electro^plankton

iHologram is an iPhone application that makes the screen look like a window to a real parallel dimension. It uses an old technique called anamorphosis where 2D images are drawn distorted to look 3D when viewed at a 45 degree angle.

The neat thing is the iPhone's gyroscopes allow the image to dynamically change to keep the 3D effect now matter how you tilt the screen.

So when can you download it? Hopefully soon.

Posted by tranism at 7:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

August 20, 2008

Tabbed Mobile Phone by KDDI au

Making sure to flex its concepting muscles, KDDI au just announced their PLY mobile phone concept inspired by sandwiched plywood. Each section is tabbed to core functions like a dialpad, keyboard, gamepad, touchscreen, pico project, and printer! Will it ever see the light of day? Hard to say. Miniaturizing some of those proposed functions seems beyond what science and technology can achieve now but never underestimate the Japanese.

More pics after the jump.

Posted by tranism at 11:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

August 10, 2008

Air compressed cars coming to the U.S.

Oh snap ya'll! Zero Pollution Motors is planning to bring their air compressed powered cars to the United Stated in 2010. Air Cars operate on the principle of compressed air which produce no pollution. Air Cars only travel 35 mph but can reach 90 mph with the help of a small engine but produce half the emissions of a Prius. Maybe not the best vehicle for highway passing but perfect for everyday commuters.

via Gearfuse

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August 6, 2008

Hello Geordi La Forge

A new artificial cornea developed by mad hatters at Standford University could be one step in the right direction towards possessing Geordi La Forge awesomeness. The polymer based cornea has not been tested on humans but shows promise in animal studies.

Developed by chemical engineer Curtis W. Frank, PhD, the cornea is made of two interwoven polymer gels, similar to the materials used in soft contact lenses. One layer is exceptionally strong while the other is able to absorb a tremendous amount of water. The result is a transparent, highly permeable substance with a water content similar to that of the natural cornea.

P.S. Somebody get this guy a manicure and cuticle creme statim!

Posted by tranism at 11:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

August 4, 2008

SlingPlayer for iPhone, where are you?

Back in June Sling Media showed off their place-shifting TV software on a jailbroken iPhone with promises of a legit version coming soon. All the initial reviews were position and Sling Media themselves gave the iPhone nothing but praise for its large bright screen and fast cpu/graphics chip.

It's now August and still no SlingPlayer. Hurry up! I need my TV on the go!

Posted by tranism at 2:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

August 2, 2008

A camera for the blind

One of the 2008 International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) winners is the Touch Sight camera. When we think of cameras, we think of recording bouncing photons off mirrors. So how would a visually impaired person use this? This camera records sounds and displays imagery via 3D embossing allowing the person to relive the moment by two other senses, hearing and touch. Just brilliant!

Posted by tranism at 6:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

July 28, 2008

Philips webcam makes me hate spiders even more

This wireless Philips webcam by Flynn Product Design gives me the creeps. Fortunately my nightmarish dreams won't come true since it doesn't actually move. The legs are just there to help you reposition the camera in weird angles, perfect for those umm. . . voyeuristic captures.

Posted by tranism at 12:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

July 24, 2008

It's about frackin' time

The Wii is finally getting a really good charger. Sure there are options from Nyko but it takes forever, the technology isn't very smart, and you have to remove the controller from its protective silicon jacket which is a chore - trust me.

Nintendo teamed up with Sanyo to use their eneloop battery technology (best batteries IMHO) to create a solution that not only allows charging with silicon on, but smart enough to be daisy chained for sequential charging. Eneloop batteries are also far more environmentally safe than other lithium ions. Unfortunately you won't find it outside Japan for awhile.

Any readers in Japan willing to ship me the unit if I pay for everything?

via Akihabaranews

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July 12, 2008

What's on my iPhone 2.0?

iPhone 2.0 is basically what Apple wanted the original iPhone to be. I'm not even talking about the new hardware upgrades. I'm talking about the user interface and the addition of user-installed applications. I've already found a bunch I'm using constantly. The whole experience is flawless; light years ahead of Symbian, Palm, and WinMo; mainly because Apple is such a controlling company - it works in their favor since all the apps adhere to user interface guidelines. Check out what apps I'm using after the jump.

Okay shocker! MySpace is so much better on the iPhone. It's totally stable, extremely user friendly without sacrificing any of its features. Best part is I don't have to see Design 101 profiles or annoying ads. With this app, there's no point in hitting up the http version.

AIM in nothing new on the iPhone tho previous iterations were all web based 3rd party versions, this official app comes direct from AOL. It's snappy, useable, and makes it super easy to stay in contact with friends. As you can see, icons, status, and nicknames are all intact.

Jott is probably my most used app. Think of it as a memo recorder that transcribes what you say into written text which are then stored in notation form you can organize into lists. How fucking handy is that??? In fact one of my notes was to write this post.

Remote lets you control your iTunes library. . . wait for it. . . remotely, so long as you have a Wi-Fi connection. Your entire library appears in all its glory - playlists, album covers, and search. The response is instantaneous. I often have music playing as I do things around the house so now that my iPhone is a remote, changing what's playing is literally a few taps away.

My friends and I watch a lot of movies. Calling 1-800 MoviePhone seems so 90's and checking the newspaper is way before my generation. Checking listings on the phone wirelessly complete with geo-location is now. Box Office gives me movie listings and theater information based on my current location. Snazzy!

Twitter was never meant to be complicated and has always seemed, at least to me, to be better suited for a mobile device. I mean the idea is to always know what's on your mind right? Twitterific echoes that mantra and keeps everything clean and easy to use. It's works exactly how you'd expect. I love knowing what all my friends are doing at any given moment because I'm kinda stalkerish like that.

I'm an eBay junkie so I know all about being outbid in the last few moments when I can't get to a computer. Now with it on my iPhone, I'm always up to tabs because shopping is in my vocab, not losing.

I'm a little OCD about making lists, especially Shopping Lists. This app is super easy and basic. You write down everything you need to buy and how much of it. As you put those items in your cart, tick it off your list. Easy-peezy.

Exposure is a photo app that ties into flickr. If you're a flickr user then you'll definitely want this. All your sets are intact and searchable. You can even view comments but perhaps the weirdest feature is the "Near Me" button. Tap it and you'll find photos taken around your current location.

Loopt is an geo-based status social app. It knows where you and your friends are at anywhere in the city and tells you what they're doing. You can even snap photos to help further illustrate that point. It sounds a little Big Brother but remember, this only works thru your approved friend's list so stalking that hot girl (or boy) from your local coffee shop is not going to work.

The iPhone never had a radio but I actually prefer it that way because there are tons of software based solutions that deliver radio stations from all around the world with the added benefit of sorting exactly what you want to hear and Pandora is my favorite way to do so. You just tell it whom your favorite artists and songs are and it generates a very high quality radio stream straight thru the magic of Wi-Fi and iPhone. It's even smart enough to guess what new music you might like based on your previous selections.

Facebook for iPhone works just like the web app version except it's a bit snappier and integrates chat. If you're a Facebook junkie, definitely download this.

Posted by tranism at 2:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

July 9, 2008

Google launches Lively

Lively by Google is a new product available in Google Labs. Create an avatar and chat with your friends in rooms you design.

No matter how you slice it, technology companies want us all to interact in virtual spaces. Sooner or later it will finally happen.

Posted by tranism at 1:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm singing in the rain

The Bluetooth Umbrella is my wet dream, literally. I'm always on the damn phone and the ability to talk handsfree into the handle is just aces. It also doubles as a radio for those times when I. . . okay I hardly ever listen to the radio but hey, it doesn't hurt to have it.

Just don't call me crazy when you see me walking down the street in pouring rain talking into my umbrella handle. I'm not crazy!

via Yanko Design

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July 3, 2008

Teddy bear cell phones? Do Want!

Japan's AU KDDI just launched their "art meets innovation show" in Harajuku called the Mobile in Forest Exhibition. Various artists have showcased their innovative representations of the cell phone.

Housed in the now famous futurist gallery space designed by Tadao Ando (formerly occupied by HHStyle), the show features a polyurethane rubber “socket-deer” and a “HOLDING BEAR CHARGER” allowing you to recharge your phone in style. While not over-the-top in terms of sci-fi themes, the merging of nature and technology via art points towards an inevitable future when all this tech blends seamlessly into the background and, as Arthur C. Clarke once said, begins to appear as magic.

Pic Newlaunches and DVICE

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Singing sock puppets

These musical hand puppets by Matthew Irvine Brown look irresistibly fun to play with. Sensors in the puppets mouth measure how wide it's open and that data is converted to a musical scale.

These puppets can be tuned to sing in any scale or mode. At the minute their voices come from a small Max/MSP patch and some very basic electronics, but he can also be rigged up to be a MIDI controller. They can help illustrate relatively complex musical theory - such as the differences between blues, chromatic and pentatonic scales - through play and storytelling

via Make

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June 20, 2008

I hear singing frogs because I'm sick

This isn't new but somehow I only discovered it. This is what happens when you're laid out in bed sick. You get hypnotized by a singing frog. I'm serious ya'll. This isn't the codeine talking. Keromin is a theremin stuffed inside a plush frog. His arms and mouth manipulate the amplitude and pitch ofsound able to hit every note on a scale.

For educational purposes, "kero" means frog in Japanese. "Min" is from theremin. Simple enough. Keromin is currently sold in Japan only. Any of my Japanese readers willing to send me one? I am sick remember? "cough cough."

Posted by tranism at 1:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 6, 2008

Mask of Emotions

The "Mask of Emotion", a project from the Digital Media Design Dept at Hongik University in Korea, trades facial expressions for LED emoticons. The default setting is no expression, but if people shake hands with the wearer, the mask smiles. The project was designed to hide personal emotions by eliciting a different set of public facial expressions that could be used to generate conversation and response in public spaces.

Posted by tranism at 5:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Putting the Speak in Speaker

Speech bubbles made into speakers. Clever and a product that should have been conceived a long time ago. Designed by Sherwood Forlee.

via Yanko Design

Posted by tranism at 5:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

How Does A Stormtrooper Go On Holiday?

Speaking as a former Imperial Stormtrooper myself, I can tell you I love my Nereus craft. Designed by the brilliant Mathias Koehler, this waverunner is totally kite powered, way quieter than those speeder bikes. This fuel free craft provides hours of fuel free fun above and below the water. Steering is managed via foot pedals while the handlebars pivot the craft forward/backwards. Most importantly it matches my armor - white and post modern.

via Yanko Design

Posted by tranism at 5:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 5, 2008

Back Seat Driver

iXs Research Corporation in Japan unveiled their robotic teddy bear that works as a gps navigation system but goes a step further by gesturing with its arm/legs along with voice instructions. It also functions as booze control refusing to let you drive if it "smells" how drunk you are. And if you're a crappy reckless driver, it'll yell, "watch out!"

OMG, what a backseat driver! I can't stand that, but it's not all annoyances. If you pet its head, you'll get information about nearby landmarks. Snap!

I don't know who iXs Research are but they've billed themselves as making "cool robots" right in their logo so they've gotta be legit! On another note, somebody needs to run that bear thru the wash because he's not looking very Downy fresh and what's up with that ridiculously huge bow?

via Pink Tentacle

Posted by tranism at 11:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 30, 2008

Dior's Black Diamonds

When it comes to mobile phones there are 3 classes. You have your mass market which is the largest segment. It's what most people have. Then you have your tech market with devices like the HTC Diamond and iPhone. This class tends to innovate and push technology forward. Finally you have your luxe class, such as the case with the new Dior Black Diamond phone. It's no longer about market segment, it's no longer about tech. It's all about the cache that comes with a $5,000 phone.

Money man, so much money.

Posted by tranism at 10:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Sparky Says Your Air Quality Sucks

Sparking responds negatively to: carbon monoxide, cigarette smoke, alcohol, too much dark lighting, hitting and yelling. Any of the above factors (depending on severity) makes Sparky drop it's head and tail, whimper, and it's body collapses. Sometimes you will not know why it's whimpering and it is up to the person to figure out what is wrong with their dog. What can make Sparky stand up and make happy noises is strong lighting, talking nicely and walking him. (Walking him will give the fastest positive results).

Posted by tranism at 9:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 20, 2008

Lacoste Celebrates 75 Years By Predicting The Future

If Lacoste had its way, this is how tennis will look in the future. A tennis racket with unbreakable magnetic strings, shoes with embedded screens, and a heads-up display that helps predict the ball's trajectory. It's a little out there but then again - think about what baseball players wore 40 years ago. Yeah...

via Kitsune Noir

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May 17, 2008

Digital Escapism

Imagine seeing the world at its most beautiful, peaceful, and greatest regardless of what "reality" is. With increasing pollution, devastating wars, poverty, and climate change, human society may be turning for the worse. Although nobody suggests ditching any last efforts to fix our problems, no one can argue with the need to escape every now and then.

Frog Design's "A Digital Escape" is a mask that augments reality into a more serene place. You could look at a pile a rubble surrounded by death and see nothing but glorious sunshine; beautiful architecture set amongst a bed of dandelions. This virtual escapism provides a sort of virtual drug to make the world appear a better place even if just for a moment.

Posted by tranism at 2:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

May 14, 2008

The New Plot

Don't ya'll get it? Robot dominance isn't going to happen thru weapons and war. They're going to be much more subversive, slowly taking over by integrating into society's most influential staples - like music. Take for example Honda's ASIMO conducting the Detroit Symphony. Don't be fooled by his polite bows. Underneath that mask is a super computer plotting and calculating.

Posted by tranism at 12:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 9, 2008

Giant Cobras or Solar Shades?

The greenest form of energy is still the sun. It's free and it's everywhere. Australian design firm Buro North in partnership with the Victorian Eco Innovation Lab show off their VEIL Solar Shades installation. Photovoltaics aren't new but these cobras as I like to call them do more than collect solar energy, they also provide shade. Sun's great and all but I can't stand the heat. These cobras are right up my alley. Just don't bite me.

via Josh Spear

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May 6, 2008

Who Designed The HTC Touch Diamond?

So with all the press the HTC Touch Diamond is getting, no one's really discussing its origins. Sure it's HTC branded but the smartphone is actually a collaboration between HTC in Taiwan and One & Co. in San Francisco. HTC has the hardware chops but One & Co. knows how to meld the minimalist with the meaningful. Hit the jump for more beauty shots.

Posted by tranism at 10:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

HTC Touch Diamond

HTC just released it's "iPhone Killer" dubbed the Touch Diamond. It's powered by Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, comes with a 2.8" VGA touch screen, GPS, WiFi, and 3G. Hit the jump for the full list of specs.

So what do you think? HTC did a great job with the interface but underneath it all it's still Windows Mobile. iPhone killer?

• HTC Touch Diamond Key Specifications
• Size: 102 x 51 x 11.33mm
• Weight: 110 g
• Connectivity: WCDMA / HSPA: 900/2100MHz. HSDPA 7.2 Mbps and HSUPA
• Operating system: Windows Mobile® 6.1 Professional
• Display: 2.8-inch VGA touch screen
• Camera: 3.2MP, with video calling
• Internal memory: 4 GB Internal Storage, 256 MB flash, 192 MB RAM,
• Bluetooth: 2.0 with EDR
• Wireless: WiFi 802.11b/g
• GPS: GPS/AGPS
• Interface: HTC ExtUSB™ (mini-USB and audio jack in one; USB 2.0 High-Speed)
• Battery: 900 mAh
• Talk time: GSM: up to 4 hours
• Standby time: GSM: up to 300 hours/100 hours with push email
• Chipset: Qualcomm® MSM 7201A™ 528MHz

Posted by tranism at 7:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

May 5, 2008

Pleo Shall Have His Revenge

Sure Pleo may be no match for a Battlebot but mark my words,

"On the 1st year when tiny calves grow to become lords of their shepherds, will the Earth see them exact their revenge on those machines of unholy purpose and nature."

They don't call 'em thunder lizards for nothing.

Posted by tranism at 1:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 10, 2008

My Assistant Is A Cube

Because it does it all. Tame is a concept device, cube like in nature, that syncs with all your other devices and applications. You store different status messages on each face of the cube and just by rotating it, activate that status. Now your phone, voicemail, Facebook, Myspace, twitter, etc. all reflect the same status message. There's even a web application that reports the status of everyone equipped with a Tame cube. The color coded system correlates with the color you set on your Tame cube so people know your availability at a glance.

via Greener Gass

Posted by tranism at 4:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Robot Remote In Action

Remember my post about Toshiba's universal robot remote control called ApriPoco? Here it is in action. Do Want!

Posted by tranism at 2:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 4, 2008

Nexi Wants To Be Liked

Those crazy kids at MIT labs are at it again. This time their collaborative efforts have netted a new robot called Nexi. It has a Segway-like body with articulated limbs and a face that can convey a simple range of emotions. Those MIT lab rats are studying how social relationships develop so Nexi's main task is to observe and interact. It just wants to be liked by you.

It's interesting how the Japanese and Koreans often design their bots to be animal or child-like with very anthropomorphic characteristics while western robotics tend to favor human likeness.

Hit the jump to see Nexi.

Posted by tranism at 1:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

April 1, 2008

Innocent Robots Curb Our Anger

If you recall, I blogged about my new Turtle God which just so happens to be Toshiba's latest universal remote control robot. Those big doe eyes and cute disposition has a purpose. We have a tendency to lash out when things don't go our way, like flinging a remote across the room when it doesn't work, or smacking a cable box when it won't... um, cable. Toshiba hopes by making their robots as innocent as Bambi, we'll think twice about smacking it when it refuses to change channels.

via Crunch Gear

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March 30, 2008

How To Call A Deaf Dog

A cool story about a dog owner distraught with how to could call his deaf dog. So he fashioned a vibrating collar from the guts of an RC car. Make has all the info and if you have a weekend, you can build one too.

Posted by tranism at 4:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

March 25, 2008

Robotic Universal Remote Is My New Turtle God

Toshiba may have lost the HD format war but the company still manages to kick out neat ideas like the ApriPoko, a robot universal remote that learns by watching and asking you questions. It doesn't walk despite having feet but it does have some amazing eyes. Anytime it detects IR signals, it speaks up and asks, "what did you just do?" Tell it what you did and it memorizes it.

Couch potatoes will LOVE this thing. They don't even have to move their hands now. Just shout what you want because every wish is your command.

via Asahi

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March 15, 2008

Biometric Feelings

Emocare's latest watch, the BT2, takes the cake for being the most complete "big brother watchin' your emotions" solution I've seen. It measures almost every biometric reading possible and sends it to a computer. Now you're employers know how you're feeling and how you react in different situations.

This is how I imagine Disney Theme Parks keeps their minions employees in check. As soon as your smile begins to crack, the watch alerts park authorities. The first rule for working at Disney Theme Parks is to ALWAYS SMILE.

via Gizmodo

Posted by tranism at 5:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

March 6, 2008

Phone Has Something For Your Ear

I love this mobile phone concept dubbed "Mooon+" by Sunman Kwon. It's even more awesome the designer's name has the word 'Sun' in it but I digress. See this phone has all the goodies; mulit-touchscreen, slick design, slim, and a camera. What I really like is the mouth piece detaches and turns into a bluetooth headset.

Wrote about it at Yanko Design.

Posted by tranism at 10:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (12)

iPhone Finally Gets Real GPS Nav

I removed the crappy one that came with my car. I've held out on 3rd party solutions from Tom Tom, Sony, Garmin, and Navigon. I even refrained from a pretty decent solution for my Sony PSP because it doesn't have a touchscreen. My iPhone is with me 24/7 so it's about damn time somebody came up with a viable (no-hack required) solution.

Nav N Go demoed their iGo My Way 8 software on the iPhone and it seems perfect. I've used iGo on an old Nokia phone before so I'm familiar with the interface, not to mention satisfied with its GPS capabilities. The iPhone version utilizes a small dongle to receive the GPS single and that's about all you need to get it working. Best part is with the iPhone's multi-touchscreen, manipulating GPS data will be that much easier and fun!

Hit the jump for the video. Try HARD to ignore the awful elevator music.

Posted by tranism at 6:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Helping The Blind Go Hi Tech

A blind person's walking stick may soon make the leap into hi-tech by integrating sensors and tactile feedback. The Smart Wand by Jin Woo Han is pretty small and ergonomically fits in one's hand. If there is an obstacle in the way, the surface of device can actually raise small bumps to alert the person.

via Tuvie

Posted by tranism at 6:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

February 28, 2008

New Way To Own A Mobile Phone

New mobiles with updated technologies come out every year so why are we stuck in a model that forces encourages us to buy instead of leasing?

That's the idea behind the Linc, a concept mobile phone and platform by Greener Grass. You sign a contract and they send you a phone. A year from now you send it back for the latest and greatest. Kinda sorta similar to what some companies allow now with trade-ins except your old Linc actually gets recycled, like all of it. This model demonstrates a sustainable cradle-to-cradle solution instead of our current cradle-to-waste system.

Would you be into it? I think Kitsune Noir is.

Posted by tranism at 1:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

Robot Will Learn To Speak

In 4 years time, that robot dubbed iCub (seriously tho) will reach some level of cognitive intelligence. At least that's what A.I. researchers at the University of Plymouth hope. The 3 foot tall humanoid baby (not a bear) will develop language and basic motor skills. They promise nothing sinister; just another study on how babies learn language.

via Ubergizmo

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Squeeze My Tentacle

Board room meetings are kind of boring. A bunch of people hunched over the table spitting out random ideas, speaking over each other, being anything but productive. The Sensor Squid aims to change all that by making the collaborative spirit fun. Just grab onto a tentacle and speak your mind, control that powerpoint presentation, share information, or lead a brainstorm.

via Make

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February 27, 2008

Mighty Morphin Computer Tablet

One of the new miracle materials is a magnetized oil called magneclay. By using controlled electric and magnetic fields, magneclay can take on almost any shape. Designer Jonathan Lucas uses this technology in his Siafu concept, a tablet designed for people with vision loss and impairment.

The tablet can display brail, create tactile surface imagery, and even bring up dynamic menus for a revolutionary interface.

via Yanko Design

Posted by tranism at 11:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

February 25, 2008

Nokia Wants You To Believe!

In the future, your phone is like paper thin okay? It can sniff fruit and self-cleans. It can fold into a phone, a watch, and possibly an origami crane. Okay that last one was a stretch but wouldn't it be cool if it did?!?

Now that I'm back on the Earth, check out Nokia's latest concept device dubbed Morph. A joint collaboration between Nokia Research and the University of Cambridge, it promises a future where flexible materials literally bend to your every whim.

Posted by tranism at 4:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Squeeze This

ID people have it tough. They have to forecast the future based on current trends; not an easy job. That's why we always see concepts stretching the bounds of our imaginations. It can be difficult separating what's real from fantasy so here's a hip-tip. In general look for a commonality and that's probably what we'll see hit mass 10-20-30 years from now.

One example are flexible electronics. They come in every form via a designer's imagination so we can be sure our electronics will be flexible in some way in the future. One example is a Soft Phone by Qian Jiang. In lieu of a traditional screen, there's a electric cellulose fabric stretched between rings. The fabric registers deformations as input so just about anything from typing, dialing, to squeezing can be used for navigation. Fascinating concept really.

More at Yanko Design

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February 20, 2008

DIY Blubber Bot

Part of a family of "Transitional Species," Blubber Bots are Do-It-Yourself robotic inflatables that navigate autonomously and intelligently. They are light-seeking helium-filled balloons that graze the landscape in search of light and cellphone signals.

I totally want an army of these I can control with my Wii-mote.

Posted by tranism at 12:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

February 18, 2008

Bear With Penguin Feet

It's only February but toy manufacturers and analysts are already hard at work predicting what the next big "Elmo" toy will be. One company, Kids Preferred, has all bets on their Smart-e series toys. They're semi interactive plushes that can download songs and stories to read for just 99 cents a piece.

So basically it's a Teddy Ruxpin connected to the internet. That and the Smart-e Bear has weird penguin feet. I don't remember Teddy Ruxpin having that.

via Newlaunches

Posted by tranism at 12:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

February 15, 2008

My Own Triceratops

I have ALWAYS wanted to ride a dinosaur since I was a little kid, especially a triceratops. Playschool is going to make my dreams come true with Kota the Triceratops. It debuted this week at the annual Toy Fair and buzz is building. Measuring over 40 inches tall, Kota is fully interactive with the latest tech goodies. He/She can feel touch and reacts to external stimuli.

My gripe is Playschool says Kota is only strong enough to support the weight of kids, not adults. THAT IS NOT GOING TO STOP ME. What might stop me is the $300 price tag but I've got til' this Fall to save up. Look out cuz I'm me and my dinosaur are coming thru!

via Popgadget

Posted by tranism at 12:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

February 14, 2008

Dr. Labcoat and Elmo Live

Elmo didn't do so hot this past holiday season. SHOCKER! But he's spent the last several months learning a few new tricks. This Elmo not only laughs uncontrollably, but also dances, sings, tells stories, and OMG JAZZ HANDS!

Hit up Gizmodo to see more action.

Posted by tranism at 12:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Aura Healing Concept

Frog Design Studio just introduced their latest concept called Aura, a futuristic health oriented device that combines both traditional and ethereal healing methods. By monitoring a patient's vital signs, customized regimens of light, sound, and aroma can be combined with medicine for an all encompassing treatment, revitalizing both the body and mind.

