Apple iPod shuffle 4GB

In general, an official announcement related to just about any of Apple's products is preceded by a wave of rumors and speculations, as well as, typically, at least a couple of spy shots. However, that's not at all what happened with the 4GB version of the iPod shuffle portable player from Apple, which was officially unveiled in March 2009 with very few rumors related to the subject hitting the Internet before this date.

The first thing that should be mentioned about the Apple iPod shuffle 4GB is the fact that it represents the 3'rd generation of this series, and the first to hit the the aforementioned storage capacity (which is enough to hold up to 1000 songs). Furthermore, it also marks a return to the overall design concept of the 1'st generation, featuring a slim, elongated body, manufactured from anodized aluminum available in 2 different colors: brushed silver and black. Of course, the clip has been maintained, but it's only available in silver, regardless of the particular version, and is made from stainless steel.

One of the reasons why the size and weight of the new iPod shuffle have been kept at a minimum (45.2 mm x 17.5 mm x 7.8 mm, 10.7 grams) is the fact that its controls are located on the right earbud cord. From here, one can access the player's various functions, including one of the highlights of this version, the VoiceOver feature.

Similar to the VoiceOver function from the OSX, this feature will voice out loud the name of the artists, song and specific playlist playing at a certain time, and even announces the user when the battery needs charging.

And since we've reached this specific issue, it's worth mentioning that the new iPod shuffle comes packed with a rechargeable Li-Polymer battery, which offers a functioning autonomy of around 10 hours when fully charged (after 3 hours, via the USB interface).

As we've already grown accustomed to, the quality of the audio provided by the shuffle is a very good one, with a frequency response from 20Hz to 20,000Hz. Furthermore, the device supports the most common formats supported by all of the Apple players, including here AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), MP3 (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4), Apple Lossless, WAV, and AIFF. There's no video, since, after all, the shuffle is the only iPod to not feature a display.

The new Apple iPod shuffle 4GB sells for around 80 US dollars, for which users will also get the Apple Earphones with Remote, the iPod shuffle USB cable (1.8 in/45 mm) and a Quick Start guide.

WowWee Mr.Personality Robot

WowWee is one of the world's best-known manufacturers of toy-robots, its numerous products being found in just about any respectable toy store around the world. And that's also the case with one of the company's latest released, a robot dubber Mr. Personality, which arrived on the market in October 2008 and could prove to be a very good companion for children and grown-ups alike.

The device can carry out a large number of functions, as for example sell jokes and stories, read one's daily fortunes, answer questions regarding their future with either “yes” or “no”. Furthermore, by using the content playback control functions on the remote controller, one can affect the outcome of branching interactive stories and can pause, rewind and fast-forward through all on-board content.

Also on the subject of control, it's interesting to mention that Mr. Personality features a couple of Function Control buttons, which can be used in order to access the alarm clock feature, the time function, the greet mode, the stand-by mode, the Meny, the Memo function and, finally, the Demo function.

In order to help it better interact with humans, the device has been equipped with several sensors, namely a sonic sensor, four IR sensors for detecting and avoiding obstacles, flinch response, and Greet Mode, 1 light sensor used in order to detect and respond to changes in ambient light levels as well as a tilt sensor that allows Mr. Personality to know exactly when it's fallen down and when it's been picked up.

Furthermore, the robot features no less than 7 different built-in electric motors, which help it carry out all of the functions mentioned above. Plus, the robot also packs a microphone, SD memory card slot, 64 MB of internal memory, all of these components being powered by a rechargeable battery that can be juiced-up via an AC adaptor.

WowWee Mr. Personality retails for just around 300 US dollars, which is quite an OK price point, given just how cool this thing could prove to be around the house.

Kingston 32/64GB DataTraveler 150 USB Flash Drive Review

As you probably already know, Kingston Technology is one of the leading makers of memory products in the world, ranging from system-specific memory to flash and solid state drives.

The DataTraveler USB Flash Drive series is one of its most important products, being praised by users around the world for its high speeds and reliability. Well, we recently had the chance to put two of the latest DataTraveler models under our microscope: the 64GB DataTraveler 150 and its smaller in storage size brother, the 32GB DataTraveler 150.

Having made its appearance in November 2008, the DataTraveler 150 series quickly became a user's favorite portable storage choice thanks to its great price and above average quality that basically brought an elite high speed, high capacity flash drive to a public that could not afford one up until the DataTraveler's release.

Although we are not strangers to the DataTraveler series USB flash drives, our professional meeting with the two devices did reveal pretty interesting facts that an eventual buyer will want to take into account when choosing one of the two. But we'll be tackling those parts in the next pages of the review. Whereas testing is concerned, we tried to do professional testing, as well as the usual stress-testing a normal user would normally submit his/her flash drive to.

The results were quite unexpected in that both the 32 and 64GB DataTraveler 150 versions exceeded our hopes in a lot of areas. These devices have clearly been made to be used in a lot of different environments and by different types of people. How they fare after extreme wear and tear from a user that wants to squeeze as much as he/she can from his/her Flash Drive? Extremely well, as you will see but not without some glitches.

BMW’s new voice control - no sooner said than done

BMW has launched a brand new voice control expected to be available in September 2009. Called Voice Control, the brand new system of BMW features communications, full verbal destination as well as entertainment commands. If you like to be interactive, this voice control system appears to be a good accessory as it clearly understands your spoken commands.

No more boring entering of street name, city and country, just use comfortably one statement command while using the navigation and entertainment system without any buttons to be pressed ensures a safer and comfy driving experience. Moreover, this intelligent system is capable of recognizing different languages.

Now the driver is able to simply give a verbal command like Baker Street, London and you will be offered a route towards your destination. Likewise, the entertainment system is a good listener to be able to respond to your music commands.

At first, the voice command system can choose from the music recorded on the onboard hard drive of your car but BMW is expected to broaden its horizon to be able to support iPod and other music players by springtime 2010. Its effortless operation appears to be a must-have feature for all the drivers who care about their security.
BMW is the worldwide first and only car producer to feature this intuitive system which is capable of comprehending a full address command. Additionally, the voice control system is customizable, taking your safety to the next level.

Electrolux Rendez-Vous interactive table

Cooking takes a lot of time and some of us feel as if we are missing on better things in life while we spend countless hours cooking. As technology is mostly considered helpful to day-to-day life, Electrolux came up with an idea that will for sure ease some people’s lives. Electrolux Rendez-Vous is said to be the table that can do anything - combining living, eating and spending time with your loved ones all in one. Being the first interactive table, it certainly helps with the limited space problem, bringing a new wave of kitchen gadgets that are creative and also present multiple advantages.

The key factor to Electrolux Rendez-Vous is its “energy shield” that will transmit power wirelessly to any electrical appliance, leaving no need for users to plug in their blender, phone or iPod to work or be charged. The top of the table is also equipped with inductive cooking system that applies sensor technology. It is curious to notice about Electrolux Rendez-Vous that no cooking zones are specifically marked; instead, heat is dispersed wherever the pan is positioned.

As mentioned before one of the advantages of Electrolux Rendez-Vous is the fact that it will most likely save much house space, consequently, beneath the table are modular drawers that are designed to hold various kitchen appliances that the user needs. For those that aren’t very good at cooking, there is a virtual chef programmed in the Electrolux Rendez-Vous, guiding consumers through certain steps in cooking.

Although there is no word of release yet, Electrolux Rendez-Vous appears to be a creative solution to multiple difficulties. Cooking can slowly become more a social activity than just a simple need.

ViewSonic debuts with VPC100 All-in-One PC

ViewSonic debuts with its first all-in-one PC. It is the VPC100. Let’s take a look at ViewSonics novelty. The VPC100 has an 18.5-inch LCD display that works at 1366x768 resolution and with a 16:9 aspect ratio. The all-in-one PC is powered by 1.6GHz Intel Atom CPU with 1GB of RAM. Capacity of the hard drive is 160GB. All the hardware is in the 1.4-inch thick case. Also the PC comes with Windows XP Home operating system.

The VPC100 comes with all that is needed. It has a DVD burner, a 4-in-1 card reader and four USB 2.0 ports. Connection to the world is provided by an integrated Wi-Fi connection. And this is not all. The all-in-one PC has a wired gigabit Ethernet. Also the VPC100 comes with 1.3 megapixel camera for video conferences and 2.5W front speakers. Consumers also get an optical mouse and a full-size keyboard.

The price of the VPC100 all-in-one PC is near 599 USD.

