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If you don’t do mornings, you might want to try an alternative to your loud and user-unfriendly alarm clock. Philips has created the Wake-up Light, which sends out light that increases in intensity for 30 minutes, just like the sun. When the light falls on your eyes, it sends a message to reduce production of melatonin, the hormone that put you to sleep in the first place. Claiming their product to be medically proven, the Wake-up Light can be preset and adjusted in intensity. It will be available this month in France with an overall roll-out next year. Contact Philips for price and availability in your area. This is fine idea, but we would like it more if it came with a pot of coffee.
Read More 
| Philips
Gallery: Philips Wake-up Light Simulates Sun
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Keuco Visiomatic Brings Info Into The Bathroom
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smart Home, Misc. Tech,
Keuco has joined with Visiomatic to create a multimedia system for, of all places, your bathroom. With it you can listen to the radio, play music, watch TV, write SMS messages, read the latest news, and even talk on the phone. The system has already been installed in such luxury hotels as the Beverly Wilshire, NY’s Four Seasons, Chicago’s Park Hyatt, and the Dorchester in Boston. If they throw in the guy in the tub to scrub my back, they’ve made a sale. Contact Keuco (click on new products and multimedia) for price and availability.
Read More | Keuco
Gallery: Keuco Visiomatic Brings Info Into The Bathroom
Isn’t it GE who claims, “We bring good things to light?” Panasonic can now take credit for the tagline with the advent of their DL-GWN toilet seat. The seat provides a bulls-eye light so that in the darkest of nights, males won’t have to worry about missing their targets. Females will surely enjoy the warming function, since the water pumped in is boiled for cleaning the seat automatically after each use. The DL-GWN will be available in November in Japan for 135,450 Yen or ~$1165. That sounds like a lot of money down the drain to us. Don’t tell Panasonic, but some time ago, a gadget called the nightlight was invented.
Read More | Panasonic via Newlanches
Gallery: Panasonic DL-GWN Shines On
This one was just too kinky for us to pass up. Woody Allen’s Orgasmatron has finally come to fruition by means of this Dominic Wilcox designed washing machine. He claims it “puts the fun back in housework.” It features a dial that registers from “oh!” up to “oooooooh!”. On display at the London Design Festival, going on September 18 - 25, it is housed at Habitat as part of the Room X exhibition. We don’t really know if this is a feasible gadget, but given what room this leather-clad washing machine is housed in, it is certainly worth giving the Orgasmatron a test run.
Read More | Dominic Wilcox via London Design Festival
Gallery: Orgasmatron Featured at London Design Festival
Philips Releases New Ambilight HDTV Models
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, HDTV, Home Entertainment, Smart Home,
After its recent debut at the IFA, Philips has released its Ambilight TV with models 32PF9731D and 42PF9731D, featuring 1366 x 768 resolution panels, and its 37PF9731D with a 1920 x 1080 1080p set. All three feature Philips’ Pixel Plus technology integrated with digital tuners and boast 2x HDMI ports along with two RGB scart sockets, component video input, S/PDIF in/out and an Ethernet port on the rear. Philips also utilizes Dolby Digital for full surround sound, and a USB connector for easy play.
Philips claims that Ambilight “makes an impressive contribution to the overall viewing experience with ambient light to complement the colours and light intensity of the image on screen. It creates ambiance, stimulates more relaxed viewing and improves perceived picture detail, contrast and colour.”
To experience Ambilight for yourself visit Philips. At price points of £1,799 (~$3396), £2,499 (~$4717) and £3,000 (~$5663), we may have to wait to catch Ambilight at the neighbors’ next Superbowl party.
Read More | Trusted Reviews
Gallery: Philips Releases New Ambilight HDTV Models
Hitachi Bot Sports Sensory Laser
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smart Home, Misc. Tech, Science, Toys,
It just keeps getting scarier. Hitachi’s EMIEW (Excellent Mobility and Interactive Existence as Workmate) is now equipped with a sensory laser for navigation. The new bot will make its debut at the 2006 WAC (World Automotive Congress) in Japan which begins October 23.
The EMIEW keeps its balance using internal gyroscopes. It can locate its owner by voice recognition and can perform basic household chores, such as retrieving items from other rooms. Let’s just hope that it doesn’t aim that laser on the cat.
