TECHNOGADGETS

GE Shows Off New Digital Camera

2009-06-27T02:24:00.000-07:00

When I hear the name GE, digital cameras are not what spring to mind. I think of light bulbs really. Still GE has a full line of digital cameras and other stuff that doesn’t have to do with lighting our homes.

The company announced its latest digital camera recently called the E1250TW. The cam sports a 12.2-megapixel resolution and a 28mm wide angle lens with 5x optical zoom. The most interesting feature of the camera is that the 3-inch LCD is touch sensitive.

Other features include auto scene detection HDTV out, face detection, blink detection, smile detection, an auto adjust LCD, and red-eye removal. A special mode allows users to shoot panoramic images as well. The camera is available now on HSN and on Amazon.com.

Archos 9 Tablet PC

2009-06-12T11:25:00.000-07:00

Archos has announced the Archos 9 mini tablet PC, which comes with a 9 inch LCD screen with a resolution of 1024 x 600.

The Archos 9 features an Intel Atom Z515 processor, 1GB of RAM, built in 802.11 b/g WiFi, a 1.3 megapixel camera, VGA out, and the option for 3G connectivity and a DVB TV tuner.

The Archos 9 will run Windows 7, and comes with a 120GB hard drive, it will go on sale in October for around $700.

Source

Archos 3 MP3 Player

2009-06-12T11:20:00.000-07:00

Archos has launched a new PMP, the Archos 3, which features a 4 inch touchscreen color display, and virtual wheel to navigate through your play lists.

The Archos 3 comes with 8GB of storage, and can playback mp3’s and photos, it also had a built in voice recorder, stopwatch and calendar.

According to Archos the built in battery will give you up to 14 hours of audio playback on one charge, and you can store up to 4,000 songs on the built in 8GB of storage.

Unfortunately there are not details as yet on pricing or availability for the Archos 3.

Source

Thanko Mini Projector

2009-06-12T11:16:00.000-07:00

Thanko has released a new tiny projector, which measures 61 x 37 x 60mm and weighs in at just 142g.

This tiny projector lets your project video from your iPhone, iPod, or PC and it can project an image up to 45 inches with a resolution of 640 x 480. It features a 200:1 contrast ratio with 10 lumens brightness, if you want one they are available for $321.30 from GeekStuff4U .

Shrek MP3 Player

2009-06-11T01:30:00.001-07:00

Almost everyone has been impressed with Shrek, an ogre whose character is peace loving. Therefore the MP3 player which looks like the head of Shrek, can also interest you. Delicately designed, two chic headphones are placed inside the slot on the top, and you can adjust the length to your real need.

Pill Shaped MP3 Player

2009-06-11T01:26:00.001-07:00

Portable MP3 players is one niche that has seen a significant reduction in size and the pill shaped MP3 player just continues the miniaturization process.

From the picture, you can get a feel of just how small this device is, but if you want to get exact, it is 2.7 inches in length and 1 inch in diameter. In order to control the music player, you do need to pull on the two ends of the hard capsule while twisting it in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.

At this time, the pill shaped MP3 player is a conceptual gadget, still in the prototype stage, but production is anticipated for later this year. I’m sure you’ll also be able to get them in a variety of colors such as red pills and blue bills, just be sure not to mix it up with any prescription medication you may have lying around the home.

SFR Hubster WiFi Home Internet Tablet

2009-06-11T01:22:00.000-07:00

The SFR Hubster has entered into the trial period throughout France in an effort to capture market share from Orange France.

As anticipated, the Hubster tablet includes a touchscreen display and offers the user the ability to stream digital video, audio and pictures across the home network by either a wired network connection or a WiFi connection.

The tablet supports voice reminders (or digital memos) as the onboard voice recorder has the ability to capture audio that can then be played back at a designated time using the Hubster playback feature.

Support for streaming TV is also included. Although details are sketchy, it appears this will be streaming internet TV as opposed to streaming through a TV tuner card.

The Hubster will accept SD, SDHC and MMC cards and supports MP3, WAV, WMA and RA audio files and FLV and MP4 video files. Expect to see the Hubster in stores on June 15th for $182.

Car USB Charger

2009-06-10T10:26:00.000-07:00

The Twin USB Cupholder Adapter($20) comes with two DC outlets and two USB ports, let you charge your cell phone and iPod while using your radar detector or GPS. It plugs your car's cigarette lighter and comes with 4 LEDs let you know if the battery is not enough. Its USB ports can also charge your portable games, digital cameras. It likes cool!

Homemade Solar Quadricycle

2009-06-10T10:02:00.000-07:00

The solar human hybrid is a street legal quadricycle powered by solar electric motor. It has room for four people and even a spot for groceries and a dog. This project was launched as fourteen year old David Dixon's 8th grade project for the Novato Charter School .
Design goals:
A vehicle with excellent pedaling performance;
An efficient electric motor assist;
A street legal vehicle;
New generation battery technology; and Solar charging.
The vehicle powered by a 24-volt motor is good for 1 horsepower, and a top speed limited 14 mph. Power comes from GreenSaver Silicone Gel Cell batteries fed by 20-watt solar panels. The batteries also run the vehicle it's iPod dock - gotta have tunes - GPS unit and the lights. It costs $6,400 to build, but most of that can be attributed to the cost of the ZEM. They picked it up on eBay for $5,000.

Averatec D1200

2009-06-09T09:16:00.000-07:00

Averatec has announced the launch of a new all-in-one PC, the Averatec D1200. The Averatec D1200 will come with a 25.5 inch LCD display that is capable of displaying full 1080p HD, other specification include a built in TV tuner, a 2.5 GHz Intel Dual Core E5200 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 320GB hard drive. The Averatec D1200 All-in-one PC will run Windows Vista Home Premium 64 bit, and will go on sale for $999.