Music and light at night with the Lavod MP3 Bicycle Speaker and LED Light

Is your bike surrounded with useful accessories? This alluring gadget makes a digital sound system out of your regular handlebar. Titled Lavod MP3 bicycle speaker, the bicycle speaker is easily mountable on the handlebars of your bike to give you a new sound experience while riding.

Headphones have never been a right bike accessory for the biker’s road safety. Now that this tantalizing sound system is available, you may easily enjoy your favorite songs as you drive and without fear to be collided. The sound system offers playing MP3 and WMA format files while boasts of 2 GB storage capacity to ensure pleasant riding.

The Lavod MP3 2, 3 watts bicycle speaker is powered by a lithium-ion battery pack making it possible for a rider to listen to your favorite tunes for up to 10 hours just on a single charge. And once your battery is flat, you are able to easily plug your gizmo into USB port or use the charger included.

This amazing aluminum music player is also rated to be water resistant and features an embedded flash light in addition. So it seems to be a good idea for those bike aficionados who like driving at night. Its 1 watt white LED light is aimed at bright illumination so that you could be driving safely and comfortably.

This electronic device appears to be capable of playing FM radio with you presetting the new radio stations thanks to included software. The Lavod MP3 bicycle speaker is expected to have a sticker price tag of 139 USD. Its tubular sound system is designed to be clearly audible with music coming straight to your ears.

Whether you drive a road bike or a mountain model, this tricky gizmo is going to be a nice addition. Its built-in loudspeaker provides high quality of sounding while earphone jack is also available as a feature. You will not have to fumble about as this is an easy to select device.

Its perfect illumination has from 60 to 75 lighting range with brightness to be maximum of 80 lumens. Optionally, you will be able to choose out of 3 light options including flashing with on and off modes. This MP3 Bike speaker system measures roughly 140 x 34 mm.

In addition, this clever system includes a user manual, USB charger cable as well as protective rubber cap. Bicycle mounting kit also offers a quick latch system for easy operation as well as height adjustable handlebar bracket. In order to suit your convenience, 12 various angles are offered by your MP3 bicycle speaker.

Plustek OpticBook A300 - A3 scans with care

Plustek has announced today a new model of scanner for their already accomplished range of scanners. The new OpticBook A300 is aimed to help designers, librarians, students, etc. to scan different kinds of books, even quite thick exemplars. Nipping on ahead, I should that because of the estimated price you probably wouldn't happen to see the A300 in student's dormitory. Anyway, so far it seems a really well made piece of office inventory with a lot of features, so Plustek will probably be offering a bargain when OpticBook A300 goes on sale.

Speaking of features, the idea behind A300 was to make book scanning trouble free for both scanner and a book. In the final analysis, you can easily stuff A300 with A3 size as well as an old tumbled down book in thick cover. Judging by the picture you don’t have to keep the book wide opened, neither you won't have to push the hood down hard and still and up with odd shadows as Plustek confirms. More features – fast scanning (2.4 sec. for an A3 page at 300dpi), USB 2.0 interface, automatic conversion to .pdf, .bmp and other popular formats. I also liked built in optical character recognition (OCR) software. We know that Plustek OpticBook A300 should come out really soon, but there is nothing said about price or anything else.

Fly green with the personal electric aircraft

This breathtaking flying vehicle could be more than just a flight of your fancy. This single seat personal aircraft took flight earlier this year from the British Sywell Aerodrome to boast its ground breaking capacity to fly on electric engines.

This light weight aircraft appears to be an electric plane being propelled by its electric engines. This twin engine flying looker was already tested by the University of Cambridge with a test included 30 minutes of flight time and its top altitude of up to 1 700 feet which will make breathless many unqualified pilots.

The personal electric aircraft features a fixed wing airframe was created by Paul Roberton from University of Cambridge and Paul Dewhurst from Flylight Airsports. This sustainable plain is operated by light weight 10kW brushless electric engines to be powered by 12 lithium polymer cells.

This ecologically friendly electric plane features ultra light propellers constructed from carbon fiber. In addition, there are plans to continue the project to make it more sustainable and with reduced noise levels to finally have an electric monster with a capacity to fly as far as 100 miles on a single charge.

Hydrogen car revealed in London

This is the 21st century and here is a new state of the art hydrogen car which may hit the British roads sometime in 2010. The cars are expected to be leased including the cost of fuel hydrogen repair expenses at 200 euro per month.

The Riversimple vehicle is capable of driving 80 kilometers per hour with 322 kilometers on a single charge which is an amazing result for this ground breaking car. The model features a small fuel cell under the bonnet to power its four engines at only 6 KW.

Excluding a gearbox, a combustion engine or transmission and with f frame made from carbon fiber, the weight is just 350 kg. The hydrogen car has two comfy seats while its four engines are distributed, one per wheel.

Philips Avent Digital Screen Baby Monitor keeps your child well cherished

How often have you left your child unattended worrying about he could wake up? Here is a special gadget designed for your children to make them feel more protected. This baby monitoring unit called Philips AVENT DECT baby monitor is operated remotely and is capable of making sure your child is well cherished thanks to zero interference DECT technology.

This baby monitoring device seems to be an important kit from Philips which monitors more things than just him or her being crying. This intelligent gizmo features a humidity sensor thanks to which you are able to know if there could be a potential risk for your child’s throat including a room temperature sensor to ensure your child is well comforted.

This digital mother provides you with most secure communication between you and your baby making you hear what is happening whether it is your child’s laughing or yawning. It seems like your child’s needs are well met during your absence. In addition, the base unit boasts a night light feature which proves to be very useful for your child to fall asleep.

Philips AVENT DECT baby monitor also includes a lullaby option, so now you are able to easily choose your special lullabies while the remotely operating unit guarantees 24 hours of operation time with a range of about 900 feet. And it seems the connection between you and your baby has never been at such a high level.

The baby monitoring unit offers crystal clear sounds and is powered by rechargeable batteries and will be priced from 150 to 200 USD, depending on your retailer. What is good about the device is that it is very intuitive. With this smart baby monitoring unit you will be able to take complete charge of your children with you controlling the situation like choosing the right temperature via your digital display.

Look at the face of the future with this scout concept hover car

This unimaginable vehicle looks more like an unidentified flying object rather than a car. Being a scout concept, this turns out to be a hover car destined for the future. Developed by designer Norio Fujikawa, this vehicle is not supposed to be a green car, but mind boggling speeds are guaranteed.

This futuristic hover car is expected to go 400 - 500 miles per hour on the land, hopefully will not make you feel claustrophobic. The scout concept appears to have a self-speaking design makes this car stands out in a crowd while its curved lines look really imposing.

The concept is supposed to be a two-seater with power taken from its two turbine engines. The speed only makes it the center of attention, but are we going to have a safe driving? Additionally, the scout concept is reported to be able to be lifted at a low altitude.

Zeo Personal Sleep Coach to provide you with good quality sleep

Have you ever had troubles getting a good night’s sleep which has a restorative power for both our body and your mind? Whether you suffered from insomnia or were nervous enough to fall asleep, you may now change your nocturnal life for the better with this intelligent device called Zeo personal sleep couch.

Introduced by Zeo, this clever sleep fitness concept seems to be an ideal solution for your sleepless nights. This personal sleep coach is capable of giving you the information on how much how well and how deep you were sleeping during the night. Once the information is received, you will get it shown on your Zeo’s digital bedside display.

Previously known as Axon Labs, Zeo features a smart headband to be worn while going to sleep which is designed to transmit your personal sleep information wirelessly to your digital display. This perfect sleep concept is what is going to give you enough sleep so that you feel fine during a day.

The information received is then being sent to SD card where it is going to be stored with you having the opportunity to upload your personal information to the myZeo Personal Coaching site. If you have a good night’s sleep but wonder how much time you sleep, how often you wake up during the night and how long was it necessary for you to fall asleep, this sleep gadget is definitely what you need.

If you are interested in having such a sleep restoring widget, you will have to pay a 399 USD price tag for it. Zeo headband is light weight so you would not experience difficulties sleeping with it while its display could become your best friend in telling you about your sleeping habits. The whole date is received from your brainwaves to be detected by Zeo headband.

There are at least 70 million people having sleep disorders with 80 known types of them while insomnia is reported to be the world’s third health problem going after headache and cold. Looking like a sleep clock radio this intelligent device will wake you up refreshed with full of energy, what else could you be dreaming of?

Sony’s approach with new mercury free button batteries launch

Enterprising Japanese well known leading electronics producer has revealed its intention to launch six various models of button batteries having no mercury at all. These batteries are usually used in remote controls, cameras, and calculators. The company is supposed to reduce 470 kilograms of mercury a year for the year to come.

