Tech Gadgets Reviews

Can you imagine splitting up your computer into several small devices and manipulating them individually to suit your own taste? A clever new prototype for such a device has been demonstrated by the researchers over at MIT Media Lab. Dubbed as “Siftables”, this new prototype aims to “enable people to interact with information and media in physical, natural ways that approach interactions with physical objects in our everyday lives.” They call Siftables an “interaction platform” that gives a user entirely new ways to control data with the application of technology from wireless sensor networks to tangible user interfaces.

The technology behind Siftables is actually quite simple. It’s basically a mini computer with a 20 MHz AVR processor, full-color OLED screen, short-range infrared sensor, Bluetooth radio, tactile/haptic actuation driver circuits, a 3-axis accelerometer, built-in flash memory, rechargeable Li-Polymer batteries and expansion ports for additional sensors. So as you can see, it uses existing technology to do its new thing as if nobody ever thought of it before. It’s a new shot at organizing how you do your day-to-day computing. And personally, I think it’s a great idea so far.

As to whether or not this new technology actually becomes useful in our everyday life remains to be seen. Because judging from the video, Siftables look as though they’re only a mere novelty which would be best for kids or the occasional icebreaker. It almost makes one hope this doesn’t experience the same fate as digital photo frames, which as you might know, have become quite pointless in itself. I’m sure the creators, David Merrill and Jeevan Kalanithi will think something up.

Via [MIT Media Lab]

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Posted Mar 16th 2008 1:13PM by Ryan Block
Filed under: Household

The Japanese are hyping Vista SP1’s impending release, but a roll of toilet paper printed with highlighted features is kind of uncalled for. You kind of have to feel a little bad for Vista — it just keeps getting crapped on these days.

[Thanks, kaztm]

Trying to compete in the arena of instant messaging, Facebook has announced that they’ll be launching their first instant messaging system. The Facebook team has been working hard, programming and testing the system. Rumors claim that the stable version will be launching next week for Facebook users to begin using and testing the new IM system. It is said that, unlike Windows Live Messenger and AOL or any other current IM system where you need to install software to enjoy all the IM service, Facebook users can web chat with friends on their Facebook pages as the Facebook IM is built into the user’s interface. Many also said that you will be able to log in into multiple IM platforms similar to web-based Meebo and other programs like Trillian and Adium.

This could be good news considering the vast numbers of Facebook users, this service could let Facebook step out of the crowd from other social web portals. If this project is a success, users will be able to chit chat with their friends or web mates by just using the web, without installing any external software. It is said that, other than chatting, there’s also a lot of features on the Facebook IM such as emoticons and more. So lets look forward for the success of this system.

Via [TechCrunch]

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Google has announced its Google Gears for Mobile that allows users to access their mobile Gears-enabled web apps even when there is no Internet connection. Initially, Google Gears was only for Windows Mobile 5 and 6 devices with Internet Explorer but more and more developers are already using the Gears into their online programs and services, thanks to the developer’s guide Google came up with for the developers.

Finance website Buxfer and web-based office-suite Zoho were the first to use the Google Gears. What is ironic is that Google’s own products don’t support the Gears yet but are currently in the works. Charles Wiles of Google Mobile explained that Gears is best used when you suddenly can’t connect. He wrote:

“Once installed, Gears sits happily on your phone helping you stay connected to your data—even when you lose your network connection.”

Even Android is waiting for Google Gears. But for now, people have to wait as Google works to roll out the Gears for other platforms.

Read [Inside Google] Via [Google Mobile Blog]

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Posted Mar 16th 2008 2:54PM by Ryan Block
Filed under: Peripherals

We might like it more if Behavior Tech Computer Corp. were in the business of creating devices to assist in BF Skinner inspired experiments, but instead they’ve just got stuff like this 9051H Cheetah keyboard / mouse combo. The board has that righty-oriented FPS key cluster, backlit keys that change color according to typing speed, comes bundled with that generic looking laser mouse with variable DPI (800, 1300, and 2000) and two programmable buttons. Sorry folks, no listed price or availability.

