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Curious Displays from Julia Tsao on Vimeo.

Okay, I usually like to have a still shot of what I’m reporting, but could only find this video. However, a picture wouldn’t say a thousand words on this, and this video speaks volumes.

These are the pixel-bots, which remind me of that supposedly top secret MIT project with the swarming robots that I reported on a while ago. Granted, the individual units here don’t exactly fly, but the designers create what is clearly the next best thing. I’m certain that these Pixel-bots are just as conceptual as that MIT one, but since they made this cool video, you might as well watch it.

As you can see, the group of ants come in from somewhere and gather together on the wall to form a screen. I think it is fitting that the screen is showing Finding Nemo, which depicts a school of fish working together to form shapes, just like the Pixel-bots.

What really makes it weird is how the Pixel-bots branch off to give reminders of who to call, what meetings to attend, and even where the lost keys are. You’ll notice how the screen goes off like puzzle pieces with each task. Then they show the screen splitting into two smaller screens. Um, if it can split into smaller screens, why doesn’t the screen just become smaller when it branches off?

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I realize that most of you cannot stand it when someone’s cell phone rings during the theater, but imagine watching a film that was dependent on having a cell phone call from an audience member during the film.

This is the technology from Last Call from 13th Street, an interactive horror film. Sometime, during the movie, an audience member’s cellular phone will ring, and it is up to this audience member to give the character on screen directions.

You can watch a video after the jump to see how the startled damsel in distress from Last Call tries to escape from the mad slasher. Yes, she actually calls an audience member during the film, and his or her voice commands tell her to go left or right, up or down, and so on.

The technology of vocal recognition is limited, but it is enough to apparently change the plot of the movie (think Choose Your Own Adventure book). Of course, in order to get this to work, each member of the audience must send 13th Street their mobile number. However, this is all taken care of with flyers given to the audience members with instructions that are carried out before the previews show.

Of course, what if the movie calls, and no one picks up. Does that mean the movie takes an even darker direction as no one will help the poor main character? By the way, this photo is from When a Stranger Calls, something that will probably need to be remade again with this new technology.

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If you like to keep track of your travels, this small device is the way to do it.  It’s small enough to keep in your pocket and it will keep track of your journey, wherever you end up.  Then you can upload the information to your computer and have the information to cherish for all time.  It’d be great for parents sending their children off to travel in foreign countries.

It has 64MB of internal memory and can hold up to 260,000 waypoints.  You can set it to record points between one second and 59 minutes.  It has a durable water-resistant frame that’ll allow it to survive in different environments.  When you charge the small gadget for 2 hours it’ll give you 30 hours of use at one-second intervals.  After you’ve tracked all of those points you can upload the information to Google Earth.  You can purchase the GPS Travelogue for $149.95 through Hammacher.

Source: Ubergizmo Check out the Coolest Gadgets 2008 Gift Guides, Christmas shopping made easy.
[ GPS Travelogue for world travelers copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

For some reason strange mishaps tend to happen around me.  I stumble over invisible objects and usually if someone is casually tossing anything, it will definitely come in contact with my head when I’m not looking.  Which means I’m also one of those people that collides with others as I round the corners of buildings.  Thankfully, it actually appears that I’m not the only one.  Especially since someone designed a gadget that is made to alert people of someone else’s presence before they collide.

It does this by lighting up and beeping on the other side of the corner as you’re going around it.  Then if you hear the beep you can slow down or somehow attempt to avert running into a complete stranger.  Unfortunately, it’s a concept design.  Plus, it’s unlikely that cities will spend the amount of cash it would take to get these installed on every single corner.

Source: OhGizmo
Check out the Coolest Gadgets 2008 Gift Guides, Christmas shopping made easy.
[ Corner’s Communication prevents collisions with strangers copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

If you don’t have enough remotes to lose as it is, now you can have a kit that’ll give you one more.  Sure, it’ll be helpful so long as you can manage to keep track of the remote.  Otherwise you’ll just have more spots to walk to and push buttons to turn everything off.  Since there are a lot of apartments that lack overhead lighting, this is a quick solution so that you don’t have to go around the room turning off various lamps.