Owing to the mercury presence having a bad influence on our environment, mercury batteries were forbidden in many countries. Battery production has never been environmentally friendly for Sony, but now with new developed technology it seems to be possible to be a sustainable batteries maker.

According to Sony, they are the first ever company to remove mercury presence in its batteries by mixing absorbent raw material into the cathode. Their ecologically conscious batteries are supposed to go on sale only in Japan for the moment with expected price of 2 USD.

When not suitably disposed of, mercury tends to pollute groundwater sources with potential neurological problems birth defects and even death but with this brand new approach offered by Sony, our sustainability seems to be on the make.

Worldwide smallest DV Camera - Muvi Micro DV Cam

If you are a private detective, you might be interested in this ultra portable gadget. Called Muvi Micro DV Cam, it is rated to be the smallest DV camera in the world. This digital video monster measures a mere 2 x 0.8 x 0, 4 inches and is compatible with Windows and Mac.

This easily portable device is powered by rechargeable lithium ion battery which is included. So once you are out of power, you may easily charge it via USB socket to have a modest 2 - 3 hours of recording time. This Muvi Micro DV Cam has USB cable which is included.

Thanks to its 2MP lens, Muvi Micro DV Cam records at 2 mega pixels to be a good result taking into consideration its size while its resolution is 640 x 480 at 30 frames per second. All the data is saved and stored in a micro SD card.

You will be able to turn it on to sound activated record, so it will not be recording anything until it detects a noise of more than 65 decibels. At the same time, it will save a movie after 2 minutes of silence in order to save power.

This tiny Muvi Micro DV Cam is an intelligent device coming with integrated clip on the camera’s side for better portability. Its fitted microphone makes it possible for you to record sound and apply voice activated record.

Its micro SD card has 2 GB of storage capacity while can be enhanced up to 8 GB. And it will be useful to know that 1 GB of memory is enough for up to 1 hour’s movie. The Muvi Micro DV Cam is suitable for children aged more than 14 years old.

The Extreme Sports Pack which is sold separately incorporates 1 Muvi additional spring mounting clip, 1 velcro mounting bracket, 3 mounting bracket straps, 2 mounting bracket screws, 1 arm strap, 1 magnetic mounting bracket used for wall, 1 mounting bracket for bike and helmet, 1 silicon protective sleeve for the Muvi as well as 1 head/helmet strap.

Omega Speedmaster day-date automatic chronograph watch – dream to come true

This Omega Speedmaster day-date automatic chronograph wrist watch has both aggressive looks and name. This bad boy is rated to be water resistant up to 100 meters so no accidental splashes should scare you. This men’s watch is truly suitable for swimming, snorkeling or scuba diving up to 100 meters’ depth.

The Omega Speedmaster time piece is powered by Swiss 3606 caliber self winding automatic movement which provides it with high precision capacity. Additionally, this Omega wrist watch is capable of functioning without a battery as it is automatically powered by shaking it with your arm. If you want your wrist watch to have a reserve power, you should actively wear it for 8 consecutive hours on a daily basis.

The Omega Speedmaster watch offers a stunning 44 hour power reserve. The Omega crown is protected from both water and dust. And you may feel free for its appearance as it features an anti reflective scratch resistant sapphire crystal, making it look elegantly regardless of some possible impacts.

This pleasant to the eye wrist watch has a stainless steel case and black dial, day date month functions, chronograph functions as tachymeter function. Its beautiful sub dials indicate date, day and month. Its intelligent tachymeter bezel makes it possible for you to keep track of your road activity.

Casio’s case is large and has dimensions of 40 mm in width while its shiny bracelet combines polished and brushed finishes. In addition, this outstanding time piece is one of those 3 per cent watches to be produced and certified in Switzerland.

It is very handy sometimes to use a tachymeter measuring the speed which is a chronograph coming with a graduated dial where you can read the speed in kilometers per hour based on 1000 meters distance. If you covered the distance for 30 seconds to be indicated in the chronograph while the tachymeter displaying 120, your speed thus is rated to be 120 kilometers per hour.

This Omega Speedmaster day-date automatic chronograph watch also features deployment buckle to be 4o mm in diameter, luminescent hands as well as markers. Its men’s size is 39 mm excluding its crown. Casio’s fold over clasp comes with double push button safety.

Solar-powered refrigerator by Industrial Insulation Systems

Industrial Insulation Systems offers transforming sun into ice by means of off-grid solar powered refrigerator. This sunny refrigerator is rated to be the first non grid refrigerator in the world which is going to be powered by the sun power.

Our world is rich in solar power and this high tech refrigerator having a strong freezing ability demonstrates a new era engineering novelty. If you like staying under the sun, this might become your most handy kitchen gadget ever seen.

The IIS Solar Power System boasts non grid flexibility with temperatures of -20°C. At the same time, this is a high durability solar power system which can be a good solution for some distant areas. If boating is your sport of practice, this smart gadget can be of a lot of avail keeping your food well frozen.

Have your meal at Kalamazoo Hybrid Grill

What could be better than having a meal grilled? If you are a skillful griller, you will get what I mean. This handy gadget called Kalamazoo Hybrid grill is going to satisfy your hearty appetite elegantly. This intelligent gadget can be also used by a vegetarian, as you will be able to grill your vegetables giving them a perfect smoky smell.

This smoky smell is achieved by the liquid propane system of the griller that is capable to combine a charcoal, wood or even a natural gas. Kalamazoo Hybrid grill features grilling drawers with a cooking power of 144 000 BTU. No matter what cuisine you like this Kalamazoo Hybrid grill is ready to make your food scrumptious.

This free standing Kalamazoo Hybrid grill also comes with its ready to use side burner. This advanced cooking concept is an ideal choice for outdoor grilling while making it possible for an easy cleaning. In addition, this exquisite hybrid grill boasts 864 square inch cooking surface coming with stainless steel grates.

Besides, you can have some bespoke grates which are available. Using the Kalamazoo Hybrid grill with its four control zones you will be able to get some impressive culinary skills. Besides, Kalamazoo Hybrid grill has the infrared rotisserie cradle system making you prepared for roasting and barbecuing meat or vegetables.

There is no need to argue that wood taste added to your food will make it very delicious. And all this is possible due to this high efficiency gadget which is a good choice for green cooking. That is true; using this appetite stimulating Kalamazoo Hybrid grill you will reduce pollution and save power.

You may find it interesting to get some new flavors by burning different types of wood. Kalamazoo Hybrid grill features Offset Smoker Box to give your new BBQ experience. This gorgeous hybrid grill is available for 14 700 USD. This appears to be the first hybrid grill to be capable of combining gas and charcoal grilling.

If you need to use gas grilling, put the ceramic-lined drawers in order to spread the heat while for charcoal and wood grilling, wood rack drawers should be inserted. In order to easily ignite, you should use the burners. This high performance hybrid grill is a state of the art kitchen gadget. Its design prevents a grilling area from being disrupted.

4000 Watt Roadster - perfect for city commuting

If you consider yourself to be an environmentalist, this two person electric roadster is what you may safely drive in your city. Being the best choice for city commuting, this environmentally friendly roadster is a trusted little car to be capable of driving at a speed of up to 25 miles per hour on a single charge.

You can drive this clean car for 8 hours if fully charged. Categorized to be a low speed car, this sustainable roadster features an AC engine being operated with 400 watts powered by 6 lead-acid batteries. You will be able to drive at least 60 miles before needing another charge.

In order to provide a smoothly driven ride, an automatic transmission as well as independent suspension was mounted. The body frame of the roadster is wear resistant steel with open door panels. Its front and rear fenders are made of plastic.

The roadster also offers a rear compartment with storage capacity of 6 bags. This environmentally friendly car is charged via a standard wall outlet plug with no needs of electrical circuits. In addition to that, this narrow roadster has AM/FM radio coming with MP3 player. Its four wheel disk brakes are perfect for stopping the car.

Not only is this eco friendly roadster capable of making you save your gasoline bills but also keep your environment sustainable. In order to fully charge it, you will need 8 hours of charging. This roadster is available in different colors including red, yellow, black and blue and has a price tag of 13 000 USD.

Lamborghini murcielago super car goes green

If you are a big fan of Lamborghini you will be interested to know that Lamborghini Murcielago super car turns into a sustainable car. This Italian green luxury offers now some modifications to finally improve its V12 engine combustion with car becoming lighter.

What is unbelievable is that even with its new retrofitted engine, the Italian super car is still capable of reaching its top speed of 350 kilometers per hour thus planning to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 35 per cent.

Carbon dioxide emissions are decreased even in their main factory at Sant Agata Bolognese by installing 17 000 square meters of solar panels on the factory roof with factory cutting emissions by 30 per cent. In addition to this, stop / start system was introduced by Italian car maker with friction reduced.

