Tech Pedia » Gadgets

Top Ten Dorky Gadgets Part II

Abhinav Kaiser — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 18:19:50 +0000

Four years back, we presented Top Ten Dorky Computer Gadgets. That post was a hit then, and we tried to replicate it with an updated list. We hope carry this legacy on year on year. Here’s a list of some of the funniest gadgets that would make really great gifts for dorks and nerds who have a special eye for presents with a different definition all together.

1. The DVD Rewinder

First in the list is the DVD Rewinder. This can be the perfect gift for any one of those buddies of yours who has this special eye for CD and DVD gadgets. This latest new age DVD Rewinder is the easier way of rewinding the DVDs a lot more easily. So you really don’t have to look any further than this, now that you have finally found the DVD Rewinder. Some of its exceptional features include,
It has the unique capacity to spin the discs backward and play a rewind sound at the same time. Further more, using this unique DVD Rewinder one can even record his/her own rewind sound to add a distinctive personal touch. Well, don’t make those rolling eyes, as all this put together makes a real gadget, a tangible product that you can buy for $16.49.

2. The Voltaic Generator Laptop Bag

This new age technically upgraded laptop bag makes use of solar panels for soaking up heat from the sun rays and stores it uniquely in a battery that is placed on board. Though solar powered bags are nothing new, yet this bag is the first of its kind to soak and store enough power that can charge a laptop. To be precise, the Voltaic Generator Laptop Bag can store up to 17 watts of energy. And it manages to get that much of energy in just a single day. This bag can also charge other gadgets like MP3 Players and mobile phones, USB Ports, adapters and even 12-volt car chargers.

3. Driv-e-mocion

The Driv-e-mocion is a nifty new invention that has just hit the market. You can gift this to a nerd friend of yours who can attach it to the rear window in his car. This interesting new gadget can be programmed in a unique way to display a diverse assortment of messages. Your friend can happily form funny faces, smiley or frowns or place certain words at the rear window of his car. And the best part is this thing is real cheap. It comes for a mere $20. Well, doesn’t this sound like a real geeky present? The following link will give you all the details, http://www.au-my.com/product.aspx?lang=English&product_id=1.

4. Video Camera MP4 Watch 4GB

This is a unique new generation watch fitted with a distinctive 1.8″ LCD, a voice, and video and music recorder. Some of its other features include camcorders, digital cameras and a web camera. The lower part of this unique watch also has a speaker that works without ear phones, so you can obviously play it audio. It has a JPG format image support, am MP3 compatible music player and an AVI format video playback as well.

For further details check out the following link,

http://softwaresolutions.fibre2fashion.com/gadgetDetail.aspx?pcode=266

5. Head Bath Cap

The Head Bath Cap will surely draw the appreciation of a number of customers out there who have been waiting real long for such a product which would ensure an exceptionally good bath for the head and the hair. With the Head Bath Cap, all you need to do is place it on your head and allow water to run into it. Though the gadget may look a little funny, yet it allows the hair on your head to grow faster and fuller as it helps the trapped water enter the scalp directly.

6. The E-Pen

The E-Pen is a truly amazing discovery in the field of modern day gadgets that can help you record just about anything, anywhere. Created and marketed by Tanu Electronics, this is a distinctive Mobile Notetaker Pro that is an inimitable device which can capture hand written notes from plain paper, store them in memory and thereon give you the chance of uploading them to your PC as well. Isn’t that great? With the E-Pen you can also take digital notes while you are away attending a meeting or are in the classroom. This device can work in a disconnected mode as well. Its digital note mode comprises of a pen and a mouse.

7. Toilet Paper Dispenser with iPod Dock

This next entry on the list of the top ten dorky gadgets is the interesting and amusing Toilet Paper Dispenser that is fascinatingly fitted with an iPod Dock. Thanks to this brand new gadget, imagine now we will not miss a single song even in the bathroom. This latest hybrid iLounge Toilet Paper Dispenser comes from Atech. This gadget is capable of supporting all iPod models that have an integrated USB slot and a dock connector. This thing has the speakers in the dispenser arms with the navigation buttons on top.

8. The Honda Robotic Walker

The Honda Robotic Walker is the latest Experimental device that provides assistance in walking and is a modern day bodyweight support system. This inventive device helps reduce the amount of load on the joints and the leg muscles including the knees, the hip and the ankles. This unique device has an interesting yet simple structure including a frame, a seat and shoes. The user can use this device simply by putting on the shoes and lifting up the seat to the exact position. This is a unique innovation by Honda the research for which had started way back in 1999. Check out the following link to find out more about this walker: http://softwaresolutions.fibre2fashion.com/gadgetDetail.aspx?pcode=264

9. The Shopping Bag Bra

The next thing on the list is a really amazing piece which is actually a bra but it can suitably double into a shopping bag. This is yet another Japanese invention coming from Triumph Japan and termed as the Kawaii Bag. When wearing the bra, the portions of the shopping bag remain folded inside the bra cups and act as padding.

