Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Latest Posts on Coolest Gadgets

Latest Posts on Coolest Gadgets


Bluelounge MiniDock charges the iDevice without a cord, but still needs an outlet

Posted: 09 Aug 2011 08:30 AM PDT

We have reported on Bluelounge before, like with the Refresh Charging Station. The international design studio has won some awards, and I would not be surprised if they won an award for this, the MiniDock.

The creators of the MiniDock have realized that people don’t want to stick a USB cord into their iDevice to charge it, and they don’t want to use an adapter to plug it into the wall. What they want is something without a wire, and the MiniDock is a place to put your iDevice on an outlet where it can be charged.

All it is a simple little shelf to connect with the iDevice and keep it there so it is out of the way until it is needed. As far as I know, I don’t think it can handle the bigness of an iPad. In all honesty, I wouldn’t even ask. Perhaps they will make an iPad model that can somehow work, but until then, you have to admire the simplicity of this.

You should be able to get the MiniDock for about $19.95, but the wall to USB adapter is not included. I’m not certain how much a USB adapter costs, but it might be a small price to pay for the convenience of the MiniDock.

Source


Coolest Gadgets UK – For all your UK centric tech and gadget news.
[ Bluelounge MiniDock charges the iDevice without a cord, but still needs an outlet copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

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Motion capture technology improved by Carnegie Mellon and Disney

Posted: 09 Aug 2011 08:15 AM PDT

I recently saw some footage of how Disney made their film Mars Need Moms. It showed Seth Green in a skintight suit with dots all over his face and small balls in certain places on his body.

Too bad Mars Needs Moms was such a flop, but Disney is working with Carnegie Mellon to create a new system of motion capture. It works by placing cameras all around the actors, which enables them to give a virtual performance from anywhere.

Normally, actors have to be in rooms with greenscreens, so the backgrounds can be put in later. This new method takes about 24 cameras to create this effect, and it is a great timesaver. For example, if you want a scene where someone does some physical motion, this new mo-cap system can get all the data, and the director can tweak it later.

Unfortunately, this process is costly. Eventually the director has to ask him or herself if it is just easy to do all of this animation in the computer, and to heck with proper motion capture. That, or just film a live-action movie with several takes of the same scene in action.

I guess it is just a matter of time before someone comes up with something like this in an inexpensive way and can change cinema as we know it. In all honesty, I’m sort of upset at some of the motion capture that has come out today by Robert Zemeckis, and I would love to see any improvement in this area.

Source


Conference Calendar – The global conference and expo finder.
[ Motion capture technology improved by Carnegie Mellon and Disney copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

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Team iLuminate is something to see, in the dark

Posted: 09 Aug 2011 08:00 AM PDT

My wife has a thing for watching America’s Got Talent, but I don’t really give it much thought. Last night, I passed the TV set and discovered an act worth writing about.

I have included a video here so you can watch and be amazed, but it isn’t the one they showed last night. You might have to consult Hulu for that. Team iLuminate uses a combination of dancing with a patent-pending wearable wireless lighting system. As you can see, the lighted parts go on at just the right times in order to make an exciting optical effect.

I Luminate wears these costumes that are black with Xes, and they look like the X-men. Their leader was a dancer who lost her ability to dance due to cancer, but she is behind the scenes and behind the tech. Team iLuminate is not short on inspiration.

Needless to say, the act was pretty terrific, and it received a standing ovation. I would not be surprised if it won. Heck, I would pay money to see this in Vegas. Forget Cirque du Soleil. If these guys are in Vegas when I’m at CES in January 2012, I am definitely going.

I’m sure that we will be seeing more examples of this luminography (a combination of choreography and lighting design) in the future. It has already been used in a Death Cab for Cutie music video and by artist Chris Brown.

Source


Conference Calendar – The global conference and expo finder.
[ Team iLuminate is something to see, in the dark copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

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Vision Phantom v-Series digital high-speed cameras

Posted: 09 Aug 2011 06:30 AM PDT

Vision has introduced a couple of additions to their Phantom v-Series digital high-speed camera family – coming in the form of the Phantom v1210 and v1610 (as seen above). These are top of the line cameras, touted to be the fastest 1-megapixel digital high-speed cameras in the world. You will be able to snap high definition and widescreen photos at 1,280 x 800 resolution, thanks to the CMOS sensors.

The Phantom v1610 has been touted to be 60% faster compared to any other camera that is currently on the market, where with it, you are able to acquire over 16,000 frames-per-second (fps) at full resolution as well as up to 1,000,000 fps at reduced resolution. Now how’s that for performance, huh? Surely you cannot find anything speedier than that out there.

Both the Phantom v1210 and v1610 cameras are based on Vision Research proprietary sensors that deliver high speeds as well as larger 28-micron pixels which pave the way for superior sensitivity whenever you decide to challenge yourself and shoot in low light. Now this tends to be a problem where high-speed imaging is concerned, but not so with the new V-Series. In fact, they make it possible to capture images at more than 12,000 fps (12 gigapixels/second) in full resolution when using the v1210, and for those who want even greater performance, the v1610 is able to deliver over 16,000 fps (16 gigapixels/second) when used. Should higher speeds be required, reduced resolution images can be found at up to 650,000 fps or up to 1,000,000 fps when the FAST option is used.

