Latest Posts on Coolest Gadgets

Evoluce uses a Kinect to control Windows
Weta Workshop creates a mermaid prosthetic device
WHIM architecture’s “Recycled Island” is made of garbage
Harman Kardon delivers cinema quality sound to your living room
Logitech Wireless Mouse M325 arrives
Germ Eliminating Canister Vacuum
H2O Powered Shower Radio
Gadget Thumbnails for 03-Apr-2011
Halco Amber Bulbs – Light the Way for Baby Sea Turtles

Evoluce uses a Kinect to control Windows

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 04:20 PM PDT

Some of you might remember when we covered the Gmail Motion a few days ago. I was told that Gmail Motion was essentially a big joke for April Fool’s Day, and that there isn’t a system where you can send emails by doing a “slapping a stamp” hand motion.

I think it is interesting that on the Gmail Motion video, it describes the keyboard and mouse as “outdated technology”. I suppose that if we are looking at the gesture-based technology of Minority Report as present instead of futuristic, then yes, the keyboard and mouse should be the equivalent of five-and-a-quarter inch disks.

Evoluce has figured out how to combine the Kinect for gesture-based computing on Windows 7. I believe that it comes in handy for the Media Center and other programs, especially for Microsoft Office and PowerPoint. There is a video of it after the jump.

I don’t really see a future where we sit in front of our desktops or laptops and make sign language in front of it all the time. However, I do see a future that combines keyboard, mouse, and a few select gestures. I think we have a long way to go before we can do the Tom Cruise, but at least we’ll be without the Minority Report gloves.

You should be able to get this particular software from Evoluce for about $30, without all the hardware.

Source

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[ Evoluce uses a Kinect to control Windows copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Weta Workshop creates a mermaid prosthetic device

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 03:37 PM PDT

I am certain that you have heard of Weta Workshop before, they are the group responsible for the special effects for The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia movies.

They also did the effects for that live action Peter Pan film that involved mermaids. In the film, they created tails for actresses, and now they have created this fully functional mermaid tail for a double leg amputee.

The amputee, Nadya Vessey, was once at the pool one day and a little child saw her with her prosthetic legs. The child asked her a lot of questions, and she jokingly referred to herself as a mermaid. This gave her an idea, and she consulted Weta Workshop’s prosthetic department to make the mermaid tail. You can check it out on the video after the jump.

You can see that they gave Nadya a “mermaid makeover”, and she was able to swim quite well in the pool. Not to be too much of a spoiler, but she can apparently swim “under the sea” as well.

I see a fad growing of aquatic cosplay where people who are not amputees will be donning the fins like a reverse version of The Little Mermaid. Hey, if someone were to invite me to go “fin swimming”, I suppose that I would do it. However, it seems a little girly. Unless you are a “Mer-man”, like Derek Zoolander.

Source

Conference Calendar – The global conference and expo finder.
[ Weta Workshop creates a mermaid prosthetic device copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

WHIM architecture’s “Recycled Island” is made of garbage

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 03:12 PM PDT

This is the “Recycled Island”, designed by a Dutch architect named Ramon Knoester. His firm, Whim Architecture, is working on this island made of garbage with the help of a grant from the Netherlands Architecture Fund.

The “Recycled Island” solves a lot of problems that the Earth is experiencing. As we have learned from the Superman movies, that land is something “that they ain’t making any more of”. Considering that the oceans take up more than half of the earth, wouldn’t it be nice if we could settle on them by making our own islands?

After all, there is already a “Great Garbage Patch” in the Pacific Ocean, and one might as well make use of all that trash floating on the surface. Of course, that sounds easy, but I am certain it is a harder undertaking than what I just wrote.

By the way, this “Recycled Island” is huge at about 3,860 square miles, which is about the size of Hawaii. I don’t know if that is a misprint from my Source, as this picture seems to show a single family home with a solar roof. The toilets will be compost, with some “blue energy” from wave motion, and a farming system to create food and fertilizer from seaweed. Hopefully, a diet of that tastes good.