Read More | JapanCorp via engadget
Gallery: Hitachi Bot Sports Sensory Laser
Logitech Harmony 1000 One-Touch Remote Launched
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Accessories, Home Entertainment, Smart Home, Wireless / WiFi,
Logitech has announced a new and improved Harmony remote control. With its cool silver and black finish, the Harmony 1000 boasts a 3.5” color touch-sensitive screen, Internet programability, a variety of one-touch activity options, and rechargeable batteries.
Logitech has redesigned its online interface to automatically match to characteristics, discrete codes, and infrared commands of over 175,000 devices from more than 5,000 manufacturers contained in Logitech’s online database. The Harmony can even function behind a closed door and will work with VCR’s, digital video recorders, high-definition televisions, many household appliances, as well as multi-room entertainment systems.
“The Harmony 1000 remote delivers affordable luxury — it simplifies control of today´s complicated home-entertainment systems at a fraction of the price of traditional custom-installed remotes, and it’s luxurious in its sophisticated design, which adds an element of prestige to any living room,” said Bryan McLeod, vice president of Logitech´s remote control products.
Luxurious? That’s putting it mildly. The Harmony 1000 will be available in both the U.S. and Europe later this fall at an SRP of $499.99 You can also purchase a wireless extender at the same time for $149.99.
Read More | Harmony 1000 Release
Gallery: Logitech Harmony 1000 One-Touch Remote Launched
If you are a pet owner, this new product is definitely up your alley. The Hear Now is based on a 2-way radio communication system that you control with a handheld walkie-talkie. Place The Hear Now around your dog’s neck and you can communicate with Fido from as far away as 12 miles. It also has LED that is visible up to 2 miles.
This pet-tracking and communication device was created by Simon Wilby in Calgary, who is also company president. “Lost pets in the urban and rural areas is a substantial problem. The Hear Now will help facilitate a quick recovery.” Future models will include instant GPS and GPRS tracking capabilities that could be sent directly to your palm, blackberry, or voice mail. Also in development is geo-fencing (invisible boundaries for your pet) which will alert you if Fido decides to visit the poodle down the block.
The HearNow also comes in a harness model for cats, a halter model for horses, and can be attached to a wheelchair. Greg Miller, who is in charge of worldwide distribution, told Gearlive that can be pre-ordered on line and will be available in about 4 weeks in retail outlets. Prices range from $199.99 to $259.99. We think that this is a much better solution than zapping Fido every time he tries to leave the yard or fitting him with a nasty electronic implant.
Read More | The Hear Now Home Page
Gallery: The Hear Now Pet-Tracker
NES Controller Alarm Clock
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Design, Smart Home, Video Games,
For those who can’t seem to get enough of the feeling of having a video game controller nearby, waking up to one may be the treat to start the day off right. This alarm clock, shaped like one of those old-school NES and Famicom controllers, wakes you up to the Super Mario Bros theme song. How do you turn it off? Simply button-mash on the A button. If that doesn’t get you up, we aren’t sure what will. Even better, though, is the included mini-game. It goes something like this - hit the A button as fast as you can, trying to beat your previous speed. Do it fast enough, and you unlock a new alarm tone. All this for only $25 USD? Sign us up.
Read More | ThinkGeek
Gallery: NES Controller Alarm Clock
HydraCoach Interactive Water Bottle
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smart Home, Misc. Tech, Science,
“The HydraCoach Thinks While You Drink.” Such is the claim of Sportline, the makers of the HydraCoach “interactive” water bottle. It tracks your fluid consumption and calculates your “personal hydration needs.” We didn’t even know we possessed such needs. We just assume that when we get thirsty, we drink water.
Other Product Capabilities:
- Paces an individual to ensure hydration goals are met.
- Monitors and motivates an individual to stay properly hydrated.
“With the launch of the world’s first ‘intelligent’ water bottle, we intend to revolutionize the water bottle and hydration industry,” said Brian Anderson, president of Sportline. “The benefits of proper hydration are sought after by athletes, fitness and outdoor enthusiasts, people trying to lose weight, the elderly, individuals on medication, and everyone who is generally health conscious.”
The HydraCoach goes on sale in December with a MSRP of $29.99. That’s big bucks for a bottle of water. We are thinking of substituting tequila to see how it calculates those personal hydration needs.
Read More | Hydracoach Product Page
Gallery: HydraCoach Interactive Water Bottle
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