Lumi Mask Sleep Goggles

Some of you might remember when we covered theSleeptracker Elite Pro watch, a watch with an alarm that works by waking the user up at an optimal time.

This reminds me of this Lumi Mask, and it is designed to wake up someone by projecting “natural” light on the face. It begins 30 minutes prior to the wake-up time, so that wake-up time is a whole lot easier.

Just think of it as one of those days where you can sleep without the burden of an alarm clock, and you wake up as the sun beams into your room.

Unfortunately, you can’t seem to purchase this right now, and I believe that this is concept work for right now. I suppose that the science of this sleep and wake-up technology is valid, but I have to admit that I’m not certain whether or not it really works. Maybe I’ve just got used to the sleep patterns that I have had.

This project is on Kickstarter, and Taylor Franklin Hide is asking for $1 minimum investments to get this thing going. It apparently takes about $10,000 to get this thing started, and he’s got about half of this already. We will see if this one makes it to the usual commercial retailers.

Samsung NX11 being prepped for release

Samsung is certainly making some headway when it comes to the world of digital cameras, and the NX11 is no exception. After all, the Samsung NX11 holds one of a feature set that is not too different from Samsung’s first mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, the NX10, and to add to its advantage, it is compatible with the new i-Function lens which was rolled out to go along with the NX100, also from Samsung. As for the NX11, this puppy will come complete with an 18-55mm i-Function lens, alongside a couple of new i-Function lenses, a 20mm pancake and a 20-50mm zoom silver color lens. Now that’s a pretty strong lineup of lenses for a digital camera that is not from the DSLR stable, which is quite impressive to say the least.

Just what does the i-Function lens offer? It will deliver the perfect picture at the fingertips of all photographers by offering an exceptionally easy method of controlling the camera. For the typical camera user, they will wrap their hand around the lens when holding the camera, but the new i-Function system enables photographers to naturally use their left hand to change the camera’s advanced settings courtesy of a button built into the i-Function lens, all without having to take the camera off the target. For example, you can toggle between shutter speed, aperture, EV, WB, and ISO in a jiffy using the i-Function button or ring on the lens, translating to easier and quicker configurations while shooting.

Apart from that, the NX11 also delivers usability, with a change in the grip design that makes shooting a whole lot easier and more comfortable. With a lens priority mode dial, it will definitely simplify the search for the best mode for each lens. It doesn’t really matter if you’re going to shoot photos of large groups or panoramic pictures, it requires just one press-and-sweep motion. Other hardware specifications include a built-in flash and built-in electronic VGA (640×480) viewfinder and a 3.0” AMOLED LCD display. The price to pay? $649 which will come bundled with a zoom lens.

The LG Xnote P210

LG has been putting out a lot of interesting products just in time for CES 2011. I’ve heard in advance that they are going to unveil a lot of 3D TVs, and it looks like another grand product that will be on display is this particular notebook computer.

This is the LG Xnote P210, which has the world’s thinnest bezel. Yes, I am not certain how thin it is, but it has a 12.5 inch screen that fits in a 11.6 footprint. I still don’t have an exact number figure on the bezel.

Other features of this notebook computer include a 1.33GHz Intel Core i5 470UM processor, Intel HD integrated graphics (which I’m told is pretty weak if this user wants to play AION), 320GB hard drive, and DDR3 RAM.

Of course, I don’t think that there is any entry in Guinness Book of World Records about the thinnest bezel. I think many people are concerned about the largest or smallest screen, but the bezel tends to get avoided as far as the largest and smallest are concerned. Heh-heh. Bezel. What a funny word.

It certainly is a very pretty notebook PC, and the Xnote P210 should be available in Korea in February for about $1,135.

Samsung WB700 camera offers superb features in a small package

Samsung is really picking up the pace when it comes to the world of digital cameras, and one of their latest releases would be the WB700, a super slim model that certainly doesn’t horse around with its impressive 24X zoom function, making it more than capable of delivering superb quality images regardless of the distance of your subject. This is further enhance with the ability for the WB700 to capture 16 megapixel images with its 24mm lens with OIS and Schneider KREUZNACH 18x super-zoom. Apart from that, other features which will delight and surprise even those who are seasoned in the field of photography include new smart filters, the smart lens effect and zoom noise cancellation. Want to know more about the WB700? It is all in the extended post.

