Oh! Gizmo

By Luke Anderson

The mailman shows up to deliver my mail around 10:30 every morning, and is usually on time. However, it seems that when I’m expecting something rather important, he comes just a bit late. Then when I open my mailbox, I have no idea whether he’s not been there, or I haven’t received any mail. It usually ends up being the former, as it is a rare occasion that I don’t get junk mail.

Here is a clever little gadget that will let you know the moment you get mail. Essentially it is just a simple motion sensor with a wireless transmitter. You stick one end to the inside of your mailbox, and the other somewhere in your house. When the mailman goes to stick in the mail, you’ll hear a chime. If you don’t mind hearing this thing go off every single day, then you can pick one up for around $50.

[ HSN ] VIA [ Red Ferret ]

By Andrew Liszewski

While the Loc8tor Lite lacks the fancy back-lit screen of the original Loc8tor, it more than makes up for it with a considerably smaller package. The credit card sized device can be used to find anything that has one of the homing tags attached to it like your keys, your car and even your pet. While the unit only comes with 2 tags, it’s actually able to track up to 4 different ones that have been registered to it.

To use the Loc8tor Lite you basically just have to select which tag you’re trying to find, turn around in a full circle and then walk in the direction of the strongest signal indicated by the LED lights or audio beeps. It has a range of about 400 feet (with a clear line of sight) and will guide you to within an inch of the selected homing tag. You can get it directly from the Loc8tor website for $79.99 while extra tags are available in packs of 2 for $44.99.

[ Loc8tor Lite ] VIA [ The Gadget Blog ]

By Evan Ackerman

I cannot tolerate flaky wireless internet. Without 100% connectivity, I wouldn’t be able to bring you the (ahem) reliably high quality gadget news that I do here at OhGizmo. I have a Linksys WiFi PCMCIA card in my laptop, and it strains to pick up signals from a router 30 feet away through a wall… I’ve been looking into some kind of antenna to boost the signal, and this USB dish antenna from Hawking sure looks like it would fit the bill. The 8dBi directional dish antenna (most wireless antennas are omnidirectional at about 2dBi) is supposed to boost reception by up to 300%, as long as you’re pointing it in the right direction… The built-in LED signal strength indicator should help you with that. I’m not sure what you’re supposed to do if the router you use is down below you somewhere, but with a USB interface and for only about $60, it gives other high quality external wireless solutions some competition when it comes to price and performance, if not size.

[ Hawking HWU8DD ] VIA [ GadgetGrid ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Like the 360 and the PS3, the Wii managed to finally lose the wires when it came to the controllers. (Well, most of them.) But unfortunately the stock sensor bar was still tethered to the console with an annoying cable. Not surprisingly, third-party wireless replacements were soon available like this one from CYBER Gadget. But unlike other third-party sensor bars, this one manages to raise the stakes by including a digital clock!

While I originally thought it was just a novelty feature, I realized my entertainment center has been devoid of a visible clock since the VCR moved to closet-land. So a wireless sensor bar that could also display the time would actually be a welcome addition. It’s just too bad it takes 4 AAA batteries to run. (It can still be plugged in if you care more about the clock than the wireless functionality.) You can find it on the CYBER Gadget website for about $18.

[ CYBER Gadget 2Way Sensor Bar ] VIA [ ALBOTAS ]

By Luke Anderson

I’m one of about a dozen Americans that almost never goes to Starbucks. There are at least three of them within 5 minutes of my house, so distance isn’t an issue. I just have no desire to drink expensive coffee and pay for WiFi access when I have all of that in the comfort of my own home. If I still had my old AT&T DSL, I wouldn’t have to worry about paying for internet while sitting there at least.

According to an announcement, AT&T will be replacing T-Mobile as the wireless internet provider in all 7,000 Starbucks locations. Of course, AT&T announced not long ago that customers that subscribe to their DSL service will be given free access to all WiFi hotspots, which will include the Starbucks locations.

If you’re not an AT&T customer, you can still purchase two-hour sessions for $3.99 or a monthly membership for $19.99.

[ AT&T ] VIA [ UberGizmo ]

By Luke Anderson

I can honestly say that I’ve never really considered tossing away my mouse in favor of a touchpad. Rather, I carry a travel mouse in my laptop bag in order to cut down on the amount of time I’m forced to navigate using my finger. However, there are situations that not having a mouse can be rather beneficial. The most common use is an HTPC in your living room. No one wants to mess with a mouse when they’re sitting on the couch.

