Gadgets Mobile

Can you imagine splitting up your computer into several small devices and manipulating them individually to suit your own taste? A clever new prototype for such a device has been demonstrated by the researchers over at MIT Media Lab. Dubbed as “Siftables”, this new prototype aims to “enable people to interact with information and media in physical, natural ways that approach interactions with physical objects in our everyday lives.” They call Siftables an “interaction platform” that gives a user entirely new ways to control data with the application of technology from wireless sensor networks to tangible user interfaces.

The technology behind Siftables is actually quite simple. It’s basically a mini computer with a 20 MHz AVR processor, full-color OLED screen, short-range infrared sensor, Bluetooth radio, tactile/haptic actuation driver circuits, a 3-axis accelerometer, built-in flash memory, rechargeable Li-Polymer batteries and expansion ports for additional sensors. So as you can see, it uses existing technology to do its new thing as if nobody ever thought of it before. It’s a new shot at organizing how you do your day-to-day computing. And personally, I think it’s a great idea so far.

As to whether or not this new technology actually becomes useful in our everyday life remains to be seen. Because judging from the video, Siftables look as though they’re only a mere novelty which would be best for kids or the occasional icebreaker. It almost makes one hope this doesn’t experience the same fate as digital photo frames, which as you might know, have become quite pointless in itself. I’m sure the creators, David Merrill and Jeevan Kalanithi will think something up.

Via [MIT Media Lab]

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Is $30 enough to get you a decent mobile phone that can give you mobile web access? With Virgin Mobile’s Flare 30 bucks is all you need and you’ll have a small and yet nifty mobile phone. Flare is actually an LG manufactured flip phone packed with some cool basic features that you wouldn’t expect that a cheap phone like the Flare could have.

Virgin Mobile’s Flare really got some mobile phone flare aside from its flaring red face plate. The two most notable of these features are Bluetooth wireless technology and Mobile web access. Hey, where can you get those features for a measly sum? Aside from these two features, the Virgin Mobile Flare also has a full color screen, full color external display, voice dialing, is Spanish language menu capable, speakerphone and text messaging. But I guess those are pretty standard mobile phone features that we all expect from a simple mobile phone such as the Flare. And talking about simple standard mobile phones, I guess the most important thing to ask is how battery life is?  The Flare gives you 3.5 hours of talk time and 170 hours standby time.

Product [Virgin Mobile] Via [Engadget]

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Posted Mar 16th 2008 4:43PM by Ryan Block
Filed under: Gaming
Today’s Wii homebrew hotness comes by way of Team Twiizers, whose new hack takes last week’s CameCube-free loader and enables custom channel icons that load hacked apps just like that. Getting from point A to point B still isn’t a cakewalk yet, though; you still have to load the Zelda / Twilight hack and use it to reboot your Wii to get that app into the channel space. Video after the break, which quickly demonstrates getting a custom app-launching channel (which in this example happens to use the Mii channel icon).

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in, via Wii News]

Google has announced its Google Gears for Mobile that allows users to access their mobile Gears-enabled web apps even when there is no Internet connection. Initially, Google Gears was only for Windows Mobile 5 and 6 devices with Internet Explorer but more and more developers are already using the Gears into their online programs and services, thanks to the developer’s guide Google came up with for the developers.

Finance website Buxfer and web-based office-suite Zoho were the first to use the Google Gears. What is ironic is that Google’s own products don’t support the Gears yet but are currently in the works. Charles Wiles of Google Mobile explained that Gears is best used when you suddenly can’t connect. He wrote:

“Once installed, Gears sits happily on your phone helping you stay connected to your data—even when you lose your network connection.”

Even Android is waiting for Google Gears. But for now, people have to wait as Google works to roll out the Gears for other platforms.

Read [Inside Google] Via [Google Mobile Blog]

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Posted Mar 16th 2008 11:22AM by Paul Miller
Filed under: cellphones, Home Entertainment, Wireless
Yeah, all those sticky sweet stories about WiMAX actually happening this decade or possibly showing up in a device or two were really getting on our nerves. Now it seems the “little wireless standard that couldn’t” is back to form with a report from the Satellite Users Interference Reduction Group (SUIRG). Apparently those folks found “conclusive” results of “unacceptable” levels of interference from WiMAX of satellite signals in the C-band. Naturally, it sounds like this group’s primary purpose is to come up with data like this to protect that satellite spectrum turf, but it’s disconcerting nonetheless, and we’d love to hear from the WiMAX camp on the issue — if it comes down to a choice between mobile broadband and a new season of Meerkat Manor in HD, we don’t want to be the ones making the hard decisions.

[Via New Scientist]

Adopt an Olive Tree

You can have this for ?79.95

Khrunichev and International Launch Services announce an anomaly during today’s Proton mission with the AMC-14 satellite.

The Proton Breeze M rocket lifted off at 5:18 a.m. today local time from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, carrying the AMC-14 satellite for SES AMERICOM and its customer, EchoStar Corporation. Preliminary flight information indicates that the anomaly occurred during the second burn of the Breeze M upper stage. The satellite failed to reach the planned orbit. The satellite was built by Lockheed Martin.

A Russian State Commission has begun the process of determining the reasons for the anomaly. ILS will release details when data become available. In parallel with the State Commission, ILS will form its own Failure Review Oversight Board. The FROB will review the commission’s final report and corrective action plan, in accord with U.S. and Russian government export control regulations.

