High Tech Devices and Conceptual Technology

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RoboScooter: Tiny Folding Electrical Scooter
2008-02-07 11:56:00
The RoboScooter is a prototype electric scooter from MIT and Taiwanese scooter manufacturer SYM. The tiny, fold up moto is simple (150 parts compared to 1,000+ for a gas scooter) but there are grand plans for its future. MIT professor William J. Mitchell plans a bike sharing network: The RoboScooter could be rented for one way trips between drop-off points, where it would be collapsed, stacked and charged. The tiny design is inspired by origami, and made possible by putting the motors inside the wheels, which eliminates a bulky drive train. The whole thing transforms to the size of a suitcase. Joel Johnson over at BoingBoing Gadgets wants one: he figures that his closet is a much safer place for storage than the mean streets of New York. It would also be perfect to keep in the trunk of the car: Traffic jams? Just park the car and unfold the Roboscooter.
More About: Folding , Tiny , Electrical

Belinea s.book 1 Is Yet Another Nanobook
2008-02-07 11:13:00
VIA's Nanobook platform just grew another head, in Germany, this time: the Belinea s.book 1 Mini-Note, from Maxdata. In its favor is the fact that it's one of the first Nanobooks to actually include the removable screen-dock (instead of gluing something crappy into it, like a webcam), which will have a Skype handset in it by default. Working against it, however, is the fact that whoever is marketing this thing thinks that calling it the "Belinea s.book 1 Mini-Note" makes any sense at all. Expect performance to be identical to all the other Nanobooks, with EU-standard ($700) rather than US-standard ($400) pricing.
More About: Book , Book 1

Vulcan Flipstart Slashed To $700
2008-02-07 11:11:00
While it might well annoy recent buyers, perhaps the point is that there weren't too many of them: newer models at the top end give the $1300 flip an unappetizing price-to-punch ratio. Until a refreshed model appears, why not clear out the inventory by offering something more substantial than an Asus Eee with a similar pricetag? Maybe the WiBrain, a very similar mid-range device at a comfortably sub-$1,000 price, is the real competition here. In the nichey world of handheld PCs, it's hard to know. I do know this, however: for $700, the WWAN- and WiFi-equipped portable is a great deal at that price.
More About: Vulcan

Review: THX Razer Mako Advanced Desktop Speakers Bring The Sonic Ruckus
2008-02-07 11:06:00
We want a set of desktop speakers to do two things: look hotter than an Icelandic supermodel and rupture eardrums like a low altitude sonic boom. Trouble is, most 2.1 systems score big in the aesthetics department but cough up a fumble when it comes to serious sound. That was until we got a hold of a set of THX Razer Mako speakers. This 2.1 desktop system is one of the finest we've ever laid eyes or ears on. First off, the giant mushroom black matte speakers are gorgeous — they’re striking enough to amp up even the most grayscale office drone cubicle. Plus this unusual design serves an actual purpose. The rounded 100-watt satellites produce what’s called omni directional sound. Unlike traditional speakers that spew audio in one narrow direction, the Mako’s shoot sound waves downwards and outwards in 360 degrees. Result? Audio from your movies, music, and games can be heard from virtually any direction. Especially clear and resonant are high and mid ranges. But it's at low ...
More About: Desktop , Sonic , Review , Speakers

Beam Music to Any iPod Dock With Intempo's Bluetooth Box
2008-02-07 11:05:00
Almost everything comes with an iPod dock these days (except the iPod, ironically). Intempo knows this, and has built its new BTA-01 Bluetooth adapter into a handy dock-sized package. Pop the adapter into any iPod friendly speaker setup and you can stream music wirelessly from a mobile phone. Ingenious. Of course, the aluminum BTA-01 looks best with Intempo's own matching speakers, but this should work anywhere, even the car.
More About: Music , Ipod , Dock , Beam

