The Twilight Watch

The Twilight Watch.

Don’t worry, the Twilight Watch isn’t some watch for all the fans of the movie Twilight. No, this watch is about the actual twilight, you know, like the time of the day or rather night in this case. It’s an interesting watch that is meant to remind you of the miracle that is the sunrise. Plus it’s made to be a little extra durable, for those that have the tendency to drop their watch in water or just forget to take it off before jumping into a pool.

The watch can stay water resistant up to 100 feet under the water. It’s not entirely waterproof, so you will have to be a little extra careful. At least it does have some protection though. The face of the watch will slowly fade to black throughout the day and keep brightening back up again, it changes about every 20 seconds. It has two polarized disks that rotate to show this effect.

From Cellphone to Headphone

From Cellphone to Headphone.

Once again, some new concept device has shown up that is so simple in its design, I can’t help but wonder why it is still a concept. Case in point, this Hi-Fi cellphone.

The Hi-Fi Cellphone is clearly meant to meet the consumer’s need of listening to audio files from their cellular phone. As you can see from the photo, all that users must do is insert the cellular phone into the appropriate place, and the end result is literally music to their ears.

What you can’t see is that these headphones, without the cellular phone attachment, are able to fold up and fit in a slot in a laptop, or even the user’s pocket.

You may notice that there is no microphone on the headphones, so you might not be able to take phone calls. However, I am old enough to remember days that wearing padded headphones meant that you were so into your music so much and you didn’t want to take phone calls. (Insert “the more things change” comment here.)

So far, this Hi-Fi Cellphone is still concept, and is just one winner in LG’s Design of the Future contest. Personally, I think the designer of the Hi-Fi Cellphone is going in the right direction. In other words, let’s see some more practical concept tech get made!

The USB Bulb Flash Drive

The USB Bulb Flash Drive.

If you’re looking to hide your USB drive, this is one way to do it while still leaving it out in the open. Although it’s not going to fool anyone into believing it’s a working light bulb, no one would guess without looking closely that it’s actually a flash drive. Of course looking closely you can start to see the top of the drive, since the bulb is completely clear. You won’t have to worry about losing it either since it easily attaches to your keychain.

The end of the bulb screws over top of the drive, to keep it well protected and secure. They don’t say what the bulb itself is made out of, but I would hope that it’s a durable plastic since it is going to dangle along with your keys. The drive can be purchased in three different sizes, 2GB, 4GB and finally 8GB. None of which are too horribly priced either.

Ink Cartridges turned into lamps

Ink Cartridges turned into lamps.

Ink cartridges get tossed in the trash plenty, so one Etsy seller decided to reuse those and turn them into a new form of technology. These small lamps might not be bright enough to read by, but if you are going to spend the money for novelty lights, you might as well pick up ones that are recycled. That way it’s a little more eco-friendly. You won’t have to worry about safety concerns either, since the Etsy seller put all of the lamps through extensive testing to make sure that they are completely safe.

The lamps come in several different color choices, such as yellow, light magneta, matte black, light cyan and cyan. You can also get an ink cartridge chandelier that has all of the different colors within it. The chandelier will of course put off quite a bit more light than the individual cartridges would. You can also purchase the LED bulb that works with the cartridges, directly from the seller. The lamps do all come with a 6 watt bulb though.

Cisco announces new Linux-powered router

Cisco announces new Linux-powered router.

Cisco is a well known name when it comes to networking devices and this time they have announced a new Linux-powered router known as the Linksys by Cisco Wireless-N Broadband Router with Storage Link (WRT160NL). This new model is actually the next generation WRT54GL that complements the existing Linksys by Cisco consumer router line-up. When you take a look at it, it actually closely resembles other Linksys by Cisco N-routers, although it does come with built-in connectors for external antennae. As for consumers who prefer external aerials, the new Linksys by Cisco router design also comes with integrated R-SMA antenna connectors. In addition, the integrated Storage Link functionality allows consumers to hook up their USB storage device to the router in order to create a powerful media sharing solution which makes room for video, photo and music sharing through the integrated media server.

