Your's Web Tech Power Blog's: May 25, 2011

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Latest Posts on Coolest Gadgets

Star Trek resort coming to Jordan in 2014
Segway Rally Experience for Two
President Obama’s stuck limo is hopefully not an omen for the United States
Photosynthesis UV-Sensitive Shirt
Lexar Professional USB 3.0 Dual-Slot Reader
Yahoo! Mail hits latest iteration, kisses goodbye to beta version
The Invisible iPhone prototype

Star Trek resort coming to Jordan in 2014

Posted: 24 May 2011 08:30 AM PDT

Some of you might remember how we reported on a Chinese amusement park that is based (loosely) on World of Warcraft and Starcraft. I suppose it was time that someone made a decent Star Trek theme park, and this one will be in Aqaba, Jordan.

Not that the Star Trek experience at the Las Vegas Hilton wasn’t good, but it was just as expansive as this one. This is Rubicon Group Holding’s Red Sea Astrarium, and RGH and Paramount Recreation plan to turn it into a “multi-sensory 23rd-century experiences, culminating with a state-of-the art space-flight adventure that takes real-time immersive entertainment experiences to bold new heights”.

This resort is expected to be completed sometime within 2014, and it is about 184 acres at an astronomical cost of $1 billion.

I am not certain how in the world this will be an authentic Star Trek set-up. I can see in the mock-up nothing that looks like an icon from the TV show or movies. In fact, one of those areas looks like Naboo from Star Wars. I’m guessing the real business here is going to be from the hotels nearby.

I suppose that we’ll have to wait a few more years to boldly go where no one has gone before, and I’m guessing that it would be logical to say that it probably won’t meet its deadline. Scotty, you have three years!

Source

Tech Cult – We cover the latest tech news, but always with a funny twist.
[ Star Trek resort coming to Jordan in 2014 copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Segway Rally Experience for Two

Posted: 24 May 2011 08:00 AM PDT

Have you ever gotten on a Segway before? The feeling is totally something else for first timers, and that is a given. Well, for those who want to experience a Segway and more can always fork out £39.50 for the “Segway Rally Experience for Two” from Firebox. This special offer might just be the perfect gift for your dad and you, or perhaps for you and your partner, letting you go head to head with another person on a custom-built rally course.

You will kick start the day with the basics being shared by a trained instructor. In that course, you will be able to pick up the relevant skills on how to handle obstacles, turn, stop, and most of all, go forward (as fast as the Segway can anyways). Once you have mastered the basics, you will be given the opportunity to let loose on the rally course as you attempt to clock up your best time.

The entire experience is touted to last for up to half an hour, but chances are good you would do well to make an allowance of 90 minutes. Once you’re done, you will be on the receiving end of a certificate and a group photo.

Coolest Gadgets UK – For all your UK centric tech and gadget news.
[ Segway Rally Experience for Two copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

President Obama’s stuck limo is hopefully not an omen for the United States

Posted: 24 May 2011 08:00 AM PDT

I think we all know that the president, being very vulnerable while in transit, has a limousine designed especially for him. This vehicle is bulletproof, but it has one vulnerability: bumps.

Yes, like the super robot ED-209 in Robocop was vulnerable to stairs, the president’s limo, also known as “The Beast”, is vulnerable of getting stuck on a parking ramp. This happened in Dublin, right in front of the embassy. I am assuming the YouTube video that you can watch after the jump is footage from cellular phone cameras.

How embarrassing. Especially for the one Secret Service agent that had to get out and check to see what was up. I found it pretty amazing that some mini-bus type of vehicle took its place in blocking the way. I take it they probably made certain that president was safe.

I don’t know about you, but as an American, I find this completely funny. I always thought that the president’s security was one job that I never wanted, as there are way too many x-factors that get involved in walking around with the Commander in Chief. I wonder who got fired for not seeing this one coming.

I just can’t help but wonder if the Secret Service have a code for this. How about: “the eagle is legless”?

Source

Coolest Gadgets UK – For all your UK centric tech and gadget news.
[ President Obama’s stuck limo is hopefully not an omen for the United States copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Photosynthesis UV-Sensitive Shirt

Posted: 24 May 2011 07:45 AM PDT

When you were back in school, surely one of the more impressionable science topics that you could remember would be the entire process of photosynthesis, where it is a process for plants to consume carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the atmosphere during the day (whenever there is sunlight, that is). If you want to remind the adult populace of this particular process, then what better way to do it than with the Photosynthesis UV-Sensitive Shirt?

Watch leaves and roots grow out of the formula whenever the shirt is exposed to UV light. Your eyes might just catch a whiff of the leaves and roots in a very faint manner whenever you are indoors, but once you’re under the sweltering summer sun, things will change for the better. Printed on eco-friendly 100% certified organic cotton, the Photosynthesis UV-Sensitive Shirt will come in male and female sizes at $13.99 a pop.

Introducing Foolish Gadgets because not all gadgets are cool

[ Photosynthesis UV-Sensitive Shirt copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Lexar Professional USB 3.0 Dual-Slot Reader

Posted: 24 May 2011 07:34 AM PDT

When you hear the name ‘Lexar’, what goes across your mind? Do you think of the range of flash memory products as well as storage devices that carry that brand, or do you see more of the peripheral? Today, we will look at the Lexar Professional USB 3.0 Dual-Slot Reader which you can tell by its name, is a useful gizmo to tote around if you want to transfer plenty of data from one memory card to your computer in a jiffy.

