Posts Tagged electronic gadgets
wUnderglow Wheelchair Light
Posted by admin in DIY Gadgets on March 11th, 2010
For those of you who are recuperating in a wheelchair to get about, how about adding some zest to your ordinary adventures with the wUnderglow Wheelchair Light? After all, it not only enhances night-time visibility but provides a fun “underglow” effect similar to those colored light tubes as found on the underside of some rice rockets. A white micro-light is there to light your way, while multi-colored strobing micro-lights make room for added visibility and an “underglow”. A 360-degree rotatable clip allows you to point light in any direction, and batteries are easily replaced. A single wUnderglow Wheelchair Light kit will cost $25.
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wUnderglow Wheelchair Light
Samsung unveils R1 and R0 portable media players
Posted by admin in Audio Gadgets on March 11th, 2010
Samsung does not only make computers, LCD and plasma TVs, home theater systems, and a slew of other consumer electronics, they are also pretty adept at the MP3 player market as well, with the R1 and R0 being the latest of such devices to arrive. These two models are touted to offer high quality multimedia content while optimizing such files for memory space. The R1 is no larger than a credit card, and yet has enough processing firepower to play a host of video content without the need for any conversion, while the R0 will deliver an excellent audio and video experience without breaking the bank. Both models are currently on public display at the Samsung Experience which is located at The Time Warner Center in New York City since March 9, 2010.
The R1 will come in black and silver colors, where one will be able to enjoy a responsive, clear 2.4″ TFT LCD touchscreen display with a “drag and drop” feature which makes it a snap to enjoy both audio and video files as well as libraries with but a single swipe of the finger. To make sure that you are entertained in a variety of ways, the R1 boasts video, music and photo playback for up to 50 hours where audio is concerned and four hours for video. Other specifications include an FM Radio and Recorder alongside voice recording capability, where you can pair it up to a Bluetooth-enabled headset if the need arises.
As for the compact R0, this model sports a bright 2.6″ LCD display, and tactile keys are the method of choice for navigation purposes. It comes in black, silver and pink colors, and has up to six hours of battery life for video and 30 hours for audio. A microSD memory card slot is also there to further augment its storage capability. Samsung’s R1 will come in 8GB and 16GB capacities, where they will retail for $149.99 and $179.99, respectively, as it hits the market come this April. As for the R0, it will also come in similar capacities, with the 8GB model being cheaper at $99.99 while the 16GB model is going for $129.99, and both of them will also make it to the market next month.
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Samsung unveils R1 and R0 portable media players
Driving Simulator from Honda
Posted by admin in Car Gadgets on March 4th, 2010
You know what I think is really hysterical? We have these flight simulators to help out would-be pilots, but when it comes to teenage drivers, we just put them behind the wheel with a driver’s permit.
Why can we not put them in a simulator? After all, pilots who land airplanes for the first time often say: “it was just like the simulator”. If we can give this amount of realism to pilots in training, then why not make a realistic driving simulator?
I am guessing that this is what Honda was trying to do with this driving simulator. If you put your fifteen-and-a-half-year-old behind the wheel, then it’s probably as close to driving on the road as it can be.
It has three LCD displays to give the realistic feeling of a windshield view. The software includes programs that can make night driving, driving in fog, and highway driving. I wonder how it can do with traffic. I’m not certain what happens if the driver crashes, but I’m guessing there will be some virtual cracks on the screen with the word “CRASH”. Oh, wait, that’s what they did on the old-school version of Flight Simulator.
I’m sure a lot of you have probably realized that this driving simulator “just can’t be as good as getting behind the real wheel deal” which any pre-16 teenager wants to do anyway. Granted, you should make a rear window display or something if you want future drivers to practice parallel parking and backing around a corner.
Well, the device itself is $66,000, which is hardly worth paying for, no matter how many drivers that you will have in our family.
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Driving Simulator from Honda
Enlighted offers lighted capes and cloaks
Posted by admin in DIY Gadgets on February 24th, 2010
Enlighted is a company that certainly knows how to help you make a fashion statement in front of everyone else – it offers a light-up cape or cloak, so never mind if you have a symbol of a bat across your chest, or come dressed in red and blue leotards with the ability to stick onto ceilings and walls with uncanny ease – both Batman and Spiderman won’t be able to draw in the chicks at a party since they lack the “oomph” factor associated with your lighted cape. We’re pretty sure that Darth Vader or the Emperor would specially commission one of these puppies during their Sith parties.
Coolest Gadgets UK – For all your UK centric tech and gadget news.
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Enlighted offers lighted capes and cloaks
Our voices, preserved for history, starting with Roger Ebert
Posted by admin in Audio Gadgets on February 18th, 2010
Some of you may not know this, but film critic Roger Ebert has recently lost his voice due to a complication after cancer surgery.
If he still wishes to continue his career, he could just stick to writing, or he could get one of those text-to-speech devices like Stephen Hawking.
That, or work with Scottish company CereProc by combining the hours of recordings from At The Movies, Siskel and Ebert and the Movies, and Ebert and Roeper and the Movies to create a database for his voice and daily vocabulary. It would be relatively easy to make any word from the sounds of other words.
I suppose that this is a way to create a library for people who will be losing their voices, like Ebert. Of course, you would probably have to have a lot of vocal recordings to get that database. I’m not certain how many syllables and vowel sounds there are, but it sounds like a complicated process.
In a way, I suppose that this is a way of preserving someone’s voice for an eternity, really. I once heard that a company can use a celebrity’s image after he or she is deceased. This definitely explains how John Wayne can appear on Coors ads.
I suppose if you really had vocal databases of every person, then you could have late celebrities say anything you want. This would explain a recent ad for One Laptop Per Child with John Lennon.
