2009 December | Skyreth Blog

Archive for December, 2009

Golf is often associated with old men who have nothing better to do than fill their time, hitting a small ball across miles of land. But, the game is played by everyone, and a new company have catered for the hardcore golfer, willing to invest heavily into their pasttime. Golf can be relatively expensive at the best of times, with the correct clubs, correct bag, correct balls and a course membership.
Well add on top of all that another $17,499 and you will also be able to afford this new exclusive and revolutionary golf car. Made by Garia, who have a reputation as having a very meticulous attention to design and luxury, the car features an inbuilt refigerator, hand stitched seats and a customisation service in which you can select the exact colour you desire.
The car also exhibits a double wishbone front suspension, typically found in sports cars, as well as hydraulic brakes on all four wheels. This isn’t just a golf cart, this is a total machine.
Designed by Danish designer Anders Lynge, the Garia Golf Car pushes the boundaries for golf cars, and offer a fantastic vehicle for the most keen golfers.

2. 100 WATT HALOGEN LIGHT BULB FOR IMMENSE POWER

Available to buy at ThinkGeek Outdoor camping is hard work, even for you rugged wilderness geeks. You gotta pitch a tent in a place free of uncomfortable pointy rocks, then you gotta build up a campfire with all sorts of wood you gather from the wilds, then you gotta hide your food from da bears. Bonus Insert alternative description here points if you don’t get poison ivy along the way. No wonder you can sleep so well in the outdoors – it’s so hard to get to the point where you CAN sleep! ThinkGeek recommend the time-honored practice of indoor camping – all you need is a fireplace, a cool fort made from sheets and couch cushions, a TaunTaun Sleeping Bag, some homemade s’mores, and a Torch Ultra-Bright Flashlight.
The Torch Ultra-Bright Flashlight is currently being reviewed by The Guinness Book of World Records for sheer awesomeness in a flashlight. It can melt plastic, light paper on fire in a few seconds, cook scrambled eggs, and get your s’mores marshmallows nice and smooshy. Insert alternative description here Inside the Torch is a 100 watt halogen light bulb that runs on a custom built high voltage rechargeable battery. But we hear your concerns. “What keeps the front lens from shattering from all that heat?” Well, worrisome geek, the makers of the Torch thought of that! That’s why it’s equipped with a specialized heat resistant glass lens. Oh, and did we mention the case is durable, military grade aluminum? That’s one sexy and powerful flashlight!
* Super bright flashlight that can cook eggs, burn paper, and light matches
* Output: 4100 lumens with an adjustable high efficiency reflector
* Dimensions: 57mm x 230mm
* Bulb Type: 100W Halogen
* Expected Bulb Life: 2000 hours
* Casing: Aerospace grade aluminum
* Tail switch: On/off button
* Re-chargeable power supply: 12×2/3A 1500mAh Cells 14.4V
* Battery Run-time: 15 minutes
* Caution: Flashlight gets very hot – handle with care!

3. SAMSONITE LUGGAGE TROLLEY WITH BUILT IN SCOOTER

Dragging your luggage around with you is a mundane and painful task, especially on the way back from an action-packed, or relaxing holiday. Well now you can stop pulling around your luggage and wheeling it back home, thanks to this new invention. The Samsonite luggage bag is also a mini scooter, allowing you to scoot around with your luggage safely tucked away.
Just think about when everyone else is carrying around their luggage, whilst you just jump on your scooter and fly by them, shortening your trip back home, and also making it a little more fun! It’s a simple idea, but an extremely effective product, which we think will prove immensely popular, so look out in airports near you for scooters flying past you from all directions.
The scooter also folds up, allowing you to use it as a normal luggage carrier, but why minimise the fun?! The bag itself is rather small, so you may very well be able to use this for your on-board luggage bag.

