Speakal iPom Givea Floral and Aural Delight

Sometimes gadgets and their designers can take themselves a little too seriously. In the need to show that their new product is worthy of geek worship, tech gets painted in the utilitarian colors of black, white and silver. I'm not a huge fan of tech painted pink and marketed towards women either, but a little color wouldn't hurt some of these devices.

IPod speaker manufacturer Speakal has always been one to buck the trend, giving us speakers in the shape of cute little piggies, loveable ghosts, and playful pandas. Their latest speaker follows the same irreverent design cues and puts the "aw" in awesome.

The Speakal iPom is an shaped like an apple and has two flowers perched on top acting as speakers with the third hiding out in the apple-shaped base. This pom has a little punch with its 2.1 stereo speaker system, adjustable bass, and 12W subwoofer. In addition to being iPod compatible, the iPom can also play music from USB memory sticks and SD card. It also works with any mp3 player that has a 3.5mm output.

The flower speakers are removable so they can be placed around the room. Retailing for $99, the iPom is a cute change in pace from the black and silver, slick design gadgets have become.

Via SlashGear

Get Couture on the Cheap

If you're a lover of haute couture but don't have the finances for that killer Dior gown, you're in luck. According to NYTimes.com, your fantasy frock is tantalizingly within your grasp. Thanks to the enterprising smarts of two women named Jennifer you can rent the your favorite designer's clothing for pennies of the cost of purchasing it outright.

Using a system similar to Gamefly or Netflix, Harvard Business School graduates, Jennifer Hyman and Jennifer Carter Fleiss have created Rent the Runway. The site allows users to rent that showstopping outfit for four days. The dress is delivered directly to your doorstep, just like a Netflix movie. And just like the movie site, when the four day rental period is over, simply place the dress in the included prepaid envelope and send it back. No muss or fuss.

Featuring a tagline of "love. wear. return.", rentals run from $50-200, which includes dry cleaning fees. There's an additional $5 for outfit insurance -- just in case there's staining or structural damage to the clothing. If you totally wreck the dress, however, you will be charged the full retail cost so you'll have to be sure to handle the piece with serious kid gloves.

10,000 gifts under $50

OK, I exaggerate. It's actually only 9,195 gifts under $50.

But still.

That's the number I got when I plugged HolidayUnder50 into the Search box at Etsy.com. Don't know Etsy? Etsy's tag line is "Your place to buy and sell all things handmade," and that says it all.

What can you get at Etsy? What can't you get there? Yes, there's hand-thrown pottery and handknits and handmade jewelry in unique designs. But there are also slightly naughty panties and monogrammed dish towels and Hello Kitty custom soap. And I haven't even mentioned Vintage items like the Polaroid Land camera (I remember those magical photos!) and the Lenox china Christmas angel brooch, and the wooden desktop paper sorter.

And several thousand more. And there's also a page of gift guides organized by price and category--stocking stuffers, food gifts, personalized items, and more.

Pictured above, a handmade iPhone/iPod case recalling the old Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) control pad. If you plug iPhone into the Etsy Search box, the number of items you get is, wait for it, 3,820.

Aimat gun camera makes point-and-shoot serious fun

Franziska Dierschke was definitely having "fun" while creating the Aimat digital camera. Taking no assumptions of structure from the concept of a traditional digital camera, the Aimat carries forward its point-and-shoot functionality by creating the ability to take small, pinhole-shaped images without the aid of a viewfinder. And by being shaped like a gun.

Oops. Did I say "gun"? And that's supposed to be "fun"? Okay, I am going to shake off the skepticism and allow the playfulness that the designer had in mind while creating this concept camera. The intent behind which was to "put less emphasis on picture quality, and more on the playful act of taking the picture" itself. Cool. No word on when this one is going to find its way into production.

Via Toxel.

Green tech: How to find the best green products

Save $1500 on your energy bill this year. The latest on plastics and canned foods that contain Bisphenol A. Green ratings of electronics, cars, and other products. What green consumer goods should you buy, and how can you find them?

It's one-stop shopping for that information, plus green news too, at the Greener Choices web site, free from the respected publication Consumer Reports. You can sign up for free newsletters, too.

Mood Chair determines your emotional state from your hind quarters

Ladies and gentlemen, this is "interactive" furniture of the most useless kind - a concept called the Mood Chair by UK based designers Aether & Hemera. And after some more wasted minutes spent in trying to understand its utility, I fail to find one.

The Mood Chair apparently has sensors that take cue from the user and the environment to determine his/her emotional disposition. That's not all. After the internal circuitry - consisting of "LEDs, embedded micro-chips, appropriate sensors and custom software" - can take stock of your mood while you are on it, the chair changes color to broadcast it to anybody who's around, and interested. Guess how infallible that can be.

For the others who jumped up in anticipation, we have no clue when this thing might get into the stores. If ever.

Catch a video after the break.

Via technabob.

Sensium wireless digital patch makes patient monitoring less painful

Though wireless technology has made our daily lives so much simpler, isn't it about time that it spread out of the confines of our homes and into life-critical environments such as hospitals? Apparently, it has. As a result of which, we might get to experience (hopefully not) devices such as the Sensium Digital Plaster - a wireless monitoring patch that can be stuck to a patient's body like a Band-Aid strip, to monitor his/her vital signs.

