Gadgets 2008

Posted Feb 29th 2008 1:28PM by Nilay Patel
Filed under: Features, Wireless, Storage
Okay, so we’ve got our Time Capsule up and running here — we’ll be back with a full review once our full 516GB backup is completed, but here are some quick first impressions:

• You can definitely hear the disks spin up and access. It also sounds like there’s a fan in there, but there are no obvious vents for one and we can’t feel any air coming out, so the drives might just be that loud.
• The top is getting quite warm during the backup — we’ll see if it cools down once we stop hitting the drive this hard, but if there really isn’t a fan we’re a little concerned. Hope those server-grade hard drives like being cooked.
• You can’t transfer an existing Time Machine backup to Time Capsule. Sure, it’s easy enough to switch back and get at your old data, but it’s still a pain — and now we have a 1TB drive sitting here with months of backups on it that we can’t erase and reuse.
• Time Machine doesn’t prioritize network activity on your machine, so it’s slamming our network connection right now as it backs up. That’s not a huge problem since we’re backing up over Ethernet, but we’ll see what happens when we try this over WiFi later.
• We tried to back up a second machine while the first was in progress, and not much happened — it created the disk image and got to “Preparing…” and then did nothing. We’re assuming these can only happen one at a time.
• The wireless side of things is basically the same as the Airport Extreme, nothing shocking there, although the setup assistant has been substantially revised to make things easier.
• The setup assistant now asks if you already have a 2.4GHz network and offers to create a 5GHz secondary network, which is interesting.

That’s about it for now — there’s not much we can try out while this backup is in progress. Anything else you guys want to know?

Meet the Micropod SE from Scandyna, a Danish speaker company (the country, not the pastry).  Scandyna has been at making speakers for 40 years and does so with a certain flair.  These kind of makes me want to crawl inside one of these and make some honey.

The full feature list is copied below but highlights include: a Kevlar bass/midrange unit, a soft dome tweeter and an
extra durable finish.  Hot.  At $199 a pair, performance and style don’t come cheap. 

The maker has some much larger versions that look quite Dr. Seuss-ish, which in my book, is what every designer should aspire too.

Product page: [podspeakers]

Colours White, Black, Silver, Blue, Yellow, Red.
Shape 2 way closed box, abs cabinet.
Applications Stereo arrangement, AV, 5.1, multimedia.
Frequency Minus 3db at 65hz and 20khz.
Sensitivity 86db spl (1w @ 1m) 4 ohm.
Sound Compatible with amplifiers from 10w - 100w output.
Drive units One 70mm (3”22) long throw bass/midrange feat. Kevlar piston and 19mm (3/4”) dia free-mounted
high frequency.
Weight 0.95 kg (2.3lbs) without spikes and packing.
Dimensions Width: 125mm.
Height: 160mm (195mm with spikes).
Depth: 114mm.

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I think that I was born to be a writer, looking back it’s obvious really. First, I’ve always had horrible handwriting, which means I could have become either a doctor or a writer, and since I had no desire for an extra 10 years in school, there wasn’t much of a chance for being a doctor. When my school finally received new computers they began testing our typing skills, which I excelled at. We had boring typing games to track out WPM count, nothing cool like this cool USB Speedometer.

I honestly don’t know how many words per minute I can type anymore, as it’s been a long time since I really cared. I type fast enough to keep up with my thoughts most of the time (which either means I’m a fast typer or a slow thinker) and I’m cool with that. However, I’m almost positive that I’d never be able to hit the top speed on this gadget. The highest WPM it registers is 260, which is 48 higher than the world record. If you want to impress yourself with your extreme tying skills, this gadget will set you back $39.

Source: Technabob

Do you happen to own a HTC-based product? Well, there is now a 3-in-1 ExtUSB Headphone Adapter that enables you to use a standard 3.5mm stereo headphone with your HTC devices instead of HTC’s proprietary headphones which frankly, aren’t up to par when it comes to audio performance. Not only that, you will be able to hook up a microphone to it as well while the additional USB port offers an extra avenue for charging your HTC device. It retails for an affordable $15 a pop.

Why should your iPod have all the cool cases? Griffin has now released two of their most popular cases for the iPhone. For the rugged individual, there’s the multi-purpose Courier which is made of compression-molded EVA outer jacket for abrasion-resistant durability and can either wrap around the strap of your backpack or bag (up to 4 inches wide), or be secured by a industrial-strength hook & loop closure (see photo above). The detachable case fits iPod classic/iPod with video and iPod touch, and your precious iPhone. With a hidden zipper pocket for key, money, ID, and a second flapped pocket for sync cable, earphones, or whatever you need, this utiilty case is all you need to carry. 34.99 at Griffin.; now $24.01 at Amazon.

