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Latest Gear Live Videos
Spy Cam Works on Flourescent Lighting
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Cameras, Design, Misc. Tech, Wireless / WiFi,
NEC has come up with a wireless spy cam which is powered by fluorescent light sockets. Based on technology developed last year, the camera utilizes the magnetic field of the 45 to100 kHz power source. It takes images every 10 seconds and supports VGA, QVGA, and QQVGA resolutions. Image transferral is by wireless Lan to PC. The cam will be making its debut at the 2007 iExpo in Japan this week or in an office or bank lobby that isn’t trusting near you.
Read More 
| Tech-on
Gallery: Spy Cam Works on Flourescent Lighting
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Publish Your Great American Novel on Blurb
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Internet, Software,
What Cafe Press does for t-shirts and gift items, Blurb can do for aspiring writers. Download the Booksmart software for Microsoft Windows XP/Vista or Mac OS X 10.4.5 or later. Create your own cookbook, business project, wedding album, travelogue, or other idea with images, words, or a combination of the two. There are hundreds of templates to choose from, different book styles, and multiple fonts and colors. Softcover prices start at $12.95 and hardcover at $19.95 for up to 40 pages and $64.95 for 440 pages or more. You can give it as a gift or leave it on their site, and you will not be charged until it sells.
Read More | Blurb
Gallery: Publish Your Great American Novel on Blurb
Another robot has entered the building to assist humanity. NEXCO’s Lady Bird is a 39-inch tall prototype designed to clean highway rest stops and hotel bathrooms. The ladybug-shaped bot comes equipped with brushes, water tanks, and cleaning supplies for that nastiest of jobs. Sensors allow her to perform without bothering people while they are in the room. She also can engage in simple conversation, thanks to her voice recognition capability and mics in her antennae, and can give the latest traffic update. Expected to become a reality by March 2009, this is one 3.5 million yen (~$30,000.00) robotic helper that is definitely worth the expense.
Read More | Pink Tentacle
Gallery: Lady Bird Does Bathrooms
Remember mixtapes? Not playlists burned to a CD, but real mixtapes on cassette, passed around among friends or maybe given to your crush. All the thought that went into choosing the songs, the agonizing over what to put on the cover, the finger crossing that the last track wouldn’t get cut off due to the tape ending… Mixtapes were awesome. Well, we’re not here to start a revolution (not a cassette revolution, at least), so here’s the next best thing.
The Mixtape USB Memory Stick has a capacity of 64 mb, which translates to about 12 tracks or 1 hour of music - just enough to get your point across musically. The stick comes packaged in a gift box designed to look like an honest-to-goodness mixtape. There’s even dedicated space to write out the track listing by hand, and spots to fill in To: and From:, so your BFF or crush never forgets who used those Phil Collins tracks to express their true feelings. Design house SUCK UK is responsible for this bit of retro brilliance.
Read More | SUCK UK
Gallery: Mixtape USB Brings Back the 80s
Gift Boxes Have Holiday Spirit
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Smart Home, Misc. Tech,
The powers that be running the Postal Service suggest that you never mail batteries inside whatever they are supposed to run, but show up at your next party with these color-changing boxes and you can spend less on a gift because your hosts will find you either super-impressive or super-tacky.They come in threes with satin ribbon and continuously alter their hues. The large is 170 mm square with 8 LEDs, the medium is 115 mm square with 4 LEDs, and the small is 75 mm square with 4 LEDs. Each requires 3 AAA batteries (not included.) Look for a price of $39.95 for the trio.
Read More | tesora
Gallery: Gift Boxes Have Holiday Spirit
Scientists are now experimenting with what our clothing will look like and, more importantly, do for us in the years to come. For example, some day we will be able to charge our iPods with body energy converted to electricity. Other futuristic products include clothing made of self-cleaning material that doesn’t require much washing, outfits made with carbon nanofibers that act as armor, soft helmets that turn hard in case of a crash, and wool that doesn’t itch or shrink. Finally, there is experimentation with byproducts such as chicken feathers or rice straw being turned into material to cut down on petroleum-based synthetic fabrics. We guess that means that you can double your clothing as pillows or sleeping bags, should the need arise.
Read More | Live Science
Gallery: Future Clothing To Be Functional
Laptop Sticks Are a Flatpack Neck-Saver
Posted by Jenny Lewis Categories: Accessories, Design, PC / Laptop,
LaptopSticks, the brainchild of designer Disuke Yamaguchi, look brilliant. Made of bamboo plywood, the pieces fit together to keep them compact and easily stored and carried around - they could even fit right into a laptop bag if you’re anticipating spending a significant amount of time “in the wild” with your computer.
When the pieces are put together, they form a laptop stand that raises the back of the laptop so that the screen is higher, keeping the user’s neck at a better angle and getting airflow underneath the computer. LaptopSticks are available for pre-order at $10 apiece.
Read More | NOTCOT
Gallery: Laptop Sticks Are a Flatpack Neck-Saver
About 6 months ago, we introduced you to the solar-powered Sunshine Buddies (Hidamari no Tami.) It seems that Tomy has decided to issue one for the holidays, complete with reindeer. We’re not sure what kind of cheer that involves, aside from head-bobbing. You can utilize him as a cardholder or keep him on your desktop and your boss might be less less of a Scrooge. If your are looking for cutesy, this should fill the bill. The Holiday Sunshine Buddy is available for $18.00.
Read More | J-List
Gallery: Holiday Buddy, Just for Giggles
Obviously, we can never get enough of DIY photo applications and this seasonal one is no exception. ElfYourself was available last year from OfficeMax and now ScroogeYourself has been added. Do yourself, your family, your friends, your co-workers, or anyone else you think needs memorializing. It’s fairly simple. You just use a head shot, make a couple of adjustments, and the site will do the work and save it for you. What do you think about the pair of these guys? We call it some serious attitude!
Read More | OfficeMax
Gallery: Gear Live Gets Scrooged
Hitachi has released a new toddler-sized bot, the 31.5-inch tall, 29 lb. EMIEW 2. Designed to be a gofer, he can understand human speech, find his way through obstacles with the help of a gyrosensor, and move from two wheels to four. This second generation of EMIEW (which stands for “excellent mobility and interactive existence as workmate”) is about 20 inches shorter and quite a bit lighter than his predecessor. Hitachi has yet to say just when the bot will be available for commercial use. We are glad to welcome him to the family of robotics, whenever the due date.
Read More | Post-Bulletin
