Showing posts with label Gadget. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gadget. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 18, 2026

The Singularity Is Coming: When Humans, AI & Machines Become One Within 20 Years

 🤖 The Singularity Is Coming: When Humans, AI & Machines Become One Within 20 Years

By David Coolwater | Cool Technology


🔥 What If Humans Become Cyborgs by 2046?

Imagine waking up and instantly downloading knowledge into your brain.
No phones. No screens. No limits.

This isn’t science fiction anymore.

Experts believe we are heading toward The Technological Singularity — a future moment when humans, artificial intelligence, electronics, and robots merge into one intelligent system.

And according to top scientists, it could happen within the next 20 years.

Welcome to the future of humanity.


🧠 What Is the Singularity?

The Singularity is the point in time when:

  • Artificial Intelligence becomes smarter than humans

  • Humans enhance themselves using technology

  • Brains connect directly to computers

  • Biology and machines merge

At this stage, humans may no longer evolve naturally — we upgrade instead.

“Once we merge with AI, there will be no separation between human and machine.”
— Ray Kurzweil, Futurist & Former Google Engineer



The future human: part biological, part artificial intelligence.


🔮 Technology That’s Already Preparing Us for the Singularity

The future where humans and machines merge isn’t starting in 20 years —
it’s already happening today.

Many of the technologies shaping the Singularity are already available to consumers:

  • AI-powered devices

  • Smart wearables

  • Brain-training technology

  • Augmented reality gadgets

  • Advanced personal electronics

👉 Check out future-ready technology here


🧬 How Humans Will Merge With Technology

The transformation is already beginning — quietly.

🔌 1. Brain–Computer Interfaces (BCI)

Companies like Neuralink are developing chips that:

  • Connect directly to the brain

  • Allow thought-based control

  • Restore memory and movement

  • Enable direct communication with computers

In 20 years, humans may think commands instead of typing.


🦾 2. Cybernetic Body Enhancements

Future humans may have:

  • Artificial eyes with zoom & night vision

  • Robotic limbs stronger than muscles

  • Nano-robots repairing cells

  • Electronic organs that never fail 

    Your body becomes upgradeable hardware.


 

Cyborg technology will enhance strength, vision, and intelligence.


⌚ Wearable Technology: The First Step Toward Becoming Cyborg

Smartwatches and wearables are primitive — but important.

They already:

  • Monitor your heart

  • Track sleep

  • Predict health risks

  • Connect your body to software

In the future, this data may flow directly into the brain.

👉 Explore advanced wearable technology


Wearable technology is the early foundation of cyborg evolution.


 🤖 3. Artificial Intelligence Inside the Human Mind

Instead of using AI tools…

AI will live inside you.

  • Instant answers

  • Perfect memory recall

  • Real-time language translation

  • Emotion regulation

  • Decision optimization

Your brain becomes a hybrid biological-AI processor.


🌐 What Happens When Humans & Robots Become One?

This is where things get truly revolutionary.

🚀 Superhuman Intelligence

Humans could think thousands of times faster.

🧠 Shared Consciousness

Thoughts could be transmitted like data.

♾️ Digital Immortality

Memories and personality stored forever.

💡 Limitless Creativity

Art, music, science — amplified by AI cognition.

Death may no longer mean the end.


The singularity may allow minds to exist beyond the biological body.


🧠 AI Tools That Already Think Like the Future

Before AI enters the human brain, it lives in our devices.

Today’s artificial intelligence can already:

  • Write content

  • Analyze data

  • Predict behavior

  • Automate decisions

  • Enhance creativity

These AI tools represent early-stage human–AI symbiosis.

👉 Try powerful AI tools shaping the future


⚠️ The Dark Side of the Singularity

Not everything is utopian.

❗ Major Risks Include:

  • Loss of privacy inside the mind

  • AI manipulation of human thoughts

  • Inequality between enhanced and non-enhanced humans

  • Loss of what it means to be human

If technology controls consciousness — who controls humanity?

This is the greatest question of our century.


🔐 Protect Your Digital Mind in the Age of AI

As humans become more connected to machines, privacy becomes critical.

AI-powered surveillance, data tracking, and neural technology will make digital protection essential.

Before the Singularity arrives, protecting your digital identity matters more than ever.

👉 Protect your privacy online with trusted tools


⏳ Will This Really Happen in 20 Years?

Many experts say yes.

Key reasons:

  • AI development is exponential

  • Computing power doubles rapidly

  • Neural implants already exist

  • Robots are learning autonomously

  • Governments and corporations are investing billions

What took 100 years before now takes 5 years today.

The timeline is accelerating.


🌍 Are We Ready for the Post-Human Era?

The Singularity will not ask for permission.

It will arrive gradually — then suddenly.

The real question is not if humans and machines will merge.

The question is:

Will we control the technology… or will it redefine us?


🧠 Final Thought

In 20 years, humans may look back at smartphones the same way we look at stone tools.

Primitive.

The future human may not be born —
they will be upgraded.

And when biology meets artificial intelligence…

The Singularity begins.

Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps support Cool Technology and allows us to continue publishing future-focused content.

Friday, January 16, 2026

Top 10 Cool Technology Gadgets 2026

 
Top 10 Cool Technology Gadgets

🔥 Top 10 Cool Technology Gadgets Everyone Is Obsessed With in 2026

Discover the top 10 coolest technology gadgets of 2026 that everyone wants. From AI devices to smart home tech, see what’s trending now.


Technology in 2026 is moving faster than ever, and some gadgets are so cool they’re breaking the internet. From AI-powered devices to futuristic smart tech, these are the most talked-about technology gadgets everyone is obsessed with right now.

If you love staying ahead of trends, this list is for you.


1. AI Smart Glasses

AI smart glasses now offer real-time translation, navigation, and instant information overlays. They’re stylish, lightweight, and incredibly powerful.

Why it’s trending: Hands-free AI assistance everywhere you go.


2. Foldable Smartphones (Next Gen)

Foldable phones have become thinner, stronger, and more affordable. Many now fold into tablet-sized screens without visible creases.

Why it’s trending: One device, endless possibilities.


3. AI Personal Assistants

These assistants go beyond voice commands. They plan schedules, write emails, and even help with business decisions.

Why it’s trending: Productivity on autopilot.


4. Smart Home Robots

From vacuuming to security monitoring, smart robots are becoming everyday household helpers.

Why it’s trending: Less work, more living.


5. Wearable Health Tech

Advanced wearables can now track blood pressure, stress levels, and early health warnings.

Why it’s trending: Health tracking in real time.


6. Wireless Charging Furniture

Charge your phone just by placing it on a table or desk.

Why it’s trending: No cables, no clutter.


7. AI Gaming Consoles

AI-enhanced gaming systems adapt difficulty and storylines based on how you play.

Why it’s trending: Personalized gaming experiences.


8. Smart Rings

These tiny devices track sleep, fitness, and notifications discreetly.

Why it’s trending: Powerful tech in a minimalist design.


9. Portable Solar Power Banks

Charge anywhere using sunlight — perfect for travel and emergencies.

Why it’s trending: Eco-friendly and reliable.


10. Augmented Reality Headsets

AR headsets blend digital content with the real world for work, education, and entertainment.

Why it’s trending: The future of interaction.


Final Thoughts

These cool technology gadgets are shaping the future and changing how we live, work, and play. Expect them to become even more powerful and affordable.

“This Futuristic Gadget Is Taking Over 2026 — And Everyone Wants One”

 

Futuristic Gadget - Next-Gen AI Glasses

🔥 The Must-Have Gadget of 2026: Next-Gen AI Glasses That Everyone’s Talking About

In 2026, tech lovers and everyday consumers alike are buzzing about one thing: next-generation smart AI glasses — the gadget that’s trending across social media, tech blogs, and consumer wish lists worldwide.

Whether you’re a daily commuter, a productivity junkie, or someone who loves futuristic gadgets, this is the tech trend you don’t want to miss.


📱 Why Smart AI Glasses Are the 2026 Must-Have Gadget

Unlike traditional wearables, AI-powered smart glasses blend the digital and real world. They’re not just accessories — they’re interactive computing devices you wear like sunglasses.

These devices go well beyond typical smart-watch notifications or headphones. With built-in displays, AI assistants, navigation, messaging, and more, smart glasses are shaping up to be the next big leap in personal tech.

Here’s what makes them stand out:

  • 📍 Hands-free Information — Directions, messages, and alerts right in your line of sight.

  • 💬 Live Assistance — Built-in AI can help you translate languages, identify objects, and answer questions in real time.

  • 📸 Smart Cameras — Capture photos or video without taking out your phone.

  • 🎧 Audio Without Earbuds — Integrated sound or discreet audio features mean a new way to listen and communicate.

In fact, companies like Meta and Ray-Ban have already launched premium AI glasses with integrated displays that show notifications and navigation directly on the lens — blending style with cutting-edge tech. (Wikipedia)


🕶️ Meta Ray-Ban Display: A Glimpse of the Future

One of the most talked-about models is the Meta Ray-Ban Display — a sleek pair of smart glasses that do more than look cool.

Key features include:

  • 🖼️ High-resolution visual display inside the lens.

  • 📱 Live messaging & notifications from apps like WhatsApp and Instagram.

  • 🌍 Real-time navigation and translation tools right before your eyes.

  • 📷 Built-in camera for capturing life hands-free.

These smart frames are designed to feel as natural as everyday eyewear while packing advanced tech into a stylish package. (Wikipedia)


🔮 What This Means for Everyday Life

Smart AI glasses are redefining what we expect from personal tech. They’re not just gadgets — they’re wearable assistants.

Here’s how they’re changing everyday life:

📈 Productivity Boost

Imagine getting directions, alerts, or reminders without looking down at your phone — perfect for professionals on the go.

🧠 Enhanced Learning & Travel

Want live language translation while sightseeing? Want visual context for what you’re seeing? These glasses make it intuitive and seamless.

