by Donald Melanson, posted Aug 6th 2008 at 2:33PM While we can’t quite picture it improving your Counterstrike game very much, the design-minded folks at Interaction Architecture seem to think that this so-called “Backball” chair of theirs can do its small part to improve human-computer interaction nonetheless. Basically a giant trackball that you sit on, the chair is apparently specifically intended for use in public spaces like airports, although we’re sure there’s a least a few folks out there that’d ditch their non-trackball ball chair for one of these if they were available to the general public — which, as you might have guessed, they aren’t. Read PermalinkEmail this44 CommentsFiled under: Misc. (Read the full post about ‘Backball chair lets you mouse by the seat of your pants’…)
The ATP 8GB EarthDrive it touted to be the first earth-friendly USB flash drive in the world, but I am rather skeptical of the whole green idea - I’ll get back to my beef later after describing the ATP 8GB EarthDrive. This diminutive storage device is said to be shock-, water- and dust-proof, featuring pre-loaded securty software, drive partitioning, password protection, and 8GB of storage space. It is also manufactured from bio-recycled plastics and can be recycled at the end of its life cycle as well. Oh yeah, not to mention each $48 purchase will see a portion of the proceeds go to a tree-planting program. Back to my doubts about such a device - how many people actually take the trouble to recycle their USB flash drive once it has given up the ghost? (Read the full post about ‘ATP 8GB EarthDrive’…)
It’s really amazing what man can achieve with the humble USB port. This time, somebody with probably a little too much time on his hands has created a USB cooking pan that can fry eggs. Though this certainly won’t be used in restaurants anytime soon as a “green initiative”, it’s still cool to know that we can fry eggs in the office.
Those who are into not so expensive and not so complicated MP3 players would be glad to know that Samsung has updated its budget-friendly Yepp U3 with the new Yepp U4 MP3 player. Like it’s predecessor, the YP-U4 is an ultra-compact media device that works right out of the box with simple features such as a 4-line OLED display, DNSe 2.0 and a USB port. The YP-U4 mp3 player will be available in glossy black case with either crystal rose, purple navy or blue ocean color variants. As this was announced by Samsung Korea, no word yet as to when, or if this player will be available internationally. Likewise, pricing information is still unavailable but basing on the price of the Yepp U3, we’re expecting a price of not more than $200 for the YP-U4. (Read the full post about ‘Samsung unveils the new Yepp U4 MP3 player’…)
We’ve taken a look at the IdeaPad S10 on Monday, so here’s more information on its smaller sibling, the 8.9″ IdeaPad S9. This netbook will be launched in the China market from next month onwards, although don’t expect full availability until October. The IdeaPad S9 will be powered by an Intel Atom N270 processor, featuring 1GB RAM, an ExpressCard slot, a couple of USB ports, a 4-in-1 memory card reader, a webcam and an 8GB SSD. It will definitely be a joy to tote around considering the 1kg weight, and you can choose from Linux or Windows XP as the operating system of choice. Word has it the Lenovo IdeaPad S9 will retail for approximately $418.99 after conversion. (Read the full post about ‘Lenovo IdeaPad S9 Details’…)
What is small like a ping pong ball yet can record video like some kind of cybernetic eye? It’s the self-contained digital video recorder called the Camball. The Camball is MPEG-4 video recorder that can record in either 320×240 or 640×480 pixel resolution. Videos are recorded on a tiny SD memory card and the unit can hold up to 8GB of video depending on the size of the card inserted. The Camball comes is two different styles. One features just the video camera model, another one features an mp3 player in addition to the video camera feature. Alas it appears though, that the Camball is available only from Korea at this time. (Read the full post about ‘Camball is small yet keeps an eye out for you’…)
Asustek will have two Eee PCs under the Ultimate section, and these will be known as the S101 and S91. These high end devices will feature high quality parts (hmm, does that mean the other lower end Eee PCs use sub-standard components?) and boast an extremely slim design (as though they aren’t already slim and light enough in the first place). Don’t expect beauty and performance in a single package to come cheap though - word has it the Ultimate models won’t retail for anything less than the $650 mark, with a very real possibility of surpassing even the $900 barrier for some models. (Read the full post about ‘Asustek Ultimate Eee PCs’…)
Somewhere out there are hippies with iPhones. And Mobilefun’s solar-powered case would make them less hypocritical. Due for release mid-August, MobileFun’s Solar Powered case (which has a surprisingly boring name) contains a 1500 mAh battery that soaks up rays to charge your iPhone 3G. It’ll take three hours of fun in the sun to charge your handset with enough juice to function, and 10 hours to get a full charge. Pricing has not been announced. And even if the saving energy isn’t your concern, this might be a good solution if you have issues with iPhone 3G’s meager battery life. Just make sure to slap on some sunblock. (Read the full post about ‘IPhone Case Summons Powers of the Sun’…)
Here’s a cap that will cater to music buffs who love seeing an equalizer display all the various visual overtures of their favorite tracks. Dubbed the T-Qualizer cap, this headgear will feature an equalizer that pulsates according to surrounding sounds. It will definitely draw stares from the public in a noisy environment, although you won’t have much luck impressing anyone while wearing this at the local library. The T-Qualizer cap is powered by a couple of cell batteries and retails for £12.99 a pop. Tags: Hi-fi, cameras, hi fi, TV (Read the full post about ‘T-Qualizer Cap’…)
The world could make do with a whole lot more love, and MSI caters to this need albeit in a very different manner by releasing the MSI Wind Love Edition. This new limited edition run is meant to support notebook donation programs around the world, helping bridge the digital divide for kids living in rural and remote areas. Hopefully by having them learn valuable computer skills, they will be able to make a leap out of their current situation in life and lead a better quality lifestyle several years down the road. Hmm, isn’t this what the OLPC XO laptop is meant to do - reach out to the underprivileged kids around the world while giving them a taste of what computing is like? (Read the full post about ‘MSI Wind Love Edition’…)
