New Gadget Design

XMI X-Mini Max 2 Capsule Speakers

2009-12-04T15:39:00.001-08:00

The XMI X-Mini Max 2 capsule speakers try to prove that size doesn't really matter. It is an ultra-portable speaker system that works well with portable media gadgets. It offers quite excellent sound quality despite its small size.

The XMI X-Mini Max 2 is designed like a small capsule that detaches to two small speakers. The speakers themselves are uniquely designed in that they sport an expanding column comparable to what you see in accordions that help improve bass output quality while maintaining the high notes as well by way of a sensitive speaker. It weighs only 178 grams and offers 2.5W of speaker output, quite good enough to use for your portable gadgets. It sports a rechargeable battery that allows up to 12 hours of play time. It's available in Amazon and is priced at around 33 UK pounds.

Chargepod Multiple Charger

2009-12-04T15:38:00.002-08:00

Ever had increasing problems with charging your multiple portable devices? You may be just one of the many people who might be experiencing hassles having to bring along different chargers for your different hand held devices just to ensure that you can keep using them when you're out and about. You might need a handy alternative like the Chargepod.

The Chargepod is a 6-way charging device that allows you to charge up to 6 portable devices such as cellphones, PDA's and other similar gadgets simultaneously. It eliminates having to bring along separate chargers for your devices which can be quite a hassle the more devices you have in your person. A variety of device adapters allow the Chargepod to accommodate almost all the current portable devices available in the market. It is also 120-240V compatible for all wall plugs. The Chargepod is available at Callpod for US$40.

Asus T91MT Eee PC

2009-12-04T15:38:00.001-08:00

Innovation has become the norm in the tight netbook market. Offering unique features seems to drive interest in this relatively new market segment that only gets more and more popular by the day. This may be one of the reasons why Asus may be coming up with different netbook ideas to offer such as the Eee PC T91MT.

Asus is coming up with the Eee PC T91MT, the second generation device from its popular T91 tablet netbook. The Asus Eee PC T91MT features a multi-touch display upgrade that allows users to manipulate images and web pages on the screen using multiple fingers simultaneously. It features a 1.33 GHz Intel Z520 Atom CPU, 1 GB DDR2 memory, and upgraded with a 32 GB SSD. Price for the T91MT Eee PC may be around US$550 although its availability in the market is not yet known.

Twitter 360 on iPhone 3GS

2009-12-04T15:37:00.002-08:00

Want to take online stalking to another level? Find where your Twitter buddies have been tweeting with the Twitter 360 application on iPhone 3GS. The augmented reality app from Presselite utilizes the iPhone 3GS' compass function to track your friends by geolocating their tweets. Now you get to realize that the Vanessa Hudgens you have been following is actually your next-door neighborhood postman. (The HSM celebrity claims she does not have a Twitter account.) Check the video demo here.

If you do not want to be tracked down by your tweets, don't worry. You can opt out of the geolocation feature. The Twitter 360 is now available in the iTunes Store for only US$2.99.

FlipShare TV

2009-12-04T15:37:00.001-08:00

From the makers of Flip pocket camcorder, now acquired by Cisco, come FlipShare TV, which wirelessly brings your Flip Video library of photos and video clips right onto your TV screen and even share files instantly with other FlipShare users.

FlipShare works by connecting the base to the TV through composite or HDMI cables then plug the USB key into your PC or Mac. The Flip videos stored on the computer are then transmitted wirelessly to the base, instantly enabling your home videos seen on the TV, even without any wireless home network. You can also navigate through the intuitive TV interface with a wireless remote.

FlipShare TV works with FlipShare 5.0, the latest software from Flip Video. It takes video sharing to a different level, as other FlipShare owners can watch videos shared by fellow users on their own TV.

The FlipShare TV is now available at different retailers and official Flip Stores for only US$149.99.

Nintendo Wii Gets Dissed for Substandard Software

2009-12-04T15:35:00.000-08:00

The Nintendo Wii is the leading gaming console today, but its sales have been declining and some think they know the reason why.