4. GP2X WIZ MAME AMIGA CONSOLE EMULATOR

Time to re-live those old game classics on a modern day handheld, portable games console. What a fantastic Christmas gift this would make! (I’ve actually bought one for myb younger brother)
Normally this is the space where we would make some clever jokes and tell you why you might like to purchase this fine product. But in the case of this amazing GP2X Wiz pocket size gaming system we’re cutting straight to the chase. If you are into retro gaming and have paid your rent this month you NEED to buy the GP2X Wiz now… like immediately… we’re not joking. Because no where else will you find a handheld gaming system with emulators for so many game systems, computer platforms and consoles. Incredible MAME emulation allows you to run all your favorite arcade video game classics, even vector games. Amiga game emulation is rock solid. You can run Atari ST games, Commodore 64, NES, SNES, Gameboy, Gameboy Advance, NeoGeo, Flash Games and more too numerous to mention. Of course you’ll need to find yourself some game roms… but we have a feeling that’s no problem for you and Google.
The Wiz can do a host of other useful things besides gaming. It can play video files including MPEG4, Xvid and DIVX. You get a built in e-book reader, calendar, voice recorder… etc… you know the drill. 1GB of storage is built-in and you can expand on this with the SD (SDHC) card slot. The high-res touchscreen makes navigation easy and the gaming controls feature a d-pad on the left with buttons/d-pad on the right and two shoulder buttons on the top. It’s plenty good for anything a retro game can dish out. There is an active development community for the GP2X Wiz and with a respectable ARM9 533MHz Processor overclockable to 800Mhz you’ve got plenty of power to play with if you’re interested to write your own applications.
Important Note
The Wiz does not come with any emulator software or game roms pre-installed. Out of the box you can play some built in Flash games, but that’s it. You’ll need to download the freeware emulator for the console or computer system you want to emulate. Then you’ll need to unzip the emulator software, and copy it to an SD card along with some game roms you’ve downloaded. Then start-up the Wiz, go into the “launcher” option and run the emulator. Inside the emulator you’ll choose the rom you want to load and then the game can begin. Each emulator software interface is a bit different and most give you the option to overclock the Wiz to get the best performance. Remember you are running emulator software… most games work perfectly, but some may run slow or be glitchy. You may have to configure the controls to work well with the game you want to play. Documentation is not always the best, so you might need to put in a bit of effort to figure things out. If any of this scares you, then you may want to reconsider your purchase.
Product Features
* Pocket gaming system can emulate oodles of different old computer systems, arcade games and retro gaming consoles
* Emulation Software Available for: MAME (retro arcade games), Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore VIC20/64/128, Gameboy, Gameboy Advance, NES, SNES, Sega Genesis, NeoGeo and more
* Built-in support for Flash based games
* High-resolution OLED touchscreen with removable stylus
* Built in mic for voice recording
* Stereo Speakers
* Gaming controls feature a d-pad on the left with buttons/d-pad on the right and two shoulder buttons on the top
* Runs Linux
* Buit-in 2000mAh Lithium Polymer Battery runs the system for up to 7 hours
* Charges via USB
Specifications
* CPU – ARM9 533MHz (overclockable to 800MHz), H/W 3D Accelerator
* LCD – 71.12mm(2.8inch) QVGA OLED Touch Screen
* RAM – 64MB
* Built-in Storage – 1GB
* Expansion Port – SD/SDHC
* O/S – Linux
* USB – 2.0 High Speed
* Connecting Port – 24Pin (Other port supported)
* Battery – 2000mAh Lithium-ion Polymer
* Charging System – AC Power / USBPort
* Audio – Built-in Stereo Speakers and 3.5mm headphone jack
* Size – 121mm(w) x 61mm(h) x 18mm(d)
* Video Formats Supported – MPEG4, Xvid, DivxAVI
* Audio Formats Supported – OGG, WAV
* Video Resolution – Max480*272 30fps
* Bit Rate – Image: Max 2500kbps, Sound: Max 384kbps
* Subtitles – smi File
* Built in Flash Light 8.0 Support

5. TEXTMINATOR RISE OF THE ARCADE MACHINES

Video arcade games are fast becoming a thing of the past, with only a handful of games making their way into full-scale arcade machines, such as Dance Dance Revolution. The latest game to try and revive the popularity of arcade machines is Textminator.
The game focuses on texting, and unfortunately not the Terminator. Since kids these days seem to be so keen on texting, and the ability to text fast, this game sets up a challenge between two contestants to have a “text-off”, using stainless steel phone-like keypads.
High scores are logged on the machine using the player’s initials, and there is also an inbuilt camera, which takes a snapshot of the player to be showcased on the hall of fame leader board.
In a modern video arcade we really can’t see this proving too popular, especially next to shoot em’ up games and driving games, but you never know, it might just catch on and end up in a texting frenzy.

6. MINI SOCCER SHAPED FAN

For soccer fans everywhere, looking forward to the World Cup next year in South Africa, there have been a series of soccer shaped fans manufactured. These solar powered fans are soccer-shaped and provide a touch of relief from the warm Summer weather. This clever, solar-powered Soccer-shaped fan circulates the air to help reduce the temperature without the need for standard electricity.
It is handy and easy to use. The blades will spin as long as the round fan is opened and the sunlight falls on the solar panel. The solar fanis really a must for soccer fans or people going out.