You will be able to configure the v1210 to include 12GB, 24GB, or 48GB of memory, while the v1610 will come in 24GB, 48GB, or 96GB configurations. All that memory can be further segmented into 63 partitions so that you will be able to shoot back-to-back shots all the way without having to go through constant downloading. The cameras are said to deliver 12-bit pixel depth standard. No idea on pricing though, but the two cameras are highly technical and not meant for the average man on the street.

Press Release


Introducing Foolish Gadgets because not all gadgets are cool :)
[ Vision Phantom v-Series digital high-speed cameras copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

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Panasonic, Samsung, Sony and X6D team up for Full HD 3D Glasses Initiative

Posted: 09 Aug 2011 06:00 AM PDT

I am quite sure that by now, most of us would have watched Captain America on the silver screen, seeing the old school superhero having to reacquaint himself with modern marvels such as smartphones, GPS navigation systems and computers after being in suspended animation for more than half a decade. At the end of the movie, the Avengers trailer was shown, making us wonder whether they are really earth’s last hope – what about them mutants, or other superheroes in the Marvel Universe?

I digress – what I’m saying is, just as how the Avengers were assembled together, the same does happen when it comes to technology companies, as Panasonic, Samsung, Sony and X6D have come together to form the Full HD 3D Glasses Initiative.

Yes sir, all four companies have put their heads together in order to develop of a new technology standard for consumer 3D active glasses, calling it the “Full HD 3D Glasses Initiative.” This new agreement will see them collaborate on the development and licensing of radio frequency (RF) system 3D active glasses technology, where among them include RF system protocols between consumer 3D active glasses and 3D displays – and these are not limited to just TVs, PCs, projectors and 3D theaters with XPAND active shutter glasses.

Apart from that, this standardization will also comprise of different types of infrared (IR) system protocols between 3D active glasses and 3D displays. No idea on how different this will be when you compare it to the M-3DI standard, but bear in mind that the ultimate goal of the project would be to come up with a pair of 3D active shutter glasses which will play nice with all 3D displays of the future from the companies involved. Not only that, there is an added bonus – this pair of glasses will also be backwards compatible with their 2011 3D displays, now how about that?

Bluetooth connectivity will be thrown into the mix so that wearers of these new 3D glasses will have a greater freedom of movement. We do not know how much a pair of these puppies will cost, but you can look out for the first (of potentially many) to arrive this coming September.

Press Release


Check out the Coolest Gadgets 2008 Gift Guides, Christmas shopping made easy.
[ Panasonic, Samsung, Sony and X6D team up for Full HD 3D Glasses Initiative copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

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River Song’s Future Sonic Screwdriver

Posted: 09 Aug 2011 05:30 AM PDT

Do you love replicas from the movies? If you answered in the affirmative, then you might be interested in the River Song’s Future Sonic Screwdriver from ThinkGeek. This is actually a 7″ replica of, well, River Song’s sonic screwdriver – simply because the original is stuck at the production house, of course. Boasting light and sound effects right from the TV show, you will be able to change between red and blue LED tips for added effect.

For those who love to indulge themselves in some cosplay, then the River Song’s Future Sonic Screwdriver is the perfect addition to your collection. After all, it does not cost much at all – we’re talking about $19.99 a pop, but it will definitely add a whole lot more value to your entire cosplay experience. This is one sonic screwdriver that is far more advanced than the Doctor’s own despite looking similar. It definitely needs to be powered by batteries though, and not magic or some far-off future technology.


Coolest Gadgets UK – For all your UK centric tech and gadget news.
[ River Song’s Future Sonic Screwdriver copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

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LP And Cassette To CD Recorder

Posted: 09 Aug 2011 05:00 AM PDT

Here is something that is not meant for folks who want to live in the present and look forward to the future – rather, the $399.95 LP And Cassette To CD Recorder will cater for those who prefer to dwell on past glories. Come on now, who still wants to deal with CDs? Those things get scratched all too easily, and they’re bulky to carry around when you compare it to a standard microSD or SD memory card that stores MP3s aboard.

Hammacher’s quirky offering of the LP And Cassette To CD Recorder will be able to transfer your classic vinyl records and (still working) cassette tapes through the recording of its tracks onto CDs. All it takes are three steps and you’re done – heck, you can even pause to select only certain songs during recording, turn the album or cassette over, as well as change albums and cassettes so that you can make compilation recordings. Not only that, this is a capable LP player as it does 33s, 45s, and 78s, in addition to cassettes via its 70mm full-range speaker.

Bored of regular music? There is always the integrated AM/FM stereo with digital tuner as well as a single CD playback tray, while a couple of RCA inputs in the rear will let you connect the device to another stereo system or external speakers. You will be able to play LPs for up to 50 hours before the needle needs a replacement.


Conference Calendar – The global conference and expo finder.
[ LP And Cassette To CD Recorder copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

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