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Top 10 Pervasive Tech Myths That Are Only Wasting Your Time We just got an email from Mark Friesen, Fujitsu’s Chief Designer in Japan, saying that yesterday’s dubious Helio prototype is really their now-year-old design: “I’m holding both prototypes right now” he told us, “they were created to explore possibilities for smartphones.” I still want one. Actually, both.
newVideoPlayer("rocketrod_gawker.flv", 475, 376); Dude, I just saw this infommercial for this fishing rod that doesn’t actually have a rod. It throws out your line, bait, bobber, and hook encapsulated in a little rocket, fired from this pump-action, spring loaded cannon. The range is 30 feet, and in true trailer-trash, QVC fashion, it’s $40, or two easy payments of $20. [rocketfishingrod]
When the Korea-only Black Eagle GPS detects a deceleration of 1.1G or more, it assumes you’ve plowed into a tree or car, and saves an 18-second video clip of the collision. (12 seconds before, pulled from a cache, and 6 seconds after.) It also has sensors for lane changes. I’m not sure I’d want this incriminating AV evidence on my dash, which also reports your speed before impact.
We found it a bit odd that the thumbnails in YouTube’s search results are now in a widescreen format. Could YouTube be preparing for a jump to widescreen video?
OLEDs are finding their way onto all sorts of gadgets these days, from ridiculously overpriced keyboards to weird flexible screens that serve little purpose. It appears that watchmaker Fossil will soon be joining the ranks of the OLED purveyors with their officially unannounced men’s watches. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen an OLED watch, but this one isn’t being billed as a miniature theatre for your wrist. Hit the jump for a leaked action vid.
Apple is slowly taking over the flash memory market; the iPod and iPhone account for 25% of worldwide NAND Flash production this quarter. [I4U]
We’ve seen plenty of these wearable computer displays in our time, but the Japan-only DataGlass 3/A Head Mounted Display is reinforced to be dustproof as well as waterproof. The 800x 600 DataGlass eyepatch connects and draws power via USB and, once plugged in, the wearer will feel as if a monitor is hovering in space about two feet in front of them. The DataGlass runs for about 1,600 bucks. [DigInfo via SciFi Tech]
And that includes video playback, not just audio.
The Hacha has just been announced as an Australian-based PMP and DAP brand, selling to the world from their base here in Oz. We’ll be getting our hands on a unit soon for a full review, but on paper things certainly seem like a good deal at $180. Video, audio, FM radio, audio recording, even a game that I’m sure is entirely their own creation, called ‘Russian Bricks’.
Full spec list after the jump.
The Everex IMPACT GC3502 is a basic box, running a 1.5GHz VIA CPU, 1GB of RAM, 80GB of HDD, and a DVD burner, and for $300 includes keyboard, mouse and speakers, but no monitor. Best of all it comes with Vista home, OpenOffice 2.2 and is free from craplets infestation.
We’re glad Everex is taking a stand, and hope other mainstream companies see the writing on the wall and stop shoving AOL trial widgets down our throats. We know how to use PCs, and we want em shiny and new on the inside when we buy em. The PC isn’t on Walmart’s site yet, but it should be soon. [Everex via Ars]
Designed to help previous heart attack victims regain confident mobility, this unnamed prototype heart monitor takes frequent electrocardiogram readings and uploads them to a customized cellphone via Bluetooth. The phone is equipped with an ECG analyzer that watches for signs of impending heart failure. If your ticker stops ticking, your ECG is sent in an SMS text to your local hospital along with a cry for help. But can the paramedics find you in time?
