Gadgets Blog

Remember the cute Wall-E robot-esque 3D webcam that was just a prototype two months ago?

It is ready to have its first public showing at the Consumer Electronics Association show later this week and start retailing on Amazon.com.

The attractive red webcam, Minoru, requires special 3D glasses to view the feed from two cameras spaced roughly the same distance apart as the human eye. Images from the two cameras are mixed together to create the 3D effect.

Minoru will be available from Amazon.com for $90.

Created by British designer David Holder, the 3D webcam can stand or sit on a desk, or perch on a monitor. Each order comes with five pairs of special colored glasses.

It can take still pictures, record 3D video for YouTube and can also be used as a regular 2D webcam.

Also see: 3D Webcam Makes It Real

Roku digital video player is expanding its horizons. The company is moving beyond Netfix and has added Amazon.com as a new partner to its streaming movie service.

Amazon.com said Monday its users will be able to rent and watch movies and TV episodes from its Video On Demand store via the Roku digital video player. The Roku player, which costs $100, will allow users to see rented movies and shows anytime on the player itself or online.

The move should make the Roku player much more valuable. If Roku can add more partnerships it could put the player a step ahead of competitors. Netflix rival BlockBuster also has a streaming video box, while Apple has had movie rentals available through Apple TV. Amazon.com has about 40,000 titles in its catalog.

Photo: (graysky/Flickr)

I have one of the later models of iLuv and so far have found it extremely convenient.  Especially since I tend to flake on charging my iPod.  Well now iLuv is offering a new gadget for us to drool over.  This one has found its way to this year’s CES and won’t be out for a few more months, but they at least released a  few details to draw in our interest.  The dock has all the usual convenient speccs but with one extra to sweeten the deal.  One great perk is that  iMM183 will work with both your iphone and iPod at the same time.  That is as long as you have a 4th Gen or later ipod.

It features dual docks to help those of you that have both or a significant other with one as well.  The dock has the regular features like a built-in alarm clock and is able to play your iPod/iPhone through the built-in speakers.  It also has an FM radio and of course a way to plug in any other audio devices you have around.  It also has an extra feature to do with the weather this time around.  It has support for weather text alerts from NOAA and SAME that will automatically come through on the preset radio channels.  It allows you to archive as many as 10 notices for ongoing situations as well as has an LED warning to show when there is a new alert.  So far there is no price released, but it will be available in March.

Source: iPodnn

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Oops! More CES leaks, this time an official press release from Kodak. The company has a few treats in store — a new weather-resistant mini camcorder, and a pair of new stills cameras, clocking in at 10 and 12 megapixels.

All products have two things in common. They have terrible, letter-jumble names, and they are ugly. Really ugly. The Z980 (above) is the 12MP still camera. Stoundout features are the detachable vertical grip with second shutter release and a 24x optical zoom complete with image stabilization (for when you actually use that zoom). Price: $400, plus a few bucks for the paper bag to cover its ugly face.

The ZX1 is the name for the new ruggedized videocam, seen below. This toughened version of Kodak’s Zi6 will shoot 720p hi-def video at 60fps, save it to an SD card and do the whole thing on AA batteries. The Flip competitor is, however, even uglier than the Z980, somehow managing to riff on both the original 1980s Cylons plus Kitt from Knight Rider and still get it wrong. It will at least be cheap, at $150.

Kodak Z980, M380 and Zx1 [Photography Bay]

Everyone has dealt with those days where you’re running around and doing other things so much that you forget all about the load of laundry you put into the washer or dryer.  Then you come back and they’re either overly wrinkly or mildewed.  Now luckily dryers do have buzzers, however, if you have a house where the washer and dryer are away from the main living area, then that’s really not helpful.  Frankly, leaving your laundry to sit might be a rare occurrence, or one that happens every single time you do a load of laundry.  Either way, someone has decided to create a hi-tech fix that will work on even the most archaic dryer.

