Archive for the ‘General’ Category
Besides the advent of HDTV, the biggest technological addition to the realm of television has been the DVR, or Digital Video Recorder. DVR technology allows you to pause, rewind, and record live TV for later playback. It gives you the functionality of a VCR without the extra equipment and hassle.
The most popular brand in the DVR market is no doubt TiVo. Not only were they one of the first ones to take advantage of the technology, but the TiVo name has become synonymous with DVR in general. Well, the next evolution of TiVo and DVR technology has come and it is the Nero LiquidTV. (more…)
MSI has been a popular manufacturer of notebook PCs and has found a niche market with its MSI Wind line, but the company has made another bound with the debut of the GX630, a gaming notebook with a price tag under a grand. (more…)
The latest in electronic paper technology is hitting the streets of Tokyo, as the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications will be posting e-paper signage in and around Toshima Life and Industry Plaza. A wireless network in the area will update the e-paper displays with relevant information for disaster prevention. (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 26x26mm 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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Way before the Roomba automated vacuum robot was cleaning up after us there was another robotic house slave that was already doing that job: the Tomy Dustbot. First debuted in 1985, the Dustbot predates the Roomba by more than a decade. It features a built-in vacuum cleaner and edge detection to avoid obstacles, the Dustbot made use of a technology that is barely even in use today. (more…)
One of the technologies that is up and coming in the digital age is the eReader. Like any archaic activity, reading is becoming more of a technological practice with the advent of electronic paper and readers. Standard eReader units, which are lightweight and compact, allow you to read a text without turning any pages and also give you the ability to increase text size. (more…)
At CES this month, Toshiba introduced a line of television displays that use a “Spatial Motion Interface” to detect hand gestures and perform the appropriate action based on those gestures. The display uses integrated infrared sensors and an internal computer to track movement in their proximity.
The new Toshiba displays represent a technology only seen previously in science fiction. The 2002 film Minority Report depicts a spatial motion interface for their crime-solving computer systems. (more…)
Rumor has it that OpenMoko is planning to announce a worldwide release for a brand new version of its Neo FreeRunner cell phone this year. The new open source device will feature the Google Android operating system.
OpenMoko has yet to make an official announcement, so the blurry spy photo is the only shot currently available. (more…)
Researchers at Monash University in Australia have created a super-small piezoelectric motor that is only 0.25 mm wide, which is supposedly the smallest motor design in the world by 70%. The Proteus motor is modeled after E. coli bacteria and uses flagellum to swim through fluids, such as the bloodstream.
The researchers intend to eventually develop a series of Proteus nanobots that could be injected into the body to transmit images and possibly deliver medicine and perform minor surgery. (more…)