🚶 Hands-Free Navigation

Whether biking, walking, or driving, smart glasses keep you informed while keeping your hands free.


🎯 Who Should Consider These Smart Glasses

This gadget is ideal for:

  • Tech enthusiasts and early adopters

  • Busy professionals seeking hands-free productivity

  • Travelers and learners

  • Fitness lovers who want real-time data during workouts

  • Anyone ready to upgrade from a smartphone to wearable tech


🛒 Wrap-Up: The #1 Gadget Everyone Wants in 2026

From CES highlights to mainstream consumer buzz, smart AI glasses are the standout tech gadget of 2026 — blending innovation, practicality, and futuristic flair into a wearable experience that’s capturing global attention.

If you’re looking for the next big thing to add to your tech arsenal, these AI-powered glasses are at the top of everyone’s wishlist — and for good reason. (Gear Patrol

Monday, January 14, 2013

Press Event Reawakening Facebook Smartphone Rumors


FaceBook SmartPhone
FaceBook SmartPhone
Facebook has scheduled to hold a media event on Tuesday, reawakening rumors that the social netowork will launch its own phone.

The event, set to be held at Facebook's headquarters on January 15, is prompting - for one more time - speculations that a Facebook smartphone is on the works.

Last November reports surfaced that HTC had been working with Facebook to develop a phone, code-named the Opera UL. However, the phone never materialized Facebook's CEO Mark Zuckerberg had denied the rumors.

TechCrunch is now claiming that the launch of a phone is imminent, indicating that "multiple sources have told us that they expect some sort of Facebook Phone to be on display on Tuesday."

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Amazon Kindle Fire vs. Touch vs. Keyboard: Which E-Reader Is Right For You?

The Amazon Kindle is one of the hottest gifts this holiday season, but if you're looking to buy one, it might be daunting to decide which is right for you.

You know the basics of the Kindle e-readers: access to over 800,000 books, the lending library, borrowing books from a local library and the free Amazon cloud storage that comes with your purchase. But similarities aside, what are the major differences between the Kindles? And which one is right for you?

Amazon Kindle Fire

The Amazon Kindle is one of the hottest gifts for this holiday season, but if you're looking to buy one, it might be daunting to decide which is right for you. Should you get the Kindle Fire, the Kindle Touch, the Kindle Keyboard or the basic Kindle? 

We've broken down the Kindle by type - Basic Kindle, Kindle Touch, Kindle Keyboard and Kindle Fire - and then took a look at a few major differences to help you choose which Kindle you should call your own.

The Kindle by Type
Kindle Basic
The basic Kindle is not only the cheapest e-reader on the market, but it's simple, light and easy-to-use. If you're looking for a no frills reader that will practically pay for itself after a dozen book purchases, the basic $79 Kindle is the way to go.
It's less than 6 ounces, fits in your pocket, has built in Wi-Fi, a one month battery life, and has simple buttons that will make the interface easy to navigate. The screen is 6 inches of e-ink goodness and the Kindle can store around 1,400 books (2 GB), including access to Amazon's free cloud storage.  
 
If you plan to do a lot of typing or note-taking you may want to reconsider the basic alternative, because typing on this Kindle can be taxing without a keyboard.

Kindle Touch
The Kindle Touch is the newest addition to the family. The Touch is still an e-ink reader, but has a touch screen and only one "home" button. You can turn a page by tapping anywhere on the screen.
The Touch is $99 for the Wi-Fi only version and $149 for 3G. The Touch has a 6 inch e-ink screen, can go two months without a charge, has 4GB of storage and Amazon's free cloud storage and weighs less than 8 ounces.
The Touch is unique in that it has a new X-Ray feature, which allows you to look up characters, historical figures, or interesting phrases by tapping a word. Readers can access detailed descriptions from Wikipedia and Shelfari, Amazon's encyclopedia for book lovers. The Touch also has audio capabilities and can read books aloud to you.

Kindle Keyboard
The Kindle Keyboard is mainly targeted at readers who plan on taking extensive notes or like the ease of having an accessible keyboard. This Kindle is the only one that does not require readers to use a keyboard on screen.
Both the Kindle Keyboard with Wi-Fi only and the 3G alternative are $139. The Keyboard is slightly heavier and larger than its smaller counter-parts, but the screen is the same 6 inch e-ink reader. This version can also hold 4GB of books, lasts for two months on one charge, and weighs less than 9 ounces.
The Kindle DX, which is a big brother of the Keyboard, is ultimately the same model, but bigger with a 9.7 inch screen. It's over twice as heavy and over twice as expensive, but for readers looking for a bigger screen, the Kindle DX remains an option. The battery life of the DX is only 3 weeks.

The Kindle Fire
The Kindle Fire is very different from its cousins the basic, the Touch and the Keyboard. Although the Fire can be used solely as an e-reader, it's ultimately a tablet and can do much more. You can watch over 18 million movies, TV shows, use apps, play games, listen to songs, read books, newspapers, magazines and documents and listen to audiobooks.

