Gadgets Blog

I couldn’t really tell you why someone decided to create a controller shaped like a dog bone.  You would hope that they can tell how ridiculous it looks, but it wouldn’t surprise me if they didn’t.  At least one thing’s for sure, it’ll stand out in your mind.  Even if it only stands out due to a rather unfortunate shape.  Despite being quite ugly, this controller does have some serious perks to it that might have people willing to overlook its appearance.

This very doggish controller will actually charge up your iPhone while you play.  You can to connect it to the 30-pin connection, which as of now would require you to prop up the phone in order to see the screen.  They are working on a stand though to make it easier to view it, so this is still something that is in the works.  You could also play via a Bluetooth connection, but if you go that route it won’t be able to actually charge your iPhone.  Right now they are merely taking suggestions on a price, so you can go to their website and give your input.  They’re hoping to see this released in September.

Source: SlipperyBrick

It isn’t often that we report on record players, for obvious reasons. Of course, there are some people who are like Nicholas Cage in The Rock who believe that LP records “sound better”.

I am assuming that if these type of people can afford to buy old vinyl records, then they can afford fine record players like the Gabriel Turntable. Perhaps they can afford the Void LP Player if it ever becomes more than just a concept.

If it does get made, then what you see in the photo is not a special effect. That record is actually floating above the base. How is that possible? Some sort of magnetic and auto-calibrating control system.

The sphere that you see there on the record itself has a needle, amplifier, and speaker, so you can hear the music. Of course, I am assuming that the user just picks up the ball when he or she wants to switch tracks.

As I mentioned before, the Void LP Player is still a concept by Korean designer Rhea Jeong. You know what it reminds me of? Retro-futuristic technology like those weird rocket-packs from old fifties science-fiction flicks. If I saw a Void in one of those old films, I would probably laugh, then I’d say: “Hey, the future has improved the record player, but failed to realize that the LP has become obsolete.”

Now, if there was a Void that could play CDs, that might be cool. Of course, they are becoming obsolete too.

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On the Volvo S80 is a new safety feature that I have never seen before, but I’m guessing it is probably needed. Attention Assist has an interesting feature that can detect whether the driver is nodding off, which is a cause of many an accident.

The Mercedes-Benz S500 as well as the new E-class of the model have this Attention Assist safety feature, which uses seventy parameters that signal to the car that the driver is drifting into slumberland. Granted, I have no idea why seventy is needed, because I believe that the only possible indicator would be on the steering wheel.

In fact, how can a car tell when you are nodding off? Maybe they have a “power nod” detector that I don’t know about. If you’re not familiar with the “power nod”, just think back to college when that boring professor put you to sleep, but you tried to stop yourself. The end result was classmates in the back shouting “whiplash”!

If the car does detect your drowsiness, the indicator light will come out. Oddly enough, a picture of a cup of coffee appears on the dash. So what is this, some sort of signal that you need caffeine? If so, I would prefer having a Mountain Dew can in there in lieu of the coffee cup. I’m not a big coffee achiever guy.

Now, if the car has a GPS, it could give the driver directions to the next coffee shop. For me, there would have to be some compass pointing to the nearest Mountain Dew machine.

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Few ever really grow out of their love of robots or at the very least their fascination with them.  Be it worrying over them taking over the world or just wishing they’d come out with a robot housekeeper that you can afford.  Usually I’m in that second group, I am more worried about a zombie apocolypse than robots taking over.  Since clearly that’s the more likely thing to happen.  Well if you love all things robots, these cute USB drives would be fun to have around.

They come in several different styles, each color has a different personality.  You can choose between yellow, black, pink, blue, red and white.  They’re only 2GB USB drives though, which is even more disappointing once you realize the price of these.  From the looks of them I’d have guessed them at a maximum of $30.  However, I was off by quite a bit.  Geek Stuff 4 U has them priced at 6,000 Yen which translates into $63 a piece.

