Coolest Gadgets

Have you ever heard of Meniere’s disease before? It is an inner ear disorder which affects about one percent of folks living in the US, and is a particularly disabling condition since attacks of vertigo can occur without any prior warning. In order to treat it, ordinary folks are required to lay still for several hours at a time before they can get back on their feet again. Since it strikes like a thief in the night, this ever-present possibility will inevitable cause sufferers to avoid certain activities, situations and perhaps, even careers. Both medication and lifestyle changes will do their bit to alleviate the situation, but it will not solve it completely. Of course, there is always the alternative to go under the knife, but that typically results in depleted hearing and/or balance functions of the affected ear. Good thing for progress though as a team of scientists from the University of Washington Medical Center are currently working on a new cochlear implant on their

There are some offices these days that are more fun to be in, simply because the higher management decided to let employees destress via impromptu Nerf gun fights. Well, the Nerf Raider will definitely help you prepare for ‘Nerfageddon’, as this £29.99 purchase is capable of rapid firing foam missiles courtesy of its rather large side-mounted drum clip. Capable of holding up to 35 darts at once (which is more than any other Nerf blaster, word!), it is the ideal platform to deliver what others might think to be a seemingly endless barrage of boingy bullets. All you need to do is pump the handle, squeeze the trigger and you’re ready to shower a whole world of foam bullets at the enemy! It also has a tactical rail for attachments and an adjustable stock for comfort, the Raider is one of the more essential weapons to have on your team if Nerf gunfights are a staple in your part of the office.

You know how some of your purchases these days (especially electronics) which are small enough to fit in a bag come with a packaging which is nigh impossible to cut open with a regular pair of scissors? Well, Zibra has your best interests at heart in such situations by creating its latest innovation that is touted to rid the world of package wrap rage, in the form of Open It!. This is one highly anticipated package opener which will deliver a five-in-one method that will open everything under the Christmas tree in a jiffy. You can read more about its various functions in the extended post, so do make the jump! Cut It: Long cutting jaws cut quickly through sealed clamshell packaging Snip It: Hardened, precision ground steel blades snip through zip ties and twist ties Slice It: Slices CDs and DVDs and the auto-retract system prevents blade from being exposed when not in use Unscrew It: Removable screwdriver for easy use and convenient storage Pop It: Bottle cap opener is clev

No, wives and jilted girlfriends should get the idea of the Automatic Nut Roaster out of their heads if their previous husband/partner have had other flings outside of what was supposed to be a monogamous relationship. This isn’t meant to roast any bodily parts (no matter how strong you feel to do so), but will rather be a whole lot more suitable for that lovely and ideal Christmas family setting. After all, it is capable of roasting, stirring, and glazing nuts automatically. Boasting a 1,000-watt integrated heating element, it is capable of producing even heat across the entire cooking surface while reaching temperatures of up to 375º F to roast one cup of nuts in seven minutes. There is an internal paddle to automatically stir nuts to ensure they cook evenly and are thoroughly coated with any seasonings or glazes. The roaster itself comes with a non-stick cooking surface, a durable plastic lid, and stainless steel paddle, where all of them are hand-washable. Don’t like nuts

I remember thinking that augmented reality was the neatest thing, and I have to admit that diminished reality is another cool development in real-time video alteration. If you have never heard of diminished reality, it is technology developed by a team of researchers at Technische Universitat Ilmenau in Germany, and it is probably the antonym of augmented reality. So what is it? Diminished reality is technology that can remove selected objects from video recordings, in real-time. I have a video of it after the jump so you can see it in action. See in the picture how the stapler, phone, and other assorted office supplies just vanish from the desktop there? Now imagine the camera moving to the left and right, and those objects are still gone. Believe it or not, it was as easy as circling this object on a screen, and then begin filming. There are a lot of examples of it on film, and you may notice that the area where things have been removed is slightly blurry, li

Just when I thought I was finished reporting on realtime digital video alteration with diminished reality, I see this. This RT2 chara AR Project was on display at the Digital Content Expo 2010, and it is a very interesting augmented reality experience that has to have three studios in three different places to make some interesting videos. You can see them after the jump. It looks like the person wearing a motion capture suit (which looks like it is from the Kick-Ass movie) is at the convention itself, while more technology for these augmented reality effects are located elsewhere. This comes in handy with the lady with the jellyfish. My Source calls this some sort of possible holodeck, but I think that is jumping the gun a little bit. I mean, isn’t the point of a holodeck supposed to be something where a user immerses him or herself in some unreal place? However, this looks like a way for others to see someone in another environment, or record themselves somewher