Let us get down to the nitty gritty – the Samsung WB700 will come with a 24mm ultra-wide Schneider KREUZNACH lens as mentioned, making it capable of capturing that perfect wide angle shot, in addition to an outstanding 24X zoom function, where it comprises of an 18X optical zoom and 1.3X Smart Zoom. Not only that, those who are about to take the step into DSLRs will find that the WB700’s full manual control is a good stepping board to learning the ropes, although it won’t be as efficient and fast as a DSLR. At least you can still record video in full 1080p high definition video (H.264 format), with the main strength and flexibility of the WB700 being its lens and zoom functions which enables you to shoot a broad landscape in similar detail as a bubbling brook in the distance.

From the name itself, you can tell that the WB700 will be the next logical step up from the WB600 and WB650 models, where it includes Smart Filter 2.0 – a name for artistic filters in various modes including ‘soft focus’, ‘half-tone dot’ and ‘cinema’ alongside traditional features such as ‘fish-eye’, ‘miniature’ and ‘sketch’, letting you have a much more professional finish at the touch of a button. It isn’t out just yet, but will be making headlines next April for $299.99 each. We do expect this to arrive at CES 2011 though.

The Clamcase – Bringing your iPad to the next level

Okay, I finally have it. The coolest thing to happen to your iPad since, well, the iPad. I have been enjoying all the cases and apps and keyboards entering the market, but I haven’t fallen in love… until now.

Enter the Clamcase, lightweight and completely portable, it changes your iPad into one serious machine. Send e-mails, manage data, make notes or surf the net all with the convenience of a netbook. But don’t stop there, the Clamcase can also be used as an iPad stand, perfect for movies or presentations, the keyboard folds in on itself allowing your iPad to stand alone.

Clamcase uses a patented hinge that allows your iPad to be used as a netbook, an entertainment unit, a presentation venue, an e-reader and wait for it, a plain old iPad, because the special hinge even allows the keyboard to be folded flat against the back of your device, leaving you with a simple iPad in a case.

So to recap, the Clamcase is protection, a full qwerty keyboard and a stand all in one, and it looks good too. How great is that?

Made of durable high grade PC-ABS plastic, with shock absorption pads for safety and a quick attach and release mechanism for your iPad, the Clamcase is one awesome little accessory.

Ring Socket Power Plug

I’m sure that all of us are or at least should be trying to conserve power as much as possible. I’ve discovered how easy it is to save a few bucks every month by unplugging my television and computer before I go to sleep.

This Ring Socket product is another way of conserving power by having the user set a pre-determined hour when the power goes off.

All the user needs to do is wind back a huge ring, and then the socket will shut itself off a a determined time. This will hopefully result in lower power bills.

There is an LED to form an indicator light that has an odd setup. The yellow LED means that it is in use, green is for standby, but the red is a warning as it indicates the socket is overloaded.

I got to admit, I like the way this thing is set up. Its wind-up timer is such a retro thing that really was simplified technology. After all, what is easier, setting your cellular phone for an alarm in 30 minutes or turning the crank on an egg-timer? I know which one takes less time.

Right now, this particular design is still in concept mode, but I’m sure it could easily be made into reality, as there is sure a need of such an energy saving device.

iPhone Video Projector

The iPhone does play some pretty good quality videos, and sometimes when you have something precious that you want to share with the rest of your friends, the iPhone’s screen might be just too small. What if you had something that could blow up that display to a whole lot bigger for everyone to have a decent look? That’s where the iPhone Video Projector comes in, where this LED-illuminated projection system will deliver 557 x 234 resolution with its 4:3 native aspect ratio. Of course, this means it won’t be as sharp as the iPhone 4’s Retina Display in terms of resolution, but at least it can be projected onto a screen or wall that is up to 110″ diagonally from as close as 20″ or up to a whopping 18′ away. Audio can be played through an integrated sound system, although we would not expect too much from its two 3-watt titanium drivers that have been integrated with the on-board dual 7-watt amplifiers. The 15-watt LED comes with a 30,000-hour lifespan and provides a brilliant 800 lumens for clear, bright pictures and videos – brighter than most other portable projectors. At $299.95, it would make for a nifty living room device.