7. VUZIX WRAP 310 VIDEO EYEWEAR

Vuzix Corporation, the leader in video eyewear for the consumer, defense and low vision markets, is thrilled to be shipping the Wrap 310 worldwide. The game-changing Wrap 310 challenges the status quo of traditional video viewing devices by looking and feeling like normal sunglasses. The Wrap 310, featuring twin high-resolution video displays and projecting a 55-inch screen at 10-feet is now available through Vuzix.com and a number of other retailers and distribution partners.
“The Wrap 310 promises to change the game in portable video and we’re thrilled to officially deliver this product to the masses,” said Vuzix CEO, Paul Travers. “The Wrap 310 also brings advanced features to the video Eyewear category that no product has. With capabilities to add tracking and cameras that enable augmented reality and incredible gaming experiences; there is nothing like it on the market” added Travers.
Whether you are an executive business traveler or want an immersive console gaming experience, the Wrap 310 gets the job done in style. With composite video input and optional VGA and component compatibility adapters, the Wrap 310 is the most versatile pair of video eyewear on the market. Additionally, as the first video eyewear designed for upgradeability, the Wrap 310 features an expansion port designed to provide the product with near limitless compatibility. In addition to the VGA and Component adapters available later this year, Vuzix has plans for new and exciting accessories designed to keep the Wrap 310 on the cutting edge.
The Wrap 310 also features an improved on-screen user interface, included independent focus adjustments for users with corrective lenses and still features compatibility with all major 3D video formats. Powered for up to 6 hours on just 2 AA batteries, the Wrap 310 will accept video from almost any video player, including the iPod and iPhone.
Compatible Devices Include:
â€¢ All iPod/iPhone models
â€¢ Portable DVD players
â€¢ Mobile phones with video output
â€¢ PCs and laptops*
â€¢ DVD/Blu-Ray players
â€¢ Portable media players
*Requires optional VGA cable adaptor

8. HONDA BICYCLE SIMULATOR

This bicycle simulator was initially built for traffic safety education but due to the buzz around the product Honda have decided to bring them onto the Japanese market early next year. The simulator allows the user to cycle through a host of different conditions, without the risk of being knocked down by another vehicle. You won’t have to experience the wet weather, or the cold conditons either, but can safely and warmly use the simulator from the comfort of your own home.
The simulator will come pre-loaded with a whole range of different scenarios, including ‘Going to School’, ‘Going to the grocery store’, ‘Going to cram school’ and ‘visiting a local shopping street’, as well as others. The simulator will appeal to many different organisations and people, including public offices, law-enforcement agencies, driving schools and educational establishments.

9. TOUCH SENSITIVE FAUCET

This gadget may not be particularly ground-breaking but it certainly does offer a very valuable benefit to those in the kitchen. We’ve all been in the scenario of having our hands full, and needing to contort ourselves just to turn on the tap, to wash our hands.
Well, let me introduce to you the touch sensitive faucet. Both the spout and handle are touch sensitive, so one small touch on either part will cause the water to fall. The faucet comes in two different styles, the chrome finished faucet and the stainless steel version, which will cost slightly more. The faucet can clevery differentiate between a touch and a grab, so temeperature levels are not going to constantly fluctuate.

10. MINI GOLF ARCADE GAME

Hammacher Schlemmer have produced a realistic golf video arcade game. The machine offers the user the best experience in miniature golf, and is similar to the machines found in popular arcade venues. The machine utilises real golf balls and real golf putters, whilst the courses are disaplyed virtually on screen, via the 32-inch LCD display. The game allows up to four players to participate at any one time, with two courses to choose from, the casino based Las Vegas course as well as the tiki torch orinted Paradise Island.
Shot controls include the ability to adjust the view, by panning left and right, and also the option to view from overhead, or directly behind the ball. Options which will allow you to plan the best route to the hall. As you make contact with the ball, and it approaches the screen, the machine calculates both the trajectory and position of the ball, with sound emitting from a trio of speakers.

11. STRESS WATCH INDICATES YOUR STRESS LEVELS

This watch not only looks fantastic, but serves a great purpose which really should have been invented before now. But alas, it is now available.
The stress watch is aimed at busy people, with hectic lives, as it monitors stress levels throughout the day, and indicates your levels via a black bar graph on the screen. The blues and greens indicate a mellow mood, compared to pinks, reds, and oranges which indicate a stressed out individual.
Thankfully, the watch also tells the time (as you may expect), so you will never miss an appointment or meeting, though these meetings may cause your stress levels to soar. Once the stress levels hit a peak, you can take a rest and watch as your levels (hopefully) begin to drop.

