Archive for May, 2010

USB Wrist Band Battery

Posted in USB by Conner Flynn on May 9th, 2010

This gadget is proof that having some extra battery power will severely mess up your fashion sense. The USB Wrist Band Battery is compatible with a range of devices like your mobile phone or handheld games console. And while you are charging your device, others will think you are wearing some sort of medical splint on your wrist.

It features a built in rechargeable 1500mAh battery and will work with a number of connections like microUSB, Mini USB, Sony PSP, Nintendo DS, and mobile phones from manufacturers like Sony, Samsung and Nokia.

Woodpecker Alarm Clock

Posted in Clocks by Conner Flynn on May 9th, 2010

If you like your clock to look like nature and have a thing for Woodpeckers, here’s a clock for you. It was designed by Natalie Duckett. The Woodpecker Alarm Clock has no clock face to tell the time. Instead it will measure how long you have been asleep and wake you up when you’ve had the right amount.

I don’t need to stinkin woodpecker clock to tell me when I’ve had enough sleep, but hey that’s just me. There are two alarms, one for the evening, telling you when to go to sleep, and one in the morning, telling you when to wake up.

Netgear Wireless Home Theater Kit

Posted in Netgear by Conner Flynn on May 9th, 2010

Netgear has a new wireless home theater kit that comes with some awesome features. The kit consists of a pair of adapters that you plug into your router or gateway while the other connects to the computer, gaming console or Ethernet/Wi-fi. You can purchase more adapters to expand the functionality of your system as well.

This is a good solution for those who are tired of the limitations of Boxee for instance. If it performs well, it’s a great way to keep esxpanding.

Teac T 50 p headphones

Posted in Headphones by Conner Flynn on May 9th, 2010

Teac has announced a somehwhat retro new pair of headphones that incorporates Germany’s beyerdynamic technology. The T 50 p headphones feature sealed ear-cups and the headband is metal. The design is sort of simple and understated.

The enclosed housing will block external noise even in a crowded market place. It has a 1.2 meter long cable and a standard 3.5mm plug with 6.5mm adapters provided. Expect it to hit stores in June for 30,000 Yen (or $324).

Double Room Circulator: Two fan heads are better than one

Posted in Home by Conner Flynn on May 9th, 2010

Fans are good for circulating the air in your room or your home in the summertime. So it makes no sense that they just point in one direction. The double room circulator makes more sense. It’s a double-headed fan that can be pointed in two directions at the same time for maximum circulation.

This design speeds up the circulating air, clearing the hot air from your home and cooling you down efficiently. Single head fans are for suckers.

Samsung W960 is the first AMOLED 3D display phone

Posted in 3D by Conner Flynn on May 9th, 2010

Damn you Avatar, look what you’ve done. Now everything has to be in 3D. Now Samsung is getting ready to introduce the world’s first mobile phone featuring a 3D display. The Samsung W960 is expected to support a 3.2-inch AMOLED capacitive touchscreen that will display 3D images without the need of any special 3D glasses.

Looks like this is just for the South Korean market for right now. The W960 is powered by Samsung TouchWiz 2.0, will support HSPA, DMB-T TV tuner, Bluetooth and microSD card slot. Nothing yet on the release date or the price, and we have no idea when the phone would be made available outside of South Korea.

Olympus silver PEN E-P2 Micro Four Thirds camera

Posted in Olympus by Conner Flynn on May 9th, 2010

Olympus’ original all-black PEN E-P2 was already nice and retro. So how do you make it even more retro? With this newer, silver model of course. Almost six months after the Micro Four Thirds camera arrived, Olympus has decided that we need another color option.

Aside from the color, there’s no difference between the two models. It will ship later this month in Europe for $1,016, which at least gets you a M. Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm 1:3.5-5.6 lens!

FCC will let the MPAA disable analog outputs

Posted in News by Conner Flynn on May 8th, 2010

The Motion Picture Association of America has been trying to get a waiver for the FCC Selectable Output Control (SoC) ban since it went into effect — the ability to only allow content to flow from a HDCP protected HDMI port. There has been a lot of debate, but little or no action until now. The MPAA can now use SoC to protect high value content, but the FCC locked down exactly when it can be used.

