Gadgets Base

Posted Jan 18th 2008 2:37PM by Donald Melanson
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets If microscopes like those from Celestron are a bit more than you need, you may want to keep an eye out for JAKKS Pacific’s upcoming EyeClops BioniCam, which is obviously aimed at kids but, as we’ve seen in the past, will no doubt appeal to more adventuresome users out there as well. A follow-up to the company’s EyeClops Bionic Eye, this one ups the features considerably with the addition of an LCD screen, which you can use to peek at things at magnification levels of 100x, 200x or 400x. Also like that considerably higher-end Celestron, this one packs a built-in digital camera (no word on the resolution) and an included USB thumb drive to make transfers to a computer as easy as can be. No word on a price just yet, unfortunately, though you can look for it to hit stores sometime this fall.

[Via SlashGear]

Nokia is proud to announce that its vaunted N95 8GB cell phone is the first in the world to receive Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) certification. For those who are not in the know (I was certainly one of the unenlightened ones before I came across the press release anyways), DLNA is a body advocating the interoperability of wired and wireless consumer devices. What does this certification mean for the consumer? For starters, DLNA certification would mean “convenient and intuitive connectivity” between your future DLNA Certified home electronics devices, including personal computers, and your Nokia N95 8GB.

In a nutshell, DLNA technology enables multi-vendor home ecosystems of consumer devices by constructing a common connectivity platform for a variety of multimedia experiences. Nokia also has the same vision where openness and seamless interoperability between devices and services from different brands are concerned. DLNA certification for the N95 8GB means the device can now be classified as a Mobile Digital Media Server. After all, Nokia did position the N95 as “what computers have become”, so you can’t really argue against it receiving such an accolade.

According to Anssi Vanjoki, executive vice president, Markets, Nokia, “We are thrilled to receive this tribute from the DLNA. The Nokia N95 8GB is truly a masterpiece of a multimedia computer, and a prime example of the direction mobility is taking - it’s personal, powerful and fits seamlessly into your life inside and outside the home.” There are currently over 1,800 products in both personal computer and consumer electronic categories that have received DLNA certification, but what makes the N95 8GB special is the fact that it is the first cell phone to receive such an honor. Are you rocking to a N95 at this point in time, or do you think that it’s shortcomings do not warrant a purchase from your side? Perhaps this development will change your mind…

Press Release

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After the recent bad news regarding Intel for the OLPC project it is good to see that they have set up offices in the US and are looking to expand through state governments and get the XO laptop into the hands of the poorest kids in the US.

The XO laptop costs $188 which is almost double the initial target of $100, and with $10,000 spent per annum on each primary school child in the US compared to $20 in Bangladesh it is likely that the project is looking to boost sales of the XO in the US to help support the sales in the poorer nations, but as the poorest kids in the US benefit at the same time it seems like a win-win situation to me.

Via [BBC]

Canadian readers rejoice, Nokia has taken their latest tablet across the border, the N810 is now available and will retail for $485. This should be excellent news for Canadians looking for an affordable tablet solution without having to try and get one imported from alternate sources. The N810 is a much improved version of the N800.

The N810 in Canada will offer the same specs as the current model and include the 4.13-inch 800 x 640 display, Texas Instruments 400MHz OMAP 2420 processor, 128MB DDR2 RAM, slide-out QWERTY keyboard, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0 and built-in GPS.

Product [Nokia.ca] Via [Engadget]

Perhaps one of the simplest mobile phones to show its sleek, proud face at the Consumer Electronics Show is the Sanyo S1 Palmtop. It can hold its own even in the face of the amazing and dazzling strides made in the world of wireless technology. The Sanyo S1 Palmtop is for those among us who believe in simplicity and desire a phone that geeks might consider primitive; one whose primary selling point is reliability in getting connected for voice and basic e-mail.

Sanyo’s goal is to provide to all consumers a more comfortable life; a life in harmony with the environment. The S1 Palmtop lives up to that standard with every little breath that it takes. It is ultra sleek and weighs only 2.5 ounces. It is just 11mm thin, wrapped in a silky, soft-touch finish and feels like it belongs in your hand. Despite its size, the S1 Palmtop boasts a robust 24mm speakerphone, integrated Bluetooth wireless technology, large, colorful LCD screen and a voice-activated Wireless Backup allows users to easily manage the phone’s contacts list in case the phone is lost, stolen or damaged.

