Posts filed under 'Gadgets'
Ah…AIBO, we love the cheeky metallic chappy. He’s (she’s?) less amusing than RoboSapien and less useful that a dustpan and brush. Still, we realise that we may be alone in liking dogs that have fur, like to go for walks and are actually alive, so for those of you who love your canines hard and shiny, here is news of an upgrade from Sony.
The software enhancement package enables AIBO to say more than 1,000 English words to communicate with its owner, in addition to recognizing many Spanish words and phrases for the first time. It now also has the ability for short term memory mapping, enabling AIBO to track the locations of its Energy Station, faces, walls, and its favourite place or toys much faster. The little blighter can even read you the latest RSS feeds.
The AIBO MIND 3 enables AIBO to talk back and express verbal communication with its owner using more than 1,000 words in English. Discerning the growing Hispanic population, AIBO can also now recognize approximately 30 Spanish words and phrases, including sientate (sit down) ven aqui (come here) and buen pero (good dog).
The new software allows for increased pet-like actions and motions for a more natural body language.
The AIBO Entertainment Player version 2.0, part of the AIBO MIND 3 Upgrade Kit, comes on a CD-ROM that easily loads onto a PC. Multiple features are incorporated into the updated software for increased functionality and an enhanced entertainment experience. Owners can monitor and manually control many of AIBO’s capabilities directly from their computer. The AIBO MIND Scope feature shows the owner objects that AIBO sees, shows its emotions and lets the owner know when it has recognized a person.
The champagne brown AIBO Entertainment Robot model ERS-7M3/T will sell for about $2,100. The pearl white and pearl black models (ERS-7M3/W and ERS-7M3/B, respectively) will both sell for about $2,000.
The AIBO MIND 3 Upgrade Kit for AIBO MIND 2 will be available for about
$90 and the AIBO MIND 3 Upgrade Kit for AIBO MIND will sell for about $100.
September 30th, 2005
Logitech today announced the new ioTags feature, part of a software update to the Logitech io2 Digital Writing System, which allows people to use basic handwritten symbols to identify tasks, calendar entries and e-mail as they take notes with digital pen and paper during a meeting. When they return to their desk and dock the pen, the marked portions of the notes are automatically converted to text and imported into Microsoft Outlook or Lotus Notes.
Other enhancements to the Logitech io2 software include providing users the ability to search digital pen documents using Google Desktop Search, and the capability of editing and searching io2 Digital Pen notes imported into Microsoft Office OneNote 2003.
“We all sit in meetings, often taking several pages worth of notes, and writing down action items that may get lost in the daily shuffle - or, at the very least, need to be typed into a computer,” said Chris Bull, general manager for the digital writing group at Logitech. “With ioTags, people can very simply identify different portions of notes to be put into their to-do list, calendar, or even an e-mail. When they get back to the PC, it all just happens automatically — their handwritten meeting notes are instantly synchronized with their productivity applications.”
The Logitech ioTags feature gives io2 Digital Pen users the freedom to define where different portions of their notes will be sent when the pen is docked. To designate an ioTag action while taking notes, a person simply draws the symbol for the type of note to be created; the symbol is always a predefined uppercase letter within a circle. For example, the letter T with a circle around it denotes a new task. Next to the symbol, the person writes out header information for that task, such as a title and completion date. The lines following the header appear in the body of the task. By simply drawing a vertical line from the symbol down to the end the section, the user can indicate the length of the notes to be included with the task. When the pen is docked, a new task window opens in Microsoft Outlook or Lotus Notes and automatically becomes populated with the converted text. The user then edits the task or saves and closes it. The ioTags software works with current versions of Microsoft Outlook including versions 2000, 2002 and 2003. It also works with Lotus Notes beginning with version 5.0.
Within the Logitech io2 software settings, users can create new ioTags for a wide variety of functions within the Logitech io2 software. One could, for example, set up an ioTag to indicate that a block of text should be sent directly into Microsoft Word software, or a drawing should be automatically converted into a jpeg file. While ioTags automatically converts handwriting to text, the entire content of the original handwritten notes will be uploaded and stored as a digital pen file.
Logitech io2 Plug-In for Google Desktop Search
The Logitech io2 plug-in for Google Desktop Search allows Logitech digital pen files to be indexed and searchable using Google Desktop Search. This provides digital pen users the ability to quickly retrieve information from their handwritten notes. By typing a searchable word into the Google Desktop Search engine, people can now retrieve any file containing that word, including a handwritten note from the Logitech io2 Digital Pen.
