Gadgets and New Technologies

Posted Mar 6th 2008 10:02AM by Darren MurphFiled under: Gaming, Handhelds Call us crazy (or just packrats, whatever), but we can’t just toss a dead gadget in good conscience. Apparently, neither can Josh Burker, who decided to convert a busted Game Boy into a beautiful piece of vintage art. Similar to the playable Paper Mario game we spotted about this time last month, Mr. Burker used his papercraft skills to whip up a familiar scene of Super Mario Bros. and mount it within the space where the display used to reside. Gunpei Yokoi would be so proud.[Via DSFanboy] (Read the full post about ‘Busted Game Boy given life with Super Mario papercraft’…)

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The visually impaired could certainly make do with this ’smart’ wand that features a sensor on the front that is capable of detecting nearby objects, offering feedback on just how far away the object is with varying levels of vibration. What I’m more concerned with is not having the sensor detect whether there is anything in front, but rather nothing. Wouldn’t want a blind person to walk straight into a huge drain or manhole now, would we? A tactile strip will send feedback to your thumb, allowing you to use this in addition to audio cues as you find your way around. The Tactile Wand is but a concept at this point in time, but it would be swell to see it hit the market sooner rather than later. (Read the full post about ‘Tactile Wand For Visually Impaired’…)

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I know about your bad perception, especially in the morning when you’re still asleep, right? And I didn’t even need to explain this - does everyone jumps from the bed and starts bustling on a killing neck hard-rock? I think not. Most of us prefer a silent cup of coffee, but sometimes we forget how hot it may be. So… our tongue gets scalded. Well, here is something great to avoid this unpleasant situation - the "Hot-Cold Mug". This one will show you the temperature of your favorite drink by changing it’s color gradually from totally white (this means really really hot) to black (cold). In other words, "Fade to Black" - Metallica fans know the fact. (Read the full post about ‘Hot-Cold Mug - delightful cofee at the right temperature’…)

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Sometimes I have to wonder if there is a limit to eco-friendly gadgets that try to save as much energy as possible. For example, the Benkatine Turbine: a device from Leviathan Energy that allows you to generate electricity when you flush the toilet. The device works using the principles of hydroelectric power. In other words, water flows in (or, in the case of flushing, out) a turbine fan spins, and power is generated. Not only can the Benkatine Turbine generate power from the indoor plumbing, but it can be used outside to generate power from gutter drainage. I have to admit that this is a pretty obvious use for what is essentially wasted energy from our…waste. (Read the full post about ‘Benkatine Turbine Makes Energy While You Flush’…)

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Posted Mar 6th 2008 6:29AM by Darren MurphFiled under: Robots Believe it or not, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen robotic falcons used to chase off actual birds, but rather than keeping pigeons at bay, the Falco Robot GBRS is reportedly able to keep pestering birds clear from airports and the like. Humorously hailed as a “Gregarious Bird Removal System,” the creature is reportedly a result of ten years of experimentation, and word on the street proclaims that the remote-controlled device was able to scare off a thousand seagulls at a Genoa airport. (Read the full post about ‘Robotic Falco bird frightens away its own kind’…)

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We are up, waiting and trying to control our excitement, just what details will we get today about the long awaited iphone (and ipod Touch) SDK. Today’s event will also be including some news about the ”exciting new enterprise features.” The event, which is taking place at the Apple HQ in Cupertino begins today at 10PST, which is not until 1PM EST for us, makes it seem like we still have so long to wait. Our guess, a date will be announced, but we will not be getting anything new to play with just yet. We do hope (in the case only) that we are proven wrong. Check back here at Gadgetell for the highlights and don’t forget to check our sister site Appletell for the full and in-depth details. (Read the full post about ‘Apple’s iPhone SDK event today, 10 AM PST / 1 PM EST’…)

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I’m a person that loves music, so one would assume that I have a massive collection of CDs. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case, even though I have a ton of MP3s. I was fairly smart and started ripping my CDs a very long time ago, which came in handy when case of 300+ CDs turned up missing. There are several people that I’ve tried to talk into ripping their music not only to keep a backup, but to also make it much easier to listen to their music. I always get the same response that it takes too long and it’s a pain. This CD Ripserver is perfect for those who don’t feel like taking the time and effort to do it themselves. CD ripping doesn’t get much easier than this. (Read the full post about ‘Ripfactory rips your CD collection with ease’…)

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DivX and Philips have sealed a two-year licensing agreement that would enable Philips to continue including DivX video functionality on its electronic products. These products include DVD players, portable devices, digital televisions and next generation consumer products such as Blu-Ray DVD devices. Since becoming the global standard for high-quality digital video, around 100 million DivX certified devices have been made available to the market. DivX flexibility in cross platform movement of video content and interoperability between DVD players has made it the top benchmarking tool of other companies specializing on high-definition digital video. (Read the full post about ‘DivX, Philips agree to bring high-quality digital video on any device or platform’…)

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Posted Mar 6th 2008 7:19AM by Ryan BlockFiled under: Gaming Quick note to the graphics enthusiasts in the house, HardOCP took a long look at CrossFireX using dual Radeon HD 3870 X2s. As you might expect, some games benefit from the raw power, some games require driver tweaks and knob-fiddling to get going right, and some games were just about the same without (read: your mileage my vary — for now). Check out their full review for the details.[Thanks, Risk] (Read the full post about ‘CrossFireX reviewed: it’s a start’…)

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I’m not too sure what the obsession with the dead is all about, but the Dutch Dead Bbudd speaker system certainly brings some level of charm to any desktop. It looks like some dude wrapped up all over, featuring the traditional X eyes to denote a dead person in cartoons and comics. The speakers take the traditional route of being embedded in his feet, and for $38 you get some pretty sub-par sound considering he is a passive, non-amplified speaker system. I suppose most of the money goes to the idea and design, leaving performance out of the picture. (Read the full post about ‘Dutch Dead Bbudd Speaker System’…)

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