  

Ballistic to debut Ballistic LS durable case

The word “ballistic” often evokes thoughts of guns and bullets, and with the company Ballistic churning out a range of advanced mobile accessories to date, they have certainly lived up to their name with quality releases so far. As for their latest creation, the Ballistic LS, it will be shown off to the world for the first time at CES 2011 which is happening in slightly over a week’s time. You can say that expectations for the Ballistic LS is pretty high since Ballistic’s release of two other award-winning protective case models, the HC (Hard Core) and SG (Shell Gel) in this year did manage to garner massive recognition around the country. We will take a closer look at the Ballistic LS in the extended post to see whether it is worth your money or not.

The Ballistic LS looks set to be the next big thing when it comes to the durable case market, as it is constructed out of strong TPU material and silicone Ballistic Corners. The case itself delivers the best of both worlds with its ultra-sleek profile that results in minimal bulk albeit delivering maximum protection in the process. What makes this different from what its competitors offer would be interchangeable corner bumpers that have different thickness options. This paves the way for the ultimate customization of shock absorption preference. Of course, you can always pick up additional corner bumpers of varying thicknesses and colors separately.

If you’re heading over to Las Vegas in the first week of January for CES 2011, then make sure you make a beeline for Ballistic’s booth as they will be showcasing the Ballistic LS there, the latest iPhone 4 case, at the Ballistic Suite in The Wynn Hotel. Now that’s surely a luxurious address to launch a device, and why not? After all, the iPhone 4 is a thing of beauty, so it makes perfect sense to see a case for it launched at an equally beautiful location. No word on pricing just yet, but you might just want to consider going on that rough and tumble outdoor trip after kitting out your iPhone 4 with the Ballistic LS.

TEAC Aurb handles all your audio needs

Once in a while, a device comes along that touts to handle all of a particular need. Well, we have theTEAC Aurb this time around which not only plays nice with your iPhone and iPod (being a dock and all), it also doubles up as a CD player (just in case you have those Michael Jackson classics on a collection of CDs) and an FM radio, for moments when you’ve absolutely run out of downloaded tunes to listen to. At £249.99, the TEAC Aurb isn’t cheap, but let us gloss over what it has to offer before coming to a conclusion, right? Compatible with ALL iPod/iPhone models available, it boasts some pretty good audio quality, featuring a retractable iPod/iPhone dock, a top-mounted CD player and auxiliary/USB inputs for you to play back MP3 and WMA files from memory cards and CDs amongst others. It ain’t no shy flower, belting out 100 watts of power through its dual 32mm tweeters and 89mm woofers. Not only that, it looks absolutely gorgeous, so having it in any living room is a must this Christmas.

iPad Car Headrest Cradle

The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world, but what happens when the cradle doesn’t hold a baby, but an iPad instead? That’s what you get with theiPad Car Headrest Cradle, and from the name itself, you can tell that this cradle will actually nestle your iPad lovingly from the back of a car’s headrest, making it suitable for movie watching and useful for keeping those backseat drivers quiet. Boasting a mounting frame that will clamp firmly to both headrest posts, the rubber lining makes sure that it will not mar the metal’s finish – perfect for those who have just purchased a new ride. The aluminum stand with a quartet of raised corners will cradle your iPad without obstructing any of its controls, while the frame’s ball joint allows for 360º rotation for vertical or horizontal viewing. To make sure everything stays in place, locking pins will secure the joint into place at the preferred angle and aspect. At $24.99, this might just be one of the better in-car accessories that you will have ever purchased, if only to keep the little ones entertained with your iPad on a long road trip.

   

Hands on with two Kensington Laptop Locking Devices

If you are like me, then you are worried about your laptop getting stolen. Fortunately, I live in a small town, and I usually can usually leave my laptop at the table of a coffee shop while I’m in the bathroom with minimal worry.

Kensington has recently allowed me to review two of their products that bring some laptop locking insurance. The first is the ClickSafe Keyed Twin Laptop Lock (top left). This kit includes this tiny knob thing that installs into the external casing of the laptop. You can then run the included chain to it and have something like a bike lock for your laptop.

The second product is the Laptop Locking Station (bottom left), and this is made for those places where a laptop is a more permanent feature. This is designed to be screwed into the table, and the two prongs can fit around the screen under lock and key.

As I mentioned before, I feel more secure using the ClickSafe in a public place. I might even risk using it at a coffee shop in Las Vegas if I’m feeling daring and on-the-go at the same time.

