Gadgets Blog

Let’s have a show of hands here - how many people do you know out there have rugged PCs that are tough and take a no-nonsense approach? Well, I personally don’t know anyone with that since they don’t work in fields and industries that require such a device, but for folks who are constantly bustling in harsh environments, might we suggest taking a look at the Motion Computing J3400 rugged PC? This lightweight and ergonomic piece of computing is pretty tough and is able to adapt to virtually any environment (unless you’re working down the belly of a volcano or something, of course). Perfect for mobile workers that compute while walking or standing, the J3400 comes with a dual battery design and an industry-leading, bright outdoor display.

Motion’s J3400 offers all of the durability and functionality of a rugged PC, without the extra weight and price associated with traditional fully rugged devices. The tablet PC features a hot-swappable dual battery feature for all day computing performance. Additionally, with its balanced design, integrated shoulder strap attach points, rounded corners and slip-free grip surface, it is easily carried throughout the day. Motion’s unique design and internal frame that protects internal components without adding weight or thickness allows for the J3400’s rugged design and light weight. The tablet PC is IP-52 rated and meets MIL-STD-810F specifications â€" able to withstand a three-foot drop on plywood over concrete as well as the occasional bumps, dust and moisture associated with mobile working environments.

Features include a 1.8″ shock protected hard drive, a shock-mounted display, an accelerometer that protects data during drops, an optional 64GB SSD storage solution, a 2 megapixel web camera, a Smart Card reader and biometric fingerprint reader for added security, GPS navigation and tracking, as well as a series of connectivity options. You won’t find the J3400 short on power with its Intel Core 2 Duo processor, that’s for sure.

Press Release

LG’s Arena (also known as the LG-KM900) is finally out in Europe, where the flagship model offers both exhilarating audio and video experiences with top-of-the-line multimedia features that are made all the more enjoyable thanks to LG’s intuitive new 3D S-Class User Interface. According to Dr. Skott Ahn, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company, “When ARENA was firstly unveiled at the Mobile World Congress 2009, we saw great excitement from our customers in its stand-alone multimedia features. “Visitors particularly appreciated features such as the world’s first Dolby Mobile, WVGA display, 5 megapixel camera, 40GB storage capacity and most of all the intuitive 3D S-Class user interface, which makes accessing these other features a much more enjoyable experience.”

It will be interesting to see how the LG Arena holds up against other devices in the market, especially the iPhone 3G which is well noted for its superb multimedia capabilities. Well, we guess it might take a while before people get over the notion that the iPhone is the best there is out there simply because of great marketing being backed up by above average hardware and a fantastic user experience. The LG Arena is no slouch when it comes to multimedia capability though, featuring the world’s first Dolby Mobile technology for a globally released handset that will deliver an exhilarating surround sound experience for video content while enhancing the sound of music content. In addition, the 3″ WVGA display has four times sharper resolution compared to standard QVGA screens, giving users the most vivid DVD-quality DivX or Xvid movie experience on-the-go.

The much talked about S-Class UI was designed from ground up to leverage the advantages of touchscreens, doing away with unnecessary menus and steps. The 3D cube layout offers a quartet of customizable home screens, providing users with much faster and easier access to all features simply by flipping the cube with the flick of a finger. As for the Elastic Lists feature, this allows a list of items to be stretched like a rubber band when touched, so you won’t need to switch over to a new screen to view other choices. You can pick up the LG Arena in silver and black titanium colors from this month onwards from selected retailers in Europe.

Press Release

Anyone who lives on a hill knows how much a hassle it is to mow a hillside. Many farmers have just given up the task in favor of a heard of billy goats and cattle who do the job quite nicely. And I don’t’ even want to show you the slopes in my back yard. But the bottom line is that hillsides need to be mowed down just like any other landscape. Even more so as brush fires usually get out of control on hillsides. So, what all us hill folk need is a lawn mower that’s half tank, half RC car. And thankfully, that day has come with a vengeance. Enter the Evatech GOAT Robot 22T.

The Goat can be controlled by radio from up to a half mile away and can mow up a 70 degree slope like it’s flat land thanks to its tank like treads which grab ahold and provide secure footing all the way up. And it can move up that steep hillside at speeds reaching 8 MPH, which means I could sit in my backyard with an umbrella and some sweet tea and get the hillside mowed down in less time than it takes to mow the rest of the yard. Better yet, hand the boy the RC control and tell him to pretend he’s Patton’s 3rd Army moving towards Bastogne! And with the optional snowplow attachment, the Goat can also become an awesome snowplow in winter.

Sadly, at $12,000 I won’t be buying one anytime soon. But if it catches on with early (and wealthy) adopters, it could trickle down to us normal folk in the years ahead.

What a cool idea.

Hat Tip â€" The Giz

It would appear that the giant aircraft maker company Lockheed Martin has developed an actual working exoskeleton. That’s right, one of those wearable strength-booster things plucked right out of science-fiction is now working reality!

Lockheed Martin calls this exoskeleton the HULC. Clearly, it takes its name as homage to the superhero Hulk, but, practically speaking, it reminds me of Iron Man, without the full-body metal suit.

The HULC is a “hydraulic-powered anthropomorphic exoskeleton that provides users with the ability to carry loads up to 200 lbs for extended periods of time and over all terrains”. Note the soldier carrying the bomb. I am assuming that the HULC is taking the weight, and preventing back strain.

As for the power of the HULC, it is completely battery-powered. I have heard that the exoskeleton is quite flexible, and its design is “power-saving”, to save on energy for secret missions.

So is this the age of the super-soldier? Remember in Iron Man how one of the bad guys said that you could conquer Asia with twelve Iron Man suits? Just imagine what an army of HULCs could do.

I don’t really have much information on this, but I’m guessing Lockheed Martin will only market this to the military. Too bad. I could think of a lot of private uses for this.

Source

Did you ever get those pains in your legs from when you sit too long? For example, say you are on a transatlantic flight, and you’re on the window seat, blocked by two passengers who really hate it when you step over them.

If so, you might want to get the Traveler’s Leg Massager. All you need to do is strap it to your calf or foot, and it will stimulate the leg-bone by expansion and contraction of the leg muscles. It is the same method that hospitals use with compression boots to stop sedentary conditions that will eventually lead to deep vein thrombosis.

In addition to the “throbbing” feature of this device, it has three massage modes that might help alleviate the pressure that comes from an unhealthy habit of sitting around too long, for any reason.

You don’t have to be sitting by a power outlet when you are wearing this device, as it runs on two AA batteries that are good for five hours worth of power.

If you have a life where you sit down way too much, then you might want to invest the Traveler’s Leg Massager for about $149.95 on the ever-so popular Skymall site.

Just one final thought: this Traveler’s Leg Massager looks a lot like one of those ankle bracelets that they put on people who are under house arrest. So when you are flying, and you put on the Leg Massager, the passenger next to you might ask: “Are you sure you should be traveling in your…condition?” Better be prepared with a good response for that one.

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