Information about Latest Technology and Awesome Gadgets

Eton Mobius Solar Battery Case For iPhone 4

2015-02-11T04:49:00.000-08:00

GadgTechWorld.blogspot.com

Eton introduced the Mobius rechargeable battery case with solar panel. Designed for the iPhone 4, the rechargeable battery case features a high-efficiency monocrystal solar panel that needs only one hour in the sun to provide an additional 25 minutes of talk time.

Differentiating itself from solar-charging solutions on the market today, Mobius features a quick charge time and the ability to store charge until you need it. The high-efficiency monocrystal solar panel re-charges the 1800 mAh Rechargeable lithium ion battery pack on the back of the case. Only one hour of solar charging provides an additional 25 minutes of talk time, 20 minutes of internet use, 35 minutes of video playback and more than two hours of audio playback. Mobius can also be charged via the included Micro-USB cable and will sync with iTunes for maximum convenience. Once the battery has been re-charged, the user is in control as to when the extra battery power is used. Mobius features a standby switch to turn off direct power transfer to the iPhone 4, allowing the case to charge and store energy in its own battery — only using the power when you need it.

The durable and ergonomic battery case has both a battery charge and solar charge indicator, so the user always knows the power status of the Mobius. Weighing only 3.4 ounces, Mobius also features a USB connection to charge the battery via computer, as well as the unique and proprietary snap fit design protects the glass on the back of the device.

Price and Availability
The Eton Mobius is available now for $80 at Amazon.com.

Strange Inventions But They're Equally Genius

2015-02-07T02:37:00.002-08:00

GadgTechWorld.blogspot.com

Most people like the idea of running their own business, but coming up with an original idea is harder than it seems. Some people never quite manage it. If you're lucky, you might be able to think of a brand-new invention that you could market to the masses. The inventors of the products below were able to think of some novel ideas, but they're equal parts crazy and genius.

1.) This mobile fishbowl will help you bring your new pet home (or wherever you want to bring him).

2.) Burnt toast will be a thing of the past with this transparent toaster.

3.) Sick of your pockets NOT being transparent? These jeans will help you look at your phone no matter what you're doing.

4.) A butter stick, for all of your everyday buttering needs!

5.) This motorized ice cream cone. No need to lick around the cone like a peasant.

6.) Training wheels for women who are uncomfortable wearing high heels.

7.) Need to eat AND write? Try these utensil pen caps.

8.) No need to buy candles AND forks. These are two-in-one.

9.) Make your baby help keep the kitchen clean with this baby mop onesie. It's about time they pitched in.

10.) Apple sweaters protect your fruit from getting bruised in your lunch bag. Plus, they look chic.

11.) Don't bother bending over to use the dust pan, these slippers have you covered.

12.) Normal stairs are boring. Stairs with hidden drawers are MUCH better.

13.) Feeling lazy? Wear these sweatpants with built-in velcro napkins for all of your snacking needs.

14.) This hamster cage shredder destroys your important documents ... and it also keeps your pet's cage tidy.

15.) Hate lunch thieves? These "moldy" sandwich bags will keep your sammies safe.

16.) If rolling watermelons annoy you, then just buy square ones.

17.) Sitting on a wet bench is uncomfortable. That's why you can just flip this bench over!

18.) Slurping noodles can be dangerous. Wear a mask to protect your hair and clothes.

19.) Sick of holding cans normally? Use this handle and you can have a fancy drink any time you want.

20.) No more rolling up toothpaste tubes for you. This one has an opening at each end!

Future Touch Pad (After Effects Template)

2015-02-07T02:16:00.000-08:00

GadgTechWorld.blogspot.com

Scientists Develops Human Regenerator That Controls Aging

2015-02-07T01:49:00.001-08:00

GadgTechWorld.blogspot.com

Scientists have struggled for a very long time to get a hold of this thing we all go through which is aging. Medicine and hygiene have added about 20-30 years to the average lifespan since a couple hundred years ago, but we want more life it seems. While some scientists focus on the human building blocks (our DNA) others are focusing on healing our body. A German company recently announced a new product called Human Regenerator that can control aging.

The company, System 4 Technologies Gmbh recently showcased their “pod” at the World Luxury Expo held at the Abu Dhabi’s Emirate palace. This Human Generator looks like something out of a science fiction movie, and its purpose is somewhat like it too. By utilizing a unique technology by the name of Quantum Cell Code, humans are apparently able to control aging. However, don’t be fooled, you can’t stop aging altogether, but it is said that the apparatus can rejuvenate the cells in your body and at least slow it down.

So what is this thing and how does it accomplish this almost holy grail-like miracle? Well, I will try to explain it to the extent that I understand it myself. The developers have used silicon and aluminum deposits which supposedly help create the anti-aging effect. The Human Regenerator imitates the body’s natural frequencies through quantum cell technology and longitudinal waves. Don’t ask me how but that’s as much as I understand.

Don’t expect this gadget to be cheap either. Unfortunately, it’s not for everyone. The basic model will have a price tag of $557,000 and only 50 units will be created. The one used at the Abu Dhabi expo was a promotional unit that had been pimped out with 6880 carats worth of diamonds, which sets the price tag for this particular unit at around $10 million. I guess if you want everlasting youth you will have to bust out the big wallet. Eternal youth is apparently not for the less fortunate ones, but we already knew this from the silver screen, didn’t we? – More information at Human Regenerator.

System 4 Technologies’ Human Regenerator

Source: Bitrebels

The High Resolution Portable Handheld Scanner

2015-02-07T01:41:00.000-08:00

GadgTechWorld.blogspot.com

This is a truly portable scanner, ideal for use when visiting clients, customers etc when a power supply is unavailable or inconvenient.

The EasyScan TSN410 Handheld Scanner, unlike most other portable scanners, is cordless and captures important documents, letters, photos etc directly to microSD card. Rather than sheet feeding pages, which is fine for unattached sheets, the scanner is moved over the area and its sensitive colour image sensor scans at high (600dpi) or standard (300dpi) resolution, and then saves the captured images as JPEG files on the microSD card.

You can download your images to your computer using the included USB cable. Its built-in display shows the selected resolution, remaining battery life, and memory status. Two included AA batteries provide up to 180 scans. It can support microSD cards as large as 32GB. Works with a Mac or Windows 7, Vista, and XP and weighs only 7.5 oz/250g.

Equip with latest OCR software, which allows you to convert scanned text into editable documents like PDF files and Microsoft Word docs.

