Archive for the ‘Other’ Category
Sunday, September 6th, 2009 |
More than half of the people who buy iPods or iPhones will certainly buy accessories. Apple knows that and invests in new gadgets that will connect whit your iPod or/and iPhone. An interesting accessory is the Nike + iPod Sport Kit, your very own personal workout coach. Even more interesting is that this accessory is compatible with iPod Nano (1st generation, 2nd generation – aluminum, 3rd generation – video, 4th generation – video), iPod Touch 2nd generation or iPhone 3G s.
<-300x250 Medium Rectangle - center->
How does it work?
It could be described as a wireless sensor and receiver that works with Nike + shoes and iPod or/and iPhone. Apple promises real time feedback during your workout sessions (at least theoretically). You should also be able to track your performances after a successful sync with your computer.
Apple considers a workout session with the Nike + iPod Sport Kit a three step process:
-Tune – connect the wireless sensor of your Nike + shoe with the receiver on your compatible iPod or iPhone.
- Run – start your workout.
-Sync – at the end of your workout, sync the iPod or iPhone to transfer data into your computer.
Does it really work?
Be careful with this product! It works with some iPod Nanos and a few iPod Touch 2nd generation with 2.x software. It will not work with the newest software 3.0. However this problem could be resolved with the 3.1 upgrade. If you were planning to buy it for your iPhone 3G s do not bother, loss of time and money.
What can go wrong?
The iPod Touch unit never seems to establish a solid connection with the sensor. Apple support believes it to be a software problem with the 3.0, as we previously reported.
Tips
-If it rains, hide the sensor, otherwise it will be badly damaged.
-If your iPod or iPhone (if you get it to work) runs out of battery life do not expect it to save any information during a workout session.
Other problems that could occur with this product:
-The shoe sensor may need to be calibrated every time you walk or run. Even so it could still display incorrect distance and pace.
-You may need to restart your iPod before every use to use the voice over feature with your music (feature included in the 3.0 sotfware).
If you don’t like frustration buy a different product, such as Garmin GPS Fitness Watch, another new gadget from Garmin.
Posted in Electronic Gadgets, Other | 1 Comment »
Saturday, September 5th, 2009 |
For the last seven years the popularity of Bluetooth technology migrated from unknown to everyday use. Though Bluetooth specification was developed in 1994, its growing popularity began in 2002 when Apple released Mac OS X v10.2 and Microsoft, Windows XP Service Pack 2. Both platforms allowed Bluetooth connections without unnecessary install of drivers.
<-300x250 Medium Rectangle - center->
Bluetooth protocol was created as a substitute for IrDA, a standard for communication between devices. The major disadvantage of communication over IrDA was that the devices needed to be in short distance of each other and facing the infrared ports. Bluetooth is a protocol for short-range wireless communications.
Nowadays modern notebooks have Bluetooth protocol implemented, but midline personal computers don’t have these technology. Therefore a personal computer must have a Bluetooth adapter. Bluetooth establishes a good connection between devices for information exchange. Mobile phones, PDA’s, telephones, notebooks, handsfree, personal computers, some printers, keyboards, mouse, digital cameras, have Bluetooth protocol. Most of them have 2.0 Version, but the most recent specification is 2.1.
Bluetooth gadgets make our lives easier. Take for example a wireless keyboard and mouse for your computer. Basically the sky is the limit. If you have an LCD display you can easily connect it to your computer and surf the Internet, play computer games, watch a movie, work from the comfort of your bed, without giving up the PC(personal ‘powerful’ computer) in advantage of a notebook.
The handsfree for our mobile phone is now a must if we are daily drivers. The new handsfree generation don’t arouse all sorts of questions when you buy them, because there are no cables or 2.5 or 3.5 jack, the connection being made through Bluetooth. Even more efficient , since the 2.0 upgrade of Bluetooth, are the stereo handset, which allows you to listen to music, or a TV show from your computer or TV while you’re strolling through your house.
