Remember last month how we told you about the Alex Dual Screen eBook Reader? I wouldn’t be all that surprised if it doesn’t stick out in your mind, as it was easily overshadowed by the Nook from Barns & Noble. Well the two had one very distinct feature in common, namely their extra color LCD screen. It seemed a little coincidental that two readers would come out so close together with this feature. Apparently Spring Design thinks it’s not so much of a coincidence.
Spring Design filed suit this week against Barnes & Noble, accusing them of misappropriateing trade secrets and violating a non-disclosure agreement. Apparently Spring Design had shown off their device in hopes to work with the bookstore giant. Sure, it’s possible that both companies just happened to have the same great idea, but not very likely. Barnes & Noble have not yet responded to these claims, but it will be interesting to hear their side of the story.
There are lots of ways to charge USB devices on the go using disposable or rechargeable batteries, but none of them are as small or as cheap as this DIY one. It’s basically just a female USB connector stuck to the top of a 9v battery, with a voltage regulator in the middle to make sure that there’s only 5 volts coming out. Total cost? If you have a soldering iron and a scrap female USB cable, the voltage regulator will run you about $1.59 plus tax at RadioShack (which I refuse on principle to call “The Shack” like they want me to). The real beauty of this thing is that you don’t have to use a 9v battery. You could use a whole series of D batteries, for example, and go on vacation for a month with your iPod.
Now, yes, you do have to know how to solder if you want to make one of these yourself. But seriously, soldering is easy. And it’s fun! You get to MELT METAL! You can pick up a basic soldering set at The Shack for all of eight bucks, and there are a bazillion beginner guides online (try Instructables or even YouTube). So, have a fun afternoon and learn a useful skill while making a handy little gadget at the same time. Or, you can always just do it with glue, you wimp.
Punch cards and fingerprints are so passe, if you want your business to look like it’s on the cutting edge of security technology you need to install one of these facial recognition time attendance systems. Using a set of digital cameras that can even see in the dark (I assume that’s a ring of IR LEDs around the lenses) the CVJB-G107 will keep track of the comings and goings of your employees, or prevent or provide access to certain doors, using facial recognition technology that takes “a fraction of a second” to make a match. And since the dual cameras create a 3D image of each face in the database, the software can’t be tricked by simply holding a 2D photograph of someone up to the lens.
The system can be setup to recognize and log information like attendance, overtime and even late arrivals for up to 500 different employees, and records can be downloaded to a USB flash drive or accessed via TCP/IP when the console is connected to a network. The system also comes with software allowing you to easily organize and sort through the information contained in the logs (hopefully they’re Excel friendly too) and is available from Chinavasion for just over $480.
The HomeFinder screw-in light controller from Westek might seem like a simple idea, but if you live with family members who may one day need the assitance of paramedics, it might end up being an invaluable tool.
It screws into a light socket and accepts a standard bulb, and when the light switch is flipped twice the unit will flash for 20 minutes making it easier for emergency assistance to find your home, or even someone less vital like the pizza delivery guy. The flashing can be cancelled at any time by simply turning the switch off, and there’s a sensor to ensure it only turns on after dusk. $10.91 from Amazon.
And here’s a little known fact, I actually spent three weeks as the prime suspect in a ‘porchlight flasher’ case, but I was eventually exonerated when the police realized I never actually leave this computer. So not only does blogging pay the bills, but it also turns out to be a pretty solid alibi!
Typography is most definitely an art, but instead of having to wade through various settings in clumsy software interfaces to find the perfect layout, the LAIKA font was designed be dynamic and interactive and can adjust itself based on everything from weight to motion to the behavior of the stock market. But to be honest, I’d just love to have the console interface seen at the start of this video included with the next version of Photoshop or Illustrator.
It’s still in the research/concept/prototype stage at this point, but I’m already a fan of this Sculpt-a-Light illuminated duct tape which should make pimping out your ride as easy as re-attaching a fender. There are still obvious issues with the overly large power source and ridiculous price tag if this were to hit the market right now, but I like the idea of being able to add a bit of illumination by simply tearing a strip of tape off a roll.
I thoroughly enjoy 3D films when it’s done properly, but for 3D to become something more than just a novelty, there has to be a way to get rid of those polarized glasses. And that’s where innovations like 3M’s new optical film comes into play. It features small, dome-shaped lenses on the surface of the film combined with prism-like structures on the underside to create a 3D effect that is visible with the naked eye.
Now unfortunately the film can’t just be applied to any LCD giving it instant 3D capabilities. The display has to have independently controlled LED edge lighting on the left and right side which is used to distinguish the different images meant for the left and right eye. However, the film allows the LCD to be easily switched between 2D and 3D modes, and has already gone into production for small and medium sized displays.
October has come and gone, which means there is a little bit of business to take care of around these parts. Around the middle of the month we promised to give away a Vusix Eyewear AV310 to one random commenter. Well I have done just that.
Congratulations to commenter dubzilla! His comment was randomly selected from this article (which too was picked at random). Thanks to everyone else who has been commenting these last few weeks. The discussions have really livened things up. For those of you who might not feel like joining in on the conversations now that the contest has ended, there will me more of these in the future. I’m already cooking up something similar for November, which means that all comments left this month will eligible. Stay tuned for more details!
How is it that whenever you open up your toolbox to get a screwdriver, the exact one you need is missing? It’s probably because someone’s been too lazy to put them back when they are done (that would be my issue). That’s why screwdrivers with interchangeable bits can be so handy. Of course even those little bits can get lost, which is why this Autoloader Screwdriver from KR Tools looks so enticing.
The Autoloader has six different bits (three Phillips and three flathead) built right into the handle. When you want to change the one you’re using, you just pull the handle, twist it to select the right one, then push the handle back into place. You never actually have to touch the bits themselves, thus you’ll never lose them. Of course now you just have to remember where you set the screwdriver. You can pick up a 2-pack of these (one large, one small) for just $30.
Related Tags: E-Readers
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By Andrew Liszewski