You should be able to purchase  at the Kensington site for $69.99, and the Laptop Locking Station  for $79.99.

   

When Snake is alive, Snake eats Ants.....

When Snake is alive, Snake eats Ants.
When Snake is dead, Ants eat Snake.
Time can turn at any time.
Don't neglect anyone in your life........

 A good way to change someone's attitude is to change your own.
Because, the same sun that melts butter, also hardens clay!
Life is as we think, so think beautifully.
Whenever you want to know how rich you are?
Never count your currency,


Just try to Drop a Tear and count how many hands reach out to WIPE that- that is true richness.
 

 
Never change your originality for the sake of others,
because no one can play your role better than you.

 
Baby mosquito came back after 1st time flying.
His dad asked him "How do you feel?"
He replied, "It was wonderful, Everyone was clapping for me!"

 
Now that is a Positive Attitude

R/C Micro Metal Gyro Copter

Don’t you just love the wonders of miniaturization? That’s what we have with the R/C Micro Metal Gyro Copter, where this unique little device ought to give you plenty of flying fun as your driveway is covered with snow, meaning you’re stuck at home all day long. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, really, since ThinkGeek’s latest $24.99 toy will help you spend your time irritating your other half with frequent buzzing around her in the kitchen. Be careful though, she might be tempted to just end your little piloting project by giving the R/C Micro Metal Gyro Copter a nice, hard whack with a fly swatter as she’s doing her best to prepare a sumptuous dinner. This uniquely tiny copter sports a metal alloy-body, 3-channel control and a built-in gyro, now how about that? The inclusion of the gyro helps it to stay locked in the direction it is facing, and offers a much more precise movement in the air unlike other R/C copters. It takes 10 minutes of charging time to have this be a pest for five minutes – diminishing returns, yes, but its small size more than makes up for it.

Top Secret Soviet Laser Tank on display at Russian Museum

See this old tank? I realize that it looks like something out of G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, but this is, or was, a top secret Soviet laser tank.

I say was because it was recently declassified and shipped to a military museum near Moscow. The 1K17 was accepted for service in 1992, but it was never mass-produced.

In case you are wondering, this isn’t a laser tank in the sense that it can shoot beams like some war machine from Star Wars. Before you go and say “awww”, you should know that this was made to “blind pilots and weapons systems, dazzling optical and electronic mechanisms even under the most severe weather conditions”.

Sadly, I don’t have any more detail than that as far as its purpose is concerned. I wonder how a vehicle that could blind people would do in an actual battlefield.

Of course, the cold war had to end, so this laser tank was put out to pasture along with billions of dollars worth of nuclear missiles. In retrospect, I don’t know whether I would want to see this thing fired, because it would probably be the last thing that I saw. I’m always glad that some types of warfare was avoided (for now), along with nuclear holocaust.

NEOs Concept Vehicle

This is the NEOS concept vehicle, which is some sort of motorbike combined with a car. It can take two people at once, and runs on electricity.

As you can see, the front tires are completely without spokes, and there is a lot of advanced tech going on here like a touchscreen display, GPS, sideview cameras, and docks to connect to the cellphone as well.

It seems to be made for safety with a side airbag for the driver, airbag for the person sitting in the sidecar, and even padding for the knees and elbow.

I notice that it looks very thin in the middle. Perhaps it is designed for one of those highways of the future where we all travel on cars that only hold two people at most. I have seen highways of the future with this design often, and most people go to work with less than two people in the vehicle anyway.

Now this is just a concept model for now, and I don’t see it being put into production anytime soon. I could see myself driving around on one of these things in the future, but it’s probably going to stay in concept mode for now.

Maverick Lifestyle announces Nica Sunrise Bluetooth headset

Looking for a new Bluetooth headset in the market? Maverick Lifestyle might have just the thing for you – the Nica Sunrise Bluetooth headset which can be purchased from Amazon.com and select Apple Stores and Best Buy Mobile Specialty Stores. It will rely on Nica’s original trendsetting technology as the base, where this revolutionary hands-free solution will introduce a new era of comfort, style and convenience to cell phone owners. Nice to know a Bluetooth headset isn’t a wheel, which is why it has been reinvented to feature a light-weight, open-air and clean circular design which can be worn comfortably for extended periods of time. This level of advanced comfort will certainly make this as one of the most user friendly headset design on the market.

