Gear Live: Enter the High Tech Lifestyle

ASIMO Leads the DSO

Posted by Sheila Franklin
Categories: Misc. Tech, Music, Science, Videos

What better way to spend an evening than to see Honda’s ASIMO live and in person, conducting the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. The bot lead the musicians for the tune “The Impossible Dream,” then met Yo-Yo Ma who played with the DSO and received an award as part of the Power of Dreams Music Education Fund that supports music for kids. We wanted to share ASIMO’s performance with you, and yes, we know its time to get a tripod. Our favorite part had to be when he greeted the audience and they answered back. We were hoping to meet him afterwards, but this is one busy bot.

(Thanks, Honda and Alicia)

Read More | DSO

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Rockport Outdoor Electric Fireplace

Posted by Sheila Franklin
Categories: Household, Misc. Tech, Music

We’re glad that someone has almost caught on that fireplaces could be cool hot outdoors, too. Dimplex’s Rockport Outdoor Electric Fireplace is a 26-inch electric fireplace with an LED flame effect. It has an audio MP3 input and concealed speakers. Debuting at the 2008 National Hardware Show, the fireplace is fully weatherproof, comes with a 20 foot cord, and the company claims that its annual cost is less than $10.00, based on 4 hours a day. Contact Dimplex for pricing.

Read More | Dimplex

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MVOX USB Speakerphone

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

This small MVOX USB Speakerphone is great for Skyping or other applications such as Yahoo IM, AIM, MSN Messenger, Apple iChat, WebEx, NetMeeting, Vonage, and Net2Phone without an external power source.  With built-in echo cancellation, it’s small enough to fit in your pocket yet efficient enough to have a full-duplex sound that allows you to talk and hear at the same time. Compatible with both Window or Mac OS, the MVOX comes with earphones at a price of $17.99.

Read More | ThinkGeek

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Averatec’s All-In-One PC

Posted by Sheila Franklin
Categories: Movies, Music, PC / Laptop

Averatec’s All-In-One single body PC has lots of up to date features. It has an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, a 22-inch WSXGA+ HD display supporting up to 1680x1050p, a 320GB hard disk drive, and a 2GB DDR2 SDRAM expandable to 4GB. The Korean made computer also has a 4-in-1 media card reader, a dual layer DVD/CD burner, a built-in 1.3 megapixel webcam, and nVidia GeForce graphics. For those who see it as an iMac clone will note its innards are all Windows with Vista Home Premium. With a full-size wireless keyboard and mouse, and a MCE remote control, it will be out next month and carry a MSRP of $1,299.00.

Read More | Avertech via technabob

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DataTraveler HyperX USB Flash Drive

Posted by Sheila Franklin
Categories: Misc. Tech, Storage, Video Games, USB

Kingston Technology, long associated with fast drivers, is offering up the DataTraveler HyperX USB flash and is trying to tantalize with the inclusion of a free 10 day World of Warcraft trial. Encased in metallic blue with black grips and capless, the drive promises transfer rates of 30Mbps read and 20Mbps write and will work with any Windows platform (but hints around that Vista is best.) The HyperX comes with a 5 year warranty, tech support, and is priced at £23.35 (~$45.00) for the 2GB version to £92.10 (~$179.00) for 8GB.

Read More | Kingston Technology via Pocket-lint

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LG Bikini Cell Phone

Posted by Sheila Franklin
Categories: Cell Phones, Corporate News, Music, Wireless / WiFi

LG’s latest touchscreen phone, Bikini, features an InteractPad that replaces navigation keys with context-specific virtual keys. The Korean company claims that the keys, being larger and spaced out more, are more flexible than standard ones. The Bikini comes in black or red wine, has a 3mp cam with video, MP3 player, FM radio, and Bluetooth capability. Available in two models, the suggested price should fall between 500,000 (~$482.00) and 600,000 KRW (~$578.00.)

Read More | Aving

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HandTalk, Phone for the Hearing-Impaired

Posted by Sheila Franklin
Categories: Cell Phones, Design, Science

Designers Bhargav Bhat, Hemant Sikaria, and Priya Narasimhan have designed HandTalk, a phone for the hearing impaired. The prototype glove uses the same gestures as does sign language, then translates them into audio, and plays back on a cell phone or other mobile device. Shown recently at the Carnegie Mellon University Center Expo, the HandTalk can only detect 32 words at this point, but its creators plan on expanding its vocabulary and integrating sensors and accelerometers to work with its flexor strips.

Read More | Crave

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Great Gadgets for Kids

Posted by Sheila Franklin
Categories: Misc. Tech, Toys

Our buds at gadget4all have a couple of new fun and useful things for the kids in your life. Their Kitty Hand-Pressing Torch has two white LEDs, is lightweight and portable, and is environmentally friendly with no batteries needed since you charge it by hand. It’s available for $11.00. The Bear Baby Bath Thermometer helps to measure the baby’s (or your) tub temperature and automatically turns on when it hits the water. It floats, too, and is available for $12.00.

(Thanks, Fanny)

Read More | gadget4all

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Panasonic Strada F-Class

Posted by Sheila Franklin
Categories: Cameras, Corporate News, GPS, Misc. Tech, Transportation

If you live in Japan, you can now check in on your home, control your appliances, and even lock your doors while in your car with Panasonic’s Strada F-Class. The device has a touchscreen with icons that say things such as “turn off the light.” Introduced this week, the Strada also works as GPS. Of course, you have to have a webcam and netlinking system. With a $3,400.00 price you could always get a couple of timers to do the same thing. Look for it to hit the market this June.

Read More | Post-Bulletin

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Smart Car Aces Crash Tests

Posted by Sheila Franklin
Categories: Corporate News, Transportation

We were happy to find out that the new Smart Car did well during its recent crash tests. The 8 foot car received the highest rating in both front-end and side impact testing. It received the second highest rating for rear crashes. Adrian Lund, president of the IIHS that conducted the test, said that a small car may be safer in congested urban areas, where crashes occur less often.

“All things being equal in safety, bigger and heavier is always better. But among the smallest cars, the engineers of the Smart did their homework and designed a high level of safety into a very small package,” Lund said. Looking at the results, it’s even a smaller package now.

Read More | CNN

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