Crazy Cool Gadgets Blog

Top 5 new features of iOS 7

2013-06-15T01:16:00.001-07:00

So, Apple decided to give their iOS a whole new look. According to Tim Cook, iOS 7 presents huge changes compared to the previous version, so you can consider this a really important upgrade. Many new iOS 7 features were introduced, and these 5 are the ones that I really consider important.

Control Center - we were waiting for this feature for some time. In short, it allows you to control the most important functions of the iOS from a quick panel
Airdrop - Provides an easy way to share pics with your friends
Improved photo camera and photo gallery - Nothing more to say here
Improved music player and iTunes Radio - I love the iTunes Radio function
Anti-theft protection. Apple implemented a new function called Activation Lock.

image source: apple

In an "experiment" conducted by Ars Technica, hackers have managed to break 90% of a total of 16,449 passwords

2013-05-30T05:20:00.000-07:00

You think your password is strong? Think again! Few months ago, Ars Technica conducted an experiment, in an attempt to demonstrate that we need to take better care of our passwords. According to the results, their hackers managed to break six passwords per minute, including several formats of 16 characters such as "qeadzcwrsfxv1331". This successful performance was the result of the ingenious work performed by the engineers working for Ars Technica website, using a simple mathematical function.

The experiment clearly demonstrates that in the digital world everything is achievable, even if the possible combinations can be in the tens of millions. The founder and CEO of Stricture Consulting Group, Jeremi Gosney, managed broke more than 10,000 passwords in just 16 minutes. Everything was possible with the "strength" of 25 computers combined that managed to generate 350 combinations of letters (big and small) and numbers in just one second! Here are some of the cracked passwords:

k1araj0hns0n
Sh1a-labe0uf
April!
L221973
Qbesancon321
DG091101%@
Yourmom69
ilovetofunot
windermere2313
tmdmmj17
BandGeek2014

source

Humans are less intelligent than two centuries ago

2013-05-18T04:11:00.000-07:00

A study conducted by a team of European researchers established that we have a lower IQ compared to our ancestors in the nineteenth century. The previous theory in this matter is called the Flynn effect and it states that every new generation of humans brings an accumulation of 7-8 IQ points to the gene pool.

But the research team from Sweden, Holland and Ireland compared the reaction times - a basic indicator of general intelligence - from early 1800 until today and they have noticed that the "quick" mind diminishes. The study says that the slow reflexes of the human brain suggests that they are less intelligent than our ancestors and we are losing 1.23 IQ points every 10 years, so we have an IQ of 14 points lower than XIX century humans.

On average, the man of 1989 had a reaction speed of 183 milliseconds, compared to 253 milliseconds resulted in the man of 2004. Reaction rate of women has deteriorated from 188 milliseconds to 261 milliseconds in the same period.

The Victorian era (nineteenth century) was a time of great achievements. Generally this is a result of a higher intelligence. This conducted to the hypothesis that people in the Victorian era were more intelligent than modern humans. For this, they used the analysis of the reaction times.

via dailymail.co.uk

2 of 3 smartphone users are frustrated by Internet speed

2013-05-15T14:16:00.002-07:00

According to the following infographic, 2 of 3 mobile Internet users are not happy with their mobile browsing experience. Let's face it, smartphones have become a big part of our life. I know I'm using mine to the fullest, sometimes I even write Blogger posts directly from it. So, this small device, the smartphone, has become a portal to the whole world, allowing us to connect to any sort of information we need by a touch of the screen. And everything happens while we are on the go, on the subway, in car, on train, at work.

So, why are mobile Internet users so frustrated? Everything gravitates on the Internet speed on these smartphones. Depending on which kind of apps you are using, the Internet connection can really make the difference, sometimes it can even influence our mood. For example, if you plan to read your mail, it's not such a big difference between a 3G connection and a 4G connection (if the mail is short and plain text). But if you're using apps that require bigger downloads/uploads (pictures, videos, large documents), then your 3G connection could get your mood in big trouble. You will never complete your tasks in a convenient time frame, because on 3G, everything is slower. Much slower. In this case, the users have two options:

* be patient
* upgrade your device (or your network) to 4G

Via: 4G Internet

Search Karate! (funny Nokia ad)

2013-05-01T21:21:00.002-07:00

Ever since Nokia lost the fight of top-notch smartphone, they are trying to get back in the game. But in order to even be noticed in a competition with giants like Samsung and Apple, you really need to have a good strategy. I imagine now a board meeting in Nokia's headquarters, where the marketing team is brainstorming for that idea 1 million $ idea that will earn some customer attention. How about an ad where we mock everyone? So, this ad was born. It's funny, fresh and... I like it. But I'm still not buying those Lumia smartphones. They need more than a cool ad to get my attention as a customer.