The EasyScan Handheld Scanner, unlike most other portable scanners, is cordless and captures important documents,

letters, photos etc directly to a supplied microSD card. Rather than sheet feeding pages, which is fine for unattached sheets,

the scanner is moved over the area and its sensitive colour image sensor scans at high (600dpi) or standard (300dpi) resolution,

and then saves the captured images as JPEG files on the microSD card

You can download your images to your computer using the included USB cable. Its built-in display shows the selected

resolution,remaining battery life, and memory status. Two included AA batteries provide up to 180 scans. It can supportmicroSD

cards as large as 32GB. Works with a Mac or Windows 7, Vista, and XP and weighs only 7.5 oz/250g.This is a truly portable scanner,

ideal for use when visiting clients, customers etc when a power supply is unavailable or inconvenient

Highlights:

A4 portable hand-held scanner with resolution of 300 x 300 dpi / 600 x 600 dpi
High scan speed
Energy efficient design - up to 200 scans per battery/charge
Includes the program Abbyy Screenshot Reader OCR
Extremely compact construction
Simple setup and operation

Specification:

Product Size(LxWxH)	256X30X31mm
Function	PORTABLE SCANNER
Sensor	A4 Color Contact Image Sensor
Resolution	Standard resolution : 300x300 dpi(default); High resolution: 600x600 dpi;
External memory card	Support Micro SD card up to 16GB
File format	JPEG
LCD	scanning status display
Auto Power Off	3Minute
Maximum Scanning speed	Color High resolution	Color Low resolution	Mono High resolution	Mono Low resolution
	13 Seconds	3.0 Seconds	6.0 Seconds	2.0 Seconds
Scanning width and length	Scanning width		Scanning Length
	8.27"		300DPI: 50"(Max)	600DPI: 25"(Max)
Capacity (Based on 1GB Micro SD,Scan A4 size file, the quantity of picture is various and depend on the content complexity)	Color High resolution	Color Low resolution	Mono High resolution	Mono Low resolution
	323 Photos(Min.)	1190 Photos(Min.)	372 Photos(Min.)	1320 Photos(Min.)
White balance	Auto
USB Port	USB 2.0 high Speed
Support system	Driver free to download for XP SP2 /Vista and Mac 10.4 or above
Power source	2xAA
Battery life (Test method:Scan one photo→wait for 5 seconds→Scan next photo→wait for 5 seconds, so repeatedly )	2xAA Energizer Alkaline batteries	2xAA Energizer Alkaline batteries	2000mAH AA Rechargeable batteries
	Scan Color	180 Photos(Min.)	250 Photos(Min.)
	Scan Mono	200 Photos(Min.)	300 Photos(Min.)
weight	164g without battery; 212g with battery;

Included:

1 x device
1 x bag
1 x USB cable
1 x Software CD with Abbyy Screenshot Reader OCR
1 x Operating Instructions
2 x AA batteries

Smarty Ring: Probably the Best Wearable Gadget so Far

2015-02-07T01:34:00.000-08:00

GadgTechWorld.blogspot.com

Revolution has began to come in the world of Electronic devices. From Google Glasses to Smart Watches, wearable computing devices are clearly a latest trend and it appears everyone has a wearable concept for the days to come. Smarty Ring is one of the latest wearable device.

Smarty Ring, a wearable ring that allows you to control your digital life right from your finger.

But what exactly is the Smarty Ring and what does it do?

Smarty Ring is a wearable ring, which is the first of its kind, and has been devised to allow its users to check alerts from their smartphone and manage calls right from their finger using Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity; it ensures that you don’t miss any significant text or any Facebook update.

It has some pretty notable features like, users can manage the settings for their Smarty Ring from a mobile app, and can even use the device as a watch, timer or phone finder for instance, if a user walks more than 30 meters from his phone, the ring will beep to warn them.

It is made of stainless steel and its battery life is 24-hours. It also has a wireless charging base which users may use to charge their Smarty Ring. It supports both Android and iOS devices but they should have Bluetooth 4.0 compatibilities.

Some other specifications are,

Call notifications
SMS and email notifications
Social media updates
Accept or reject incoming calls
Make outgoing calls to preset numbers
Trigger camera
Control music
Change profile

Motorola Reveals Plans for Ink and Even Pills to Identify Us

2015-02-07T01:25:00.000-08:00

GadgTechWorld.blogspot.com

The hi-tech tattoo that could replace ALL your passwords: Motorola reveals plans for ink and even pills to identify us

· The Moto X is expected to launch later this year and will be 'more contextually aware than other phones'

· The Biostamp electronic tattoo is made of silicon and contains an electrical circuit, antennae and sensors that bend and move with the wearer's body

· Proteus Digital Health's 'vitamin authentication pill' is powered by acid in the wearer's stomach and creates an 18-bit signal picked up by mobile phone

· Motorola is trialling the technologies as authentication alternatives to non-secure traditional passwords

Motorola has announced it is looking at alternatives to traditional passwords in a bid to make logging into online sites, or accessing mobile phones, more secure.

Among the ideas discussed at the D11 conference in California on Wednesday were electronic tattoos and authentication pills that people swallow.

The tattoos, developed by Massachusetts-based engineering firm MC10, contain flexible electronic circuits that are attached to the wearer's skin using a rubber stamp.

Motorola's senior vice president of advance research, Regina Dugan, shows off an electronic tattoo at the D11 conference in California. The tattoos, designed by Massachusetts-based firm MC10, are made from silicon and contain electronic circuits that bend and move with the wearer's body. The tattoos, called Biostamps, were designed for medical purposes to track a patient's health, but Motorola thinks the technology can be used for authentication purposes, as an alternative to traditional passwords

This image shows the various parts that make up the MC10 electronic tattoo called the Biostamp. It can be stuck to the body using a rubber stamp, and protected using spray-on bandages. The circuit can be worn for two weeks and Motorola believes this makes it perfect for authentication purposes

MC10 originally designed the tattoos, called Biostamps, to help medical teams measure the health of their patients either remotely, or without the need for large expensive machinery.

Motorola claims that the circuits, which also contain antennae and built-in sensors, could be adapted to work with mobile phones and tablets.

The mobile devices could then be used to confirm the owner's identity and log them in to accounts automatically.

This would prevent thieves and other people from being able to access a phone, or individual apps on the device, if it is stolen or lost.

Another idea presented during the keynote talk at the Wall Street Journal conference with head of Motorola Dennis Woodside and senior vice president for advanced technology and products, Regina Dugan, was a swallowable pill.

The so-called 'vitamin authentication pill' has been designed by Proteus Digital Health in California. It was passed by the FDA in 2012 after gaining European regulatory approval in 2010. The chip can be swallowed and used to monitor the wearer's health and Motorola thinks it could be used for authentication

The Proteus Digital Health pill has already been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Adminstration and was given European regulatory approval in 2010.

It contains a computer chip that can be powered like a battery using the acid in the wearer's stomach.

Once swallowed the 'vitamin authentication pill' creates an 18-bit ECG-like signal inside the wearer's body that can be picked up by mobile devices and authentication hardware outside.

This could be used verify the wearer is the correct owner of the device or account.

Dugan continued that the pill could be taken every day for 30 days, if necessary, without any problems.

Woodside added Motorola would not be shipping these 'right away' but they have 'tested it authenticating a phone, and it works.'

He continued: 'Having the boldness to think differently about problems that everybody has every day is really important for Motorola now.'

Dugan, who used to be head of the US Pentagon's Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency, explained that each signal emitted by the pill could be unique to each user.

Both these ideas move away from traditional passwords and towards technology that turns the user into a physical authentication token.

Explaining the reasons behind the plans, Dugan said: 'Authentication is irritating. In fact its so irritating only about half the people do it.

'Despite the fact there is a lot of information about you on your smartphone, which makes you far more prone to identity theft.

'After 40 years of advances in computation, we're still authenticating the same way we did years ago - passwords.

'In fact it's worse, the average users does it 39 times a day and it takes them 2.3 seconds every time they do it.

'Power users will do it up to 100 times a day.

