Incredible Robotic Dragonfly

Robotic researchers at Georgia Tech have created a wonderfully scary robotic dragonfly. I have always loved flying my mini-helicopter around the house but it is difficult to fly and the battery only lasts a few minutes, tops. This appears to be the answer to all the problems.

Just imagine the endless number of uses. Police and Fire departments, sporting events, photography, even the military (imagine pinpoint drone attacks where NO innocent civilians are hurt) could benefit from such technology.

Yes, the good always comes with the bad. You can imagine just as many bad uses for such a device. But let's face it, if we always focus on the bad things, we are destined to a life of suffering and disappointment.

Read all about it here at Tech Crunch.

Toy Fair 2012: Locomotion

Toy Fair 2012: Locomotion:
Yesterday I went to the 2012 Toy Fair, and to be honest I was really disappointed. I’m 23 years old, and I’d estimate that 90 percent of what I saw yesterday was a variation of a toy I played with as a child. My 50-year old parents might even say the same thing. There were more stuffed animals than I care to remember, lots of toy guns and building blocks, and plenty of R/C cars and the like.

But some toy makers were more innovative than others, with a couple actually trying to reinvent the wheel (or the bike, more honestly).

One company, CycoCycle, takes on the challenge of riding a unicycle by making a sort of unicycle-tricycle hybrid. It sounds dumb, but I can actually see kids picking this up. The seat is placed directly above the main, front wheel and dips a bit to keep you in place. From the seat comes two tricycle-style bars that connect to smaller wheels.

It’s more difficult than riding a bike, and feels totally different. Kids can learn an entirely new set of tricks with this thing, and throw a kid sister on the back to ride along courtesy of a rear step bar. Plus, that same rear step bar allows for scooter-style riding and the tricks I mentioned earlier, and you’ll see clearly in our video that neither John nor myself can do any of them. It can also fold up for easy transportation should you want to lug it to a park or beach.

The CycoCycle can be had for the odd price of $82.69 at Amazon.com.

Another interesting, albeit seemingly dangerous, wheeled device that we saw is the Solowheel. Actually, the Solowheel is more of a transportation vehicle than a toy, but whether it'll be used for fun or transportation will be up to the owners.

It's basically a single wheel with small training wheels on each side for balance and two pegs coming out of the center. You control it by leaning forward, backwards and side to side, and simply roll around. If a pogo stick and a Segway were to hook up, their baby would look a lot like the Solowheel. (At least in my somewhat warped mind.)

The Solowheel runs on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and a 100-watt motor, and can run for 15-20 miles at 10mph before crapping out. It takes about two hours to recharge, so if you live close to work in a relatively mild climate then this might be a solid idea. Just like an electric car, the Solowheel generates energy going downhill or slowing down.

It was bit difficult for me to get used to, but I'm sure with time I could have a lot of fun on one of these. The PR girls rolling around on them were even comfortable enough to text while driving.

Unfortunately, the Solowheel doesn't quite go for the price of a toy. Its retail value is at $1,795, which means you should probably give this some thought before “adding to cart.”

OS X Mountain Lion Brings The Mac Into The Game

OS X Mountain Lion Brings The Mac Into The Game:
Gamers, start your engines, lift your fruit-slicing swords, and lace up your Temple-running shoes.

Game Center, Apple’s gaming/social hub for iOS, has finally made it’s way over to the more mature Apple OS, OS X Mountain Lion. This is huge. Not because you’ll be able to enjoy the features of Game Center while playing around on your Mac (which will likely be great fun, too, I’m sure), but because gaming will now bust through the platform barrier allowing you to duke it out with anyone on just about any Apple device.

That’s right. We’re no longer in the era of PC-to-PC/phone-to-phone gaming as OS X Mountain Lion will enable Mac-to-iPhone, Mac-to-iPad, and Mac-to-iPod touch gaming. Like I said, that’s huge.

Apple claims to have over 100 million registered users and 20,000+ Game Center-enabled games on iOS, which is a solid starting point. Of course, developers will have to go in and tweak their apps to provide a beautiful gaming experience across all of these devices, but according to MG’s account of the cross-platform gaming in action, “it works very well.”

Video: Those Flying Fish Are Called Air Swimmers

Video: Those Flying Fish Are Called Air Swimmers: "


Would you buy a toy fish that flew in the air wagging its tail as if it were swimming? If you answered yes, then check this out: it’s called Air Swimmers. Air Swimmers consist of a helium-filled balloon with motorized fins
that flap in the air. From the video you can see it looks pretty cool and the ‘swimming’ doesn’t look too bad either. One battery in the fish, three in the remote, and the bag of helium should last a few weeks.

