Summer’s here in some parts of the world, making outdoor activities all the more fun instead of being cooped up at home all day long in front of the TV and a video game console. Why not pick up a handful of the Nerf Havok Fire Automatic Blasters and have a field day in your garden or at the local park with your friends and family/
Who doesn’t need a fully automatic dart cannon that can fire up to 3 darts per second? It’s certainly going to make things interesting in the office. The darts are fed into the gun via a battery powered belt feed (just like the Vulcan M61) giving you a barrage of firepower that no other Nerf Gun can match. If you don’t want to spend the rest of the afternoon scouring the office for spent darts then you can take the more conservative approach and switch over to single shot mode for extra precision. Not all of us can pull off the Arnie ‘hold the machine gun with one rippling arm’ technique - that’s okay though because the removable tripod can be fitted to the blaster in an instant giving you the opportunity to defend a fixed position.
You don’t even need to play with the Nerf Havok Fire Automatic Blaster outdoors as it makes for the mischevious indoor toy as well. Grab a few of these for the office and see the mice come out to play whenever the boss isn’t around! The Nerf Havok Fire Automatic Blaster will retail for £49.99 a pop.
For many of us, our dads are the pillar of strengths in our lives, standing up for the family when the chips are down, making sure everyone is well provided for and basically being there for us whenever we stumble and fall down. While you might have laughed at him recently for not knowing what an iPhone is or wondering why are people lining up outside the Sprint store to get the Palm Pre, why not help him stay slightly up to date by getting him a new handset this Father’s Day instead of using his monochrome display cellphone from Ericsson before they entered into a joint venture with Sony? If you’re thinking along that lines, AT&T has just the package for you with the Samsung Eternity this Father’s Day, boasting a special price of just $79.99 - it definitely won’t be able to get any better than this.
The Samsung Eternity isn’t exactly the newest handset around, but at least it will be able to handle just about anything the average phone user would do with one. For instance, you get a 3.2″ touchscreen display that is all the rage these days, complete with a full QWERTY keypad that makes instant messaging and emailing a snap. The inclusion of AT&T Mobile Music alongside Napster Mobile offers dad the chance to sit back and relax with his favorite tunes wherever he is, while the 3.0 megapixel camera allows him to capture the more tender moments during family gatherings. In addition, the Eternity’s browser offers the ability to navigate pages with the touch of a finger, where he’ll think its the next best thing since sliced bread (that’s because he hasn’t tried out the iPhone’s Safari browser…)
In addition to all the above, you can further personalize your gift for dad thanks to support from several of AT&T’s most popular services, including AT&T Mobile TV for the TV fan that offers full-length, broadcast-quality live and time-shifted television programming from 12 leading news and entertainment brands including CBS Mobile, CNBC, Comedy Central, ESPN Mobile TV, FOX Mobile, FOX News, MSNBC, MTV, NBC2Go and Nickelodeon, as well as programming exclusive to AT&T customers from CNN Mobile and the movie channel Sony Crackle (formerly Sony PIX). Unlimited access for this service starts from $15 monthly - small price to pay considering the hundreds he spent on you each month at college. Needless to say, this $79.99 offer will be tied down to a 2-year contract, where by that time, dad ought to move on to the iPhone 3G by then.
Samsung is going green with it’s first solar-powered GSMcell phone. Known by the catchy moniker “Crest Solar,” the E1107 (as it is officially known) has a large solar cell on the back of the handset and can provide up to 10 minutes of talk time for every hour it sits in the sun charging up on your basic sunny day.
In addition to it’s environmental bonafides, the camera is dual band for use in both the 900 Mhz and 1800 Mhz range. Other features include all the usual refinements including an FM radio and MP3 ringtones, and games. It can even work as a flashlight but you can bet that’s a battery killer which will force you to wait until sunrise to recharge without the AC adapter. Security features include Samsung’s proprietary Mobile Tracker - which will alert the authorities in the event of an emergency with an SOS like signal, and there’s also a fake call feature for use when wanting to disengage from a sticky situation with a well timed phone call. Lastly, there’s specialized features for things like specialized markets and even religious preferences.