Take this tech one step further, and deceased could cut some new tunes. Man, that probably isn’t right.
Coolest Gadgets UK – For all your UK centric tech and gadget news.
[ Our voices, preserved for history, starting with Roger Ebert copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]
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Our voices, preserved for history, starting with Roger Ebert
Live Checking Card monitors your spending, on the card itself
Posted by admin in Future Concepts on February 15th, 2010
As you might have guessed, this is only a concept. In fact, this is downright Minority Report technology.
This is the Live Checking Card, a card that will physically display the spending amount on the card after every purchase.
The display is powered by e-ink technology and uses RFID to sync with your bank account.
So, if you are going to make a purchase, and not certain if you can afford it, just look at your card before you buy it.
In all honesty, I’m not certain that this is a good thing if a thief were to suddenly “acquire” this card. A large number would probably give a thief the motivation to buy a whole lot of stuff.
In a way, this reminds me of the Chase Mastercard commercial where this guy takes out his Mastercard and uses it as if it were some sort of augmented reality mobile device.
In other words, if we can have a card wirelessly put the spending amount on the card, then can’t we make it so the card can do checking/savings transfers, bill pay, and other online account transactions?
Yeah, I suppose that there should be an app for this, but I’m pretty sure that there are at least five. Still, if this card does become reality, then I think all banks should required that their customers be card holders.
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Live Checking Card monitors your spending, on the card itself
RC Hoverpod brings out the kid in you
Posted by admin in Kids Gadgets on February 8th, 2010
Hovercrafts aren’t exactly the most popular form of transport even until today, but it does offer a slew of fun if you’ve ever hopped on one. Well, assuming you have never experienced such a privilege, then the RC Hoverpod could be just the thing for you, as it allows you to pilot your very own Hoverpod.
Just like the real thing, the Hoverpod slides around the place by thrusting air downwards and propelling along in zippy fashion, leaving you to use the remote control to guide it past obstacles (tables, chairs, the legs of family members). Though it won’t work on water, you can still have hours of fun playing at being the skipper as you nimbly guide the Hoverpod across smooth floors and carpets (as long as the pile isn’t too shaggy).
The law of diminishing returns applies here, where a 10-minute charge offers 5 minutes of hover-time, while the remote control ought to be stocked with a quartet of AA batteries. As with everything else, there is a need for practise as the RC Hoverpod has a learning curve before you can zip it around with aplomb. Each of the RC Hoverpods will cost £24.99, where you can choose from red or blue colors.
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Japanese customers’ augmented reality mirror to see what makeup looks like without trying it on
Posted by admin in Audio Gadgets on February 6th, 2010
And now for another interesting application of augmented reality, and it’s pretty practical, too.
Not only that, but it is already in use. At the Takshimaya department store, there is a Digital Cosmetic Mirror that allows customers to see what make-up will look like on their face, without putting it on.
I find it hard to believe that this would work very well. I saw a similar demonstration of augmented reality at CES 2009 that allowed me to have glasses and a mustache, but it looked pretty fake. I mean, it looked like the ’stache and shades were just super-imposed there.
I can’t imagine that this Digital Cosmetic Mirror could do a good job putting makeup on a person and make it look good. However, there seems to be some sort of program that gives personal recommendations and its it put on a virtual version of makeup on your image. However, technology is getting better all the time, so who knows, maybe the augmented reality image really is what the makeup looks like.
If so, then why can’t they make augmented reality to see what clothes look like without trying them on? Hey, they could put these in clothing shops and completely remove the need for dressing rooms altogether.
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Japanese customers’ augmented reality mirror to see what makeup looks like without trying it on
Electronic Key Impressioner makes key copies from the lock itself
Posted by admin in Future Concepts on February 6th, 2010
One of the problems with having a car is when you lose the key and you can’t find the spare. If only you could find a friend who has the Electronic Key Impressioner.
All you need to do is stick that key-shaped end into a lock, and it can scan a lock from the inside and record what it sees.
From there, it is as easy as taking it back to the computer and plugging it into the computer via USB port. This gives a code that can be used in a key making machine.
Right now, the machine works with only the Ford models. Just so you know, there are only a few models of keys, and these models are unique to the maker of the car. The inventor of the Electronic Key Impressioner, Steve Randall, wants to make the device work on more models.
Now, I’m sure you can see the downside for this device. Yes, a lot of car thieves probably want this so they could make their “jobs” easier. However, this device would only be given to the professionals and people licensed for it. In fact, the device would be web connected to a central site that would let the powers-that-be see who is copying what key. In fact, if you are an unauthorized user of the Electric Key Impressioner, then you will be on lockdown!
We’ll see if this device gets made. If so, then it could be make the locksmith business easier.
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Gesture cube is a many-sided monitor
Posted by admin in Future Concepts on February 6th, 2010
It would appear that the future is in gesture technology. This device, known as the Gesture Cube, is designed to meet the future head-on.
The Gesture Cube is essentially a display with five displays. It would have been six, but that stand has to go somewhere.
There is a video for this after the jump, and you can see what you can do with it. I have to admit that this thing has the most unique gestures that I have ever seen.
For example, the way a person can select music is gesturing to get a playlist, then more gestures to get an artist, then one more for a song. You will note in the video how all sides of this device are used in interacting with this experience. The video shows that a user can download files like photos to the Gesture Cube wirelessly.
You will also note that this computer cube is designed to be in every room of the house, and how it will stop all activity when it detects that it is being carried elsewhere.
It would be great if it was easy to recharge. Maybe there is a retractable cord on the stand to plug into the wall, or something.
Well, this Gesture Cube is still a concept from a German design team, but it looks like something that you would see in a science fiction film. You never know what idea from a good science fiction film will jump off the screen and become reality.
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Gesture cube is a many-sided monitor