Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Latest Posts on Coolest Gadgets

Latest Posts on Coolest Gadgets

Hands on with The Beamz Interactive Music System

Posted: 02 Mar 2010 03:25 PM PST

So what is this man doing here? Would you believe that he is playing music?

I first heard about the Beamz Interactive Music System from the CES Show Directory, but I missed the chance to visit their booth. The company was kind enough to send one of their products my way, and I can honestly say that it is the only musical instrument that I will ever play.

Granted, it isn’t really an instrument, per se, but rather a device with sounds that the user activates by blocking laser paths. I can honestly say that I don’t have the patience for playing a musical instrument, and this is the first one I’ve seen that is easy to learn. It also has frickkin’ laser beams!

Set up requires three of the included CDs, and there is another tutorial disc. The CDs contain 30 original Beamz tracks that the user can play/improvise like a DJ, and I felt like the musical king after a few seconds of playtime on this.

The Beamz connects to your desktop or laptop with USB and takes of a lot of space. It reminds me of the helm of Galactus. To my kids, it is a toy, and one that was hard to pry them off of.

You should be able to get the Beamz Interactive Music System for $199.95 on the Beamz website. You can also get a more advanced version of The Beamz + Studio Software which is for $299.95.

Tech Cult – We cover the latest tech news, but always with a funny twist.
[ Hands on with The Beamz Interactive Music System copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Hydrofloor, for when you want to hide your pool

Posted: 02 Mar 2010 02:58 PM PST

I think I have only seen devices like the Hydrofloor in movies. They are usually used by eccentric rich villains who have a scheme to make yet even more money, and their lair changes appearance at the touch of a button to display their nefarious plan.

However, this Hydrofloor is much more useful. Imagine if you own a home (a very expensive one) and you want a have a big ballroom and an indoor pool in the same room. The Hydrofloor is there for you, decreasing the floor until it is deep enough for the water. It even has some stairs. I have no information about where the water goes, or how long it takes to transition from floor to pool, and back again.

I also don’t know how much a fully installed Hydrofloor would cost, but according to the manufacturer, it is “nearly invisible”. In other words, a guest in your home could hit the wrong button and get a real surprise.

Personally, I think this would be a terrific for Aquaman. You know, if he ever tried to live a secret identity like his buddies Bruce and Clark. This could be a problem if he ever brought a lady home and she discovered the Hydrofloor.

“Oh my gosh, you’re Aquaman, aren’t you?”

Now there’s a scene from the Aquaman movie you don’t want to see.

Source

Coolest Gadgets UK – For all your UK centric tech and gadget news.
[ Hydrofloor, for when you want to hide your pool copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Netgear rolls out new Powerline kits

Posted: 02 Mar 2010 02:43 PM PST



Mention Netgear and chances are pretty good that networking devices come into your mind, be they routers to switches and hubs. Well, the company just announced two more next-generation HomePlug AV-certified powerline kits in the form of the compact Powerline AV 500 Adapter Kit (XAVB5001) and the Powerline AV+ 500 Adapter Kit (XAVB5501) with a filtered “pass-through” power socket. Theoretically, both of these devices are speed demons, capable of hitting speeds of up to 500Mbps, but we know that in real life things are a whole lot more different, what with interference and other niggling problems that bring the figure down to a more realistic level. Apart from that, both Powerline kits are able to offer whole-home coverage and groundbreaking throughput that have no rival to this day.

Expect to find the latest in technological innovations within both devices, where they were specially designed to play nice with the draft international IEEE P1901 Powerline standard. Apart from that, they are able to offer greater speeds for bandwidth-hungry applications including lag-free Internet gaming, Voice over IP (VoIP), large file transfers to networked devices, and for home theater enthusiasts, even simultaneous 1080p HD video streaming to multiple TVs throughout the entire home.

You will be able to spot the Netgear Powerline AV 500 Adapter Kit (XAVB5001) easily thanks to its relatively compact form factor which is smaller than your regular deck of cards, and up to 50% more compact compared to its market rivals. Perfect for those who are looking for a Powerline device that won’t block an open power outlet when plugged in. As for the HomePlug-certified Powerline AV+ 500 Adapter Kit (XAVB5501), it has the similar performance and design benefits as the Powerline 500 AV Adapter Kit, but you get a cutting-edge integrated filtered power socket for “pass-through” capability as well to ensure an existing wall power socket with the adapter is not cannibalized. No idea on pricing, but they will be out later this Q3, so stay tuned!

Press Release

Check out the Coolest Gadgets 2008 Gift Guides, Christmas shopping made easy.
[ Netgear rolls out new Powerline kits copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Skinput: Get your whole body into your interface

Posted: 02 Mar 2010 02:33 PM PST

What you are seeing here is not some sort of modern art, but it may make some statement about our society today.

This is Skinput, a conceptual technology that can recognize a user’s taps of a finger on the skin, but it seems to be limited to the hand and the rest of the arm.

This tech is under development from Carnegie Mellon University and Microsoft, and requires that the user wear a certain armband with “piezoelectric cantilevers, or sensors that measure pressure, acceleration and force”. Click on the video after the jump to see this technology in action, and a most unusual method of controlling Tetris.