Source: GeekAlerts

With Transformers 2 finally released here in the US, you might want a little something to show your love of the movie.  Well this DS kit comes in true Transformers style, but it tragically won’t actually make your DS into a cool little robot.  However, maybe a little mad science mixed in and surely you can make it do at least a couple of tricks.  Alright, probably not, but at least you get a cool DS case out of the deal.

The kit includes a very large stylus, it’s a full sized iconic stylus, as they like to phrase it.  You can to make the choice between Bumblebee or Megatron.  In this case, I’d have to say that Megatron is looking a bit cooler than Bumblebee.  Although the Megatron stylus looks like it might be a little more difficult to maneuver while you’re gaming.  You can purchase the pair of them for $20 or you can purchase them individually for $13 a piece.

Source: GadgetVenue

iLuv has rolled out its latest iMM153 alarm clock iPod dock that actually claims to be strong enough to wake you up from even your deepest slumber, as it includes a bed shaker to augment the buzzer, radio station and iPhone/iPod soundtracks. The LCD display on the iMM153 also comes with 10 dimmer settings alongside a 3.5mm aux input jack that allows you to hook up something other than Apple’s portable media players. If you need to go to bed with some music, however, there is the option to rely on either the FM radio station or iPod audio content. The iLuv iMM153 is compatible with iPods from the mini generation onwards to the latest models, coming in black, pink, white and blue colors for $60 a pop.

Source: iPodnn

Active Media just rolled out a could of SSDs from its Predator GT SATA-II line that are able to touch a whopping 220Mbps sequential read speeds alongside an access time of just 0.1ms. You can choose from 64GB and 128GB capacities only though, where each of them will come in a brushed aluminum housing and a 3.5″ drive bay mounting bracket. Other features of the Predator GT range include 128MB of SDRAM cache and a new 8-channel controller. Both models are readily available, with the 64GB Predator GT going for $200, while the 128GB version retails for $370.

Source: Electronista

When you talk about printers, it is inevitable that the name HP will crop up - there’s just no denying the fact that this brand name has been offering solid printers across the (computing) ages, and this time round the company will roll out yet another first (for both HP and the printing industry as a whole) - the world’s first web-connected home printer known as the HP Photosmart Premium with TouchSmart Web. When coupled with HP’s TouchSmart technology, it will offer regular folks at home and at the office quick, easy, touchscreen access to popular digital content, upping the user friendly ante in the process.

Targeting the digital generation and connected households, the HP Photosmart Premium with TouchSmart Web will come with a whole new web-based printing platform with HP applications. It works pretty much in tandem with other Internet-connected devices, where these apps can be viewed on the generously sized, intuitive-to-use TouchSmart panel that enables people to connect in an instant to fun, informative and personal content. Apart from playing around with pre-loaded apps, users can also download new ones when they want something new and refreshing as the HP Apps Studio continues to roll out new ones. Navigating using the large 4.3” touchscreen panel is a snap, where a simple sweep of the finger will enable users to browse and view popular web destinations, while touching the app of their choice will launch a web page automatically, allowing users to customize and print content on demand in an easy-to-read format.

Apart from printing, the HP Photosmart Premium with TouchSmart Web is also able to print, fax, copy and scan to keep even power home users happy with this all-in-one device, helping reduce the clutter on the work desk as well with the need for less devices congregating around your computer. Other features include the ability to print directly from Wi-Fi-enabled PCs, Bluetooth-enabled devices, the Apple iPhone and the Apple iPod touch using HP iPrint Photo. Expect to pick up the HP Photosmart Premium with TouchSmart Web sometime this fall in the US for $399.

Press Release

Samsung Electronics aims to capture the headlines yet again with a brand new SATA-interface mini-card solid state drive (SSD) which is currently being sampled by some of its customers. In due time, when the SSD is ripe and ready for action, it will target the fast expanding netbook marketplace by offering an alternative storage upgrade solution compared to just using external hard drives, portable hard drives or basically a larger internal hard drive. This Samsung SATA mini-card SSD will help transform the mindset that SSDs are meant for just being a primary storage medium, but also to function as a complementary drive that will further boost the performance levels of PCs with dual drive capabilities.

