Saturday, January 5, 2008

Celestron Digital Microscope - Magnify

Need to have a close up inspection of a bug or some tiny queer looking insect which you found in your garden? With Celestron's Handheld Digital Microscope you can do that right on your computer.Lit with LEDs, this 30z device connects to the computer Via USB and provides crisp images at 400x magnification.Brilliant! However it only works with Microsoft Windows.Price $130

Source Wired



Boeing 787 Dreamliner - Security Issues










Boeing new 787 Dreamliner which is due to enter service this december might need to sort out a few security issues first. Apparently the in-flight internet network which gives internet access to the passengers is also connected to the plane's control, navigation and communication systems thus making it open to hackers. How sweet! Hey Let's play "Who wants to fly(crash) the plane". Boeing says they are employing a combination of solutions such as seperation of networks and software firewalls to plug the security hole.With over 800 advance orders for the Dreamliner Boeing better get its cards in order......soon!.


Source Wired

MSI PR200 YA Laptops - CES









Another one of MSI's products showcased at CES 2008 was the PR200 YA edition laptops. Featuring a 12.1 inch widescreen the laptops are available in three colours: Denim Blue, Coral Pink, and Lime Green. Other features include:

->Intel Core 2 Duo processor
->
Intel GM 965 Express Chipset
->upto 4GB DDR2 Ram
->
Fingerprint Reader
->Crystal Vision (ACV) technology screen
->HDMI output
->802.11n WLAN
->1.3MP camera
->250GB SATA HDD
-> Bluetooth.

Source i4u

MSI GX600 - Over The Top

Taiwanese PC manufacturer MSI showcased its GX600 Extreme Edition laptop at CES 2008. Equipped with Turbo Drive Engine(TDE) technology it packs in a turbo button on the keyboard which allows users to increase the CPU speed by upto 20 percent and thereby shorten the boot time to less than 40 seconds! Other features include:

->Intel Core 2 Duo processor
->
NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT 3D graphic card
->MSI’s VIVID image technology
->Dolby approved Digital/Analog 5.1 Channel audio output
->built-in Sony/Philips Digital Interface Format connection
->High-Definition Multimedia Interface

Oh and it also has a mean flame graphic on its exterior which adds that extra bling to its already powerful, feature rich package

Source i4u


Vuzix iWear AV920
















Vuzix has announced an updated version of their AV920 called AV920-C. The new feature will let you view just a quadrant of a full screen instead of viewing all four players on the screen while playing multiplayer video games.

The AV920-C’s features include:

* Virtual 62” screen viewed from 9-feet
* Advanced Video Frame Buffers, allowing for up to four 62 inch virtual screens
* iWear 3D Enabled for automatic 2D/3D control as well as field sequential 3D video files
* Twin high-resolution 640×480 (920,000 pixels) LCD displays
* Flicker free 3D video support for most field sequential 3D video files
* 32-degree field of view
* 24-bit true color (16 million colors)
* 60 Hz progressive scan update rate
* Removable, integrated speakers
* AccuTilt™ viewer with 15 degrees of angle
* Console Video Splitter with NTSC, Component & HDMI video in and out.
* Daisy Chain Cable

Price $349.

Source fosfor

Logitech Z Cinema 2.1- Pricey








$300 for a 2.1 sound system? That is what Logitech's new Z Cinema speaker system will cost you. Features include:

- SRS® TruSurround HD™ delivers 360-degree surround sound without the need for rear speakers
- High-performance audio
- Laser-tuned drivers for less sound distortion
- One-inch tweeters, three-inch ventilated midwoofers and eight-inch long-throw, bass-reflex-enclosed subwoofer deliver accurate frequency response, detail and clarity
- Media Center remote for the PC-entertainment experience
- 24-bit USB Digital Audio cable transports data with minimal distortion
- Convenient headphone jack enables private listening
-3.5 mm auxiliary input can connect to MP3 players or other audio devices

Source Wired

Edifer E3350 2.1 - All About Style















The Edifer E3350 2.1 speaker system was one of the more slick and snazzy item on display at this year's CES. Available in a variety of colours the4 E3350 would very well complement your swannky new LCD monitor.Here are the specs.