Hopefully the Nica Sunrise will bring a new dawn (pun not intended) to the world of Bluetooth headsets that have long been labeled as geeky-looking and uncomfortable, no thanks to ear inserts as well as overall poor design. In fact, research has shown that less than 1 in 20 cell phone users use a Bluetooth headset, and the introduction of the Nica Sunriseaims to change that – considering it doesn’t look and feel like a conventional Bluetooth headset, you are able to wear it for long periods of time without suffering from Bluetooth fatigue while feeling confident about how you look to the general public.

With the Nica Sunrise, it boasts open-air acoustics that enables the headset to be worn comfortably for longer periods since there is no ear insert pressing on the ear canal. The open-air approach will also see a larger speaker than those found on all other headsets, which means you get to enjoy full audio on-the-go. Ergonomically designed separate left and right flexible ear clips and a soft flexible molded rubber pad will further enhance your comfort level, and with its thin design, you can cause the headset to lie flat in a pocket or fit into a small purse in a jiffy.

The Nica Sunrise can be purchased from Amazon for less than the MSRP of $79.95, depending on the color of your choice. Go ahead, take your pick without worrying about the fashion police chasing you down

  

Jawbone THOUGHTS unveiled

Mention the word “Jawbone” and most people would definitely have the image of one of those sleek looking Bluetooth headsets spring to mind. After all, Aliph did a pretty good job in getting word of their Jawbone series around, backing it up with some really solid performance where hardware is concerned, although certain quarters do feel that the physical size is still somewhat larger than most of the other Bluetooth headsets in the market.

No matter, we’re talking about software today, where Aliph just introduced Jawbone THOUGHTS, an iPhone application which enables users to easily send quick voice messages to individuals and groups, doing so without the need for typing or calling. Sounds like a dream, eh? Hopefully it will work out so as we describe the Jawbone THOUGHTS in the extended post.

This application will merge the speed of texting, the group collaboration of email, and the emotional quality of voice all in one. Best of all is, even in this economically trying period for most people, the Jawbone THOUGHTS isn’t going to cost you a penny. You read that right, it is available as a free download in the Apple App store.

According to Travis Bogard, Vice President of Product Management and Strategy at Jawbone, “We live in a world that is 100% mobile, 100% connected and unfortunately 150% distracted. Reading and typing doesn’t work when you need your hands and eyes to navigate the physical world. While there has been a tremendous amount of innovation in text based messaging, all of it lacks the richness of voice. THOUGHTS is our solution to these realities by integrating all the things we love from text-based communications with the power of voice. We think it’s a really powerful way to share ideas quickly.”

Just how much faster must we communicate with one another? What happened to a good ol’ fashioned sit-down-and-have-a-heart-to-heart talk? Perhaps times have changed too fast for us, but we’re still quite sure that Jawbone THOUGHTS will be successful in its own way.

  

Sanyo Taho set to conquer the wilderness

Do you have a wild streak in you that intends to go off on an adventure at every single opportunity? If that is the case, then apart from owning a nice four wheel drive to get you and your family to a faraway destination, chances are you will need a communications tool which will be able to keep up with you. Of course, an iPhone 4 is nice and all, but will it be able to last the distance when you’re busy tracking bears and living it out in nature? Those who are looking for a companion phone under such trying circumstances need not look any further, thanks to Kyocera churning out the new Sanyo Taho that not only looks good at first glance, it is also more than capable of taking a beating.

Don’t be fooled by its exterior that exudes calm, put it through its paces and in spite of all the harshest elements that it experiences, it will still work reliably enough for you to call for help should such a situation arise. Not only that, you can even take a nice 29 minute bath at the river with the Sanyo Taho fully immersed within and it will still work after that – just don’t wade into water that is more than a meter deep and the Taho will be all right, at least for half an hour. This fully submersible device can be yours for a cent shy of a Benjamin – we’re talking about $99.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate and agreeing to a new 2-year contract. Of course, all of this won’t happen until January 9, 2011, when it hits the official market then.

This no-nonsense handset won’t come with the latest features though, so you will have to make do with its 2-megapixel camera with flash and camcorder capability, which is a far cry of what other smartphones can do these days. Apart from that, you will be well pleased with its military standard 810G certification, where it is able to stand up to dust, shock, vibration, extreme temperatures, blowing rain and water immersion. This clamshell phone also sports applications such as Sprint Navigation and Sprint Family Locator for added value.