Lego iPod Speaker
2008-02-07 11:03:00
Lego block containing an MP3 player, at least the Lego iPod speaker is real. This unofficial Lego-like brick (actually called the Retro Block iPod Speaker ) slots into the dock port and runs off the iPod's power, meaning it's likely to be very quiet and very tinny. The two speakers are hidden behind those cross-shaped holes, and two of those lugs contain the volume controls.At $25, it's a little pricey for what is essentially a novelty toy, but heck, it's Lego, right?
More About: Ipod , Lego

10 Things To Know About Zonbox, The Tiny Cheap Low-End PC
2008-02-07 10:55:00
After six months renting, house-hunting and finally moving into a new home, emptying the final box was a liberation. Sealed within, moreover, was something sent in last year but forgotten amid the home-moving craziness: The fanless, Wii-sized Zonbox. Joy! With it up and running again, I'm reminded what a great little supplemental computer it is. • It has 512MB of RAM, integrated video, 6 USB ports and 4GB of Flash storage. And it's very small. • It's so quiet as to be a little unnerving: I'm used to hitting the on switch on a computer and hearing something to indicate that it's waking up. • Forget the official selling point (a super cheap computer allied to an online storage subscription, with minimal local storage) and think of it as a computer for every room and every (light-weight) purpose—if you're prepared to do extra work. File storage, retrogaming, serving web? It'll handle all those. • They'll sell you one without the storage sub ...
More About: Tiny , Things , Cheap

Ikea Mobile Syncs Bar Codes, Weekly Deals to Your Phone
2008-02-07 09:18:00
"Shopping" at Ikea is more of an enjoyable afternoon outing than an quick in-and-out errand, so anything that helps make the experience even more pleasant gets a thumbs-up from us. This Ikea Mobile kiosk was found in Seattle by Unpluggd, and allows you to scan bar codes for products to get sent via SMS to your phone. By doing so you also opt-in to get access to coupons and specials for the week, as well as "regular updates via text message for deals and discounts." Cool while you're in the store, but somewhat annoying if you're getting pinged by Ikea about Poang chairs every week.Source: Gizmodo.com
More About: Phone , Weekly , Codes

Leaked Sony Ericsson "Alona" and "Bei Bei" Spew Sexy
2008-02-07 09:11:00
Just ahead of the big Euro phone show, Mobile World Congress—which our fearless leader is en route to—we've got what looks like leaked snaps of a pair of new Sony Ericsson s. The smoky number, Alona, stands out from standard SE design, with an LGish outer coat but very Japanese interior. It's hard to discern thickness, but if it's blocky as hell, then it would definitely be in the Japanese design camp. A peek under its skirt and at the "Bei Bei" candybar this way. Update: No pics of these, but German site SE World pegs two more chick-codenamed touchscreen phones, Tyra and Josephine.Bei Bei's a little more standard SE fare, but we don't know the spec sheet yet (on either phone) so while it looks like a low- or mid-range model, it could in fact turn out to be a bit more impressive, maaaaaybe.Tyra (G900i) reportedly has a 2.6-inch touchscreen, a 5MP camera and Wi-Fi, while the lesser model, Josephine (G700i) drops the Wi-Fi and only packs a 3.2MP shooter. Sounds like we'll see...
More About: Sexy , Leaked

VidaBox vPad Touchscreen Tablet Integrates Control of Multiple Web-Accessib
2008-01-18 12:05:00
VidaBox LLC introduces the new vPad™ ultra-mobile tablet, designed to allow easy integration of multiple web-controllable devices.“A common problem for AV integrators is providing a single point of control for their clients to access AV content, multizone audio, home automation, and other hardware and software systems in the home,” says Steven Cheung, a co-founder of VidaBox. “Most manufacturers provide a web interface for their devices as a universal method to access and control these devices. However, it becomes a challenge to integrate all of these different interfaces into an easy, presentable format – and that’s where the vPad™ comes in.”The vPad™ features a full color, 10.4” SVGA TFT touchscreen with built-in 802.11b/g wireless support, along with an attractive recharging cradle. Four programmable buttons on the top right corner of the vPad™ provide quick and convenient access to any web-controllable device.“The strength of the vPad™ really shines whe...
More About: Control , Tablet , Touchscreen

