Sony Fusion is a desk for the future needed now

Sony Fusion is a desk for the future, needed now

Clearly, we are going to live in an age where “technology” and “furniture” will be synonymous. For example, if you have a couch or a bed, then it had better be set up with an Internet radio and vibrating feature. If you have a coffee table, then it had better be a Microsoft Surface.

Or, if you have a small desk, then that table will have a hidden computer. This is the Sony Fusion, which has a surface that opens up to reveal a workstation with an adjustable screen and touch sensitive keyboard.

In addition to these features, it has a DVD drive as well as an LED outlined keyboard. It certainly looks like it could easily be a desk in the classroom of the future. As it is, classrooms of the present need something like this now. Yes, that is a slam on the education of today. I suppose that One Laptop Per Child is supposed to apply to those who live in underfunded schools like those in America.

I’m not certain when Sony is planned to go into any production, but it should be available in three different colors of blue, white, and red. Hey, just what a school needs to match its school colors. Of course, these desks cost $3,000 each, so maybe a private school could afford this.

Dell Vostro 3000 series announced

Dell Vostro 3000 series announced

Dell has announced yet another stylish series from the Vostro family – this time round it is the Vostro 3000 series to hit the deck, where it will come across as a range of thin, lightweight as well as durable laptop that won’t crack under pressure easily. Folks who are always on the go and demand the best performance from their machines might very well consider the new Vostro 3000 series, considering it comes with a choice of powerful processors, high-end graphics as well as built-in security, targeting small businesses that require robust mobile computing solutions.

With the Vostro 3000 series, one will be able to find the latest powerful Intel Core processor technology inside, and for those who need even more processing firepower, there is the option to throw in an Intel Core i7 Quad Core processor. This 13″ laptop comes with a built-in integrated optical drive, so you need not worry about the problems that come with a measly netbook. Folks who want portability and productivity, there is always the Vostro 3300 – touted to be among the industry’s thinnest commercial 13″ laptop that boasts an integrated optical drive. As for those who are always living out of a suitcase more than in a home, the 14″ Vostro 3400 is more than capable of offering a whole day’s worth of computing with an 8-hour rating for its battery.

All of the new Vostro 3000 series laptops will come with an embedded webcam and microphone that makes it a snap to hold video calls wherever you are, while the Vostro 3500 and 3700 sport the option for high definition WLED screens with the 3700 being able to hold up to 1GB of NVIDIA® GeForce discrete graphics, letting you get your game on wherever you are. The presence of an HDMI port ensures that you can make high definition presentations to clients when required – assuming there is a nice HDTV available wherever you are, of course. Since these Vostros are meant to travel a whole lot, the hinges and laptop itself are encased in aluminum for extra protection, while you get round the clock customer service should something go awry.

Samsung E6 eReader ready to hit the US market

Samsung E6 eReader ready to hit the US market

Samsung wants to rock and roll with their own eBook reader as well which they have dubbed the E6 eReader (how convenient). It will still take some time to see just whether this market is big enough to support so many players, as eBook readers don’t seem to be making that much of an impact in the world against regular paperbacks compared to how the MP3 format literally brought the CD industry to its knees, with the iPod gaining a humongous market share that Apple doesn’t seem likely to be giving up its throne in that department anytime soon. But I digress – the Samsung E6 eReader now only allows you to access your content easily, it also doubles up as a form of digital notepad, taking down notes as well as thoughts on the page directly, the ability to highlight content and sharing notes with friends and peers. Samsung has merged more than a million electronic titles, advanced handwriting capabilities and Wi-Fi connectivity into a single, easy-to-use device which we’ll look at in greater detail right after the jump.

What makes the E6 most outstanding would be its electromagnetic resonance (EMR) stylus pen that allows users the writing capabilities which are normally found only on traditional paper books. Should you wish to make annotations in the margins and record your thoughts and interpretations while reading, the E6 is more than happy to cater to that. Heck, even images can be modified easily via direct handwriting and memos, while those who prefer to get things down in a jiffy will look forward to its voice recording functionality that lets one make audio memos and annotations.

