Technology Madness

Adamo by Dell - “Apple Mac Book Air” Style New Laptop

Dell announced new Macbook style new laptop called “Adamo by Dell.” Dell is targeting user demographics that loves feel and look of Macbook Air but want to stick with Dell and windows. Adamo is slated to ship later in first quarter but no technical specification for Adamo yet. . “Prepare to fall in love,” says Dell’s Adamo laptop Web site, which then invites users to sign up to see how the “love story” unfolds.

Adamo won’t be just a laptop, but a whole new brand name of luxury products, said Michael Tatelman, vice president of global consumer sales and marketing at Dell at CES. The word Adamo means to fall in love with, Tatelman said at the time.

Quick Specification:

• Dell is going to introduced in two colors: Black and White/Silver.
• Key board is going to back lighted.
• Screen Size: 13.3-inches
• Processor: Core 2 Duo
• Graphics: Integrated
• Thickness: Less than 1” thin.
• Battery life: 5 Hours
• Dell Adamo Photo Gallery

Adamo by Dell Video

OSIM iCare 200: Gift for all.

After a long day working with computer or after eye-intensive work, it would have been nicer if we can get an eye massage the way we get body massage. (Obviously with not the same force and intensity but gentle touch like feather.)

OSIM launched iCare, the stylish ergonomically designed eye belt/mask featuring effective massage on and around eye with various level of combination of heat, air pressure and vibration. There is no setting for cold massage. I am sure; technically it’s challenging to provide cold massage functionality and stay in reasonable price range. Currently its marketed in $129 USD.

Various pre-defined setting and manual arrangement gives you stimulate blood circulation and provide relief from a number of common eye conditions including eye strain, tiredness, insomnia and headache.

Have you used this eye belt? Please feel free to post your experience and comment about it.

Via [OSIM]

Who will feed your Fish when you are out?

My wife frequently asks me to bring pet animal at home (i.e.: Fish) but I have some (maintenance) problem, especially who will feed my fish when we are out?

Now she got an answer to my dilemma - A Robotic Fish Feeder is the answer. (Designer: Ran Xiangfei) FIFER robot (Fish Feeder) does feeding job to Fish. Fish finally get the attention they deserve. One less item you need to worry about on your day to day tasks. (Related article: End of one more boring task - inflate your car tire)

Fish feeder not only feeds but feeds the fish in correct amount. First it calculates the density of Fish in water and dispenses the right amount of food at the pre-set times. If you are growing fish in fish pond then Robot moves to another area (based on pre-set path setting) of the pond calculate the fish density and dispenses. There is also a plant on top which grows to represent the health of your fish.

See more pictures here

Via [GearFuse.com and Designer: Ran Xiangfei]

Visualising energy usage to change habits, Part B: The Home Joule

Another device which gives visual feedback on your habit and usage pattern. The Home Joule, is created on similar idea (Visualizing energy usage, Part A) it looks like a nightlight and plugs into any outlet in a home. (BTW, what is Joule? In the name-HomeJoule) The device displays not just energy usage, broadcast wirelessly by the consumer’s energy meter, but also the real-time cost of energy, which comes wirelessly from the energy company. The color of light emitted by the device represents the costs of the moment, with yellow and red light indicating expensive energy costs (Stop looking in your fridge for the temple of Gozer Or Stop setting your AC to Arctic.), while green means energy is cheaper because you are using less energy or cost of energy in your are is cheaper. On the opposite side, Red color means you should consume less electricity – either because you’re using a lot or because your energy cost is rising. If you respond to request for lower consumption, you can not only lower your utility bill but also earn rewards such as movie tickets.

The idea is that consumers can then modify their consumption habit accordingly, switching off optional appliances, like TV and microwave during idling time and Laundry machine at peak times of the day. (Side note, please remember to turn off your computers and monitors to save energy over the long holiday weekends)

The Home Joule is from Ambient Devices and is currently available only to customers of Consumer Power line’s demand-response program in NYC and in limited testing outside New York City, mostly among participants in Demand Response programs

Via [Treehugger.com]

Visualising energy usage to change habits: Part A - Power Conscience

It is proven concept that when you have monitor equipment, you can take corrective action. Like observing your car speedometer prompts you to take corrective action (Break) to reduce the speed and prevent us to get ticket. Similarly, reducing your household’s energy usage is to identify and monitor how much energy you use and take necessary action. Traditionally, energy meters are generally outside of your house and you won’t get a chance to see your energy usage until you receive the bill.

I have come across a few energy monitor products that fit in your living room setting, match with other furniture style and help you to visualize the usage of energy in real time. That allows you to change your energy use habits.

Power Conscience wall lamp, designed by Delroy Dennisur.

