We always like to let people know when we’ve spotted a winning gadget. Two years ago we wrote about Chumby, the “computer in a beanbag” which provided a 3.5″ screen and a custom Internet feed. It was a quick way to check websites like Facebook without turning on a computer. The latest version of this little gadget is Chumby8, which is actually the third version to be released. The beanbag is gone and this new Chumby comes with and 8″ touch screen display and more than 1500 familiar apps including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr and Pandora. Probably it’s most useful app is an alarm clock that can wake you up music or any other scheduled app. You can also insert a flash drive or SD card and play music or view photos from the device.
The Chumby8 is no replacement for a tablet or smartphone, but it you’re looking for a digital photo frame or alarm clock with all the bells and whistles, check out Chumby8. The price is about $200, which is the same as the original Chumby.
With the iPad still in its infancy, it’s not easy separating the best from the so-so when it comes to games. CNET recently came out with a list of their 30 Best iPad Games. At the top of the list is what seems to be everyone’s favorite – Angry Birds. The latest version is Angry Birds Rio HD. It features backgrounds with more details, a larger cast of characters and 60 levels.
The original version of Angry Birds has been downloaded more than 75 million times. For just $2.99 in the app store, you can’t go wrong. See the rest of the Top 30 iPad Games on CNET.
For travelers who can’t unplug, even at 35,000 feet, there will soon be a mobile voice service for in-flight cell phone calls. Aircell announced its in-flight mobile service and compatible smartphone as part of its Gogo Biz service. The Aircell Smartphone is an Android-based device designed for in-flight use on private aircraft (commercial airlines currently don’t allow cell phone use). It will begin shipping later this year.
Aircell is one of the leading providers of in-flight internet services in the U.S. For more details about the new Gogo Biz Smartphone, visit the Aircell website.
At the recent TED Conference in Long Beach, California, CEO Eythor Bender of Berkeley Bionics demonstrated what he calls “exoskeletons” – robotic devices that are designed to augment the structural strength and support of the human skeleton. His demonstration included working models of the HULC, which allows a soldier to carry 200 pounds on his back for hours without tiring, and eLEGS, which helps a woman who has been paraplegic for 19 years get out of her wheelchair and walk.
Time Magazine named eLEGS as one of the top 50 inventions of 2010.
Workers at a Google Data Center recently used modern technology to control a trebuchet, a medieval weapon that was used to catapult rocks, fire and dead bodies over fortifications. They were competing in the first Storm The Citadel Trebuchet Competition at The Citadel military college in Charleston, South Carolina. Using a tiny computer, an Android cellphone and a Blue Tooth receiver to trigger the wooden contraption, the Google team competed against high school and college students and other corporate teams.
The trebuchet uses a long swing arm and counterweight to slingshot its payload into the air. It was an important weapon during the Crusades and was featured in “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” where it was used to hurl a cow over a castle wall.
The Google-sponsored event was part of The Citadel’s National Engineering Week. Read more about it on The Citadel website.
The YikeBike is the world’s smallest all-electric bike. Conceived, designed and build in New Zealand, this folding folding bike weighs in at just over 10 kg.
Unfortunately, its $3595 price tag is not so small.
Read more about this bike of the future on the YikeBike website and see the YikeBike do its thing in this YouTube video.
Several new kid-friendly gadgets were unveiled at the recent Toy Fair 2011 in New York City. One of our favorites in the See Yourself Camera. This 1.2 megapixel digital camera is build to withstand the punishment that kids can dish out. It has a colorful design that kids will love and features a rotating lens that lets kids take pictures of themselves.
The Fisher Price See Yourself Camera should be in store this summer, with a suggested retail price of $69.99. Also look for the iCan Play iPhone Case, another great Fisher Price gadget for kids.
For many people, gadgets are an indispensable part of modern life. But is it possible to actually love your gadgets? This week Time magazine reports on an Arizona State University study that confirms the some people replace human relationships with emotional attachments to their smartphones, laptops, gaming consoles and other gadgets. Besides gadgets, the researchers found that “material possession love” is also experienced by many car owners and gun owners. People who are in the grips of this love lavish the object of their affection with accessories and add-on services, spending significantly more money on their possessions than other people.
Read more about this phenomena on the Time website.
If your New Years resolutions included goals of losing weight and getting into shape, there are lots of gadgets to help you meet your goals. Withings Wi-Fi Scale is the perfect way to use technology to track your weight-loss progress. This sleek tempered glass and aluminum digital scale measures your weight and body fat and then uses Wi-Fi to transmit the data to a personal statistics page on the Internet. You can then review the data on your personal computer or smart phone. The Withings Wi-Fi Scale retails for about $150. Find out more about the Wi-Fi Scale on the Withings website.
A digital scale is the perfect addition to a home gym. Read tips for designing your own home gym at the Mark Austin Homes website.
If you want to upgrade your digital camera or are interesting in something with more features than your cellphone camera, then take a look at the Canon S95 PowerShot. This slim, smart camera is receiving rave reviews for its wide-angle lens, professional-style control ring and blur-free image quality. The S95 can also capture 720p HD video with stereo sound. Read a head-to-head comparison between the S95 PowerShot and other leading point-and-shoot cameras on Gizmodo.
See the DigitalRevTV’s review of the Canon S95 on this YouTube video:
