Gadgets Future

The $15 USB Moody Clock Hub might be square in design, but it sure as heck ain’t so when it comes to function. Not only does it offer a quartet of USB 2.0 slots (two on each side), it also feature a built-in digital clock and a colorful LED light from within that casts a glow in your surroundings in various colors. The clock part isn’t really that important, since all computers already come with some form of digital clock within. I would’ve preferred to see a memory card reader instead.

Our server virtualisation project is moving along apace recently - we have decommissioned a number of physical servers and moved to a virtual server platform and I can happily report that virtualising takes time but it is worth it, especially as we have been seeing green recently. Mind you the reduction in power requirements from the physical servers is definitely a small step in the green direction for improving technology and the environment - not only that but the uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) last longer as their load is less - win win so far. Receiving the “call out” request in the middle of the night because the UPS has ran out is never a happy call especially when it has been a long late night trying to get the kids to bed but the phone vibrates away and duty calls. Whilst on the subject of mobile phones - mine is due for renewal (Goodbye Mobile, Hello Mobile) and I am quite keen on the Nokia N95 8GB which was talked about by the Chief Gizmateer at the back end of last year but it will take a lot to move me away from my trusty Sony Ericsson K800i. The 5MP camera on the Nokia may just swing it for me.

In the Blogosphere I have been thinking and reading a lot recently (SEO: A simple introduction (part 1)) about trying to improve the reach of a number of web sites I am involved with, especially our business ones, and I’ve been reading in particular about web site ranking popularity services, especially Alexa - traffic ranking to try and find out if services like these really help to connect with the Internet world, or whether we should stick to the more typical method of using keywords and crossing our fingers. What are your thoughts? I know that great content is the key but in a crowded marketplace even great content needs a helping hand to reach the right readers sometimes.

On a lighter note, Monk and Norris have been busy trying to re-organise their e-mail archive in Monk and his IT junk #20 and Monk has been taken aback by the latest shocking way to go about Network Diagnostics. The Daily Notion ponders life in oops, we have run out of time. Talking of running out of time that’s if for this week except to say I have changed the design layout (again!) on my Blog and would appreciate your feedback: www.jasonslater.co.uk

Posted in Networking & Internet

The title says it all. Brian Krische and his roommate grew suspicious after far too many of their Netflix movies disappeared in the mail. So like any true nerds, they cooked up a hi-tech mousetrap. Krische hooked a camcorder up to his MacBook, installed some motion detecting security camera software and pointed the whole lot at the mailboxes.

Later that very day, their suspicion “that it was the white-trash tenants in the first floor” was proved true. The upstairs neighbor loitered around their mailbox and then disappeared with the red Netflix mailer. The guys called Netflix, who were ‘very understanding”. They also called the police, who busted the perp tried him. The sentence? A $750 fine and a stint in the First Offender Program. Busted!

How to Catch a Netflix Thief [Krische Online via Kottke]

My birthday’s in May, and already my loved ones are asking what I want. So I’ve got a moral dilemma. I don’t really need an audio player because I’ve got two perfectly good iPods. OTOH, they are elderly and not equipped for video. I really would like a handheld video player, and I would like to have usable handheld Internet access.

I don’t need an iphone because I adore my Centro, which combines a decent phone with the Palm PDA software that’s kept me in approximate order for years. It was also really, really cheap: $99 plus the inevitable 2-year contract. My adoration, however, doesn’t extend to the Centro’s screen, which is really, really tiny, no good for either videos or the Web.

An obvious solution is the ipod Touch. But here’s my moral dilemma: am I going to let my lust for an iPod Touch overpower my desire to keep my loved ones from spending $300-$500, depending on gigabytes?

Wish you could keep a close eye on your pooch, and at least have a good idea of where it is after being dog-napped? The GPS Dog Tracking System might be able to help you out.

