also play DVDs in the side, or you can pull out the wireless keyboard and mouse and use it as a (somewhat) normal computer. Okay, so it's not quite the touch tablet, but who knew it was so much fun to watch movies on a coffee table?
Popgadget: The last thing you would want to do with such gorgeous fruit is feed them to that unforgiving abyss called the stomach. And that too when they can sit so pretty on your table, radiating a mysterious sense of calm each time you steal a glance. Which is why someone has already ensured that these beauties are not at all edible, to begin with. These "slices" of fruit (apple and pear) are post-it note dispensers called Kudamemo.
Amazed, huh? Not surprising at all, this great design by D-BROS caught us unawares too. These beautiful memo dispensers derive the name Kudamemo from the Japanese word for fruit, "Kudamono". Each fruit can dispense 150 mini memos which aren't self-sticking like their clinical 3M cousins. But really, that's little worry considering that it is a piece of art on your desktop that we are looking at, isn't it?
Go-Girl.com: GoGirl is the way to stand up to crowded, disgusting, distant or non-existent bathrooms. It’s a female urination device (sometimes called a FUD) that allows you to urinate while standing up. It’s neat. It’s discreet. It’s hygienic.
While the concept may be new to you, European women have used female urination devices for years. GoGirl’s not the first device of its kind. But try it. And we think you’ll agree it’s easily the best.
Only GoGirl is made with flexible, medical grade silicone. Dispose of it after use. Or clean and reuse as you like.
Popgadget: The most precious commodity in a human being's life has always been one that is fathomed by an inconsiderate glance at the timepiece on the wall or one's own body - all in pursuit of the selfish need to spend that commodity called "time" wisely and to our own advantage. Which brings us to the question rarely asked - how much time have you spent in trying to read out "time" itself ? Not more than a few minutes in an entire day, we suppose.
Well, not unless you own this German handmade marvel called QLOCKTWO which demands more than that occasional glance to make sense of time. In this clock there are no numbers, or the industrious pair of "hands". Instead, QLOCKTWO spells out time only via text - typographic time format in 5 minute intervals combined with four-minute dots. The text that spells the current hour is highlighted using light sensors that can automatically adjust the display to ambient light. The clock itself is made of wood with an acrylic face and glass polished edges. And the changing display doesn't necessarily mean that the clock is a power guzzler - apparently its LED technology assures a power consumption of less than 2 Watts.
Popgadget: PopElecom has brought out a series of docks for the iPod Nano called Soundblocks that are perhaps the most good-looking ones in the mini-dock category. They measure only 2 x 16mm, and are available in atleast a dozen appetizing colors - just so that you can match your iPod with the appropriate one. Seriously, what more could you want? Well, I for one, would like to know if they sound as good as they look.
SmartSwipe is the new, smarter, more secure way to shop online. The SmartSwipe (by NetSecure Technologies) is the world’s first truly secure personal credit card reader. When you install SmartSwipe, you can swipe your credit card at your home or office computer just like you would in a store. Plug the SmartSwipe into your computer’s USB port, go shopping to your favourite online stores and swipe your credit card – it is that easy. The best part is that you know your credit card information is safe and secure.
Gadget Reviews: It is quite compact - not bigger than a paperback - the dimensions of the portable digital photo viewer are the following: 19.5cm x 11.3cm x 1.4 cm, so you can bear it in your pocket. It features a 7-inch screen display with 800 x 480 resolution and is compatible with USB devices. 4 GB of internal memory can be expanded with a SD card.
The Album digital photo gallery is capable of storing 40.000 photos which can be downloaded directly from SD card or Digital Camera. It is quite easy to use: it allows creating folders, deleting photos, changing pictures manually, and offers the possibility of slideshow and three hours of battery life.
The Cool Hunter: Take the IPEVO TR-10i for example, your new desktop pal. It’s the ultimate accomplice for anyone who uses Skype and iChat as much as we have been lately.
So what exactly does it do? It works as a desktop mic, a speakerphone and also as a handset for when you want to take a private call. With dedicated Skype buttons, you may never have to pay for a call again. Want to record a call to listen back to at a later date or to add to your podcast? This gadget has got you covered. It also weighs next to nothing so is pretty handy to take with you on business trips and of course it helps that it is a bit of a good looker.
Claimed as the first true musical instrument created for the iPhone, both experts and beginners will enjoy playing this innovative player. Ocarina is sensitive to your breath, touch and movements, making it even more versatile than the original.
Ocarina is also a social application in which you will see and hear other Ocarina players throughout the world. Using its globe view, you can identify different sources of the music, and rate your favorite performances.
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TrendsSpotting.com is a trends agency focused on developing exciting tools for Trend Spotting. We follow current trends and are constantly looking for new ones. We specialize in trends research and the social media. Dr. Taly Weiss, TrendsSpotting CEO, is a Social Psychologist, with extensive experience in branding strategy and marketing research. Feel free to explore our trend spotting tools on www.trendoScope.com.
Engadget: Oh Brando, will your wonders ever cease? The company famous for making our days with random, wacky, off-the-wall gizmos has just unloaded a small cadre of new USB hubs, all of which are delightfully eccentric and totally destined for neglected desks the world over. From the Clippy-approved USB Happy-Kid 4-Port Hub to the reading light-infused iteration, there's a hub for practically anyone looking to get more USB devices connected to their PC. Check 'em all out below, and don't feel like you have to pick just one, regardless of what your savings account is saying.
Yanko Design: The UNI watch has a customizable digital face. You can choose fonts, colors, backgrounds and hand designs with just a few clicks in the included software. It’s made of that weird soft touch plastic. Something about that texture keeps me petting it over and over. Even tho the pictures don’t show it very well, the display is a full color OLED. A built-in accelerometer turns the display on only when your wrist turns and the mini-USB port makes it easy to connect to your computer.
Engadget: Dell's been taking its design new directions for a while now, but it looks the company's war on boring is about to get personal. Ed Boyd, Dell's new Industrial Design Director, told BusinessWeek that Dell also plans on launching customizable computers with "scores of colors, patterns, and textures," and options that will "go far beyond the handful of choices available" from most rivals. We assume he just means the exterior, though that's unclear, so we'll keep our fingers crossed for that hot pink keyboard. There are also no details yet on which models will be up for customization or their pricing, but the other Art House models range from $649 to $800.
Gadgetell: Novelty speakers are a dime a dozen these days, but this pair in particular is pretty amazing. The “Speak-er” is for the most part your average run of the mill speaker, except it looks like a speech bubble.
The bubble measures in at 4 x 6 x 2, so it’s not terribly large, and is made of white ABS with a matte black steel grille on the front. The speakers are expected to be released later this year for $120 for a pair. There currently isn’t any information available about the interior specs of the speakers, but really, when you look like a speech bubble does it really matter?
Shiny Shiny: This Tamogotchi style device is designed to help us understand men. How you ask? Well, it comes with 100 pre-installed questions, like: 'What phrase will make boys happy when said out of jealousy by their girlfriends?' or 'What type of hair style do men usually prefer their girlfriends to have?".
This is not a joke. Bandai has really given the green light to this device. They even interviewed 1,000 single men in Japan aged between 20 and 39 in order to achieve the best possible results. By answering a lot of the questions right, your popularity meter rises, ergo your knowledge of men gradually builds up.
PRNewswire: Targus(R) Inc., maker of the world's top-selling laptop computer cases and accessories, today unveiled its new cooling products to protect your lap and laptop. The new products include the Chill Mat, Chill Mat XC, Chill Hub XC, CoolWave(TM), and Stow-N-Go Chill Mat.
Compatible with PCs and Macs, these cooling devices are built to help protect your workspace and laptop from heat damage by providing optimal air ventilation for enhanced performance. Most of these cooling devices can be used when the laptop is sitting on your lap, therefore offering the added benefit of protecting your legs from heat and providing a stable workstation.
"Laptop cooling devices are essential to keeping your computer running at an optimal level," said Carolyn Perrier, vice president of accessories at Targus. "Targus' new cooling devices are compatible with just about any laptop and provide a combination of portability and protection to enhance laptop performance."
Chill Mat for Laptops
Equipped with dual, USB powered fans, Targus' Chill Mat for Laptops is designed to protect your laptop from overheating without the need for an external power adapter. For easy stowing, it comes with built in cable management.
Chill Mat XC and Chill Hub XC for Laptops
Designed for laptops of up to 17", the Chill Mat XC and Chill Hub XC allow users to adjust the speed of the dual USB powered fans. For convenience, the cable tucks away into a covered storage compartment. Users can conveniently adjust the height to fit their preference. In addition, the Chill Hub XC offers an integrated 4-port USB hub so you can attach additional USB devices to the hub.
CoolWave
This stylish and uniquely designed laptop stand allows for optimal airflow and protects your desk, table or countertops from any heat-related damage.
Stow-N-Go Chill Mat for Laptops
The Stow-N-Go Chill Mat is ideal for busy professionals on-the-go, offering portable cooling and built-in cable storage for easy stowing. Designed for laptops of up to 15.6", the expandable design allows users to have a full size Chill Mat with travel size portability and powered by USB for added convenience.
Inhabitat: Imagine never having to plug your cellphone into the wall again! Now you can just plug it into your bike with Oscar L’Hermitte’s “Watts Maker” cell phone charger. The system consists of a small kinetic generator that provides power to your mobile phone while you take an evening ride around the neighborhood or pedal to work. This model takes about 90 minutes to go from dead to fully charged, and it produces energy as long as the wheels keep turning.
The Watts Maker works upon the same principle as kinetic bike lights - energy is created by the revolution of the wheel, so even if the bike is coasting it will still be sending power into your phone. Now that’s sweat equity.
Designer, or perhaps avid MacGyver fan, Oscar L’Hermitte is a current product design student at Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design in London. A native Parisian, Oscar emphasizes the unique relationship humans have with objects, involving the user in the design process, and keeping things simple: “I think it is a designer’s responsibility to observe every single aspect of daily life, and to constantly question the existence of things.” Agreed.
Slash Gear: If your kids aren’t interested in a Wii but you’d still like them to get some exercise benefit out of their console, the GAMEROX gaming chair might be the solution. Resembling a couple of mudflaps, the GAMEROX chair moves in all three axis and, by making the child support themselves rather than slump, trains core stability, tones muscle and improves posture.
Anti-skid feet prevent the whole thing from shooting away across your polished floors, while a removable tripod leg prevents it from toppling backward. The joints have been designed with varying resistance, so you don’t slam into the extremes of flexibility.
Currently it’s designed for kids aged between seven and twelve, as long as they weigh under 175lbs. No word on price, but it should be available in the “near future”. We’d like to see an adult version, please!
TrendOriginal: The E-Bag from Hungarian designer Apor Püspöki cools your drink while you walk. How does it work? Quite simply: The rotating handle is attached to a dynamo that uses arm motions to charge a battery. “The cooling system makes use of the Peltier technology, a kind of solid-state heat pump that transfers heat from one side of the device to the other side. The cooling status is indicated by three LED lights.” Did someone say eco joy? I think so. This device makes incredible use of all the energy that we expend physically. Instead of letting it go to waste, it transforms our power into something beneficial so that we can make use of every available resource in our bodies and cut down on external energy sources. Walking has never been cooler. Pun intended.
