Phone directories are used to search for the telephone number of private individuals and businesses. But the reverse phone lookup works differently. It is used to know the owner of a telephone number. Thus the term, “reverse.” The reverse phone lookup technology was deemed necessary because people can’t use the traditional telephone directory when looking for numbers. Searching through the big book by number, and not by name, will be tedious and time-consuming. So telephone companies decided to release reverse telephone directories. These were used only by law enforcers and agencies responsible for emergency situations. But with the faster, simpler, and more reliable technology today, digital reverse phone lookup is already available for everyone.
Archives for May 2011
AViiQ Portable Laptop Stand
What kind of laptop do you use? Unless you are using a netbook or a really low-power laptop, you probably do not have any issues with heating. Then again, if you are can be counted among the ever-growing number of Mac users out there, then you know very well just how hot a Mac laptop can be. Those babies have not been called egg-fryers for no reason!
Then again, Mac laptops are not the only ones which can render males unable to continue their bloodline if they make it a habit to place their laptops where they are supposed to be – on their laps. Other powerful laptops also emit a lot of heat, and more than the long-term concern about not being able to reproduce, the immediate issue of burning yourself is very much real, not to mention the damage that your laptop may suffer from the excessive heat.
That’s where laptop heat sinks come in handy. You see all sorts of these accessories everywhere – all shapes and sizes. I have to admit, though, that I have not seen one that I would want to buy – mainly because of a combination of prize and aesthetics.
Here’s the exception: the AViiQ Portable Laptop Stand, which looks really cool. Its makers say that it is the thinnest laptop stand there is – and I can easily believe that, seeing the photos. The AviiQ Portable Laptop Stand measures in at 1/4” thick, 12 3/4” long, and 2 3/4” wide. It also weighs 5.5 ounces. With its size, one can easily slide it into a laptop sleeve – and have more than enough space for the laptop as well!
One would think that the laptop stand may be flimsy due to its thinness, but if the specs can be believed, this laptop stand is also rather sturdy. This is supposed to be because of the material that the stand is made of. Called Hylite, the material is a composite of aluminum and polyproplene.
While the sleek laptop stand does not have a fan that will help draw away the heat (there is no space for one!), it does help the air flow with its 12-degree angle – as you can see in the photo.
For a reasonable price of $59.99 – plus a 30-day money back guarantee – this stand is a pretty good deal, I think.
The Generation of Grade School Gadgetry: A Smart Board in Every Classroom? Try 20.
When we were growing up – and I’m talking about the youngest of us here – a computer lab was a serious deal. Being able to access the Internet meant huge things for teachers and even more, albeit more immature, possibilities for us kids throughout the otherwise mundane school day. Then when Smart Boards made it into our lives we really felt we had arrived face-first into some kind of future world classroom, even if it meant it was harder for us to pretend like we were paying attention.
T3 Gadget Awards 2011
Crazy about gadgets? Love having your voice heard amongst the millions of other gadget-crazy people? Here’s news for you: the T3 Gadget Awards 2011 is now open for voting!
The T3 Gadget Awards 2011 has 19 categories:
- Innovation of the Year
- Gaming Gadget of the Year
- App of the Year
- Retailer of the Year
- Commuter Gadget of the Year
- Digital Media Service of the Year
- TV of the Year
- Digital Camera of the Year
- T3 Design Award
- Phone of the Year
- Tech Brand of the Year
- Gadget of the Year
- Gadget Personality of the Year
- Computer of the Year
- Music Gadget of the Year
- Work Gadget of the Year
- Home Gadget of the Year
- Tablet of the Year
- Gadget Accessory of the Year
You can cast your votes at the awards home page, and you get the change to win a Smart TV from Samsung! Voting is not all that hard as you will be given choices when you vote. More so, brief descriptions are included with the gadget image/name. And if your preferred gadget is not in their list, you can always add it via the Wildcard section at the bottom of each page. After all, just because T3 has not identified a certain product to be on their voting list, it does not mean that the gadget is not worthy of a vote!
With the voting open, experts are saying that at the end of the day, the main battle will be between Apple and Android devices. Looking at the list of gadgets in the categories that T3 has made available, it is difficult to disagree.
What are you waiting for? Go and participate in what might very well be the most important vote you will cast this year. (Well, in terms of gadget goodness, that is.)
8K Ultra High Definition TV
Are you enjoying your HDTV so much that you don’t like watching on standard definition anymore? Do you find yourself hating it when TV stations broadcast sports (basketball, football, or whatever) and not being able to see the players’ faces?
I have to be honest and say that it wasn’t till recently that I realized just how cool it is to watch in HD. In my mind, I recognized the fact that HD does offer so much more than SD, but not until I got used to watching the NBA on HD did I start avoiding the SD feeds. Now, I find myself wishing everything on TV were HD.