The kit comes with a total of 3 outlets that will accommodate one gadget a piece.  The down side is that they look like they could eat up your outlet space.  On the up side though, it’ll simplify turning off and on electronics.  On the remote you can choose which of the specific outlets to flip off or on.  You can purchase the 3-Pack Wireless Remote Control Outlet Switch for $19.96 through Amazon.

Source: GadgetGrid Check out the Coolest Gadgets 2008 Gift Guides, Christmas shopping made easy.
[ Wireless Remote Controlled Outlet copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Western Digital is back with a new My Passport AV portable media drive, where this model was built specially for video storage and playback, capable of delivering a plug-and-play experience for digital media enthusiasts. It will come in just one size so that you won’t need to worry about choosing between various capacities? After all, it isn’t exactly terribly expensive with 320GB of storage space compared to a few years ago, as the Western Digital My Passport AV portable media drive will retail for a mere $104.99 which makes it highly affordable. More details on this highly versatile portable media drive right after the jump.

After all, there is a fast growing number of game consoles, camcorders, TVs, DVRs, Blu-ray players and media players (which includes the WD TV Media Player family, of course) that enables consumers to hook up a USB drive and play the multimedia content straight from the drive on an HD TV without the need to go through the traditional computer middleman. Meant to meet the requirements of this demanding video streaming environment, the My Passport AV portable media drive is capable of delivering the formatting and low-power consumption which assures out-of-the-box compatibility with many leading CE (consumer electronics) devices.

Western Digital has brainstormed with other companies, making their My Passport AV portable media drive to operate seamlessly with the Direct Copy feature offered in Sony’s new Handycam video recorders. The Direct Copy function allows Handycam users to offload and archive HD video straight onto a My Passport AV portable media drive without the need for a computer, where it will free up more space to shoot more HD videos when their Handycam hard drive becomes filled to the brim. All your stored videos can be viewed simply by connecting the My Passport AV portable media drive, and its small footprint makes it a snap to be integrated into any home entertainment ecosystem easily.

Press Release
Coolest Gadgets UK – For all your UK centric tech and gadget news.
[ Western Digital My Passport AV portable media drive copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

GPS is fast catching on, and there are many devices these days that sport GPS navigation support. The GPS Travelogue is yet another one of those, where it will rely on GPS technology to track and record everywhere you travel, letting you upload your journey to online mapping applications such as Google Earth later on. All locations are stored in real time thanks to its integrated 64MB of flash memory at intervals which are pre-determined by you – they range between one second and 59 minutes, and has enough memory to hold up to 260,000 waypoints including altitude, speed, time, and distance. Tiny enough to fit into your palm, the GPS Travelogue is compatible with Windows 7, XP or Vista operating systems. A two-hour charge can offer enough juice for the entire day, and then some. The GPS Travelogue will retail for $149.95 from Hammacher. Introducing Foolish Gadgets because not all gadgets are cool
[ GPS Travelogue copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

While Blu-ray players are picking up in terms of popularity and gaining acceptance worldwide, DVDs are still extremely popular. The Boombox Freeview DVD Projector caters for your massive collection of DVDs even if there is no TV around – after all, the built-in projector works just great, projecting a screen size of up to 75″ in size. This swivelling LED-powered projector also comes with an integrated DVB-T tuner just in case you want to catch up on your regular TV shows wherever you go. Other features include CD playback, an integrated FM radio, audio input and integrated speakers. The Boombox Freeview DVD Projector is currently going for £329.99. Check out the Coolest Gadgets 2008 Gift Guides, Christmas shopping made easy.
[ Boombox Freeview DVD Projector copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Looks like Sony has finally ceded to the fact that having proper motion controls in their home console is definitely a step forward, instead of having a half-baked one on their original SixAxis. Well, the PS3 finally seems to be taking off in a big way worldwide so many years after the console was originally released, which is a good thing since more competition among Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony would see consumers win out in the end. But I digress – the Sony PlayStation Move motion controller has just been slated for a fall release worldwide later this year, where it will also be released with the PlayStation Move sub-controller that can be used along with the motion controller for intuitive navigation of in-game characters and objects. The entire PlayStation Move platform will comprise of the motion controller, sub-controller, and PlayStation Eye camera. Hmmm, it does look as though gaming has gotten a whole lot more expensive with so many peripherals to purchase and set up before you get your game on – maybe Nintendo’s approach with the Wii is so much simpler and better for some?

