Tue, 24 Jun 2008 04:09:32 GMT

Canon's Tiny Personal Digital Photo Printers

Do you want or need the convenience and speed of a quality home digital photo printer with a small footprint?

If so, then a dedicated 4X6" digital photo printer may be the answer, and there are plenty of them from which to choose.

These small printers turn your digital camera into a sort of "Polaroid" instant camera and work wonders for parties and get-togethers because of their portability. In fact there are several models that operate off a battery pack so they can be used anywhere.

The drawback is that the per print cost is a bit on the high side but even so it's about the same as most "instant" print kiosks but you have the convenience of printing when and where you want.

Here are the latest compact Canon digital photo printers to get you started on your search.

Take a camera with you whenever possible, and look around, you'll find a picture somewhere.

Source:www.letsgodigital.org Posted by: jim      Read more     Source

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 02:07:54 GMT

Balanzza luggage scale

Have you ever been at the airport and seen a parade of dazed and elderly Asians, trailing bags that could easily have held a couple of large humans? You were witnessing an immigration, and those bags held every single earthly possession of those people. Seeing one of those sarcophagus-shaped bags always chokes me up because they become a bit of a legacy- those bags live in the homes of immigrant families forevermore. Most often, they''re used to pack several tons of blue jeans and Maybelline makeup, treasures from America, to take back to the homeland for a visit.

Of course, these days, it would be really hard to pack up one of those giant bags without incurring baggage overage fees that exceed the price of a trans-pacific flight. These days my family members use regular luggage and struggle to weigh the unwieldy suitcases on bathroom scales. I want to get everyone a Balanzza luggage scale, so they can use those body bags again without fearing the baggage counter. The Balanzza is a small, 10 oz. device that you simply hook to the handle of the bag, then lift. You hear a beep and then you can read the weight. That''s it. The Balanzza is accurate up to 100 lbs., which is a whole lot of mascara and Jordache.

The Balanzza luggage scale is $25, or you can get a 12-pack for $250. Posted by: Sarah      Read more     Source

May 20, 2008, 9:50 PM CT

Biomedical Imaging in Palm of Hands

Researchers at Georgia Tech have developed a narrowband filter mosaic that will expand the uses and functionality of multispectral imaging-a technology that enables subsurface characterization. The new, single-exposure imaging tool could significantly improve point-of-care medical and forensic imaging by empowering front line clinicians with no specialized training to detect and assess, in real-time, the severity of bruises and erythema, regardless of patient skin pigmentation or available lighting.

In addition to this application, the filter could potentially offer a reliabile, low-cost method to instantaneously classify military targets, sort produce, inspect product quality in manufacturing, detect contamination in foods, perform remote sensing in mining, monitor atmospheric composition in environmental engineering and diagnose early stage cancer and tumors.

The technology was developed in Georgia Tech's Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access (CATEA) as part of a project to design a portable erythema and bruise-detection technology that will enhance early prevention and diagnosis of pressure ulcers, a secondary complication for people with impaired mobility and sensation.

Currently, clinical assessment of bruises is subjective and unreliable, especially when on persons with darkly pigmented skin. Improved imaging can lead to earlier intervention which is vital in cases of suspected physical abuse. Similarly, early detection of erythema can trigger preventive care that can stop progression into pressure ulcers......... Posted by: Ryan      Read more         Source

Mon, 19 May 2008 00:24:51 GMT

Orb Audio Speaker Systems

We live in an age where every person wants the coolest sound system at the lowest possible price, and Orb Audio is ready to play.

Orb Audio produces speakers with a very distinct shape. They are stylish and round at about 4 inches in diameter. That's about the size of a baseball, and they produce sounds that hit out of the park.

The basic set, the Quick Pack, includes two of these speakers, and they cost about $239. You can also buy sets with an included subwoofer for a larger price, but not as much as you would pay for other major brands of speakers.

Source Posted by: Mark Rollins      Read more     Source

Fri, 09 May 2008 01:52:43 GMT

A Slightly Old New Camera

New models of anything, cars, cameras, appliances, and computers, e.g. are always appealing and hold the promise of better performance.

Usually that is the case, but sometimes the new isn't any better than the old, and many times the old is still able to hold its head up among the newest competition.

If you need or simply want a new digital camera and your budget is limited, or you simply don't want to spend more than X amount of dollars, and it's not enough to buy the latest gee-whiz digital camera, try this.

Check out the previous models and research those that appeal to you. After a camera has been with us for a year or so there are bound to be dozens of both professional and consumer reviews on it.

Now that these older models have seen significant real world use you can get tell if there's a real overlooked gem out there selling at a heavily discounted price.

Even though new digital cameras are introduced all the time this time of year is when the bulk of the new cameras are unveiled.

If you want a 10 MP camera, and don't have the bucks for the best, consider what was the best a year ago, and check out the specs.