In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Lightning Fish Games CEO Simon Prytherch said the Wii's weak sales is partly because of its poor quality games that have flooded the market, leaving consumers with no other choice but to purchase games only within the Nintendo franchise. Lightning Fish Games develops "family-oriented" games for major consoles.

"I don't think you can ever write Nintendo off, but the Wii market-from a third-party software developer and publisher perspective-is over-saturated with product," Prytherch said. "Consumers have been damaged by a lot of substandard software, so now they only trust big Nintendo brands."

With their first title, NewU: Fitness First Personal Trainer for Wii, performing badly in the market, Prytherch added that their company will be focusing more on developing games for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 beginning next year.

Despite the lost love for Wii, Prytherch has hope for motion-based games, especially with the upcoming release of Project Natal by Microsoft and Sony PlayStation 3 Motion Controller in 2010.

"(Motion-based games will) only have a huge impact once people start designing specifically for those controllers," Prytherch cautioned.

LG Projector Phone Comes to U.S.

2009-12-01T12:31:00.001-08:00

Imagine a mobile phone. Now, imagine a pico projector. You see the two? Now, try to put them together.

Get the picture? Well, LG has figured it out! The South Korean company has unveiled the LG Expo, a smartphone with an integrated optional pico projector add-on. Yes, it may be an optional feature, but there have not any projector phone hybrids being sold in the United States anyway. Upon its formal launch in the market, this projector phone will be the first of its kind in the US.

The LG Expo runs on the company's spin on Windows Mobile 6.5 called S-Class user interface, which uses rotating wheels of icons, and is powered by a Qualcomm 1GHz processor. Both features will be a first on the US smartphone market. On its own, it features a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, a 5-megapixel camera, a 3.2-inch screen with 800 x 480 resolution, a built-in fingerprint sensor, accelerometer, proximity sensor, FM tuner, GPS, Wi-Fi, HSDPA, and a 1500mAh battery. The projector add-on, which weighs about 2 ounces and has the ability to project an image up to 8 feet away, will be sold separately.

The LG Expo is set to be released in a few weeks from now for US$299.99, minus a $100 mail-in rebate along with a two-year agreement on AT&T. The projector add-on, if you really want one, will be available soon for $179.99.

Shareable Ink: Transfers Handwritten Text Wirelessly to Database

2009-12-01T12:30:00.002-08:00

For doctors, streamlining their billing can be a problem. For anesthesiologist Vernon Huang this is nothing new. Wanting to find a better way to bridge the gap between what's written on paper, and what must be entered into an electronic database, he designed a digital pen with a tiny camera embedded right next to the ink cartridge which captures every thing you write on film. The captured footage is later uploaded wirelessly and automatically to their database in Boston.

After filling out, for instance, a patients' medical record, all you have to do is dock the pen in a cradle or check an invisible box on the paper to initiate the wireless transfer, and encrypted in their server farm in Boston where the strokes are reapplied to the paper where they perform handwriting recognition, and type stamping. All the handwritings were converted into texts, however, charts and signatures were captured as graphics.

In his demonstration, the wireless transfer was done via a cellular network, but according to him at the hospital they will probably use USB cradles.

Camangi Webstation Launches Website

2009-12-01T12:30:00.001-08:00

Last November 25, Camangi went live with the launch of the Camangi-Webstation.com and also released the full details on its Android-based Webstation tablet/MID.

The Webstation tablet has a glass-encased resistive touchscren, and measures H 4.27" x W 7.84" D .57", and weighs a mere 13.75 ounces.

It has video, audio, and image viewing capabilities, and can supports ePub and TXT files. This being an Android device, means you need not download an eReader app. Still, it would make a great addition.

It is also preloaded with English, Japanese, French, Spanish, German and simplified language support.

Sadly, it looks like the webcam and 2megapixel camera did not make it. It would have been cool to make Skype conferencing on the go possible - had we option of coupling the integrated WiFi b/g and optional 3G capability (using a USB dongle) with the scrapped-out camera.

It also has a rather low screen resolution (800x480), a rather small memory (128MB RAM), and an equally small internal storage (256MB flash), although it does have a MicroSD slot that is upgradeable to 16GB (it does come with a complementary 8GB). Still it would make a nice sub for the netbook,

The tablet will be available in 3 colors: pearl white, piano black and light pink.

