Techie Diva » Misc

Audi and Futuremark team up

BabyReaps — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 02:03:58 +0000

Both Audi and Futuremark have pitted their brains together, coming up with a unique dashboard system that the world has never seen before. The latter is a graphics company based in California, and they were contracted by Audi to develop and produce and actively changing in dash GPS and HUD system which will definitely make driving much more pleasurable (assuming you’re in a cool ride, of course). The final product is completely customizable depending on your current needs at the time, allowing you to keep it as complex as you like it or as simple as possible. Heck, you can even choose the color scheme which is way better than being stuck with a color that you don’t like due to an oversight. There is no official release yet, but Audi has plans to implement this system into their lineup once testing has proved successful, first in their SUV line followed by regular cars.

Source: American Inventor Spot

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In-car Microwave

BabyReaps — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 01:49:13 +0000

There is nothing quite like having a nice, steaming hot meal right in front of you when you’re tired after a long day’s work. Think about those people who have to drive great distances in their line of work, transporting goods and keeping various industries’ logistics well-oiled. Those folk deserve a hot meal as well, but where is one going to get this in the middle of nowhere? This is where the In-Car microwave from Maplin comes in - it is a portable microwave oven that is connected to the vehicle’s cigarette lighter adapter, allowing you to heat up just whatever meal (and drink) you have with you at the moment to bring you back to the cozy confines of home - at least for a while. At $180 a pop, this isn’t too much to ask for something so useful IMHO, although some people might beg to differ.

Product Page via Slippery Brick

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RC Ducati bike is realistic

BabyReaps — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 02:02:56 +0000

Remote controlled toys are always fun to drive, at least until the battery runs out. With the RC Ducati bike, most people will notice something very different about it - there is an integrated gyro that enables the bike to be steered by the leaning motion of the tiny plastic rider, making the entire thing much more realistic. Of course, at the speed it moves around, chances are those with a lesser eye for detail won’t be able to notice the leaning driver, but that’s not the point. The entire bike is a 1:12 scale of a licensed Ducati machine, featuring digital proportional steering, spring suspensions and a braking response. You can pick this up for $95, and it is accompanied by a remote that’s available in a couple of different frequencies.

Product Page via OhGizmo!

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iRobot Negotiator

Cat — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 20:15:48 +0000

More affordable for local police and fire departments, the iRobot Corp. has introduced a small robot for these professionals to use in specific circumstances. The iRobot Negotiator is designed with the ability to climb stairs and detect chemicals according to specifications given. The PackBot 510 has been used, but as an unmanned ground robot, it is larger and more complex than the iRobot version.

These robots offer life-saving alternatives for cities to use and with iRobot making them lighter, less complex, and easier to afford, I have a feeling they will be used more. Local agencies will be able to look into using these and iRobot Corp. is making these available by the end of 2008. The company is known for their behavior-based robots that incorporate navigation, mobility, manipulation, and artifical intelligence.

I have seen a few of these robots at work (the home gutter cleaner is my favorite) and they do a fine job. Visit the main site for more information.

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Serviced Lamborghini irks earth loving folks

BabyReaps — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 10:42:07 +0000

Since we’re on the topic of going green at this point in time, how about pointing out the excesses of the world’s super rich? First of all, you’ve got to be someone in society in order to afford a Lamborghini, but flaunting that wealth while causing a huge carbon crater in the earth? Trust a sheik from an oil-rich country to do just that. This guy has actually decided to fly in his Lamborghini all the way to the UK in a round trip (that’s roughly 6,500 miles and $39,000 in freight charges) so that his exotic beast is serviced at the Lamborghini center for $7,030.47. I wonder just how many more holes were opened up in the ozone during this trip, no thanks to this person’s lack of sense (and not cents).

Source: Wired

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How to WiiJ

techiediva — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 08:50:08 +0000

Martin Archer uses the Wiimote to DJ and shows you how to do it. Pretty cool!

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Handheld GPS from Garmin

Cat — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:06:33 +0000

There are so many choices when it comes to a GPS system but one name you will hear often is Garmin, and they don’t disappoint with the new handheld Garmin Colorado 400t. With an easy to use click-wheel navigation system so you can flip through menu options and set waypoints like a pro, you will figure the use of this out pretty quick and be on your way. 3-D view is available so that you can see vertical grades on your route. I am thinking they were after the active group of people that likes to tie the GPS to a caribineer (it comes with one!) and set out on hikes, ski tours, kayak trips, or river fishing excursions.

Garmin also states the following about the handheld:

“With Colorado 400t you can share your waypoints, tracks, routes and geocaches wirelessly with other Colorado users. Now you can send your favorite hike to your buddy to enjoy or the location of a cache to find. Sharing data is easy. Just select “send” to transfer your information to other Colorado units.”

I’m sure it’s perfectly usable on the road, but with a handheld GPS why limit yourself to just one way of travel? Comes with preloaded topo maps of frequent spots and works with a Mac but not with the included trip and waypoint software, you have to get online for compatibility, unfortunately. But, that won’t slow me down, as I’m not a Mac user. Comes in at a sweet $640 so plan those trips and don’t worry about getting lost!

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Bamboo Tablet Makes It Personal

Cat — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:32:37 +0000

Wacom’s Bamboo Pen Tablet uses handwriting recognition with your Vista OS (and OS X) to give you a quick and fun way to create. Using the pen, you can use simple taps and touches to utilize the handwriting features, write directly on digital documents, draw pictures or graphs, and even create your personal signature for Emails or notes. The tablet supports widescreen displays and has 512 levels of pressure sensitivity on the pen and eraser. A textured surface makes you feel like you are writing on paper, for a more natural feeling as you scribble.

Using Mac Inkwell or Microsft Windows Vista, with Office 2007, you can handwrite your Emails and quickly go back to navigating your desktop. Set up your shortcuts and use the four Express Keys for scrolling and zooming in on documents as you work. There is also a Touch Ring on the tablet that you can use with your fingers, if you do not want to only work with the pen. High resolution and 21 sq. inches of workspace gives you plenty of movement for even the most important projects.

Read user reviews of the product on the site, too.

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Zak Nudevest

BabyReaps — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:49:50 +0000

Now this is definitely a hoot - the traditional, bright orange lifejacket has just taken a new twist, catering for nudists who love their watersports. It comes in a full transparent material, ensuring whatever dangling bits that you have are not concealed. Known as the Zak Nudevest, you not only maintain your buoyancy but will be able to revel in full commando glory. Of course, there are average folks who won’t mind wearing their swimsuit underneath, but then again that would defeat the purpose of getting the Zak Nudevest in the first place, right? I think the $15 lifejacket should not be used on an official basis since the bright orange color is there for a reason - to allow emergency personnel to locate you easily in the event of a disaster.

Source: Gizmodo

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Toyota Prius goes solar

BabyReaps — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 07:55:57 +0000

I guess that it makes perfect sense for Toyota’s Prius to take the first step when it comes to the next level of evolution where green vehicles are concerned - this time round, the Japanese automaker has decided to throw in solar panels into the third generation Prius, with the first of such models rolling out from next year onwards. This redesigned Prius will feature solar panels on the roof, and the energy obtained through this method will be used to power the air-conditioning system that could potentially sip up to 5kw of juice. The panels are procured from Kyocera, and it remains to be seen just how much more of a premium you must fork out for the new Prius.

Source: Crunchgear

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