Popgadget: I never tire of humidifiers in the shapes of animals and characters - why not bring a little whimsy to an otherwise mundane product? Runa Net will soon launch the Stitch Humidifier (in the shape of the Disney character). This one connects to your PC through USB or AC adapter, and keeps the environment around your desk/cubicle moist. (Just why are offices so dry anyway?)
Popgadget: If you are a digger for gizmos with small form factors, this first brainchild from the Korean company MintPass will most likely leave you lusting shamelessly for one - the WiFi-enabled multimedia device called the MintPad.
The MintPad is probably the coolest mini-gadget that we’ve seen in quite a while. Though it looks absolutely cute, the device has sophisticated functions. Cut it up and you find that it is somewhat like a mini-tablet PC - a 3-inch TFT screen, 1.3MP camera, and 4GB memory for playing music, videos and storing photos (with support for upto 8GB microSD). The interesting thing however is, you can create notes similar to Post-It notes and send it out to your friends via Wi-Fi. And if you can manage to - have fun blogging, browsing, or chatting with your friends.
Popgadget: I got so nostalgic that day, and even more so when I came across this Mix tape USB drive, I immediately wanted one. This isn't the first attempt at re-creating the pre-iTunes mix tape magic, but earlier attempts didn't look exactly like a cassette. This one is big enough to drop on the floor of your car and discover many years later. Of course, cars don't have USB connections (they soon will, I'm sure) but these 512 mb drives can be a romantic symbol of un-hope for holding downloads of songs you can use to make an iMix to send to your unresponsive crush. Mix tape USB drives are $18 at the always-cool Fred Flare.
Crave: USB thumb drives are going the Swiss Army way in their all-in-one multiple offerings, and this latest gives Victorinox a run for its tools. Who'd have thought a TrekStor can not only store digital files (up to 16GB), but also pop that beer bottle cap off anytime you fancy a tipple?
Bottoms up to a very nice combination for press launches or office retreats: data and drinking. What's more, this makes for a pretty nifty keychain add-on, with its solid brushed-aluminum finish and snazzy bottle opener at the end. TrekStor has slated this product for October at $12-$88, depending on the capacity.
The Gadgets Weblog: Sure, all of us have a cellular phone that needs constant charging. Some of us live in homes with several types of phones, so it would be good to have a charger for all of them.
This is what the USB Charger from Brando is designed to do. This charger comes with eight different connectors: Motrola I, Nokia I, Samsung, Motorola II, Nokia II, Sony Ericsson II, Siemens, Sony Ericsson I, and mini USB. It also comes with a travel bag, and a USB retractable cable.
You should be able to get the USB Multi-Cellular Phone Charger for about $18.00 on the Brando site.
PopGadget: The death of my very first and favorite PDA (Personal Digital Assistant, as they were called during those days) came quite suddenly. I remember coming back from work one evening and being completely shocked to find the PDA dripping with water as I took it out of my bag. I swore to never put a water bottle and my gadgets together again, but repeated the mistake soon after, this time with my cell phone. Perhaps I could have saved ‘em fellas if the Golden Shellback Splash Proof Coating had been available back then - assuming I were rich enough to afford it.
This spray (rumored to be priced at $1000) can apparently protect electronic gadgets such as iPods, laptops, and cell phones from liquid, making them completely waterproof. For example, once you spray it onto your cell phone and drop the phone into water, the water-resistant coating ensures that the liquid stays completely out of your phone electronics. Which means that the phone is going to be functional as before, even underwater!
techshout.com: Thanko, a company known for its innovative products has rolled out a new keyboard. According to FarEastGizmos, the computer peripheral has a built-in fan to keep users’ hands cool.
Many times users’ hands sweat due to the prolonged usage of the keyboard, especially in the humid conditions. In such cases Thanko keyboard users can simply turn on the fan switch and continue working in comfortable environment.
The built-in fan blows strong cool air, so that it is convenient for users to work. The keyboard measures 51×22x3.5 cm.
As of now the Thanko keyboard with integrated fan is only available in Japan. The Thanko fan keyboard is available for 6,650 yen.
Engadget: Directly rewarding efforts with results, now that's the way to get someone moving. As we've seen time and time again, providing a clear, undiluted motivator is a perfect way to make fitness a top priority in life, and that's exactly what Takara Tomy is hoping to achieve with its pocket-friendly Jinsei Game of Life pedometer. Essentially, this device is a portable version of the famed Game of Life board game, but users are purportedly not allowed to take a turn unless they take 300 steps first. Additionally, two players can take on one another via the "communication mode," but there's a good chance the most chiseled among you will take home the gold regardless of luck. Out this month in Japan for ¥3,675.
Gadgetell.com: I cannot help but think there will be a specific type of individual that will purchase this, without offering up any stereotype’s I am sure you can think of at least one.
While this looks like nothing more than a severed cable, its actually a 2GB flash drive, and its certainly one that will not get stolen that quickly. My biggest concern would be leaving this laying around on the table and having my wife coming in the room and tossing it in the trash can thinking it was junk.
Gadgets Weblog: I have kids now, and I'm already dreading the day when I have to let them go out on their own for the night for a date or with their friends. If I'm not willing to totally trust them by then, I could use the Keruve to keep track of them.
All I would need to do is attach the watch-like device to my child's wrist. Assuming my kid would let me do that, I would let my kid know that it won't come off without the use of some special tools. This device is a GPS transmitter that uses cell-phone towers to give the correct location, and I can track my offspring with the GPS receiver, which has an LCD screen.
I'm not sure where you can get this particular device, as the company is in Spain, and I cannot read the official website. I have a hunch we will be seeing a surge of products like these as our youth continually finds more ways to get into trouble.
Keruve lets you know where your children are [Gadgets Weblog]
The MEMENTO Memory LifeBook is a well designed and effective scientific mobile gadget that serves as a solution to people who suffer from dementia. The wearable device aids communication and memory as well as help keep track of objects and day-to-day agendas.
As quoted by the inventor, Peter Sin Guili: "The care of dementia patients is one of the society's largest medical and social responsibilities… The rapidly aging population and the extrapolation of increase number of dementia patients in the future sees a prominent growing market and demand for product solutions (Assistive Technology) to enable elderly individuals diagnosed with the condition to carry on their everyday activities independently for as long as possible."
The product facilitates the memorizing of events and helps those who suffer from dementia live their lives as efficiently and regularly as possible by maximizing their cognitive abilities and enhancing their self-reliability. It assists with contact maintenance, upkeep of daily tasks, keeps track of agendas, medication dosages, an 'intelligent camera' and more. Due to the increasing numbers of dementia patients and the costs of medical aid, this break-through device poses as a wise answer.
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TrendsSpotting.com is a trends agency focused on developing exciting tools for Trend Spotting. We follow current trends and are constantly looking for new ones. We specialize in trends research and the social media. Dr. Taly Weiss, TrendsSpotting CEO, is a Social Psychologist, with extensive experience in branding strategy and marketing research. Feel free to explore our trend spotting tools on www.trendoScope.com.
Crave: In the hypercompetitive business of game chairs, it's easy to get carried away. But at least one manufacturer is sticking to the basics.
Rather than adding more external bells and whistles, Capcom's "Reactor Video Game Chair" has concentrated on the chair itself with "eight high-impact vibrating motors" positioned in the upper and lower back as well as the seat "so that every bump or blow is felt by the gamer."
It also comes with head-mounted 3D speakers, according to Slippery Brick, but the best feature in our view is its "variable massage mode" to unwind from a particularly stressful session.
The Red Ferret: This Klimatec Base 1 AirWater Machine is a self-filling water cooler which extracts water from the air, purifies it and serves it up in nice refreshing dollops of goodness. Or something. We’re talking 20 litres every 24 hours, it can be solar powered and you can attach an optional fridge unit for super coldness. Sounds like a pretty neat plan, eh?
Axitron is preparing to release it’s Axitron ModBook, a revolutionary slate-style tablet Mac that enables users to draw and write directly on the screen. Until now, with the exception of using a Wacom Tablet, Apple has not introduced a tablet style notebook for their OS X platform.
The Axiotron Modbook boasts a 2.1GHz+ of processing speed, 1GB+ of memory, and the full-range of Apple MacBook connectivity via Ethernet, USB, FireWire®, Bluetooth and AirPort® while running the OS X v10.5 Leopard platform. The tablet is also equipped with a built-in iSight camera, optical drive and internal GPS.
Axiotron’s innovative design and manufacturing process integrates an Apple® MacBook® computer, state-of-the-art Wacom® pen-enabled digitizer technology and Axiotron’s own proprietary hardware and software components into a complete tablet solution, the Axiotron Modbook.
Christopher Aceto currently heads Thottfield Inc., a small multimedia and communications consultancy based in Toronto, Canada. Always on the hunt for innovative and exciting ideas, his passion for the creation and production of ground-breaking technologies and services has granted him the opportunity to act as a creative consultant for various companies and industries throughout the world.
Popgadget: This portable photo printer looks like a Sanrio lunch bucket for kids, which is perfect actually, as it gives off the impression of something light and easy to carry (which it is). The compact Canon SELPHY CP770 photo printer is one of the newer additions to Canon's SELPHY line of compact photo printers, and seems made for that person who is just so impatient to print photos that he/she must print while the party is still going on.
The actual printer is the top part of the bucket; the basket space is used to store your paper and other supplies. Comes with an A/C cable, but with an optional Canon battery pack, you can take this anywhere. When you're ready to print, you can either insert your camera's memory card into one of the slots on the printer, or print wirelessly from your Bluetooth-enabled camera phone. Maximum paper size is 4x8. Big buttons, large display for previewing your photos (2.5" TFT display), and automatic red-eye correction make this very user-friendly, even for grandma.
Crave: Ah, the elusive video phone. We've been hearing about that miraculous invention since we were kids, seeing prototypes displayed at Disneyland's house of the future. But despite an occasional product on the market, visual telephony has yet to take off for the masses.
So the closest thing we may be able to get is something like the new "GE PhotoPhone," first seen at CES in January. Although it doesn't stream video, the device does at least display digital images of whomever is ringing based on a visual form of caller ID. And when no one is on the phone, it still serves as a 7-inch picture frame in either black or silver finish.
Inhabitat: Well, we just spotted some breaking greener gadget news that are sure to get Apple fans excited! Drumroll please..
Apple just filed a patent to infuse their hand-helds and computers with a thin film of solar cells, paving the way for a new generation of gadgets with battery life boosted by the sun. The patent approaches the prospect from every angle, with schematics to stack photovoltaic cells beneath the entire surface of their portables - including the screen!
The patent states a variety of possible applications: “Solar cells are typically stacked with other layers made of transparent or semi-transparent materials… Some of these layers may be used for display or input purposes, and some layers may be coated with various materials or they may be etched with product logos or other patterns.” It goes on to explain that devices could display the performance of the solar cells on their screens next to the battery bar, or even on top of the cells themselves.
It will be interesting to see if the use of photo-voltaic panels in portable electronics will contradict the current consumer trend towards smaller and smaller gadgets, since a large, flat surface is required for solar to have any degree of efficiency.
