Your's Web Tech Power Blog's: Dec 22, 2010

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Latest Posts on Coolest Gadgets

Top Secret Soviet Laser Tank on display at Russian Museum
Navy uses railgun to launch jet fighter
Hands on with the Zhip
Digital Storm announces xm15 laptop
Pioneer offers entry level DJ system in pearl white
Instant Cold Or Hot Rechargeable Compress
R/C Micro Metal Gyro Copter
Last Call (and discount code) for Xmas orders at Think Geek
Gadget Thumbnails for 20-Dec-2010

Top Secret Soviet Laser Tank on display at Russian Museum

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 03:30 PM PST

See this old tank? I realize that it looks like something out of G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, but this is, or was, a top secret Soviet laser tank.

I say was because it was recently declassified and shipped to a military museum near Moscow. The 1K17 was accepted for service in 1992, but it was never mass-produced.

In case you are wondering, this isn’t a laser tank in the sense that it can shoot beams like some war machine from Star Wars. Before you go and say “awww”, you should know that this was made to “blind pilots and weapons systems, dazzling optical and electronic mechanisms even under the most severe weather conditions”.

Sadly, I don’t have any more detail than that as far as its purpose is concerned. I wonder how a vehicle that could blind people would do in an actual battlefield.

Of course, the cold war had to end, so this laser tank was put out to pasture along with billions of dollars worth of nuclear missiles. In retrospect, I don’t know whether I would want to see this thing fired, because it would probably be the last thing that I saw. I’m always glad that some types of warfare was avoided (for now), along with nuclear holocaust.

Source

Check out the Coolest Gadgets 2008 Gift Guides, Christmas shopping made easy.
[ Top Secret Soviet Laser Tank on display at Russian Museum copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Navy uses railgun to launch jet fighter

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 02:57 PM PST

We talked about a Navy Railgun that can shoot projectiles at Mach 7, and the Navy has another use for a railgun: launching a fighter plane.

Navy’s Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) is finding a way to improve shooting a jet fighter from a carrier that could replace the steam catapult which has been used for the past 50 years.

The EMALS was used on a test-bed at Lakehurst, New Jersey on an F/A-18 Super Hornet. I have a video of it after the jump if you want to see it fly, Top Gun style.

The railgun is electrical, using two conductive rails instead of the steam that takes a while to “recharge”. Not only can the railgun system launch more planes in less time, but it is also more energy-efficient. The EMALS can also launch different sizes of aircraft from lightweight unmanned aircraft to large and heavy fighters. I’m sure this would have been a big help in the Doolittle raid, as shown in Pearl Harbor.

Hopefully, this electric railgun catapult system will be used on the U.S.S. Gerald R. Ford, a soon-to-be built aircraft carrier. Unless the shipbuilders can meet a certain deadline by May 2011, it might have to stick with the old-fashioned steam.

Source

Cool Gift Idea: Digital Picture Frames, check out our reviews.
[ Navy uses railgun to launch jet fighter copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Hands on with the Zhip

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 02:16 PM PST

I got a chance to try out the Zhip the other day, and I was confused at first. The first thing that confused me was the name, but I found out it was pronounced “zip”.

Its purpose seemed weird to me, because it looked like some weird sort of claw to hold an iPhone/iPod. It’s not like we haven’t seen mobile device holders before, but the Zhip is actually unique.

The Zhip has a retractable cord that is put there for a very good reason. The user can put their mobile device in the claw, and then wind the cord around something that will hold it in place, like the headrest of a car’s front seat.

The Zhip is also good if you want to watch videos on your desk, because there is an extendable desktop stand so you can view things in portrait and landscape modes.

The claw design itself is also interesting, as it can fold up into a flat rectangle about the size of half a deck of cards. The prongs can then unfold on hinges, and there is a spring-loaded action going on to fit your mobile device in place.

You should be able to get it now for about $24.95 at national retail outlets “to be announced soon”. I believe it is only available in one color: clear.

