Gadgets Blog

Most of us would have heard of Vuzix Corporation by now as they’re a company that has numerous video eyewear devices in their stable to date. What’s the next logical step, you ask? Why, the company is currently parading a game-changing Augmented Reality Accessory Kit that was specially built for the popular VR920 Virtual Reality Video Eyewear. This unique device was the result of a partnership with metaio, Inc., a world leader in augmented reality software solutions, and you can drop by Vuzix’s booth at the 2009 GDC to see a demonstration on how a simple printed page can be brought to life using 3-D animated characters which seem to pop out of the book for a much more lifelike reading experience. Kinda makes us wonder just how are kids suppose to exercise their imagination these days if computers and technology is going to do it for them. What about the psychological effects for those who have a lower mental fortitude when they read a book filled with ghosts and ghouls?

There are two main devices that make up the Vuzix AR Accessory Kit, and they are :-

CamAR, a clip-on USB camera that mounts onto a pair of Vuzix Video Eyewear. The CamAR not only allows the user to see through to the real world but is also designed to accurately track objects and the user’s position in 3-dimensional space.

PhasAR, a wireless augmented reality input controller is designed to be used in unison with the CamAR. The PhasAR allows users to interact with virtual, mixed and augmented reality worlds with a revolutionary 6 degree of freedom tracking system that lets the computer know exactly where the user is touching in the virtual and real worlds. Depending on the application, the PhasAR can become anything from a powerful virtual magic wand to a 3-D virtual paint brush. The PhasAR enables powerful 2-D like mouse support in order to effortlessly control virtual objects in 3-D space.

No idea on pricing or availability as at press time though.

Source: Slashgear

HP is right now enjoying its position as top dog of the computer industry, and the company has unveiled yet another desktop-based machine that will help cement its position even further - the Pavilion Elite m9600 series PC. Each purchase will be accompanied by a widescreen monitor, where the Pavilion Elite m9600 will deliver the speed, reliability and performance required for demanding multitasking in addition to handling graphic-intensive files and movies with aplomb.

Depending on your needs and budget, the Pavilion Elite m9600 can be configured with prices starting from $949 upwards, featuring an Intel Core i7 920 processor, a NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GS graphics card, a 500 GB hard drive and a SuperMulti DVD burner that is able to generate both DVDs and CDs with custom labels. For folks who want to play hard after a long day at work, you can throw in more cash into the final configuration by including a Blu-ray DVD writer and an ATI Radeon HD-4850 graphics card.

Just to make sure your viewing experience with all the power underneath the hood is enhanced even further, HP will also make available a quartet of monitors that offer a true high-definition experience with 16:9 aspect ratio, making them perfect for use with multimedia viewing, photo editing or gaming. You will be able to choose from the 18.5″ HP w1858 Monitor, the 20″ HP 2009m Monitor, the 21.5″ HP 2159m Monitor and the 23″ HP w2338h Monitor, depending on your needs and budget. While we’re sure you’ll enjoy the viewing experience of movies on this, your boss will also be happy that productivity can increase thanks to the ability to view a couple of pages simultaneously without having to scroll through them. Both the 2159m and w2338h monitors will come with HDMI inputs for a high-definition experience.

Press Release