Posted by tranism at 11:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

February 11, 2008

Air Drying The Dyson Way

Dyson, the company behind those super vacuums and hand dryers are at it again, this time with drying clothes. We all know electric/gas dryers use up boatloads of energy, which is bad for the wallet, bad for the environment. Hang drying is the only green alternative until now. The Dyson Air-line uses wind and solar energy to air dry your clothes.

I believe it's just a concept for now but the Dyson vacs were once also too and you know how successful that became. The Air-line promises to dry your clothes in the same amount of time using no electricity whatsoever.

Another pic after the jump. Thanks Gearfuse.

Posted by tranism at 11:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Glove Tracking

As a kid I was totally envious. . . okay jealous of Penny and her book computer. You know, Inspector Gadget's niece, or was it his daughter? Whateves. Point being I wanted some sort of mini computing device. Tho we live in a society of notebooks and smartphones, I really like the Vie - a GPS enabled pair of gloves. They help you keep track of your route, jog, and progress. They'll also send out an SOS should you get lost or come across a mountain lion while jogging on those trails that say, "beware of mountain lions".

via Gearfuse

Posted by tranism at 7:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dream Little PSP

This fan made PSP is a whole lot better than the real thing. Amazingly it looks more Sony than the real PSP too.

Posted by tranism at 2:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

February 8, 2008

Computer Mug To Go

I posted this interesting concept that's sparking quite the debate over at Yanko Design. It's a mug with a built-in touchscreen to get your morning news, stocks, email, traffic updates, etc. Some argue it's possible while others believe this is a case of design exploration.

Posted by tranism at 2:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

February 6, 2008

Alien Alarm Clock Lamps

Check out the Hasbro Room Tech Clock and Room Tech Lamp, the idea is that you set the alarm clock and it will turn on the lamp for you. The Room Tech Clock wakes kids (or adults) up with a bang as it stamps on the bed-side table with its arms. Alternatively users will be able to be wake up by tunes from the radio or their MP3 player. The clock then communicates with the lamp through a wireless link so when the alarm goes off, the lamp lights up.

Should be available just in time for the holidays.

Posted by tranism at 12:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

February 5, 2008

Sleeping Itch Free

A lot of people fail at getting a good night's sleep. It's true and part of the reason why is itchiness. The onset of itchies stems from a number of reasons, most of which can be controlled. Enter the dreamer's material Dermasilk. Billed as the end all of restless nights, this fabric regulates body temperature and allows skin to breath. Developed by the Travelodge hotel chain, the company is currently beta testing would be patrons and should it prove successful, see commercial development.

And yes that woman is totally wearing a onesy.

via Telegraph

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February 4, 2008

Mint Condition Brand New Apple IIc

How much of an Apple fanboy are you? And by Apple I mean the original computers - pre-Mac. Probably one of the most familiar Apple computers is the Apple II series. Some guy name Dan managed to get his mitts on an unopened mint condition Apple IIc (color) for a cool 2 G's off ebay. He posted a bunch of photos in flickr and boy does it bring back memories.

It's also nice to see even then Apple led the way with thoughtful industrial design. For a computer in its day, the IIc was quite compact. I love how the cooling vents on the CPU and monitor look more design than functional which is key for a great design. Even the packaging and those ultra rare Apple stickers are a sight to see.

flickr set

Posted by tranism at 2:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Mobile Phone's Best Friend

Man has his dogs and mobile phones could have something like the MCube, a peripheral that extends the capabilities of your phone. It's a wireless charger, bluetooth stereo, and information display. Simple place your mobile phone nearby to wirelessly recharge and stream music to the MCube via bluetooth. It'll also display basic information from your phone like caller ID and text messages.

Just a concept for now but none of the technologies it proposes is beyond the reach of today. Expect to see something like this in the near future.

via Yanko Design

Posted by tranism at 11:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

January 29, 2008

Pollen Robots Are Secretly Plotting

Japanese scientists created these spherical robots to measure pollen content as an advance warning system for allergy sufferers. Their eye color changes to reflect what kind of pollen is in the air.

What the scientists don't tell you is these pollen bots are secretly plotting a worldwide takeover by giving us false information. I'm telling you, with all those cables hanging around, and the glowing eyes, this is just a precursor to the borg. Until that rueful day, check out their real-time pollen map.

via Pink Tentacle

Posted by tranism at 2:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

January 27, 2008

Spotify is Awesome

Spotify's goal is to create one of the worlds largest collections of music streaming on demand, all free and available anytime from anywhere.

I got my invitation to try the Beta a few days ago (thanks Bjorn) and I totally love it. Not every category or song I've searched for is on there yet but there's already a ton of stuff and it works great.

All their files are carefully ordered and tagged with metadata that makes it easy to look up any particular song. If you're looking for a title from a certain year simply include the year with the artist in your search, you could even ad an array of things making your search real specific.

The application is like I said still Beta and I'm sure there are several features to be added in the near future.

Check out their site for more information, if you ask them real nicely perhaps they shoot you an invite : )

Posted by diverseawareness at 9:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)

January 25, 2008

Solar Water Distiller

This floating Hershy's Kiss is actually a solar distiller. It can create between 1-4 pints of clean drinking water out of the sea per day. That's not really enough for one person but hey, it's solar powered. That's a lot better than what 99.9% of us are using. However the $200 is a bit exorbitant.

Posted by tranism at 12:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Fly Spy

A tiny microbotic fly built by researchers at Harvard University is currently on display at New York's Museum of Modern Art. The life-sized 'Flybot' reportedly has a wingspan of 1.2 inches and weighs a mere 0.002 ounces. What's more sinister is the project is funded by the US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency, who hopes to gain access to micro-miniature surveillance technologies.

I will never trust another fly again.

via Slashdot

Posted by tranism at 12:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Visual Grenade

The Remington Eye Ball is a wireless ball equipped with 360º cameras. Roll it where surveillance is required. Reminds me of Aeon Flux. It's real and being tested with police departments around the country. And no you can not buy one.

Posted by tranism at 12:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

January 24, 2008

Aerial Stick Cams

Taking photos is fun but aren't you getting tired of the same old angles grounded by gravity. With the Flying Stick Camera, aerial shots are easier than ever. Using kinetic energy created by rolling it between your palms, the camera snaps pictures at set intervals. Sure you won't know what kind of shots were taken until it comes down but that's just half the fun. That and jumping around like an idiot.

Whole lot more at Yanko Design

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January 22, 2008

Humanizing ASIMO

Our children's future, possibly.

Posted by tranism at 12:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

January 18, 2008

Flashback, Tribute To Sony Robots

About 5 years ago Sony had every intention of putting one of it's robots in every home but sometime after 2006, plans changed and by 2007 the company killed off both QRIO and Aibo. This is one of the first commercials for QRIO.

UPDATE: The song is called "Love to Love You" by Dreamlab.

Posted by tranism at 3:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

January 15, 2008

MacBook Air, Breathe It

Apple's latest darling, MacBook Air; tear dropped shaped, 0.7 inches at its thickest, 13.3" LED screen, totally wireless, multi-touch trackpad, 3 lbs, wafer thin made of aerospace aluminum. $1,799. Hit the jump for live pictures thanks to Gizmodo.

Posted by tranism at 1:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

January 14, 2008

MacBook Air is Actually Ultra Thin

Alright here's my prediction. The latest MacBook is so thin, it's newspaper thin. Papercuts; careful now.

Okay actually it's just a clever ad by the Advertising School in New York but clever nonetheless.

Posted by tranism at 5:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

January 10, 2008

Smarter Clothing Labels

RFID is the name of the game and pretty soon we'll see it reach mainstream in some very unexpected applications. One in particular is the ClothTAG. Meant to replace current garment care labels, the ClothTAG uses RFID technology to tell your washer and dryer what settings to use. Of course, that requires you to have RFID enabled appliances. If you don't, no worries. The RFID circuitry cleverly mimics icons found in current garment care labels so you'll still know how best to wash your undies the old fashioned way.

via Yanko Design

Posted by tranism at 1:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Shaken, Not Stirred

The Bello PMP concept by designer Ryan Han looks to be just another touchscreen doodad currently flooding the market but upon closer inspection, it does a lot more.

First off the simplicity in the design is quite gorgeous in an understated way. The entire surface is a touchscreen framed in a glass bezel. Finger swipes and flicks ala iPod Touch navigate across menus but the Bello ups the ante by integrating hand gestures for deeper controls.

For example when you shake the Bello, all you personal files change into little icons that can be stacked and organized. It beats having to drill down thru 2-3 steps of menus. Perhaps the coolest feature is what I call "teapotting." Simply gesture as if you're pouring tea over another Bello to initiate a file transfer. Bravo!

via Yanko Design

Posted by tranism at 1:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

January 8, 2008

Fujitsu Laptops Might Be Plushy

At least in concept they will be. Fujitsu unveiled a trio of concepts at CES. The plush laptop caught my eye because it's brilliant. I find myself falling asleep with my laptop all the time. Would be nice if I could just nuzzle it like a mini-pillow. Of course, Fujitsu didn't explain how they would make such a product but then again that's why they call it a concept.

Reminds me of the Soft Little TV from Sony. Could they be on to something? Maybe future electronics will be all about soft pliable materials instead of the super thin hard surfaces we see emerging today.

More pics after the jump.

Posted by tranism at 11:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

iPod Projector

The big CES electronics show in Vegas is very alluring but I sat this one out because frankly, I'm still recovering from last year's event. Too much walking and people on their Blackberries trying to sound important. I digress.

One newbie electronic I'm particularly interested in is the OptiMax-i iPod dock/projector. It's not the brightest projector at just 14 lumens nor is it the biggest outputting below VGA resolution. But it's a portable way to show movies stored on that iPod of yours. Think of it as grandma's slideshow circa 2008. You should be able to pick one up this spring for $299.

via Gizmodo

Posted by tranism at 11:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

January 3, 2008

Keep One's Nose To The Grindstone

The ultra minimalistic Freedom Mobile Phone by designer Vadim Kibardin is gorgeous by any standard but it's just a concept for now. Specifically designed for chronic travelers who need to stay in touch, instead of paying outrageous roaming charges you just buy one of these. They come charged with 200 minutes which you can recharge at any time. Each one also has it's own number that works internationally. No SIM card or mobile contracts needed. Sound idea but what about this design?

I'm all for minimalist designs but this is one that's a little too far in. First off there's no screen so how am I supposed to know if I've dialed the correct number? Second, the ultra thin form factor is just begging for chronic hand pains. Fix those two problems and BRING IT ON!

via Yanko Design

Posted by tranism at 5:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

January 2, 2008

iPhone App iLyric Player Is Karaoke'tastic

My friends and I are Karaoke junkies. At almost every get together the preprogrammed mics filled with thousands of songs come out and with enough booze in our systems; we get to sangin'. This brilliant iPhone application called iLyric Player streams lyrics in sync with the song playing. It even lets you rearrange the timing for group sing-a-longs.

Posted by tranism at 11:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

December 19, 2007

But You Promised Me!

How many times have you uttered those words to someone? Me personally, more than I can count and they all seemed to have been with my parents. Those two hardly ever kept their promises to me which is why had the Credit Seal existed, my parents would have been a lot more careful with that word.

Winner of the Red Dot Design Award 2007, Credit Seal is a digital notary of sorts. When a verbal promise is made, a record can be kept obligating both parties to their agreement. If one should fail to comply or acquire an acute case of selective amnesia, just bring up the seal which has both names, the promise, and the sign date. That outta shut them up.

Mom, dad. I'm still waiting on the Teddy Ruxpin you promised me for bringing home straight A's.

via Yanko Design

Posted by tranism at 12:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Bone Conduction Headphones

I remember the Japanese telcoms experimenting with bone conduction headsets for the hearing impaired but this is the first time I've seen similar technology made for the masses. The Zelco OUTI clips onto your ear and transmits sounds directly thru your cartilage to the tiny bones that pick up vibrations in your ear. Apparently this method of listening is safer and provides better sound quality since you not only hear the music, but feel it too.

$110 and in pristine white to match your iPod.

Posted by tranism at 12:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

December 17, 2007

Slutty Soccer Mom Pink

That's my name for this crazy pink (fuschia) phone dubbed the Sharp W61SH. Yes it's a Japanese phone but still, the color alone was worth blogging about. Technically it's quite capable with that rotating widescreen and integrated antenna to capture all that free TV floating about in Nihon. What really stands out (besides the pink!) are the insane screen specs. We're talking 2000:1 contrast ratio. HELLO! That's better than some big flat screen TVs!

Other non-important colors after the jump.

Posted by tranism at 4:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (14)

December 14, 2007

Soft Little TV

Ever wonder why electronics are hard? With today's technologies; paper thin flexible screens and micro circuity should make soft electronics possible. One organization called Tokyo Fiber challenged its members to recreate a piece of technology that forever shifted our society - the TV.

Little TV fits in the palm of your hands not only because it's small, but also because it's plush. This time, it's advance textiles that redefine form and function. Introducing textiles into the equation can again change the product landscape and stimulate our senses in entirely new ways. Sets that rest comfortably in the palm of your hand; small, round, and soft reinterpretations of products that feel nicer, cuddlier with more character.

via Notcot

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December 8, 2007

Sony Aibo Is Back And Looking Fierce!

Normally I wouldn't write about rumors but you guys know my love for all things Aibo so when Stuff Magazine leaked a possible resurrection of the robotic pooch redubbed Aibo PS, my jaw dropped. The PS stands for Playstation which Stuff Magazine says Sony will rebrand Aibo as. The new pooch will be decked out in the latest robot tech (take that Pleo) and wirelessly connect to both the PS3 and PSP. Content can be download and shared this way without the need of a computer. It will also allow you to control Aibo via WiFi and see what Aibo sees. Finally real security.

Excitement ensues!

Posted by tranism at 11:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

November 30, 2007

Not A Bird Or Plane Or Superman

Today's technologies afford engineers the opportunity to make things they only dreamed of 10 years ago. Of particular interest is the Air-ray.

Modeled on the effortless design of a manta ray, the Air_ray is a remote-controlled, helium-filled balloon floater that features a beating wing drive to fly. Check out the video after the jump.

via Centripetal Notion

Posted by tranism at 4:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Warming Heart

A very observant reader sent me an email pointing out my obsession with hand warmers. Yes it's true. Some people like squeezing gel filled rubber balls to relieve stress, I prefer to heat up my hands. For me, it's more relaxing.

This interesting heart shaped hand warmer doesn't use batteries to generate heat. Instead, a metal disc ignites a chemical reaction within the gel when you press it. The result is heat. Only maintenance is to recharge it after each use by boiling it in water. Pretty awesome and only $5.99. What a great stocking stuffer.

Thanks Michael!

Posted by tranism at 12:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

November 26, 2007

Change Clothes Without Changing

This is one of the more AMAZING textile tech demos I've seen. The actual dress print is a series of colored circles a computer uses to calculate every single coordinate, movement, and shadow. Using that information new textures can be applied in mere seconds that look just as natural and real. This texture map technology is very similar to what they do in 3D cgi and the developers hope it'll take off in Hollywood.

And you guys thought rip-stop nylon was awesome. Pfft!

via Notcot

Posted by tranism at 1:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

November 20, 2007

OLED Watch

I lurv this OLED watch concept called TIWE. The screen randomly displays a series of moving dots to simulate the stars but give it a good tap and shake and they'll move to display the current time.

via ML

Posted by tranism at 4:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

November 19, 2007

Aibo Gets Some New Moves Thanks To Wiimote

Thanks to some super nerds from the University of Calgary, the Aibo is back showing how he trains better with a Wiimote. Really cool video.

Posted by tranism at 1:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Kindle, The iPod Of Books

Sooner or later we all knew it was coming. Books in digital format you can access from a portable e-ink device. The world's entire library in our hands. That's what Amazon's new ebook reader promises to be - called Kindle. I'm a little bit excited since I've been praying for this day. Digital books are a little bit cheaper and access to an ever growing library is definitely tantalizing. The always on free wireless connection is also a huge plus. That means I can browse and buy a book anywhere there's a cellular signal and the ability for amateur writers to sell their goods in the store is pretty sweet.

My only issue is the initial investment. $399 is a lot of money. I think Amazon should have went for a $199 target. In any case, I'm sure it'll be successful enough to warrant further development. Will Amazon do for books what Apple did for digital music?

Hit the jump to see what all the Kindle can do and how much it'll really cost ya.

• Revolutionary electronic-paper display provides a sharp, high-resolution screen that looks and reads like real paper.
• Simple to use: no computer, no cables, no syncing.
• Wireless connectivity enables you to shop the Kindle Store directly from your Kindle--whether you're in the back of a taxi, at the airport, or in bed.
• Buy a book and it is auto-delivered wirelessly in less than one minute.
• More than 88,000 books available, including 100 of 112 current New York Times® Best Sellers.
• New York Times® Best Sellers and all New Releases $9.99, unless marked otherwise.
• Free book samples. Download and read first chapters for free before you decide to buy.
• Top U.S. newspapers including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post; top magazines including TIME, Atlantic Monthly, and Forbes--all auto-delivered wirelessly.
• Top international newspapers from France, Germany, and Ireland; Le Monde, Frankfurter Allgemeine, and The Irish Times.
• More than 250 top blogs from the worlds of business, technology, sports, entertainment, and politics, including BoingBoing, Slashdot, TechCrunch, ESPN's Bill Simmons, The Onion, Michelle Malkin, and The Huffington Post.
• Lighter and thinner than a typical paperback; weighs only 10.3 ounces.
• Holds over 200 titles.
• Long battery life. Leave wireless on and recharge approximately every other day. Turn wireless off and read for a week or more before recharging. Fully recharges in 2 hours.
• Unlike WiFi, Kindle utilizes the same high-speed data network (EVDO) as advanced cell phones--so you never have to locate a hotspot.
• No monthly wireless bills, service plans, or commitments--we take care of the wireless delivery so you can simply click, buy, and read.
• Includes free wireless access to the planet's most exhaustive and up-to-date encyclopedia--Wikipedia.org.
• Email your Word documents and pictures (.JPG, .GIF, .BMP, .PNG) to Kindle for easy on-the-go viewing.

Posted by tranism at 12:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

November 14, 2007

Mitsu i MIEV Sooner Than Later

Remember the Mitsubishi i MIEV I raved about? Originally Mitsu estimated a 2010 release but now they're saying 2009. Woo-hoo one year bump! To refresh your memory, the i MIEV is Mitsu's all electric sports car. It'll run just as long as a petrol vehicle between recharges but the really interesting note are the in-wheel motors in lieu of one big one underneath the hood.

Posted by tranism at 12:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Birds Be Thirsty

Everybody wants to be able to charge their devices wirelessly and yes there are products now that do it via induction but that's still kind of tethered. On top of that, they're all ugly and give no visual indication of charge status. That's why this bird-bath charger by Sun Kyung Kim is just brills.

via Yanko Design

He reasons humans like visual indicators of everything and the charge status of a mobile phone is no different. Current wireless induction pads don't give any visual indication of charge status so Sun Kyung envisages a bird bath-like charger, complete with radiating rings of light to indicate charge status and to top it all off, thirsty birds that glow once the rings of light hit 'em.

Posted by tranism at 11:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

November 13, 2007

Multimedia Bath Sink

My friends think I'm crazy when I say I want TV and internet in my bathroom. They just don't understand. I needs it man. That's why I'm smitten with the Meltdown Sink by WET STUDIO. The sink is made from polyethylene otherwise known as plastic but it's coated with teflon so water slides off and stains stay off. The molded plastic also covers the plumbing to create a really clean uniform look.

via Trendir

Now here's where the yummy tech stuff comes in. The Meltdown Sink comes in several colors, all have lights in 'em that make the entire surface glow hypnotically. Take it a step further by fitting the system with an embedded projection system to display images. Now wait, hold one. You can even take it one step further and add the integrated speakers to pump your tunes thru.

Posted by tranism at 4:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

November 12, 2007

Google Demos Android

Google finally released a boatload of videos demoing Android, their new open source operating system for mobile platforms. The demo shows how flexible the OS is working on both a low end and higher end mobile phone. They've built several apps already to show how making a phone call looks, text messaging, and the integration of Google Maps.

The interface itself is minimal in a good way tho I imagine companies can can complete redo the UI to better fit their branding. Still it seems far more polished than Windows Mobile and Symbian even at just first glance. It is however lacking in the GUI slickness and animation the iPhone possesses. But don't let the simplicity fool you. The OS also supports hardware acceleration for 3D gaming and other graphic intensive application.

Developers can download the SDK now and not only that, Google has set aside a prize of $10 million to the best app. So if you're a developer, what are you waiting for? Get to coding!

Posted by tranism at 8:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wii-mote Is Minority Report

Seriously Nintendo could have kept the Revolution code name had they taken the Wii in the direction this guy demonstrates. It's just one step away from Minority Report.

Posted by tranism at 12:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

November 9, 2007

Future Pilots Are Precursors To Borg

The jointly developed American/British F-35 Strike Fighter is probably one of the most advance and high-tech warplanes to enter service in the next few years. Even their pilots will be equipped with some crazy technology. Take for instance their helmets which allows them to see right through their own aircraft fuselage to the ground below. A group of cameras on the outside of the fighter feed high-resolution images into the helmet, and of course no pilot is complete without night vision.

That's not all, the fighter is equipped with sensors to detect the pilot's head movements and all tactile information appears in a heads up display. Okay, I'm just waiting for the part when he tells me resistance is futile.

Posted by tranism at 11:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

November 8, 2007

Exploding Piggy Bank

Did you know the piggy bank industry in Japan is huge? January is a key time for the market since kids save up from Christmas in preparation for the New Year. One of the latest piggy banks is an exploding bomb by toy maker TAKARA TOMY. It shakes, shines, and beeps to remind you to feed it coins. If you don't, the bomb will explode spilling its contents forcing you to start all over.

The bomb bank is on sale now so if you want to import one, it'll only cost you $27.

Posted by tranism at 12:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

November 7, 2007

Yoshitomo Nara Clock

Oh crap. I've had my eye on the Yoshitomo Nara Clock for ages and just when I remembered to look for it again, all the online stores are sold out. I want one so bad.

Each hour and minute of the flip clock has a custom and unique drawing by artist Yoshitomo Nara. The words "FUCK" display every hour on the hour. Click the image to see what 60 minutes on the clock looks like.

Credit goes to my flickr find.

Posted by tranism at 4:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

November 6, 2007

Nighttime Bookworms

Are you a night reader? If so, be considerate and turn off that lamp. I know you need it to read but your friend next to you in bed needs to get some rest. What's a nighttime bookworm to do? Get the MARK. It's a plastic strip embedded with FOLEDs or flexible light emitting diodes. They use very little power and generate a glow across the bookmark illuminating the text underneath.

Tho just a concept, it won the Red Dot Award for best design 2007 so something similar will surly hit stores soon.

via Yanko Design

Posted by tranism at 11:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Iconic Speakers

Literally! The Sonicum (hehe) speakers designed by Artemy Lebedev kinda looks like that universal symbol for sound. Sure it's a kitschy design but it's sorta sexy too. The system includes a subwoofer and an integrated iPod jack which will work with any MP3 player really. The company just specifically mentions Macs and iPods.

Spec wise, it's an okay set. Output power of subwoofer: 15 Watt. Output of speakers: 5 Watt each. Peak output power of speakers: 15 Watt. Frequency range of subwoofer: 50-250 Hz, speakers--200 Hz-18 kHz;
signal-to-noise ratio: 80 dB.

If you love it, pick it up at Charles & Marie for $120.

Posted by tranism at 11:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 2, 2007

Love For Pleo

Pleo is growing on me. Ugobe has drastically improved his appearance. namely skin texture and paint job. The more videos I watch of Pleo, the cuter he gets. I can't wait to get my hands on one next year. Until then, Pleo is busy touring the country. Check out the first half of this video of Pleo at the Maker Faire in Austin Texas.

Posted by tranism at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 29, 2007

Want A Black iPhone?

No I'm not going to give you run nor am I running a contest. Sorry to disappoint but if you're still interested then read on.

via MoCo Loco

CITIZEN is getting ready to sell a very limited edition all matte black iPhone. Matte black is the color of choice when it comes to all things Tobias Wong and his seal of approval will be monogrammed on every iPhone. I like to think of him as the opposite of Starck. CITIZEN doesn't mention whether or not these are unlocked phones but I assume they aren't. No word on pricing but the fact that there are only 50 should give you an idea of how uber expensive they'll be$2,000. Can you believe that sh*t?!?!>.

Posted by tranism at 1:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

October 25, 2007

Pleo's Ready For Halloween

Remember Pleo - the robotic dinosaur that responds to all sorts of stimuli like touch and sound? Well the designers wanted to know if it would still work wearing a sheep's costume? How cute does Pleo look! I love it and I demand the makers of Pleo release clothing options for my future Pleo.

And to answer their question, yes Pleo still works wearing sheep's clothing. Aw it looks so peaceful. . . until it roars.

via Robots Rule

Posted by tranism at 1:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

October 23, 2007

LEGOS I'd Totally Go For

I'm not as clever as I use to be and I blame age. When I was a kid LEGOS were a cinch. I would assemble all the pieces together just like the picture on the box with ease. Now that I'm 27 LEGOS seem like an engineering feat to me. It feels like work with little fun. Designer Jin Woo Han decided to change that with his Electric LEGOS.

