Gadgets Future

GooSync, a useful tool that lets you sync your Google appointments and tasks to your smarthphone, has just added support for synchronizing your Gmail contacts as well. What’s even better is the fact that GooSync works both ways. That is, whenever you add new contacts from your Gmail accounts, it automatically updates your mobile phone’s directory the next time you run the syncing process and vice versa.

But before you get too excited and go on a syncing frenzy, there’s one catch however. Gmail contacts to mobile phone synchronization only works if you have a GooSync Premium account. To upgrade to premium account, just log-in to your GooSync account and hit the “Upgrade” button. If you’re not yet using GooSync, head over GooSync’s website and find out what you’re missing for not using this cool application.

Via [IntoMobile]

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It could be the first 21st century plague. Or a class action lawsuit waiting to happen. In any event, a Santa Fe, New Mexico man is leading the charge to get wireless hotspots banned from public buildings in his city, claiming he and others are ultra-sensitive to Wi-Fi radio frequencies.

No medical or scientific groups have come out yet to substantiate claims like these, which have been making the media rounds for the last couple of years; a British woman who is trying to raise awareness about what some are calling electro-sensitivity received some press last year. Her story (and even the photo of her in protective headgear, which looks like a beekeeper’s helmet) may remind you of a Todd Haynes film from 1995, “Safe,” starring Julianne Moore as a woman who was having unhealthy reactions to toxins in air, water and food - “environmental pollution.” Are we now on the cusp of spectrum sickness?

I’m ultra-sensitive to screenplay opportunities and I smell a Charlie Kaufman film in this. That is, if Judd Apatow passes.

For the record, the World Health Organization has weighed in, saying there are no direct links yet between the symptoms and Wi-Fi. ES sufferers say Wi-Fi makes them dizzy, gives them headaches and indigestion. Of course the same thing can happen to those who watch too much political coverage on television, but no one’s asking the FCC to ban cable news. Yet.

Read [KOB.com] Read [Daily Mail] Read [World Health Organization]

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by Joshua Fruhlinger, posted May 25th 2008 at 7:10AMWhat we have been calling the Asus Eee Box looks to finally have an official name. Based on unnamed sources, the Inquirer is reporting that the desktop PC will be called the Asus EBOX. As already speculated, they are saying it will be revealed on June 3 at Computex. Specs also look to be what we’ve been told already: 160GB HDD, 2GB RAM, and a Linux OS. Nothing much more to see here, but we’re hoping Asus will give this thing a competitive price for those looking to tinker with a slick open-source box.

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Filed under: Desktops

by Joshua Fruhlinger, posted May 25th 2008 at 1:31AM
There are all sorts of creative uses for GPS, but here’s a fellow who says he sent a self-designed GPS “device” in a briefcase to DHL with express travel instructions. He plotted the shipment’s movement and ended up with the drawing you see above. We’re a bit confused. First, he says he developed a GPS device with extended tracklog and battery time. Okay, but… using what, exactly? Also, we’ve received some things from DHL, and we have a hard enough time just getting them to deliver stuff to the right address, let alone make circles in the Caribbean in the name of art. To be fair, his documentation looks complete, so serious kudos to him if this is all for real. Peep the travel instructions document that he says he gave to DHL along with shipping receipts and video after the break.

[Via Hackaday]

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Filed under: GPS

These cuff links are the perfect gift for the game enthusiast. Scrabble game pieces that are attached to gold or silver cuff links can make you the talk of the party. You get to choose the letters personally. This is definitely a unique idea that will spell out your fashion style. These cufflinks are sure to be a conversation starter no matter what party or event you will be attending.

In case that wasn’t enough, they will be mailed in a velvet cinch pouch.

Gimme!

