GADGETS

Google car park

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 12:10:00 +0000

t is well known that Google loves the environment with its founders driving hybrid cars, and that fact is accentuated by the ambitious solar project located at their Mountain View headquarters. Google has set up approximately 9,000 solar panels to power approximately one third of the complex's power demand, where 3,000 of those solar panels function as a 'solar tree' that line the parking lots. These solar trees not only convert the sun's power into useable electricity, it also shades the vehicles underneath from the scorching heat as well as rain. It is nice to see corporate giants doing their part for the environment.

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'SOLAR POWERED' FAN-HAT

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 12:05:00 +0000

You know how sports fans will basically throw their life savings away on merchandise that sport (no pun intended) their favorite team's logo? They can now do it in a more environmentally friendly manner with the Solar-Powered Fan Hat. This is basically a modified baseball cap that comes with a solar panel located on top, while the bill has a hole to cater for an attached fan. As long as you remain under the sun, there should be enough juice generated to keep the fan going. The Solar-Powered Fan Hat will be released sometime in summer next year in Japan and each of these will retail for approximately £8.70.

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X-RAY vision

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 12:04:00 +0000

Check out the cool effects of this Infrared X-Ray Machine that was displayed live at the WIRED NextFest event at the Jacob Javitz center in New York. This unique device is capable of displaying your blood vessels as well as muscles directly above your skin as long as you move your limb under the beam. The effects are extremely cool to say the least, and offers cheap thrills for those who want to know what lies underneath their skin. I am sure there is some practical medical application to the Infrared X-Ray Machine, but I can't quite put my finger on it at the moment. Check out the video here.

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PS2 Gadget

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 12:00:00 +0000

SplitFish has a brand new gaming mouse for the PlayStation 2 that will definitely bring your First Person Shooter experience to the next level when used. The EdgeFX mouse comes with the Dual Shock controller's four face buttons on its side, and ships with a secondary controller that houses the analog and D-pads as well. Unfortunately, the EdgeFX is currently compatible with the PS2 only, with plans in the pipeline to develop versions for next generation consoles. You can start looking for the EdgeFX mouse at retail stores this week. They should retail for approximately $70 a pop.

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Telescopic Hearing

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 11:57:00 +0000

ou've always suspected that your neighbor has been spreading rumors about your dog leaving its signature logs all over his lawn, but you can finally confirm it with the Spion Orbitor Electronic Listening Device. It might look like an alien ray gun to some, but the Spion Orbitor is actually a handy gadget that enables you to eavesdrop on conversations that are no further than 300 feet away. It is even capable of recording voice conversations up to 2 minutes' long. The adjustable frequency controller helps eliminate background noise, while the built-in 10x spyglass helps you keep track of your target visually. Pick up this deliciously naughty gadget for $60.

LOVING YOUR PETS

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 04:13:00 +0000

Some pets get anxious whenever you're out of town, and they cannot be soothed by their favorite treat or even a walk in the park unless they hear your voice. You can now introduce voice therapy by feeding them food in the Chatterbowl. The Chatterbowl consists of a food bowl and a TalkBox that can store up to 10 seconds of your voice. The TalkBox is fitted under the food bowl, where a photocell will play back your message whenever your pet approaches the bowl for some chow. Needless to say, the Chatterbowl works best for dogs and to a certain extent, cats, as any other pets basically couldn't care less if you left them a message or not - all they care about is getting enough to eat. At $20 a pop, there is no harm in picking one up.

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GIRL-GUITAR

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 04:08:00 +0000

Lou Reimuller has come up with a beauty of a guitar that is guaranteed to get mouths talking the moment somebody sets eyes on her. Yes, Teenar is a girl and guitar rolled into one - you can display your hot guitar picking skills at a party while holding a hot babe in your hands at the same time. Some might find this invention of Lou's pretty creepy, but others will definitely love how a vintage mannequin is transformed into a full-fledged electric guitar. Of course, since Teenar is a mannequin, she won't really mind how you look like or how bad you sound plucking her strings.

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3 Skeletons

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 04:03:00 +0000

Despite Christmas being a season of joy, there are some of us who are sombre no matter the occasion is and love reminding ourselves that life is too short to laugh and be merry all the time, which is why we should keep death close to our hearts at all times. This is where the Computer Monitor Topper Skeletons come in, with a trio of bleached human skeletons assuming the classic pose of "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil". This anorexic trio can be picked up for a friend, colleague, family, or even personal use for $24.99.

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MAGIC BOWL

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 03:58:00 +0000

You know how Christmas is incomplete without fancy lights and all, which is why the Cereal Bowl Light would be a very welcome addition to any home this holiday season. Touching the spoon will complete the touch sensor circuit, lighting up the entire cereal bowl to ensure you do not accidentally bite into a wayward lizard amidst the pool of Fruit Loops. There are seven bowl colors to choose from, and each bowl measures 10" in diameter and 5" in height. Each Cereal Bowl Light is custom made, so it might take some time before your order is processed. At $89.98 a pop, they aren't exactly cheap but you gotta admit they make a great home decorative item.