If you’re looking for a good way to get the best-of-both-worlds, this wireless keyboard is probably one of the best designs out there. It’s quite simple, and looks rather like the bottom half of a laptop. The keys look as though they’d be decent for moderate amounts of typing, but then again you probably won’t be composing letters on your big-screen TV. Unfortunately there is no word on pricing or availability.

VIA [ Crave ]

By Luke Anderson

After the movie Goldeneye (and the game of course) came out, James Bond was my hero. I always wanted to have some cool spy gadget that looked like something rather ordinary. I thought it was so cool when I finally got a pen that was also a laser pointer, even if it was quite obvious to the casual observer. Since then I’ve seen a whole slew of pens with more functions than you can shake a silenced PP7 at. Here’s one that you’ll like if you’re even trying to track down an open wireless signal.

The pen features 4 LEDs that will show you the strength of a wireless signal that is up to 30 meters away. It is powered by two button cell batteries and activated b a small button positioned just below the LEDs. It might not be the coolest spy gadget for your arsenal, but at $8, you can’t really go wrong.

[ ChinaVasion ] VIA [ Crave ]

By Andrew Liszewski

If a compact size is more important to you than ergonomics when it comes to a laptop mouse, then the oddly named SM30/Duplus+ from Samsung will be right up your alley. The rectangular design seems to come from the fact that the mouse can also be used as a handheld remote for slide presentations, and it even manages to squeeze a small laser in the tip for all your pointing needs.

The relatively small wireless dongle connects to one of your laptop’s USB ports, but can also be stowed inside the mouse when not in use. I like the scroll wheel that reminds me of the physical wheel used on the original iPod, but I’m not sure what you press for the left and right buttons when using this thing as a mouse.

As far as I can tell the SM30/Duplus+ has only been released in Korea at this time, but I have no idea what the price is or if this will ever see the light of day in other markets.

[ Samsung SM30/Duplus+ Wireless Mouse ] VIA [ Ubergizmo ]

By Andrew Liszewski

NEC will be showing off a new wireless camera at iExpo2007 in Tokyo this week that actually draws its power from a fluorescent bulb. A special ring-shaped component that relies on electromagnetic induction is slid onto the bulb and power is obtained from the magnetic field generated by the light’s AC source.

Now I’m not sure if this technique ends up causing the bulb to draw more power, but the real advantage is being able to install a camera where it would otherwise be difficult to run power cables to. NEC expects the cameras to be used in office settings for checking up on employees (I’m sure that will go over well) but when you consider that almost every store in the country uses fluorescent bulbs, it also becomes a cheaper way to setup a security system.

At the moment the camera only supports VGA resolutions (640×480) but I assume that’s not a limitation imposed by the way it’s powered. What’s not clear though is whether or not a security system based on this technology can be defeated by simply turning off the lights.

[ NEC Develops Wireless Camera Powered by Fluorescent Light ] VIA [ EcoGeek ]

By Evan Ackerman

Most of you probably don’t live out in the boonies like I do half the year, but if you do, you’re probably just as frustrated as I am about the lack of decent cellular service, not to mention WiFi. You can buy something like this, but it’s expensive, tethered, and somewhat of a monotasker. Today, NEC announced the development of a wideband antenna that’s not only wearable, it’s actually clothing. From the press release:

Antennas are generally designed to operate in an open space, and if used in close proximity to a human body or other object, the impedance deteriorates, causing a noticeable reduction in performance. This antenna is designed to demonstrate equally good impedance characteristics whether used in an open space or close to a human body, for example when attached to the user’s clothing.

One of the difficulties encountered in the past when using conductive fabrics was that soldering was not possible. In the case of this new antenna, power is supplied to a small flexible print substrate by a soldered coaxial cable, so that power supply is possible through capacity coupling with the substrate.

NEC will first test reception of digital terrestrial broadcasts in the 470-770 MHz band. Later, it will test the potential of this antenna as an external antenna for terminals in the future, conducting ongoing development while studying potential future applications.

My overly optimistic impression would be that as soon as NEC gets around to commercializing this technology, you’ll be able to throw on your jacket to improve your cellphone reception… Of course, by that time, our jackets will probably have cellphones and laptops and donut makers built in anyway.

VIA [ Akihabara ]