NEC 43" Curved LCD

2009-06-08T10:43:00.000-07:00

The NEC's new 43-inch curved LCD on sale July, featuring 2880 x 900 pixel resolution, it looks amazing! It will cost you $8,000! More specs: 200 cd/m² brightness, 0.02ms Rapid Response, 10,000:1 contrast ratio, Wide color gamut with 100% coverage of sRGB and 99.3% coverage of Adobe RGB, USB Ports, DVI-D and HDMI 1.3 input connectors. As its $8000 price tag, you may consider to get two 21" LCDs.

Use Your Water Twice

2009-05-23T04:08:00.001-07:00

It goes in the sink, then it goes in the toilet. What’s that? It’s your water bill! You’ve got to conserve in any way you can. Here’s a lovely simple system that makes use of the fact that toilet water never needs to be as clean as it usually is. The “Eco Bath” concept uses 50% reused water and 50% new water for a toilet system half-ways to nature friendly.

You simply must read this little poem written about this toilet system by it’s designer, Jang Woo-seok:

Express the flow of water.
General water, the blue pipes.
Green pipes, water reuse

Fresh, yes?

Jang gets the idea for the Eco Bath from the naturally flowing waterways all around us. Naturally moving, naturally cleaning. Tagged “Green”, naturally.

Verbatim Wireless Mouse Goes Nano

2009-05-23T04:06:00.001-07:00

The only time I like wireless mice are when they are for notebooks. When it comes to my desktop computer for gaming, I want a wired mouse. Wireless mice need to be charged too frequently for my tastes when used with desktop computers.

One of the biggest things that bugs me about wireless notebook mice are the big USB adapters that you have to plug into the notebook for connectivity. Those long adapters stick out so far from the side of the machine that it can be easy to break them off when it comes time to pack up your notebook and go.

Verbatim has a new notebook mouse called the Nano Wireless Optical Mouse that is available in eight different colors. The big feature of the mouse isn’t the different color offerings, but a tiny USB dongle that hardly protrudes from the side of the notebook. In fact, the dongle is so small you really don’t even have to unplug it to put your notebook into a backpack. The mouse sells for $29.99 and uses 2.4GHz wireless technology. Source

Q-SOUND Solar Powered Headphones

2009-05-23T04:03:00.001-07:00

Anything that can help you save energy or protect the environment is bound to do pretty well these days with so many people’s minds on being green. But the new Q-SOUND headphones are just plain practical in that they are solar-powered.

Though just a concept at the moment, the Q-SOUND headphones make use of a headband that’s filled with solar cells, so when you’re walking around the town, your head is the vessel through which the headphones are charged.

The solar cells are made from a flexible plastic, making them easy to bend around the head. It also uses Bluetooth, allowing you to take calls and listen to music with these headphones. Apparently, all you need is one hour of sun exposure to build up 2.67 hours worth of active use. We’ll be anxious to see if the Q-SOUND headphones make it into reality.

USB U-Shape i-Speaker

2009-05-23T03:59:00.000-07:00

This funky looking speaker can pump out a massive 2W, it features two tiny speakers at each end, and a built in rechargeable battery.

Here are the specifications.

Recharged by USB
Built-in rechargeable Lithium Ion battery
High quality sound with a 2W + 2W power output
Dual 36mm stereo speaker with volume control
On/Off switch
Charging/Status LED indicator
Apply to any audio devices with 3.5mm audio plug, e.g. PC, Mac, iPod/iPhone, PDA, MP3 player… etc.
Dimension: 132 x 93 x 42mm (approx.)
Weight: 105g

The USB U-Shape i-Speaker is comes in a choice of two colours, red and blue, and is available for $19 from USB Geek .

Automatic Toilet Seat Cover

2009-05-23T03:57:00.000-07:00

The automatic toilet seat cover for gadget fans' home. The Pressalit AutoClose automatic toilet seat cover has a built-in sensor that keep the toilet cover open when a user is present, and will gently close once one's "business" is done and over with. It is hand-free and wih a soft close feature that lower the seats automatically as you wash your hands... A good idea!

Orange Power Pump

2009-05-23T03:55:00.000-07:00

The Orange Power Pump is a compact mobile phone charger for outdoor using. It's a basically compact generator that features a turbine driven by a standard air bed foot pump. The turbine can generate enough power to make 5 minutes of call time in the time it takes to inflate a pillow.
"A compact camping accessory which fits all handsets, the Orange Power Pump measures 154mm by 129mm with a height of 47mm making it no bigger than a packet of Wet Wipes, is lightweight and easy to fit into your rucksack. Encased in sleek black housing, the turbine can generate enough energy to power 5 minutes of call time in the time it takes to inflate a pillow. "

Off the Course Umbrella

2009-05-23T03:47:00.000-07:00

This quirky umbrella was inspired by designer Sebastian Errazuriz's rainy day golf outings. While living in Scotland, he and his friends often found themselves carrying golf clubs and umbrellas simultaneously, which struck inspiration in the young designer. Made of steel, fiberglass, polyester, and rubber. This product is an umbrella and should not be used as a golf club. Source

Panasonic HDC-SD10 and HDC-TM10 Full-HD camcorders

2009-05-20T01:21:00.000-07:00

Panasonic have taken the wraps off of two Full-HD AVCHD camcorders, which it claims are the lightest of their kind. The Panasonic HDC-SD10 and HDC-TM10 each have 16x optical zooms, optical image stabilization (OIS) and touchscreen controls, and record to SD/SDHC memory cards. The Panasonic HDC-TM10 also has 8GB of its own internal storage.

