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That’s right. Pretty soon, computer users will soon have an potentially uninterrupted wireless connection thanks to the use of light emitting diodes (LEDS) as both lighting fixtures and wifi access points. The idea, funded by an $18.5m grant from the US National Science Foundation, is being studied by researchers of Boston University is essentially that because LEDs run so cool, and use so little power, that the remaining signal used by the LED for power can also be used as conduit for wireless access points.

And it’ll be pretty fast too, as data will be able to travel using visible light at up to 10 Mega bytes per second. And the best part is, the technology can be adapted using existing power lines, so there’s not need for investment in an expensive infrastructure.

And it makes a lot of sense. With today’s tech obsessed workers getting more mobile, and with smart phones actually just computer platforms with a cellphone connection, why wouldn’t it? Phone’s like the iphone not only have cell connections, but also wifi access. More and more manufacturers are starting to see that people want to be more mobile and not chained to their desks. So, if Boston University can get this working, it could revolutionize the corporate workplace.

Hat tip/photo credit – The Giz

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That’s right. Pretty soon, computer users will soon have an potentially uninterrupted wireless connection thanks to the use of light emitting diodes (LEDS) as both lighting fixtures and wifi access points. The idea, funded by an $18.5m grant from the US National Science Foundation, is being studied by researchers of Boston University is essentially that because LEDs run so cool, and use so little power, that the remaining signal used by the LED for power can also be used as conduit for wireless access points.

And it’ll be pretty fast too, as data will be able to travel using visible light at up to 10 Mega bytes per second. And the best part is, the technology can be adapted using existing power lines, so there’s not need for investment in an expensive infrastructure.

And it makes a lot of sense. With today’s tech obsessed workers getting more mobile, and with smart phones actually just computer platforms with a cellphone connection, why wouldn’t it? Phone’s like the iphone not only have cell connections, but also wifi access. More and more manufacturers are starting to see that people want to be more mobile and not chained to their desks. So, if Boston University can get this working, it could revolutionize the corporate workplace.

Hat tip/photo credit – The Giz

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If, like me, you think from time to time about switching from a PC to a Mac, you’ll want to check out Robert Jensen’s account of how, in the course of reviewing the new iMac, he fell in love and ended up buying one.

The lack of cable clutter is delightful, but of course the changeover is not quite seamless. I got interested in Mac potential when Apple’s Boot Camp and Parallels made it possible to use Windows programs on the Mac. There are a couple I just can’t give up.

But Jensen apparently is not taking that easy way out. He has just published the first in what he says is a series of tutorials describing what’s involved in transferring years of your life to a different operating system.

You know those late night e-mails you send out pleading for your girlfriend to take you back?  Then, you wake up the next morning and remember all the reasons you broke up with her in the first place and think oh my God what did I do?!? and wish there was a big old RETRACT button on your e-mail?  Well, until they come up with that e-mail retract button, they have something else.  Something that will at least sort of slow you down and make you think before you send that pleading missive of unrequited love.  Something that makes you solve math problems.

Yep.  You read that right.  Solve math problems.  See, GMail Engineer Jon Perlow over at Google Labs figured that if you are actually going to sit there and be able to think through solving some math problems, then just maybe you are in fact thinking clearly, and actually do want to send that email and the desire isn’t just an alcohol induced psychosis.

So, he developed Mail Goggles.  In its default settings, Mail Goggles is only active late nights on the weekend (since they figure that’s when most people need it and make their frantic emails that they later tend to regret).  You can change when it is active in the General Settings area once you enable the program though, if you feel your prime “I need goggles” time is different or if it is an around the clock thing.

This just may save a few relationships, jobs, or just help a few save face before hitting “send.” Regardless, this is kind of a fun idea.

via [techmeme] and [gmailblog]

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A Japanese company called D-Barcode has chosen to illustrate the fact that a little bit of creativity can do absolute wonders to the mundane aspects of everyday life – by unleashing their imagination on something as taken-for-granted as a barcode. By blending art into these unexciting lines of black, D-Barcode has elevated the status of a barcode from that of being simply functional to being a precious collectible.

