Monthly Archives: November 2005

Gadgets November 24, 2005 posted by

Solar Lighter.

The Solar Spark Lighter. Clearly not that useful if you do a lot of your lighting up at night, but worth remembering nonetheless. $9.95.

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future tech November 24, 2005 posted by

Codecs for all.

ARDOR or Adaptive Rate-Distortion Optimised sound codeR. A new initiative to create a universal audio codec that will be cross functional on anything from a mobile phone to a stereo system. What does that mean? Well you could move sound and music around from device to device as easy as pie. Or even easier. Looks like it’s a Philips Research Labs project too, which is interesting.  The end result of the ARDOR project is a prototype of a universal sound codec….

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hardware November 23, 2005 posted by

Scan-tastic!

The Kirtas APT BookScan 1200. Want to scan your book collection? Try this. 1200 pages an hour with automatic page turn, 16.6 megapixel camera, 600 dpi resolution for images, colour or black & white. $150,000 buys you lots of new friends from your local library. Watch the video!

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future tech November 23, 2005 posted by

Peugeot concept trike.

The Peugeot 20Cup. Wow, those French designers can really do stuff when they try, can’t they? This trike/car hybrid concept looks really fun-tastic.  This supercharged four-cylinder with a turbo-compressor in this version develops a maximum power of 125 kW and produces torque that can reach 240 Nm. Thanks to its engine, which is still in the prototype stage, the 20Cup has an amazing weight/power ratio: 170hp for under 500kg! Of the three, 18” light alloy wheels, the rear one is…

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Gadgets November 23, 2005 posted by

The Pedalite.

The Pedalite. A battery-less pedal light incorporating flashing LEDs which operate automatically using the motion of the pedals as the power source. Yes guys, excellent idea and clever tech indeed. Go to the front of the class immediately. $86.48/£59.99 a pair.  Pedalite multiplies the spindle rotation using a gearbox and generator to convert rotational energy to electrical energy. Sufficient energy is available to energise the LEDs immediately and charge a storage capacitor. The capacitor provides residual energy enabling the pedal…

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Gadgets November 23, 2005 posted by

AuraGrid Wireless Extension System.

The AuraGrid Wirelesss Extension System. Er…so when is a wireless network not a wireless network? Answer – when it’s ‘enhanced’ by an AuraGrid coaxial cable system. So let’s see, you distribute the wireless signal round the house using coax? Hmm…give me a while to think about it…Priced at around $84.00.  Tired of those wireless dead-spots in your home? Frustrated with slow file transfers because of interference in your wireless network? Introducing AuraOne’s revolutionary AuraGrid Wireless Extension System, designed to completely…

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Gadgets November 23, 2005 posted by

Sound controller.

The RF 5AD Musketeer 3 sound quality controller. Think vacuum tube and VU meter trimmings ‘for a warm analog sound’. Wondering who needs this? Yeah, me too. $49.99.  Cooler Master Musketeer 3 is a sound quality controller that filters the accurate digital signal of sound to a much more harmonic output in a classical way – Vacuum Tube Technology. With its dial VU meter and cascade volume control at the front panel, Cooler Master Musketeer 3 brings you back to 60’s…

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Gadgets November 23, 2005 posted by

The air sack alarm.

The Air Sack Alarm System. OK, so Babelfish notwithstanding, this may or may not be a wake up engine for very very deep sleepers. Alarm clock clicks into action, pump blows up the sack, you wake up or tumble out of bed, whichever hurts first. At $800 plus, we’re talking a lot of alarm clock here peeps.  Rising time is set with the “time set device”. When it is set-up time, the air pillow expands by the fact that the air…

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Gadgets November 23, 2005 posted by

Talking Dog Collar.

The Talking Dog Collar. Remote controlled speaker that you clip to poor unsuspecting pooch so it says fabulously funny things to people on demand. Oh dear, oh dear. Oh dear. $18.98.  Baby you’re so sweet, if I bit you I’d get a cavity.

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hardware November 22, 2005 posted by

Keylock 6600.

The Keylock 6600. This must rate as the most belligerent door lock in the world. Not just fingerprint recognition, but also a PIN code, a wireless dongle/tag, plus an actual…gasp…key. What’s not clear is whether you need to run through all these at once, or if just one will get you in. But cheer up, the false identification rate is less than 1%, which is great news if you’re stuck outside your hotel room at 3am in the morning, isn’t it?  Soft…

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Gadgets November 22, 2005 posted by

The Integrator!

The RCA E873 Cellular Integrator. Takes no prisoners. What? Oh paff, so that’s interrogator, what’s a syllable here and there? Anyway this puppy is basically another in the growing line of convergent mobile phone home docks. To let you make use of those free talk-time minutes you’ve accumulated. Not sure I’m totally getting this, Margaret. $139.95.  Just dock your cell phone in the convenient docking station, and let it charge up while you’re home. You’ll never miss another call, because…

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Gadgets November 22, 2005 posted by

Crossover.

Hmm…we can think of few things that scream geek chic more than a keychain Ethernet Crossover Adapter. In off-cut cubicle green. Man, that’s cool–ness, ain’t it? $6.99 and eat your heart out Emporio Armani.  # Connect this directly to a standard network cable to convert to a crossover cable # Carry fewer cables and save space # Comes with small chain for connecting to your keyring, backpack, tool bag, etc. # Handy for network maintenance and testing # Small, very…

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Mobile Tech November 22, 2005 posted by

It’s a bag, lady.

Aquatalk. Dude, you call it a waterproof case for mobile phones, we call it a plastic bag. You know, like you get down the corner store? You say it’ll let us use our handsets safely in the bath. We say bubbles. You say we can talk through the thin plastic membrane. We say you’re talking through yours. Yellow, blue, pink, yada, yada, yada. $5.00 each. Right! [Via Odd Things]

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Gadgets November 22, 2005 posted by

The Hand Roll Piano.

The Hand Roll Piano. No, not a piece of fashionable sushi, but a second generation roll up piano from Yamano Music. Built in speakers, 20 internal demo songs, and MIDI output. Hey and it’s got vibrato. Killer! Around $160.00.

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Gadgets November 22, 2005 posted by

Voice Thrower.

Voice Thrower. The hands free ventriloquist kit, sports megaphone for meglomaniacs. Strap on, plug in, scream. £35.00.  It’s so simple and so light a small child could use it. Voicethrower is worn around the waist on a belt with a quick-release buckle with the loudspeaker situated in the middle of The Belt…The lightweight easy-fit headset is positioned on the head with the microphone close to the mouth.

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