Both can record Full-HD 1920 x 1080 footage with Panasonic’s iA (”Intelligent Auto”) function, which automatically selects between scene modes and OIS settings, exposure and face detection, and Intelligent Contrast Control to suit the shooting environment. There’s also AF/AE Tracking, which can ensure a moving subject is kept in focus.

Up to 32GB SDHC cards are supported, which in the case of the TM10 gives a total of 40GB capacity. Each camcorder supports pre-recording (where three seconds of footage are buffered before the record button is actually pressed) and one-connection burning with Panasonic’s USB DVD burner. The Panasonic HDC-SD10 and HDC-TM10 will be available in the UK in June, priced at £499.99 ($774) and £529.99 ($820) respectively.

Citizen AIBATO M Bluetooth Watch

2009-05-20T01:17:00.000-07:00

The Citizen AIBATO M Bluetooth Watch will let you know who is calling you on your iPhone or mobile phone, it will even display emails and when there is an incoming call or email the watch face will light up and it will vibrate. The Citizen AIBATO M Bluetooth Watch will go on sale in Japan on the 1st of July, there is no word on pricing or details on when we will see it in the US and Europe. Source

The Clock Clock made of 24 Clocks

2009-05-20T01:13:00.000-07:00

Clock Clock made of 24 individual clocks, features 48 electronically-controlled analog clock hands which automatically rotate into the proper positions to tell you times. By Humans Since 1982 . This prototype will be on display at the Röhsska Design Museum in Göteborg from june till mid of august 2009.

Dell Latitude 2100 Notebook for Schools

2009-05-20T01:08:00.000-07:00

Dell launch a new education notbook - the Latitude 2100 netbook($369+) for the education market. It was designed for students in the classroom, features a rubberized case for easier handling and increased durability, a clean vent-free bottom that helps avoid intrusion from spills, an optional carrying strap to make easier to carry around. And the notebook also has a network activity lights so that wireless connectivity can be monitored by educators and a webcam option.

Latitude 2100 utilizes Intel's 945GSE chipset. Here's other important specs and options:
- Intel Atom N270 processor
- Up to 1GB fixed RAM; Additional memory slot to accommodate up to 2GB RAM total
- Display: 1024x576 LED screen, optional touch screen
- Storage options: standard hard drive options up to 250GB; SSD drive up to 16GB
- Battery: 3 and 6-cell battery options
- Wired Connectivity: 10/100/1000Mb Gigabit Ethernet
- Wireless Connectivity: 802.11g standard, option 802.11n
- Ports: 3 USB, VGA, headphone/speaker out, mic
- Expansion slot: SD/ MMC card reader
Available in several operating system options: Ubuntu 8.10, Windows XP Home or Vista Home Basic. The Latitude 2100 will be availble in 5 colors: Schoolhouse Red, School Bus Gold, Blue Ribbon, Ball Field Green and Chalkboard Black. Prices start at $369.

Tony Hawk Ride

2009-05-20T01:04:00.000-07:00

Have you ever played Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 on the Dreamcast? The Tony Hawk Ride($TBA) is a skateboard like controller for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It features will use "a combination of accelerometers and motion sensors" and require no other controller. You will control the game by riding on the board. It will be available for the Wii, Xbox 360, and PS3 for 2009 holiday season. More info, you can check out official game site on June 2 - the first day of the 2009 Electronic Entertainment Expo.

The USB Heart Clip Webcam

2009-05-18T00:53:00.000-07:00

If you or someone you know is the Hello Kitty loving type, then they’ll likely enjoy this heart-shaped webcam. It would fit in nicely with bright pink accessories that for most would only render feelings of nausea. However, for the overly feminine types, it could be love at first sight. Which is fitting since this is very much a love themed webcam. It even has the word love written on the very base of it.

The web camera is somewhat of a 3-in-1 gadget. The left side of the cam rotates and reveals a set of LED lights. It also has a microphone built into it. The lights would make it great for college students when they can’t turn on the overhead light due to a dorm roommate. It can either sit alone on your desk, or attach to your monitor. Although, from the picture it appears as if the cam would end up obstructing your view if you put it on the monitor itself. You can purchase the 640 x 480 resolution cam for $22 from Brando. When you do, you can choose between either blue or pink. Source

Interactive Public Showers

2009-05-15T09:08:00.000-07:00

Oh yes, showers indeed. Apparently when you’re at the public shower, you put your money in the slot, and you get a limited amount of water, just like air at the air pump. If you use the public shower a lot, no prob! But if you don’t, you don’t know how much water you’re gonna get. So check it out. The “Interactive Shower System” has a little pixel hourglass to tell you how much water you’ve got left to get clean. In the public shower.

It’s also got a temperature control lights, blue to red spectrum, cold to hot. Simple! In the public shower, you’ve got no problem now. None! No problem with the public shower.

Alpha 680 Android Netbook

2009-05-15T09:02:00.000-07:00

Many PC designs have been created, entertaining the idea of being backed by the Google Android Operating System but to date, nothing official has been announced, with manufacturers staying with the tried and tested Windows XP or a Linux distribution.

All this has changed with the announcement of the Alpha 680, an Android netbook designed by Skytone, a Chinese manufacturer.

The new netbook comes standard with an ARM11 533MHz processor, a 7-inch screen that supports a screen resolution of 800×480 pixels, 128MB of DDR2 memory (upgradeable to 256MB), 1GB SSD (upgradeable to 4GB SSD), Wi-Fi wireless network connectivity and keyboard with touchpad.