[Via Far East Gizmos]

Adopt an Olive Tree

You can have this for ?79.95

Powershot

Tin Can Target Practice!! Ready…Aim..Fire!! Test your target shooting skills with this foam ball gun and 6 plastic cans provided. The pump action Powershot foam ball gun is great for target practice. It uses 100% safe foam balls as ammo to stop injury and breakages. Just place the cans on a flat surface, load your Powershot and fire, knocking over as many of the cans as possible. Challenge yourself and your friends by increasing your distance from the cans. Contains: Powershot Foam Ball Gun 10 Foam Balls 6 plastic Cans

Technorati Tags: gadgets For Them

Sony Ericsson’s newest patent comes afloat, and it shows us a new type of device allowing up to three input interfaces. The electronic device has a main body, a flip attached to the main body and multiple input interfaces (it says here), so basically this will be some kind of new device in which you can enter data via any of the available ways. From the illustration above, you can see that this will be some kind of cellphone/smartphone with a flap on its face that can go both ways. It’s reversible, and two different input interfaces will reside on that flap alone, aside from the input interface located on the main body of the phone itself. Now I have to say, it’s a fine concept and all, but the question is, will it work?

To save you from the boring stuff in the patent document itself, let me give you the rundown on Sony Ericsson’s latest patent here. What they’re aiming to do is answer the apparent need of consumers for an all-in-one device that will replace the currently bag-full of gadgets most of us carry around. This is not the first time someone is aiming for a solution to the said problem, and even Sony Ericsson itself has tried multiple times in the past to deliver this electronic device “jackpot” that will attract new customers by the hundreds like it was a killer app of some sort. Nokia’s tried to do it. Motorola has tried to do it. Everybody out there is trying to do it. And this is Sony Ericsson’s take. Their solution? One device with the input interfaces of three. To me, this is almost like saying, “Hey, you wanted an all-in-one device, right? You wanted something that can handle your phone calls, connect you to the Internet, and let you listen to music, right? So here it is, a cellphone with a keypad, a keyboard, and a click-wheel. It’s all you need.”

But really, although this is really a great concept as it gives a user choices when it comes to entering data into his device, this will mean having to deal with three different input styles altogether. Three different “languages”, if you may, that you have to master in order to get the most out of your multiple input interface endowed device. This is completely against the concept of the iphone, which has a very simple, unified input interface: the touch. Well, I doubt if a device like the one in this patent will come out any time soon, anyway, and besides, you never know for sure and Sony Ericsson just might be able to pull this one off. Or maybe I just talk too much.

Via [Just Another mobile phone Blog]

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Posted Mar 15th 2008 7:56PM by Paul Miller
Filed under: cellphones

Can’t leave the comforts of your speedy, reliable network, but aren’t ready to carry the brick-like Voyager to appease that touchscreen hankering? Verizon might finally have a solution with the LG VX9700, which just passed the FCC. The above leaked image of the phone shows it to be similar to LG’s Prada phone, but apparently there’s no designer branding to be had here — just like AT&T’s upcoming Prada-inspired LG Vu. Other than that, erm, innovative menu, rumored infos include a 3.2 megapixel camera, micro USB, microSDHC, and an on-screen QWERTY keyboard for text input. Word is the phone was slated for the end of the month, but now might be delayed until April. We suppose we’ll be finding out soon enough.

Posted Mar 15th 2008 4:12PM by Paul Miller
Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Perhaps this is some sort of elaborate hoax, maybe it’s an epidemic of ipod touch coffee stains, or perhaps this player really just is this hard to photograph. Still, our second set of blurry “my iPod touch caught on fire” pictures certainly has us reaching for our Flaming Goblet of Skepticism (+3 WIS). Similar to Max’s experience a couple days ago, tipster Ryan F. says his iPod caught on fire from the inside. Ryan says he plugged it in to charge and it showed a dead battery, then the screen went white and the device started to get super hot, so he unplugged it but it continued to burn. The fire ended up leaving a blackish orangish circle in the screen, along with a brown dent in the metal on the back (pictured after the break). Ryan’s going to try and track down a better camera to take some better pictures of the damage.