I remember seeing that Will Smith movie The Pursuit of Happyness where he is trying to sell a bone density scanner. Clearly, he was in the wrong business, because I can’t remember the last time I had my bones checked out by a bone density scanner. I believe that the main character is quoted as saying that it gave a readout twice as blurry as an X-ray. However, Samsung is planning to get in the mobile X-ray business with this portable X-ray detector. This detector is apparently attached to some monitor that converts the captured X-ray image right onto the screen. This certainly would make it a lot easier for doctors that have to leave the office. Aren’t most X-rays these big old machines that take up a whole lot of space? Of course, I have heard that X-rays have this whole radiation thing about them. Samsung says that their portable X-ray solution is less harmful than conventional X-ray machines and can even bring a more accurate diagnosis. They also say that “th

Are you ready to rock and roll with the tablet market? If your answer is in the affirmative, then why haven’t you purchased an iPad already? What’s that? You prefer to shop around before dropping some serious money, eh? Well good news for you then – Verizon Wireless has teamed up with Samsung to release the Samsung Galaxy Tab this coming November 11th for $599.99 a pop, where it will be powered by the latest Android 2.2 operating system right out of the box so you don’t have to worry about it being bogged down by bugs in the older version. For more specific hardware details, you might want to check out in the extended post on just what the Samsung Galaxy Tab is capable of delivering. The Samsung Galaxy Tab will come with a rather brilliant 7-inch touch screen display, delivering a robust HTML Web browsing experience that offers full support for Adobe Flash 10.1 for video and mobile gaming. You won’t find it lacking in terms of firepower either, as a pretty zippy 1GHz Cor

The advent of the Apple iPad has certainly changed the way the tablet market worked, in a rather similar manner as with how the iPod actually offered a new revolution in the world of portable music. Sure, the Walkman by Sony back in the 1980s took the world by storm and sold plenty of cassette tapes in the process, while the Discman brought portable digital music to the forefront as folks started toting around CD pouches. Well, when the MP3 file format started to become really popular, there were basic MP3 players rolling out left, right and center (remember the Iomega models?), but none of them could actually hold a candle to the iPod when that came out, and it has remained that way ever since. Well, the same can be said about the tablet business. While prior to the iPad, most tablets were pretty boring because they didn’t really have that high a standard to aspire to, but when the iPad exploded onto the scene, things just changed. Other hardware manufacturers actually

If your home does not yet have a dock of sorts for iDevices, then you’re in luck. After all, it would be great for you to always get the latest and greatest devices (within budget, of course), don’t you think so? iHome intends to fulfill that need of yours with their newest release, which would be the iHome iA100 Bluetooth Stereo System. This unique Bluetooth stereo system will play nice with the iPad, iPhone and iPod with the help of App Enhancement. Touted to be the first device from iHome that was specially designed to offer iPad support as well as taking advantage of its unique capabilities, the inclusion of Bluetooth connectivity for wireless communication is a nice touch as well. You will also find Bongiovi Acoustics’ DPS technology thrown into the mix for enhanced sound, and app-enhanced functionality for use with iHome+Sleep and iHome+Radio. In a nutshell, the iA100 is capable of delivering superior audio quality and more features than any other docking alarm cloc

Geeks, it is about time you unite. After all, why not dress up your cubicle to reflect your interest? That’s what the Motherboard Pencil Cup is good for – it will use recycled parts from a motherboard that has been specially preserved to hold your pencils as well as other writing instruments. Retailing for $19.99 a pop, it will ensure your pencils are wrapped graphite in a copper, cadmium and lead vessel at all times, and you can also rest easy knowing that purchasing this would mean you doing your part to keep the earth green since it is made out of recycled motherboards. Measuring 3.25 x 3.25 x 4 inches in dimensions, each one of this will be unique, so you don’t have to worry about your office rival having the exact same thing a few cubicles down. We don’t suppose that those who are pretty fmailiar with DIY projects could probably come up with something like this on their own, but why do so when some money can net you a well prepared and presented model?

So you want to be a fashionista amongst your friends, but do not exactly want to take the well traveled road that comprises of designer labels as well as expensive accessories? Well, how about a smart casual look that relies not on bling, but on something totally different instead? We’re talking about the Thermowear T-Shirts, where it will come in two different colors – blue and white or pink and purple. Judging by the name itself, you can tell that the Thermowear T-Shirts are heat sensitive, which means they will change color the moment you touch them or get all hot and sweaty whenever you’re busting out some moves on the dance floor to impress the ladies. Retailing for £19.99 each, they’re seriously eye catching to say the least, and you can definitely leave an impression on others, while increasing the chances of you being groped just to see the effect of the colors changing.