The Fire is $199, comes with Wi-Fi, has a new Amazon Browser (Amazon Silk), sports a 7 inch LCD color touchscreen and weighs less than 15 ounces.
If you're looking for a multi-media machine, on par with the iPad 2 and other tablets, the Fire is for you. However, there can be some negatives to the Fire if you're looking primarily for an e-reader, which we outline below.

How to Choose Between Major Differences in Kindles
With or Without Special Offers
The "special offers" are ads that show up on the main screen of the Kindle and are your Kindle's background while the Kindle is sleeping. If you don't mind the distraction, then don't bother paying extra for a Kindle without the offers. In fact, many readers like the offers, which may give you discounts on books or other Amazon material. However, if you're easily distracted, or have no interest in seeing ads pop up on your home screen for mascara, spend the extra thirty bucks for an ads-free Kindle.

Our Vote: If you don't mind shelling out the extra cash, get the Kindle without the special offers.

3G or No 3G
All of the Kindles come with Wi-Fi and can be connected to your home network and open networks such as Starbucks. A free 3G Network is offered with the Kindle Touch 3G, the Kindle Keyboard 3G and the Kindle DX. A 3G Kindle is ultimately most useful for readers who travel frequently or would like to access and download material on the go. Because you can easily download a book (or one hundred) and store it on your Kindle, there are very few reasons the average person would need to be on the 3G Network. However, if you like to have the option of accessing the online store and downloading new material anywhere and at any time, the 3G is for you. The Kindle Fire does not come with a free 3G option, however you can join the AT&T 3G network by paying a monthly fee.
Our Vote: You probably won't need 3G.

Price
At $79, the basic Kindle is by far the cheapest option. However, if you're interested in a more multi-media accessible experience, the Kindle Fire is the cheapest tablet on the market at $199 (less than half the iPad 2) and is definitely worth the price. In fact, Amazon seems to be selling the Fire at a loss.
Our Vote: The basic Kindle at $79 is the cheapest, but the Kindle Fire at $199 is the best deal.

Screen: E-Ink vs. LCD
The basic Kindle, Kindle Touch and Kindle Keyboard all have 6 inch, e-ink screens. (The Kindle Keyboard DX has a 9 inch e-ink screen.) E-ink is known to be easy on the eyes and is often considered the closest digital experience to reading on paper. However, e-ink means reading exclusively in black and white and it's impossible to read in the dark (so you'll need a reading lamp or clamp on light).

The Kindle Fire, on the other hand, has a 7 inch color LCD screen. It has a 1024 X 600 pixel resolution at 169 ppi, 16 million colors. The screen is sharp and beautiful for watching films, TV shows or playing video games, but will it hurt your eyes for reading? Most eye doctors say, no. LCD screens shouldn't harm your eyes, but they may make them temporarily drier if you aren't careful.
Reading on LCD screens is nearly impossible in direct sunlight because of the glare, but, on the flip side, you can read in the dark with no problem. Although the LCD screen on the Kindle Fire is bright, you can also adjust the brightness depending on how you're using the Fire and when reading you can change the background and font colors to what's most comfortable for you.
Our Vote: We're undecided.

If you plan to read a lot at the beach or for many hours at a time, you may want to stick with the classic e-inks. However, if you like to read in the dark and don't mind your computer screen, the color LCD offers more options.

What Kind of Material Do You Plan to Read?
If you're undecided about the screen type that works best for you, thinking about the type of material you hope to read on your new e-reader may help narrow the choices. If you plan to read predominantly books on the e-reader, the e-inks are significantly lighter and probably easier on your eyes in the long run.
However, if you plan to read magazines, children's books and newspapers, we highly suggest the Kindle Fire, because the color LCD screen will greatly enhance your experience. Since the Fire also has video and sound capabilities, you can have access to interactive content within a newspaper, magazine or book. Although many magazines and newspapers for the Kindle Fire at this point remain straightforward, we expect future developments will include a more interactive reading experience (as is already the case with the iPad 2).

Our Vote: The Kindle Fire gives you the most diverse reading experience, however if you know you only want to read books, then stick with an e-ink Kindle.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

New Materials Turn Heat Into Electricity




New Materials Turn Heat Into Electricity
New Materials Turn Heat into Electricity
A new material with a low-temperature nonmagnetic phase and a strongly magnetic high-temperature phase could potentially be used to help generate power
Most of today’s power plants–from some of the largest solar arrays to nuclear energy facilities–rely on the boiling and condensing of water to produce energy.

The process of turning heated water into energy was essentially understood by James Watt all the way back in 1765. Heat from the sun or from a controlled nuclear reaction boils water, which then expands, moves a turbine and generates power.

Why water? It is cheap; it absorbs a lot of “latent heat” as it turns into steam; it produces a lot of power as it expands through the turbine; and it is easily condensed back to liquid water using an environmental source such as a river.

Heat to electricity
Beginning from the fundamental research of Nicolas Leonard Sadi Carnot in 1824, engineers have learned how to manipulate the boiling and condensing of water, using this “phase transformation” between liquid and gas to generate electricity.