Have you heard to the one of the most popular Japanese comic Death Note? A powerful Notebook with the ability to cause the death of a person in an accurate timing written beforehand. Now, we have a Life Index Watch, a concept developed for a Timex competition that keeps track of your remaining days based on personal biometrics. Sounds cool is'nt it!
Productdose: Would knowing how much time you have left make you live life to the fullest or would it paralyze you with anxiety? The technology is coming when your biometrics can give you an approximation of your remaining days. Worn like a patch on the skin, the Timex 2154 watch won't tell you if a truck is going to hit you but based on your fitness, stress, nutrition, sleep, and environment it will let you know when your most important date of all is set to arrive.
DVICE: Maybe you're a spy or you've got schematics for the next hot gadget locked away on your hard drive, but either way you're going to want to lock your files down. That's where the DataLocker Drive Enclosure comes in.
The DataLocker is an enclosure so you'll have to supply your own 2.5" SATA hard drive, which is the standard size drive for laptops. After that, you create a 6-digit passcode that you punch in on the unit's backlit touchscreen. Tap it again to lock that sensitive info down. It's powered and enabled by your USB port. Plug it in, put in your code and access your data.
Security doesn't come cheap, though. Get ready to drop $100 — you can find your average 2.5" enclosure for $10.
The Cool Hunter: One of the biggest problems that people have with iPods is that unless you have a diploma in hacking, it is extremely difficult to share your tunes, especially without getting a computer involved. That is of course until now. Want the latest album from your friends' iPod? Simply connect both iPods to the miShare unit, press the button and away you go. It's kind of like swapping football cards in the playground, although much cooler.
Providing that your files are not DRM protected (that's digital rights management to you technophobes), everything from movies to photos to songs can be transferred. Even entire playlists. Nice. There is however one downside – for now the unit does not work with the iPhone or iPod touch, although we are told that a firmware update is being looked in to.
Crave: Sure, you can have the weirdest umbrella inventions, but none of these actually tell you when the rain is coming. Which is the whole point of carrying a brolly, right?
Apparently, the Forecast prototype goes all the way back to 2005 and the idea behind it is really simple. The umbrella comes with a docking station which is able to pull weather data off the Internet via Wi-Fi. Electric leads will then light up an LED on the handle with varying intensity to tell you the likelihood of rain. So you know whether to bring the brolly with you on your way out.
Sounds brilliant, as long as it doesn't get us fried in a rain puddle, or make us look like a goldfish-bowl Martian.
Gadget Reviews: If you like digital photography, and want to show your pieces of art to friends or family, you would probably prefer to watch them in a slideshow on a TV screen than on a tiny camera's display. Unfortunately, such task requires computer and some time to convert or select photos. This gadget will make this job a lot easier. In fact, it does not require computer at all!
Popgadget: It really bums me out to see a nice idea being implemented on a piece of outdated technology.
Take this palm-fit adjustable optical USB mouse from USB Fever, for example. It's got a pretty ingenious "lengthening" component that allows the mouse to become up to 16 mm (0.63 inches) longer. This ability to "grow" makes the mouse a compelling choice for travelers who have previously shied away from travel mice because of their diminutive size.
But why a USB mouse? Yeah, it's great that the USB cable is retractable and adjustable "to fit your application" and all that, but it's not 1990 anymore. Cut the cords, people.
NYT: MILLIONS of families once snapped Polaroid photographs and enjoyed passing around the newly minted prints on the spot, instead of waiting a week for them to be developed. Now, Polaroid wants to conjure up those golden analog days of vast sales and instant gratification — this time with images captured by digital cameras and camera phones.
This fall, the company expects to market a hand-size printer that produces color snapshots in about 30 seconds.
Beam a photograph from a cellphone to the printer and, with a gentle purr, out comes the full-color print — completely formed and dry to the touch.
The printer, which connects wirelessly by Bluetooth to phones and by cable to cameras, will cost about $150. The images are 2 inches by 3 inches, the size of a credit card. The new printers are so lightweight that a Polaroid executive demonstrating them recently had three tucked unnoticeably into various pockets of his trim jacket, whipping them out as if he were Harpo Marx.
Instant Digital Prints (and Polaroid Nostalgia) [New York Times Online]
Pedal the plug out with Eject Powerstrip. It is a forward-looking redesign of a powerstrip that would allow people to easily, safely and enjoyably unplug their devices.
People don't unplug their devices because:
1) they are lazy
2) they are too old or disabled to bend down
3) their powerstrips are located in areas they can't access without accidents (under tables, drawers)
4) when dealing with cheap powerstrips, unplugging a device can be dangerous.
* * *
TrendInsights. A blog to inspire, stimulate creativity and trend spotting.
Gizmodiva.com: One thing all of us hate about Light outs and Load shedding is the deprivation of music. There are a thousand emergency products combining 3 or 4 factors. But Life+Gear’s LifeLight compiles all the stuff you’d want in one single pillar, like a radio, a directional compass, a night light, a regular 15super bright light with 20,000MCD LED’s, an emergency decibel siren, emergency signaling flashers and the ‘favoritest’ of all, the external speaker to connect to the iPod or any other MP3 Player. This stuff rocks! LifeLight sells for 50 bucks.
purCushion integrates a microphone that connects to mobiles over Bluetooth, meaning you only have to rest your head on the pillow before you can chat.
The funny shaped pillow is 660mm long and its cotton velvet surface has several buttons for pairing your phone, answering calls and the like. The built-in battery provides up to eight hours of continuous chatter and it’ll snooze in standby for up to 300 hours.
Gadgets Weblog: I always liked iPod docks, and some of them are getting pretty original in their construction. For example, the High School Musical Clock radio for the iPod.
As you can see, it's shaped like a locker. Open it up, and you put your iPod within. It also has an integrated AM/FM tuner, a sleep timer, and snooze button. All of it is stuck with the High School Musical franchise stamp, a reminder of the time when high school was clean and platonic.
Well, if you're interested, just walk down to the local Target and put down $59.99 for it.
Gadgets Review: Are you paranoid about the fact that your girlfriend or boyfriend is cheating you? Do you want to know, what numbers she just dialed and what SMS had sent? You can hire a private detective for all this tasks, but his services may cost you more than expected. Listening devices are expensive to buy and need a special equipment to listen… There is a solution, which is not based on eavesdropping, and uses a very interesting method of spying: it scans the main chip of every GSM cell phone - SIM card!
This Cell Phone Spy Data Extracktor look just like an ordinary USB Flash drive. However, do not judge it by its size - it can be a powerful tool if used correctly. Just insert the SIM card in the device, plug it in the PC and you will be able to see all the numbers that was dialed through that SIM, even deleted ones! It can also restore deleted SMS messages and call logs, so nothing will be hidden from you. The manufacturer claims, this is the first SIM reader in the world that can actually see deleted messages. More than that, this gadget can be used in peaceful ways, to make backup copies of a phonebook or messages. Or you can make a full SIM card backup, buy a clean SIM card if needed and load your stored backup data on it.
TrendHunter: The Credit Card Pig Bank concept is a logical evolution of the ole’ saving piggy bank or donation box. It allows you to swipe your credit card into the adorable pig and voilà, a pre-determined amount of money is transfered from your bank account into the saving/ donation account.
Every time you slide the credit card through the card reader, the software automatically connects to your private bank account and some amount of money will be transfered. The amount could be set by a software installed on the computer to which the pig will connect automatically via bluetooth.
Australian IT: Like the promise of the paperless office, wearable electronics - specifically gadgets integrated into clothing for ease of movement - is a concept that has been long hyped but not really delivered until now.
Rod Tanks of Smart Fabrics is looking for a market for wearable electronics. In many ways, that's surprising. At first glance, particularly in an era when mobility is prized and just about everyone seems to be armed with personal music players and mobile phones when they venture out on the streets, it would seem the notion is a sound one.
Every year, the world's major consumer electronics exhibitions showcase apparel with built-in gadgetry and equipment that can be used to adorn various parts of the body, and predictions are made that wearable electronics is a market set to take off.
Recent Consumer Electronics Shows in Las Vegas, for example, have shown off micro LED-infused clothing, T-shirts that light up when they detect wireless hotspots, and luminous bedclothes suitable for reading by.
This year, CES had a range of exploding and vibrating gamer vests, with one even sending a puff of air into your ear when a virtual enemy mortar whistled past your head.
In recent years, fashion houses such as Dolce and Gabbana, Louis Vuitton and Prada have been quick to form alliances with electronics (and particularly phone) manufacturers to cross-market their products. Yet we still seem as far away as ever from the time when our favourite gadgets become commonly integrated with our clothing.
Rod Tanks, the managing director of Smart Fabrics Australia, one of the few local companies dedicated to the concept of wearable electronics, is confident the concept's time will come, but it still faces challenges, he says.
"The market in general will take off," he says. "Cast your mind back to the first mobile phones, which were like carrying bricks around, and there were probably only about half a dozen streets in Sydney where they could work.
Sony USB memory stick - 5 different storage capacity ranged from 1GB, 2GB, 4Gb, 8GB to 16GB compatiable for both Mac and Windows. It has a cool LED lit and high speed reading transfer rate of 31 MB/s.
Availabilty in Japan around March. Price - 22,800 yen ($210 USD equiv.) for the 16GB model.
Shiny Shiny: If you've ever attended a trade show or, indeed, gone on holiday, you'll know it sometimes something of a challenge to cram all your geek gear into one bag. It can be done but usually means sore shoulders and unusual bulges.
The Jelly Click can't do much about the former, but it can help streamline your packing. Just flatten for transit, and puff up for use. So simple, you have to wonder what would happen if the person sitting next to you thought you were smug and / or weird and stabbed it... It's a concept, so worry not.
Here is what everybody is talking about! The Mac Airbook!
CoolHunter: The new year – the time for change – the time for resolutions – the time for the latest announcements from MacWorld in San Francisco. We oohed when Steve Jobs pulled the first iPod Nano out of the small pocket in his jeans. We counted the days until we could feel the new iPhone in our own hands. And just this morning, we marvelled when the world’s thinnest laptop was pulled out of an envelope.
Weighing just 3 pounds, a remarkable 0.16 inches at its thinnest point and merely 0.76 inches at its maximum height, the MacBook Air was born. Typically as laptop computers have become smaller, sacrifices to the size of the screen as well as the size of the keyboard had to be made. Miraculously the new MacBook Air did not suffer on account of its weight loss. The design includes a 13.3 inch widescreen display using LEDs that consume less power and still provide a sharp picture. And forget about cramming your fingers while you’re typing, the MacBook Air has a fullsize, backlit keyboard as well.
But naturally size alone is usually not enough to impress us. Along with the features and programs we would expect to find on any new Apple computer, the coolest new addition is the multifunctional trackpad. Of course we’re used to Mac’s two-finger tap and two-finger scroll trackpad features. What excites us here is that multi-touch innovations created for the iPhone have been adapted for MacBook Air.
Would other Technology Titans jump on this Thinnovation bandwagon to vie for the ever increasing tech savvy consumers' market? Lets see!