Enhanced Support for Microsoft OneNote 2003
Microsoft OneNote 2003 software customers can more effectively search, retrieve, and edit their handwritten notes with the new Logitech io2 software. When digital pen users export a handwritten note into OneNote, it is automatically translated into text while the handwritten image of the file is preserved. Previously, only an image of the handwritten note was exported. Because recognized text is stored within the file, OneNote customers can search and edit any notes taken with the Logitech io2 Digital Pen.
Pricing and Availability
The updated Logitech io2 software is now available for new and existing Logitech io2 Digital Writing System customers at http://www.logitechio.com. The updated software will be included in the retail version of the Logitech io2 Digital Writing System beginning in late October in the U.S. and Europe. The suggested retail price for the Logitech io2 Digital Writing System is $199.95 in the U.S.
September 23rd, 2005
In a unique combination of style, power and advanced features, the PURE DMX-50 is the world’s first DAB and FM microsystem to include support for SD memory cards, bringing all the advantages of digital technology to a compact and stylish audio system. It will be on sale before Christmas 2005 for £230.
With PURE’s ReVu technology DMX-50 listeners can pause and rewind live DAB digital radio and record multiple tracks or complete radio programs to SD card. Users can listen later on the DMX-50 itself, or when they are out and about using a compatible device such as the PURE PocketDAB 2000. MP3 collections can be played back from SD card or from MP3 CD, with full support for subfolders.
Sound-engineered by the same team who developed the multi-award-winning PURE DRX-series of tuners, with 40 Watts RMS output power per channel and custom-wound 5 1/4″ woofers and 19mm Mylar-dome tweeters, DMX-50 offers audio reproduction of the highest standard. The DMX-50 features a stylish metalised facia and is accompanied with wooden speakers in a Rosewood coloured finish with removable grills.
Says Kevin Dale, GM, PURE Digital: “DMX-50, with its wide range of digital audio features, will be the heart of its users’ audio entertainment. Impressive sound is a pre-requisite and we’ve put a lot of time into perfecting the system; but it’s the advanced ReVu functionality and the ability to record to and play back from SD memory card that sets DMX-50 a level above other micros.”
With a sleep timer, alarm and remote control, DMX-50 sits just as comfortably in the bedroom as it does in the lounge.
A large graphical display shows date, time and other program-related information in a variety of user-selectable screen options as well as vertically scrolling DAB digital text. Menu-sensitive buttons provide a uniquely simple user interface for even advanced features.
DMX-50 provides both DAB digital radio and FM with RDS, as well as CD Audio including support for CD text. For the few stations not transmitting on DAB, FM with RDS provides station name listing and RadioText. DMX-50 stores FM station names to allow alphabetic display and selection by station name. MP3 files are playable from SD card or CD including support for subfolders. Two auxiliary inputs make DMX-50 the ideal companion for an iPod and other portable music player when users are at home. Digital SD card storage supports multiple recordings.
The DAB transmission standard provides high quality, interference-free digital audio without the hiss, crackle and fade of AM/FM broadcasts. Fast autotune locates all available DAB stations and users simply select stations by name. DMX-50 will list them alphabetically or in the order users listen to them most.
Up to twice as many stations are available in many areas as via FM. UK stations broadcast digitally include national BBC Radios 1-4, BBC Radio 5 Live, Classic FM, talkSPORT and Virgin Radio, plus local and unique-to-digital stations. 99 DAB and 99 FM presets enable users to easily tune to favourite stations.
Whether it’s enhancements to the DAB standard or new features from PURE, the DMX-50 is USB Upgradeable, enabling users to download the latest product enhancements from www.pure.com/support.
DMX-50 is covered by a 2-year warranty. See www.pure.com for stockists or call 01923 277488.
September 20th, 2005
A paper battery that uses urine as its power source will soon be present in home testing kits for conditions such as diabetes.
Up until now, such kits have required an additional power source, such as a lithium ion battery, but the new system uses the medium being tested (urine) to generate a potential difference.
The battery unit is made from a layer of paper that is steeped in copper chloride (CuCl) and sandwiched between strips of magnesium and copper. This “sandwich” is then held in place by being laminated, which involves passing the battery unit between a pair of transparent plastic films through a heating roller at 120ºC. The final product has dimensions of 60 mm x 30 mm, and a thickness of just 1 mm (a little bit smaller than a credit card).
“Our urine-activated battery would be integrated into biochip systems for healthcare diagnostic applications,” says Dr Ki Bang Lee of Singapore’s Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology who developed the battery. He envisions a world where people will easily be able to monitor their health at home, seeking medical attention only when necessary.
