Thursday, January 7, 2010

Dotz cord organizers clear cable confusion with color and tact



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We have all been there and suffered that - the asinine need to peer around devices, trying to identify and classify loops of anonymous cable so that we can get the required ones to perform. Along comes somebody who gives us this elegant solution with the cool mantra "The best ideas are always simple" and we cannot help but pinch ourselves for having forgotten. Ofcourse, the best ideas have to be simple and the Dotz Cord Identifiers are perfect proof. These colorful little plastic identifiers snap around your cables and carry a picture of the device that the cable belongs to. You can even reuse the same identifier with another device - just change the device icon within the case and you are ready to go. There are different categories of identifiers for your office, home, or even gaming needs. Is that brilliant or what.

Dotz also offers a couple of more solutions for cable organization, again pretty elegant and worth giving a try - the Cord Straps (set of 8 at $9.99) which help tie up cables in a neat bundle, and the Cord Wrap ($9.99 each) which can help hide all the unwanted lengths of cable within its case. The Cord Identifiers are available in sets of 10 at $9.99. Plus there are 24 ready-to-go punch out icons and 12 do-it-yourself punch out icons included with every kit.

Via The Gadgeteer.



Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Gravida Nurse Puts Prenatal Education in the Palm of Your Hand



The Gravida Nurse Prenatal Education Device is a great gift for first time mothers. Instead of spending a small fortune on parenting books, expectant mothers can turn to this handy gadget. The device is a small handheld device that features helpful articles focused on providing good prenatal care for both baby and mom.

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There are also voices recordings and pictures to help reinforce the information. Everything can be accessed via the large touchscreen. There's also a slot for a memory card and it can be hooked up to a computer via USB. No word on if additional information can be added to the Gravida using these means.

The Gravida Nurse is small, cute, helpful and going for $22.65

Via UberGizmo



Diamond Weather Station



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So, it's officially winter and, therefore, as important as ever to keep a close eye on the forecast. Now you can do it with style!

Sparkling away with dozens of Swarovski Crystals™, the Diamond Weather Station from Oregon Scientific adds a bit of glamour to the world of otherwise… shall we say… 'conservative' electronic weather forecasters. The crystals light up brightly in one of three different patterns / colors – red sun, blue cloud, or green rain – to clue you in to what to expect from the sky in the coming hours.

This beautiful unit Features a remote sensor to transmit outdoor temperature to the display and a digital clock that auto-syncs with the Naval atomic clock for precision time. A quick wave of your hand over the top of the unit switches the display between time, indoor temperature, and outdoor temperature, or you can put it in an automatic mode.

But wait! We've saved the best feature for last… If you utter the enclosed incantation while waving your hand over the unit, you can change the weather to… well… okay… not really on this one. You can still be prepared and be stylish, though.



Tiny LaCie Rikiki Lives up to Its Name



LaCie's newest hard drive is tiny, cute, and functional just how I like it. At 4.3 x 2.9 x .5 in.the LaCie Rikiki portable hard drive is one of the smallest hard drives around. The name Rikiki is French for tiny. The diminutive drive is big on storage space however, with storage capabilities starting out at 250GB and maxing out at 640GB. Being that this is a newly released product, I wouldn't be surprised to see terabyte versions of the Rikiki in upcoming months.

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The USB 2.0 device is decked out in brushed aluminum and has a transfer speed of 60MB/s. According to the website, the included USB Boost software enhances speed and performance up to 33%. Unfortunately, this is software is a Windows-only deal. Other software includes the LaCie Backup Assistant and the LaCie Setup Assistant.

The Windows and Mac-friendly Rikiki is on sale on LaCie's site starting at $74.99 for the 250GB version, $109.99 for 500GB, and $149.99 for 640GB. I wonder if they're throwing in that cute little monkey with the deal?



Tuesday, January 5, 2010

AViiQ's laptop stand is the most portable ever--and gorgeous too



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The AViiQ laptop stand is the most portable I've ever seen--and also the most gorgeous. At 12 3/4" long, unfolded and supporting your laptop, the AViiQ laptop stand is only a little bigger than a sheet of paper. Folded, it's not much bigger than a No.10 envelope and weighs just 5.5 oz, so it fits easily into your laptop bag or even just a laptop sleeve.

I'm a veteran laptop traveler and for years carried a (relatively) lightweight plastic laptop stand that kept the thing from sliding off my lap and folded to provide a decent typing angle. But the fold didn't change its outer dimensions--bigger than my laptop's footprint, which dictated which bags I could carry. The AViiQ laptop stand, said to fit laptops up to 17", is a dream by comparison.