The Storage Link port allows users to connect USB storage devices to the router, enabling other people connected to the network to share file items like music, video, or data files. The media server is able to stream to computers as well as other UPnP AV digital media adapters. In addition, the integrated Storage Link port will also support FAT16, FAT32 and NTFS file systems in both read and write mode. The two R-SMA antenna connectors were specially designed to enable tech savvy users to be more flexible in their antennae choice and placement.

The $119.99 WRT160NL router will feature the following system specifications :-

· Linux powered

· 802.11n draft 2.0 certified

· 400Mhz processor

· 8 Megabytes Flash memory

· 32 Megabytes DDRAM

· Storage Link port (USB 2.0)

· UPnP AV media server

· Wi-Fi protected Setup pushbutton security

· 2 x R-SMA antennae connectors

According to Aaron Marinari, senior product manager, Cisco Consumer Business Group, “In the past we have had many successful Linux powered devices with the WRT54GL and NSLU2 being great examples. The WRT160NL is the logical next step combining Linux, 802.11n technology and USB storage functionality. We see the WRT160NL as a possible successor of our WRT54GL as the market transitions to 802.11n - but then with storage functionality on top of that.”

Lenovo ThinkPad T400s notebook

Lenovo ThinkPad T400s notebook.

Lenovo has rolled out yet another new notebook for the masses known as the ThinkPad T400s. This model seems to eschew the best of Lenovo’s past products thanks to the designers from the Lenovo stable who have tried to make it even more intuitive than ever, leading to an improved overall computing experience. The main inspiration behind the T400s would be the ThinkPad X300 which is currently the thinnest and lightest notebook from Lenovo’s stable. Measuring a mere 0.83″ in thickness and tipping the scales at less than four pounds, the notebook manages to achieve its extremely skinny frame courtesy of its 14.1″ LED display, accompanied by a solid state drive and a second generation Top Cover Roll Cage. This unique roll cage is made out of similar material found in bicycle frames and airplanes - that is, monocoque carbon reinforced fiber. Not only does it help keep things lightweight, it also lets everything remain sturdy. The T400s is nearly 20% less in weight compared to the ThinkPad T400, as well as when compared to its rivals, the Dell E6400 and HP 6930P.

Features of the Lenovo ThinkPad T400s include :-

· Choices of Intel 2.53 GHz Core 2 Duo processors (standard voltage) and graphics

· Choices of solid state drive storage up to 128 GB or 250 GB hard drive storage

· 9.5mm slim DVD burner or Blu-Ray player

· Ethernet, WiFi and optional WiMAX3, WWAN,3 Bluetooth and ultrawideband connectivity

· 34mm Express Card slot or 5-in-1 multimedia card reader

· Support for Lenovo’s ConstantConnect and Protect technology that allows users to maximize integration of their BlackBerry smartphone and ThinkPad laptop

· Nearly six hours of battery life

· Supports up to two monitors via a Display Port and VGA connector

· Meets the Energy Star 5.0 criteria for energy efficiency

· Built-in USB/eSATA port

Sabre OLED gaming keyboard

Sabre OLED gaming keyboard.

Remember Art Lebedev’s OLED keyboard that worked, albeit costing much more than what most of us are willing to pay for a fancy peripheral? Well, here’s something similar albeit going for much less with a less impressive feature set, where only the numeric keys will feature OLED capability, while the rest of the keys are pretty much your run-of-the-mill stuff. Known as the OCZ Sabre, it comes with a layered shortcut system and blue LED sidelighting to make up for its shortcomings. While we do know that the Sabre is more than ready to ship, there is no word on a price tag just yet.

Genius unveils EasyPen i405 and MousePen i608

Genius unveils EasyPen i405 and MousePen i608.

Genius, a peripheral manufacturer on the, well, periphery, is back with a couple of new devices for those artsy-fartsy folks. These two models would add to the range of digital tablets in the form of the EasyPen i405 and MousePen i608, targeting business professionals, graphic designers and artists who are always on-the-go. These tablets will play nice with both Macs and PCs and they are accompanied by a variety of useful software. Let us take a look at both the EasyPen i405 and MousePen i608 in further detail right after the jump.

