Archive for the ‘Electronic Gadgets’ Category
Saturday, December 6th, 2008 |
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The human mind has come up with all sorts of devices, more or less useful for people. If some of us would find a snore counter quite interesting, others might consider it amusing, something like a good joke that one could make to a close friend. That’s why an electronic calorie counter isn’t a surprise for anyone.
Fitbit Inc., a new company that aims at helping the American population live in a much healthier way, becoming more responsible when it comes to eating and exercising, has introduced the Fitbit Tracker and Website during the TechCrunch conference. The device was especially designed for people to improve their daily habits and collects data about a person’s activities that will further be presented to them in an entertaining way.
The device this company designed and developed can be worn by the user anytime, anywhere, clipped to the clothes or slipped into the pocket, having the size of a pack of matches. It works wirelessly, so the Fitbit automatically tracks and uploads important information about the user’s activities, such as intensity levels, burned calories, sleep quality, steps and distance. Fitbit is based on a motion sensor that captures the physical activity all day long. The only thing you have to do is to just click one button, and you’ll have the data you need right in front of your eyes, displayed on the device: calories, steps and distance. More than that, there’s also an avatar that changes according to the evolution of the user, according to his/her position regarding their goals.
Once the information is collected, it is immediately and wirelessly uploaded to a Website where the user can confront the results with his/her personals goals. The idea is to motivate and encourage people to share the progress they’ve made and to create groups of friends with similar issues, helping each other to achieve a common goal. The Website also gives them the opportunity to log nutrition, weight and other health-related information that will be the fundament of a future report.
“We are excited to launch our company at TechCrunch50. Our goal is to make people aware of their overall fitness and well-being – and to use technology to accomplish this in a motivating and entertaining way that appeals to people beyond just hard-core athletes”, said James Park, CEO of Fitbit Inc. “At a time when studies show more than 60 percent of Americans are overweight, the Fitbit Tracker and Fitbit Community Website are designed to break down barriers to physical fitness by offering a new and easy way to stay aware and motivated about your daily physical activity level and eating habits”.
This isn’t, therefore, just an electronic calorie counter, is a complete health-tracking device, that is expected to become available starting the beginning of the next year. While the device will retail for approximately $100, signing up on the Website is said to be free.
(Source: Dvice)
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Friday, December 5th, 2008 |
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The winter is already here. The temperatures decreased significantly, leaving us no time to adjust to the new weather conditions. If you were in my place, you’d actually be worried, as the atmosphere inside my apartment doesn’t seem to be willing to get warm. The warm-water heating doesn’t cope with the cold outside these walls. More than that, sometimes I feel like cold air currents invade the room, entering my house through the window and asking no permission for such an unexpected and unpleasant visit.
In such conditions, the last thing I’d like is to “lose” the heat that is hardly kept within the walls of my apartment. The Black & Decker Thermal Leak Detector was designed to solve similar situations and help people save approximately 20% on energy costs. The device does that by localizing the leaks. This is a great thing, you must admit, as they’re almost everywhere, around all sorts of surface such as doors, floors, walls, windows or pipes. Using the detector, you have access to places that are unreachable in regular conditions.
In addition, you can also check whether your HVAC has a proper manner of working, diagnose all sorts of engine misfires, check if the ceiling is well insulated around recessed lights or for drafts placed around the fireplace.
But how does this work? After setting a reference temperature, you should direct the light towards the wall. Keep on moving the light all around your apartment and track it very attentively. You’ll see that the light changes according to the temperature. When it registers a variation of 1,5 or 10 degrees Fahrenheit (the user also has the chance to switch to the Celsius mode), the light will be red, for hot spots, and blue for cold ones. It seems that plugging the leaks and drafts can be a good solution for saving up to 20% of the energy costs.
The device comes in package with a booklet that comprises easy solutions to improve your environment. This $40 leak detection equipment will be available starting January 2009.
(Source: Dvice)
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Friday, December 5th, 2008 |
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It grieves me to bring in the present memories I’ve so long tried to forget about me trying to get a nap somewhere near my father. And, to my immeasurable misfortune, I’ve often had the occasion to share the same room with him while trying to close my eyes and take a rest. When I was a little girl, whenever I went to my grandparents’ house, I had to sleep with my parents. This is bad luck, so that you know, for an innocent little kid. What have I done wrong in order to deserve such a punishment?
I’m sure you all understand how I felt and trust me, this ain’t everything, but the point is my mother had to endure for almost 25 years the nocturnal concerts my father had the benevolence to throw every single night. This is outrageous, if you ask me, but she says she got used to him so bad that she can’t go to sleep without this noisy background. Weird, mom, weird!
My mother needs no remedy whatsoever, as she seems to love this situation, but for all of you out there who feel like following her steps, there’s something that might be a great help. It doesn’t matter their snoring isn’t annoying, sometime in the future it will and they’ll become professional snorers, trust me on this one. My father did and he used to make me cry. He brought me to despair so many times, that you must take my word for granted.
The SnorePro SP600 is the device snorers need in order to get rid of snoring. Not only it detects loud snores, but it also reacts like a wife, making you aware of the fact that you’re once again noisy. Based on a biofeedback technique, the user is given electronic stimulations to his skin, so that he changes his sleep position. In addition, the devices record loud snores, for users to keep under control every change. This way, they will always know if they improved somehow in time and how much the intensity of their snoring decreased.
