Archive for December, 2008
Tuesday, December 30th, 2008
There are many things that I hate in this life and coffee is undoubtedly one of them. Even if the coffee break is something like a ritual in my family, I have never quite understood the reason why people love coffee and why they enjoy a cup of this “delicious beverageâ€, as some call it, as much as they do. However, I agree with those who insist on the fact the coffee smells absolutely great. But no more than that, as it tastes awful.
Along the same line, I just cannot understand those guys who pretend they’re coffee drinkers, but they drink it decaf. It’s precisely like the non-alcoholic beer or the light version of a bottle of Pepsi. They both taste like hell and they are both far from the original.
Still, there are those people who love coffee, but they aren’t allowed to drink it, due to all sorts of problems, so they see themselves obliged to resort to this solution: the decaf. For all of those guys, here they are the D+caf test strips, coming from Silver Lake Research Corporation (Monrovia, California). Studies have shown that approximately 30% of the persons who order decaf coffees at all sorts of coffee shops or restaurants don’t get what they asked for, receiving instead beverages with high levels of caffeine or which are not decaf at all, and this is unacceptable, you must agree.
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This unique test helps you determine the amount of caffeine from your cup of coffee or tea. The strips are made of paper covered with antibodies and turn up blue lines when there are more than 20 milligrams of caffeine per 6 oz serving. In addition, they are 98% accurate for detecting the concentration of caffeine and must be added in your beverage before adding milk, sugar, cream or other additives. It doesn’t matter whether the drink is hot or cold and the result is produced in approximately 30 seconds.
For $10 you get 20 D+caf strips that will help you avoid drinking the so-called decaf coffee that irresponsible people that don’t give a damn on your request make you consume, even if you’re probably not allowed to.
(Source: gizmodo.com)
Posted in Kitchen Gadgets | No Comments »
Tuesday, December 30th, 2008
When someone wants to show off in front of their acquaintances, whether they’re friends or relatives, they have infinite possibilities which are all characterized by one attribute and that is “luxuriousâ€. And if we’re talking about luxury, then another suitable word is expensive.
And the winter holidays are the perfect occasion for one to be as generous as a man can be. This is the reason why Philips decided to collaborate with a high-class company like Swarovski, which is well known for its “precision-cut lead crystal glassâ€, in order to release a product that combines the Philips’ technologies with the exquisite designs of Swarovski.
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The result consists of the Bluetooth Mono Headset, an elegant device which is adorned with active crystals. Thinking about your comfort, Philips created an ergonomic design for the headset, while the caps are made of ultra-soft silicon, which does nothing but to increase the comfort of your ears. In addition, the customized crystal design helps the user enjoy deep bass and acoustics, while the in-ear seal has a noise cancellation function.
If you’re into crystal encrusted gadgets and you’re interested in purchasing the Active Crystals Bluetooth Mono Headset, then you’ll be able to choose from two different colors. The gadget is available in black and white and measures approximately 3 x 3.7 x 3.8 inches. If you own a Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone, then you can carelessly use this headset which provides up to 5 hours of talk time and up to 100 hours of stand-by time, working from a maximum range of 10 meters.
Designed by women for women, your Active Crystals-adorned headset will surely help you live the ultimate sound experience. If you want to complete your collection of expensive luxury objects, then go grab the Bluetooth Mono Headset from Swarovski United Kingdom. But be ready to throw away 127 GBP.
(Source: Techpin)
Posted in Sound Gadgets | No Comments »
Sunday, December 28th, 2008
I was 18 years old when I first drove a car as I decided it was time for me to get my driving license. Even if I was never very much into cars and driving them has never been a hobby of mine, I can’t say that the lack of interest I’ve always proven concerning this area was somehow a disadvantage and I was never afraid of driving. My only fear was related to other people and their driving skills. You can never know the crazy people one can “intersect†on road.
The worst thing that can happen to someone is to fall asleep while driving, which is the cause of so many accidents nowadays. Fortunately for those who are bold enough to drive a car when being so very tired, the Mercedes E-class is smart enough to know when you’re on the point of closing your eyes and to attempt to wake you up. It sounds like a fairytale, isn’t it? Not to mention the fact that the car will also make a very strong suggestion to the exhausted driver: to make a pause and drink a cup of coffee.