The Alpha 680 will retail for $250 in the third quarter of 2009.

Source1, Source2, Source3

Digital Mini Microscope

2009-05-15T08:58:00.000-07:00

Extech has unveiled a Digital Mini Microscope($300), this mini Microscope weighs only 2.5oz (70g) and more compact than a typical wireless phone, which packed a 1.8" TFT Color LCD Screen and offers a 7x to 27x optical zoom lens with a 4x digital zoom for a total of 108x magnification. It also integrated four LEDs to light objects, and with 2MB Memory to save 60 320 x 240 pixel images.
- 1.8 TFT Color LCD Screen with 2MB Memory
- 7x to 108x magnification range:
Optical zoom: 7x to 27x
Digital zoom: 4x
- Three white LEDs with adjustable brightness for object illumination
- 5 Image Effect modes: Normal, Gray, Inverse, Emboss, and Dual Window View
- Dual Window View simultaneously displays the magnified image next to the original image - Real-time imaging on your PC screen via USB interface and included software
- Includes microscope stand for hands-free viewing
- Comes with Windows-compatible software and mini USB cable

Body Check Ball

2009-05-14T10:39:00.000-07:00

A weight scale can only tell you so much when it comes to your general level of well-being, but the Body Check Ball can fill in the rest of the details. You just hold the ball in your hands, and a pair of electrodes will read your body fat, bone density and muscle ratio, displaying the good or bad news on a backlit LCD screen. The ball supports up to 10 different user profiles, and I assume it will keep track of past measurements for comparison. It also doubles as an alarm clock, and you can pick one up from the Japan Trend Shop for $39.

Tool Logic

2009-05-14T07:44:00.000-07:00

The Tool Logic SL Pro 2($39) has a razor sharp 3" 50/50 serrated Blade, plus a frame lock for easy one-hand operation and also contains a waterproof LED flashlight, a emergency whistle and a magnesium alloy fire starter. Perfect for outdoor using!

Fluid Faucet

2009-05-14T07:36:00.000-07:00

The Fluid Faucet by Köhler Design, doubles as a drinking fountain, let you drink water more easily.

"Push the nose of FLUID down to wash your hands. Push it up to rinse your mouth or simply to drink some fresh water. The more you push up or down, the more water will flow out. In the level position the water will stop.
With the turning knob at the side, the temperature can be adjusted to ones preference. "
Source

Samsung Omnia HD i8910

2009-05-10T12:10:00.000-07:00

The Samsung Omnia HD is a touch phone and from the looks of it, it is being positioned to compete with the Apple iPhone (the looks and functions are a dead giveaway). The Omnia HD has a touch sensitive screen that measures 3.7in, the resolution is 360 x 640 (at 720p). The phone is equipped with an 8 megapixel camera that possesses both face detection and smile detection. There’s even an anti blink mode, which basically prevents taking photos of people when their eyes are closed.

The Samsung Omnia HD is HSDPA compliant and can run up to 7.2 MB/s. It also has HSUPa and that reach up to 5.6 MB/s. The Omnia HD will be made available in both 8 GB and 16 GB internal capacities, but expansion won’t be a problem because it also has a Micro SD memory card slot, which means users can upgrade the memory up to 32 GBs. It will also have both Bluetooth 2.0 connectivity as well as USB port.

There are still no price points given for the phone but expect to see it in the market this year.

USB Retro Webcam

2009-05-10T04:22:00.000-07:00

The USB Retro Webcam measure 65 x 65 x 80mm and weighs in at 69g, it connects to your PC via USB, and is bound to look great on your desk.

Here are the specifications.

Retro camera style design
Lens rotation for adjusting clear image
Video Conferencing
Workable on Skype, AIM, MSN, iChat, etc
Plug and play
Power by USB with 4 feet of cable
Driver free for Windows XP, Vista, Mac OS X 10.5
Dimension: 65 x 65 x 80mm (approx.)
Weight: 69g

The USB Retro Webcam is available for $29 from Brando .

Cute Puppy Shaped USB Powered Speakers

2009-05-10T04:18:00.000-07:00

No dog training classes or expensive vet bills to be had with these cute puppy shaped USB speakers.
These unique speakers will flank both sides of your laptop or workstation and sit adorably on your desk. The unmatched pair consist of two dog breeds, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy (left) and a Dalmatian puppy (right). According to the speaker designer, Japan Trust Technology, the speakers are known as “Wonderful speakers”.

The actual speaker is placed on the belly of the puppy with sound escaping from the base of the unit. With the way the speakers are standing, there should be sufficient space for decent audio quality but for someone buying a speaker set such as this, is sound quality the number one concern?

The speakers also come with a remote control, which in keeping with the puppy theme, you would think would be bone shaped, but rather it is guitar shaped.

Source1, Source2

Garmin Oregon 550 Touchscreen Handheld Navigator

2009-05-10T04:16:00.000-07:00

The Garmin's new Oregon 550($500) rugged outdoor touchscreen Navigator. It features include a 3.2 megapixel camera(autofocus, 4x digital zoom), barometric altimeter, 3-axis compass, 850 MB of internal memory. The waterproof Oregon 550 with a tough, 3-inch diagonal, sunlight-readable, color touchscreen display and its high-sensitivity GPS and HotFix prediction, Oregon 550 locates your position quickly and precisely and maintains its GPS location even in heavy cover and deep canyons. It also comes with a preloaded with a worldwide built-in basemap.