The AViiQ folks, like other laptop stand makers, claim their laptop stand will dissipate heat and prolong battery life. I can't evaluate that claim, but I can tell you that the 12% slope the AViiQ laptop stand achieves is, as they claim, the perfect typing angle. I was actually kinda startled by how much it improved typing ease. All of a sudden I can race along almost as quickly on my less-than-optimum laptop keyboard as I can on the classic IBM keyboard I use with my desktop.

And did I mention gorgeous? The AViiQ laptop stand is a tech beauty worthy of Apple. The stand is four lightweight plates made of Hylite, a composite of aluminum sheets bonded to a polypropylene core. The material is milled to be both flexible and rigid. AViiQ says that in testing the stand was folded more than 5000 times and showed no wear.

With all that perfection, you knew there was some bad news coming, right? Here it is: the price. $80.



Monday, January 4, 2010

Smart Umbrella Tells the Weather



Ever missed the weather report and got caught in a torrential downpour? With this handy gadget you'll never have to worry about the rain again. The Ambient Umbrella is an intelligent accessory from Ambient Devices. A series of flashes in the handle indicates whether it's preparing to rain or snow and whether it will be a light drizzle or a heavy thunderstorm.

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The umbrella receives local updates from Accuweather.com. Not sure how the umbrella itself will hold up in rough weather. The website says that it was constructed with a "top-quality "gust-buster" umbrella canopy design." If you're interested in owning a smart umbrella, you can pick one up for $129.

Via Technabob



iPhone Wall Dock is minimalistc, fits right into power socket



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Forget those complicated iPhone docks and marvel at this totally amazing invention - the iPhone Wall Dock, which is pretty simply, a dock that neatly plugs into your existing power socket on the wall, and charges your iPhone in the most unobtrusive manner ever. And that also means no cable clutter, and faster charging because of its higher power output compared to other charging units. The Wall Dock also rotates around a pivot to hide the connector when not in use and provides a cushioned top to secure your iPhone or iPod when charging. Totally worth the $24.99 that it quotes.

Via Gadget Lab.



Sony Vaio P is Pocket Friendly



Though netbooks couldn't get any smaller? Guess again. Sony just released the Sony Vaio P in Korea. The 1.3 lbs. netbook has an eight inch display and is small enough to fit in your pocket. There are currently two models, the VGN-P35LK and VGN-P33LK.

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The VGN-P35LK is available in Gold, Green, Black, White, and Red. It features a 64GB SSD and an Intel Atom Processor. The VGN-P33LK has a 80GB HDD and 2GB of DDR2 memory and is available in black or white. Both models will have an integrated webcam, Windows 7, and Bluetooth capability.

No word on whether or not these minis will make it stateside.

Via AVING USA



Sunday, January 3, 2010

BodyGuard Pro helps you shield your camera even with the lens on



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The situation is this. You are not completely done with your shots, but you just want to set down your camera for a while, and still not worry about getting it scratched or even detaching the lens. The solution comes in the form of this handy accessory called the LensCoat BodyGuard Pro - a smart body cover that protects your camera so that you get quick storage when you want to stow it temporarily, and hassle free removal when you want to use the camera again.

The BodyGuard Pro is made from soft shock-absorbing neoprene and slides over the camera body even with the lens left in place. It fits almost all the major pro SLR and semi-pro SLR cameras - even those with extended power winders or with L-brackets mounted. For an extra $5 on the base price, the cover is also available as a variant with grips attached - which means you can slide your fingers through the grips and use the camera without removing the cover.

The BodyGuard Pro is available in five different designs at a price range between $28.95 and $44.99.

Via The Red Ferret.



Kind Reminder Gives Comfort to Alzheimer's Patients



It's never easy caring for someone with Alzheimer's. It can be a devastating experiences watching a loved one slip in and out of lucidity. One can only imagine the confusion, anger, and fear a person affected by the disease experiences during these moments. A daughter of an Alzheimer's sufferer wanted to lend some comfort to her parent and created this ingenious device.

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The Kind Reminder is a recorder that can be worn around the neck as a necklace or just kept close by. When the patient has a moment of disorientation, they can press the button on the recorder and the voice of their caretaker will play. The website says the product is designed for people with early to mid-stage Alzheimer's or memory loss related to age.