Power output: RMS 2 x 9W + 32W (THD=10%)
Signal to noise ratio (amplifier): >=85dBA
Distortion: <=0.5 Input Sensitivity: R/L: 550 +/- 50 mV (Line-in) 300 +/- 50 mV (AUX) SW: 200 +/- 50 mV (Line-in) 100 +/- 50 mV (AUX) Frequency response: R/L: 190Hz ~ 20kHz SW: 30Hz ~ 130Hz 5" woofer, 3" mid-range driver and 3/4" tweeter Wired controller with AUX input, headphone output and power indicator halo Separate bass adjustment available on subwoofer 100~240V wide range power adapter included

Source Wired

Vestalife Ladybug iPod Dock




Vestalife's showcased their Ladybug iPod docks at this year's CES. The Intricately designed Dock which is available in a variety of colours has wing shaped speakers which fold out to resemble a ladybug. The Paint job is metallic but with a mixture of rubber in it, which gives it a shiny polished look as well as a very smooth and textured feel. Price at about $130 it offers good sound quality and a sturdy build quality.

Source Wired

Pinnacle Video Transfer Unit








Pinnacle's new gizmo termed "The Video Transfer Unit" allows you to transfer videos to any USB device, like an iPod or PSP. You can transfer videos from the source to the storage without the use of a PC. Just by hooking up the unit to your xbox 360 you can straight away transfer your favourite videos to your PSP.It encodes MPEG-4s in H.254 at up to 720x480/576, and supports SVideo, composite video and stereo audio. Price $129

Source Yahoo News

EGO Icebar 2 - Turns Your iPod into SuperPod

















Accessories manufacturer Atlantic showcased it's new EGO Icebar2 at CES 2008. It's basically a waterproof case for the iPod Nanos which also bundles in stereo speakers. So if you do decide to take a plunge into the swimming pool with your iPod you can be assured that your'e not the only coming out alive. If that sounds good you'd be even more impressed by it's "bullet proof polycarbonate material"(which is quite handy just in case sometimes takes aim at your iPod with a shotgun). The EGO Icebar2 should be available by April in the US. Price $69

Source Yahoo News

Sony PSP Gets Skype

Sony plans to integrate well known VOIP service Skype into its handheld console( PSP) sometime next month. So yes you will be able to do the usual things you do on skype such as send text messages or make free phone calls with other PSP (or) PC users. Would be even better though if it was the other way round(i.e we all get a free PSP with every download of skype, heh heh)

Source Yahoo News

Warner Bros Scraps HD-DVD Format

Warner Bros, which was the only remaining studio to release High definition DVDs in both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray formats has now announced that they will release future movie discs only in Blu-Ray format.(based on consumer preference it seems).

Source Yahoo News

Friday, January 4, 2008

Flying Car - At the Price Of A Saloon






















Have you ever thought to yourself, "Just what the hell am I doing subjecting myself to this kind of bullshit day after day" while making your way through the morning traffic. I certainly have hoping for an answer from somewhere. Well..... My prayers just might have been answered.
A team of experts have designed the Personal Air and Land Vehicle (PAL-V) that can operate both on the land and in the air. With foldable helicopter components hidden in the roof and rear the PAL-V can soar upto speeds of 120Mph and does 0-60Mph in 5 seconds. And the best part is it would probably not cost more than an executive saloon.

Source Mobilemag

Mobiado CellPhone - Sapphire Buttons

The Mobiado Stealth is said to combine "aluminum and sapphire crystal in an extreme fashion." The front face of the handset has been machined from a single piece of solid (aircraft-grade) aluminum and then there is a single inlay of sapphire crystal. This makes for a very stiff body, which is then further reinforced by a rock hard ceramic coating. Each button is sapphire crystal and stainless steel too.

In terms of features, you get all the basics covered like a QVGA display, 2 megapixel camera, microSD expansion, stereo speakers, push-to-talk, Bluetooth, music player, tri-band GSM, and high-speed WCDMA 2100 connectivity.

Source Mobile Mag

Lenovo Ideapad - Y510, Y710, U110





Lenovo will launch its IdeaPad range of notebooks, the Y510, Y710 and U110 sometime this month. The Y710 comes with a 17-inch monitor, ATI graphics, WLAN, a performance control switch with Turbo mode for maximum power, CPU overclocking and Quiet mode for saving energy. The Y510 features integrated graphics, WLAN connectivity, an integrated camera and a DVD-RW optical drive. The U110 offers an 11-inch widescreen, weighs 2.3 pounds and is less than an inch thick.You also get an optional solid state flash drive and Active Protection System, an air bag-like device that parks the hard drive to help protect data during a fall.The Y510 and Y710 will be available for sale in January in countries including the U.S., France, Russia, South Africa and India. The U110 will hit store shelves in April.