If you’re anything like me then, you’ll probably find it amazing that Japan has now created the world’s first 8K Ultra High Definition TV. With a resolution of 7,680 x 4,320 pixels, this LCD TV is set to drop jaws all over the world. If those numbers don’t make much sense, think about your current HDTV. Now think about a TV that has a resolution 16 times that of your HDTV’s resolution. Nothing less than amazing, isn’t it? Perhaps it is even ridiculous!
The Ultra High Definition TV is 85 inches of viewing goodness and is created by Sharp Corporation, in cooperation with NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation). Here are the significant numbers from the press release: ((Ultra High Definition LCD TV PR))
Super Hi-Vision-Compatible LCD
Screen size 85 inches (approx. 1.9 x 1.05 m)
Pixel count 7,680 (H) x 4,320 (V) pixels
Brightness 300 cd/m2
Gradation 10 bits for each RGB color
And if words and numbers are not enough, here is a video of the TV.
Impressed yet? I want to say that I want this TV, but if I think about it, it is practically useless right now as there are stations broadcasting in that resolution. Oh, and not to mention the price tag that will come with it. No specific figures have been mentioned, but you and I can bet our bottom dollars that it will be a pretty heavy one.
If you are in Tokyo, the TV will be shown off from the 26th to the 29th of May at NHK’s Science and Technology Research Laboratories.
Via Diginfo
Necomimi: Brain-Controlled Cat Ears
I cannot count the times that I have wished for the nine lives that cats have, but I have never included cats’ ears in the equation. I like my ears well enough, thank you very much.
Some Japanese inventors have come up with something which is a combination of brilliance and silliness, in my opinion. Then again, I think I might just have summed up many people’s idea of what the Japanese are. No doubt that they are brilliant, and their propensity for cute and silly things make things just even more interesting.
What am I talking about? A gadget that looks – and probably feels – like the ears of a cat. And one can wear them as well! Don’t be fooled by this inane looking device, though, as it is backed by science that might just make science fiction come to life.
Dubbed Necomimi, ((Tech News Daily)) this device makes use of brain waves (human brain waves, that is) that are created when one feels emotions. Using the brain waves, the ears can be controlled and wiggled. Think about your cat – if you have one. What happens to its ears when it is feeling relaxed and purring to its heart’s content? The ears go down, right? And when the cat is agitated or alert, the ears go up.
The same thing can be done by this gadget. When the person wearing it is at peace, the ears go down. When the person is alert, the ears go up. That’s only the beginning, though. These ears have a lot of potential, especially for people who are mentally challenged or unable to speak.
Think about it, depending on the degree and nature of their condition, people who have physical and/or mental disabilities are still able to feel emotions just like everyone else. With these cat ears, they may have a way of conveying what they are thinking.
Silly? Maybe a little. Then again, if this product is further developed, it may very well prove to be useful to countless people around the world. Oh, and even if you can communicate your thoughts via speech rather well, these cat ears can still be a brilliant part of your costume for Halloween. 😉
Here’s Necomimi in action.
The World’s Smallest 3D Printer
3D printing is all the craze today, with many samples of what can be done with this new way of printing attracting people from all over the world. When I first heard of 3D printing, I was not totally hooked. I think I might even have dismissed it as being a mere fad. I couldn’t have been more wrong!
From edible bones to miniature copies of yourself to little models of self-propelling sculptures – all these things have been printed in 3D, and it doesn’t seem that the popularity is going to wane anytime soon. If anything, it looks like 3D printing is only going to become more popular in the future.
In fact, there is now a gadget that might just make 3D printing more accessible to the average person. A bunch of guys from the Vienna Institute of Technology have created what they call the world’s smallest 3D printer. More than the size factor, though, the 3D printer is supposed to be within the financial reach of many individuals.
In spite of its small size, the 3D printer holds a lot of promise. It works by utilizing a special kind of resin that hardens when it comes in contact with an intense beam of light. This means that this 3D printer can create objects that will withstand relatively high pressure, while at the same time allow for intricate designs. What more can one ask for, really?
It is easy to imagine all the potential things that one can create with this kind of printer. Let’s say you have a piece of art that you want to turn into a sculpture. This 3D printer can easily produce a gift for you. If you’re the artsy type who creates your own jewelry and/or accessories, you can even use the 3D printer to make your earrings or pendant for a posh night out! The possibilities are endless, really, and with the 3D printer being the size of a milk carton, it can be carried practically anywhere. At 3.3 pounds, even the smallest person will be able to carry the printer around.
Of course, small things come at a price. Still, considering everything else, $1,700 seems to be a fairly reasonable amount to charge for something that can produce so many things. More so, the creators say that the price is only a ballpark figure. If the demand goes up, the price might just go down. If anything, just imagine all the fun that you can have if you have one of these at your disposal!