As for the Apps Market, there's nothing very interesting there so far. And the website still won't sell you a Webstation tablet.

Kohjinsha Dual-Screen DZ Series Portable Laptop

2009-12-01T12:25:00.000-08:00

Just when you thought dual-screen desktop computers are cool enough, wait ‘till you see a more portable version. Kohjinsha introduces the Dual-Screen DZ series, highlighted by a pair of 10.1-inch TFT screens with 1,024 x 600 resolution stuffed into a really thin, 4-pound portable laptop. The two screens work by sliding them away from each other.

Technical specs include a 1.6GHz AMD Athlon Neo processor with RS780MN chipset and ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphics card, 1GB RAM (which can be expanded to 4GB), 160GB hard disk drive, an integrated 1.3-megapixel webcam, a 3-in-1 card reader, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth ver 2.1 + EDR, 3 USB ports, and a 4.5-hour battery life-or so they claim.

The Kohjinsha Dual-Screen DZ Series portable laptop is available at GeekStuff4U.com for "only" ¥95,800 (around US$1,110). It comes preloaded with Linux OS, although you can have it replaced with Windows 7 Home Premium for an additional amount of ¥5,000 (about $58). It also ships in the United States and Europe, plus shipping costs of course, in three weeks if your order it today.

Computer Heated Lunchbox

2009-11-26T07:06:00.001-08:00

Trying to save up on expenses as much as you can may make you bring out your lunch at the office more instead of eating out. This may be a more cost-effective alternative since eating out can sum up quite a lot in a month's time. Bringing a lunch box with you at the office may be something that you are not accustomed with, but it may be a necessity during these tough times.

One of your concerns when bringing a lunch box at the office may be eating food that ends up getting cold by lunch time. But such concerns have become something that the Japanese have been able to find quite a convenient answer to. Thanks to Japanese ingenuity, there is now a computer heated lunchbox available. This special lunchbox can heat up its contents by simply plugging it into the PC's USB port. It will keep any lunch well heated to be quite enjoyable even if it was prepared in the early mornings.

The computer heated lunchbox is made by Thanko in Japan and costs around US$20. Although it may not yet be available in the US, knowing that there is such a lunchbox available can be quite reassuring, especially if you often bring your own homemade lunch at the office.

Olive Opus 4 Digital Music Server

2009-11-26T07:06:00.000-08:00

The Olive Opus 4 digital music server is a unique device that allows you to store up your most treasured music files into a single device. You can say that it is the modern digital version of the jukebox. But unlike other modern music file storage systems, the Olive Opus 4 provides quality at a higher level along with quantity.

The Olive Opus offers higher quality music storage because it converts your CD music collection into high resolution DAC format, a loss less format that prevents your music files from fading in quality no matter how many times you use them. Storage capacity is equivalent to a total of 3,000 CD's, more than enough for any music collection. A touch screen display on the Olive Opus 4 allows easy access to your music collection.

The Olive Opus 4 can be used conveniently with your stereo system in order to provide a high quality listening experience. It is plug and play and does not require any complex set up. You can just connect it to your stereo sound system and enjoy. It is also Wi-Fi enabled and can be used to stream music wirelessly throughout the home using the Melody 2 Multi-Room Module.

Baseball King Ball Set Helps You Pitch Like The Pros

2009-11-25T07:05:00.000-08:00

Not many people can pitch like a professional baseball pitcher. And this is exactly why baseball fans are buying out the Baseball King Baseballl set.

If you want to pitch like a pro, minus their years of training, then avail of one of these - or buy the whole set.

Each of the Baseball King balls has a specially designed band running through the center which lets a pitcher control the air resistance flowing over the ball in relation to the balls in the band. Thus, it is easier to throw curveballs, knuckleballs, risers, or screwballs.

Still it is best to practice with real baseballs.

Because come game time, there is no way you will be allowed to use these Baseball King balls.

Each baseball costs $24 and is available at japantrendshop.com.