In 2007 Apple introduced the first iPhone as the ultimate mobile device. The only problem? It couldn’t be considered a Bluetooth gadget. Even do it boosted a 2.0 Bluetooth only a few gadgets and accessories on the market were compatible with the first iPhone. The tech community debated on forums about the necessity of a real Bluetooth connectivity within the iPhone. Bluetooth protocol once again benefited from this debates. By the middle of 2009, Apple released the new iPhone generation with 3.0 software, which allows the phone to connect over Bluetooth with more then a few devices.
For the time being the key word that summarizes modern gadgets is mobility. Bluetooth for devices connection, WIFI for wireless Internet, mobility is mandatory. Either you stay at home, on your terrace surfing the web and listening to music using a Bluetooth stereo handset, or taking pictures on a trip and printing them on your portable printer, Bluetooth gadgets are all around us and this is just the beginning.
Posted in Computer Gadgets, Other | 1 Comment »
Friday, September 4th, 2009 |
Two halls were filled at the San Francisco’s Moscone Center with latest technologies and innovations in fitness world. This exhibition was part of the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association’s convention for 2009, and the exhibitors came with their best new gadgets designed for fitness.
In the first image you can see Ishape, a vibration machine designed by Efi Sports Medicine, which forces the body to make muscle actions at each vibration. The main purpose is to improve stability and power by applying more acceleration or mass to human body.
This is an interactive fitness game, which lets you score points while you chase dragons. It is a cool exercise bike which successfully combines fitness with entertainment. Expresso Chases is great for people who like to have fun an keep themselves in shape, and also like to improve their gaming skills.
XR Kade is one of the most advanced gaming experience, which transforms people into human joysticks. It is great for helping children fight against childhood obesity, because the players have to hit of the wall that lights up with a ball, and this requires some physical activity.
SaunaLite is based on InfraTheraphy, and it combines therapy with cardio training. The basic principle of this fitness machine says that cells exposed to some wavelengths produce more energy than the one which are not exposed. If you exercise while between these infrared wavelengths you will burn more calories than normal exercising. Mild warmth from this system dilates the microcirculatory system, and this brings more oxygen to the muscles. It is interesting to study how much of the weight loss is due to the water loss. The company did not mention this aspect in their presentation.
G Trainer uses a special air pressure regulating system which reduces individuals’ effective body weight up to 80% but still allowing them to maintain a normal exercising position and offering them legerity. This machine is aimed for people who need to recover after injuries and surgeries, it is more effective than the normal recovery and it helps people to overcome the medical challenges.
BodyBugg is a sensor which measures calories, and it analyzes if a person is sleeping, jogging, sitting or having any other activity and it is very important for those who want to measure their calorie expenditure and who want to manage weight loss. It is manufactured by Apex Fitness and I find it very interesting for those who count each calory they use or who measure all foods they eat caloric value.
Posted in Funny Gadgets, Other | No Comments »
Thursday, September 3rd, 2009 |
Nowadays, owning a car is a must as it gives you mobility and freedom to go when and where you wish. From the moment they were invented, the cars have improved systematically. Each year new technologies and designs are introduced for satisfying the more and more demanding customers. For some, a car is like a toy- when they have the first one it is the best thing but then, they want something new and better. It is almost like an addiction.
<-300x250 Medium Rectangle - center->
Also, a car can be considered as a projection of their personality- many clients buy a car which has a little of their character. Speaking of clients, we must not forget the wealthy people who can have almost every car they wish, who have collections of cars and never get bored of them. For them, were created the next cars included in the “Top ten most expensive cars”. When you afford to buy whatever you wish, buying a very expensive car is not a caprice but a way to give yourself the best comfort and security while driving.
On the 10th position there is Porsche Carrera GT, with a cost of $440,000. This coupe, sports car has a dynamic stability control, a top speed of 205 mph+ and it can reach 0-60 in 3.9 seconds.
Mercedes Benz SLR McLaren Roadster is in the 9th position, with a price of $495,000. This super car is the fastest automatic transmission car in the world with a top speed of 206 mph+ and reaching 60 mph in 3.8 seconds. Being a Mercedes Benz, it is a luxurious car, with a powerful engine, having outstanding performances and style. You will surely be noticed if you are seen driving this car.