Source

Cool Gift Idea: Digital Picture Frames, check out our reviews.
[ Hands on with the Zhip copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Digital Storm announces xm15 laptop

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 09:51 AM PST

When it comes to computer system integration and engineering, the name Digital Storm will certainly crop up among those who are familiar with the industry. The company has just announced their latest, most powerful lightweight laptop that is known as the xm15, where it will feature NVIDIA's Optimus Hybrid Technology to help it operate longer than normal. This new laptop is capable of delivering targeted extreme performance when required, letting you experience longer operation without losing the ability to enjoy the visual intensity of HD movies, multimedia applications, surfing the web, and gaming. Now that’s truly looking into the user’s needs, as it seems to be the utopian laptop for the moment.

Just what is the Digital Storm xm15 capable of? Well for starters, it delivers sumptuous graphics for a variety of multimedia content courtesy of NVIDIA's powerful GT 425M 1GB video card. Of course, the inclusion of NVIDIA's Optimus Hybrid technology allows owners of the xm15 to defer operation to a second separate integrated Intel graphics processor whenever you’re running less intensive applications (read: doing work). Switching between the two graphic processors is automatic and seamless, so you won’t notice that whatever program or operation you’re running at that moment will be interrupted. This increase and decrease in performance as and when required has allowed the xm15 to substantially extend battery life.

Capable of routinely scoring above 7200 on 3DMark06, it boasts built-in light speed eSATA and USB 3.0 transfer ports, not to mention integrated HDMI and VGA outputs for you to use it just about anywhere and everywhere. The base configuration of the xm15 starts from $999 which isn’t cheap at all, but considering the kind of technology crammed into it as well as the various configurations that you can always boost it up to, Digital Storm’s latest release will surely not disappoint. Of course, when you decide to cram it with the latest and greatest hardware, expect to pay far more than the one grand as originally requested. The payoff? A machine that will certainly last you a good few years.

Press Release

Check out the Coolest Gadgets 2008 Gift Guides, Christmas shopping made easy.
[ Digital Storm announces xm15 laptop copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Pioneer offers entry level DJ system in pearl white

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 09:42 AM PST

Pioneer knows that the color black in consumer electronics has prevailed for quite some time already. Don’t believe us? Skip all the iDevice stuff, and don’t tell me that black isn’t the color of most consumer electronics devices. Pioneer decides to go against the grain with their latest entry-level DJ system which comprises of two CDJ-350-W digital media players and a DJM-350-W 2-channel mixer, where all of them will sport a pearl white color. Since music remixing is on the rise even among everyday Joes, Pioneer intends to capitalize on what could be a potentially growing market with the new DJ system, adding a fashion statement to DJ performances as well as delivering a couple of additional audio effects – Noise and Short Echo.

First of all, the CDJ-350-W will enable users to create DJ performances with various digital music files, where among them include MP3, AAC, WAV and AIFF files which are stored on various forms of media, inclusive of USB mass storage device class products and CD-R/RW discs. The media player will also ship with Pioneer's proprietary music management software, rekordbox, where it will go around analyzing and categorizing music by genre. This alone cuts down the amount of work you have to do, making it possible to easily manage music files on a computer for quick song selection. If you decide to hook up a USB storage device that is loaded with playlists created with the software, you can then choose songs by a range of categories including genre, album name and artist name among others. All music sessions can also be saved to a USB storage device – now how about that? Other player highlights include :-

BEAT Display Function – Visually illustrates the beat position of a song and the playback point providing easier hand-eye coordination when performing scratches and loops.
Auto Beat Loop Function – With one press of a button on the player, the user can create various loop performances.
Beat Loop – Matches the beat and repeats a 4-beat loop.
Loop Divide – While playing a loop, plays the loop at a different rhythm.
Hot Loop – While playing a loop, returns to the start of the loop and plays it
Auto BPM Lock – Users can set a Master Beat Per Minute (BPM) of the current song playing that can be synchronized with a touch of a button. The feature enables beginners to easily match the tempos of songs by simply adjusting the speed to the Master BPM on each player.
Create Playlist Function – While a song is playing, users can immediately add it to a new playlist with a touch of a button for future playback of favorite songs.
DJ Software Compatible – The CDJ-350-W is MIDI-compatible with other DJ software allowing it to be used as an audio interface.