'So what are we doing about it? Well [Motorola] is thinking of a whole variety of options for how to do better at authentication such as near-term things including tokens or fobs that have NFC or bluetooth.

'But you can also think about a means of authentication you can wear on your skin every day, say an electronic tattoo or a vitamin pill'.

During the talk, Woodside also unveiled Motorola's plans to launch a new handset.

Motorola was bought by Google 2011, which owns the Android operating system.

The new phone, called the Moto X, will be built in Texas and Woodside said he was 'pretty confident in the products we're going to be shipping in the fall'.

Woodside added that the Moto X would benefit from Motorola's expertise in managing ultra-low power sensors -- such as in accelerometers and gyroscopes -- that can sense usage contexts and turn off certain components when not required, to save power.

He added that it will interact in different ways to other handsets and said the camera would 'fire up in a way not seen before' calling the handset 'more contextually aware' than other phones.

Motorola's engineers have also come up with processors that will help save power, but didn't elaborate further.

HOW DOES THE MC10 ELECTRONIC TATTOO WORK?

A researcher at the University of Illinois used standard CMOS semiconductor computer chip technologies to create the Biostamp.

It uses high-performance silicon and can stretch up to 200 per cent.

The Biostamp can monitor temperature, hydration and strain, among other medical statistics

The first prototypes were stuck on using an plaster-style patches.

More recent prototypes are applied directly to the skin using a rubber stamp.

It can then be covered with spray-on bandage to make it more durable and waterproof enough to wash.

The MC10 Biostamp is said to last up to two weeks before it starts to come loose.

HOW DOES THE PROTEUS DIGITAL HEALTH PILL WORK?

The Proteus Digital Health pill contains a computer chip and a switch.

Once swallowed, the acid in the wearer's stomach causes electrolytes to turn the switch on and off.

This creates an 18-bit ECG-like signal that can be picked up by mobile devices and authentication hardware to verify the wearer is the correct owner of the device or account.

It can also monitor heart rate.

The pill was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Adminstration in 2012 after getting European regulatory approval in 2010.

Motorola's Regina Dugan called it the 'vitamin authentication pill' and said the pills can be taken every day for 30 days, if necessary, without any problems.

PASSWORDS ARE NO LONGER SECURE

A team of hackers, commissioned by technology website Ars Technica, recently managed to crack more than 14,800 supposedly random passwords - from a list of 16,449 - as part of a hacking experiment.

The success rate for each hacker ranged from 62 per cent to 90 per cent, and the hacker who cracked 90 per cent of hashed passwords did so in less than an hour using a computer cluster.

The hackers also managed to crack 16-character passwords including 'qeadzcwrsfxv1331'.

Earlier this month PayPal's chief security officer, Michael Barrett said he wants to see a mixture of online passwords with hardware-based identification such as finger print scanning becoming more common.

Talking at the IT conference Interop in Las Vegas at the start of May, Barrett said: 'Passwords, when used ubiquitously everywhere at Internet-scale are starting to fail us.

'Users pick poor passwords and then they'll reuse them everywhere.

'That has the effect of reducing the security of their most secure account to the security of the least secure place they visit on the internet.'

Source:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk

Neurocam - The Next Level Google Glass

2015-02-07T01:12:00.000-08:00

GadgTechWorld.blogspot.com

Neurowear, a gadget project organization in Japan focused on Creating "Communication for the near Future" which basically uses brain waves, heartbeats and other biological signals to understand Human thoughts and emotions.

Neurocam, the Brain Child of Neurocam is a wearable camera system, that detects users' emotions. It Automatically Records Moments of interest based on an Analysis of the users Brainwaves. The prototype of Neurocam was demoed at Human Sensing 2013 conference in Yokohama, Japan.

Neurocam is a headband equipped to hold an iPhone next to the side of the head behind the eyes of a wearer. The phone is fitted with a special prism so the camera can record footage from the wearer’s point of view. Neurocam uses EEG sensors. Electroencephalography (EEG) sensors record brain's spontaneous electrical activity over a short period of about 20–40 minutes using multiple electrodes placed on the scalp.

Neurocam gauges wearers interest on a scale of zero to 100, and interest is detected if brainwave readout tops 60 and then it'll start recording a video and transforms the footage into five-second GIFs.

Interest-based advertising enables advertisers to reach users based on their inferred interests and demographics (e.g. 'sports enthusiasts'). Neurocam can determine what goods in stores interest people and can also show what places people are interested. Thus Neurocam is a viable tool to improve Interest based Advertising, so the advertising titan Dentsu is now backing the Neurocam via a joint venture called Dentsu ScienceJam.

As Neurocam can also show what places people are interested, it can also be used for urban development.

Google also has the similar idea of implementing the Interest Based Ads on Google Glass but currently it does not have any advanced technologies like Neurocam. If Google and Neurocam ties up, Neurocam can be The Next Level Google Glass.

Wearable Glass and 360° vision

2015-02-07T01:06:00.000-08:00

GadgTechWorld.blogspot.com

Disruptive technologies have a way to get through from SciFi to market success in a few years, witness mirrorless cameras.

A few observers forsee the same for Google Glass, the wearable device getting mainstream this year : shall we kiss goodbye our smartphones? I would shed no tears. This is an preliminary article anyway: we'll see how things pan out. For the moment this is more an inventory of links, than an assessment, but I have no doubts that wearable technology is already taking long strides.

For the moment universal use seems hardly likely, except for the affluent, with Google Glass selling to a selected few at $ 1500 as part of the Google Explorer program. Google has just expanded to Britain the Explorer Program,selling the Glass for UKP 1000, offering in the meanwhile new glass frames that could be compatible with prescription lenses in the UK.

Here at Wikipedia the last specs:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Glass

What drew my attention however is the appearance of a Chinese clone , the SimEye.

At $500 it seems far more reasonable. The difference is in the number of app offered, and the fact that it doesn't respond to voice controls like the original, and has no sound transmission through the skull bones like Google. But it can still take photographs and record movies with 4 times the definition of Google. And it can still download apps directly from Google Android Libraries.

Would that be able to interface with one of my cameras?

Photo Wang Yin Hao

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-27701933

Looks a bit unsteady. Note that Google mentioned recently that the finalprice to consumers of the Glass would be close to your average smartphone - so better wait!

Meanwhile Olympus published a patent for wearable glasses, and I later discovered it is associated with Kopin company for development of a new device.

Olympus is known for its world dominance in endoscopes and medical devices, so Medical could be the first application. But it could also go consumer:

http://www.photogizmos.com/2014/06/10/olympus-patents-wearable-electronic-view-finder-device/

Note that the device can be disassembled, which is not true of Google Glass.

http://ir.kopin.com/Investors/Press-Releases/Press-Release-Details/2014/Kopin-Announces-PupilTM-the-Latest-in-Display-Technology-for-Smart-Eyewear/default.aspx

Imagine surgery with augmented vision, a thing that military jet pilots already have with their headup displays in their helmets. But here the device is much lighter and less intrusive.

It could also bring augmented reality to the operating table: a surgeon could see a heart in 3D:

http://www.bbc.com/future/sponsored/story/20140617-the-heart-of-the-future

Or could it go Consumer and Virtual? Virtual Reality quit consumer markets some ten years ago because it required some extremely fast and expensive computers to be credible. Therefore it was the preserve of training devices for the military, like jet plane simulation.