The disposable wireless patch is powered by "thin" batteries and can give information on a person's heart rate, temperature and perspiration for a period of several days. It can also interface with smartphones and PDAs, and wirelessly transmit clinical data to your doctor. The device is currently under clinical trial and is expected to complete the first round of trials by end of this year. For those who have experienced the discomfort of being hooked to a bulky, imposing machine that takes away the few remaining moments of peace with its unwanted blips and peaks on the screen, you know what a blessing this alternative can be.

Via The Red Ferret.

Green tech: At the beauty salon, be the girl with green hair

You can be the eco-conscious girl with green hair if you patronize beauty salons that use green hair-care products.

Hair dyes, shampoos, and other such products have traditionally contained synthetic chemicals that can harm the user and the environment. But an increasing number of hair care salons are saying "no" to that tradition. They're stocking environment-friendly products and using them on their customers.

It's a trend that first took hold--of course--in California. But the trend is spreading to other parts of the US. An article in Scientific American advises you to just Google "green hair salons" plus your state abbreviation and you may be surprised to find one--or more--near you.

And if you can't find a local green hair salon, you can nag your favorite salon into turning green. Urge your hairdressers to use the increasing number of hair-care options that are safer for their clients and the world. Some brand names to look for: EcoColors, Aveda, Modern Organic Products or Innersense

Terracycle makes eco-friendly speakers from orphaned snack bags

Someone apparently doesn't believe in the word "waste". And you bet they are bound to have a few creative genes when they can defy such a powerful word. Well, apparently such creative genes must total much more than one can imagine, for these geniuses from TerraCycle have created the most unique products in their effort to turn waste into something useful.

The company, founded by Tom Szaky, collects waste from groups across the country and turns it into over 100 useful products, in addition to donating money to charities for each "waste" item that it receives. Consider the Frito-Lay Speakers, for example. These funky speakers are made from discarded chip bags. And they are functional. They are foldable speakers that don't require batteries and plug into your mp3 or other portable audio player with a 3.5 mm universal plug. TerraCycle sells them online at $19.99.

So the next time you toss out that used chip bag, think new and send it to over to these sensible folks at TerraCycle - you would have earned $.02 for a non-profit organization or school of your choice, plus the right to brag that you helped create the world's cleanest speakers.

Via Crave.

A great free source for H1N1 (Swine flu) updates in your choice of languages

H1N1 (swine) flu activity has gone down a bit in the US, which is good news for Thanksgiving travelers this week. Some are even predicting that the disease may have peaked in the US. But even if that's true (which nobody knows), a great many people still are going to get sick. Meantime, there's lots of flu sufferers, and some deaths, everywhere else.

Here's a terrific free site for keeping up with the flu everywhere: HealthMap, the global disease alert map. This is the link to the English version. But from this link you can also get the flu map in Portuguese, Spanish, French, Chinese, Russian, and Arabic.

You can also download HealthMap's iPhone app that will bring your mobile a map and news of disease outbreaks near you, including swine flu. The app is interactive, so you can also report local outbreaks that are not yet in the HealthMap database.

Philips Introduces Crystalize Your Skin's New Best Friend

Skin care is a billion dollar industry worldwide. Obsessed with keeping our skin as young and healthy as possible we spend an inordinate amount of money on the latest cream that promises to stop the aging process, help our combination skin, or simply fend off adult cases of acne. But with all the different skin types out there, how do you know if you're purchasing the product that is the best fit for your unique skin type?

Electronics maker Philips may have the answer to the billion dollar question. According to the New York Times, has a new way of analyzing skin. The Crystalize system uses a special video camera to take an extreme close up of clients skin. The camera is set up to scan certain parts of the face to compile an accurate assessment of the viewer's skin. Once that happens, a list of products that would best suit your skin is displayed starting with the cheapest product going to the most pricey purchase.

When the system displays your ideal products, you shouldn't have to worry about Philips trying to pawn off strategically placed products. Philips does create products in the health care industry, but does not make any skin care products. They also aren't receiving any incentive to recommend one company's product over another's, so the system should be corruption free for now. Let's hope it stays that way. It's far too easy to go down that slippery slope with an ad or a featured product.

Go Gaga for Karaoke on Your iPhone

Fans of Lady Gaga and karaoke can rejoice. There's now an iPhone/iPod Touch app that satisfies both of those cravings. The Lady Gaga iOKi features four songs from the oddly compelling pop star including new single "Bad Romance" from her upcoming album "Fame Monster". The app turns yours your Apple device into a mini-karaoke machine complete with themes, images, and video of Lady Gaga.

Lady Gaga’s manager Troy Carter said, "The Lady Gaga Karaoke app is a great way for her fans to experience the music in a non-traditional way. We constantly look for new ways that allow her community of fans to interact with each other with the music as the centerpiece, and gridMob nailed it."