Gizmodiva: Monsters are hungry all the time and they are ready to eat up anything at a time, but we haven’t possibly heard of a Monster that eats up your money. Gobble and MeMe Money monsters are little chatterboxes that make hilarious and naughty comments after they eat up your precious coins and notes. Some thing like, “Money Money Money in my Tummy, Uurp!” in the tune of an Abba song. When you shove coins inside it mouth, it says, “Mmm…Jingle Jingle in my tummy” Not only this, if you don’t put your daily dose of coins, the monster gets frustrated and nags at passersby saying, “You make Gobble/MeMe angry!” This is just a glimpse of the 20 entertaining comments that it passes.
Gadgets-reviews: Have you ever observed that your room flowers are dying? And all because you are a short-minded person when the time comes to water them. It simply takes you weeks? All you need is a flower-like gadget that won't need so scrupulous caring.
This gadget is the moving and grooving flower. Requires no water, no air and even no sun. All she needs is a tune. Just plug in the 35mm jack to a multimedia device turn the maximum volume and watch how the groove and the beat of the music makes the flower go totally crazy.
It also boasts cool speakers which make your flower pump up and down, left and right.
Has a 3 way switch button that allows you to select various tunes and dancing. Select a preferable color, whether pink or yellow or lilac and go nuts.
GearLog: The Glucoboy isn't just a standalone blood glucose meter designed for kids and adolescents; it also gives kids access to two full-length video games and a mini-arcade when used with the Nintendo Game Boy Advance or Nintendo DS handheld.
Confused? Yes, I was at first. This is how it works: to access the video games, the Glucoboy must be inserted into the cartridge slot of either electric handheld. Then, your blood glucose test results are converted into what's called "Glucose Reward Points" (GRPs), which you can use to unlock games.
The Glucoboy features a 10-second test time, 0.6 µL sample size, automatic shut-off, and 360 glucose result memory. The games included are Lost Star Saga, Knock 'Em Downs, and an arcade full of three games that have to be unlocked.
Shiny Shiny: In a survey that was conducted by Barchester Healthcare care homes - not a gadget site! - it transpired that gadgets are number three out of the top five gifts elderly relatives and friends would like to receive. Ahead of those were only luxury food hampers and, at number one, experiences like yoga sessions, makeovers and hot air balloon rides.
Digital cameras and particularly gaming consoles, such as the age and gender boundary smashing Wii, were particularly popular among elderly care home residents. For some people the fact that our older generation - which includes some of the predecessors to and inspiration for today's technological wunderkinder - is still very much alive and kicking will come as no surprise; for the rest we're giving you a pre-Christmas heads up to rethink the frilly hankies, socks and fruit jellies. Head over the jump for a heartwarmingly lovely video of old people playing Wii.
Gadget4Girls: Do you already have a personal strategy of saving or spending money? Well, if not get a personal assistant! Namely a product that promised to solve the portable-storage problem once and for all. Let me introduce you the Handheld Digital Wallet by Veronica Vail.
Call it a planner, an organizer, a manager – what ever you want. This handheld digital wallet is actually an efficient aid in financial planning.
It is able to track your earning and spending which makes it possible to manage the very strategy of saving or spending. Besides, you can monitor your account(s), track your investments and make payments right from the device. The Digital Handheld Wallet houses a universal payment card. So you are the one enabled to easily make payments anywhere. The device is equipped with a security system that requires finger print identification in case you want to access financial information and make any payments or investments.
TrendBlog: The LucidTouch device does not look much different from the PlayStationPortable. It can be held comfortably in two and has a large touch-sensitive LCD screen, similar to that used in the iPhone. The big difference of this prototype, developed by MERL and Microsoft Research, is, that it can also be controlled using a touch-sensitive interface on its rear surface. When using the rear touch interface, the user’s fingers appear as shadows on the screen, giving the illusion they are holding a transparent device. Just highlighting the active point of each finger with a small green dot, LucidTouch is removing the problem of covering to much screen area with “fat fingers”.
Japan Today: Toy maker Takara Tomy Co on Thursday unveiled its "Savings Bomb," a piggy bank which "explodes" and scatters coins if users fail to save for a long time.
The battery-powered toy — designed as a cartoon-style, ball-shaped black bomb with a skull and crossbones logo — lights up, makes a noise, shakes violently and scatters coins if it is not topped up for a long time.
"Users must pick up and collect the scattered coins and reflect on their laziness," Takara Tomy said.
Coolbuzz: If you own a cute pet and fears about regularity of his routine meals in your absence, then you need something like ‘Intelligent Programmable Pet Dish’ on which you can ensure timely meals by programming up to four time’s meal on a digital programmable timer and self-opening food tray that will automatically serve the pet. On scheduled time it will use your recorded voice for alert.
With four different trays, it can hold four separate dry or moist foods, which automatically opens to expose the material. Water compartment will take care of thirst and moistening of food. It has a digital display for easy programming. It can record a 20 minutes voice file and originate in durable ABS plastic with removable dishwasher safe lids.
Engadget: It's not often that we see a USB-powered gizmo claiming to "relieve tiredness, muscle strain or even pain," and considering that we can't leave our posts even for a moment to see an actual doctor (a non-robotic one, at least), we couldn't be happier about this development. The USB Far Infra-Red Pad gets all the power it needs from a spare USB port, and apparently emits infrared light onto your weary arms, back or biceps in order to leave you feeling completely revitalized. Interestingly, the manufacturer warns that leaving it on one spot for over 15 minutes can cause all sorts of problems, so yeah, there's that. Anyways, those who spend the majority of their time slaving over a keyboard can snap this (likely worthless) thing up for $21.99, but don't expect any miracles, alright?
Iconoculture: Tailgaters might tell you that the real main event is out in the parking lot, with Gameday Customs' Ultimate Tailgate totally tricked-out tailgate trailer.
The 5-by-8-ft. trailer holds a 26-in. LCD TV, satellite dish, generator, CD/DVD player, 10-gal. fresh water system, complete draft beer system, electrical outlets, a battery charger, a toilet, a spare tire and even — we're not kidding — a kitchen sink.
Maktoob Business: Samsung and Bang & Olufsen Inspire the world again with Serenata, the pure music mobile. Serenata is a music mobile phone focusing on sound quality and at the same time on bringing a more sophisticated lifestyle to the customers. To own Serenata is to enjoy the best possible music experience while you are on the move. Bang & Olufsen's expertise in concept development, user interface experience, acoustic sound capabilities and design skills together with Samsung's leadership in mobile phone technology, engineering and quality have realized a new way of combining unique music and mobile experiences for consumers.
"Since we started our first co-operation with Bang & Olufsen, we have only been confirmed in our belief that both companies share a passion for innovation and consumer-focused technology. Serenata is another example of new ways to think of the mobile phone. I'm proud to say that our customers can see a true innovation of music player and mobile phone as we have opened a new era of mobile phones with Serene two years ago", says Geesung Choi, President of the Telecommunications Network Business in Samsung Electronics.
"We have high expectations to Serenata, as it is a result of our joint vision to constantly push the boundaries, and bring unique and exciting products to our customers", states Torben Ballegaard Sørensen, CEO of Bang & Olufsen.
Serenata represents an innovative approach to a personal music player. Two companies' astonish-ing technology and design bring the experience of digital music to quite another level for music fans on the move.
Why is it so hard to wake up to a normal alarm clock? Because a normal alarm clock can't detect where you are in your sleep cycle — a continuous cycle from deep sleep, to brief almost-awake moments, and back to deep sleep again. Occasionally, your alarm may catch you at an optimal, almost-awake moment and you wake up feeling refreshed, but usually you grope for the snooze button waking up tired and groggy.
Sleeptracker puts an end to that tired feeling. Once you set its alarm window, it monitors your body and continuously looks for your optimal waking times so it can wake you at just the right moment. Imagine not feeling tired in the morning and getting a few extra minutes out of your day.
Gizmodo: Here's an idea for number-crunching road warriors that might be even better: a USB mouse with an integrated calculator. This calculator mouse is a real, shipping product.
This $30 mouse is also an improvement over that numerical keypad because its screen shows you the results of your calculations, and you don't need to use any of your precious laptop's screen real estate to see that calculator application running, nor do you need to run any additional apps just to add up a few numbers.
Shiny Shiny: Sometimes you want something attached to your computer which you can just BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF - and with the USB Stress Button you're actually supposed to! It has three modes, Explosion, Punch-Out and Worksheet, and each button-mash switches it to the next. Explosion mode generates a countdown with a graphic, satisfying explosion; Punch-Out shows a cartoon face and punches the hell out of it; and Worksheet (or "Boss") makes it look like you're actually doing something in Excel (and if you were, that's probably why you've lost your temper, patience and marbles).
Iconoculture: The fridge can be a graveyard for random doggie bags. Now a device called DaysAgo Digital Day Counter seeks to save those yummies from an untimely demise.
Don't know when you opened those hot dogs? Forgot how long that slice of pizza has been chillin'? Just attach the magnet- or suction-backed digital timer to anything that needs day-tracking. The timer counts up to 99 days, then starts over. Simply reset it each time you open a new package o' perishables.
Food safety is a growing concern. Consumers toss out way too many perishable items — and, as a result, lots of money — out of fear that they have become gastro-tract attackers. Gadgets like DaysAgo provide peace of mind and organization.
the INQUIRER: Logitech has launched two new products that target gamers across the world, and once again, those two new products are a keyboard and a mouse. G9 is successor of G5.
G9 has a couple of added features, continuing to evolve the gaming line-up. These features should help gamers to enhance their competitiveness, or just add to the bling factor of current gaming peripherials.
The precision engine comes with upgraded resolution, all the way to 3200 dpi, and you can adjust the quality of imaging in 200-3200 dpi range. USB connection is souped up to 2.0 to transfer as much data as possible, raising up frequency from 100, 180 and 500 Hz of yesteryear - to 1000Hz, reminding us of age of Razer Boomslang in late 90s.
KESQ.com: Officer Don Dougherty with the Palm Springs Police Department considers himself a "cool cop" and he says he owes it all to a little device. The officer's device is called, rightfully so, the Cool Cop. It's a hose that police officer have connected to an air conditioning vent inside a patrol vehicle.
"It basically forces cool air between your vest and your t-shirt and it hopefully cools off a little bit," says Officer Dougherty. Patrol officers like Dougherty wear several layers of clothing and a bulletproof vest under their uniform. Dougherty says the Cool Cop helps in a big way.
"It traps all the heat and moisture against your skin. It just stays hot all the time and, of course, dark blue uniforms in 112 degree temperatures -- I'm not sure who's idea that was."
Dougherty is one of the first on the force to have a cool cop device.
He says it helps in surviving consecutive days of work. Each device runs about $50, according to Dougherty.
Crave: Why is it that the best designs almost always seem to be just concepts? Oh right, they don't have to work. Still, that won't stop us from admiring this lighted, cylindrical MP3 player, which looks more like a Lightsaber than a music gadget. (There's no reason, of course, it can't be both.)
Yoda references notwithstanding, the "Musipen" envisions other interesting features, such as navigation by twisting knobs on either end to display information on a wrap-around screen, according to Tech Digest. This last idea might actually be possible soon enough with new technology like Sony's flexible screens. But we think the name has to go--it sounds too much like mucous or Metamucil, neither of which seems conducive to a marketing moonshot.
CoolBuzz: It’s a wake up call for the lazy people around the world! Sofie Collin and Gustav Lanber thought about the welfare of the late-risers and developed this Carpet Alarm Clock.
