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Latest Gear Live Videos
Motorola Launches Waterproof Walkie Talkie
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Misc. Tech,
Motorola has recently unveiled its analog GP628 Plus walkie talkie in Korea with an IP67 (International Protection) rating, so that next time you are hanging around a war, you will not have to fear being told to stop using it. Both waterproof and dustproof, it also features a push-to-talk feature, an LED in case its battery is dying, and an emergency siren. Contact Motorola for price details. We’re wondering just how important this rating is considering some of our soldiers in the Middle East are wearing homemade body armor and using Silly String for bomb detection.
Read More 
| Motorola via Aving
Gallery: Motorola Launches Waterproof Walkie Talkie
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Paul Notzold has created TXTual Healing with large speech bubbles projected on flat surfaces such as walls outside an art gallery. They are arranged near windows and doors and participants are encouraged to SMS dialogue with the bubbles after they receive a flyer with a cell phone number and instructions. It is even possible to direct responses to specific ones with the users’ own bubbles.
Going one step further, there are also images inside the gallery such as “One of You Will Betray Me,” which allows the audience to create dialogue on an image of The Last Supper. Currently on display at the Contemporary Museum of Baltimore, check out this demo, then contact Mr. Notzol for his future travel schedule.
Read More | Paul Notzold
Gallery: Artist Creates Legal Graffiti
Get Your Pong on With This Shirt
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Wearables, Design, Video Games,
ThinkGeek’s latest entry into the world of weird is their dark grey Pong shirt, which will please all the enthusiasts you know of Ralph Baer’s video game. The electroluminescent panel lights up with the aid of AAA batteries (not included) and drones on endlessly while never missing a shot. The panel is removable for easy t-shirt washing. Because some of us were never that good at Pong, we can now torment our winning competitors by making them suffer through its repetitive action for the hours that they made us play back in the late ‘60s. Get your revenge at ThinkGeek for $24.99.
Read More | Think Geek
Gallery: Get Your Pong on With This Shirt
BeoLab 4 PC Adds Deluxe Sound to Your Computer
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Misc. Tech, Music, Portable Audio / Video,
Bang & Olufsen, one of our favorite companies with class, has recently released the BeoLab 4 PC, allowing you to turn your desktop into a sound system. The company claims that their IcePower amplification combines a high-power performance with its impressive-looking design. Simply hook your computer, PMP, or other audio source up with a headphone jack. Each automatic turn-on speaker contains two separate amp units and does without the need of a subwoofer. There is also circuit protection technology built into the unit. Available in four colors, the BeoLab 4 PC will certainly assist you in attaining the rank of the beaugois. Contact a Bang & Olufsen in your area for price and availability.
Read More | Bang & Olufsen
Gallery: BeoLab 4 PC Adds Deluxe Sound to Your Computer
Star Cooker Hood is Disguised as Disco Ball
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Smart Home, Misc. Tech,
Now that you have gotten your kitchen decked out with Whirlpool’s inventive appliances, we feel it still won’t be complete without elica’s Star Cooker Hood. This shiny retro ceiling-mounted gadget is made of glass and stainless steel, and features metal washable grease and odor filters, and a 3-speed illuminated “Magic Wand” touch sensor with remote control. At a size of 51 cm, for £1,250 (~$2,400.00) you can have a little Saturday Night Fever to go with your otherwise drab weekend plans.
Read More | elica
Gallery: Star Cooker Hood is Disguised as Disco Ball
Purdue Scientists Create Portable Tricorder
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Misc. Tech, Science,
It won’t be long before you go to a Star Trek convention and your gadgets will be more authentic than those of the Enterprise crew. We located Mr. Spock’s watch in December, and now we have discovered his tricorder. University researchers at Purdue have created the battery-powered substance-detecting miniaturized spectrometer that sprays the object with ionized water.
“The detection is done in an ion trap — an RF device that traps ions, then lets them out on the basis of their masses, enabling you to be exactly sure what compound you are sensing,” says the College of Science’s R. Graham Cooks.
Mass spectrometers weighing 300 lbs. are already in use in airports, but this portable Mini 10, at only 20 lbs., makes it possible to seek out new civilizations if you can afford the $1,200. Props to the late Gene Roddenberry for allowing the name to be utilized when the real one finally came about.
Read More | EE Times
Gallery: Purdue Scientists Create Portable Tricorder
Valentine’s Day is barely over and we have already noticed that Easter is in the commercial air. We spotted Peeps in our local Kmart, those gelatinous creatures of sugar, corn syrup, artificial color and flavoring, and mostly unpronounceable preservatives. What is worse than actually eating them? Making your own with the Williams-Sonoma kit, which comes with molds, marshmallow mix, purple, pink and yellow sanding sugars, and those carnuba wax beady eyes. Available for $24.50, they will even toss in some butterfly, bunny, and chick cookie cutters. Won’t Mom and Dad be proud when they realize that you can create something for the holiday that will at least be fresh.
Read More | Williams-Sonoma
Gallery: Do-It-Yourself Peeps
Scientists in Japan have created a car seat that can determine your drowsiness level by utilizing physiological data. Reading respiration rate and pulse, the problem is that at this point, it cannot warn you about it or wake you up if you do fall asleep. The good news is that it is still under development, so within the next five years it will have time to install a nagging voice to tell you to pull over or douse you with a cup of water to awaken you.
Read More | Pink Tentacle
Gallery: Car Seat Detects Sleepiness
Anybots has announced the arrival of Dexter, a bot who actually learns to walk by himself. In development since 2001, the 5-foot, 10-inch robot weighs 135 pounds and learns 20,000 new positions each second. When prodded by fellow bot Monty’s articulated hand, Dexter learns balance and adjusts accordingly. The company says that he learns to do this in the same way that humans do, as opposed to the way that current robots do with use of the algorithm ZMP (Zero Moment Point.) Anybots believes that “its learning software will eventually lead to a much wider range of walking abilities than could ever have been programmed.”
Read More | Anybots
Gallery: Dexter Teaches Himself to Walk
We dig odd gadgets. We dig cool watches. This oddly cool RM011 watch was created by Richard Mille, a true artist in the jewelry world. Somehow Mr. Mille has studied and adopted the concept of an F1 racer and applied it to his timepieces. This “annual calendar-flyback-chrono with an extra 60 minute countdown at nine o’clock” is not made out of standard watch parts, but rather designed with what Mille considers the maximum in function, construction, and reliability. Stress and shock resistant, we cannot help admire the ingenuity. Due out at the end of this month, the RM011 carries the extraordinary price of 80,000 euros (~$105,000.)
Read More | Richard Mille RM011 via Kronos Blog