Yahoo! pharmacy ads are nothing to shout about, either

Recently I wrote about how two Web policing agencies, LegitScript and KnujOn, reported rogue pharmacies--online drug stores that fill prescriptions illegally--were the predominant drugstore ads on the Microsoft search engine Bing.

Now LegitScript and KnujOn are back, reporting the same discouraging tale for Yahoo! search.

More than 80% of the Yahoo! Internet pharmacy ads they reviewed operate contrary to US federal and state laws, they say. The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, an industry group, jumped in immediately with praise for the report.

I'll be fascinated to learn the Google score. Meantime, maybe we all better fill our prescriptions, as in olden days, at the corner drugstore. Assuming you live where there is a corner drugstore. Or even a corner.

Thanks to Thanko: USB-Powered Eyelash Curler

Because you absolutely, positively have to do your makeup at your desk, Thanko, creators of such "gems" as the USB-powered dinosaur slipper foot warmer and the USB Soldering Iron has just announced the USB-powered Eyelash Curler. Yep, there is now a USB-powered eyelash curler on the market.

The Touch Beauty Eyelash Curler is pretty simple to use. You just plug it into an available USB port and use like you would a regular curler. I'm hoping that there's more to it, maybe it has a little heating action to help get the curling action going. If not, I really don't see the point of it being USB-powered.

Via Akihabara News

Incipio cases get your iPod shuffle dressed to kill

Would it be Block, Feather, Loop, Mint, Treat or Wafer that you would trust your iPod Shuffle with?

We would choose all, since these high density silicone cases from Incipio {LAB} Series are not only the cutest we've seen, but also offer a cozy haven for your delicate Shuffle to slide into when you are on the move. All the cases have cut-outs that give easy access to the Shuffle's controls, and are available from Computers Unlimited (UK) at prices starting from £9.95 (USD $16). Just don't leave it anywhere near your canine if you happen to go for Treat.

More images after the break.

Via Pocket-lint.

Griffin unveils volume-limiting headphones for kids

Griffin tells us that there is an easier way to get your brat to lower the volume on his headphones than that bribe that you have been planning to bestow in return. Just get him a pair of their latest offering - MyPhones volume-limiting headphones.

The MyPhones headphones have a built-in voice limiting system to prevent the volume from going above a 85 decibel limit, thereby protecting children from hearing loss due to sudden, uncontrolled excessives in volume. They are designed with soft-rubber washable earpads that sit just over the ear, with an adjustable band for better comfort. The headphones have tuned 30mm drivers within a custom designed shell and connect to audio-out via a standard 3.5mm stereo mini plug with a 50" cable.

And oh, the bait - MyPhones can be customized with your child's choice of earcaps and carrying case, whose designs they can even share with their friends over the internet. Due to be released in October for $30.

Via ipodnn.

Battle of the e-book readers: Sony vs. Kindle

Sony's e-book readers are hanging in there, continuing to give Amazon's Kindle some competition. Sony has announced that it will market two new e-book readers at the end of this month, PC World reports.

One is a direct competitor, a touch-screen Sony reader with a 6-inch screen to sell for $299, the same price as the Kindle. Sony is calling the other one a pocket e-book reader. It's got a 5-inch screen and is bargain-priced at $199.

See also the recent New Yorker piece by Nicholson Baker about his Kindle experiences. Warts and all.

Cool and Unique watch by phosphorwatches

So your looking for a new cool LED watch, one that is both unique but subtle. Well take a look this way at a new watch by phosphorwatches.com. This unique and styleish time piece sports technology that is rare in watches and is sure to turn heads with its sleek look. Based on “E-Ink” the same type of technology used in Amazon Kindle and Sony ereader the display has a very book like font to it, unlike regular LCD watches that have an absolute streight edges.

An elegant curved watch case houses a distinctive digital display that fits comfortably on your wrist. The bright, high contrast E Ink electronic paper display insures readability day or night and allows you to select between differing watch dial modes to match whatever style fits your mood.

The Phosphor watch also has a contured case that wraps around your wrist to give a great fit and feel. If you are looking for a great Christmas gift this year thetechnologyblog.net highly recommends the Phosphor E Ink Digital Hour Clock Watch Stainless Steel

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Cool and Unique watch by phosphorwatches

Street Fighter IV Kicks Butt Diva Style

For all those gamer girls that have been kicking butt and taking names in Street Fighter IV Capcom has unveiled the "Femme Fatale" fightstick. Decked out in a pink and white casing with the standard arcade-style buttions, this fightstick is definitely a sight to behold. But this fightstick is more than eye candy featuring some of our favorite Street Fighter heroines, Rose, Sakura, Cammy, Crimson Viper, and of course Chun Li.

There is a catch however. The divalicious controller is a limited edition model with only a thousand being made with 650 being made for the Xbox 360 and 350 for the PlayStation 3. So if you're interested in owning one, you'll need to pony up that $159 before there sold out. The Femme Fatale is currenlty retailing at the Capcom Store and Gameshark.

Via Technabob

Rabbit Ear Chairs

I am not sure whether I am being influenced by my daughter’s obsession with bunnies here, but I really like the Rabbit Ear chair designed by the Sanaa Architects group and I sure wish they would make them kid-sized as well.