The PlayStation Move system will combine the PS3 system and PlayStation Eye camera to detect precise movement, angle, and absolute position in 3D space of PlayStation Move motion controller. This in turn enables users to intuitively play the game as if they themselves are within the game. Capable of delivering unmatched accuracy via its advanced motion sensors which comprises of a three-axis gyroscope, a three-axis accelerometer, and a terrestrial magnetic field sensor, you will also find a color-changing sphere which is tracked by PlayStation Eye camera. Bfast and subtle motion can be detected, so it doesn’t matter whether you are swinging a tennis racket, or painting with a brush. Direct input can be done via action buttons and an analog trigger, and the PlayStation Eye camera is capable of capturing the player’s voice or image, enabling augmented reality experiences. Would this development drive you to the arms of a PS3?

Press Release
Cool Gift Idea: Digital Picture Frames, check out our reviews.
[ Sony PlayStation Move motion controller announced copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

I have a daughter, who is interested in all things pink and cute. She’s seven years old and lives in a My Little Pony, Care Bear, and Littlest Pet Shop world, and so this Barbie B-Smart laptop is just for her.

The B-Smart Laptop isn’t an actual laptop, but to a little girl though, it’s probably better than a MacBook. The toy opens up automatically at the touch of a button, and Barbie’s face welcomes the young user with a Miss America smile. The screen is an LCD backlit, but its monochromatic and very, very pixelated.

I had a devil of a time getting the B-Smart laptop out of the box, and wouldn’t give it to my daughter until I took the fifteen minutes required for the task. After that, my daughter could select from a number of activities, including some in Spanish.

The B-Smart comes with a mouse. The mouse connects with a thick phone cable rather than USB. As for expansion cards, it has them, and they look like credit cards. These cards have more activities and games. Controls for these games/activities can be done through the mouse, QWERTY keyboard, or the touchpad. My daughter has options as she learns about vocabulary, typing skills, grammar, and whatever else Barbie is into.

The Barbie B-Smart laptop comes with at least one expansion card, earbuds for the earphone jack (a blessing for parents), mousepad, some jewel stickers, and 3 AA batteries, which are included. It is available on the Oregon Scientific site for $54.99.

• 
  Seven45 Studios unveil SixString guitar controller
• 
  Canon REALiS SX7 Mark II Multimedia LCOS Projector
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  Samsung unveils R1 and R0 portable media players
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  The Water-Scraper: I would live on it without a huge eco-disaster
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  ExiTool: For those who fear being snagged by the seatbelt
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  Waterpebble tracks water used
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  BreathKey Breathalyzer
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  Marvel Coloud Headphones

Rock Band and Guitar Hero are great rhythm-based games, no doubt about that, but how about upping the ante when it comes to realism? Seven45 Studios has released its guitar gaming controller that boasts half a dozen strings, functioning not only as a regular gaming controller for their Power Gig: Rise of the SixString title, but it also doubles up as an actual electric guitar which can be plugged into an amp. Both the game and guitar will be sold together, where experienced guitarists can go for the option of chording, which in turn is a whole lot more challenging and requires specific finger placement on the strings. Both the Xbox 360 and PS3 platforms will be able to enjoy the game. No idea on pricing yet, but expect a launch later this fall.

Source: Electronista
Coolest Gadgets UK – For all your UK centric tech and gadget news.
[ Seven45 Studios unveil SixString guitar controller copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

For those of you who are recuperating in a wheelchair to get about, how about adding some zest to your ordinary adventures with the wUnderglow Wheelchair Light? After all, it not only enhances night-time visibility but provides a fun “underglow” effect similar to those colored light tubes as found on the underside of some rice rockets. A white micro-light is there to light your way, while multi-colored strobing micro-lights make room for added visibility and an “underglow”. A 360-degree rotatable clip allows you to point light in any direction, and batteries are easily replaced. A single wUnderglow Wheelchair Light kit will cost $25.
Cool Gift Idea: Digital Picture Frames, check out our reviews.
[ wUnderglow Wheelchair Light copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Canon has come up with a brand new REALiS SX7 Mark II Multimedia LCOS projector for the masses, where it will merge the award-winning features of REALiS projectors alongside a rather impressive 4,000 lumens of brightness as well as a Photo Image Mode that will assist users with advanced color management and adjustments for ambient lighting conditions. Under the Photo Image Mode, users will be able to make changes as well as improve the look and feel of the content being projected. This would mean changing the Color Level and Color Temperature functions, alongside the capability of fine-tuning both the intensity of colors and the color temperature by selecting from easy-to-use presets. Not only that, the Photo Image Mode will also include an Ambient Light function which can then be used to compensate for lighting conditions for both the type of lighting (Tungsten, Fluorescent and Fluorescent H) and intensity (Low, Medium or High). You can also pick the ambient light function if you happen to display content and cannot control the lighting conditions.