12. DORM VAULT LAPTOP CASE

Let’s face it – your roommate is nice enough. Seems trustworthy. Only eats his food, and doesn’t touch your stuff. But do you really trust him with everything? Would you trust him with your wallet? Your phone? Your laptop? That laptop is your entire life! It’s got all your papers on it, your music – maybe even pictures of you and your girlfriend at Spring Break! You know… those pictures.
You might think that a cable-lock would be adequate to secure your laptop, but not only can those things just be clipped off with a cheap bolt-cutter, someone can still turn on and use your laptop without even removing it! No – that’s not really security. What you need is some serious armor. Something that can lock your lappy down, keeping it physically safe from pilfering hands, as well as potential data-thieves.
What we found is so simple and yet totally ingenious. A big metal box with a lock (simple), that bolts to your dorm-furniture from the inside (ingenious)! With the lid closed and locked, the wing-nuts that hold the vault in place get locked in with your valuables. It’s one of those “gah, I wish I had thought of that” things.
Big enough to hold a 17″ laptop and accessories, you could even put a portable drive or two in there, your phone – even your wallet if you were so inclined.
Now you don’t have to worry about whether or not your roommate is trustworthy. As they say, good locks make good neighbors. Or, is that fences? Doesn’t matter – it still applies!
Features
* Rugged steel construction
* 16′ x 13″ x 5″
* Weighs 9 pounds
* Laptop Safe for Dorm Room or Apartment
* Attaches to Furniture
* Holds up to 17″ laptops and Personal Accessories
* Comes with mounting brackets, multiple-size bolts, wingnuts and combination lock

13. NIGHT VISION GOGGLES

As any soldier will tell you, the best time to strike is at night using the elephant of surprise (that may be a typo) and a pair of Night Vision Goggles. Now your kids can experience the thrill of night manoeuvres in your back garden. These goggles will allow them to see up to 15 metres ahead of them in absolute darkness. They look pretty darn cool too. Who hasn’t wanted to wear a pair of Night Vision Goggles? Not that anyone will be able to see them of course.
The goggles work using infra-red light and at full power the light is still barely visible to the naked eye. Whether you’re spotting badgers, owls, or the kids are playing “terrify the bejesus out of each other”, these are a heap of fun. They’re designed for kids, but we firmly believe that just means the young at heart!
Features
* A pair of night vision goggles for playing “soldiers” in the garden.
* The goggles emit infra-red light allowing you to see up to 15 metres in absolute darkness.
* The infra-red light settings can be adjusted for close quarter combat.
* An adjustable head strap.
* Unsuitable for real combat (but you knew that already… we hope).
* Suitable for ages 8 years +.
* Requires 5 x AA batteries (not included).
* Size: 20 x 19.5 x 15.5 cm.

14. GRACE STAND IMPROVES LAPTOP USABILITY AND COMFORT

Thanks to our increasing need for mobility and instant access to information, laptop computers are no longer a luxury - they are a necessity.
However, we’re paying a price for convenience. The ergonomical side effects of constantly using a laptop may carry serious health risks.
The GRACE STAND corrects this problem, providing a unique, portable and flexible surface for adjusting your laptop into an ergonomically correct position.
Inventor Karel Strydom was inspired to create the GRACE STAND during a long-distance flight, when he noticed a man hunched uncomfortably over a laptop, with the screen at an awkward angle and insufficient lighting on the keyboard.
In our brave new world of mobile technology, physiotherapists, chiropractors and optometrists are treating more and more laptop-related injuries. These include disorders such as Repetitive Strain Injuries, Cervical Posture Syndrome (Kyphosis), Cervical Headaches, Rhomboid Muscle Strain or Spasm and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Furthermore, laptop use also causes visual discomfort, forcing users to invest in expensive multi-focal lenses.
It is vital that these issues are addressed in both work and home environments – and the GRACE STAND offers the perfect solution.

15. FOOSBALL TABLE REINVENTED IN STYLE

Foosball used to be a highly popular game, but has recently became somewhat redundant. This new product could spark a resurgence in the game’s popularity, as well as appealing to those who still enjoy the game. It may very well bring a host of brand new foosball players to the table, literally.
Named ’11′, the new table, designed by GRO Design and developed by TIM Model Makers, is expected to be revealed during Milan Design Week, which launches later this month. The design is based on modern age football stadiums, to bring a new lease of life to the traditional foosball table design.
The table looks stunning, with 22 players created from bright silver chrome, and the lighting effects and software running the game enhance the atmosphere which the game produces.
The downside is that for now only one of these tables exist, the prototype model. But with the unveiling of the table in Milan later this month, it may not be long before more tables are manufactured and distributed. Score!

