Mickeys

Tech experts and gadget fans dampened the early hype on Thursday over Apple’s new iPad, saying the touchscreen computer tablet is not the must-have device the company claims it is.

iPad

Hours after Apple chief executive Steve Jobs unveiled its latest creation, computer and technology bloggers were divided on whether it would after all transform the way we spend our leisure time.

Users eager to judge for themselves will have to wait two months before the iPad is shipped worldwide at an entry-level price of $499.

Jobs showed off various features which include browsing the Web, checking email, working with spreadsheets and charts, playing videogames, listening to music or watching video.

While some critics predicted it would become the best-selling electronics device of 2010, others complained it has no camera or USB, can’t multi-task, can’t be used as a phone and doesn’t support Flash.

“The iPad isn’t going to be a phenomenon with either netbook users or power users,” tech blog Mashable wrote.

“The iPad isn’t the transformational device so many Apple enthusiasts were hoping for. It won’t turn all the content industries upside down, it won’t be your primary computing device and it’s not even a bigger, better iPhone.”

Still, many critics were enthused, some pronouncing it would signal the end of the road for the likes of ebook reader Kindle.

Apple said the basic iPad would be available worldwide in late March from upwards of $499, and the 3G version in April in the United States and selected countries from $629.

The device is “unlocked”, meaning buyers can pick preferred telecom service providers.

It has a 24.6cm colour screen resembling an iPhone, is less than 2cm thick, weighs 0.7kg and has flash memory of 16, 32, or 64 gigabytes.

Screen images flip between portrait and landscape modes depending on how an iPad is held.

Mobile game applications for iPhone also work on the iPad, and developers are adapting software to take advantage of the extra screen “real estate”.

It has a picture frame mode for presenting slide shows of stored photos and Google Maps coupled with geo-location software.

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Nexus One

California – It’s official: Google Inc will sell its own cellphone in an effort to protect its online advertising empire as people increasingly surf the web on handsets instead of personal computers.

The phone announced on Tuesday had been widely anticipated since Google handed out the device, called the Nexus One, to its own employees three weeks ago.

Consumers will be able to buy the Nexus One for $179 if they commit to a two-year service contract with T-Mobile USA. The phone is going on sale on Tuesday online.

Google also will offer versions of the Nexus One that will give people the option of selecting the wireless networks of other major carriers. That’s a departure from the way most cellphones have been sold in the US.

The price of these so-called “unlocked” phones will be $529.

Verizon Wireless in the US and Vodafone in Europe will begin offering subsidies on the Nexus One this spring, according to Google executives.

The Nexus One escalates Google’s budding rivalry with former Silicon Valley ally, Apple Inc, which has sold more than 30 million iPhones in the past 2 1/2 years.

Apple announced a deal on Tuesday to buy mobile advertising service Quattro Wireless to counter Google’s proposed $750 acquisition of Quattro rival AdMob.

taken from News24

The Hague – The Netherlands said on Tuesday it wants to use body scanners on all passengers flying to the United States from the country, after explosives were allegedly smuggled onto a US-bound flight from Amsterdam.

“What we want to do now is use (body scanners) as a standard measure for all flights to the United States,” Dutch Justice Minister Hirsch Ballin told public television channel NOS.

The minister’s comments came after a 23-year-old Nigerian allegedly hid explosives as he boarded a Northwest Airlines plane at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport.

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was arrested and charged in the United States with attempting to blow up the passenger jet on Christmas Day as it prepared to land in Detroit. He allegedly tried to use a syringe of chemicals to set off explosives sewn into his underwear.

He was overpowered by other passengers and is currently being held in a federal prison in Milan, Michigan.

Ballin also said on Tuesday that he had spoken by telephone to US Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano about the failed attack.

“From what we know today, there was no mistake on our part,” at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport, where the Nigerian changed flights onto the US-bound plane, and “the procedure was applied according to the rules,” Ballin said.

“But (the Nigerian suspect) was carrying something that could not be detected by metal detectors, which is why I think it is important to see if it is possible to use body scanners,” the minister added.

Ballin said the scanners “also detect powders, like the substances he was carrying beneath his clothes”.

The use of body scanners at airport security points is considered effective but privacy advocates oppose the machines because they scan beneath clothing to detect items that may be hidden from ordinary view.

Security experts believe, however, that the scanners could have detected the explosives that Abdulmutallab allegedly hid last week.

The new scanners will be operational in three weeks.

taken from News24

Jam jars store jam,
the Sun jar collects and stores sunshine so that you can use it at night

Original design by Tobias Wong
Glass jar, solar cell, battery and LED lights.
100X100X160mm

Made with a traditional Mason jar and high tech energy efficient lighting! Captured inside the jar are a highly efficient solar cell, rechargeable battery and low energy LED lamps. When the jar is placed in sunlight the solar cell creates an electrical current that charges the battery over a few hours. This energy is then used at night to power the three LED lamps inside the jar.

The light is diffused by the frosted jar and give the appearance of sunlight emitting from the (warm coloured LED lights are used to give a more natural and warm light). You may have noticed that there is no switch on the sun jar – in fact there are no visible controls at all – there is a clever light sensor inside that automatically activates the lights when it gets dark or lights are turned out!* Mason Jars are not only beautiful but by their very nature they are completely water tight – so the Sun Jar can happily be left outside in any weather conditions. A perfect garden light or night light for a kids bedroom.   *there is an override switch inside the lid to turn off the light at night and conserve battery life.

Sun Jars need DIRECT sunshine to work!
Leave the Sun Jar outside or in a sunny window
in DIRECT sunlight for several hours to charge,
(electric light indoors is not bright enough!).

Bad weather is bad news for Sun Jars!
You may find that in winter or cloudy weather your Sun Jar illuminates for less time than normal, or even not at all. This is because your Sun Jar require SUN to re-charge!
For improved results, leave the Sun Jar switched off (switch up) whilst charging. Simply switch it to the on position (switch down) when you would like it to glow. This conserves battery life and will leave it to illuminate when you need it to. If the weather has been particularly bad, as a last resort you can also charge the batteries in a normal battery charger!

Go to The Green Shop to buy a Sun Jar online!

There was a surprise winner at this year’s T3 Gadget Awards, with a wildcard entry beating Apple’s iPhone to the much-coveted top award.

The wildcard winner of the technology awards

The winner of the prestigious Gadget of the Year prize for 2009 was the HTC Hero, described by T3 judges as “the jewel in the Android crown”.

Android is Google’s mobile phone operating system, which is likely to see a growth in the next few months in the number of devices running it.

HTC has emerged out of the woodwork in the past year or two and, according to T3 sponsors, has cemented a place as maker of excellent mobile phones.

The Google G1 and superseding HTC Magic – both of which run on the Google Android platform – are “iPhone-worryingly good handsets”, they say, adding “HTC knows how to squeeze the most out of Windows Mobile, too”.

Despite not winning the top award, there was consolation for Apple when their iconic mobile won the category of Gadget You Can’t Live Without, as well as Commuter Gadget of the Year.

Brand of the Year award was won by Google, which had a strong year, seeing the UK launch of Street View, the arrival of Latitude and a continuing wave of apps for Android.

In another surprise win, Sony received the Green Gadget of the Year award of its Bravia TV. (continue reading…)