There are a lot of solar products out there nowadays, many of which can’t do the job they’re supposed to do. Or they work so slowly that you might as well be trying to charge your device with a hairdryer. On low setting. But there are some companies trying to provide solar chargers which are apparently meaty enough to work, so we thought we’d test one to see if it’s worth your time and money.
Read MoreAuthor Archives: Nigel
Info: Nigel is the managing editor of the Red Ferret, as well as a freelance columnist for the Sunday Times newspaper in London. Loves tech and fancies himself as a bit of a futurist, but then don't we all?
The Target : Off Radar – turn your city into a real time cops and robbers game with your phone
Hear that sound? It’s the sound of a whole new generation of augmented reality smartphone games rushing towards your handset, following on from the success of Google’s Ingress title. The first of these is a cool riff on the GTA franchise, dealing with cops and robbers and some real time diamond thefts in your neighborhood.
Read MoreType Drummer – create interesting drum patterns with your words
Well this is interesting. Hot on the heels of our report on the cool new Touch Pianist the other day, here we are again with another rather strange but fun musical tool for those of us with zero talent. This time, instead of classical compositions you’re going to make cool rhythm.
Read MoreGolfBoard – surf your way down the fairway and be totally annoying too
What do you get if you cross a golf cart with a skateboard? Yep, you’ve got it. An electric putter. No hold on. What you actually get is a fun way to annoy the heck out of all the other players on your course, as you scuttle around carving and whooping from hole to hole.
Read MoreGrass Slippers – so cool, so fake
Look, we admit it. We would really really love to own a pair of grass slippers. Real ones of course. Cool, soft, slightly damp and with the smell of fresh earth. How awesome would they be as daily footwear? But while we’re waiting for that day to arrive, we’ll put up with this product instead.
Read MoreChurnalism gets an updated set of browser plugins [Freeware]
Churnalism, the webservice which lets you check to see if you are reading a real news story online or just a re-hashed PR release, first came to our attention back in 2011. Back then it was just a simple cut and paste website, but now it’s moved on considerably.
Read MoreSmart Home WiFi Controller – turn your phone into a controller for almost everything
One of the problems with modern tech is the fact that nothing seems to talk to each other properly. We’ve got televisions that use IR controllers, air conditioning systems which use RF, then there’s the problem with adding home automation systems which probably talk a completely separate language altogether. How to make it all more simple?
Read MoreSnap Me Up – this phone alarm won’t stop until you take a selfie [Freeware]
Do you have trouble waking up in the morning? Alarm clocks don’t work for you? You’re a heavy user of the snooze button and always late for work? If you answered yes to any of these, then you may need to try this new smartphone app.
Read MoreFreebook Sifter – 57,000 free e-books, constantly updated [Freeware]
Enjoy reading? OK with e-books? Then you’ll probably really like this free e-book search engine. Freebook Sifter trawls the web for free e-book offerings and delivers them either via email or on the website itself. Very cool.
Read MoreAsphalt Driveway Repair – fix up those cracks before they fix you
As everyone knows, repairing asphalt can get real expensive, real fast. It’s not just the machinery that’s needed, but also the materials, labor, time, sweat, bacon sandwiches and the rest. But now we’ve just spotted a solution which actually looks like it might help in an emergency. No, it won’t give you a perfect finish, but hey, at least it should stop the rain for a bit?
Read MoreViewsonic PLED-W600 LED Projector – ultralight 600 lumens projector really shines
Projection equipment has long been a mainstay of the business world, if only for those interminable meetings full of Powerpoint slides. But they’ve also made big inroads into the living rooms of those who enjoy their entertainment at a super large size. Traditionally these projectors have been large, heavy and rather clunky, but no more. The new generation of LED projectors really takes things to a different level.
Read MoreTransit App – great little app for navigating your city transport [Freeware]
If there’s one thing that smartphones are starting to excel at it’s connecting travelers to information which makes their journey’s easier. From airline schedules and boarding to satnav functionality, having this sort of data in your pocket is incredibly useful. And no more so than with public urban transport, or the how to get from A to B best.
Read MoreC.H.I.P. – the $9 computer that isn’t
Yet another classic from the annals of crowdsourcing heaven, is the brand new mega hot project called C.H.I.P. Billed as the world’s first $9 computer, it has blasted through its funding goal in something like two days and currently sits at $142,105 pledged on the crowdfunding page. It’s seems like a wonderful project and an incredible price… until you look closely at the details.
Read MoreYuneec E-Go Electric Skateboard – app controlled skateboard is cool and well priced
There’s a bunch of new electric skateboards out on the market at the moment, but most of them are clunky looking cheapo units, with huge batteries and a weight to match. But now Generation 2.0 is coming to town, and these puppies are a whole new deal.
Read MoreUnit Converter – nice little tool for converting stuff on your phone [Freeware]
Do we really need all these different measurements, weights, capacities and all? Life would be so much simpler if the world standardized on a single set of tools, but there’s too much ego involved we reckon. Anyhoo, for those who do a lot of conversions, here’s a nice little free smartphone tool for Android.
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