Archive for the ‘Audio’ Category
A stroke of gadgetry genius has produced a tool that gives us the power to direct and produce an amazing audio-visual experience, using the age-old technology of handwriting. Livescribe has been making digital recording pens, or “smartpens”, for a few years now but have recently introduced an innovative feature that puts a whole new spin on taking notes.
Coined “pencasts”, these Flash-based movies are created on-the-fly within the smartpen as you write. You can now record your thoughts from your next class or business meeting with ease, with both animated handwriting and recorded audio in sync with one another and blended together into a convenient movie file. (more…)
Think of the Verizon Hub as home phone 2.0, with it’s touchscreen display and newly announced app store. The VOIP Hub allows you to use your broadband connection to make phone calls, without the usual charges per minute.
The Hub features a touchscreen which you can use to get the latest news about sports, entertainment and any other topic.
Other things you can do with the Hub:
- Find Recipes
- Send and Receive Text Messages
- Check Traffic
- Check Weather Conditions
- Watch Videos and Trailers
- Check Movie Times and Buy Tickets
- White Pages and Yellow Pages Directory
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The new iPod Shuffle really packs a big punch in a small package. It is only half the size of the previous Shuffle, yet it has a quite a few improvements. The biggest deal is the fact that it can now talk. It is called VoiceOver and at the press of a button it can tell you what song is playing, and who it is being played by. It can also say the names of your playlists, so you can easily switch between them without looking.
What if you want the shuffle to speak in another language? No problem, because it can talk in 14 different languages. (more…)
Sony’s BDV-IT1000 5.1 Blu-ray home theater system is definitely a sight to behold. The entire set up is pretty impressive in both technology and aesthetics, but the real concern lies with the speakers.
Sony has created a fairly innovative new speaker system specifically for the BDV-IT1000, which consists of a vertical rod no thicker than a finger. (more…)
The AquaTune submergible speakers from Focal allow iPod connectivity for all of your underwater music needs. The Nano 4G model works with the latest iPod nano and has a pair of 1-watt speakers. The V2 model (pictured) is compatible with additional iPod models and has a 3-watt x 2 power rating.
Both models use clear, polycarbonate bodies and o-ring seals to prevent leakage and a flexible silicon rubber membrane that enables operation of the Click Wheel. They are submersible up to one meter for half an hour; any longer or deeper, and the seal may be compromised. (more…)
Emo Labs is a small development firm that had a minor presence at CES this year. While they didn’t have anything major to display, they did have a preview of a new technology that may end up becoming a major technological advancement.
The company showed up their Edge Motion technology, a system that essentially creates an invisible speaker by using “arrays of motors to wiggle the edges of a clear membrane.” (more…)
The 20th century has been all about one thing: innovation. Every year we have new technologies and new advancements that further progress our society. 2008 was no different and offered its own assortment of technological innovations and hot gadgets.
Below is a listing of some of the most beneficial, and some of the most popular gadgets and gear to come out of 2008. They serve to improve your home, the economy, or life in general.
- Slingbox SOLO
The Slingbox SOLO is a media unit that allows you to watch your TV from anywhere, either on your laptop or on your cell phone. The SOLO syncs to equipment such as your set top box, DVR, or satellite system and transmits HD-quality signals to wherever you are. You can watch your own TV from work, from China, or from the North Pole. The system costs a mere $179.99.
- Amazon Kindle
The Amazon Kindle, like previous e-book readers makes use of a backlight-free E Ink display to display texts as an alternative to paper books. It only uses power when loading new pages and can last for hundreds of pages between charges. The Kindle’s key feature is a high-speed EVDO antenna that allows fast downloads from Sprint. The Kindle is available for $359.
- Intel Atom Processor
Not only is the Atom super small (47 million transistors on a single 26×26mm chip), but it is super efficient, with a power range from 1 watt to 2.5 watts. What the Atom brings to the market is the possibility to bring computer-level power into smaller formats, further evolving the potential for portable devices.
- Roku Netflix Box
If you have a Netflix account, then with the Roku box you will never have to wait for your movies to come in the mail ever again. The Roku connects to your TV and, through your home network, streams more than 12,000 movies and TV shows for free. The box costs $99, and requires a Netflix subscription.
- Apple iPhone 3G
The iPhone has been a top seller ever since its debut, so it comes as no surprise that it would be one of the hottest gadgets of 2008. It doesn’t handle email as well as the BlackBerry line, and as a phone, it is no better than most others, but it started a revolution. Available for $199.
- Wii Balance Board (and Wii Fit)
Wii Fit is one of those games that seeks to reinvent the video game genre by becoming a more practical family-oriented home utility, rather than a simple game. Combined with the Wii Balance Board, it becomes a full exercise training experience allowing you to do anything from aerobics to hula hooping.
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Check out new concept design for an Apple mp3 player. It is called the iBangle and it is unique as well as ground breaking. It’s shares a few similarities with the iPod Shuffle like no screen and it has some other really cool features.
First of all, you will never drop the iBangle. You see that inner blue band? Just press the blue button on the side and it fills up with air, expanding to fit snugly on your wrist. Hit the blue button again and it will release the air.
Ear buds with the annoying cords won’t be found here, as the audio is transmitted via wireless ear buds. There’s a multi-touch track pad for easy navigation. (more…)
The mirror in question is the M30P, an AV display that displays a talking face to let you know what’s going on in your house. At normal times you see a real mirror that reflects your face back at you, but when the alarm sounds, the face in the mirror will come on to tell you where the security breech is.
Of course you have to have the security system already in place, this is just the magic mirror. By adding cameras and sensors to your current home security system, virtually any area in and/or around your home can be revealed. (more…)
Mousepads that make music aren’t exactly new, but if you have a great sense of rhythm and want to put those drumming fingers to good use during your more idle moments at the office, the Finger Drum Mousepad is right up your alley.
This mousepad has an integrated electronic drum pad that allows you to play eight different percussion sounds including bass, snare, two rack toms, a floor tom, hi-hat, crash, and ride cymbals using only your fingers. The MP3 player input enables you to play drum solos over any song from your digital music library. (more…)