Adding heat to the water at the right point in the cycle and preventing heat exchange at other points during the cycle enables researchers to ultimately extract the most power from the steam. In this way, they carefully designed the cycle to maximize its efficiency, a mathematical concept that Carnot defined.
“This boiling and condensing of water requires massive pressure vessels and heat exchangers to contain the water,” said researcher Richard James, of the University of Minnesota.

James and his team of researchers want to substitute a completely different phase transformation to replace the boiling and condensing of water. They have been investigating that possibility using a family of metal alloys (specific mixes of different elements) called “multiferroic materials.”

Multiferroic materials
Multiferroic materials are materials that exhibit at least two of three “ferroic” properties: ferromagnetism (like an iron magnet, spontaneously magnetized), ferroelectricity (spontaneously developing two poles), or ferroelasticity (spontaneously strained). A natural way to exhibit ferroelasticity is by a phase transformation in which one crystal structure suddenly distorts into another, a so-called martensitic phase transformation.
Instead of water to steam, the James’s team’s idea is to use a martensitic phase transformation that occurs naturally in some of these multiferroic materials. Using a mathematical theory for martensitic phase transformations developed with National Science Foundation (NSF) funding, the researchers discovered a way to systematically tune the composition of multiferroic materials to be able to turn the phase transformation on and off.

Usually a metal’s ability to switch phases like this is impeded by a characteristic called “hysteresis,” which is how long it takes for the magnetism of the metal to catch up with the phase change. If it takes too long, it impedes the metal’s ability to switch phases back and forth.

Evolving alloys
“The key idea is to manipulate the composition of the alloy so the two crystal structures fit together perfectly,” James said. “When this is done, the hysteresis of the phase transformation drops dramatically and it becomes highly reversible.”

Even after the first low hysteresis alloys began to emerge, the strategy was all based on theory. “To be sure that the hysteresis dropped for the expected reason, it was critical that we actually see the perfect interfaces in tuned alloys,” James said.

For this purpose, James teamed with Nick Schryvers from the Electron Microscopy for Materials Science laboratory at the University of Antwerp in Belgium, a celebrated center for the study of phase transformations using electron microscopy. The resulting study, by Schryvers and University of Antwerp graduate student Remi Delville, revealed perfectly matching interfaces between the two phases.

Heusler alloys
The researchers pursued the concept in a family of alloys called Heusler alloys which are magnetic, even though the metals that make them up aren’t. Named for the German mining engineer Friedrich Heusler, who first noticed that Cu2MnSn (copper-manganese-tin) is magnetic even though the separate elements Cu, Mn and Sn are nonmagnetic, this family of alloys has a striking propensity to exhibit magnetism. As James notes, Heuslers are also loaded with martensitic phase transformations.

Working in James’ group, postdoctoral fellow Vijay Srivastava applied the strategy to achieve low hysteresis, systematically changing the composition of the basic Heusler alloy Ni2MnSn and arriving at Ni45Co5Mn40Sn10.

“Ni45Co5Mn40Sn10 is a remarkable alloy,” said James. “The low temperature phase is nonmagnetic but the high temperature phase is a strong magnet, almost as strong as iron at the same temperature.” The researchers immediately realized that such an alloy could act like the phase-transitioning water in a power plant.
“If you surround the alloy by a small coil and heat it through the phase transformation, the suddenly changing magnetization induces a current in the coil,” said James. “In the process, the alloy absorbs some latent heat. It turns heat directly into electricity.”

Revolutionizing power plants
The consequences for the technology are potentially far-reaching. In a power plant, one would not need the massive pressure vessels, piping and heat exchangers used to transport and heat water. Since the transformation temperature can be adjusted over a wide range, the concept is adaptable to many sources of heat stored on earth with small temperature differences.

“One can even dream of using the temperature difference between the surface of the ocean and a few hundred meters down,” James said.

Together with Professor Christopher Leighton at the University of Minnesota, the researchers are also studying the possibility of making thin film versions of their devices. Those could work in computers, right on the chip, to convert waste heat into electricity to charge the battery.
James emphasizes that their demonstration is just one of many ways one can use martensitic phase transformations for energy conversion.

“Besides magnetism, there are many physical properties that could be different in the two phases and could be used to generate electricity from heat,” James said. “But how to develop these concepts and which ones will work best?”

“Even the criterion for ‘best’ is unclear, since one does not pay for waste heat,” James continued. “Really, we have to rethink from fundamental principles the thermodynamics of energy conversion at small temperature difference.”