You know how kids have their own fair share of dreams? While some of them idolize sports icons to the max, others prefer something brainier. The former will definitely love to have the Mini Spring Rim Basketball Hoop in their homes, where this mini-basketball hoop will sport a 9″ spring-loaded rim which encourages spectacular dunks. We don’t suppose that kids will be the only ones who would love having a go at it, as those in suits and ties will also find it run to let off some steam after being shouted at by the boss. Meant for office doors or cube walls as well, it comes with a clear, shatterproof 18″ x 24″ backboard and a white square target that has been painted onto its surface for lay-ups and bankshots. As for its rear perimeter, the backboard is reinforced with foam padding to protect doors. Each $49.95 purchase comes with a 5″ diameter mini-basketball to get you started right out of the box. Best to get some heavy duty deodorant action going on there, considering

Everyone loves candy floss, don’t they? That’s the impression that we have here anyways, and it comes as no surprise since the love for candy floss can safely be said to have been “integrated” into our lives ever since we were young. Take a look at all those fun fairs that we bring kids to – isn’t the candy floss a permanent fixture? Well, you can now enjoy your very own candy floss right at home with the £34.99 Candy Floss Maker. This idiot-proof contraption is so easy to use, you will be able to sink your tongue into funfair-style candy floss within minutes. All you need to do is add regular caster sugar and flip the switch on, it is that easy. The magic begins when the machine heats up, spinning the central head to force liquid sugar through its tiny perforations. The moment the threads of sugar come into contact with air, they will cool down and re-solidify, turning into a web of sugary threads. If you’re planning to throw a party for kids anytime soon, the Candy Flo

Two things just don’t go together, alcohol and trying to function when it’s pitch black where you’re at. That means that pouring that glass of wine is going to get a whole lot more tricky when your hands are unsteady and you can’t seem to spot the rim of your fragile wine glass. Thankfully, Tipsee is a tiny little task light to aid you with your drunken nights. This will easily attach to the top of your wine bottle and can be removed when the bottle is empty. It features a super bright LED light that will last for over 50,000 hours of usage. Plus, for those of you that still manage to slosh around a bit of wine, this happens to be waterproof. You can pick up your very own for $15.95 through the Home Wet Bar. Source: Gizmodiva

I like having a laundry basket, but I really don’t like the space they take up. I only use those baskets every now and then since I have a laundry shoot, but I still like having that option. Plus, they’re handy for hauling laundry up since laundry shoots don’t exactly go both ways. Thankfully, Quirky now has a laundry basket posted that will store away in very small spaces. Despite that this will hold quite a lot, including your laundry soap off to the side, it’ll actually fold flat to the point where it’s only 2” wide. Like any other decent laundry basket it has 2 handles and is made to hold a little bit of a load. The mesh pocket off to the side is created to hold your soap and fabric softeners. This would be great for anyone living in a tiny apartment that has to wander down to the apartment’s public laundry room. Right now these only have 141 of the 1040 people needed that are committed to purchasing this. You can add yourself to the list by committing to pa

I once saw a hologram rendered with an iPad, and it had a glass pyramid shape around it that looked just like this. This is a similar set up by some company known as Dreamoc, and it is a way of putting 3D animations on something so it is viewable from 200 degrees. It reminds me of that statue of Holger the Dane . Remember how they were able to project some fairies on the throned guy? I don’t know if they were in 3D, but this Coca Cola bottle certainly has the 3D goods. You can see it in the video after the jump. This actually looks like something that Coca-Cola would come out with just to promote their soda. I can’t help but wonder where Coca Cola would use this other than a museum. Perhaps Coca-Cola is paying these Dreamoc people to come up with a new way of advertising their product. Maybe they intend to put these 3D projected bottles in their vending machines, as a plot to bring glass-bottled soda back to the market. Yeah, I guess that is the worst soda consp

I always thought walking around on stilts would be challenging. After all, a pair of stilettos is challenging enough, much less adding several inches of height. It turns out that stilts weren’t nearly challenging enough for those of you that are overachievers. Nope, you had to go and make me look bad by using Jumping Stilts. Honestly, that’s just showing off. These Air-Trekker Stilts will add some height, plus the added benefit of making you a very bouncy person. These pro cuffs will hold 176 to 198lbs, so they are made for adults. You can buy them new and used through Amazon, but sadly you will have to pay big money for those big boy toys. To pick up a set of new stilts it’ll cost you $302 or $260 for a used set. Source: GadgetGrid

I’ve seen a portable photo studio before from ThinkGeek and Hammacher Schlemmer, but this has to be one of the biggest. Welcome to the Inflatable Portable Studio (IPS), which is perfect those who need that extra bit of space for their photograph developing. It is made of a thin plastic that will block out any external light. This portable studio comes in two sizes of 12 x 7 x 10 feet or 20 x 12 x 10 feet, and you will need a giant fan or blower thing to inflate it. It is made to inflate like a bouncy castle, but it doesn’t look like you want any kids to be jumping up and down on the roof. I am guessing that the “skin” of this thing has to be this color, otherwise who would want to do photographs inside this giant…crap? Still, it is handy to have a portable room that allows you to be sealed off from the rest of the outdoors. I would imagine that it would be very cool in there with the fan blowing. The IPS is available for $330 for the 12 x 7 x 10 foot version or