TechSmec.com has less noble ambitions for pee-power. Remember the potato-powered alarm clock? We envisage a day when you will just have a quick tinkle at the bedside to make sure you get up on time the next morning.
August 16th, 2005
Webcams are rubbish aren’t they? Low resolution, poor performance in low light and the ability to make you look like a right Charlie as you can’t decide whether to look at the camera or at your screen and end up looking somewhere in between. Logitech may be about to change all of that with their QuickCam Fusion.
With a true 1.3 megapixel sensor, Logitech RightLight technology, Logitech RightSound technology and an integrated microphone, the QuickCam Fusion webcam vastly improves audio and video performance over previous-generation webcams.
Best of all the new low-profile design brings the webcam closer to eye level. Instead of sitting high above the computer’s monitor, the eyeball-shaped lens rests only slightly above the display. A flexible clip can attach to any display, whether it’s a traditional desktop display or a flat-panel display. The webcam design itself is smaller than other Logitech webcams - the webcam lens housing is only 1.6 inches tall.
“The introduction of the QuickCam Fusion webcam is truly a milestone for consumer video communications,” said Gina Clark, director of product marketing for the Logitech Video Business Unit. “We’re breaking new ground with our webcam technologies - audio and video, hardware and software - making the experience of video calling over the Internet more natural and more personal than ever before.”
The Logitech QuickCam Fusion webcam uses Logitech RightLight technology, which is a system of hardware and firmware technologies that improves the image quality of a webcam in a wide variety of lighting conditions, particularly in low light. Logitech RightLight technology consists of advanced sensor technology, sophisticated firmware and high-quality lenses that work together to deliver greater light sensitivity and optimized skin tones, while minimizing distortion of the images.
The Logitech QuickCam Fusion webcam also features an ultra-wide field of view lens, which provides 78 degrees of visibility - making it convenient for an entire family to join a video call. The Logitech QuickCam Fusion webcam can capture still images at resolutions of up to 1.3 megapixels without software enhancement, or up to 4 megapixels with software enhancement. This is also Logitech’s first webcam certified to support the faster data rates of Hi-Speed USB.
With an integrated microphone, a bundled stereo headset and Logitech RightSound technology, the QuickCam Fusion webcam provides people with flexibility in how they conduct video calls, while maximizing audio performance. Until now, using a webcam with a live audio and video calling application required wearing a headset because of echo, or feedback, created by computer speakers and microphones located in close proximity. Integrated with the webcam’s software drivers, Logitech RightSound technology consists of advanced software algorithms that eliminate echo, so people can communicate freely without a headset - just as they would when they’re in the same room as a friend or a family member. For a private conversation, a high-quality stereo headset is also included.
The Logitech QuickCam Fusion webcam has a suggested retail price of $99.99 in the U.S. It will be available at retailers and online beginning this month in both the U.S. and Europe.
August 15th, 2005
Archos has introduced the new Gmini 402 Pocket Multimedia Center. The slim and sleek 20GB hard-drive-based video, audio and photo device is now Microsoft PlaysForSure-compatible, supporting both protected download and subscription music services, and features a 2.2″ color LCD screen and sleek metallic casing.
he Gmini 402 is an upgrade from the Gmini 400 released last year and is the perfect summer companion to take up to 80 hours of video, 200,000 photos or 10,000 songs in your pocket wherever you go.
The ARCHOS Gmini 402 is designed for media enthusiasts who want to take their video, photos and music with them on a stylish pocket-sized device. With its sleek metallic design, the Gmini 402 measures only 4.17″ x 2.37″ x 0.69″ and is 5.64 ounces, yet offers the largest hard drive capacity and color LCD screen for a product of its size. The latest in the ARCHOS Gmini line of music players offers an extensive list of features, including:
* Storage for up to 80 hours of video, 200,000 photos or 10,000 songs.
* Autosync with Windows Media Player 10 allows for easy transfer of media from the PC.
* Transfer photos directly from digital cameras using the USB host port.
* Allow DVD -quality movie playback and photo viewing on the screen or on the TV.
* Play DivX(R), MPEG -4 and Windows Media Video(4) files.
* Play MP3, WMA and protected WMA audio files.
* Supports Microsoft PlaysForSure download and subscription services to allow easy transfer and playback of music or videos acquired from PlaysForSure-compatible online stores.
* Synchronize or download files from either the PC or Macintosh.
“The Gmini 402 improves our PC-centric line of Pocket Multimedia Centers, offering integration with Microsoft PlaysForSure and Windows Media Audio and Video protected files,” said Henri Crohas, ARCHOS chief executive officer. “The Gmini 402 is a perfect summer holiday companion to take all your favorite digital entertainment on the go.”