PermaFLOW Self Cleaning Drain System

2009-05-07T11:34:00.000-07:00

It might not have wifi, Bluetooth or even a built-in camera, but as someone who recently spent a most unpleasant afternoon trying to remove a bowl of chili that was dumped down the drain in my kitchen, the PermaFLOW is easily the coolest gadget I’ve seen all week. It’s a replacement sink trap that improves the standard design in almost every way. First, it’s see-through, which means if the sink isn’t draining like it should, you’ll be able to see why. Secondly, its unique design and shape increases the turbulence of the water while it’s draining, which minimizes buildup. And thirdly, it’s got an easy to use knob which turns an internal wiping mechanism that should easily clear up any clog. Brilliant.
The PermaFLOW is available from PF WaterWorks in different configurations for kitchen or bathroom sinks, and ranges in price from about $40 to $50.

Snowboard Simulator

2009-05-07T11:31:00.000-07:00

While Wii Fit is probably a more affordable way to simulate some skiing or snowboarding action in the off-season, I’m pretty sure it’s not the most effective way to train for a real competition. But the Olymp most definitely is. You’re not going to be squeezing one of these in your living room, since the platform is almost 23 feet wide, but it’s capable of simulating different slope characteristics and really gives you the feeling of carving your way down a mountain, whether on skis or a snowboard. In fact the pictures don’t really do the Olymp justice, so you’ll want to check out the video included below to see this thing in action. It definitely looks like a real workout. Source

Dareway - Segway Scooter For Kids

2009-05-07T00:10:00.001-07:00

Put away the go kart plans you’re looking at and pass on the kid’s bike, if you want the title of world’s greatest dad, you’re going to have to fork over some cash and purchase a Dareway.

What is this kid’s vehicle you might ask?

The Dareway is a knockoff Segway transporter but designed specifically for kids. From the look of the child’s face, it looks like he’s having a blast, but as a parent, would you buy something for your child that has the word “dare” in it? Isn’t that just tempting faith?

The Dareway is motor operated and comes with a 12v rechargeable battery. A foot accelerator controls forward and backward motion while thumb controls help with steering. Source

USB Voip Handset - Star Trek Communicator

2009-05-07T00:05:00.000-07:00

The cult classic Star Trek is known for many antiquated gadgets, one of them being the Star Trek communicator. I can’t remember how many times you’d see Captain Kirk down on an alien planet using the communicator to ask Scotty in the transporter room to “beam me up”. Star Trek fans can now pick up their own personal communicators to chat with other trekkies on the net. The retro handsets are USB Voip enabled and replicate the communicator from the Sci-Fi series right down to the flip lid and the original sound effects. Unfortunately, this isn’t a wireless handset, so you will be tethered to your PC by means of an extra long USB cable (6 feet in length). These communication devices ship in sets of 4 with each one retailing for $75.

Podio Mp3 Player

2009-05-06T09:55:00.000-07:00

Here is a cool accessory if you like cycling and want to play some of your favourite tunes whilst you are out on your bike, the Podio MP3 Player . The Podio MP3 Player can be clipped directly onto your bikes handlebars, and it has a built in speaker and 2GB of storage, plus a built in rechargeable battery that will give you up to 9 hours of music playback, though the speaker.

HydroGlass

2009-05-05T23:36:00.000-07:00

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, you have the HydroGlass. This is one showering system anyone would love to have in his or her spa room. The HydroGlass by HydroCo is a truly innovative way to engage the senses during wet room treatments. The glass tank beneath can be used as an aquarium or simply as a standard glass tank to house sand and rocks. It can be used to create an array of environs –a desert, a deep ocean, a green tropical rainforest or anything. All you need to do is imagine. The swing-away Vichy shower rainbar is fixed to the foot end of the table. Individual showerhead flow control enables a reduction in water consumption by as much as 80% compared with a traditional Vichy shower treatment. The organic design accommodates tile, wood or metallic trim. Built with a polished stainless steel under-support frame, the table features a white-frosted toughened glass top with a fabricated gray slate, decorated with black ceramic tile inlay on the top and side surfaces.

WiFi Detector Baseball Cap

2009-05-05T23:30:00.000-07:00

Just like the t-shirt the WiFi Detector Baseball Cap lights up when it detects a WiFi signal, and the bars shows the strength of the signal. If you want one of these fun WiFi Detector Baseball Cap’s they will be available shortly for £12.99

Sony OLED Walkman

2009-05-05T23:24:00.000-07:00

Considering that we're holding a Japanese unit in our hands, our impressions of Sony's OLED Walkman will be somewhat limited. That said, we figured it prudent to pass along our initial judgments until the US model shows up sometime between tomorrow and next century. After giving the flashy PMP a photo shoot yesterday, we spent the rest of the day (and night, we won't even front) toying with Sony's most hyped Walkman in quite some time. Eager to hear just how fantastic / horrible this critter is? Follow us past the break for our two pennies. Source

Parking Guider

2009-05-04T12:16:00.000-07:00

Finding last available spaces in car park is a tough work and so you need a guider. This parking guider is an electrical device which can display the parking information and guide the driver to an available space with a virtual arrow. This guider can offer such information as parking space number, car park entry time and parking fee as well. Source

Shadow Caddy

2009-05-04T05:52:00.000-07:00

Having watched Caddy Shack countless times, I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t want to hire one of the caddies at their local golf course, what with all their hilarious misadventures. But if you’re the type who takes their game seriously while not carrying your own clubs, you’ll be happy to know you can finally hire a wisecrack-free robot to do it. The Shadow Caddy can carry your clubs, balls and even beverages and automatically follows you around the course thanks to a wireless transmitter you wear clipped to your belt. And in order to avoid obstacles like other golfers, sand traps or water hazards, it uses a sophisticated object detection system. Apparently the Shadow Caddy will only be sold to golf courses instead of individuals, but they should start appearing on links around the world sometime this year.