Whether you know it or not, this lady is wearing a helmet. It is concealed in her scarf. I realize that sounds pretty unbelievable, as most helmets are pretty hard and cover the whole head. Yet this Invisible Airbag Helmet is crumpled up in the lady’s neck with an airtank, apparently. There is a video after the jump so you can see how it protects. You will notice how it can somehow detect a sudden impact in a few milliseconds and create this perfect shape of a helmet around the user’s head. You’ll notice from the video how the helmet can protect the user from all kinds of spills. Think of it as the airbag in the car, designed for your head. There is clearly some bugs to work out before this is used on real people. For example, how does the helmet know what is a real accident and what is a harmless stumble. In other words, it could go off at any moment. Worse yet, it could not go off when it absolutely needs to. Well, this is probably go

This could easily be passed off as an item for the paranoid. However, most of us have been in those situations where we’re just more nervous than normal. From college students new to living without parents to last minute vacationers staying in cheap hotels to just average nervous senior citizens, these might be nice to have around. For those times when you need a little extra something to help you nod off at night this odd little strap will make sure no one can pick the lock or even get in if they happen to own a master key. These come in sets of 2 and feature industrial strength nylon with a Velcro enclosure. Since it’s basically just a well designed Velcro strap, it won’t require any assembly and won’t take up much space in your suitcase. I took a vacation this year where I would have killed to have one of these straps stashed in my suitcase. Hotels are not always as cute as they appear in photographs. You can purchase the pack of 2 for $14.99 through Whatever

Headphonies are not what I’d call new, but they just keep on coming out with new fun designs to keep life interesting. For those of you unfamiliar with the product, these short guys are extremely portable miniature men that double as tiny little 2W speakers. Recently they’ve come out with Fangs and Howl just in time for Halloween. Instead of using normal speakers while you’re wandering the streets on Halloween you could sport one of these guys. Thanks to the handy little eyelet on the top of their heads you’ll be able to dangle them from a keychain if you choose. Each one is powered by a Lithium ion battery to make it possible for you to recharge these once they run out of juice. You can pick some of these up for $24.95 a piece. Source: ChipChick

Much like Legos, Gameboy themed items never get old. If you were raised within the generation of chunky Gameboys or during the super elite times of the Gameboy Color then you understand the appeal. Now that technology has progressed well past those times it would be easy to forget and neglect the memory of those days when Gameboy Color was the big thing. Thankfully, there are those committed to creating fancy decals to fit on our very modern gadgets that honor Gameboys. This particular pretty sticker is created for the iPhone 4. Since it’s meant for a phone they made sure to use solvent ink on quality vinyl and then die cut. It wouldn’t be nearly as cool if it were just made out of cheap supplies. With this not only can you be much cooler, but it’ll make sure the back of your phone doesn’t get quite so scuffed up. You can pick up one of the full color versions for all of $6 through Etsy. Source: GeekyGadgets

Considering that there is a trend in video gaming systems to really get “gamers into the game” with systems like the Kinect (not to mention everything the Wii has done for the past few years), you have to wonder whether the Kinect will be good for those that want to just sit on couch at play video games. Rest assured, couch-potato gamers! It would appear that the Kinect has figured out how to get the camera and sensors to zero-in on the sitting down gamer, and not just when they are standing up. Considering that many are saying that the Kinect will require six to eight feet worth of space just to play, this news is a relief. I honestly don’t have a TV room that is that large, and I would love to try out the Kinect. Say, I heard that the Kinect is or was (depending on when you read this) appearing on Oprah. I wonder if she is going to make an Oprah moment: “Everybody gets an Xbox Kinect! Everybody gets an Xbox Kinect!” Then again, Microsoft already did that for a

We have reported on the Lego Mindstorms NXT creations before, those awesome yet expensive sets that allow the user/player to make some serious programmable robots with everyone’s favorite building brick. Normally, the Mindstorms NXT Kit is powered by batteries (6 AA batteries as I recall), but even with rechargeables, that isn’t so good for the environment. So why not create some solar panels for the Lego Mindstorms creations? This is exactly what Dexter Industries has accomplished, and it looks like it works pretty darn well. Check out the video after the jump if you don’t believe me. By the way, I had no idea the Mindstorms collections had gone so elaborate. This collection has all the offering panels, batteries, and everything necessary to power projects like some of the Wall-E wannabees as seen in the video. I have no idea if this is a Lego sanctioned or Lego labeled product, but the basic dSolar 2W System will cost about $90 and has a 9-volt solar panel wit