The super car is reported to emit 495 gram of CO2 per kilometer to reduce their emissions three times from its saloon. There are less than 1500 Lamborghinis sold worldwide with sales falling down. However with all carbon emissions reduction, super cars are still most polluting on the roads. Anyway, if you like driving your super Lambo, it would be more sustainable to drive its green version.

Moby concept car by WooJin Chung

Moby concept car is a 3 wheeled battery powered modular car. This mind boggling car features an adjustable rear while offering reduced storage space. This concept car is developed by designer WooJin Chung who demonstrates its sustainable electricity powered car.

This electricity powered car can be easily retrofitted to suit every mood. In order to make this car smaller, its designer has introduced its sleek designed car which can be separated into 2. This Moby concept car is a perfect idea for space reasons as it can be parked by taking just half size of their four wheeled counterparts.

The Moby name was derived from the whale to be called Moby Dick with its curved appearance to be noticed. The interesting thing about this concept car is its personal ability of its rear which seems to work as a docking system to be easily replaced by its high capacity battery or additional passenger seat.

Driving this car will resemble you mostly motorcycling with its small footprint to be left on the road. As you could have noticed, this concept car features no doors with just big circular entrances to make your entry more comfortable with more flexibility of your seating area.

DX Skullcandy/ Ionized Snow Goggles with matching headphones- cos it’s cold again…

Ok I apologize. Last week I complained about the sun and how I didn’t like summer, and this week the heat has gone away and we’re left with rain and cold. I’m taking full responsibility for the change in weather with my jinxing powers, and I’ll go talk to Zeus about it later, see if I can’t get the sun back.

In the mean time, I think we should be preparing for snow (well, not really, but stranger things have happened right?). If not in England then in some of the places the adventurous amongst you will be jetting off for a cold summer holiday sliding down mountains with one or two bits of plastic strapped to your feet. And if you’re doing that, you’ll be needing to protect your eyes from the glare of the snow, and what better way to do it that with a pair of Dragon Alliance Snow Goggles- especially these ones with Skullcandy collaboration. I’m a big fan of two in one gadgets, and this one allows you to be safe and look kind of cool on the piste as well as integrating a pair of headphones into the mix so you can zoom off (or fall off) to your favourite tunes.

They’re helmet compatible, with 100% UV protection and fog free lenses in a Polyurethane frame. The colour scheme isn’t exactly the coolest (they look a little like surfer shorts to me, but that might be the look snow bunnies go for these days- I wouldn’t know as I prefer curling up in bed when it snows to throwing myself around in the wet and the cold!). But even with slightly dodgy aesthetics you got to admit they do look rather cool. And any gadget that means you don’t have to stop what you’re doing to put your ear phones back in position is great by me- especially if I’m going at stupidly fast speeds down a big hill at the time!

If you’re off to the snow this summer, head over to Dragon Alliance and check out the retail list- they’ll cost between $77 to $130 online, and theres lots of other styles that could grab your fancy.

Econo-Keys EK-76-TP mobile keyboard

The Econo-Keys EK-76-TP mobile keyboard offers something different where mobile keyboards are concerned, featuring a touchpad on the underside. Now here’s a zany thought - you could hold this up like some sort of video game controller, allowing you to type with your thumbs, while your fingers on the underside will adapt to the touchpad for easy and convenient navigation, although we think that there is a pretty steep learning curve attached to it. Nah, might as well use it like how the spokesperson describes below.

According to spokesperson Halley Cade , “What makes this keyboard so original and unlike anything on the market is the reverse-side touchpad. The EK-76-TP can be easily flipped over to provide convenient touchpad access, or used from underneath while typing. It is perfect for customers who desire the user-friendliness of a touchpad, but need something ultra-portable.”

Like all Econo-Keys products, the EK-76-TP is fully sealed to IP67 standards, making it resistant to dirt, dust and water. Because it lacks the crevices found in standard desktop keyboards, it can be thoroughly disinfected with any hospital-grade cleaning agent and can endure routine harsh washes. The EK-76-TP measures 8.91″ x 3.54″ x 0.38″ and has a Windows- and Linux-compatible USB interface. The keyboard has 76 keys, including 12 function keys.

Intelligent Sprinkler Controller

Sprinklers are useful tools to have in the garden as they help you water your lawn and other plants without having to do so personally, but the Intelligent Sprinkler Controller goes one up on ordinary models since it is able to tell whether it might rain within the next 12 hours or so, automatically postponing scheduled watering cycles in the process.

An integrated barometer monitors changes in barometric pressure and cancels a scheduled watering when rain is forecasted, ensuring your sprinkler system will not turn on prior to or during a rain shower. The device automatically resumes watering on the next scheduled day (weather permitting). You can input the day of the week, time, and duration of each watering using the five-button control panel and LCD. The device calculates how many gallons of water it saves and displays the amount on the LCD. The sprinkler controller simply connects to a standard spigot and garden hose and does not require a subscription to a weather service.

June 12th, 2009 by Ally in Audio/Video Gadgets, PC Gadgets, USB Gadgets, iPod gadgets

If you enjoy having your iPhone or iPod integrated with all of your technology, you’ll enjoy this new line of iHome products. They add docks into products you’d normally have lying around anyway. Such as adding a spot for your iPhone or iPod into a keyboard. Then it’s always within reach and it can charge up. There won’t be the issue of added cords that way either or a random dock sitting on your desk. It’s just another part of the current technology and it looks great.

There are two separate additions to the group that iHome signed a licensing agreement with LifeWorks Technology Group to create. They are in true Apple style too, holding to the nice sleek lines that go with a lot of Apple products. The range includes the iConnect Media Keyboard, which can be purchased for $149. Which isn’t too bad since there’s an attached dock, but hopefully you have a fairly wide keyboard drawer. Then there is also the iStand Notebook Media Bundle that includes an embedded dock for the iPhone and iPod. It can be purchased for the slightly more expensive $299.

Squad Positioning System for Firefighters

I just saw an episode of Rescue Me last week where one of the firefighters was trapped, and the rest of the dysfunctional characters didn’t know where he was. Just watch the show on Hulu if you don’t know what I’m talking about.

Perhaps Dennis Leary and his comrades should use the Squad, a compact indoor position system that enables firefighters to know their location, as well as the location of their partners. This concept gadget, designed by a University of New South Wales student Roy Hareguina, uses a sonar sensor to provide a map of the surrounding area, instead of a GPS.

Sonar might not be the ideal tool for this type of work, but firefighters cannot depend on blueprints when ceilings have caved in or when weak floors give out. Sometimes all a fireman needs to know is the location of someone who needs rescuing, and let the axe do the rest.

The Squad units are set up to “take the heat”, having a melting point of 662° Fahrenheit (343°C). It is made of polyetheretheretone (PEEK) with a tough aluminum and zinc frame, and coated with fluorosilicone for impact protection and waterproofing. You may notice that buttons are large, but this is because it is meant to be used by firemen wearing thick gloves.

So far, the Squad is only a concept, but I could easily see firemen of the future wearing one on their arm.

Samsung announces first solar powered GSM Cellphone

Samsung is going green with it’s first solar-powered GSM cell phone. Known by the catchy moniker “Crest Solar,” the E1107 (as it is officially known) has a large solar cell on the back of the handset and can provide up to 10 minutes of talk time for every hour it sits in the sun charging up on your basic sunny day.

In addition to it’s environmental bonafides, the camera is dual band for use in both the 900 Mhz and 1800 Mhz range. Other features include all the usual refinements including an FM radio and MP3 ringtones, and games. It can even work as a flashlight but you can bet that’s a battery killer which will force you to wait until sunrise to recharge without the AC adapter. Security features include Samsung’s proprietary Mobile Tracker - which will alert the authorities in the event of an emergency with an SOS like signal, and there’s also a fake call feature for use when wanting to disengage from a sticky situation with a well timed phone call. Lastly, there’s specialized features for things like specialized markets and even religious preferences.

Cost is currently $59 US for the Asian market with no word on when it’ll be available in the Western world.

Pocket Retro Game Emulator – new flame for console game

The Pocket Retro Game Emulator is an easy to use gaming gizmo which can be kept in your pocket. This retro game can be a lot of fun with any game user. Its amazing looks much the same with Game Boy, but let us do not judge by appearances. Coming with 4 GB storage capacity, this retro game is compatible with NES, SNES, GBA, Sega Genesis, or Neo Geo roms.