Cost is currently $59 US for the Asian market with no word on when it’ll be available in the Western world.
Hat Tip - C’Net http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10263836-1.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=Crave
While I was at CES, I got a chance to see some of the latest products from Blue Microphones. One of them was the Mikey, a microphone (that isn’t blue, by the way) that the user can plug directly into your iPod, and it will act as a vocal recorder. Blue Microphones was nice enough to send me a review unit, and I definitely got a lot of mileage out of it before I returned it.
I found that using it was very simple. All I had to do was plug it in, and then access the “Voice Recorder†feature on the iPod menu. From there, it was as simple as hitting record, and I had a mini-recorder in the palm of my hand.
What you might not be able to tell from this photo is that once the Mikey is attached to the end of your iPod, it can bend over thanks to the built-in hinge. Although I didn’t have an opportunity to try this out for myself, the Mikey is capable of recording from up to 40 feet.
All in all, I would have to say that I was quite pleased with my hands-on experience with the Mikey. It is available now at Amazon for a price of a little under $99.99.
Sure, the motion control for the Wii is a huge success, and Microsoft’s Xbox is experimenting with Project Natal. I have even heard that PS3 has been wanting to get in on this motion control action.
But there is a lot of uses for motion control that do not involve gaming, and a company called Canesta (not to be confused with the popular card game canasta) is developing motion-control for those who want to channel surf.
There is a demonstration video of this after the jump, and it shows a man who is frustrated with playing with the arrows on his TV menu. He then chucks his remote control and gets his hands involved.
With one flick of the wrist, the screen becomes a vast field of individual TV channel logos. All the user then does is wave in order to sift through them and make a motion when the choice has been made.
At first, I thought the guy in the vid was using the remote control as a motion controller to flick through channels, and then I noticed that he was looking angry. I couldn’t help but think: “Canesta, you really need to show your users happy when using your productâ€. I didn’t realize that the sales pitch had yet to be made. Whoops.
Even though this tech may never be perfected and live in eternal vaporware, I can’t help but applaud at what Canesta is trying to do here. If nothing else, you don’t have to worry about losing your remote anymore.
I just saw an episode of Rescue Me last week where one of the firefighters was trapped, and the rest of the dysfunctional characters didn’t know where he was. Just watch the show on Hulu if you don’t know what I’m talking about.
Perhaps Dennis Leary and his comrades should use the Squad, a compact indoor position system that enables firefighters to know their location, as well as the location of their partners. This concept gadget, designed by a University of New South Wales student Roy Hareguina, uses a sonar sensor to provide a map of the surrounding area, instead of a GPS.
Sonar might not be the ideal tool for this type of work, but firefighters cannot depend on blueprints when ceilings have caved in or when weak floors give out. Sometimes all a fireman needs to know is the location of someone who needs rescuing, and let the axe do the rest.
The Squad units are set up to “take the heatâ€, having a melting point of 662° Fahrenheit (343°C). It is made of polyetheretheretone (PEEK) with a tough aluminum and zinc frame, and coated with fluorosilicone for impact protection and waterproofing. You may notice that buttons are large, but this is because it is meant to be used by firemen wearing thick gloves.
So far, the Squad is only a concept, but I could easily see firemen of the future wearing one on their arm.
This is one of those gadgets that would be great to just toss into your laptop bag. It’d make traveling easier and when your cellphone is dead, due to you forgetting to charge it, you’d have a backup method to charge it up again. Whereas owning a solar charger is usually on the expensive side of things, this keeps things affordable. Which is fantastic when you consider it’s both a solar charger and a USB hub.
