Gadgets Future

Posted Feb 3rd 2008 5:24AM by Darren Murph
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets
We’ve seen (though not felt, for obvious reasons) a few touchless interfaces before, but the latest development coming from Elliptic Labs is a real treat. Dubbed a “touchless human / machine user interface for 3D navigation,” the firm has somehow figured out how to allow mere mortals to manipulate on-screen images without requiring any sort of funky gloves to be worn or a microchip to be installed in your fingertip. Sadly, little is said about the actual technology behind the magic, but don’t worry, the video waiting after the jump should provide plenty of satisfaction.

[Via Technabob]

Apparently the Casio EX-F1 is a camera with no shutter, according to TechOn. Casio plans to release the EX-F1 March. The EX-F1 offers a continuous shooting speed of 60 fps (frames per second) (each frame is 6 Mpixels) and to shoot full HD (1080/60i) H.264 movies, and much more.
[Source]

The 8800 series is perhaps the most uptight, business-oriented model currently in RIM’s lineup, owing in no small part to the fact that it lacks a camera altogether. Seems a bit strange then to launch the 8830 in a shockingly casual, let-your-hair-down shade of red — but hey, we’re glad they’ve taken the plunge, and we imagine it’ll actually sell quite well against the original silver. Verizon’s red 8830 features the same specs as its blander brother, including GSM / GPRS on the 900 and 1800MHz bands for international roaming and EV-DO for when you’re on home turf. Look for it to hit Verizon’s online store tomorrow for $299.99 on contract after rebate.
[Source]

Do you wish to own a HD projector without having to spend a fortune on it? Well, Sony has great news for you! Now, you can become the proud owner of a high-quality HD projector, without having to be a multi-millionaire. Presenting the all-new VPL-VW40, the ‘affordable’ picture-spitter from Sony. On its screens that have a maximum width of 300 inches, this device can play full 1920 x 1080p HD pictures. The VPL-VW40 is also provided with a Bravia Engine and Sony’s SXRD tech, to capture that perfect cinema vibe. This unique and stylish HD projector has a contrast ratio of 15000:1. The ratio is certainly not comparable with some of the more expensive projectors; but then, the ratio is good enough, and that too at a much lower price than its rivals. The device also has 24p True Cinema, that is supported on Blue-Ray decks and the PS3. An HDMI cable needs to be inserted in one of the two sockets provided, in order to activate this feature.

According to Sony’s claim, the fan of the VPL-VW40 makes much less sound ( a mere 22 db) than those of other similar products. The low-sound fan ensures that, the users’ enjoyment is never interrupted by disturbingly loud sounds. Although Sony has not yet announced an official price for this HD Projector, it is expected to be a lot cheaper than the VW60—helping the buyer to save at least 3500 Pounds. This delightful and extremely ‘affordable’ product from Sony is sure to be an object of great delight for all users across the world.
[Source]

XtremeMac Airplay Boost FM Transmitter for iPod Video

A clear signal, no strings attached.Presenting the ultimate wireless solution for linking your iPod nano to any stereo.Airplay Boost streams your music over any FM frequency. By tuning AirPlay Boost and an FM stereo to the same open frequency, you get an instant, wireless connection. Making that signal as strong as possible is AirPlay Boost’s external antenna. This design element significantly increases how clear the transmission is. Using Airplay Boost couldn’t be easier. Three easy-access buttons right on the front of the sleek aluminum case make controlling the unit a snap. Tuning, settings and all controls are displayed on your iPod nano screen. Airplay Boost lets you use the entire permissible FM range. You can save and jump to the best ones with Airplay Boost’s three pre-set frequencies. Since broadcast radio varies from city to city, we include a Stereo/Mono setting to let you find the clearest signals. Every part of Airplay Boost was designed to be easy. You get a wireless stream immediately without any installation, software or even batteries. There’s also a special pass-through connection. With it, you can charge your iPod nano with any standard dock connector charger without disconnecting Airplay Boost. Cut the cord and enjoy your iPod Video wirelessly with AirPlay Boost. Features:External antenna boosts signal for superior transmission Seamless integration with on-screen display and tuning Three programmable station presets Pass-through dock connector lets you charge for unlimited playtime Stereo and mono modes allow for selection of clearest transmission Matches exact width of iPod video for a sleek look No batteries needed, powered by iPod video Compatible with:5th Generation (Video) 30GB, 60GB, 80GBAvailable in White