Image Caption: Materials engineer Richard James of the University of Minnesota heats a novel metal alloy sitting on a copper finger; the material suddenly becomes strongly magnetic as it goes through a phase transformation, converting heat to electricity. Pictured from left are Vijay Srivastava, Kanwal Bhatti, Yintao Song and Richard James. Credit: Vijay Srivastava, Yintao Song, Kanwal Bhatti and Richard D. James, University of Minnesota

Saturday, October 22, 2011

We've seen the future and it looks like it's going to be in 3D


You've seen the kingfisher from 150 yards. Now you've filmed it, too... in 3D

The grip area on Sony's DEV-5s is coated with an elastomer material for a firm hold
3D Sony DEV-5 Binoculars
The grip area on Sony's DEV-5s is coated with an elastomer material for a firm hold. The controls are top-mounted, with dual buttons so you can film with either hand

The first cuckoo of spring; Fat Chance winning the 2.30 at Kempton; Mrs Jessop at No 23… life’s full of moments that the keen binoculars buff prepares for with the quiet patience of a beagle at the dinner table.
Yet who could have predicted that one day there’d be binoculars for making 3D movies?
Reminding us a little of the sinister proto-robots in Terminator 3, Sony’s DEV-5s work like conventional bins: scan the horizon at low magnification to spot your quarry, then zoom in at up to 20x (10x optical).
The design is described as 'stealth' - meaning there are no distracting buttons or flashing lights that could give your position away
3D Sony DEV-5 Binoculars
The design is described as 'stealth' - meaning there are no distracting buttons or flashing lights that could give your position away
Spot the kingfishers with the DEV-5s
KingFisher Bird
Spot the kingfishers with the DEV-5s
Autofocus keeps the image clear; image stabilisation negates trembles. But what’s different with these is that you can take the images you see home with you. 

The DEV-5s capture 2D 7.1MP stills and Full HD video – and if you press the magic 3D button they’ll record footage that leaps out at you on a 3D TV (though bear in mind that in 3D the zoom is only 5.4x). 

Plenty of other features are packed in too, including GPS for geotagging, and the battery can handle over two hours of 3D filming. 

Any drawbacks? They’re £2,605, but you could see that a mile off, couldn’t you?

Friday, August 26, 2011

Rasperry Pi Boards are back. ($25 dollar computer)

How cheap can a computer get? Cheaper than you think. Only as long as you don't include any of Microsoft products.

You don't have to take my word for it. Check this Youtube.com Video.





Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Celluon virtual laser keyboard also has sound

Laser Keyboard with sound
I never thought that I could get used to those laser-powered virtual projection keyboards. While I think it would be handy to pair a device with something that would create a keyboard on any flat surface, I need the haptic feedback of the clickity-click of the keyboard.

I know that I should just evolve out of this, because touchscreen keyboards are quiet, and I think we are moving away from traditional button keyboards. Fortunately, I can wait a little while to get over my fascination with keyboard sounds as the Cube Laser Virtual Keyboard comes with gesture recognition software so that the user can hear the click to indicate control gestures as well as keystrokes.

In addition to this feature, the Cube Laser Virtual Keyboard has a very liquid interface for its laser projection, so the image of the keys is much better than before. It pairs with devices via Bluetooth, which means that it is compatible with most smartphones, tablets, and even laptops.

I suppose that I wouldn’t mind having one of these for myself, but I just tried tapping my fingers on my desk for a few seconds, and it wasn’t the same as typing on a keyboard. However, if this is for you, then head over to ThinkGeek and lay down about $170 for it.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

You Can’t Kill This Laptop

Getac X500

Getac X500
Traditionally, rugged laptops have required a military-grade surplus of tradeoffs. Typically this has meant lower-speed, older CPUs, tiny hard drives, a dearth of ports and even prior-generation operating systems installed.

Whether the manufacturers were reluctant to change configurations regularly or buyers simply didn’t care about performance is a mystery. Either way, you got a bulky and durable machine, but one that crawled along at the most basic of tasks.

Getac X500

That changes with Getac’s X500: A rugged laptop that, finally, has the tech chops to back up its MIL-SPEC cred. Certified for MIL-STD-810G and IP65 (your standard shock, water and fungus resistance) and “ready” for MIL-STD-461F (which covers electromagnetic interference), the Getac X500 is a handle-equipped, 12.4-pound slab of magnesium alloy and rubber with plenty of power under the hood.
Internally, the X500 is powered by a 2.67GHz Core i7 CPU, 4GB of RAM and a 160GB solid state hard drive. Integrated graphics, you say? No: The X500 springs for an impressive Nvidia GeForce GT 330M. The 15.6-inch LCD only provides 1366×768-pixel resolution, but it’s designed for outdoor viewing, giving it a blinding level of brightness. (In fact, it’s quantitatively the brightest display I’ve ever tested.) The display also features a (resistive) touchscreen: It works with your fingertip, but the included stylus is a better bet for accuracy.

Getac X500

Performance is off-the-charts stellar. The X500 turned in near-record marks on both general productivity apps and, shockingly, gaming framerates. That’s excellent news for our military readers: The X500 is just as good for killing actual insurgents as it is for virtual ones.

I also tested the X500’s rugged chops by dropping it several times, dousing it with water and even parking a Subaru Forester on it. Damage was never worse than surface scuffs and cosmetics: The pavement scraped up the underside of the laptop and shredded the rubber feet, but those appear to be easily replaceable and designed to take some punishment. The photos above were all shot after I rained abuse upon it, and as you can see, it doesn’t look battered or frayed.