Price: $15.99
(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, Miscellaneous

So you think that having the fancy pants (and soon to come) 3G iphone or HTC Touch Diamond is the ultimate goal in life? Well sorry to burst your bubble mate, but not everyone thinks of a cell phone as a status symbol. Which explains why the middle class and entry level markets teem with handsets that sport but the most basic of functions, and it is definitely a market that does not seem to slow down anytime soon. Hop-On, Inc. is certainly aware of such a huge market and aims to capitalize on the potential volume by releasing its latest GSM cell phone known as the Hop1800. The Hop1800 is readily available throughout the US for a surprisingly low, low price of just $10. Yes sir, for 10 clams you will now be able to pick up a handset that works worldwide, making it the perfect backup cell phone especially for folks who tend to travel a whole lot. Sure, it might not double up as a 3G modem or feature WiFi connectivity, but at least you can be sure it will make and receive calls no matter where you are (subject to signal strength, of course).

Surely the iPhone would be a superior alternative, but you won’t get anything as cheap and as functional as the Hop1800. It is only $10, for crying out loud, and will be able to work with just about any local SIM card, making it compatible with more than 40 domestic wireless carriers. There will be two variants available - a Dual-band 850/1900MHz or the 900/1800MHz for Europe and Asia, and both will tip the scales at a mere 77 grams, boasting a talk time of u pto 4 hours, 150 hours of standby time and polyphonic ring tones.

The final cost of the handset itself might even be just $5 since the company offers a $5 rebate if you decide to return it for recycling purposes.

Press Release

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by Darren Murph, posted May 25th 2008 at 4:52AMThis just in: don’t believe anything you hear regarding an official 3G rollout date in China. After quite a bit of rigmarole, the Chinese government has finally announced that it will issue a trio of 3G licenses. Notably, the announcement comes with a bit of baggage — it’s also calling for a merger between China Unicom and Netcom, two of its four biggest telecommunications providers. Furthermore, it stated that it would call on China Telecom, the nation’s largest fixed-line carrier, to “purchase Unicom’s CDMA network.” Unfortunately (though not unexpectedly), there’s no time frame given for implementation, but some analysts are asserting that “a full launch of 3G services is [still] years away.” Baby steps are better than no steps, we reckon.

[Thanks, James]

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Filed under: cellphones

The term “computer desk” generally refers to a desk that was made for people using a computer, right? You’ll see things like a keyboard drawer, maybe a monitor riser and perhaps even some CD holders. However, the designer of this desk has taken the term in the literal sense, and created a desk that is also a computer.

While I couldn’t ever switch to something like this, I think it is an awesome concept for high-end offices. It removes all traces of the computer, save the monitor. When upgrades or repairs are needed, just simply open the lid (I’d keep it locked to prevent employees from just opening it up and poking around) and you have complete access to all of the vital components. The only thing that appears to be lacking is a feature found on almost every simple computer desk; a keyboard drawer. Perhaps you just can’t see if from this angle, but I would hope that they included one in their design.

Source: Dvice

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Whether you are into the recent popularity of the ultra-portable notebooks that have been swamping the market lately, or just sitting back and waiting for it to finish, its hard to deny that some of the pre-loaded operating systems are less than desirable. While the pre-installed OS on the Eee PC from Asus is limited and seems slightly child-like, its very functional, especially when compared the the gOS that comes loaded on the Everex Cloudbook that is slightly painful to use.

Given the options available lots of people have been choosing to install an older, albeit still very functional OS, Windows XP. However in some good news coming from the Linux front, Mark Shuttleworth, the CEO if Canonical has given up some excellent information in a recent interview with The Guardian. Its news that should make any ultra-portable and Ubuntu fan very happy, they are planning on launching a new flavor of Ubuntu, dubbed the “Netbook Remix.” The OS, which is being worked on closely with Intel is expected to be announced during Computex, which takes place during the first week of June. Luckily this is just a short time away, hopefully the Netbook Remix OS will be available shortly after the announcement with drivers to support the wide variety of ultra-portables currently on the market.

Read [The Guardian] Via [Gizmodo]

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Ant Habitat Illuminator
Picture the scene. It’s late. Match of the Day has come to an end. And it’s just you, your little lady and a beautiful gel-filled box of ants going about their everyday business. Magic.