Any movie that’s never been released on disc can be protected with SoC for 90 days. The FCC granted this because the content affected isn’t currently available to cable and satellite anyway. Consumers who own older HDTVs, without HDMI ports, don’t currently expect access to these movies. So for those with older hardware nothing changes, and for those with the latest, you’ll be able to rent newer movies from home.

OZAKI iMini Cute IP830RAINBOW iPod dock

Posted in iPod Accessories by Conner Flynn on May 8th, 2010

The OZAKI iMini Cute IP830RAINBOW iPod dock from Japan lives up to it’s name, as it comes in a range of rainbow colors that will appeal to those of you who need more color in your life. Features include an integrated FM radio, a built-in speaker, a 2″ full range driver unit and amp, and an LCD display.

It also doubles as an alarm clock and can connect to other compatible devices via the Line IN port. It will cost you about $75 after conversion and hits Japan May 15th.

A-Data announces SH02 Portable Hard Drive

Posted in A-Data by Conner Flynn on May 7th, 2010

A-Data has announced it’s new 2.5-inch portable hard drive, the SH02. It comes in three different color options: white, pink and black, each with a 3-dimensional imprint pattern made using the IMF technology.

If you’re looking for something fashionable yet compact this is a good one. The drive features a scratch resistant case, a USB 2.0 interface and is available in two storage capacities: 320GB and 500GB.

Titanium Quadband Projector Phone

Posted in Mobile Phones by Conner Flynn on May 7th, 2010

If you’re looking for a projector phone and don’t care how cheap it is, the Titanium projector phone comes with a LED projector that has manual focus. It’s easy to use and navigation is a breeze. Some other features include a 2.2 inch touchscreen display, FM, stereo Bluetooth, camera and reception for analog TV.

This phone will let you enjoy MP4 movies at 80 cm size across a distance of about 2 meters. Only $217. Not bad. Even if it isn’t much of a looker.

Callo and Cally cellphone robots are cute, creepy

Posted in Robots by Conner Flynn on May 7th, 2010

These cellphone bots were developed by PhD student Ji-Dong Yim and Prof Chris D. Shaw at the School of Interactive Arts and Technology at Simon Fraser University, Canada. They are capable of displaying facial expressions to let you know of their moods, while also performing gestures and dancing when you get an incoming call.

It uses the Nokia N82′s camera to detect human faces and will mimic arm gestures using hand tracking. These bots are pretty cute. Almost too cute. Like they will get up to no good when you turn your back.

Takoyaki Power Strip offers wireless charging

Posted in Concepts by Conner Flynn on May 7th, 2010

This Takoyaki concept power strip is nice to look at and also useful. The sockets are pretty useful since they can be rotated. And each socket allows you to coil your cable inside it, minimizing the amount of cable clutter on your floor.

All good features and aside from all of them this thing also glows blue when in use. You can also replace those round sockets in order to fit in a wireless charging accessory that will charge your device wirelessly.

Toshiba at work on world’s lightest 13-inch notebook says rumor

Posted in Toshiba by Shane McGlaun on May 7th, 2010

When it comes to ultraportable notebooks, the 13-inch segment is where many shoppers search for their perfect machines. The 13-inch ultraportable is a good compromise between power and usability for many consumers.

Toshiba is said to be working on a new notebook that is the lightest 13-inchnotebook in the world. Rumors peg the machine at under 1kg with a SSD for storage. The machine will also reportedly have a USB 3.0 dock and more.

Fujitsu Laboratories shows off world’s highest-level color e-paper display

Posted in Fujitsu by Shane McGlaun on May 7th, 2010

Before the iPad was official, many were predicting that the print market could be saved by eReaders with color screens for reading magazines and other content. Now that the iPad is on the market, it will steal a lot of the thunder from eReaders color or not.

However, there is no denying that an e-paper screen is easier on many eyes than an LCD like the iPad uses. Fujitsu Laboratories has unveiled a new color e-paper screen that is much better than its previous color offering.