If you haven’t already heard, yesterday Microsoft revealed in its #microsoftannouncement The Surface Tablet. A tablet that was clearly meant to compete with IPAD. CNN writer Doug Gross In his article, 5 Ways Microsoft’s Surface may be better than an Ipad,says, “Monday, the software company clearly had one ultimate goal: to make a tablet that’s better than the iPad.
The article goes on to mention the 5 reasons that the Surface tablet may have surpassed the Ipad, among them, The Surface’s: keyboard, size, power, USB Ports and Xbox SmartGlass.
Similarly, Gizmodo writer, Jesus Diaz, in his article, “Microsoft Surface Just Made the MacBook Air and the iPad Look Obsolete” says, “Surface just bumped the MacBook Air and the iPad to the back seat.”
The article goes on to explain the principles of good design and how The Surface meets them.
So what do you think- is Microsoft’s Surface the coolest gadget of them all? At least thus far.
From TVs and radios to computers and car stereos, technology has come leaps and bounds the past few years. Every day it seems like a new product is introduced. Last weekend, the hottest new electronics all came together at the International Consumer Electronics Show. Investor Place put together a list of the top 5 products being showcased, and we are impressed!
“The 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show was held Jan. 10-13 in Las Vegas, NV. If you’re just hearing about this, you’ve unfortunately missed the best tech the world has to offer. But fear not. Although CES 2012 has come and gone, you still have a chance to geek out on all the cool gadgets presented at the show. So, without further adieu, here are the top 5 gadgets at CES 2012:
LG Smart Fridge
Forget that tired food cooling device you have in your kitchen. The LG Smart Fridge does a lot more than that. Need your warm beer to turn cold in a jiffy? Owners if this intelligent appliance can blast it back to life with in just five minutes with the the “Blast Chiller”. Also, this fantastic fridge gives out recipes based on the food you’ve already packed inside of it. Talk about brainy!
Samsung Super OLED TV
The Samsung (PINK:SSNLF) 55 inch Super OLED TV is supposed to be a huge improvement over what is already impressive LED technology. The pictures are brighter, it takes up less energy and different shows can be watched at the same time — using specialized glasses — without any ghosting from the other program. Couch potatoes now have one more reason to leave their seats
Intel Nikiski
What’s better than having a laptop and an Apple(NASDAQ:AAPL) iPad? How about having both? For those in the know, the real future of personal computing lies in Ultrabooks that blend the best of the tablet and PC technologies. Intel‘s (NASDAQ:INTC) Nikiski is attempting to accomplish just that.
Vizio All-in-One PC
Vizio is mostly known for its TV’s. But at CES, they decided to take a leap of faith into the PC market with their All-in-One systems. There’s no question that companies like Google — who are more established in the TV/PC crossover scene — will provide stiff competition for Vizio, but they could be a contender if the price is right.
Gorilla Glass 2
The last, but certainly not least, gadget on this list is like no other technology previously mentioned. It may not be the sexiest piece of product, but it is arguably the most important.Corning (NYSE:GLW), the company that has made the glass used in devices such as Apple’s iPhone, Samsung’s Galaxy tablet andMotorola‘s (NYSE:MMI) classic Razr, now has a new iteration of its Gorilla Glass on the market. Gorilla Glass 2.0 is now tougher and thinner than before and will be found in Sony‘s (NYSE:SNE) newly announced line of Bravia HDTVs, Nokia (NYSE:NOK) and Microsoft’s (NASDAQ:MSFT) Lumia 900, Toshbia’s new Excite X10 tablet and Dell‘s (NASDAQ:DELL) first Ultrabook laptop.
What do you buy for the person who has everything? That is the question. And while we’ve all considered gifting Kindles to friends and family, the full color, 7” multi touch display, Kindle Fire with WiFi, is the ultimate in Kindle capability.
The Kindle Fire allows users to surf the web, play their favorite games, and download the hottest new books and movies with the simplest touch of the screen, and all in full color display. No mouse required!
This newest Kindle’s great for long flights, bus commutes to work, lounging on the couch, and even poolside. With access to more than 10,000 popular movies and TV shows and millions of songs, the possibilities are endless. The Kindle Fire’s web capability could even make shopping for next year’s gifts that much easier! Priced at just under $200 it is the ultimate gift for the friend/spouse/mom/dad/ child/grandparent/brother/sister/aunt/uncle who has everything.
