by stephanlange on May 10, 2010
In my line of work (and because I love it) I come across a lot of cool gadgets and usually (at least if you ask my wife) I spend too much money on them.
So this year I will follow my moms advice and make myself a list.
Usually I start these lists with the least and work my way up to the best, but I want to start with the device I really really want this year.
1. Samsung Galaxy S
I have been using my 8310 blackberry for too long and for a while there I was carrying around 3 devices to do my phonecalls, emails and browsing and gaming, but the Samsung will be able to do all that.
So why do I want it?
for a start I don’t like the iPhone (don’t get me wrong I think it is a good phone for “normal” users), but it just doesn’t do what i want from a phone.
apart from that here is my shortlist on why I want it:
* 4 inch WVGA Super Amoled screen (finally a device i can use outside)
* big (as in big capacity) battery – 1500mAh
* 16GB internal memory + extendable with micro sd
* wireless n
* camera capable of 720p video @ 30fps
* support of MPeg4, H.263, H.264, WMV, RV, DivX, Xvid and MKV – no more converting movies
* Samsung Social Hub – no more opening up app after app after app – I just have it all in one inbox – sweet
2. Tablet
I had a chance to play with the iPad for a few weeks now and I have to say I am not impressed – especially since Apple announced the AU pricing for it today and again, Australia gets screwed – all you really get is a big iPod
so what do I want in a Tablet?
[click to continue…]
by stephanlange on May 4, 2010
Swiss company Atracsys sold its tech knowhow to Sony and the company is today informing the world that its atracTable is ready for mass production and commercialization this June.
The system is a dual camera-based system that tracks and analyzes body movements in three dimensions, in real-time. Initially designed for use with a computer in a sterile operating theater, the interface not only notices subtle changes in the position of your body, arm, hand, or finger position, but it’s also determine rough age, sex, or facial expression of the user.
of course nobody knows a price yet, but they promise a high-contrast, Full HD screen, which is already better than the surface table from MS.
It will be able to communicate with your mobile devices or respond to motion input, which is picked up by a pair of Sony camcorders.
Here is another video of it in action:
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by stephanlange on April 29, 2010
the iPad is out and it seems that it is very popular as it sold over 300000 units in its opening weekend. I have been talking about alternatives to the iPad already here, but every day I come across more and more of them.
So here are a few more.
It seems that the windows versions are getting more attractive. Not only that they are running windows 7 (which just sold more than 100 million licenses a couple of days ago), but they also support multitouch, flash and everything else that windows supports out of the box.
GBook tablet
1.2GHz Intel ULV SU2300 processor with integrated Intel graphics and 2GB of RAM – it looks like you can put a 2.5 inch HDD or SSD in it for storage. it will run win 7 and the multitouch panel supports up to 10 touchpoints – no word on price or release date yet, but definitely an option to keep your eye on
Jumper’s JK01-TT
10 inch screen with multitouch, running win 7, 667MHz processor, GMA950 graphics, Realtek audio, 2GB RAM, 250GB SATA HDD, 2 megapixel camera, three USB ports, 4-in-1 card reader, HDMI out, WiFi b/g, and 3G and it ships with a wireless keyboard, mouse, and a stand – all that for US$ 672 from here
here it is in action
The other option that I always come across are the Android tablets and even though Google and HTC seem to work on one together, others have already released their low cost versions
Enso’s zenPad
5 inch screen, 800 x 480, Android 1.6, 8GB of storage (on a replaceable microSD), 667MHz Samsung processor and WiFi all for US$ 155
And if you want to spend an additional US$ 60 it comes with GPS and an external 3G adapter.
Not the best specifications on the planet, but you can’t expect the world for US$ 210. available here
Vi10 from Onda
there is not much known about this 5 inch tablet, but it is meant to be powered by a 600MHz Rockchip and has WiFi and 3G connectivity. no price or release date yet.
