The Parasolar umbrella performs the very obvious of shielding you from UV rays, but did you know it soaks up those UV rays and converts them to energy? Oded Shorer is thinking outside-the-box with this concept design. The Parasolar pops open a cloth canopy which converts the sun’s rays into electric energy thanks to it’s integrated photovaltaic panels.
The Parasolar can discharge it’s stored energy via a 12v outlet or two USB ports. As UberGizmo points out, this is a great gadget for those camping trips. After all, what’s worse than losing iPod energy while stomping the North 40?
Continue ReadingNo Comments
Not that fee shipping on a USB drive should put anyone over the edge, but consider an 8GB Kingston drive for only $32 – now that’s a deal worth jumping on board [for].
This GetUSB Dealz has no rebates or coupons, just raw savings. The Kingston DataTraveler was originaly $54 but is reduced to $32 and change.
This particular model has the flip-out USB connector which I’ve always been a fan. The mechanism reduces the device size and helps protect the product for a longer lasting unit.
So here is the company line:DataTraveler 110 contains room for high-definition photos, graphics-intensive documents, videos, spreadsheets, presentations, term papers, and music that can be stored and retrieved in a flash. Sleek, practical, and attractively designed, the affordable DataTraveler 110 serves the needs of the budget-conscious user as well as those looking for significant storage capacity in a lightweight, compact design. DataTraveler 110 features a retractable USB connector for ease of use and safe housing.
So what could they think of next? A USB pregnancy test kit? – you have got to be kidding me! Nope.
Pteq is taking the process totally digital with their new USB pregnancy test kit. I’m not sure why, as any test kit is a simple pee on the stick, and wait for one strip or two. So what does the USB bring to the table?
Well, to answer that question lets visit ThinkGeek and see what they had to say…and I must say, the did a great job describing the product. Take a read:
Quote:One line or two. Yes or no. Pregnancy tests are binary by their very nature. So when we found p-Teq’s USB Pregnancy Test Kit that’s chock full of extra scientific information, we knew we had to get this geeky goodness to our potentially spawning fans.
The process starts off like most pregnancy tests. You pee on a stick, specifically the absorbent test strip at one end. But everything’s different after that first step. Remove the cap from the other end of the stick (cleverly provided to keep you from accidentally contaminating the wrong end) to reveal the USB connector. Pop it in your computer. The power from your USB port starts the electrospray ionization process, creating a spectrograph of the various masses for your analysis. Get it? Your analysis? Urinalysis? *rimshot* Moving on.
Continue ReadingNo Comments
MSN has this exclusive i-Buddy design for their instant message customers. The idea is providing a visual message when a new instant message arrives. Akihabara reports the i-Buddy will perform various motions when an new instant message arrives which corresponds to the emotion of the sender. Not sure how that works, but…
The i-Buddy connects via USB port and cable and stands about 3″ tall. I’m not clear about the details, but it seems you must be apart of the i-Buddy community to use the i-Buddy USB figure. All features provided by the i-Buddy Community are free of charge, exclusively to those members. i-Buddy customers can login to express themselves through the innovative functions designed it.
Don’t get too excited for this IM buddy, as Japan will be the first to try it, before the i-Buddy community rolls out to other countries.
All major browsers are supported by i-Buddy.com, including Microsoft Internet Explorer 6/7, Mozilla Firefox 2, Safari 3 and Opera 9. However, to ensure maximum compatibility, we recommend users to use either Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.0+ or Mozilla Firefox 2.0+. Flash player is required to browse certain parts of i-Buddy.com
Source:Â Akihabara News.
Continue ReadingNo Comments
Irvine CA based Toshiba American (Digital Products Division) announced a newly designed Satellite laptop line with sleep and charge USB power concept…and we think it’s a winner.
The sleep-and-charge USB concepts makes it possible to charge and power electronic devices connected to the laptop without the laptop being powered-on or in sleep mode.
This is a simple yet revolutionary way USB power bus technology will begin working it’s way into our life. With USB connectivity as the #1 method for peripheral connection to laptops and computers, the sleep-and-charge USB concept is brilliant.