This high performance card reader is able to take just about any task you throw at it, never mind if you are a professional or advanced amateur photographer (videographers are also included) as you take advantage of it to maximize your workflow with blazing-fast transfer speeds. The reason behind the speedy data transmission is due to SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.0) technology within, where said device will support the latest CompactFlash (CF) UDMA, Secure Digital Extended Capacity (SDXC), and SD Ultra High Speed-I (UHS-I) memory cards.

Apart from being forward looking, this memory card reader will also not forget its roots, which means it is backwards compatible with various standards like normal CF, SD, and Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) memory cards in addition to USB 2.0 host devices.

Operating at 500MB per second in USB 3.0 guise, you will most probably wonder how you managed to live with USB 2.0 connectivity all these years as the latter operates at “just” 60MB per second – which leads us to ponder even more back in the days of USB 1.1. What makes the USB 3.0 Dual-Slot Reader all the more special would be its innovative, pop-up mechanism which allows you to close the reader whenever it isn’t up for action.

This will help protect its innards from dirt and debris, while ensuring there aren’t any caps or parts to lose sight of especially when you’re already under pressure at work. The Lexar Professional USB 3.0 Dual-Slot Reader will be accompanied by free, dedicated customer support and a five-year limited warranty. Any takers? You can start saving up $50 for this puppy as it arrives later this June.

Product Page

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[ Lexar Professional USB 3.0 Dual-Slot Reader copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Yahoo! Mail hits latest iteration, kisses goodbye to beta version

Posted: 24 May 2011 07:21 AM PDT

Yahoo! hasn’t had it good lately over the years with the emergence of new players in the tech market, but that doesn’t mean this Internet giant is about to throw in the towel. No sir, they are still a formidable force, one to be reckoned with, and has just announced that they will be rolling out their Yahoo! Mail that will drop the Beta tag, making it available for all 284 million users worldwide to make the upgrade in the coming weeks.

Currently, Yahoo! Mail is one of the largest and most trusted email brands in the world, where the newer version will do its bit to bring conversations to life in the form of a faster, safer, and more personal communications experience. Not only that, Yahoo! will also ensure that their latest Yahoo! Mail version will be made available to its range of global partners such as Nokia.

In this version of Yahoo! Mail, it is touted to make it all the more easy for folks to share, organize and store online conversations as well as media content – focusing on improved performance, enhanced spam protection and a rich, customizable inbox. Right now, Yahoo! Mail is available in 43 markets and 26 languages worldwide, delivering features such as the following :-

Social Infusion: People can instantly respond to messages from Facebook, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Mail and other webmail providers with a new easy reply bar. Additionally, people can view photo slideshows, inline videos and more from within their inboxes. People can also view and share notifications and updates from Twitter, Facebook and Zynga from a new Updates tab.

Conversations Aren't Just Email: Yahoo! Mail prioritizes messages and contacts that matter most. When people want to compose an IM, SMS or email they will find their most frequent contacts and lists shown to them. People can now also chat with Facebook friends alongside Windows Live and Yahoo! Messenger contacts and view all of their past IM and text conversations within Yahoo! Mail.

Tailor Your Inbox: People can choose from over 50 vibrant themes and stationery options to express their personalities and customize how they view messages and contacts.

App-ify Mail: New, easy-to-use applications help people be more productive and organized right from their inboxes. People can now track their online orders with the All My Purchases app, get removed from unwanted newsletters using the Unsubsriber app or send mega files using Attach Large Files by YouSendIt.

Mail Search Redefined: A mail search experience leverages Yahoo!'s wealth of search science and technology to help people get answers faster by finding the right emails. When searching through Yahoo! Mail, a left-hand refinement column appears, letting users easily navigate, sort and narrow the search results by sender, attachment file, date, or folder location.

Lightning Speed: Leveraging Yahoo!'s cloud technology, Yahoo! Mail provides performance that is twice as fast as previous versions of Yahoo! Mail, even in regions where only basic Internet speeds are offered.

Spam Buster: Advanced SpamGuard technology and a new anti-phishing platform have reduced spam reports by 60 percent and help protect people from email hackers and unwanted instant message conversations. Yahoo! Mail blocks more than 550 billion spam messages per month.

It would be interesting to see how the other players in the webmail respond to Yahoo! latest release – will they improve their offerings down the road?

Check out the Coolest Gadgets 2008 Gift Guides, Christmas shopping made easy.
[ Yahoo! Mail hits latest iteration, kisses goodbye to beta version copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

The Invisible iPhone prototype

Posted: 23 May 2011 10:12 PM PDT

Here’s some interesting App developed by Patrick Baudisch and his team of researchers at the Hasso-Lattner Institute.

As you can see from the video, they have figured out a way to make the iPhone invisible. Actually, they just figured out a way for the user to put the interface on a hand thanks to “an Xbox-like camera”. Special software is able to determine where the fingers are on the palm, and transmit the commands via WiFi radio.

You will notice that the video that the user in the video just touches her hand to shut the phone off. If you want to do something more complicated, that is possible, as Baudisch and his colleagues discovered how two-thirds of all iPhone users can find their apps on their palm.

I suppose that would be interesting if they get this off the ground, but I don’t see an invisible phone working very well, unless there is some invisible Bluetooth headset involved. Considering that most of the apps on the iPhone are pretty visual in nature, making them invisible seems like a bad idea.

In order to do this trick, the equipment is going to have to be a lot smaller. I can’t help but wonder what the future of this is. I hope I will get to see it for myself, not that I can see it now, of course.