Apple Introduces MacBook Air—The World’s Thinnest Notebook
2008-01-18 11:06:00
Apple® today unveiled MacBook® Air, the world’s thinnest notebook. MacBook Air measures an unprecedented 0.16-inches at its thinnest point, while its maximum height of 0.76-inches is less than the thinnest point on competing notebooks. MacBook Air has a stunning 13.3-inch LED-backlit widescreen display, a full-size and backlit keyboard, a built-in iSight® video camera for video conferencing, and a spacious trackpad with multi-touch gesture support so users can pinch, rotate and swipe. MacBook Air is powered by a 1.6 GHz or 1.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 4MB L2 cache, and includes as standard features 2GB of memory, an 80GB 1.8-inch hard drive, and the latest 802.11n Wi-Fi technology and Bluetooth 2.1. “We’ve built the world’s thinnest notebook—without sacrificing a full-size keyboard or a full-size 13-inch display,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “When you first see MacBook Air, it’s hard to believe it’s a high-performance notebook with a full-size ke...
More About: Apple , Notebook , Macbook

Tooble Lets You Easily Grab YouTube Videos For Use on Your iPod, iPhone or
2008-01-18 11:00:00
I love my iPhone. I actually use almost all of its various applications. In fact, as I type this, I'm listening to music and loving it. I even use the YouTube application, something I never thought I'd do. However, I'm not always near a WiFi connection and YouTube over EDGE leaves a lot to be desired. I'd love to have some of my YouTube favorites saved on the iPhone itself. Well, thanks to the folks at Download Squad, I can now get my favorite YouTube videos onto my iPhone by using Tooble . First, I need to apologize to the Windows users out there, because Tooble is for Mac only. For those of us who have already gone through Jobs-indoctrination camp, Tooble has greatly simplified the process of getting YouTube videos into iTunes. To be honest, other applications have made downloading YouTube videos possible before Tooble, but the developers of Tooble have gone one step further by communicating directly with YouTube. All you have to do is browse to your favorite videos through T...
More About: Videos , Youtube , Iphone , Ipod , Grab

Clocky - Run Away Alarm Clock
2008-01-16 07:36:00
Getting out of bed in the morning is no easy task, and the 'snooze' button was obviously invented by some sadist with no interest in you actually getting to work in time. In contrast, the Clock y Runaway Alarm Clock is absolutely committed to making sure you don't miss your train, bus or plane. The moment Clocky starts to beep he launches into action by running away from your fumbling hand. He will roll off your bedside table and trundle about in random directions, ensuring that you have to track him down to turn him off - et voila, you're already up! You can set Clocky to give you one snooze and then run away at the next alarm, or to run off immediately (by setting the snooze to 0) if you know that for you, one snooze is one too many. The alarm clock that really does go off in the morning, literally - pure genius.
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EzVision Video eyewear
2008-01-16 07:24:00
These are all very Blade Runner meets Minority Report. Basically these space age shades are your very own take anywhere 50 inch movie screen. Weighing in at just 68g, ezVision Video specs plug into your iPod Video or any portable video/movie/DVD player and screens your movies in such a way that it seems as though you're looking at a huge screen. They allow you to zone out from the world around you and get right into the movie, slide show, or whatever. There are retractable headphones that are built into the arms of the specs, so you can truly plug-in and zone-out. Watch movies in bed without disturbing your better half, chill out on the train in front of a top film, or plug in in-flight and free yourself from those horrible little seat-back screens. They have an 8 hour re-chargeable battery, an integral volume control, and come with adaptors to connect to iPods (and we tried it successfully with the new Zune player too) and DVD players. When you can't get to the cinema, bring the ...
More About: Eyewear

