Remember back when there was a format war between Blu-ray and HD-DVD? It seems just like yesterday that each side was persuading movie studios to back their particular disc. Well as we all know, Blu-ray won in the end when Toshiba announced that they were dropping the HD-DVD format. It’s been 18 months now, and apparently Toshiba has realized that they’re missing out on potential sales.
This week the electronics giant announced that they too would be releasing a Blu-ray player. Toshiba was a little vague on the details, as they didn’t specify where they would be launching it, just that it would be out by the end of the year. Honestly, more manufacturers equals more competition, which usually results in lower prices. I definitely think that things will be rather interesting when this holiday season rolls around, regardless of whether Toshiba has a player ready here in the US.
Yep, the awkwardly-named Pedomostick is a walking stick with a built-in pedometer that counts every step you take, calculates the calories you’ve burned and measures the distance and time you’ve walked. The same technology has been built into considerably smaller devices that can be easily attached to your belt or even embedded directly in your shoe, but those versions are lacking a tiny built-in headlight which I guess justifies carrying a 4+ foot aluminum pole. $99.95 from Hammacher Schlemmer.
A few years ago we brought you news that Marc Ecko was producing a limited edition hoodie that basically made you look like bounty hunter Boba Fett from the Star Wars films. (Give or take.) Unfortunately since they were a ‘limited edition’ the hoodies were very popular and particularly hard to come by. But not being ones to let a profitable idea slip by it seems that Lucas & co. has given the go ahead for a whole line of Marc Ecko Star Wars hoodies.
While they won’t actually be available until November of this year, the hoodies are available for pre-order from the StarWarsShop.com and include such designs as an X-Wing Pilot($149.99)Darth Vader and Darth Maul($98) and a redesigned Boba Fett hoodie now known as the ‘Fett for Real.’ ($98) And yes, they’re all available in sizes from small to 3XL to accommodate the entire spectrum of Star Wars fanboys.
Grocery shopping is usually a disaster if I don’t come prepared with a list of what I need, which is why I like this grocery list organizer that remembers everything you’ve told it you’ve run out of throughout the week. The voice recognition system can interpret words as specific as swordfish or trash bags, and the 2,500 item database includes food, health and hygiene items and even office products. But you can expand that database with your own additions up to a maximum of 5,000 items.
The device can also maintain two different lists simultaneously, but it’s not only limited to items you need to buy. You can also keep track of things you need to do like going to the bank or taking your pup to the vet. And when it’s time to restock the pantry or deal with your ever-growing to-do list the organizer will print out a convenient pocket-sized list so you don’t forget anything. $99.95 from Hammacher Schlemmer.
The BMX bike’s heyday may have ended back in the 80′s, but Rintendo has found a way to make me want one again. They’re currently selling this little contraption known as the Fire Trick Bob which appears to be an actual rocket-powered bicycle. According to their site(Google translation) the turbine engine spins at a rate of 120,000 RPM and produces the equivalent of 4.4 horsepower. The 1 liter fuel tank is good for about 7 minutes of continual thrust, and you’ll probably want to be careful about where you’re riding this thing since the exhaust can reach about 700 degrees. So is it dangerous? Yes. But is it worth 1,000,000 Yen or about $10,000? Double yes!
Given the number of people still using old audio formats like cassette tapes, compact discs and MiniDiscs is shrinking every day, it makes sense that JVC would create the RC-A2 which is kind of like a catch-all device for those dying formats. It basically lets them target every group who’ve deemed MP3s an inferior audio format. From what I can tell, the RC-A2 can be used to transfer or ‘dub’ music between the recordable formats like audio tape and MiniDiscs, and the JVC site even boasts about a feature called ‘Sound Lifter’ which seems to direct the audio depending on if the listener is sitting or standing near the stereo.
Flying out of Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport and feeling bad for leaving your fish at home to fend for themselves? Just bring them with you and drop them off at the world’s first (and only?) goldfish hotel. This luxury establishment features four floors of fish sized rooms, a tennis court, and a pool with a lifeguard station and water slide.
From what I can tell, this is a promotion for the D-reizen travel agency, and before you ask, I have no idea what the rates are or how exclusive the waiting list is. But your fish will love you forever if you set them up with a nice, relaxing vacation… I mean, when was the last time they really got to have a social life, after all?
It doesn’t take much imagination to figure out what Tomomi Sayuda’s iBum chair is for. As you can probably tell from the photos, it makes the act of photocopying your posterior easier and considerably more comfortable than hoisting yourself up on a regular copy machine. And for extra ease of use the chair even features sensors that will automatically scan and print an image of a user as soon as they sit down, so you don’t need to fiddle with any buttons.
Am I the only person who wonders why it’s taken so long for someone to streamline the act of photocopying your butt? I mean where are the world’s priorities?
Yesterday, we celebrated BotJunkie’s 1000th post. After two spectacularly successful years (and counting) of bringing you the latest happenings in the robot world, we’re holding a contest to come up with a collective noun for a group of robots… Like, a “herd” of robots, except something more robot-y. If you have some good ideas, head on over to this post for details… And did we mention there are prizes?
We have a bunch of awesome prizes for the most creative terms (that’s right, this is not a random drawing, it’s an actual contest), including a VEXplorer kit from Trossen Robotics, a WowWee TriBot, and weRobot t-shirts from Chop Shop. And of course, we’ve still got all the most interesting robot news, (like we do every day), so there’s absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t click here right now, and again every single day from now on. Trust us. When it comes to robots, addiction is a good thing.
Related Tags: Blu-ray, toshiba
Permalink | 
No Comments
