Control your mouse with your voice

I don’t know about you, but I can’t stand using the touch pad on my laptop. One time I forgot my mouse, and I had to use it. I almost went crazy that day. The problem with using a traditional mouse is that we’ve been told that continued use will lead to repeated wrist syndrome.

Fortunately, people at the University of Washington (Go Huskies!) are developing a vocally controlled mouse, or a vocal joystick. It is designed for people with disabilities, and I’ve included a You Tube video demonstrating it for a patient with a spinal disorder, available after the jump.

So how does one operate the vocally controlled mouse? Saying “ahh” will cause the cursor to zip to the northeast corner of the computer screen, and saying “ohh” sends it to the southeast corner. For specific directions, other vowel sounds are needed.

It turns out the vocally controlled mouse has a very simple setup. It is software connected to a microphone that can recognize the vowel sounds needed for motion. The UW developers are also working on using this voice recognition technology on robotic arms.

No word if this technology will be developed for the casual computer user, whether handicapped or non-handicapped, but you can’t deny that this could change a lot of things.

The USB Flower Lamp

With the weather slowly cooling off, soon all of the flowers will die, at least the ones outdoors. Leaving most of us with nothing but dead plants and very cold wet snow. Well with all the plants dead, you might end up missing some of the pretty flowers. Now you can pick up a glowing USB flower that will stay in bloom year round. Even when outside it is ice cold and everything looks gray and white. Yes, I’m just thrilled that winter will be here soon. So thrilled I think I’ll just hibernate all winter and never go outside, seems perfectly reasonable to me.

Well, just surround your desk with these cute little USB flowers and not only will you have plenty of task lighting, but you’ll never get the winter blues. The lamp comes in three different colors, red, blue and orange. The lamp has eight bright LEDs built-in and the flower stem itself can adjust to give you lighting where you need it. You can also power it by using 3 AA batteries instead of plugging it into your USB port. The flower will cost you $15 from Gadget4all.

The 37.5 Megapixel Leica S2

If you like your images big and shiny, we’ve got something for you. Leica has announced a brand new autofocus DSLR system that has a 30×45mm sensor. That is approximately 56% larger than the current 35mm full frame sensor.

The Leica S-2, has a weatherproof, average SLR-sized body with a 37.5 megapixel CCD sensor. Accompanying the new body will be nine new lenses, consisting of 24mm ultrawide, 30mm tilt-and-shift, 35mm wide, 70mm standard, 30-90mm standard zoom, 100mm short tele, 120mm macro, 180mm telephoto, and 350mm telephoto optics (all of which will apparently incorporate leaf shutters). The resulting picture will be in the 3:2 aspect ratio.

The S-System will use an advanced new dual shutter, with an in-body focal plane shutter for fast lenses and in-lens leaf shutters for high flash sync speed.

There is no info about the price, but since it’s Leica, we can expect premium price that may a little beyond our budget.

BlackBerry Storm - Touchscreen

The BlackBerry Storm is RIM’s long awaited answer to Apple’s iPhone. It is a touchscreen smartphone, and it is RIM’s first venture into the touchscreen market. Apple has already released their second generation iPhone while RIM and other major handset makers like Nokia are barely getting their feet wet with touchscreen devices.

That puts some pressure on this BlackBerry to perform up to par with the existing touchscreen phones on the market, especially considering that RIM still has a substantial share of the smartphone market.

From what I have seen so far, it seems like this phone could be quite a contender. The phone features a 3.2″ tactile-feedback touchscreen that sends subtle signals to your finger to let you know that it has received your input.

It has built in GPS navigation and a 3.2 Megapixel camera with video recording capabilities.

It also comes with some useful apps pre-installed including AIM and Facebook.

The announcement of the Storm comes after the recent announcement of the competing T-Mobile G1. The phone will be available from Verizon Wireless in the US.

The BlackBerry Storm Specs

• Wireless email
• Organizer
• Browser
• Phone
• Camera (3.2 MP)
• Video Recording
• BlackBerry® Maps
• Media Player
• Built-in GPS
• Corporate data access
• SMS
• MMS

Dimensions and Weight

• Length: 4.43″
• Width: 2.45″
• Depth: 0.55″
• Weight: 5.5 ounces

Data Input / Navigation

• Touch Screen Navigation, with ClickThrough for user selection
• On screen keyboard: portrait SureType® and Multi-tap, QWERTY landscape

Audio Input/Output

• 3.5mm stereo headset capable
• Integrated earpiece/ microphone
• Built-in speakerphone
• Mono/stereo headset, hands-free, phone book access profile and serial port profile supported (Bluetooth® technology)

File Compatibility

• Video format support: MPEG4 H.263, MPEG4 Part 2 Simple Profile, H.264, WMV
• Audio format support: MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA, WMA ProPlus

Find out more from the official BlackBerry Storm website here.