Personal video camcorders have certainly come a long way since their introduction many years ago, and technologies in such devices have also progressed by leaps and bounds that High Definition recording capability was already achieved a few years back on a pocket-sized device. Well, what else can manufacturers do to up the ante? CamBall, as you can tell by its name, could very well be the next step of evolution for personal video camcorders. After all, it measures roughly the size of a mere golf ball (!) and yet is able shoot video virtually anytime, anywhere. Sure, it will not be able to do High Definition video recording, but that is all right considering the rather miniscule size of the device. Hitting the US market at long last, the CamBall is touted to be the smallest personal digital camcorder on the market at press time, where it comes jam packed with features. It is wearable, mountable, and waterproof sporting optional motion-activation capabilities, making it p

Once you’ve taken a look at the title, do not groan and say “Oh no! Not another e-book reader that has descended upon us!”. Well, that might be the case, but you need not worry about Ectaco’s latest offering as the jetBook-mini will be an extension of the world’s leader in portable language learning and translation technology, empowering book lovers everywhere (whether they like flipping through virtual pages or not is another matter) to enjoy digital reading just about anytime and any place. Retailing for a dollar shy of a Benjamin, the new jetBook mini which was recently unveiled at the Frankfurt Book Fair and Consumer Electronics Show in Hong Kong, delivers all the more notable features of the jetBook family such as an ultra crisp 5″ reflective TFT screen technology, instant page turns, multiple language support and portability, all crammed into a body that sports a new look as well as 90 hours of non-stop reading time – all on just a quartet of AAA Energizer batteries

Want to have some fun with your kids? Well, if it isn’t windy at all outside, you can always bring them out and have some fun with the Fog Ring Launcher. This hand-held vortex generator is capable of blasting opponents with perfectly formed fog rings up to 20 feet away. Not only that, these fog rings can be as large as 20-inches in diameter, where the launcher will gently heat up a small amount of non-toxic water-based solution that will fill the barrel with fog. A trigger will eject the fog from the barrel, resulting in a donut-shaped fog ring which will move forward but also circulate onto itself until it gently strikes a target with a harmless puff of air. There is a built-in speed control which makes fast-moving rings to envelop a target within seconds and slow-moving rings which can be experimented with by passing an object through the open hole. The solution that comes with it is capable of generating thousands of launches, where it will be powered by half a dozen A

If you’re going to have a girls’ night out with the rest of your foxy friends, then the Model Mirror might just be something you want to look into. Retailing for £14.99 a pop, it not only lets you see just where your mascara and lipstick is going, it also makes your room look as though you were a diva getting ready for her big night. Not only is the Model Mirror durable, chic and lightweight, it is also stylish to go along with just about any other fashionista. Embedded with gleaming LEDs, it will deliver much needed light whenever you’re out and about. Not only that, there is also an additional 2x magnified mirror which allows you to home in on specific areas. Great for frequent travelers who need to touch up even in low light conditions – fantastic!

I realize that Logitech has their hands full with Google TV, but Logitech has their hands in many pies, such as notebooks peripherals. The Logitech Speaker Lapdesk N550 is billed as “Big-time sound and comfort for your small screen”. Having tried it out for myself, I will have to say that there is a lot of truth in advertising there. The speakers are two-inch high performance neodymium drivers with 2 Watts power maximum. The Volume control and mute buttons are located conveniently on the side. The Lapdesk N550 has a netted cushion designed to be a pillow on your lap. There are two tabs on the bottom of the unit that are design to hold the netbook or laptop with a 14-inch screen. All that is required is that the user plugs his or her laptop/netbook into this unit. Just to let you know, all media files have to be closed before you plug it in. After that, you can play your files in stereo from your DVD player or any other video-playing website. All in all, I would

This is a statue of the Holger the Dane, located in the casemates at Kronborg Castle, Denmark. Tourists who come to this statue will be rewarded with an attraction that looks like it is straight from Disneyland, complete with fairies. The show begins with some motion-sensitive lights that will come on as the user gets closer to the statue. Get close enough, and a show begins that uses some interesting projection as well as sound. You can see it for yourself on the video after the jump. The projections bring the statue to life, in a very inanimate way. For example, fairies will appear on him to give him special powers. Shadows of a cage and a giant appear for even more drama. It sure is a show to see, down to the “Redemption” portion. I’m not certain how in the world they got the statue to breathe, but Holger’s chest is somehow moving in and out. Any more application of this technology, and Holger will be rising out of his throne. So, is this the beginning of s

Finally getting your hands on a Lego shaped USB drive is a legendary day. However, most of them immediately disappear as soon as the lights go out, making your investment not as cool. Thankfully, one intelligent person has created a Lego USB drive that glows in the dark. That allows for you to find that handy little stick no matter whether it’s bright and shiny or dark as night. Of course it’s not technically a Lego product. This is actually just a gadget from Zip Zip and never really mentions the Lego brand name. That doesn’t make this little USB drive any less cool though. You can purchase these in all sorts of sizes, anywhere from 2GB clear up to 16GB. Pick up your very own for anywhere from $35 on up to $90, just depending on the size that you choose. Source: Gizmodiva