Here are the specs

Y510

  • Intel Core 2 Duo 1.83Ghz, 2MB cache
  • 15.4” display (1230x800)
  • Intel integrated graphics
  • 250GB HDD
  • 2GB RAM
  • 1.3MP webcam
  • 6.4lbs
  • 4 hrs of battery life
  • from $799
Y710
  • Intel Core 2 Duo 2.5Ghz, 6MB cache
  • 17 » display (1440x900)
  • ATI Radeon HD2600 256MB
  • Optional HD optical disk
  • 500GB HDD (2 drives)
  • 2GB RAM
  • 7.9lbs
  • 4 hrs of battery life
  • from $1199

Source Ubergizmo

Thursday, January 3, 2008

Ants Look After Butterflies Young Ones













Need some help from all that back breaking work of raising your 3 month old baby. Easy- Get the neighbours to do it... For Free!. Well though that is very unlikely to happen in our world, in the world of butterflies it is happening already. Researchers from Denmark have found that the Alcon Blue Butterfly is capable of producing larvae with a chemical coating similar to that of local Myrmica rubra ants. The butterflies deposit their larvae on marsh gentian plants where exploring ants find them, identify the chemical coating, and take the butterfly larvae back to the ant colony and feed them until they grow up and leave. Hmmm... Tricking another species to feed your kids, that's something we humans are yet to accomplish!

Source Msnbc

GPS device Leads Man To Oncoming Train

A Computer Consultant in New York apparently got his car smashed up by a train right on the tracks. He was using the instructions on his GPS device for driving directions when the device signalled a right turn. The car though got stuck right on the tracks as a train was accelerating towards him. He got out of the car just in time as the train smashed into it at 60mph hurling it to a distance of about 100 feet.Some 500 train passengers were stranded for more than two hours during the Wednesday evening rush hour. The accident also heavily damaged about 250 feet of rail

Source Msnbc

Archos TV+ - All In One





The Archos TV+ comes in two versions, one with 80GB and the other with 250GB. With a 640x480 video recording quality, a QWERTY remote control, infrared emitter, built in Wi-fi, Opera browser with flash video support and Ethernet that can be used for video downloads from CinemaNow, the Archos TV+ looks to be a few steps ahead of the Apple TV. You can also stream audio, video and photo content from your PC as well as photos from your digi cam or Mp3 player Via USB. The Archos TV+ is also compatible with DRM-protected WMV or WMA audio and video files. Price is $249(80GB) and $349(250GB)

Source Crave.Cnet

Dell Crystal LCD Monitor










Dell's new "Crystal LCD monitor" features a 22 inch LCD screen with a resolution of 1680x1050. Price is a bit high though at $1199 which is nearly three times the price of the company's other LCDs with similar features. But if looks are what you're in for, Dell does not disappoint. With a Webcam on its forehead and four speakers embedded in its ultra-thin 4-millimeter-thick glass, this limited-edition monitor is a showstopper.

Source Crave.Cnet

10 year old's Mp3 Player loaded with Porn











A 10-year girl who got an Mp3 player as a christmas gift from her parents burst into tears when she found out that it was loaded with pornographic movie clips, graphic war scenes and explicit songs. The girl's father Daryl Hill had bought three Mp3 players for his children from a Wal-Mart store in sparta; However it turned out that one of the Mp3 players had been returned by an owner who had loaded all the adult rated stuff into it. The girl of course did not know about this and burst into tears on seeing all the x rated stuff. Oh and Walmart has offered to replace the Mp3 player(how kind of them !). The Hills though are hanging onto it until they talk to a lawyer.

Source Kctv5

Asus To Launch One Terabyte Notebook









Taiwanese Computer manufacturer Asus will soon launch a notebook with enough Gigs to last you a lifetime. The Notebook will feature two monstrous 500GB drives from Hitachi which gives it a net storage of one terabyte. With this volume of space you could easily store upto 1000 hours of video or nearly 250,000 four minute songs.


Source Cnet