They’ll be about $40 when they come out in July.

Ten most significant gadgets of 2010

No big surprises here. IPad is #1 and it just makes me want a Kindle even more. Actually, I like the Nook Color for its ability to run Andriod, but that's another story.

Ten most significant gadgets of 2010: "When this year began, we were feverishly speculating about an Apple tablet, looking forward to 3-D TV sets, and optimistically waiting for the end of the cable companies' cruel grip on our wallets.

Apple TV Review

I am certainly pleased with mine. I find it works very well puts me one step closer to my dream of having all my media accessible at each television without having a complete PC in each room.

Since there is just a simple HDMI connection, you can easily move it from one room to the next if needed. Of course at $99 a pop, you can also just spring for a couple of these little gems.

It is small and compact and easily hidden just about anywhere near the TV. I'll admit the little remote had me worried at first but there are iPhone apps that easily work just as well if not better. If nothing else, a little velcro will keep it secure to the regular remote.

The interface is simple and easy to navigate. Setup is a chore with but it is only needed once and the on screen keyboard is nice compared to some. The Apple "channel" is a bit lacking. It will allow you to 'rent' a selection from the Apple Store but not 'buy' one. I think that's lame. Who wants to pay $3.99 to rent a movie when you can buy it for $9.99. Also, the choice for HD vs. SD is hidden away in the settings. Personally, I'd like to be able to choose between HD and SD when I buy the show, not in the overall preferences on the account. I might want to buy Disney's Earth in HD but don't really care to watch (or pay for) season three of SpongeBob in HD.

There are also a lot of selections in the Apple store for rent that can be watched a channel away on Netflix for free. I imagine this interface will change greatly over time. There will be channel additions and deletions without a doubt. Hulu would be nice to see but I'm not holding my breath. 

Now, if I can just get all my TVs updated with nice new HD flat panels that will take HDMI.

Apple TV Sales Hit One Million: "

Does this mean that Steve Jobs's Apple TV is finally something more than just a hobby? The set top box has managed to sell one million units in around 11 weeks--not spectacular, but certainly a marked increase over its predecessor, which took closer to a year to achieve that number. The second generation Apple TV also faced stiffer competition when it launched at the beginning of October, thanks to an ever increasing number of entries (like Google TV) all competing in a field that seems far from mature."

Recycle old gadgets (and make a buck or two) with eBay Instant Sale

Recycle old gadgets (and make a buck or two) with eBay Instant Sale: "

You might already hawk your valuable old gadgets on eBay, but the auction house wants to broker your smaller transactions too -- that's why it launched eBay Instant Sale this last week. If you've got a (moderately recent) gizmo you want to get rid of right away, it looks as easy as can be -- answer the two questions above and get an instant offer, plus a free shipping label to mail it out. From the looks of a few sample queries, you won't get much for older items like the Dell Inspiron 8200 above, but we found a used Palm Pixi in good condition was worth a respectable $57, and even if your old featurephones aren't worth a cent, eBay's partners will recycle them for you and pay your shipping fees. Sure, you could donate the lot and write them off your taxes, but this sounds like it might be a worthy alternative to us.

Fake TV for fooling burglars

Fake TV for fooling burglars: "



'FakeTV is a new burglar deterrent that makes it look like someone is home watching television. FakeTV does this by recreating exactly the sort of light produced by a real HDTV. Viewed from outside the home after dusk, it looks like somebody must be watching television.'


I want one, not as a burglar deterrent, but as a comfort device.

Skim Milk: Hybrid Tube Amplifier by Case-Real

I have an old tube radio from my parents. I envision doing something like this with it. Maybe not quite this cool =)

Skim Milk: Hybrid Tube Amplifier by Case-Real:

I want to start this article off with a quote from one of the most well-known designers in history: Charles Eames. He once said that “The details are not details — they make the product. It is, in the end, these details that give the product its life.” I couldn’t agree more with this statement, and its profoundly precise representation of minimalism and good design.Hybrid Tube Amplifier, designed by Koichi Futatsumata of Case-Real for Elikit, is a product that would not exist without its details."

iPhone 4 tripod mount and stand on Kickstarter

iPhone 4 tripod mount and stand on Kickstarter:

For $20 you can fund a Kickstarter project and get a Glif iPhone 4 tripod mount and stand. The video at Kickstarter has information about the designers / makers of the Glif, as well as examples of how to use the versatile gadget.