X-Flex Wallpaper Protects Against Bombs

2009-11-25T07:04:00.001-08:00

Not that anyone is going to bomb your home anytime soon but it's best to be safe, right?

If you've made a few enemies over the years or you forgot to pay your mortgage, maybe the X-Flex Wallpaper is the wallpaper for you. It is made of Kevlar-like material placed between an elastic polymer wrap. Considering what it could protect you from, the X-Flex wallpaper is surprisingly lightweight, portable and easy to install - simply peel off the back and stick it on to your wall. You can put wallpaper or paint over it if you're not feeling its design.

If you need proof of the X-flex's ability to blunt bomb and wrecking ball impacts you can watch it here and here. According to X-flex, a commercial version of the military grade wall paper will be available next year.

USB Grenade Flash Drive

2009-11-25T07:04:00.000-08:00

While creatively-designed flash drives are nothing new, this one could get you a few laughs - or maybe get you detained at the airport.

The USB Grenade Flash Drive by ThinkGeek is well - shaped like a grenade with 8GB of memory space. You son will love this, and may be your colleagues will too. Pull the cap, lob it to a co-worker and pretend to run for cover; or toss it in the direction of your boss' office and draw some laughs from your officemates.

If you're traveling by plane though, it is best to leave this thing at home. You know how paranoid airport security can get.

The USB Grenade Flash Drive is available at ThinkGeek for $39.99.

Han Solo Frozen In Carbonite Desk

2009-11-25T07:03:00.000-08:00

Fans of Star Wars will definitely be lusting after this Tom Spina-designed desk.

The Han Solo Frozen In Carbonite Desk is made of metal and fiber glass with a heavy glass top, with dials and fiddles detailing on the side.

According to the website, this table is a custom one-off design for a client; meaning it is almost certainly not an officially licensed Star Wars merchandise.

While I am not a huge fan of this particular piece of furniture-art (let's face it, it is kind of creepy) I am sure a lot of Star Wars fans would die to have this thing parked in their study, den, or office. While a some complain that the desk is too low, I'm pretty sure it's nothing an adjustable chair could not fix.

Samsung YP P3 MP3 Player

2009-11-24T07:03:00.000-08:00

With lots of mp3 players now available out there, getting attention seems to have become quite competitive in the market. Mp3 players that offer unique features seem to stand out among the others and it is one of the best ways to capture a certain segment of the market. Such is the reason why mp3 players like the Samsung YP P3 still gets some attention.

The Samsung YP P3 mp3 player, aside from its sleek and slim design, also has features that some gadget lovers may appreciate. It has a 3-inch touch screen display with haptic feedback that Samsung has been known for. Other features include DNSe sound enhancement, audio and video playback, FM radio and voice recording. Its more unique features include Bluetooth capabilities, stereo audio streaming and support for DIVX video files which can make video downloads faster and more convenient to view on the player. The Samsung P3 is available from its 4GB to 32 GB versions and priced from US$150 to $200.

Samsung BD P4600 Blu Ray Player

2009-11-24T07:02:00.000-08:00

Some people appreciate gadgets not only for its features but also by the way it is designed. Stylish looks tend to make gadgets stand out for the rest . Eye catching designs becomes an effective way to attract consumers enough to make them consider buying them.

There can be such a thing as an excellent mix of form and function whenever you see the Samsung BD P4600 Blu Ray player. What strikes the consumer upon seeing it is the uniquely stylish design unlike any other Blu Ray players out there. It seems that the Samsung BD P4600 was designed not merely to become an ordinary Blu Ray player but quite a conversation piece as well. Its slim and thin design not only allows it to look quite unique, but the materials used for its surface allows it to change colors once light strikes upon it from various angles. And for that reason, it has been given the CES Innovation Award for 2009. With that distinction, would it matter if the Samsung BD P4600 is Wi-Fi ready, supports video and music on demand streaming and HDMI capable? It is available at Samsung for US$350.

Cinemin Swivel Pico Projector

2009-11-24T07:01:00.000-08:00

The Cinemin Swivel is a portable pico multimedia projector. A unique device that offers an added touch to portable multimedia devices, the Cinemin Swivel makes video viewing a group activity rather than just something an individual can enjoy.