The REALiS SX7 Mark II Multimedia LCOS Projector sports an advanced LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) technology that when coupled with Canon’s patented, proprietary AISYS (Aspectual Illumination System) Optical Engine, packs quite a visual punch for your audience. Working in tandem with other high quality specifications including SXGA+ (1,400 x 1,050) native resolution and the aforementioned 4,000 lumens of brightness, you will be able to deliver extraordinary detailed, lattice-free motion and still images to the masses, making it ideal for situations such as classrooms, meeting/board rooms, photo studios and seminars/conferences.

Apart from all that was mentioned, the Canon REALiS SX7 Mark II Multimedia LCOS Projector also supports Adobe RGB and sRGB color spaces. Both of these color spaces are extremely important to professionals demanding precise color-matching in the following fields of work, and will also feature a genuine Canon 1.7x Powered Zoom/Focus Lens for ease of projector placement, DVI-I Terminal availability for a true digital connection for high quality images and video, Off & Go system that allows the projector to be unplugged as soon as it is tuned off. Expect to fork out $6,999 for the REALiS SX7 Mark II Multimedia Projector when it arrives in early April.

Press Release
Introducing Foolish Gadgets because not all gadgets are cool
[ Canon REALiS SX7 Mark II Multimedia LCOS Projector copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Samsung does not only make computers, LCD and plasma TVs, home theater systems, and a slew of other consumer electronics, they are also pretty adept at the MP3 player market as well, with the R1 and R0 being the latest of such devices to arrive. These two models are touted to offer high quality multimedia content while optimizing such files for memory space. The R1 is no larger than a credit card, and yet has enough processing firepower to play a host of video content without the need for any conversion, while the R0 will deliver an excellent audio and video experience without breaking the bank. Both models are currently on public display at the Samsung Experience which is located at The Time Warner Center in New York City since March 9, 2010.

The R1 will come in black and silver colors, where one will be able to enjoy a responsive, clear 2.4″ TFT LCD touchscreen display with a “drag and drop” feature which makes it a snap to enjoy both audio and video files as well as libraries with but a single swipe of the finger. To make sure that you are entertained in a variety of ways, the R1 boasts video, music and photo playback for up to 50 hours where audio is concerned and four hours for video. Other specifications include an FM Radio and Recorder alongside voice recording capability, where you can pair it up to a Bluetooth-enabled headset if the need arises.

As for the compact R0, this model sports a bright 2.6″ LCD display, and tactile keys are the method of choice for navigation purposes. It comes in black, silver and pink colors, and has up to six hours of battery life for video and 30 hours for audio. A microSD memory card slot is also there to further augment its storage capability. Samsung’s R1 will come in 8GB and 16GB capacities, where they will retail for $149.99 and $179.99, respectively, as it hits the market come this April. As for the R0, it will also come in similar capacities, with the 8GB model being cheaper at $99.99 while the 16GB model is going for $129.99, and both of them will also make it to the market next month.

Press Release
Coolest Gadgets UK – For all your UK centric tech and gadget news.
[ Samsung unveils R1 and R0 portable media players copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

In case you don’t want to live in this Gyre Floating city, you might want to live in this building here, which has been known as “waterscraper” or “seascraper”. I believe that the formal name is the hO2+ scraper.

It is an attempt at making a skyscraper underwater, but I think we can emphasize the word “scrape”. After all, those weird tentacles that come out of this structure look like they are “scraping” the water. From what I have read, it sounds like these tentacle things are there to harness the power of wave energy as well as balancing out the structure itself.