It’s not a simple alarm clock, which will turn off by pressing one button with hand, you will have to get-up from your bed and step on it in order to turn it off. However, this smart carpet with in-built clock won’t let you prolong your sleep minute by minute. Don’t you think this is a must-have product for your obese partner and kids?
Anyways, I leave it on you to decide what is best for you; I think I’ll need two or three clocks to wake me up.
CoolBuzz: Lumisource presents BoomChair, a piece of multi- media furniture for the purpose of entertainment. They feature interior speakers and vibration motors that enhance video games, music and movies. You’ll actually feel a part of them.
They are made out of a couple of different materials including, Microsaude, vinyl, and mesh.
These tech chairs compete with other such products available in the market by going to trade shows and also by selling products at house hold name stores.
Gizmodo: Hospitals and germ freaks rejoice! English tech company Inov8 (sounds a bit ravey, doesn't it?) has come up with the Air Disinfection unit, or AD. It recreates fresh air, which is a key factor in killing microbes, without the need for opening a window in the operating theater. Any surgeons or hospital staff reading, that was a joke, by the way.
Although launched yesterday in London, the device, which is about the size of a flower vase, is currently being tested in 17 veterans' hospitals over here with a view to making it available in the US.
Within an hour of switching it on, the AD can reduce bacteria levels to zero as it creates reactive hydrogen radicals, then pumps them out into the atmosphere, purging the air of bacteria. Faced with the AD, even the tough superbug MRSA is apparently toast - and that can only be a good thing.
Crave: Mobile computing can be a haphazard business, and new notebooks from General Dynamics and Panasonic give their owners permission to drop them (from a reasonable distance) as often as they like.
General Dynamics' GoBook MR-1 claims to be the smallest fully rugged ultramobile PC, and it may very well be. It weighs 2 pounds, and is about the size of a small jewelry box. It was made to have all the same features and capabilities of the full-size GoBook XR-1 but in a more compact form factor. That means four wireless connections: Wireless LAN, Bluetooth, GPS, and Wireless Wide Area Network. It's built on Intel's new Santa Rosa platform.
All of General Dynamics' touchscreen notebooks, which are cold- and heat-resistant, now come with its proprietary outdoor viewing capability, called DynaVue. Outdoor viewing is one of the most confounding problems related to rugged computing. General Dynamics' solution is to put the polarizing film closer to the top of the touchscreen underneath the glass to reduce reflection.
Consumers aren't General Dynamics' customers--the company sells to militaries, telecom and utility workers, and public safety officers.
Iconoculture: Kids with disabilities who can't maneuver joysticks don't have to miss out on the fun of radio-control cars. Dream-Racer builds technology that enables kids to "drive" the cars using simple body movements instead of joysticks.
The prototype baseball cap, built for a child paralyzed in an auto accident, helps him steer the car with his head. Gloves and shoes can be fitted with similar controls for kids with other types of disabilities.
There's no "joy" in a joystick you can't control. Tech that makes toys more accessible is way cool.
Many adults with disabilities would love to get their heads on a Dream-Racer.
If baseball caps can replace joysticks for radio cars, why not use them for videogames?
Gizmodo.com: If you are an adventurous animal then lemme give you some dope on the solar powered lighter. Now if I have set you to wonderland as to why is this a key object for the adventurous, then the answer is cause it works for the people that go camping and run out of matches or gas on the lighter. At the same time it can be used at home for emergency situations since it can be charged with any kind of light. There is a bonus point which is the base that can be used to open (beer) bottles.
This solar-powered lighter doesn't actually create an open flame, but it does create a series of sparks that should be capable of lighting a BBQ grill. So in all reality, it is the environment-friendly lazy man's flint or sparker. And will cost around $19. I gotta go… can’t wait to get my hands on this ‘hot’ thing!
Popgadget: The upcoming bread series in Vavolo's Freshy Baked USB Drive lineup is pretty cute.
Soon to be available in 256MB, 512MB, 1GB, and 2GB capacities (prices unknown), these cross-platform thumb drives are encased in housings made to look like the following baked goods: hot dog, french bread, hamburger, pizza, sandwich, and the oddly specific raisin challah bread.
Very cute, actually. I think I'm beginning to see the appeal.
Popgadet: If you're in the market for a new pair of headphones and don't mind looking foolish or being stared at by strangers, you may be interested to know that the iWalk will be available in a week or two. For about $60, you can slip a first- or second-generation iPod nano into the iWalk's dedicated slot and take a jog around the park while carrying pepper spray in one hand and a cell phone in the other to ward off and/or call the police when you're approached by someone asking whether you're taking part in a new prank show. Alternatively, since the iWalk gives you complete access to the nano's clickwheel, you could also just crank up the volume to drown out the laughter and keep on jogging.
Popgadget: The clever folks at PumpOne noticed that a lot of people work out with their iPods, so they've designed workout programs that play on any model that displays images. (I may have to finally upgrade my second gen ipod, circa 2003!) It also works on nanos, Zunes and smartphones with memory and color screens. The programs have names such as PumpedForLife, PumpedAsanas, and PumpedForSummer. Each workout includes instructions, tips and visuals you can watch at your own pace.
Areas of focus are strength, weight loss, endurance, flexibility and heart health. They offer a variety of trainers, which is nice because personality matters when you are receiving instruction. On January 1, they also started a service to download workouts to your mobile phone.
Finally, the best part is that you can still listen to your playlists while you work out.
Gizmodiva.com: In this day and age, smileys and emoticons play a vital part in our messaging or email lingo! I can’t complete a simple message or mail without the use of these shortcuts to exhibit my thoughts. And here comes the Drivemocion, one more mode to illustrate my inner thoughts. I think at some point in life, all of us have been in traffic and had the urge to communicate something good or bad to the people driving behind us. Using a certain finger to indicate feeling is so downgrading where as Drivemocion is a more geeky approach. It is a small electronic display that can be attached to the back window and allows any kind of message (2, 3 or 5 preprogrammed message versions) to be displayed. Its circular rear display can show smiley faces, frown faces, "Thanks," and "Back Off." This battery powered, suction cup mounted rear window display comes with a wireless controller for you to use inside. This illuminating car message sign can be used to communicate both day and night.
Cool Hunting: You might have heard, but soon there will no longer be a need to risk your laptop in precarious situations in the kitchen. Modeled after a spatula, coo.boo is a digital cookbook that fits into the kitchen environment better than any laptop or printed cookbook. Recipes stored on the user’s computer are automatically synchronized through a wireless docking station and displayed on the face of the device. Digital function allows the cook to choose the degree of support wanted, from simply displaying recipes to full audiovisual cooking lessons. Not fragile like other high-tech digital devices, coo.boo is washable and can be placed on the counter top or hung up next to other kitchen utensils.
BornRich: If cooking is one of your hobbies, but you think it devoid you of all the entertainment at times, then Whirlpool brings you all the entertainment your way, right in your kitchen with the new Whirlpool’s Centralpark Connection. This new interchangeable interface allows you to interact with a wide variety of electronic devices through your refrigerator door. So, you can charge and play a wide variety of electronic devices, including an MP3 player, cell phone, satellite radio and DVD player to keep you and your kitchen guests entertained. This interactive interface will make the kitchen the central hub of the home again. The new centralpark connection from Whirlpool is expected in the spring of 2007.
Shiny Shiny: I was gutted to find out that these bendy USB drives are still in the concept stage. I mean, look at them! Not only do they link together, allowing you to instantly increase your storage capacity, they also look like tons o' fun, helping many a bored office worker get through the day. You could even use them to fashion yourself a handy USB bracelet or necklace, if you were that way inclined. They're the brainchild of designer Vicky Wei, who worked out that two USB sticks have more storage than one, and decided to stick some together and see what happened. Luckily it worked out for her: I can only hope we'll be seeing them on sale soon!
ProductDose: So, say your on your way down the side of a mountain on a snowboard when you realize that that you completely forgot about a conference call you had to be in. Out of luck? Not if you're equipped with this O'Neill H3 Campack. The Backpack offers easy control for your digital video camera, (most versions of the 4th and 5th gen) iPod, and Bluetooth-equipped phone. The primary focus of the backpack is an external lens that connects directly to your video camera (compatible with a variety of cameras) and a joystick remote on the shoulder strap. If that doesn't cover it for you, the H3 collection alsofeatures a jacket with iPod and phone control right at your sleeve, as well as an "audio beanie" with integrated earphones.
Popgadget: If smoking de-addiction is one of your new year resolutions AND you are serious about it, check out the Nicostopper from Fagor.
The Nicostopper is an electronic cigarette dispenser in which you can fit a maximum of 10 cigarettes at a time. Once the ciggies are in, you program the intervals at which you would like to take a smoke. Not only will you be allowed to take the cigarettes out only at the pre-defined intervals, but, like a discerning grandmother, the Nicostopper will also flash “self-help” messages each time to make you feel guilty as well. The trick, of course, lies in sticking to the device alone to dispense your cigarettes. And we're hoping that the $300 you would have to shell out for it might be a good enough incentive.
Uber-Review: The Inflatable Steam Sauna is a sauna for the poor man. In 5 minutes you can be up and sweating in 160 degree Fahrenheit steam with the included pump and some water. The sauna does not require installation, plumbing or specialized electrical connection but it does require you to provide your own chair. The sauna even has “useful ‘hand holes’ which allow a book or magazine to be read whilst enjoying the bath.”
Inflatable Steam Sauna For One [Uber-Review]
Popgadet: Nike has introduced the C.O.R.E. Backpack iD, a new customizable backpack that features integrated iPod controls. No more digging for that iPod. The backpack’s keypad, located on the right shoulder strap, has controls for volume, tracks and play/pause, and connects to iPods via a dock connector.
The coolest feature is the online customization feature -- pick your color and even chose options such as locking zippers and a ventilated back. Dual main compartments are roomy enough for books, binders and all the gear you need for your day.
BornRich: If you want to be always equipped with your favorite personal computing devices all-the-time without carrying any external baggage then, how about walking down the street wearing all of them in a special outfit. Well, if you quiet liked the idea then you dont have to go on looking for a Bond-tailor to get one, the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) has designed one for you, the Flexible OLED suit. The special outfit is decorated with wearable personal computing devices.
Shiny Shiny: God, if only I had seen this just a few short days ago, I wouldn't be sitting here now in a pair of great big furry boot slippers, in a desperate bit to stop my feet falling off with cold. Or maybe not, actually. At $350, these feet heaters don't exactly fit my budget, but if you come from a cold climate, you may just want to make them fit yours.
The feet heaters slip inside your boots and are connected to a battery pack which straps onto your boot. You, meanwhile, wear a remote control around your neck, which allows you to control just how hot it gets down there.
Gizmodiva: It's Kitty's world, folks. We just live in it. Though for guarding purpose dogs are the best options over cats. The canines are alert and scary (at least when needed) as opposed to the felines who are sluggish and gullible all the time. But this USB Kitty begs to differ! It’s a watch-cat for your computer. When you’re working on PC, you need to leave your chair for answering nature’s call or whatever else. But at such times, children or spouses make the best of it and try to peek into what you have been unto. When you walk away from your computer and there somebody wants to touch your PC, it will meow, hiss and sing melodies in order to scare away the intruders.