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Hitech Eyebrow Plucking

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 07:12:00 +0000

With the holidays just around the corner, you just have to look your best physically as you renew your annual rivalry with your sister-in-law when it comes to beauty. Naturally, you subject yourself to an ancient torture ritual known a "Eyebrow Plucking", but why do it with an unglamorous purchase when there are more technologically advanced alternatives available? The La-Tweez comes with it's very own bright, white LED light that eliminates shadows to help you pluck the correct hair every single time. I suppose you could use the La-Tweez on nose hair, but that is another can of worms. The La-Tweez can be yours today for $16

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GLOWING PEN DRIVE

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 07:10:00 +0000

This USB-powered glowing squid is yet another hilarious desktop toy from Japan that is bound to make a great gag gift for friends and family alike this Christmas. Instead of just offering some visual entertainment, the Glowing Squid also comes with 512MB worth of storage space within for you to carry all your important documents. Compatible with both Windows and Mac platforms, the USB Glowing Squid retails for approximately $51 after conversion. I swear if you slap some Vaseline on it, it will look exactly like the real thing! At least you can now squirt your data over with the USB Glowing Squid.

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CHILD TRACKER

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 10:51:00 +0000

The EUT is actually a digital wireless child tracker that helps parents' keep tabs on their kids whenever the entire family goes out for a fun-filled outing. This means you can now go about doing your grocery shopping without turning your head around every 5 seconds to make sure your kid has not wandered away. The Parent Unit is clipped to your belt while the watch-like Child Unit is worn by the child, whereby the entire EUT system works on the 2.4GHz band. Should your child go missing, fret not. Just press the "Find" button and the Parent Unit will begin to beep. The closer you are to your child, the higher the beep's frequency. An array of six LEDs let you know just which direction you should head towards. A Parent Unit can track up to four kids simultaneously via different channels. There is no word on pricing or availability despite receiving the FCC's approval.

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Siemen's IRON

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 10:48:00 +0000

Who would've thought that Siemens could create an iron that would make even the men fight with their other halves over the right to iron clothes? The Siemens Slider S5 is touted to be the first automatic iron in the world, and it is apparently more suited toward those with more testosterone running through their bodies. The S5 might not magically iron a pile of clothes, but it comes with a three-position automatic shutoff and a three section hot zone features that eliminates all the guesswork from iron settings. I guess technology really makes us dumber as we depend more and more on the word automation instead of using our brain. The Siemens Slider S5 will retail for approximately $133.

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16GB FLASH DRIVE

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 10:44:00 +0000

Corsair has a spanking new USB 2.0 flash drive to offer that comes with a whooping 16GB of memory and comes in an external suit that looks more suitable for those in kindergarten than someone in a power business suit. The reason behind the tardy outfit can be traced to the fact that the Flash Voyager is practically water resistant and shock proof, capable of operating even under the most adverse temperature situations. Each Flash Voyager can also be password protected to prevent busybodies from poking their noses where they don't belong. In addition, you get 8-bit Error Correcting Code to keep your data integrity intact at all times. This 16GB bad boy retails for $299.

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Fortuneball

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 10:34:00 +0000

Fortuneball charts your future

Everybody loves a little bit of divination once in a while as it takes the onus of being responsible for your own self away. The Fortuneball is one great Christmas gift for last-minute people and procrastinators, as it comes with a computerized Fortune Prediction System that combines a whole bunch of mystical techniques from the realms of astrology, numerology, biorhythms, and I-Ching. The Fortuneball claims to be able to predict areas of health, wealth, and love life by simply deriving information from your birth date and time. Answers come in the form of five colors - red, purple, green, light blue, and dark blue. One thing's for sure though - you don't need to Fortuneball to predict that you're £69.95 poorer after picking it up.

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Samsung SGH-F500 a.k.a

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 06:04:00 +0000

Samsung has a spanking new multimedia powerhouse that is known as the SGH-F500 a.k.a. Ultra Video. This will be the first handset in the world that supports the DivX video codec, potentially making it an extremely big hit amongst those who love carrying video files around. Audio and video formats supported include MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC, WMA, MPEG4, H.264, and WMV. Other specifications of the SGH-F500 are a generous 2.4" QVGA TFT display, a 2 megapixel camera, a microSD memory card slot for expansion options, Bluetooth 1.2 with A2DP support, and a whooping 400MB of internal memory. The Ultra Video measures a pocket-friendly 116.4mm x 50.4mm x 10.7mm. There is currently no word on when the SGH-F500 will be up for sale, so keep your wallets closed for the moment.

Self-Stirring Mug

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 06:00:00 +0000

Self-Stirring Mug for the lazy

Nobody likes to get to the bottom of their drink only to discover clumps of undissolved coffee due to poor stirring technique, which is why the Self-Stirring Mug is an essential in any office. Offen we end up pouring some onto ourself...now this unique piece of drinking equipment might resemble an ordinary thermal mug from the outside, but it comes with a button on the handle that will activate the propeller located at the base when pressed, giving your drink a thorough stir for the best blend possible. All this is done while keeping your beverage at the temperature registered currently thanks to the wonders of insulation. The Self-Stirring Mug retails for approximately $30 and is powered by a pair of AAA batteries.