 “Toshiba has long been a leader of innovation, and prides itself on creating solutions that make the digital lifestyle even better,†said Jeff Barney, vice president of marketing, Digital Products Division, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. “With the development of the Sleep-and-Charge USB ports, Toshiba has developed an innovative technology that helps ensure that our digital products are ready for use at the moment we need them.â€
As you know, the major shortcoming with today’s USB ports from either computers or laptops is the lack of power support while the host device is turned off.
I have reported on USB surge protectors which do basically the same thing, but that requires more gear for a traveling business person, the sleep-and-charge is built into the host system.
Continue ReadingNo Comments
The Sharper Image does seem to come out with some cool stuff. Example, they announced a laser beam music system powered by USB. The music system is shaped like a big “W” with laser beams spanning each post. Using your fingers or hands, breaking the laser beams produces pre-authored sounds.
Although it appears simplistic with only 6 laser strings, the pre-authored pulses allow you to play pulses, streams, riffs and loops from a variety of instrument selections. Configure the laser beam music system to play strings, keyboards, winds and percussion instruments.
The laser beam music system from Sharper Image includes 30 original songs in 19 different music genres. Genres include Jazz, bluegrass, classical, hip-hop, reggae, heavy metal and more.
Continue ReadingNo Comments
Press Release: Philips Launches New USB Smart Key for Dictation Product Line.
Philips is the first company to offer such a tool, which replaces current dongles and older security codes that had to be manually typed in. The USB Smart Key is now packaged with Philips SpeechExec Pro Dictate and Philips SpeechExec Pro Transcribe, as well as Transcribe software packages.
The USB Smart Key can simply be inserted into a USB port and the software will automatically access the license stored on the key. The license can then be easily transferred to a computer with the touch of a download button and, after download is complete, the key is no longer needed for licensing and users can work on that computer without having to keep and carry a dongle. If a user wishes to work with the dictation software on an office computer as well as a computer at home, the USB Smart Key allows him or her to switch from one computer to another without having to purchase a second license.
Continue ReadingNo Comments
This “everything you need” HDTV connection kit is one Pretty Hot And Tempting deal from Buy.com for only $22.49. I’ve seen just a single HDMI cable at BestBuy for more than $50 so this deal is off the hook.
What you get for just over $20 bones:
6ft RCA Type Audio/Video Combination Interconnect
6ft Component Video Cable
6ft RCA Type Audio Interconnect
2m HDMI High-Definition Multimedia Interconnect 2m TOSLINK Optical Digital Cable
6ft S-Video Interconnect
HDMI to Male DVI Inline Adapter
All the cables have 24-karat gold plated connectors for optimal performance and quality. The gold plated connectors also ensure long lasting quality without degradation for connect and disconnect sequences. The cable ends are molded for ease of use, handling and comfort during installation AND these cables come with a lifetime warranty. You can’t go wrong.
However, BUY.com did say the quantities are limited and this GetUSB Dealz will only be around for a short while. $32.49 with $10 rebate. Free shipping so total is $22.49.
What could be better than working with USB, robots, legos and our imagination? Our beloved memories of childhood play with Legos has now turned into adult fun with the new robotic line of Mindstroms.
The Mindstroms from Lego is based off their NXT Technology whereby a main NXT brain unit controls 5 different robotic functions for you to let the imagination run free. Build anything you want with the legos, intuitive robotic software or get extreme with Lego’s open source developers kit.
So what are the 5 building blocks of the Mindstrom units?
Touch sensor
Sound sensor
Light sensor
Ultrasonic sensor
Servo motors
Through these sensors, some crafty lego design build your robot and communicate via USB for software download and development stages. The world’s next Frankenstein is only a lego or two away.
So this is how it works.
Build your lego monster with available parts kits.
Launch the intuitive robot software and use pre-defined commands to build motion, touch, light and other sensory functions.
Last, connect and communicate via USB to test your functions and ultimately download the finished firmware version to the NXT Lego robot.
The Asterisk USB hub is one fancy looking device, too bad it doesn’t work. This is another design prototype from contempo designer Joel Escalona. What I like about this layout, besides the bright Ferrari red is the space between each USB port. Too often have I not been able to use all the ports of a USB hub, making it half as efficient as what it should be.
The issue I see with Asterisco hub (Asterisk hub) is how wide it would be if directly connected to a USB port. It would clearly block other ports to the sides, so an extension cord would be needed to make this ideal. Give and take I suppose.