10. 360 Degrees Camera

Last but not on the least is the 360 degrees camera. This is just the piece that anyone who has a gift for photography and aims to take the definitive panoramic picture would like to own. This state-of-the-art camera comfortably fits on the head and makes use of disposable cameras to take the snaps.

Adam Tablet PC Yorks Apple’s iPad

Abhinav Kaiser — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 03:25:31 +0000

Apple’s iPad is perhaps one of the few products from the company where the concept is unoriginal, and consequently has failed to take off. First it was the Chinese ExoPC Slate which carried Windows 7, it offered all the features that iPad would and beyond. Apple is currently in a legal feud with the Chinese manufacturer over patent issues.

A new tablet PC that has all the ingredients to beat both the Apple’s and Chinese products was on display as Consumer Electronic Show (CES) earlier this year. The Indian product is named after Westerners’ first man, Adam. At this point in time, the product is showcased at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Adam tablet PC is a brainchild of Hyderabad based Notion Ink. The screen size is quite large at 10″ and is powered by nVidia’s Tegra 2 chip. PixelQI screen has a dual mode, one mode operates as a normal LCD screen, the second ensures that text can be read with clarity even in bright sunshine. With the backlight off, the company claims that it can increase battery life between charges by a factor of five. And, the combination of the screen and the processor can enhance the performance greatly.

The surprise element here is that the product is coming out of India, which is traditionally not known for its hardware prowess. The country is known for its software delivery, that too, specifically for clients who outsource work, and original designs and creative products are definitely barren here.

With the launch of Adam, experts believe that India is moving to a stronger position in the world of gadgetry and software products.

Adam will hit the shelves across US retail outlets in July. While the pricing details have not been divulged, it is firmly believed that the iPad killer will surely go one up in terms of pricing.

10 of the Most Compact Printers Ever Made

Abhinav Kaiser — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 03:59:53 +0000

In the world of printers, bigger is often considered better. A large printer is typically capable of holding a variety of different kinds of ink and paper, which means it offers a combination of maximum productivity with maximum convenience. However, a big printer has a matching footprint and if you don’t have a lot of space for it this can become a huge problem. It’s especially bad for road warriors who need a portable printer that they can take with them and their laptop down to the local coffee shop or to a meeting on the other side of the world. For situations like these, you need a small printer. Here’s a look at eleven of the smallest ones ever made!

1. PrintBrush

PrintBrush: This one hasn’t actually hit the shelves yet but it’s due out within a year and has more than a few people wagging their tongues about what an excellent little printer it is. Reportedly planned to be the smallest full-size document printer ever, the PrintBrush will weigh less than nine ounces. It is said to be a silent printer which means that it can be easily used in meetings, public spaces and even public transportation. It will run on a rechargeable battery, which means power won’t be an issue, and is expected to be priced around $199 at launch.

2. Pentax PocketJet

Pentax PocketJet: Every different printer user has unique needs, which are completely catered for by the four different PocketJet portable prints that are available. Among the options available are a wired and a wireless printer offering 200 dpi or 300 dpi resolution. A full kit includes software, cables, power cord, Ni-MH battery, carrying case and a box of paper, giving everything you need to create a professional quality document. The printer costs around $500, depending on the style of PocketJet that catches your eye.

3. HP Deskjet 450

HP Deskjet 450: This is a high-quality portable printer designed specifically for creating professionally styled text and brilliant quality photo images. The Deskjet 450 prints at a rate of 9 pages per minutes and uses unique inkjet technology which allows it to produce 400+ pages before the ink needs to be changed. The HP Deskjet 450 offers both convenience and functionality for road warriors looking for a portable printer. It weighs just over four pounds and is priced at around $450.

4. Brother MPrint

Brother MPrint: This is an ultra-light portable printer weighing in at only 11 ounces. Despite its small size, the Brother MPrint is a fully functioning printer which can print on a number of different types of paper including notepaper and labels. It’s designed to work as a printer for laptops and smart phones and provides a great printing solution for professionals who regularly work when on the road. It utilizes a rechargeable ion battery and different models of the MPrint may support Bluetooth. It is priced at around $500.