Featuring a slider form factor, the E6 comes with a 6” E-ink display at 600 x 800 resolution with 8-Gray scale for easy readability both indoors and out. It will suppor thte following formats – e-pub, PDF/a, TXT, BMP and JPG. Thanks to the built-in front speakers and head-phone jack, you can enjoy Samsung’s text-to-speech (TTS) technology in private or in public, while tuning in to your favorite MP3s when traveling. Wi-Fi connectivity is thrown into the mix as well, accompanied by Bluetooth 2.0 for wireless transmission. The 2GB of internal memory can store up to 1,500 books or 24,000 pages of memos, where it is augmented by a microSD memory card slot.

Samsung E6 eReader ready to hit the US market

Car runs on coffee

Car runs on coffee

Folks who need to have their regular cup of joe each day can definitely identify with this vehicle known as the Carpuccino. What used to be a regular ‘88 Volkswagen Scirocco has been highly modified (you don’t say) for it to run off of coffee grounds. Of course, mileage is worse than a ummer since you will need up to 56 espressos in order to move the vehicle a mere mile. Economics-wise, this translates to it being 50 times more expensive than using regular gas, but it will definitely keep coffee growers happy, eh? A classic case of doing it because they can, and practicality is thrown out of the window.

NEO SNES SFC Myth cart

NEO SNES/SFC Myth cart

Always wanted to run your favorite SNES ROMs, but prefer a more authentic experience to it? The NEO SNES/SFC Myth cart makes that possible – just load all those ROMs onto it from a computer via USB, insert the cart into your still working SNES/SFC and you’re good to go. Just make sure the ROMs are no larger than 64MB in size, and good news is, it supports all save types and is compatible with all but 0.5% of SNES/SFC games out there, with selected games requiring the DXP cart support. We wonder whether Nintendo will file for a lawsuit against such hardware knowing their notorious demands for protection against piracy.

iLocket tidies up earphones

iLocket tidies up earphones

It’s odd to see a technology device named after a very classic piece of jewelry, but if it helps keep your cords cleaned up it’s worth a shot. Despite the name, it doesn’t attempt to hide that it is there to help manage your earphone cords. Instead it just keeps things nice and simple. It doesn’t look like much of anything and within is all the storage you’ll need.

Once it’s flipped open, there’s a spot to wind the cord around. After it’s all wound up, the end for your ears comes out the top and then there is a small hole for the other end to come out the bottom. It’ll keep you from having a lot of excess cord. Plus, it’ll keep them tidy while the set of earbuds are in your pocket. For one of these it’ll only cost you $4.19 through Amazon.

Switch Me Uses Pain To Change Your Ways

Switch Me Uses Pain To Change Your Ways

Sometimes it’s just tough remembering to be careful about all of your energy consumption. There are those that are naturally great at it, but unfortunately we’re just not all that way. Well if you’d like to force yourself to change your ways, then this is one way to do it. If nothing else you’ll start to think about it when you turn on your lights. Either that or you’ll learn to move your fingers out of the way really quick.

With this it wouldn’t be so bad to turn off the light, it’s just going to sting a little bit when you turn them on. This was designed by a French designer, Josselin Zargouche. That does mean that you won’t be able to purchase this light switch rigged up like a mouse trap. You could always attempt to make your own though. Then you could put it in a room that you or your family have the tendency to turn on the lights too much within.

Apple iPad to hit the US this April 3

Apple iPad to hit the US this April 3

It seems that in recent years, anything that Apple comes up with seems to generate a whole lot of publicity. We can’t really blame them for making good on their range of devices though, delivering quality as well as the most important of them all – a fantastic user experience which appeals to the broadest user base. Well, the iPad which was unveiled a couple of months ago certainly raised quite a furore amongst the general population, but there are also the fair share of detractors. Well, fans of the iPad will be pleased to know that the magical and revolutionary device is tipped to hit the US market on April 3rd, although this is limited to just its Wi-Fi models while others who want the high end Wi-Fi + 3G models will have to wait until the end of April. As for people living in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK, they will be able to get their hands on the iPad in late April as well.

Too lazy to queue up at an Apple Store and fight with the crowd? You can always place your pre-order for both Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + 3G models from Apple’s online store from March 12th onwards. With prices starting from $499 upwards, we do wonder whether the iPad will do well based on its merits alone and not because of all the hype generated over the past few months. To recap, the iPad is capable of letting users browse the web, read and send email, enjoy and share photos, watch videos, listen to music, play games and read ebooks among others. It measures all of 0.5″ thin which makes it a snap to slide it into a MacBook Air case without any trouble, while the 1.5 pounds weight makes it the thinnest and lightest device out there when compared to any netbook (of course, this is comparing apples and oranges – pun intended), since it can do many things the netbook already does.

