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PS3
MOVE
By leumas on March 18, 2010 |
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Now that winter have shifted and spring awakes from its' slumber we can breathe a sigh of relief as the temperature becomes a bit more humane, but enough about the weather!
As the console war starts to hot up again with Sony Playstation announcing their new motion control peripheral at GDC 2010, Playstation Move, it hopes take a chunk out of Nintendo's widely popular physical living room activity of the gaming variety.
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| If you've seen a Wii before, you're already familiar with the most basic concept here. PlayStation Move is a motion controller system, with sensors to detect the player's movements and translates them into gameplay. There's a wrist strap, so you're expected to make some exaggerated movements. Where Move departs from the Wii is that while the Wii has detection of movement (with its built-in accelerometers), pointing (with the sensor bar), or even exact orientation (with that addition of MotionPlus), Move can track its controller precisely within real 3D space, instead of just relative movement based on a previous position. For gameplay this means less of those cute little flicks Wii pros have come so fond of, with most gameplay motions requiring a full and complete movement on Move. Of course, for augmented reality you need a camera, and lucky for Sony it has the PlayStation Eye already on the market. In fact, the Move system is partly based on what the Eye can detect of those cute coloured balls at the end of each Move controller, which lets the PlayStation know how far away from the camera the controller is, and map, say, a tennis racket exactly to a user's hand.
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This sounds all well and good, but it would be worthless if Sony hadn't worked out the potential lag in such a CPU-heavy tracking process. Luckily, they say they've got the problem cracked, sending control data with a mere 1 fps delay - equal to that of the DualShock 3. |
It's slated for a "holidays" launch, but with Microsoft's Natal launching in a similar time frame, could this spell end for the Wii's reining dominance in hardware sales?
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HAPPY
MOTHER'S DAY
By leumas on March 05, 2010 |
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| Our mums deserve the best and with Mother's Day coming soon, it's time to give something back. While no Mother's Day gifts could ever match their love and care for us, sometimes finding the best gift for our one-of-a-kind moms is still worth it.
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| If your budding techie's mothers love borrowing your computer to browse through her Facebook or surfing the internet, maybe it's a hint to buy her one. And choices you have (ASUS EEE series, Samsung N120, Apple MacBook) but if you can wait, you should take a glimpse of the Lenovo IdeaPad U1 Hybrid. When closed the IdeaPad U1 Hybrid looks like a regular laptop. You actually wouldn't know there's a slate hiding in there, until you pull it out and watch it switch to Lenovo's Skylight UI, to convert itself to a multi-touch tablet pc on the go. |
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Instantly Turn Your iPhone or iPod touch into a Universal Remote Control with FLPR from New Potato. FLPR lets users control multiple electronic devices, including televisions, cable and satellite boxes, stereo systems, lights, ceiling fans and just about anything else that uses an infrared remote control. FLPR is a snap to set up. After purchasing the FLPR infrared interface and popping it into the iPhone/iPod touch dock connector, users simply download the free FLPR app from the App Store online store. Unlike other universal remote solutions for iPhone and iPod touch, FLPR's extensive database of over 14,000 pre-programmed remote control codes means that you don't have to spend time learning your existing remotes "button by button." FLPR works with hundreds of brands of devices out of box with no programming necessary. What's more, FLPR can be personalized with the included free background skins. The screen for each device you control can have a distinct look so you can instantly tell the remote for the television apart from the iPod docking sound system. |
The Sun Jar is an ingenious and rather charming lighting concept from designer Tobias Wong. Just as jam jars store jam, the Sun Jar stores sunshine. You sit the jar on your windowsill during the day, then when it gets dark the Sun Jar automatically turns itself on and glows with the day's sunshine. The jar contains a solar charging panel and low voltage bulb with a sumptuous orange glow, and an auto light-sensitive on/off switch. Don't let the sunshine end, capture it and give it to your mother today! |
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Who said women can't be techie while still being a mother? These products are available in most electronics shops and online stores. Moreover, if you're not sure what gadget and gizmo to give your mom this Mother's Day you can buy a gift certificate instead so she can choose to her heart's desire. There are a lot of Mother's Day gifts options out there. Remember, the thought of giving is still more important than the gift itself. |
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SHINY NEW APPLES
By leumas on February 26, 2010 |
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| Given the years of speculation and hype that led up to its announcement, it's not at all surprising that there is significant pent-up demand for Apple's iPad. But the demand estimates for the pad, as a new survey from RBC/ChangeWave suggests, is not expected to exceed demand for the Iphone. The iPad is, after all, an entirely new device category crossing the laptop computer and the smartphone and unlike the iPhone, its market is unproven. However the iPad's surprisingly low price point may just have secured its' place in the market, appealing to both high and low ends of the market.