Radio Controlled Smart Bullets – Go ahead, make my day

Remember the old Bugs Bunny cartoons? Where Elmer Fudd would shoot his double barrel shotgun and the buckshot would zip over and around things and then tap you on the shoulder and wave, right before they exploded. Funny right? Not, so much anymore.

The U.S. Army has unveiled an experimental weapon that is heading to Afghanistan as we speak. This $25,000 high tech rifle fires explosive grenades or specialty “bullets” that can blow up in front of, or behind the intended target.

It was meant to give soldiers the ability to fire on the enemy, even if they were taking cover around a corner or in a foxhole.

The XM25 Counter Defilade Target Engagement System, allows soldiers to program the ammunition to explode at precise distances by measuring how far it is to a target using the laser site and then dialing in where the ammunition should explode, such as at the corner of a building. The “bullet” has a magnet inside that generates AC current as it spins, and a microprocessor that measures the spin to determine how far it has travelled, and when it will need to.. well, let’s just say….tap the enemy on the shoulder.

The weapon has an array of ammunition to choose from, including non lethal rounds meant to stun, rather than kill the enemy. Individual rounds start at about $24.

How do you guard against something like this? My suggestion? RUN

11-year old comes up with own iPad stand

There is just something precocious about 11-year olds and their imagination – at least we know one of them in the good ol’ USA is patriotic enough to observe that while many devices and other stuff are designed here, they are actually manufactured elsewhere. Of course, the economics of the situation might be a bit too heavy for him to understand at the moment, but at the very least, he is able to think out of the box by coming up with something that is made back in the US without losing any bit of functionality.

We’re talking about 11-year-old Dino Zaharakis, who intends to develop a stand that could place/remove a device without disconnecting its cable, hold a device with/without a skin in both portrait and landscape modes, have viewing angles that were optimized for video conferencing and manufactured back home, all the while being able to play nice with iPad, Kindle, nook, tablets, iPhone and other smartphones.

Dino actually came up with this iPad dock after seeing his dad use an impromptu one while discussing the family’s summer camp plans, where Dino quickly pointed out a bunch of design flaws while suggesting that he could do better. Naturally, his dad decided to challenge him, offering him a new phone if Dino could come up with an iPad dock and a web site. This catalyst caused Dino’s mind to move into high gear, where he manipulated pieces of aluminum stock from McMaster-Carr, using a Home Depot miter saw and a vise. He made several prototypes. There were three favorites in total, dubbed Curly 3 Stooges, Alpha Slick and Big Z.

The final prototype was created after merging the best features and capabilities of each prototype. This led Dino’s dad to bring him to Northampton Community College’s Fab Lab where they created 3D solid models using Solidworks and later created prototypes using a Dimension 3D printer. The dzdock One can be yours for $29.99, where it will come in black, white, silver, red, pink, lime and blue shades. With the promotional code of DZPRNEWS at www.buy.dzdock.com, you can bring this puppy home for $10 less – and this offer is good until Christmas, so what are you waiting for?

   

Play Off Ice Hockey

There is nothing quite like a brutish game of ice hockey to get the adrenaline pumping, what with huge men crashing each other against the wall just to get a tiny puck into the opponent’s goal. Well, you can now bring that experience home (albeit sans the atmosphere) without getting hurt one bit in the form of the Play Off Ice Hockey. At £59.99 a pop, it will take a certain amount of finesse to make sure your players do the things you want them to, where each team comes with six movable players. The players themselves can move up and down their designated grooves, turning full circle on the spot if you so desire. Perfect to spend those chilly evenings indoors with your family and friends over a simulated game of ice hockey, eh?

Smart Astro Color Changing Lava Lamp

Lava lamps are real classics when it comes to home decor – they hardly get out of date, and are always mesmerizing to boot. Well, it won’t hurt that the Lava Lamp is given an update in the 21st century, eh? This $18.99 Smart Astro Colour Changing Lava Lamp adds a modern update with touch sensitivity at the base in the form of a button, where you can change colors with but a single touch. You are able to choose from Green to Yellow and Blue to Red, where each one will go through several shades en route to its destination color. Heck, if you like a particular color which is in transition, just touch the button on the base and you’re good to go. This will work differently from other lava lamps as it uses LEDs and other kinds of high tech wizardry, achieving its hypnotic effect in the process.