Find the lowest prices on the tools you need.
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The Gmini 402 allows protected video and music content to be purchased, downloaded, subscribed to or rented from PlaysForSure-compatible online stores, which include music services MSN Music, Musicmatch, MusicNow, Napster and Wal-Mart Music Downloads, and video store CinemaNow. Using the high-speed USB 2.0 interface, the Gmini 402 will easily auto-synchronize music and video with Windows Media Player 10 each time the device is connected to the PC. The Gmini 402 supports the widest array of music and video formats, including MP3, WMA, protected WMA and WAV audio files, and DivX, MPEG -4, and Windows Media Video files.
The Archos Gmini 402 is available now at select retailers and online, and is priced at $329.95 in the United States. The Gmini 402 comes with earphones, USB cable, USB host adaptor, AC power charger, Quick Start Guide and a protective pouch. Optional accessories include a car adaptor, protective case, additional power charger, sound case, FM remote control and double headphone kit. Additional product information and add-on accessories are available on the Archos web site at www.archos.com.
July 27th, 2005
FingerGear, the consumer brand of biometrics leader Bionopoly LLC, announced today the release of its groundbreaking Computer-On-a-Stick Flash Drive. The Computer-On-a-Stick is a bootable USB 2.0 Flash Drive that is the first flash device to feature a complete onboard Operating System. The device also features the OpenOffice Productivity Suite, along with many of the most commonly used desktop and Internet applications. The Computer-On-a-Stick allows users to take their entire software environment with them anywhere securely. The device is bootable from any PC with an x86 processor, regardless of its resident Windows or Linux OS. All bookmarks, address book, emails, and office documents are stored securely on the device and never leave a trace on the host PC. Users enter a login password at each session.
The Office Suite, developed by OpenOffice.org, is compatible with the most common Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. The Computer-On-a-Stick also includes the increasingly popular Mozilla FireFox browser, which some estimate at a 25% market share(a). Also included are PDF Viewer and Creator, a data compression utility, and an Instant Messenger that is compatible with Yahoo IM, MSN Messenger, AIM, and Napster, among others.
With 2005 unit projections as high as 100 Million or greater and average storage capacities exceeding 256MB(b), the trend towards USB storage devices with value-added software is only beginning to accelerate. Users are also increasingly demanding greater security as network hackers become more sophisticated. To maintain both security and ease-of-use, the Computer-On-a-Stick features both a public and a private partition. The public partition is accessible on Windows, Linux, and Macintosh PCs, making it easy to share non-sensitive files. The private directory can only be accessed by booting from the device and after the user enters a login password.
The Computer-On-a-Stick’s Operating System plus Office Suite fits well within the device’s initial 256MB capacity. Greater capacities will be available later this quarter. “Our goal was to combine a trusted operating system with the most commonly used software applications, all within a single secure USB Flash Drive,” says Bionopoly CEO Jon Louis. “The Computer-On-a-Stick USB Flash Drive offers the perfect combination of security and portability.”
July 23rd, 2005
In the face of a growing rumour that Palm was about to unveil a hard-drive equipped PDA, the handheld computer manufacturer has issued a press release about what it calls ‘mobile manager’ devices.
The PR is thin on the ground, but would seem to confirm what information had been previously garnered from an Amazon listing for a ‘LifeDrive’, a device which will apparently ship in just over a week’s time, for around $500.
The introduction of a new category reflects usage patterns palmOne has tracked over time, especially among customers for its premium products. Customers of palmOne’s high-end Tungsten T3 handheld computer, for example, show a strong affinity for taking full advantage of the included DataViz Documents To Go software, which puts Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents at their fingertips. Customers also have asked palmOne to provide them with convenient ways to carry, file and manage rich digital content, such as music and video. While overlap exists, palmOne has identified three major customer segments and assigned three corresponding product lines to better serve them. They are as follows:
* Mobile managers are designed for customers who are eager to take full advantage of the trend toward “digital everything” — from documents and email to music, images and video, as standalone files or in organized folders;
* Handhelds attract customers whose first and foremost interest is in basic organization tools, such as calendar and contacts. These customers often incorporate additional applications and add music and images to their handhelds, but their central purchase driver is organization. palmOne’s Zire branded handheld computers serve consumers, and Tungsten branded handhelds serve mobile professionals in this customer set; and
* Smartphones attract customers whose primary interest is in a single converged device that is an outstanding phone that also delivers excellent email access and organization. The Treo smartphone from palmOne serves this customer set.
