Gadgets and New Technologies

Posted Feb 22nd 2008 6:30PM by Darren MurphFiled under: Features, HDTV, Home Entertainment Look, we’re not out to whip the proverbial dead horse, but after taking a long, critical look at how the format war played out from day one, it’s just too inviting to not take a step back and ponder how things could’ve been different. Looking back, we noticed numerous scenarios where it truly looked as if hd dvd had this whole thing wrapped up, and while analysts galore boasted that this grueling war would go on for eons, now we’re staring the other camp in the face as the victor. Believe it or not, folks voluntarily caught up in all of this are quite passionate — shocking, we know — and we’ve all ideas players from both sides would have liked to see a few different moves made along the way. (Read the full post about ‘How would you change the outcome of the format war?’…)

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Posted Feb 22nd 2008 1:06PM by Donald Melanson
Filed under: Misc. gadgets, Transportation It’s not the first to turn to algae and biomass as a source of fuel, but upstart Solazyme seems to think it’s got a leg up on other biofuel makers and its apparently lining up the deals and big bucks to prove it. As Technology Review reports, that includes Chevron, which is now in a “testing agreement” with the start-up, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, which dished out a $2 million grant to the company. The trick that’s attracted all that interest, it seems, is the company’s particular way of using algae to convert biomass into fuel, which takes the apparently unorthodox approach of growing them in the dark, which causes them to produce more oil than they do in the light. (Read the full post about ‘Upstart Solazyme promises to make fuel from algae’…)

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Ed Hernández has just unveiled to the world his latest project - a 5G 30GB ipod video that comes with a Bluetooth module, enabling audio out. Unfortunately, the 30GB model is too thin for comfort, and hence Ed had to make some modifications in order to make Apple’s famous PMP accommodate the Bluetooth module. The hard drive was replaced with a Compact Flash memory card, while the front white plastic has been removed, with an iVue clear panel replacing it so that the Bluetooth LED is able to shine through. Reminds me of those transparent Gameboys that Nintendo used to sell…

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Posted Feb 22nd 2008 11:01AM by Darren Murph
Filed under: LaptopsIt’s not like LG hasn’t had issues with its batteries before, and even after confirming that they were unquestionably safe just last week, the firm has suddenly removed its Z1-AE007 from the market after suspecting that faulty batteries may be included. Reportedly, one of said models “caught fire” in Seoul and presumably startled the graduate student who owned it, but a company spokesperson stopped short of proclaiming that a recall was in order. (Read the full post about ‘LG halts sale of Z1-AE007 laptop, suspects defective battery’…)

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The 3rd Space Vest, also known by the moniker FPS Gaming Vest enables one to feel punches and knocks in the video game as they are translated to eight force-feedback units located in strategic areas of the vest. I wonder which would hurt more - taking a few bullets or walking right smack into an explosion. It is finally available, retailing for $169 a pop after making a cameo at this year’s CES in Vegas. Which game do you think would this work best? I would like to see the famous “chaingun dance” that demons and imps perform in the early Doom franchises being ported over to the FPS Gaming Vest.

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Posted Feb 22nd 2008 11:45AM by Darren MurphFiled under: HDTV, Portable Video Do you ever wonder just how realistic all these coin / hand / White House-to-miniscule item comparison shots are? We certainly do, and while the ¥1 coin seen above could be the size of a frisbee for all we know (we jest, we jest), we suppose we’ll believe Sharp when it says its latest 1seg tuner is indeed the world’s smallest. The VA3A5JZ922 checks in at just 5.9- x 5.9- x 0.9-millimeters — about 35-percent smaller than competitors — and should cost around ¥20,000 ($185) when samples start shipping out next week. (Read the full post about ‘Sharp develops “world’s smallest” 1seg TV tuner’…)

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You know those head-strapped lights that mountain climbers wear? Well, the Cap Light plays on a similar theme, using five LED lights that are attached to the cap. It definitely won’t win any points with the fashion police, but at least it helps you find your way around should there be a sudden power cut. Of course, you must be super paranoid to wear this everywhere you go since power failures these days are rarer than a Bigfoot sighting. The Cap Light comes in only one color - dark blue, and retails for $16. (Read the full post about ‘Cap Light’…)

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It is finally here after we mentioned it on Tuesday - NVIDIA has unveiled the first of its next generation GeForce 9 series of graphics processing units, where the company touts this latest offering to deliver the largest single-generation performance jump in the entire history of NVIDIA. The GPU in question is the GeForce 9600 GT that pumps out 116% more performance than its predecessor, without having a price tag that breaks the $199 mark. Will this make you rush out and purchase the 9600 GT, or are you rather upset that you just picked up an 8600 GT from the store? Excerpts from the press release are available right after the jump. (Read the full post about ‘NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT rolls out’…)

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Posted Feb 22nd 2008 9:14AM by Darren MurphFiled under: Wearables Oh sure, there’s a multitude of head-mounted cameras out there for devout lifebloggers to snap up and wear, but we’re guessing the world looks a bit different when you’re scaring everyone off while waltzing down the street. Granted, the Momenta necklace isn’t a whole lot more attractive, but at least it’s a touch less noticeable. This concept would reportedly capture anything and everything that happened in front of the wearer, and when it detects a sudden jump in heart rate, it’ll log everything that happened five minutes prior and continue rolling until you tell it to halt. Kind of freaky, sure, but capturing the faces of folks who see you wearing this thing for (Read the full post about ‘Momenta necklace captures life’s best, worst moments’…)

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Posted Feb 22nd 2008 10:40AM by Paul MillerFiled under: Desktops, Gaming The new budget-friendly 9600 GT (pictured) already has plenty of folks excited, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. NVIDIA’s new GeForce 9-series has a top-end 9800 GX2 card slated for March 11th — if these rumors are to be believed — that is supposed to best the 8800 Ultra’s performance by a solid 30 percent. The card is supposed to land for less than $599, but if that’s a bit much for you, the 9800 GTX should hit for under $399 in “late March,” with the 9800 GT following on April 3rd for under $299. If all of this is too much horsepower for you, the 9600 GS, 9500 GT and 9500 GS are slated to arrive in May, June and July, respectively, and all should hit at under the 9600 GT’s already friendly sub-$200 pricepoint. (Read the full post about ‘GeForce 9 roadmap revealed, 9800 GX2 due March 11th?’…)

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