Self-Healing iPhone Case

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Alan Shazan

 

Nissan has partnered up with Apple to create a self-healing iPhone case.  What does that mean exactly?  The Scratch Shield iPhone case, when scratched, is able to fix itself with no outside help.  Small scratches can take less than an hour to complete the process, but larger ones might need up to a week.

It’s a nice combination – Nissan and Apple – and clearly it’s gone well.  Nissan is confident that this could be a real commercial success when it arrives in stores later this year.  So rather than think “cars” when we hear the word Nissan, we can now think “iPhone” as well. 

Nissan did not develop this technology alone.  It had some help along the way. The company joined forces with Advanced Softmaterials Inc., and the University of Tokyo.  So how did Nissan come into the equation?  Apparently the paint it uses on some of its cars is being put into the case.  Made from polyroxatane, according to the Nissan website, “when damage occurs to the coating in the form of a fine scratch, the chemical structure is able to react to change back to its original shape and fill the gap – ‘healing’ the blemish.”

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EcoATM

Posted on January 16, 2012 by Alan Shazan

The EcoATM is exactly what it sounds like – an ATM for encouraging and promoting eco-friendly behavior.  In other words, whatever electronic gadget you have that you no longer have any use for, rather than simply trashing it, you put it into an EcoATM, a  photo will be taken, a quote given and thereafter payment.  The quotes given are based on hundreds of electronics-recycling companies and what they would pay for it.  The machine is so technologically-advanced that it can even identify how well your internal devices are performing. 

This is particularly good for those gadgets (especially phones) that are not worth reselling.  Your EcoATM will still accept it and then give you a dollar just because you recycled.  Thereafter it will be melted in an eco-friendly way.

Currently the device is still relatively new and thus there are only around 50 of them that have been put into malls and grocery stores throughout California.  Still, the company that is behind the technology – based in San Diego – plans on installing around 500 nationwide by the end of the year.

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Personal Recorder

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Alan Shazan

For those who want high quality – or even a decent standard – of audio and video recording then the  Olympus LS 100: Smart, 24-Bit Pocket-Sized Recorder is for you.  This device gives you top quality audio recording which is essential for any kind of audio documentation. Bad audio simply cannot be recovered; so use a device that will not let you down. 

It is small enough to hold and has two phantom-powered XLR inputs as well as built-in microphones that are able to capture the scene perfectly. So high quality are the microphones though, that most recordings do not even require the XLR inputs – they are just there for those using plugging-in instruments.  In addition, the microphones can capture audio even in very loud settings without any clipping required.  And unwanted background noises can be minimized with this device too.

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Post-Christmas Wish List?

Posted on January 2, 2012 by Alan Shazan

For those who felt like they didn’t get quite what they wanted over Christmas, there might still be some items worth waiting for in the New Year.  If you are one of those, look out for a good price on the new Apple TV (once it’s out).  This really is worth having for those who feel the need to have it all, or even those who just love to be in control of their TVs and not the other way round.  It was the late Steve Jobs who first introduced the concept of controlling everything on the TV with the Apple TV, so what is the new one set to do? 

The Apple HDTV is said to be a totally independent entity in that it will be a standalone, high definition TV.  Different sizes will be available, and it will integrate with every other Apple device one owns.  It will be controllable through the iPhone and the iPad and maybe even via Siri.

But rumor has it, that before it hits the stores, iCloud access along with Apple TV software needs to be constructed into new iMacs.  Its establishment will also enable Apple to gently make a presence in the whole world of TV.

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Quad Lock Case

Posted on December 26, 2011 by Alan Shazan

Of course, it used to be the case that you couldn’t possibly even exist without an iPhone.  Now it’s gotten even more serious; it seems you have to have quite the right mounting system for the phone as well. One of the latest, most popular ones is the Quad Lock Case, rumored to be the ultimate.  Manufactured by Annex Products, it is an extremely safe way of mounting the phone on pretty much any surface making it very convenient for all iPhone users, irrespective of how it is sitting – vertically or horizontally placed.  This way it is easy to view photos, watch movies and read emails without needing your hands.

The case is also extremely protective and great for everyday use. Slim in design, simple in beauty and extremely practical, the Quad Lock Case Mount also has a holder that is built-in.  So for safety, simplicity, attractiveness and ease this case will make a great Christmas gift to the guy who seems to have way too many gadgets already anyway.