This energy monitor is displaying some important information, like you are using 7 watt and $5.50/Hr is expected charge for it. This seems very boring information but designer Delroy Dennisur blends all this information with beautiful slim white box decorated with LEDs in a floral design that light up depending on your consumption. A “Power Conscience” energy monitor is getting sexier by the minute.

As the usage of energy increases, the leaves pictured on the Power Conscience will grow green at low consumption, and turn yellow at moderate level and eventually turn red when you guzzle high energy.

I like the concept of Visualising energy usage. The unit shows the energy consumption but not how much damage if actually does to the environment. It would be nice to see the fact and figures in terms of real impactful information. Like, when you uses ink-jet printing machine, it uses X number of tress. However, Delroy has solved the problem as an interaction designer. The rest is a task for the developers and engineers.

via [hippyshopper] and ecofriends.org

Garmin announced the new Map Update 2009 for North America

Garmin announced the new Map Update 2009 for North America. for portable Garmin GPS unit. This $69.99 update offers full coverage for the U.S, Canada and Puerto Rico.

The update includes:

• Over 8 million miles of road coverage
• Updated, fully routable, detailed maps for the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico
  Nearly 6 million points of interest
• Postal code support for Canada

Get your map updates here. You may need unit serial number for map updates.

Jeff Bezos: Amazon.com Kindle- price break

Jeff Bezos: Amazon.com Kindle- price break

Extra reading:

Bezos On Kindle: ‘We Would Love To Have Color’—And Every Book Ever, Interesting interview with J Bezos by Staci Kramer. Read it here: paidcontent.org

Faucet Buddy Tells You About Water

It’s cool to know the temperature of Faucet water before you stuck in your hand underneath. Especially when my wife likes bit warmer water than I do. She always left with warmer settings when she used it earlier. So next time when I try to use the Faucet , water flows with much warmer settings than what I like to have. Faucet Buddy comes to my rescue. It is a cool little chrome gadget you latch onto you existing sink fixtures. It tells you how hot or cold the water is so there is no morning surprises and no more issue when it’s been used and no more temperature guessing. It’s just like your buddy, tell you exact temperature. It also tells you quantity of water that you have used. May be you can see your daily water consumption, just in case if you are interested.

Unfortunately, it seems like it is only a concept so far, but it has the potential to go into the mass-production. And I will be the first one to get it.

via [yanko design]

Tag: Faucet Buddy

Window to the world - endless opportunity

Some times when you see some gadgets you may clearly see its useless but at the same time some technology concepts just make sense the second you see them. This concept tablet ultra-connected device by Tokyo resident Mac Funamizu. There is no name yet for the device but the concept is powerful. It’s incorporating a camera/scanner, GPS and internet connectivity, the world is literally at your finger tips. Yeah very powerful combination and endless opportunity for the device.

Designer Mac Funamizu explains Just frame anything you desire behind the glass window, from a building, to a car or piece of art and the image will be analyzed and searched on any number of sites like wikipedia, google or google earth. Any information on the image will be relayed back and displayed on the glass. Want to know about a word in a book or magazine? Simply frame it up and touch the word. Instant access to any number of learning aids eg. dictionary, thesaurus or reference databases will have you clued in seconds.

It seems sky is the limit for this device and has so many legs it needs to be fast tracked asap. Product is not in market yet and no expected date for launch. I guess its still in technology concept stage.

via [yankodesign and the mind of thefft]
del.icio.us tags: 3d, creative, gadget, geek ideas

Nuvifone: Garmin came out with iPhone like Nuviphone

Today in a surprise announcement in NY city, GARMIN (GRMN) came out the nuviphone. The phone seems to be packed with features. A full GSM Smartphone built with own operating system with GPS navigation system in its core including …

• Google Local search
• Garmin Online service like traffic, weather, fule price, hotel discounts ets
• Nuvi like - big screen navigation
• Email, IM, text and browsing
• Camera, MP3 player, Video

No pricing and carrier of this phone yet but they are promising to deliver it in 3rd quarter of this year. It can make Garmin a little extra money to make up for
all that talk of losing market share to TomTom. However after announcement market doesn’t reflect much in stock price, in fact it went down by $1.50 as of today. I am sure competing with the iPhone will be hard. Not because the iPhone is so awesome (well may be not,) but because Apple has a cult-like following and evangelistic supporters. The last thing Garmin needs is to be on the receiving end of some kind of T.V. campaign like “Hi, I’m a Mac!…..Hi, I’m a Garmin!”  

You may find all good functionality of NUVIPHONE in this video: 

Nuvihphone promo video: 

Here is some of its early pictures:

More pictures: here

via [Gizmod]