It is now making a comeback to consumer games, because of the fast increased computing power of miniaturised devices, and their high resolution screens. Also, Wi-Fi and Cloud can act as Storage.

There are out of the box solutions, making use of devices you might already have. Check this, the Oculus device for making a Samsung phone into a virtual reality device:

http://www.engadget.com/2014/05/30/samsung-oculus-partnership/

By sliding a phone into with a wearable box with two magnifying lenses, you use the high definition Samsung screen to input software provided by Oculus, the Facebook funded company.

The built-in lens of camera phone also allows to superpose the artificial and the real. Remarkable!

The main reason reason however for me to take an interest, is that Olympus mentioned wearable glass a a future interface for cameras. Imagine a WiFi link between camera and Glass, instead of using a smartphone. Wouldn't it be more natural in the long run than sticking an odd, and expensive EVF to its Pens?

Google Glass was not born for Photography though. "It's a pretty crappy 5MP cell phone camera - there's not much else to say. It's ok when you have some sunlight and a muddled mess when you don't." says AndroidPolice

http://www.androidpolice.com/2013/06/17/google-glass-explorer-edition-review-a-beta-product-from-the-future/

First you say "Show the viewfinder", then "Take a picture". Here are the main voice commands:

The most successful apps at the moment include a Moving Map indicator, which can tell where you are, and direct you through the road system. You input the data with your voice. "Get directions to..." will fire up the app and start navigation to your destination. Just like your phone on Android, you can direct it to a specific business, search for a type of business, or speak a whole address.

You also have the regular Google Search, although presentation of the results by Cards, makes it somehow messy and laconic, says AndroidPolice.

Certainly you can also dictate an e-mail and send it with a vocal command to Gmail. By the same token it is easy to send the images you took with the 5 Mpx Glass to Google Galleries (Picasa?). You can also do short bursts of 720p.

Another app being developed will help you speed up check ins at British airports, another will act as a guide to the Sixtine Chapel, the Egyptian Museum of Turin, and other Italian museums, by using facial recognition on the mummies, or the paintings! It is difficult to tell however what is already there, and what is just planned. Will it also be able to translate presentations and street signs? Or even pick up a conversation in Japanese and translate it?

Meanwhile Photography got me interested in a crowdfunding device that will soon hit the market: the Bublcam:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bublcam/bublcam-360o-camera-technology-for-everyone

This camera is the size of a baseball, and has 4 lenses that cover 360°. It was designed in order to allow iimage swipng across a smartphone. Proprietary software allows to stitch the 4 images in a circular image, which covers all of your surroundings.

If that was linked up to am Oculus device, imagine the immersive effect! Perhaps we are at the verge of blending natural vision and machine one, in high definition. Have a taste here:

To have a further idea yet look at these 360° pictures of the Mundial and its stadiums in Brazil, by photog. Henri Stuart. You can swipe to your heart's content. Here the post:

http://www.focus-numerique.com/images-360-coupe-monde-news-5481.html

and here, choose one of his pictures, and swipe it !:

http://360photos.fifa.com/#!startscene=cmr_bra_stu_foster

There is already a minor alternative to bubl, the CENTR:

http://www.gizmag.com/centr-360-video-camera/31886/

So are we finally overcoming the limitations of the frame? Frames were invented in Europe just before the Renaissance to allow merchants to have their portraits made, bought and carried away. But long before that painters were paid by bishops and abbots to make frescoes of the Saints covering whole walls of Churches with visualizations of the Bible: far more immersive. With 360° cameras we are back to the beginning.

What will happen to Photography, as we knew it, will it stand a chance? It's rather traditional cameras that are in danger, I am reminded about Marcel Duchamp's words about the camera some day becoming as outdated as Painting.

Note that according to a specialised site, Optical Vision Site there are 39 companies flexing their muscles in the new Wearable Viewer market and that sales have doubled every year:

http://www.theopticalvisionsite.com/eyewear/39-smart-eyeglasses-of-the-future/#.U7leXSjg4y5

Meanwhile imagine to hold a Bubl ball in your hands high above your head, documenting your surroundings for your wearable glass, and uploading them by WiFi to the Cloud. In California a journalism course has been already lauched based on Google Glass.

It would certainly change holiday photography, and a lot more: it would be an experience akin to Life-Logging. You could blend your images of monuments and temples with those of other users.

Sometimes I am scared by such an intrusive future coming soon, and yet I welcome the Glasses as a more interesting viewing device than a smartphone. Imagine the prices were similar. If I had the choice, I would go for the Glass, since it can take and make calls too anyway. And you, what would YOU prefer?

Much of this bounty however will depend on available app in the Android ecosystem, and the development of more powerful batteries. So far Google has kept strict control on third party applications, but these are early times.

The Battery allegedly lasts 1-2 hours. Needs more juice, to become your permanent wearable computer. So far it just shuts down like an ordinary phone. But it wakes up if you nod 30° upwards!

Google Apps are updating at a monthly rate, so chances are that you won't recognize your Glass after a few months. it's a kind of Transformer thing.

Photokina is now looming: we'll see what comes up then. Or perhaps Photokina being more a more traditional camera show. the new consumer devices will emerge beginning of next year at CES in Las Vegas?

Will traditional cameras stand the attack, or is it the beginning of the End? Smartphones are already nibbling at a 20% yearly rate at camera sales each year worldwide, according to a preliminary Photokina's report. Glass might be the kiss of death, unless Olympus develops itself a wearable device specific for cameras.

Note however that mirrorless (ILC) is faring better:

There are however some no-nos about wearable glass. You don't wear it near restrooms, lest they take you for a voyeur. But if you want the full criticism, have a look at the 35 arguments against it:

http://www.edrants.com/thirty-five-arguments-against-google-glass/

Some arguments are quite wacky, and luddite. Other concerns are quite real, basically about privacy and the use that Google might do about your personal data, that you must input in the device in order to make it work. For instance there's a difference between using anonymously Gmail, and inputting your real name in Google+. Google would like to feed the Contacts side with real names, if only for the sake of brevity.

However petty criminals could use the device to blackmail unaware celebrities, although paparazzi did that already there with their plain cameras. But with Glass, how can people tell if you are shooting them or not? Also don't forget that you have Google Search at your fingertips in the Glass. You can actually be guided to a person or a shop!

So there are also etiquette concerns of all kinds - smart restaurants refusing use, and safety issues. Although freeing both hands you can't superimpose virtual reality to what you are driving through, without risking an accident, because of the different planes of visualization and attention. Is it why Googles is introducing automated driving? The application is there, but it is not yet legal. Both the US and the UK have prohibited driving while wearing the glass.

Glass will make the wearer feel like an omnipotent 'photographer' with the Third Eye, always at the ready for a shot, by a vocal command, or even a discrete tap on the touchpad of the frame. But will he/she be aphotographer or just a camera wearer?

I am particularly interested in user experience. How often do you use it?Please feel free to use the e-mail module here affixed. Other users of this site could also comment if they find the new devices desirable or not.

More importantly, do you think that this mode of visualization, this mingling of the artificial and the real, will be the end of cameras, if not of Photography?

The Daily Telegraph just announced the opening of an Amazon shop in Britain dedicated to wearable technology, and it published the latest market forecasts:

"Wearable technology has already emerged as one of the top tech trends of the year. Deloitte predicts than 10 million wearable devices will ship globally in 2014, from sophisticated gadgets to smart textiles and skin patches.