The Projector Phone by ChinaVasion

Ah, yes, Chinavasion–maker of all that is weird and wonderful. They’ve outdone themselves this time. Their new Tri-Band GSM/GPRS touchscreen cell phone has something every gadgeteer dreams of: a built in projector!

The tri-band means it can be used with more providers than most phones. It can accept three different bandwidths: 900MHz, 1800MHz, 1900MHz. Those three are used by over 100 countries world wide. It has a touchscreen, WAP, bluetooth and a battery that gives you extra long talk time between charges. It even has an open SIM card slot.

The cell phone has a 1.3 megapixel digital camera, image view, a video recorder and a rich media environment messaging system. The internal 1GB micro SD card gives you plenty of room to listen to music, take pictures and make movies. ChinaVasion expects to have it in stock by the holiday season.

SilverStone RAVEN Gaming Mouse

SilverStone RAVEN gaming mouse have several cool features to spoiled their user. One of visual attraction of RAVEN is the cool blue illumination scroll at the side which acts as a 3D Flipper for Windows XP and Vista.

SilverStone RAVEN also have a visual OLED to let user know how sensitive (DPI) their mouse is! You can directly set the sensitivity on the fly without using any additional software since SilverStone equipped with 2 buttons with 100 DPI increment per click. Every changes would be displayed directly on the OLED 128×32 Display. Two mode are available, one for general use and the other is for gaming usage.

The body itself is made of High-Strength Plastic with carbon fiber surfacing Teflon feet. It looks pretty comfortable to hold since RAVEN is wide enough to support our hand. But the that scroll for 3D Flip might annoy some user because they can’t rest their thumb properly at the side of the mouse!

There are up to 11 buttons, including scroll wheels available for customization through the included SilverStone software. The sensor is made from Philips PLN2030 twin-eye laser. You can enjoy up to 3,200 DPI (dot-per-inch) resolution for a better gaming experience.

More detail information is available at SilverstoneTek.com

UFO Teapot - enjoy your tea break with alien

This UFO teapot catches my eyes is simply because of it’s got an alien sitting on top. It should be an overweight alien as the UFO can’t lift off. “The Alien driving the ship can’t seem to make up his mind. One side if his head is blue and the other is silvery creme.

Luminglas Plasma Light 12” Square Panel Blue Color

Luminglas™ plasma disk lights are blend of kinetic electricity and light. Sealed between sheets of solid glass electricity comes alive in a frenzy of vivid blue color. This square cubed (12" x 12") shaped Luminglas™ sculpture is one cool light. Luminglas™ lights are works of art and perfect for your high tech décor or outer-space themed lighting.

Also known as “Plasma Disks”, these lights are often featured in science fiction movies as special effect lighting.

• 12” x 12" Square Panel Shaped Luminglas™
• Blue Color
• Adjustable Display Stand
• Sound Activated Mode (reacts to voice or music)
• Continuous Mode Operation

Price $54.99 at Store

Samsung’s two new phones have dual screens

Cellular phones with two screens aren’t really new. The LG Voyager sports a touch screen on the inside and unfolds horizontally for another non-touchscreen with a QWERTY keyboard.

According to my source, Samsung has recently unveiled “the very first dual 2.2 inch screen cellular phones”, the SCH-W570 and SPH-W5700. I believe that I already mentioned the LG Voyager, which I’m guessing is not a dual 2.2 inch screen cellular phone. I’m wondering if Samsung is using some interesting wording here so they company can say they have the first of something. Something that actually exists already.

The purpose of the dual screens is to replace the traditional OLED on front. The external face will allow access to music videos, mail, plus any and all data stored on the cellular phone. Of course, having two screens will drain the battery life a little more, which is the reason why many cellular phones have an OLED on the front in the first place.

These two phones are clamshell in design, and, when flipped open, will display a cellular phone user interface. Three is apparently a magic number with the SCH-W570 and SPH-W5700. These two phones are equipped with 3 Megapixel cameras, and are 3G compatible.

Since the SCH-W570 and SPH-W5700 have only just been unveiled, they are not on the market as yet, but will be very soon.