My iPhone had been envious of my iPod’s stylish Reflect case, but is now sporting its own. Made of a durable polycarbonate shell that surrounds the face of your iPhone with seamless, chrome-like protection, and a rubberized matte black back, it protects while still giving you access to all the controls of your iPhone. At $24.99 it’s a great way to dress up your iPhone.

There comes a time in every cube-dweller’s life, when he or she has to take the law into his or her hands. Maybe it’s finding out that stooge from marketing has stolen your last pencil…again! Or perhaps you’re tired of having your office moved repeatedly. Well, it’s time to draw a line in the low pile carpet. “No more,” you’ll cry as you stand your ground. With a Nerf Maverick by your side, you will prevail.

Gimmie!

Suggested Price: $9.99

Posted Feb 29th 2008 8:29AM by Darren Murph
Filed under: Robots, Transportation
Truth be told, MIT Media Lab’s RoboScooter prototype would be a lot more intriguing if it had some sort of autopilot button, and while that could very well emerge in the future, it looks as if the first models will still require human intervention. Nevertheless, the ultra-compact vehicle is entirely electric, and aside from supporting swappable batteries, it can also fold up for easy transport. Furthermore, its creators boast that the entire rig is constructed from just 150 parts, which makes life on the assembly line that much easier. Granted, even engineers realize that scooters don’t stand much of a chance in America, but if all goes well, this bugger could start conquering Asian streets as early as next year.

[Via AutoblogGreen]

Toast has to be one of the most simplistic pieces of food to make that actually requires preparation. Just pull out the bread, pop it in the toaster, pull down the lever and it does the rest. The toaster itself is rather simple, you have metal brackets that hold down the toast and wires along the sides that heat up your bread. However, that just seems too simple for Philips, who has created a more modern toaster.

The new 1200W HD2618 just sounds complicated. It features a digital countdown timer, so you know exactly when your crunchy bread is going to pop up, selections for one or two-sided toasting and power of up to 1200 watts. Seriously, my old clunky toaster does just fine, and I’ll bet that the toast comes out exactly the same from mine as this $120 piece of equipment.

Source: Dvice

Ah, the Lexus - a sign to the world that you’ve arrived. Amerigon Incorporated has just announced that its proprietary Climate Control Seat (CCS) will be making its way as an optional feature in the front seats of the all new 2008 Lexus LX 570 premium luxury utility vehicle. According to Amerigon President and Chief Executive Officer Daniel R. Coker, the CCS prides itself in being the only actively heated and cooled seat system on the global automotive market. This allows the driver and front seat passenger to individually heat or cool their seat for comfort in any climate. Man, I could definitely make do with such a seat in my beat up vehicle, combating the colds of winter as well as the sweltering summer heat at the touch of the button.

Coker went on to say further, “This is a completely redesigned Lexus model, and we are proud to be included in such a high-profile vehicle. We believe the fact that Lexus has engineered our CCS system into one of its most advanced and innovative vehicles is a validation of the strength of our technology. We consider this another milestone in our long and fruitful relationship with Lexus and Toyota.”

The CCS system was developed around Amerigon’s highly-efficient, solid-state thermoelectric device and is completely independent of the automobile’s heating and air conditioning system. In addition, it does not reduce power available to the engine so you can continue with your mountain climbs and overtaking vehicles on the slow lane with ease without suffering from the lack of fresh horses. Not only that, CCS is environmentally friendly as there is no emission of CFCs or other gases for Greenpeace activists to trail your luxury vehicle. How does it work?

Air is forced through the heat pump in the CCS system and thermally conditioned in response to electronic switch input from the seat occupant. The conditioned air circulates by a specially designed fan through ducts in the seat cushion and seat back, so that the surface can be heated or cooled. Each seat has individual electronic controls to adjust the level of heating or cooling. CCS substantially improves comfort compared with conventional air conditioners by focusing the cooling directly on the passenger through the seat, rather than waiting until ambient air cools the seat surface behind the passenger.

Press Release

The Bike Cuffs that you see here are no ordinary cuffs or lock that helps being a theft deterrent - they’re harder to crack than a complicated Sudoku puzzle.

The heavy-duty cuffs attach around the fork and disc rotor so would-be thieves can’t make off with your bike unless they’re armed with some kind of Fort Knox-busting wonder weapon. This nifty arrangement means you won’t have to faff around taking off your wheel for full lockdown. You don’t even need to use the keys to secure your bike, just click the cuffs using the integrated buttons. Of course no locking system is completely impenetrable but Bike Cuffs are highly-rated by crime prevention bods. Police-approved security assessors, Sold Secure, have awarded Bike Cuffs their highly coveted Silver Rating (Gold’s for humungous locks only), a judgment that should reduce your insurance costs.

Perfect for those who use the bicycle as their primary means of transport. The Bike Cuffs will go a long way in providing you with peace of mind for £79.95. I just hope frustrated thieves won’t end up slashing your bike tires though.