He has a video posted on YouTube that might help out those of you that are good at DIY projects.  Basically he has it set up so a giant flashing sign lets him know when to switch out the load.  However, for those of you geeks that like to keep your geeky style a little less obvious there are other options.  It can also be set up to Twitter you when the load is finished.  Now not all washers make you have to worry about rushing to change out the load, but I’ve had experience with a washer that you couldn’t leave the load in for even a few hours because it got a strange smell.  It was the only washer I’ve had that issue with, but it got overly frustrating after a while.  To watch the video, just follow the link.

Source: Techeblog

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Honda announced the sales in Japan of the all-new Life from November 7, 2008. Continuing a tradition of superior comfort and utility, the new Honda Life offers enhanced drivability and is the first minicar in Japan to include an audio system with a backup camera as standard equipment. In addition, a special mobility-assistive version of Life with lift-up front passenger seat will go on sale December 5. ECO lamps on both sides of the dashboard help drivers refine driving habits for enhanced fuel economy.The all-new Honda Life was developed with the concept of “daily smile technology” to achieve a level of drivability and utility customers can enjoy in their everyday lives. Based on this concept, Honda evaluated every aspect of the vehicle from the customer’s point of view to develop a minicar that will put a smile on the customer’s face every day.

The new Life is the world’s first automobile to offer a driver-side i-SRS airbag system with continuously staged inflation, which accommodates a broad range of occupant positions and potential collision situations. All packages include this new safety technology as standard equipment.

Having multiple displays on a single notebook seems to be the next big thing (if it takes off anyways), and HP does not want to miss the party with its Voodoo Firefly that boasts a secondary display and a multitouch trackpad that is placed in a totally non-traditional space - we wonder whether people will take to this new design well or not though. The innards of the Firefly are pretty beefy as you won’t find this to be a pushover by any means, and it ought to make its way to the showfloor next week at CES in Las Vegas. The secondary display comes with a decent 800 x 480 resolution, but that is a wee bit too small to display fine text IMHO. There is no word on production for this concept, but we do hope something like this will ship in the near future.

The holidays are behind us once again and it’s time to start those resolutions you made.  If one of them is to lose weight,(it’s one of the most common resolutions people make-and one of the ones most don’t stick to) here are a few websites to help you stay on track:

HundredPushUps- This site offers a six week training program consisting of nothing but push-ups.  It provides weekly workouts, a workout log, testimonials, a store, even a badge you can display on your site once you’ve completed the program!

PEERTrainer- This site provides a complete weight loss and exercise resource, with weight loss coaching, a training program, support groups, health information, diet tips, meal plans and more.

eDiets- This site offers over 22 different diet plans as well as a variety of exercise programs, support groups, and more.

Weight Loss For Life- this site is run by the National Institutes for Health and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  It provides health and weight loss information, downloadable factsheets and other helpful publications, a BMI chart, and more.

Project Weight Loss- this is another complete weight loss community with diet plans, workout programs, forums, blogs, even a magazine.  It offers programs for those who need to lose weight and those who just want to keep fit.

Remember, before you start any diet or workout program, be sure and talk to your doctor first, and be careful when considering any that require any kind of medication, “supplement” or fees to be paid.  All you want to lose is weight, not your money-or your health.

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FROM APPLETELL - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button for iphone is missing some basic index and text features, but it’s only 99 cents, which makes it very easy to overlook any shortcomings. MORE »

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I’m fairly sure I have the most indoor dog that was ever created.  He wants to be outside long enough to do his business and then wants back inside.  Which means the overactive little guy is getting out all of his pent up puppy energy indoors.  That of course can be maddening at times.  So if someone were to state that only a crazy person would buy their dog a treadmill, I would without hesitation agree.  When you have a hyper dog indoors though, frankly, you’re already a bit out of your mind.

I would be worried my mentally challenged pup would hurt himself on this thing.  However, if you think your dog can handle it, it takes only 45 minutes per day.  The rubber belt is sturdy and will be gentle on your dog’s paws.  It also features side rails, which are supposed to keep your dog’s attention forward.  Although, I question how effective they would actually be.  Like a normal treadmill it has a safety on and off switch.  You are also able to adjust the speed, distance and incline to make sure your dog gets plenty worn out.  The treadmills come in three different sizes ranging in prices from $549 to $899.

Source: Bornrich

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