Hexbug Nano

Hexbug Nano

We’ve looked at the Hexbug in the past before, but here is an updated version – the Hexbug Nano. Judging by its name, you know that this newer model will come in a smaller form factor, where all you need to do is turn it on and it will start to move about randomly just like a standard bug, so make sure mom isn’t around otherwise she might just stomp on this £8.99 purchase, mistakenly thinking that it is some sort of critter banned from the home. Should your Hexbug Nano run into an obstacle, it will flip over and move on in another direction. Having said that, catching this bugger could prove to be harder than a regular bug, and spraying insecticide does not work!

DIY Fork Head iPhone stand

DIY Fork Head iPhone stand

Holding up your iPod while you’re seated with a desk in front of you can be pretty tiring on your hand(s) after a couple of hours into the movie, and the constant shifting does not make for a decent viewing experience. However, getting one of those iPod holders does not seem worth it to you, so what do you do next? Enter the DIY Fork Head iPhone stand – this fantastic idea uses unwanted forks and spoons to get the job done, but you will need steady hands to shape it accordingly, and we would highly recommend encasing your iPod in some sort of protective shield.

ReviveLite II

ReviveLite II

The original ReviveLite would work fine for most people, but the down side of it is that it was pretty bulky. Not only did it keep an outlet covered, but it also had a dock off to the side of the outlet. With this 2nd edition ReviveLite it looks a whole lot more sleek and won’t be quite as much in the way. This new design makes a whole lot more sense than the old one did.

Just like the old one it offers a night light to make wandering around in the dark much easier. The smaller version has one other nice change, it has been designed to include a USB port. That USB port can charge all sorts of other gadgets, all the while you can be powering up your iPod or iPhone on the dock. Plus, since it’s so small, it’d be a very portable device to have around. You can purchase it for $24.99. Right now it’s available through Scosche, but throughout the spring it’ll start appearing at other retailers

SteelSeries 7H headset

SteelSeries 7H headset

SteelSeries ranks pretty high up there on the list if you are one who spends plenty of time gaming, and chances are you would have considered offerings from SteelSeries at one point in your gaming life before settling on a purchase. Well, the company is back yet again with a brand new device known as the SteelSeries 7H headset. Judging by the name itself, you can tell that this is something you wear over your head to provide you with the most authentic gaming experience possible. This high-end headset was specially designed and built for competitive gamers, where you will be able to enjoy a superior soundscape in an exclusive design that travels well with the choice of two ear-cups, accompanied by hear-through cloth and noise dampening leather.

The SteelSeries 7H headset will come with 50mm drivers in the ear-cups that cover the ear fully, letting it deliver a clean soundscape of high, low and mid tones from background, mood setting sounds which are useful in MMO games while those involved in FPS titles will definitely appreciate its ability to handle 3D positional alerts that are so crucial in detecting your opponent’s position. Thanks to its closed-type headset, you will be able to enjoy superior passive noise reduction, specifically developed in cooperation with competitive gamers for use at loud tournaments and LAN-events. Guess that means you have an excuse not to answer your phone whenever there is an incoming call, eh? The previously mentioned two interchangeable ear-cushions can come in leather cushions with noise dampening foam or hear-through cloth covered foam, depending on your preference.

Boasting an all black stealth design for that added menacing look, the SteelSeries 7H headset features subdued chrome elements around each ear-cup and at the base of either side of the headband, making it a snap to dismantle it into four pieces for easy traveling. On its left ear-cup, there is a retractable, uni-directional microphone which can be hidden when not in use. You can place a pre-order for the SteelSeries 7H headset at Amazon.com for $119.99.

Antigravity Platform

Antigravity Platform

Own an imposing office desk, but want to have that air of mysticsm around you? Why, there is the Antigravity Platform which will help break the ice in any social setting as curious minds ask you about the mechanics behind such an interesting device. Of course, you can’t claim to have the blood line of David Copperfield, so you will just have to let them know that it is because of an electromagnet within that allows you to virtually levitate just about any object of your choice a few inches above it. Each £89.99 purchase will come with a globe to get you started, and we must say it looks smashing when revolving within. Just make sure the object of your choice placed does not weigh more than 3 ounces, otherwise it won’t work.