Brando has come out with yet another product that really makes me wonder. Honestly, who thought this one up?! I don’t know whether to congratulate them on their originality or have them get an appointment for an immediate head check. I just can’t wrap my mind around that someone would create an MP3 player that looks like a miniature gas tank. Of course this is Brando we’re talking about here and they’re notorious for their bizarre unique products. This particular one works as an MP3 player as well as a portable speaker. That means that you can pop in a memory card and listen to music off of it or you can plug in your iPod to have that music played out loud. You can purchase this in two different colors, gold as well as silver. Pick yours up for $43. Source: Gizmodiva

From today onwards, Netflix members who reside in the United States and Canada are able to stream content through their Wii consoles with Netflix installed on their Wii Menu. What does this mean for the layperson? Well, the Netflix disc which was used for instant streaming on the Wii console can now be turned into a coaster. Yup, you read that right, there will no longer be the need for said disc, so you are free to do as you please with that disc – hang it on the wall, have it function as a frisbee, or even play catch with your dog. OK, so catch isn’t exactly recommended if your pooch’s got large chompers, but you get the picture. Netflix members who fork out $8.99 monthly (somehow the Canadians have it better at $7.99 a month) and own a Wii console with a decent broadband Internet connection are now able to instantly watch movies and TV shows which will be streamed directly to their TVs as long as they download Netflix from the Wii Shop Channel. This new channel will

Pico projectors, tiny projectors, micro projectors, they’re all the same. After all, didn’t the Bard once said, “A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet”? Well, the world of pico projectors have certainly come a long way since their introduction to the world. We would say that earlier iterations were tiny and highly portable, but when it comes to performance, a lot is left to be desired. After all, their colors looked washed out, even unviewable under an averagely lighted room. AAXA Technologies might think that they have a game changer on their hands though with the new M1 Ultimate Micro Projector which we will look at in greater detail in the extended post. The M1 Ultimate will come in a sleek brushed aluminum case, helping deliver a sharp, modern look. Of course, as with any new iteration of a product, you should expect new features, otherwise there wouldn’t be any point in rolling it out, is there? Some of the new features include a new onboard back-lit ke

We have reported on a lot of cool racing track toys like the one with the corrugated cardboard and R/C car, not to mention the Intersecting Slot Car and Train set. This White Lake Formula One Ring is probably one of the greatest, if not the greatest, slot car set ever made. It’s hard to believe that it is part of a private collection, and not some sort of museum piece. You can watch a video of the track itself on a video after the jump. Designed by James-Michael Gregory Harlan, the track is done in 1/32 scale course with a 145 foot length and “19 Forumula1 worthy turns”. Man, this guy must have a basement the size of New Jersey and most have spent months trying to get every detail right. You know what it reminds me of? Speed Racer . I know I have said this before, but that movie totally rocked, despite the fact that it was a box office bomb. I remember thinking that it would be great to see life-sized race tracks that appeared in that movie, but this particular set

It has been a while since we have reported on a printer from Lexmark with the Pinnacle Pro901. They have just announced the Lexmark Genesis which is built on the same inkjet platform as other models. It is designed for professionals, home office customers, and small business owners. One of its main features is a 4.3 inch touchscreen for an instant preview of what you are printing. The touchscreen is a window to many cloud-based apps like Stamps.com, Evernote, Box.net, and TripIt. The whole thing is made with Wireless N (IEEE 802.11n) for expanded coverage. Also a new feature is Twitter and Facebook SmartSolutions, and allows users to scroll through and search their Twitter feeds as well as view Facebook walls and print photos from the device. The Twitter app is available now, but Facebook will be sometime next month. The Genesis also has an “innovative Flash Scan camera technology” with a 10 Megapixel imaging sensor and can deliver “blazing scanning speeds” that e

Garmin has just announced their latest unique wireless beacon that was specially designed for those who love geocaching their outdoor adventures. Meaning to target just about anyone and everyone who loves the great outdoors, the Garmin chirp is not only affordable, but is extremely durable and waterproof as well. The Garmin chirp can communicate with, as well as be programmed by, just about any compatible wireless-enabled Garmin handheld for a more interactive and enjoyable geocaching experience. Those who fall under the cache creators and seekers categories will be able to enjoy the benefits as chirp stores hints, transmits multicache coordinates, counts visitors and confirms the cache is nearby. According to Dan Bartel, Garmin’s vice president of worldwide sales, “With chirp, geocachers have a new tool to enhance the joys of creating and finding caches around the globe. In listening to and participating in the vibrant geocaching community, Garmin created a one-of-a-kin