So, are we looking at a future where artificial archipelagos are created for the next generation to live on?

Source

Introducing Foolish Gadgets because not all gadgets are cool

[ WHIM architecture’s “Recycled Island” is made of garbage copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Harman Kardon delivers cinema quality sound to your living room

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 11:56 AM PDT

Harman Kardon knows that everyone’s ears deserves to enjoy the best even, or should I say, especially in the comfort of your own living room. This has led the company to introduce their BDS series that features a couple of integrated home entertainment systems, namely the Harman Kardon BDS 400 and Harman Kardon BDS 800. Basically, the BDS series will simplify the process, making it possible for rooms of any size to enjoy a home theater experience simply by just pressing “Play”.

With rich connectivity options being made available for all your digital devices while delivering supreme cinema sound, these all-in-one home theater audio systems will come with just about anything and everything you need, including surround sound from virtually any movie or music source. Both models will sport a powerful receiver that is integrated with a Blu-ray drive, DVD and CD player, an FM tuner and what Harman Kardon claims to be a foolproof setup thanks to an intuitive on-screen menu system and an easily programmed remote.

Let us take a look at the BDS 400 first, where it will be associated with a powerful BDS 2 SO integrated receiver for 2.1 channel sound thanks to its two front speakers and a subwoofer. While it might be simpler than many stereo music systems, it is infinitely more capable, featuring Dolby Virtual Speaker technology that will simulate the surround-sound experience of movies and music without losing any of the clarity and fidelity of the original material.

As for the BDS 800, it is obviously the most muscular system among the two, offering a true surround-sound experience with a quartet of voice-matched satellites, a center-channel speaker, a subwoofer and the BDS 5 SO integrated receiver. Thanks to its compact 5.1 channel system, it will envelope you in an uncanny 360-degree soundscape.

The Harman Kardon BDS 400 and BDS 800 will retail for $1,499 and $999, respectively, if you’re interested.

Press Release

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[ Harman Kardon delivers cinema quality sound to your living room copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Logitech Wireless Mouse M325 arrives

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 11:46 AM PDT

For those of you out there who spend plenty of hours sitting in front of the computer, having good hardware is always an advantage. You wouldn’t want to suffer from RSI or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome after giving away your best years to an organization or company, do you? Since having the right hardware is the way to go, chances are pretty good you would have scouted out peripherals from companies like Logitech – and the Swiss company does not disappoint with their latest release, the Logitech Wireless Mouse M325.

This latest mouse from them will merge the world's best selling shape with new micro-precise technology which was specifically designed in order to improve your online navigation experience, offering a superior mix of precision, comfort and control.

It doesn’t matter if you spend just 10 minutes a day at your computer, or slave away in 16 hour days like the people over at Engadget, but the Logitech Wireless Mouse M325 goes its way to make sure your hand remains happy courtesy of its feel-good shape and textured rubber grips. Specially optimized for web browsing, the micro-precise scroll wheel has not double, but four times the number of ratchets compared to the average mouse.

Just how does the number of ratchets actually influence the overall user experience? For starters, the majority of standard mice that have a scroll wheel will have just 18 to 24 ratchets, where individual ratchets will correspond to about one line of scrolling. This means scrolling down a page quickly will see you move from one ratchet to another, with the on-screen motion appearing to be rather choppy.

The Logitech Wireless Mouse M325 is different, since it has 72 rugged, tiny ratchets which are small enough for the wheel to spin smoothly, giving you precise control for websites, spreadsheets, slideshows and other presentations. It also has 18 months of battery life and a three-year limited hardware warranty just in case you were wondering what other kinds of goodies you can get.

Press Release

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[ Logitech Wireless Mouse M325 arrives copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Germ Eliminating Canister Vacuum

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 10:17 AM PDT

Are all vacuum cleaners made the same? The answer is definitely nay, and while some of you out there are thinking that what you can’t see won’t hurt you, the more paranoid among you would go to additional lengths to make your humble abode remains as germ-free as possible. What are some of the ways to do so? We’ve got at least one solution, in the form of the Germ Eliminating Canister Vacuum.