Toshiba tablets
Toshiba just confirmed that it will release Windows and Android tablets in the beginning of next year. The Windows one will be the more expensive version, but it also comes with 2 screens (like a book? or the MS Courier?) the cheaper option will run Android, but of course it is still too early to speculate anything else. One thing that seems to be common knowledge is that they will have NVIDIA Tegra 2 internals which should make them nice and powerful.
WePad
I have talked about the WePad already in my earlier post here, but I wanted to share this video with you of the WePad in action
Looking at these options it will get harder and harder to make a decision on which pad is the right one for you and me and it will probably come down to what do you need it for? do you just want something you can play games on and watch the occasional (converted) movie? or do you want to do proper work with it, connect your other devices to it, maybe even make a phone call or stream your 1080p videos to your big TV?
In the end it is really up to you which one you choose and which one you can afford – all I am saying is that there are plenty of alternatives out there and you don’t have to go for the shiny one 
Let me know which one you go for or if you have found another one that I didn’t see in the comments.
@maniac13
by stephanlange on April 13, 2010
Microsoft today launched its new series of touchscreen mobile smartphones called Kin.
There is a 4GB and an 8GB version with 5 and 8 Megapixel cameras with flash, capable of HD video and both models focus heavily on all your social networks, e.g. Twitter and facebook.
It seems that these phones are targeted at 18 to 35 year olds.
check out the video here
not the phone I am going to go for, but impressive to see how MS is putting all its eggs into social networking.
@maniac13
by andypearce on January 27, 2010
I’m very much looking forward to this. Not because I’m jumping on the Banksy band wagon (Back in my uni days I went to one of his first exhibitions and failed to buy a piece of his work for peanuts … foolish) but because I’m pretty sure it will be nothing like the trailer and do something completely unexpected.
Anyway, here’s the trailer if you haven’t seen it already:
by stephanlange on January 13, 2010
I wish I had the time (and money) to go to CES this year, but thankfully all my favourite tech sites were covering it very well.
So looking at all the new gadgets coming out I thought I share my favourites with you – they are in no particular order
1. The transparent laptop screen – Samsung 14 inch Transparent OLED
2. HP Slate tablet – Apple is meant to do it – MS and HP have done it
3. A.R Drone – a Quadcopter controlled by your iPhone (we mentioned it here already)
4. liquid Image HD snow goggles and underwater goggles – all you need for your own discovery movies
5. Peregrine Glove Game controller
6. LBO Light Touch – have an interactive surface on any surface (we mentioned it here already)
7. Finally some USB 3.0 products – superspeed here we come
8. PlasticLogic Que Pro eBook reader/tablet – very sexy
9. Project Natal – can’t wait to connect this to my Xbox360
10. Zyxio Sensawaft – move your cursor with your breath
something additional – these didn’t quite make it into my top 10, but are still pretty cool
The instant Camareas are back – non digital – Polaroid makes a comeback with the Polaroid Pic 1000
Lenovo bringing out a phone
Panasonic 152 inch 3D TV and wireless HDMI transfer
MSI Dual screen multitouch tablet
by stephanlange on December 12, 2009
The MIT Lab has shown off a new kind of display that not only is capable of the usual multitouch functions, but also recognizes gestures in front of the device like we know from minority report.
Pretty cool I say – still a bit slow in the video, but already pretty awesome for a prototype.
found here
by stephanlange on April 16, 2009
Mercedes has a new promotional video for the 2010 S Class that offers peeks at the model range and suite of tech coming on the latest luxury sedan.
Check out the splitview screen on the S600 and start saving because I know you want to have one
by stephanlange on February 25, 2009
I am pretty sure MS is not faced with this new invention, but I think it is an interesting idea and I am sure people will come up with loads of things to do with it.
It is a flexible display consisting of foam and force sensors which is deformable. It’s called Impress and works with the parameters position and time like other touch screens as well, but in addition to that, it reacts, above all, on the intensity of pressure.
check out the video below:
and more info here
