There are certain things that a person can wear that will instantly earn them the label of “dork” or “nerd.” The pocket protector is a perfect example. Sure, it can be argued that it is a very important accessory for those who carry a multitude of things in their shirt pocket. However, it still looks stupid. The same holds true with this CVFR-S09 Solar Vest.
This vest is equipped with four solar panels which can be used to charge a number of different gadgets. The panels are even removable so that you can set them in the window while you’re inside. The fact that I can hold up to 8 gadgets in my pockets and recharge each of them (one at a time) might seem cool, but it’s not something I’d be caught outside in. For crying out loud it has the words “SOLAR VEST” sewn in the back of it. It might as well say “KICK ME” instead. The $140 price tag doesn’t even justify it as an impulse buy.
Like many millions of other people, I’ve got a Facebook account. It keeps me connected with friends both new and old, which is nice. I don’t exactly spend tons of time on there since I have better things to do. However, if you need an excuse to spend more time on the site, then I suggest you take a look at MyDeskFriend.
This interesting little penguin robot syncs up with your Facebook and does fun things like read your messages to you. It can also zoom around your desk and make noises to entertain you. Remember those little Tamagotchi things that you used to see a lot? Well the MyDeskFriend needs to be fed and played with just like one of those. It will react to your touch, whether you’re shaking it violently or petting it. Look for these sometime in September for around $100.
Well this one’s pretty self-explanatory. Elecom’s horribly named ‘U2H-TC410B’ USB hub is designed to mount to the side of your desk or a nearby wall, thanks to its magnetic backing or a set of included hooks, so that you always have easy access to a set of 4 USB ports. And the ports are generously spread out to accommodate thicker USB cables or larger flash drives. $39.99 from AudioCubes in your choice of black or white.
I always thought that diving itself was supposed to be an enjoyable activity, so I’m scratching my head as to why anyone would need to bring along some other form of entertainment while down there. But that’s exactly what the iDive300 deep dive waterproof case is for. It’s designed for the iPod, iPod Touch and the iPhone and allows you to watch movies or listen to music (with an included pair of over the ear speakers) at a depth of up to 300 feet underwater. And while down there you’ll still have control over your media thanks to a set of waterproof buttons on the side of the case.
With a price tag of $349.99 the case is kind of hard to justify, even if it does make decompression stops a bit less boring, but it does come with peace of mind thanks to a replacement warranty for your iPod or iPhone should anything ever happen to them as a result of the iDive300 failing.
Feeling a bit cramped when it comes to screen real estate? The new Matrox M9148 LP PCIe x16 graphics card comes with 4 DisplayPort connections that each support a resolution of up to 2560×1600. So with a simple 2×2 monitor configuration that should give you a combined screen resolution of 5120×3200. Not too shabby. The card also comes with 1GB of memory, a low-profile form factor, a fanless design (translation: giant heatsink) and full support for Vista’s Aero eye candy. While no pricing info has been announced, the M9148 LP PCIe x16 should be available sometime in Q3 of this year.
Now that wireless routers are cheap and ubiquitous, there’s one way that a router can separate itself from the rest of the pack: features. The D-Link DIR-685 Xtreme N Storage Router takes this concept to the Xtreme (okay, sorry, no more of that) by including a 3.2″ LCD, room for a hard drive, and a whole bunch more. We’ve got a full review for you, after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »
My eyes usually glaze over when I come across yet another iPod/iPhone speaker dock, but there’s just something about the iF500 from Edifier that managed to pique my curiosity, and I think it might have something to do with the massive bulbous speaker clearly designed to mock subtlety. The iF500 supports various models of the iPod and iPhone via a built-in dock, but an aux input also allows you to connect anything featuring an audio output like cellphones or other MP3 players that clearly aren’t worth mentioning by name.
A “5 driver speaker system incorporates unique vibration and resonance control technolories coupled with low frequency porting and mid-range tuned cavities for smoother cleaner audio” and it also comes with the company’s patented EIDC or ‘Electrical Intelligent Distortion Control’ system if inane acronyms are an important feature for you. But if looks or sound quality aren’t enough to convince you to drop $249 on the iF500, keep in mind it also comes with a digital FM tuner!
I have a cat, and like most other felines she loves laser pointers. I generally spend a little bit each day using it to drive her crazy. It really doesn’t take much effort, and it entertains me almost as much as it does her. However, if you don’t feel like putting all of the effort into waving you wrist around, you can get a device to do it for you.
The Frolicat Bolt is a laser pointer that moves around on its own. You can set it on a table (or any other surface really) and have it move the laser in a random pattern for 15 minutes, after which time it will automatically turn off. You can also put it on manual mode and use it like an ordinary pointer. If you’re too busy to keep up with your cat, you can pick one of these up for just $20.
I honestly can’t remember the number of different cell phone chargers I’ve had over the years. I would imagine that it’s only slightly less than the number of phones I have owned. This is because almost every phone manufacturer has decided to develop their own proprietary connectors. While we’ve started seeing the microUSB port used for charging more lately, several manufacturers have agreed to use the microUSB port as the standard connector for all future phones in the UK.
The companies involved include Apple, Nokia, Samsung, LG, Motorola and RIM, each of which has promised to offer the new standard connector on their phones starting next year. The agreement only includes data-enabled phones, which means that some basic handsets may still be allowed to use a proprietary connector. The biggest question this is going to raise is how this will affect future iPhones. Apple has continued to use the same universal connector as the iPod. Will they continue to support the universal connector while adding a microUSB port, or will they remove it altogether, thus making most iPod docks useless?
Note: We have heard this before, however, now there are more companies on-board. They’re also making this happen two years earlier than previously announced.
Related Tags: fashion, Solar-Power
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