This handheld game is an ultra portable and plug and play electronic device being held by the palm of your hand. In addition, this funny game has a mini SD slot giving you a possibility to play right from your gaming consoles. Additionally, you will be able to view movie files, audio files, jpg images or do voice recording.

Besides, this Pocket Retro Game Emulator uses the embedded FM radio and is capable of reading electronic books. You will be delighted by 4 control buttons on the right on its right part and 2 shoulder buttons. Its d-pad on the left part of the console is good enough to combat in fighting games.

This game emulator is capable to manage both 8 bit and 16 bit console games. Its customizable buttons are ready to be used as you wish. When necessary, any game can be paused with capacity to store the game due to its memory capacity.

Once the game is saved, you will be able to once again start playing the interrupted game from the moment you saved your level. NES and SNES roms can be easily downloaded when needed. This gaming system is excellent and can be connected to your Mac computer by USB port.

This mini gaming system is capable to play roms from your game consoles with 8 and 16 bit supporting. There is no need to load any software for your gaming emulator. Its internal storage can be expanded by mini SD. High visibility 2, 8 inch QVGA (320x240) LCD display making its appearance highly noticeable.

Pocket Retro Game Emulator has output to TV by composite video cables included in the package. Another cool feature is its full media player. Sound is perfect due to fitted stereo speakers. The battery life of this game console is from 6 to 8 hours on a single charge with internal li-battery.

Its LCD screen has low temperature PolySilicon while game console is compatible with such video formats as FLV, WMV, ASF, RM, AVI, MPEG, MP4, RMVB, SWF. Pocket Retro Game Emulator comes in stunning black color. The game console also includes an earphone jack with ear buds.

Compatible with such audio formats as MP3, WMA, APE, FLAC, this retro game emulator has mini USB port as well as I/O Slots. Pocket Retro Game Emulator measures 125mm x 56mm x 14mm. (L x W x H). Pocket Retro Game Emulator has AV OUT (output to TV - NTSC or PAL, 16:9 or 4:3).

Among gaming console modes, there is Nintendo Entertainment System - 8bit, Super Nintendo Entertainment System - 16bit, Sega Mega-Drive - 16-bit, Nintendo Game Boy Advance, SNK Neo-Geo, CAPCOM, arcade game systems, 1st and 2nd edition.

While listening to the radio, you will be also able to record the music you liked. Image viewer offers JPG, BMP, GIF and PNG formats while its electronic book boasts text to speech feature. Voice recorder is available at MP3 and WAV formats.

This portable game player has an AC adapter (100-240V 50/60hz), USB cable as well as user guide available in English language. This game console can be helpful during your breaks from your work or wherever you are. This Pocket Retro Game Emulator can be had for 99, 99 USD. As soon as you copied.

MotoCzysz E1pc Digital super bike in the limelight

Could you just imagine that one day you would be driving the first digital super bike worldwide? Called MotoCzysz E1pc, this bad boy is embedded with an iPhone. This digital super bike is schedule for a release on June 12th in United Kingdom.

That sounds sustainable but this super bike is expected to take part in never seen before zero emission carbon free TTXGP Motorcycle Grand Prix. This green marvel appears to be a high technology electric super bike which is capable of reaching the speed of up to 120 miles per hour in just 7, 8 seconds.

In addition, the acceleration produces no carbon impact. Though, not much information is released on the MotoCzysz E1pc, but its dashboard placed iPhone is eye catching. The MotoCzysz E1pc includes 10 battery sets and three engines to be capable of competing in the sustainable road race to come.

Your speed detection as well as location can be defined by the intelligent GPS included in the iPhone. Besides, it will be able to measure up performance metrics such as top speed or lateral G. This all electric zero emissions super bike is completed with oval-section ‘6X’ forks designed for its flexibility while leaning.

Its frame is constructed from carbon and alloy. This super bike is recorded to accelerate from 0 to 120 with less than 11 seconds needed; this taking into consideration only75 per cent of battery was used.

Solar Quadricycle with a spot for your dog

This impressive Solar Quadricycle is a hybrid vehicle which is allowed for street driving. This fascinating beast comes with a solar powered electric engine, spaces available for three persons and a room for groceries as well as your four legged friend. Constructed by an eighth-grader, this eye catching runabout is capable to give you a lot of fun while driving.

This captivating solar powered hybrid is built by 14 year old David Dixon of Novato, California specifically for a middle school project. This do it yourself project included some solar panels as well as its electric engine. With maximum speed limited at 14 miles per hour, this Quadricycle features 24 volt engine and 1 horsepower available.

This intelligent solar powered Quadricycle is powered by Green Saver Silicone Gel Cell batteries coming with 20 watt solar panels. The Quadricycle also incorporates an iPod, GPS system and lights which are also fed by the batteries. In order to show perfect pedaling, its engine is not so big.

Finally, the Quadricycle was adapted not to exceed 18 miles per hour under power. In order to build this Quadricycle, you will need to shell out 6, 400 USD. It is not planned to be mass produced, but with green mentality and its practicability we could drive such a runabout one day.

Glove Warming to warm your hands while cycling

These intelligent gloves warming are adapted for turning the wind energy into the thermal energy while riding your bike. Thanks to this wind powered hand heating device, your riding is going to be comfortable and safe.

Riding a bike in cold weather makes your hands get cold which is bad for a perfect bike driving performance. In order not to be frostbitten, you should be able to warm your hands due to this useful gadget. Those who live in cold countries are reluctant to ride the bicycle.

Due to the wind, the Glove warming gets the electric energy which is transported to the hot wire via electric cord. The inner hot wire makes it possible for the biker’s hands to get warm. This seems to be a very useful gadget since you have no more troubles from potential frostbite.

Besides, its reflection tape ensures your safe riding by reflecting the light of upcoming vehicles during the night. This alluring system is environmentally friendly and has a beneficial effect on our environment. Its industrial designer called Chang won Kim made it possible for you to ride your favorite bike even during a winter season.

This eco friendly concept is a green gizmo operating based on the wind energy. This gadget is applicable to a small wind turbine turning the wind into the energy so that it could activate the system. Now that you have a new riding gizmo, you will be able to drive easily and comfortably despite of the weather.

Wireless Keyboard to include touchpad – nice if you don’t like mice

This is more than just a regular keyboard. Having powerful office function with 87 QWERTY keys, 18 hot keys including an embedded high precision multi touch pad which operates as both keyboard and touch pad. This means, if you want to switch your touchpad into a numeric keypad you will need just one press of a button.

This intelligent keyboard can be operated from a distance with operating distance of up to 10 meters. This wireless keyboard features click as well as right click buttons. Its frequency scope is 2479MHz while operating frequency is 2.4GHz ISM Band.

This brand new USB keyboard operates wirelessly which is very convenient for any user. Its touch pad is capable of operating as a numeric keypad. It can be easily used wherever you are as it is an ultra portable, slender and compact device.

Having a price tag of 69 USD, this smart keyboard also features a multi touch function with two and three finger touch capacity. Not that this keyboard is available, you will be able to scroll, zoom, window switching or whatever you might like at a track pad.

If you are the one who likes track pad and not the mouse, this smart touch pad is what you really need. This wireless keyboard measures about 425 x 153 x 18 mm and weighs 462 g. This slim keyboard has a fitted battery LOW LED while having its striking on/off switch design.

Its data rate is FSK/IMbps while device ID length is 32 Bits. Featuring FN which is a num lock change function, this whimsical keyboard supports Window XP/Vista. Once switched, you will have a 10 key number pad. That sounds fantastic for sure.

You will be able to launch miscellaneous programs by 18 hot keys available on this super keyboard. This mighty keyboard has an USB adapter, making your traveling as easy as possible. Released by Brando, this wireless miracle tries to change the future. This Brando keyboard guarantees a better interaction with your PC system.

HP recalls notebook batteries as a safety hazard

Hewlett Packard is at it again, recalling defective battery packs in its notebook computers. The affected computers are the HP, HP Pavilion, HP Compaq, and Compaq Presario. Battery packs sold separately are also involved in the recall. The items were sold nationwide beginning in August 2007 through March 2008. Both high end and low end models are affected.

The recall was initiated by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission which monitors thousands of different consumer products for risk factors. Two reports were made of batteries overheating and erupting in flames causing minor property damage, but there were no injuries. The problem is occurring in lithium-ion batteries. No brand was identified, but they were manufactured in China. HP, Dell and Toshiba in October, 2008 recalled Sony batteries that were in their laptop computers.

HP says it is not recalling its notebooks, only the removable battery packs used in the notebooks. They claim that the notebooks will function under A/C power until a replacement battery pack is received, free, from HP. To determine if your computer is affected, look at the product number that is located on the service tag on the bottom of the notebook as shown in the photo. Instructions are contained in a letter to their customers.

