While we’ve seen our fair share of projectors for the iPhone, all of them work by taking the device’s video feed, amplifying it and projecting it onto a surface. Not so for the HypnosEye. It simply uses a lens and a mirror to project images from your iPhone’s (or iPod touch, we suppose) screen directly to a projection screen. No amplification.
rather than use an ordinary mirror which would result in an unclear image, HypnosEye has implemented a special mirror with a reflection agent on top of the glass surface (rather than behind). As a result, you can show media from your portable device almost anywhere at anytime.
For the full specs, price and a video, keep reading.
The Tokyo Motor Show has rolled around again, and like just about everything else, it seems to have been dealt a rather nasty blow by the recession. But despite the massively depleted participant list, it still seems to have mustered up a fair showing of whacky and whimsical concept vehicles. My personal favourite is the electric-powered Nissan Land Glider. It may not be fast, but what it lacks in speed, it more than makes up for with big massive slabs of geek-pleasing hi-tech shenanigans. Plus it kind of reminds me of the Light Cycles from Tron.
The list of cool features is pretty extensive. First off, it’s a bike/car hybrid, so the driver/rider coolly leans into the turns while the tires are held flat to the road – the degree of tilt is determined by some cool sounding sensors that detect vehicle speed, steering angle and yaw rate. As if that wasn’t cool enough, Nissan has also done away with the boring old steering wheel and replaced it with an almost unbearably cool aircraft-style joystick. There’s also a seriously cool camera and monitor setup to replace those dull old rear-view mirrors.
When I first saw the Land Glider I assumed it was a concept vehicle conceived by a wild-eyed designer oblivious to commercial considerations, but in a somewhat surprising turn of events it seems that it may be hitting a road near you in the not so distant future, Nissan even plan to import it to the US.
Well here’s an interesting advancement in projector technology. Funai and Nippon were showing off a jointly-developed micro projector at CEATEC last week that allows users to interact with the projected image by simply touching a secondary display.
Based on the technical illustration, the projector appears to use a mirror and a beam splitter to create two separate projections. The larger of the two is thrown onto a screen for everyone to enjoy, while a second smaller one is created near the projector where the operator is presumably sitting. Using a sensor the projector can detect changes in light intensity on the second projected image, allowing it to determine where a finger is positioned. From there, the position and even motion of the finger can be used to zoom and rotate the projected image.
Of course the projector is still a concept at this point, but Funai and Nippon believe the technology could be commercialized as early as next year and would be a far cheaper alternative to large touch panels.
Great news! You no longer have to go to an expo/world’s fair/amusement park/science center to experience one of those omni dome theaters. The TOOB provides the same basic experience, though on a considerably smaller scale. Created by Alexander McDonnell, the TOOB consists of a half-dome movie screen that’s large enough for a couple of people to sit in front of, as well as a specially shaped mirror that reflects the image from a projector onto the dome’s surface. And since it’s powered by a regular home theater projector (instead of proprietary hardware) you can use it with any video source like a DVD player or a gaming console.
According to Cool Hunting, the home version of the TOOB, which measures 3-feet by 6-feet with an 18-inch reflector, sells for $1,440, but the hardware can be rented and is also available in a considerably larger 8-foot by 16-foot inflatable version for use outdoors.
Last week Logitech announced two of their latest mice, equipped with Darkfield Technology. If you’ll recall, this feature allows mice to track on any smooth surface, regardless of whether or not it is reflective. While some people might not see the benefit in using a mouse on a reflective surface, those who want to use a mouse on their glass desk, or even something with a mirrored finish will be pleased. I’ve actually been testing out the Anywhere MX mouse for about a week now, and I thought I’d share my thoughts.
The Cheetah GPSmirror is a replacement rear-view mirror for your vehicle that uses GPS and a built-in database of speed traps and red light cameras (covering the U.S., Canada, Europe and Australia) to apparently let you know when it’s ’safe’ to speed or run a red light. Voice, tone and visual alerts let you know when you’re approaching a camera, or even when you’ve gone over the speed limit, though something tells me anyone buying one of these is probably going to ignore those. ~$250 from Buy.com.
When you’re hacking away at your face with a sharp razor I’d suggest staying focused on the task at hand, but if you’d prefer to multitask and be more productive in the mornings, this shower mirror with a built-in weather station will kill a few birds. The 7-inch mirror has a special fog-free coating so it won’t ever steam up, and it’s accompanied by a high-contrast LCD display which provides updated weather info like current temp, humidity and the day’s forecast thanks to a wireless sensor that can be located up to 100 meters away. $49.98 from Taylor Gifts.
It’s nice to know that in this troubled economy there are still people who are willing and able to drop over $1.4 million on a motorhome, though ‘mobile luxury apartment’ seems to be a better description for this thing. The VARIO Perfect 1200 Platinum comes with every amenity one could ever want including cherry wood accents, leather upholstery, corian countertops in the kitchen, granite flooring, a dish washer, a rain shower, mirrored sliding doors in the bedroom, LCD TVs, a satellite system and of course a Bose stereo.
But the most notable and obvious feature of the Perfect 1200 Platinum is the garage located ’round back that uses a hydraulic system to house a compact car like a Cooper Mini. Now it isn’t the first RV I’ve written about with a built-in garage, but it’s definitely the most assinine nicest.
I think Ford CEO Alan Mullaly said it best: “The new Taurus rocks!”
After spending a day with the car in a snaky mountain drive from Knoxville to Asheville, I came away impressed and with a new outlook on a vehicle I wouldn’t have thought about even twice just a few years earlier. For its target market, the Taurus hits a sweet spot; an engaging mix of class-leading technology, muscular and elegant design, and exceedingly civil road manners. While there are some minor issues that I’ll address in the body of this review, Ford may just have hit on a product that could allow it to pull ahead of its rivals. After all, simply “still being around” isn’t quite enough. With the Taurus, they seem to be bringing their A-game.
In this review, I’ll mainly focus on the plethora of gadgets and technological features that make the Taurus not only an enjoyable drive, but a treasure trove for any gadget lover. OhGizmo! is, after all, a gadget site. But let me spend at least a little bit of time telling you about the car, the engine and how it feels on the road.