Getac X500

Gripes, aside from the beastly size, are moderate. The fan is so loud and powerful that it blew papers off my desk from a distance of 18 inches. There’s no optical drive, and the touchpad is dismally unresponsive, making it one of the few times I actually preferred to use a laptop’s touchscreen to the traditional pointer.
Whether you’re out there in the field or find yourself playing the role of Chairborne Ranger, Getac’s latest has guts enough for the toughest of tasks. Of course, if the weight doesn’t give you a hernia, the price might. But since it’s likely being bought on Uncle Sam’s dime, well, what do you care?


Getac X500

WIRED Amazingly tough. Doesn’t skimp on performance. LCD viewable in everything short of direct sunlight. All ports protected under secure, but easy to use, snap closures.

TIRED Puny battery life — barely two hours — will not outlast forced march to Kandahar. No USB 3.0. Two serial ports but no parallel port? Come on, Getac! Hulk-inspired looks won’t exactly help you out with the ladies at Starbucks.


Monday, July 11, 2011

Wifi Enabled Weight and Body Fat Scale

Weight and Body Fat Scale


Keep you weight and diet on track with this internet enable scale! You can easily monitor you weight and body fat directly to your own computer or iphone. Even your whole family could use it because it works monitoring up to 8 users.


Keep track of your fat mass, lean mas and bmi with the free iphone application available for download.

Rumor: Apple working on 'iPad HD'

iPad HD
 Tech blogs are never short on Apple rumors.


Here's the latest: The company reportedly is working on a new iPad, due out later this year, that will have a higher-resolution screen.

Dubbed the "iPad HD" by a blog called This Is My Next, which is run by former editors from the respected tech site Engadget, the new iPad is said to be a "pro" device that could be used for high-end video editing and photography.

"Think MacBook and MacBook Pro," writes Joshua Topolsky, referring to Apple's lines of laptops.
The iPad HD, which would have a screen with twice the resolution of the current model, will be introduced in September alongside new software that will cater do these higher-end applications, the blog says, citing unnamed sources.

Ars Technica, another tech site, says the rumor makes sense given the fact that Apple has been releasing high-resolution versions of tablet content.

"Apple started including pixel-doubled artwork in versions of iBooks for iPad some time ago. It recently added yet more 2048 x 1536 pixel artwork in iOS 5 betas for newer features like Twitter and Newsstand. So it seems a pretty safe bet that a future iPad will definitely use this resolution," that site writes.
But Ars Technica doubts Apple would start a second, high-end line of tablet computers.
The high-resolution screen could boost the price of the Apple's popular tablet computer, which is the best-selling on the market, says the Time blog Techland. Full disclosure: Time shares a parent company with CNN.

"The screen itself would be so expensive that it'd be impossible to hit the $500 starting point pegged to the consumer versions of the iPad," Techland says.

This is all conjecture, of course -- which is part of Apple culture these days. The conventional wisdom says Apple will hold some kind of product announcement in September, when a new iPhone and possibly an iPad could be unveiled.

Apple's second-generation iPad went on sale in March. The company faces a host of competing tablets -- most running Google's Android operating system -- but none have sold as well as the iPad.

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Apple girding gadgets against hackers

IPhone Vulnerability


Apple on Friday said it was working to patch a vulnerability that hackers could use to break into the company's popular iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch gadgets.

Engineers at the California firm are fixing a weakness pointed out by the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI).

"Apple takes security very seriously," Apple spokeswoman Trudy Muller said in response to an AFP inquiry.
"We are aware of this reported issue and developing a fix that will be available in an upcoming software update," she said.

BSI warned this week of a flaw that would let hackers infiltrate Apple mobile devices by duping users into opening PDF document files booby-trapped with malicious computer code.
Although no attacks have been observed, hackers are likely to try to exploit the weakness, according to a posting on the agency's website.

Possible "attack scenarios for cyber-criminals" include accessing passwords, email messages, contact lists, or built-in cameras and eavesdropping on phone conversations or getting location information, according to BSI.
The agency recommended that Apple device users guard against hackers by not opening PDF documents from unfamiliar sources.

Apple gadget users should limit Web browsing to reliable websites and avoid clicking on links in emails unless they are certain where they lead, BSI advised.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Convert an Internal Laptop Hard Drive to an External Drive



I am a big fan of electronics and when it comes to tinkering, I get excited. While cleaning up my basement, I came across my old laptop hard drive laying around and collecting dust, after I sold the laptop on Ebay 4 years ago. In fact, while back I have been meaning to make some use of it for maybe backing my current desktop, although it still has my old files. However, I never got around to converting this internal laptop hard drive to an external drive, until now.




Bottom of my laptop of hard drive

Top of the Laptop Hard drive
Laptop hard drive pins



Initially I felt that it would be cheaper to get an adapter for my IDE cable to hook up my laptop hard drive to my desktop computer to use it as it was indicated by many websites. So, I bought an IDE cable adapter for my laptop hard drive from Amazon.