This is the dog tracking system that employs a small GPS receiver attached to your dog’s collar that alerts you when he goes missing or leaves a defined area and notifies you via text message or e-mail. You can then instantly pinpoint your dog’s whereabouts through the manufacturer’s tracking service (12 month subscription required) that provides unlimited on-demand reports of your pet’s current location 24 hours a day via toll-free phone, web maps, e-mail, or cell phone text alerts. The Assisted GPS technology (the same used by emergency services) uses GPS signals and cellular networks to track your dog’s location to within 30′. You can also create up to 10 safety zones (5 active simultaneously); once your dog crosses the boundary, you are promptly notified of his current location via text message to your cell phone or by e-mail.

This water-resistant locator has a battery life of up to 5 days on a single 4-hour charge, and retails for $199.95. The monthly tracking subscription could drain your finances in the long run though at $14.99 per month, but weigh that against the knowledge of not being able to find your dog if it runs off on its own?

How many times have you sat and pondered whether or not it was daylight outside? Unless you spend the better part of your days living underground, chances are that you don’t think about this very often. Sure, when you’re sitting in a cubicle after hours it may cross your mind, but is that enough to justify a watch that solely tells you whether the sun is up or down?

Apparently for some people it’s worth coughing up $300,000 for a watch that does just that. Part of the reason that it is so expensive is that it is a unique timepiece that used Tourbillon movement, which is supposed to overcome the limitations imposed on the accuracy of watches by the earth’s gravity.

Sure, that sounds interesting and all, however, that’s not enoug to justify spending $300k on a watch. Especially one the doesn’t even tell the time.

Source: BornRich

We first featured the AeroGarden a looong time ago when they essentially only had 1 model and since then AeroGrow, the manufacturer has launched a number of additional models including this new $100 model.

The AeroGarden 3 has everything you need to grow your own organic herbs and vegetables, using CFLs and less energy than a single 60W bulb. Using its built-in computer, the AeroGarden monitors and adjusts the nutrient delivery, light and water for specific plants. There’s also a reminder system to tell you when you need to add more water and nutrients.

Gimme!
More info from the manufacturer
Price: $99.95
(Please note prices are subject to change and the listed price is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of posting)

via Kitchen Contraptions

Posted in Gizmo of the Day, Home Automation, Miscellaneous

Samsung is now offering another 5 megapixel camera phone which built-in Xenon flash, the Samsung Anycall SGH-G808. Besides a 5-megapixels CMOS sensor with Auto Focus, the phone also comes with 4x digital zoom, Face Detection, Video Recording capability, FM Radio with RDS, music-player, Bluetooth 2.0 and USB connectivity, 130MB of internal memory, and MicroSD memory cards slot ( up to 4GB supported). In addition, this Quad-Band GSM /EDGE with HSDPA 7.2 Mbps handset also has a built-in image and video editor to enhance captured photos on a 2.4-inch 16M QVGA TFT LCD display. The SGH-G808 is currently available in silver color, retailing for under the US$500 mark.
[ Source ]

Since its launch in January 2008, the Social Gaming Network (SGN), are offering now 60 games to Facebook users. SGN launches this week-end the Game Feed, allowing players to see who is playing what and to track scores and rankings. To get it, click this link and add the SGN app to your Facebook profile.

Their new addition to their popular game Jetman, JetDelegate, is fun to play. Pick one candidate: JetObama, JetMcCain or JetHilary, start to fly and avoid obstacles. Each user score is added to the global score in the race, since launch, JetObama and JetMcCain are neck to neck.

SGN is a social gaming platform for developers which helps them to cross-promote their games in Facebook with the SGN GameBar (see picture: the bar with icons just below Facebook menu). SGN supports also 6 games in MySpace and and has some others in Bebo.When I asked Shervin Pishevar, SGN CEO, how his company is different from its competitor Zynga, he answered that SGN is more developer oriented.

KICKER expands its audio lineup with the iKICK iK500. This portable stereo system features a built-in dock for the ipod (Touch) / iphone. The iKICK will transform the way people listen to their MP3 players. With large “bumping” speakers, 5-inch woofers, and a 40-watt stereo amplifier, the iKICK iK500 is definitely loud enough to get the party started. Plus, it also comes with with a credit card-sized infrared remote that lets you adjust the stereo system’s bass, treble, and auxiliary-in options, as well as the iPod menu directories.
[ Source ]