Not only does it have a self-contained energy source, but this structure could probably get food from fish and gardens. In short, I could live here, and that whole Waterworld scenerio wouldn’t have to happen. And if it did, then my home would slowly float up, and I probably would not notice if the ice caps melted slowly enough.

This Water-Scraper is the recipient of a Special Mention from the 2010 Skyscraper Competition from eVolo. If nothing else, then I think the creator of this deserves the Grand Prize, and some company who is willing to build this superstructure. I don’t know when we would possibly see this in real life, but I’m thinking sometime way in the future, hopefully not out of necessity.

Source

I have a mother that cannot stand watching films where the main characters drive into water. I think she has an irrational fear of drowning in a car, and films that show characters caught in their seatbelt don’t help. In all honesty, I have no idea if a car’s seat belt will malfunction like that if it hits the water, but if you have this same fear as my Mom, you might want to get the ExiTool.

The ExiTool is what its mixed name implies, a tool that gives you an exit. It is designed to affix permanently to the seat belt strap itself, and be there when it is needed. I am assuming that needed is the day when your seat belt jams when you don’t want it to. You have a device with a blade that will allow you to cut yourself out, and you can make your escape.

As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve not certain if a seat belt will malfunction in water. I thought the whole point of a seatbelt is to keep us safe. You know, “seat belts save lives”. This was drilled into me during Driver’s Education. I remember one film that showed a cop or medical guy (I don’t remember) say “I never pulled a dead body out of a seat belt”.

But hey, it might be just that little bit of precaution that you need or want for just $27. It also has an LED light as well.

Source
Check out the Coolest Gadgets 2008 Gift Guides, Christmas shopping made easy.
[ ExiTool: For those who fear being snagged by the seatbelt copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

I’m one of the many who’s a bit notorious for just letting too much water go down the drain.  It’s not that I mean to, it’s just when I’m half awake in the morning, I’m not that worried about water consumption.  If you’re not ready for a device that just shuts off the water when you’ve used too much, then this Waterpebble is a nice happy medium.  Instead it goes for a subtle approach.

It has 3 different shades of lights, one is green, then there is red and yellow.  You can pretty much guess which colors mean what.  The red means you need to get your tail out of the shower, the yellow means you should speed things up a bit and the green means you’re in the clear.  It sits right next to your drain and just keeps track of how much water goes down it.  Right now this is a concept design by Paul Priestman.

Source: CraziestGadgets
Check out the Coolest Gadgets 2008 Gift Guides, Christmas shopping made easy.
[ Waterpebble tracks water used copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Instead of winging it every single time you go out drinking, now you can know for sure whether or not you’re safe to drive.  This tiny gadget will accurately test your blood alcohol level, so you always know exactly where you stand.  It’s only the size of a keychain, so it’d be easy to carry it around with you.  It also would be a great gadget to have around if you’re constantly throwing parties and are worried about the people you send out onto the road.

The accuracy has been certified by the FDA to be +/- 0.010% blood alcohol content.  The lifetime battery will last for many years even if you use it daily.  It is said to be the world’s smallest and lightest alcohol tester out there.  It actually weighs less than an ounce, so it won’t weigh your pockets down too much.  This made in the USA product can be purchased for $69.95.  You just have to pick it up from Amazon.

Source: GadgetGrid
Coolest Gadgets UK – For all your UK centric tech and gadget news.
[ BreathKey Breathalyzer copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

If you have a thing for Marvel branded accessories, then you’re bound to find at least one of these sets of headphones appealing.  Between the five different themes that these headphones feature, you’ll probably be able to find a design or favorite character that suits you.  Especially since they feature everything from the retro look to the more up to date look.

These come in Wolverine, Iron Man, Hulk, Punisher and Retro X-Men.  There isn’t a ton of information on these headphones, but the basic gist of it is that it plugs into your MP3 player just like every other set of headphones would.  As to the sound quality, that’s unknown.  They shouldn’t be too bad though for the average listener.  Plus, they aren’t too badly priced.  You can purchase each one of these for $39.99.  They’ll be out this April, but you can go ahead and pre-order them now.

Source: NerdApproved
Cool Gift Idea: Digital Picture Frames, check out our reviews.
[ Marvel Coloud Headphones copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]