Latest Inventions

posted by admin on Jan 3

There is lots of speculation - but nothing confirmed?

Seeing as the netbook niche has been so popular - and people aren’t put off by the size of the iPhone, it seems as though Apple are going to merge the 2 ideas and create a giant version of the iPhone - about the size of a closed netbook!

The iSlate seems to be the name in the media at the moment - and apparently Apple have already brought the domain name iSlate.com - so are they right?

Apparently Apple have recently released the patent details for such a gadget, but still the details are not certain. 

The ‘Facts’
Well, a 10.1 inch touchscreen display seems to be the most talked about quality of this new gadget, (or possibly a 7 inch smaller version) but writers are also speculating about it having an embedded front facing webcam as well - which would certainly be a nice touch.

The keyboard would be on the screen itself, with the potential for slightly raised areas within the screen to identify where certain ‘home keys’ are if not all keys having raised lips.

Also, it would have internet access - probably wi-fi - with access to iTunes as well as films, TV and books - making it a huge ebook reader!

Apparently rumoured to run on the iPhone OS software, this tablet computer should have all the standard features of any other laptop or netbook.

It is also rumoured that an industry insider reported that Apple are already in the process of making up to 10 million iSlate tablet computers for release this year; 2010.

The Idea:
Some of the mock-up images of the iSlate look amazing with a magazine front cover on it, or some photo’s of friends, but how will you carry it around?  Yeah, ladies can put it in their purse - but it won’t be fitting in any-one’s jean pocket - so will it be as social as the iPhone currently is?

Without a ‘lid’ so to speak - will it be practical for use and transporting around between meetings or when on vacation?  The screen could be up for a real hard time - unless it stays at home like a coffee table ‘book’ used for parties, get-togethers or instead of the TV!

And the cost will certainly be around the same as a small netbook as well - or more for all the Apple specific features - so people are guessing at around $800 to $1000 for an estimated price.

The Launch:
Apple have apparently rented a stage at the Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco for an announcement about a ’major product launch’ on January 26th, 2010.

And there is apparently an artists impression of a possible Apple Tablet computer on a Clearwire site showing all the other Apple gadgets! Interesting indeed.

See you at the end of the month!

posted by admin on Sep 4

Fancy a top of the range new MP3 players with everything included?

There are still a variety of MP3 players coming onto the market that now include almost everything you could need in a personal music-playing gadget.

I have chosen just the Creative Zen X-Fi2, one of the latest sound systems and video experts many mp3 players available today to represent all that is now available at the touch of a button!

The Creative Zen X-Fi2:
We are now at the stage where there is almost every gadget possible on your MP3 players apart from wind turbine and a microwave!

The new Zen X-Fi2 from Creative systems is one such player - and it looks stylish too.

Basically the features go way beyond playing your favorite tracks and the radio at the touch of a button, and now include photos and video and integrated recorder - to save forever those fantastic live summer concerts or boring morning lectures at uni!

Displayed on it’s 3″ LCD touchscreen are a whole host of easy-to-use icons that open up into files of music, videos and even your RSS feed reader (you connect via your USB). You can even forget that screen when you are indoors and connect it up to your huge widescreen TV indoors - or at your friends - via the AV cable! You can now share those videos and photos life-size without having to burn them onto a disc first!

Space-wise you can have either the 8, 16 or 32GB - but it doesn’t really matter that much as it has a microSD memory card slot for extra capacity! So you can have all your live music on one card, all your lectures on another and keep the main machine for great tunes!

The Creative Zen MP3 players also come with some EP-630 in-ear earphones which apparently send the music away from your ears creating a ‘room sound’ in a new concept. They also restrict the maximum volume to prevent ear damage when using long term! Nice.

And, weighing in at only 75g, this little nifty gadget also plans your life - containing a calender, and alarm, tasks and a contacts list!

All you need to do is switch it on and away you go…..

Try the MP3 Expert website for the best prices for Creative Zens.

posted by admin on Aug 30

Sony’s Playstation has a long and illustrious history. I remember buying my first Playstation 1 back in roughly 1997 and it was cutting edge at the time. The graphics and gameplay were nothing short of amazing. Anyone remember “Abe’s Oddysey”?!

Of course, since then things have moved on. Firstly the Playstation 2 and then even the Playstation 3. Of course the PS3 was a tremendously impressive piece of kit, but was hardly cheap.

