Archive for August 14th, 2007
Rewriteable Blu-ray discs have been around for some time now, but Verbatim has just announced the first Mini Blu-ray Recordable/Rewriteable (BD-R/RE) media in the world. It measures a mere 8cm in diameter and is capable of packing in 7.5GB worth of data. Each disc can store up to an hour’s worth of continuous video capture in high definition, and double the amount at 1,440 x 1,080i resolution. I wonder when the new PSP comes out (not the redesign that will be released next month), will it utilize Mini BD discs? After all, Sony does earn more money if Blu-ray media is used. The Mini BD media is now available in Japan, with plans to release it worldwide shortly after.
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August 14th, 2007
NewerTech drops the miniStack NAS utilizing its own brand of advanced network storage technology to enable direct storage and access by up to 20 users simultaneously with up to 6 times faster performance (their words) than older PC file sharing-based technologies. The miniNAS has both USB 2.0 and Ethernet connections, offering storage capacities up to 750GB, the ability to stream multimedia and HD files to UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) compatible media players, and easy set-up. Additionally the miniNAS has user-selectable levels of read/write privileges, from no access, read only, or full access.miniStack NAS Applications:-Home network file sharing/storage, backup/archiving, and other shared external drive access needs. -Small business as a primary or secondary network storage solution.-Public office/facility (libraries, villages, etc.) backup, archiving and conservation of data.-Multimedia storage device (MP3s, digital photos, digital video).miniStack NAS is available in seven pre-configured 7200RPM solutions, from 80GB to 750GB, priced starting at $119.99 MSRP. A 0GB “Add Your Own Drive” kit is also available for $79.99 MSRP. All pre-configured and certain OGB kit miniStack NAS models include a $200 retail value utility software bundle comprised of ProSoft Engineering Data Backup 3, NovaStor NovaBACKUP, and Intech SpeedTools Utilities. http://www.newertech.com/products/ministackNAS.php
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August 14th, 2007
There are many situations in which you don’t want to fall asleep, for example, while driving or simply when you are sending IMs to your friend late at night…
The Wake-Up Angel monitors your head’s rotation. You have to set an angle (relative to the vertical axis) at which the device is going to vibrate. The angle can be changed so that you can read with a natural (inclined) pose.
The idea is fairly good, but I wish that the sleep monitoring was more high-tech than (I suspect) a mercury switch. Crave has a good point: this could be integrated in Bluetooth headphones to deliver a wake-up vibration and sound. I’ll try to get my buddy Randy to review it.
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August 14th, 2007
D-Link’s Xtreme N Router (DIR-655) does more than just keep you connected to the Internet at blazing fast speeds sans wires, it also enables users to monitor network performance thanks to compatibility with Yahoo! Widgets. This makes D-Link the first networking company to support Yahoo! Widgets utilities for home networking products, displaying key network performance data for Internet, WLAN, and LAN connections. More than 30 types of network data can be viewed from the widget, ranging from the number of networked devices to security settings among others. Make sure you have firmware 1.05 or later for Yahoo! Widgets to work with the D-Link Xtreme N router. They can be downloaded for free, but the DIR-655 comes with a sticker price of $179.99.
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August 14th, 2007
EverythingUSB has just taken the Creative Live! Cam Optia out for a spin, and they came around with a response that leans more toward the negative. Strengths include a clever design, manual focus, decent low light performance and above average color balance, but the disappointing software package, unsynchronized recordings, a missing microphone (!), and issues with images capture at resolutions less than 640×480 are pretty serious. At $70 a pop, there are other offerings that offer much more value for your money, so it really depends on how badly you want this (for the parental control feature perhaps?).
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August 14th, 2007
The GlowBots that were featured at SIGGRAPH 2007 recently underlined the concept of creating interesting relationships with robots that were modeled based on those between exotic pets and their owners. Apparently, many people keep different kinds of pets because of their appealing appearance, although I don’t see what’s so great about having a hairy spider crawl around in an aquarium. The GlowBots are meant to amuse us humans in a similar manner, displaying exotic light patterns on their backs to keep you riveted on them. Whenever you see a pattern that you like, just give an affirming shake to the GlowBot as positive reinforcement. Setting it down will send the GlowBot scuttling away to search for its brethren, persuading them to adopt the same pattern via an IR beam. Cool, eh?
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August 14th, 2007
If you’re one who is uncomfortable about the idea of drinking water straight from the tap, purchasing the iStraw with you certainly sounds like an excellent idea. After all, this lightweight polycarbonate straw comes with its own internal filtration system and uses micro-filtration, removing contaminants from a glass of water. An internal membrane filters water without following more expensive methods, although I must say you would look rather weird drinking through the straw everywhere you go. It filters up to 500 liters of water before you need to purchase a replacement. The iStraw retails for £19.99.
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August 14th, 2007
Yamaha will be making a splash in the home theater market by introducing the RX-Z11 that comes chock full with features, boasting an industry-first THX Ultra2 Plus certification to go along with a full HDMI 1.3a with support for full HD resolution at 1080p. In addition, the RX-Z11 also boasts a 11.2 channel surround sound support that ought to bring your movies to life like never before. What’s more, you get up to five different independent zones that offer different audio sources to go along with the two zones with visual content, whereby they all can be manipulated by the zone controller. Five HDMI inputs, four component inputs with two outputs and for Dolby Digital Plus/True HD and DTS High Resolution Audio/Master Audio rounds off the list of features. It will be released this November at a yet undisclosed price.
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August 14th, 2007
Samsung recently paraded a version of its Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC) notebook that enables the notebook to run up to a month without the need for recharging. This will definitely go a long way in rendering standard lithium ion batteries used in notebooks today obsolete. The DMFC contains an energy density of 650Wh/L and a total energy storage of 1,200Wh, although plenty more could be done in the design department as the DMFC itself is nearly as wide as the notebook while standing almost twice as tall. It is hoped that in two to three years’ time, these DMFC-powered notebooks will be able to make a sexy splash into the market. Hopefully the technology is translated into cellphones and iPods as well.
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August 14th, 2007
This stereoscopic vision display that was showcased at the recently concluded SIGGRAPH 2007 conference could eventually oust traditional projectors with 3D images, just like how R2-D2 beamed Princess Leia’s message in Star Wars three decades ago, except that this is now possible in real life instead of remaining inside the realm of science fiction. This display weighs a mere 1kg and uses the modern Zoetrope approach that relies on a single image being multiplied many times over by an array of a dozen mirrors. Kudos to Hitachi for working on this - hopefully it will be further developed so that gaming will be able to make the traditional TV model obsolete as we get involved in full 3D images in real-time instead.
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August 14th, 2007
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