5.9in Laptop to IDE Hard Drive Adapter Cable


5.9in Laptop to IDE Hard Drive Adapter Cable

It was definitely cheap that I paid about $8.00 including shipping. I hooked it up to my laptop hard drive and to my desktop IDE cable. I thought I was ready to backup my desktop files, but it wasn't the case. My windows XP home edition had hard time recognising the laptop hard drive. In fact, at first I didn't see the laptop hard drive mounted for access. I thought, I should wait a little to see if my Windows XP will eventually see it and it did, but it took over 5 minutes. Then, I saw (Local Hard drive F:). At that, point I clicked on the drive expecting it to open with my old laptop files. It popped up with the messagebox requesting me to format the drive first. That wasn't what I expected. Although I wasn't too worried about the old files in the laptop, I still wanted to know if I had anything important I should keep from it. so, I thought I should do more research, because I knew there is got to be much easier solution and I should still be able to retrieve my old files from the drive.

That's when I came across a product called External enclosure with a USB 2.0 adapter. After doing some searching online, I find it very affordable and reliable solution to turning your laptop hard drive into external storage media. I bought it from Newegg and it's actual name is "Link Depot ENWB-25B-SS Aluminum 2.5" USB 2.0 External Enclosure."

Link Depot ENWB-25B-SS Aluminum 2.5" USB 2.0 External Enclosure

Inside the External Enclosure box


When you order from Newegg, you will get a small box just the above picture. It will have the following items as shown on the picture below.
Items in the External Enclosure Box


Items included in the box
  1. Mini CD with driver for the adapter (in case you need a driver, but you if you have Windows XP or higher you shouldn't need it as in my case).
  2. An light weight aluminium enclosure. 
  3. USB adapter
  4. Mini, cute and green screw driver (but I didn't get any screws to screw with)
  5. USB Cable.
As I figured before purchasing this USB 2.0 external enclosure for my laptop hard drive, it was very very easy and simple to setup. Many people on the Internet warned their readers to make sure the size of the enclosure is just the right size for their laptop hard drive. Generally, laptop hard drives are the same size, but sometimes you can have one that is slightly too large or small such that it won't fit into this enclosure. Your hard drive should slide into the enclosure without much effort. If it requires that you put in all your energy to put it into the enclosure, then you are going to damage it. So, just be aware of things that can go wrong.






Here are the steps for setting up your External Enclosure.


Laptop Hard drive adapter
1.) First, since this is a laptop hard drive you are working with, most likely it has an adapter of its own when it resided within the laptop. When removed, it exposes the hard drive pins. You must take it off before you start working with it. It looks like the picture to the right.







Laptop Hard drive adapter

















External Enclosure


2.) Then, you take the USB 2.0 adapter that connects to the laptop hard drive pins. Usually, it will still be part of aluminium enclosure out of the box without being screwed to the enclosure.









External Enclosure without USB 2.0 Adapter in it









USB 2.0 Adapter for laptop hard drive





















USB 2.0 Adapter for laptop hard drive

USB 2.0 Adapter for laptop hard drive






























Laptop Hard drive and USB 2.0 Adapter
3.) After that, very carefully align the holes of the USB 2.0 adapter with the laptop hard drive pins and slowly push it in all the way like the pictures to the right.









Laptop Hard drive and USB 2.0 Adapter

Laptop Hard drive and USB 2.0 Adapter
Back of Laptop Hard drive and USB 2.0 Adapter
Back of Laptop Hard drive and USB 2.0 Adapter
Empty External Enclosure
4.) Once the laptop hard drive and the USB 2.0 Adapter are married or connected each other safely and securely, you should get ready to place the hard drive and the USB 2.0 Adapter into the external enclosure.
Empty Enclosure and Laptop Hard drive Adapter

Empty Enclosure and Laptop Hard drive Adapter

External Enclosure and Laptop Hard drive



All in one without screws



USB cable and
USB connection into Desktop Computer
 5.) At this point, you probably noticed that I don't have a screw in place in those holes to hold the laptop hard drive in place with the external enclosure. Well, unfortunately I didn't get any screws when I am supposed. That's a minor issue. So, I didn't bother the seller. Once you have the external enclosure and the laptop hard drive with the adapter in place, you are ready to connect your USB cable to your new external hard drive. You probably noticed that you have a USB cable with 3 connectors. One end connects into the laptop hard drive itself and one of the two USB connector
Laptop Hard drive and USB 2.0 LED ON
connects into your desktop or another laptop. Since this external enclosure adapter is plug and play, you can connect and disconnect your new external hard drive while your windows XP operating is running. So, you should see the red LED on the USB adapter light up if there is a power to your hard drive through your USB 2.0 connection. If your Windows XP recognise your new USB external hard drive, you should immediately see a message box running through the files in your laptop hard drive if not Windows XP message requesting for action. At which point, you can open your "my computer" to see if the USB external hard drive is listed in storage media lists.



Screenshot of Windows Drive List


 And that's how you convert your internal Laptop hard drive to an External Drive. I hope, I have provided you with enough information for you to turn your old laptop hard drive into external storage media.

Thank you for visiting my blog.