Saturday, January 2, 2010

Top Ten--er, Nine--Best Tech Ideas for 2009



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Yet another year-end Top Ten list, this time a Top Ten list--Top Nine list, actually--of 2009 tech ideas that get a gold star from David Pogue, technology columnist for the New York Times.

I have experience with a couple of his choices and think they are indeed worth recommending.

One is the cute trick found only on WebOS phones, at the moment the Palm Pre and Palm Pixi. The phones can collect. consolidate, and color-code data from various calendars and Facebook events, all on a single calendar, plus also data from your contact and messaging lists. At last a way to bring together much of your data, online and off, into something like a genuine personal information manager for your phone. And you hardly have to exert yourself at all; the process is mostly automagic.

The other fine tool is Readability, a marvel of a bookmarklet for your browser toolbar that nearly always can figure out what text you want from any old Web page and make it simple, handsome, and free of surrounding clutter. You don't have to use the Select command, and the result is readable--and easy to copy, mail, and/or save to your hard drive. The Readability folks are calling it an experiment, so don't expect perfection. But they are attentive to your needs. I had a problem using Readability on particular pages, dropped them a note, and in their update they fixed the problem. The only response to that is: Wow.

The Times site is free, but requires registration. Happy New Year! We certainly need one.



Friday, January 1, 2010

Turn A Window Into a Garden



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The Windowfarms project turns your window into an urban farm, using inexpensive and recyclable parts. The results are a "curtain" for any window that is also a year-round, high-yield, vertical, hydroponic, modular, low-energy, edible garden. The open designs are free to download and easy to implement. The project also encourages the community to innovate and share improvements.

Britta Riley and Rebecca Bray started this project in February, 2009 during their artist's residency in New York's Eyebeam Art and Technology Center. Their mission is to encourage sustainable solutions that can be implemented today by anyone. Recently, Riley presented developments of Windowfarms at the New York chapter of http://dorkbot.org/dorkbotnyc/04.nov.2009/Dorkbot.



A great free source for H1N1 (Swine flu) updates in your choice of languages



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H1N1 (swine) flu activity has gone down a bit in the US, which is good news for Thanksgiving travelers this week. Some are even predicting that the disease may have peaked in the US. But even if that's true (which nobody knows), a great many people still are going to get sick. Meantime, there's lots of flu sufferers, and some deaths, everywhere else.

Here's a terrific free site for keeping up with the flu everywhere: HealthMap, the global disease alert map. This is the link to the English version. But from this link you can also get the flu map in Portuguese, Spanish, French, Chinese, Russian, and Arabic.

You can also download HealthMap's iPhone app that will bring your mobile a map and news of disease outbreaks near you, including swine flu. The app is interactive, so you can also report local outbreaks that are not yet in the HealthMap database.



Greenhouse's New Camera Puts Ladies First



Japanese electronics company Greenhouse recently unveiled a camcorder designed with the ladies in mind. The GHV-DV30HDLXW/P comes with 128MB of internal memory that can be expanded to 32GB with a SD/SDHC memory card. It also features ports for miniHDMI and USB. The camera also has a 3-inch TFT LCD screen and can record video at 30fps in 1,280×720 resolution.

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The device is currently a Japan only product, but if you're interested in importing one, it's selling for $190. As a result of the collaboration between Greenhouse and fashion brand GAUDI (ah, so many jokes, so little time) the camera is available in pink and white. A matching bag comes with the camera to complete the ensemble.

I'm personally not a fan of pink tech on principle, but I wouldn't mind owning the white version. What are your thoughts on these cameras and pink tech?

Via CrunchGear



Thursday, December 31, 2009

Harman Kardon GLA-55 speakers will leave you cold and broke



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Okay, now that the idea of putting up an iceberg on the mantle was your battle won, all you need is to win another one and convince your family to loan you one grand. After which, you can remain assured that the Harman Kardon GLA-55 speakers can grace that coveted spot you fought so hard for.

Though the only observable uniqueness of the GLA-55 seems to be the artistic cut-glass motif which gives the appearance of the speakers being embedded in ice sculpture, Harman Kardon claims that they deliver "stunning sound" as well. That too minus subwoofer, and "numerous proprietary technologies to provide the highest audio quality". Apparently, the Atlas AL woofers and CMMD tweeters that the speakers are built on, deliver a great bass response and accurate high frequencies. Add to that DSP processing and touch-sensitive volume controls, and you just heard of the most expensive speakers ever. Instinct must be given its due while it still struggles to get you away from this $999.99 eye candy.