This isn’t the first problem HP has had with batteries in its products. They have been involved in recalls as far back as October, 2005, with similar recalls in April, 2006 and October, 2008. The 2005 problem was an internal short that caused battery cells to overheat and melt or char the plastic case, potentially causing burns or fire. Then, HP noted 16 such reports, with only property damage, and no injuries.

In February, HP participated in an unrelated recall. An animated Kung Fu Panda character contained a USB flash drive that was considered a possible choking hazard for small children. Their company policy states that “HP “participates in voluntary replacement programs for components or products that may cause functionality issues but are not related to a safety hazard. In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, HP participates in voluntary recall programs when a defective part is shown to cause a potential safety hazard.”

Last-minute WWDC rumor: New iPhones pack 20 percent longer battery life

A new iPhone code-named iPhone 3GS will feature up to one fifth longer battery life. Existing iPhone 3G will be kept on the market, reduced to just $99.

According to Daring Fireball’s John Gruber, who has been pretty accurate with Apple predictions in the past, new iPhones expected to be unearthed later today during the WWDC keynote address will pack up to 20 percent longer battery life.

While we haven’t heard this one before, Apple might have managed to keep this a secret to the last moment. While this doesn’t file as a feature per se, it’s still a big deal because battery life has been perceived as one of iPhone’s weakest spots.

Gruber wrote that his sources told him that the handset is code-named iPhone 3GS. He also reaffirmed multiple rumors calling for the feature set that includes a 3.2 megapixel camera and video recording as the killer feature, in addition to a faster CPU, GPU and twice the RAM and storage on the device.

“I expect Apple to announce updated iPhones with significantly faster processors, twice the RAM, and twice the storage. I expect prices to remain the same as the current lineup: $199/299 for 16/32 GB, respectively. The video camera is going to be a major selling point.”

Gruber expects minor design tweaks but otherwise virtually the same form factor and the repeat of the overall iPhone 3G design. Dimensions will remain unchanged so all existing iPhone cases should fit new iPhones as well.

Gruber believes that a cheaper $99 iPhone first reported by the Financial Times is in fact the existing iPhone 3G that Apple will allegedly keep alongside new iPhones, albeit at the reduced price in order to capture the lower end of the market. The author also expects Apple and AT&T to announce terms and price points for the tethering service which is fully supported with the iPhone OS 3.0 and wonders how Apple will sell Snow Leopard for $129 given that the company repeatedly said that Snow Leopard focuses on speed instead of new features which have traditionally defended the $129 price point of all OS X versions to date.

Google takes browser wars to the next level, airs Chrome TV ads

Last week, Google brought browser wars into your living room with Chrome TV ads. The first-ever TV commercial from the search giant may be designed to raise awareness of the browser but it also puts Microsoft’s multi-million dollar ad blitz to shame.

This is the first time ever that Google is airing TV ads. According to the Wall Street Journal, the search giant planned to launch their first TV ad campaign during last summer’s Olympics, but it was halted at the last moment by Google’s co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page. Google’s Chrome TV campaign premiered with an ad based on a short video produced by the Google Japan team two months ago. Since then, the video has been viewed over two million times.

True to its online heritage, the Google leveraged some of the results from placement-targeted ads on the Google Content Network in order to better track the impact of these ads on target audience. “For those of us who live and work on the web, the browser is an unsung hero,” Google said “It’s become the most important piece of software on our computer, but rarely is it given proper recognition…”

You may have seen this cool video on the web before: It shows sand-boxed wooden objects and Chrome logo that ping-pongs between them, slowly revealing the browser’s user interface. A simple “Install Google Chrome” message fades in at the end of the ad. Riding on tails of this ice-breaker ad, Google has produced Chrome Shorts, basically a series of eleven short films about Chrome that appeared last week on the Chrome YouTube channel.

One of them, dubbed “Defenders in Tights,” shows monochromatically-dressed people who build a wooden browser interface that ultimately serves as defense “all kinds of technological mischief.” According to the company spokesman, these short clips won’t be used in the Chrome TV campaign.

The videos follow the same easy to grasp narrative of the Chrome TV ad that delivers the message without diving into computer technicalities. Christoph Niemann , artist and illustrator who created one of short films, said the following: “Instead of thinking of what I wanted to show, I tried to think about what I did NOT want to show. I realized that when I use a computer or browse the web these days, the one thing I do NOT think about is… a computer.” Niemann said he wanted to find “a simple metaphor that explains what a browser does, without showing a screen, a keyboard, the letters WWW, pixels, zeroes or ones.”

According to the latest NetApplications web usage survey, Chrome still hovers above the 1 percentage web usage share and trails behind Firefox, Safari and Internet Explorer that hold most of the browser market share. According to NetApplications, Chrome recently zoomed past Opera which has been positioned as the #4 browser so far.

Review: JVC Everio GZ-HD300 HD camcorder

The consumer camcorder market is making big steps forward right now. So while that camcorder you bought last year isn’t in desperate need for an upgrade, if you haven’t purchased one in two (or more) years then you might be surprised by what is coming out these days. Mid-range products are now shooting at 1080p (aka full HD) with the ability to shoot large still images, and models are smaller than ever. Additionally we are seeing more storage options, most models have SD/SDHC and while some have hard drives or flash memory, SSD storage is becoming increasingly prevalent.

JVC’s new Everio HD300 (GZ-HD300A) is a full HD camcorder that records to a 60GB internal hard drive. The drive holds up to 25 hours of HD video, though you can choose to shoot to a microSD card which will give you an easy 8GB of storage. The camera comes in a slick blue color and it’s quite compact, practically pocketable. These features add up to something that will be attractive to a wide selection of consumers.

At $600 the GZ-HD300 isn’t the cheapest HD cam on the market, but JVC made sure to make it consumer friendly and easy to use. Operation is, on the whole, dead simple and the controls are friendly. In addition to a nice selection of buttons scattered about the device there is a touch-sensitive slider on the side of the LCD panel and touch-sensitive “buttons” under it. These features, while minor, are slick and gives users some insight into what JVC was going for.

The camcorder is quite small, which is one of its main strengths, but consumers will want to keep in mind the implications of this. There are few advanced features, like microphone connections, and users should not expect to see an accessory shoe or things along those lines. The camcorder does have on-board HMDI and component as well as a controller, so not all features are lost to attain the small size. The camera has a wide selection of buttons, but the casual user won’t have to worry about most of them. There is a dedicated snapshot button for taking still images (including when shooting video), a switch for changing between video and camera modes, as well as dedicated one-touch buttons for upload/title, export, and direct disc/info. There is a dedicated button for playback mode as well. Of course, many of these are just there for convenience as pretty much everything can be done through the camcorder’s LCD if you are willing to search through the menus.

In terms of design the HD300 scores most of its points for a small size and good looks. The slim design and blue coloring (other options are available) make it more attractive than most camcorders available, and some gunmetal chrome highlights scattered around don’t hurt either. The button layout is comfortable and easy to adjust too, though some corners were cut on the handstrap. There is a built-in, automatic lens cover and front-facing microphones. The connections are scattered all over the device (USB on the front, power on the back, AV on the back, microSDHC on the bottom, HDMI/component inside facing the LCD).

Review: Logitech G35 7.1 surround sound gaming headset

Highlights:

• USB connection
• 7.1 surround sound powered by Dolby technology
• Enclosing-ead design - blocks ambient noise
• 40mm laser-tuned speaker drivers with neodymium magnets
• Unidirectional, noise-canceling microphone reduces background noise.
• Three swappable headband pads and plush ear pads
• Precision headband adjustment- with numbered metal inside (spring steel-core headband)
• Three customizable keys. Uses include music, voice morphing, etc.
• On-ear controls: volume, microphone mute, and surround sound adjustments.
• Flip-down microphone with auto-mute: Microphone mutes automatically when rotated up
• Microphone mute light: Glows red when mic is muted.
• 10-foot cord

What you can do with the software:

• Adjust levels: volume, bass, treble, microphone,
• Create profiles
• Customize G keys- shortcuts to launch software or commands (play/pause, etc). These can also be set to do commands with the G35 (like decrease treble), or trigger voice morphing.
• Set voice morphing (powered by Screaming Bee)- set voice pitch and then choices include android, troll, giant, alien, mutant, and squirrel.
• View the G35 manual.