In a recent survey of 6,000 individuals by consulting company Accenture, 46 per cent expressed interest in buying smartwatches, while 42 per cent said they'd be interested in purchasing internet-connected eyeglasses, such as Google Glass.

The global market for wearable technology was reportedly worth $2.7 billion (£1.6bn) in revenue in 2012 and is expected to reach $8.3 billion (£4.9bn) in 2018."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/amazon/10953045/Amazon-launches-wearable-technology-store-in-UK.html

Finally you could control Glass and shoot pictures, even by mind control, i.e. concentration, by associating Glass to an EEG reader through an app, called MindRDR.

Don't believe? See this fascinating article here at BBC:

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-28237582:

"An EEG headset can be used to measure when certain parts of the brain show a greater level of activity.

In this case, the MindRDR software monitors when the wearer engages in high levels of concentration.

Within Google Glass's "screen" - a small window that appears in the corner of the wearer's right eye - a white horizontal line is shown.

As a user concentrates, the white line rises up the screen. Once it reaches the top, a picture is taken using Glass's inbuilt camera."

Please check the BBC video, to see how the thing works, it's amazingly simple. To send a piccie you just think the same thing twice, and the picture gets sent to a pre-programmed address.

The thing is meant for paraplegics and people 'walled inside' and it's really a hack, not recognized by Google.

But who knows, one day you could take a pic by thinking deeply about your mother in law. Never say never :)

MIND-CONTROLLED VIRTUAL REALITY SYSTEM

2015-02-07T00:54:00.000-08:00

GadgTechWorld.blogspot.com

This awesome VR project combines the forces of three sophisticated gadgets to take mind-controlled virtual reality to the next level. Use your mind to move around with the Emotiv EPOC brain-interface, look around with the Oculus Rift 3D headset, and move your hands to interact with virtual objects holding the Razer Hydra gaming controller.

According to project creator Chris Zaharia, this kind of complex simulation could become equally useful in education, medicine, tourism or in the gaming industry. Zaharia has been following the virtual reality space as a hobby, he has built a virtual reality simulation in Skyrim, and he is also the founder of a startup called Zookal.

Zaharia says that the VR space is starting to show a lot of potential, and various technologies could be used together to enhance education and to demonstrate what cognitive control is able to achieve in a virtual environment.

Zaharia has created a few simulations to try out the integration, including some basic educational demos like city building, surgery, chemistry and also a first person shooter where the hand tracking feature operates a pistol, whilst the player can move around either with the brain-controlled EPOC or using the Hydra’s joystick.

The chemistry demo shows what reactions occurs when you mix different chemicals together, but probably the most impressive demo is the architecture one where you can grab and move buildings in a miniature city, then shrink yourself and experience the city as if you were actually there.

Watch the video below to see what is currently possible through mind and motion in a virtual reality environment and visit the project page at chriszaharia.com/virtual-reality-education.

LBO Light Touch Projector

2012-12-24T04:23:00.003-08:00

GadgTechWorld.blogspot.com

LBO introduced a new kind of keyboard on this CES for the technology fans to experience innovative technology features with a versatile device. Their new technology is called Light Blue Optics, Light Touch Projector.

This is an amazing and unbelievable projector that converts a flat surface into a 10 inches touch screen. This small projector device reflects the multimedia contents in a small screen view where users can input commands like they do in their handheld device.

Its Holographic Laser Projection technology creates rich quality bright video images in WVGA resolution and the integrated infrared sensor detects that motion to turn the projected image into virtual touch screen.

LBO Light Touch Projector is 98 x 35 x 165 mm in size with size of 400g that is a full color holographic laser projection. Its light does not harm your eyes at any condition.

Adobe Flash Lite 3.1 software application is used with 2GB flash memory in it. It is workable under 5 to 35^oC.

It runs Windows CE operating system and is capable of Wi-Fi connectivity. Built-in Wi-Fi helps to connect with internet immediately and you can have a rich performance and excellent functionality experience with LBO Light Touch for social networking, multimedia and many more.

This advanced technology is hopefully going to be used in several multiple purposes in future. It is a reference product which will be made available to other manufacturers.

SmartFaucet from iHouse – New Gadget in Your Bathroom

2012-12-24T03:50:00.000-08:00

GadgTechWorld.blogspot.com

Internet and high-tech gadgets have already penetrated in our life to an unbelievable level: cameras in belts, Bluetooth watches, electronic car keys finders and high technology is coming to our kitchens and bathrooms. iHouse presents a new gadget along its cell phone controlled bathtub that prepares an excellent bath with an only one phone call – SmartFaucet - which is one of those devices that are necessary, but the word “smart” makes it different from the ordinary faucets.

The SmartFaucet by iHouse is highly convenient due to its characteristics: it has a face recognition technology. The essence of this technology is the following: the camera recognizes you and the faucet remembers different temperature settings for each member of your family and automatically adjusts the temperature of the water to the preferred level. The water is heated with a built-in internal heating coil, and, moreover, there are LEDs which change the color of the water from blue to red to show its temperature.

Additionally, a completely new feature, the users will have the access to their e-mail. There is a touchscreen display on the faucet which enables you to check your calendar, e-mail and the outside temperature.

There is no information concerning the SmartFaucet availability and price, but we may suppose it would be rather expensive.

Source: www.gadgets-reviews.com

New Unbelievable Technology – Skin Cell Gun Heals Burns In Days

2012-12-24T03:24:00.004-08:00

GadgTechWorld.blogspot.com

Skin cell gun – Major burn victims often die because of infections. Germs and viruses that normally wouldn’t enter the body, get into the body and cause infections. Burnt skin doesn’t offer the usual protection to germs and viruses that unburnt skin offers.

It normally takes weeks or even months before the skin can fully recover from severe burns. During the recovery time, the body has a much greater chance of being infected, since the skin isn’t fully functioning as a protective layer. By minimising healing time, the chance of infection can be greatly reduced. This is where this new unbelievable technology called the skin cell gun comes into play.

This new unbelievable technology is very futuristic and has the potential to help millions of people around the world. The skin cell gun can heal a burn wound in a matter of days. Videos of this skin cell gun in action can be seen over the Internet. This is a tremendous piece of technology and should be made available to burn sufferers around the world.

It has implications for the general public and for soldiers in warfare. Wounded soldiers with massive burn wounds or other types of skin wounds can be healed with ease. The skin cell gun works much like an airbrush gun that sprays healthy stem cells directly to the wounded area. The healthy stem cells will start forming new skin in a matter of days. It is truly amazing.

In conclusion, a skin cell gun like this is just fantastic news for major burn victims around the world. Other types of skin problems could make use of this technology.

Source: www.egglets.com

Audi Electric Bike

2012-12-24T01:03:00.000-08:00

GadgTechWorld.blogspot.com

Last week German automaker Audi made its first big splash into the E-bike world, releasing photos and videos of an exciting lightweight prototype electric stunt bike that may be among the most ambitious projects introduced in this space to date. No specific names or dates have been announced yet by the Germans, so for now it is still technically a concept bike–but from the looks of it a radically groundbreaking one.

This ebike made #1 of our top 10 ebikes of the future list.