The Rabbit Ear Chair comes in six different colors and can be purchased from this site. The price varies from 30,000 yen (roughly $335,-) to 33,000 yen depending on the color.

This year the chairs were also displayed at the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion in London.

Via Hypebeast

Nokia E71x Smartphone

This recent update to the popular E71 rings in (pun intended) as the thinnest smartphone available. Featuring a slim, sleek, ergonomic design packed with advanced features, it's got beauty and brains all in one!

The E71x, exclusive to AT&T, is perfect for the busy executive, socialite, or about-towner that wants powerful e-mail, contact, calendar, and multimedia features with the utility of a full keyboard but without the bulk or less-than-sexy lines of most smartphones. It's the perfect non-BlackBerry.

The endless list of features includes: Symbian S60 3rd Edition FP2; 2.4" QVGA display with excellent readability / light sensor control; stellar battery life (13 days of standby and 5 hours of talk time); 3.2 MP still / video camera with flash; full media player functionality; Navi-key with kinda-creepy-but-ultimately-very-cool glowing status light that 'beats' like a heart; handles up to 8GB microSD cards giving you lots of storage capacity for music, photos, and video; also includes Wi-Fi, voice-guided GPS, Quickoffice for working on-the-go, and, of course, HSDPA and Java-enabled browser to make internet surfing zippy.

The E71x is a power executive hiding inside a little black dress, and it's price is hard to beat – just $99.99 with a two year contract on AT&T.

Touch Stick can help hygiene freaks step an inch away from germ threats

You've been giving that nasty little germ buggers a miss quite often, but always have the nagging feeling that they are all ready to creep over you each time you use the keypad at the ATM, or the elevator buttons. Well one thing's for sure - you are a certified hygiene paranoid. And there are companies that live by people like you - for sure the one that makes these little plastic keys called the Touch Sticks.

These keys have a special design - wide, flat round ends for pushing mechanical buttons such as those on ATM terminals, or gas stations. So that you can stay a safe distance from the little microbes. Just add a couple of them on your key chain before you leave home and the halo of protection walks out with you. But then again, what about the germs that get on to the Touch Stick itself while you are using it? Hah, never mind. Gotta be insane to spend $2.99 on this one.

Via The Red Ferret.

Digidude camera tripods are emotionally attached to the cameras they help hold up

Tripods never looked this funky, nor did they ever take the task of steading your camera so seriously. They are the Digidude portable camera tripods and you can't be blamed if you mistake them for cute looking keychains with big personality. Until you go about unscrewing the head of one of the little men, and find yourself staring at a small bit of screw jutting out of the torso. And then you realize that this dude can do magic for your camera.

The Digidudes, designed by the open-source community called Quirky, have retractable legs that can be stretched out for height-adjustment/grip. They are absolutely low-maintenance too - you can easily string one through your keychain or camera bag, and forget all about its existence until you need to use it. They can mount most point-and-shoot cameras, flipcams, and more. There are 5 dudes to choose from - Pinky Scorsese, Snot Buster, iChomp, BoltBot, and G-bling-Money-Son. Choose your man before they are all taken, as only a limited 250 of them will be made. And oh, polygamy is encouraged and allowed. At $19.99 a piece.

Via Core77.

Disposable Paper Laptop could turn out to be quite indispensable

Designer Je Sung Park is striving towards the idea of us careless masses being able to throw away our laptops if need be. And yet leave no harmless waste for the environment to deal with.

That maybe an overstatement, but we love that the idea of recyclable laptops is budding in such creative minds. Park's idea is that of a eco-friendly laptop that uses recycled paper or pulp for its external casing instead of metal or plastics. The laptop itself, he proposes, will be designed in "layers" so that you can easily throw away damaged portions without being accused of creating more e-waste. Sounds great, even if only on paper.

Via Yanko Design.

Polaroid PoGo is Notalgic Fun with a Twist

Call me old-fashioned, but there was something about those old school Polaroid cameras that really made me smile. The anticipation of waiting for the photo to develop coupled with the various methods people had to make the picture develop were priceless. Were you a picture waver, a blower, a combination of the two or did you have your own method? With the advent of digital cameras, we no longer have that kind of "stop and smell the roses" type of fun, or do we?

The folks over at Polaroid have found a way to bring that trademark Polaroid fun into the digital era. Their latest camera, the Polaroid PoGo Instant Digital Camera, lets users print their photos on the spot. The Pogo combines a digital camera with a digital printer, the first camera to do so. The camera is a five megapixel point and shoot model with 4X digital zoom. The camera comes with a 3-inch LCD screen to preview your images as well as crop and edit as necessary.

Scoring Karaoke sniffs out Sinatras in hiding

For all those who secretly think of themselves as rock stars in the making, but are unsure of voicing that thought out loud, maybe you should hold the secret in a bit longer. And consider getting an honest opinion on your singing skills from this silent judge - the Scoring Karaoke Game system.

This karaoke machine has a built-in pitch detector that determines whether your singing is in sync with the song that is being played out, and accordingly gives out a score for your benefit. The microphone communicates wirelessly with its control box, which plugs directly into your television with the included AV cable, freeing you from a typical microphone's cord that may constrict your movements. The system comes pre-loaded with 100 songs and you can download new songs by plugging the microphone into your computer using the included USB cable or using an SD card (not included).