Side Note: I love how that product shot makes it look like the Shadow Caddy is hiding in the tall grasses, waiting for the perfect opportunity to take down a golfer that’s been singled out from the herd.

Tonium Pacemaker V2 Portable DJ System

2009-05-03T10:15:00.000-07:00

The portable DJ system from Sweden is a popular device, so popular Tonium is coming out with a new version every year. The Pacemaker V2 is reasonably priced at $500. Measuring 164 × 69.6 × 22.8mm, it weighs a pocketable 200 grams with a built-in 60GB of memory (the old 120GB also available). It supports MP3, AAC, WMA, OGG, FLAC, WAV, SND. It boasts a new UI that is supposed to make amateur DJs happy. Seriously, tech blogs who have managed to get a hands-on are going about the new firmware, which simplifies the DJ work so much more than earlier first version. For example, DJs can easily more blend tracks on the new UI and there’s a helpful display that specifically tells you when you are put of pace with the beat.

Acer Aspire One 11.6 İnch Netbook

2009-05-03T02:15:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since we last reported about the 11.6-inch Acer Aspire One netbook , but now, we’ve got the lowdown on some of its further specs. This new Acer Aspire One netbook comes with an 11.6-inch 1366×768 resolution display, Bluetooth, up to 2G RAM, optional 3G, Win XP or Vista as its OS, and a new Intel Atom Z520 processor. We’re still not sure what its processor speed is, but it’ll most likely be in the 1.6GHz region. Its exact release is still yet to be known, but from what we hear, it might be released in certain parts of Europe later this month for a little over $500. With a relatively steep price, we can’t help but wonder; with a bigger display and near regular-laptop price, are you still be enticed to get the Acer Aspire One netbook or will settle for an entry-level laptop instead?

Laser Clock

2009-05-02T09:03:00.000-07:00

This is a real simple and cool clock. It uses a microcontroller to move to move a servo with a line laser connect to it. The result is a single line that can simply represent the time on the wall. Source

PARROT SK4000

2009-05-01T08:07:00.000-07:00

The Parrot SK4000 is a Bluetooth hands-free kit designed for bike helmets that and receive calls on your scooter or motorbike. Make call? You can also browse through your phonebook thanks to the speech-synthesised names (Text to Speech).

Once the contact is found in the phonebook, confirm to make the call. It features 10 hours' battery life in use and can be recharged via its mini USB port. It also includes a wireless remote control can be positioned on the handlebars that you can easily access answer, hang up, choose the source, and so on. Other features include an FM RDS tuner, a line-in socket and Bluetooth stereo connectivity. To listen to the FM radio, scan the frequencies using the remote control and the kit says the names of the radio stations.Connect your MP3 players via the jack cable and listen to your favourite playlists. The Parrot SK4000 is Bluetooth stereo compatible: your mobile phone can be turned into a wireless music player. Two Parrot-designed sound effects will leave you stunned: Virtual SuperBass and Stereo Widening. Cool!

Genius G-Shot HD520

2009-04-30T11:14:00.000-07:00

Over the last few years camcorders have changed drastically from devices that recorded to tapes of different types to machines that use internal flash or hard drives to store video. With the move to flash storage and HDDs the cameras were also able to shrink to more portable sizes.

Genius has announced its first camcorder called the G-Shot HD520. The little camcorder weight less than six ounces and records video in 720p resolution. Video is encoded and compressed using MPEG-4/H.264 formats. In addition to recording video the camera can also take still images at 11-megapixels.

Video is stored to 32MB of internal memory and expansion up to 8GB with SDHC cards is possible. The camera has 5x digital zoom and features face tracking and electronic image stabilization. The screen for the camera is a 2.5-inch LCD that can rotate 270-degrees. The little camera sells for $149.

Samsung SMX-C14 and SMX-C10

2009-04-30T11:07:00.000-07:00

I for one am glad that the majority of consumer video cameras available today have left tapes behind and moved to digital storage formats. That means instead of having boxes of cassette tapes sitting around the house gathering dust I can put all my home movies onto my computer or burn the easily to DVD.

Samsung has announced a pair of new ergonomic camcorders called the SMX-C14 and the SMX-C10. The two camcorders have the Touch of Color design that Samsung pioneered with its TVs. Both of the camcorders utilize Samsungs Active Angle Lens to make shooting video more comfortable.

Other features include a 2.7-inch LCD that tilts, H.264 video compression, and a 10x optical zoom lens. Both cameras also feature Samsung video and photo editing software built-in to let users edit video on a PC without needing software. The difference between the two cameras is that the C14 has 16GB of internal storage with expansion via SD/SDHC cards while the C10 only has SD/SDHC storage. The cameras will ship in July at undisclosed pricing.

Averatec N2700 netbook

2009-04-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

TriGem USA has just made available yet another player in the already crowded notebook market - the Averatec N2700. This new mobile computing device will not skimp when it comes to features, and TriGem USA has made an extremely attractive offer for it which we’ll look at in closer detail at the end of the post. For the moment, let’s take a look at what the Averatec N2700 has to offer, shall we? For starters, this model will feature an Intel dual-core processor running at 2GHz, a 250GB hard drive and an 8x super multi DVD optical drive, all running on Microsoft Vista Home Premium.