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iPhone 3G Telescope

You might remember a similar gadget which was released for the original iPhone. That’s old news. The new big boy in town is the iPhone 3G, so of course we’re all going to need a little update. While the iPhone 3G has been reported as having various networking snags, the new model continues to sell well. Even better than expected. So odds are that a nice chunk of you have upgraded.

If you had the iPhone Telescope for your original iPhone and loved using it to see clear images of objects in the distance, then the iPhone 3G Telescope is what you need for the upgraded Apple mobile phone. The 6x scope allows for an extra boost of sight-seeing juice with your iPhone 3G’s camera.

The iPhone 3G Telescope is optimized for the newer phone’s camera, complete with wide-angle shots, color reduction for a clearer shot, and an all-around effective way of curing your iPhone’s near-sightedness. The Telescope package even includes a neck strap so you can wear your iPhone like a traditional photographer.

The iPhone 3G Telescope seems like an awesome tool for members of the paparazzi and bird watchers who are in need of a speedy (supposedly) 3G network. While it might not be powerful enough to peer into the far reaches of the night sky, it sure can invade someone’s privacy pretty well. You can get your own from Brando for $19.

Product Page

The Smart Globe techs up the schoolroom classic

The best bit about Geography lessons at school was twirling the globe and deciding what exotic clime I'd like to visit. The rise of Internet changed this somewhat with pictures and videos more readily available but the globe still loomed provocatively in the corner, full of intent and excitement.

The Smart Globe Deluxe expands this with a speaker interface that's connected to their Smart pen. Rather than use your finger to point to countries use the pen, and it will regale you with details about whatever you wish. Be it currency info, the local wildlife or landmark inventions it can fill you in on everything you didn't know you wanted to learn.

You can attach it to your computer by USB for weekly updates and information and you also get a selection of quiz games included to test your knowledge. You can set it to work in a selection of languages, from English to Mandarin Chinese, and because you can update it, it's going to stay with you a really long time. I imagine this doing well in schools, and it would also be a great 'learning disguised as fun' present to give to kids (or me).

$199.95 from 7th Avenue [ via 7 Gadgets]

Nokia 5800 XpressMusic phone

Nokia has a brand new handset that sees it go head to head against the iPhone thanks to the inclusion of a touch screen with the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic. This innovative handset aims to being the best total music experience possible to the public, although anyone using the iPhone might want to dispute that. Bear in mind that the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic is one of the first few devices that support Comes With Music, Nokia’s groundbreaking service that provides up to a year’s worth of unlimited access to the entire Nokia Music Store catalogue. Sounds like iTunes has yet another competitor springing up to eat into its lucrative market share, but only time will tell whether Comes With Music is a one-off thing or is it really serious enough to mount a decent challenge.

The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic’s touch screen capability makes it perfect for the Media Bar drop down menu that offers direct access to music and entertainment, including favorite tracks, videos and photos. Not only that, you can use the Media Bar to connect directly to Internet links as well as access online sharing. While the iPhone has recently received word that it will be supporting Flash content, the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic already comes with Flash content support right out of the box, providing a richer web surfing experience. Other features of the 5800 XpressMusic include 8GB internal memory, a 3.5mm headphone jack, integrated surround sound stereo speakers and a graphic equalizer.

The 3.2″ widescreen display comes with a 16:9 aspect ratio and with the 3.2 megapixel camera, you will be able to view videos captured in VGA quality at 30fps as well as stunning images with ease. Not only that, those images and videos can also be shared through an online community of your choice including Share on Ovi, Flickr, or Facebook. No idea on how much the XpressMusic 5800 will cost, it will definitely be a high end handset when available.

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The World’s Thinnest LCD TV From Sharp - The Aquos X Series

Sharp has revealed some new LCD TV’s, the Sharp Aquos X Series, which is reported to be the worlds thinnest LCD TV.

These new LCDs measure just 1.35 inches wide, and come in 3 sizes of 376, 42 and 46 inches, and have a dynamic contract ratio of 15,000:1 and full 1080P.

New word on pricing or when they will go on sale, but they should go into production around April.

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CableBox hide cables

Get your cable jungle under control!!!!
If you are like me, then the underneath of your desk probably looks like spaghetti junction, I hate cables and am waiting for the day when all gadgets and computers run on wireless power, until then there may be a solution to all those unsightly wires, the CableBox.

The Cable Box is designed to hide your surge protector or power strip and all wires, and will fit any size of surge protector, it has a fire retardant plastic lid to prevent any nasty accidents. The CableBox is available to buy online for $24.99 from Think Geek and comes in a choice of white or black.


