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Gear Lover - by Craig Hill

Casio Japan announced the PRX-2000T, the newest addition to it series of Protrek watches, which are geared towards sports and trekking enthusiasts. The new model is just 11.3mm thick and features a titanium with carbide coating band and bezel (weight: 105g).

It comes with a triple sensor to measure temperature, altitude, direction and atmospheric pressure (Casio claims this Protrek is the world’s slimmest watch that incorporates these functions). The PRX-2000T can receive signals of all the six different time calibration signals used in the world.

The watch will go on sale in Japan on April 1 for $1,000. Casio will produce 500 units monthly but hasn’t said yet whether the new Protrek will be available outside Japan as well.

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Posted By: KC Hill - Category: Gadgets

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USB Construction Site Novelty

February 18th 2009 12:59

Wiz, the Japanese toy maker behind great stuff like the Flying Ultraman and the consolation money pocket calculator, today unveiled their newest stroke of genius, a mini USB construction site.

As most USB gadgets, it doesn’t serve any real purpose (except for those Thanko makes, of course) but it looks kind of cute. Wiz says the main target group consists of male students aged 15 and up and stressed out salary men.

The construction site costs around $20 in Japan, is available in three different versions and goes on sale February 21.

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Posted By: KC Hill - Category: Computers, Gadgets

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Prism 200 Lets You See Through Walls

January 28th 2009 12:31

The Prism 200 lets you see through walls. You can only see things that are moving, but it's sensitive enough to pick up breathing, hearts beating, and people moving.

Prism 200 is a handheld through-wall radar, which has been designed to be used by police, special forces or the emergency services.

It provides quick and covert intelligence on the movement and location of people in a room or building - without the need for invasive sensors. prism 200 has been designed for situations where a high degree of insight is essential for success.

This compact, portable and durable product uses advanced signal processing to highlight moving people and objects in cluttered environments, through doors or brick, block and concrete walls. prism 200 is easy to use and with the press of a button, operators can switch between front, plan or profile views for a complete picture. The user can also observe the scenario in a 3D view, where the perspective can be rotated to look at a room or building from various vantage points.

To extend the flexible operation of Prism 200 a Laptop Application has been developed that allows the user to remotely monitor and record the intelligence gathered. This permits Special Forces or Police Special Operation teams to deploy the Prism 200 Through Wall Radar and monitor the intelligence from a safe distance.

Prism 200

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Posted By: KC Hill - Category: Gadgets

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Garmin Nuvi 880 Voice-Controlled GPS Lightning

January 2nd 2009 14:14

Garmin's flagship Nuvis, the 880 responds to commands from your voice, triggered by a little remote control you attach to your steering wheel. The popular opinion is that it's the best all-around GPS on the market, but there are too many halfway decent Garmin models for less than half the price.

The 880 isn't the first GPS with voice command, but it's definitely the best. The remote button that you strap to your steering wheel makes activating it easy, and being able to dictate addresses including obscure street names is only part of the fun. When you're in POI search, you can name popular locations ("Starbucks") or categories (it actually understands synonyms like "Fuel" and "Gas"). Most importantly, you can tap the button and say things like "Cancel Route" or "Volume Up," commands most likely to be issued while driving, ensuring you stay safer than if you were to try to do these things with your fingers while keeping your wheels on the road. The only problem with voice command is that, to function, it requires the remote (pictured above). If somehow you break off the remote or lose it, you will forever lose the ability to talk to your 880, so be careful.

Garmin Nuvi 880 Voice-Controlled GPS Lightning

With the exception of its inability to understand "Cancel" or "Exit" while performing certain functions, it responds extremely well to natural speech:

Again, popular opinion is that Garmin is the best bet for anyone shopping for GPS, and the 880 demonstrates this to be the case. It doesn't mean it's perfect, it's just by far the least infuriating navigator on the road today. Garmin often adds features later than others, but this only strengthens its predominance, since those like TomTom and Magellan, not to mention the innovative but ailing Dash, rush revolutionary features without spending time on core interface issues, and fail because of it.

SIt has a Bluetooth speakerphone with seemingly cheap Bluetooth chip, and MSN Direct service that the 880 offers "free" for 3 months). Its main feature is the traffic reporting, but that information, even in massive metro areas, may not appeal to everyone. The 880 is as dumb as the lowliest GPS when it comes to awareness, and my hope is that historic traffic trends will soon be better integrated at the map database level, ie with Navteq and Tele Atlas, in order to make routing more smart even without the need for connectivity or any kind of realtime guesswork.

The Price: Garmin says $800, but you can find it online for $690.

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Posted By: KC Hill - Category: Gadgets

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Brother Develops HD Sewing Machine

January 2nd 2009 13:51

If you're still watching TV in standard definition, think about wha Brother have developed. They have just announced the world's first sewing machine with a built-in camera to display your work on an "HD" screen.