That's not to say that great singing is only about pitching or sounding like another person, but you can make a start, nevertheless. And the best part? The secret is always between you and the microphone. Available from Hammacher Schlemmer for $199.95.

Via OhGizmo.

Stila Proves Makeup and Music are a Perfect Combination

Putting on makeup can be as simple or complicated as you make it. Whether your a gloss and go kind of woman or a makeup maven, one thing remains the same. There is nothing more annoying than having to search for your favorite cosmetics.

Stila has the solution to all your vanishing makeup problems. With their new makeup case, you can store all your highly guarded beauty secrets in one attractive case. There are plenty of compartments so everything from your falsies to your foundation brush will fit comfortably. And to make the morning makeup routine even more pleasurable, you can plug in your MP3 player and enjoy your favorite "I feel pretty" tunes through the built-in speakers while reciting your daily affirmations.

Kakuzai wooden memo block brings nature to your desk

Though popular "green" advice admonishes that you think of the tree you are helping to axe down whenever you waste paper, it is difficult to generate the required amount of guilt every time you feed a smooth, white sheet of paper into the shredder. Not to mention that the arboreal origins of that paper is perhaps the last thing that would cross your mind.

The Kakuzai memo block can be of great help under such circumstances as it is designed to make the tree-paper connection more perceptible, literally. The memo block resembles an actual block of wood, while each of the 1200 post-it notes that it dispenses looks like a section cut off from an actual tree. Writing on a sheet of paper that looks like grains of wood can be a bit unnerving, but well, the point is to be frugal with paper now, isn't it?

The Kakuzai memo block is priced at $29 for a block of 1200 notes.

Period Relief is a Pill Away

One day soon, period pain might be a thing of the past thanks to a new drug currently being tested. This possible boon to womankind is being tested and developed by Vantia Therapeutics. Designated VA111913, the pill, taken orally, could potentially take the place of current methods of alleviating menstrual cramps including aspirin.

According to recent trials, the pill levels out the muscle contractions that are the main cause of painful cramps. With Phase I testing deemed a success, Phase II of the testing will include "128 women aged between 18 and 25 in the UK and the US." The results of the testing should be ready for review sometime in 2010.

If testing is successful, the drug could be available in as little as four years. Until then, women the world over will have to grin and bear it and keep their fingers crossed.

Via Gizmag

Western Digital's Elite Passport

Western Digital has launched its newest external hard drive, the Passport Elite. The latest in the Passport series features and illuminated capacity gauge so users can easily vie how much storage space remains, There is also a drive lock indicator to let users know whether or not their precious data is secure. Another cool feature is the new dock. A grab and go number, users can place the Elite on the dock for fast and convenient synching and charging while using minimal disk space leaving room for all your other essential gadgets.

Available in 320 GB, 500 GB and 640 GB capacities, the slim Elite has a metallic finish that is available in red, blue and charcoal. In addition, the Passport Elite comes with the WD SmartWare software which provides continuous and automatic file backup whenever the drive is connected to the dock. There's also a customizable control center where micromanagers can run diagnostics, set up security features and toggle anything else their heart desires.

With a three year warranty the Passport is an affordable investment with the 320GB retailing for $119.99, and the 500 and 640GB going for $159.99 and $169.99 respectively.

Women had The Right Stuff to be early astronauts, but their timing was lousy

Who are these women? They're women who had hopes of being among the first US astronauts some 50 years ago. And we all know how that turned out.

It wasn't that they didn't have The Right Stuff. They passed all the psychological tests and took the same physical as the guys. And (are you surprised?) they often did better. But they were not among the Mercury astronauts, and in fact never really had a shot at being part of that illustrious team.

Henry Spencer, amateur space historian, wants you to know that what kept the women out of space was not the rampant sexism of the time. No, it was just that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) had decided to recruit only military test pilots for the program. And it just happened that all military test pilots were men. Because in those years, the US military didn't accept women into pilot training programs.

So it definitely wasn't sexism.

In fact, it was really the women's fault. They had no sense of timing.

For an update on how the women did on the tests, see here. There are also links to a new paper describing the process in more detail.

The 1995 NASA photo above shows some of the women who might have been among the original astronauts if only the times--or their pesky X chromosomes--had been different. They had gathered to watch Eileen Collins' launch as the first female pilot of a space shuttle mission. It only took a quarter-century. From left to right: Gene Nora Stumbough Jessen, Wally Funk, Jerrie Cobb, Jerri Sloan Truhill, Sarah Gorelick Ratley, Myrtle ("Kay") Cagle, and Bernice ("B") Steadman.

Manhole information-point

I have always had a fascination with urban furniture projects, especially as today’s fast and ever evolving technology allows for endless creativity. I am loving this manhole-redesign environmentally friendly manhole-redesign, that is powered by rainwater. Step on it and it will display information about the nearest subway station or bus stop.