He envisages a kit where interactive dioramas could be created simply by arranging and plugging in pieces onto a powered circuit board that looks like an ordinary LEGO piece. He uses the Simpsons as an example. Each piece contains clever but simple robotic components. If you place Homer and Marge on the board, they receive power thru the board, detect each other's presence and begin to interact. Throw Bart into the mix and the conversation totally changes. Pop in a TV set and things change again. You can imagine the endless possibilities with this kind of setup.

More pictures after the jump.

via Yanko Design

Posted by tranism at 10:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

October 22, 2007

A Baby Cintiq And Still Too Expensive

I've been drooling for a Wacom Cintiq 21 for almost a year now but I wanted something more portable. The geek gods have answered my prayers because Wacom is about to unleash the 21's brother, the Cintiq 12WX. If you're confused, the numbers only denote the size of the integrate display. Think of the Cintiq 12 as a Intuos 3 tablet with a 1280x800 resolution display.

SNAP! That's the resolution of my MacBook. Perfect match. I want but NATCH, it doesn't come out in Europe til' November so who knows when it'll come out in the Americas. On top of that, it's $1,679. Double NATCH!

Posted by tranism at 3:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Samsung Thinks Thin

That should be their motto because they've totally abandoned the whole bigger is better thing. Leave that to LG and Panasonic. Samsung wants to beat out Sony, who's been touting the world's thinnest TV. Now Samsung has something to show and tell. This beauty is barely 1 cm thick. Not as thin as some of what we've seen from Sony but Samsung has managed to do it with a 40" screen. Now that's impressive. The LED backlight makes for some really crisp imagery, not to mention the lower power consumption; only 90 watts.

This isn't a concept either. TV's like this will be hitting the Japanese market soonish so Americans and Europeans can probably get in on wafer TV's early next year.

More over at Gizmodo

Posted by tranism at 12:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

October 18, 2007

Cute Overload From An Air Purifier

The Japanese have to "cutify" everything. Take for instance the Baby Cleamo, a.k.a baby's first air ionizer. It's TINY!, barely weighing 300g and fits in your hands. Ionizers all work the same. The remove debris and odor from the air by electrostatics. You may wonder if you need one, but when its wrapped up in a package this cute, how can you resist? Unfortunately, it's only available in Japan.

Posted by tranism at 8:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

October 17, 2007

Tango With Your iPod

Today Xtrememac announced the Tango Studio Audio System for all iPods and one-ups the previous model by including an FM radio. Snazzy.

The system is powered by two 3-inch full-range loudspeakers and a full stereo high-dynamic amplifier to deliver excellent audio performance. Tango Studio also has a clear blue LED display that relays volume, operating mode and radio frequency information. The display is cleverly concealed behind Tango Studio's cloth grill when not in use, yet easily visible when the display comes on.

Tango Studio will charge and play any iPod docked in the retractable universal dock well. Through the auxiliary input jack at the back of the unit, it can also be used with earlier iPod models, and with other devices with audio out, such as computers and gaming systems. The included advanced remote controls all functions accessible from the unit itself, allowing Tango Studio and the iPod to be controlled from up to fifty feet away.

It's affordable too. You can pre-order the Tango from Xtrememac's website now, all for just $79.

Posted by tranism at 10:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 10, 2007

If Lonely, Get A YABO

They've got robots for fighting, seniors, children; might as well design one for lonely people. Meet YABO, a robot with a permanent sweet disposition that expresses emotion thru a series of head turns, lights, sounds, and colors. YABO responds to your voice and touch via sensors galore. If that weren't enough, YABO also cleans the air and keeps it at the right temperature and humidity.

Umm, HELLO! I want one now.

Posted by tranism at 10:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 5, 2007

100 Channels

Those nutty peeps over at artlebedev decided what we as TV watching mass consumers are missing is a remote that has as many buttons as there are channels. Thus the Pultius TV remote was born. I like the pretty colors and the minimalist design but one question. I technically have 250 channels. What then?

via Notcot

Posted by tranism at 4:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

A Robot In A Car, Thanks Pivo2!

Nissan wants us to know the future is not only high-tech, but also extremely cute. The 2nd generation concept Pivo2 sure did turn heads and I mean literally.

Like the first generation, this car can maneuver into almost any spot because of its ability to turn 360º in place. What the second gen Pivo adds is a super cute R2D2-like robot on your dash. The robot not only helps you drive but also answers any questions you might have, like where the nearest Starbucks is. Seriously, I'll feel like Driving Miss Daisy, circa 2030 in this thing.

More pictures and video after the jump.

Posted by tranism at 4:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

October 4, 2007

Phone Wants To Know If You're Well

NTT Docomo (I love saying that) chose Ceatec 2007 to show off their latest concept phone, the Wellness Navigator. Sure it's touchscreen, yes it plays music and makes phone calls but it also does something your current phone can't - it tells you if you're well. What exactly is well?

The phone can measure body fat, weight, blood pressure, calculate your BMI and even doubles as a digital pedometer for workouts. But the real clincher is the built-in, "how bad is your breath" hardware. I have no idea what the phone is measuring but a little blow into a small hole comes back with how stank and rank your breath is on that large beautiful display.

More pictures after the jump.

Posted by tranism at 4:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

October 1, 2007

Bang & Olufsen Serenata

Being a big fan of the B&O Serene for a long time, I'm really excited about this - the Serenata. Designed by David Lewis, it's not as much a phone (it does make calls; but with even less of a keyboard than the iPhone, it's not very useful for texting or email) - as it is a portable B&O sound system.

It has no less than three speakers (one for calls and two for music), and will play music (Mp3, WMA, AAC) using the speaker for five hours, or via headset for 13. Other features of note include: 3G and the possibility to use it as a remote control via Bluetooth. Bad news include: no Mac-support, and it'll most likely make your wallet cry.

Posted by twisted at 11:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

September 18, 2007

A Laptop With Holographic Tendencies

This Sony Vaio Zoom notebook concept is hot! Made from glass and plastic, it employs holographic technology to display images and controls. When off, the screen is totally transparent and the keyboard is opaque. Turn it on and holograms come to life. The technologies involved are a ways off but here's hoping they come sooner than later.

Another pic after the jump.

via Yanko Design

Posted by tranism at 4:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Have You Seen Toyota's Smart Car Competitor?

It's called the IQ and tho it's just a concept, Toyota wants it to be the most affordable car ever. The design is sound and all the components are real. However safety is a key concern for the company as is reliability and they refuse to release a super compact car until those concerns meet with their standards. In the mean time, check out how short the the IQ is. Only when superimposed on Toyota's smallest car in the U.S., the Yaris, can you see how tiny it is.

More pics after the jump.

Posted by tranism at 1:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

September 13, 2007

He'll Replace Your Kids Someday

It's like Spielberg's movie A.I. all over again. Roboticist David Hanson just unveiled his cool and very Jet-ex Saturday morning looking robot boy called Zeno which just so happens to be named after his real live 18 month old son.

The 17" tall robot is capable of expressing emotion thru a range of servos and a skin he calls "frubber". Tho the idea may seem a little sinister, Hanson only designed Zeno to be an edutainment bot. This could be the next big Christmas toy. Expect to shell out 200-300 dollars once it hits store shelves.

Mmm hmm, that's how it all starts.

via Yahoo

Posted by tranism at 12:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

September 6, 2007

BOOM! Steve Jobs Gives Back $100

I know tons of early iPhone adopters stomped away in disgust yesterday when Apple announced a $200 drop on the iPhone, moving the $600 price tag down to $400. Although I was not upset because I know the price of being an early adopter, I'm very happy to hear Steve Jobs has decided to soothe the wounds of his legions by giving them a $100 store credit. In an open letter (that's class), Steve describes navigating tech waters where prices can fluctuate like ripples in the ocean is very difficult. He still believes the $200 price drop was necessary but understands that many early iPhone adopters felt shafted and so he wants to try and make things right.

Read the open letter after the jump.

To all iPhone customers:

I have received hundreds of emails from iPhone customers who are upset about Apple dropping the price of iPhone by $200 two months after it went on sale. After reading every one of these emails, I have some observations and conclusions.

First, I am sure that we are making the correct decision to lower the price of the 8GB iPhone from $599 to $399, and that now is the right time to do it. iPhone is a breakthrough product, and we have the chance to 'go for it' this holiday season. iPhone is so far ahead of the competition, and now it will be affordable by even more customers. It benefits both Apple and every iPhone user to get as many new customers as possible in the iPhone 'tent'. We strongly believe the $399 price will help us do just that this holiday season.

Second, being in technology for 30+ years I can attest to the fact that the technology road is bumpy. There is always change and improvement, and there is always someone who bought a product before a particular cutoff date and misses the new price or the new operating system or the new whatever. This is life in the technology lane. If you always wait for the next price cut or to buy the new improved model, you'll never buy any technology product because there is always something better and less expensive on the horizon. The good news is that if you buy products from companies that support them well, like Apple tries to do, you will receive years of useful and satisfying service from them even as newer models are introduced.

Third, even though we are making the right decision to lower the price of iPhone, and even though the technology road is bumpy, we need to do a better job taking care of our early iPhone customers as we aggressively go after new ones with a lower price. Our early customers trusted us, and we must live up to that trust with our actions in moments like these.

Therefore, we have decided to offer every iPhone customer who purchased an iPhone from either Apple or AT&T, and who is not receiving a rebate or any other consideration, a $100 store credit towards the purchase of any product at an Apple Retail Store or the Apple Online Store. Details are still being worked out and will be posted on Apple's website next week. Stay tuned.

We want to do the right thing for our valued iPhone customers. We apologize for disappointing some of you, and we are doing our best to live up to your high expectations of Apple.

Steve Jobs
Apple CEO

Posted by tranism at 2:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

September 5, 2007

A Cat And An Apple

Jaguar's Design Director Ian Callum let it slip the company's latest offering, the XF, is a direct result of working with Apple. I'm not talking about the look of the car. I'm talking about the interface and if you know anything about Apple, you know they are applauded for creating some of the most intuitive and sexiest interfaces in the industry. A big portion of this "collaboration" is the XF's new start button. It's a giant knob that takes the place of a standard stick. When activated, it "pulses and vibrates" as if the car is breathing. Once running, the hidden vents rise up and the "Jaguar Drive" digital interface initializes.

Wow, I know this is sorta old news but I wanted to find out as much as I could before posting, particularly this "Jaguar Drive" interface. Unfortunately, looks like I'll have to wait for the XF's to arrive at my local dealership. Another interesting tidbit is Callum's comment about simplifying. One of Apple's trademarks is eliminating buttons; this in an age when cars are getting more buttons with every revision. I can't wait to test drive this car.

Posted by tranism at 3:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Shaving The High-Tech Way

Triple blades, rotary blades, self cleaning mechanisms - electric shavers have come a long way and one of the industry's leading brands is taking the best from its toothbrush line and merging it with its shavers to create the electric razor of the future. It's called the Braun Pulsonic.

So what makes the Pulsonic so revolutionary? Not only do the blades lift and cut facial hair from the base, but the incredibly fast microvibrations make sure every wisker is thoroughly taken care of. It comes with Braun's very unique charging/cleaning dock station to keep your razor in tip top condition and also achieves another first by qualifying for the government's Energy Star program, consuming 64% less energy than competing shavers.

Gentleman, $235 buys you a shave your lady (or guy) friend will appreciate.

Posted by tranism at 2:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

August 31, 2007

WTF Sony Rolly

News of Sony's new Walkman called the Rolly leaked to the internet weeks ago. It was then described as a pill shaped MP3 player designed for the active lifestyle. Now we have a leaked video to go by so we can officially add "pet robot" to that description.

Rolly sorta looks like a Miuro - the dancing, following, STALKING robot. I kinda want one but I'm still not entirely sure what it is.

Posted by tranism at 9:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

August 30, 2007

Frenchies Like It Hybrid Too

While America and Japan have jumped onto the hybrid bandwagon, Europe held steadfast about diesel being a better alternative. Peugeot decided to have the best of both words. Debuting at this years Frankfurt auto show, the 308 Hyrbid HDi is a shining example of a car that will shut up both camps.

The 308 HDi looks just like the regular 308 but underneath the hood is an engine(s) that gets 69 mpg while producing only 90 g/km of CO2. That's like super super super low emissions. The awesome thing is it's no concept. It goes on sale 2010.

So here comes the bad part. Peugeot hasn't had a presence in the U.S. since the 80's. There are rumors they're coming back but take that with a grain of salt. The other bad news is timing. The Japanese and American auto companies plan to have all electric and fuel cell vehicles on the roads by then.

On another note, why is it that all Peugeots look like baleen whales? Hit the jump to see the hybrid status screen.

Posted by tranism at 8:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

August 29, 2007

Nokia Admits To Copying Apple

It's one thing when small Chinese manufacturers create iPhone clones, it's another when a huge international company like Nokia does the same thing. During the Nokia GoPlay event earlier this morning, the company gave a glimpse into the future of Nokia interface design. Sadly the concept phone and user interface are both total Apple iPhone rip offs. What's even sadder is Nokia's Executive VP admitting it.

"If there is something good in the world then we copy with pride."

Watch the video after the jump.

via Engadget

Posted by tranism at 2:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

August 28, 2007

Brix And Other Brix

The Brix concept is a touchscreen cellphone with one added bonus, you can combine multiple Brix together and increase screen real estate. So if you and all your friends have a Brix, just put them together. Suddenly you have a nice sized TV. Genius right?

More at Yanko Design

Posted by tranism at 11:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Robots Have Terrible Handwriting

When this video was released, I was first intrigued, then kind of dismissive, but now I'm a little worried. I may be a futurist at times but this appendage strikes me as familiar. I think less than a hundred years from now, our robots turn on us and when stripped of their fleshly appearance, look a lot like Airic's Arm.

That's what this robot is called... err, rather it's just an arm for now but a mighty impressive one. Researchers are showing how studies of human anatomy have allowed them to take biomimetics to the next level. They don't say how strong the arm is but it's totally capable of pumping a weight, without tiring out too. I guess I can take comfort in knowing it has terrible handwriting tho.

via Core77

Posted by tranism at 11:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 21, 2007

LG Loosens The Grip On My iPhone

My loyalty to electronics sucks. I admit it. I always want the next best thing and up until now, there wasn't anything on the market that could break the iPhone spell holding me over, except for the new LG KU990.

This baby sports a 3" 240x400 pixel touchscreen using an updated interface similar to the LG Prada. On the flipside you'll find a 5.1 megapixel Schneider-Kreuznack camera with image stabilization, auto focus, LED flash, ISO 800, and can record at 120 fps!

Now its faults. A big touchscreen still isn't the cool multi-touchscreen found on the iPhone. Although the U.I. is nice, it's still not as nice at the iPhone's. Multimedia functions are a plenty but again, not as polished as the iPhone. The one thing it has that almost all iPhone users wish they had is 3G HSDPA.

The KU990 makes its debut in Germany next month. No information regarding a Stateside release yet but I'm totally import happy. Bring it!

Posted by tranism at 2:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

August 13, 2007

Loremo Concept Is Real

When the Loremo concept made its rounds on the interweb months ago, I chose to ignore it because it uses diesel. Now I totally understand diesel today is not the same diesel 20 years ago and with the advent of bio-diesel, we're talkin' cleaner burning fuel than petrol with the mpg of a hybrid. However I personally don't see diesel as a long term strategy but it's great for the "transitional phase" the market has to go thru in order to progress to fuel cells or all electric. Now that the Loremo is real, it's exciting to see this sleek car that gets an average of 117 miles per gallon may hit the streets soon.

Live pics after the jump.

Posted by tranism at 1:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

August 10, 2007

When Is A Wii Not A Wii?

The Piss-Screen - a pressure-sensitive inlay set within urinals, enabling users to play while they pee. They installed this newfangled creation in male restrooms across Frankfurt, teaming up with a variety of bars, clubs and cafés. The game itself was displayed on a screen above each urinal, and would automatically start as soon as someone began to pee. The player could then control the car whilst relieving himself – if they wanted the car to go right, they simply peed to the right (and visa versa).

The overall design of the driving game was similar in style to that of Need for Speed, requiring relatively quick reactions. Obviously the more drunk you are, the slower your response, reinforcing the effects of alcohol to the gamer. The game ultimately culminates in a shocking crash-sequence, leaving the viewer with little doubt as to the repercussions of driving while drunk.

Check out the video here and NO you won't be seeing any exposed wangs.

Posted by tranism at 4:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Aibo Paws His Way Back From The Dead

Wow, I'm so ecstatic about this even tho it's not 100% confirmed, the fact that it came from Sony is enough for me. It seems Aibo was killed off because Sony had to reassign its super nerdcore army to other pressing projects (cough - PS3). Now that the Aibo team has finished work on the PS3 there's been talk about possibly restarting work on Aibo. No wait, A SUPER AIBO. Imagine that, one that's faster, smarter, and spews more robotic puppy love than you can take. There's even talk of connecting Aibo to the PS3 for some real technological divergence. Straight from the horse's mouth;

"The enginners behind the Aibo are doing the PS3. We are talking about making something like the new Aibo."

Oh Joy! Pleo who?

Posted by tranism at 4:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

August 8, 2007

Classic Nintendo Games On iPhone

Yes somebody has written an NES emulator for the iPhone. The interface is pretty slick with a portion of the screen simulating the NES controller. It also comes with some of the best NES ROMS pre-installed like Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda. Unfortunately it requires several software hacks to work and even if you get that far, there's no sound and it runs pretty slower.

Patience people, all in due time. Baby steps. Hit the jump to see it in action.

via New Launches

Posted by tranism at 2:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Hoverboards So Real

Remember the hover skateboard from Back to the Future Part II? Well that lil' gem may be a reality someday. There's research regarding maglev technology that could potentially harness something called the casimir force - strong enough to repel even heavy objects and suspend them in mid-air.

Professor Ulf Leonhardt and Dr Thomas Philbin, from the University of St Andrews in Scotland, have worked out a way of reversing this pheneomenon, known as the Casimir force [wiki], so that it repels instead of attracts.

Their discovery could ultimately lead to frictionless micro-machines with moving parts that levitate But they say that, in principle at least, the same effect could be used to levitate bigger objects too, even a person.

via Neatorama

Posted by tranism at 2:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

August 4, 2007

Tondon Keeps An Eye On You

Tondon is yet another autonomous cleaning robot but he's loaded with some additional features that are pretty neat. Tondon is in charge of cleaning a 14-story Bali themed luxury apartment complex in Tokyo. What makes Tondon special is an optical communication system that freely lets him use the buildings elevators as needed.

In addition to his sophisticated cleaning tools he's also equipped with proximity sensors, which helps him better coexist with the buildings residents and avoid collisions with people.

Several video cameras record the robot's every move so that he can't take naps on the job. Cameras are also used as hallway surveillance, pretty cool to have him clean as a disguise when he's really just keeping an eye on you.

via trendhunter

Posted by diverseawareness at 12:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

August 3, 2007

Touching Time

Ironically Daniel just posted about how Zebra fish stem cells may cure blindness in people. Until then, the Swatch Sens clock may help those with vision problems do something most of us take for granted - tell time.

Designed by Arnaud Lapierre, the Sens project was designed for Swatch with some real production possibilities if the market is right. The ceramic device has a 12 hour marker written in braille to indicate which way is up. The upper ring denotes what hour it is simply by its distance from the 12 hour marker. Beneath that ring is another one set for an alarm. Feeling out the difference in distance between the alarm ring to the hour ring in relation to the 12 hour marker tells you how much time you have left to sleep. When the two rings line up, the alarm rings.

They had me at ceramic. More pictures after the jump.

via Yanko Design

Posted by tranism at 3:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

AU KDDI Concept Phones Possibly A Reality

AU KDDI is by far my favorite Japanese mobile provider. They're not afraid to push the envelope with design and features. Now word on the street is some of their concept phones such as the beautiful Actface may make it to market. The flip phone is dominated by two huge touchscreens that can adapt to whatever application you're currently in. Simple and beautiful. Gearfuse has a few more pics and while you're at it, check out this video of the Actface in action.

Posted by tranism at 3:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

iPhone Chat, eBuddy or FlickIM

Hey iPhone users, what chat program are you currently using. I was using FlickIM since it has a clean interface and accepts media like pictures. However, eBuddy for iPhone was released yesterday and although it's just beta software, it already eclipses FlickIM in features. I like the tabbed interface and the support for MSN, Yahoo, AIM, and Gtalk. I still prefer how clean FlickIM looks but can't decide which program I like most. What do you think?

Posted by tranism at 2:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Man You're So Hardcore

That's why you rock the new Skullcandy G.I. headphones. For a mere $69.95, you gets some decent headphones decked out with enough accouterments to prove your hardcoreness. Fake bullets, digital camo, and four colors to choose from; desert camo, black, leather, and rasta.

Posted by tranism at 2:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Paper Record Player

Got a couple old school records laying around but don't want to invest in a record player? Why not make your own? All you need is some sturdy paper, a cone, and a steady hand to turn the record at 33 rpm.

Posted by tranism at 2:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 27, 2007

You's Gon' Die If You Keep Smoking

Says the ashtray. Yes this ashtray actually calculates how many days you've shaved off your life by lighting up. A complex sensor weighs the amount of ash in the tray and calculates the sum of your life based off your own personal stats. The number is prominently displayed on the bottom of the ashtray. If that wasn't enough, the whole thing gets blacker if you keep smoking.

via Yanko Design

Posted by tranism at 11:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (12)

Stick Your Head In It, It's First Person Pinball

The Furminator is a pinball machine that puts the player in a first person perspective similar to games like Half Life and Halo. Like being inside a huge VR-helmet, the player's head is stuck into the capsule. His nose is situated right behind the flipper fingers, only centimeters away from the ball. Sealed off from reality and with his head arrested inside a force-feedback-helmet, the sound- and light effects, the mechanical noises of the pinball and the absorbing perspective create a highly immersive mechatronic environment, if not a bit dizzying. Seriously, this is what our parents were afraid of during the height of arcades in the 80's - a bunch of zombie like video game freaks.

Check out the video.

Posted by tranism at 2:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

July 18, 2007

Ionic Breeze Watch Out

I own 3, yes count 'em 3 Ionic Breezes. You know, the gadget that purifies your air using the power of ions instead of filters. It doesn't really go with the post modern thing I'm doing to my living room but the Ion Flow does.

Looking like it came out of Star Trek circa 2375, the Ion Flow does everything the Ionic Breeze does, but just in a sleeker package and glows a hypnotic blue when it needs cleaning. At $495, it's about the same price as the top of the line Ionic Breeze. Unfortunately I couldn't find any info regarding certifications from different independent firms. If you don't already own an Ion air purifier, get one. You'll be amazed.

Another picture after the jump.

via Gizmodo

Posted by tranism at 5:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 13, 2007

Samsung Transformer

See, now if Samsung made a working version of this concept Transformer, they could have easily fended off the hordes of iPhone fanboys. Hell, even if the phone itself was janky, I'd still buy one because it's a freakin' TRANSFORMER. There's a little video of it here.

via Cell Phone Beat

Posted by tranism at 12:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

July 12, 2007

Connext Be All You Can Be Device

It's a given, the future is all flexible screens and convergence technologies. The Connext concept by James Zhang takes that ethos to the extreme. Imagine a device made almost entirely of flexible E-paper able to simulate any interface to suit the given application be it a phone, game pad or video watching. What's more, we're talkin' ultra portability since its flexible nature allows it to turn into a watch.

From a full QWERTY keypad to a watch? That's hot.

More at Yanko Design

Posted by tranism at 11:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

July 10, 2007

An Alarming Ring

You ever wake up to the jolting sounds of a repetitive "eh eh eh eh eh eh eh" and find yourself stumbling around trying to shut it off? I do, almost every morning and I'm tired of it. I'm ready for a new way to wake up.

The "Ring" is an alternative solution that fits a vibrating ring around your finger. When the right time arrives, the ring vibrates until you place it back on its charging cradle. What's cool about this is if you have a spouse that wakes up at a different hour. No longer will you disturb them. Too bad it's just a concept.

More at Yanko Design

Posted by tranism at 6:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

July 9, 2007

AIM, iChat, MSN, Yahoo, GoogleTalk, ICQ, Jabber All On iPhone

So if you didn't know by now, the iPhone doesn't have an instant messenger. True that seems to be a key feature they left out but I have no doubt Apple is working on a version of iChat for iPhone. Until then, there are a myriad of free instant messengers for the iPhone. My favorite is BeeJive. Originally created for the Blackberry, they've written a version for iPhone and although just an alpha release, works beautifully.

And yes it supports all the major chat protocols out there so if you see me online (those that have my screen name) at odd hours, I'm probably BeeJivin' from my iPhone.

Thanks Spiro!

Posted by tranism at 12:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Want A BJ?

Pun intended, BJ is the next generation robotic pooch designed for research and competition. Since Sony killed off Aibo and Aibo is getting a little long in the tech, the game was set for a successor. It seems BJ is the answer.

BJ stands 12.2 inches tall and runs on a custom Linux OS package powered by an ARM processor. It's got a little camera and a ton of sensors but it looks so damn ugly. I'm sure it can do more than Aibo and at nearly 3x the cost ($4,853), it better. However this thing will never win a beauty pageant as long as Aibo is around.

via Impress

Posted by tranism at 12:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Two Phones Are Better Than One

This is kinda cool. The Duofone concept expands its capabilities by combining with it's partner. The screen becomes, bigger, battery life increases and they even look like a couple when charging in their dock.