Payload:
AMC-14 communications satellite
Lockheed Martin A2100 platform
Separated spacecraft mass: Approx. 9,127 lbs (4,140 kg)

Launch Vehicle:
Proton M/Breeze M
Weight at liftoff: 691,272 kg (1,523,565 lbs), including payload
Height: 56.2 m (184 ft)

Launch Date:
March 15 (Baikonur)
March 14 (GMT, U.S.)

Launch Time:
05:18 a.m. Baikonur
23:18 GMT
07:18 p.m. EDT

Launch Site:
Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Launch Pad 39

Launch Customer:
SES AMERICOM, Princeton, N.J.
Part of SES family of companies

Satellite Manufacturer:
Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems,
Newtown, Pa.

Launch Vehicle Manufacturer:
Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center,
Moscow

Launch Services Provider:
International Launch Services (ILS), McLean, Va.

Satellite Use:
Advanced Broadcast Satellite Service satellite for SES AMERICOM’S AMERICOM2Home customer, EchoStar’s DISH Network direct-to-home entertainment service, covering all 50 United States.

Satellite Statistics:

* 32 Ku-band transponders
* Orbital location: 61.5 degrees West longitude
* Anticipated service life of 15 years

Mission Profile:
The Proton M launch vehicle, utilizing a three-burn Breeze M mission design, will lift off from Pad 39 at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. The first three stages of the Proton will use a standard ascent trajectory to place the Breeze M fourth stage and the AMC-14 satellite into a suborbital trajectory. From there the Breeze M will place itself and the spacecraft into a circular parking orbit. Following two additional burns of the Breeze M, the satellite will be injected into a geostationary transfer orbit. Separation will occur approximately 6 hours, 55 minutes and 50 seconds after liftoff.

Target Orbit at Separation:

* Apogee: 35,786 km (22,236 miles)
* Perigee: 6,257 km (3,889 miles)
* Inclination: 19.7°

Spacecraft Separation:
Approximately 6 hours, 56 minutes after liftoff

ILS Mission Statistics:

* 2nd ILS mission this year
* 7th ILS Proton launch for SES AMERICOM
* 11th A2100 satellite launch on Proton
* 45th ILS mission on Proton

Live Broadcast in U.S.:
AMC-1, transponder 17, C-band, 103 degrees West, downlink 4040 MHz (horizontal), analog NTSC. Test signals start at 6:30 p.m. EDT

In Europe, Russia & Kazakhstan:
NSS-7, transponder WHL4/EUH3, Channel 1, Ku-band, 338 degrees East; FEC 3/4, sym rate: 5,632; downlink 11095.6 MHz (horizontal), digital PAL, Test signals start at 22:30 GMT, broadcast about 22:55.

Intel is reported to soon unveil their mini solid state drives with 80GB and 160GB of storage. These new solid state drives are expected to amaze because they are very small at 1.5 and 2.5-inches. Notebook PCs and laptops will be the rightful beneficiaries of the new Intel’s solid state drives sometime the next quarter of this year. No word yet on the price and when the shipping will start.

Earlier at the CES, Intel had already demonstrated the solid state drives and in April, they will be shown again at the Intel Developer Forum where the drives could possibly be officially launched.

Intel’s recent entrance into the laptop flash disk drive business is expected to bring the company into competition with Samsung and Toshiba who are also currently going the same path. But between the three, Intel has the greatest potential to lead since the others offer lower storage memory in a slightly bigger drive.

Via [Mobility Today] Read [Yahoo! News]

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Golden Greats Vol 4
Golden Greats Vol 4 for Karaoke

You can have this for ?13.99

Dell’s got a spanking new 20-inch widescreen flat panel lcd monitor. Based on the specs it should offer exceptional color accuracy, the Dell UltraSharp 2009W display is fully adjustable even down to the tiniest detail. Just by looking at the 2009W LCD monitor, you’d immediately know that underneath its elegant look are high end technology features waiting to be used and explored. The 20-inch size may not be enough for your personal widescreen viewing pleasure, but it is definitely more than enough to answer everyone’s need for additional workspace in their desktop computing needs.

The 20-inch high-resolution Dell 2009W displays 102% color gamut in a brilliant 2000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. This simply means that the 2009W monitor is capable of delivering wider and more accurate color representation of razor-like images and fluid motion. In fact, the Dell 2009W LCD monitor exemplifies what an HD display is all about. Clearer graphics, documents, video and even e-mail in a native 1680 x 1050 resolution and DVI with HDCP. This simple means that the 2009W can deliver superior, life-like clarity and stunning display of images and videos.

Not only will you get to enjoy crisp and clear image display, but you get to help save the environment as well if you use the Dell 2009. The UltraSharp widescreen monitor utilizes lesser electricity and power and produces less heat as well. The Dell 2009 is a good example of an environment friendly electronic product. Even in its packaging, the Dell uses environment sensitive product material. The Dell 2009 is the first Halogen-Reduced flat panel monitor.

Other features of the Dell UltraSharp 2009 widescreen monitor includes 5 millisecond response times, height adjustable stand, 4 USB 2.0 ports and premium panel guarantee. The Dell UltraSharp 2009W is currently available and retails for $289.

Product [Dell] Via [Gizmodo]

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