Via Yanko Design

Philips releases SBA1700 uber-sleek portable speakers

Philips has unveiled its latest portable speakers for the Korean market - the SBA1700. And they are back with the disc-shaped profile, perhaps to please the purists. The speakers show-off an elegant silver finish and weigh a mere 0.3 kg - almost resembling a giant pocket watch, if only much sleeker. They are plug-and-play and connect to an audio source via a 3.5mm stereo connector with the promise of a 20-hour long playtime (3 AAA batteries, 1.5V). Then there is the trademark simplicity of design - the connector cable can be neatly hidden within the back-case when not in use and the speaker itself looped around your wrist like a vanity purse. The SBA1700 is rather dearly priced at around $60, but we bet it will be your every penny's worth.

Via AVING.

iNo Mobile simplifies the cellphone for kids and elderly

I do not know how I would react if my grandchild were to gift me a "for-elderly-only" gadget that would have nothing but the bare essentials, with the statement "The xxx device is the current rage Grandma, but I thought you needed one that's as simple to get around as ABC". One thing I know for certain - I would be saddened by my age being automatically assigned with a diminished learning ability. But for now, it gives me some hope to think that I am still several years away from that possibility and I resolve now to remain somewhat open to the idea, if ever. Sigh.

The iNo CP09 is another such GSM cellphone for kids and elderly that tears down the features to a minimum - a basic calculator-like screen with a large font display, large buttons, FM radio, torch light, headphone jack, and text messaging. And since both the categories of people are often imagined courting emergencies, there is an SOS button which when pressed sends a text alarm to a configured number and calls that number. Along with letting out a loud siren. Imagine the havoc a child could create with that. Whew.

The iNo Mobile is available exclusively in Singapore at $78.

Via Newlaunches.

Switch

I am always intrigued by new designs that aim at energy saving, which is probably why my attention was caught by Switch a power socket designed by Yong-jin Kim. Switch’s purpose is to help users save on their electricity bills that are often affected by the Stand-By power of many appliances and gadgets left plugged in. By making it very easy and effortless to disconnect any type of power-sucking device, the consumer’s “lazy” or “forgetful” behavior can therefore be modified. So, instead of bending down all the way to your power socket and unplug whatever is contributing to both a bad consumer and environmental behavior, you can now bend all the way down but simply turn the plug to turn it off.

And now I wonder, is Switch really making a difference?

I like its concept and sleek design but I am not convinced that it will influence a behavioral pattern for the better. Granted, its fancy style will make my power sockets look a lot nicer and my apartment a lot tidier than if I would have a bunch of unplugged cords lying around, but if I forget or am just too lazy to unplug my appliances I wonder how Switch will make it any easier for me to either remember or make it so effortless to unplug the incriminating device that I will actually go ahead and do it.

Via Yanko Design.

Don't throw away those tapes yet, Ion Tape Express can convert them to MP3

Though the technology revolution can be unforgiving, some kind folks are ever considerate. Because thankfully, they are working to satisfy the needs of those of us who are somewhat fazed by the speed at which we have been forced to adapt to latest "trends", but still cherish the memories connected with retro days and secretly wish we could have it all.

Well, as far as retrieving the music on your old cassette tapes goes, there is an option. Called the Ion Tape Express, it is simple and straight-forward. Put the cassette in, connect the device to your PC via the USB interface, and press "play". Voilà. The tunes are instantly converted to MP3 and can be taken into your iTunes library, your iPod or MP3 Player, burned onto CD, and virtually any other digital platform. And if you like to relive olden times, just listen to the music off the device which, by the way, also functions an ordinary walkman. You can power the device through USB, or with standard AA batteries. The Ion Tape Express is good to go with Mac, Windows XP and Vista operating systems and is available for pre-order at $82.

Via Retro To Go.

The RollTop laptop wraps up like a banner, sports a flexible OLED display

Some geeks are crazier than we imagine. Thanks to their craziness and some great OLED technology, we might soon have laptops that have gone the way of those charming papyrus scrolls of ancient times. Ah yes, if Orkin Design's Rolltop ever comes into our lives, even the zippiest laptops of today may become pieces of history that our children will learn from a trip to the museum.

Okay, that's easier said than done, but no harm in letting ourselves oggle and drool over this crazy German invention that looks (and functions) like a laptop/tablet, but rolls up like a hedgehog when you are done. The Rolltop is the concept for a laptop/tablet PC that has a flexible, multitouch OLED display that spreads out in a 17-inch screen when open, but rolls up into a 13-inch portable cylinder when closed. The stylus, power adapter and USB ports are all on a detachable stand while the other standard accompaniments such as the mouse, keyboard, webcam and power cable are integrated beautifully into the Rolltop itself. And the OLED display also means a much lower power consumption and an "outstanding" battery life.

Is that the most awesome design we've set our eyes on lately? Nah. That's an understatement.

Catch the Rolltop video after the break.

Via Gizmodo.

