Gadgets Blog

As common as a computer mouse is, there are few that could ever be considered artistic.  Some are shiny with LED lights or small crystals, yet they have a certain mass produced look to them.  This mouse designed by Andrey Chirkov is one of the few I would call artistic.  Surprisingly it’s not steampunk either, that usually is the only way gadgets get a little bit of a creative twist to them.  Instead this has a minimalist modern look, while still being pretty.

The down side of such a mouse is that I’d be petrified I would break it, since it does have a flimsy look.  You’d almost rather put it on display than mess it up by using it on a daily basis.  As of now it’s still a design though, so you won’t be able to purchase it.  However, with a look like this I’m sure those with plenty of money to burn will be dying to get their hands on it.  Wealthy investors means that this might actually be created for purchase.  Even if that does happen though, the general public won’t likely ever see anything like this at their local store.

Source: Gizmowatch

Although it would be great to have the robot solar powered mower that takes off and mows your lawn for you, plus the perk of it being eco-friendly.  However, it’s a bit on the expensive side, so it’s not something that most people can afford.  For those on a tighter budget, this battery-powered mower might be the better option.  It has the perk of being quiet due to being an electric mower, but doesn’t have the obnoxious extension cord to deal with.

The Neutron CE 6 is one of the larger of their electric mowers and cuts a 19” path in your lawn.  The mower specifies that it is only ideal for those with a lawn up to 1/3 of an acre.  Which is about 15,000 sq ft.  Anything above that and you’ll have to recharge the battery to finish the job.  Although it does come with a spare battery, so even if it does run out, you can just switch batteries and continue the job.  To purchase the mower it will cost you $499.

Source: OhGizmo

As a parent of a toddler, I am always looking for the latest and greatest baby products. The Bomo Robot Baby Carriage might be one that I probably wouldn’t buy, even if I could afford it.

The point of this product is to put the little baby in, and then program it to automatically follow the parental figure around the house. It can apparently “see” obstacles and navigate around them, provided they don’t move independently, like pets or older siblings.

Of course, if you want to give the baby the wheel, that is an option. Manual mode allows the tyke to hit the accelerator and use a fully functioning steering wheel. You might want to make certain the safety gate is on the stairs first.

After the baby has taken his or her joyride, its unique horizontal swing motion will help put him or her down for a nap.

I can’t help but think that a device like this is preparing a child for a world like WALL-E, where humans just sit around on their hovering chairs with their Internet all day. I suppose that if you have a child who is a real Cling-on, then this could come in handy.

I briefly mentioned the high price earlier, but never gave you the actual number: $780. All I got to say to that is this: Bomo Arigato, Mr. Roboto! Yeah, Styx would not be proud.

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Samsung Pixon 12 appears to be raising the standard for cellular phone cameras with an LED flash, a wide-angle 28mm lens, and a whopping 12 Megapixels. I’m sure there are cellular phones with a higher number of Megapixels, but most consumer digital cameras don’t go that high.

The Pixon 12 can also record video at 30fps for a resolution of 720 x 480. The photos or video footage can be viewed with the 3.1 inch full AMOLED touchscreen. Nice.

By the way, the Pixon 12 is also an HSPA and GPRS/EDGE phone, and comes with Wi-Fi, and FM tuner, and Bluetooth. Very nice!

I’m glad that Samsung has put so much work into the cellphone camera. I know that I have said this before, but why is it that every phone has to have an obligatory camera?

I remember seeing this ad where this guy has a fish tank, and it accidentally breaks. His first response is: “My insurance agent will never believe this”. Then his friend whips out his cell phone with the photographic evidence of the accident and says: “Yeah he will”.

I don’t remember what phone was used on that ad, but if it is a typical cellular phone camera, then there is really only a chance in a million that this person could get that perfect shot. Most pictures taken from my cellular phone camera have to be taken three times because they are too blurry or not enough light. Chime in with a comment if you’ve experienced this.

I wish I had more details from my source on the price and availability date on the Pixon 12, but it is lacking. This is not a slam on my source, because the Samsung site doesn’t seem to have any info on the Pixon 12 either. Let’s just hope you won’t have to pay extra for that fancy camera.

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One of the issues with our electronic devices is their lack of individuality. Every electronic device, be it mobile phone, MP3 player, or laptop, comes shipped to us exactly alike, unless you buy a “limited edition”. Perhaps this is why HP has created the Electronic Skin, or eSkin, a flexible color film that can be applied to mobile phones, MP3 Players, digital cameras, notebooks, and netbooks.

HP uses roll-to-roll manufacturing to make the eSkin, and it has an electronically controlled color surface. It would appear that HP is marketing this for other businesses so they can tag their product with their print-quality colors and logos, which have visibility in direct sunlight and can shift electronically into a transparent state.

Personally, I think HP should target the eSkin to consumers, so that a user can put a personal touch on his or her electronic device. I wouldn’t mind putting a picture of my kids on my cellular phone, actually.

In all honesty, I am having a hard time picturing what eSkins actually are. Much of what you see here comes straight from the Press Release, but I am hoping they are more than just transparent stickers.

I’m still looking forward to the day where we have eSkins with animations, like the technology seen in the film Minority Report. Man, I swear I can’t get through an article without mentioning that film.

The HP eSkins have only recently been unveiled at DisplayWeek 2009. So far, there is no word on availability or price.

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When you decide to be a little more eco-friendly about your exercise habits, it usually just means you toughen up and start jogging outdoors.  That is an ideal solution, but not everyone can or wants to do that, especially when it’s a cold rainy morning.  Well this EcoMill allows for you to workout indoors and still keeps things eco-friendly.  Not only do you get your exercise, but you generate enough electricity to power the treadmill.  Making it so that you don’t have to plug this into the wall and use even more energy.

While you’re exercising it charges the battery and then in turn keeps the display up and running.  It does this by utilizing Woodway’s near frictionless drive system.  Even if this might not be the best option for an at home gym, it’d be a great addition to a commercial gym.  It would also save them a little on the power bill, not to mention attract members that want a more eco-friendly experience.  It is a bit on the expensive side though, which might make it hard for some to afford it.  You can purchase it in either black or green for $8,500.

Source: Bookofjoe

Nintendo Wii, your days could be numbered. Sure, you have been dominating the console gaming world with your motion-controlling Wiimotes, but are you ready for Project Natal?

Microsoft has recently revealed this full-body, motion-sensitive controller at E3 in Los Angeles, and it has understandably received a lot of attention. Project Natal is a TV-mounted camera/microphone that can sense motion, three-dimensional movement, even sound.

In other words, it is a controller without a controller, like the iPhone games that require nothing but movement. The company demonstrated this new technology with two new games. The first was Ricochet, a brick-blasting game that puts the player in the midst of Breakout, and Paint Party, a game that allows you to splatter paint with virtual brushes. You can see Ricochet demonstrated after the jump.

On hand at E3 to introduce Project Natal was none other than acclaimed director/producer/mogul Steven Spielberg. Is he now exclusively doing video games like Boom Blox?

Anyway, Spielberg said that “people are too intimidated to pick up game controllers”. Oh, that is a slam on button-munching PS3 and Xbox 360 joysticks, isn’t it? By the way, someone in the conference also slammed users who “sit on the sofa using some kind of preset waggle commands”. Oh, now the Wii is getting burned!

Project Natal should be available on all versions of the Xbox 360 “soon”. Yeah, I know, I want it ASAP, but that was all the word that was given. No word on price, either. Expectations are high.

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