Gadgets Future

by Ryan Block, posted May 24th 2008 at 12:25AMWe’ve been hearing for years of that certain elusive breed of human that is extra-sensitive to certain radio frequencies and electromagnetic fields, so it was only a time before those wire-tethered folks took shot across our wireless-loving bow. According to a local NBC news affiliate, Sante Fe resident Arthur Firstenberg (not pictured right) has organized a group of electro-sensitive citizens to rally against WiFi and cellphone use in public space, claiming it violates the Americans with Disabilities Act. No doubt it is indeed a sticky situation, but we’re pretty sure Firstenberg and co are going to have to do a little better than claiming to “get chest pain and it doesn’t go away right away” if they really expect an entire city (or country) to cease using wireless communications.

[Via Fark]

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Filed under: Wireless

Brando, e-tailer of products that you didn’t even know existed—and some that probably shouldn’t—just launched a lightweight 2.4Ghz wireless mouse which weighs only 32g.

Known for its gimmicky products such as a wireless USB missile launcher and Bluetooth PDA stylus headset, Brando now introduces its latest mouse, which it boldly proclaims as “probably the world’s smallest 2.4GHz wireless mouse.”

The device features:

• Mouse speed: 400 / 800 / 1600 dpi, 3200fps
• After recharge, the mouse can be used for 21 days (3 hours utilization per day). In the case of continuous usage, the power can last for 70 hours
• Compact and light design, ideal for traveling
• Transmission rang: 7 meters
• Support Window ME/2000/XP/Vista, Mac OSX 10.2 or above (support USB port only)
• 2 Colors availables - Black and Siliver
• Dimension: 68 x 38 x 28mm (approx.) (Mouse)
• Weight: 32g

Package Contents:

• Tiny 2.4Ghz Wireless Mouse
• USB Receiver
• USB Charging Cable
• User’s manual

Just $29!

Via [Engadget]

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by Ryan Block, posted May 23rd 2008 at 9:43PM
Looks like the FCC isn’t quite done collecting on spectrum auctions just yet, and Chairman Kevin Martin has apparently scheduled a vote for June 12th to decide the eventual fate of the the 25MHz swath of spectrum between 2155 and 2180MHz (affectionately referred to as AWS III, despite not being three times better than AWS). Apparently whomever snags the spectrum might need to be prepared to offer a “free service tier” (define that how you will) that would reach 50% of the population in the first four years and eventually 95% of the population by the time the license expires. But that’s just one possibility for what may happen to AWS III, which, of course, we’ll be tracking closely. Like hawks, Kevin, like hawks.

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Filed under: Wireless

If you’re someone who is always in the need of articles then you can understand the amount of time and efforts it takes to come up with well-researched quality articles and if you’re someone who is not that good with English language then you know how hard it could be to write a quality article. So, is there a way to avoid these problems and generate articles on the move?

Fortunately, there is a solution to these problems and the solution is an online article re-write tool named as ‘BadArticle Article Rewriter’. What makes this tool so special is its simplicity and above all, it is a free online tool. It has ‘bad’ in its name but it works effortlessly.

In order to use the BadArticle, you need to have an original article which you want to re-produce. You need to use this article as an input to the tool and it is then converted into a new article having the same meaning but with a different style. New articles are generated by replacing the synonyms in the original article and so, the original flow and meaning of the article is not disturbed.

With this tool, you can even generate different versions of a single article by changing the re-writing methods accordingly as it offers three different re-writing methods which are –

• Bad Rewrite, Same Readability as Original
• Worse Rewrite, Will Decrease the Readability
• Worst Rewrite, Will Totally Change Your Article

In addition to its ability to re-write the articles, BadArticle can also be used to convert the plain text into an html page which makes it a HTML Markup tool as well. This way, you can generate a new article and then you can convert it to an html page so as to publish the article on a website.

Enough talking! Let’s see a sample –

I used the tool to re-write first three paragraphs of this post and to my surprise, the re-write was available in seconds. I was expecting it to take some minutes but I’ve to say that was pretty fast.

Here’s the re-write delivered by the BadArticle Article Re-Writer

If you’re superstar who is forever in the neediness of articles then you can understand the quantity of time and labors it takes to come up with well-researched class articles and if you’re somebody who is not that good with English design then you know how hard it could be to write a class condition. So, is there a way to forestall these harms and engender articles on the move?
Fortunately, there is an emulsion to these problems and the mixture is an online editorial re-write tool named as ‘BadArticle Article Rewriter’. What makes this tool so special is its simplicity and above all, it is a free online tool. It has ‘bad’ in its name but it workings effortlessly.
To use the BadArticle, you basic to have a first expose which you want to re-produce. You neediness to use this clause as a record to the tool and it is then converted into a new editorial having the same worth but with a different style. New articles are generated by replacing the synonyms in the novel term and so, the original flood and import of the article is not unstable.

Not bad! Considering the fact that is a free online tool.

To conclude, BadArticle is a free online article re-write and HTML Markup tool which can be considered as an efficient alternative for people who don’t have much time to write new articles. It can be used effectively to generate a large number of new and unique articles while you’re on the move. Give it a shot!