Now it seems that Sony are relaunching the PS3, much like they did with the PS1 some years ago, and based on what we’ve seen it looks like the new machine is going to be a run away success.

It seems that Sony have really put some thought into making the PS3 the “must have” gadget for Christmas 2009 having expanded it from just a games console to now being your entertainment center.

Now of course it does play games. And HD games at that for an amazing gaming experience. But plug your PS3 into your broadband connection and suddenly it becomes so much more than just a games system. Thanks to Sony’s “Playstation Network” you can now access a world of new entertainment.

For example, you can play demos of new games to see what you think before actually buying them. And if you like them, you can download the game straight into your PS3 rather than having to go out and buy a disc. Cold, wet winters day? No problem! Just try out the latest games and purchase the one that looks best then get on with playing. What could be easier?

Of course it’s not just games you can access on the network. You will also be able to rent or buy movies and music too, and even surf the internet. Oh, and don’t worry about all the hard drive space because Sony have increased the drive space from 80gig to an impressive 120gig to give you plenty of space for all your media.

Games, movies, music and internet - all on one device and accessable from the comfort of your couch? Sounds pretty good to me.

And just to top it off, Sony have reduced the size of the PS3 by around a third, and have dropped the price too making this piece of kit even more affordable than ever before.

One final point worth making before you dash out for your game system is the newly released Playstation Eye, which is a motion sensitive camera that will attach to the PS3. It can act as a web cam if you desire or best of all, it will allow you to play motion sensitive games thus challenging the Nintendo Wii for functionality.

It should be interesting to see how Nintendo respond to this onslaught to their realm…

posted by admin on Jul 27

Fancy watching Internet films on your TV without all the technology?

Basically there is now a simple gadget that can bring all those Internet only channels to your everyday TV - controlled by your standard remote.  And all this in a standard freeview box.

My brother used to be able to connect up his laptop with a TV monitor and then drag files over from one to the other to increase the viewing size - and for greater comfort.

I mean just because you miss one episode in your favorite show - why should you have to sit alone at your desk, hooked up to your pc or laptop watching the tiniest screen ever with tinny sound coming through your earphones!

What Is It Then?
Well, this gadget is the Fetch TV SmartBox 8000 and so far works with only the BBC catch-up Internet channel - basically you can watch BBCi as though it was a normal TV channel so around 400 hours of ‘free’ television.

There are plans afoot to spread this to Channel 4 and Five’s catch-up services which would mean hours of fun watching comedy quizzes and reality shows!

There is no software to install for this so it’s easy for anyone to get started without calling your mates (or kids) for help!  And, unlike some cable packages that offer Internet programmes - there is no subscription charge - just the one off purchase cost of around £220 and you are away!

What Else Does It Do?
Well, as it has a computer memory - you can move all your photos and videos onto it yourself - allowing home viewing on the couch for your latest holiday snaps!  Or the kids sports day video at a party!

It also has an 80 hour capacity for taping the TV itself - so you can watch the Sunday lunch time movie with the family while recording the motor racing on the other channel for when every-one’s gone home!

I know you are thinking that all these individual services have been on offer for some years now - and you would be right!  But this is the first time that they are all in one machine - and all so easy to use!

So, as long as you have broadband - you can get the SmartBox!

posted by admin on Jul 16

Hello and welcome to another great Latest Inventions Carnival.

This month we have quite a selection of everything really - with a few odd ones in amongst them.

So to start, Margaret Garcia offers some tips for space lovers with her best 100 Amazing Online Tools to Learn About Outer Space!

Then we hop to an interview with an inventor! 00FF00 takes us off for an Interview with Tom Lawton, inventor of the Firewinder! Maybe some great tips there for budding newbies.

Rod Presnell next with his take on the Best Fishing Net Born Of Frustration - another great inventor?

A light-hearted look here at some weird takes on the standard keyboard. I’ve seen a few ‘different’ versions but switch2life goes into more detail with some great images of Strange Keyboard Designs.

GrrlScientist to follow with some amazing advances in science with an interview with a scientist - TEDTalks: Robert Full Tells Us What He Learned from the Gecko’s Tail.

Ishan @ ILoveFreeSoftware makes it all sound so easy with simple directions on How to Setup Virtual Fax Machine for Free

followed by the final entry this month from Steve Faber. He tells us all about a new remote control with his article Crestron Set to Release New Remote - the TPMC-3X

Happy reading! And see you next time.