Gadgets Future

Posted Mar 12th 2008 3:13PM by Nilay Patel
Filed under: cellphonesUh-oh, Indian blackberry users — better get ready for some major disconnection anxiety. Apparently the Indian government is demanding that RIM either allow it to snoop on its encrypted email service (or worse, drop down to 40-bit encryption), or shut down the entire Indian Blackberry network at the end of the month. That’ll cut off an estimated 400,000 subscribers, so the carriers, RIM, and government officials are due to meet and try and hammer out a solution on the 14th, but the issue probably won’t be easy to solve — ISPs are now concerned that if RIM complies, all encrypted wireless data will be open to spying, which would make things like ecommerce virtually impossible. Furthermore, since Blackberry traffic gets routed to Canadian NOCs first, there are some thorny international issues at play as well — just to put things in perspective, RIM doesn’t even allow the Chinese government to snoop in this way, although we’re certain there’s another backdoor in place. Honestly, though, we’d suffer through a little CrackBerry withdrawal if it kept the G-men out of our hair — let’s hope RIM’s got some fight in ‘em.

[Via Boy Genius Report]

Posted Mar 12th 2008 4:44PM by Paul Miller
Filed under: Features, Laptops
We got a good long look at those new Gemstone Blue notebooks from Acer, the Aspire 6920 (16-inch) and 8920G (18.4-inch). We can’t say we’re crazy about the “CineTouch” controls to the left of the keyboard, and both laptops — while certainly thin for their class — are still bulky enough to make our chiropractor take pause. That said, Acer is certainly working a lot more design polish into its product, and the specs are, as ever, quite lovable. Hit up the read links below for official PR from Acer.

Gallery: Hands-on with Acer Aspire 6920 and 8920G

Read - Aspire 6920
Read - Aspire 8920G

I have seen all kinds of devices like that. Living in an urban area, I have little use for it, but it has a solar panel, so it sparked my interest. It turns solar energy into electricity that is used to generate a sonic tone that is supposed to deter animals like moles from squatting in your garden.

I do not know if it works, but if it does, it would be better than using chemicals.

Asus has introduced a new series of concept computers with outer casings that are supposedly to be made out of bamboo (yes, the plant). If this is ever implemented, I think Asus will be in a win-win situation. Bamboo, of course, is environmentally friendly, very cost efficient, proven to be stronger than steel (in the sense of durability, strength, toughness, flexibility, etc.) and there is already a large quantity available from farms throughout the world. That’s not even mentioning the fact that some of its shoots are edible, and that these shoots are extremely healthy. The only disadvantage that comes to mind with this concept is… nothing, actually. The bamboo case will be easily replaceable, and won’t choke the earth when it gets thrown out because it’s biodegradable. Expect a bamboo Asus U6 and S6 to be part of the line-up once it gets out of concept stage. Meanwhile, there might also be well a variant of the Essentio 110 Mini PC and its partner monitor, the ASUS LS201. Cross your fingers until the day of product release comes.

Via [Electronista]

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Whenever I hit the road for any length of time I always think about how great it would be to get a 3G card for my laptop. It’s always such a pain to go looking for an open wireless connection, and it would be so much simpler to be able to connect almost anywhere. While I haven’t made the plunge just yet and signed up for service, this would be a 3G HSDPA modem that might be worth looking into when I do.

Some of you might recognize this USB Pebble modem, however, it is different than its predecessor. Most notably is the inclusion of a digital TV tuner. While I can’t recall a time that I really desired to watch TV on my laptop, it might be nice to have the option.

The device, dubbed the E510 can achieve theoretical speeds of 7.2Mb/s down and 2Mb/s up. It appears that this is initially only going to be available in Europe for an undisclosed price.

