Your's Web Tech Power Blog's: Sep 6, 2011

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Latest Posts on Coolest Gadgets

Lucasfilm’s Sandcrawler office in Singapore
SmartKeyboard concept gives your iPhone a touchable keyboard
Pico Dolly good for small spinning shots
HTC Jetstream to hit AT&T
Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 wows the crowd
Lavnav helps you aim straight at night
Carrera Slot Car Race Set

Lucasfilm’s Sandcrawler office in Singapore

Posted: 05 Sep 2011 10:59 AM PDT

Lucasfilm Animation is going to have a new office in Singapore, and it is designed to look like a famed Star Wars vehicle, the Sandcrawler.

The shiny iron and glass is not like the desert brown of the Jawas’ sandcrawler, and it really is only shaped like the iconic tank contraption from one side. On the other side, it is horseshoe shaped and shows a lush garden that resembles the forests of Endor rather than the desolate desert of Tatooine.

In all honesty, I am not certain why Lucasfilm needs an animation studio in Singapore. Perhaps the work on Cartoon Network’s Star Wars: The Clone Wars is done from this country. If Lucas is setting up office here, then perhaps he has greater plans for more animation. Perhaps he can conjure up some original animated series instead of recycling the old ideas of a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.

I would have to say that this Sandcrawler office is one of George Lucas’ better decisions. I’m sure that you have heard about a certain line that was added to the Blu-ray version of Return of the Jedi. Yes, when the Emperor is shocking Luke Skywalker, you hear Darth Vader saying “NO-O-O-O!”

Yeah, it looks pretty bad. I hope that the Sandcrawler comes off better when it is finished construction sometime in 2012.

Source

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[ Lucasfilm’s Sandcrawler office in Singapore copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

SmartKeyboard concept gives your iPhone a touchable keyboard

Posted: 05 Sep 2011 10:31 AM PDT

It seems that touchscreens are here to stay, and I’m certain that touchscreen keyboards will be our future. I’m guessing that the next generation or two will be fully used to touchscreen keyboards with no haptic feedback.

Until then, you can use this SmartKeyboard for your iPhone. This is a concept designed by Jing Yang of the eico Motion Lab in China.

You can see it in action on the video after the jump, and how it sticks onto the bottom of the iPhone. The user now has what they wanted in an iPhone: buttons. Why, it’s practically a BlackBerry.

It would appear that this thing plugs into the 30 pin connector at the base of the iPhone. This would explain how it can do LED lighting, as seen in the video.

The SmartKeyboard is probably inspired by the Smart Covers for the iPad 2. I believe that the SmartKeyboard concept can even work as a stand for your iPhone, at least in portrait mode. Maybe the iPhone5 will have magnets.

If nothing else, this SmartKeyboard can add a bit of color to your iPhone world as it comes in a rainbow of them. Too bad these things are not available now, as I am certain there are a lot of iPhone users who really want them.

Source

Conference Calendar – The global conference and expo finder.
[ SmartKeyboard concept gives your iPhone a touchable keyboard copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Pico Dolly good for small spinning shots

Posted: 05 Sep 2011 10:00 AM PDT

Remember early last decade when every movie was doing shots that imitated the bullet time effect of The Matrix? It seemed like every time I watched a movie there would be this pointless stillshot followed by a circular pan around it.

Yes, it was done to death, but this Pico Dolly could reproduce that fad, but for YouTube users. The Pico Dolly is made from aluminum, weighs about three pounds, and designed to hold a camera with three screw mounts with the option of a 11-inch friction arm. As you can see, it has wheels for those moving shots, and the user can mount their DSLR or even their iPhone on it.

You can see in the video after the jump how its rollerblade wheels can create some pretty cool action shots. With the wheels on an angle, it can do those aforementioned bullet-time shots, on a smaller scale. Looks like your Neo and Trinity action figures are going to get some airtime and playtime.

This Pico Dolly bears a strong resemblance to the CineSkates that we reported on last week. Are these wheeled cameras becoming a fad?

You should be able to get the Pico Dolly on September 12th for about $65, or $90 for the friction arm.

Source

Check out the Coolest Gadgets 2008 Gift Guides, Christmas shopping made easy.
[ Pico Dolly good for small spinning shots copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

HTC Jetstream to hit AT&T

Posted: 05 Sep 2011 06:30 AM PDT

AT&T’s first 4G LTE/HSPA+ tablet has arrived – and it will not be anything from Apple that is leading the charge, especially when Apple’s iPad 2 does not carry true 4G connectivity. No sir, the task is left up to HTC’s Jetstream (referred to as the Puccini by some in its earlier days), and to make the release all the more memorable, HTC has deemed the Jetstream to be the first tablet from the company that runs on the Android 3.1 Honeycomb operating system which was specially developed to cater for tablets.

This is not going to be any small, wimpy tablet that is going to fit into your purse effortlessly – no sir, it will rock your eyes with a 10.1″ High Definition display instead, while a 1.5GHz Snapdragon dual-core processor runs proceedings from within without any hiccups, considering the amount of processing firepower that it contains. To know more about the HTC Jetstream from AT&T, head on after the jump.