Dell Latitude Z 600 up on sale, quotes $1799 with online discount

Empty your coffers, live like a king. That's the bottom line we place on Dell's Latitude Z 600 flagship laptop, up for grabs now. And the reference made to royalty seems apt considering the strong punch that this temptress packs in - Core 2 Duo 1.4GHz SU9400 CPU, 2GB of RAM, 64GB SSD, Intel's GMA 4500MHD integrated graphics, 802.11a/g/n WiFi, optional WiMAX, optional mobile broadband connectivity, Bluetooth, an Ethernet LAN port, two USB ports, optional wireless USB, a 4-cell battery (rated for up to 4hrs runtime, there's an optional 8-cell pack that you can get to double it) and 8x slot-loading DVD burner.

Now take a deep breath and continue with the beauty's external stats. Being touted as the world's "thinnest and lightest 16-inch laptop", it weighs just 4.5 pounds and is a little over 1/2 inch thick. The Latitude Z 600 boasts a 1600 x 900 LCD display, and a 2MP web camera with face recognition and business card reading functionality. To me, the most alluring asset is perhaps its optional wireless inductive charging stand that allows you to eliminate cord clutter altogether. At an extra cost of $400, however. Speaking of which, the Dell Latitude Z 600 is selling at $1,799 after a $200 rebate, secure with a 3-year warranty.

Better let all your well-wishers know your inability to make any significant monetary contribution to their lives until your next lottery win. Or until you muster the guts to ignore this enchantress. Whatever's earlier.

Via SlashGear.

Pre-order the inPulse BlackBerry Bluetooth watch, wait until 2010 for shipping

The wait is longer than we imagined, and it is now official. Allerta is offering its limited, first-edition inPulse Bluetooth watch for the BlackBerry on pre-order, but you will have to hold on until February 2010 for the shipping to begin.

The watch sports a 1.3-inch color OLED display and functions as a virtual, display-only accessory for your BlackBerry while wirelessly communicating with it via a Bluetooth 2.0 connection. So that, based on the email, SMS, Twitter previews or call alerts you see on your wrist, you can choose to flip out your smartphone or not. The magic is made possible through a custom BlackBerry background application which runs on the watch to keep track of your received messages/calls and also provides the ability to customize the watch itself.

Powered by a 150mAh Li-Ion battery, the watch has a micro-USB jack for charging - with a single charge going approximately into 4 days while you get an average 20-30 updates per day. The inPulse has a built-in vibrating motor to alert you of incoming calls and boasts the ability to pull in new text messages directly. All the settings on the watch (time, alarms, alerts) are controlled through the BlackBerry itself, with the wireless connection also facilitating over-the-air firmware updates.

Part with $149 (shipping extra) and book your seat for some great wrist candy. And much more.

Via SlashGear.

Dotz cord organizers clear cable confusion with color and tact

We have all been there and suffered that - the asinine need to peer around devices, trying to identify and classify loops of anonymous cable so that we can get the required ones to perform. Along comes somebody who gives us this elegant solution with the cool mantra "The best ideas are always simple" and we cannot help but pinch ourselves for having forgotten. Ofcourse, the best ideas have to be simple and the Dotz Cord Identifiers are perfect proof. These colorful little plastic identifiers snap around your cables and carry a picture of the device that the cable belongs to. You can even reuse the same identifier with another device - just change the device icon within the case and you are ready to go. There are different categories of identifiers for your office, home, or even gaming needs. Is that brilliant or what.

Dotz also offers a couple of more solutions for cable organization, again pretty elegant and worth giving a try - the Cord Straps (set of 8 at $9.99) which help tie up cables in a neat bundle, and the Cord Wrap ($9.99 each) which can help hide all the unwanted lengths of cable within its case. The Cord Identifiers are available in sets of 10 at $9.99. Plus there are 24 ready-to-go punch out icons and 12 do-it-yourself punch out icons included with every kit.

Via The Gadgeteer.

Monster announces Miles Davis Tribute limited edition headphones

Lady Gaga move over, and collectors sit up once more - Monster has announced yet another limited edition "in-ear" headphones, this time as a tribute to legendary trumpeter Miles Davis.

Created in conjunction with Miles Davis Properties, LLC, the new headphones, called Miles Davis Tribute headphones, will bear the official name and signature of the musician himself. The headphones will sport a gold/brass finish directly inspired by the actual trumpet played by Miles Davis, with his silhouette and signature on the earpiece. There's more music for your ears - those who choose to afford the limited edition headphones will also be blessed with the official 50th anniversary boxed set of the artist's album Kind of Blue, featuring two music CDs, a DVD and a 24-page booklet. Plus, Monster offers a great one-time Limited Lifetime Replacement Guarantee on the Miles Davis headphones, meaning you break the headphones accidentally and Monster will replace them at no charge.

Pricing and availability is not yet known, but stock up on some hard cash if you are planning to be on the list.

Via Slippery Brick.

T-Mobile lets loose glamor with the Sony Ericsson Equinox

T-Mobile adds more allure to its 3G phones with this latest from Sony Ericsson - the Sony Ericsson Equinox (earlier named T707). Otherwise a basic flip-phone in functionality, the Equinox carries some eye-catching bling to push itself to the limelight amongst the other established clamshell models in the market. First is the stylish exterior - after you update your T-Mobile favorites list with your caller friends' circle, the shell lights up to indicate the identity of the caller in one of the five available colors. Say "amber" for good friend Joe and "amethyst" for avoidable Erica. I say, a thumbs-up for people with good memory, and more confusion for those without. Other than that, the external shell also contains an 128 x 36 OLED screen that functions only when you get an incoming call.