And is #4 on our 10 fastest production Ebikes list.

And to see the fasted ebikes in the world ever built check out our 10 fastest electric bikes on the planet.

Audi is making some other fast moves in the 2-wheel motor sport category with the announcement last month of their purchase of Italian motorcycle-maker Ducati for $1.2 billion in a rare move for an auto manufacturer. Ducati’s dealership network may well provide Audi with an instant world-wide distribution channel for upscale high-performance E-bikes.

And separately, VW, also owned by Audi, has been working on something they call “last mile transportation,” which focuses on the use of short-distance urban transportation.

Audi’s concept E-bike is what you would expect when some of Europe’s most skilled auto engineers and modernist designers get together and decide they are going to create a flagship E-bike with no expenses spared.

The Audi E-bike is based on custom carbon fiber wheels and a full-suspension carbon fiber frame; even the front suspension forks are custom designed for this bike. The rims look very similar in design to those on the $80K Blacktrail, leading to speculation by some in the E-bike community that this bike was partially designed by PG Bikes, the company behind the Blacktrail. Certainly at least the Audi ebike designers had the obscenely priced Blacktrail in mind when they designed their bike. The Audi E-bike also uses the same “Harmonic Drive System” as the Blacktrail, a highly regarded German design developed by Clean Mobile. Clean Mobile builds custom bottom-bracket drive systems for exclusive high end bikes made by innovative European companies such as KTM (see Egnition article here). Ironically Clean Mobile also went through an ownership change recently, first filing insolvency, and then being acquired by TQ-Systems GmbH and switching most of its staff just last month.

PG BIkes $80k Blacktrail… similar to Audi?

The key element to the Audi drive system designed by Clean Mobile, that it keeps the motor weight in the center of the frame (unlike most hub powered bikes which have heavy weight awkwardly placed in rear wheel) and most importantly allows the power to be driven through the bicycles gear system. This means that the motor is allowed to operate in its maximum efficiency zone, because as we know, electric motors like to spin quickly at a high rpm. Most expensive ebikes like this choose an In the Gear hub transmission like the German made 14 speed Rohloff (see our article on the Rohloff here). We are very surprised that Audi opted to go with a standard derailleur system given the other flashes of bicycle technology in this bike such as the $800 Brakeforce one carbon fiber hydraulic brakes. We suspect that going with a derailleur instead of a Rohloff was a compromise Audi had to make to accommodate the carbon rims which have attached carbon spokes, and may have been a design blunder that will be corrected if and when the bike goes into production. Carbon rims with built in spokes make no sense on an ebike other than aesthetics, and add considerably to the cost. To give you an idea the Blacktrail bike which uses an identical carbon wheel set, sells a replacement set of wheels and rims for a staggering $5000.

The Audi E-bike is designed with light weight, high power and nimbleness in mind, no doubt for BMX-type stunts such as those seen in the video, so does not carry a heavy, cumbersome battery pack. Instead it features a small, featherweight, quick-change pack, enabling the rider to choose between riding “naked” for short distances or hauling extra battery packs in a backpack for longer rides. The bike appears well-balanced, with most of the serious weight (battery and motor) situated very low and centered in the frame. Best of all, it tilts the scales at a scant 46 pounds–unheard of to date for a full suspension E-bike.

Elegant carbon fiber frame

Other interesting design details include a motorcycle-like seat which can retract during riding to transform the E-bike into a trials-type bike for jumping and stunt-riding. A built-in brake/tail light in the back of the seat is a brilliant futuristic touch. The Audi E-bike also has LED lights built into the front of the handlebar, which you can clearly see in the below video. Smart details like these make this E-bike a showcase of sleek, integrated, forward-looking design.

Other goodies include a built-in Android smartphone app that serves as an electronic control system for the bike, not just monitoring battery and speed but a host of other useful functions, including the ability to toggle through five cycling modes: Pure, Pedelec, eGrip, Power Wheelie, and Balanced Wheelie. The bike also utilizes a torque sensor, which measures how much the rider is pedaling and can add power accordingly. Another sweet feature of this control system is a lock feature, which locks the rear wheel and sets off an alarm if someone tries to grab and dash your $2ok bike. All in all this is one of the most impressive efforts we have seen software-wise in an E-bike. In this picture you can see where an Android phone is attached to frame:

Source: http://www.electricbike.com

i-Roll - A Pen Sized Cell Phone Concept

2012-02-20T22:30:00.000-08:00

GadgTechWorld.blogspot.com

Sudhanwa Chavan has created a pen-size concept cell phone named as i-Roll. This cell phone uses can be rolled up to save the space because of its scroll-like design. i-Roll features an OLED touchscreen that provide all necessary functionalities, and when this retracted touchscreen is idle, it will fold back inside a central column.

The outer casing of i-Roll is also made up of an OLED surface that will display important notifications like incoming calls, emails, or messages. The battery status will be indicated by different colors of the battery’s column.

The other prominent features of i-Roll are: 360-degree rotating camera, instant USB connectivity, extended Bluetooth with expandable memory stick, and 3G services compatibility.

Air-Conditioned Clothes - Alternative Of The Electric Fans

2012-02-20T22:28:00.000-08:00

GadgTechWorld.blogspot.com

Damage of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant because of earthquake forces Japanese to reduce their power usage to 15 percent, therefore to overcome this power shortage a Japanese company Kuchofuku Co. Ltd is aiming to create air-conditioned clothes that help the wearer to remain cool in summer without any external source.

Air-conditioned clothes will consist of two electric fans that can be controlled by the wearer to change the speed of the fans. These high-tech clothes will be a great relief for the employees working at the hot construction sites like automobile giants, steelmakers, food companies and construction firms.

Source: GeekSuper

Print Your Pictures Instantly Using The Polaroid Instant 3X4 Mobile Printer

2012-02-20T22:25:00.000-08:00

GadgTechWorld.blogspot.com

Polaroid Instant 3X4 Mobile Printer provides the solution of instant printing from your mobile phone or digital camera. This portable printer can print off 3” x 4” images in a matter of seconds, and it compatible with mostly mobile devices.

It allows printing via Bluetooth or USB cable in no time. The best feature of this gadget is automatic image quality optimization with water-resistant, other features are: tear-proof, smudge-proof and peel-off prints.

Polaroid Instant 3X4 Mobile Printer uses a special paper, this paper already has the colors imbedded in them, and so there is no worry of ink shortage unlike the common printers. The color activation by the printer is done via heat using ZINK technology. The cost of this 2-pounds printer is $170.

Top 10 Amazing Space Shuttle Facts To Re-Live 30 Years of NASA Space Shuttle

2012-02-20T22:22:00.000-08:00

GadgTechWorld.blogspot.com

On 8^th of July NASA space shuttle reached his 30^th anniversary by blasting off for his 135^th and last mission "STS-135 launch of Atlantis”. Four astronauts - Chris Ferguson, Doug Hurley, Rex Walheim and Sandy Magnus are taking the part in this 12-day mission. After his last flight, space shuttle will become a part of the museum and serve their rest of life as a showpiece on public display.

Check out the top 10 facts of NASA space shuttle to relive its history:

1) Too Fast

Space shuttle has a speed of about 17,500 miles (28,000 kilometers) per hour while traveling in the orbit. This speed enables the crew to see a sunrise or sunset every 45 minutes.