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Beer Filled USB Drive

Gadgets like this Beer-Filled USB Flash Drive really make me question the basics. More than my first-year university philosophy class did, anyway. Existential angst, the downfall of western civilization, and "customizable floaties" after the jump.

Is capitalism really that great, if it leads to beer-filled USB flash drives with "optional customizable floating objects" inside? Should we Americans really be that pleased with our free speech, if it means I get emails from people who make flash drives with BEER in them? And am I really secure with myself as a gadget dork, getting all excited over the latest and greatest shiny toys, if that same email brags about the floating objects being in 3D? How could they be anything but 3D, when they're actual, physical objects? I can't pretend like the world is the same after this. The sun doesn't shine as bright. The air doesn't taste as sweet. Congratulations, Beer-Filled USB Drive Manufacturer.

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Binary watch

If you've ever had a problem telling the time, then worry no more. The Binary Watch is so completely impossible to use (unless you're a code-head) that not being able to tell the time is no longer a cause for worry, but just perfectly normal behaviour. Of course for those of you who 'get it', the Binary Watch - whilst palpably a watch - is not about telling the time, it's about being carefree and eminently cool. It either says 'I'm sufficiently techno-cool that I can actually tell the time on this thing' or 'I'm so laid back I don't need to know what the time is, but cool lights, huh?'.

As the classic joke goes, 'there are only 10 types of people in the world - those who understand binary, and those who don't' and it doesn't matter if you're a 1 or a 0, it's a unique if slightly daft gizmo whichever way you look at it. Though of course if you look at it upside down, the time will be different. Nevertheless, despite the whole very-hard-to-tell-the-time drawbacks, this is one cool watch. And here's how it works...

The Binary Watch displays time in binary format. (Now there was a useful sentence.) Using blue LED lights to indicate hours and minutes, the LED "ON" means 1, and the LED "OFF" means 0. The first row denotes the hours and the second row indicates the minutes, and apparently the translation of time from binary to decimal is easy: simply (huh) add the numbers of lit LEDs on the upper row to tell hours, and add up the numbers of lit LEDs on the lower row to tell minutes. The upper LED-row (8-4-2-1) shows hours. The lower LED-row (32-16-8-4-2-1) shows minutes. The time is displayed for five seconds when the side button is pushed - but if you think that's long enough to work it out then you're considerably cleverer than we are.

It comes with a leather strap, is made from solid stainless steel, and is water resistant to 90 feet - just in case you wanted to show off your binary proficiency to a halibut.

Features

• Blue LED display
• Leather strap
• Solid stainless steel case and back
• Water resistant 3 ATM - 90 feet
• Battery included (type CR2032)
• Size : 25 x 1cm x watch face of 5cm

Approximately USD $92.91
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Magic Message Mirror home security system

While looking more like something that should be hanging in the Haunted House in Disneyland, this portrait is actually a new home security device. Really. When wired into your existing home security system, it appears to be a mirror until its is triggered by an event (for instance, someone walking in front of the beam). Then, the scary apparition appears a la Snow White, yelling one of the phrases you've recorded. I recommend "GET OUT!"

Here's what the wacky team of theme park attraction and feature film special effects professionals say about their invention:

The patented Magic Message Mirror looks and functions like a decorative wall mirror, but when your home automation/security system senses a change in your environment, Basil of the Mirror (a somewhat pompous English Butler personality) magically appears and verbally provides real-time information. The M30P will also theatrically reveal an integrated live camera feed to show the area of interest, if you have cameras incorporated into your home security system, or decide to add them when you install the M30P.

For more info, contact Theme Addicts.

BoomCooler Is Totally Cool

The BoomCooler adds to your street cred with its stunning design, where the $900 car stereo boasts a CDX-GT320 AM/FM radio and CD Player, a couple of 6” x 9” 240 Watt Max 4-Way Speakers, one 1100 Watt Max 10” Subwoofer and a 4-Channel 600-Watt Amplifier. All of its components are from Sony, so you can expect a decent level of performance. Perfect to tote around on its two wheels, the BoomCooler will definitely draw envious looks no matter where you go.

Nintendo DSi

At first there was the Nintendo DS which was actually the butt of many jokes when it was announced nearly four years ago, but since then, this portable handheld console from Nintendo has managed to stave away the supposed Game Boy killer known as the Sony PSP with great success, and I must say that the revamped hardware in the form of the DS Lite was what really kick started the whole DS craze all over the world. After all, kids clamored for these DS Lites no matter what their color were, and it did help that there are tons of great, quality titles available for the platform. Let’s not go into the amount of shovelware though since there are more haphazardly programmed titles by developers who are out for a quick buck compared to instant classics, but that’s another story for a different day. Today marks the announcement of a hardware refresh by Nintendo for its 2-year old DS Lite redesign - known as the Nintendo DSi. More on the DSi right after the jump, where you can then make your decision as to whether you want to pick one up or not when available.