The Glif will be manufactured with a Santoprene (grade 101-87) hard rubber. This material feels great to the touch, and holds the phone securely. It is also recyclable.
Glif is the labor of love of just two individuals: Thomas Gerhardt and Dan Provost. We put a lot of thought and energy into this thing, and we hope you enjoy using it as much as we enjoyed making it. Additional information can be found at www.theglif.com.

Glif - iPhone 4 Tripod Mount & Stand

HRP-4: Meet Japan’s New And Awesome Humanoid Robot (Video)

HRP-4: Meet Japan’s New And Awesome Humanoid Robot (Video): "

Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) has done it again.

After having developed one of the most advanced cybernetic human robots out there (namely the HRP-4C we covered previously), it is now time for the next humanoid. Meet the HRP-4 [JP].

The HRP-4 is primarily designed for use at R&D facilities at universities and companies. It stands 151cm tall, weighs 39kg, and boasts a total of 34 degrees of freedom. Buyers can mount a laptop on its bag to add further functionality.

The robot can strike poses in response to voice commands, and it can also detect and track human faces and certain objects.

AIST and co-developer Kawada Industries plan to start selling the HRP-4 in January next year. The robot itself plus the software necessary to control it will cost $325,000.

HRP-4: Meet Japan’s New And Awesome Humanoid Robot (Video): "

Another Canon Lens Mug! Want So Bad!

What is it about lens mugs that gets me? Ever since we first saw that 70-200L thermos, I’ve had lens muggery on the mind. And now that classic Canon lens styling is in a more convenient mug form. It’s in the shape of the excellent 24-105L zoom, but unlike that lens, I can afford it. And might just buy it. It even comes with a lens cap lid! It’s a steal at $24.

Another Canon Lens Mug! Want So Bad!:

Oh yeah, I guess some company called Nikon has one, too.

Dell Aero available today for $100 with AT&T contract

Dell Aero available today for $100 with AT&T contract: "

We'd actually kind of assumed this thing had been deep-sixed as faster, better phones have passed it by all summer long, but nay: Dell's Aero is finally in the land of the living. You can score the 3.5-inch 640 x 360 Android phone today with two-year AT&T contract for $99.99, though only through Dell's interwebs -- it's still "coming soon" to AT&T's site. Features include 2GB of onboard storage with microSD expansion, triband 3.6Mbps HSDPA and quadband EDGE, a 5 megapixel cam, and a 3.67-ounce claimed weight that makes it "one of the lightest" Android devices money can buy. Follow the break for the full press release.
Continue reading Dell Aero available today for $100 with AT&T contract"

Apple TV worth looking into...

The next Apple TV revealed: cloud storage and iPhone OS on tap... and a $99 price tag: "

If you thought that Apple's foray into the world of home entertainment died with the last iteration of the Apple TV, you're quite wrong. A tip we've received -- which has been confirmed by a source very close to Apple -- details the outlook for the next version of the Apple TV, and it's a doozy. According to our sources, this project has been in the works long before Google announced its TV solution, and it ties much more closely into Apple's mobile offerings. The new architecture of the device will be based directly on the iPhone 4, meaning it will get the same internals, down to that A4 CPU and a limited amount of flash storage -- 16GB to be exact -- though it will be capable of full 1080p HD (!). The device is said to be quite small with a scarce amount of ports (only the power socket and video out), and has been described to some as 'an iPhone without a screen.' Are you ready for the real shocker? According to our sources, the price-point for the device will be $99. One more time -- a hundred bucks.



Not only will this be priced to sell (like hotcakes), it seems that Apple is moving away from the model of local storage, and will be focusing the new ATV on cloud-based storage (not unlike Amazon's streaming scheme, though we're talking instant-on 1080p, a la Microsoft). For those still interested in keeping their content close, there will be an option to utilize a Time Capsule as an external storage component, but the main course will be all about streaming. The new ATV will do away with its current OS X-lite variation as a operating system, and will instead adopt the iPhone OS for the underlying experience. There's no word at this point on whether apps and the App Store will be coming along for the ride, but it makes sense given the shared platform. Of course, scaling iPhone apps to that 52-inch plasma in your living room isn't exactly a no-brainer. Perhaps not surprisingly, Apple won't deliver the ATV news at the upcoming WWDC -- that event will be focused on the capabilities of the new iPhone -- but development on the product is most definitely full steam ahead. Is your TV screen the next battleground in the platform wars? Survey says: hell yes.

New Telecommuting Plan

This is my ultimate telecommuting dream. Just imagine rolling this up to a conference table and saying "Helloooo!". If you think about it, the technology is already out there. Someone just put it all together.

Robot Avatar Lets You Go to Meetings without Actually Going There: "


Robotics firm Anybots proposes that its robotic avatars could replace the physical presence of people at far away locations. In the future, you’ll be able to attend workplace conferences and tour facilities remotely by controlling one of their robots:

You log in through the Internet and after a few keystrokes the ‘bot, called QB, comes alive, leaving its charging station and ready to meet, brainstorm, greet visitors or just generally creep people out.[...]

The robot avatar isn’t actually meant to replace videoconferencing, but the idea is to be able to participate in more than just meetings. With QB, you can observe a workplace, participate more directly in tasks, or just be there for those casual conversations — all from thousands of miles away.

Three years ago, Alex wrote about another invention of the Anybots company: the world’s first dynamically balanced robot.

Engadget rides the Honda U3-X Personal Mobility Device! (video)

All I can say is WOW. Imagine the possibilities for chair-users and other handicaps. Not to mention racing around the office like the Jetsons!

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Engadget rides the Honda U3-X Personal Mobility Device! (video):

We just had a chance to go hands... er, rear-on with Honda's latest R&D experiment, the U3-X Personal Mobility Device, and we've got the say -- it was a moving experience. If you'll recall, the tiny, uni-wheeled unit is built on the same balancing principles which the company's ASIMO uses, and utilizes the world's first omni-directional driving wheel system. What does all that mean? Well, it means that when you sit down on the thing, it moves in whatever direction you lean in, however slightly. The experience is kind of amazing, as it requires very little effort on the rider, and though you feel like you could easily go flying off of the U3-X, you always retain a solid center of balance. As opposed to something like the company's Walking Assist devices (which you can see us taking for a spin right here), this is a totally effortless experience. It just goes where you want it to -- almost by suggestion. There's no telling if Honda will ever bring something like this to market -- they're notorious for crazy projects that never see the light of day on store shelves -- but it's an amazing look into the potential future of transportation. If you thought the Segway was a little big for your taste, this could be the answer to your prayers. As far as we're concerned, now that we've taken a ride on the U3-X, walking just feels like a chore. See for yourself what it looks and feels like in the video after the break!

More Solar Chargers Out There

SolarFold and SolarFan Use Thousands of Tiny Spheres to Charge Your Gadgets:

Image via Engadget

Two new foldable solar chargers from AmbienTech have hit the market. But...They look a little odd, right? That's because they're the first mobile chargers to use spherical solar cells. Each cell has around 1,900 spheres collecting solar energy. They're strong, bendable, and just look cool.

...Read the full story on TreeHugger

Solar Egg can't arrive soon enough

Engadget has another great solar charger listed as arriving soon.

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XPAL's Solar Egg charges to 90% in four hours of mild sunlight:

Unlike many solar devices that require an abundance of intense sunlight to be useful, XPAL's new Solar Egg does its thing even in 'medium levels of natural light.' The magic SunBoost solar conversion technology is supplied by a company called Intivation from The Netherlands, a country that's not exactly know for its tropical weather. XPAL claims that the internal 500mAh battery can be charged at over 90% capacity in just four hours of average sunlight exposure and can detect a 'wide range of devices' like MP3 players and digital cameras to provide the appropriate level of power for charging. It'll ship next month to select regions -- where that is we can only guess for now.
Continue reading XPAL's Solar Egg charges to 90% in four hours of mild sunlight

Micro Air Vehicles

This is a really cool video. The technology doesn't seem that far off either. It's really amazing what the military will think up to kill people =)

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How the Air Force Biomorphic Micro Air Vehicles Will Spy and Kill Unnoticed [Weapons]: "
I thought the Micro Air Vehicles would be small hovering robots but, according to this video from the Air Force Research Laboratory, they will be more like robotic birds with spy and attack capabilities, capable of blending with the environment.

Not only these things would be able to position themselves to perform long-term surveillance duties, but they would be enable to engage enemies individually, attacking humans with incapacitation chemicals and even explosives. The future is going to be a lot of fun. [Design World Online]

Elegant Solar Chargers

DesignBoom has a great story on a very elegant and functional solar charger for your electronic devices. It's called a Sunny Flower and comes from designer Fandi Meng.