They offer a few connectors to go with the solar panel, such as Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Motorola phone and Samsung. Then of course your USB gadgets can be charged as well, so if you already have a USB charger for your phone and none of the connectors work, you could do things that way instead. The port section of the device has a total of 4 ports. Making it ideal for when you’re traveling and just need a couple of extra ports on your laptop. The panel can charge even under weak light, but they don’t say how long you need to charge it and how much battery life that will get you on your phone. You can purchase it for $21.99 on USB Fever.
If you enjoy having your iPhone or iPod integrated with all of your technology, you’ll enjoy this new line of iHome products. They add docks into products you’d normally have lying around anyway. Such as adding a spot for your iPhone or iPod into a keyboard. Then it’s always within reach and it can charge up. There won’t be the issue of added cords that way either or a random dock sitting on your desk. It’s just another part of the current technology and it looks great.
There are two separate additions to the group that iHome signed a licensing agreement with LifeWorks Technology Group to create. They are in true Apple style too, holding to the nice sleek lines that go with a lot of Apple products. The range includes the iConnect Media Keyboard, which can be purchased for $149. Which isn’t too bad since there’s an attached dock, but hopefully you have a fairly wide keyboard drawer. Then there is also the iStand Notebook Media Bundle that includes an embedded dock for the iPhone and iPod. It can be purchased for the slightly more expensive $299.
Sprinklers are useful tools to have in the garden as they help you water your lawn and other plants without having to do so personally, but the Intelligent Sprinkler Controller goes one up on ordinary models since it is able to tell whether it might rain within the next 12 hours or so, automatically postponing scheduled watering cycles in the process.
An integrated barometer monitors changes in barometric pressure and cancels a scheduled watering when rain is forecasted, ensuring your sprinkler system will not turn on prior to or during a rain shower. The device automatically resumes watering on the next scheduled day (weather permitting). You can input the day of the week, time, and duration of each watering using the five-button control panel and LCD. The device calculates how many gallons of water it saves and displays the amount on the LCD. The sprinkler controller simply connects to a standard spigot and garden hose and does not require a subscription to a weather service.
Powered by a single 9-volt battery, the Intelligent Sprinkler Controller can be yours for $99.95.
First of if you’re in the UK head over to Coolest Gadgets UK and see if you can win the 42″ LG LCD TV that we’re giving away. Now onto our regular Coolest Gadget of the Week, vote for your fave and leave a comment for a chance to win a $50 Amazon voucher. Good luck.
Right ok, this media player may not be called an iPod, but stay with me as it certainly has some great features that you won’t find on Apple’s equivalent, the iPod Touch - The Zune HD features a 16:9 widescreen OLED screen which gives great images and makes it a joy to use its interface, a HD radio receiver and the option to output 720p high definition video to your HDTV - they’ve really raised the bar in terms of media players with this device!
Beanzawave is the world’s smallest portable microwave and on top of that, it supports USB. It’s small size, combined with USB connectivity allows this gadget to sit comfortably on any desk. Perfect for students and office workers who are looking for a warm snack or a hot drink without having to step away from their work at hand.
You can’t get cooler than the snow- protect your eyes on the piste this summer with a pair of Dragon Alliance Snow Goggles with Skullcandy collaboration. This one allows you to be safe as well as integrating a pair of headphones into the mix so you can zoom off (or fall off) to your favourite tunes. They’re helmet compatible, with 100% UV protection and fog free lenses in a Polyurethane frame. The colour scheme isn’t exactly the greatest but who can resist a 2-for-1 gadget these days?
This small and well priced product called the Energenie is perfect if your looking to reduce your carbon footprint. I think this is a great gadget to have in the house for those of you who forget to turn off electrical appliances which are always left on standby. With the Energenie it will turn off all standby appliances automatically, which will in turn save energy and your money.