According to Henry Hewitt, vice president of sales at TriGem USA, “The N2700 notebook is an ideal solution for consumers looking for the sweet spot in terms of price, portability and performance. It’s larger and more powerful than a typical netbook computer and offers great portability over notebooks sporting 13-inch screens and larger.” We certainly cannot deny that, since it is much beefier compared to a standard netbook, and yet it won’t break the bank with the relatively affordable $699 price point, where we’ve seen some higher end netbooks in the past retailing for approximately that price and yet lack the processing muscle to boot up Internet Explorer 8 in a fast and seamless manner. There is one drawback that the Averatec N2700 (and any other standard notebook for that matter) is unable to compete in – the size of the netbook will always win out, at least for the moment.

Other features of the N2700 includes a whopping 4GB RAM, integrated 802.11b/g wireless connectivity along with 10/100/1000 Mb/s wired networking. You will also benefit from a trio of USB 2.0 ports, while a FireWire port is there for folks to transfer their large multimedia files from devices such as camcorders over at a much faster rate compared to USB 2.0. Don’t expect this to be a head turner though, but we do think it offers a whole lot of bang for your buck.

Samsung i7500

2009-04-28T08:49:00.000-07:00

Today Samsung's first Android system Phone is official. The Samsung i7500 is the first Sumsung phone run on the Google phone platform, featuring a 3.2" AMOLED full touch screen, 7.2Mbps HSDPA, WiFi, 5 MP Camera(Auto Focus with LED flash), 1500mAh battery and with 8GB of internal memory. And it is slim and compact design, only 11.9 mm thick. The Samsung I7500 will be available in Europe from June, 2009. There is no price info.
Specs:
Android 1.5 (Cupcake)
Quad band GSM/GPRS/EDGE connectivity
Tri-band UMTS/HSPA connectivity (900 / 1700 / 2100 MHz) - this allows the handset to run on T-Mobile USA's network
3.2 inch capacitive AMOLED display with HVGA (480 x 320) resolution
GPS
Wi-Fi
Bluetooth
5MP camera with LED flash
3.5mm headset jack
528 MHz Qualcomm MSM7200A CPU
8GB of internal memory
MicroSD card support

Mashimaro Weird Rabbit MP3 Player

2009-04-27T05:45:00.001-07:00

This is Mashimaro. It’s supposed to be a rabbit, but it’s called Mashimaro because it looks like a marshmallow or something. It is, I guess, Korea’s defense against Hello Kitty, in that it supposedly has some kind of anime series behind it (that “puts a humorous light to toilet habits”) but it’s most often seen on products of dubious quality and usefulness. And here you go, it’s a Mashimaro MP3 player.

Measuring 54 x 38 x 38mm (about matchbox sized, just fatter), the 19 gram MP3 player comes with 2 gigs of storage. It has light-up ears that also serve as a five way controller. There’s a butt-jack for headphones as well a USB connector in there somewhere that charges an internal battery for up to 9 hours of playback. the Mashimaro MP3 player costs about $45, comes in white, sky blue, or soft pink, and you may or may not be able to get it at the partially translated website below.

Sony DR-BT100CX

2009-04-27T05:36:00.000-07:00

The last moment announcement that the iPhone 3.0 firmware update will finally add A2DP bluetooth support means I can start looking at wireless BT headphones again. At the moment there’s a few contenders on the market, but as of today there’s now one more thanks to Sony announcing their new DR-BT100CX in-ear headphones. While the wires aren’t completely gone, you at least won’t be tethered to your cellphone while listening to music, and the small dongle hanging off the earbuds lets you control playback, volume and even answer calls. It’s also recharged via USB instead of some proprietary cable, and you can expect to get about 8 hours of use between charges.

Industrial Strength Dog Bath

2009-04-26T08:50:00.000-07:00

Control device manufacturer IDEC has developed a high-tech dog bath system called Wan Love Yu (”Dog Love Bath”), which eliminates the need for shampoo by relying on technology typically found in industrial water treatment systems. Wan Love Yu features a special shower head that discharges water containing approximately 600,000 tiny air bubbles per cubic centimeter. At 20 microns in diameter (5 times smaller than the width of a human hair), the air bubbles are small enough to penetrate the dog’s skin and hair follicles to effectively remove dirt and odor. The high-tech jacuzzi system, which consists of a special shower head and suction hose attached to a 27.5 x 27.5 x 43 centimeter main unit, is designed for use with ordinary bathtubs. The system will go on sale June 20 at a price of between 600,000 and 700,000 yen (around $6,000 to $7,000).

Dell Studio 15 Multimedia Laptop Launches

2009-04-26T04:55:00.000-07:00

With the sales of laptops down significantly you might think that computer makers like Dell would holding off on introducing new notebooks. Dell is still coming up with new gear for those with the money to buy and the latest new notebook is the Studio 15.

As the name implies the Studio 15 has a 15.6-inch LCD supporting 720p and full 1080p resolution. The machine can be optioned with an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570 discrete graphics card with 256MB of 512MB of RAM.

The machine comes in black chain link, red, blue, purple, green, and pink colors. Wi-Fi is built-in and Bluetooth and mobile Internet are optional. Connectivity features include eSATA and HDMI out. Blu-ray is optional as is a 5.1 surround sound speaker system with a 3-watt subwoofer. The keyboard also has a backlit option. Pricing for the Studio 15 starts at $649.

The NES Purse

2009-04-25T11:50:00.000-07:00

Ladies, if you’re looking to mix your passion for gadgets with high fashion accessories, check out this cool mod known as the NES purse.

Designed by Jeri Ellsworth, this unique purse incorporates a fully functional NES console into it’s design. The purse side houses the LCD screen while velcro fasteners affix two NES controllers so that you never have to play alone.

This is an easy DIY project if you elect to undertake it yourself. All that’s required is a system-on-a chip kit, the screen from a portable DVD player and the C64 emulator.