Rice can be one the most infuriating dishes to cook with out the proper cookware. You get pieces that are still hard, some that is soggy, and some that is burnt. The electric rice cooker will put an end to poorly cooked rice problem. This cooker is so advanced you simply choose what kind of rice you want to cook and push as few buttons and your job is done. The machine will do the rest of the thinking for you which is great because by the end of the day just about every one is brain dead any way.

The cooker will even keep the rice at serving temperature for up to 12 hours. This is great for holidays and family dinners. This is a must have product for any one who wants to make the best rice possible. There is even a bonus: this rice cooker will also make cheesecake and sponge cakes for all those who favor dessert over real food!

Rated the best electric rice cooker by Hammacher Schlemmer, it lets you select what kind of rice you’re cooking as well as how to cook it.

Gimme!

Price: $159.95
(Please note prices are subject to change and the listed price is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of posting)

Posted in Gizmo of the Day, Home Automation

by Donald Melanson, posted May 23rd 2008 at 7:16PM Budding robot-builders certainly don’t have any shortage of kits to choose from these days, but this new self-descriptive ROBO Builder set looks to be a good deal more complete than most and, compared to the norm, is somewhat more reasonably priced. This one will let you assemble three different bots (dubbed DINO, HUNO and DOGY) out of the included robot building blocks, each of which can apparently be programmed to perform various activities, or simply be controlled via a computer or remote control. You can also get your choice of black or transparent kits, the latter of which appears to boast some significantly more advanced break-dancing skills. It’s also a good deal more expensive, costing 660,000 won (or $630) compared to the 450,000 ($430) for the basic black version.

[Via The gadgets Weblog]

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Filed under: Robots

Sierra Wireless Compass 587

Like dogs with shock collars, Wi-Fi users are constrained to a small coverage area. Stray too far and – zap  – server not found. If you want unlimited browsing freedom, you could buy an expensive laptop with an EVDO modem built in, or you could upgrade your existing Cheeto-stained notebook with the $50 Sierra Wireless Compass. Yeah, you’ll pay a bit for the monthly service, but you’ll never be without a connection.

The Compass looks like a chunky USB drive, but it houses not only a microSD slot for adding some memory but also a (Sprint) EVDO modem and a GPS receiver. You won’t get blazing speeds (imagine 5 minutes to download a 10MB file), but you will get access from anywhere, plus a decent if under-featured GPS to boot. The data plans are unremarkable: $60 for 5GB a month; $40 for a paltry 40MB (hint: kick down the extra $20, cheapskate).

You can get up and running without a CD since all the software’s right on the Compass: Just plug it in and a virtual CD drive shows up in your system with the software ready to install. Later on, the unit appears as a micro SD slot, which supports cards up to 32GB — future-proofing for a time where such ridiculously large memory cards exist.

When you fire up the modem software, a black window opens and you’re ready to connect. Handy meters show your signal, time spent, and data usage. But there are also tabs at the bottom for some simple applications, some GPS applets, and a VPN option (though we don’t know if  this would interfere with some VPN clients). In a rare bit of altruism, one of the applications even offers the location of Wi-Fi hotspots across the U.S., should you be running low on data.

While the GPS is useful, it’s web-based and slow, and there’s no simple way to find and track your location; you must search for a business to find out where you are – unless you’re really good at determining your latitude and longitude. The chubby unit hogs the ports; good luck sliding in your wireless mouse nubbin next to it. We also found that the modem is all too  eager to slip from EVDO the slower 1xRTT connection. And though it comes with a D&D style dice sack for all its accessories, you’ll probably lose the cap the first day. But don’t worry, it’s probably waiting for you at 29.9367° N, 90.1111° W.  —Roger Hibbert

WIRED The little bugger accesses the Tubes from just about anywhere. Includes a microSD slot so it can double as a thumb drive. Drivers included on the device; no CD necessary. Includes full-featured GPS and a mini-suite of tools. Cheap!

TIRED The little fatty is a space hog, blocking nearby ports and necessitating a USB extender (included). Gets dad-gum hot. You will lose the detachable cap in 5… 4… 3…

$49 with 2-year activation, sprint.com

(Photo by Jon Snyder for Wired.com)

by Nilay Patel, posted May 23rd 2008 at 5:48AM
We’d been getting pretty used to getting an Xbox 360 Dashboard updates every other season or so, but it looks like it’s going to be a barren spring: there’s no update coming this spring, according to Xbox Live manager Marc Whitten. In an interview with Next Generation, Whitten said that Redmond’s focusing resources on “building the proper infrastructure and scale for the service” — which hopefully means those Live outages will soon be a thing of the past. Whitten also said that the Live team is working on a Live DRM update that’ll allow XBLA games to be re-licensed and played offline if you swap consoles, and that underperforming XBLA titles with Metacritic scores under 65 percent will be eligible for delisting. Sure, sure — just make with that wacky motion-sensing controller soon, okay?

[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]

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Filed under: Gaming