Thursday, July 5, 2012

Latest Posts on Coolest Gadgets

Latest Posts on Coolest Gadgets


Sleep Phones – Count Sheep to your Favorite Tunes

Posted: 04 Jul 2012 12:58 PM PDT

 

I’m up till all hours of the night. I feel more productive at night and it’s just the way I’ve always been. That being said, my husband goes to sleep early and gets up early, I use headphones so I don’t disturb him (and so I can hear over his snoring). Have you ever fallen asleep with headphones on? or earbuds in? I think my right ear is still a little sore.

Check out Sleep Phones, developed by a doctor, these soft, moisture wicking fleece headbands actually contain ultra thin and removable speakers that can plug into most of your audio devices, leaving others completely undisturbed, and your little ears in cozy comfort.

Sleep Phones, dubbed “pajamas for your ears”, are especially designed with falling asleep in mind. Sleep Phones won’t fall off, allow you to lay on your back or your side and produce some fabulous sound. Perfect for listening to soothing music, relaxation tracks or even meditation or hypnosis tapes. And don’t they say you can actually learn while you’re sleeping? It might just be time to brush the dust off those Spanish language CD’s.

Simply plug the Sleep Phones into your music system, like an MP3, iPod or CD player and relax. If your device has an alarm feature you can use the Sleep Phones for that too… Which is especially useful if you have to get up earlier than your spouse and you’re thoughtful enough to let them sleep in.

Sleep Phones come in a deluxe version that includes volume controls and “play and pause” functions starting at around 55 bucks, and at their website, sleepphones.com they have CD’s and accessories all designed to finally get you a good nights sleep.

 

 

[ Sleep Phones – Count Sheep to your Favorite Tunes copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]


Mini iPad? Isn’t that just a Maxi iPod?

Posted: 04 Jul 2012 09:58 AM PDT

If it were not for Apple products I’m not sure the technology rumor mill would be quite as much fun as it is now. There is always some hush-hush secret project going on, with an undisclosed release date, that wouldn’t bother me so much if I hadn’t just purchased the latest gizmo only to find out that there was something neater, cooler, smaller, faster or, with better battery life just around the corner. So let me tell you what might be, in case it saves you from some future disappointment.

Have you heard about the Apple iPad Mini? I hadn’t, so I did a little research, and this is what I came up with… The iPad Mini is most likely a reality and already set to go into production, it will have a smaller-than-8-inch screen, ditching  the retina display in favor of oxide TFT technology, have a differently positioned camera, and will be offered at a lower price point than the regular iPad we all know, and love. (or despise in favor of Android devices, but that’s a whole other post)

It seems like all the excitement will start this fall, maybe as early as September, when Apple may begin rolling out not only the brand new, diminutive iPad, but the new iPhone (4G/LTE?) as well. I wish I had more details to give you. Oh wait! Sources are also leaning towards a $250 to $300 price point. Come on guys, what do you know? and will you be standing in line for the baby iPad?

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[ Mini iPad? Isn’t that just a Maxi iPod? copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]


UP Coffee Table

Posted: 04 Jul 2012 06:30 AM PDT

Looking for that elusive coffee table to complete the 'look' of your home can be quite a challenge, especially when your sense of taste in design is far more refined than the rest of the world. For those of you who found the Disney/Pixar movie Up to be a tear jerker, here is something that might just roll back the years and let you remember how your emotions were evoked back then – with the UP Coffee Table, of course.

They say that a picture speaks a thousand words, so we will just let the image above do the talking. For folks who prefer more words to describe just how the UP Coffee Table came about and what it is all about, then do read on after the jump.

First of all, the UP Coffee Table does look as though it is the latest Duffy London coffee table, although it will come supported by what looks like a cluster of helium balloons – but these balloons are not real in any sense of the word, of course, as they have to be hard enough materially in order to support the weight of the table itself, not to mention the other items that you are going to place on the table itself.

The UP Coffee Table boasts of a particularly interesting design concept, where it is more or less guaranteed to be a conversation starter, and will also be able to impart a very unique character and look to your living room. This is truly a one of a kind table that will play with and grabs the attention of whoever waltzes into the room, especially for first timers who lay their eyes on it. Specially designed to be a very breezy trompe l'oeil, the UP Coffee Table offers the illusion of it being supported by golden helium balloons, and you might just catch yourself blinking twice, wondering whether you really saw the table float off the ground – even if it were to be for a microsecond.