The QuattroT 6000D seems to have some good ideas. 56 LEDs illuminate the sewing platform while its "InnovEyeT Technology" provides a bird's eye view of the needle, which can be enlarged for a better view of precision work. Plus, the camera allows the fabric to be auto-positioned (with the help of a sensor positioning sticker) for automatic embroidery.

Brother QuattroT 6000D

The screen itself, by Sharp, is a 32-(square)-inch display with 260,000 colors. It's not quite gameday ready, but we're sure that it tracks a mean cross stitch.

No word on price at the moment, but we may see more of the QuattroT 6000D at CES should we lose a button or become bored by endless rows of cameras and TVs.

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Posted By: KC Hill - Category: Computers, Gadgets, Home, Visual

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New In 2009: Overview

January 2nd 2009 00:09

Technology evolves at a frightening pace. So much so that before new technology comes out on the market, even newer technology has outdated it.

There are some interesting things coming up in 2009. Just some examples:

Premium Notebooks, Wii MotionPlus, Windows 7, $99 Blu-Ray Player, new Apple iPhone, 4G Networks, 32-inch OLED TV, Wireless HDMI, USB 3.0 Devices, and better Android phones.

But there is still a downside. Despite lots of clever people coming up with lots of clever ideas, it appears that nobody can yet come up with a BlackBerry touchscreen that is actually cool and user-friendly. Or a real light sabre.

Will the light sabre finally become a reality in 2009?

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Posted By: KC Hill - Category: Gadgets

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Blu-Ray - The Ultimate Matrix Collection with Nebuchadnezzar

October 16th 2008 00:30

Boy oh boy are Matrix fans gonna love this!

To celebrate the Japanese release of the Matrix trilogy on Blu-ray, Warner Brothers has created a special limited edition collection featuring a 2-foot, exquisitely detailed model of the Nebuchadnezzar - the ship from the movies - which houses 7 discs.

The 7 discs are: The Matrix trilogy and The Animatrix (Blu-Ray) plus 3 additional DVDs featuring the ‘making-of’ documentaries. Seriously, I don't even care about the discs. How bloody cool is the Nebuchadnezzar? If only if they sold separately...

Anyway, appropriately dubbed the "Ultimate Matrix Collection", Japanese fans will be able to get their hands on limited quantities when it goes on sale on December 17 (just in time for X'mas, eh?) for about US$375.

Expensive? Hell yeah! But there's no stopping it from selling like hotcakes. Mark my words. [ohgizmo.com]

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Posted By: Arnold - Category: Gadgets, Toys, Visual

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Super Kid USB 4-Port Hub

October 13th 2008 00:30

An original and imaginative design can take you a long way in this day and age when consumers are continually bombarded with new and funky gadgets. A product can no longer just do the job it's required - it has to do so in style thus grabbing consumer attention.

And this 'Super Kid USB 4-Port Hub' is a great example of what's required to stand out. Far from your typical rectangular shaped USB hub, the 'Super Kid' hooks up your various USB devices - think iPods, digi cams, thumb drives etc. - using his hands and feet for a total of four ports.

As you can see, all the ports are connected to a central hub via flexible cords so you won't have to worry about large(r) connector designs getting in the way of each other. 'Super Kid' is a great, funky design for a simple USB hub and four ports should be really be quite sufficient for most people. If not, just pray for someone to come up with 'Super Octopus' and IF it does, you heard about it here first! [gadget4all.com]

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Posted By: Arnold - Category: Gadgets

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Carbon-Fibre Cover For the Apple Iphone

October 3rd 2008 00:01

I don't have an iPhone but it's one sexy and sleek gadget that I admire a lot. If I had one, I reckon I'd be one of those paranoid types, you know, one that's always worried about dropping and damaging such an awesome looking device. I'm not saying the iPhone isn't well made or sturdy, but given its rather large screen area and a back cover made from plastic, dropping it could do some damage, I reckon.

And you can't just put the iPhone in some el cheapo case/cover because you'd just ruin its good looks which is one of the phone's biggest draw cards in the first place. Surely there has to be some sort of compromise.

And there is in the form of a 100% aerospace grade carbon fibre. Anyone that knows anything about carbon fibre will have heard of its ultra lightweight and super strong properties. This particular case is no different - weighing in at just 7g, it features cut-outs for the screen, docking and headphones ports, side controls, camera, and home button which means the iPhone should never have to be removed from its protective sheath.

Thinly constructed yet ultra durable, the case measures just 119 x 64 x 15mm to ensure that only a few additional millimetres are added to the dimensions of the iPhone itself!

Buy it here.

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Posted By: Arnold - Category: Cellphones, Gadgets

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USB Drive x Bottle Opener Combo

September 13th 2008 03:30

USB flash drives only serves one purpose: storage on the go - which is what they're primarily designed for, of course, but they hardly ever get to serve any other purpose because they are limited by size constraints.