It seems like these days we take more photos than ever. It’s so easy to whip out your phone and snap a picture- or seven- whenever the opportunity arises.
The thing is, even though we have so many pictures, it feels like fewer of them are making it on paper. They sit on our phones for months while we tell ourselves that one day we’ll eventually take the time to transfer them to our computer and have copies made, which I know I never end up doing.
iPhone Photo Printer courtesy of The Sharper Image
The iPhone Photo Cube Printer from The Sharper Image is an absolutely genius solution to this problem. You just dock your iPhone to the printer and select the pictures you want it to print!
It’s such an easy, hassle-free way to make hard copies of photos that you might not otherwise have developed. The printer is really compact (7”x 4” x 6”), but it gives you clear, 4”x 6” prints in under a minute.
Add it to your wish list so you can finally get copies made of all those pictures piled up on your phone, and have the new photos you snap printed out as soon as you get home!
The Keurig Single-Cup Home Brewing System will completely change the way you do coffee. The coffee maker, available at Sears, allows you to brew a 4 to 12 oz. cup of coffee, cocoa, or tea in under a minute!
Keurig Coffee Maker courtesy of Sears
All you have to do is push a couple buttons, slide in a K-cup of your desired flavor, and boom! You have a steaming cup of delicious coffee ready to go. This machine is quick, easy, and instead of brewing an entire pot, it makes just the serving size you need.
K-Cup courtesy of Sears
There are countless flavors, ranging from a breakfast blend to a French roast to decaf hazlenut. Or, check out the Starbucks Store to see what K-cup blends they have available. I recommend starting with a variety pack to try out which flavors you like best.
At $99, the Keurig Single-Cup Home Brewing System is the fastest and most convenient way to get your morning coffee, and would make a great addition to your wish list. I especially love the Keurig Mini Brewer, which is really compact and perfect for a small apartment or dorm room.
Kinect for Xbox 360 courtesy of The Microsoft Store
If you’re scrambling for holiday gift ideas, be sure to check out Kinect for Xbox 360 from The Microsoft Store. Kinect has a motion-sensing device, so your movements control the game. The controller-free gaming system gets you off the couch and involved in the action! Three reasons to add Kinect to your gift list:
1) Anyone can play. Because you are the controller, you don’t have to figure out any buttons or commands. You already know how to play, just start moving your body!
2) There are games for everyone. Minute to Win It and Hasbro Family Game Night are great for the family, while Kung Fu Panda 2 is fun for kids. There are also popular dance games like Dance Central, and sports games like Kinect Sports and Motionsports Adrenaline. Kinect is great for fitness games, too!
3) Once they have Kinect, games make perfect gifts for future birthdays and holidays!
So whether you need something for kids, a significant other, or even your parents, Kinect is a great option. The Microsoft Store has different packages such as the Xbox 360 250 GB Kinect Holiday Bundle, which comes with an X-Box 360, Kinect, and two games for $399, or the less expensive Xbox 360 4GB Consol with Kinect for $299. Or you can just buy the Kinect for $129 for somebody who already has an Xbox 360.
It’s what’s inside that counts.
Whether you have a sexy little piece of design like an iPhone, iPod or iPad, a smartphone or mp3 player, or a laptop full of music, you need to get all that sound out into the world. The tool you use doesn’t have to be pretty. It just has to work, and work well.
The Sound Freaq Sound Step Recharge isn’t conventionally beautiful, but it will charm your socks off all the same. It’s clean and sleek, and it’s ridiculously easy to use. Pair it with your player via Bluetooth. Shazam! You’re done.
Photo courtesy of Amazon.com
It’s rechargeable and wireless. Carry it out onto the balcony or patio and crank up your summer playlist. The sound is dreamy indoors and out. Lounge around nearby or wander over to the pool, and it will sound just as good.
Sound Step Recharge SFQ-02RB will set you back more than a pair of headphones or set of tinny-sounding portable speakers. That’s cool. You’ll like it better. For just under $160, less than a decent portable stereo, you get 6 hours of battery life, great sound and serious convenience. Charge your iPod or iPad right there, or plug into the USB jack to charge just about anything else.