So the iPad has already proven itself to be a success since it was released earlier this year, with many other hardware manufacturers around the world jumping in on the tablet craze as well. Well, it doesn’t hurt to see the iPad being made available elsewhere throughout the country which will surely play some role in making sure the iPad ends up with even higher sales figures in due time. Both AT&T and Apple have announced that all three iPad Wi-Fi + 3G models will be available at over 2,200 AT&T Stores from Thursday, October 28th onwards. Not only that, AT&T will offer customers 3G pre-paid data plans for iPad, alongside Apple’s easy on-device activation and management. Unlike smartphone plans, all iPad data plans are available without the need for a term contract and you aren’t skimped either since they include unlimited access to AT&T’s 23,000+ domestic Wi-Fi Hot Spots. Will another channel that offers the iPad hardware make it easier to procure your

We looked at the Lego Storage Bricks last week, and today let us have a gander at the Lego Storage Heads. Obviously, you can tell by the name itself that this will play on the Lego theme, where you will be able to store a gamut of stuff within (with most people probably using it to hold loose Lego bricks, we think). Just goes to show that Lego minifigs aren’t empty “up there”, eh? Makes you wonder whether they will suddenly come to life at night ala Toy Story or Night at the Museum whenever you aren’t around. You will be able to choose from small and large head sizes, which will retail for £14.99 and £19.99, respectively. Bear in mind that these aren’t a rip off of sorts at all, but is instead officially licensed from the Danish company. Interestingly enough, they’re like regular Lego pieces that can be clicked together and stacked – now how about that?

Since winter is just around the corner and for those who live in areas where there is enough snow to get around on a snowboard, the Gas Powered Snowboard might be something that you want to look into. This gas-powered vehicle will merge the thrill of riding a snowmobile while providing the freedom of a snowboard, allowing you to surf effortlessly even in the deepest fresh powder or on packed, granular snow. Boasting a patented rubber track that relies on 1 3/4″ snow lugs with the ability to flex as you lean in the direction you wish to go, it is full well capable of executing wide, graceful turns or perform aggressive slalom-like carvings, depending on just how much you want to show off. A 6 1/2-hp four-cycle gasoline engine will run proceedings, where it is kick-started with but a pull. Capable of accommodating riders up to 250 lbs. in weight, it can hit a top speed of 18 mph. 3/4-gallon of gasoline lets it go on for two hours, which makes it pretty handy to get around

I know that this reveals my age, but I was too old of a child to play with Transformers by the time they were released in 1984. I realize that shows my maturity, but, in my defense, I am probably revealing my immaturity as I reveal that I enjoyed playing with Battle Ops Bumblebee. Let me start by congratulating the engineers of these toys. I mean, they really packed a lot into this robot toy, but that also made it quite complicated. I am sort of ashamed to admit this, but it took me over an hour to fold up this robot into the Camaro, and that was with an attempt to follow the instructional pictures. I swear, this thing is as puzzling as a Rubik’s Cube. I’m sure you’ll have to help your kid out with this one. There is something else that you should know if you are a parent. When this toy is in Camaro mode, it has a portion of its waist that will drag along the floor. It could potentially scratch up a tiled floor. The toy makes some cool sounds at the touch of

Here’s something that you might want to check out – the Bigtrak Jr programmable vehicle that allows you to release stress after a particularly long day at work simply by “driving” it around the home. Those who spent their childhood during the 1980s will definitely know of the Bigtrak, as this space rover thrilled kids and adults in their household back then, the Bigtrak Jr intends to bring back those nostalgic memories for their young progeny. Retailing for £29.99 a pop, this desktop version will deliver all the functions of its larger sized predecessor. Not only that, Bigtrak Jr will also be accompanied by a cool ‘memory save’ function that enables you to write programs and save them for use sometime down the road. In addition, its ‘active accessory port’ will accommodate various forthcoming accessories such as a webcam and foam rocket launcher.

Some of you might remember when we reported on the Vivos Underground Shelter Network allows for some serious surviving in style. I found that this concept could even be better than that. This particular project is known as “Above Below” from Matthew Fromboluti. His proposal is a building that drills 900 feet into the ground, an “underground skyscraper”, for lack of a better term. The designer sees this self-sustaining community being built in a now-abandoned 300-acre wide Lavender Pit Mine, which is essentially a giant hole in the ground in Bisbee, Arizona. You will note the windows that let in the sun so trees and other plants can be grown underground. If nothing else, what you are looking at is a lair for the next over-the-top James Bond villain. You know, for those Roger Moore ones, not the more realistic Daniel Craig flicks. Yeah, you will probably never see Daniel Craig in this environment at the end of a James Bond film, but I can easily see Roger Moore or ev