Verdict:

Retailing for $130, the G35 is not cheap. That said, it’s a full-featured and extremely capable product that is, or is very close to, the best option available for PC gamers today. Aside from being a bit heavy the G35 feels great and it has no pinch-points so extended use is not a problem (probably the biggest complaint with most headsets) and it is packed with thoughtful features. The software is not particularly incredible, but it is simple and easy to use, and it allows the hardware to shine. The microphone cancels almost all ambient noise (listen to it in use in our podcast) and the fact that it shuts off when you flip it up is just plain smart. Shifting the controls to the side of the headset (instead of inline) was a good move and while you have to learn where they are positioned, that will just take an hour or two of use. The sound quality is very solid, and it’s well suited for games like COD4 and Fallout 3. General music listening was satisfying as well. A shortcoming that is worth noting is that user has no controls over individual channels, so if you really want to tweak the volume/settings you might find this aspect lacking. Also watch out: not every game works with the surround sound.

Overall, it’s a fantastic headset that is possibly the best-in-breed, but it’s a bit pricey at the moment.

Microsoft’s supposedly “fake” Twitter link indicates a Zune phone in May

An accidental link to a Twitter account on the official Office 2010 mini-site has indicated a Zune phone in May. Although Microsoft removed the link following the incident, the Zune phone rumor just won’t go away.

If you have been avid follower of corporate accounts on Twitter, you may have noticed an interesting Twitter account linked on Microsoft’s Office 2010 mini-site last week. While at first sight there’s nothing out of ordinary about this account, a closer history inspection reveals this interesting status message that reads as follows:

“New product launch, that’s all I’m allowed to say. Hold off from buying an iPhone/Pre. :)”

On top of this suggestion that a Zune phone will become a reality sometime between Palm Pre and the next iPhone launches, other posts made by the account holder also claim that Office 2010 will be release for Mac as well. There is also post that claims that Word will be tightly integrated with Facebook and Twitter.

Shortly after the incident, Microsoft couldn’t deny or confirm the rumor to Gizmodo but Brian Seitz, group marketing manager of Zune, did tell the publication that the Office team “has no control or involvement with the Twitter account,” adding that it was a “rogue twitter.”

Microsoft has also removed the link in question on the Office 2010 mini-site, having it replaced with a link to a new Twitter account that looks legit. The account has three posts so far, one of them saying that the account “only stars Office at this point though, no Zune.”

We don’t know for a fact if Microsoft’s linking to an external Twitter account over which the company supposedly didn’t have “control or involvement” is plain sloppiness or part of a broader viral marketing strategy designed to hype a Zune phone.

One thing is certain: There are many people who would like to see Microsoft release both a Zune phone and Zune HD, an alleged touch-enabled music player designed to take on Apple’s “funnest iPod ever.”

Christian’s opinion

With each passing day, Microsoft’s Zune phone seems more and more obvious, despite the software maker’s refusal to come clean on the matter. In fact, it’s Microsoft’s ambiguous stance on the rumor that adds fuel to tremendous speculations out there.

Taking a page from Apple’s book, Microsoft is, in my opinion, driving expectations wild by offering comments that don’t exclude the prospect of a Zune phone entirely. Alternatively, Microsoft could be cleverly using the power of the Zune rumor to draw attention to upcoming version of the Office suite.

Microsoft’s behavior in this matter is notably in contrast with other cases when the software maker would rebuff media speculations about products that weren’t in the pipeline. If you ask me, I find it rather unbelievable that Microsoft would link to a third-party Twitter account on the official Office 10 promo site. However, although problematic posts on aforementioned suspicious Twitter account looks real, it’s most likely someone’s practical joke.

That said, a Zune phone rumor still sounds convincing enough. We reported last week about possible leaked specs for the first Windows Mobile 7 phone that appears to run a modified version of the Zune software. Paired with jaw-dropping design, the handset looks like it could give Apple’s iPhone serious run for its money.

However, you shouldn’t definitely assume that a Zune-branded mobile phone will be necessarily built and sold by Microsoft as the company might be simply offering third-party vendors a reference hardware platform paired with Windows Mobile 7 and Zune software. To me, there is too much evidence pointing to a Zune phone to be ignored and Microsoft would be really shooting themselves in the foot if they don’t plan on releasing Zune-branded smartphone.

Commercial LEDs to increase efficiency 50% by 2012, 150 lumens per watt!

Taiwan-based LED maker Epistar has stated its company will see 150 lumens-per-watt (lm/W) efficiencies in DC-powered LEDs by the year 2012. Its AC-powered LEDs will see 130lm/W. These are increases in efficiency of 50% for DC, and 86% for AC, which today are at 100lm/W and 70lm/W, respectively. Greater efficiency means more light with less power, and LED-backlight powered devices which last longer on a single charge.

Epistar has recently achieved 100lm/W with high-power blue LEDs, which will ship in 2H’2009. Its AC LEDs will begin shipping this quarter, with blue AC-powered LEDs being introduced for the first time in 3Q’2009.

Many people believe that it is a watt rating which determines how much illumination a light bulb gives off. However, the watt rating is simply a measurement of the amount of current the bulb will draw in a 120VAC circuit. A 60 watt bulb draws 0.5 amps, as the formula is Watts = Volts x Amperage.

A typical 60 watt incandescent light bulb produces around 890 lumens, which yields 14.8 lumens per watt. And to give an appropriate perspective, commercially available energy-saving compact fluorescent light sources (non-LED, typically 39 watts for 2780 lumens — the 150 watt bulb replacements) achieve 71lm/W, which is in-line with LED’s current AC levels, but 43% behind current DC levels. More typical 60 watt bulb replacements achieve about 900 lumens on 15 watts, which is 60lm/W.

A typical home consuming 2000 watts per day from incandescent lighting (30,000 lumens), could achieve the same illumination using only 197 watts with the LEDs available in 2012, a savings of 10x on the electric bill.

Rick’s Opinion

LED technologies are very exciting. OLED screens consume significantly less power than traditional backlit screens, because each individual pixel when fully illuminated requires equal or less power than the backlight itself (in a conventional display), and not all of the pixels are on, let alone at full power.

LED lighting is available today as replacement home lighting. Some users complain about the color, however there is a new technology which infuses the surface of LEDs with colorized specs (called quantum dots, creating a more desirable color temperature for standard room illumination.

TomTom to bring navigation to iPhone

The days of buying a separate GPS gadget to sit in your car may be numbered with news that TomTom is going to release a software solution that works with your iPhone.

TomTom is set to base a new system around the use of the iPhone which will not only include software, but a car kit. The software app will run directly on the iPhone providing the functionality you would normally associate with one of their separate GPS units. This will include IQ Routes and the latest maps from Tele Atlas.

The accessory is called the TomTom car kit for iPhone which will make mounting the iPhone in your vehicle simple and secure as well as adding speakers for voice instructions, enhanced GPS, hands-free calling, and in-car charging.

No details of pricing or release dates, have been released yet. But Scott Johnson, spokesman for the company has stated that we can expect to see them appearing before the end of the summer.

Another question that remains unanswered is whether this will be only for the new iPhone 3Gs or older models too.

Matthew’s Opinion
The markets seem to have received this news very positively as TomTom’s share price has jumped around 13%. You can see why as they are the only company providing navigation services to have managed to land a deal with Apple leaving the competition like Garmin at a disadvantage.

TomTom will no doubt continue to sell its existing product line, but now has access to millions of new customers who may want to save themselves some money on buying a separate navigation system and just buy the car kit and app for their iPhone. I am hoping it works with older iPhone models too and TomTom would surely be missing out on a lot of sales if they didn’t support them.

Now we just need to find out the price of the app and the car kit. I suspect it may be one of the most expensive apps you ever buy for your iPhone, but if it is saving you a few hundred dollars off the price of a separate gadget then it’s going to be worth it, right? Add to that the fact you are going to be carrying your iPhone around so no getting lost while on foot either as it works without the car-kit.

Apple releases Safari 4 as “the fastest browser on any platform”

The final version of Safari 4 for Mac and PC desktops, released today, leaves rival browsers in the dust with a speedy JavaScript engine and standards-compliant WebKit rendering platform.

Apple announced that it has finalized Safari 4 at today’s WWDC keynote address. The browser is now available for OS X (Tiger and Leopard) as well as Windows (XP and Vista) and packs virtually no new features compared with the latest beta that has been out since late February.

Apple executives gave the most stage time to highlight Top Sites, the eye candy feature that renders thumbnails of your most visited sites mid-air, with cool reflections. However, many would be likely turning it off as it can be a significant resource hog on slower systems. While the browser lacks settings toggle for Top Sites, there are a number of Safari hacks that can turn the feature off.