Well, this splendid looking USB drive by Germany-based TrekStor doesn't only just look great in brushed aluminium but it also doubles up as a bottle opener. Safe to say, this USB flash drive is reasonably sturdy compared to the plastic variety if it can withstand the force of opening a beer bottle!

Ranging from 1GB to 16GB in storage capacity, the device has data transfer speeds of 25 MB/s (read) and 12 MB/s (write). Compatible with Windows 2000 through Vista, Mac OS X and Linux from Kernel 2.6.x. this TrekStor USB flash drive and bottle opener will set you back 6.99 EUR for the 1GB model and up to 49.99 EUR for the 16GB. [trekstor.de]

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Posted By: Arnold - Category: Gadgets

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A Porsche Design Toaster

September 12th 2008 06:30

The Siemens Toaster by Porsche Design - for when you need your toast done real FAAAST!

That's just one of many slogans Siemens can use to market their toaster designed by F.A. Porsche. Taking cross branding to new heights, the luxury sports car manufacturer has tried their hand at designing a toaster that looks very sleek - love the brushed aluminium finish - and can make toast good enough to please any toast perfectionists.

The TT911P2 2-Slice (notice the '911' in there; TT = Twin Turbo?) features an illuminated display for the degree of browning on your toast with the last browning degree saved and displayed for the next time it is used. And best of all, it offers 11 different shades of browning and can also easily handle thick slices of bread.

It even has a safety mechanism that automatically switches off the toaster if it's tilted. Now only if it would spread some jam on the toast as well.

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Posted By: Arnold - Category: Gadgets

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PNY USB drive pre-loaded with Ghostbusters movie

September 5th 2008 00:45

When the marketing gurus at PNY sat down to discuss how they would market their latest 2GB USB drive, a lot of barnstorming and head scratching was involved. How would I know? Well, come on, how else would they come up with the ingenious idea of pre-loading a USB drive with the Ghostbusters movie?

Beats me why they chose Ghostbusters but in a market saturated with thumb drives that are only differentiated by looks, this Ghostbusters pre-loaded PNY 2GB USB drive sticks out like the proverbial dog's bollocks.

Managing Director for Sony Pictures Home Entertainment in the UK, Andy Armstrong said: "Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is delighted to partner with PNY to offer the first full length movie preloaded on a USB flash drive and ready to play on your PC/Laptop. We are committed to giving the consumer more choice in how to experience their movies either at home or on the go."

Sweet.

However, there's no word yet on the price of the USB drive or what format the movie is in. If it's similarly priced to the regular USBs out there, expect this to fly off the shelves. [crunchgear.com]

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Posted By: Arnold - Category: Gadgets

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Special edition Stella Artois Sony PSP

August 26th 2008 08:20

The limited edition Stella Artois Sony PSP

What's beer and video games got in common I hear you say? Apart from knocking back a few schooners of our national drink - we Aussies loves our beer - over a night in with a couple of mates, kicking their backsides at Pro Evolution Soccer, there's not a lot really.

Which is why I fail to see the point of a limited edition Stella Artois PSP. By all accounts, this isn't an official Sony product but rather, the handiwork of Fosters’ - Stella Artois' parent company - sales team.

Featuring a Stella graphic on the back in place of the regular PSP logo, this limited edition Stella Artois PSP also comes in a rather nice looking pouch emblazed with the Stella logo which prevents scratching of the gadget - not sure if it's waterproof though, just in case you spill your grog in excitement of beating the high score on Puzzle Bobble!

Some 50 of these were reportedly produced for the Aussie Stella Artois sales team. Expect a few closet Toohey's drinkers to put theirs up for sale on eBay. [kotaku.com]

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Posted By: Arnold - Category: Gadgets, Gaming

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Silence - The 'Silent' Alarm Clock

August 19th 2008 10:36

Alarm clocks are a pain in the bum - hearing its incessant beeping is a bad enough start to the day but what's most annoying is when someone else's alarm clock wakes you up an hour earlier than when you actually need to.

Worse still, if your partner, or indeed, yourself works shifts, then be prepared to wake up or be woken up by the torturous sound of an alarm in the middle of the night.

So what if someone came up with a 'silent' alarm clock? An alarm clock that wakes you up silently without waking someone else up. It all sounds very futuristic, but that's exactly the type of concept industrial designer Johan Brengesjo has been working on.

Silence is a wireless-connected rubber ring with an integrated vibration device that generates a tactile alarm of natural kinetic movements. Worn on a person's finger, the ring also comes with a snooze function which can be engaged by shaking the hand of the ring finger. Each successive time you want to snooze, more movement is required to activate the function - a great touch!

The interface of the clock is intuitive and allows the user(s) to set Individual alarms easily while a gyro sensor allows the user to interact with the alarm clock. Time is visible during the night when a movement is registered. [johanbrengesjo.se]

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Posted By: Arnold - Category: Gadgets

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