The EasyPen i405 is equipped with 28 programmable “Hot-Keys”, while the MousePen i608 comes with an additional one that enables instant and easy access to common Office and Internet functions. For the cordless pen, it will comes with 1024-level pressure sensitivity and two buttons for controlling shapes and thickness while you’re busy drawing or writing. The working area of the EasyPen i405 measures 4” x 5.5”, making it a snap to tote around when you’re out on your travels. This working area is suitable for use in a car, coffee shop or any type of mobile office, although we’re wondering why you would want to work around in a car when it is all bumpy. As for the MousePen i608, this model will feature a larger 8” x 6” working area that is equipped with a cordless mouse with integrated scroll wheel for ease and convenience while using the tablet.

Both tablets are suitable for writing, drawing, sketching and/or signing documents, helping save time while creating a great solution to paper waste. Users can also use these tablets to edit their photos, make comments, personalize documents and navigate their workspace for the perfect personal touch. It is perfect for creative types who like drawing, bloggers, artists, and anyone craving a digital pen as opposed to a keyboard, which only allows typing. The EasyPen i405 is going for $79 while the MousePen i608 is more expensive at $99.

Live-Lite fitness aid

Live-Lite fitness aid.

Perception Digital Limited has recently announced its latest device, the Live-Lite fitness aid which was specially designed to help walkers and joggers of all fitness levels make every step count. Sounds serious, doesn’t it? Well, if you are really serious in keeping fit, then the Live-Lite looks set to be an essential device for any fitness buff. According to Jeff Chui, Executive Director at Perception Digital, “Medical experts agree that everyone benefits from brisk walking. This means walking between three and four miles per hour, or between 7,000 and 10,000 steps per day. But most people get bored with exercise. They need feedback and a way to measure their success. With Live-Lite, they can keep track of their progress, listen to music while they walk and know the exact amount of fat and calories that they’re burning. This is an important step to staying motivated, losing weight and meeting fitness goals.”

The Live-Lite is tiny enough to be clipped onto a sleeve, where it will get to work by measuring steps for walkers and joggers, helping monitor one’s heart rate by one-touch sensing and plays superior-quality of music. In addition, it is also capable of providing the user with the ability to calculate calories burned based on steps. Specially developed to monitor one’s heart rate immediately before and after exercise, the Live-Lite will accurately count the number of jogging and walking steps, helping one keep track of the exercise times with stop-watch functions while calculating the distance traveled and calories burned, ensuring valuable feedback for folks who want to meet their fitness goals.

Features of the Live-Lite include :-

· 3-D motion analyzer, which distinguishes between running and walking and automatically calculates calories burned.

· Heart rate monitor delivering personalized heart rate zone for maximum benefits.

· Voice prompt, which provides instant exercise feedback and session status information, allowing user to adjust pace based on distance, steps, time duration and heart rate, as well as remaining distance to target.

· Armband, waistband or collar clip mode.

· Built-in MP3 player with superior sound quality, supporting music library and EQ functions.

· HeartPal, a software download that analyzes exercise data and count steps on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.

· Facebook interface to share fitness accomplishments with friends.

ProClip USA offers bunch of device holders

ProClip USA offers bunch of device holders.

ProClip USA has recently announced a bunch of device holders which were specially designed to securely mount the recently released iPhone 3G S to car, truck and SUV dashboards alongside consoles. These were specially custom made to connect to vehicle-specific ProClip dashboard mounts, giving superior viewing and easier access. Of course, you can always attach the ProClip holders to other flat surfaces. Below are the new products available for your perusal.

The Padded Holder with Tilt Swivel is custom made with a neat and discreet design. It tilts 15 degrees in any direction for optimal viewing. Your iPhone 3G S easily slides in and out of the holder.

The Padded Holder with Tilt Swivel and Charging/USB Cablehas a cable permanently attached to the base so when your device is slid into the holder it connects to the cable. Then the cable can either be plugged into your car’s 12V power outlet or any female USB connection. You can easily slide your iPhone in and out of the holder. The Holder angles 15 degrees for optimal viewing.

