Bleeding Edge TV 247: Powerbeam wireless laser power

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, Design, Features, Podcasts, Science, Videocasts,

Cordless extension cords?  Powerbeam has it covered.  Right now, Powerbeam is perfecting a wireless, laser-based power transfer system that can act as an extension cord to power devices using a line-of-sight system that will send power as far as you need it to go.  The lasers are about the size of pepper flakes, and will transfer tens of watts of power, and in the future could transfer more.

Powerbeam has patented a battery powered safety system on the back end of the product that will stop the laser (which creates a warm feeling where it comes into contact with a person, nothing ray gun-esque here) when someone crosses its path.

Powerbeam estimates that their power transfer system is 12 months out to the consumer market.

Bleeding Edge TV 246: iPhone 1.1.3 Jailbreak with iBrickr on Windows video tutorial

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, Apple, Cell Phones, Features, Mods / Hacks, PC / Laptop, Podcasts, Software, Videocasts,

We gave you the details on how to jailbreak your 1.1.3 iPhone on OS X, but don’t think we forgot about people running the trusty Windows OS.

Luckily, we have a special edition of iBrickr, which will allow you to jailbreak your iPhone very easily, all you need is a little patience. In case you missed it, check out our iPhone 1.1.3 video tour.

By the way, if you are looking for an excellent program to create custom ringtones for your iPhone, check out iPhone RingToneMaker.

Bleeding Edge TV 245: iPhone 1.1.3 Jailbreak OS X video tutorial

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, Apple, Cell Phones, Features, Mods / Hacks, PC / Laptop, Podcasts, Software, Videocasts,

Now that we know that the iPhone 1.1.3 jailbreak method has been released, we figured it would be good of us to give you a video tutorial showing you how to get it done. After all, you all enjoyed our old-school 1.1.1 jailbreak video, right?

In this video, we provide step-by-step instructions that will help anyone upgrade their iPhone to a jailbreaked version of the 1.1.3 firmware. This should keep you tided over until that pesky SDK is released, right?

By the way, if you are looking for an excellent program to create custom ringtones for your iPhone, check out iPhone RingToneMaker, who sponsored this episode.

Bleeding Edge TV 244: A look at Drobo Storage Robot

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, Accessories, Apple, CES, CES 2008, Design, Features, PC / Laptop, Podcasts, Storage, Videocasts,

One of this year’s hottest topics is storage.  It seems like we’re about two steps away from getting flash drives as prizes in cereal boxes.  With the release of OSX Leopard and its Time Machine app, backing up computers has become easier than ever.  Enter Data Robotics’ Drobo storage robot.

As easy to use as a flash drive, the Drobo has four slots to accommodate 3.5” SATA I or II hard drives, and automatically makes redundant copies of data in order to protect from single drive failure.  Drobo uses USB 2.0 to make backing up quickly, and is fully operable with OSX and Windows 2000 and up.

Retailing at $499, Drobo comes with everything you need to get started except the hard drives.  It’s available now from online retailers.

Bleeding Edge TV 243: Bowers and Wilkins Zeppelin iPod/iPhone dock

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, Accessories, Apple, Cell Phones, CES, CES 2008, Design, Features, Handhelds, Home Entertainment, Music, Podcasts, Portable Audio / Video, Videocasts,

Bowers and Wilkins has long been known for their stunning audiophile loudspeaker and home theater equipment so it’s no surprise that their foray into the iPod/iPhone speaker dock territory is an impressive one. The new Zeppelin dock features a subwoofer and two midrange/tweeters all in a single compact unit. The odd football shape does indeed bring to mind it’s airship namesake with a look that is sure to draw a second look for passers by. The downside - it’s $600; or $200 more than you spent on the iPhone that goes in it.

In the video we show off the product, and even demonstrate how it handles an iPhone taking a call while in use. Amazingly, there is no GSM interference to be found. Definitely a plus.

Bleeding Edge TV 242: Voltaic Systems solar backpacks and bags

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, Cell Phones, CES, CES 2008, Wearables, Features, Handhelds, Podcasts, Portable Audio / Video, Videocasts,

Outback hikers and urban explorers alike are often faced with a common problem: how to grab some juice on the go for power-hungry devices. These new backpacks and soon to be briefcases offer a potential solution by pairing next generation solar cells with a battery to enable on the go charging. While the charging might be slow (all day to charge a laptop) it’s certainly a great option in the face of an otherwise completely drained cell phone or laptop.

Bleeding Edge TV 241: Neuros’ Joe Born chats with us about open source media players

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, Cell Phones, CES, CES 2008, Features, Handhelds, Podcasts, Portable Audio / Video, Software, Videocasts,

We chat with Neuros’ Joe Born about what Neuros has in store in the near future and about their approach to making their media players open source. We also discuss how they’re the only embedded media device company open sourcing their software for the devices and what that means to them. They’ve seen a great deal of tech community involvement and more from bringing their devices into open source. See the video, recorded from Showstoppers at CES 2008.

Bleeding Edge TV 240: HawkingTech home automation via cell phone

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, Broadband, Cell Phones, CES, CES 2008, Features, Internet, Podcasts, Software, Videocasts, Wireless / WiFi,

Home automation is becoming a big theme at consumer electronics trade shows like CES. Many companies have been promising the ‘smart house’ for years – a house that automatically anticipates and responds to its inhabitants wants and needs. HawkingTech was showing off some preliminary tech which could help hearken the days of the smart house with a variety of available now products – check out the video for a demonstration of what is to come.

Bleeding Edge TV 239: XtremeMac show us their latest Apple accessories

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, Accessories, Apple, CES, CES 2008, Features, Podcasts, Portable Audio / Video, Videocasts,

Typically we find that most manufacturer’s who focus exclusively on Apple products choose Macworld over CES, since the two are scheduled to close together. That didn’t stop iPhone, iPod, and other Mac products from being a reoccurring theme at CES. XtremeMac was there in force showing off a collection of iProduct accessories – check them out for the full skinny.

CES 2008 Video: ZPower silver-zinc battery power outshines the rest?

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, CES, CES 2008, Design, Features, Misc. Tech, PC / Laptop, Podcasts, Science, Videocasts,

While power technologies tend to be less glamourous than gadgets consumers shouldn’t forget the impact and importance of having solid battery technologies in the slim and trim electronic toys and tools they buy. ZPower was pleased to show off their new Silver-Zinc batteries at CES – potentially a revolutionary new product. These new batteries can be interchanged with Lithium Ion batteries but offer more power for longer periods all while reducing the environmental impact. Available soon from a yet-to-be-named laptop manufacturer.