Gadgets Base

by Darren Murph, posted May 23rd 2008 at 10:20AM
Joining the elite club of intelligent lighting solutions that are sophisticated enough to not be laughed at is NeuroLED. Truth be told, we’re pretty far from understanding exactly how this contraption works, but we are told that the system is controlled by software written in Java and that it can be altered to react in different ways via toggle switches or wall-mounted touch panels. From what we can tell, the system can be used for pure entertainment, educating or even spicing up a nightclub, and considering that it can play nice with WiFi, remote access is also within the realm of possibility. That’s about all the explaining we can do — click on through to let the vid do the rest of the yappin’.

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Filed under: Misc. gadgets

They say that nothing can make people relax more than simply watching fish. The problem with fish tanks is they require constant care. I mean, you have to keep the temperature at a constant level, then you have to feed the fish too. If you forget even one of these things, you’ll wake up see your fish doing the backstroke.

Maybe you should get yourself some sort of Virtual Fish Tank, so you can watch the fish without any maintenance but electrical power. Some of you might even have one of these Virtual Fish Tanks on your screen saver.

But if you’re looking for something bigger, you would be hard-pressed to find one larger than the 32 million dollar Virtual Fish Tank in Beijing. This one measures 30 by 250 meters, which is slightly larger than a football field. You know it’s got to be big if I’m using football fields for a size comparison.

This Virtual Fish Tank is mounted six stories in the air between two shopping malls. I’m not certain why the creators of this Virtual Fish Tank chose to mount this contraption high on the ceiling. I would much rather see fish tank in a traditional wall setting.

I suppose people could lie on their back and watch the Ceiling Fish Tank. That would make them feel really relaxed. At least until the shoppers step on their faces, that is.

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by Darren Murph, posted May 23rd 2008 at 11:04AMDon’t get too excited — that image you see to the right isn’t actually a transatlantic telescope. Rather, it’s a transatlantic broadband network “rounded off on each end with HD cameras.” Still, the 11.2- x 3.3-meter Telectroscope is a real marvel to look at, and it actually does enable viewers in New York and London to peer at each other in real-time. The creation will be on display and open to the public around the clock in both cities until June 15th, so if you’ve been meaning to ask for that dame’s hand in marriage but couldn’t afford the JFK - LHR ticket, why not set up a surprise meeting at the ’scope?

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Filed under: Digital Cameras

by Nilay Patel, posted May 22nd 2008 at 11:44PM
Alright, so you weren’t exactly waiting on pins and needles for Fuji to release yet another entry-level FinePix digital camera, but might we interest you in yet another entry-level digital camera with totally average specifications? We thought so. We think you’ll find the FinePix A850 offers a uninspiring 8 megapixels of image-stabilized resolution, a delightfully adequate 3x optical zoom, and a solidly-middling ISO 800 maximum sensitivity. But don’t get too excited digging change out of the couch just yet — Fuji’s not going to announce pricing on this pinnacle of yesterday’s technology until it gets closer to launch in July.

[Thanks, Mark]

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Filed under: Digital Cameras

by Darren Murph, posted May 23rd 2008 at 1:08AM
Every so often, we catch Sharp tooting its own horn in regard to sensor size. Needless to say, small is most certainly superior in this discussion, and the aforesaid outfit is patting itself on the back once more for the RJ63SC100. This 5-megapixel CMOS sensor is said to be the industry’s thinnest at 9.5- x 9.5- x 6.6-millimeters, and it should fit snugly inside the already cramped innards of tomorrow’s cellphones just fine. Samples are slated to ship out at the end of May for ¥10,000 ($96) a pop, while commercial production should get going a month later.

[Via Impress]

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Filed under: Digital Cameras

by Chris Ziegler, posted May 22nd 2008 at 6:37PM
After a pleasingly brief public beta, Nokia’s glazing its Maps 2.0 navigation app with a thick coating of gold and sending it off into a waiting world of S60-toting fiends to fend for itself. The new version underpins the GPS receivers in Nokia’s 2008 smartphones but is also available as a free download for a variety of existing devices, offering key improvements that make it a totally viable nav system — satellite view, traffic data, and a significantly retooled UI, most importantly, plus the addition of a dedicated pedestrian mode for those times when geographical confusion strikes while on foot. Optional packs add goodies like city guides and the all-important voice guided car navigation and ultimately make Maps 2.0 a non-free venture, but really, no full-featured nav system is — and the initial download does quite a bit out of the box. Hit the read link to kick off the download.

[Via All About Symbian]

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Filed under: cellphones

by Donald Melanson, posted May 22nd 2008 at 5:36PMWe’ve already seen some attempts to create a tricorder-like device, but this latest crack it at by some researchers at Georgia Tech looks like it could well be the closest to the real thing to date — if it ever turns into an actual device, that is. The big advance with this one, it seems, is the use of a new mosaic narrowband filter, which includes photosensitive pixel sensors that can observe different wavelengths and allow for multispectral imaging. According to the researchers, the filter could also be laminated with standard imaging sensors used in digital cameras, making an all-in-one handheld device possible. That would apparently let individuals use the device to detect everything from the severity of bruises to contamination in food, or even perform remote sensing in mining, to name but a few applications. The researchers still have quite a bit more work to do on it before any of that’s possible, however, and they’re now seeking collaborative or financial support to further develop the device.

[Via Daily Tech]

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Filed under: Misc. gadgets

The Fujitsu Raku-Raku Phone Premium (F884i) offers a camera as well as the following features:

* 1seg viewing
* “Osaifu-Keitai (contactless mobile IC card)” capabilities
* supports both W-CDMA and GSM
* “Yoko-Motion” function (a motion detector to launch applications by tilting the phone to the right or left)
* 550:1 contrast, half-transmissive LCD panel for the main display

Via TechOn.

We all know the Asus Eee Pc to come in the same color as the original ipod did - white, but apparently a French Asus Eee PC blog managed to pick up images of a sleek and stunning black Asus Eee PC 901. Other than the introduction of a new color, additional details are still very scant, but we do know that the Eee PC 901 will feature an Intel Atom processor, an 8.9″ display, Bluetooth connectivity, and metal alloy parts that make up the keyboard and hinge. There won’t be any WiMAX though. For further confirmation, we ought to wait till June since that’s when the Eee PC 901 is slated to be released.

Source: I4U

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Keeping true to their priority of being significant hubs of the community, Boost Mobile opened its first three retail stores, they are located in Huntington Park, California, Hialeah, Florida and Houston, Texas. In addition to the new retail locations the Boost Mobile prepaid products have been and will remain available to consumers at Wal-Mart, 7-11 and a huge number of other retail outlets.

More than just a place to buy goods, Michael Lanzo, Boost Vice President of Sales and Marketing says, “our stores have a great vibe and highlight the best we have to offer.” Contrary to the common shops, Lanzo adds, “they’re much more than just retail spots aimed at attracting customers—the stores are centers for community connection.  Becoming an integral part of these neighborhoods is a priority for Boost, and we are actively engaging local civic officials and giving back to charities in the communities where our stores are located.”

Boost seems determined to cultivate a ‘community’ image. The stores aim to exude a green vibe, filling the stores with furniture and decor made of recycled materials.

Via [MobileCrunch]

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