The Holder with Tilt Swivel and Pass-Through Connectorwill make docking and undocking, your iPhone 3G S, easier and more convenient. Attach your stereo cable, charging cable or any other iPhone compatible cable, to the bottom of the holder, to create a docking station. Your iPhone 3G S is conveniently on the dash within easy reach and slides in and out of the holder with one hand. The holder is custom made with a neat and discreet design and tilts 15 degrees, in any direction, for optimal viewing.

The Adjustable Holder with Tilt Swivel and Pass-Through Connector has all the benefits of the above Holder with Tilt Swivel and Pass-Through Connector plus it is designed to accommodate your encased iPhone 3G S. This Adjustable Holder will adjust from a width of 2.3″ (60mm) to 3.2″ (82mm).

The ProClip Vehicle Mount provides the mounting platform to attach any of the ProClip holders. The ProClip Vehicle Mount is the only vehicle specific, consumer installable mounting bracket in today’s global market. The mount clips into the dashboard seams, providing a very sturdy and tight fit. Average installation time is 2 minutes. No dismantling of the dashboard is required and there is no damage to the vehicle’s interior!

Guess there is a little bit of something for everyone, unless you don’t own a vehicle, of course, then you’ll just need to stash your iPhone 3G S into your pocket while you get about on public transport.

GPGPU Technology and the ATI Radeon 4670 arrives on the Studio XPS 16

GPGPU Technology and the ATI Radeon 4670 arrives on the Studio XPS 16.

The Dell Studio XPS 16 is one of the better entertainment notebooks around these days, and it has recently gotten better thanks to the inclusion of a new graphics option in the form of the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4670 1GB as long as you are willing to drop another Benjamin to the total purchase price. With such a powerful graphics card for notebooks, you can definitely bring your gaming with you although you’d do well to keep a keen eye out for power outlets. In addition, GPGPU technology will allow specially written software to repurpose the GPU to perform other parallel processing tasks traditionally handled by the CPU. In essence, you can get even more work done within a specific time period such as working on a Word document while GPGPU technology quietly works in the background on on other processor-intensive activities such as encoding media, handling natural interface movements like facial recognition and gesturing, and the ilk.

Messless Gadget Charge Kit clears out charger wires

Messless Gadget Charge Kit clears out charger wires.

Items that simplify our gadget addictions are always a beautiful thing. Frankly, without them it can get a little chaotic in the wires department. Well this gadget does exactly that, it simplifies that mess of gadgets that you need to keep fully charged. It also looks extremely good doing it too. This charge kit has a nice sleek black look that will compliment the look of a lot of gadgets.

On top of the glass disk, you can charge a total of 4 different gadgets. It’s slightly different than some charging stations out there, in that you don’t run your current charger through it and attach it to some hidden power strip. No, this has very small connectors that come with it, that have absolutely no wires. So you’ll just have one cord running to the outlet. It comes with a total of six adapters, Nokia, Nokia Mini, iPod, Mini USB, Sony Ericsson K750 and a PSP connector. You can purchase the Messless Gadget Charge Kit for £69.99 or about $113 fromI Want One of Those.

Black and White Clock

Black and White Clock.

Let me start by saying that I was amazed at the many numbers of comments that we had at the Wrist Watch Tattoo. Several of them said that telling time with an ever-changing digital tattoo on the wrist was a pure hoax, but some were believers.

I recently discovered another way of telling time with some ever changing digits, but this is designed for the wall. The Black & White clock features four separate OLED digits, each of them are on individual power.

I’m guessing that somehow these four numbers are somehow wirelessly synced together, as one number should know its place in the whole. I suppose they could be timed so that the hour number is in sync with the minute number and such.

As you can see, these numbers are black during the daytime, but the designer, Vadim Kibardin, has arranged it so the numbers will glow in the dark. I’m not certain how they mount on the wall.

Right now, this Black & White clock remains only a concept for now, but the designer is currently hoping for a mass distributor. Considering how pragmatic and aesthetic this clock is, it probably won’t be long before the Black & White Clock adorns the walls of mansions.