Just what are the other hardware specifications? For starters, the HTC Jetstream will play nice with HTC Scribe, which is an optional digital pen accessory (you might have seen it in action before with HTC’s first tablet, the Flyer), although you will need to purchase that on a separate account. A 1.3-megapixel front facing camera is there for video calls, while the rear camera fares much better in the resolution count at 8-megapixels, complete with a Dual LED flash to boot. In addition, you will get a bunch of pre-loaded AT&T programs including AT&T Family Map and AT&T Navigator to help you get started right out of the box.

The big question is, how much will you need to pay for something so new and shiny? AT&T has slapped an already reduced price point of $699.99 as long as you decide to sign up with a new two-year contract – makes you wonder just how much the thing costs when it comes unlocked? There are two monthly billing options to choose from – postpaid, which is $14.99 for 250MB or $25 for 2GB, while prepaid customers will have to fork out $14.99 for 250MB or $25 for 2GB.

Press Release

Conference Calendar – The global conference and expo finder.
[ HTC Jetstream to hit AT&T copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 wows the crowd

Posted: 05 Sep 2011 06:00 AM PDT

You know something? Samsung is pretty serious when it comes to churning out tablets that hopefully, will contain enough firepower in the specifications list to usurp the iPad 2 (and its subsequent successors for sure), and while their original 7″ Galaxy Tab did not really take the world by storm, the sequel after that, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 certainly proved to be quite a stunner. Not one who rests on their laurels, Samsung has yet another tablet released for the masses – the Galaxy Tab 7.7 which is also the first tablet that has the brilliant Super AMOLED Plus display in the world.

Debuting at IFA 2011 in Berline, the Galaxy Tab 7.7 will merge both design and ultimate portability, where the Super AMOLED Plus display paves the way for a wider range of colors with greater separation between lights and darks vividly. Not only that, a 7.7″ screen size is perfect, as it is not too big, and neither is it too small that you will need to squint. Add that to the fact that it comes in a 7.89mm thin form factor at a mere 335 grams, and chances are pretty high you have a winner on your hands (or in your jacket pocket/purse).

Want to remain connected? Not a problem, as the Galaxy Tab 7.7 will run on HSPA+ connectivity, while the processor that keeps everything in place would be a 1.4GHz dual core chip, while its rather massive 5,100 mAh battery is able to deliver around 10 hours of video playback time – sounds like it could seriously go up against the iPad 2 as the portable media player of choice for trans-Atlantic flights instead of relying on what the in-flight entertainment system offers.

As for the operating system of choice, you get the latest Android 3.2 Honeycomb version alongside Samsung’s very own TouchWiz UX for an added touch of personalization, which means you need not rock to Android’s default user interface which can be rather drab after a while. Other hardware specifications include a microSD memory card slot, Universal Remote Control functionality, a 3-megapixel camera with LED flash at the back, while on the front there is a 2-megapixel shooter. Are you stoked for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 already?

Press Release

Check out the Coolest Gadgets 2008 Gift Guides, Christmas shopping made easy.
[ Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 wows the crowd copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Lavnav helps you aim straight at night

Posted: 05 Sep 2011 05:30 AM PDT

Do you envy those who are able to sleep through the night without having to worry about getting up halfway in the middle in order to take a leak? Well, I suppose all the shuffling around is all right when you’re single, but some of us who are married might have spouses who are light sleepers and do not take it too kindly whenever you keep on getting up and turning on the lights just to get some relief from all the pressure that’s building up in your bladder.

Well, how about getting the £16.99 Lavnav instead? Yes sir, this unique gizmo will do away with the unpleasant experience of getting yourself half-blind when you turn on the bathroom lights with a 1,000-watt light bulb in place. All you need to do is stick the Lavnav onto the inside of your lavatory and you’re good to go – after all, the motion sensor kicks itself into action the moment it detects anyone within the vicinity. Heck, when the seat is up, it will be red in color, but goes green when the seat is left down.

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[ Lavnav helps you aim straight at night copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Carrera Slot Car Race Set

Posted: 05 Sep 2011 05:00 AM PDT

Toys for boys – you will definitely need something that can capture their attention in a jiffy, not to mention being made out of hardy enough a material so that they can withstand all the abuse and temper tantrums from your little one. If you want to have your kid remain mesmerized for some time without moving or fidgeting about (which you think would be a miracle), here is the $99.95 Carrera Slot Car Race Set to get you started.

This slot-car set is manufactured by Carrera, and just in case the name does not ring a bell, this is touted to be the world’s most prestigious slot-car maker…since 1963. The set boasts of 29.5′ worth of track to challenge racers’ skills with a couple of loops, an equal number of lane changes, a flyover, and a 180º high-banked curve.

Accompanying the set would be two richly detailed 1:43 Formula One Ferrari cars (granted, Ferrari isn’t on a hot streak for some years already ever since Michael Schumacher retired), and these were specially designed double-contact brush that will deliver a secure connection to the track for consistent control during a race. Handheld control delivers a boost button if you need another 25% of power when attacking loops, as well as pumping up the speed on straightaways.

To make sure no one cheats, there is an automatic lap counter thrown into the mix, while durable ABS plastic withstands years of intense racing.

Introducing Foolish Gadgets because not all gadgets are cool

[ Carrera Slot Car Race Set copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]