CES 2007 Video: Planet82 Accufat Scanner

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: CES, CES 2007, Features, Smart Home, Misc. Tech, Videocasts, Videos,

Read More | The Bleeding Edge

Origami Teaches Tots to Use TV Remote

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Accessories, Design, Home Entertainment, Misc. Tech, Science,

Who didn’t love this paper gadget when they were growing up? Hayeon Yoo’s Origami TV Remote Control was developed during a one week Electronics and Software workshop at London’s recent Work in Progress. The prototype has such functions as channel selection and volume control, and is made up of a wireless sensor board and Max/MSP. Designed to get kids to learn to use the remote, we think we would have just as much fun and may not want to share.

Read More | Work in Progress via we make money not art

Kepler Advantage Finds Your Car By Satellite

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smartphones, GPS, Misc. Tech, Transportation,

At last, a tracking device that not only helps us find a restaurant, but also where we parked the car. Inilex’s Kepler Advantage, featured at the recent 2007 Demo Conference, features GPS technology that can find a car’s location with the owner’s cell phone via satellite. It can also tell if a car has been moved by an unauthorized driver or driven at too high a speed (in case your kids “borrow” the car,) and will notify police within 15 minutes (in case it’s not the kids.) Although its name is subject to change, Spokesperson Aly Saxe assured Gear Live that the device will become available during Q2 of 2007.

Read More | Inilex

Pleo Goes Back to the Drawing Board

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Corporate News, Misc. Tech, Science, Toys,

We originally became smitten with Pleo back in November. We have just learned from inventor/owner/CEO Caleb Chung that because of customer feedback, they are further enhancing their charming creature. They are upgrading his speaker quality to boost audio levels and increase his sound library, putting another sensor under his chin (because everyone likes to chuckle him there,) modernizing his eyes, and adding more soft tissue so that he feels more realistic.

In honor of the occasion, which we refer to as Pleo’s rebirth, Ugobe is giving away 10 of them to fans who enter their essay contest going on now through March 3rd, “How Do You Envision Robotic Life Forms Influencing or Touching Your Life in the Next 5 Years?” Pleo and Caleb, we feel the love.

Read More | Ugobe

Buffalo Does Disney USB

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Accessories, USB, Misc. Tech,

Japan’s Buffalo has just come out with 3 new Disney 512MB USB keys. Who wouldn’t want Steamboat Willie hanging out at her/his computer? After seeing this, we decided that it would just be a matter of time before Japan comes out with its beloved Hello Kitty version. Not only did we find one that is available from Dynamism, we also found this Kitty hub that has been around since 2004 with moving arms, an alarm and timer, and can speak in Japanese or English.

Read More | Akihabara News

Shape International Creates Inflatable Decoys

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Misc. Tech, Transportation,

Shape International designs simulated inflatable military equipment, but we weren’t exactly sure why until we studied their site a little more closely. In their own words, they “can effectively deceive the enemy, reduce damage to real equipment and fortifications, enhance survivability, and gain the initiative in battle.”

Translated, we believe this means that they can be used as decoys, destroyable targets in training, and can conceal and protect actual military equipment. We will buy that, but the real question remains. If a Shape vehicle meets a Red Owl in the woods with no one to hear it, will it still make a noise when it explodes?

Read More | Shape International

Zink To Offer Pocket-Size Printer

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Accessories, Cameras, Misc. Tech,

Printers just keep shrinking. Even smaller than the mPrint we told you about is Zink’s concept, which creates images out of a heated printer head coming into contact with specialized paper, somewhat along the lines of the Toshiba device we also blogged about last November.

Images are wallet size 2 x 3-inches, and because you can recycle the paper when you tire of one shot, you can simply replace it with another. Zink’s technology is on display at the conference Demo ‘07 this week in Palm Desert, CA, and its first products will probably be a $199.00 printer/camera hybrid and a $99.00 printer. Paper will be available for $19.99 for 100 sheets.

Read More | Zink

Mooninite Freaks Out Boston

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Home Entertainment, Smart Home, Misc. Tech,

We know that Boston is made up of many of the intellectual set, so we really wonder how a few little Mooninites managed to scare them enough to trigger a bomb scare that had authorities closing down two bridges and part of the Charles River yesterday. Top officials, including Mayor Thomas Menini, Govenor Deval Patrick, and Police Commisioner Ed Davis were concerned enough to offer statements to the press.

The electronic light boards were part of a promotional scheme for one of our fave shows, “Aqua Teen Hunger Force” on Adult Swim, and had also been set up in LA, NYC, Chicago, Seattle, Portland, Austin, San Francisco, and Philly. Peter Berdovski, who placed the signs, actually turned himself in when The Cartoon Network realized what was going on. Our query is why they didn’t worry when the signs were going up. If a Mooninite like Ignignokt could frighten them that much, just image what damage Meatwad could have done.

Read More | Nightline

Homersapien Looks Buff, Still Sounds Dorky

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Misc. Tech, Movies, Science, Toys,

 

We adore WowWee. Their innovative Robosapiens and Dragonbot keep us constantly amused and entertained. So it is no wonder that we fell in love with their London Toy Fair entrants, Spideysapien and the rather buff-looking Homersapien. Both were undoubtedly designed to come out with this summer’s release of the new “Spiderman” and “Simpsons” movies. We expect Homey to utter the inevitable “Do-oh,” but we will be curious to see if he can hand us a Duff Beer.

Read More | Wowwee via Robo Community

Robotic Parking Space to Open in Febuary

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Misc. Tech, Science, Transportation,

If you are one of the lucky ones to be living or working in NYC’s Chinatown, you can be one of the first to try out the city’s new robotic parking. So far the device has only been successful in China, but Robotic Parking feels confident that the glitches will be worked out by next month. The garage can hold up to 67 cars in a space that would otherwise fit only 24.

Drivers leave their cars on pallets, which are then lowered and set into vacant spaces with a computer controlled elevator that can run both vertically and horizontally. Fees of $25.00 a day or $400.00 a month will be charged. We understand that a similar unit had some problems in 2002 when a Cadillac was dropped 6 floors. We will just allow others to test this one out before we rush to put our beaters in the Chinatown structure.

Read More | AP