The DSi will still retain both touch screens, although both displays have had an increase in size to 3.25″ from its original 3″. Doesn’t sound like much, but I’m sure it will make gaming all the more engaging. In addition, the DSi has slimmed down by 12% compared to its predecessor, partly due to the omission of the GBA cartridge slot. I find that omission to be rather disturbing, since those who want to play Guitar Hero: On Tour (a game that requires the Guitar controller add-on which fits into the GBA cartridge slot nicely) won’t be able to do so on the DSi.

Other improvements include a front-facing VGA camera located on the inside hinge, while a 3 megapixel external camera will compete with your cell phone for casual photographs. Not only that, the DS will support SD memory cards with a new SD card slot, and the integrated browser application makes it a contender for the iPod touch since you can also play back your favorite MP3s without resorting to an R4 or M3 card. The Nintendo DSi is tipped to hit Japan on November 1st for $179 thereabouts – expect it to hit other regions sometime early next year. Will you be making an upgrade?

Source: Engadget / CoolestGadgets

The Human Skull USB Drive

I always go nuts over Halloween, I love all the spooky decorations and of course the candy. Now, I happen to be one of the weirdos that all year round I will leave out a small zombie on my desk. Just because it gets around to Christmastime does not mean I will put all things dark and spooky back in their box where they belong. Well it looks like USB Geek has decided to release yet another spooky item that I wouldn’t mind using all year. That or I suppose you could have a seasonal USB drive.

I imagine the USB Human Skull Drive would be better for people like me who would use it year round. It seems silly to use a USB drive for all of a month or so, then toss the USB drive into a box along with the rest of the Halloween decorations. The thumb drive I’m sure would also make a fun gift for science lovers as well. To pick one up it will cost you $19 for a 2GB drive.

Source: GeekyGadgets / CoolestGadgets

Magnetic USB Hub Is Exactly What You Want Stuck To Your Computer

By Evan Ackerman

Generally, a little magnetic USB hub seems like a good idea. It’s got magnets. You can stick it places. Like, to your forehead if you have a metal plate in your skull. It’s also got two vertical and two horizontal ports, so you can leave peripherals permanently plugged in but have space left over for transient electronics like USB flash drives (aka the best thing since floppy disks). I have to wonder, though, whether sticking magnets in close proximity to your precious, precious hard disk drives is really the smartest thing to do… But what am I, a magnetologist? Give it a try for only $14.

The Hand Grenade Mouse Mod : don't pull the pin

If you’ve been feeling like your computer setup isn’t nearly intimidating enough, a hand grenade would probably be more than enough to make it seem more intense. After all that online gaming, you need to feel all powerful behind your computer. A wicked looking case and a glowing keyboard aren’t always enough. Although, gaming mouses do have all those fancy extra buttons, they just aren’t nearly cool enough. No, the world needs hand grenade mouses for all.

There aren’t a ton of details on the mouse itself, but it was a mod job which was posted online here by the modders. The mouse is actually made out of an old grenade casing, so it gives a slightly more authentic feel. However, being made out of the real stuff it’s not exactly made to be ergonomic at all. It’s just meant to look cool. The modders actually went through the trouble of wiring up the trigger to function as the left mouse button. So overall it’s a cool mod, I just hope if you give it a try you don’t use your computer too much or your wrist will soon grow to hate you.

[via Modding.ru]

Aurora Color Changing Clock

There are times where I am sitting around working, and I lose track of the time. So I check the time on my clock, and the clock is facing the other way. Wouldn’t you know it!

It appears that Aurora has figured out a solution to this time-telling dilemma by creating a clock that changes color every hour. It has twelve colors that represent the hours of the day, and it might take a little while before you learn what color is what hour.

So, the color won’t tell you the time to the exact minute, but it will give you a broad sense of what time it is. I’m not certain if the colors gradually change, or if it just changes like a traffic light on the hour.

Personally, I would prefer the gradual change, and then get used to sensing the time by the minute once I get used to the color shades. By the way, the LCD display is backlit by whatever display color is on the exterior.

The Aurora Color Changing Clock has a translucent rubber housing, which allows the lights to go on and off with a tap. The alarm clock will flash when it is time to get up.

So if you like the idea of this chameleon of a clock, feel free to get it at the London Science Museum online store for about $26.

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