The Cinemin Swivel is a handy device that can provide a clear and crisp projection display that can be as large as 60-inches from a distance of 8 feet. That can show you just how powerful a projector this small device can be. It is a plug and play device that can easily be connected to your iPod, iPhone and a lot of other popular portable multimedia players as well as your laptop. It has its own built-in speakers as well as powerful rechargeable batteries that can last for up to two hours of continuous movie viewing. The Cinemin Swivel is available at WowWee for US$300.

LightForm Flexible LED Sheet

2009-11-23T07:01:00.000-08:00

LED technology really has come a long way. Imagine installing light-emitting diodes not only on your car's tail lights, but virtually anywhere on the vehicle's exterior and interior, thanks to a revolutionary technology introduced by Indiana-based Grote Industries, which introduced the first commercially viable LED marker lamp 20 years ago. LightForm is a paper-thin material lined with LEDs, which can be flexed, bent, twisted, and rolled.

Each LightForm LED film measures 10 inches long, one-half inch wide, and a measly 1 millimeter in thickness. Three films can be connected to each other illuminated even with just a single battery pack. Custom car enthusiasts would find this material easy-to-use, as it is installed much like putting on a sticker, using familiar adhesives. No need to drill holes, affix mounting brackets, and using traditional fasteners. Because it is bendable and twistable, Lightform can be put on any corner, over contoured areas, and even with complicated shapes. LightForm also passed a battery of stress tests, from salt baths, extreme humidity, heat, and cold.

Right now, the LightForm only comes in continuous illumination pattern but it is available in red, amber, green, and blue. The company, however, is considering having them in never-before-seen light patterns and configurations.

Grote Industries has yet to reveal when LightForm becomes available in the market and expect a lot of eager enthusiasts forming a bee line for it once it comes out.

HP Pavilion dm3t Ultraportable Laptop

2009-11-23T07:00:00.000-08:00

Another awesome Christmas gift idea for your friend or loved one is HP's take on ultraportable laptops. The 13-inch HP Pavilion dm3t provides a balance of performance, mobility and affordability.

The dm3t series has a wide range of options from the type of OS, Intel processor, memory, and hard drive, thereby giving you a laptop that fits your lifestyle and demands. The base model runs on Windows 7 Home Premium OS, ultra-low-voltage Intel Celeron SU2300, 2GB DDR3 memory (with a free upgrade to 3GB), 250GB hard disk drive, and up to 10 hours of continuous battery life. You can simply work with your HP ultraportable in normal conditions without having to worry whether you should have brought the adapter with you.

The HP Pavilion dm3t comes in a sleek aluminum chassis (which explains the 4.2 pounds of weight), a 5-in-1 digital card reader, Ethernet connectivity, hard drive protection in case of an accidental fall, Altec Lansing stereo speakers, and an integrated webcam that performs well even in low lighting conditions.

Its downside, however, is the silver-mirrored touchpad that has a slugging performance according to reviews. Its glossy surface also makes the trackpad prone to fingerprint smudges. This comes in contrast with the touchpad buttons, which offered a satisfactory feedback despite its narrow size. The dm3t also has a slow cold start time, about two minutes long, and it takes 2.5 minutes to restart.

The HP Pavilion dm3t is available on its official website and other authorized resellers starting at US$599.99. They also come with AMD-equipped processors, thus reducing the price even further, although HP claims it would sacrifice the battery life.

Kiwi MPG Automotive Diagnostic Scan Tool

2009-11-22T07:00:00.000-08:00

These days, checking your car's speed and fuel is no longer enough. You also want to know detailed information about your vehicle's performance and fuel efficiency, and with the help of Kiwi MPG from PLX Devices it may do just that.

The Kiwi MPG is an engine scan tool that you plug into the OBD II port of any vehicle made after 1996, which includes SUVs and even hybrid cars, and can be mounted anywhere in the car's interior. At a push of a button, the Kiwi MPG displays your vehicle's miles per gallon (mpg), mpg per trip, and even the cost of gas consumed during the trip. It can also display how much fuel your car has used, distance traveled, distance to go before your fuel tank runs empty, coolant temperature, and so much more. These data come in both imperial and metric measuring systems.