USB rechargable batteries
2008-01-16 07:20:00
How many times have you been on the road and had your mp3 player’s batteries go dead. Or the batteries in your digital camera give up the ghost…Well, if you travel with devices that use AA batteries and a laptop, you might be in luck. Introducing the USBcell. It’s a AA battery with a flip top that reveals a USB connection. Simply plug it into a USB port on your laptop when it goes dead and your recharging the batery. No other parts or anything necessary. They also have plans to have AAA, 9V, C, D, and various cell phone batteries available sometime in the future. Seems like a pretty cool idea. They are NiMh batteries. They’re 1300 mAh, so they aren’t as powerful as some batteries that are available. Most namely, batteries aimed specifically at electronic devices. I know my camera eats batteries for breakfast, but it should still get about 300-400 shots out of a fully charged set of these. The real hurdle for these right now is their price. A set of two will ...
More About: Batteries

USB Memory Watch
2008-01-14 14:33:00
Perfect for transporting your files You may recall from Episode IV that R2 was carrying some important files destined for delivery to Obi-Wan. These files were, of course, a distress message from Princess Leia and plans for the Empire's newly operational battle station. These plans played a critical part in the successful destruction of the Death Star. If you want to be a hero, just like R2, then we suggest you carry your files on this USB Memory Watch . In addition to displaying the time, this watch helps you carry your valuable data with you at all times (you know - your MP3 files, favorite images, your ThinkGeek shopping list). With 2GB of capacity it has more than ample storage. The USB Memory Watch has a built-in USB connector and can transfer files to and from most computer operating systems. The USB connector is cleverly stored in the watch band and flips up for easy connecting. There is also a LED light that indicates the device status. The watch is surprisingly sleek and...

High Tech Microaccelerometer
2008-01-13 10:15:00
This tiny chip is a tilt sensor. It is used in fork lifts so they can warn the operator if they are on too steep of an incline.Create a cell phone with this chip inside so you can scroll through your phone book by tilting the phone up and down.
More About: High Tech , Tech , High , High-Tech

High Tech Bolt
2008-01-13 10:10:00
This bolt has a simple indicator inside the head that changes color when it is tightened. It is used in industrial equipment so you can see if a bolt is coming loose. Create luggage using this indicator as a weight sensor so you know if your luggage is too heavy for the airline's baggage check. Source http://inventables.com/
More About: High Tech , Tech , High , Bolt , High-Tech

Brain-to-computer interface - Mental Typewriter
2008-01-11 10:08:00
“Mental Typewriter,” a brain to computer interface which translates thoughts into cursor movements on a computer screen. The user has 128 electrodes placed on their scalp, and the EEG-like signals are decoded by a software program to identify specific information, like the choosing of letters in order to compose words and sentences. The neural analysis is time-consuming (a typical sentence would take 5 to 10 minutes to write) and the electrodes themselves take an hour to apply, but eventually researchers hope to make it possible for people with severe disabilities such as extensive paralysis, to communicate through computers. Source http://www.gadgets.am
More About: Computer , Interface , Brain

Hand gestures make it easy
2008-01-09 08:10:00
Looks like the Nintendo Wii has certainly sparked a revolution in more than just gaming. While most people have dismissed it as a mere gimmick, the Wii has stayed at the top of sales charts every week in Japan when it comes to home consoles, and consistently posing a fair challenge to the Xbox 360 in America. Part of the appeal would definitely be the “gimmicky” Wiimote that is often talked about, enabling casual or new gamers to pick up gaming and be of some good without having any prior experience. Australian scientists have taken this idea and came up a device which enables TV viewers to change channels, turn on the DVD player, or even turn off the TV with a simple hand gesture.There is an integrated camera in the controller which recognizes up to seven simple hand gestures, and is smart enough to be compatible with eight different controllers around the home. This wave controller will most probably make an appearance in the market by 2010 as the development team attempts to ...
More About: Make , Hand , Easy

Eyes-on With lumus Minority Report Projection Glasses
2008-01-09 07:42:00
The Pitch: Glasses that project a transparent virtual interface directly into your eyes, essentially bringing to life all heads-up user interface designs from every Sci-Fi show ever.The Catch: It's not a real product yet (just a reference design), and it needs some kind of other gadget (phone, PDA, computer) to plug into to drive the display. Cool, but too far in the future
More About: Eyes , Report , Minority Report , Projection