The LCD display shows the snore counts/history, so that users learn which position is more suitable to better results or how to train the throat muscles. There’s also an “adjustable threshold” that can be adjusted according to the sleeping environment. Whenever the snore surpasses the preset threshold (measured in decibels), the users will feel a stimulation pulse on their skin.
There is no information yet about the price or the availability of such device. That’s a shame, alright! But I’d bet all my money on the fact that many of you would pay a fortune on it in order to get rid of snoring.
(Source: Dvice)
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Thursday, December 4th, 2008 |
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People are obsessed with their weight, this is no surprise for anyone. Women, in particular, as men don’t actually give a damn on what the bathroom scale has to say, and if they do, they’re significantly fewer than their beloved ones. Don’t you dare smile, I sense the irony behind it from miles away! This isn’t something you should joke about! Ask your girlfriends and they might share deep secrets concerning this terrifying moment that happens to all of them, sometime in their lives. Weighing themselves isn’t an easy task, trust me! Having an insensitive device telling you that you’ve gained 200 grams in the past two weeks, when you know that something like this isn’t possible, is the most heartbreaking tragedy of them all.
You’re conscious about the fact that a FunWeigh Joking Scale won’t be at their liking, even if you might think so. It’s funny, if you ask me, as long as you don’t take it too serious! But come on, how could anyone not take it serious, we’re talking about kilograms, pounds and all sorts of amounts that put us in a fat light. Excuse me, bad!
This device is “a full featured talking scale”, but it’s an unusual one, as it talks to the user as if they were best friends. And when I say that I think about the permissiveness that comes with years between two persons and allows them to say whatever they want, as long as they’re expressing an opinion or they’re making a joke.
Put your girlfriend on a scale and see what happens on hearing something like “You’re not big boned – you’re just Fat!”. This could be the ultimate test, you know? If she laughs, then you’ll be having a cheerful life next to her. If not, then you should make that thing disappear and think it twice! You don’t want her listening to anything else. “It’s a good thing I talk, because you probably don’t see me!” or “Back AWAY from the scale”. “eh eh… can’t breathe” or “I think you just broke me”.
Still, if she doesn’t have the sense of humor for using this accurate bathroom scale, not to mention amusing and so sincere, and you’d never consider leaving her, you’re given the option to “shut up” the device. This means you can disable the voice for those moments when your girlfriend isn’t in the mood for it. Meaning, the rest of your lives. Now, if you have the guts to purchase it, then go to MyWeigh.com, and the FunWeigh Joking Scale will be yours for $49.90.
(Source: coolest-gadgets.com)
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Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008 |
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Thinking about my inclination towards sports activities, I’d say that there’s no need for such devices as heart rate monitor watches, because there’s no way for people to exhaust their body while exercising. I have always taken care of my physical shape, without flinging the hatchet whatsoever. But, contrary to my lack of interest, there are those who prove themselves to be more than enthusiastic when it comes to practicing all sorts of sports. They sometimes rush into an overwhelming “whirlpool” that they can hardly cope with.
Still, if you’re a sports addict, than you should take into consideration the Polar FT80, a device that isn’t a regular watch, but an intelligent training computer that is designed to be worn on a wrist. The FT80 has a high-tech looks, there’s no doubt about it, and it’s meant to help you achieve your exercise goals, without neglecting your health. Therefore, the stylish watch can easily convert into your most reliable partner, helping you achieve maximum efficiency with perfectly dosed efforts.
For example, the FT80 features an integrated heart monitor that tells you how you’re tolerating your exercises. The heart rate can be displayed in several ways, as a percentage of maximum heart rate, as bpm (beats per minute) and as graphical trend. You are also provided with programs that help you improve your daily routine, such as the Innovative Strength training guidance, that ensures you achieve a fitter body, and the new Polar STAR training program. The latter is the expression of personalized training programs, adjusted to the way you’re accustomed to workout. It gives you weekly training targets and provides constant feedback, being the perfect guide and not letting you misbehave.
In addition, there’s a fitness test that is supposed to measure your aerobic fitness at rest in just five minutes. This way, you’ll never have the chance to work yourself to death, as the watch will tell you when you’re ready for more exercise. In order to know the results of your efforts, the Polar FT80 also displays the calories you’ve managed to burn.
The best thing about this device, which makes it different from other heart rate monitor watches, is the G1 GPS module, an optional feature that gives you information about the speed and the distance you’ve traveled. Being shock and water resistant, the GPS features include AA batteries, up to 30 hours of full power mode, with an optional lithium battery, an indicator that shows the low level of the battery, low power battery mode, SIRF-III chipset and WAAS support (wide area augmentation system).
The Polar FT80 is also equipped with some watch features, such as an alarm with snooze, an indicator that show date and weekday, a dual time zone, an indicator that lets you know when the battery is depleted, Stop Watch and a replaceable battery.
If you’re interested in purchasing the watch with the integrated G1 GPS sensor, it will cost you $429.95 and if you want to save some money, then content yourself with the simple version, without the GPS feature, that is only $329.95.
(Source: Dvice)
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