What can you expect from this firebrand of a SSD? For starters, it will feature the mini-PCI Express (PCIe) form factor that comes complete with a SATA 3.0Gb/s interface, making this highly cost-efficient mini-card SSD approximately 20% the size of a standard 2.5″ hard drive. Leaps and advances made in the world of technology miniaturization has allowed the possibility of further increasing the storage capacity of compatible netbooks in addition to the SSD being used in numerous other devices including printers and various handheld terminals including ruggedized mobile devices.

Apart from using it as a primary storage solution, the SATA mini-card SSD form factor also enables it to function in a combination of the SSD as main memory and hard drive as supporting storage space. Hopefully such an approach will further expand the adoption of SSDs in a broader range of applications. Samsung engineers are currently hard at work to standardize the new mechanical form factor and its pin layout specifications at JEDEC (Joint Electron Device Engineering Council), with the possibility of standardization to be reached sometime as early as Q3 later this year. Expect to bring home 16GB, 32GB and 64GB densities, where the new SSD drive will offer a sequential read rate of 200MB/s and sequential data rate of 100MB/s.

Press Release

Bell Mobility and Novatel Wireless Inc. have teamed up yet again to bring yet another computer peripheral for the modern traveler who wants to remain connected at all times - the exclusive Canadian availability of the Ovation U760 Micro Modem. This device is able to offer clients with convenient on-the-go access to the Internet via notebooks and netbooks without having to scurry about, looking for the nearest available Wi-Fi hotspot just so one is able to get his/her email fix. To make the entire offer all the more interesting, it is important to note that Bell’s high speed 3G mobile data network is the largest in the Great White North, enabling the Novatel Wireless U760 Micro Modem to delivers uninterrupted access for most of the time compared to rival networks.

According to Adel Bazerghi, Bell Mobility’s Senior Vice President of Product, “With its tiny size and expandable memory, the 3G Novatel Wireless U760 is the ultimate convenience tool for mobile Canadians who need Internet and email access wherever they may be. Bell’s full line-up of Turbo Sticks and Cards provides easy access to the largest high speed mobile network in the country.” Peter Leparulo, CEO of Novatel Wireless continues waxing lyrical, “The U760 is perfect for those seeking an extremely light, compact, plug-and-play USB modem to accompany their mobile lifestyle. When combined with the lightening fast 3G speeds of the EVDO network, Novatel Wireless and Bell make it possible for customers to stay connected, productive and entertained no matter where their day takes them.”

The 3G Novatel Wireless U760 USB Modem is now available in Canada for free if you happen to sign up for a two-year contract, while those who already have an unlimited data plan and want to upgrade whatever modem they’re using at this moment can fork out $174.95 sans contract.

Press Release

Usually gaming accessories are more worried about being the best design in order to get it so that you can play the game as best you can.  However, this controller from SmartFish has a different goal in mind, while still trying to keep the controller as normal as possible.  It is more worried about ergonomics and the health of your hands and wrists.  Which is good, since some gamers spend a great deal of time on their console and would be mortified if they had to give up their beloved games over something like carpal tunnel.

This is supposed to help you avoid hand fatigue by monitoring how you hold your controller.  It then makes adjustments as to how the controller is positioned to make sure that your hands are in a much healthier position.  It comes with a 5 year warranty and will work with either a Mac or a PC.  It comes with a guide and software to help you figure out this slightly more complex controller.  They don’t actually say how much this will be retailing for just yet.  However, as sophisticated as it is, it’s unlikely that it’ll be cheap.

Source: EverythingUSB

Most people usually go for the computer’s built-in calculator when they need to add something up.  However, if you’re just not into that method, this odd gadget combination might be something to pick up.  Partially due to the massive calculator, but also because it’s a mouse pad and a USB port.  All in all it has plenty of gadgets packed in there.  This is probably one set of gadgets that seems a little odd to jam together, but I’m sure it’ll seem brilliant to someone out there.

The calculator would be a great gadget for those that are half blind and can’t hardly see the in computer calculator.  The calculator itself has an on/off switch and can be plugged in with a 5V power adapter, which is not included.  They include 3 different ports for your USB gadgets.  The mouse pad also gives a nice bright blue ambient glow for those of you that enjoy your shiny gadgets.  You can purchase this for $17.99 from GizFever.