Wireless Page To TV Magnifier

Wireless Page To TV Magnifier

Getting on in age might grant you senior citizen discounts whenever you head off to eat at a restaurant or take flights, but it does come with a price as well as you notice that your body does not seem to work as well as it used to in the past. One part of that would be your eyesight, so why not take advantage of your latest big screen TV purchase to use in tandem with the Wireless Page To TV Magnifier? This $149.95 device ought to help you read your morning paper in comfort, but it will definitely add to your monthly power bill too – no doubt about that.

As easy to use as a computer mouse, this device scans written materials and sends them wirelessly to your television set in real time, magnifying them up to 25X for easy viewing of fine print. The wireless magnifier’s bright 655 x 488 pixel handheld scanner picks up every detail of a picture or every letter of a word and transfers data to its base station up to 15′ away (that plugs into your TV using the included RCA video cable) which then sends it to your television screen with a bright, easy-to-read 2 1/4″ x 1 1/2″ field of view. Magnification ranges from 10X on a 14″ TV to 28X on a 32″ TV. Includes AC adapter.

Football Fan Display, lets Fans Abuse the Players

Football Fan Display, lets Fans Abuse the Players

This is a cool concept and some what apt with the world cup just kicking off, the somewhat boringly named Football Fan Display.

Football Fan Display is a hand-held flexible foam board which is used to digitally display messages of support or criticism to players at live matches. This is done by pressing switches on the back to light up sections on the front to form a number or letter. Groups of fans can communicate with players by using multiple products to spell out messages and thus supplying them with a greater sense of interaction at the venue.

Designed by Ross Hubbard, the Football Fan Display is a concept over at DesignSpotter, interesting to see if it will ever actually come into existence.

USB Cigarette Lighter, Err Why!

USB Cigarette Lighter, Err Why!

I knew there was something missing in my USB gadget collection, not sure how I managed to cope without the USB Cigarette Lighter.

Not much else to say about this product other than why? You can buy the USB lighter from Latest Buy for £23.97 (even the price is strange).

Build Your Own Roller Coaster, COOOOLLLL!

Build Your Own Roller Coaster, COOOOLLLL!

This has got to be the coolest kit out there, make your own fully functioning roller coaster, I don’t know what father would not want one of these for upcoming fathers day (if my daughters reading this then please start saving)

It includes the classic roller coaster loop and for added realism the shoulder restraints automatically move up and down at the operating station. The included software lets you ride the coaster from any seat position and also provides true coaster geeks with a much needed real0time G-Force information.

You can build you own roller coaster for $159.99 from Think Geek. To get a better idea of how cool it is check out the video after the jump.

3D Star Wars Starfighter Kites

3D Star Wars Starfighter Kites:

Star Wars fans will definitely find the following 3D Star Wars Starfighter Kites something worth purchasing, especially for those who live in the northern hemisphere where summer’s here, which means spending plenty of time outdoors with family and friends to enjoy the nice, warm sun before the chill of autumn and winter sets in.

Each ship is presented in all the kite detail that kites can provide. You can choose from either Luke’s X-Wing, Vader’s Tie Fighter, or Han’s Millennium Falcon (hey, he won it fair and square). Imagine the peaceful, floaty dogfights as Darth chases Luke in the trench of a cloudy-made Death Star, with Han zipping in and taking Darth down. Just like the movies, but a lot more relaxing. We love it, the Alderaanians loved it, and so will you.

Imagine having kite fights with these, where fierce battles are not decided by turbo lasers but the sheer sharpness of crushed glass pasted across the entire length of the kite’s line. The 3D Star Wars Starfighter Kites will retail for $39.99 each.

Artmu Laptop Sleeve converts to mouse pad

Artmu Laptop Sleeve converts to mouse pad:

Laptop sleeves really only have one function and that’s to protect your laptop from minor scrapes and bumps. They just keep things padded on the off chance that you accidentally knock it into a wall or anything equally clumsy. Beyond that, they just don’t do a whole lot. Well this new sleeve makes an attempt to give your laptop case a little more function. Instead of just tossing the case aside when you’re using your laptop, you could use it. This Aving case unzips and opens up so that one side of it can be used as a mouse pad.