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Get the Best Deals on Gadgets

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Alan Shazan

For those who want to do a side-by-side price comparison of gadgets, FindTheBest is a great resource. There are lots of different categories on the site, from business to motors; sports to electronics; health to travel and pretty much everything in between.  So it’s a great way of finding the best deals, at the best prices, for your specific needs/desires.  Before you go Christmas shopping for example, be sure to check out the site.  You’ll be delighted at the potential savings you can make.

FindTheBest is a very easy site to navigate at is organized well.  For example, if you go to the Electronics section, and you are interested in Smartphones, click on that link and you will travel through cyberspace to a list of phones which have: smart rating (which are listed from best to worst, out of 100), price (with contract), screen size (in inches), camera quality, talk time, and amount of internal storage.  That way it becomes so simple to easily make a choice on what smartphone would be “smartest” for you to purchase.

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Are Angry Birds Getting Angrier?

Posted on December 12, 2011 by Alan Shazan

There is a new version of Angry Birds.  But this time it’s not exclusively for the iPhone.  It’s getting bigger (and potentially angrier?) and has now made its way to the web; a promotion of Wonderful Pistachios, a nut-producing company in California. But it remains free. 

Chrome Marketing

The new Angry Birds game is in some way going to be used as a marketing tool for the Google Chrome web browser, since, trying it on other browsers or phones will not work.  According to Marc Seguin, senior director for Wonderful Pistachios North America, the company is looking forward to giving its customers the snacks they want while “feed[ing] the frenzy for new Angry Birds content.”  As well, players who play the game with others on social networks or manage to find some of the hidden “Golden Pistachios” at higher levels can thereafter qualify for part of a $300,000 prize pool.  The prizes comprise money, toys from Angry Birds and a year’s supply of Wonderful Pistachios.

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Is The Apple Coming to Bed?

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Alan Shazan


What the iTV May Be Able to Do

By this time next year, we could have the iTV from Apple in our bedrooms.  Rumor has it that one of the last brainwaves of CEO Steve Jobs before his passing was the iTV. So let’s take a look at what the iTV might have the potential to achieve. 

Jobs’ mission was “…to create an integrated television set that is completely easy to use. It would be seamlessly synced with all of your devices and with iCloud. It will have the simplest user interface you could imagine.” 

The iTVs

Production of these new TVs is set to begin in February of 2012, possibly by top electric giant, Sharp.  The idea is that gestures (using motion sensors) will be used to activate the screens as well as face recognition technology rather than button-pressing.  Of course, criticism abounds that this could end up with all sorts of weird things happening with people making accidental gestures – that indeed could be quite amusing.

There could be more features that will be integrated too, like the Siri, the iPhone 4S voice command assistant.  Watch this space for more information.

 

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Get Great Gadgets at Bargain Xmas Prices

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Alan Shazan

Now that Thanksgiving is over, it’s time to start thinking what might make a really cool Christmas gift.  Geeks and gadget lovers alike can never get too many gifts, so let’s take a look at what is the latest talk of the town.  First, we look at a new gadget from Microsoft.  Always seemingly in somewhat poor competition with Apple as its products just don’t have quite the excitement and buzz of its competitor, it could be possible – that with the Microsoft Kinect – it has a good chance of really having something with which to compete.

Gaming Revolution?

It has been said that the Microsoft Kinect may actually do something revolutionary to the gaming industry. As well, it could change the entire way people use their computers and other gadgets, especially in their living rooms.  What the gadget does, is takes the motion-sensing-controller used in a Nintendo to a totally new level.  Thus, in reality, hardware does not even need to be used.  Instead, voice technology and a camera are employed so that the user can control the XBOX 360 with their body or voice.  What a great piece of technology!  So many possibilities abound!

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Protect Your iPad 2

Posted on November 28, 2011 by Alan Shazan

If you want to really protect your new toy – the iPad 2 – the Versavu protective case, manufactured by Targus – is the way to go.  Selling at $100, it has some pretty cool features.  The iPad 2 can be rotated while still inside its case to present either a landscape or portrait view, at the same time the keyboard wirelessly connects.  However, it can take a bit of work sometimes to get just the desired angle for the screen and keyboard.   If you want to see how it works in practice, check it out at your local Best Buy, K-Mart or other stores for a viewing.

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