Wooden USB hard drive enclosure
So we've got skinned cows to hold hard drives inside, and as it that is not enough, we now have a wooden hard drive enclosure from Peter Kinne Designs. Before all your Greenpeace activists get your panties up in a bunch, take note that this unique product is made from 60% FSC-certified wood that can be re-used as your hard drive grows in proportion to your needs. Feature sinclude a standard molex connector, an IDE interface, and all the necessary cables, power supplies, and drivers. Let's just hope that hard drives and USB connectivity remains the standard for quite some time to come and you'll virtually have a future proof hard drive enclosure in your hands. Orders are currently on hold due to an unspecified hiccup.
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EZ105 Small Wonder from RCA
Digital camcorders are not exactly the smallest consumer electronics available, but RCA has managed to take miniaturization to the next level with their EZ105 Small Wonder. The Small Wonder is a simple MPEG 4 point-and-shoot camcorder that can store up to an hour of video (half the amount if you want high quality clips) which can be transferred over to a computer for playback. Features of the EZ105 include a 1.5" LCD display so you know what you're shooting at this moment and an AV-out port which can be connected to a TV. Great for candid and impromptu shots, but it is unsuitable for important events like weddings. The EZ105 Small Wonder retails for $129 and is powered by a couple of AA batteries.
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Moo-moo skin for your hard drive
Everybody knows how leather is just about the only respectable surface to cloth seats and sofas in as it ages gracefully just like wine, getting more comfortable as the years roll by. Prestigio Technologies has unveiled the Prestigio Data Safe II to store your 2.5" hard drive in an elegant leather coating. Choose from 40GB, 60GB, 80GB, 100 GB or 120GB capacity models. In addition to just looking good, the Prestigio Data Safe II also ensures your precious hard drive operates in a low noise, vibration, and energy consumption levels. Each purchase comes with a two-year international limited warranty, but I'm a bit skeptical as leather traps heat all too easily. What do you guys think?
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Wiimote acceleration values plotted on a PC
Filed under: Gaming
While a good number of people who've gotten their hands on a Wii have caused all kinds of damage ranging from a busted window to broken TVs and beer glasses, others are taking a much more careful and measured approach to understanding the Wiimote's true nature. A fellow named Marcan42 on YouTube has put together a video which shows the Wiimote's acceleration values dumped to a computer, the first step necessary in hacking the device. It's anyone's guess how long it'll take to actually transform this raw data over Bluetooth into actual usable gameplay input and mechanics, but those hungry now for at least a video of some hot acceleration charts n' graphs need to no further than past the break.
[Via digg]
Continue reading Wiimote acceleration values plotted on a PC
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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time
Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
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AmpliChip makes prescriptions personal
The AmpliChip could be a staple in the medical industry in the near future once it has been tweaked properly. This product utilizes genetic analyses to determine how quickly an individual metabolizes certain drugs, hence making it smart enough to predict who will most likely undergo a bout of unpleasant or toxic side effects. This is made possible by detecting unique variations in genes that code for a couple of high-priority drug-metabolizing enzymes, CYP2D6 and CYP2C19. A finished, commercialized product will be extremely useful as it prevents patients from taking more drugs than their body can handle despite popping in the "recommended" dosage.
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Colorado scientists invent breathable rubber
Filed under: Wearables
In the run-up to the Iraq war there was a lot of concern that Saddam Hussein might use chemical weapons against our servicemen and women on the battlefield. One of the big problems to keep in mind while combating chemical weapons is that there aren't really any good options for what to wear (a bigger concern than you might think). One option is to don a butyl rubber suit, which keeps nearly everything bad out, but keeps the soldier's sweat in. Unfortunately, trapping heat has some nasty consequences, which can lead to heat stroke or in the worst scenario, death. Scientists at the University of Colorado have just devised a solution to make butyl rubber breathable by combining it with liquid crystals to create 1.2 nanometer-wide pores, which allow sweat to go out, but prevent larger, nastier stuff from getting in. The researchers also add that there may be a way to use this same technology to get that pesky NaCl out of salt water. From the little that we know about textiles science, this sounds like a beefed up version of Gore-Tex -- that reminds us, we'd like our breathable rubber suits in black, please (it'll go with the most of our gadgets that way).
[Via Scientific American]
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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time
Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
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Prumie mouse with tilt guard
Vertical scrolling mice are the standard these days, but some people want more functionality which has led mouse manufacturers to introduce horizontal scroll wheels as well. Unfortunately, there are quite a number of people who cannot handle the horizontal scroll mechanism, resulting in a high number of accidental clicking. Elecom decided to stem the tide by releasing the Prumie mouse that comes with a so-called tilt guard, making it harder to click the scroll wheel when moving the mouse side to side. There are three models available - the standard two button with scroll wheel, a similar model with programmable buttons, and the optical model. Prices start from $28 upwards. We say get a larger widescreen monitor instead to eliminate the need to scroll horizontally.
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Stainless Steel Solar Vent
The Stainless Steel Solar Vent is an interesting home upgrade that helps keep the air in your home fresh without sucking up additional power and adding to the burden of forking out a bundle for your monthly power bill. It is capable of storing enough power within to run for up to 48 hours straight in the dark, which means it won't be affected during those long winter months that are associated with minimal sunlight. This virtually silent device helps to circulate fresh air in dusty rooms and also helps remove condensation and mold problems in the process. For $130 with no subsequent upkeep charges, the Stainless Steel Solar Vent is one of the better upgrades you could get for your pad.
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Glow-in-the-Dark Wrapping Paper idea
Gfit wrapping is a spiritual experience for some as they put in as much thought into the choice of wrapping paper as with the gift itself. Brightec decided to brighten up the holiday season by offering the Glow-in-the-Dark Wrapping Paper that is guaranteed to be a big hit with Santa as he makes his rotund figure around the Christmas Tree. This paper can be purchased individually and cut out in different shapes and sizes to customize the wrappers on different gifts. Just make sure you don't go overboard though, as the Brightec Night Luminescent Photographic Paper retails for anywhere between $10 to $40 which might end up to be more expensive than the gift itself.
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TRENDnet USB WiFi adapter boosts signal
Not all notebooks are created equal, as some come with a more powerful integrated WiFi antenna than others. If you're notebook seems anemic when it comes to connecting to a WiFi network at acceptable speeds, perhaps the TEW-445UB 108Mbps High Power Wireless USB 2.0 adapter from TRENDnet will help ease your woes. This $72 USB WiFi adapter boasts a vastly improved range and can cater for speeds of up to 108Mbps thanks to the high-speed antenna that supports an output power of 23dBM and the inclusion of WiFi Multimedia (WMM) Quality of Service which results in traffic prioritization based on the user's current needs. Adequate security measures are also in place with support for various encryption protocols like WPA/WPA2 and the more advanced WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK.
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