Gush magazine: PlayAway Books are like little iPods that contain books such as John Grisham’s “The Broker” and Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code”.
They come with ear buds and a lanyard to wear around your neck so people can still see what you’re reading or in this case listening to. I’m still a fan of regular books, but these would be good for traveling.
Digital Chosunilbo: The Chosun Ilbo lists some unique products whose fun concepts and designs can help you cool down the last hot summer days.
The summer's biggest hit is a small and handily designed USB fan that needs no external power when connected to a desktop of laptop. The product is seeing whirlwind sales of 1,110 units a day at the online trading site Auction. There is also a lamp/fan that goes for W4,900 (US$1=W956) and a fragrant fan that goes for W4,000.
Digital Chosunilbo: Idea Shop's (www.1300k.com) super-small massager (W3,500) has drawn the admiration of workers struggling through the day and students who want to loosen up during long hours of test preparation.
CBS TV47: Its a scorcher out there, and nowhere is the heat more searing than inside your car. A new product advertised on TV claims it can get you out of the hot seat.
Auto Cool is a solar-powered fan that you can install on your window. The solar panels on the Auto Cool power the fan inside your car, and the fan sucks the heat out.
The Auto Cool sells for $16.95 at the As Seen on TV Store.
Popgadget: For most of us who use headphones while commuting, jogging or otherwise, it generally seems like a hard task to look stylish and wear headphones at the same time. But what if you could do both? Take a look at Swapsets, an interesting new line of headbands for women by designer Steffi Thomas.
Featured on the ZDNet review “Wild for women’s gadgets,” this headband helps you dress it up by functioning as a headband-cum-headphones-cum-headset. Whew! Seems like a pretty ingenious idea and the product itself looks too adorable to resist. The headset is optional and so are Dangles, which can be attached to the bottom of the headband to look like earrings.
Iconoculture: Fun in the sun gets a jolt of power with Solio, a solar-powered battery charger for iPods, GPS, cellphones and even digital cameras, that folds up into a 4-in.-by-2-in. teardrop. Road warriors running low on juice can open up Solio's three solar panels, which fan out like a clover, and charge up their electronic gadgets with a small connector cord, on the spot.
Taking toys on the road is becoming an essential part of travel, and portable, simple and universal tools that keep them going are key to making consumers feel prepared. For cautious travelers, a degree of self-sufficiency around important gadgets creates feelings of security and empowerment.
Yenra: The Quiet Comfort 3 Acoustic Noise Cancelling headphones from Bose offer the audio performance, noise reduction, and comfortable fit of the second model in an on-ear design.
To reduce size without compromising performance, Bose engineers relied on research in on-head audio and noise reduction. The result is an acoustic design to provide audio quality across a full range of audible frequencies, a new electronic design that delivers superb noise reduction, and a new mechanical design offering a comfortable fit for long-term listening.
Engadget: As we all know, the biggest problem with conventional power strips are the unconventional plugs with whom the ol' girl mates. These boys come in all sizes and shapes resulting in at least one or two unusable sockets due to overlap. Well no more dear reader, at least not if the 2006 IDEA award winning design concept from the kids over at Brooklyn's Platt Institute is taken from art to part anytime soon. The E-rope, designed by Chul Min Kang and Sung Hun Lim, is a modular power strip which can be twisted about to better accommodate cable gore with large, bulky plugs. Worried about vampire devices quietly leaching power off the mains? No problem, just give the socket section a 90-degree twist to strangle-off the current. Of course, while you're down there you could just unplug the damn thing but that's just an inconvenient truth, eh?
E-rope [Engadget]
Popgadget: So we’ve seen the Swiss Army knives that have tools specific to fishing, watchmaking, golfing, even mountain biking and snowboarding, but what about one for the ladies?
The Miss Army Knife is the all-in-one pocket tool for the girl-on-the-go. Encased in a pink (as opposed to the classic red) case, the Miss Army features flashlight, keychain, needle & thread, safety pin, corkscrew, mirror, pen, tweezers, perfume bottle, bottle opener, screwdriver, scissors, knife, ruler, nail file, and pill box.
we make money not art: Walking machine, by Jessica Thompson, is a portable audio piece designed to enable wearers to move through the streets hearing and broadcasting the amplified sound of their own footsteps in real time.
By broadcasting the sound directly as a result of his or her own motion and gesture, the wearer becomes controller, performer and audience. The effect is that of a private game in public space, where movement and gesture become a means of articulating presence and the simple act of walking becomes both legitimized and liberated through technological intervention.
Coolest Gadgets: I’m fortunate enough not to suffer with migraines, but I have had a couple of occasions when I’ve had the most unbearable headaches and sensitivity to bright lights, and I can only imagine what it must be like to suffer continuously with migraine headaches.
The hand-held migraine zapper is a gadget which produces short but strong, low-frequency magnetic pulses that suppress the spread of a migraine, though exactly how, isn’t well understood at this time.
The device is a spin-off of neuroscientific studies attempting to identify functions of different parts of the brain. Using the technique of transcranial magnetic stimulation or TMS, researchers found that they could map the different parts of the brain that deal with (or are somehow associated with) language, memory, and vision etc. They did this by either stimulating them or suppressing them, applying different TMS signals to different parts of the brain.
JS Online: It's summertime, and the livin' is . . . way too hot to be easy. Fortunately, manufacturers keep churning out delicious new ways to feed these seasonal cravings. Can't agree on an ice cream flavor? No problem - make three at once.
Strawberry, chocolate chip or French vanilla? Ice cream, frozen yogurt or sorbet? Make all three in just 20 minutes with the new Triple Scoop gourmet ice cream and frozen treat maker from Euro-Pro. No stirring is needed with this automatic machine, which comes with three insulated stainless steel canisters and a book of recipes. A see-through cover with feeder hole lets you keep an eye on the treats and easily add mix-ins such as nuts or candies. Available at national retailers and Web sites for $59.99 to $89.99.
Digital Lifestyle Magazine: Alloy Total Product Design has come up with The Polygon, a cool new concept phone. This one seems to resemble the Nintendo DS in terms of design, and while at times a bit too similar, the whole dual screen nature of the casing seems to go very well with the cellphone. A portable phone is supposed to provide the user with a quick, convenient and efficient way to make calls on the go, and this concept works quite well on The Polygon. While obviously not going to be released in the very near future, The Polygon provides hope for constant innovation in the cellphone industry.
The Polygon consists of two screens, one a touchscreen and one a regular display. The regular display is supposed to be very high resolution, and quite large. This is because most of the data that you will be viewing will be shown here. If you wish to watch television, or browse the net, this is the screen that’ll display all of the video and pictures. The second screen is sensitive to the touch, and is thus a lot more durable. This is the screen used for navigation of the various features and media available on The Polygon. The traditional physical keypad won’t appear here, and will be replaced by a virtual one that’s displayed on the touchscreen. Both portrait and landscape modes should be available on the phone.
Bornrich: The Milan furniture fair contest focused on how the coffee rituals will evolve in the future. The first prize winner is the “Nespresso Card” that is a personal chipcard, which holds coffee preferences for registered individuals. The card enables you to access your favorite coffee anytime, anywhere. The second prize winner is an interesting concept of InCar coffee machine featured here that is designed by Thijs van Cuyk and Lavrans Laading of the Netherlands. The gadget fits conveniently into the centre console of a car and can also double as an armrest when you aren’t using it to make lattes. So, now you can have as many cups of hot coffee as you wish even when you are driving!
Chip Chick: Those commercials with the animated M&M's Characters are some of the cutest and most clever commercials ever created. RadioShack has a bunch of Plush M&M's with an FM Radio inside. They each retail for just $4.97 and come with matching stereo headphones and a belt clip. These M&M characters are so irrestibly endearing, for just $5 how can you not want one?
Iconoculture: Hop-on’s ChitterChatter cellphone helps parents keep kids on a long leash – and within their virtual jurisdiction. The affordable, age-appropriate tot-tracker uses GPS tech, text messaging and graphical, one-touch buttons to pinpoint little ones’ locations within 300 feet in under a minute. Parents pre-program the speed-dial phonebook with emergency and family contacts and can choose to block numbers not included on the list. The tiny device is small enough to slip in a pocket or clip on a backpack. Kids who like to accessorize with tech toys can wear it as a wristwatch.
Popgadget: Brookstone has these pillow speakers called (surprise, surprise) iPillow for those of you who like to listen to music in bed. Just plug in your mp3 player into the pillow. The pillow itself looks to be shaped more like a booster pillow with a visco-elastic foam interior and micro-suede on the outside. A zippered mesh bag holds the player in place. The iPillow's not really such a bad idea. I used to listen to music on headphones when I had insomnia - it helped me to fall asleep, but I'd always end up rolling on top of my music player, and sleeping with headphones isn't the most comfortable thing. If you're going to listen to music on speakers rather than headphones in bed I guess you can always just turn on the stereo or dock your iPod to a speaker base, but it wouldn't be as plush and huggable.
Shiny Shiny: Technology as fashion isn't new. Years ago, I walked around with cannibalised computer chips dangling from bits of metal and called it "jewelry." The rubberised, Imation Flash Wristband goes a step further by being not only wearable, but actually functional. Snap it off your wrist and plug it in to your USB drive for data access. The 256MB fashion/data accessory is available in either blue or black; a limited selection if you're less concerned with having your digital files handy and more concerned with outfit coordination. However, it's a good, wearable data option to hold us all over until we can have USB flash memory embedded directly into our pointer fingers.
The Uber-Review: Walt Disney is working on a multimedia player that selects songs based on the owner's latest mood via wrist sensors. The sensors, measure and collects body temperature, perspiration and pulse rate to build a profile of what music or video to play. Based on the profile, the device comes up a song or video to match the mood. If nothing is available in your media library to match your mood the player can download something new to do the trick. Using Tivo-esque qualities, the player will get better at matching media with the owner's mood based on rejection or approval of the selections. Now for the quintessential Disney portion of the player, "the device could display animated cartoons when the owner is particularly happy".
Iconoculture: Who’s the fairest? Those gazing into the Conduit Group’s Daydreams mirror by designer Jason Miller find themselves in a beautiful landscape. Each mirror contains a digitally produced photo of an ocean or a forest. The scenes offer an escapist setting for the harsh realities of life in front of the mirror (and the harsher realities of rushing for work in front of it).
Wrinkles, zits, and bad hair days happen. But there’s a window of opportunity for distraction, amusement, and the joys of fantasy in the looking glass over the bathroom sink or in the hall. A more beautiful image in the mirror? The cold, hard truth isn’t what everyone’s after when they look in the mirror day after day. For Millennials or Xers bent on having their homes their way, mashing fiction with reality has an increasingly important place in the scheme of finetuning home accessories.
Iconoculture: Big Mama is watching. MealPay.com enables parents to set up an electronic debit-card system that logs their kids’ cafeteria purchases and bans certain foods altogether.
The ATM / debit-like card is accepted in 76 school districts in 24 states (CSMonitor.com 11.22.05). Kids use it to purchase food at the cafeteria, then parents can go online to track what and how much was bought.