Next, in our ranking is the Swedish made Koenigsegg CCX, with a cost of $545,568. This model is struggling to become the world’s fastest car but for now it is in the 4th position with a top speed of 245 mph. Although its producer is not very popular, the model continues fighting for the pole position.
The first true American production certified supercar, Saleen S7 Twin Turbo is in the 7th place in our top. With a cost of $555000, this beast is also ranked 3rd in the world’s faster cars. It has a top speed of 248 mph+ and it can reach 0-60 in 3.2 seconds. If you are a patriot and you afford it, this car is an excellent choice.
On the 6th place we can find the SSC Ultimate Aero which costs $654,400. This car is actually the fastest street legal car in the world with a top speed of 257 mph+ and reaching 0-60 in 2.7 seconds. Although it costs as half as the world’s most expensive car- Bugatti Veyron, this car has enough horse power to defeat it. It is estimated that only 25 of this exact model will ever be produced.
Number 5 in this ranking is Pagani Zonda C 12 F with a price of $667,321. Pagani Zonda is the 5th fastest car in the world and it is produced by an independent company in Italy. It promises to delivery a top speed of 215 mph+ and it can reach 0-60 in 3.5 seconds.
Ferrari Enzo is the number 4 in this top, with a cost of $670,000. This is a very popular car especially among the rich and famous. For buying this car you must enter the list which is very exclusivist and wait for a couple of years to be delivered. However, when it is delivered you can go at a top speed of 217 mph+ and reach 60 mph in 3.4 seconds. Only 400 units were produced and the selling price is of $1,000,000
McLaren F1 was built 15 years ago and it occupies today the 3rd place in our ranking with a price of $970,000. It has an unbelievable top speed of 240 mph and reaching 60 mph in 3.2 seconds. Its design is very futuristic so that it doesn’t look like a 15 year old car.
Second in this top is Lamborghini Reventon with a price of $ 1,600,000. This is the most powerful and the most expensive Lamborghini ever built. It takes 3.3 seconds to reach 60 mph and it has a top speed of 211 mph. This car is quite rare- as only 20 were produced and has a very impressive and futuristic design.
The number one – as the most expensive car in the world- is Bugatti Veyron- with a price tag of $1,700,000. Veyron is the most expensive legal street car available today. Also, it is the fastest accelerating car reaching 0-60 in 2.6 seconds. Although it claims to be the fastest car in the world, Bugatti Veyron- with a top speed of 253mph+, was defeated by SSC Ultimate Aero which exceed 253 mph.
These amazing cars are every man’s dream but, sad enough only few can own them. Besides offering high comfort, extreme speeds, the newest technologies and an important visual effect, these cars offer social status, general admiration and envy. I think this is a good motivation for working hard: owning one of the coolest cars in the world!
Posted in Other, concept car | 6 Comments »
Tuesday, September 1st, 2009 |
If you ever come across with the possibility to visit Japan, don`t miss it. Otherwise, you will lose the opportunity of visiting a truly spectacular country, with a very interesting culture and fascinating people. Of course, if you visit Japan, you must know that the largest city in the country and one of the largest in the world is Tokyo. This city is called nowadays a metropolis because it consists of 23 city wards, 26 cities, 5 towns and 8 villages, including the Izu and Ogasawara Islands, several small Pacific Islands in the south of Japan’s main island Honshu.The 23 city wards are the center of the city Tokyo and make up about one third of the metropolis’ area, having twelve million residents.
<-300×250 Medium Rectangle – center->
Tokyo is located on the eastern side of the island Honshu and it is the world`s most populous metropolitan area with approximately 35 million people and the world`s largest metropolitan economy with a GDP of US$1.191 trillion.
Before 1686, Tokyo was known as Edo. In the 16th century, a small castle- Edo became Japan`s political center, in 1603 when Togukawa Ieyasu established his feudal government there. A few decades later, the small castle of Edo developed in one of the most populated cities.
