If you can’t wait until you’ve had a chance to edit down that 3 hours of birthday footage before sharing it with the family, then 3M’s got 2 1/2 words for you: Shoot n’ Share. Their new Flip-like camcorder is able to capture 720P video clips to a microSD card (up to 32GB supported) since the 14MB of built-in memory sets a new standard for being laughably low. It can also capture 5MP stills but surprisingly seems to be lacking the pop-out USB connector that have become ubiquitous to these types of video devices.
But what it’s lacking in pop-out USB connectors it makes up for with a built-in pico projector allowing you to immediately share videos and photos with more than just a small crowd huddled around its LCD display. Now the projector is limited to 640×480 and a not-so-bright 12 lumens when running off its rechargeable battery (14 lumens on AC) but hopefully it’s the first appearance of a handy feature that will hopefully one day be commonplace. $299, available around the beginning of October.
What is it about an oversized trash can with a plunger that makes it so fearsome? If you’re a Doctor Who fan, then you’ll understand the might of the Dalek. Otherwise, you’ll probably thing they are just plain silly. For those that not only know of these mighty overlords, but adore them, I have a surprise for you. No, I’m not giving you a Dalek, but I can show you how to make one.
This isn’t your average DIY guide that you find around the internet. No, these are the official blueprints from the BBC. Apparently someone wrote to them back in the 80′s asking for instructions on how to build one. They responded with these complete blueprints. Even if you aren’t planning on building your own, if you’re a Doctor Who fan, you should definitely check them out.
The lack of legs under this unique Swing Table is probably the cleverest part of its design since it makes cleaning up the inevitable spills a lot easier. You see the chairs are all suspended by cables from a large frame which also supports the table itself, and are free to swing about while diners enjoy a meal. Now I’m going to go out on a limb here and suggest that the designers have never actually been on a swing before, let alone tried to eat a meal while on one. Of course they’re probably assuming that only mature adults will use the table, but they fail to realize that once you climb on a swing, you won’t stay a mature adult for long. $4,680(£2,995) available from Duffy London.
My life is generally pretty hectic between class, work and all the things in between and I sometimes like to take the stress volume down a notch or two with my trusty Les Paul Custom. The problem is it’s generally 3am or later by the time I have a chance to sit down and do such a thing, so cranking up a Marshall full-stack to 11 is not an option. That’s why when Peavey’s AmpKit LiNK, a portable electric guitar interface for the iPhone, came across our desks a few weeks ago I was immediately interested (and by interested I mean I went running around the office with a replica Highlander sword shouting “There can be only one… reviewer.”).
The AmpKit experience begins with the free AmpKit app (or it’s feature packed paid version AmpKit+) from the iTunes App Store. The application itself is very sleek, the primary interface is a virtual view of the amp head/cabinet, microphone and effects that you currently have set, giving you a good overview of all your settings. The interface also provides a number of preset configurations, a metronome and tuner, and an interface for recording clips and transferring them wirelessly to your PC or Mac.
They’re not quite as small as your standard earbud-style headphones just yet, but these wireless Bluetooth earbuds from Logitec are getting pretty darn close. As usual it’s those damn batteries that make up most of the bulk, but these manage to come in at just 0.24 inches thick and weigh only 9 grams while still getting around 4 hours of easy listening on a single charge. Not a whole day, but what you lose in battery life you gain in your ears not hurting after wearing these for a few hours. They’ll sync to your mobile phone for hands-free calling too, and it looks like there’ll be three distinct versions when available: the LBT-MPHP02 for mobile phones, the LBT-AVHP02 for BT capable audio devices and the LBT-PCHP02 for use with PCs. ~$52 (¥ 4,480)
If you’d have decided to splurge with the Core i5 model instead, this laptop would set you back $849. Either way, you’re saving in the vicinity of $350 or $360 (depending on the model), composed of an instant rebate and a stackable coupon, while getting yourself a very capable machine. Aside from the processor, you get:
4GB DDR3 ram, 14″ 1366×768 LED-backlit LCD, DVD+/-RW drive, a 500GB or 320GB drive Hard Drive, 802.11n WiFi, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650 1GB or Intel HD graphics (depending on configuration), Bluetooth 2.1 +, 6-cell battery and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
I’m going to cut these magic wand controlled electronic candles some slack because a) Hallowe’een, the best holiday ever second only to Christmas, is just around the corner and they’d probably be great for a party and b) another Harry Potter film will be released later this year and all you wannabe wizards need to get your fix somehow. I’m not sure if it’s from the same people who make the Kymera Magic Wand universal TV remote(I’m going to assume it is) but the idea is generally the same. You can turn the candle on with just a flick of the wand, or turn it off with a little wiggle. They can also be magically set to flicker and flash, and if your wand goes missing can even be extinguished by just blowing them out. Here’s a clip of them in action courtesy of Shiny Shiny:
They’re currently available in a set that includes one candle and one magic wand from Firebox(UK based) for ~$54 (£34.99).
I guess the steadfast rule that third party Wii accessories have to suck has just been broken. Paul Govan, self-professed Wii Sports table tennis addict and writer for Game People, recently reviewed this paddle accessory from an unnamed Chinese manufacturer. Now unlike most table tennis accessories it’s not just some plastic add-on monstrosity that makes it look like your Wiimote is a paddle. It’s actually a paddle shaped controller that has all the Wii electronic-y bits inside, including Motion Plus, that ends up providing a very realistic and satisfying playing experience.
Then, I found a manufacturer in China who was prototyping a new Wii Bat. Not an extension to a Wii-mote but a replacement for it. This ingenious device not only houses the standard Wii controls in a Table Tennis Bat housing but also packs in Motion Plus.
After convincing them to send me one, and opening the jiffy bag, I was pleased to find the build quality was substantial. The bat had a similar weight distribution to it’s non-electronic counterpart. It came with a battery and charger and replicates all the features of Wii-mote and MotionPlus perfectly.
But most impressive it the added sense of connection it adds to Wii-Sports Table Tennis. Holding a controller so similar to the real thing – you could actually play real table tennis with it – you are instantly in the right frame of mind to engage wit the game.
There’s no word on if or when this accessory will ever be available worldwide, but he encourages readers to comment on his review in hopes the manufacturer will seek out an international distributor.
Porsche has been licensing out their name for a while now, resulting in everything from radios to toasters to pocket knives bearing their moniker, but Lamborghini has only just started doing the same. And while gardening tools might not have been at the top of everyone’s ‘what will bear the charging bull next?’ list, the company did start off building tractors after World War II. So it’s not that much of a stretch.
The collection includes grass trimmers, edgers, shrub shears, hedge trimmers and a chainsaw, all electric oddly enough, with some of the models even having rechargeable cordless options. The tools were designed and built by a German company called IKRAmogatec and surprisingly don’t appear to be jaw-droppingly expensive. The most expensive tool is the electric chainsaw which runs just over $200 (€154.99) while the cheapest is the basic electric trimmer which is ~$98 (€74.99).
Related Tags: Camcorders, Projectors
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