Whenever you’re out for work at a place with free Wi-Fi connectivity, you will probably need to practice holding your bladder since you wouldn’t want to leave your notebook lying there just like that while you spend a good five minutes answering the call of nature. Well, there are other less torturous methods to keep your place at the local cafe, and the Kensington ClickSafe Keyed Twin Laptop Lock might just be the ticket for you. Retailing for $69.99 a pop, it will deliver dual one click lock heads that offer a trio of rotational degrees of freedom which can be attached to hardware in a single step. You won’t need to have employees insert a key or follow multiple steps, since there is also a master key version available for the same price. No longer do you have to worry each time you leave your notebook on the table in a public place, and it is convenient around to tote around in your notebook bag without bogging you down. Press Release

For some reason, it really is hard to talk about Mattel’s Sonic Slam without comparing it to a certain gamine console by Nintendo that rhymes with Me. Perhaps it is because Nintendo has several virtual tennis games like the one on WiiSports, or various virtual table tennis games that I have played. I suppose that this Sonic Slam is designed for those who just have to play the game of tennis indoors. Sonic Slam is a pair of stringless rackets that have built-in motion sensors as well as speakers so you can play with an invisible and intangible ball. So the game is all about swinging at a certain time after hearing a certain sound. Then the other player hears the same sound, and then sends it back. Think of it as what would happen if two mimes were to play tennis. Sonic Slam also has some other interesting games, like playing a single match against the wall, or even hot potato. It also has a great assortment of flashing lights and some cartoon sound effects. I

Toshiba aims to usher in the world of 4G connectivity by introducing WiMAX capability in their Portégé R700 notebook. In fact, Toshiba has a couple of 4G WiMAX-ready models of the Portégé R700 for the masses, where this 13.3-inch full-performance ultraportable notebook is touted to be the world’s lightest even when it comes with an integrated DVD drive. Not only that, the new Portégé R700 models will also provide business users with unprecedented performance and durability without sacrificing on form factor, which is perfect for those who do plenty of traveling. According to Carl Pinto, vice president of product development, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., Digital Products Division “Now with a WiMAX-enabled Portégé R700, Toshiba business professionals will be able to enjoy the benefits of having citywide connectivity at their fingertips. 4G WiMAX coverage continues to rapidly grow and offers millions of people wireless access in many major metropolitan areas

SteelSeries has just announced a spanking new World of Warcraft MMO Gaming Mouse which intends to tie in with the new expansion known as World of Warcraft: Cataclysm. Just what do you think this mouse can deliver? It will feature a unique exterior which evokes the armored plating of Deathwing the Destroyer, where your hand will appreciate you for it by delivering superior ergonomics and an intuitive button layout with advanced software functionality. More on the World of Warcraft: Cataclysm gaming mouse in the extended post. Just when you were wondering how you can up the ante in your MMO gaming sessions, why not let SteelSeries’ latest offering help you out? For starters, this ergonomically designed SteelSeries World of Warcraft: Cataclysm MMO Gaming Mouse will feature an intuitive 14-button layout which is accompanied by fine tuned ergonomics and button positioning in order to provide players with the ability to use all the extended buttons comfortably. In addition, ma

Razer is no stranger when it comes to high end gaming peripherals, and their latest offering for the masses will target those who enjoy countless hours in front of the computer, hacking and slashing their way to another level. Yup, we’re looking at MMORPGers here today, where they will surely have heard of the Razer Naga mouse before, but this time around it will be a wireless version that brings a whole new level of epic to your MMO gameplay – hence its new name, the Razer Naga Epic. This mouse aims to epitomize the fine balance between keyboard and mouse, boasting 17 MMO-optimized buttons to bring things to a whole new level, thanks to a trio of ergonomic interchangeable side panels that offer an optimal fit, alongside the choice to customize the backglow from over 16 million colors, with a dual mode wired/wireless functionality. It isn’t just some techie who was smoking on weed to come up with the design though. The final design of the Razer Naga Epic is what it is t

The Apple iPad has proven itself to be a device that is highly sought after, and analysts have predicted it to perform extremely well in the market in the coming year as the tablet momentum builds up. Well, there is no way that Apple is going to let the opportunity to sell more iPads slip by their fingers, which is why they have teamed up with Verizon Wireless to make the iPad available at more than 2,000 Verizon Wireless Stores nationwide from Thursday, October 28th onwards. What does Verizon Wireless have on offer to entice you to part with your hard earned cash? Well, three bundles will be up on offer, where all of them feature an iPad Wi-Fi model and a Verizon MiFi 2200 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot, retailing for $629.99 for the iPad Wi-Fi 16GB + MiFi, while another Benjamin will net you an iPad Wi-Fi 32GB + MiFi with the $829.99 bundle delivering an iPad Wi-Fi 64GB + MiFi. Once you have decided which iPad model is for you, the next logical step would be to look into