The Sanyo S1 Palmtop is ultra-slim, stylish and sophisticated and reflects Sanyo’s commitment to becoming an indispensable element in the lives of people all over the world.

Read [New Launches]

Posted Jan 18th 2008 11:22AM by Evan Blass
Filed under: Cellphones, WirelessNew Sprint Nextel CEO Dan Hesse appears to have inherited a company bleeding subscribers by the thousands, and will now officially be dropping the ax on 4,000 employees and 125 retail locations. Amid the loss of 639,000 postpaid customers in the fourth quarter, Sprint will be cutting a total of 6.7% of its work force (following the 5,000 layoffs last year) and 8% of company-owned brick-and-mortar stores, while remaining mute on other rumors that it will consolidate its headquarters in Kansas. Sprint Nextel shares are down $2.89, or nearly 25%, at the time of this writing.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Posted Jan 18th 2008 1:38PM by Ryan Block
Filed under: Household
Sorry Joan Rivers, Hoverit Lounger is officially sliding into the pole position for the most hideously awkward looking piece of plastic flittering around, although we’ll totally understand if you want to envy its defiance of gravity above all else. No solid plans for price or production, but really, who’s rushing to sit in this thing? We get that it’s clear to prove there are no tricks up the Lounger’s sleeves, but that’s kind of like over-explaining a joke that wasn’t even funny to begin with. Do yourself a favor — sit on your hardwood floor, it’s free and looks totally Boho.

[Via Physorg]

Gallery: Hoverit’s Lounger, the magnetically levitating acrylic chaise

Posted Jan 18th 2008 10:31AM by Evan Blass
Filed under: GamingProving that children and the elderly are not the only groups seeing benefits from Nintendo’s Wii, a study on a small group of surgeons who had practiced gaming with a modified controller showed them to achieve significantly more improvement on a standard simulator procedure than did a corresponding group of control subjects. Study author Kanav Kahol worked with Dr. Marshall Smith of the Banner Health hospital chain to build a special Wiimote attachment (read: broken golf club add on + laparoscopic probe) that eight surgical residents used to play Marble Mania and the full suite of Wii Play games. The gamers were then pitted against eight of their less-fortunate colleagues in a computer-simulated laparoscopic procedure, and managed to attain 48% higher scores, on average, than the non-gamers. Unfortunately, games involving broader motions such as tennis or boxing are said to be less suitable for this sort of training, make a total liar out of your doctor the next time you catch him “honing up on the latest techniques” by playing Wii Golf.

[Image courtesy of The Wall Street Journal]

Line Golfer. Aaargh, yet another superb idea for a game, so more hours lost. The idea is that you design your own golf course – Line Rider style – and then you play it. And good luck to you, dear reader. Brilliant stuff!

 How to create a course: Use the tools at the top while in edit mode to design your course. When you are finished editing, use the disk icon and follow the onscreen instructions to publish your course to Candystand.com for other people to play and rate. You can also use the folder icon to save the course locally for future editing before publishing to Candystand.com… While taking a shot, move your mouse to adjust your shot angle. Hold the left mouse button to charge your shot, release the left mouse button to hit the ball

Posted Jan 18th 2008 7:52AM by Thomas Ricker
Filed under: LaptopsApple and Greenpeace haven’t exactly been the best of buds. However, MacWorld seems to have changed all that, at least for Greenpeace. In a statement issued on their US website, Greenpeace says the following:

“The MacBook Air is a strong entry in the race to build a green PC. As a mercury and arsenic free laptop it exceeds European Standards (RoHS directive exemptions) and raises the bar for the rest of the industry.”

Sure, the Greenies still had their nits to pick with the use of PVC and BFRs. Yet they did give a nod of approval at their reduced usage. Had Greenpeace’s statement not been laced with condescending phrases like, “It’s a big step for Steve,” the whole week might have ended with some herb being passed around the Kumbaya circle — ‘ere ‘ippie, gimme a ‘ug.

[Via Macworld]