The fastest computer in the world

2013-04-07T06:18:00.000-07:00

Back in the days, super computers were so huge that they could fit in a warehouse. Hard disks was also over sized, and everything about those "fast" computers was too damn big. Time passed, technology evolved, and now we have our own computer right in our pocket: the smartphone. Todays smartphones are becoming faster and faster, and according to Moore's law, in 5-6 years we should probably be able to buy an i3 or i5 smartphone.

The fastest computer in the world

Conventional computers use binary digits (0 and 1 bits). In order to create the fastest computer in the world, D-Wave, a company from Burnaby, used quantum mechanic properties to represent the information. This allowed them to create a computer 500,000 faster than its predecesor. So, the fastest computer in the world was born, breaking the barriers of any current computer. It's name: D-Wave Two.

Acording to coredore, D-Wave formed the foundation of future computer. In few years, commercial quantum computers could be available for common customers.

Future iPhone with Flexible Screen [patent]

2013-04-01T03:29:00.000-07:00

Is it just me or Apple is losing ground in tech innovation? Few years ago, Apple ignited the spark that started the trend of top-notch smartphones. When it was launched, the first iPhone was a revolutionary device like no other, with an operating system that was at least two years ahead of its competitors. Everyone was talking about it. But then, the competition was practically inexistent, since the most advanced OS competitor was Nokia's Symbian.

Now, it's a new world. It's 2013, and Apple is losing ground. Samsung is pushing really hard with their Galaxy S4 and flexible displays, Sony wants a piece of the cake with Xperia Z, Huawei is preparing a high-end smartphone. This puts a lot of pressure of Steve Job's legacy, because the Apple's story must continue in one way or another. Apple must survive. They have a tendency to take a technology that's already available on the market, and make it spectacular and desirable. In this regard, they applied for a paten of a curved-screen iPhone. The current-concept phone is surrounded by its display, and the curved screen is wrapped-around the case.

Future iPhone with Flexible Screen

This future iPhone could be Apple's response to Samsung's flexible display. Using AMOLED technology, the future iPhone could feature a screen cover that offers unlimited functionality. Basically, instead of physical buttons we could touch virtual buttons that can appear anywhere: on the sides, on the back of the phone. The patent application includes a facial recognition system and a method for superimposing several semi-transparent screens in a revolutionary system that can induce various visual effects, including the appearance of a 3D environment. If this is not enough for you guys, the system could be used to overlay information over image displayed in the lower levels, building a kind of 3D interface that seems to float above the main image.

But what happens to involuntary touch of the screen? The patent implies that there is a function for distinguishing the commands deliberately used from those that occur during handling the future iPhone. Apple describes a method for detecting orientation and location of the body, suitable for displaying content, using embedded cameras and facial recognition system.

It sounds too good to be true? Well, although all these features are great on paper, let's not forget that Apple has a tendency to patent all sorts of technologies without intending to implement them soon in real products. This could be the case here, because this patent could be used to block the use of similar technologies by Apple's competitors. We'll have to wait and see.

Top 3 Extravagant Gadgets of 2013

2013-03-22T09:19:00.001-07:00

Being extravagant in 2013 means more than having expensive cars, castles and unique jewelry. The next big thing is all about extravagant gadgets and cool gizmos.

Diamond iPhone 4

iPhone 5 is one of the best smartphones of 2013. Although iPhone 5S is few months away from being released, you don't need to wait for it in order to be cool. The Diamond iPhone 4 provides enough glam and style for anyone around you to be amazed. The alleged price for this gadget is $8,000,000.

Golden Pentax LX

Finding a hobby in photography is a cool way of spending your free time. But being an amateur photograph and using a golden camera is something else. Style baby, style!

Gold and diamond headphones

Why settle for less if you can have everything? Gold and diamonds are girls' best friend. Listen to music with style!

Roku 3 release date

2013-03-06T00:21:00.001-08:00

Movie fans all over the world need to cheer up right about now, because there is a new version of Roku media player to be released really soon. The updated version of Roku comes with a revolutionary new remote that allows you to plug-in a pair of headphones in order to have a private listening to your favorite video or movie.

The new Roku 3 is all about new experiences, and the new interface is even simpler and more easy to navigate than the previous one. The Roku Channel Store and the Search function can be accessed from the main screen, and everything is packed with great design and catchy colors. The new dashboard will be also available for old versions of Roku 2, Roku HD, Roku LT and Roku Streaming Stick.

Roku 3 release date and price

If you want to buy a digital movie player, Roku 3 is probably the best choice for you to get before summer 2013. The Roku 3 release date is set around April 2013, and you can probably find it on Amazon. In order to obtain the new Roku, you need to pay $99. It's not that much, and you still have enough time to raise that amount until April.