Google Chrome OS – Stop worrying about your hard drive, you don’t need one anymore

I have a confession to make, I sometimes lay awake at night and worry about my hard drive. I write quite a bit and I am an addicted amateur photographer who has become so worried about losing all my stuff, I back things up two different ways, just so I can sleep.

Knowing I am not alone, I am excited to introduce you to Google Chrome, an operating system coming to you soon, on a laptop, with NO HARD DRIVE. That’s right, the new platform stores it all, your applications, your files and pretty much everything else you might need, on online servers rather than your PC.

Able to boot in 7 seconds or less, primarily because it doesn’t have to load all the customary background stuff, the Chrome OS will first be available on laptops from both Samsung and Acer. I wondered what kind of storage these laptops would have, because I wonder about things such as this, when I realized that thanks to cloud-based storage for my pictures, music and files… I really shouldn’t need any.

So look forward to your next computer having no hard drive and virtually no storage. How awesome is that?

Of course that cloud based storage, how does that work? It’s not a hard drive is it? Oh come on I have to stop thinking about this stuff.

Justbeats by Dr. Dre is a Best Buy exclusive

  

Teen sensation Justin Bieber has yet another channel of income – it is pretty insane to see young pups these days raking in the dough like nobody’s business, when back in our day, we had to break our backs just to earn a quarter of a dollar an hour. Well, as mentioned earlier, Justin Bieber will have a very Merry Christmas as he has yet another source of dough to rely on, although we’re pretty sure that profits from this will not be as lucrative as that of his recording contracts.

The golden goose we’re talking about? Well, Justin Bieber has rolled out a new line of headphones, known as Justbeats by Dr. Dre. To make it all the more exclusive, you can only get it from Best Buy stores in the US and on BestBuy.com. It does seem to make sense though, as Justin Bieber is all about the music, and he sees this as an opportunity to team with Beats by Dr. Dre and Monster, where the latter is a global leader in high performance headphones and AV accessories.

Just how well does it perform? Well, it seems that each pair was specially engineered to help you feel the emotion that Justin wants each song to evoke. The headphones are also capable of expressing Justin’s signature style by offering both on-ear and in-ear versions in Justin’s favorite color – purple. The Justbeats by Dr. Dre Solo Headphone is going for $199.95 a pop, while iBeats by Dr. Dre Justbeats Edition is a whole lot cheaper at $119.95, where that will come with high tech features such as ControlTalk for you to pick up a phone call even when you’re enjoying his present and past hits.

Somehow, saying past hits for someone so young does seem pretty strange to roll off the tongue, as that normally applies to musical greats who have been around for decades. Well, if you’re a Justin Bieber fan, we are pretty sure that you will be able to drop off enough hints for your parents or elder siblings so that they can scurry to the nearest Best Buy outlet and pick up one of these puppies for you come Christmas day. What do you think? It is safe to say that this might just be the catalyst to kick start your love of expensive headphones, eh?

Powermat hates you to run out of juice this holiday season

The holiday season is upon us yet again, and it is a time for you to spend with family and friends. Well, the world has certainly gotten a whole lot more connected, and that is due to the number of gizmos and gadgets that we tote around. You name it, chances are at least one of your family members will bring it out at the table during the annual family dinner – be it an iPhone, a Sony PSP or Nintendo DSi. One problem about such gadgets is, they run on battery power, and more often than not, they tend to run out of juice if you aren’t the meticulous type who keep things fully charged before embarking on a long road trip or trans-Atlantic flight. Trust Powermat to come to the rescue this holiday season with their Portable Power Series.

Just what does Powermat’s Portable Power Series offer to the masses? For starters, there is no longer any need to look out for power outlets wherever you go, as long as you toss in the Portable Power Series into your bag. Powermat’s power! Rechargeable Back-Up Batteries is touted to be the ultimate charging convenience. All you need to do is make sure you don’t forget it on your travels, where you can juice up to two devices simultaneously using the dual on board micro USB and Apple connectors. Other devices in the series include the Dual 1200 and 1850 (in white or black), providing a boost of power up to a full smartphone charge.

As for the Powermat Portable Rechargeable 2X Mat, there isn’t any need for a charging cord, all you need to do is drop and charge up to two Powermat-enabled devices simultaneously, now how about that! In addition, it can hold enough juice for up to four smartphone charges.