In 1868, as a result of the Meji Restoration, the emperor and the capital were moved from Kyoto to Edo, which was renamed Tokyo- meaning “Eastern Capital”. Tokyo was designed to be centered near major train stations. Although the city went through two major catastrophes in the 20th century- the 1923 Great Canto earthquake and the World War II, it recovered from both. After the World War II the city was completely rebuilt just in time for the 1964 Summer Olympics.
Tokyo is an important international finance center, it houses the headquarters of several of the world’s largest investment, banks and insurance companies. After the World War II, many large firms moved their headquarters from other cities to Tokyo because that way they could have more access to the government . This trend has stopped now because of the large population in the area and the high cost of living. Tokyo was rated by the Economist Intelligence Unit as the most expensive city in the world for 14 years in a row ending in 2006.
Tokyo is Japan`s largest domestic and international hub for rail, ground, and air transportation. Rail is the primary transportation in Tokyo which has the most extensive urban railway network in the world and an equally extensive network of surface lines.
Tokyo is a well known tourist attraction- it is visited by almost five millions of foreigners anually and by approximately 400 millions of Japanese. When in Tokyo, tourists visit the various downtowns, stores, and entertainment districts throughout the neighborhoods of the special wards of Tokyo. Some very popular districts that are visited by many tourists are: Shibuya and Harajuku which are symbols of the Japanese pop culture. There are also other attractions like the Studio Ghibli anime center, as well as museums like the Tokyo National Museum, which houses 37% of the country’s artwork national treasures. Speaking of museums, Japan has four major national museums: Tokyo National Museum , the country’s largest museum; the National Museum of Western Art ; and the Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art, with its collections of Japanese modern art as well as over 40,000 Japanese and foreign films and the National Museum of Science.
Even if there is the language barrier you can go to different types of theaters in Tokyo: national and private theaters for traditional forms of Japanese drama (like noh and kabuki) as well as modern dramas. If you want to dance you can go to Western or Japanese pop and rock concerts in clubs or in large arenas like the Nippon Budokan.
In Tokyo occur many festivals like the Sanno at Hie Shrine, the Sanja at Asakusa Shrine, and the biennial Kanda Festivals. The last one includes a parade with decorated floats which is attended by thousands of people. Each year, on the last Saturday of July enormous fireworks display over the Sumida River attracts over a million viewers. The cherry blossoming in spring is considered an occasion for gathering in the Ueno Park, Inokashira Park, and the Shinjuku Gyoen National Gardens for picnics.
Other attractions in Tokyo are: the Jizo Hall of Shofuku-ji, a suburban temple, is a National treasure, the Imperial Palace , Maiji Shrine andSneso-ji, a popular temple and the Tsukiji Fish Market.
Tokyo cuisine is world recognized and appreciated. When Michelin released in 2007 their guide for fine dining in Tokyo, gathering 191 stars in total, it surpassed its nearest competitor, Paris.
Regarding popular media, Tokyo has the largest studios and broadcasters. The city is frequently the setting for movies, television shows, anime, web comics, comic books. Not only Japanese use Tokyo as a setting. Movies like ” Kill Bill”, “The Fast and the Furious” were filmed there.
Architecture in Tokyo is highly composed of sky scrapers. Very few old buildings survived the two catastrophic events that hit Tokyo. Also, Tokyo has many gardens and parks. Japanese gardens are very popular and an inspiration for other countries.
When in Tokyo, be sure you have a camera with you, or if you don`t have one, this is the perfect city from which you can buy one. It is world known that Japanese have one of the best technologies and not very high prices. Here you can find gadgets and devices you have never heard of, and also, dog robots. It`s no secret that Japan is acknowledged to be the leader in the field of robotics.
All in all, Tokyo is an extraordinary city that is worth being discovered: exquisite cuisine, spectacular architecture, beautiful and peaceful gardens, amazing technology and a fascinating culture.
Posted in Other, retro | No Comments »