Image source: Roku.com

Interesting apps for iPhone

2013-02-13T01:16:00.000-08:00

It's been two years now since I'm using the iPhone and I still love it. I must admin, I was a Nokia fan for a very long time, but ever since I got that iPhone 4, I've changed my view regarding the cell phone world. If you ever had an iPhone, you now what I'm talking about here: there is something more catchy and more magnetic like the iPhone. It make us want to use it just for the sake of using it. Even music sounds better on the iPhone (as I said, I'm biased!). That's why I'm going to share some interesting apps that you can use when you have spare time to lose. I will group them by resemblance and importance. This is a personal top, and may not resonate with your needs.

Yahoo Mail and Gmail App

These apps are free in Apple Store and they are really handy, especially if you want a cool interface. For me, they are a life savior because I have an Internet plan that's wap-based and does not allow me to use mail protocols. So, the default mail app is working only when I'm on WiFi. But with these apps, I can read my mails flawlessly.

WhatsApp, Skype and Facebook

It's really important to stay connected with friends. That's why I'm using these apps. They are in no particular order, because I use different apps to talk to different people. I'm using WhatsApp to talk with some of my work-colleagues and friends that don't use Facebook. I was lucky to find WhatsApp for free in Apple Store thanks to a promotion that was taking place that day. I use Facebook just to stay connected with all the people I know, and I use Skype to talk to close friends, family and sometimes I use it for work.

Mercury, Safari, Chrome, Dolphin, Opera

I know, I use many browsers. There is a reason for this. I have various accounts on various websites, and I don't want to mix everything together. This way, things remain independently. I use Mercury as my default Internet Browser, because it has many features and because there is something cool about its Reader option. Dolphin is also really cool, and Safari is pretty fast.

Flipboard

This is probably the best News App I've ever seen on iOS. Maybe I'm just biased, but in addition to its own news (which are awesome), it allows you to add content from practically every platform you can think of (Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, Feeds). Whenever I have few minutes for myself, I just browser the news. It features a nice way of scrolling the news. I'm usually into tech and science, and there is plenty of content for me there. I recommend.

Camera+ and Camera

For me, Camera+ is probably the best photo app you'll find on Apple Store. It's not free, but it's a must if you like to take cool photos with your iPhone and edit them later. As a second foto app, I will probably recommend iOS native app. I'm using Camera mostly when I need to take a quick photo. It's really fast.

Other social apps

As you can imagine, I have accounts on every social network out there (Twitter, Wordpress, Pinterest, Reddit, Stumbleupon...), that's why I have an app installed for every each one of these accounts. To be true with you, I'm not using them that much, but it's really useful to have them installed in case something happens and I need to use them.

Check more apps on this post

A device that stores electromagnetic energy

2013-02-12T06:30:00.002-08:00

In the world of technology we live in, it's hard to find a place where electromagnetic fields are not present. Although they are imperceptible without a proper device, they are around us and, indirectly, they are a big part of our life. But thanks to a small device, it seems that these electromagnetic fields can be used as an energy source that will power a smal AA battery.

Denis Siegel is a student in a German University, and he built an electromagnetic harvesting device that generates electric power just by using the electromagnetic fields around the device. The technology is not new, and has been studied for some time. The big problem with it is that the amount of electric power produces is so small, the collector needs a full day in order to charge a single battery. According to Siegel, the electromagnetic harvester works only if it's positioned close to a source of electromagnetic field like a cell phone, a fridge, a train. Once the device enters the field, the LED will indicate that it charges the battery that's placed in the special socket. The device is not yet into production, because they are trying to fix the charging time. I guess the technology is still new. Nevertheless, it's a really interesting project.

Siegel has created two different versions of the electromagnetic harvester: one for frequencies below 100Hz (typical for most consumer electronics) and one for frequencies above 100 Hz (typical for Bluetooth technology, WLAN and radio emission).

Crazy Cool Gadgets of 2013

2013-02-08T02:20:00.001-08:00

Getting cool gadgets is so easy these days. I guess it has something to do with the fact that technology is evolving really fast, and making electronic devices is cheaper day by day. Of course, if you plan to buy exquisite gadgets, you have to pay more. But even so, for the right price, you can get an all in one gadgets that fits into your pocket. Let's see some of the best gadgets that everyone is waiting for in 2013

iPhone 5S
There was a lot of buzz around this device, and most internet voices state that iPhone 5S will be released sometime around mid 2013. It seems that Apple is trying to release 3 more iPhone models that will be cheaper.