This canister vacuum will emit safe UV-C light, similar technology that is used to sanitize hospital instruments, where it is touted to kill off up to 99.9% of bacteria, viruses, and bed bugs. Apart from that, it is also lethal towards H1N1, mold, and E. coli, where the UV-C light that is emitted from the head of the vacuum will penetrate viral and bacterial membranes, impair their DNA, while ensuring a quick death within seconds – no idea if it will be painless or not, though.

Sporting a 1,400-watt motor and cyclonic suction to make sure its rotating brush is able to remove deeply imbedded hair and dirt from carpets and quickly pick up cereal and larger debris from hard floors, it will also come with a HEPA filter that traps 99.9% of pollen, dust, and allergens, making sure nothing else but clean air is recirculated. The asking price of $349.95 isn’t the cheapest in the market, but what price for that added peace of mind?

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

H2O Powered Shower Radio

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 10:11 AM PDT

Singing while you’re in the shower is definitely something that some of us indulge in – heck, it might even be your hobby. Well, just in case you don’t want to let everyone know how out of tune your voice is, why not enlist the help of a radio DJ to play your favorite tunes once in a while? The H2O Powered Shower Radio, as its name suggests, will be able to stand up to your shower moments without missing a beat.

Retailing for £34.99 a pop, this eco-friendly FM radio relies on the clever implementation of hydrodynamics in order to generate energy while juicing up its onboard battery. It is a snap to fit into your existing bathroom set up, as you do not need a rocket science degree to make sure the stylish radio is in line with your shower hose so that water will flow through its micro turbine to deliver some much needed power. Now to work on those vocals…

Cool Gift Idea: Digital Picture Frames, check out our reviews.
[ H2O Powered Shower Radio copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Gadget Thumbnails for 03-Apr-2011

Posted: 03 Apr 2011 10:01 PM PDT

Check out the Coolest Gadgets 2008 Gift Guides, Christmas shopping made easy.
[ Gadget Thumbnails for 03-Apr-2011 copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Halco Amber Bulbs – Light the Way for Baby Sea Turtles

Posted: 03 Apr 2011 06:53 PM PDT

Dallas Light Bulb, a leader in consumer lighting products, is selling Halco LED amber colored lightbulbs to hotels in Miami Beach, Florida, in the hopes that they can meet the standards for Turtle Light Certification. The amber light is being used instead of traditional, white light to combat turtle nesting and hatchling issues caused by exterior, artificial lighting on beachfront properties.

Florida’s turtle nesting beaches seem to face many natural and unnatural threats. Forty percent of the beaches are classified as eroded from natural causes. Seawalls and imported sand have negatively impacted sea turtle nesting habits and changed the natural ecosystems, making some areas inhospitable nesting sites, and most of all, beachfront development has posed a formidable threat because the artificial lighting of beach areas disorients baby turtles and they end up dying from lack of water.

It is illegal in many areas to harm sea turtles, their nests or hatchlings. Miami Beach is a nesting habitat for these turtles. Annually, from April-November, sea turtles nest on Florida’s beaches. Female sea turtles lay approximately 100 eggs per nest and prefer dark beaches for their nesting, however, much of Florida’s coastline is understandably brightly lit. This poses a threat to nests, which are not properly hidden. Sea turtle hatchlings are instinctively attracted to the moon and stars reflecting off the water. Artificial lighting distracts hatchlings away from the ocean and towards beachfront properties and many hatchlings die before they reach water.

The Halco “turtle-friendly” bulbs are available at Dallas Light Bulb for less than $40.00 bucks a piece. A small price to pay, for the safety of millions of baby sea turtles.

Check out the Coolest Gadgets 2008 Gift Guides, Christmas shopping made easy.
[ Halco Amber Bulbs – Light the Way for Baby Sea Turtles copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Tuesday, April 5, 2011