Technorati Tags: iPod & MP3 Player

Posted Feb 3rd 2008 1:14AM by Ryan Block
Filed under: CellphonesWe’ve been receiving a steady stream of tips from users around the country today reporting that that AT&T, which supposedly just got back up from some apparent sporadic outages spread across the nation, was (is?) back down again today. We haven’t seen or heard much, and have yet to confirm whether things ever even fully came back up at all, but what say you? Still experiencing issues? We’ll let you know what we hear back from AT&T — as you may have heard, we had them build a Batline to Ralph’s office for just such an occasion.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

CNET reviews the Motorola Z6c and writes, “With the Z6c’s camera you can take pictures in five resolutions (from 1,600×1,200 down to a special Picture ID size), and choose from three quality settings. Other features include a self timer, three color effects, brightness and white balance settings, a digital zoom, nine fun frames, and three shutter sounds (plus a silent option).The camcorder shoots clips in two resolutions (176×144 pixels and 128×96 pixels) with sound; editing options are similar to the still camera. Videos meant for multimedia messages are capped at about 30 seconds; otherwise, you can shoot for as long as the available memory permits. The Z6c offers a solid 40M of integrated memory, but we suggest you purchase a memory card just the same. The handset can handle cards up to 4GB. Photo quality was quite good with sharp details and vivid colors.”

Read more about the Motorola Z6c.

CNET reviews the Samsung SGH-T439 and writes, “The 1.3-megapixel camera on the SGH-T439 can take pictures in seven resolutions (from 1,280×1,024 down to 128×96). Other features include brightness and white-balance controls, a night mode, ISO, metering exposure, multishot and mosaic-shot modes, a self timer, five color effects, 26 fun frames, and a digital zoom. There are a few shutter and camera-function sounds, as well, but you can’t silence the shutter completely. When finished with your shots you can use the simple image editor to add clip art, an emoticon, or one of 29 fun frames.”

Read more about the Samsung SGH-T439.

IT Reviews has a review of the Nokia N8 8GB and writes, “It all sounds very swish, but there are some issues. If you want a good camera on your mobile then the N81 8GB isn’t the phone to provide it. The 2-megapixel unit lacks autofocus or macro modes, and shoots only average quality images.”

Read more about the Nokia N81.

What are the most important features of a camera for you? At present compact, multifunctional and stylish digital cameras are generally considered as the best ones. All these three features serve as the main criteria while someone is choosing which one he/she should buy. However, some companies trying to invent a high-end device neglect some of these criteria. Do you pay much attention to pixels while choosing a camera? Do you believe that the more pixels a camera has the better will be the quality of photos?

Seitz company, for example, created a 160-megapixel 6 x 17 inch camera that is considered to have the highest resolution among all the digital cameras. In addition to the fact that this gadget looks huge it is probably heavy to carry and shoot with. Apparently one full resolution image taken with this Seitz camera will take up approximately 900MB. So a simple memory card won’t be enough for you to make even a few photos.

The Seitz D3 Digital Camera impresses not only with its sizes (6 x 17, 4.5 lb), but also with its features. This gadget takes pictures with resolution of 7,500 x 21,250 pixels, that is to say 160 MP. The Seitz D3 Digital Camera is combined with a tablet PC, which works with it, making the whole process easier and more reliable in service. But in case you really like extremely high resolution image be ready to buy a portable hard drive for this purpose. Nevertheless, that’s not the half of it. Such a high-end gadget costs about $ 45,000.

Of course it’s great that now you have the possibility to possess this high resolution camera. Yet I’m sure that there is hardly someone who really needs this stuff. Moreover its price is so high that just quite a limited number of people can afford it. As a result I would like to say that to buy this gadget means to make one of the most irrational purchases in the world.