5. Polaroid Digital Mobile Phone Printer

Polaroid Digital Mobile Phone Printer: This is the most interesting new product about to be released for those people who would like to print the pictures they take with their camera phones. It is not a traditional printer in the sense that it is not designed to be compatible with technologies other than mobile phones or digital cameras. Moreover it is completely untraditional in that it prints small (2″ x 3″) photos using an inkless technology. The Polaroid Digital Mobile Phone Printer is most certainly different and is incredibly compact. Weighing in at only eight ounces when it is carrying the rechargeable battery, the Polaroid Digital Mobile Phone Printer is an incredible accessory and will be available at a cost of only $80.

6. Canon BJC-85

Canon BJC-85: This is a bubble jet printer that offers full printing capabilities on a range of different papers including standard A4 and envelopes with an astounding print rate of about 5 pages per minute, creating documents with an incredible resolution of 720 x 361 dpi. The BJC-85 weighs less than five pounds including the battery and other accessories and is considered to be a great portable printer for the business traveler. It is priced at around $299.

7. Samsung Color Laser Printers

Samsung Color Laser Printers: Samsung has recently announced that they have developed two new color laser printers that are smaller than any created before. These are still fairly large printers as far as portable printers go because of the fact that laser printing technology needs more room than inkjet printing. Nevertheless, these small products are so compact that they could be considered portable. One of the printers even has a built-in scanner, so that you really get the full package with these small printers. The bad news is that the company has only announced that they have produced these printers and haven’t specified when, where and at what price they will release these handy gizmos. It’s something to keep an eye on in the future.

8. Xyron Design Runner

Xyron Design Runner: This design printer isn’t necessarily for everyone but it’s a great niche printer for artists and scrap bookers. If you know someone who makes family scrapbooks out of photos as soon as they are printed, consider getting them this as a gift to round out his or her travel needs. It prints out text, images and borders and can be used to print on paper, fabric and even wood. It’s tiny in size, operates on two 9-volt batteries, and only costs about $99.99.

9. HP OfficeJet H470B

HP OfficeJet H470B: This is a five pound mobile printer which is designed to give full printing capabilities in a portable format. It can print up to 22 pages per minute for low quality printing (text-based drafts) but can also offer high-quality printing at speeds of about 7 pages per minute. The HP OfficeJet H470B is able to support a wide range of paper sizes up to 8″ x 14″ and is priced at around $300.

10. Canon Pixma IP90

Canon Pixma IP90: This is primarily designed as a photo printer so the IP90 prints high quality color images on paper intended for photographs. However, the Canon Pixma IP90 can also be used as a basic portable printer with added photo printing features. It can print a range of sizes up to a normal A4 and has features which allow you to save ink without reducing color quality in order to get the best value for money. It weighs around three pounds and is priced at a reasonable $330.

About the Author

When Tom Walker isn’t writing exceptional blog posts, he is indulging in his passion for gadgets and technological marvels as well as making sure that he is completely up to date with Twitter. Tom mostly writes about HP Laserjet cartridges for a well known supplier of printer cartridges called Cartridge Save, who are based in Manchester, England.

Aviton AZ281MA GPS Review

Om — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 14:51:30 +0000

If you’ve been looking for an Aviton GPS review over the internet, there are good chances that you might not have found much information about it. Basically, Aviton is a Russian manufacturer and the company website is also in Russian language. There’s very little information available about the manufacturer and its offerings in English. So, this article will serve the purpose of a handy guide to know more about Aviton, and the Aviton GPS unit, especially for those who’re planning to buy one of these GPS units in near future.

About the Manufacturer

Aviton isn’t as popular as the likes of Garmin and TomTom, though the company has been in the market of electronic components for over a decade now.

Aviton is a Russian company that deals with telecommunication systems, and electronic equipment manufacturing. The company also makes stepper motors, compact DC motors and high precision drives, components for automation, switching power supplies, and wide varieties of electronic components. Aviton is relatively new to the market of GPS navigation devices, but considering their extensive experience in the field of electronic items, you can expect high quality in its GPS products and good value for your money.

Salient Features

Turning the focus towards the Aviton GPS navigation device, it comes with an elegant 3.5″ inches wide screen. The device has 64MB of RAM and 1927MB (a weird figure though) of non-volatile memory called MLC.

The Aviton GPS may not be worthy enough to challenge the likes of Garmin 885T, Garmin Nuvifone and other high end GPS devices, but it comes with impressive iGo navigation software featuring 2D and 3D mapping and much more; so it is bound to catch the eyes of its potential buyers.