It’s a little fella — just 13 by 4.4 by 3.6 inches and 3.1 pounds — so it won’t take up a lot of room around the house. The sound is fab, and it couldn’t be easier to use.
By: Max Buxbaum
Are you holding out until the summer to purchase a smartphone, hoping that Apple will release the newest iPhone in June? According to Reuters, you may have to wait until fall to purchase the iPhone 5.
Apple has consistently released a new model of the iPhone in June or July for four years in a row. And of those for releases, the past three have been revealed at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). However their VP of Worldwide Product Marketing Phillip Schiller recently announced that Apple will ““unveil the future of iOS and Mac OS,” at the conference, failing to mention any hardware upgrades.
Apple Insider has also reported that they have not started ordering components for the fifth-generation iPhone yet. Apple usually orders phone parts six months in advance, so even if they were to order the components today the release of the iPhone 5 would still be in the 2012 fiscal calendar.
While the white version of the iPhone 4 is set to be released in two to three weeks, do not expect to be able to purchase the iPhone 5 until September or October. It is expected to have a bigger screen, better camera and faster processor, and has been recently rumored to have a metal back and near-field communication capabilities.
Mockup of the iPhone 5
(Image Courtesy of Piotrek)
By: Max Buxbaum
Thought that applications were the only way to monitor your physical condition with an iPhone, iPad or iPod?Think again! These four add-ons attach to your Apple product to help you examine fitness patterns and maintain healthiness.
1. iHealth
The iHealth Blood Pressure Monitoring System provides users with a convenient way to analyze their cardiovascular health. This add-on comes with a blood pressure arm cuff and a portable, battery-powered dock to track the users’ heart rate and blood pressure. The iHealth add-on costs $99.95 and the accompanying iHealth Application can be downloaded for free at the iTunes store.
Courtesy of Dan Frommer, Business Insider
2. iBGStar
Sanofi-Aventis created a simple way for diabetic iPhone or iPod Touch users to check their blood glucose levels. The iBGStar seamlessly connects with the Apple product and even sends you a text when it is time to check your glucose levels. It reads blood sugar levels from a strip that a small drop of blood is placed on, providing a painless experience compared to other glucose readers. This product is in the process of being approved by the FDA and has an expected retail price of $80.
Courtesy of Fastco Design
3. Heart Rate RX and Chest Belt
60beat’s Heart Rate monitor is a runner’s best friend, measuring your beats per minute and advising them to slow down or speed up to meet your health and fitness goals. The monitor attaches to the headphone jack and a belt strapped to your chest measures your heart rate. This product can even sync with some treadmills, and costs $60.
Courtesy of Mac Life
4. Handyscope
The handyscope turns your Apple product into a portable and digital dermatoscope. This add-on can determine whether the user has skin cancer by taking highly polarized pictures of moles and magnifiying them up to 20x to find irregularities. If you have any questions or find something concerning, you can upload your image worldwide to specialists for a second opinion. This gadget costs approximately $1,500 and an extra $11.99 for the application necessary to use it.
Courtesy of Gizmag
By: Max Buxbaum
Panasonic is expanding their digital camcorder collection, announcing a new line of dual cameras in a recent press release. The HX-WA10, HX-DC10 and HX-DC1 cameras will offer users an easy-to-hold vertical design and ability to effortlessly switch camera modes by including individual video/photo capture buttons.
The HX-WA10 is fully waterproof up to 10 feet deep, allowing for versatile underwater capturing. Both the HX-WA10 and HX-DC 10 include Panasonic’s Backside Illumination (BSI) technology, which lets users to capture videos and photos even in dimly lit conditions. The HX-WA10 and HX-DC10 take 16-megapixel photos, while the HX-DC1 captures 14-megapixel images.
Image Courtesy of Gizmo Crave
All three of the cameras record in the MPEG-4 AVC file format (MP4), making it convenient and easy to upload, edit and share your videos. These cameras also offer a 5x optical zoom, Electrical Image Stabilizer to help limit blurry videos, Panasonic’s iA (Intelligent Auto) mode, face detection, stereo microphones for clear audio recording and a mini HDMI terminal.
While the prices of these cameras have yet to be announced, their June release is set to spark excitement in the camera world.