There are certain loopholes in the system, however. Does purchase equal consumption? Does surveillance undermine a teenager’s burgeoning sense of independence? Shouldn’t schools offer only nutritious food in the first place? We’re guessing worrywart and Control Freak parents won’t care.
Parents are down with V-chips and media blockers. Why not food filters?
The Cool Hunter: There are a number of companies carrying iPod, Blackberry and PSP cases at the moment but none as fine and in the distinguished class such as the current range out from Dunhill. Synonymous with elegance, style and sophistication, Dunhill continues to please with its range of cases. The selection comes in stylish skins and ultra fine leather, which combine functionality and style in their classic design. Gizmo accessories are the in thing right now and it’s a race to see who can provide the market with a luxury end version of these products. With an array of soft, beautiful colors to select from the Dunhill cases are the only way to house and protect your gizmos with class.
Shiny Shiny: Hang on a minute, this looks strangely familiar. Remember those Mymo mobiles that were withdrawn from the market after everyone suspected that phones turn children's brains to frappuccino? Well, mTrack's i-Kids phone certainly bears a resemblance. Obviously now everyone's forgotten that nasty business about kiddie brain pulping, it's time to try again with the children's phones. This one can pinpoint a child's location to within 20 metres via phone or net and has the backing of children's charity, Kidscape.
It's got limited call capabilities and just four caller buttons. Once subscribed to the service, parents can track junior free using a map online, or on a mobile which tracks the child every 10 minutes. There's also instant tracking via a 'ping' (costing 50p per 'ping') or through a safety zone alert, which notifies parents via sms if their child has strayed from their specified area (50p per text).
Shiny Shiny: Not the first, and we're sure it won't be the last, but this Textronics NuMetrex sports bra has a built-in heart rate monitoring system for keen running types. The sensors pick up your heartbeat and sends the info to the WearLink transmitter, which forwards it on to the heart rate monitor watch. Then all you need to do is check your watch to see that you're woefully unfit and liable to have a heart attack at any time.
Shiny Shiny: Here's some Hello Kitty irony for you: she has no mouth - but two of the newest additions to her ever-growing gadget kingdom have features for those of us doomed to open ours from time to time. First is SBODM International Industrial Co. Ltd's Hello Kitty-shaped flash MP3/WMA player, which offers synchronous lyrics display so you can sing along.
Second is the Hello Kitty breath-tester; breathe on it, and Hello Kitty will let you know on the go whether or not you need to pop a breath mint so you can give folks the ever important "Fresh Kiss."
Ah, that Hello Kitty: Cute as the Cutest button in Cutetown, and helpful too.
Shiny Shiny: What is it with the proliferation of evil alarm clocks these days? First there was the you've - got - to - find - me - to - turn - me - off Clocky, and now there's the truly insidious Sonic Alarm. If you want to rouse a reluctant sleeper, you pull the pin, lob the alarm into their bedroom, and then wait for the "very annoying and piercingly loud noise." The alarm has to be found and the pin replaced in order to quiet the thing back down.
I'm firmly against alarm clocks without snooze buttons. And if anyone pitches one of these in my room, they should be prepared to consider that action an official Declaration of War.
Popgadget: Shodensya, a Japanese provider of energy-saving services to corporate clients, will launch in November devices that reduce energy consumption in the home.
Power Monitor can instantly measure the power consumption and voltage used by household appliances. The gauge itself does not have an energy-saving function, but it is helpful in making people more aware of the need to switch off appliances when they are not in use.
Shodensya plans to release various other energy-saving devices for households in the near future, including one that cuts the amount of water used in the shower by about 30% and those that reduce the use of tap water and gas.
Has anyone heard of a similar product in Europe? I'd be curious to know how much energy I use to make waffles, brush my teeth with the electric toothbrush or iron half a shirt (I hate ironing so I never manage to iron an entire shirt. Can that be counted as an eco-friendly behavior?)
we make money not art: The prototype consists of three parts: the shoes with a series of sensors and mechanics, an interface and a computer running a software to analyse the data from the sensors. The Interface provides the communication between the shoes and the Mac. In the future both the interface and the computer could be embedded in the shoes.
Dual-axis Accelerometers and Compass Modules transmit the data to determinate the position and orientation of the shoes. GPS could enhance the positioning also related to the environment - but is not integrated yet. Distance Sensors detect the Distance to obstacles on the way. Flaps are pulled to the lower elastic layer of the sole by servo motors if necessary; they create the angle of the sole. Switches at the rear side of the shoes register the contact to the base.
The shoes could find applications in the following contexts: assistance to avoid obstacles, target-orientated guidance from point A to point B, reference to nearby "Points-of-Interests"... or a virtual borderline of an otherwise accessible area.
Tech Digest: For many of us, realising man’s dream of flight extends only as far as miniature bags of peanuts and complementary booze, but at lest there are a wide variety of gadgets that will bring the joy of soaring the heavens safely to the living room. We have already seen the outlandish X-UFO and now, for the more traditional would-be pilot, the Sky Soldier Airplane has been unleashed. The plane is made from flexible, hard wearing plastic to defend against its inevitable conflict with the side of a building and it can cruise away to a distance of 200ft.
Only weighing in at 66g means that the Sky Soldier doesn’t have a detachable power source, instead you have to recharge it from the remote control containing 6 x AA batteries. Each recharge provides around eight minutes of flight which is a little limited, but made up for by the quick recharge action. This gadget is probably best suited for people who are lucky enough to have access to a large indoor area such as a hanger, barn or public library and at £34.99 it seems like a bargain. Sky Soldier Airplane is available now from Gadgeter.
TrendCentral: This fancy pen does way more than just write. Packed with a tiny computer, camera, speaker and ink cartridge, the FLY allows users to do math, make music, play games, and schedule activities. When the user writes on special FLY paper, the pen’s computer recognizes what is written and performs the corresponding functions. The technology allows what is written to function in real time; a sketch of a calculator can be used to solve math problems, and a drum set can be played, recorded and sent to friends.
Popgadget: Snap, by Design Continuum, is a wrist-worn MP3 player controlled by simple hand gestures and audio feedback. By monitoring the movement of tendons in your wrist, the device “reads” the hand gestures that control its playback, and reports status through wireless earbuds. The player and earbuds communicate using your skin as a transmission medium, with no wires required, and no radio interference. Songs are loaded and managed with standard wi-fi.
Now, don't hold your breath: as the title of this post said, it's only a concept but it won a Bronze Award at IDEA.
Gizmag: The Tulip E-Go Diamond notebook is inlaid with solid palladium white gold plates in which thousands (80 carats) of top-quality, brilliant cut diamonds have been pave set with surgical precision. The magnificent end result also incorporates a unique square cut ruby set in both Tulip logos and costs 283,000 Euros (US$355,000).
Without the bling, the E-Go (short for easy going) computer is even more innovative, using overmolding to enable fabrics, leather, wood, and metals to be incorporated into interchangeable, lifestyle-oriented covers that enable the laptop "look" to be changed on a daily basis as a fashion accessory.
The original idea arose to develop a product from the perspective of a woman that at first glance looks more like a fashion accessory than a notebook. The resulting product is an elegant handbag with numerous novel features. The enclosures have been designed and developed for six fabric and leather laptop versions, a foretaste of what will become available in October 2005. In addition to changeable/personalized covers, the product is also expected to feature complementary accessories such as design bags and mice.
Iconoculture: Millennials get a chuckle out of cheeky products that play off of intricate relationship interactions.
Be thankful they’re only passive-aggressive. ’Cause otherwise: Hello, horror-movie scenario. Needies interactive plush dolls – created by students at New York U’s Interactive Telecommunications Program – trade songs and flattery for hugs, then plot and scheme against each other to win human love and attention. Like big soft Furbies raised on soap operas, the interactive toys are modeled on high-maintenance, codependent relationships.
Needies each have an electronic nervous system, so they can tell when humans hug and squeeze them (or, as they disturbingly but somehow appropriately say, “give touch”) and respond with songs and flattery. That nervous system also enables them to tell when another Needie is getting more attention. Sound scary? Just be glad Gloomy Bear’s not interactive. Millennials get a chuckle out of cheeky products that play off of intricate relationship interactions.
We Make Money Not Art: The Haptic Gloves allow their wearers to create musical compositions by linking hands together.
Each participants wears the gloves, headphones (through which they can hear their personal music) and a clip-on box housing circuits. As soon as they touch the gloved hand of another, they can hear their own music mixed with the other person's sound. The more people holding hands, the more sophisticated the track.
The interaction through physical touch attempts to physically bring people together even if they don't speak the same language.
Red Herring Blog: At the risk of future embarrassment, I’m convinced that Sony’s PSP portable PlayStation is the harbinger of things digital to come. The current model of the PSP may not be the version that blows the doors off the competition—Sony may not be the company to execute on the idea successfully—but it includes several features that will redefine markets.
Today’s biggest thing is Apple’s iPod, which has created a huge halo effect, driving the sales of music, spoken word audio, accessories, and fashion. With more than 15 million iPods sold, they have defined the portability of lifestyle choices—a soundtrack to one’s life, defined by a slick little gadget—it even helps out with sex lives at university. Apple, if it includes video in future iPods, may be the company to win this market, too.
For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been looking carefully at the PSP as a personal media device. As a non-gamer (or, as my kids would probably call me, a “lame gamer”), my interest is in the technology, including a beautiful display, the incorporation of wireless and, most importantly, game-sharing technology.
We Make Money Not Art: One of my first stop yesterday at the Salone del Mobile in Milan was at Promise Design, New Design from Israel, at the Triennale.
Tomer Sapir's "Concept for a bedroom unit" integrates a table, a reading lamp and an alarm clock. The alarm clock provides a fresh awakening by synchronizing with the user's sleep cycles. We've heard of that before: there's a watch and a headband that do the same. I just find them rather clumsy.
Sapir's alarm works by measuring your sleep cycle and waits for you to be in your lightest phase of sleep before going off. Only this time the alarm teams up wirelessly with a simple, light ring you slip on your finger when going to bed. You set up the alarm at the latest time you want it to go off. The ring monitors your body activity and sends the signal to the alarm to wake you up when it senses that you're in the "light" phase of your sleep circle.
The alarm clock itself displays no number at all, two dots of light represent the minute hand and the hour hand, like a traditional analogue clock.
To make the lamp, the designer have your eye scanned. The image of the iris is then printed on the plastic shade of the lamp and a graphic designer samples the colours of the iris and uses them to paint some of the unit's parts.
Gizmodo: A fridge so adorable that you could just eat it up is really the last thing you want when struggling with your diet [You actually wrote that? —ed.], but for the skinny crowd, Fujitronic makes a series of animal-styled mini-fridges. Available shaped as a polar bear or puppy dog, they feature an on-door LCD which can house a virtual pet to keep you entertained while you wait for your bacon craving to pass. It's unfortunately $400 (plus $120 shipping!) for just 3.2 cubic feet, but it at least features a "conventient [sic] and practical rotary fruit tray" to make up for it.
Engadget: Yes, it’s true. It was only a matter of time until Hello Kitty worked her evil magic upon this particular gadget, as she has on oh so many others. The Hello Kitty Crystal Xbox Console takes that definitively non-pink Xbox and converts it to its long-latent color scheme. During the promotional period the entire bundle comes with a Helly Kitty Crystal Controller and Hello Kitty Mission Rescue Game for $99 with the purchase of selected Samsung LCD TVs, but if you’re not anywhere near Singapore you’re gonna be relegated to shelling out a fortune on eBay someday to get your paws on one.