2) Height and Weight

The Statue of Liberty and the space shuttle share the same height, but space shuttle weight is approximately three times more than the Statue of Liberty.

3) Traveled Distance

The space shuttle almost travels 1.3 times the distance between Earth and Jupiter that is 513.7 million miles (826.7 million km).

4) Food

The food for astronauts in the Space Shuttle is consisting of: peanut butter, fresh fruits and vegetables, chicken, beef, and spaghetti. This food is packed in special packing that saves the food to fly from flying in the space.

5) Accidents

Space shuttle suffered two deadly accidents in which 14 astronauts and 2 orbiters were killed.

6) Cost

The cost of a single space shuttle flight is about $1.45 billion, and it was the main reason that forced the NASA to make 9 flights a year instead of 50 flights.

7) Engine

Space shuttle’s engine has a horsepower of as much as 39 train engines horsepower, but its weight is about one-seventh of a train engine.

8) Longest Stay

Columbia has a record of longest stay in the space with 17 days in 1996. But, unfortunately it was destroyed in 2003 during its flight number 28^th.

9) Heat Shield

The heat shield of space shuttle contains more than 30,000 tiles that are constructed essentially of sand. Heat shield also known as Thermal Protection System.

10) Tweeting from Space

Astronaut Michael J. Massimino who was the member of the space shuttle Atlantis’ STS-125 mission tweeted from the space and became the first person to use the Twitter in space.

His status was "From orbit: Launch was awesome!! I am feeling great, working hard, & enjoying the magnificent views, the adventure of a lifetime has begun!" (@Astro_Mike)

Carzor Lets You To Do Shave On-The-Go

2012-02-20T22:00:00.000-08:00

GadgTechWorld.blogspot.com

Whenever you are in hurry and have missed your shave then you may take help from Carzor, which is a handy razor that lets you to make a shave even when you are traveling.

This amazing razor comes with a mirror so you are free to enjoy on-the-go shaving through it. When you fullfil your purpose then you can fold Crazor and it will take the shape of a credit card so can be fit readily into your wallet. Don’t forget to remove the blades before folding it otherwise they will cut your money. The good thing is that you are free to choose any scent, lemon, wood, and mint, ocean or orange aromas ,which you want for glide strip on Carzor.

Want to buy Carzor Credit Card Razor? Just spend $17 at Infemtry.

Source: GeekSuper

Get A Fluffy Pillow Remote Control

2012-02-14T23:47:00.000-08:00

GadgTechWorld.blogspot.com

Many Times, it happens that you missed your TV favorite program because of your lost remote control. However it will not happen again when you have Pillow Remote Control with you. This remote not only provide you a great control of your TV but also allow you to get relaxed for sometime by heading down on it.

You can get this soft and fluffy remote control only for $40. You can use it for relaxation purpose on sofa however when you want to use it for normal functional then first tap "active" button and then start using it for setting the volume or flipping the channels.

Source: BrookStone

Electronic Tattoos For Monitoring Brain And Muscle Activity

2012-02-14T23:42:00.000-08:00

GadgTechWorld.blogspot.com

John A. Rogers , who is a professor of materials science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, has developed a flexible electronic device known as electronic tattoo that make it feasible for the doctors to monitor the heart, brain, and muscle activity of the patient. This new ultra-thin electronics resembled to a tattoo which can stick to skin for sometime and during this time doctor can diagnose and monitor the health condition of the patient.

Actually, Rogers was trying to make a flexible device that can replicate the bulky electrocardiograms and some other monitoring machines and for this purpose he did some research. He made a device that is composed of incredibly thin silicon which can be deformed without breaking.

This electronic tattoo has electrodes which help the doctors in measuring the electric signals produced by muscles and brain. This tattoo doesn’t cause any irritation so a person can wear it for long time. It also has built in LED for visual feedback. According to Rogers, this device has a potential to work as human-computer interface

Source: TechnologyReview

I'm Watch - Android on your wrist

2012-02-14T23:15:00.000-08:00

GadgTechWorld.blogspot.com

First unveiled online a few months ago, I'm Watch is a smartphone-compatible wristwatch, designed to work with Android-based cell phones - although it's reportedly also compatible with iOS devices. It is being developed by an Italian producer, and is currently available for pre-order. Initially the price tag was very high, but it is now being offered in a cheaper, colored version called I'm Color. The watch is scheduled to be released this October.

The I'm Watch website showcases two versions of the product. I'm Jewel is a luxury version, designed with precious materials (titanium, gold) and jewels (diamonds), with prices ranging from EUR599 to EUR11,999 (US$840 - $16,833). The I'm Color collection is priced at EUR249 (US$349), however, you'd need to pay 20 percent of the price in advance to have your order secured. The current offer will last until July 18, according to the website.

The company behind I'm Watch is Milan-based Blue Sky s.r.l. Some of the features of the device include the following:

iPhone 4 and Android smartphone connectivity via Bluetooth
It will allow users to make calls and receive calls, text messages, and e-mails
Users will be able to use its speakerphone for hands-free phone calls
Via its touchscreen, users will be able to view Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare notifications, as well as a photo gallery
Exclusive apps will be available for download via the "I'm Store" and music via "I'music"
Specs include: 1.54'' 240x240 pixel color TFT display, 4GB of built-in storage, 64MB of RAM, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR support, Li-Po 600 mAh battery

The I'm Watch seems to still be some distance from completion, and its description is rather brief at the moment. Shipping is nonetheless set to begin October 31.

MiFi

2012-02-14T23:02:00.000-08:00

GadgTechWorld.blogspot.com

MiFi is a line of compact wireless routers produced by Novatel Wireless that act as mobile Wi-Fi hotspots. MiFi stands for 'My Wi-Fi'. The MiFi can be connected to a mobile phone (cellular) carrier and provide internet access for up to 5 devices. The MiFi works at a distance up to 10 m (30 ft) and will provide internet or network access to any WiFi enabled peripheral device.

The first MiFi device was introduced in the U.S. in May 2009 by Novatel Wireless,and Novatel owns a registered trademark on the "MiFi" brand name in the U.S. The Novatel MiFi is also marketed as such in the Netherlands, Egypt, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovenia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, South Africa, Puerto Rico, Canada, and Mexico. However, in the United Kingdom, mobile operator 3 owns the "MiFi" trademark and markets a similar device from Huawei under the name.

MiFi (and MiFi-like) devices

Novatel MiFi 2200

Limited to 5 Wi-Fi clients such as laptops, cameras, gaming devices and multimedia players; with the exception of manually editing the devices config file to allow more clients.
May be connected to a computer via a MicroUSB connection, though doing so disables the Wi-Fi networking, converting the device into a traditional single-client modem. (However, CNET has introduced a tweak to charge the device over USB while maintaining its functionality.)
Includes GPS unit, which is usable on some networks (Virgin) and not on others (Verizon).
Uses 3G data network (CDMA 1xEVDO RevA).

Novatel MiFi 23xx series

Same functionality as 2200, plus:

Accepts SD card for in-device shared media storage.
Uses 3G data network (MiFi 2352: HSUPA/HSDPA 900/1900/2100 MHz, MiFi 2372: HSUPA/HSDPA 850/1900/2100 MHz; both support GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz).