Of course it’s rare that most people would think they’d need a mouse pad. Most of us have switched to an optical mouse and haven’t used a mouse with a ball in it for quite some time. However, we’ve all had those moments when our mouse does not want to work on the surface we need it to. Such as something that’s a little too reflective or has too much texture. In those cases you would have this case handy and not have to worry about it. You can purchase the cases in varying sizes and colors, the prices start out at $15.

Terminator Skull Copter

Terminator Skull Copter:

I’m sure most of you have seen action-film director McG’s take on Warner Brothers popular franchise with Terminator: Salvation. I’m sure you just love the scene where Christian Bale is attacked by a whole fleet of helicopters that look like terminator heads.

Oh, you don’t remember that scene? Me neither. Well, if you want to act out your own version, feel free to purchase many Bladez Terminator Salvation Flying Skulls.

This flying chopper features “realistic battle sound effects”. Of course, I can’t imagine a realistic battle with giant helicopter skulls, but for some reason, I want to put in “pew pew” sounds. I’m assuming these sounds are accessible with the remote control.

It would appear that the user has “precision control”, which must mean that you can do some serious movements with these flying skullicopters. This toy also features blades that fold on impact, which is something that most real helicopters don’t have.

Well, if you know someone who will be considerably freaked out by a flying metal skull, this might be worth the £29.99. If you are looking for one of those flying ships that the Terminators actually used in the actual Terminator movies, you might have to wait longer, like 2018.

Are you Bowlingual?

Are you Bowlingual?

I just saw the movie Up with my kids the other day, and if you haven’t seen it, you should. I’m not spoiling anything by saying that there are several scenes with talking dogs, because they put several of those scenes on the commercial.

I’m going to assume that the Bowlingual is nowhere near the cool tech from Up, but TakaraTomy says its as easy as “place the bark-sensor collar around your pup’s neck, then grab the wireless controller and the Bowlingual Voice will speak on your dog’s behalf”.

You have to ask yourself what the remote control is for. Perhaps it is to toggle it into different languages, like that dial on the dog collars on Up that could change languages and dialects.

Okay, does anyone else think that this device is a load of bark? If this technology works, why isn’t it being applied to all animals? I remember in the movie Congo this ape that could use sign language on an electric glove to speak to others, so let’s get a “Meowlingual” working, huh?

In all honesty, most of the time, my dog speaks without barking. For example, when she paces near the door, she’s saying: “hey, man, I got to go out, you know what I mean, out?” Make a Bowlingual for that, Takara Tomy!

Well, if it does work, I hope it gives my dog a good voice, not like the Alpha dog Doberman in Up. I’m not going to spoil that joke, just see the film and buy this Bowlingual product, maybe.

The QSTARZ Qfinder GF-Q900 GPS Backtrack

The QSTARZ Qfinder GF-Q900 GPS Backtrack:

Despite enjoying the great outdoors, not everyone is naturally skilled at finding their way back from where they came from. Even with a compass, if you happen to have a bad memory, it’s not going to go well. Under the wrong circumstances, losing your way can become catastrophic quickly. Well instead of attempting to find your way back to your camp with a compass alone, you could use this Qfinder instead. It won’t appeal to those that prefer to figure things out on their own, but for those that are rookies at navigation, it’d be great to have around.

It does actually have a compass too, so you could practice learning to use the compass a little more, even with this gadget around. To use it, before you leave camp, mark your location. It’ll allow for you to mark a total of 4 different locations. Then you can wander off and when you need to get back to that spot, just set the device. It’ll then show you the direction and the distance to that marked spot. It is powered by 2 AAA batteries and has an LCD display with backlight. You can purchase it for $79.

Metal Detecting Sandals

Metal Detecting Sandals.

If you think it’s a little bit nerdy wandering around a beach waving a metal detector from side to side a solution is now at hand, well feet actually; the Metal Detecting Sandals (white socks optional).

These are the sandals that can detect metal while you walk, allowing you to find buried artifacts while strolling the beach. A copper coil built into the right sandal is powered via a battery pack that straps to your calf. Using beat frequency oscillation technology, the ring creates a magnetic field; when a metal object is underfoot–up to 2′–it distorts the field and the battery pack alerts you to the presence of metal using a flashing red light and either a gentle vibration or a clearly audible buzz.