If you are not familiar with Joel’s work, maybe you can jump over to view his USB bomb or USB furniture. Both are enjoyable to consider.
Joel – if you’re out there – has anyone picked these up for production?
Continue ReadingNo Comments
It’s like bar-hoppin, but on the web.
I was doing some Social Marketing today and was tipped off on the great affect SiteHoppin can give a webmaster. I checked it out, and sure enough the site is a brilliant twist on social bookmarking and networking.
In a nut:Â SiteHoppin is a way to view other website without clicking your mouse – EVER, kinda like watching a movie of websites flash across your monitor.
How SiteHoppin works: Think of a browser within a browser. As shown below, you have a sidebar and top nav area. Everything else is the real-live-web. In the sidebar, just click the play button and start watching website slide-show across your desktop – you don’t do a thing! Use the top navigation area to zero in on your specific topic of interest.
Hit the pause button to dig in deep into something of interest…use the Tag or Talk button to make things social. (arrows)
Check it out and try it. SiteHoppin – GO.
So this is where it gets interesting for webmasters. SiteHoppin offers Beer Credits. These are credits you can earn to send traffic to your site. Beer Credits are given by you simply using/viewing your own topics of interest via SiteHoppin. The more you use, the more you get. Sounds fair.
I’ve started using SiteHoppin and have already seen my web hits increase. I’ve even requested Max (owner/developer) to include a USB category for all the lovely USB thaangs.
SiteHoppin has a host more of features and benefits and the only way to truly see and benefit from this tweak of a social media idea is to view their testimonial page.
Continue ReadingNo Comments
Geek Rockers rejoice and get your bang on with this USB Drum Kit. The kit is much like the USB piano whereby everything rolls up for ultra portability, and of course, is a one-connect USB gadget so no additional power cords or cables. The kit has six different pad areas (snare, kick and a couple of toms) and the included software allows you to control and select the various sounds programmed to each pad from 50 percussion sounds, 20 preprogrammed percussion sets and 100 preprogrammed beats.Girls will flock to your cube as you become a Geek rockstar!
Purchase online at Thinkgeek.
Source: gizmosforgeeks.comContinue ReadingNo Comments
MSN has this exclusive i-Buddy design for their instant message customers. The idea is providing a visual message when a new instant message arrives. Akihabara reports the i-Buddy will perform various motions when an new instant message arrives which corresponds to the emotion of the sender. Not sure how that works, but…
The i-Buddy connects via USB port and cable and stands about 3″ tall. I’m not clear about the details, but it seems you must be apart of the i-Buddy community to use the i-Buddy USB figure. All features provided by the i-Buddy Community are free of charge, exclusively to those members. i-Buddy customers can login to express themselves through the innovative functions designed it.
Don’t get too excited for this IM buddy, as Japan will be the first to try it, before the i-Buddy community rolls out to other countries.
All major browsers are supported by i-Buddy.com, including Microsoft Internet Explorer 6/7, Mozilla Firefox 2, Safari 3 and Opera 9. However, to ensure maximum compatibility, we recommend users to use either Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.0+ or Mozilla Firefox 2.0+. Flash player is required to browse certain parts of i-Buddy.com
Source:Â Akihabara News.
Continue Reading
No Comments
What could be better than working with USB, robots, legos and our imagination? Our beloved memories of childhood play with Legos has now turned into adult fun with the new robotic line of Mindstroms.
The Mindstroms from Lego is based off their NXT Technology whereby a main NXT brain unit controls 5 different robotic functions for you to let the imagination run free. Build anything you want with the legos, intuitive robotic software or get extreme with Lego’s open source developers kit.
So what are the 5 building blocks of the Mindstrom units?
Geek Rockers rejoice and get your bang on with this USB Drum Kit. The kit is much like the USB piano whereby everything rolls up for ultra portability, and of course, is a one-connect USB gadget so no additional power cords or cables. The kit has six different pad areas (snare, kick and a couple of toms) and the included software allows you to control and select the various sounds programmed to each pad from 50 percussion sounds, 20 preprogrammed percussion sets and 100 preprogrammed beats.Girls will flock to your cube as you become a Geek rockstar!
Purchase online at Thinkgeek.
Source: gizmosforgeeks.com
Continue Reading
No Comments