More at Yanko Design

Posted by tranism at 4:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 4, 2007

My iPhone Review Part 2

I've received tons of questions in regard to part 1 of my iPhone review so I will attempt to answer all of them in part 2. To recap part 1, the packaging is lousy, design is gorgeous except with a few flaws, user interface is by far the best but not without its quirks, typing takes practice but works as advertised, phoning is easy and best in class, email is the best out there but needs major improvements in organization.

Camera and Photos
The iPhone is equipped with a decent 2 megapixel camera but has no flash or auto focus. It truly is a very bare bones system. Snapping a picture couldn't be easier, just tap the camera icon and you're greeted with a cool shutter animation. The large screen makes it easy to compose your shot but keep a steady hand otherwise photos come out blurry. You'll also need A LOT of light to take a good picture. Natural sunlight is best. Indoor and night pictures leave your photos over layed with noise. As soon as you take your picture, it's saved into a photo album from where you can assign to a contact, delete, or email. That's it - you can't rename, adjust, modify, Bluetooth or send over Wi-Fi. It seems the camera and photo app. were last in priority on Apple's to-do list which is understandable since the company has no experience in camera optics other than the iSight web cam.

However what little it does do isn't executed well enough for me to say its a passable experience. For one, not being able to send photos to other devices via Bluetooth of Wi-Fi is idiotic. Being forced to use the email program is just a middle man experience and you're not even allowed to attach more than one photo at a time. The photo app. also resizes your pictures before attaching it to an email which is a BIG NO NO in my book. If a content based action isn't user initiated, don't do it for me. I hope the photo app. receives a huge overhaul soon because simple improvements like adding special effects, basic editing options, and creating custom albums would have saved the experience. Unfortunately I'm reluctant to believe if Apple will ever integrate those features because it's clear to me, they want you to use iPhoto. That's right, the only way to get photos in and out of your phone is to use iPhoto. The only way to edit and organize your pictures is thru iPhoto. If the phone were able to do this all locally, there would be no need to use iPhoto.

I want Apple to recognize people are not stupid and feigning iPhoto is better for the non-tech savvy is a poor excuse. I can only imagine the kind of experience windows users are having since there isn't a windows version of iPhoto.

Photo example taken outside in bright light
Photo example taken outside at night

Calendaring
I'm afraid iCal on iPhone is just a baby version of its desktop brother. Yes syncing appointments is easy enough but here again Apple falters by forcing you to use the desktop version of iCal to do most of your composing and editing. I believe windows users resolve to using the built in calendar in Outlook.

Composing appointments is far too complicated on the iPhone. I will even venture and say doing it on Palm is so much easier. To compose a new appointment, you choose from a list, day, or month view. It's missing a week view which is odd. After choosing the date to your appointment, you input information via alternating screens, one for the title, one for the time, one to set an alarm, and one to set if it's a repeating event. On Palm, you handle all that on one screen. which means less tapping and more productivity.

The iPhone won't recognize multiple calendars so if you have one set for work and personal, it will just group them all together. When you sync back up to your computer, any new appointments created on the iPhone will create a new calendar in iCal called "@inbox". Umm. . . What the f*@K we're they thinking??? You know what? iCal on iPhone sucks, point blank period. Apple needs to improve this ASAP. Having a poor photo app. is one thing but crippled calendaring is unacceptable if you're calling it a smartphone. If the dated Palm OS can do it so well, Apple has no excuse.

YouTube and Videos
I'm not a person that watches videos on portable devices but having YouTube on the go is pretty cool. It's by far the best implementation of YouTube on any mobile platform. The only one that comes close is Helio's implementation but it lacks Apple's polish. You can browse the most popular videos, search for something specific, bookmark them and email a link to a friend. You can not however log into your YouTube account or upload videos. In fact the iPhone doesn't record video at all. The search results are also restrained for some reason. I searched Britney Spears on my desktop and found thousands of results. On the iPhone, the same search query only returned 25 results. I'm not sure how that works but it makes it seem as if content is limited. The only way to find something is to really know what it is you're looking for.

Video quality is dependent on the original source. Some videos are meh and some are really beautiful. That is of course over Wi-Fi. Switch to AT&T's EDGE connection and you automatically get lower quality video and in about 50% of my experience, most were too pixelated to watch. I will say however loading videos over Wi-FI and EDGE are fast since it's streaming. It only takes about 5 to 10 seconds to preload before playback starts.

Watching movies synced from iTunes is a different story. They play beautifully. I own A LOT of phones and it wasn't until I watched an HD podcast on the iPhone did I actually mutter "wow" aloud. The pixel response seems fast so you don't get none of the blurry stuff during fast paced action scenes. Color is good with the only detriment being in the blacks which look more like grey due to the screen's backlighting. I'm just being picky here tho. Most people won't even notice those things. The screen is large enough to watch a full length movie comfortably and accessing controls all happen with a series of simple taps. All movies play in landscape mode and before you ask, you can not send a movie to somebody else, even if it's non DRM'd. The built in speaker is too weak even at its loudest so make sure you have headphones plugged in.

iPod
Can the iPhone replace your iPod? For the most part yes. It does everything the iPod does and in some cases does it better. Getting music on and off your iPhone happens just like on your iPod. Playback is also similar with the addition of Coverflow. Some people love Coverflow and some people think its superfluous. I'm with the latter since I prefer searching by artist name or by preset playlists I've carefully organized on iTunes. The only thing it seems to be missing is playlists on the go. On the iPod, you can dynamically create new playlists simple by holding down the select button over a song for a few seconds.

Although the iPhone sports the same dock connector as the iPod, most iPod accessories will not work with full functionality. Take my radio transmitter. It works but the phone prompts me about my mobile signal being affected and vice versa. I tested it out and sure enough, with my transmitter plugged in, my calls were going straight to voicemail. I also noticed a strange intermittent static or hiss that was very faint. I assume it all has to do with the cellular signal not intermingling well with the FM transmission. Rest assured 3rd party companies will release a slew of new accessories for the iPhone. Just be prepared to spend more money.

Google Maps
I can't tell you how awesome Google Maps is on the iPhone. They really outdid themselves. iPhone's version is much prettier and works well over Wi-Fi and EDGE. It's neatly tied in with contacts and the phoning system itself. Just like the commercial, I searched for Seafood. Almost instantly Google Maps found all relevant locations and tapping on any one of them gave me their contact info. From there I could call, save them as a contact or visit their website. I also tried getting driving directions from my house to work. Sure enough it works flawlessly. I just wish the instructions would utilize the entire screen since the small text is a little hard to read. It's not GPS based but for basic purposes, it's more than enough. One of my favorite features is the traffic checker. It color codes major roads and freeways so I know what areas to avoid and trust me, living in L.A., this feature is almost a God send. So is there any room for improvement?

Yes, but I wouldn't call it improvements. They're more like additional features. It would be nice if my iPhone could speak the driving directions aloud. I would also like the ability to send directions to other phones in the form of an email or better yet, text messages. Sometimes my friends call me for directions and instead of having them try and remember everything, a text message with included instructions from my iPhone would be nice.

Web Browsing
Ah Safari, probably one of the best things on the iPhone and it works just as advertised. It really is a real web browser, not some baby version. Surfing the web over Wi-Fi is wonderful. Tapping and pinching to zoom in and out of areas is so damn intuitive. Flicking to scroll is faster than a mouse. There are even tabs and a built in RSS reader. Turning the iPhone sideways automatically rotates the screen. The sensor is smart enough to know if you've turn the unit to the right or left. It makes viewing wide sites a lot easier and the iPhone becomes more comfortable to hold in your hand. Up until now, the best mobile browser was Opera but Safari really takes the cake in terms of usability and features.

Safari is only as good as its connection and over EDGE, it becomes a turtle. Cute and cool but oh so slow. It has no option to optimize pages for slower connections like Opera does so you just have to sit and wait thru the load times. It also has no flash support so using the real YouTube or other flash based video sharing sites are a no go.

One neat feature in Safari has to do with the keyboard. It's the only time the keyboard switches to landscape mode if you turn the iPhone on its side. With more space, the keys are larger and spaced out. If this were the default size of the keyboard, typing would really be a non issue. The compromise is you can only see about 2 lines of text at one time which isn't a big deal since most things you type are one liners anyways. This landscape keyboard mode is something I wish were available in texting and emailing.

Connectivity
The iPhone has 3 ways to wirelessly connect to external sources; EDGE, Wi-FI, and Bluetooth. EDGE works invisibly and is the default connection. I'm seeing download speeds of around 100 kbps to 220 kbps. That's incredibly slow compared to 3G which fluctuates between 1 mbps to 3.6 mbps. The slow speed affects every part of the phone from emailing to browsing the net. but if you've never had 3G before, it may not bother you as much. Unfortunately it doesn't allow you to share it's connection with a computer which is odd.

The iPhone's saving grace is Wi-Fi which works better than any other similarly equipped phone. I'm going to compare it to the Nokia N95 which was the last Wi-Fi equipped phone I got my paws on. The iPhone always wants to be on Wi-Fi and thus keeps an eye out on open signals. When it detects one it asks you if you want to connect to it. Tap yes and it'll remember that setting incase you ever wander into the same area again. So far, my iPhone knows my home, work, and the local Burbank library. Each time I enter into one of those areas, it automatically switches from EDGE to Wi-Fi. On the Nokia N95, you have to search out and switch to available signals manually. It's just one example where Apple's rhetoric of simplification benefits the end user.

Unfortunately Bluetooth is crippled. Technically the phone supports Bluetooth 2.0 therefor it supports fast file transfers, and stereo headphones but the iPhone offers neither. You can only use Bluetooth to pair headsets. I'm not sure why Apple chose to do this but one can assume it has to do with furthering securing the way the OS handles files. After all, having free open Bluetooth means I can send other people files, songs, pictures, and even movies. Even if those files are DRM'd, it's the only reason why I see Apple crippling Bluetooth functionality. Fortunately a simple software update can open it up and I hope we see one soon.

Customization
I'll keep this short and simple. Wallpapers are the only customizable content. Ringtones, changing icons, placement of icons, changing shortcuts, - all the things smartphone users are accustomed to are not available on the iPhone. For why you ask? Because Apple is controlling. Allowing you to change too much on the phone could potentially break it. It's a system that requires the utmost rigidity in order to seamlessly function within the Apple ecosystem. The included ringtones are good, but not good enough. You can't choose a song as a ringtone and you certainly can't make your own. I suspect we'll see additional ringtones for sale in iTunes someday. Until then, we're stuck with what we've got.

Battery Life
All these battery tests separating how many hours for video and how many for phone have always been alien to me. A real user never separates core functions like that. In real world usage, I find I get about a day and a half of battery life with a little web browsing, lots of video and music, lots of phone calls and texting, and lots of showing it off to people curious to touch one. I did watch a full length 1.5 hour movie and from a full charge, still had about half left. Charging it is quite fast and will accept power via the A/C adapter, USB cable, and dock connector.

The battery itself isn't user replaceable but Apple will replace it free within the limits of the 1 year warranty. After that, it'll cost you $79. An Apple iPhone extended warranty plan is in the works which will probably detail other parts of the phone such as the body and screen.

My only complaint would be heat. The aluminum conducts enough heat from the battery to make the phone uncomfortable to hold. However most people will probably buy some sort of case like I did, which keeps the heat from reaching your hand and ear.

AT&T service
I have never been an AT&T or Cingular customer. My experience is with Verizon and T-Mobile so switching did give me second thoughts. Since the iPhone works exclusively with AT&T, I had no choice and made the jump. Activation is all done via iTunes. After passing AT&T's credit check, you're to choose a plan. They're all reasonable and provide unlimited data which is key. If you fail the credit check, you can choose a go-as-you-pay plan. They cost about $15-20 more a month but give you all the same features and keeps you out of the otherwise required 2-year contract.

Initially it seemed anyone could opt for the pay-as-you-go plan but I think AT&T caught on and now only allows people with poor credit to sign up. Everyone else is required to start a new 2-year contract. HA! That's the first time I think having bad credit was a good thing. I managed to try the iPhone both on contract and go-as-you-pay. The only difference are the annoying alert messages indicating your balance if you're on the go-as-you-pay plan. They come up everytime the iPhone accesses AT&T's network. Since the iPhone is on an unlimited data plan, it's ALWAYS accessing the network, thus you get those alerts about 20 times a day. There's no way to turn them off but AT&T is aware of the problem. They're supposedly working on a solve but for now, it's a low priority.

I live in the Los Angeles area and so far, coverage is on par with my T-Mobile service. I did have a weird glitch with my voicemail which had me on hold for a total of 11 hours with AT&T. Not all at once of course. I was told 3 times to call back later and was hung up on twice. I'm not sure if AT&T was just inundated with too many new users or if this is a norm from them. I've heard stories but I'll reserve judgement for a later time. Sufficed to say, I got my voicemail straightened out and have been happy with AT&T's service thus far.

Conclusion
Apple really has a great product on hands. It truly revolutionizes how we interact with out phones and I'm not just talking about the multi-touchscreen. I'm talking about the rock solid OS. Other companies need to listen, look, and learn. Although the phone is missing many features, most if not all can be fixed with simple software updates. Apple is a company that tends to release more powerful features little by little so I'm sure in no time, the iPhone will have and do what everyone wants it to do.

The real question is would I buy the iPhone again if I knew what I know now. Yes, yes I would. Despite the fact that is has no picture messaging and can't receive them, despite being hampered by AT&T's slow EDGE network, despite not being able to send attachments from mail, despite not showing up as an external hard drive like my iPod does, despite having crippled Bluetooth, it has its wins. The iPhone is easy to use, it has the best mobile web browser, it can easily replace your iPod, it has real desktop emailing, it has an extraordinary screen, it has the best voicemail system out there, and for Mac users, it's the first time their mobile needs look and feel familiar - comparable to their desktop experience. Most importantly because of its OS X roots, it has some real potential. I'm sure we'll see some really amazing things later this year. Is it the Jesus phone people talked about? No, but it is the best smartphone out there for casual users. Business users should stay with their Treos and Blackberries for now.

Posted by tranism at 6:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

Smart Energy Saving Adapters

Did you know on average 10% of your monthly electric costs come from appliances in standby mode? Yes even in sleep, they can waste a lot of electricity. That's why this smart energy saving adapter concept is one I'm very intrigued with. Each unit monitors power consumption to one device. When it detects sleep mode, a cool organic light pattern appears on the top of the unit, beckoning you to turn off the device. If you don't respond within 3 minutes, the adapter powers the device off itself.

via Yanko Design

More pictures after the jump.

Posted by tranism at 1:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

July 3, 2007

My iPhone Review Part 1

Yes I am one of the hundreds of thousands that picked up an iPhone this past weekend. I convinced myself not to get a 1st-gen product but by 7 PM Friday, I couldn't hold out any longer thus my bank account became $600 poorer, $649.49 to be exact. So what do I think about the uber, Jesus, end-all iPhone? I can summarize in one statement; it's all that and a bag of chips, but you feel kinda gypped because the bag is only half full. Hit the jump for the full review.

Packaging
It's one thing to charge $600 for a product but it's another when that product comes from Apple. People have come to expect the best packaging from a company synonymous with design. The iPhone packaging doesn't live up to Apple's repertoire. It seems lackluster and rushed. I've purchased countless desktops, laptops, and iPods from Apple and their packaging all have one thing in common - attention to detail. The way things open up, unfold, reveal themselves, clever little messages, play with type, plastic caps on cables, neat twisty ties - all those are missing from the iPhone packaging. What you get instead is just a practical solution for packaging a small electronic device that comes with a few peripherals (headphone, dock, USB cable, a/c charger). Nothing fancy here.

Design
The iPhone is a gorgeous piece of industrial design. The glass screen, the brushed aluminum, the mirrored Apple logo, and chrome accents all scream "I'm expensive and I want everyone to know it". True, everyone would know it. You could spot an iPhone from half a block away. As minimal as the design is, it looks like nothing else out there. Ports and tactile buttons are thoughtfully placed. Rocker switches feel firm and slightly clicky.

But not all is fine and dandy. There are two major flaws in the design, one of which I guarantee will be addressed in a revised iPhone. For one, the two speaker grills surrounding the dock connector aren't both speakers. One is a mic and the other is a mono speaker. I would think Apple engineers could have found a better place for the mic and use both grills as a speaker. For a device that plays music and videos, it's surprising it only spits out mono sound. I guess Apple thought most people would use headphones but there's a design flaw in that as well. The standard headphone jack is deeply recessed into the top of the unit. The included headphone works fine but try and plug in any 3rd party headphone and you'll find the thick rubber ring around the input won't seat all the way into the headphone jack. How in the world did this get past Johnny Ive, Apple's lead industrial designer? People who splurged on a $200 pair of noise canceling headphones for the iPod will have to purchase a $10 adapter to have it work properly with the iPhone. As I said before, this is something Apple must address for the 2nd-gen version.

User Interface
Hands down the best user interface of any smartphone. It blows Symbian (Nokia, Sony Ericsson), Palm, and Windows Mobile out of the water. Intuitive is the keyword here. Everything is where you'd expect it to be. No need to read manuals, 10 minutes and you're up to speed. Apple's legendary skill in user interface design pays off and the iPhone reaps all the benefits from decades of practice. Starting up the phone only takes about 5-8 seconds. Menu animations have a whimsical quality to them. Flicking, touching, pecking your finger around the screen feels easy. The touchscreen is hyper sensitive so getting around is a cinch.

But there's definitely room for improvement. One HUGE caveat is no copy/paste function, which is counter intuitive for a device so heavily reliant on touchscreen. How easy would it be to highlight a line of text to copy and paste somewhere else? I can't imagine why Apple left this function out.

The OS also needs some sort of path bread crumbing, a way for the system to remember where you came from as you move from app. to app. Without it, you're always required to back out using the home button and drill back down into the menus apps. again. They're never too deep but it's still an annoyance. For example, I could be viewing photos and then notified of a new text message. I click to view it but in order to get back to my photos, I'd have to click the home button, and select the photo app. again. A global back button that remembers the last place I was in would be super helpful in making it one less click to navigate around.

Keyboard
It's the one thing smartphone users questioned when they saw the virtual QWERTY keyboard. There are boatloads of reviews on how well typing works so I won't get into too much detail here. I will say this. It does take some getting used to. Your first few days with it are liable to convince you this was the worst mistake on the iPhone. But give it a few days more and you realize it just takes practice. After a week or two, you'll be typing with both thumbs dramatically improving speed. The predictive text isn't as smart but it apparently learns. As you get to know the phone, the phone tries to get to know you. It's a cool little union so you don't wanna give up on it. Just give it some time and you'll forget how difficult the first few days were.

Aside from that, its very sensitive and doesn't lag between keystrokes. My only complaint would be how you have to switch keyboard menus to access punctuation. I know there's not much room to begin with but basic punctuation marks like periods, question marks, and commas should really exist on the same screen as the alpha-numeric keyboard.

Phoning
Phoning is probably the best thing the iPhone does which is awesome since it's first and foremost a phone. You can't even use any of the other features without an active AT&T account so those of you thinking of using it exclusively as an email/video/music device can forget about it.

The sound quality is very good. The rocker style volume switch makes it easy to adjust. Conference calling, holding calls, answering call waiting, and manually punching in phone numbers is a cinch. Everything just works and works beautifully.

Visual Voicemail is absolutely awesome. Why telcom carriers didn't do this before is a mystery to me. They could have charged it as a separate service and I'm positive people would buy it. The ability to see voicemails labeled by contact name or caller I.D. number and to listen to any one of them regardless or recorded order is so cool. My mother leaves tons of voicemails, epic ones and sometimes I want to skip them and listen later (sorry mom). It's all much easier than doing the whole "press 9 to save" thing. On the iPhone, just tap, tap and you're done. It also archives voicemails so know that you can always go back. This feature is a real winner and one I hope other carriers copy.

Writing Emails
I have never seen an email program this beautifully executed on a phone. Sure there are plenty of programs for WinMo and Palm but they don't come close to this in terms of ease. Setting up your account(s) is a cinch. You can either opt to sync with your computer in which case you're done. The syncing process does everything for you. You can also manually go in and set it up yourself. The phone already has pre-setups for Yahoo, Gmail, and .Mac. Just enter in your login username/password and you're good to go. If you use Yahoo mail, it automatically gets pushed to your phone instantaneously. I hope Gmail and .Mac see push service soon. It's both a time and battery saver.

Yes, it has a few flaws. First off, managing multiple mailboxes is cumbersome. When you tap into the mail app., you're presented with a list of all your email accounts. You then drill down thru each one to access your mail. I wish they would have followed the structure set in the desktop version of Mail. Mailboxes are grouped into a tree filing system. That way everything stays on one screen and the only time you'd move to the next is to read mail. There's also no way to multiple select. The app. gives you the option to move and delete mail but doing it one-by-one is a chore. I hope this is an issue Apple addresses very soon. Lastly, you can't add attachments from the app. If I want to email a photo, you have to go into the photo app. and do it from there. It's a convoluted way of doing things so again I hope Apple addresses this issue.

Check back tomorrow as I cover the camera, YouTubing, iPod, Google Maps, web browsing, connectivity, customization, and AT&T's service.

Posted by tranism at 3:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (13)

June 30, 2007

We Have iPhone

Ladies and gentleman, cats and dogs, tigers and bears. Both Selectroclash and I have iPhones. We have been playing all night. We'll write up full reviews later. So far, everything works as advertised and AT&T's EDGE speed boost has been awesome. There's hardly any wait time loading web pages and YouTube videos.

Goodnight!

Posted by tranism at 2:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)

June 29, 2007

My Card Says I'm Out Of Money

I have a bad shopping habit, REALLY BAD. I buy heaps (Aussie word of the day) of video games, toys, clothes, and the most costly - electronics. My shopping addiction is enabled by my refusal to use cash since cash is a very tangible and visible way to gauge what you can and can't afford. Thats why I'm an ATM/credit card swipin' fool.

Enter Jacob Palmborg's, "Card" concept. The RFID enabled card links to all of your money accounts and displays them on a screen. The whole thing is biometrically secured so no worries about someone else getting your info. You can even use it to shop like an ATM card but here's the catch. It tells you how much money you have left and forecasts what kind of situation you'll be in if you buy "said item". OMG, it's like having a pocket sized conscience! Since it's just a web enabled screen, the card can also double as ID, any ID.

So lets see, this "card" basically consolidates a lot of what I carry in my wallet. Now if it were a phone too, I'd be set. Speaking of phones, where was this when I contemplated on throwing down $600 for an iPhone. I think my checking account went from a disconcerting smile to an all out sad face.

via Yanko Design

More pics after the jump.

Posted by tranism at 5:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Help, I've Fallen And I Can't Get Up v.2

This is the medic alert device of the future. Dubbed "VITAL", you wear it around your wrist like a watch. It monitors your vitals and syncs up information with medical staff or your physician's office. You can measure your blood pressure and temperature by swiping it across your forehead. That's way better than a stick under your tongue or even worse, a stick up your arse!

The cool thing is all the information transmits wirelessly. Your vital readings could also indicate how your daily life affects your health. Imagine receiving customized reports on how to relax. It could tell you you're not getting enough sleep. Most importantly if can notify someone if you've fallen and can't get up.

It does all this but doesn't tell time. Go figure.

via Yanko Design

Hit the jump for another picture.

Posted by tranism at 4:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

June 28, 2007

I'm Gonna Bathe My Mouse

As I lift up my mouse I can see it's filthy, like really gross. Some kind of balled up lint/dirt thing all along the bottom edge. And then I come across this post on Slashgear about a new washable mouse by Belkin. Why didn't anyone think of this before. It's brilliant. No longer will I have to fidget with alcohol and Q-tips. I can just dunk the sucker in a sink full of hot water.

Okay so a washable mouse is pretty cool but is it any good? By specs alone it seems it is. It's bus powered and has an optical sensitivity of 1200dpi. Instead of a scroll wheel, there's a scroll pad that lets you scroll both vertically and horizontally. Pretty good considering it's only $29.99.

Hit the jump for another picture.

Posted by tranism at 2:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

June 25, 2007

The Mickey Player Touches Down

Finally it's here! The iriver Mplayer I so lovingly gushed over in February hits stores all over South Korea today. Designed in conjunction with the Magic Kingdom, this pong sized Mplayer sports the famous Mickey head silhouette. The ears act as your basic player controls with the main power button on the side of the head. Between the ears is a standard headphone jack and on the bottom is a mini USB port for syncing. Although screenless it more than makes up for it in cuteness factor.

The Mplayer comes with 1GB of memory and barely weighs 18 grams. MP3, WMA, and ASD formats are supported as long as they're unprotected. No word yet on when or if ever the rest of the world will see the player in stores. For now, it's South Korea only selling for $60.

Tons more pictures after the jump. 56k users, don't even think about it.

Posted by tranism at 2:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)

That's Alcohol!

I'm in love with David Boardman. He comes up with the craziest things and they all serve a purpose. The "That's Alcohol" installation is a unique ethylometer he and his team plan on proposing to the Italian police. A sensor detects the level of alcohol in a users breath triggering a series of servos and pistons that pull down string puppets . The drunker you are, the harder they fall.

Of course a device like this seems to encourage drunken behavior. After all, the only way to get the puppets to react is to be drunk off your ass. A flash based video in the installation even tells you how to reach a better "drunkenness" level. Even Boardman's project synopsis is a bit - drunk-like in its composure.