Source: GeekyGadgets

Although this isn’t the most aesthetically appealing webcam I’ve ever seen, at least they were kind enough to combine it with another gadget.  It’s actually the absolutely most plain webcam I’ve seen around.  It’s just a plain black bar that can swivel around to get the optimal angle.  It also tosses in a small flash drive, so it doesn’t do just one thing.  It’s not a combination I can think of a single reason why I’d need it, but it’s probably just one of those things that some people need for very random reasons.

Despite having two different devices in one, the specs on this are pretty basic.  The USB drive itself has 2GB of storage to hold your various MP3s and documents.  It has a few different automatic functions such as exposal control, flash control and white balance.  It works driver free for Windows XP and Vista only.  You can purchase the USB 2-in-1 Web Cam with the USB drive for $33.

Source: GeekAlerts

I figure that handwashing hasn’t changed in the past few decades. The only advancement that I have seen is those blower things in public restrooms. I suppose these are to replace those weird cloth towel things that were oddly and sadly in my dorm room in college. Even though blowers may save more trees than paper towels, the energy burned by them often goes to waste.

This is why Dyson made the Airblade hand dryer. This device uses eighty percent less energy than most blowers, provided it is used properly.

I recently encountered this device at a new movie theater that I attended last weekend, and had to take the photo that you see there. It was, of course, a risk to take a photo in a public restroom, I know, but it isn’t every day that I see an advanced blower. Oh man, did that come out wrong!

Anyway, I got a chance to use it, and this Airblade is what it says: it blows a blade of air (not to sharp, by the way) on your hands. This blade of air is so strong that it wrinkles my hands when I stick them in. I’m sure I wasn’t supposed to keep my hand there for too long, because the Airblade is supposed to work fast. New users will probably waste energy with their curiosity.

So if you see a Dyson Airblade in your local restroom, try it out, for gosh’s sake! Go ahead and leave a comment to describe your experience.

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Today must be Kodak day, because I just covered the whole death of Kodachrome film. It must also be digital picture frame week, because I just covered one from Viewsonic yesterday.

I’m sure the Kodak Easyshare S730 is not the first digital picture frame that runs on batteries, but battery power should be a standard feature for most electric frames. As it is, most digital picture frames are a slave to their own cord, which makes it really inconvenient when hanging them on the wall. Of course, the rechargeable battery on the S730 is only good one hour away from the outlet.

The frame has about 1GB of memory, which is good for storing many photos. There is a memory card reader, but no report of a USB port.

There are touch sensitive controls on the frame bezel, which allows the user to access the menu. One can only assume that the controls are used to make slideshows and all of the usual digital picture frame fare. This would include the ability to play videos and music, I could only assume.

The Easyshare S730 should be available sometime in September for about $139. If it is a hit, then you should see many other digital picture frames made just like it.

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We’ve seen a lot of changes in traditional film since the rise of digital film, including the discontinuation of Polaroid instant film. Now, here comes another one: Kodak has announced that they are ending production on Kodachrome film.

If you’ve never heard of Kodachrome, you should know that it is a film that uses a fine grain and warm colors. There are several pictures taken with Kodachrome that are considered landmarks today. Some of you might remember a green-eyed Afghan refugee girl with a hypnotic gaze on the cover of a 1985 National Geographic. That was a Kodachrome pic, as was a very famous photo taken of the Kennedy assassination.

There is really only one reason why Kodak is discontinuing production of this historical film. Actually, it’s two reasons, but they both have the number one in them. Kodachrome film accounts for only 1 percent of still-photo sales, and there is only one photofinishing lab in the world that still processes Kodachrome.

Yeah, it makes a lot of business sense to cut this cord. However, I can’t help but think of the Kodachrome song by Paul Simon. Sorry, Paul, it appears that someone actually took your Kodachrome away, but at least it wasn’t your momma. I hope you still have that Nikon camera, because you’ll be taking your photograph of using different film.

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