Gadgets

Microsoft Surface - Cool!

May 30, 2007

Microsoft dropped a bombshell with their new Microsoft Surface touchscreen computer that is a touchscreen coffee table with "eyes" that can see what is placed on it blending the virtual and real worlds together. Microsoft thinks this technology developed under the top-secret codename 'Milan' will change the world and be used as a coffee table replacement in living rooms and family rooms. According to Popular Mechanics, here's how the screen works... A diffuser turns the Surface's acrylic tabletop into a large horizontal "multitouch" screen, capable of processing multiple inputs from multiple users. The Surface can also recognize objects by their shapes or by reading coded "domino" tags (i.e.

Posted in Computer Hardware, Digital Cameras, Gadgets, Home Entertainment, Microsoft, Video Hardware & Software

Silent Velcro replacement

May 18, 2007

Ah yes, who doesn't love velcro? With the beauty of velcro, now we don't even have to teach our kids how to tie shoe laces (seems like all kids shoes are velcro now). Yes, velcro makes life so much better and who doesn't love the cool ripping sound? Velcro is the successor to the zipper, but can there be a successor to velcro?

Well, Leonard Duffy managed to come up with “slidingly engaging fasteners” which consists of an interlocking grid of triangular and hexagonal pieces of flexible plastic that not only lasts longer, it can hold up to eight times more.

Posted in Gadgets

GPSMirror Warns of Speed Cameras to Avoid Speeding Tickets

May 16, 2007

NaviGadget reports on the "GPSMirror" from SpeedCheetah, a rear-view mirror with integrated GPS that uses its built-in database to look for "accident black spots, common mobile cameras, and fixed safety camera locations," to help you avoid getting one of those nasty speeding tickets from one of these fixed camera locations. It also shows your heading and speed and warns you if you are above a predetermined speed.

The $400 price tag is definitely a bit steep especially since my Garmin 2720 and my other GPS units allow you to download speed camera waypoints from the Internet for free - and these are fully functional GPS navigation units to boot, where as this GPSMirror is a one-trick pony. Still, if you have a heavy foot, some cash to burn, or just love gadgets, then it can't hurt to get one of these.

Posted in GPS, Gadgets

Nokia N95 unboxing

April 30, 2007

This is the unboxing of the Nokia N95 mobile phone, one of the hottest phones on the market... The N95 features a cool 2-way slide concept for switching between different viewing modes, integrated GPS functionality, a 5 megapixel camera and support for high-speed mobile networks using 3G/HSDPA. The N95 supports watching and recording videos, song playback, high-speed web browsing and email access.

Since I didn't totally unbox the N95 in the 1st video, figured I'd attach this 2nd video showing the other miscellaneous cables. After all, can't half-ass unbox something.

Posted in Gadgets, Mobile Phones, Wireless

24K Gold iPod

April 23, 2007

Everyone and their brother/sister has an iPod, right? Sure Apple offers multi-colored iPods, though the white model is still the most popular. So how do you stand out from the crowd from all the other iPod users? What if you want to "bling bling" your iPod with some diamonds or gold just to be different?

Posted in Gadgets, MP3 Players & Digital Audio

Skype SMC WiFi phone and FON router bundle

April 13, 2007

Joanna Stern, a staff writer over at LAPTOP, forwarded me a story she wrote on a Skype (SMC) WiFi phone and FON router bundle being offered by Skype, which is similar to the SMC/Skype bundle I recalled seeing on Skype's blog a few months ago - but the added addition of FON support. If you're not familiar with the FON router, it allows you to securely share your wireless signal with others that are part of FON's very large WiFi community to enjoy free WiFi wherever you find another FON router. This opens up a huge opportunity for SMC Skype phone users since the phone doesn't have a web browser to authenticate onto "fee-based" WiFi networks. Stephen Pinches on the Skype blog discusses this in detail today. Joanna from LAPTOP makes this bundle even more enticing when she tells me, "Even better we are giving away10 free bundles to our readers." The 10 free bundles include a SMC WiFi phone, FON router, 500 SkypeOut minutes and a year's worth of free Skype voicemail for $159.

Posted in Gadgets, Mobile Phones, Skype, TMCnet, VoIP, Wireless

Apple delays Leopard blames iPhone

April 13, 2007

Apple just released an intriguing statement involving the Apple iPhone and Leopard - their next operating system. In a statement, Apple said, "We can't wait until customers get their hands (and fingers) on it and experience what a revolutionary and magical product it is. However, iPhone contains the most sophisticated software ever shipped on a mobile device, and finishing it on time has not come without a price -- we had to borrow some key software engineering and QA resources from our Mac OSÂ® X team, and as a result we will not be able to release Leopard at our Worldwide Developers Conference in early June as planned."

Wow. So Apple announced a major delay and places the blame squarely on the much-anticipated Apple iPhone as the reason why their next operating system is delayed. I have to wonder, is this just a PR move so Apple doesn't suffer the same criticisms that Microsoft faced when they delayed Vista.

Posted in Gadgets, Mobile Phones, News

iTunes streaming to mobile phone using Slingbox and Apple TV

April 10, 2007

Apple TV has become the ultimate hacker magnet allowing users to use the Apple TV in ways Apple hadn't intended. As discussed recently, Apple TV was hacked to allow Asterisk, the open-source IP-PBX to run on it. Check out the Apple TV Asterisk tut. Now it appears that just a few weeks after launch, CNet is talking about an intriguing new feature for that will allow you to stream music from iTunes on your home computer to your cell phone leveraging Apple TV and Slingbox.

Apple TV

It's a bit of a kludge since the iTunes music has to sync from your PC to the Slingbox and then to your mobile phone.

Posted in Gadgets, Home Entertainment, MP3 Players & Digital Audio, Mobile Phones, PDAs & Handhelds, Wireless

100 million iPods sold

April 9, 2007

Wow, 100 million iPods sold. That's 100 million hard drives. That's more hard drives sold for the iPod than some countries have PC hard drives. Apple is a rare tech company that has successfully diversified itself between two totally separate product lines - the Apple computer and the iPod music MP3 player. Some may argue Microsoft has also done so expanding from software into hardware - mice, gamepads, and the successful XBox 360. Still, nothing has captured the mass audience's love and admiration more the Apple iPod. Well done Apple, well done. Congrats on the 100 million. What's next in your bag of diversification tricks? Or are you just a two-trick pony?

Posted in Gadgets, MP3 Players & Digital Audio, Microsoft

Belkin In-Desk USB Hubs and iPod Dock for Grommet Holes

March 30, 2007

Belkin has introduced innovating "in desk USB hubs" that are designed to slip into those grommet holes on most desks that are typically used to snake your monitor VGA cable, network wire, and mouse and keyboard cables. The lien of products includes two USB hubs (including a 4-port model) and the Belkin In-Desk dock for iPod. By adding a USB hub or iPod docking station into the grommet hole, you certainly reduce clutter and maximize your desk workspace area. To me this product seems to be for the truly anally retentive organized folks that have desks so well organized and clean with no clutter they make The Pottery Barn look like a pigsty in comparison.

Posted in Gadgets

Previous 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 ... 65 Next

VoIP & Gadgets Blog

Gadgets