"Have another beer. Go ahead, you’ve already had what…5?…8?…13?

Just keep on drinking. You hate these student exhibits. Don’t these kids know that no one is a designer unless they have a line of cutlery and a villa in Tuscany? Hey look, those puppets did something…hmm…don’t know how they did that….oh well…where’s that fresh beer?"

I really want to meet his man.

Thanks Greg

Posted by tranism at 1:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Poop If There's A Fire

Smoke detectors are usually boring round things everyone tries to make as unobtrusive as possible. But the Chick-A-Dee smoke detector by Mooi Uit De Brand is just so darn cute, you'll have to display it for all to see. It's attached to a clamp you can place almost anywhere. When it sense the first signs of smoke, it poops sings you a warning.

You really thought it would poop huh? Now that would be an interesting smoke detector.

via Notcot

Posted by tranism at 1:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 21, 2007

iriver W10

The iriver W10 is the latest of iriver gadgets spilling out of the company's magic hat. Like the other iriver newbies, it sorta does everything with primary expertise in one area. In the case of the W10, it's media. It supports pretty much every non-DRM's format out there and displays it beautifully on the 3" LCD boasting a 480 x 272 resolution. If you have a PSP, that's the screen resolution. Other features are a mini-SD card slot and built in FM turner with recording capability.

However 3 features make it unique. This thing supports flash - so games and YouTubing are a go. It also has WiFi and an integrated positioning system. Obviously browsing the internet are within its grasp but the more interesting application for its WiFi ability is VOIP. Yes, apparently the W10 can make phone calls via the internet. Hot ain't it?

Lots more pics after the jump.

Posted by tranism at 4:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Prehistoric Destiny Comes Full Circle

The time is here. Those of you who want what could quite possibly be the next Aibo replacement is available for pre-order direct from UGOBE. Of course I'm talking about the cute and dare I say cuddly Pleo robotic dinosaur. One can be had for $349, nearly 1/3 the cost of an Aibo. Sure, it doesn't come with all of the really cool do-dads but it's not supposed to either. Pleo is supposed to simulate what a baby dinosaur may have been like. Turn it on and watch Pleo imprint you as his/her mother/father.

Just remember, baby dinos grow up to be big dinos. You all saw Jurassic Park right?

Posted by tranism at 2:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

June 20, 2007

iriver's Life Unit Does EVERYTHING

It's GORGEOUS. I can hardly contain myself. Very few electronics manufacturers understand the need for high design in ordinary gadgets. iriver is one company that gets it. What's more is they have their own design language and to their credit, it looks nothing like Apple's. One thing that really separates them from Apple is format ubiquity. They're not about choosing which formats will be supported. They support and include them all. They're not about deciding what customers want in terms of features. They include them all and let us decide.

This is why the Life Unit is so interesting. First off, it's designed by the famed Nakamichi. You can tell from it's perforated exterior and very Japanese profiling where it's origins are. Secondly, it wants to be at the center of your entertainment hub. It has a DVD player, a TV, PMP capabilities, wireless connectivity, SD slot, a port to charge and sync with iriver players, a touchscreen controller that unfolds into a 78-key QWERTY keyboard, and an LCD screen which can turn into a PMP device. Now that's entertainment on the go!

No word on pricing yet but damn this thing isn't just functional, it's also gorgeous. Hell, they should have made it a phone too and just called it a day.

BIG pictures after the jump.

Posted by tranism at 5:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

$15 Million Bounty, DARPA Wants Self Healing Invisible Shield

Flashback from the movie Predator. We see our protagonist move invisibly across a room impervious to bullets. That's the goal of DARPA. They've moved on from computer driven all terrain vehicles to some serious Star Trek sh*t. They've set aside $15 million to anyone who can create shields that not only render a soldier invisible, but will also somehow self heal.

Pssshhh, my Happy Potter cloak can do all that and more.

via Danger Room

Posted by tranism at 1:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

June 18, 2007

The iriver NV is Just Sic

First off, this device is South Korea only. I had to preface with that to save any disappointment experienced after reading what all the iriver NV can do.

It's billed as a multimedia navigation system and by far the most featured packed. The design is just sic. The 7", 800 x 480 screen is just sic. It supports every video and audio format - that's just sic. Like FM music? No problem, this sic device has it. The jog dial has an embedded OLED screen to indicate function and directional icons when in navigation mode. My god that's sic! Last but not least, the slick sic remote makes it easier than ever to push buttons in style.

I'm spent. . . More pictures after the jump.

UPDATE: Akihabara has a bunch of real live NV pictures.

Posted by tranism at 2:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

June 15, 2007

Hey Europe, A Cocoon Is Coming

If you happen to live in Europe and you happen to have O2 as your mobile provider, then you might like the new music centric Cocoon. The phone earns its name from the all white and rounded body. Similar to the AU NEON concept phone last year, the surface hides embedded LEDs that light up to indicate different functions. It can even be used as a clock/radio!

The Cocoon comes with 2GB of internal memory with microSD expansion, 2 megapixel camera with auto focus, all running on a 3G network. Open the stylish clamshell to reveal a bright 2.1" 240 x 320 screen. The most compelling feature is the phone will sync with BOTH MACS and PCS!

Damn It's sexy. I think I might import one. Hit the jump for more pics.

via Electronista

Posted by tranism at 4:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

BeoVision 7, Too Expensive For My Blood

I appreciate the design aesthetics of Bang & Olufsen, even if it at times seem a little stark. If one thing can be said about them, it's their dedication to hardware design complimenting functionality. This is the case with their American bound BeoVision 7. You get the top of the line 40" LCD TV with one of those cool simulated 7.1 channel surround audio experiences. All this wrapped in the obligatory high gloss metals and glass rising from a motorized floor stand.

How much? Try $13,250 for the basic package. My my, it must be nice to burn hundred dollar bills so easily. Oh btw, I WANT THIS!

Posted by tranism at 3:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 13, 2007

16 Million Colors At Your Beck And Call

That's what the LivingColors lighting system is. Philips first showed off this ingenious lighting system last year and I immediately knew I had to have it.

First off, it's not as big as it looks but don't let that fool you. You're totally playing with power here. A wireless remote controls the LED substrate in the glass orb producing 16 million colors. One controller can control up to 6 different lighting units. You can choreograph each unit to work separately or in tandem to really set a color filled atmosphere. Another huge plus is the ability to fix the illuminated direction, be it ambient or spotlight.

It goes on sale this summer for $200.

via Technabob

Posted by tranism at 2:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

June 6, 2007

The Ghetto Blaster For The iPod Generation

Ghetto blasters never really made a comeback because audio sources have moved to external devices, not to mention how ungodly they looked. So an industrial designer name Dirk Winkel (love his name) envisaged a new ghetto blaster, comfortable to wear and compatible with any iPod-like device called the Nu Blaster.

The head of the blaster provides space for a large bass speaker while the long narrow end serves as a bass reflux tube. The curved shape makes it ergonomic to sport on your shoulder while the strap makes transport easy.

Too bad it's concept only. Hit the jump for another picture.

via Yanko Design

Posted by tranism at 1:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

June 5, 2007

HTC Touch Ready To Rumble With iPhone

Last week rumors trickled in about one of my favorite phone OEMs HTC prepping an iPhone challenger. It seems all the hoopla was true. Today HTC unveiled a new phone called the HTC Touch. So lets get to the good stuff.

The HTC Touch is a Windows Mobile 6 smartphone. Its name derives from its 2.8" touchscreen and what's most interesting is the entire WinMo 6 interface has been custom designed to work with fingers but a stylus is still there for you old schoolers. It's devoid of any buttons except a 4-way navigation pad, some soft keys and a couple of rocker switches on the side. Spec-wise it's pretty matched up to the iPhone; 2 megapixel camera, WiFi and EDGE support. The main differences are the inclusion of microSD memory in lieu of built-in flash memory and the smattering of WinMo software enhancements like Office Mobile.

Pricing is unconfirmed but you can expect this challenger sometime in the second half of 2007. Hit the jump to see the Touch in action.

Posted by tranism at 9:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

June 3, 2007

Oh My Damn, Apple iPhone June 29th

An iPhone ad just aired tonight on 60 minutes. It describes the phone as an iPod thats never been like any other iPod before. Way to leverage your iPod brand Apple! Nonetheless, the commercial rekindled my desire for the $600 device. In fact, the commercial does something most commercials don’t do now-a-days; it shows how it actually works. Best part is the end, iPhone hits stores June 29th.

Go to Apple’s website to watch 2 other new iPhone ads in HD glory.

Posted by tranism at 7:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

June 1, 2007

Manoi Now Dances To Your iPod

When the original Manoi came out, people everywhere fell in love with it but all asked the same question; what does it do? Other than walking and striking a pose, the next Manoi can add dancing to its repertoire. Custom built software will give Manoi the ability to act spontaneously in movement when you hook up an iPod to it. None of the dancing is pre-programmed unlike the ill-fated Sony QRIO.

It goes on sale later this year but will set you back $1,640. For that kind of money I demand videos. I wanna see Manoi krump!

via Nextlust

Posted by tranism at 5:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 30, 2007

Palm Foleo Is So Lame

Here it is the new Palm Foleo, probably one of Palm's worst mistakes. Before I get into why I think it sucks, here's a quickie of what it does. Although it looks like a laptop, it's not. It's basically an extension of your Treo and yes that means you have to have a Treo. It syncs with your Treo to access to emails, messages, and calendaring from a bigger 10" display and full size keyboard. It also comes with WiFi so browsing the internet should be a snap. No WiFi signals round? No problem, just use your Treo's GRPS or EDGE connection. The whole think runs on a Linux variant. No word about 3rd party applications.

Now for the dissing. I can understand why hardcore Palm users would want a larger screen and keyboard but making a sudo laptop is not the answer. Why not invest R&D money into making a slimmer device with GOOD battery life, and larger screen that comes with a detachable keyboard. As thin as the Foleo is, nobody wants to lug around yet another electronic device. If reading email and browsing the internet are so important, why not make those priorities in your next version of Palm OS and make sure it's compatible with PCs, Macs, and Linux boxes? $499 (and that's only after a $100 rebate) is way too much. Hell, now the iPhone is looking better and better.

More pictures after the jump.

Posted by tranism at 2:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Microsoft Surface Is Touchscreen Happy

And so am I! Microsoft finally took the wraps off their touchscreen table technology unveiled this past March and it's called Surface. It's the first commercially available surface computer that provides effortless interaction with digital content through natural gestures. In layman's terms, it's a 30" touchscreen backed by some amazing and potentially revolutionizing software. I would get into all the deets but the video does it so much better. Although anyone can buy one, it's priced squarely for hotels, restaurants and other public venues.

Posted by tranism at 5:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (10)

May 29, 2007

The CityWall

The CityWall is a large multi-touch display in Helsinki Finland which acts as a collaborative and playful interface for the ever-changing media landscape of the city.

Public content from Flickr and Youtube feed the wall with pictures and videos. Citizens can even contribute to the wall by sending an email or an MMS to post@citywall.org. Alternatively, tag your media on YouTube and Flickr with "Helsinki" and it'll automatically be picked up. Users navigate the content by touchscreen. Check out the video.

Thanks Jeff

Posted by tranism at 6:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

All Your WiFi Connections Belong To Me!

Actually the purveyors of this “magic box” never use the word stealing. Instead, choice words like open, freeloading and my personal favorite, canalized are used. Hey, whatever keeps the po-po’s away right? The Slurpr is a home made concoction by two friends who noticed tons of unprotected WiFi signals floating around Amsterdam. Individually, they offer meager connection speeds but the Slurpr unscrupulously finds them all and combines them to make one ultra-mega connection.

Now the duo are totally aware of the legal consequences but since they live in the EU, who cares! They plan on selling the box for 999 EURO which is a little over 1,000 US. They’re taking pre-orders now.

via Nextlust

Posted by tranism at 9:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

May 25, 2007

Truly The World's Thinnest Notebook

Did you know Intel has design chops? The chip company not only makes most of the tech that goes inside this lappie but also wanted to push the envelope of how thin you could make it. Enter Ziba Design and Intel's very own engineers. They rose to the challenge and exceeded it.

Code name "Metro", the notebook is less, LESS than 0.7 inches. That's even thinner than the new Motorola RAZR when closed. Not only that, it's also the lightest weighing in at 2.25 pounds. There's no moving parts inside so battery life is an astounding 14 hours. But what about features? Surely something this svelte has no wireless capability. WRONG. Not only does it sport Wireless but also WiMax which is the next generation of wireless protocols. When open, the Metro very much resembles a Macbook Pro with its backlight keys, side speakers and single trackpad.

The only downside? It runs Windows Vista. Hit the jump for more pictures.

via Business Week

Posted by tranism at 5:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

16 Million Color Flexi-OLED Screen

A few weeks back Samsung showed off their 260 thousand color flexi-OLED display only to be upstaged by Sony this week with their 16 million color flexi-OLED. It's made out of glass substrate and is .3mm thick! The screen is also much more "bendy" than attempts by other companies. Sony says they plan to use the new technology is super slim devices and phones but don't kill yourself waiting. It'll be years before the technology becomes viable for mass production. Hit the jump for video.

via Gizmodo

Posted by tranism at 5:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 21, 2007

Oh Hell, It's A Smell Phone

Designer Kimberly Hu proposes an interesting idea. What if cellphones could emit smells uniquely tagged to each person in your contacts list? Does that make the experience more emotional? Her Nokia Scentsory concept explores just that. Made from a flexible thin LCD material that unfolds like a paper airplane, the Scentsory concept attempts to bridge the cold design of an electronic device by using odor as a conduit.

I still don't understand why I'd want to smell the person I'm talking to but there's one point in her design that's sorely ignored. HELLO, it folds into a paper airplane! How cool would it be to pass that around? Totally gives new meaning to, "can I check your phone out?"

via Gearfuse

Posted by tranism at 6:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 16, 2007

Slideon Personal Media Player, Cute Ghost Included!

Designer Ian Murchison noticed how the mobile phone market was suddenly shifting to sliders and thought, "hmm, what if a personal media player utilized the same design". As he worked away furiously in the night, a ghost came to him and inspired the Slideon.

Okay I totally made that up but Murchison did design a PMP player based on mobile sliders called the Slideon. The pictures are pretty self explanatory - smooth clean design, screen on top, basic nav controls down below, flash based memory and audio jack for recharging. I just can't get over how cute that ghost is. I want one!

via Yanko Design

Posted by tranism at 7:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

May 15, 2007

This Seal Has Something On His Bum

Okay I buy cell phone straps. Why? I don't know, but the weekly email updates about new products from Strapya always send me into a buying frenzy. Their latest email featured a cute pink baby seal that made me go AWWW. But wait, don't be fooled by those "I love you eyes" and "kiss me" lips. This seal hides something sinister in its bum and if you have any sense of decency, you will not hit the jump to find out what (go ahead you know you want to).

Bzzz, Bzzz, PEW PEW PEW! That's right. His ass hides two electrodes powerful enough to deliver a 195 volt shock. Not exactly Star Wars Emperor level but more than enough to make any would be attacker go, "OUCH!"

I find it hilarious Strapya is marketing this as a toy and at only $14.41 a piece, you know I've already got my order in.

Posted by tranism at 12:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

May 11, 2007

Goodbye Hubble, Hello James Webb

There he is kids, Hubble's replacement come 2013, the James Webb Space Telescope or JWST. There's a full scale model displayed outside the Smithsonian Space Museum in Washington D.C. Although this photo doesn't do it justice the telescope is huge, 80 feel long and over 40 feet high. Once launched, the JWST will see farther and deeper than Hubble ever could.

I feel kind of sorry for Hubble. I knew his days were numbered when ground telescopes were able to take better photos but lets not forget it was Hubble that gave us over 15 years of fantastic glimpses into our galaxy.

Posted by tranism at 5:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Next Gen Prius To Be Accompanied By Siblings

The 2008 Prius due to be released sometime in 2008 won't be coming alone. It'll be accompanied by two other hybrids, one smaller and one larger than the current model. No other details were given except all three will use Toyota's next generation Synergy Drive system. By the time this 2008 model comes out, my 2004 Prius will be looking a little long in the tooth; a perfect time to upgrade.

via Autoblog Green

Posted by tranism at 4:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

May 9, 2007

A Really Good Fake Cigarette

It looks like a cigarette, glows like one, feels like one and even emits vapor like one but it's a total fake. The e-cigarette is yet another product designed to help you kick your habit. Small doses of nicotine are delivered every time you inhale but without all the nasty poisons. The company claims it's more effective than chewing gum and patches but at $208, not many can afford it. Currently sold only in Asia and the middle east, the company plans an all out blitz on Europe and American soon.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I've always found it odd that smoking is the one habit that requires you to ween off it. With other addictive drugs, substitutes or going cold turkey are the prescribed methods. Are all the patches and chewing gums just a conspiracy to keep people addicted? Anyways from the looks of that picture, that guy looks like he's inhaling a whole lot more than nicotine.

via Gizmodo

Posted by tranism at 4:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (19)

May 8, 2007

Sun Shines Its Mobile JavaFX

Sun announced its intent to enter the mobile OS market last month. Today they gave a sneak peak at that new OS called JavaFX. Not many details were released but a few tidbits were reinterated. First, JavaFX is based off, wait for it. . . Java and depending on who you ask that could be a bad or good thing. Second, Sun plans on making the SDK for JavaFX open source. That means developers can cost effectively create applications for the new OS and tap into the 5 million devices that already run some form of Java.

No word on when will see the first phones with JavaFX but at first glance, we see they've taken much inspiration from Palm OS and Apple iPhone. Again, that could be a good or bad thing.

via SFGate

Posted by tranism at 3:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm Gonna Print Me Up A Hello Kitty

Oh Hello Kitty, how I love you so. Unfortunately you're overpriced commodities drive me nuts. Thankfully I will soon be able to print up 3D versions of you on the fly thanks to my rapid prototyping desktop printer.

You see, this printer is small enough to sit on my desk and uses nylon powder to construct any object I throw at it. If all goes well, one day I'll be able to print anything directly from web site catalogs. The only hitch is the thing costs $5,000 but I'm not deterred. One day, one day.

via Gizmodo

Posted by tranism at 2:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Skin a Scion

Ever wanted to customize your own car with a killer paint job? I know I have and still do.
Nows your chance with a contest sponsored by Toyota and Deviantart.com. They're running a contest where you submit your custom paint job of their Scion line to the website galleries. The only stipulation is that you have to be a member of the website, but don't fret; Basic membership to Deviantart is free and you get access to quite a lot of functionality on the site.

The rules? There are none!
You get to choose from the 5 different models of the Scion lineup.The images are provided or you can use your own photo/image of the Scion cars. Deadline is August 7th, 2007.

The prize, either a Scion (xB, NG xB, xD, xA or tC)

You can find information on the contest here.

Posted by stone at 2:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Microsoft Proves They're Just As Innovative

All this talk about a Zune Phone. NO! It's an oPhone people! I want an oPhone and I want it NOW! I expect it delivered by a Fedex man wearing purple armor riding a unicorn.

via Inside Microsoft

Posted by tranism at 2:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 4, 2007

Game Widows Fight Back With Their Own Controllers

A game widow is a woman who has been abandoned by her b/f or husband to video games. It's sad but true - happens all the time. Well one of those women is Jennifer Chowdhury. She got fed up with her gamer widowhood and decided to fight back with the one weapon no man resists - sex.

Her idea is called the Intimate Game Controller. Sensor pads are embedded in the woman's bra and the man's boxers at ahem. . . strategic areas. Re-imagined games like Pong or Snake require both partners to work together and push the right buttons.

"I wanted to create a type of video game play that would center around a couple's intimacy where two people would touch each other in order to play the game."

What if this were Nintendo's revolutionary controller? Can you imagine?!? I think it's a fun idea but what I wanna know is, how many couple actually finish a game because touching often leads to other things.

via WMMNA

Posted by tranism at 5:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

April 28, 2007

Another Sony Ericsson Concept

Probably one of the better Sony Ericsson concepts floating around, this unknown design comes from China's interwebs so unfortunately not much is known. Based on my very basic grasp of Chinese, it's a Walkman phone with a gesture based touchscreen.

The designer seems to have been inspired by the current crop of Sony's dedicated MP3 players borrowing their OED display technology. Look closer and it seems the text floats on the screen, or so that's what Sony claims OED is. Overall, the design is clean, undisturbed by hard creases and seams - perfect for a mobile phone.

The other design feature is the gesture based touchscreen. Menu navigation is achieved by drawing paths with your fingertips right on the screen. For example sliding your finger from left to right takes you to the next screen over. Drawing a right arrow indicates "play". Simple right?

The phone interface looks like your standard numeric keypad. The translation indicates the keypad can switch to alphanumerics for texting. Again, accessing the softkeys or dialing a number takes a series of taps and finger gestures.

Of course carrying the Walkman logo means heavy emphasis on music. This concept lifts most of those features from current SE mobile phones. Playlists, song ratings and workout biometrics have all found their way into this concept.

There's no mention of a camera or video playback. Even so, this concept would make for a great entry level Walkman phone. The design seems feasible and within Sony's language. Regardless of what you think of the design, I do agree with the emphasis on Sony's slick OED technology. Anytime you see an embedded screen that appears to float on the surface, you instantly think Sony. It's something the company should use more often to further set their handsets apart, especially from the upcoming barrage of iPhone and clones.

via JAMPB

Lots more pictures after the jump.

Posted by tranism at 6:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 26, 2007

Wake Up To A Glowing Pillow

That's the gist of it. Here are the details. Instead of waking up to a loud repetitive sound, the glo Pillow simulates a natural sunrise by using a series of LEDs and cloth substrate developed by Phillips. The time is displayed in an embedded LED grid. Approximately 45 minutes before your designated wake-up, the light intensity from the pillow gradually increases all the way to 250 lux which is how bright a sunrise is. Using light to wake the body calmly reactivates the system instead of jolting it which sends a shot of adrenaline. What's really cool is the battery induction technology that recharges the pillow wirelessly. Just place the induction pad underneath the pillow. As long as the pillow stays somewhere near the pad, it'll be charged. The pillow itself is made from 5 layers of cotton, batting and visco-elastic memory foam or more commonly known as tempurpedic.

Unfortunately it's concept only designed by Eoin McNally and Ian Walton.

via Yanko Design

Posted by tranism at 3:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

One Robot I Can't Have

The Miuro robot announced last year is now finally for sale. To refresh your memory, it's a robot that streams music from your computer all the while following you around like a puppy. It even has built in motion sensors to keep it from bumping into obstacles and rolling down the steps. For an extra $133, it'll come with software for you to remotely control it via cellphone, snap pictures and upload to a web gallery.

So why can't I have one? It works with PCs only. :(

via Gizmodo

Posted by tranism at 2:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 23, 2007

Sexy Enough To Make Me Wanna Try Surfing

Plankton and I don't often agree on our idea's of fun. One activity he enjoys that I don't is surfing. I like water just fine (I'm a Cancer) but I never got into surfing. Maybe because surfing is more about being in a natural state - to be one with the water sort of speak. Technology has no place there so it never appealed to me. The Light Wave Surfboard may be the ticket to get me back in the water.

Designed for surfers who prefer to ride in the early mornings, the Light Wave Surfboard features headlights, rail lights and fin lights. The lights are activated by pressure sensitive dimmer switches and by tilting the nose up above the water to light the way. The entire system is powered by two replaceable batteries.

Meh, now that I've written this, my excitement has subsided. Maybe when they find a way to integrate wings so I can fly across the surface like a stingray.

via Cool Hunting

Posted by tranism at 3:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Nokia Wants To Know What's In My Pocket

Shame shame shame on you Nokia. I didn't know you were so KINKY! But seriously tho, they have these cool interactive memory game ads installed at select bus stops. There's a video of it after the jump. I did a little research and found the ads are tied in with their current campaign and a contest called "There's something in your pocket". Nokia wants you to create and upload a short creative video of you pulling something out of your pocket. Each week they'll choose a winner out of the top 10 most viewed videos. The prize is a brand new Nokia N95.

I plan on making my video tomorrow. Finally some use for iMovie! The current crop of video submissions aren't anything spectacular so odds of winning seem pretty good. So what are you waiting for? It's the hottest phone out right now!

via Fresh Creation

Posted by tranism at 3:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 21, 2007

Just Add Water

Building future electronic components could be made easier by using self-folding mechanisms. The only instruction is to just add water. French researchers are currently experimenting with how complex they can make these systems. If successful, it could bring about a revolution in micro engineering.

via Techeblog

Posted by tranism at 11:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 20, 2007

Robot Nau Takes His First Steps! Awww

Nearly a year after French robotics company Alderbaran laid out plains for a bipedal robot called Nau, they’ve succeeded in doing something we all take for granted - walking. Not only that, but we get to revel in Nau’s first steps.

The company hopes to further refine Nau’s walking prowess since it looks a bit unbalanced but I’m sure they still feel like proud mommies and daddies nonetheless. The question now is how long will it take before before Nau walks as well as Asimo or Qrio?

via NextLust

Posted by tranism at 6:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sony Ericsson W999i Pretty Please

If ever there were an interim phone before the iPhone's release, it would probably be the Sony Ericsson W999i. It takes the best features from the W580 and M600 and merges it into a slick 12.5 mm slider. Other specs are QWERTY keyboard, 2 megapixel auto focus camera with flash, Wi-Fi, HSDPA, 2.4 inch 320 x 240 screen and dedicated audio/video controls. Coupled with Sony's custom Symbian OS and this is one powerful smartphone. Now to the bad news.