As for the asking price, well, it generally moves in the direction of the table's namesake, which would be north in the region of $3,800.

Source

[ UP Coffee Table copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]


IBM delivers augmented reality to shopping aisles

Posted: 04 Jul 2012 06:00 AM PDT

Are you one who absolutely loves shopping, especially when it comes to purchasing groceries at the local supermarket? Well, if you are a seasoned shopper, you would virtually be able to navigate through the labyrinth of aisles with your eyes closed, grabbing those weekly items as though it were second nature to you. What happens when you are new to a particular town, and there are less than helpful retail assistants? This is where the wonders of technology comes in, and IBM intends to help by offering an augmented reality solution to shopping aisles.

IBM's Fiona Doherty recently demonstrated how an augmented reality shopping app is able to fill this particular niche, where it will automatically deliver personalized coupons, offers, customer reviews and hidden product details

You cannot deny the fact that going to a physical store still has this nostalgic feel to the shopping experience, and to be able to see, touch and feel (sometimes even taste!) a particular product before purchase is all part of the thrill. Since many of us already carry our advanced mobile devices wherever we go, it makes perfect sense for IBM to enter into this market, making life easier for shoppers to retrieve product details instantly and deals in-store at the blink of an eye thanks to a new augmented reality (AR) shopping app.

The app will not rely on barcodes or RFID tags in order to recognize products, although it will need a working camera on your mobile device as it compares a captured image with those in its database. If the product packaging matches according to the image processing algorithm that works in tandem with techniques used in facial recognition, color and shape matching, it will automatically overlay digital details of the product on the image.

Some of these details can include nutritional information, price, reviews and discounts on offer at that particular point in time. You also have the choice to opt into a social networking feature which will then deliver comments or reviews from friends and family concerning a particular product that has been added to the information shown.

Doesn't this make it more important to make sure you have a fully juiced up smartphone before you go shopping?

Source

[ IBM delivers augmented reality to shopping aisles copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]


Mini Batman Bat-Signal

Posted: 04 Jul 2012 05:30 AM PDT

The crazy summer blockbuster season at the movies have arrived, and superheroes never seem to get old on the silver screen. I suppose a lot of it has to do with a form of escapism for us, where we do wish at times that we could eventually wake up with super powers one day, ditching our day jobs and being a general all-round idol to the rest of the world. Bruce Wayne might have had a tough childhood, but I guess he channeled all of that angst and bitterness in a way that helped society combat crime. While there is no way to whistle and have Batman show up at your whim and fancy, perhaps the Bat-Signal might do the trick.

What happens when there are budget cuts and austerity measures put in place by governments all over the world? Well, this is where the wonders of miniaturization comes in handy, and the $9.95 Mini Batman Bat-Signal is more than ready to make up for any shortcomings. After all, you can never quite tell just when you need that extra bit of accounting help at the office, and Bruce Wayne would definitely have the know-how in solving that bit without attracting the Attorney General in any way. The man runs a multi-billion dollar empire, doesn't he?

[ Mini Batman Bat-Signal copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]


Game of Thrones Replica Iron Throne

Posted: 04 Jul 2012 05:00 AM PDT

I don't know as to whether you have been swept up by the craze known as Game of Thrones, but if you have answered in the affirmative and have some serious coin left in your bank account to spend, how about checking out this particular purchase which might not be pleasing to your other half when he or she finds out that you blew a whopping £20,000 on the Game of Thrones Replica Iron Throne?

Fictionally, it was forged from a thousand enemy swords in the fiery breath of the dragon Balerion the Black Dread, where the Iron Throne is one imposing sight, being the seat of power in King's Landing. Nice to know that a replica is now available for sale, although it might just do nothing much other than to reinforce the false notion that you are the king of your own castle, never mind that the proverb should be updated to reflect the cramped apartments that many of us live in these days.

This is a unique purchase that is guaranteed to be a conversation starter, as it was specially crafted by robots, using fibreglass and fire rated resin. Such an incredible work of art will obviously be a highly limited version, so do not wait, as "Winter is coming." Sorry, that bit was hard to resist.

[ Game of Thrones Replica Iron Throne copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]