The Kiwi MPG automotive scan tool can also read your car's engine code whenever it displays a "check engine" light in your console. Simply let the Kiwi MPG to take care of that tiny engine problem and save a lot of money off visits to a mechanic.

The Kiwi MPG car digital gauge is available on PLX Devices website for US$89.99.

Toshiba Satellite T135 Ultrathin Portable

2009-11-22T06:59:00.000-08:00

Despite its low cost and convenience, the one thing that would be bugging about the increasingly popular netbooks is its size. Not only typing on smaller keys can be cumbersone, but it is also uncomfortable watching video or browsing through websites on a much smaller screen. This paved way for the rise of "ultrathin portables," slim ultraportable laptop computers at a fraction of its price.

Toshiba introduces its take on the ultrathin portable with Toshiba Satellite T135 series, which they claim has a "perfect balance" of performance and battery life with its eco-friendly engineering and power saving options. This ultraslim may be smaller in size compared to traditional laptops--with its 13.3-inch widescreen LED backlit display, 3.9 pounds of weight, and measuring less than an inch thick-this portable computer packs an Intel Pentium SU2700 processor, 3GB DDR3 memory, Intel 4500M graphic chipset, Windows 7 Home Premium, built-in webcam and microphone, and 250GB hard disk drive.

It also comes in a gorgeous Fusion Finish, with your choice of Nova Black, Red, or White covers, while its USB Sleep-and-Charge ability enables this ultrathin portable to charge-up your USB gadgets even while it is asleep. The Toshiba Satellite T135 also contains a built-in hard drive impact sensor, which keeps your precious data safe in case of an accidental fall.

But the biggest selling point is its battery life, as the Toshiba Satellite T135 can be used for up to 9 hours and 22 minutes. That's a lot of power for a laptop, which is further improved with energy-saving Intel processor and LED backlit display. It is also free from any mercury, which damages the environment.

If there is something that would be worthy to nitpick on this laptop, it would have to be the keyboard and touchpad buttons. The keys on the keyboard have that rubbery texture to it, while the buttons under the touchpad are slippery and can be hard to use.

The Toshiba Satellite T135 is now available, starting at US$599.99.

Google Chrome OS Demo Coming Soon

2009-11-22T06:57:00.001-08:00

Representatives over at Google have confirmed that the company will be demonstrating its upcoming Chrome operating system at a press event next week. The demo will be hosted by Google's Vice President of Product Management Sundar Pichai, along with Engineer Director Matthew Papakipos. They also announced about the Chrome OS' launch in 2010.

A Google spokesperson said in an email sent to various tech publications that the event will be more of a technical announcement, not to mention showing a complete overview of their latest product.

Google would have to prepare to answer the queries of an inquisitive crowd, especially about the Chrome OS' hardware partners, which will include Acer, Hewlett-Packard, and Adobe, as well as how this OS would interact with and complement Android, Google's mobile operating system that has been gaining in popularity.

HP Announced New Thin Client Hardware

2009-11-22T06:57:00.000-08:00

Aside from introducing new Windows 7-powered desktop computers, HP has also provided an alternative to cash-strapped users: Low-cost thin client computers.

Unlike the traditional computers that are technically called "fat clients," thin clients depend heavily on an outside server to fulfill its computing needs, thus lowering costs, cutting energy use, and increase productivity. This new generation of thin clients from HP consists of three models, with the first two running on Intel Atom N280 processor. The HP t5740 (pictured) includes a Windows-embedded operating system, while the t5745 is powered by HP's ThinPro Linux OS. The third model, the HP t5325, is its first thin client that costs below US$200. Small as a paperback book, the t5325 uses a mere 5 watts of power.

Both t5740 and t5745, currently available on HP.com costing US$599 each, have the power to work with high-performance protocols, much like traditional desktop computers. And because there is a lower processor demand on thin clients, you could satisfy yourself watching movies in full screen without buffering or drag.

Meanwhile, the HP t5325 will start shipping on early December 2009, offering customers local Web access and basic multimedia support.