Blue Octopus USB Laptop Cooler

Blue Octopus USB Laptop Cooler.

This is by far the most interesting looking laptop cooler I’ve seen around. Sadly it goes under your laptop, so even though it looks really good, it’s not going to be seen a whole lot. The odd shape of this USB cooler is inspired by an octopus. Although I’d say it’s incredibly debatable as to whether or not it actually looks like an octopus. It does at least draw one’s attention, all the while it keeps your laptop much more cool.

It has a dual fan, so will hopefully be enough for even the laptops that tend to be burning hot. When it’s not actually in use, it can be folded up for easy storage. That also means that it will be much easier to slip it into your laptop bag and take it with you when you’re on the go. To keep the fan up and running, just plug it into the USB port on your laptop. It’s a pretty basic gadget, but it can make things much easier on you. You can purchase it for $11.69 from UXSight.

Block Calculator

Block Calculator.

We at Coolest Gadgets love to cover all things Lego around here. Whether it be the Lego USB Hub, the Lego Block Speaker Dock, or even Lego Rock Band, there is no toy that inspired us as children more than Lego!

So it is fitting that we report on the Block Calculator. It isn’t really an official Lego product, but certainly feels like one.

The Block Calculator measures at 5.5 x 2.5 x 1 inches, but I’m not certain if the studs (Lego-maniac’s term for the little bumpy parts) are actual Lego size. In other words, I’m not certain whether you can stick Lego bricks on top the calculator buttons.

I’m also not certain whether you can tear off that screen atop of it. Then again, I don’t know why you would want to. Unless you wanted to stick a screen for one of those programmable scientific calculators, but you probably want to stick on an extra block plate for more buttons.

Personally, I think that regular-sized Lego studs would be too tiny for most fingers. Even though there is nothing to give this calculator scale, the buttons look like Duplo-sized studs.

The Block Calculator should be available in August for about $27, but it can be pre-ordered now in a variety of colors including black, red, green, and blue.

Fujifilm Presents a 3D Digital Camera

Fujifilm Presents a 3D Digital Camera.

Considering the number of 3D movies in the theaters this summer, as well as those coming this holiday, one can’t help wonder if we are entering into a 3D era that will not end as abruptly as it did in the fifties.

Fujifilm has now announced that they are putting out a camera that can take 3D images. At first I thought that this was a camera that could produce prints that would be 3D, with certain glasses, but apparently, I was wrong.

According to my source, “to view the 3D images, users can put them on a special 3D enabled digital photo frame or print them with a special 3D printing process that needs no glasses to view”.

It can accomplish this wondrous feat using dual lenses that are spaced out just like human eyes. This technology is not cheap, as this 10 Megapixel camera is priced at $600. The digital photo frame for this camera is about $200.

Here’s the real kicker. These three-dimensional prints are at a record $5 each. That’s probably too expensive for the average consumer, but if someone wants a 3-D pic of themselves, this Fujifilm camera could be good as a carnival gag or something.

As I recall, I remember seeing a TV ad in the eighties that featured a camera that could take 3-D images. I don’t remember the company that made it, but it clearly did not catch on. Then again, I seem to remember a barrage of 3D movies back in the early eighties, and that fad quickly died.

Watch Phone with built-in camera

Watch Phone with built-in camera.

Phones are just about all the same thing over and over. Yes, the high end phones have some cool features, but it’s the same type feel. Not many really shake things up and make an attempt to really change things up. This watch could never be defined as classy and it’s definitely not going to have as cool of features as your iPhone, but at least it is a little different from the rest.

No, I’d probably never rush out and purchase one, but you have to appreciate the manufacturers that don’t just release the same thing over and over. This phone has a built in 1.3MP camera along with being able to tell the time. Alright, so it being able to tell the time is a pretty obvious function. It also has an FM radio, Bluetooth, an MP3 player and a 1.3-inch touch screen. You can purchase it for $137.70 from i-Pmart. It does ship clear from China though, so you can expect it to come with some hefty shipping fees.