Sony hasn't officially announced it. This is just some purported leak. We do know Sony is working on new smartphone but the exact details are still fuzzy. So there you have. I want this phone. I want to replace my craptastic WinMo smartphone with something that actually works. I want this phone to hold me over until the iPhone arrives to my doorstep. To recap, I want this phone.

via Slashphone

Posted by tranism at 3:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

See It, Hear It, Now Imagine It

Created by the same people who made the H-racer toy fuel cell car, the Hyfishinair is the world's first fuel cell jet. Although small, it demonstrates technologies that may give insight to how we might fly in the future.

The Hyfishinair's design affords it unmatched aerial maneuverability resembling a fish in flight. The jet is capable of 200-km per hour and leaves behind a soft hiss as it flies by. Is this the sound of the future?

Check out the video after the jump.

via Techeblog

Posted by tranism at 12:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

April 19, 2007

One High Tech Locket

If I could travel back in time, I'd go back to when Mark Twain were alive. I'd tell him of our future without giving him any visual reference. I'd then ask him to design what he thinks our future looks like. He'd might come up with something like the Kodak 1881, a digital camera concealed in a locket. The design harkens to an era where anything of value was an heirloom.

The lens is cleverly integrated into the front looking like an expensive piece of onyx. The controls are all hidden along the edges. Opening the locket reveals LCD screens for photo viewing. The Kodak 1881 is just a concept by Lindsey Pickett but I suspect Mark Twain would totally approve.

Another picture after the jump.

via Yanko Design

Posted by tranism at 3:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

April 17, 2007

Microsoft's Silverlight

Microsoft showed off their Flash competitor called Silverlight at this year's NAB event. Flash is now the most popular way to deliver video and interactive content over the web and Microsoft refuses to be left out. Silverlight promises to do things impossible with Flash while staying cross platform - a rarity for Microsoft technology.

The Silverlight plug-in can be installed on both Macs and PCS and works on IE, Firefox and Safari. Highly optimized and lightweight (less than 2MB), Silverlight does something Flash can't - stream full HD 720p video. Videos can easily toggle between fullscreen and windowed mode without have to start the stream over, another advantage over Flash. Just light Flash, video interfaces can be customized but it's all built with vectors and AJAX making scalability another key advantage.

Microsoft is currently offering a preview version of the plug-in with all kinds of content for you to try out. Building applications to play in Silverlight couldn't be easier since Microsoft is also offering their full suite of web and design software called Expression Studio for free.

So if you're a web guru looking for a better way to deliver media experiences, give it a try. If you're still unconvinced, hit the jump and check out the video demo.

Posted by tranism at 11:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

April 13, 2007

Keepon Keepin' On

The brainchild of mad roboticists Marek Michalowski and Hideki Kozmi, Keepon is quite simply just another dancing robot.

I don't want to take anything away from him by my last statement because he is the cutest thing. Seriously I want him to be alive and be my friend. Equipped with two cameras as eyes, a nose mounted microphone and some really cool robotic mechanisms underneath that Peeps-like skin, Keepon interacts with you in a way that seems almost sentient.

The creators aim to develop robots that synchronize their behavior to human emotions to illicit a positive response. You know what? They've succeeded.

With that being said, his best features are his dance moves. Seriously tho, he dances better than most people I know.

Posted by tranism at 8:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

The Voltron Of Mobile Phones

WillCOM (a Japanese Mobile manufacturer) believes the future of mobile phones will be in hardware customization. In their WP004 concept, each mobile component - camera, keypad, GPS, fingerprint sensor, extended batteries, etc. can modularly connect to each other and form VOLTRON! I'm kidding.

The WP004 phone only comes with a SIM module. Then it's like Build-A-Bear. Choose from over a dozen components and make your dream phone.

How cool is that? God it seems like we'll never catch up to them. Even so, it would have been cooler still if it really could form VOLTRON!

via Ubergizmo

Posted by tranism at 8:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Intel Envisages The Ultra Mobile Computer

Intel has made no qualms about how they think current UMPCs have got it all wrong. In this video they demonstrate the right way - the Intel way.

In the future our ultra mobile computers will wirelessly connect to everything. Gone are monitors. The TV is now our large display format. It has unrivaled speech recognition. Take it with you and everything is at your control via multi-touch display. Music, navigation, videos and automation all at your finger tips. If true, this really will be an amazing future but somehow I still prefer Microsoft's robotic companion over this.

Check out the video.

Posted by tranism at 8:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wafer Thin Sony OLED TV

Is your TV only 3mm thick? No? Mine either. One of OLED's main technical advantages is it's slim profile. The display doesn't require a backlight and so it can stay wafer thin. Until now we haven't really seen any OLED screens bigger than those for cell phone applications. Sony just announced their upcoming 27" OLED TV and yes it's coming to a store near you later this year.

The screen has unmatched color reproduction and contrast - 1,000,000:1. Did you count all the zeros? Most high end plasmas and LCDs top out at 10,000:1. With those specs, image clarity can even be seen at extreme angles as demonstrated in the picture above. The OLED TV will come with all the necessary modern inputs like component and HDMI.

Sony hasn't announced pricing but you can be sure one of these beauties will set you back a house, car and probably wife and kids.

image via Core77

Posted by tranism at 8:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Intruders Concept Phone

Looking like an alien spacecraft or a high tech powder compact, Dennis Hopkin's (no relation) Intruders concept makes UFOs a chic muse for mobile phone design.

The compact, errrr I mean the phone is only 1/3 of an inch thick when closed and opens up to reveal a 220 x 176 pixel display. The numerics and softkeys are arranged in a circular pattern because we all know how well that works in real life (insert smirk). The cool thing is it glows blue when it rings.

Throw in a tractor beam, transporter and digital frisbee functionality and I'll be the first buyer.

via Gizmodo

Posted by tranism at 8:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Sony Says Yay To Virtual Reality 3D

It seems Sony is not content with losing the "we are the innovators" tag line so in an effort to do something that can truly revolutionize gaming, they've been working on a new type of VR 3D controller.

As illustrated in this patent, it's a handheld computer interactive device that incorporates motion sensors (hello Wii), multi-touch dexterity (hello Apple) and tactile feedback. The device allows the user to grab and manipulate on screen objects in 3D space, assigning different functions to each finger.

They make no mention of when such a device will see the light of day but I am sooooo ready for it. Just look at the hands! Don't they look like they're having fun? Image the kind of gameplay possible with this controller. It's like Minority Report sooner than later.

via Unwired View

Posted by tranism at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 9, 2007

AU by KDDI Coming To The U.S.

YESSS! Japan's second largest mobile provider au by KDDI just announced plans to launch their service in the U.S. this coming June! They're renting space from Sprint Nextel's communications network which means all their phones in their current lineup should be compatible. Although they make no mention of which phones will make the trip, they did say they want to make the U.S. line up parallel the Japanese one.

Even tho they're sparse on details I'm going to hope for the best. High resolution screens, crazy megapixel cameras, GPS navigation and email, mobile TV and mobile epay transactions! "Faints"

Just to remind you of their AMAZING phones, check out my post on au's Project Neon from last year.

via Yahoo News

Posted by tranism at 1:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

April 8, 2007

Virsual The Digital Rocking Horse

This is kind of old but being reminded again by Cati Vaucelle's blog makes me think this would be a perfect accessory for the Nintendo Wii.

Virsual is a digital rocking horse kids rock away on to play a video game. They turn Virsual's head to steer and the faster they rock, the faster they go. Here's some video of it in action.

Okay you know what? I want this for my office. I need it. It seems the manufacturer is selling them on a per order basis so if any of you readers are feeling generous, you know what to do.

Posted by tranism at 8:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 5, 2007

WYSIWYG Concept

Designer Pei-Hua Huang's latest concept explores the possibility of transparent screens that not only bring up your basic phone apps but also as a true "what you see is what you get" viewfinder for mobile picture taking.

The transparent viewfinder is more intuitive to use since whatever is within its frame is what you snap as a picture. The phone itself is super thin, comes in an array of colors and patterns, meant for picture hounds on the go.

via Yanko Design

Posted by tranism at 1:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 1, 2007

You Snooze You Lose

A device that costs you only $40 initially may end up costing you a fortune. . . that is if you are privy to hitting the snooze button.

SnuzNLuz is a Wi-Fi enabled alarm clock that connects to your bank account. Using the secure embedded browser, a preset donation is made to your organization of choice everytime your lazy ass hits the the snooze button.

First of all, BRILLIANT. What an awesome device. Second, I find it hilarious how the clock's design taunts you to just hit that GIANT snooze button. The screen read-out even warns you (in bright red no less) how much you'll donate if you decide to sleep away along with how much you've donated to-date.

I have no problems getting up right when the alarm goes off mainly because my dog refuses to sleep after hearing it. However, I know plenty of people who hit the snooze multiple times. If you know someone like that, give them the gift of charity. Like the old saying, "you snooze, you lose".

Posted by tranism at 10:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

March 30, 2007

Blob Bot Moves Like Amoeba

Roboticists at Virginia Tech have developed a new type of locomotion for robots inspired by the single cell amoeba. Instead of using wheels, tracks or legs, the Blob Bot's entire skin provides the means of propulsion. This method gives the bot total freedom on uneven and unfriendly terrain. Where wheeled and legged robots would get stuck, the Blob Bot could easily squeeze thru.

Future applications for such a bot are in disaster search and relief, construction and planetary exploration.

via Technology Review

Posted by tranism at 12:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

March 29, 2007

Sound Leaf

It was around this time last year when Japan's NTT DoCoMO's Sound Leaf handset made its rounds in the blogsphere. The device only works with their FOMA line of mobile phones so forget about importing one. For those of you who don't remember what it is, let me refresh your memory.

The Sound Leaf uses bone conduction technology to transmit sound to auditory nerves thru cranial bones instead of the ear canal. You could be attending a World Cup soccer match and still have no problem hearing since the sound is directly transmitted to your brain. For those same reasons, the technology also makes mobile phone use available to the hearing impaired.

So fast forward a year later and Vincent Nguyen from Slashgear got his grubby little mitts on one. You have to watch the video. Clearly, Vincent is impressed.

It seems like viable technology and perhaps future bluetooth headsets will use bone conduction technology in lieu of what we have now. It would solve the whole, "I can't find a bluetooth headset that'll fit my ear" problem.

Available now only for NTT DoCoMO FOMA phones for $85.

via Slashgear

Posted by tranism at 11:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

OMG The U.S. Is No Longer Tech King

1. Denmark
2. Sweden
3. Singapore
4. Finland
5. Switzerland
6. Netherlands
7. US
8. Iceland
9. UK
10. Norway

See the order of those flags (read left to right people)? Those represent the world's top 10 most tech savvy or to better put it, "network ready" countries. The U.S. is in 7th place knocked all the way down from 1st. What the hell happened and what does this mean?

Answering the latter question first. The annual report is compiled by the World Economic Forum (WEF). Countries are judged on integration of technology in business, education, the infrastructure, innovation, government policy and promotion of the latest technologies. That being said, Scandinavia swept the top 10 with Denmark leaping to 1st place. Countries you normally associate with high-tech like Japan and South Korea are numbers 14 and 19. So how did Denmark make it to number 1?

Apparently Denmark has adapted to new technological trends faster than any other country. Everything from their telecommunications sector to government services are online and networked.

The U.S. dropped out of 1st because of a deterioration in the political and regulatory environment. HELLO BUSH ADMINISTRATION! However, the U.S. still has two of the most important ingredients to regain 1st place; innovation and the power of the almighty dollar. That's right, we have the ideas and the money. We just don't have the execution anymore.

Of course, I could care less about reports like these since they don't seem to take SIZE into consideration. I mean Singapore is essentially a city-state. If they can't network one city, then they really need some help. And what about my favorite tech nation, Japan? Well, it seems the Japanese have the same problem.; TONS of ideas, LOADS of money, but poor execution.

via BBC

Download the entire report here (pdf)

Posted by tranism at 2:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Bathe In Your Favorite Tunes

A couple days, I wrote about a sonic bathtub. As cool as it sounds to use water as the resonance material to hear your music, a brand new tub is out of reach for most people.

Thanks to Victor, a division of JVC, a new floating MP3 player called XA-AW33-W or the "Healing Player" for short is on its way into production. The cone shaped player has a USB port to load up to 256MB of music. MP4, WMA and even DRM-WMA files are supported. Sonically, sound is reproduced visually by rippling water and blue LEDs. The effect is supposed to be good enough for indiscriminate audiophiles and like its namesake - healing.

The whole think runs off 4 AAA batteries (use Sanyo Eneloop!) which is good for 15 hours of playback. Not sure exactly when it'll hit the market but a price has been released, only $169.

via Newlaunches

Another picture after the jump.

Posted by tranism at 1:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A Living Interface

We live in a world of symbiosis. Although we may be at the top of the food chain, our livelihood depends on the livelihood of others. I'm speaking in the natural sense of course, but what happens when that principal expands into our technological systems?

The Living Interface aims to answer that question; how we can rethink interaction design when it concerns communication between an animal and machine. In this experiment, very tiny animals called daphniens are used. The setup consists of a group of these organisms, a microscope (because they're so small), LEDs, a computer and a digital aquarium.

Daphniens are placed underneath a microscope in water surrounded by 3 LEDs. They're are incredibly photo sensitive and quickly swim to any light source. This movement is tracked via computer and displayed in a digital aquarium as lights. The computer creates a swarm of digital plankton to follow the lights.

The experiment is currently set up to measure water toxicity by measuring how fast the daphniens move and react to get away from the deadly water.

But try and think of this as a computer process. We control he LEDs so we initiate the process. Our goal is to get the organisms to move in the direction we want. There is no predefined circuitry for the daphniens to follow. They biologically know to get to the light source as fast as possible. This process is simultaneously displayed in a digital aquarium so we can view it on a larger scale. The digital plankton we create can be thought of as computer processes that know to follow the daphniens without the need for complex circuitry.

Now image this system on a massive scale. Interacting with devices in the future may mean using organisms that live in a self contained and self-sustaining environment, with both human and organism relying on a symbiotic relationship to control our computers and electronic devices.

More pictures and VIDEO after the jump.

Posted by tranism at 1:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

March 26, 2007

Goodbye Sidekick, Hello Helio Ocean

Helio sorta surprised everyone this morning by unleashing its third device called the Helio Ocean. Although many people are calling it an iPod competitor, I think it's more of a Sidekick killer.

First the specs. The most unique aspect of the Ocean is its dual sliding keypad revealing a QWERTY keyboard in one direction and full numeric keypad in the other. The phone is equipped with a 2 megapixel camera with flash, a full HTML browser, 2.4" QVGA screen, stereo speakers, 200MB of internal memory with a microSD slot, bluetooth 2.0 and GPS all running on Helio's fast 3G network.

Design-wise the Ocean looks sorta like the Sony Mylo, but the comparisons end there. It has more in common with the Sidekick - currently champion of teenagers all across America. The Ocean is slimmer than the Sidekick, has a better camera and a screen with almost twice the resolution. Software integration is where the Ocean really beats out the Sidekick. You've got AIM and Yahoo chat, Windows Live, SMS, MMS, music, video, POP and IMAP email and surprise! It supports push-email.

With Helio's tight MySpace integration and bargain price plans for 3G service, I can't imagine why teenagers wouldn't want to drop T-Mobile and finally jump on the Helio bandwagon. For just $65 a month, you get 500 anytime minutes plus;

• Free nights and weekends
• Unlimited text messaging
• Unlimited picture messaging
• Unlimited video messaging
• Unlimited mobile MySpace
• Unlimited web browsing
• Unlimited file transfer
• High-speed 3G
• Buddy Beacon
• GPS enabled Google Maps

iPhone killer it ain't but jaded Sidekick users who want a messaging phone device with better tech, more features and 3G need to give the Helio Ocean a look. You'll be able to pick one up for $295 this Spring.

Posted by tranism at 4:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

March 25, 2007

Be A Rocketeer

Like you can totally live out your childhood fantasies of flying around with a rocket powered backpack. Dubbed the Rocket Belt, developers TAM claim it can send a human weighing up to 300 pounds into the air

They ain't lying. This is the same device marketing gurus used during the premier of James Bond Casino Royale. For just $250,000, you too can own your very own Rocket Belt. The hefty price tag also includes 10 training lessons and machine parts maintenance.

I'm still very weary about having rocket exhaust barely 2 feet behind my dangling legs but hey, no pain no gain right?

The company site has a couple videos of the thing in action.

via Geekologie

Posted by tranism at 1:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

March 20, 2007

Chapit Can Automate Your Life

Aww, isn't he precious? That's Chapit, designed by Japanese robotics company Raytron. Chapit was recently on exhibition at the Napia Nakanoshima housing project. The project demonstrates how future homes in Japan will all be digitally connected with Chapit functioning as the conduit between house and human. Think of Chapit as a precursor to HAL before he went bad.

Some of the things Chapit can do are waking you, answering and redirecting phone calls, control lighting and thermostats, sync with your computer and act as a media server, control home appliances and electronics. You interact with Chapit by speaking to him in a natural tone. He currently only understands about 100 words but he's designed to learn. Raytron believes Chapit is capable of learning 10,000 words given the time.

In addition to verbal communication, Chapit uses flashing lights and body movements to convey emotion. If you're unhappy, he's unhappy and which point he'll try to cheer you up. Maybe put on some music and dim the lights, turn on the T.V. to your favorite evening program. If that sleek white body is too . . . well, sleek for you. Don't worry, Chapit has clothing options for you to outfit him in.

I personally think he looks like a page torn right out of Sega's Super Monkey Ball, but who am I to judge a robot that can literally control my life. He does however have a bizarre baby-like speaking voice.

Raytron hopes Chapit will be in stores by 2008 for 200,000 YEN ($1944). I'm even tempted to bequeath him the QRIO we can actually afford. Home automation or path to human enslavement? You decide.

Check out video of Chapit in action after the jump.

Posted by tranism at 5:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Storytron

Some in the gaming industry believe the holy grail of video game design will be user driven narratives that dynamically change, never ending the same way. Storytron is software for interactive storytelling designed to immerse the player in a dynamic world. Hmm sounds like a match to me.

Storytron has been in development for years and now just seeing a pre-alpha release to early adopters. Creatives use Storytron's authoring tool called SWAT to build a universe of dramatic possibilities by presetting the personalities of characters along with locations and occurrences. With multiple paths that lead in different directions, the story changes depending on the player's actions.

I've seen dynamic narrative programming before, namely procedural used in Spore, but this is the first time I've heard of Storytron. It sounds like an interesting tool. The founder, Chris Crawford, does have some impressive credits on his resume, developing Excalibur for Atari and author of the popular book "The Art of Computer Game Design". It all sounds good to me. I'd love to see epic games like Final Fantasy move towards nonlinear stories.

via Cool Hunting

Posted by tranism at 5:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Baby's First Digital Audio Player

My first soft toy (that I remember) was a polar bear. I use to drag that thing around everywhere much to my dad's dismay. When I was 7, my battle hardened bear got a tech upgrade - my first gadget! My mom put a tiny cassette player in it with her saying "I love you" so I wouldn't be lonely when she worked late. It helped me sleep at night all by myself.

Newborns have it worse. To be torn away from the womb and lose the assuring sounds of that environment must be traumatic. So TakaraTomy created the Issho Ni Nenne, a soft toy with an integrated digital audio player. Place it in baby's crib and let the prerecorded sounds of the womb comfort and lull baby to sleep. The web site reveals some pretty interesting stats about the toy; how 81% of babies fell asleep within 5 minutes with said toy in their crib.

I have to admit, that soft toy is so damn cute. In fact, that's an officially licensed baby Mickey Mouse. The Issho Ni Nenne (say that 5 times and tell me it doesn't sound cute) also comes in Minnie Mouse form. Too bad it's Japan only.

I wonder where my polar bear is now.

via Ubergizmo

Posted by tranism at 5:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

March 19, 2007

I'm Talkin' But I'm So Sleepy

That's because I've never had it so easy. Look, it's the perCushion bluetooth enabled pillow by Urban Tool. How many of you have stayed up late yappin' away only to be stopped by the ache in your hand holding the phone or the awkwardness of laying down with a headset wrapped around your ear? The perCushion makes it easier for us bedtime yappers to conversate (I know it's not a word, so sue me) totally handsfree.

Inside this tempurpedic-like (oh my god, trademark!) foam cushion are a bevy of electronics that take pillow-talk into the 21st century. You've got your bluetooth module for pairing to your bluetooth enabled phone. You've got your lithium ion battery for easy recharging. You've got your integrated talk/answer buttons and status LEDs sewn in. Most important you've got a built-in speaker/microphone for a real handsfree experience - be it friendly, loving or dirty.

Of course I must remind you people it's quite rude to fall asleep on the phone and the perCushion looks like it'll be easier than ever to do so.

Here comes the bad news, it's concept only. I know some manufacturers that read this blog so get in contact with these people and get-ta-mass producin' dammit. I expect to see perCushions of all color persuasion at Sharper Image, Discovery stores and Brookstone by year's end.

via NextLust

More pictures after the jump.

Posted by tranism at 12:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

March 17, 2007

It Passes Tissues

In 2218 Japan will be overrun with elderly people with snotty noses. Leave it to a Japanese robotics company to take the lead and develop the Mospeng-kun, a tissue dispensing robot.

For now, you'll find Mospeng-kun at high-profile social gatherings, conventions and expos. The forever smiling bot knows when you approach and in act of friendship, offers you a free pack of tissue. You can't help but smile as you hear it thank you in its high pitched voice secretly counting every person that comes by. Sure it's obedient now but just wait, you'll see. . .

You can rent one for $835 for 5 days. I wonder how they came to that figure. I digress, if that's a bit too pricey for your parties then just watch this video and pretend.

via bornrich

Posted by tranism at 12:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

March 16, 2007

OMG It's A Mickey iPod Nano

By now, regular readers know I'm obsessed with special edition electronics. Namely this, this and this. What can I say, I just love it when companies team up and offer something different from their usual product lines.

I'm adding this to my list of must have items, yes it's an official Mickey Mouse iPod Nano. You get a 2nd-gen 2 gig silver Nano, laser-etched Mickey on the back, leather carrying case, hand strap, 3 interchangeable click-wheel covers and a certificate of authenticity. Only 500 of these babies were made. Currently on sale in Japan (33,600 YEN) and Europe (220 EUR).

Lucky bastards. I got tons of readers in Great Britain. You guys know I was born in the U.K. right? See, we're almost kinfolk. I LOVE you guys. If you love me, you'll cross the channel and get me one! I'm looking at YOU CHRIS DAVIES.

Posted by tranism at 4:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

March 13, 2007

OMG It's A New Mickey Phone

Yesterday I gushed over the Nokia N95. Consider this another gushing. The Mickey Kuso may look like another ordinary phone but its got Mouse House branding dammit! Sold by Omnipotence, Asia's equivalent of Vertu, the phone aims to satisfy people whom have an affinity for all things Mickey. To make gushing matters worse, the phone is designed by BMW! Yes you heard right and like BMW, it rolls in style with its carbon fiber and metal finish, packaged in a gorgeous perforated leather box.

The Mickey Kuso is SLIM, 10mm thin. The phone specs are a little sub-par tho, just a 1.3 megapixel camera but it does support bluetooth 2, a micro SD slot for expansion and dedicated feather-touch audio/video controls. In keeping with Mouse House branding, the phone's UI is studded in bright colors and cute icons with a slew of Disney wallpapers.

Hardcore phonies may be left wanting more but most luxury phones like his often sacrifice features for style. Tie it in with an international brand like Disney, limit its quantity to just 130, throw in a certificate of authenticity by one of the premier auto companies in the world - you've got yourself one lusted after phone.

via Phone Daily

UPDATE: Some people have been emailing me about the authenticity of this phone. Just who is Omnipotence and why would a co-branded Disney/BWM phone misspell "Micky"? Although this isn't the first Disney collectable phone (see Dmobo M900), it is quite telling if they can't even spell Mickey's name correctly.

More pictures after the jump.

Posted by tranism at 3:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

I Kinda Sorta Want The Sanyo Xacti DMX-CG65

Sanyo just announced their new mid-range Xacti DMX-CG65 digital pocket camcorder. Still sporting the 6 megapixel CCD and 5x optical zoom but all recordings now support H.264. Use it with the new 8 GB SDHC cards and you can record up to 10 hours of footage.

Japan only for now but it's a Xacti so it'll show up in other parts of the world sooner than later. The Japanese will get the obligatory silver and black models along with a green goblin color. Not sure how I feel about that one.

via NextLust

Posted by tranism at 3:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

It's Like Mario Paint On Steroids For DS

With the interactive portion over at this year's SXSW festival, there were quite a few interesting things on hand at the show. My favorite one is a painting and animation program created for the DS.

Software designer Sabiston is most well known for his rotoshop software used to create a stylized type of rotoscoping animation. He saw untapped potential in the DS's dual screens and touch interface and so he created a paint program with keyframe/flip-book animation possibilities. You have full control over many types of simulated paint mediums. Once completed, those images can be animated into a flip-book style animation. It doesn't stop there. You can add audio using the DS's mic and then upload the finished production to a computer via wi-fi.