Skinput also uses a pico-projector to create images like menus on the user’s arm. With a tap on the skin above or below the menu, the user has a very unusual form of navigation.

You have to admit that this technology could have all sorts of applications for the mobile world. Just picture selecting your tunes on your arm instead of your iPod, or dialing your phone on your palm instead of your mobile device.

Still, I can’t help but this tech will lead to an age when we are all comfortable with integrating technology with our flesh. Then our cyborg teachers will say that it all began with Skinput.

Source


Introducing Foolish Gadgets because not all gadgets are cool :)
[ Skinput: Get your whole body into your interface copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Western Digital My Passport Studio portable drives for Mac

Posted: 02 Mar 2010 02:28 PM PST



Don’t think that Mac users are maligned all the time when it comes to hardware and software – that is not the case but merely an illusion. Today, we bring you news of the Western Digital My Passport Studio portable drive for the Mac platform which by virtue also makes it compatible with the Apple TimeMachine software, boasting automatic and continuous backup with WD SmartWare software and is aided by 256-bit hardware-based encryption for that added peace of mind. Of course, depending on your needs and budget, you will be able to pick up the new My Passport Studio drives in 320GB, 500GB and 640GB capacities.

Targeting creative professionals as well as Mac enthusiasts, the new WD My Passport Studio drives are able to deliver fast transfers of large files from the computer to the My Passport Studio drive itself thanks to a speedy FireWire 800 connection. For others such as photographers, they also reap the rewards of such a device thanks to an e-labeling system that makes it much more effective when it comes to work organization. It doesn’t matter how fickle minded you are – the e-label smart display on the front of the My Passport drive is changeable as often as you like thanks to the bundled WD SmartWare software. You are able to churn out a label to personalize your drive or remind yourself of what it contains at a glance, while showing off additional crucial information like remaining space left as well as the lock status of the drive. Since e-paper technology is used, all information remains visible and legible even in the absence of a power supply.

Security-wise, the My Passport Studio drive ships with user-selected password protection for added security alongside 256-bit hardware-based encryption, where the latter scrambles files before they are stored. This encryption ability is normally found in more expensive drive systems, so you can be sure that your dollar is being stretched to the limit here. Depending on the capacity of your choice, the new My Passport Studio drive will start from $149.99 and go all the way to $199.99, where each purchase is accompanied by a 3-year limited warranty.

Press Release

Cool Gift Idea: Digital Picture Frames, check out our reviews.
[ Western Digital My Passport Studio portable drives for Mac copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Germ Eliminating Razor Sanitizer

Posted: 02 Mar 2010 02:17 PM PST

We’ve seen sanitizing toothbrush setups before, but this one is slightly different since it does razors instead in the form of the Germ Eliminating Razor Sanitizer. As usual, ultraviolet light is used to make sure that all those nasties residing on your razor blade will bite the dust before it can infect you through an accidental cut – or at least up to 99% of the germs out there. All you need to do is place the razor within the case, closed the lid and let the UV bulb get to work right away for six minutes. This case s small enough to be stored in a toiletry bag wherever you go, and will shut itself off automatically after each cycle. Capable of lasting up to 2,000 hours, this $29.95 device is powered by a couple of AAA batteries.

Cool Gift Idea: Digital Picture Frames, check out our reviews.
[ Germ Eliminating Razor Sanitizer copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Zippo Hand Warmer

Posted: 02 Mar 2010 02:11 PM PST



Zippo’s are synonymous with wind-proof lighters, and here is one Zippo product that pays homage to its heat generating capability – the Zippo Hand Warmer. After all, during the chilly autumn and winter months, one’s hands can lose heat extremely easily without a nice, solid pair of gloves, hence making the Zippo Hand Warmer all the more important to tote around. It relies on a platinum catalyzed glass fibre burner that makes it capable of releasing up to 10 times more heat compared to other hand warmers. Capable of lasting up to 12 hours on a solitary 12ml filling of lighter fuel, this £19.99 purchase should have come out earlier from the onset of last winter – ah well, guess those living Down Under can look forward to it this June, eh?

Tech Cult – We cover the latest tech news, but always with a funny twist.
[ Zippo Hand Warmer copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Thanko USB Shoe Dryers

Posted: 02 Mar 2010 12:41 PM PST

Having wet shoes is never fun.  It’s even worse when you’re going to need to wear them long before they’ll actually be dry.  Thankfully now you can have these cute little pups to dry them out again.  They’d work great for those of you that have to go for a decent sized walk just to get to work every day.  For days when it’s raining you could keep these dryers in your desk and with these around,  in no time your feet will be warm and dry again.

These USB puppies get their power from exactly where you might guess.  Just plug them into your USB port and put one pup in each shoe.  It’s all pretty basic.  I’m not sure how powerful they are, but if nothing else they will help out the situation.  In order to pick up the pair of these it’ll cost you ¥2,800.00 or right around $31 through Geek Stuff 4U.

Source: Bookofjoe

Tech Cult – We cover the latest tech news, but always with a funny twist.
[ Thanko USB Shoe Dryers copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Gadget Thumbnails for 01-Mar-2010

Posted: 01 Mar 2010 09:01 PM PST

Posted by Mohammad khuram shahzad at Wednesday, March 03, 2010  

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