Kodak unveils Easyshare S730 digital photo frame

Kodak unveils Easyshare S730 digital photo frame.

Eastman Kodak Company is an established name when it comes to all things photography, and they have certainly managed to keep up with the times where digital photography is concerned. Not only does Kodak offer digital cameras for budding shutterbugs, they are also in the digital photo frame business. Granted, it is pretty hard to differentiate one digital photo frame from the other these days in terms of features, but Kodak still tries to bring something different to the market with the new Kodak Easyshare S730 Digital Photo Frame that comes with its own built-in rechargeable battery, allowing anyone in your home to simply unplug it and bring tote it around the house, sharing favorite moments with friends and family alike without having to be tethered to a power outlet in the wall at all times. Another interesting aspect of the S730 would be the new Picture Finder feature that enables users to easily and quickly bring to life images and videos from special moments in time.

Features available in the Kodak Easyshare S720 digital photo frame include :-

· Rechargeable battery featuring a one-hour capacity that makes it simple to pass the frame around to share memories

· Capacity to store up to 8000 pictures with 1GB internal memory

· Stunning picture quality featuring patented Kodak Color Science technology that delivers crisp detail and vibrant colors

· Mercury-free LCD panel

· Updated Quick Touch Border, with touch-sensitive controls that enable easy access to controls on the front of the frame, and featuring a motion sensor that illuminates controls as your hand approaches the frame

· Dynamic collage mode that displays several pictures at the same time

· Mode button on top of frame enables easy toggling between viewing modes, including collage, single picture, clock and calendar views

· Plug-and-play operation–just insert a memory card or USB flash drive with digital pictures and a slideshow automatically begins

· KODAK EASYSHARE Digital Display Software that allows users to synchronize with the pictures on their computer and create slideshows

· Play videos and add music to slideshows

Interested? The Kodak Easyshare S720 digital photo frame will be going for 149 Euros from this month onwards, while folks living in the US and Canada will have to wait till September, although the price is less in that part of the world at $139.

Bug-powered LED Clock

Bug-powered LED Clock.

We have covered a lot of clocks in the past. Some of them are solar powered, some run on water, but this is the first time that I have ever seen bug power.

That’s right, someone has actually invented a carnivorous alarm clock that works like a Venus Fly Trap. It works with a conveyor belt of flypaper that takes a captured fly and drops them into a microbial fuel cell. This dead bug is digested by bacteria, then there is a chemical change that can somehow power the clock.

I’m surprised that I haven’t heard about bug power before, as roach motels could be turned into batteries and hanging flypaper could be turned into chandeliers. Right now, I am living in a place that is full of flies, and I could use a device like this.

In all honesty, why stop with bugs? Apparently it is the protein that the bug-powered clock wants, and so I guess all animals could be used for electric power. Imagine eating a KFC bucket and throwing the bones in the protein power generator.

I can’t help but think that this is reminiscent of a Star Trek episode where the Enterprise lands on a planet that feeds off everything living aboard the ship. Yeah, I’m often disturbed at the thought that human beings could be the next fossil fuels.

Michael Jackson Flash Drive

Michael Jackson Flash Drive.

I don’t believe that it has taken me this long to mention the death of a certain king of pop on this site. I guess I am still coping. All child-molesting charges aside, Michael Jackson was a musical icon and had a lot of talent.

I suppose the height of his popularity was the 1982 Thriller album. Every song on that album was in the top ten, and the album itself sold more than any of its time.

You might think this deal is some sort of sick marketing ploy to make some money after the death of a huge pop icon. I don’t think this was ever the reason why this 2GB USB drive was made, as it celebrates the 25th anniversary of Thriller, which would have been in 2007, not this year.

However, the timing feels a little weird, as the demand for MJ’s work is clearly going to spike. Yet who wouldn’t want Michael Jackson’s 25th anniversary edition of Thriller, which has the nine original hit songs, eight bonus tracks, and some video clips. Hopefully the video clips include the videos for Beat It, Billie Jean, and the long version of Thriller.

If you want to get down on this album/flash drive, feel free to head over to the Sony Style website and pay $19.99 for it. It is available in black or green.