It also renders accurate view of streets that you navigate through. You get access to 53 maps, including maps of all 50 states of US, as well as Puerto Rico and Columbia. Moreover, you can also find a base elevation map derived from US Geological Survey.

Just like every other high quality navigator unit, the Aviton GPS unit also comes with the auto-route feature. With the help of re-route calculator, it re-calculates the new route and points back in right direction whenever you deviate from your original path. The device also gives out voice prompts apart from displaying text information on its visual display, though it lacks the “text-to-speech” converter.

Hence, the Aviton GPS can audibly announce “turn left” to alert you about the upcoming left turn, but it can’t make announcements like “turn right on 31st Avenue”, due to lack of “text-to-speech”converter in the device.

Design and Navigation

The Aviton AZ281MA GPS unit comes in a sleek, easily pocket-able design. The unit is extremely portable and you won’t feel its presence in your pocket. Its menu navigation is absolutely hassle-free.

What’s more, navigation program by Nav-N-Go is quite impressive and the device runs on Atlas III dual core processor (very much a combination of GPS chipset and an Intel clone), which ensures quick responses to all the navigational operations. You can make use of the Aviton GPS unit in pedestrian navigation and car navigation modes, as and when required, making it a versatile choice.

Package Contents and Pricing

When you open a box-piece, you’ll be happy to find a dash mount, quick-start guide, and windshield mount, apart from the DC adaptor, USB cable, a rechargeable Li-polymer battery, and of course the Aviton AZ281MA GPS unit.

The suction mount is quite adjustable, which grabs any flat part of a windshield very well, while the cradle sticks on to the end of suction mount effortlessly.

The Aviton GPS unit also has a SD card slot, which provides the much needed flexibility to expand the memory of the device. All this and more is available at a reasonable price of just $119.99 online.

Overall Performance

Looking at the pros of Aviton GPS, it is quite user-friendly, easy to use, sleek, and handy to carry around. With its voice prompts, driving becomes a snap, and its maps are also upgradeable.

Considering some of the downsides of the device, you can’t easily cancel a route in progress, and on many occasions, it doesn’t give you the best route possible.

But, with so much on the offer at a reasonable price of just $119.99, it is definitely a great deal.

TomTom 940 Go Sat Nav Review

Om — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:33:27 +0000

The Tom Tom 940 Go Sat Nav is one of the excellent GPS car navigation devices rolled out by TomTom in recent times. With a sleek, stylish and compact design to suit any kind of window/dashboard, this latest TomTom Sat Nav system comes with loads of impressive features including real time HD traffic, and safety alerts.

The Voice Command functionality allows you to drive with both hands on the steering rather than fiddling with the GPS unit to enter street address manually or take a look at the text displayed on its screen to follow the directions.

The TomTom Sat Nav MapShare Technology allows all the users to make necessary corrections to the maps. This simply means you can take advantages of other’s knowledge and won’t have to bear the sufferings that someone has already gone through, due to incorrect info given on the map.

What’s more, the Advanced Lane Guidance feature of the TomTom 940 Go Sat Nav is a handy way to avoid the difficult junctions on the way, or to get prepared for them well in advance.

The TomTom’s LIVE services allow users to obtain real time traffic info on-the-move, and avoid traffic jams, and other unforeseen trouble on their way to office, vacation or back home.

Moreover, its built-in FM transmitter lets you enjoy the music through your car stereo, and it also has the much-needed Bluetooth connectivity. The Enhanced Positioning technology ensures that you get GPS signal anywhere you may go, be it highways, tunnel or outskirts of the city.

The sad part of the story is that the TomTom’s LIVE service will cost you £8 per month, after the three months trial expires, and it would have been ideal to get the LIVE services as a part of the default package, without paying anything extra!

Overall, it’s a great car GPS navigator, and an excellent choice in its segment for just £259.99

To find the best shopping deals on Tom Tom 940 Go Sat Nav, visit http://www.satnav-expert.co.uk

Insight to Flight Tracker GPS

Om — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 16:26:22 +0000

Flight Tracker GPS is one of the latest developments in the field of GPS technology. However, most of the folks are confused with the terms flight tracker GPS and Flight Tracker. So, here’s an insight to Flight Tracker GPS aviation units.

What Is a Flight Tracker?

To start off, a flight tracker basically allows you to monitor the position of a flight by means of real time updates regarding its current position and other statistics. Such as device may come in handy whenever you need to pick your pal up from the airport or learn about unanticipated delays in the flight that you need to catch in next few hours.