His presentation at SXSW shows the DS's dual ARM processors are quite powerful and even mentioned Nintendo was at least watching his progress. He hopes his software will see release but even if it doesn't, he has plans to release it as a homebrew app.

Check out the video.

More pictures after the jump.

Posted by tranism at 3:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

March 12, 2007

Nokia N95 GPS Does Work In North America

I had some reservations about the Nokia N95 namely because I knew some of its features would probably not work here in America. One of those features was GPS. I searched long and hard to find info on whether or not it would work outside of Europe and I'm happy to say, yes it will. Not only will it work in the U.S. but it comes with preloaded maps from over 100 countries making it a true global device.

Plankton was able to score one and we both can't wait to finally touch it in person. I've been fed up with my Windows Mobile and have been looking for a phone that could act as an interim until the release of the iPhone. I think the Nokia N95 may be it. Although it looks big, it's no wider or taller than the Sony Ericsson K800. In fact, with its excellent 5 megapixel CCD, it's better to think of it as a really compact digital camera that does GPS and smartphoning.

Full specs here

Posted by tranism at 10:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Designed For The Aquabahn

With its striking design by Porsche and the engineering by Fearless Yachts, I'm lusting to see more of these great looking yachts. There are five models in the works ranging from 28 to 150 feet. Only the 28 and 44 feet models are actually produced and ready to be sold at this time, both of which were revealed during a boat show in Florida a few weeks ago.

The above model is the Fearless 28, the number equivalent to its length and its name perhaps a warning to its competitors such as Cigarette and Donzi. With its max power of 550 hp, 80+ mph, sleek design, and countless details crafted by hand, it's truly among the top in its class.

I really like the velocity shape of its stern (rear); truly has the feel of a Porsche.

More photos of both models after the jump.

Posted by diverseawareness at 9:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Microsoft Research Actually Has A Cool Idea

Video: Career in Computer Science - MS Research

Just imagine, a robot small enough to fit in your backpack, intelligent enough to follow you around like a puppy and useful enough to read your emails, record video and project computer interfaces for you to interact with. Is this the future? A robotic companion to anticipate and serve my every whim? I HOPE SO!

This clever video was created by Microsoft Research to promote careers in computer science. Man, maybe majoring in fashion design was a mistake after all.

via Core77

Posted by tranism at 5:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

March 9, 2007

iPhone Shoulda Been

Let me preface by saying I'm ecstatic about the iPhone. Everything from its hardware design to tight software integration. However, screen tech is where I felt Apple could have really leapfrogged its competition. Not that this technology is unexplored by other manufacturers. It's just that Apple could have been the one to find mass market success with it.

Although the multi-touch screen is a marvelous gem, why LCD instead of OLED? Organic light emitting diode screens are far more saturated, perfect for viewing movies and photos. Power consumption/savings compared to LCDs mean longer battery life. I refuse to believe Apple engineers didn't consider it. Was there some technical stumbling block with multi-touch not being compatible with OLEDs? I mean here you have a device purported to be THE mobile gadget to use when watching movies on the go, yet its screen tech is anemic.

Of course the real reason could be costs. OLED is still expensive but com'on, $500 - $600 a brick should be more than enough to subsidize the costs. I remember Sony's last PDA used a brilliant OLED screen loved by everyone who glanced at it. Surely OLED prices have dropped since then. That was almost 3 years ago.

Just like the beautiful BLANK concept designed by Chris Kujawski, the iPhone should have been a sleek multi-touch OLED screen with a customizable interface. It should have had a replaceable battery powering a 3G antenna and at least a 3 megapixel camera. His BLANK concept goes a step further by allowing one to download static or even kinetic skins to adorn the OLED screen to really express one's personality. His concept was the closest to what I hoped the iPhone should have been.

another picture of Chris Kujawaski's BLANK concept after the jump

via the most awesomest blog in the blogsphere Yanko Design

Posted by tranism at 1:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

March 4, 2007

Revolutionary Interface Means Bye-Bye To The Mouse

In the future, the mouse may disappear altogether if Stanford doctoral student Manu Kumar has his way. His research project titled GUIDe, Gaze-enhanced User Interface Design, uses eye tracking software with a hi-definition camera to interact with a computer. Mouse tracking is replaced by your gaze and where you focus. Mouse clicking is replaced by you blinking. As the technology matures, we could potentially navigate files much faster than today since the eye is optically much more accurate and faster.

One of the barriers they're hitting is tactile feedback. As evident from the onslaught of electronic devices that have dropped tactile feedback for open digital interfaces, it's difficult to know exactly where you're looking without reference. Originally the researchers included a blue dot to indicate where you were looking but during tests, it seemed to slow people down since they tend to focus in on the dot. When it was removed, people were forced to just trust their instincts and navigating become much more fluid and natural.

I can see it now. We all agree future interfaces will be represented in true 3D. However using a 2D interface like a mouse doesn't seem efficient. The human eye can discern depth and space much more accurately. Combined with our hands, manipulating data will become much easier.

via Technology Review

Posted by tranism at 6:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

March 2, 2007

Automatic Dishmaker, Eat Your Heart Out George Jetson

Okay, when I first saw this I knew I had to have it. It's an automatic dishmaker. The inventor, Sam Sarcia, created a machine that could quite possibly revolutionize the kitchen not only in the home, but also in restaurants and any public food court.

The machine uses non-toxic acrylic discs that come in small stacks of circular sheets. Anytime you need a bowl, plate or cup - just put in a disc, press some buttons and a minute later, TA-DAH!

So why would anyone want to make their own dishes? Well for starters, clean up is a cinch. When you're done, just throw it back into the machine. It recycles the material into new discs ready to be made into more dishes on the fly.

Although just a prototype, there are plans to continue research to make way for a more consumer friendly machine. As of now, it's as big as a dishwasher but hey, a computer once filled up a whole room just to add some numbers together.

Watch it in action!

Posted by tranism at 1:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

LG Says Cool It With Art

Apparently Europe loves art but hates air conditioners. They're big blocky machines that hog up window space in an already small room. Befitting of LG's motto (Life is Good), they've invented a new slick air conditioner called ArtCool. Essentially, it's an air conditioner with vents on the side and a picture frame in front. The unit not only cools with the best of them but the environment inside the plate glass frame protects and preserves your priceless art work.

Europe only because North America uses something called central air conditioning.

via Akihabara News

Posted by tranism at 11:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

February 28, 2007

You Hold The Power In Your Hands

Imagine a future where snapping your fingers plays music. Imagine replacing all your remote controls with simple finger taps. Imagine video game control mechanics that make the Wii-mote feel archaic.

Que in the Control Glove by Engineered Fibre Structures. The lightweight stretch glove houses small sensors that interpret and translate your finger gestures via bluetooth to any compatible device; be it a computer, TV, game console, kiosk etc. By removing the myriad of buttons and knobs currently infesting today's electronics, the Control Glove makes them all intuitive again. Hand gestures are natural to us so it only makes sense that we design interface and control mechanisms to mimic how we communicate with our hands.

Posted by tranism at 2:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

February 25, 2007

Robot Swarms Evolve

This story is fascinating and yet slightly unnerving. Swiss researchers (really?) recently demonstrated how robots can evolve and pass on traits to later generations.

The research revolves around groups of robots that start out as individuals, each with their own unique randomly generated digital genome. Their only preprogrammed instructions are to explore, find food, avoid poison and do it all in the most efficient manner. Their anatomy consists of a motor, wheels, sensors and LEDs.

Each staging area contains large red knobs. Some are food, represented by the Apple icon and some are poison, represented by a skull and crossbones. The bots are unable to distinguish which is which until they're up close but by that time, real food sources may already be depleted by other bots.

Here's the fascinating part. The bots figured out if they work together, they can locate food sources much faster. After some 500 generations later, they formed a rudimentary communication system to notify others when foods sources are found and to flag areas where poison is located. The bots that inherently had genomes better suited to working in groups and splitting tasks successfully passed on their "DNA" to offspring. Those that worked alone eventually starved themselves to death, thus removing their genome from the gene pool.

Now here's the scary bit. Some of the starving bots found an alternative way to get food. After all, they were all programmed to find food in the most efficient manner. Given their environment and situation, they evolved a new behavior whereby they lure other bots using false signals to steal from them and it seems the other bots have yet to figure out a defense against this.

The researchers caution this is no where near real biological evolution since it's infinitely more complex. However this research does demonstrate how behavior and evolution are directly affected by the environment. I believe that's another strike against Darwin nay-sayers.

via New Scientist

Posted by tranism at 7:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Start Something PC

The ISDA have announced all finalists in the Microsoft sponsored Start Something PC design competition. The challenge is to rethink what a Windows PC experience will look in the future in regards to productivity, entertainment, mobility and lifestyle.

Just a quick note tho, this is heavily based on industrial and product design, not software. Of course usability is a factor but "new and different" grade better in this competition. You can vote for your favorite if you have an MSN passport. Hit the jump to see my top 2 picks.

via Yanko Design

The Pussy Cat is part Aibo, part mobile PC. The main idea behind this concept is a computer that is not only as mobile as a laptop, but also a companion to its owner. All your basic computing tasks like watching movies, listening to music, playing games, surfing the internet, emailing, etc., can all be done via the Pussy Cat. Just like Aibo, it keeps you entertained since a person traveling with a laptop is usually alone. Voice and face recognition not only assists in security, but also as a way for humans to have a greater appreciation for their Pussy Cat.

The Seed is a huge paradigm shift in computer design by taking its cues less from appliances and more from home decor. All the upgradable hardware components exists as blades or leaflets that are attached and arranged onto a hub. The overall design mimics a floral arrangement allowing it to easily blend into your home. Need a new graphics card? No problem; just pull out and upgrade your graphics blade.

Posted by tranism at 6:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

February 16, 2007

Maybe a MacBook Nano?

First don't take the image too seriously. It's just a mockup - a fantasy of mine for an ultra-portable Macbook. AppleInsider has reason to believe Apple is indeed looking to release such a computer, hitting store shelves in 3 months. They believe in a smaller, wider MacBook with solid state memory in lieu of an optical disc drive. The former dramatically increasing battery life; the latter enabling the computer to go as thin as 3/4 of an inch. But why would Apple build such a computer?

Apple does tremendously well in almost all markets. For them, it's not about being number 1. It's about seeing consistent growth year after year and there's one market where Apple continues to slip - Japan. The Japanese are obsessed with ultra-portability and miniaturization. Even the thin MacBook isn't thin enough. With subbie notebooks from Sharp, Fujitsu and a slew of others - it's a tough market to crack but Apple has a huge advantage. There's cache behind their name and excellent hardware/software synergy. Even Time Cook (Apple's second in command) recently told analysts;

"The market in Japan is among the weakest in the world for us. However, having said that, we're not pleased with our performance and we've got a number of activities underway to improve them"

They can't be talking about the iPod since it does pretty well over there. All that's left is OS X adoption and that requires machines to run them. The Japanese are not about desktops. They're not about notebooks. They're all about ultra-compact sub-notebooks and Apple is not a company to segregate their hardware line up by region so rest assured, if the Japanese get a sub-notebook, so will we.

So what kind of specs could one expect from a machine like this? Ultimately to shed weight - some newer expensive tech would have to be implemented OR cuts would have to be made to meet the new profile. For Apple and because of how Apple operates, I believe both rules will apply. Here is my realistic wishlist.

MacBook Nano

• Intel Core 2 Duo processor
• 60 GB solid state memory
• No hard disc drive
• Optical superdrive located on bottom of notebook
• New 13" backlight widescreen LCD display
• Edge to edge screen with almost nonexistent bezel
• Integrated iSight camera
• Integrated graphics chip
• USB 2.0, Firewire, Bluetooth, 802.11n, mini DVI, HDMI

My reasoning;

• The Core 2 Duo processor is more than enough to "brain" this computer.
• Solid state memory is very expensive and this is where Apple will add newer tech to dramatically increase battery life and performance since solid state memory can be read and written much faster than a hard drive. Not to mention OS X's excellent memory management; solid state memory could even be used to supplement and/or assist RAM.
• In order to increase battery life and slim the notebook, there will be no hard drive. Using solid state memory means cutting other things out. Although solid state memory is not yet upgradable - external portable hard drives are getting cheaper and cheaper every month.
• Some believe Apple will eliminate the optical disc drive but I think doing so would undermine Apple's whole iLife mantra. iMovie and iDVD are both important aspects of the company's consumer friendly software and they both require an optical disc drive to be fully utilized. If anything, Apple will simply redesign its superdrive enclosure where it can be easily accessed but also out of the way. Since there's no hard drive, there's plenty of room for a disc drive.
• Aside from going thin, Apple's key strength is design. When you go smaller - the challenge then becomes how to make things look or remain bigger so they're still usable - things like the keyboard and screen. Japanese sub-notebooks suffer from squished keyboards and screens that are ultimately too small for long term use. I believe Apple will decrease the bezel enclosure around the screen making it look edge-to-edge. This gives the illusion of "bigger" while still maintaining the full sized keys on the keyboard. Not to mention the gawking and jaw dropping people will do when they see you flip up a screen that looks like it's encased in few millimeters.
• Although the screen will look edge-to-edge, there's still plenty of room for the integrated iSight camera. Similar to how the iPhone is designed.
• Going this small means no chance for uber-powerful graphics chips. instead, the MacBook Nano will follow its older brother's lead and utilize integrated solutions from Intel.
• Peripheral ports will be same 'ole, same 'ole with the addition of HDMI. Yes I believe (hope) Apple will embrace the standard sooner than later. Japan is HDMI happy and the rest of the world is starting to follow suit. If HD graphics and stereo sound can come out of one cable - it would make sense for Apple to embrace technology that will enable that, especially since they're now more keen on moving into other rooms of the house begging for Apple logo'fied electronics.

Posted by tranism at 2:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Andre Stubbe's Robotic Eyes

Computational Designer Andre Stubbe's thesis project consists of two robotic eyes, one blue - one red. They're really just painted webcams but interaction with each other and humans is what Stubbe is after. The eyes are able to move within their sockets and blink. They focus and react to each other but anytime a third person steps into their silent conversation, their behavior changes. They track that person's movement and may decide they're of no interest or they may become agitated and give you that "go away look". They may even pretend to be indifferent but just as you turn away, look at you from the corner of their eyes.

flickr photos of Andre setting up his eyeballs

via wmmna

Posted by tranism at 12:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

February 15, 2007

Precursor To Tron's Light Cycle

What initially started at the Carver concept aptly named for it's ability to tilt almost 45º in turns, has just received to green light for mass production as the VentureOne.

Designed by BWM Design, the VentureOne looks to be the first of the trike onslaught ready to pepper roads across America and perhaps the world. The vehicle seats two and is capable of 100 miles per hour while maintaining its 100 miles per gallon fuel efficiency going from 0 - 60 in a respectable 6 seconds. How is that possible? Well the VentureOne is an electric hybrid with an all electric version optional. Total range is between 300 - 350 miles which is equivalent to most compact cars like the Civic and Corolla.

Venture seems to be pushing the tagline "Fly the Road" and it makes perfect sense. If you watch the Carver concept videos, you can see how the driver centric cockpit coupled with the vehicle's manuervability makes for an almost jet fighter-like experience.

The VentureOne goes on sale this year at a base price of $18k. 20K gets you the top of the line model and all versions come with GPS navigation, HIVAC, airbags, cruise control and iPod integration as standard features. So are you getting one?

another picture after the jump

Posted by tranism at 8:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

February 12, 2007

Mobile TV in U.S. Goes Against The Grain

So America is finally catching up in the mobile TV space with Cingular (now the new at&t) announcing MediaFLO will power their mobile TV networks. Sprint and Verizon have already signed on board. T-Mobile has yet to make a commitment. On the other side of the fence is the more widely accepted DVB-H which Europe and Asia uses.

Although I'm no expert as to why one is better than the other. I am again a little disappointed because that means all the cool phones from Europe and Asia will have one more major incompatible component. In any case, please don't charge us an arm and a leg and stop with the "downloading clips" thing. We want full programs just like real TV.

My rant is done.

via engadget

Posted by tranism at 12:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Motorola's Z8 Slides Differently

Proving that they still have some design chops left after the success and now copied RAZR, Motorola unveiled the Z8.

The phone runs on the latest Symbian mobile OS with a super sharp QVGA screen, 2MP camera, VGA camera for 2-way video calls, music, video, microSD slot, messaging and full POP/IMAP email access. However the real juicy bit here is the Z8 will be HSDPA which means 3.6Mbps of fast mobile broadband speeds. Still not as fast as Japan's recent 5+ Mbps tests but fast enough for now dammit.

Wait wait, that's not all. The final feature worth mentioning is the unique sliding mechanism and form factor. If you look closely at its profile, the phone curves to hug the face making it more ergonomic. Motorola hopes this new design will grace them with another RAZR-like runaway hit. Time will tell, just please do me a favor and get rid of any neon green accents from production units before the April 2007 release date.

Posted by tranism at 3:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Neonode N2 Optical Touchscreen Phone

Those funny Swedes are at it again with the brand new, just unveiled Neonode N2. Still maintaining somewhat of a similar form factor to the N1 but this time looking less mobile phone and more like something they would use on Star Trek to scan for life forms.

The N2 runs on the Open Platform which is a fancy-schmancy UI designed for easy file navigation. The other interesting tidbit is the touchscreen which isn't really a touchscreen at all. Neonode calls it an optical screen because it's overlaid with a network of invisible beams that detect your finger's position. Hmm, COOL! Oh and one last bit of coolness is their WRR client which is sort of like a Tivo for radio stations. A desktop client records from any of 100+ radio channels that can sync with your phone, commercial free.

The specs are run of the mill for 2007 phones; 2" screen, 2MP camera, bluetooth, music, video and miniSD card slot.

So there you have it. Not sure what to think of the design yet but I am interested in the Open Platform OS/UI and this optical screen thing they've patented. Neonode, SEND ME ONE!

more pictures after the jump

via I4U

Posted by tranism at 2:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

February 10, 2007

A Warm Gift

Plankton is always complaining about how cold his hands are. Then he proceeds to grab my hands just to prove it and you know what? His hands are like ice. I still believe it's because he's Swedish but I digress. When I saw the Eneloop Kairo, I immediately thought of him.

The Kairo comes to you from our friends at Sanyo and although it looks like something Apple made, it's actually a portable heater! In fact, from the reviews I've read it's quite powerful. It utilizes Sanyo's Eneloop battery technology which gives it 5 hours of heat after a full recharge. The small round shape makes it easy to cup in your hands or slip down anywhere your heart desires.

Unfortunately Sanyo isn't selling this one outside Japan, however you can buy it from Amazon Japan for a measly $30. There's even special pink packaging this month to celebrate Valentine's so get 'em while they're hot, pun intended!

Posted by tranism at 11:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

February 8, 2007

Japan's Snow-Digesting Picachu Bot

Our Japanese technologic-overlords are at it again! This experimental robot roams parking lots and sidewalks in search of a certain white powdery substance (no, not THAT substance). Using GPS sensors, built-in video cameras, tank-like treading, and no human supervision, the Yuki-taro bot seeks out and gorges on snow; scooping it into its hungry mouth.

That's where things get weird. Instead of simply blowing or melting the snow down, the Pokemon-inspired automaton's guts compress it into tightly packed blocks of ice; which are then pooped out the bot's backside(!!!) and later collected and stored for Summertime refrigeration needs.

The inspiration for 800 pound Yuki-taro seems to come from mankind's increasing fear of any sort of manual labor. Afterall, no one hates shoveling snow more than a Japanese scientist.

via Pink Tentacle

Posted by mac at 11:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

February 1, 2007

A Different Timescale

Most of us measure time with the standard 12 or 24 hour clock. We've been doing it this way for thousands of years. Every device created to indicate that measurement has by and far been the same at the core. Is it "time" to offer another way?

Product Designers Pierre Haulot and William Boullier seem to think so. Their Elio Linea Scale watch measures time on a personal level, customized to each person's goals. Modern life is made up of short term goals strung together to form long term goals. Current timepieces can only tell us how far in the day we've progressed but not how far into completing each task. The Elio Linea reads like a computer progress bar; telling you your position within a predetermined period vs. the time spent and the time remaining. Always know how much time you have left to get to work vs. how much of a work day is left. Always know when it's time for a nap vs. how much time is left before bedtime. The watch personalizes itself to your schedule.

What do you guys think?

via yanko design

Posted by tranism at 8:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

Swatch Infinity Watch

Wow! Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. Do I really need to say anything else?

The Swatch Infinity is marvel of wrist-wear devices. Not only a digital watch, but also a MP3 player, video recorder and photo album. The face can be detached to sync and recharge. The design is sleek and absolutely stunning. The band looks to be made of synthetic leather and utilizes a magnetic clasp. Oh man, if this baby has bluetooth then forget about the other watch I was raving about earlier today.

via yanko design

more GORGEOUS pictures after the jump

Posted by tranism at 5:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (25)

I've Got Mickey in My Hands

NOTE: That is not my hand. I'm way more moisturized than that.

Now that I've got that out of the way, check out the new Mplayer by iRiver. Isn't it cute! iRiver claims it's not Mickey's head nor have they joined in some partnership with Disney. But anyone with even just one good eye can clearly see who's head that is. The simple silhouette evokes images from hats to custom made pancakes you get on Main Street in Disneyland. I know that's a mouse and not just any mouse, but a mouse that rules over a land called the Magic Kingdom. iRiver, you can prove me wrong by sending me one for evaluation.

all images via iriverfans

fun colors after the jump

Posted by tranism at 12:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

iRiver S10 is so HOT!

Now I love the iPod Shuffle but I'm still boo'ing Apple for not including a small OLED screen. Pundits say the iPod Shuffle is designed to just shuffle music as its moniker suggests. Okay pundits, I'll give you that one. In the Shuffle's case, function has dictated form, so when there's a legit reason for a Shuffle to get a screen, I'll expect a name change as well.

Unfortunately for the Shuffle, another DAP player I blogged about called the iRiver S10 Watch takes its moniker just as seriously. Quick stats; 256 color OLED screen, not sure about memory but I'll assume 512 mb - 1 gig. Comes in black or white and yes it does tell time. Too bad it doesn't work with iTunes. DRM locks be damned!

all images via iriverfans

more pictures after the jump

Posted by tranism at 11:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (10)

January 26, 2007

Ooo Snap! My Future Hair Dryer

Taken from NextLust

Actually it’s a nanobot by industrial design student Daniel Kocyba. He envisions them on Earth circa 2050 working both medical and military applications.

I however, being a total fashionista will pretend it’s my future hair dryer; totally sentient without any human assistance whatsoever. With a press of a button, it unrolls from its rollie-pollie state and flies around my head until I end up looking more fabulous than Paris Hilton.

Yes I know I dream a strange but clever future.

via core 77

more pictures after the jump

Posted by tranism at 2:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

January 25, 2007

Urwerk 201

Timepieces are supposed to be easy to read so when you come across a watch with an incredibly complex mechanism for telling time, it had better be a looker.

Fortunately, the Urwerk 201 fills that role nicely. Set on an odometer style face, a rotating dial with telescoping minute and hour hands tell time. Turn it over and discover a cool feature that reminds you when to get your oil changed and a record of time from the past 100 years. Don't ask me why any person would need to know that - unless you're the time traveler Cable from X-Men.

Of course innovation and luxury come at a price and we know it's expensive if the price needs to be called in.

via yanko design

another picture after the jump

Posted by tranism at 8:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

January 19, 2007

Sorry iPhone, Japan's Not Impressed

Steve Jobs' - "iPhone in Asia - 2008". Now I don't want to be the one saying this because I'm a total Apple fanboy but did Apple R&D and marketing not clue Jobs in on cellular tech in Asia?

For people in America, the iPhone is a major advancement in hardware and cellular tech. Let's forget about the fact that it doesn't have 3G mostly because America's 3G network is spotty and shoddy to say the least. Simply put, the infrastructure isn't there yet. The iPhone seems to be the holy grail between hardware and software design. The UI is deceptively simple and that's how phones should be right? But is this enough for Asia, specifically Japan? The short answer is no.

Japan's cellular tech is about a generation and a half ahead of America. Yes in case you didn't know, 3G is already widespread there and has been for many many years. In fact, the country is currently testing their next-gen cellular network which I'll just call 4G. All this while America is still hobbling along at 2G.

If the iPhone is the holy grail of hardware and software design, then Japanese cell phones are the holy grail of convergence devices. In no other part of the world will you find a phone that checks email, trade stocks, watch TV, act as a charge card, plays music, interface with other phones, act as portable computer, book tickets, 3+ megapixel cameras, unlock doors, remotely control other devices, GPS navigation, mobile shopping, bar code and fingerprint scanners, push to talk with multiple people, video chatting and conferencing, and of course . . . cell phone.

I spoke to my Japanese friend and asked him what he thought about the iPhone. Most people in America love it. Most of the press are enamored. To preface, Claude is a 27 y.o. Japanese male I met in my college days. He lives right outside Tokyo working as a textile designer. He thinks the iPhone is super sexy. To him, it doesn't look like any other phone out there. He loves how slim it is and is completely smitten with the multi-touch interface, but when asked if he'd give up his Sharp branded phone; he says no.