As for the hardware, it is vibration resistant thanks to the use of Shock-Proof Memory and Floating Architecture. There are also four level tempo settings for maximum variation range of a song’s tempo (±6%, ±10%, ±16% and WIDE), while a resume function allows you to remove a disc and resume playback at the same spot when the disc is reloaded.

Pioneer has slapped this pearl white DJ system that will be released next January, packaged with two CDJ-350-W players and one DJM-350-W mixer for $2,445.

Press Release

Introducing Foolish Gadgets because not all gadgets are cool

[ Pioneer offers entry level DJ system in pearl white copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Instant Cold Or Hot Rechargeable Compress

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 09:22 AM PST

Winter time isn’t exactly kind on those suffering from arthritis as well as painful joints, and some people resort to hot or cold compresses to get rid of that pain around the body when the mercury drops. Well, why not let technology step in and help you out? We’re talking about the Instant Cold Or Hot Rechargeable Compress, where this device is capable of instantly emitting cold or heat to treat muscle aches and joint pain. Boasting an aluminum head that heats to 110º F or cools to 40º F, these are ideal temperatures for thermo- and cryo-therapies. The cooling and heating process takes all of just 45 seconds, where it can then go ahead to relieve swelling or facilitate blood flow to help heal injuries. It also has another advantage since you need not be tethered to a heating pad or refreezing a cold pack. Tinier than a TV remote, it has a head that swivels 90º, letting you to easily position it against your body. There is a built-in toggle switch which changes it from heat to cold application instantly. You can use it with a quartet of AA batteries powering it, or choose to take the AC adapter route instead. The Instant Cold Or Hot Rechargeable Compress can be yours this Christmas for $129.95.

Cool Gift Idea: Digital Picture Frames, check out our reviews.
[ Instant Cold Or Hot Rechargeable Compress copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

R/C Micro Metal Gyro Copter

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 09:17 AM PST

Don’t you just love the wonders of miniaturization? That’s what we have with the R/C Micro Metal Gyro Copter, where this unique little device ought to give you plenty of flying fun as your driveway is covered with snow, meaning you’re stuck at home all day long. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, really, since ThinkGeek’s latest $24.99 toy will help you spend your time irritating your other half with frequent buzzing around her in the kitchen. Be careful though, she might be tempted to just end your little piloting project by giving the R/C Micro Metal Gyro Copter a nice, hard whack with a fly swatter as she’s doing her best to prepare a sumptuous dinner. This uniquely tiny copter sports a metal alloy-body, 3-channel control and a built-in gyro, now how about that? The inclusion of the gyro helps it to stay locked in the direction it is facing, and offers a much more precise movement in the air unlike other R/C copters. It takes 10 minutes of charging time to have this be a pest for five minutes – diminishing returns, yes, but its small size more than makes up for it.

Coolest Gadgets UK – For all your UK centric tech and gadget news.
[ R/C Micro Metal Gyro Copter copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Last Call (and discount code) for Xmas orders at Think Geek

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 06:51 AM PST

Only 4 more sleeps to go! Just heard the following from our friends over at Think Geek:

We’re sure you have dozens of good reasons why you waited this long. Thank goodness we have you covered with 2 day shipping (order by Tuesday at 11:59 pm ET) and Express Shipping (order by Thursday at noon ET). But really, you’re kind of a dork for having waited this long. Admit it and use code IMADORK for $10 off $30+ orders from now until 12pm ET 12/23.

Time for me to go finish my US based Xmas shopping .

Coolest Gadgets UK – For all your UK centric tech and gadget news.
[ Last Call (and discount code) for Xmas orders at Think Geek copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]