You also won’t need to search far and hard for it, since a whole host of participating retailers such as Best Buy, Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, Wal-Mart, Powermat.com, and Amazon.com among others are more than willing to help you part with your hard earned money. If you have more than a trio of gadgets with you at any one time and need them to be powered all the time, you would do well to bring home one of these Powermat offerings lest you regret not having enough juice to save your game on the PSP when you’ve finally reached the last level.

Electro Hub universal wireless charger to debut at CES 2011

We have reported on many supposedly wireless chargers before, such as the Powermat and Wildcharger. There was also that one from Energizer that is Q1 certified, so that someday, we will all just lay down our mobile devices on charging pads and we’ll say good-bye to our charging cords forever.

This is the ElectroHub, another wireless charging station to join the club, and is planned to make its shining debut at CES 2011. As someone who is thrilled to see that their invitation to CES has been accepted, I can’t wait to see it.

One thing that is promised to make the ElectroHub unique is that it occasionally doesn’t require the device to have a special case, but actually provides ElectroHub batteries, which come in both AA and AAA. That means that you can take any device that takes those aforementioned batteries, like a Wiimote, and swap it out for an ElectroHub one. As far as the devices with non-replaceable batteries, it does require a protective case that works as a converter to charge the device’s internal battery. I guess we aren’t to the Q1 case-less stage yet.

The ElectroHub is slated to be on sale during the first quarter 2011, and should cost $39. There are other battery sets that can be purchased separately for about $10.

Use the Kinect to surf the web!

This is one of those posts that might be better if you hit the jump and see the video of it before you read about it.

Apparently, four young gentlemen from MIT’s Fluid Interfaces Group have figured out another use for the Microsoft Kinect. Instead of using your body as a controller in a video game, this involves the user’s body becoming a web browser.

You will note from the video how the user can navigate through open tabs, and then select the proper link. Scrolling and zooming looks like some weird kind of telekinesis.

I realize that this comparison gets overused, but it is a lot like Tom Cruise’s gesture-based interface from Minority Report, without the three-fingered gloves with the blue lights.

My Source mentions that the addition of a virutal keyboard by moving your fingers could help, but that would probably mean learning how to type again. Isn’t there some way we could do a speech to text feature? So if I wanted to say: “Search for Energizer”, it would lead me to the homepage for Energizer.

What these guys have here is definitely a way of surfing the net on your television without a keyboard or mouse. It beats the heck out of those keyboard remotes.

AdSense revenue

Pictures shown below demonstrate how much AdSense revenue some people generated from the program. Although the golden times when people used to make thousands per day from AdSense revenue without any or with little work are probably gone, you can still make some nice revenue from the AdSense program. It is getting harder, but it still is possible.

How people generate AdSense revenue

There are many methods to generate AdSense revenue. Some of them are completely legitimate, some of them are a bit "black hat."

The simplest method relates to displaying AdSense advertising units on a web site (we do it too, to get an idea, take a look at the rectangle at the top-right side of this article). You place a code into your web site code, and then get paid for each click visitors execute on the ads. Google charges the advertisers a certain amount each time a visitor clicks on an ad. Then, Google gives the web site owner a share from thisAdSense revenue.

Now, let's get motivated. Below you can find a collection of AdSense revenue checks from people who volunteered to publicize their success.

(FYI: If our information is correct, this amount of AdSense revenue has been generated with some 13 million impressions, 125 thousands clicks, page CTR 0.93%, and eCPM $9.87. Average AdSense revenue per click of some $1.06. All these numbers are on per month basis. See here for more details regarding these numbers and statistics of Shoemoney:AdSense earnings.)

And one more:

Well, I hear you asking "How is this possible, how did these people make it?" Checks like these are the reasons why AdSense sites have been the money-making craze of this decade. People are building websites just for the purpose of putting on Google ads and generating AdSense revenue.

These AdSense revenue checks shown above are exceptions to the rule of what an average Joe makes, but don't let that discourage you.

Realistic Google AdSense revenue

Google AdSense has been one of the most powerful methods for making money online and generating Google AdSense revenue for several years now, and although the golden times are gone, people still do make money and generate revenue from Google AdSense.

The AdSense revenue checks shown below are more along the lines of what you can expect from an average web site.

And if you are lucky and work hard, this is what your check might look like:

Motivated?