If you didn't fall for that, here's the next - the phone flaunts a scratch-resistant 2.2-inch QVGA inner screen, a 3.2MP camera, stereo Bluetooth connectivity, GPS for navigation, and an FM radio. It uses motion sensing for some gesture control - to silence a call or an alarm without opening the device. The phone also supports picture messaging and the provision to directly upload videos to YouTube. Poser or not you decide, but don't say we didn't warn you. The Equinox is due to go on sale today (October 28th) in T-Mobile stores. The price is pegged at $50 with a 2-year contract agreement.

Via UnwiredView.

JVC’S new pocket camera, the PICSIO GC-FM1

About a week ago JVC launched its first pocket flash memory camera, the PICSIO GC-FM1. The PICSIO is cellphone-sized and comes in three funky colors, Blue Steel, Purple Passion and Black Ice. It’s small and portable and able to capture high quality stills and movies. The funky camera can shoot true eight-megapixel stills and 1080p Full HD video and thanks to its image stabilization that minimizes camera shake, your videos will maintain a good quality even when the 4X digital zoom is used. The recorded videos, stored on SD/SDHC memory cards , are saved as .MOV files and can therefore easily be shared without the need of any conversion.

PICSIO controls are easy and intuitive and the camera’s main functions can be selected using the dedicated buttons therefore avoiding to scroll through long menus. The camera charges via USB connection.

The PICSIO is available for $199.95, included in the price are a USB cable, an AV cable, hand strap and PC software loaded into the camera’s internal memory.

Play Your Child a Lullaby with Lullabelly

It's been proven that babies do hear and respond to noises in the womb and do enjoy an nice tune every now and then. For those parents that want to provide your child with some soothing tunes while still in the womb, the Lullabelly iPod speaker belt is just for you.

The Prenatal Music Belt wraps comfortably around pregnant bellies and has a front pocket to store your mp3 player or other accessories. Simply plug your player into the Lullabelly into the built in speaker and let the concert begin. You can play soothing sounds or read your unborn child a story via an audio book. There's also a dual adapter included in the deluxe edition so mommy and baby can both listen as well as a speaker volume control so you can protect baby's sensitive ears.According to the site, the highest decibel Lullabelly can reach is the equivalent of a telephone ringing.

Massage Chair Makes You Feel Like a "Pure Lady"

There are times when a girl just needs a good massage, but who wants to pay all that money? And better yet who has the time to rush of to some fancy spa? No worries, comfort comes from the land of the rising sun.

The Pure Lady Message Chair is a portable number that will melt all your troubles away with its soothing massaging air bags that delivers accupressure to all your sore spots. Made of synthetic leather, the chair massages feet, calves, butt, waist and back while you sit and wonder what you ever did without this chair. The waist and back message are said to mimic the motions of a Shiatsu massage.

When you've been massaged back into good spirits, you simply fold it up into a neat little box. There's a handle and wheels on the bottoms so your can roll it to somewhere inconspicuous without any hassle. Or you can use it as a nifty stool where you can kick back and smell the roses.

Available in red and white or plain white, there's no word on pricing or if this product will come stateside, but there are millions of aching backs and feet that are hoping they can order this product soon.

Via Born Rich

XShot iPhone case packs in a tripod adapter around your iPhone

Here's an iPhone case that does a teeny bit more than just snuggle around your iPhone. The XShot iPhone case (3G and 3GS) wraps around your phone to protect and exposes a 1/4? thread tripod mount to snap a few pictures, all at once. Though the case has been designed for the XShot tripods, it works with any other tripod or monopod as well. Your iPhone itself will be safely nestled within the chrome plastic case while you are shooting.

Though it maybe a bit frustrating to use your iPhone at other times with the case on as the adapter juts out rather uncomfortably, you need to use this accessory primarily as a tripod adapter for your phone. The XShot iPhone case starts shipping in November, but if you pre-order now, you get $10 off on the sale price of $29.95.

Via The Red Ferret.

Bang & Olufsen puts the spotlight back on landlines with the BeoCom 5

While most of us are obsessed with our shiny smartphones and limited edition luxury cellphones, the landlines have silently borne the negligence. Yeah, remember that very first, "real" communication device which most of us thought we could never get enough of? And yet gave the boot as soon as we laid hands on the cellphone?

So the landline has decided to come back with a bang - oops - Bang & Olufsen's Beocom 5. And it carries the trademark
Bang & Olufsen oomph - great looks and superior audio quality that comes from the same audio technology used in their loudspeakers. The Beocom 5 can hold upto 400 contacts and allows for user-specific customization of display. It also offers a unique feature - the ability to rig up two separate phone lines with the same handset, say one personal line and another for work. The speaker sports a sleek aluminium finish and can handle group conferencing, perhaps when you suddenly feel the urge to connect to lost friends/family. Availability and pricing are still under the wraps, but you know better than to expect budget from B&O.

Via Engadget.