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The guys over Mercedes worked hard on Attention Assist, an impressive program which is based on numerous studies, meticulously concretized in conclusions that are meant to help people whenever they need. They studied the connection between the brainwaves of sleepy individuals who dare to drive their cars and their physical behavior. This way, they managed to develop a car that is able to know when you’re on the point to fall asleep at the wheel.
The sensors placed in the steering wheel helps the system notice when something like this happens and a noisy alarm will immediately bring you back to reality. Then, as you can see in the picture above, the “pause†message will appear on the display, so you’ll know that is time for a coffee break.
This means that if you’re one of those who can hardly wait for the new E-class, which is expected to come out in 2009, you will most probably be among the fortunate ones to drive a smart car equipped with the Attention Assist. Let’s just hope that it won’t be smarter than the driver.
(Source: gizmodo.com)
Posted in News | No Comments »
Saturday, December 27th, 2008
I work all night, I work all day, to pay the bills I have to pay / Ain’t it sad / And still there never seems to be a single penny left for me / That’s too bad. I could bet all my money on the fact that the lyrics above do ring a bell to most of you. And if the name of the song and the artist are alien to you, then maybe the situation is not so unfamiliar, as the financial issues are very common in the world we all live in nowadays.
Maybe Supervision is what we all need in order to keep things under control. Created by designer Eun-Gyeong Gwon, the device is known as a “financial management and electronic budget diary†and is supposed to be perfect for all of those who just can’t balance their checkbook.
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With the Supervision you can scan and process receipts, lets you know about the money that are coming in and out, keeps you informed on details about the expenses you’ve done monthly and tabulates your bank accounts. If you are curious about the way the user is provided with this information, let me tell you that there’s a display that doubles as a touchscreen. In addition, it comes equipped with a stylus that gives you the possibility to manage your finances in a old fashioned manner also.
The Supervision is in its concept phase for the moment and I’m not quite sure if it will ever see the light of the day, but here’s a very strong suggestion: in order to be a successful product, it would better somehow connect to the user’s computer, so that recent purchases can be easily accessed.
I’m not sure how this thing works, but I’m positive about the fact that many of us would have been grateful if they had the Supervision to help them in such difficult times, like Christmas in the middle of this worldwide economic crisis.
(Source: coolest-gadgets.com)
Posted in Electronic Gadgets | No Comments »
Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008
Cell phones are the worst nightmare of landline phones, due to the features they’re equipped with combined with the functionality and the portability that gained people’s sympathy. In the given context, the preference that everyone expresses towards these innovative devices is understandable, if you think about it.
That is why today the landline phones are so very out of fashion and there’s no turning back whatsoever. Nevertheless, even if most of the people own at least one cell phone, there are companies like Bang & Olufsen that are tempted to persist in releasing antiquated wireless home phones. Antiquated as far as the functionality is concerned.
Anyway, the first thing that strikes the person who gets the chance to see it is the unusual shape. Let’s face it, these phones are not long, they are way too long. Released under the name of BeoCom 2, the cordless phones are claimed to be a challenge the conventions which were created over the time as far as the telephone design is concerned. The result is not only ridiculous, but also impractical when it comes to using it on a regular basis.
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The BeoCom 2 home phones are made of a single piece of aluminum which is converted into a gentle curved silhouette that is compatible with the human face. More than that, they are said to be very easy to pick up, very easy to handle and to operate. Besides the authentic voice reproduction and the stunning sound quality, there are plenty of convenient features such as Caller ID, Redial (you also have access to the latest 24 incoming and outgoing calls) and an electronic phonebook that is shared between handsets that are connected. A very interesting feature of the phonebook is the fact that it is created automatically, as you make and receive calls.
The Bang & Olufsen wireless home phones are available in six different colors, including white, blue, yellow, grey, black and natural aluminum. They are out in Korea at the moment and there is no information on the Stateside release.
(Source: Dvice)
Posted in Phone Gadgets | No Comments »