Popgadget: Ever wondered exactly how many calories you burn while sitting perfectly still but having a massive panic attack? You can't find out those kinds of things in fitness magazines. Bodybugg, an armband calorie monitor can tell you exactly (well with 92% accuracy) how many calories you expend not only while exercising but while doing everyday activities like typing and um, vigorous typing while playing games. The bodybugg measures your resting and active metabolic rates by using several sensors: body temperature (core temperature), heat flux (how much heat your body puts out), sweat rate, forward motion, and up and down activity.
Bodybugg works with a web-based food journal which will calculate how many calories you've consumed vs. how many burned and will recommend foods and exercises which will accelerate weight loss. The bodybugg syncs to your PC via USB.
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Walyou: We have become dependent on USB flash drives, for these compact devices are both extremely practical and convenient. While these offer many advantages, they also hold very important personal and professional data and therefore we would not want to lose this information. Ironkey knows how important it is to keep your data safe and raised the bar on data security and protection.
The 
Gadget4Girls: Do you already have a personal strategy of saving or spending money? Well, if not get a personal assistant! Namely a product that promised to solve the portable-storage problem once and for all. Let me introduce you the Handheld Digital Wallet by Veronica Vail.
TrendBlog: The LucidTouch device does not look much different from the PlayStationPortable. It can be held comfortably in two and has a large touch-sensitive LCD screen, similar to that used in the iPhone. The big difference of this prototype, developed by MERL and Microsoft Research, is, that it can also be controlled using a touch-sensitive interface on its rear surface. When using the rear touch interface, the user’s fingers appear as shadows on the screen, giving the illusion they are holding a transparent device. Just highlighting the active point of each finger with a small green dot, LucidTouch is removing the problem of covering to much screen area with “fat fingers”.
Why is it so hard to wake up to a normal alarm clock? Because a normal alarm clock can't detect where you are in your sleep cycle — a continuous cycle from deep sleep, to brief almost-awake moments, and back to deep sleep again. Occasionally, your alarm may catch you at an optimal, almost-awake moment and you wake up feeling refreshed, but usually you grope for the snooze button waking up tired and groggy.
Shiny Shiny: Sometimes you want something attached to your computer which you can just BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF - and with the USB Stress Button you're actually supposed to! It has three modes, Explosion, Punch-Out and Worksheet, and each button-mash switches it to the next. Explosion mode generates a countdown with a graphic, satisfying explosion; Punch-Out shows a cartoon face and punches the hell out of it; and Worksheet (or "Boss") makes it look like you're actually doing something in Excel (and if you were, that's probably why you've lost your temper, patience and marbles).
Crave: Why is it that the best designs almost always seem to be just concepts? Oh right, they don't have to work. Still, that won't stop us from admiring this lighted, cylindrical MP3 player, which looks more like a Lightsaber than a music gadget. (There's no reason, of course, it can't be both.)
Gizmodo: Hospitals and germ freaks rejoice! English tech company Inov8 (sounds a bit ravey, doesn't it?) has come up with the Air Disinfection unit, or AD. It recreates fresh air, which is a key factor in killing microbes, without the need for opening a window in the operating theater. Any surgeons or hospital staff reading, that was a joke, by the way.
Crave: Mobile computing can be a haphazard business, and new notebooks from General Dynamics and Panasonic give their owners permission to drop them (from a reasonable distance) as often as they like.
Iconoculture: Kids with disabilities who can't maneuver joysticks don't have to miss out on the fun of radio-control cars. Dream-Racer builds technology that enables kids to "drive" the cars using simple body movements instead of joysticks. 
Gizmodo.com: If you are an adventurous animal then lemme give you some dope on the solar powered lighter. Now if I have set you to wonderland as to why is this a key object for the adventurous, then the answer is cause it works for the people that go camping and run out of matches or gas on the lighter. At the same time it can be used at home for emergency situations since it can be charged with any kind of light. There is a bonus point which is the base that can be used to open (beer) bottles.
Popgadget: The clever folks at PumpOne noticed that a lot of people work out with their iPods, so they've designed workout programs that play on any model that displays images. (I may have to finally upgrade my second gen ipod, circa 2003!) It also works on nanos, Zunes and smartphones with memory and color screens. The programs have names such as PumpedForLife, PumpedAsanas, and PumpedForSummer. Each workout includes instructions, tips and visuals you can watch at your own pace.
ProductDose: So, say your on your way down the side of a mountain on a snowboard when you realize that that you completely forgot about a conference call you had to be in. Out of luck? Not if you're equipped with this O'Neill H3 Campack. The Backpack offers easy control for your digital video camera, (most versions of the 4th and 5th gen) iPod, and Bluetooth-equipped phone. The primary focus of the backpack is an external lens that connects directly to your video camera (compatible with a variety of cameras) and a joystick remote on the shoulder strap. If that doesn't cover it for you, the H3 collection alsofeatures a jacket with iPod and phone control right at your sleeve, as well as an "audio beanie" with integrated earphones.
Gush magazine: PlayAway Books are like little iPods that contain books such as John Grisham’s “The Broker” and Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code”. 
Popgadget: For most of us who use headphones while commuting, jogging or otherwise, it generally seems like a hard task to look stylish and wear headphones at the same time. But what if you could do both? Take a look at 
Coolest Gadgets: I’m fortunate enough not to suffer with migraines, but I have had a couple of occasions when I’ve had the most unbearable headaches and sensitivity to bright lights, and I can only imagine what it must be like to suffer continuously with migraine headaches.
JS Online: It's summertime, and the livin' is . . . way too hot to be easy. Fortunately, manufacturers keep churning out delicious new ways to feed these seasonal cravings. Can't agree on an ice cream flavor? No problem - make three at once. 
Iconoculture: Hop-on’s ChitterChatter cellphone helps parents keep kids on a long leash – and within their virtual jurisdiction. The affordable, age-appropriate tot-tracker uses GPS tech, text messaging and graphical, one-touch buttons to pinpoint little ones’ locations within 300 feet in under a minute. Parents pre-program the speed-dial phonebook with emergency and family contacts and can choose to block numbers not included on the list. The tiny device is small enough to slip in a pocket or clip on a backpack. Kids who like to accessorize with tech toys can wear it as a wristwatch.
Iconoculture: Who’s the fairest? Those gazing into the Conduit Group’s Daydreams mirror by designer Jason Miller find themselves in a beautiful landscape. Each mirror contains a digitally produced photo of an ocean or a forest. The scenes offer an escapist setting for the harsh realities of life in front of the mirror (and the harsher realities of rushing for work in front of it). 
Iconoculture: Big Mama is watching. MealPay.com enables parents to set up an electronic debit-card system that logs their kids’ cafeteria purchases and bans certain foods altogether. 
The Cool Hunter: There are a number of companies carrying iPod, Blackberry and PSP cases at the moment but none as fine and in the distinguished class such as the current range out from Dunhill. Synonymous with elegance, style and sophistication, Dunhill continues to please with its range of cases. The selection comes in stylish skins and ultra fine leather, which combine functionality and style in their classic design. Gizmo accessories are the in thing right now and it’s a race to see who can provide the market with a luxury end version of these products. With an array of soft, beautiful colors to select from the Dunhill cases are the only way to house and protect your gizmos with class.
Shiny Shiny: Hang on a minute, this looks strangely familiar. Remember those Mymo mobiles that were withdrawn from the market after everyone suspected that phones turn children's brains to frappuccino? Well, mTrack's i-Kids phone certainly bears a resemblance. Obviously now everyone's forgotten that nasty business about kiddie brain pulping, it's time to try again with the children's phones. This one can pinpoint a child's location to within 20 metres via phone or net and has the backing of children's charity, Kidscape. 
Shiny Shiny: Not the first, and we're sure it won't be the last, but this Textronics NuMetrex sports bra has a built-in heart rate monitoring system for keen running types. The sensors pick up your heartbeat and sends the info to the WearLink transmitter, which forwards it on to the heart rate monitor watch. Then all you need to do is check your watch to see that you're woefully unfit and liable to have a heart attack at any time. 
Shiny Shiny: Here's some Hello Kitty irony for you: she has no mouth - but two of the newest additions to her ever-growing gadget kingdom have features for those of us doomed to open ours from time to time. First is SBODM International Industrial Co. Ltd's Hello Kitty-shaped flash MP3/WMA player, which offers synchronous lyrics display so you can sing along. 
Shiny Shiny: What is it with the proliferation of evil alarm clocks these days? First there was the you've - got - to - find - me - to - turn - me - off Clocky, and now there's the truly insidious Sonic Alarm. If you want to rouse a reluctant sleeper, you pull the pin, lob the alarm into their bedroom, and then wait for the "very annoying and piercingly loud noise." The alarm has to be found and the pin replaced in order to quiet the thing back down.
Popgadget: Shodensya, a Japanese provider of energy-saving services to corporate clients, will launch in November devices that reduce energy consumption in the home.
we make money not art: The prototype consists of three parts: the shoes with a series of sensors and mechanics, an interface and a computer running a software to analyse the data from the sensors. The Interface provides the communication between the shoes and the Mac. In the future both the interface and the computer could be embedded in the shoes.
Tech Digest: For many of us, realising man’s dream of flight extends only as far as miniature bags of peanuts and complementary booze, but at lest there are a wide variety of gadgets that will bring the joy of soaring the heavens safely to the living room. We have already seen the outlandish X-UFO and now, for the more traditional would-be pilot, the Sky Soldier Airplane has been unleashed. The plane is made from flexible, hard wearing plastic to defend against its inevitable conflict with the side of a building and it can cruise away to a distance of 200ft. 
Popgadget: Snap, by Design Continuum, is a wrist-worn MP3 player controlled by simple hand gestures and audio feedback. By monitoring the movement of tendons in your wrist, the device “reads” the hand gestures that control its playback, and reports status through wireless earbuds. The player and earbuds communicate using your skin as a transmission medium, with no wires required, and no radio interference. Songs are loaded and managed with standard wi-fi.
Gizmag: The Tulip E-Go Diamond notebook is inlaid with solid palladium white gold plates in which thousands (80 carats) of top-quality, brilliant cut diamonds have been pave set with surgical precision. The magnificent end result also incorporates a unique square cut ruby set in both Tulip logos and costs 283,000 Euros (US$355,000). 
The original idea arose to develop a product from the perspective of a woman that at first glance looks more like a fashion accessory than a notebook. The resulting product is an elegant handbag with numerous novel features. The enclosures have been designed and developed for six fabric and leather laptop versions, a foretaste of what will become available in October 2005. In addition to changeable/personalized covers, the product is also expected to feature complementary accessories such as design bags and mice.
Iconoculture: Millennials get a chuckle out of cheeky products that play off of intricate relationship interactions.
We Make Money Not Art: The Haptic Gloves allow their wearers to create musical compositions by linking hands together. 
We Make Money Not Art: One of my first stop yesterday at the Salone del Mobile in Milan was at Promise Design, New Design from Israel, at the Triennale.
