Anyone who’s ever had experience with getting technical support from a Helpdesk knows what its like to end up feeling like a fool.  This YouTube video called Middle Ages Tech Support  catches the experience perfectly. It shows the tech support problems caused by a new piece of technology called The Book in the Middle Ages:

credit: CNET

At the IFA tech tradeshow currently underway in Berlin, LG is showing a razor thin OLED TV with a 15-inch screen. This is much smaller than the average TV, but larger than Sony’s 11-inch model. Called “The Object,” the TV display is only 0.1 inches thick and weighs 11 ounces.

An OLED display differs from traditional LCDs by not requiring a backlight to function. It also consumes less power while being operated. OLED technology is also easier to manufacture than LCDs and plasma displays.

If you need to get online from almost any location, your technology choice has been limited to a cellular modem. Now there’s the Novatel MiFi 2200 from Verizon. This credit-card size device provides a portable, password-protected wireless hot spot. The MiFi connects to the Internet through Verizon’s 3G cellular data network, providing a signal that can be shared by up to five people. The MiFi is small in size, has a sleek design, a 30 foot range and is cordless and rechargeable.

The cost of Verizon service for the MiFi varies, depending on the amount of usage. Read more about the MiFi in this New York Times review.

As many countries prepare for World Expo 2010 in Shanghai, the proposed design for the Shanghai Corporate Pavilion is attracting a lot of interest. This beautiful building will be made from plastic tubes created from recycled CD cases. The design includes a plan to recycle the tubes again at the end of the building’s life. Computer-controlled LED lights installed on the outside of the structure will allow multi-color lights to play across its surface. While in use, the building will use sustainable power provided by a solar thermal energy system consisting of heat-collecting tubes on the roof that provide power to heat water and generate electricity in the building.

Sony has introduced a camera robot that sits quietly on a table during a party and takes great pictures of partygoers. The Party Shot is a Sony camera dock that can tilt and zoom a mounted camera, seeking out party goers using motion detection. The built-in face detection feature of Sony Cybershots cameras then zooms in on partygoer faces. Once a face is found, the camera will wait until it detects a smile before clicking the shutter. The Party Shot will also compose photos using the “rule of thirds.” Since candid party pictures are known to often be out of focus and full of fake smiles, the Party Shot promises to be a welcome guest at any party. Two AA batteries or an AC adaptor may be used to power the Party Shot. The Party Shot is priced at about $150.

The new Palm Pre 3G smartphone was revealed at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The 3.1 inch display has the same 320×480 screen resolution as the iPhone and like the iPhone supports touchscreen gestures for operations such as clearing the screen and closing an application. The Pre supports Wi-Fi, like the iPhone. A GPS is also included. The Synergy feature allows you to combine data from Microsoft Outlook, Google and Facebook to create one logical view of your day. Apps designed for the Palm webOS are integrated with other apps on the phone. The Palm Pre is offered exclusively by Sprint.

Credit: NetSecure Technologies

Do you feel nervous about entering credit card information at your keyboard when shopping online? Or maybe you’re just getting tired of typing in all those numbers. Now there’s SmartSwipe from NetSecure Technologies. This credit card reader attaches to your USB port and allows you to swipe your credit card instead of entering your number the old way. An added bonus of the SmartSwipe it gives you another layer of security, since the credit card number is encrypted before being transferred to your computer. This plug and play device works with all major credit cards and is compatible with Window XP or Vista. Secure online purchases are just a swipe away with SmartSwipe.

Yet another Kindle model has been introduced by Amazon. The Kindle 2 was launched on February 9, with a 6-inch screen (roughly the size of a mass-market paperbook). The new Kindle DX has a 9.7 inch screen. According to Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, the DX is perfect for college students reading textbooks and business professionals reading documents. The DX has a built-in PDF reader, allowing readers to access the thousands of volumes available on Google Books. With a weight of 19 ounces, the DX is engineered to not feel big and bulky. The thing that is big is the cost — at $490, it’s the costliest Kindle to date.

The Honeywell Prestige touchscreen thermostat has an intuitive interface which lets you control all aspects of heating and cooling in your home using a single control panel. The bright touchscreen displays both indoor and outdoor temperature and humidity and supports advanced functions like scheduling. Read the full review of the Prestige here.

A solar powered robot is a great educational toy that’s also lots of fun.  Kids and adults alike will enjoy this kit that can make a variety of different robot gadgets, including a windmill, dog, boat, car and 2 different airplanes.  The 21 pieces of this kit snap together easily and construction is no problem.  The education value of this kit is double – kids will learn about engineering as well as solar power.  When the sun isn’t available, a halogen light will also fuel this robot.  Solar powered robot kit is available at Sundance Solar for $19.95.