Samsung Galaxy S4
Samsung had a great year in 2012, so they will release a new iteration of their Samsung Galaxy S phone. I did not liked the screen of Samsung Galaxy S3, and I'm hoping to see more pixel density on the following model.

iPad Mini Retina
iPad Mini was embraced by Apple's fans really fast, but they don't really like the fact that it does not feature the Retina Display. I'm not sure if Apple just retained this feature when they first released iPad Mini in order to make more money on the new model, or they did not implement it in order to maintain an affordable price. For me, iPad Mini's price is not that cheap.

Google Glasses
So much anticipation has been created around these glasses, I really want to see what they are all about. The alleged features of Google Glasses include maps, video chat, Internet viewing, photo sharing and more. Sounds... futuristic, right?

XBox 720 and PS4
If you're a gamer, you need to have one of these consoles. 2013 is the year of gaming console upgrades. Sony and Microsoft worked really hard to elevate the gaming experience to the next level. Are you ready for it?

Google Touch Chromebook
Google Chromebook is a laptop with the features of a tablet. Since Tabooks are becoming more and more popular, it's natural to see touch technology implemented into the next series.

via Cool Gadgets

Friends 2 CoreDore

2013-02-07T10:05:00.002-08:00

Thank you for visiting Crazy-cool-gadgets blog. Finally, Coredore managed to move to their own hosting and you can find them on Coredore.com They love technology and science, and they hope to achieve great things with their new project.

We started crazy cool gadgets as a hobby, and we hope to entertain our readers with future articles. We'll try to remain objective and deliver the hottest news. Thanks for your support.

ps. You should check some of the most important categories on Coredore:

How to build cheap home recording setup

2010-11-11T12:49:00.000-08:00

Music is a big part of our life, it make us better in so many ways. That's why many folks decide to go to the next level and build their own home recording setup that allows them to record their own songs. But building a home recording setup is not that easy as it may seem. You can invest a lot of money in poor instruments that are no better than a usual microphone and a common soundcard. Maybe I'm depicting a really bad scenario, but my point is simple: before going to the local music instruments store, make a list with everything you need. Even more, be sure that the products you are going to buy are the best that can fit your budget.

So, let's make a 10 item checkbox list with everything you need for a home recording setup:

condenser microphone
audio interface
laptop
monitors
headphones
cables
acoustic foam
pop filter
microphone stand
mixer

The Home Recording Setup

The condenser microphone is the first in the recording chain. It's the most important, because it captures the voice/instrument. If you have a poor capture, you can do nothing to improve it. The audio interface is also pretty important, because it will convert the analog signal received from the microphone to digital signal for the laptop/computer. The laptop is the brain of your entire recording setup, because it will help you mix vocals, instruments and instrumentals in order to complete the song. A powerful laptop is more suited for bigger music projects. The monitors are important when you mix the song. It will help you hear what you mix, and can make a big difference for the final mix and master. Headphones are mostly used when you record the song, in order to isolate what you hear from the microphone. In some cases, they can be used as sound control in the mixing process. Cables are used to connect everything together. Some items come with their own cables, other don't (and you need to buy some). The acoustic foam is important in the mixing process, but also in the recording process, because it isolates the sound and reverb from the room. The pop filter is used as a shield between the mic and the voice, and it captures unwanted sounds. The mixer is not that important if you plan to record only vocals. You can bypass it and add effects from the recording/mixing software. If you plan to record instruments, it's a must.

If you take a look at this perfect setup for a home studio, you will notice that Rode NT1a is one of the best microphones around $200. As an audio interface, you can go for Focusrite or M-Audio products. Any laptop will do, but a powerful one is preferred.

Top Split Screen Offline Co-Op Games for X360

2009-04-08T02:03:00.000-07:00

There are many cool XBox 360 games you can play with your friends, some include racing, some sports. But playing an offline co-op game could be the best way to have some fun and create bonding of trust between friends. I still remember the days when I was playing Gears of War 2 with a neighbor. We learned a lot about each other, we created a common trust and we had great time.

Here are some of the best split screen games for X360 game

Gears of War 1,2,3 - This is probably the best offline co-op game I've ever played
Blur - up to 4 players can race at one time, battling in the race
Halo 2 - the offline campaign and extras
Splinter cell conviction - 2 Player co-op offline campaign and 2 player extra modes
Rayman Origins - 4 player shared screen for full game
Trials Evolution - 4 Player Shared Screen for some multiplayer maps
Call of Duty 2 - offline story
Fifa - 4 players can play on shared screen in single exhibition game
Borderlands series - 2 player split screen offline co-op
Minecraft - 4 player offline story
Resident Evil 5 and 6
Rainbow Six Vegas Series - War simulation
Far Cry 3
Forza Racing Games - Racing Games
Project Gotham Racing - 2 players can play in split screen for single race
Portal 2
Left 4 dead 2 (this one is not that good)