WEY HAY! Summer is hear, and that means it is time for all red blooded men to run down the shops, stock up on burgers and bangers, and fill every available space in the fridge with larger. We do this because we know, its BBQ season. But before you go digging out last years rusty old grill, take a look at the brilliant BarbeSkew II and see how BBQing should be done…
Don’t get stuck with a ticket when you can utilize the BlueAnt S1 Speaker hands free. Attach to your visor and it responds to voice commands. The S1 can also dial 2 synced phones that have voice dial. Either phone user can make calls through the wireless device and if an incoming call is found, it automatically transfers to speakerphone. The S1 can stream A2DP music, has a design that cuts back on exterior and engine noise, works up to 10 meters away from your phone and gives 15 hours talk time before needing a charge.
Thanks again to all the sites for their submissions now over to you guys for voting (don’t forget to leave a comment with your reason for a chance to win a $50 Amazon voucher).
What is this week's coolest gadget?
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Nobody likes to get into an accident, but if you so happen to be in that unfortunate position, then having witnesses to the accident could help greatly in speeding up the insurance claims process as well as getting the right details down in a police report. In addition, a non-partial witness will also be able to be the arbiter in any dispute, with the other person claiming you were backing up when you bumped into the car behind you, while you say that your vehicle was stationary and they other person could not brake in time, hence “kissing” the back of your bumper. With the Smart Black Box, all of these thories can be put to rest thanks to KCI Communications, Inc. that offers this device which provides drivers with enhanced video and data recording.
Measuring an extremely compact 3.19″ x 1.97″, this durable device (it’d better be if it were to survive a fair bit of knocks during its lifetime) manages to cram in a high resolution color camera, digital video recorder, GPS navigation and 3-Axis G-Shock sensor. All of these will work in tandem to make sure it captures whatever that goes on during an accident. The Smart Black Box is mounted on your windshield or rear view mirror thanks to a long-lasting adhesive, where a pre-determined amount of G-force will kick it into action to activate recording automatically, starting from the last 15 seconds prior to impact. Not only that, GPS technology ensures you will have pin-point accuracy on details such as the time and date, vehicle location, vehicle speed, and direction of travel. All of these data will be embedded within the video overlay itself, making sure that exporting to other formats will retain all the relevant data.
Regardless of how sophisticated it sounds, fret not if you’re pretty averse to technology as the Smart Black Box comes with an easy user interface, allowing just about any driver to extract data from the unit to transfer it over to a computer later on. All files recorded are stored on an SD memory card, where the Smart Black Box comes with integrated Google Maps that will rely on the GPS data to display the exact route taken during the recorded incident, in addition to updating the location along with each video frame. Users also have the convenience of printing accident reports at the push of a button after selecting the desired video frame(s), alongside adding a report title, subject, and any additional information.
Let’s face the facts here - TVs that we see sold in stores these days are awy too advanced compared to the original black and white model that came out all those decades ago, and most people in the past would never have thought of such technology being made available to the masses today. After all, TVs are no longer limited to just receiving information over the air via its antenna, but they have become an essential part of the living room, with some people using it as their de facto computer monitor, while others have one primarily just to play high definition video games on it. LG goes one step up by harnessing the power of the Internet, introducing a couple of full HD 1080p HDTVs that will feature Netflix instant streaming software that have been pre-loaded into the TV itself, doing away with the need for additional external devices.
Originally announced back in January at CES earlier this year, the first model among the two would be a 47″ LCD HDTV going by the model number 47LH50 with the 50″ version (50PS80) following right behind, where both of them will feature NetCast Entertainment Access. Later this summer, those with a more generous budget will be able to bring home the 42″ LCD (model 42LH50) and 60″ plasma (model 60PS80) sets. Both the LG LH50 and PS80 series will offer instant access to the Netflix library of over 12,000 movies and TV episodes that can be viewed on-the-fly, and in HD format to boot. Just make sure you’re living in an area where there is a decent Internet connection and you might not even want to bother with regular programming after that. Netflix will need to fork out $8.99 monthly for unlimited instant streaming to the LCD or plasma set, and this also includes unlimited DVD and Blu-ray rental from a catalogue of more than 100,000 titles.