Via Coolest Gadgets.



Casio Celebrates Hello Kitty's 35th Anniversary



Hello Kitty, the fictional character that adorns everything from purses to laptops is beloved around the world. The iconic kitty is turning 35 and to celebrate, Casio is unveiling this limited edition Hello Kitty Casio EX-Z90 digital camera.

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The camera is available in two versions of pink. The area surrounding the lens is decked out in Swarovski crystals and of course features the face of Kitty and her trademark bow. Spec-wise, this is a a solid camera. It has 12.1 megapixels and 3x optical zoom. There's also intelligent Auto Focus that can detect any subject and automatically adjust exposure and focus. In addition, the Dynamic Photo function has been tweaked making it both easier and faster to create animated greeting cards or any other digital creations.

Unfortunately, this camera is a Korea exclusive, so you'll have to find an import site. But that shouldn't be too big of a hurdle for Hello Kitty fans.The price tag, however, might be a little much to swallow. Expect to pay $500 to satisfy your Hello Kitty lust.

Via Aving.net



Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Freecom struts out world's only USB 3.0 external hard drive



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No frills, sauciness, or eye-candy here. Instead, it is a hard drive that claims to hold enough raw speed to help you cruise to USB 3.0 readiness, supposedly to become a worldwide standard by 2012. It is XS 3.0, the world's first USB 3.0 external hard drive announced by Freecom. The hard drive guarantees rapid transfer speeds thanks to its 'SuperSpeed USB' technology, and what you will see on the grounds as proof of that claim is currently the quoted 130MB/s speed. Freecom is expected to launch a USB 3.0 "controller" to allow users to take advantage of the USB 3.0 speeds on the XS 3.0, though they don't promise that anytime soon.

To get into the specifics, the XS 3.0 is rather boringly clad in a black rubber enclosure and claims an almost silent operation as it is designed with a fanless cooling system. With looks that resemble pretty much a leather bound book, it weighs in at around 1.9 pounds. It is backward compatible with all USB 2.0 systems and sports AES 256 bit encryption standard. The pricing is quite reasonable too, with the 1TB drive priced at 119 Euro (about $175 US). Expect the numero uno to hit the market by mid November in 1TB, 1.5TB and 2TB sizes.

Via PCLaunches.



Harlequin Brings Romance to the World of Gaming



What can you say about romance novels? If you've read one plot involving heaving bosoms, rippling pectorals, and furtive sighs with a physical attraction fueled by dislike which eventually turns into lust and love, you've read them all. The question is, would you play a game based on the same premise?

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Leading romance publisher Harlequin Enterprises has teamed up with casual game producer Big Fish Games to create Harlequin Presents: Hidden Object of Desire. I could spend a good half hour making jokes about the title alone, but I digress. The game is a mash-up of a romance novel and you guessed it, a hidden objects game. Based on the Harlequin mini-series "The Royal House of Karedes", premise is simple:

Allie`s on a quest to find some breaking news in the Kingdom of Adamas, but must now choose between her friend`s well-being and true love! The bachelor Prince of Aristo is the most enchanting man she has ever met, but she must fend off his charming advances long enough to figure out what is going on. Help Allie find valuable clues in Harlequin Presents: Hidden Object of Desire, an exciting Hidden Object game.


Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Black Hello Kitty PMP is Techie Catnip



I haven't had anything Hello Kitty since I was a little girl, but iriver is really making me backtrack on that decision. Their new black Hello Kitty PMP is sleek and stylish enough that I wouldn't feel silly using it public. From the gold-accented bow to the whiskers, I just can't stop looking at it.

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Available in 2GB and 4GB versions, the player is still a Japanese exclusive. It come packaged with earbuds and a USB cable. Volume and playback controls are located on the back of Kitty's head. Weighing in at a mere 16g, you just want to take it everywhere. The silicon cases are a cute touch, not only can you dress your Hello Kitty up, it keeps it safe from scratches.

It's set to release in Japan in time for the holidays. No word on when or if its coming stateside, but if you're a Hello Kitty fanatic you might want to look into importing this pretty mama. It's retailing for about $90.

Via Engadget



Smart Baby Case Diasterproof and Travel-ready



Traveling with a baby can be challenging. You need to make sure there's a solid supply of diapers and food as well as lug around that bulky stroller. Sure it comes in handy when you're transporting your little one, but it becomes the instrument of the devil when it encounters some stairs. It's even worse with the initial setup. I've seen too many parents struggle with getting the blasted thing set up while trying to comfort a crying infant. Whew!

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Luggage company Samsonite, held a competition a few months back looking for designers that could design a better way for parents to transport their children. One such concept came from Iranian designer Pouyan Mokhtarani. Called the Smart Baby Case, the design is a hard case pod that borrows design cues from the humble egg, a shape already familiar to a child. The case would keep baby safe and comfortable while the parents navigate the hustle and bustle of pedestrian traffic or get to safety in the case of an emergency.



Monday, December 28, 2009

Square Enix Wants You to Smell the Final Fantasy



Star Trek has its own line of fragrances, why not a video game? Courtesy of game publisher, Square Enix, Final Fantasy XIII heroine Lightning, now has her own perfume line. The fragrance shares the same name as the character and will be available in 50 ml bottles for about $83.

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Lightning Eau de Toilette is described as having notes of peach, followed by rose, and then a feminine musk -- whatever that means. While it's a little outlandish to have a video game-inspired fragrance, considering the wacky merchandising that we've seen attached to video games (energy drinks, life-sized sculptures, and the legions of fans that dress up like their favorite character at any comic book/anime convention), this is one of the classier promotions.

The fragrance is set to hit Japanese shelves one month after the game release, just in time for spring. Now loyal gamers can look and even smell like their favorite video games. What's next, a cologne for Solid Snake?

Via Technabob



Sunday, December 27, 2009

Find True Love with an App



For those of us in the hunt for that special someone, being thorough is important, especially when it comes to dating. They say dating is supposed to be a fun experience, but for a lot of us, it's an interview process where one wrong answer can send a potential Mr. or Ms. Right crashing and burning into the reject pile. Now there's an app, to alleviate a little bit of the pressure.

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The app is named iRateMyDate and its exactly what it sounds like, a way for daters to keep track of a date and track various qualities the user is looking for in a potential mate. According to the press release, the the iPhone-exclusive app's goal is to answer the question "Is my date worth having my legs waxed" or "Was she worth missing the game?"

Developed by Yollswa, the app allows you to do side by side comparisons of potential mates, for those of us lucky enough to have that many candidates to choose from. You can choose up to 20 of must-have or important traits that "The One" should have and rate them. You can upload their photos, add their horoscope and take notes on the date, as well as schedule the next date -- if there will actually be a next date.



Saturday, December 26, 2009

Play Your Child a Lullaby with Lullabelly



It's been proven that babies do hear and respond to noises in the womb and do enjoy an nice tune every now and then. For those parents that want to provide your child with some soothing tunes while still in the womb, the Lullabelly iPod speaker belt is just for you.

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The Prenatal Music Belt wraps comfortably around pregnant bellies and has a front pocket to store your mp3 player or other accessories. Simply plug your player into the Lullabelly into the built in speaker and let the concert begin. You can play soothing sounds or read your unborn child a story via an audio book. There's also a dual adapter included in the deluxe edition so mommy and baby can both listen as well as a speaker volume control so you can protect baby's sensitive ears.According to the site, the highest decibel Lullabelly can reach is the equivalent of a telephone ringing.



Pre-order the inPulse BlackBerry Bluetooth watch, wait until 2010 for shipping



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The wait is longer than we imagined, and it is now official. Allerta is offering its limited, first-edition inPulse Bluetooth watch for the BlackBerry on pre-order, but you will have to hold on until February 2010 for the shipping to begin.

The watch sports a 1.3-inch color OLED display and functions as a virtual, display-only accessory for your BlackBerry while wirelessly communicating with it via a Bluetooth 2.0 connection. So that, based on the email, SMS, Twitter previews or call alerts you see on your wrist, you can choose to flip out your smartphone or not. The magic is made possible through a custom BlackBerry background application which runs on the watch to keep track of your received messages/calls and also provides the ability to customize the watch itself.

Powered by a 150mAh Li-Ion battery, the watch has a micro-USB jack for charging - with a single charge going approximately into 4 days while you get an average 20-30 updates per day. The inPulse has a built-in vibrating motor to alert you of incoming calls and boasts the ability to pull in new text messages directly. All the settings on the watch (time, alarms, alerts) are controlled through the BlackBerry itself, with the wireless connection also facilitating over-the-air firmware updates.

Part with $149 (shipping extra) and book your seat for some great wrist candy. And much more.

Via SlashGear.



S&J's Incredible, Non-edible Speakers



Computer peripheral manufacturer, S&J Co., Ltd, proves that sometimes to get great sound you have to break a few eggs. Their new line of ultra portable speakers are egg-shaped and awesome hence their name, Eggy.

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The little speakers pack decent sound thanks to their 2W output and digital amps. They're USB-powered so there's no need to worry about batteries. The coolest thing about these speakers is that the magnetically lock. Once you're done using them, just put them together and you've got a shiny egg that can be easily slipped into a bag or pocket. These speakers would be an awesome peripheral for all those netbooks and laptops out there.

No word yet on price or availability, but they will be showing at this year's CES, so hopefully there will be more information in January.

Via Coolest Gadgets



Friday, December 25, 2009

Free shipping on December 17!



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Not that we want you to postpone your holiday shopping any more than you already have, gulp. But this is just a friendly reminder that Thursday, December 17, is Free Shipping Day!

Free Shipping Day is, duh, the day when online merchants, some 700 of them, will ship your orders for free and vow to get them delivered by December 24.

Thanks to Consumer Reports, which kindly provides details here.



Cool and Unique watch by phosphorwatches



phosphorwatchesSo your looking for a new cool LED watch, one that is both unique but subtle. Well take a look this way at a new watch by phosphorwatches.com. This unique and styleish time piece sports technology that is rare in watches and is sure to turn heads with its sleek look. Based on “E-Ink” the same type of technology used in Amazon Kindle and Sony ereader the display has a very book like font to it, unlike regular LCD watches that have an absolute streight edges.

An elegant curved watch case houses a distinctive digital display that fits comfortably on your wrist. The bright, high contrast E Ink electronic paper display insures readability day or night and allows you to select between differing watch dial modes to match whatever style fits your mood.

The Phosphor watch also has a contured case that wraps around your wrist to give a great fit and feel. If you are looking for a great Christmas gift this year thetechnologyblog.net highly recommends the Phosphor E Ink Digital Hour Clock Watch Stainless Steel

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Cool and Unique watch by phosphorwatches



Thursday, December 24, 2009

CO2 Dress Senses Pollution, Owns the Runway



The pretty frock in he picture is more than the latest piece of haute couture. Thanks to the efforts of Forster Rohner, Alexandra Institute, diffus.dk, and The Danish Design School this dress is not only fashion-forward it's also eco-friendy.

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The LEDs embroidered into the dress actually show the levels of CO2 in the room. The dress monitors CO2 levels and transmits the information to the LEDs which flicker in response to the data. I wonder if the decision to make the dress a charcoal gray a purposeful one made by the collaborators to symbolize our declining air quality. At any rate, this is another example of how technology and fashion can come together to create something that's beautiful and functional both on and off the catwalk.

Via Fashioning Tech



Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Zlico's System Might Spell the End for Pap Smears



We have witnessed steady strides in the fight against cervical cancer. Vaccines Gardasil and Cervarix are now available for girls to protect them from the human papilloma virus (HPV), the main cause of cervical cancer. Unfortunately the vaccines are only given to young girls. They also don't protect women from every form of HPV which means there's still a need for Pap Smear testing to attempt to catch the disease early.

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Every year, millions of women visit their gynecologists and endure the discomfort of the Pap Smear. After the test is complete, there's often weeks of waiting for the results, leaving women to wonder if they'll become part of the frightening statistics on cervical cancer. British medical diagnostic, Zilco is working to alleviate some of the stress with its new device that can conduct a relatively quick and painless pap.



Ideeli's Big Deal



Finding a good sample sale is has to be like hunting prey in the wild. It's illusive, secretive, and gone in a flash. You have to keep your ear to the ground and be willing to hit the pavement at a moment's notice, but once you've found one and saved bundles on that designer purchase, you leave feeling like a mighty lioness ruler of all she surveys. Okay i might be taking it a little far, but there's something crazy thrilling about sample sales.

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Online shopping community ideeli, packages that excite and sends it to your inbox daily. The online sample sale site has been up and running since 2007, hawking designer wares in limited-time sales to fiscally-minded fashionistas. A members-only site, you have to receive an invite to play in this arena of shopping champions. And while it may seem counterproductive to have a closed community of shoppers, it seems to be paying off. According to TechCrunch, ideeli has just raised 20 million in funding to keep their members decked out in the exclusive fashions we love so well.

In addition to the big payday, ideeli has also reached the million member mark. Kudos, to ideeli and sites like it that realize that just because we're living in a recession doesn't mean wie have to dress like it.Id