Novatel MiFi 33xx series

Same functionality as 23xx series, plus:

Linux-based MiFi OS with widgets:
Messages: perform SMS-based messaging actions such as reading, writing, sending and receiving SMS messages
Data Usage: track MiFi data usage in home and roaming networks
GeoSearch: leverage the GPS functionality of the MiFi to display a map of the local area, search the local area, display the search results on the map
Weather: fetch weather data for the current and defined locations
MiFi DLNA Server: start, stop and configure the MiFi DLNA server

4G MiFi devices

The Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show 2011 saw the introduction of two new 4G capable MiFi devices from Novatel:

Verizon Wireless featured the 4510L model, which will connect to Verizon's new LTE 4G network, expected to support 5–12 Mbps download and 2–5 Mbit/s upload.
Sprint featured the MiFi 4082, a WiMAX version.

Both devices maintain backward compatibility with existing 3G networks. Other features include:

MiFiOS with widget support
MicroSD card slot
GPS receiver
4 hour battery life
Front panel status display using E Ink technology. The front panel display shows battery, signal strength and number of connected devices. The difficulty of viewing such information was seen as a major shortcoming of earlier MiFi devices.

Non-Novatel devices

Huawei E5830 (Series), E585, E586 with HSPA+ and Chinese market E5805 using CDMA2000 and ET536 using TD-SCDMA.
NetComm MyZone 3G24W
Option GlobeSurfer III
Sierra Wireless Overdrive (Note: 4G capable; available only in U.S. through Sprint)
D-Link DIR-457/MyPocket

Review: MiFi 4510L mobile hotspot for Verizon Wireless

We’ve covered a number of mobile hotspots in the past and they are basically all the same. Some of the better ones have displays or microSD card readers, but at the end of the day they don’t tend to vary much from one another. Typically things come down to two factors: carrier and price. It would be great to add speed and battery life to that list, but speed generally relies on carrier/reception and there isn’t much variation in battery life from one device to the next (especially if you are connecting multiple devices as once).

So if 3G mobile hotspots are more or less all the same, then the release of a 4G LTE model is certainly worth noting. After all a 4G phone is nice to have, but a laptop can benefit even more from the connection: it can better take advantage of the speeds and doesn’t have to worry about the battery-devastating properties of current LTE chips.

At $99 (with a 2-year agreement) the MiFi 4510L is in many ways a more attractive product than Verizon’s other 4G mobile broadband offerings. Most of those are USB modems, which means that they can only work with one USB-capable device at a time (the 4510L can work with up to five WiFi-enabled devices at once). And then there is the Samsung SCH-LC11, which has gotten good reviews but has some issues.

On the hardware side the 4510L is a bit thicker than some of the products we’ve seen in the past but it’s still completely pocketable. Thanks to a matte black back, glossy front, and metallic band around the top it’s a bit more attractive than the typical hotspot as well. There is no microSD card reader, but Novatel Wireless made up for that with two very cool hardware features. The first of these is an electronic paper display on the top that shows vital information like signal strength, battery life, and connected devices. The second perk is an external antenna connector, which is useful if you’d like to boost reception and/or use this as a home device. An antenna is not included.

Setup and connecting to the 451oL are both as easy as they are with a typical hotspot. To your computer the hotspot looks just like a router so you can get data from it as soon as it’s on and has a 4G or 3G connection is established. The MiFi uses 802.11 b/g/n so no bottleneck is created locally.

Speeds are, as with other Verizon LTE devices, excellent. Here are some samples from tests in downtown Manhattan…

Other tests taken in Manhattan were basically in line with these speeds, which is to say they were also quite good. There is a lot of variation based on reception so download speeds can vary from around 7Mbps to up to the 15Mbps seen above. So the speeds are great, well within the range of being used a full-time home connection if the data caps weren’t so severe and the overage pricing insanely high.

There is no question that the 4510L gets the job done. It’s a good device and it’s reasonably priced at $99… but it’s not the only 4G LTE mobile hotspot on Verizon. The Samsung SCH-LC11 is the same price, has a slimmer design, and (from what we hear) has a longer battery life than the 4510L. Because the the Mifi doesn’t use MiFi OS and it doesn’t even have GPS working the normal advantages of going with a Novatel product aren’t present, which makes Samsung’s upstart product a viable option. The MiFi also has the annoying quirk of not being able to transmit a signal while charging over USB, though this isn’t an issue when charging from an outlet.

Overall, if you are looking for a 4G mobile hotspot right now, this is the one to get. The Samsung SCH-LC11 has some advantages over it, but the consensus is that the MiFi is the way to go thanks to better features (like the electronic paper display). Plus, the people that tested them head-to-head found the MiFi to be more reliable. I had an excellent experience with this (aside from Verizon’s LTE outage) and my only hesitation would be its combination of excellent download speeds and Verizon’s bandwidth caps, but if you are careful with these you’ll be fine.

Source: www.geek.com

Introducing Broadband in a Box – Three Web Cube

2012-02-14T22:33:00.000-08:00

GadgTechWorld.blogspot.com

This week we’ve introduced a brand new product to our broadband range. It’s the first time it’s been launched in the UK, and it’s designed for the significant chunk of the population, especially renters and students, that have told us they want Wi-Fi at home, just without the phone line and the lengthy contract.

So we’ve designed Web Cube, and it’s something that we’re really excited about.

The Web Cube’s Wi-Fi signal is powered by our 3G network, so it comes ready-to-go with a mobile broadband SIM card. It’s really easy to set up – just plug it in, turn it on and connect using the name and password supplied in the box. You don’t need a phone line to get going, as long as it’s plugged into the mains and your SIM is inserted, our network will do the rest.

The Web Cube is HSPA+ enabled to the 21.1Mbps technical standard, to deliver typical download speeds of 2-5Mbps, comparable to those of entry-level fixed-line broadband solutions, with the potential to reach a maximum download speed in excess of 10Mbps. Up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices can be connected at any one time, including smartphones, laptops and tablets, and it has a range of up to 30 metres.

Because the Web Cube is brand new to the UK, before we take it nationwide we’ve chosen to launch in a few key cities first. We want to test the market, so we’ve gone to Leeds, Glasgow and Edinburgh, some of our most successful areas for Mobile Broadband, to kick things off.

We hope to be able to roll-out Web Cube nationwide very soon, so if you’re not in Glasgow, Edinburgh or Leeds but you’re still interested, you can register your details online and we’ll be in touch when we have more information.

In the meantime, if you manage to get your hands on one, or if you know someone who has one, we’d love to hear your feedback.

Digitalized Evergreen Home

2012-02-14T00:28:00.000-08:00

GadgTechWorld.blogspot.com

E Home concept is a two part series by designers Jeiyong Chun & Hyunjune Yang where they bring forth their ideas of maintaining a well balanced home environment with sufficient greenery to keep the atmosphere cheery and fresh.

Home, Green Home by Jeiyong Chun consists of a family of five modular units (two green towers, one green wall, one green floor and one green stand) that are sustained by SDPCS. In other words a Smart Digital Plant Care System nurtures the plants with the help of a digitally empowered environment.

Hyunjune Yang’s D’Nature is more about a digital walk in the park; I suppose this simulated greenery is more suitable to Google’s office than a house. The good thing about both the concepts is the inclusion of a green space, which is slowly diluting due to rapid urbanization.