Uses of Flight Tracker GPS

• Flight planning
• Satellite weather/obstacle/terrain alerts
• Saving fuel with optimal routes
• Altitude sensitive alerts
• Constant situational awareness
• Fast real time map updates
• Moving map of the airport taxiways
• Advanced Features like AOPA airport directory

The best panel mounted aviation units offer -

• NEXRAD radar data
• METARs data
• TAFs data
• TFRs data
• Winds Aloft and
• lightning data

So, in a nutshell, purchasing a portable flight tracker GPS aviation unit may be one of the best investments for a general aviation pilot; indeed true value for money.

TomTom unable to find signal: Troubleshooting Your TomTom GPS Device

Om — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:13:34 +0000

TomTom may be unable to find signal even in the middle of the city, and suddenly you may find yourself in the middle of nowhere (if you’re in an unknown city totally dependant on your GPS). Here’s an insight to the problems and few quick ways of troubleshooting your TomTom GPS device.

Of course, the GPS fix is the officially recommended solution given by TomTom, but there’s no assurance that it will work for everybody.

TomTom also recommends you to download TomTom Home Software, though before you proceed you should be wary that it could be quite painful, especially if your internet connectivity isn’t too fast. Many a time, the download won’t start automatically, so you must be patient enough to download it.

Leaving apart the st have standard steps suggested by TomTom, here are some quick troubleshooting steps, which have been known to be quite effective in fixing this issue.

- Reset the device when problem occurs.

- Charge the TomTom unit completely.

- Don’t turn it on immediately: Place the unit somewhere in open, perhaps on top of your car for sometime.

- Turn it on, and wait for it to lock on to a satellite and receive maximum signal.
- Now use it: There are good chances that you won’t encounter this problem for quite sometime.

Note: Stale GPS data and inability to update GPS at a particular instance usually triggers the problem, and TomTom unable to find signal on account of the same!

iPhone 8x Telescope with Tripod!

Om — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:03:53 +0000

This is a great piece of news for the telescope and iPhone lovers, as Iphone accessory offers a feature that includes a telescope, which has the capacity to zoom up to 6x.

Iphone 8x Telescope with Tripod

The latest product features advanced 8x optical zoom and it comes along with a tripod.

The main advantages in the Iphone 8x telescopic with tripod include manual focus adjustment, which avoids contortion of images, and it is detachable from the crystal case.

Apart from the 8x optical zooming feature, the device comes with a stand for taking movies and pictures.

This unique iPhone accessory is compatible with both iPhone 3GS and 3G models. It can be yours for just $28.99!

Definitely sounds like a superb deal at this price, doesn’t it?

So, what are you waiting for? Go grab one for your iPhone right away!

Eco-Otome Toilet Sound Blocker – Save Water!

Om — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:58:32 +0000

Here comes an awesome device for tech geeks, the Eco-Otome toilet sound blocker, which you can use to block the weird sounds you make in toilet and even to save the earth by saving the most precious natural resource – of course we’re talking about WATER!

Eco-Otome Toilet Sound Blocker

The device actually makes the sound of toilet flushing when pressed twice, hiding the noises made by you. The sound lasts for about 25 seconds and can be stopped by double pressing it again. So, don’t use the toilet flush unnessarily and waste water just for the heck of blocking those ugly noises that you make inside your friend’s/relative toilet.

A small and mobile device, Eco-Otome Toilet Sound Blocker comes in three cute designs which can be used as a simple keychain. The design in Pink has a love mark on it, while the other, Blue has a ribbon and White has the slogan saying ‘Save the earth’.

One of the funniest offerings for tech geeks, ain’t it?

Next Gen Alarm Clock for Sport Enthusiasts & Geeks!

Om — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:18:33 +0000

Are you one of those racing buffs, who enjoy the sound of engines 24×7? Well, then this alarm clock is especially designed and developed for the racing enthusiasts like you, who get more excited when they come across different sounds from the car engine. If you are really a car lover, you are likely to wake up with the sound of V8 engine – check it out!

The new alarm clock will wake you up with the exhilarating sound of a high powered V8 engine.

If you are still don’t respond to the alarm bell, the device will increase its RPM as it continues through four gears to maximum speed.

The sound from the alarm clock will grow along with the intensity, until you press the stop or snooze button!

The new device has been designed and produced considering minute details of a car, where there will be tachometer next to the digital clock.

The other noteworthy feature of this alarm clock is its headlight, which gets illuminated when pressed. It also features with an AM/FM radio.

So, go get one for yourself, and start everyday with the sound of your favourite V8 engine!!