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On a celebratory note, Apple's iTunes Store has recently surpassed its' 10 billionth iTune download, marking an exceptional achievement in world of digital distribution. And if you are wondering what the most downloaded songs of "all time" are, check out their source link
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If your iPhone is becoming more like a 3rd limb you've never had then you PC owners will be pleased to hear about the Matias USB 2.0 keyboard hybrid smartphone stand. Just throwing your gorgeous iPhone on your desk is completely unacceptable, dock it with this keyboard, and you're only fingertips away from your mobile apps. |
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VIDEO
STREAMING
By leumas on February 18, 2010 |
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In the spirit of the BAFTA's this week, we look at how easy it is to direct your very own masterpieces. With just a simple digital camera or mini camcorder, filming yourself or something is just a button away from mega cult stardom, just upload to viral streaming sites like YouTube.
If you didn't know now, current digital compact cameras can record video. What that means is that we technically don't need a camcorder to record video which is pretty handy if you like going to concerts or various holidays. But if you like the 1 click ease of the new flip camcorders check out the Flip Ultras, the Sony PM1 or the funky JVC Picsio portable camcorders. |
| If you're looking for performance and style then check out the Nikon S8000. Announced as the world's slimmest wide-angle 10x zoom camera and also boasting a "DSLR class" autofocus system. This stylish, high performance 14.2-megapixel camera with HD video measures just 27.3mm thin. The high-definition movie function with stereo sound offers a resolution of 720p and a frame rate of 30 frames per second. The wide angle 10x optical zoom Nikkor lens features extra-low dispersion (ED) glass elements and vibration reduction (VR), while the 3", 921000-dot LCD monitor enhances booth shooting and playback with minimal reflections, even in bright sunlight. The COOLPIX S8000 is perfect for those wanting a camera that delivers excellent quality photographs without having to carry a bulky camera or spend time to adjust settings. The S8000 will be available from mid February. |
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Another alternative would be the Olympus E-PEN PL1. A third generation device of its kind, which Olympus claims offers a picture and video quality traditionally only available in bigger, bulkier and heavier professional DSLR cameras and HD camcorders. With various functions gained from both worlds, this might just be the start of a new breed of camera functionality. For those that do use their DSLR for HD videoing, you should browse through Redrock Micro support rigs for professional panning. |
| So you really want a camcorder and I'm sure there are plenty of new ones right now but what comes to mind as my star pick is last year's Panasonic HDC-SD10, You'll look at your existing camcorder (providing you own one, that is) and wonder how Panasonic has squeezed so much technology into such a small and lightweight gadget. The Panasonic HDC-TM10 is technically the 'little brother' to the Panasonic HDC-TM10. The main difference is the lack of a dual storage system. The range of automatic features (from face detection to intelligent scene selection) means that it's easy to produce great HD footage even if you've never picked up a video camera before! |
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VALENTINE'S DAY GADGETS
By leumas on February 10, 2010 |
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It's not always easy to find the perfect gift for Valentine's Day whether you're in a long term relationship or just starting out. If you're having trouble then you are over thinking it, keep it simple people!!
| So you've been dating for a few months and you are about to spend your first Valentine's Day together, no matter the budget it's best to keep things modest. A good rule of thumb is to never spend so much that would make them think you are buying their affection. IPods Nanos are a perennial favourite if they don't have one already but if Apple 'don't float your boat' try Zune HD / Sony NWZ-X1050. |
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If your mantra is cheesiness, then Maxell's Cococoron heart shaped iPod docks might go well with the chocolate and flower combo, however, unless you are living in Japan I doubt you'll get one of these. Preserving your memories together is much easier nowadays with great prices on compact cameras. The Samsung ST550 is a great example, having dual LCD screens makes it all the more easier to take pictures together if your hand eye coordination is really bad. |
SatNavs are a must buy essential if you own a car so what does TomTom do when Valentine's Day is near? They release a Limited Edition version of the TomTom Ease.
With a 3.5 QVGA display and 2GB of internal memory preloaded with all the essential and latest maps, you can't go wrong with that. Why settle for the boring grey version when you can have a nice red one! |
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