Archive for Misc. Gizmos
Posted on Apr 6, 2009 by Sam Costello at 4:25 am
When a category of topic becomes a central focus of an industry conference, you know that idea’s time has come. I’ve been covering the growing convergence of streaming web media (video, photos, news, music) with consumer electronics in the living room for months on this site (witness the pile of posts about connected TVs, Netflix-enabled Blu-ray players, and deals for TiVo, Xbox, and PS3).
This year’s Connections conference demonstrates just how important a topic this is becoming.
Connections is a “digital living conference and showcase” heading into its 13th year. It’s taking place June 2-4 in Santa Clara, CA.
The agenda of keynotes and sessions shows an industry poised to bring web-connected consumer electronics of all kinds directly into the mainstream. Just listen to the topics for some of the sessions:
- Marriage of Online Video to CE
- Connected TV Strategies
- TV 2.0 – The Future of the Set-Top Box
- Bringing “Cloud Media” to CE Devices
There will also be a focus on green technology.
Sounds like a fascinating event and an important indication of the growth of the information appliance space.
Posted on Dec 18, 2008 by Sam Costello at 2:13 am
And while we’re on the topic of digital photography equipment with built-in printers, here’s a neat digital camera with an inkless printer inside.
The xiao digital camera from Tomy is a 5-megapixel camera with a zink printer built in. Zink is an ink-free printing technology that uses paper with embedded colors crystals to create images without the need for ink.
No word on pricing or availability, but if zink catches on, I suspect we may see a lot more information appliances with built-in printers — even those with WiFi connections.
Posted on Oct 30, 2008 by Sam Costello at 2:20 am
Sony and the Max Planck Institute in Germany have developed a flexible, transparent OLED display that could lead to screens being integrated into clothing and other applications that need to bend, such as curved surfaces or rollable digital newspapers.
OLEDs, or Organic Light-Emitting Diodes, are used to create displays that are more flexible than traditional LCDs, need less battery power, and, in this instance, are see-through, allowing their images to be seen from all kinds of angles.
Though we’re probably a little far off from it – batteries need to improve and the other hardware would need to be lighter and more flexible – the idea of clothes that are connected to the Internet and display frequently updated content on a flexible OLED display is kind of neat. Or, for those interested in fashion, perhaps kind of horrifying. Still, it could be where we’re heading.
Posted on Aug 25, 2008 by Sam Costello at 2:11 am
Lifesource is debuting a wireless personal health monitoring system that uses monitors, software, and USB to track your health.
The three products – Wireless Automatic Blood Pressure Monitor, Wireless Precision Scale, and Wireless Activity Monitor – combine to track your weight, activity, and blood pressure and transmit that data wirelessly to a computer running the correct software.
No word on price or availability yet, but it’s a neat idea for sure, especially as the need for Americans to become more health conscious grows.
Looking at the system – which also uses the Actihealth web service – makes me immediately think that it could be a great fit for digital picture frames and wireless gizmos, too.
While it’s terrific to have the data reported back to your PC, we all expect there to be more network-connected screens throughout the house in the future. What if those screens also had access to this data so anywhere in the house you could get an instant glimpse at your blood pressure or the distance you’ve walked that day? Having a screen in the kitchen with your health information might influence your menu choices or in the bathroom could motivate you in the morning.
Tip of the hat to Engadget
Posted on Aug 22, 2008 by Sam Costello at 2:11 am
And no, I don’t mean a dashboard on your computer. I mean the one in your car.
The icom MK1 is a Windows XP car PC with a nearly 7-inch LCD, WiFi connection, mobile TV tuner, 40 or 80 GB hard drive, and 2 GB of RAM. And it’s designed to fit into your dashboard.
I’ve opined in this space before that devices like in-car GPS systems may soon expand to include support for other kinds of software, such as FrameChannel. With the icom MK1, you don’t have to wait for GPS manufacturers to change their offerings – this is a full-fledged car PC.
Apparently the WiFi connectivity will be supplied by providers with wide-area coverage, so users aren’t getting dumped off networks every block.
The downside? KNGT’s site is mostly in Korean (I’m pretty sure), and there’s no English translation or word on price, so expect this to show up in Asia first. A car PC might be the next neat way to trick out your car, though.
Tip of the hat to Engadget.
Posted on Aug 20, 2008 by Sam Costello at 2:11 am
Crave reports on a neat kiosk available in the UK that allows friends and family to record video greetings, as well as write text and upload photos, for newlyweds. All of those greetings are then burned to DVD and given to the newly happy couple.
While that’s a neat idea, what if it were taken a step beyond the DVD? What if the company gave the newlyweds a digital picture frame that constantly displayed web-delivered content created by their friends and family?
Rather than having to pop in a DVD when you wanted to relive those memories, in this scenario, a screen on the wall would constantly be rotating through those cherished moments. And, if the content was hosted online, it could be updated with audio, video, and photos from the wedding, honeymoon, or other important occasions.
So, with this idea, plus a digital frame and a web connection, voila – instant, digital, up-to-date wedding album!