Source: EverythingUSB

Posted Mar 12th 2008 12:48PM by Donald Melanson
Filed under: Misc. gadgetsWhile it should hardly come as a surprise given the near constant stream of hacking fears we hear about these days, researchers are now warning about a possible vulnerability to an especially important bit of technology: medical devices that control the human heart. As The Wall Street Journal reports, the concerns are mostly centered around so-called “programmers,” which are devices used to wirelessly communicate with the implanted defibrillator or pacemaker. Those devices are obviously only sold directly to physicians by a select group of companies but, as the researchers warn, it is at least conceivable that hackers could transmit the same radio signals using another device, allowing them to shut down the defibrillator or deliver a shock, or possibly even obtain a patient’s medical information. The researchers are quick to point out, however, that this is “theoretical risk, not an actual risk,” and they’re not recommending that anyone consider deferring an implantation or removing a defibrillator.

[Image courtesy of Medtronic]

Posted Mar 12th 2008 11:26AM by Darren Murph
Filed under: Displays
What’s that, you ask? No, it’s not a miniaturized version of Samsung’s LN40650T HDTV. Rather, it’s the firm’s 19-inch 953BW — the oh-so-sexy $239 addition to its SyncMaster lineup. Said monitor boasts a 1,440 x 900 resolution, 300 cd/m2 brightness and a 1,000:1 contrast ratio, and it’s joined by the 20-inch 2053BW ($299), 22-inch 2253LW ($319) and 22-inch 2253BW ($349), all of which feature a 1,680 x 1,050 resolution and two-millisecond response time. Each unit also possesses an HDCP-compliant DVI port, intelligent MagicColor controls and a piano-black glossy finish that you’ll likely have a hard time keeping free of dust and fingerprints. The best news, however, is that the whole lot is available right now.

[Via Electronista]

Overview

Philips, the world’s leading company in home electrical appliances, has come up with its new 1200W HD2618/00 toaster. Eat delicious toasts using Philips 1200W toaster that comes in an elegant look with a LCD display. Give your kitchen a modern touch by placing this new toaster.

Features

• Sports a LCD display fitted with digital countdown timer.
• One-side toasting option available for bagels and baguettes.
• Features a non-stick coated crumb tray providing easy cleaning.
• Scratch proof, fingerprint resistant and corrosion resistant material.
• Works consuming 220-240V voltage and 1000-1200W power.
• Designed in aluminum housing, blue display and light rings.

Sporting a LCD display fitted with digital countdown timer, Philips 1200W HD2618/00 toaster works efficiently using 220-240V voltage and 1000-1200W power. This one is made up of a scratch proof, fingerprint resistant, corrosion resistant material. Its non-stick coated crumb tray provides easy cleaning to the user. Available in a design with aluminum housing, blue display and light rings, Philips 1200W toaster also lets you do one-side toasting.

Box content

The box comprises of Philips 1200W HD 2619/00 Toaster and a users manual.

Price

Philips 1200W HD 2619/00 Toaster is available at a price of 84.29 Euro.

Source: Philips

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Does your camera scream "I have a cool new digicam! Go ahead and mug me!"?

If not, it’s time to get your bid in for one of the new limited-edition models of the Olympus Stylus 1020 (10 megapixels, 7x zoom). Each camera comes with a colorful skin designed by Hungarian artist Matei Apostolescu. I’d say the results are quite pleasing in a retro, Peter Max-y kind of way, but what do I know about art?

Olympus will only sell 5,000 of them, price and availability TBA. The unadorned version of the 1020 sells for $350.

Limited edition Olympus Mju 1020 [Let’s Go Digitial]

We have all heard of point-and-click, and here’s a thermometer that takes a somewhat similar route - the Thermofocus 5-in-1 Infrared Thermometer. This device is capable to capture one’s body temperature accurately without having to come into skin-to-skin contact - as long as you aim the light directly at the forehead. Perfect for parents who want to monitor their new addition’s temperature while he/she is sleeping without stirring him/her out from sleep. I like non-invasive devices - why can’t aliens use something like this instead of their inhumane probes in their experiments on humans? The Thermofocus 5-in-1 Infrared Thermometer will retail for $68.