16. ORANGE SOLAR POWERED TENT WITH ELECTRONICS

Camping is always fun. A chance to get away from the world, and live in a world of isolation without any form of electrical aids or entertainment. Well, up until now that is. Orange have just revealed their new solar powered tent which is labelled as a ‘tent of the future’. The tent will ensure that all your gadgets and electronics will function during your camping visit, though some may feel this defeats the purpose of camping.
Orange teamed up with American product design consultants, Kaleidoscope, to create this modern day tent which harnesses solar energy in order to power your gadgets and equipment via a wireless charging pouch. The tent uses a photovoltaic fabric to receive the maximum amount of energy directly from the sun throughout the day. There is also an integrated “glo-cation” technology instilled which assistscampers in finding their way back to their tent. You can use your mobile phone to send a text message to your tent, which will then cause the camp to glow and become easily identifiable.
The solar powered tent has a wireless control hub which illustrates the total amount of energy generated and also the amount of that energy consumed. There is also a wireless internet signal on a touch screen display, and even a heating system, which kicks into action as soon as the temperature within the tent drops below a certain level.
This definitely is the future of camping.

17. SONY PSP GO TO ARRIVE IN OCTOBER

Before Sony had time to prepare and announce their new PSP concept at E3, details have already emerged concerning the new generation of portable console. The recent Sony PSP-3000, the third evolvement, looks set to be displaced by the new Go.
The PSP Go is expected to hit stores in North America on 1st October, while Europe/Asia will welcome the product the following month. The retail price will be set at $249.
The PSP-3000 will continue to be sold during this time, and consumer opinions will determine which portable gaming console should be continued. The PSP Go will not come with a UMD drive, but will include 16GB of internal memory which will support on-demand entertainment via the PlayStation Network. This all depends on download speeds and in some areas the speeds will be extremely slow, and render the console effectively useless to them. These areas may have to settle for the PSP-3000 for the time being.
The PSP Go also exhibits an easy-slide panel, a ‘game sleep’ function which allows you to activate the XrossMediaBar while game-play is temporarily suspended. Bluetooth enabled technology and a whole host of accessories are also included with the PSP Go.

18. LG FULL HD ENABLED 23 INCH 3D LCD SCREEN PANEL

Over in South Korea, the good people of LG have unveiled their latest product, a Full HD enabled 23 inch 3D LCD screen. The panel offers improved brightness over competing monitors and consequently a higher quality picture and viewing experience. The panel utilises LG’s Display Proprietary technology to produce images twice as bright as other 3D LCD panels, in HD format and exhibits the highest brightness of any modern 3D display.
The principle behind the 3D panel is simple, yet very effective. The monitor applies time sequential technologies so that each eye views a slightly different image, which when interpreted by the brain, produces a three dimensional image. Until now, the bulk of the technologyhas been built into the viewing glasses or outside of the panel itself. LG’s latest model embeds the majority of the technology directly intothe panel itself, which reduces colour limitations and offers a brighter picture.

19. FLOWER BUD COMPUTER WORKSTATION SHELL

For those who really like their own privacy whilst working, and feel it motivates them to produce more work, then this design may just be for you. Designer, Won Shik Yu’s, has produced a concept named the flower bud computer workstation, which focuses on creating a concealed workstation.
The workstation is adjustable and features a fiber-glass seat, which are styled in a set of different colours. The chair rotates to increase comfort, and when the workstation is not being used, it all slides together within itself to create a small shell, in an effort to save space.
At the moment, the design is a concept-only, but we think this has what it takes to become an extremely marketable and profitable innovation.

20. LED TOOTHBRUSH MAKES YOUR TEETH WHITER

Not the most exciting of inventions today, but a twist on an everyday object, which you would imagine would already have been implemented, but hasn’t. Take a normal toothbrush, add in a Japanese idea and you have a toothbrush with a built in LED light. The LED is fixed into the brush itself and will enter inside your mouth to assist with brushing and shine up those white teeth more strongly.
The LED toothbrush is said to help with illness prevention, according to the Japanese explanation. We’re not sure as to how this would contribute to illness prevention, perhaps due to the ability to clean your teeth more thoroughly, but initial thoughts are somewhat sketchy. The toothbrush will be released in the middle of May, yet no pricing information has been mentioned. It will also be difficult to get hold of one of these unless you can ship one over from Japan itself.

Source taken from www.inventionreaction.com

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