It could be that last year's top of the line 8MP camera, that you couldn't afford then, is better than some of the newest models with 10MP imaging devices that you can afford now. You probably can't afford the very best 10MP camera now, just as you couldn't afford its predecessor last year. But, last year's best 8MP is probably better than all but the very best new 10MP cameras, and now you can afford that previously unattainable camera.

Keep in mind that while lots of megapixels is nice, the lens and processing engine are important too. Fewer pixels with better processors and lenses can produce better pictures than more pixels and lesser glass and processing.

Check out this useful article with recommendations for great bargains on last year's better digital cameras.

Take a camera with you whenever possible, and look around, you'll find a picture somewhere.

Source:www.loopygadgets.com Posted by: jim      Read more     Source

April 30, 2008, 6:55 PM CT

Graphene-based gadgets may be just years away

Scientists at The University of Manchester have produced tiny liquid crystal devices with electrodes made from graphene an exciting development that could lead to computer and TV displays based on this technology.

Writing in the American Chemical Societys journal Nano Letters, Dr Kostya Novoselov and his colleagues from The School of Physics and Astronomy and The School of Computer Science, report on the use of graphene as a transparent conductive coating for electro-optical devices and show that its high transparency and low resistivity make it ideal for electrodes in liquid crystal devices.

Graphene was discovered at The University of Manchester back in 2004, by Professor Andre Geim FRS and Royal Society Research Fellow Dr Kostya Novoselov. This incredible one-atom-thick gauze of carbon atoms, which resembles chicken wire, has quickly become one of the hottest topics in physics and materials science.

Graphene is only one atom thick, optically transparent, chemically inert, and an excellent conductor, says Dr Novoselov, from the Manchester research team.

These properties seem to make this material an excellent candidate for applications in various electro-optical devices that require conducting but transparent thin films. We believe graphene should improve the durability and simplify the technology of potential electronic devices that interact with light......... Posted by: Ryan      Read more         Source

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 23:37:25 GMT

Black and Decker Pocket Power

While I've been using the Solio H1000 as my in-transit charger for the past several months, I found a good deal on Woot recently for the Black and Decker Pocket Power-two for $20, shipped to my door.

While I like the option of solar-power charging that the Solio provides, in practical terms, it's not something I can use. However, the Black and Decker Pocket Power just stores power from your mains and gives you up to 16 watts of juice for up to four hours. Also, unlike the Solio H1000, the Pocket Power sports a US-style AC plug, allowing you to use whatever kind of AC charger you want. Pocket Power also sports a USB connector for USB-style charging as well. And yes, provided the total power draw is less than 16 watts, you can use both ports simultaneously.

The name is somewhat misleading, though. The manual specifically states that the Pocket Power should not be used in a pocket. Not that you'd want to put it in your pocket, given how big the device is. Posted by: Dameon Welch-Abemathy      Read more     Source

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 02:26:46 GMT

Solar Bicycle Rider Lamp

This is one must-have cute home accessory - the solar powered bicycle rider lamp. The cuteness factor is propped up by the fact that whenever this lamp is exposed to sunlight, the bicycle rider within starts pedalling, turning the lamp into a delightful piece of art. The solar panel itself is on a rotatable base so that you can easily catch the source of sunlight. During a cloudy day or at night, you can use it as a conventional lamp (40W) by connecting to a power source. There you go - eco-friendly art that you can use as well.

It''s a bit pricey at $49, but then it''s difficult not to succumb to the rider''s charms. Available from Gaiam.

Via Eco Fling. Posted by: Sarah      Read more     Source

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 00:54:52 GMT

Lynda.com online tech courses

Lynda.com, which offers very affordable online training courses for learning software and Web design - for geeks as well as ordinary people - has introduced closed captioning to their learning library. Because Lynda.com courses require that you follow the instructor''s voice as he takes you through various pages on your computer screen, up until now, they weren''t accessible to the hearing impaired.

The other benefit of closed-captioning is that it enables users to search within specific lessons as well as across the Lynda.com website. As a user, I sometimes find that I want to go back to a very specific topic wthin a lesson, but don''t always remember which section contained that topic. The ability to search closed-captioning text would make this kind of review much simpler. Lynda tells us that the conversion to closed-captioning throughout the library is well underway and should be completed in a few months.

Check out their list of 412 lessons. Posted by: Sarah      Read more     Source

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 00:38:27 GMT

Sony HDR-TG1

Gadget blogs everywhere are buzzing about how Sony has created the world's smallest handycam with the HDR-TG1.

This particular model can shoot 1080i video as well as 4 Megapixel stills. It has a 2.7" touch panel LCD display, along with a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 10x optical zoom lens. It also has a 2-megapixel ClearVid CMOS sensor, as well as face detection technology.

All of this was somehow crammed into a 1.3 x 4.7 x 2.5 inch titanium body that weighs in at only 10 ounces! Of course, tech this small has its price, and this one is at $900 USD.

Source Posted by: Mark Rollins      Read more     Source