On a brighter front, Apple claims that Safari 4 remains the world’s fastest web browser, citing tests that portray the browser 7.8 times faster at JavaScript interpreting than Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 8 and five times faster performance over Chrome 2. Powered by a byte-code optimized engine dubbed SquirFish Extreme, JavaScript in Safari should perform 50 percent faster when the browser is used with Snow Leopard (available in September) because the browser’s JavaScript engine runs in Snow Leopard’s 64-bit mode. An on-stage demo wowed the crowd with near-instant rendering of Google Maps, for example.

Safari 4’s WebKit rendering platform passes the Acid3 test with a 100/100 score. The test is used to measure how well a browser follows common web standards, an important factor for web developers who can rely on the browser to render web pages as intended, as opposed to spending additional time and money on putting in extra code to counter for the rendering inconsistencies. For instance, current IE8 version scores just 21/100, the least of all browsers, meaning developers need to put in IE-specific code to make the browser render pages correctly.

The presentation highlighted “crash resistance” as a new feature, stemming from the design that calls for a sandboxed environment that isolates tabs and plugins in their own processes, just like Google’s Chrome. Safari 4 also decodes QuickTime files faster due to a hardware-accelerated engine and packs a new streaming method that works with any webserver. Crash resistance will work only under Snow Leopard since it leverages new technologies that the operating system offers. The browser will come built-in with Snow Leopard.

Safari 4 also features an iTunes-like Cover Flow view of your bookmarks and browsing history and several other features previously described in my review of Safari 4 Beta.

Apple also said that the iPhone OS 3.0 software will include the latest version of mobile Safari. The company claims the browser packs three times faster JavaScript engine over mobile Safari version that ships with iPhone 2.2 firmware. In addition, it supports HTTP streaming of audio and video courtesy of

Microsoft My Phone available to everyone

If you want to sync your contacts, calendar, photos, videos, text messages, music and more to the cloud and are running a Windows Mobile phone with version 6 or above, then you now have a free way to do it thanks to Microsoft’s My Phone service.

Back in February Microsoft slipped a bit and prematurely made its new My Phone service live. Now it’s officially available to everyone.

When I was using a Windows Mobile phone as my primary device I used to pay for a hosted Exchange service at 4smartphone. Then I moved to Google Sync since I also use an iPhone and other devices. The process was a bit involved but it was worth it for me.

For the everyday Windows Mobile user, though, this service is a no brainer since you just have to install the My Phone service on your phone and then Microsoft takes care of the rest. If you lose your phone in the future or want to make changes to your information from a web-based interface, My Phone will deliver what you need.

Read more about the My Phone service or give it a try at MyPhone.Microsoft.com

Microsoft offers mice with four-wheel drive

Microsoft has come out with three new mice based on the company’s BlueTrack Technology. The BlueTrack Technology allow mice to work on virtually any service. In fact, Microsoft says the new mice are like bringing, “four-wheel drive to your desktop”.

The BlueTrack Technology is capable of working on services that both optical and laser mice can’t. This includes smooth and shiny surface such as granite and marble and tough surfaces such as carpet. The technology has also received awards including the CNET Editor’s Choice Award. You can see our review of the SideWinder X8 gaming mouse.

The Wireless Mobile Mouse 6000 includes the first nano transceiver that sticks out only 0.8 centimeters from a USB port. The Wireless Mouse 5000 includes a snap-in transceiver and is ambidextrous while the Wireless Desktop 3000 includes a sleek mouse and keyboard combo.

Brian’s Opinion

I’m glad that there is finally a mouse that will be able to work on a number of surfaces. There is nothing more annoying then trying to explain to someone why an optical mouse won’t work on a glass or reflective surface. Considering how much many of us use a mouse each day it’s worth spending the money to get a good one.

You have to wonder what motivated Microsoft to get into selling mice and keyboards. That must have been a big jump for a company which was predominantly known for software only. It was a good move though since Microsoft has clearly had some success over the years.

I remember going to Comdex many years ago and seeing the first Microsoft optical mouse. It was refreshing to know I wouldn’t have to clean out the ball of my mouse anymore. Who would have thought that mice technology would continue to evolve even more since then?

Report to Congress: GPS network might fail soon

A report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) warns Congress that years of under-investment in the US-owned Global Positioning System (GPS) has left the satellite-based system at risk of serious failure.

GPS operates via a network of satellites positioned around the globe. Many of these satellites are ageing and may begin to fail in the near future. The system is fault-tolerant in that it can still operate with one or more satellites out of action, but in such a case performance would suffer, with users encountering blackspots or receiving less accurate positioning data.

The report states:

It is uncertain whether the Air Force will be able to acquire new satellites in time to maintain current GPS service without interruption. If not, some military operations and some civilian users could be adversely affected.

The GPS system was developed by the Department of Defense and the US Air Force, primarily for military purposes including weapon targeting systems and navigation of military vehicles and troops. However, the system is freely available for civilian use around the world; billions of consumer devices including car-based satnav modules, smartphones and even high-tech sports watches rely on the network to operate.

According to the report, upgrades to the system have been beset with delays and overspending, with the launch of the first replacement satellite now running almost three years behind schedule (now set for November this year, but originally scheduled to be launched in early 2007).

Whilst few believe that the US government will allow GPS to fall into serious disrepair, the delays allow other systems to gain ground. The EU is pushing ahead with its modern alternative to GPS, Galileo, whilst China has its Compass satellite navigation network and Russia is upgrading its aging GLONASS system with investment from India.

No IPO for Facebook in the near future

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says his social network doesn’t need more moola, so plans for an IPO will remain in the wings for several years. He would not confirm nor deny bloggers’ comments regarding funding offers he may have received recently during a talk at the Reuters Global Technology Summit. Media reports of talks with various investors about a new round of funding are greatly exaggerated, Zuckerberg claims, although he is open to investments and partnerships. Facebook got $240 million from Microsoft in 2007.

Zuckerberg said an IPO wasn’t his company’s goal. Rather, it would only be an event on a path of where they are going. Wherever they are going, they are going fast. They have doubled their active users in less than ten months. Currently, ad revenue keeps the five year old company afloat. Three quarters of the top US advertisers work with Facebook, and it is growing in international markets. The company expects to have a positive cash flow by its sixth year. There’s the true test of a solid enterprise. Most start ups fail in the first five years.

Facebook is emphasizing their basic user-focused features of extending the service across the Web, and offerings such as Facebook Connect. Facebook Connect is available for the iPhone, and they are encouraging developers of iPhone apps to integrate them with Facebook. “With Facebook Connect, users can bring their real identity information to their iPhone, including basic profile information, profile picture, name, friends, photos, events, and groups,” according to the Facebook Developers site. Connect for the iPhone is a Cocoa library that developers would add to their iPhone app client.

If you have some extra bucks lying around and want to make a funding offer to Mr. Zuckerberg, check out his Facebook page.

What is FOREX?

FOREX.com is a division of GAIN Capital Group, a dedicated partner to professional FX traders and fund managers worldwide. Institutional services include IB programs, white label solutions, and asset management. Individual forex traders can take advantage of the market expertise and financial strength of GAIN Capital Group and access an institutional FX trading platform, FOREXTrader, along with our powerful real-time forex charts, professional forex market research, and suite of advanced forex trading tools. For traders new to the currency trading, FOREX.com offers forex training programs, forex minis, and information about trading the foreign currency market.?

Foreign Exchange (FOREX) is the arena where a nation's currency is exchanged for that of another. The foreign exchange market is the largest financial market in the world, with the equivalent of over $1.9 trillion changing hands daily; more than three times the aggregate amount of the US Equity and Treasury markets combined. Unlike other financial markets, the Forex market has no physical location and no central exchange (off-exchange). It operates through a global network of banks, corporations and individuals trading one currency for another. The lack of a physical exchange enables the Forex market to operate on a 24-hour basis, spanning from one zone to another in all the major financial centers.

Traditionally, retail investors' only means of gaining access to the foreign exchange market was through banks that transacted large amounts of currencies for commercial and investment purposes. Trading volume has increased rapidly over time, especially after exchange rates were allowed to float freely in 1971. Today, importers and exporters, international portfolio managers, multinational corporations, speculators, day traders, long-term holders and hedge funds all use the FOREX market to pay for goods and services, transact in financial assets or to reduce the risk of currency movements by hedging their exposure in other markets.

MG Financial, now operating in over 100 countries, serves all manner of clients, comprising speculators and strategic traders. Whether it’s day-traders looking for short-term gains, or fund managers wanting to hedge their non-US assets, MG's DealStation™ allows them to participate in FOREX trading by providing a combination of live quotes, Real-Time charts, and news and analysis that attracts traders with an orientation towards fundamental and/or technical analysis.