Apparently, these arty barcodes are available on virtually all of Japan’s grocery items and have radically changed the shopping-for-grocery experience. Each one is a visual treat – a scorpion stuck in the zipper, couple on a couch, dangling strawberries, man lifting a heavy load and so many others. Fortunate are those that get to enjoy this fabulous art for free.

Via Fosfor gadgets.

I don’t have a non-digital camera anymore, but I do have a lot of old photos in boxes in the hall closet, and a lot of negatives to go with them. My mom even has boxes of slides in her hall closet.

Wouldn’t it be good if there was a way to turn old negatives and slides into digital photos? Enter

Firebox’s new scanner, which you plug into your computer via USB and then feed negatives or slides into. They are then transformed into good-quality digital images which you can crop, save and upload to photo-sharing sites (or whatever else you like to do with your digital pics).

Plus you can get rid of those old boxes of pics and finally have some room left in your hall closet: it’s win-win!

Buy it for $141.50.

Oh no, not another one of these video headsets that still have yet to catch on. This particular one that you see here is from camera giant Nikon and called the Media Port UP.

Most of these video headsets that we have reported on, like the myvu, are usually designed to take video files off of the ipod and make them a private experience for the viewer. I’ve got to give kudos to the Media Port UP because it is WiFi ready, and allows the user to view files with the Windows Media Player.

So, are we looking at the next stage of mobile computing? No more laptops or netbooks, but surf the web while you’re walking around. Well, it does have a memory of 4 to 8 gigabyte hard drive.

Other specs include 120 minutes of playback time for video, and 270 minutes of playback time for music. The Media Port UP is even designed with some hands-free operation. So when a user moves his or her head, it somehow affects the playing.

Not bad, but does it have to be so ugly? I mean, look at the lady in this picture. I feel like she should be telling me “Resistance is Futile”. Would it have been even more freaky if they designed it to view with two eyes. Right now, you should be able it at the Up Store for about $580.

Source

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As electricity bills continue to rise, and the world becomes more Eco-friendly aware, Sharp provides us with a solution. Large screen HDTVs are known for using a lot of electricity, especially plasmas. Most manufactures are doing their bit by cutting down on the amount of electricity the sets consume when in use, and also when in standby. But Sharp has gone one step further, but producing the “World’s first off-the-grid television”, which is powered solely by it’s own single solar panel.

Sharp demonstrated this 52-inch solar powered LED HDTV at this years CEATEC in Japan, as reported by AVing. Judging from the Japanese description, the 52-inch LCD TV seems to use the single solar panel to generate upto 220kWh of electricity which the HDTV then uses to power it’s self with no negative effects on the environment.

We have seen environmentally friendly HDTVs in the past, which cut electricity usage by using LEDs to provide the light source, but nothing quite like this. We are impressed by Sharp’s ideas, and hopefully look forward to seeing this set in production in the future.

Mitsubishi has released its virgin USB PC monitor that boasts DisplayLink Corp.’s innovative network display technology. Available in Japan at this point in time, the Mitsubishi WIDE LCD display (also known by its more formal model number, RDT201WDL) is a 20.1″ wide-format system uses DisplayLink technology to provide notebook users a painless and easy way to enjoy multi-monitor computing via a single USB connection. Features of the RDT201WDL include :-

• 1,680 x 1,050 resolution
• Built-in Ethernet connection
• USB hub
• Energy-saving feature (three levels)
• On-screen energy meter

No idea on how much this will cost, nor whether it will make its way Stateside or in Europe though.

Press Release (Image courtesy of Engadget)

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by Darren Murph, posted Oct 6th 2008 at 10:01PM
We’ve seen some fairly fascinating things at CEATEC this year, but this one could be the biggest game-changer of ‘em all, if you’ll allow us just one buzzword. The LED-backlit 52-incher you see above comes attached to a not-at-all convenient solar floor panel which presumably provides at least some of the energy required to power this thing. We’ve no clue how close the design is to being viable for the commercial realm, but we’d say Sharp’s definitely headed in the right direction here.

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Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment