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And I thought laser guns were still a ways off in to the future. Not so. Today I came across this German company which uses the Clean Laser System to clean without chemicals. An ultra compact laser mounted on a tech's back pumps a 20 watt beam of light to vaporize substances such as oil, grease and paint. It's non abrasive so it's safe to use on many different surfaces. But, it's a portable laser gun..you know someone's got a jacked up version of this.

Clean Laser.

Labels: backpack, clean laser, laser, technology

Written by: Mike"

| 11:16 AM | 0 comment(s)! |

Recently the Department of Defense has granted $1.6 million to the Center for Bioelectronics, Biosensors and Biochips at Clemson University towards the research and development of a chip that would be be implanted into a U.S soldier to monitor vital signs.
About the size of a grain of rice, the chips would ideally be capable of detecting oxygen and glucose levels in tissue. The device has other long-term potential applications, such as monitoring astronauts’ vital signs during long-duration space flights and reading blood-sugar levels for diabetics. Researchers estimate the chip is approximately 5 years from human trials.

Clemson University.

Labels: biotechnology, Department of Defense, technology

Written by: Mike"

| 1:02 PM | 0 comment(s)! |

Picture this, a bendable OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) screen technology which would use oil and water to produce images. Oooo...Ahhhh.

Clearer images and lower amounts of power used are the benefits to this technology. Removing the need for a backlight means thinner displays, AND the possibility of creating displays that can be rolled up.

There are limitations right now because these screens are hard to make. But the hope is that by the year 2010, there will be "289 million active-matrix OLED displays annually."

Sounds good to me, I think a roll-up display would be wicked awesome!

Labels: screen, technology

Written by: Christy"

| 9:39 AM | 0 comment(s)! |

How many times are you going to hear the radio commercials that ask you how much money you are making and then promise you they can help you make more? It's all those computer training commercials. But their lofty promises don't explain what they offer aside for a pay raise.

So let's break it down a bit. What exactly is Cisco certification training? What does computer training involve? How can you prepare for the exams?

PrepLogic provides a number of different online certification courses for the IT community. PrepLogic can help with a variety of certification training products - free practice exams, free CBT, audio and video training, and more. Each PrepLogic Exam title comes complete with PrepLogic's PDF help manual. To access the help manual, select Help - PrepLogic Help Manual from the PrepLogic Practice Exam.

Some of the materials and classes are pretty well priced, too. Unlike other places where you're paying $25K for a 6-month certification session. So, if this is up your alley then I recommend checking it out.

This post has been sponsored.

Labels: certification, technology

Written by: Christy"

| 11:40 AM | 1 comment(s)! |

No, really, I'm serious.

It's called the Bedford Smart Collection.

One example here is the Bedford Smart Recharge Station. "Smart Technology seamlessly connects you to high-tech accessories by keeping electronics and cords discreet while also organizing and holding household items."

Or check out the Bedford Smart Wall Shelf. Yep. It has speakers embedded into the shelf. You can "set the tone with our speaker shelf, which plays music through two stereo-quality speakers and connects to your MP3 player."

It's all fabulous isn't it? Now if only it weren't so damn expensive then maybe they'd be on to something.

Labels: smart furniture, technology

Written by: Christy"

| 11:30 AM | 0 comment(s)! |

Dutch scientists at Radboud University Nijmegen have used a laser flash 40 billionths of a millionth of a second (40 femtoseconds)on a heated disk surface to change the magnetic field direction on a hard drive disk 100 times faster than current write speeds. This technology is called heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR). This surely is a step in a right direction. However, these tests do not boost reading speed from a drive, only the speed to which the driven is written. At least faster write speeds will be able to keep up with the ever increasing data network speeds.

Labels: hardware, technology

Written by: Mike"

| 1:10 PM | 0 comment(s)! |

Have you guys heard about this new gadget coming out called the iPhone? You can't miss it, everyone is talking about it. The hype for this iPhone is so huge its palpable. Some lines started days ago outside the Apple and AT&T stores. I cannot deny the beauty of this device. For the most part, this is something we have not seen before. However, the more I see and read about it, the less I lust for it. I'm willing to bet many people don't even know why they want the phone in the first place. The marketing campaign for this thing was amazing- good enough to make you say "I want that" as if you were some brainwashed Apple fanboy. Are you really going to pay $600 for a phone? We have smart phones out today that cost $200 which can already browse the internet, play MP3's and store your personal data. I'm generally not an Apple fan. And I already pay for an unlimited data plan for my phone so my lack of enthusiasm does not stem from an inability to afford this device. I suddenly find myself unimpressed with the features of the iPhone. To me it's nothing entirely new, just a fancy package for many things we already do on our current smart phones. I will say that the official page for the iPhone is plenty cool. They have a video tutorial/tour of the iPhone and even show you how to activate it. I wish other manufactures would take the time to do those things. Apple is starting to make some nifty gadgets these days, but I don't think they make the best ones. Good for Mr. Jobs - he's making a killing, but I'm feeling at this moment that while initially the iPhone sales will probably do great, they will soon die down - leaving us looking back realizing the device was over-hyped. Who knows?

www.apple.com/iphone

AT&T iPhone

Labels: Apple, Gadgets, iPhone, technology

Written by: Mike"

| 5:26 PM | 1 comment(s)! |

If you want to study Monkeys, what do you do? You probably take a stroll into the jungle with a pair of binoculars. If you want to take a closer look at the lives of ants what do you do? Perhaps you might make an ant farm. So, what do you do when you want to study little kids? You might have some come into a room and play with some toys, or speak with them and see how they behave. Wrong - you make a robot child, silly.

So, Japanese scientists have created a robot that acts like a toddler to better understand child development. By the way, to behold this robot is potentially nightmare inducing. His gaping mouth and wide lifeless eyes are the least bit convincing. I'm thinking the little girl from The Ring.
Anyway, CB2 is his name, and he was created at Osaka University. He moves like a child age 1-3. He's 4 feet tall, can change facial expressions, speak with an artificial vocal cord and can even rock back and forth (like I did in the corner after I saw this thing). Minoru Asada, a professor at Osaka University said the robot was created to learn more about child development. "Our goal is to study human recognition development such as how the child learns a language, recognizes objects and learns to communicate with his father and mother."

So instead of studying an actual child...

Read more.

Labels: robots, technology

Written by: Mike"

| 6:57 PM | 1 comment(s)! |

For those of you who wish to partake in some covert night time bad-assness, you might want to check out Optics Planet. They have a huge assortment of night vision optics to choose from.

You got your night vision equipment: goggles, binoculars, scopes, cameras even thermal imaging stuff! They have the equipment you need - whether it be for neighborhood watch, security or hunting. I personally will be looking into something here since my car was broken in to last week. OpticsPlanet has everything from generation 1 to 4 night vision - but they have other tactical gear as well.

For you military buffs there is full line of military & tactical gear, holsters, flashlights, rifle scopes, rangefinders...everything you can think of to make you feel like Inspector Gadget or MacGuyver!

The prices are good - on the low side, and they have free shipping (you can't beat free shipping). So if you're into tactical gadgets or just like fantasizing, perhaps you'll want to browse around.

Disclosure:
This post has been sponsored by OpticsPlanet.

Labels: Gadgets, technology

Written by: Mike"

| 1:25 PM | 0 comment(s)! |

Marin Soljacic, an assistant professor in MIT's Department of Physics and Research Laboratory of Electronics had a thought. Quite often we forget to recharge our cell phone, and when it is about to die it emits an unpleasant noise. "Needless to say, this always happens in the middle of the night," he said. "So, one night, at 3 a.m., it occurred to me: Wouldn't it be great if this thing charged itself?" He began to wonder if any of the physics principles he knew of could result in new ways of transmitting energy.

MIT is known for being at the forefront of new technology. Marin Soljacic and researchers there have made a 60 watt light bulb glow via wireless energy 7 feet away. Wireless energy!. This is significant. We are now closer to having small gadgets run without having to be plugged in somewhere. This technology works by using tuned waves - setting the recharging device and the same frequency. Much work has yet to be done, but either way how cool is this?

MIT News

Labels: energy, technology, wireless

Written by: Mike"

| 5:27 PM | 1 comment(s)! |

Holy mackenzie! I can get a 2GB flash drive for under $23! And hello, a 4GB flash drive for under $33! You don't even know how happy that makes me, because I can fill up flash drives like a water canteen in the desert. (Yes, I know, I'm cheesy).

When you're a geeky gal like me, you're always going to be looking for the best deals on CD-Rs, DVD-Rs, printer ink, flash drives, etc.

So when you hear about a "Super Media Store" it's just like hearing about an Abercrombie & Fitch sale if you're a super preppy shopper. Sorry A&F, you don't do it for me, but Super Media Stores are right up my alley.

The best thing about "Super Media Store" is that they openly tell you all their best deals right on the main page of their site. Right off the bat you know you can get $100 off a printer AND 3 free ink cartridges if you buy a Primera.

It's also a helpful site in getting advice about things you are interested in; regarding technology. For instance, right now you can read an article about "Ten Tips for Taking Better Pictures With Your Digital Camera." Being able to take care if several of my geeky needs at once is very convenient.

For a frugal shopper this is an instant bookmark in my list of favorites.

Disclosure:
This post has been sponsored.

Labels: awesome deals, Gadgets, technology

Written by: Christy"

| 12:48 PM | 0 comment(s)! |

Here's a cool concept: Spray your face with a product that will render you invisible to cameras. Impossible! Well it's still a concept, but Blur anti-photography spray may make some paparazzi sweat. The idea is that the spray would contain nanoparticles with uber-reflective properties. This high reflection would throw off the photo sensors and just white out your face. Apparently HP has something similar in mind too - an electronic badge that jams digital cameras. An infrared signal would jam any nearby digital camera - making the camera blur beyond recognition the faces of those wearing the badge. Interesting stuff, wouldn't you say?

Blur
HP Badge Article.

Labels: photography, technology

Written by: Mike"

| 1:06 PM | 1 comment(s)! |

Microsoft has been creating several amazing products recently. Earlier this year I blogged about Photosynth. Today everyone is talking about surface computing. What was a top secret project - Microsoft has now unveiled as a new Surface computer. A coffee table type computer that interacts with objects and human touch. The table is basically a PC encased in a spiffy black table base with a delicious 30 inch touchscreen under an acrylic top.

5 cameras under the screen sense and identify objects. Wireless networking allows the computer to sense what object has been placed on the screen, and will automatically connect to it if able. A multi finger, multi user interface allows you to organize your photos and move them around as if they were real printed photos. No mouse, no keyboard, all touch - and with both hands if you want. Imagine placing a digital camera and a cell phone on the screen, and then all of the sudden see the pics spill out of the camera all over the screen, and sliding some of those images under the phone to transfer them.

Microsoft will initially target stores, hotels and casinos with the new technology. Surface computers will be available in some Las Vegas casinos, Starwood hotels and T-Mobile stores by the end of the year.

You would think something this awesome would be priced way too high for most of us to touch, but Microsoft is saying $5,000 to $10,000. Prices are expected to drop within 3-5 to make them much more affordable for the rest of us consumers.

Microsoft is working on a limited number of programs to ship with Surface, including one for sharing digital photographs - which couldn't possibly get old.

Thank you Microsoft!

See this demo!

Read more -

Labels: Computers, Gadgets, Microsoft, technology

Written by: Mike"

| 2:22 PM | 2 comment(s)! |

Everyday 150,000 hours are spent by people solving those jumpled text puzzles to register at websites or place orders online. This made Luis von Ahn say "hmm". Luis is an assitant professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon. His idea to better use those 150,000 hours? Help digitize books, of course! Rather than figuring out which letters and numbers you are supposed to type, researchers have developed a way for people to type snippets of books. This will still confirm that we aren't robots, and also speed up the process of getting searchable texts online.

Usually books are scanned, using Optical character recognition to digitize the texts. But von Ahn said OCR doesn't always work on text that is older, faded or distorted. In those cases, often the only way to digitize the works is to manually type them into a computer.

So, the Ineternet Archive (which scans 12 thousand books every month) would send Luis hundreds of thousands of scans that the computer doesn't recognize. Those files are placed onto von Ahn's server and split up into single words that can be used as CAPTCHAs at sites all over the Internet.

Pretty cool right?

Read Story.
Related Links:
http://www.recaptcha.net
http://www.gutenberg.org

Labels: books, internet, technology

Written by: Mike"

| 10:34 AM | 0 comment(s)! |

Being one who works in IT, I understand the importance of keeping regular backups of your data. Now, in a corporate environment this is easy. We have dedicated backup servers that run scheduled jobs every day. But what about the home user, or small business user? Enter IDrive-E.

Free automated backups without any catch! You don't always have the time or resources to be backing up your precious pictures, music, or documents. It's easy to take for granted the stability of todays hardware, but your hard drive or Windows install may go bad at the most inconvenient time.

IDrive-E is one of the most user-intuitive backup applications and all you have to do is to download and install it on your computer and simply start using it to schedule files and folders to secure your backups. IDrive-E makes backing up your data simple by setting and forgetting. The program is similar to the native Microsoft Windows explorer which makes it easy to select files and folders for remote backup and restore related activities.

And here comes my true nerd talk...
Enhanced security with 128-bit SSL encryption on transfers, 256-bit AES encryption on storage with a user defined key, so your data is secure from those snooping about. 2 Gigabytes of storage is what you get with the free version. That's quite generous for free data storage. $4.95 a month gets you unlimited storage space. Sounds good to me!

Online Backup


*Disclosure*
Thank you to IDrive-E for sponsoring this post!

Labels: hardware, technology

Written by: Mike"

| 9:56 PM | 1 comment(s)! |

Come June, Apple will no longer be making 17" Screen iMacs. The only iMacs that will be manufactured from that point on will be 20" and 24" screens.

This is what we hear from Think Secret:

"Eliminating the low-end iMac will also improve logistics for Apple, which will need to track and stock considerably fewer parts. For similar reasons, Apple is also expected to make the long-anticipated switch from its 23-inch Cinema Display HD to a 24-inch model featuring the same panel as the iMac."

Interesting, so as screens continue to grow in high demands perhaps the prices will come down, too. And I'll be able to buy a 22" screen without burning a ginormous hole in my little pocket.

Labels: technology

Written by: Christy"

| 3:35 PM | 0 comment(s)! |

Researches at IBM have found a way to make microchips 35% faster or consume 15% less power - and not by using conventional methods. Their inspiration: seashells, snowflakes, and enamel on teeth. What did they do? They're using a compound that "self-assembles" in a similar way to a seashell or snowflake. This new process allows the wiring on a chip to be insulated with vacuum. This is a big deal for manufacturing chips. Conventional methods are limiting how far we can push the boundaries of speed and heat. And if you are wondering what this image is - it's a cross section of a chip showing the tiny holes.

Read More.

Labels: Computers, IBM, technology

Written by: Mike"

| 9:22 PM | 2 comment(s)! |

Remember that alarm clock that goes off and runs away from you? Here's a more "natural" way to wake up. The Glo Pillow will allow you to sleep peacefully without being abruptly disturbed by some screeching alarm. 45 minutes before your alarm is set to go off, the pillow begins emitting a soft glow. The glow gradually increases over the 45 minutes to simulate the sun rise. Once the 45 minutes is up, the light should be intense enough to wake your beautiful self from your sweet dreams. Using light rather than sound to wake encourages the body to establish a healthy sleep rhythm. This pillow is just a concept design, but it's kinda cool anyway.

More here.

Labels: technology

Written by: Mike"

| 9:40 AM | 1 comment(s)! |

"What if your photo collection was an entry point into the world, like a wormhole that you could jump through and explore..."

Photosynth will wow you. Some brilliant minds at the Microsoft Live Labs have figured out a way to arrange 2D images taken from digital cameras and create a 3D environment. This Photosynth program intelligently organizes the data from a collection of images (of the same scene) and compiles a beautiful 3D image. Imagine being able to "walk through" you photos as if you were there again? And zooming is cool too - only the data that is required to display the current view is used, which means two images of the same subject taken at different distances will not be displayed at the same time. Also, while looking at the entire collection, you can see where each image was placed to create the final compilation. You can save and share your collections as well. The system requirements aren't too bad: Windows XP SP2, 1 GB RAM, and a video card with at least 128 MB RAM and DirectX 9. This is quite an exciting technology, and I think you should check it out here.

Labels: Microsoft, photography, technology

Written by: Mike"

| 12:13 PM | 3 comment(s)! |

Technology is great - especially for the music industry. The Internet has brought a new hope to up and coming musicians - particularly webcasts and internet radio. Starting May 15, US webcasters will face sharp rises in royalty fees that could render a "fatal" blow to the industry. The increases will eventually charge royalties every time an online listener hears a song.
"If these rates stand... I believe we'll see a virtual shutdown all of US webcasting," wrote Kurt Hanson, CEO of AccuRadio. "That will be bad for listeners, webcasters, musicians, and the record industry alike." It would appear that this particular hike in rates will be a great burden on the shoulders of the already low revenue generating radio stations. Those on the other side of the argument claim that it will allow musicians to earn more money for getting air time.
From what I've read, this doesn't exactly look like the best thing for artists themselves - especially if stations can't stay alive.

You can read more here.

A campaign called SaveNetRadio.org has now been set up to pressure Congress to resolve the problem and "create an environment where Internet radio, and the millions of artists it features, can continue to grow for generations to come."

Labels: music, technology

Written by: Mike"

| 8:32 PM | 2 comment(s)! |

Google is releasing a tool called Claim Your Content. What is it? It's a copyright protection tool which will enable big angry corporations like Viacom to yank content off of YouTube (no more South Park clips). Supposedly these companies such as NHL, NBA, Viacom etc. will be able to log in and remove video they feel is infringing copyrights. How will they find it? The tool will accompany all posted video (and allow them to search for the tags and yank away?). Very cool for them, not very cool for you. I don't know about you, but ever since YouTube went mainstream it's just not as fun anymore.

Read More.

Labels: technology

Written by: Mike"

| 8:04 PM | 2 comment(s)! |

Microsoft has been buying up fuel cells from a company called Medis Technologies. What does this mean? There's no official word yet about what Microsoft plans to do with them. Whether they plan to integrate fuel cells into their product line or whether the company is just buying fuel cells to test them out isn't clear. The Zune, however, is a likely candidate for fuel cell technology. MP3 players do not consume much power and can operate independently on fuel cells.

I never thought about using fuel cells in any technology besides automobiles. It makes just as much sense to use them in dozens of other electronics though. Imagine these cells in flashlights, radios, cameras or my wireless keyboard so that I won't have to change the batteries so often. Fuel cell phone prototypes also exist. Fuel cells for running larger devices, such as laptops, can require additional components such as pumps (not so convenient). So there you have it - fuel cells - they aren't bad you know.

Labels: technology

Written by: Mike"

| 7:08 PM | 1 comment(s)! |

It would appear that some folks at Stanford University would like to change the structure of the Internet. By change the structure, I mean..scrap it all and start over. Is the Internet perfect? Nope, not at all. It sounds ludacris doesn't it? "The proposed program will focus on unconventional, bold, and long-term research that tries to break the network's ossification. To this end, the research program can be characterized by two research questions: 'With what we know today, if we were to start again with a clean slate, how would we design a global communications infrastructure?', and 'How should the Internet look in 15 years?'"
I'd say that the Internet as we know it is definately an amazing collaberation of technologies. Apparently upgrading the infrastructure of the internet piece by piece is not good enough, and will only work in the short-term as the internet expands at incredible speed. But from what I have read about Stanford's proposal, I just cannot imagine reconfiguring the Internet from a clean slate. Despite the fact that I cannot imagine this change coming to fruition, I do understand the importance of a carefully planned and intelligently organized network. The Internet is indeed a sloppy mesh of hastily placed technology, and now is a good a time as ever to fix what we can before it's unimaginable.

Read More.

Labels: technology

Written by: Mike"

| 5:42 PM | 1 comment(s)! |

Are you tired of hiding your iPod in your pocket and wearing little white ear buds? Pockets and armbands are for sissies. Now you can show off your unique taste and style and roll out with a these extra large iWalk headphones. There's nothing like going for a jog with 5 pounds of Apple goodness strapped over your head. 99 million more iPod gadgets to go!

Product info.

Labels: technology

Written by: Mike"

| 5:29 PM | 1 comment(s)! |

If you haven't heard already, Apple has sold 100 million iPods since it was introduced 5 and a half years ago. Over 10 models of the iPod have been designed since then - incliding the mini, shuffle and nano. So now people are asking "can they sell 100 million more?." I don't know, but I do know this - I can't wait to see 100 million more iPod dock designs.

Labels: technology

Written by: Mike"

| 3:59 PM | 1 comment(s)! |

HAHAHAHAHA!

ROFLS!

Labels: technology

Written by: Christy"

| 9:39 PM | 0 comment(s)! |

This is just so cool!

Jeff Han's company "Perceptive Pixel" has been working on the world's most innovative touch panel. You know how there are touch screen monitors, most often found in kiosks? Well.

This isn't just your ordinary touch screen.

Watch this video to get the complete touch panel demonstration. It is wicked awesome! It looks like the limitations of yesterday's touch screens have just been erased.

Labels: technology

Written by: Christy"

| 9:42 PM | 0 comment(s)! |

So. I care about people. Right? Yes. A lot. Even when I hate them. Haha.

But I also care about the environment.

And when I read there is a way to print without ink, instantly I felt intrigued.

Excerpt:
"Unlike the existing technologies that use thermal printheads to transfer color to paper, the new media has the color embedded in it, in the form of dye crystals that are clear at room temperature."

Zink.

How much do I love that name?

<------------------This Much---------------->

To see how it works, click here.

AND! Not only is the paper non-toxic and recycable, but no more ink packaging and discarded ink cartridges! Awesome!

Labels: technology

Written by: Christy"

| 9:43 PM | 0 comment(s)! |

We are either all in really big trouble OR maybe I can just say this is pretty cool. But you know how all the futureistic movies make houses look like they can take care of themselves?

Well...

Looks like that is beginning to happen.

And it is called Control 4.

Oh goodness.

Labels: technology

Written by: Christy"

| 9:44 PM | 0 comment(s)! |

Okay. You must go to this site:
http://www.jonathanyuen.com/main.html

It uses Flash, so if you don't have Flash than download it, it is free.

But this site is so inspiring to me. I am a web designer and I love working with Flash. But something this creative and thoughtful is quite amazing.

The music is so relaxing. Each narrative that opens is beautiful. The captions that come up to describe different words are all very motivating.

It's not long, so just go look at it. If you enjoy intelligent and creative original art than you will love this.

Labels: design, technology

Written by: Christy"

| 9:38 PM | 0 comment(s)! |