FUTURE PC

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 05:22:00 +0000

P-ISM concept from NEC

NEC are currently working on the P-ISM concept that is actually a "pen-style personal networking gadget package", and to put it in a layman's terms, the P-ISM consists of a package of 5 pens that have unique functions individually, combining all to create a virtual computing experience. One of the pens act as a cellphone with handwriting data input capability, while another is actually a camera scanner. The third is able to project a virtual QWERTY keyboard while the fourth doubles up as a projector. Last but not least, the fifth functions as a personal ID key and an electronic wallet. All five are interconnected via short-range wireless technology, simultaneously hooked up to the Internet via the cellphone pen. There's no word on whether this concept is anywhere near reality, but should it be commercialized, losing a pen then will be a much more traumatic experience than now

Cordless Electric LED Knife

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 05:08:00 +0000

Carving up a piece of turkey or ham can be quite a challenging prospect for some, but you can now have a tool to assist your amateur cutting skills with this Cordless Electric LED Knife from Sharper Image. Encased in black and gray plastic, the LED Knife boasts a one-touch operation and an ergonomic handle for a much more pleasant experience. The LED guide lights certainly come in handy especially in candle-lit situations where you wouldn't want to end up contributing a finger or two to the meal. Powered by a whooping half dozen AA batteries, this Cordless Electric LED Knife is one mean power guzzler, but as long as it gets the job done, this $9.95 kitchen appliance is a bargain. Just remember to stock up on rechargeable batteries

SPLIT SCREEN MOBILE

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 05:06:00 +0000

Here's a interesting news bit from the Seoul International Invention Fair 2006 event - Korean inventor Seok Hong Jeong has developed a cellphone with dual LCD displays, taking a leaf out of Nintendo's book. This unique cellphone claims to offer an enhanced Web browsing experience as today's cellphone displays are still too small for proper use. In addition, wider screens mean better support for multimedia-intensive webpages. Once you're done surfing the Net, you can easily fold back the displays into a compact candybar format. This Frankenstein device is currently patent pending. What we're interested in (other than the price and availability should it ever be commercialized) is the battery life of the handset, as double screens equals to a thirstier handset battery-wise

ALIEN WATCH

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 10:45:00 +0000

Biohazard watch probes for aliens

It's true - the aliens have landed, which is why Tokyoflash are selling these Biohazard Watches. Each watch comes with an advanced color LCD that is capable of displaying a simulated effect of what looks like a wrist scanner that probes your surroundings for the presence of alien DNA. Telling the time has taken a new science fiction twists, as the red and white DNA helix is broken down into a dozen bars to denote the hour. Blue blocks located at the bottom of the watch indicate intervals of 5 minutes each, while the green blocks represent a single minute. The Alien DNA % level will display the date. You just gotta love this creative piece of timewear, and I don't mind getting one this Christmas but the $140 price is rather off putting.

Look ma, no hands

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 10:36:00 +0000

Look ma, no hands

Unless you're a tourist in some remote area where there is no sign of civilization for the next 10 miles, I don't think there is a drastic need to go out and purchase the Extendable Hand Held Tripod. For $19.99, you get a tripod that makes you look silly while taking self-portraits. Despite holding the title of being the first extendable hand held tripod in the world, it's use is actually pretty limited as some of us prefer to snap photos with a large background, and this can only be achieved by trusting a local to capture that moment. I have yet to turn down any tourist's photo request, and I am sure nobody around the world are heartless enough to help somebody in need of an impromptu photographer.

TINY HEADSET

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 10:34:00 +0000

This cute tiny headset has a very innovative noise reduction feature: “the in-ear microphone and speaker pick up your voice through the ear canal so conversations come in loud clear even in a noisy environment” (From the Motorola Specs). We did not have the opportunity to test the sound quality, so it’s up to you to try it. It has been available from first half of 2006.

COLLISION SAFETY

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 10:13:00 +0000

Volvo's "City Safety" detects collisions, can steer out of the way

Volvo has just come out with its own version of collision detection technology, calling it "City Safety," and aims to release this new feature on some models within two years. The technology works via an optical radar in the upper windshield that calculates the distance and speed of the car immediately ahead of you (and it does it 50 times per second), then engages the brakes accordingly if the system detects that a crash is imminent. Of course, Toyota came out with a similar setup that was announced back in August, but Volvo's apparently has the added benefit of being able to "steer away from a potential collision" as well. We weren't really into the idea of turning over braking control to computers at first, either, but steering? We'll stick to walking, thanks.

Jive Turkey Watch

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 06:13:00 +0000

Jive Turkey Watch

Tokyo Flash Jive TurkeyAnnother funny watch by the masters of watches, Tokyoflash. The Jive Turkey utilizes several refractive mirrors and a coated convex camera style lens to create the illusion of LED’s reaching off into the distance. The effect must be quite impressive, but the animated GIF on the website does obvisiously not really reflect the watches’ quality. As usual, telling the time by a watch from Tokyoflash is very hard but hey - who needs to be able to tell the time from a watch like this. Price is 18900 Yen which is about $163 USD.