Your's Web Tech Power Blog's: Mar 18, 2011

Friday, March 18, 2011

Latest Posts on Coolest Gadgets

This Bike Rack is also a Desk
Is there a Wii 2 in the future?
E.M.I.L.Y Lifesaving Robot – Floats Your Boat
Gadget Thumbnails for 16-Mar-2011
Hands on with the Cubik speakers from Palo Alto
Cyberdyne’s HAL-5 Exoskeleton, that’s right, Cyberdyne

Posted: 17 Mar 2011 05:05 PM PDT

For those who have an executive job and ride a bike to work, this is for you.

Let’s face it, bikes take up a lot of space when they are not in use. Parking them in the office is an option, if you or your boss don’t mind the eyesore. You could put a bike in a rack outdoors, where the bike can fall prey to thieves as well as elements like rain and sunshine.

This particular bike rack is by Store MUU, and it works as a fully functioning desk. You will note what the chair is.

Yes, I believe that using a bike seat as a desk chair is probably going to be the most uncomfortable, especially if you are male. I could expound on that, but I won’t bother.

Personally, I like the outdoor version of this, as it looks like more of a temporary stop along the way. This makes me want to bike across the nation with my laptop in some backpack, as long as I knew that these bike rack desks were there. Someone needs to create an App that shows where these are throughout the world. Hopefully, there will be an access point nearby.

I don’t think these are for sale, but as you can see, they come in both metal and wood.

Source

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[ This Bike Rack is also a Desk copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Is there a Wii 2 in the future?

Posted: 17 Mar 2011 04:42 PM PDT

According to an interview with Industry Gamers, EA Games label head Frank Gibeau said that the Wii was a “Legacy console” like the PS2. He also let it slip (accidentally or on purpose) that Nintendo is “coming back with a second act”.

Gentlemen, start your rumors! I have seen how a small quote like this becomes rumor, and that rumor becomes fact, eventually. That Verizon iPhone, for example, or iPads with cameras.

In this case, it is the Wii 2. And where else to unveil the Wii 2 then at E3 in LA this June?

This alone makes me want to go to the gaming convention and see what is up! I think we all know what needs to be improved. First of all, it has to do HD. That is a no-brainer. The motion controller was a hit, but the new Wii 2 (Wii II?) ones had better be better than the Playstation Move. Also, that sensor bar had better be like a Kinect.

While I am dreaming, why don’t we put in glasses free 3D like the 3DS? I have heard the Wii sales are down, and so Nintendo has to do something to compete.

Well, I still believe that the big company will always be subject to the demands of the consumer. Hopefully this post will make it to the ears of Nintendo and they will seriously get to work on the Wiiii. That’s my term for the Wii 2. You will note that it sounds like Wheeee!

Source

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[ Is there a Wii 2 in the future? copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

E.M.I.L.Y Lifesaving Robot – Floats Your Boat

Posted: 17 Mar 2011 08:21 AM PDT

I have to admit, its awfully difficult to imagine that summer is coming, even though the snow has finally left us, the chill is still in the air, its right about now that I get sick of winter and start longing for the days when we can pack up and hit the beach, the smell of suntan lotion in the air, tropical drinks with little colorful umbrellas, buff lifeguards in tight orange bathing suits with whistles and white noses.

Unless of course your lifeguard happens to be E.M.I.L.Y, she still has the orange suit, but this new version of last years lifesaving robot also has batteries, recently added sonar and the ability to "swim" at about 28 miles an hour. Baywatch hunk she's not, but I take my lifesaving however it comes. As we reported last summer, lifeguards at Zuma Beach in Malibu California tested out this new lifesaving companion, E.M.I.L.Y. (Emergency Integrated Lifesaving Lanyard) Now she is also capable of actually locating a distressed swimmer, by herself, through this new sonar detection. E.M.I.L.Y. can also travel up to 80 miles on a single charge.

Lifeguards can toss this thing in the water, and it can find and get to a victim in no time and then tow them back to shore, E.M.I.L.Y. might now even be equipped with a camera and speakers so that the real lifeguard at the controls can give reassurance or instructions to the person being saved. Woman all over the world can heave a collective sigh of relief, Pamela Anderson has been replaced for less than $4000.00 bucks and she is available now. There goes my husbands drowning fantasy.

Source: www.robotionary.com

Check out the Coolest Gadgets 2008 Gift Guides, Christmas shopping made easy.
[ E.M.I.L.Y Lifesaving Robot – Floats Your Boat copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Gadget Thumbnails for 16-Mar-2011

Posted: 16 Mar 2011 10:01 PM PDT

Conference Calendar – The global conference and expo finder.
[ Gadget Thumbnails for 16-Mar-2011 copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Hands on with the Cubik speakers from Palo Alto

Posted: 16 Mar 2011 08:42 PM PDT

At CES last January, I ran into Palo Alto’s booth and discovered their very cool speakers. I finally had a chance to try them out, and I was amazed that something so small could produce sound so large.

From what I have read, the sound is possible due to digital audio amplifier technology, which can amplify a digital audio signal without converting this signal to analog. This makes for some very crystal-clear sound, as well as its high-resolution digital signal processing. This is apparently the first time full digital amplification technology is offered in a computer speaker.

These speakers are really designed for the laptop or desktop computer. Installation was pretty simple. Once the wires were all connected, it was about plugging it into the wall and then into a spare USB port. After a few seconds, my computer recognized the speakers and the big sound was here.

I wish there is a way I could describe the great sound these Cubik speakers produce. If it is any help, they have 2.5 inch metal cone full-range driver for great bass. You should be able to get the Palo Alto Audio Design Cubik Digital Hi-Fi Multimedia speakers at the Apple store for a price of $199.95.

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[ Hands on with the Cubik speakers from Palo Alto copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Cyberdyne’s HAL-5 Exoskeleton, that’s right, Cyberdyne

Posted: 16 Mar 2011 06:53 PM PDT

While I was at CES last January, I passed a booth for Cyberdyne. I saw that and wondered: “don’t they know that this is the organization that ended the world in the Terminator movies?”

Just to let you know, this company isn’t making Skynet, but it is making some serious exoskeletons that you see here known as the HAL-5.

Cyberdyne isn’t stealing from another science fiction film with the name HAL-5. HAL stands for Hybrid Assistive Limb, and the company demonstrated a lower-body suit that is meant for use by health care professionals and factory workers to help with heavy lifting. You can watch the video after the jump.

It reminds me of the Equipois X-Ar that we reported on last week to help with repetitive motion working. As I recall, I suggested just making a robot to do the repetitive work. As I also recall, this is the mistake Cyberdyne made in the Terminator films. It looks like this HAL-5 could allow machines to work with us and not dominate us.

It would appear that the future looks very bright for cybernetics, but its progress will be baby steps. I think we are looking at a future of lighter loading devices rather than exo-skeletons that give us super-strength.