These HDTVs will rely on a Queue-based user interface, where Netflix members can add movies and TV episodes to their individual instant Queues through the Netflix Web site. These choices will then appear on the TV screen automatically, and when selected, it takes anywhere from 30 seconds upwards for you to start enjoying your movies right smack in the middle of your living room. There is no word on pricing, but expect your summer to change with the release of these models.
It’d be nice if we had a device that yelled at us every single time something hazardous was going on while we’re on the road. Of course it’d require that a device be able to predict the future to get that level of safety. Which at this particular juncture is a tad on the impossible side. This GPS Safety Locator does make an effort though to make sure that you know about any potential issues. At least the issues that it can see, it’s not going to tell you when someone flies up on you and about slams into you. No, this instead gives important intersection alerts and other things along those lines.
I’m curious how well it would really work in a rural area, but the device is supposed to alert you within plenty amount of time for you to slow down. It also thankfully lets you know when you are approaching any red light camera, speed cameras or just general caution areas. You can also program in your own alerts, up to 1,000, to remind yourself of bad areas. To keep it updated, you plug it in via USB. It’s available for $99.95. Cobra is also offering a year of free location updates, which sadly means eventually it’s going to cost you.
What a great idea. This is a sofa which as a pool table built into it hideabed style. Okay, actually, it’s a snooker table, but still. What an ideal addition to an apartment/mancave. According to Craziest Gadgets the couch is about 6 foot long and apparently, it’s quite popular in the UK where they’re fairly cheap.
Made as a joint venture from Pierce Upholsterers and Accrington and Riley - makers of fine British pool tables, and was produced in the 70’s. It’s made of a neutral brown dralon fabric and when opens it flips into a pool table with adjustable leveling feet to make it level. What a fantastic idea which was decades ahead of it’s time. It probably didn’t do too well because manufacturing it would’ve been costly without a computer/motion controlled assembly line. But with the advent of not only computers for design and manufacture, this piece could easily make a resurgence. And why stop there? Imagine a sofa with built in ping pong table, air hockey table, poker table!
As I said, this bad boy has “man cave” written all over it. Currently for bid at eBay.UK at about $200 US but it’s sure to go well north of that.
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Summer’s here in some parts of the world, making outdoor activities all the more fun instead of being cooped up at home all day long in front of the TV and a video game console. Why not pick up a handful of the 
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For many of us, our dads are the pillar of strengths in our lives, standing up for the family when the chips are down, making sure everyone is well provided for and basically being there for us whenever we stumble and fall down. While you might have laughed at him recently for not knowing what an iPhone is or wondering why are people lining up outside the Sprint store to get the Palm Pre, why not help him stay slightly up to date by getting him a new handset this Father’s Day instead of using his monochrome display cellphone from Ericsson before they entered into a joint venture with Sony? If you’re thinking along that lines, AT&T has just the package for you with the Samsung Eternity this Father’s Day, boasting a special price of just $79.99 - it definitely won’t be able to get any better than this. 
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While I was at CES, I got a chance to see some of 
Sure, the motion control for the Wii is a huge success, and Microsoft’s Xbox is experimenting with 
I just saw an episode of Rescue Me last week where one of the firefighters was trapped, and the rest of the dysfunctional characters didn’t know where he was. Just watch the show on Hulu if you don’t know what I’m talking about.
Sprinklers are useful tools to have in the garden as they help you water your lawn and other plants without having to do so personally, but the 
Nobody likes to get into an accident, but if you so happen to be in that unfortunate position, then having witnesses to the accident could help greatly in speeding up the insurance claims process as well as getting the right details down in a police report. In addition, a non-partial witness will also be able to be the arbiter in any dispute, with the other person claiming you were backing up when you bumped into the car behind you, while you say that your vehicle was stationary and they other person could not brake in time, hence “kissing” the back of your bumper. With the Smart Black Box, all of these thories can be put to rest thanks to KCI Communications, Inc. that offers this device which provides drivers with enhanced video and data recording. 