“In studying customer trends, we found that some people want to carry dozens of documents and hundreds of songs while others want to carry a thousand-plus photos and enjoy videos,” said Page Murray, palmOne vice president of marketing. “Organization functions were highly valued by nearly all our customers, but some wanted much more business and personal file-management capabilities. We listened and will deliver a new category of mobile-computing product that will let customers fuse their own mix of personal and business content in ways never before possible in either handheld computers or smartphones.
“We’ll bring to market a new type of product that simplifies our lives and makes work and play more productive and more fun,” said Murray. “Stay tuned.”
So what does all of that mean? Basically, Palm is looking to create the ultimate convergence device - the iPod killer that we have been looking out for. Will it work? Convergence devices have a chequered history so we’re not sure.
May 9th, 2005
We’ve been enjoying Gizmondo here in the UK for several weeks now, and our continental cousins will now be able to do the same from 19 May.
Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and the Nordic regions will be the countries to benefit.
European consumers will be able to get their hands on the feature-loaded Gizmondo packs, which include the standard Gizmondo pack at €349, the revolutionary Smart Adds-enabled pack at €189, and the Value Pack at €289. As with the UK, subscribers to the ‘added value’ Smart Adds devices will get twenty free music downloads as well as a host of other free items.
Mike Morgan, VP of Global Sales for Gizmondo, offered: “We have witnessed tremendous enthusiasm and excitement from all our retail partners. Our commitment over the coming months will be to support the channel and aggressively drive sales with them. We will be bringing all our sales and marketing resources to bear, as we engage these strategically important territories.”
Carl Freer, Co-founder and Chairman, Tiger Telematics, says: “Gizmondo’s local offices have primed each of these mainland Europe launch territories ready for a 19th May launch date and the response in each has been overwhelming. The product, the company and the content are gaining momentum all the time. These launches are landmark achievements for us and place us several steps closer to our US debut.”
Judging by the quotes sent to us from Gizmondo, Europe is a seething mass of Gizmondo lurve. Read on sceptical user….
Mr Baeza Console and Multimedia Buyer, Virgin Megastore France, says: “ The arrival of
Gizmondo in the French mobile entertainment market is a real revolution. All of the functions available make this product totally unique andm we are sure it will be incredibly successful in seducing our customers.”
Andreas Kniza, Central Buyer, Software and Consoles, Karstadt AG, says: “We are looking forward to the Gizmondo and we will massively support the launch throughout all of our outlets.”
Kent Thoresen, Dinpris.no, says: “Our pre-launch campaign in Norway, has by far exceeded our expectations.”
Ulf Abrahamsson, Managing Director, 24 STORE, says: “This is a unique product that the market has never experienced before, and we intend to market the Gizmondo as one of our main products through our web shop.”
Stefan Olsson, IT- Varuhuset, says: “This is a technically innovative, advanced and above all,
fun product. And we at IT- Varuhuset will target the southern parts of Sweden where the
product has been especially well received.”
Francesco Iliceto, Agenta Generale, Kenwood Italia & Harmon Kardon says: “In the rapidly
changing marketplace, the industry leaders are those companies that pioneer quality based innovation that fulfils a wide market requirement. The youth focused mobile electronics market is a truly volatile sector that is insatiable. The Gizmondo product is so diversified of a product that its resounding success is guaranteed in Italy.”
Matteo di Silvia, Former owner and Chairman of Teleherz, says: “Our company was responsible for leading a revolution in the electronics entertainment industry in Italy in being the first company to bring colour television to Italy. We feel that now with Gizmondo we are leading an even greater revolution in the electronics entertainment industry by introducing a revolutionary new product to Italy, the first truly mobile entertainment system. We know intrinsically that this system will sweep the market, as colour television did and change forever our entertainment priorities.”
So not much ambition there then….
April 20th, 2005
We’re talking about a universe where you don’t have things that you need to get up for, such as work, school or walking the dog, and you only wake up when your body thinks it is ready to.
We don’t live in that universe, but a set of students at Brown University in the USA clearly do, as they’ve invented an alarm clock that monitors your brainwaves and wakes you up when your body thinks it has had enough sleep. Of course, that leaves you open to being woken up at 3am if, like Margaret Thatcher famously could, you can operate on 4 hours sleep a night.
‘SleepSmart’, works on the principle that you have a regular sleep cycle of 90 minutes going from lighter to deeper states. It will only wake you up in a lighter state, presumably around some time parameters that you set before going to bed.
Alas, you have to wear a headband of electrodes to make the thing work. Clever, but useless in the modern world is our verdict.
Axon Sleep Research
April 14th, 2005
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