The paranoid will definitely love the Cell Sensor EMF detector, as this device is capable of measuring electromagnetic fields and radio frequency radiation. I suppose most people are extremely concerned with both, since we now live in a world where wireless connection is pervasive. Do those unseen rays and radiation actually harm us in the long run? Will it cost us to bear offspring that have an extra arm or leg? Why not purchase some peace of mind with this $35 device instead and lay those ghosts to rest. I personally think this is bollocks – so what if you know the level of radio frequency radiation around you, what can you do about it? Move to an island and be a hermit?

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Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds, Wireless

Malaysian startup Gupp Technologies is prepping its baby (and by baby we mean ugly baby, that only mommy could love) — the Phreedom — for Q2 release this year. This dual-mode VoIP / GSM abomination little fella will be running a la Mobile’s Convergent Linux platform, so fiddlers, start your engines because Linux anything means open source! It’s good news for Gupp that this handset is also partially redeemed with a solid feature set, packing 802.11b/g, push and pull mail, 312MHz CPU, 320MB memory, VoIP with seamless handover to GSM, and a 2200 mAh battery to supply the juice for it all. Billed as a VoIP device first and a GSM handset second, this may be an interesting notion, but until we get our greasy hands on it, the jury is out — and so far the looks are hurting its case.

[Via Linux Devices]

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Trying to capture a picture perfect moment can be tricky – how many shots of people have you seen that involved somebody blinking? Canon is currently working on a spanking new digital camera software that will take a photo only when nobody blinks. That’s right, you won’t end up wasting shots anymore, although I suspect this will make photo taking a little bit longer since everybody has different blinking frequencies. I wonder what kind of algorithm is applied to calculate the chances of catching everybody with their eyes wide open. Will the software be able to handle large groups of people, say, a hundred?

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External hard drives are great for carrying your data with you, but frequent travelers often subject these hard drives to unnecessary shocks with even the occasional drop that could prove detrimental to the data stored within. Buffalo of Japan caters to this need by offering the HD-PL200U2/UC external hard drive that contains a massive 200GB worth of storage space within the confines of an external case made from shock absorbent material. It is compatible with either Windows or Mac environments, hooking up to the computer via USB 2.0. You can pick up the Buffalo HD-PL200U2/UC for approximately $280 when it is released in Japan this March.

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Sharp’s family of Internet Aquos media center PCs has just been expanded with the introduction of another three models. These HD-ready LCD TVs come in sizes of 20″, 26″, and 32″. Depending on your budget, you have a choice of Celeron or Core 2 Duo processors, 512MB or 1GB of RAM, and a 250GB or 400GB hard drive. Shared features include a digital TV tuner, a DVD burner, Gigabit Ethernet, and an Intel 945GM Express chipset. Bear in mind these computers are meant for watching and recording TV in addition to casual Internet surfing, and not hardcore gaming. Navigation can be done via a touchpad remote control, doing away with the need for a mouse. There is no word on pricing or availability at this moment.

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The marketing department at Sony sure has a sense of humor, naming this Vaio computer the Sony TP1. Other than the unique design that looks more like some piece of home theater equipment instead of a computer, the TP1 also stands out above the rest with the inclusion of an HDMI port, making it perfect to hook up to your spanking new HDTV in the living room. The missing CableCard support is also another cause of concern, with average system specifications to boot. The $1,600 price tag is pretty steep for such a device, but I suppose you’re buying the brand name and design more than performance. Could this be the first of many toilet-inspired to come from Sony? Only time will tell.

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USB Cup Warmers are no longer a strange sight, with the amount of gadgets flooding the market which make use of USB connectivity these days. The Hubbucino takes the road less traveled though, offering not only a USB coffee warmer, but a full-fledged USB hub that enables you to hook up another quartet of USB 1.1/2.0 devices. CustomUSB is currently offering the Hubbacino with the option to include your corporation’s logo, making this a great gift for any official functions. Pricing details are unavailable, as it depends on the volume ordered. Each Hubbucino comes with a 3-year warranty, something that I suspect won’t be used if they’re given away as swag.

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Filed under: Displays

NYU may have been the first to put the mouthful that is frustrated total internal reflection (FTIR) to use in a multi-touch display, but it’s not the only one experimenting with the curiously-named technology, with the folks at tinker.it building a setup of their own and explaining how they did it. As the video after the break shows, the end result is slightly less polished than NYU’s device, but it puts on an impressive light show nonetheless, tracking your fingers’ movement in a suitably hypnotic fashion. While tinker.it’s guide doesn’t exactly hold your hand though the process, those with the necessary skills should be able to build their own rig relatively easily, with some coffee tableexcess seemingly only a few more steps away for those with the carpentry skills to match.

[Via MAKE:Blog]

Continue reading Build your own multi-touch table

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TomTom has a new GPS navigation system up its sleeves known as the DUO. Information regarding this latest device from TomTom is still extremely scarce, but after scouring through the Internet, we do know that the TomTom DUO will come with an integrated FM transmitter that enables you to transmit music as well as navigational directions through the vehicle’s sound system. Additional features include an SD/MMC memory card slot, handsfree Bluetooth calling, voice SMS, and a tweaked interface. CeBIT would be the place to be if you want more information about the TomTom DUO.

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Filed under: Desktops, Displays, Media PCs

Speaking of multitouch, Steven Johnson, the guy who wrote Everything Bad is Good For You and Emergence, isn’t normally our go-to guy for Apple rumors, but he has an interesting theory about what the company’s next big move might be. He speculates that all these hints about new, unannounced features for Leopard, combined with a delay in the release of new Apple Cinema Displays, the coming launch of the iPhone, and rumors about a new “ProTools killer” that relies on touch screens, all point toward the introduction of new multitouch-capable displays and the rollout of iPhone-like multitouch interfaces across Apple’s product line. Yeah, that’d be crazy, right? Jobs definitely loves having symmetry in his product lines, so even though this seems pretty unlikely it’s not totally impossible that he’d want to bring multitouch to stuff besides the iPhone. That said, we haven’t heard a single thing about new Apple displays sporting multitouch capabilities, so for now we’ll file this one under “wild speculation.”

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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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