Claude's typical day starts with him checking his email on his phone. He gets all his daily tasks and calendaring events this way. He then syncs it with his computer. He pays for the subway by placing the phone on a kiosk granting him access past the gates. The commute is spent watching TV on his phone by rotating the screen. A small antenna extends up and catches the wireless digital TV signals (something we will never have here in America). About 45 minutes later, he's in Tokyo and heads to a vending machine to buy fresh fruit and water. He places the phone up against a pad. The vending machine reads his bank information which is tied into his phone. He then places his thumb on the phone's tiny thumbprint reader to verify his identity. As he makes his way to the office, he waves the phone near the door handle to unlock it. During a 10 minute break, he's flips thru a magazine and sees something he wants to buy. The item has a tiny stamp size barcode pictogram next to it. He scans the pictogram with his phone. A receipt and shipping confirmation hits his email minutes later. As the day ends, he syncs with his work computer and goes grocery shopping paying for items with his phone. Before heading home, he heads to a bar his friend has invited him too. He uses the phone to give him step-by-step directions. The day is finally over and his phone's battery is nearing the end of its life. He plugs it in and goes about the rest of the evening relaxing before bed.

Okay, I think the iPhone can do 1-1/2 of the things he's mention; checking email and watching TV (by first purchasing shows on iTunes and syncing them). Everything else is alien to the iPhone and alien to US customers.

It's easy to see why the iPhone can't replace his phone. Japan's mobile phones were designed with years of co-development with their two carriers; KDDI and DoCoMo. This synergy between network and software has graced the country with mobile features unheard of anywhere else. The way I see it, one of two things can happen. When Apple releases the iPhone in Japan, it will fill a niche market because of its lack of features and use of quad band GSM which most of Japan doesn't run on. The other option is for Apple to choose one of the two carriers in Japan and attempt the same hardware, software, network synergy they have planned with Cingular here in the US. This path seems the most daunting but the most amazing if successful. Think about; Apple's iPhone running on the world's fastest cellular network with features so well integrated, it'll make all other phones in North America, Europe and Australia seem antiquated. What's more, Apple will probably push to create new features in Japan just as they did with visual voicemail here with Cingular. Apple is a high tech company and it excites me to think what the engineers at 1 Infinite Loop can think of when they're given the option to run wild on Japan's superior cellular networks.

Claude feels the iPhone will sell but only to people who already have Macs and to people concerned about style. As for the rest of the country, he thinks asking a Japanese person to give up mobile digital TV is like asking an American to give up football for soccer. So I asked him what his next phone would be if not the iPhone. He says he has his eye on the Sony Ericsson SO903iTV.

A super slim phone with a 3" Sony Bravia widescreen display, 3 megapixel auto-focus camera, software to pause, skip, record live TV!, GPS navigation, and Felica cashless electronic payment system.

So there you have it. It's a battle between fluid hardware and software design vs. hardware and network superiority. Apple will have a huge uphill battle in Japan if they plan to release the iPhone as it is now. I know some people felt it was sweet justice that a new gadget would see release in America first before Asia but I can definitely say the Japanese are not that impressed.

more pictures of the SE SO903iTV after the jump

Posted by tranism at 2:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (121)

January 14, 2007

Chevy Volt and The Possibilities

With all the news swirling around the hot concepts at the Detroit Auto Show, only one car grabbed my attention.

The Chevy Volt stands to be GM's answer to Japanese electric and hybrid vehicles squarely aiming for a market dominated by Prius' and Hybrid Civics. Throw in some American muscle into the design coupled with new battery tech means the Volt not only meets Japanese hybrids but also, in the words of Steve Jobs, "leap frogs beyond our competition".

Let's see, the Volt is technically a hybrid, but not in the traditional sense. The gas engine never powers the car. The only time it turns on is to recharge the batteries which are the primary source of propulsion. On top of that, GM seems to have solved a problem plaguing current hybrid batteries; power generated vs. consumption. Right now, my Prius can only travel under 10 miles on electric at below average speeds before it's completely discharged. The Volt manages 40 miles per charge at normal driving speeds. That's more than enough for me to go to and from work without the gas engine ever turning on. The Volt can be plugged into an ordinary wall socket for quick recharging and the batteries seem to be next-gen tech since it can be discharged and recharged hundreds of thousands of times without losing hold or charge capacity.

The only downside is it's concept status. Undoubtedly this vehicle is probably very expensive to build but as GM further consolidates it's manufacturing processes, the prospect of future vehicles with this tech can't be very far away. I'm salivating here.

more pictures after the jump

Posted by tranism at 9:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

I've Seen Multi-Touch Before

Almost this time last year, I saw and blogged about an incredible new interface designed by Jefferson Han. He created what he called "Multi-Touch Interaction"; a flat screen that can sense simultaneous points of touch and allow real time manipulation of objects and sounds all at the expense of a keyboard, mouse and stylus. Sound familiar?

I thought this was the future of interface design then and if Apple had been working on the iPhone for more than two years, it makes me wonder if there are any connections between the two. The iPhone's Multi-Touch technology is strikingly similar. If you've seen the iPhone's introduction, then watch this video of Jefferson Han's design. Uncanny huh?

What's even more surprising is a quick visit to Jefferson Han's website which reveals "very exciting updates coming soon" in regards to the iPhone. Did Apple buy the team out after they saw Jefferson's demonstration last year? If so, what can we expect in future Apple products? Jefferson's multi-touch research is a paradigm shift in personal computing and if Apple is in fact working with them, this could mean great things down the road; just imagine!

At the risk of being presumptuous, I want to congratulate Jefferson Han and his team members Philip Davidson, Casey Muller, and IIyad Rosenberg.

Posted by tranism at 8:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

January 13, 2007

iRiver S10 Watch Conversion

Unveiled at CES, the folks over at iRiver decided their tiny S10 dap player would do well as watch with a simple and optional conversion. They've also updated their tiny player with bluetooth. If it's bluetooth 2.0 with stereo support, I'd totally rock it with a pair of bluetooth headphones.

Just like the original S10, it's super tiny (shuffle tiny) with a crisp color OLED screen. Dammit Apple, this should have been the iPod Shuffle.

via Gizmodo

Posted by tranism at 8:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Apple tv

Completely overshadowed by the iPhone's announcement, Apple tv is Apple's foray into your living room. Think of it as a media extender, wirelessly connecting to you Mac and/or PC to stream your music, pictures and videos straight to your TV. HDMI, DVI, and component connections mean crystal clear reproductions on your tele and that built-in wireless-n protocol means more than enough bandwidth to speedily stream your HD content.

I love it and hate for a few reasons. First off, I'm loving the incredibly small footprint; sleek enough to blend into your living room. I've always believed the TV should be the focus. Everything else needs to blend away. The interface looks like front-row on steroids which is fine for me since front-row is super easy to use. On the downside, the unit is limited to 720p. That's not really a bad thing since 1080p content is gigs bigger and still far and few in between. The built in 40 gig hard drive seems a bit anemic and overall, disappointing. This is not a DVR. It simply stores content you stream so it can be shared with other computers and watched again without having to re-stream. The other downside are its client limitations. Although up to 5 computers can be directly linked to one Apple tv unit, it has no ability to stream that content to mobile devices say, the new iPhone.

On the bright side, Apple is king at selling hardware filled to the brim with standards and open enough for them to update via software. That's what I'm hoping for. It would be great if the device is capable of 1080p streams and expanded syncing with Apple's future mobile devices via a simple software update. For now, the device is perfect for someone who has tons of movies and pictures on their computer and would love to watch them on their tele all wirelessly. I also see it doing well in the education market since it's much easier to stream shared content to classrooms instead of wheeling around a TV and DVD player on a cart.

Just $299 for pre-order.

Posted by tranism at 8:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

January 4, 2007

Robots via Human Thought

A group of students from the University of Washington have created a robot they can control using their thoughts with a 94% success rate.

Although mind reading robots are a long ways off, this research is the first step towards a future where humans use the most powerful computer at their disposal to control them; the brain.

The in-house built robot is connected to a computer which reads brain wave signals from a person using a cap studded with electrodes. The software can correctly translate the brain signals into simple instructions fed to the robot. Right now a person can instruct the robot to move forward, differentiate between two objects, pick one up and move it to another location. The team hopes with further research, the instructions can become more complex perhaps daisy-chaining them to complete more complicated tasks.

Although the robot they're using seems innocent and demure, how long do you suppose it'll be before it somehow becomes self-aware, turning our brain waves against us? In cases like this, I recommend the alpha training technique used for dogs. Always make direct eye contact with the bot, sniff its behind, and force it on it's back every now and then so it knows who's boss.

Posted by tranism at 11:49 AM | Permalink

December 30, 2006

Radio Shack Accurian iPod Alarm Clock

I've dabbled here and there with iPod docks but haven't really found one I would use regularly. Good thing too, because I'm currently lusting over the iPod Alarm Clock from Radio Shack under its Accurian brand.

The classic alarm-clock shape is augmented with tech, charging your iPod when docked and accessing its alarm settings. When the time is right, your tunes come blasting thru two bells which are really speakers. It even has an integrated snooze feature should you need those extra 5 minutes.

Not bad for $49.99. Go buy it!

Posted by tranism at 8:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

December 28, 2006

The Inkless Pen

At one point in time, society moved away from liquid based writing instruments in favor for silver ones. These pens were called silverpoints. Leonardo di Vinci used them because it was easier to carry then a quill and ink bottle.

Unfortunately silverpoints only worked with specially treated paper so it was back to ordinary ink. Now you can own your very own silverpoint but advances in technology now allow it to write on any paper surface.

The modern version doesn't use silver at all. Instead it's made of a metal alloy with a nib that will take forever to wear down. The marks it makes look like pencil but you can't smudge or rub it out. It's as permanent as ink.

It's a great looking pen and a conversation starter when people see you writing from nothing but solid metal. At only $30 a piece; makes a great gift.

Posted by tranism at 6:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

December 19, 2006

The Wiijects

YOU, yes you! Your stomach turned when the wiimote was unveiled. You ran thru the house screaming when you heard the "Revolution" was actually a Wii. You may even be the person that himed and hawed when the DS was announced. In general, every time Nintendo opened its mouth, you - like a dumbfounded catholic school girl lost in an all boys dormitory, asked yourself, "what the frack?"

My friend, this may send you over the edge. Nikkei Business Magazine (sorta like the Times of Japan) recently published some nostalgic and some bizarre Wii controller prototypes. Yes these Wiijects show the various directions Nintendo experimented with before settling with the ubiquitous wiimote design. The rotating controller on the upper right is kind of interesting. The amorphic gamcube-like blob looks a little big and uncomfortable, but lets get to the real question. WHAT THE FRACK is that giant orange controller in the middle?!?! Is someone at Nintendo R&D snorting fairy dust or something? Although we may never know exactly how the controller works, I like to pretend smashing down on that big ass star button activates an "I WIN" mode at which point a seizure inducing, rainbow casting, strobe light dancing aurora surrounds my body allowing me to execute everything in x10's speed.

You know what tho, it's nice to see a 30 billion company still willing to think so outside the box; not afraid to at least "try". I think that's the Nintendo magic, the spirit that speaks to those who believe anything is possible.

via 4 color rebellion

Posted by tranism at 11:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

December 17, 2006

The Blind Reader

As technology advances, we often forget innovation can sometimes leave specific people behind. For years, the blind could only read using braille and with the help of screen-readers. Togo design has taken it upon themselves to create a device that could potentially revolutionize the way blind people read.

The Blind Reader Bridge looks like a wand you hold and pass over text. The device scans and translates the text into braille onto the screen using a series of electromagnetic stitches. The information can even be stored to be read later.

via yankodesign

Posted by tranism at 11:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

December 14, 2006

Insect Lab

Insect Lab is an artist studio that specializes in customizing real insects with antique watch parts and electronic components. This is true science fiction come to life. Every single creation is startling. I found myself looking closely at the beetles because you can really see all the tiny gears and switches. It's masterfully crafted and beautiful. I'm almost tempted to buy one myself.

Each insect comes in a shadow box or glass bell jars perfect for displaying. They've got spiders, butterflies, beetles, bees and more ranging from $200 - $300.

more pictures after the jump

Posted by tranism at 11:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

November 27, 2006

Upscale That DVD for Cheap

I'm a proponent of technology but sometimes tech moves too fast and the cost associated for a full upgrade to really enjoy HD-DVD or Blu-ray is beyond the reach of most people.

Your alternative is to go with upscaling. Upscaling, simply put, is a way to digitally increase the line resolution of DVDs to HD. The end result depends on the quality of upscaling software but when done right, it's instant HD out of your DVD movies.

The NeoDigits Helios H4000 is probably the best looking, the most affordable, and best upscaler on the market. The unit has a small footprint, quiet in operation and first reviews are outstanding. The Helios supports both NTSC and PAL at all HD resolutions and doesn't come with any region encoding so import happy people should really love it. On top of that, NeoDigits throws in HDMI and component cables with every unit all for $169.00.

If you've got an HD capable TV but not yet willing to plunk down $1000 for one of the next-gen players or waiting until there's a definite format winner, go with upscaling. Artifacts are hardly noticeable and you can continue to enjoy your current DVD collection for under $200. And yes, this would make an excellent gift.

full review over at I4U

Posted by tranism at 3:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Energy Autonomous > Energy Efficient

I was once called the "Gay Inspector Gadget" (don't ask). You see I have this belief that the perfect car for me will be laden with gadgets, keep me connected to the world and have a neutral impact on the environment. Aside from the gadgets thing, I don't see anything else I have in common with Inspector Gadget. I mean I don't have a little blond girl shadowing me with a brainy dog, so the reference has always eluded me.

Until a friend of mine emailed me a link to the Venturi Eclectic with the subject heading "Here's your car Inspector!". You're real funny Rui, real funny. I still don't see the reference but the vehicle intrigues me.

The Eclectic is billed as the world's first mass produced energy autonomous vehicle. It's designed for daily driving in urban areas and is powered by electricity via 3 sources; plug-in, solar and wait for it . . . wind. The roof is equipped with advance photovoltaic cells to quickly harness the power of the sun keeping you juiced and ready to go. To support that system is a wind turbine that extends up and out capturing the power of wind should there be a gust and both are augmented with an advance plug-in system for those overnight recharges.

The vehicle goes on sale in Europe June 2007 for about $31,000 USD. There are no plans for the Eclectic in the US, but one can only hope something similar is a-brewing but better looking please. At least add some doors!

more pictures after the jump

Posted by tranism at 2:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

O-Ring Digi

I sometimes feel the days of the watch are over. If you've got a cell phone, PDA and a friend - you've already got multiple ways to tell time. The watch's function then becomes reduced to an accessory and no company knows that better than Fossil. Teaming up with minimalist designer Philippe S+arck, the O-Ring Digi "clocks" in at a cool $110 for a unique design. The ring shape display numerically displays the hour while minutes fill in the ring as a series of blocks. The very center of the ring is cut out creating the opportunity for even more unique watch-band ringlet wrist tans.

Buy it now and get free shipping direct from Fossil

Posted by tranism at 2:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 15, 2006

Flying Alarm Clock

Okay, I've never received so many emails about a concept product before (sans the Selkbag) so I'm happy to tell all you morning challenged people the Blowfly Blow concept is now ready.

Although it looks really different (most concepts don't translate into production very well), it still does the one thing that we all thought was cool - it flies. So the next time your alarm goes off, hitting a snooze button won't do anything. You'll have to get up, catch the flying snitch and put it back on its base to shut it up.

Only $35. Enjoy!

via slashgear

Posted by tranism at 5:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Thanks Thanko!

The Thanko hand warming mousepad may look odd, but it's a cute odd. I know someone with ice cold hands (cough! plankton) that could use one of these things. My hands are always warm but I'm a sucker for cute and odd things, especially if they look like I have my hand down some poor animal's mouth.

NOTE: And yes, this is the same company that makes those crazy USB powered feet warmers.

via gizmodo

Posted by tranism at 4:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 14, 2006

Faster Than Any Condom

Not sure what category this would fall under so I filed it under "techness". And just for sh*ts and giggles, I also filed it under "activities".

This is for all those lazy ass people who still complain how condoms ruin by interrupting the heat of the moment. If 10 seconds is too long (my personal best) then perhaps a condom that takes less than 5 seconds to go from packaging onto your slim-jim is more to your suiting.

The Pronto condom is just like any other condom, made from latex and offers the same level of protection. The difference is in the packaging which is specially designed to act as an applicator. You simply snap the package in the middle and slide the pack downwards automatically unrolling the condom over your shaft in one fell swoop. Just check out this movie if you don't believe me.

The Pronto is currently for sale in South Africa only but the company assures worldwide patents have been secured and you should be able to find them at your local drug stores sometime early next year.

Cheers to safe sex!

Posted by tranism at 5:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

November 12, 2006

Helio Drift

The Drift is the latest handset from mobile provider Helio. It may look like an ordinary Samsung slider but what sets the Drift apart is its tight integration with Helio's 3G network.

Two standout features are Google Maps GPS and Buddy Beacon - for utilizing Helio's 3G network for realtime GPS goodness. The Google Maps GPS gives you instructions to and from your destination. Playing with the handset, I found it to be fast and very accurate. Of course this isn't your full fledged Garmin or TomTom navi, but having it on a phone makes it a convenient distraction. The second feature is called Buddy Beacon. Basically you list all your buddies (who also have to have Helio phones) and you can find them on Google Maps, represented by little colorful stick figures. It's an interesting feature but you have to refresh the program when you move to another area for other people to get an accurate depiction of your location. I hope Helio will upgrade their system to include real time buddy beacons. That way, when I say to my friends, "I'm watching you", I really mean it.

Posted by tranism at 12:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 7, 2006

It's a Yes on PS3

I've been a harsh critic of Sony's hardware design for the PS3 but that doesn't negate the fact that I'll get one - about a year later.

As the North American console launches for the industry's other two players looms near, I'm getting a slew of emails from friends and readers about which console I'm getting. To answer those question simply, I'm getting a Wii first and a PS3 a year later (hopefully). That is unless Sony wants to send me one gratis - I will be more than happy to accept.

First, why no Xbox 360 for me. I think it's an awesome machine with awesome looking games and an online component second to none. My only issues with it are no HDMI and not very many games (genres) that I would play. I'm not a FPS type person nor am I into sports. That doesn't leave me with much except for Kameo and PGR. I did play Oblivion but it screams western RPG to me (call me a purist). I think the only game that has be excited for the 360 is Fable. (Yes I actually liked the first one too). When the 360 gets more RPG's, platformers and adventure games, I'll give it a second look.

The Wii is a no brainer for me. It's dirt cheap (by comparison) and has a group of games out at launch that I want. Namely Zelda and Rayman. The aspects of the controller also have me excited and since it's not an HD console, I could care less about HDMI, as long as I am able to get my Wii component cables.

Which brings me to the PS3. I've seen the games, even played some of them. It really is next generation (in terms of graphics), not to say the Xbox 360 isn't on par. It's the exciting possibilities of Linux being pre-installed on each unit, blu-ray, and curiosity of how well Sony's new unified online experience will be. The new SIXAXIS controller is pretty cool and although I was probably one of the few who understood and liked the ergonomic advantages of the concept boomerang controller, I never really had any gripes with the dual-shock design. I like that it comes with HDMI and games are true 1080p or 1080i. I have an HD TV but no HD cable so it'll be nice to see something utilize my TV's potential. The only barriers to my getting one come launch day are three-fold; price, games and availability.

PRICE: I believe Sony when they say it's a console worth $600. I mean it's got a revolutionary processor and blu-ray. Judging by the cost of current 2 core processors commanding almost $200 bucks; an 8 core Cell for $600 isn't so bad. Not to mention dedicated blu-ray players are going for $800+ so again, $600 isn't so bad. The price just sounds crazy because the average multimedia and gamer guru doesn't have that kind of disposable income. When we start to see games leverage the power of Cell and blu-ray become the new standard - it's value will become a little more apparent.

GAMES: Secondly (I swore I would never use that word), the launch games are kinda meh. The FPS, sports, bevy of violent themed, and tuner race games don't do anything for me. The games I want are next Final Fantasies, the Kingdom Hearts, the Jak & Daxters. Those types of games probably won't be here until 1 - 2 years later and I worry the new console generation will find those games playing second fiddle as the industry shifts its focus towards the cash laden. testosterone filled male gamers of North America and Europe. I just hope there's another Jason Rubin out there, tinkering away at some new platformer to fulfill my next gen needs for a Jak & Daxter.

AVAILABILITY: All I'm gonna say here is GOOD LUCK FINDING ONE! If you didn't know it already, Sony has had numerous production problems, making the PS3 somewhat of a mirage. You might find one, but find it at an inflated price; that's for damn sure.

So you see, I do like PS3. I know sooner or later I'll get one. It's just weird because this is the first time Sony won't be my first console purchase of a new generation.

Posted by tranism at 7:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Way a Web Styler Should Be

Okay, I'm no CSS magician. In fact, I only started learning CSS about a year ago and my grasp of it is still, meh. It's not that it's hard or anything. It's just one of those things that progressively gets easier with more practice. So when my hero CSS app got updated, I got all giddy!

CSSEdit 2 from macrabbit (the developers are actually a group of retired magic show rabbits) is hands down the best mac CSS editor in all the land. It's a total mac app. The interface adheres to Apple's user interface standards which means it's clean, simple and very easy to use.

For noobs like me, it makes writing your own CSS super easy. There's a visual editor that lets your design your layouts all without writing a single line of code. Once you see how design gets translated into code, in no time you'll be jumping in doing it by hand. It's a great way to learn and it's how I learned CSS. SCREW BOOKS!

My second new fav feature is the validation tool. CSS is a loose enough construct that in the wrong hands, won't render correctly across all browsers. That validation tool is sorta like a spell-check function that makes sure your code is up to W3C (the almighty web consortium gods) standards.

My most fav new feature is called X-ray. With it, I can view other sites and reveal exactly how their CSS is written. Ooh how sinfully delicious!

Now truth be told, I only have the first version of CSSEdit so if the people leporidaes at macrabbit read this, I would love to get my hands on this new version since mine is demo only. :)

$29.95, runs on both PPC and Intel Macs. Buy it here

Posted by tranism at 5:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

November 5, 2006

Aeros Airships

When I was a kid, I had a certain vision of the future. To date, reality has only fulfilled about 25% of that vision. Where are our flying cars? Where is our unified world government? Where are the giant airships that making flying around cities a sightseeing adventure?

It seems the light gliders of yesteryear are on their way back and with current advances in technology, they're safer, faster, quieter and much more ecologically sound.

The Aeros company wants to make their airships available for commercial use on short range trips. They can fly at over 150 knots while expending far less fuel and provide a smoother ride for those that get air sick. The luxury liners can make that trip from Los Angeles to Vegas feel like you just spent the last hour in a posh hotel rather then locked down in an uncomfortable seat surrounded by strangers.

I'm pretty much sold and would like to know how much a ticket would cost.

Posted by tranism at 7:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)

Shiira, Princess of Web Power

Shiira is a Web Kit based (same rendering engine Safari uses) browser for Mac OS X. The latest 1.2.2 release is much faster, lighter and includes more features than Safari.

I've been using it for about a week now and it's incredibly stable. CSS and secured sites load up fast and without any glitches. It's also more open than Safari in allowing you to customize the way it looks but it's default theme is aquatastic enough as is.

Which brings me to another point, why bother with another browser when you've got Safari and Firefox already? You already know my reasons why I chose Shiira over Safari, but here's why I chose it over Firefox.

The Mozilla group have done a wonderful job in making Firefox stable and extensible. Problem is, if you haven't noticed, Firefox runs much slower on a Mac and is prone to more memory leaks than it's brethren on the PC. That's because Firefox was compiled to be OS and processor independent thereby ignoring the advance framework the Mac has to offer. There are independent groups out there who have compiled their own versions of Firefox specifically for the Mac and they are a huge improvement. In fact, I have this one installed on my Mac. It works wonderfully but even so, it brings me to my last gripe with Firefox. It doesn't feel very Mac-like, no matter what theme you slap on it. It just doesn't dig into the advance technologies lying underneath the OS.

This is where Shiira shines. It's def. a Mac app thru and thru. It has all the features modern browsers do such as RSS support, page holders, private and offline browsing. It's Universal Access support for vision and hearing impaired people are by far the best. Another feature is the ability to view all your opened tabs via Expose style. Yes Firefox offers add-ons that give you the same ability but the feature is built into the core of Shiira taking advantage of OS X's core engine. This makes viewing 100 tabs in Expose quick and a breeze in Shiira where doing the same in Firefox would inundate you with a spinning wheel before completely crashing.

Just like Firefox, Shiira has nightly builds that anyone can participate in. It's quickly developing and already, the beta 2.0 version makes all other browsers look archaic. Tabs can be viewed as thumbnails in a dock-like interface similar to OmniWeb. You can view websites in kiosk mode which takes advantage of your screen real-estate by going fullscreen. All information such as bookmarks, browsing history, page holders, etc... are handled thru HUD panels similar to Apple's approach in application design where transparent controls appear when needed. The new Shelf feature makes organizing bookmarks super easy and no longer will you have to import bookmarks. It automatically reads them from other browsers installed on your machine so if you bookmark something in Firefox, it dynamically appears in Shiira. The interface has improved further and will look right at home in Apple's next version of OS X.

I personally can't wait for Shiira 2.0 and when it does come out, you can be sure there will be an updated post on it's expanded feature set and performance.

Download the current Universal release of Shiira here

full screenshot after the jump