Samsung Unveils N110 and N120 Netbooks

2009-04-25T09:08:00.001-07:00

I am a big fan of netbooks and often use an MSI Wind U100 when I am on the go. The only thing I have really wished for that the Wind lacks is a larger keyboard, without giving up the small and compact form factor that makes the netbook so appealing.

Samsung has introduced a pair of new netbooks called the N110 and the N120 that are virtually identical. Both sport the Intel Atom N270, 1GB of RAM, 160GB HDD, and 10.1-inch LED backlit LCD. Both also run Windows XP Home and have webcams, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth built in. The N110 measures 10.27-inches W x 1.19-inches H x 7.3-inches D and has a 6-cell 5900mAh battery good for nine hours.

The N120 measures 10.71-inches W x 1.71-inches H x 7.4-inches D and has a 6-cell 5200mAh battery. The big difference between the two machines is that the N110 has a standard netbook keyboard 93% of normal size and the N120 has 97% full-size keyboard. I wonder why they didn’t just use the larger 6-cell battery from the N110 on the N120. The N110 sells for $469, the N120 sells for $459, and both are available now.

Wibrain MID M1

2009-04-24T10:43:00.000-07:00

It’s been a while since we last heard from Wibrain, but the company has announced development of the sliding MID M1 which will be released in the Korean marketplace.

The M1 will offer a 4.8-inch touchscreen with 1024×600 screen resolution, sliding keyboard with touchpad, WiFi/HSDPA/Bluetooth connectivity and mobile TV. Buyers will have their choice of either Linux or Windows OS as the installed operating system. Other selections to be made include RAM (512MB/1GB) and SSD (8GB/16GB).

There is no official word in terms of pricing and release date at this time.

YI Zipper Earphones

2009-04-24T10:26:00.001-07:00

I know they’re just a concept design, which I usually try to avoid like the plague, but I’m really hoping that someone makes these a reality. Instead of mashing your earbuds into a ball of tangled cable when you’re done using them, the YI Zipper earphones (designed by Ji Woong) feature a… wait for it… zipper design that you can… yep you guessed it… zip up, keeping them considerably tidier when crammed in your pocket. And as an added bonus, the zipper pull also features volume and hold controls, though I’m not going to hold my breath for that to happen.

Wi-Fi Detecing Ball Point Pen

2009-04-23T12:05:00.001-07:00

Nothing I like more than devices that can detect Wi-Fi networks. After all, when I am on the road with my laptop, there is nothing worse than being without a WiFi hotspot. Of course, I would prefer the idea of detecting an access point before I boot up my laptop rather than finding out afterwards.

I have seen all kinds of Wi-Fi detecting devices before. In all honesty, I’m not certain I want to add another mobile device to my collection of mobile devices. Yes, this is a device that you would carry around, as it works as an ordinary pen.

All you need to do is push a tiny button on the top of the thing, and 4 LEDs light up, which indicates the signal strength (1 for weakest and 4 for strongest) of the nearest Wi-Fi hotspot. It also requires 2 cell batteries, which are actually included.

There is a limitation to this, as it only detects B/G networks. It also does not detect whether or not the network is up and running, nor if a code-key is required. So don’t get too excited about finding that access point on the Wi-Fi detecting pen until you can get it to actually work.

If you definitely want this thing, then you should be able to get it at the USBFever site for about $13.99.

Zombies Resident Evil 5 Usb Drive

2009-04-23T11:41:00.000-07:00

Only the teeniest of zombies will fear this little USB chainsaw that normally comes packed in limited edition copies of Resident Evil 5. $23.99 is pricey for 2GB storage, but...bloody chainsaw.

Barack Obama Flash Drive

2009-04-23T11:14:00.000-07:00

Barack Obama is the most tech savvy of presidents in the history of US politics.

Many find him charming with his million dollar smile and his speeches for hope and change. His popularity rivals that of famous Hollywood stars.

It seems many can’t get enough of him and for that reason, the Barack Obama flash drive is now available. The outer shell of this 2GB flash drives include a 3D hologram of the 44th American President while in MP3 format are his Inaugural Address and “Race Speech”.

You can buy this USB drive through Amazon for $9 USD. (Source)

Rugged and Industrial Computer Systems

2009-04-23T08:40:00.001-07:00

Was the Zypad WR110 not quite feminine enough for your cyclopean curves and purple hair? Here’s a wrist computer that could enhance both your productivity and your mojo. The Ridgeline W200 from Glacier Computer is a wrist wearable computer does the trick, with sleek arm-hugging curves and a magnesium alloy case that’s a comfortable 10 ounces.

Now, I have to say, this thing looks an awful lot like the the . Like, an awful lot. But at least it’s got mostly up to date specs, with a 3.5″ color touchscreen, WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth, and various wired interfaces, running either Linux or Windows CE. As you might expect from its sporty and rugged form factor, the W200 is designed for people who want to get lost in the middle of nowhere without actually getting lost in the middle of nowhere. The batteries are hot swappable so that you’ll never lose your position, and the computer uses tilt sensors to tell if you’re actually looking at it, and if not, it powers down to idle.

I could see myself using one of these, for sure. Not because it’s in any way practical or anything… No, just so that people can see me using it and say, “wow, that guy has a wrist computer, he must be awesome.”

Price not yet set. 1

Braille E-Book

2009-04-23T06:06:00.000-07:00

The Braille E-Book is a concept, which designed to translate the book into braille. Its surface use the EAP tech that can dynamically change the surface pattern by an electromagnetic signal - simulating braille text. Designed by Seon-Keun Park, Byung-Min Woo, Sun-Hye Woo & Jin-Sun Park.