Via Popsci
Android 2.3 Gingerbread Is Coming to Town
There is no doubt about Android-based devices becoming more and more popular. And amongst the Android-based devices out there, Samsung does seem to have an edge over its competitors. The Samsung Galaxy Tab and the Galaxy S are perhaps two of the most sought after gadgets in their respective categories (maybe next to the ubiquitous and more expensive Apple products).
With the rising popularity of these devices, it is but expected to have users on the constant lookout for improvements and updates. And speaking of updates, it looks like Samsung Galaxy Tab and Galaxy S (as well as other gadgets in the Galaxy line) users are in for a treat in the very near future. That is, the Android 2.3 Gingerbread upgrade will be made available to the range of Galaxy devices.
In a press release published today, Samsung outlines the following: ((Mobile Syrup))
- Faster Performance – Multimedia content now has a lower CPU consumption rate, while support for more powerful 3D Graphics enables an enhanced mobile gaming experience.
- Upgraded Usability – The user interface has been improved, enabling faster access and control and a more intuitive user experience. Users will also benefit from improved copy-and-paste functionality.
I repeat: this upgrade is going to be available for all the Galaxy devices, even the cheaper ones like the Galaxy Mini! This piece of news is enough to make users clap their hands with glee, yes?
The thing is that the upgrade will not be available everywhere at the same time. In the same press release, Samsung mentions that the UK and Nordic countries will receive the Android 2.3 upgrade for the Galaxy S starting the middle of this month (that’s right about now?). The rest of Europe, North America, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and the rest of the world will have to wait for the update, which will be gradually rolled out.
Super Portable External DVD/CD Writer for Netbooks
Portability is one of the major gadget buzz words these days. We love everything portable, which is perhaps why netbooks and notebooks continue to be popular despite the wide array of high performance desktop computers available on the market. The portability of these netbooks and notebooks come at a price though, with some standard devices and features of your desktop and laptop computers compromised.
A device that may not be that important but we all sorely miss in netbooks and notebooks are DVD/CD players/writers. Thankfully, there are external DVD/CD writers available that we can use. The problem though is finding one that is not only reliable but also just as portable as your netbook. Afterall you wouldn’t want to be lugging around an external DVD writer that weighs a ton. If that’s the case, you might as well just get a bigger laptop that has a built in write.
Lite-On, one of the top names in optical drives, has a great DVD/CD writer that is perfect for netbook and notebook users. The Lite-On eNAU608 external DVD/CD writer is perfect for netbook users that need to have their external writers always on hand, because its size and weight. This super portable DVD/CD writer is just 5.5(W) x 5.2(D) inches big, and is also ultra-slim being just 0.7 inches thick. It weighs less than 0.7 lbs, making it one of the lightest external DVD/CD writers on the market.
Aside from the size and weight, it is virtually fuss free to use since it is USB powered. This means that you do not need to bring power cables, except for your USB cable of course, nor have to find a power outlet each time you need to use it.
The Lite-On eNAU608 external DVD/CD writer is also CD and DVD read compliant and supports both 8cm and 12cm discs of the different CD and DVD families so you don’t have to worry about compatibility issues.
Another cool feature of this DVD/CD writer is that it supports LabelTag, which makes it super easy to make your own circular labels for the discs you write on without having to use any other special devices and software.
With all these features I would suggest that you seriously consider getting Lite-On’s eNAU608 external DVD/CD writer if you are looking for one. It will set you back $69.99, but it seems to be well worth every penny you spend.
Universal Charger to Be Truly Universal
How many gadgets do you own? Count in your mobile phones, your mp3 players, your cameras, your tablets, and your laptops. The chances are that you have more than two gadgets in your arsenal, and you know very well just how inconvenient it can be to have to figure out where the appropriate chargers are at any given time. You may have a specific location at home where you keep them, but all those cables and connectors can still be a pain – not to mention the issues when you are on the road.
That’s where universal chargers come in handy, as they do what it says on the tin – charge various gadgets, doing away with the need for a single different charger for each device. In 2009, the International Telecommunications Union, or ITU, specified standards for a universal charger. While the word universal has been tacked on to the term, the standards still left out provisions for certain gadgets. If you think about it, you can’t really blame them. With all the gadgets available in the market, it might just be difficult to cover everything in a single device.
This week, though, the ITU has taken a big step forward by changing the specifications for the universal charger. This time around, it just might be truly universal!
The charger is now supposed to be used for various mobile phones PLUS mp3 and mp4 players, as well as cameras. Not only that, but other devices such as tablet computers, wireless headphones, GPS units, and other gadgets will also be taken into consideration.
This change is being made possible by equipping the universal charger with a power adaptor, a detachable cable with both USB and micro-USB connectors. More than being used for charging, this device can also be used for transferring data.
Simple yet brilliant, but there is still one thing that’s bothering me – what about those manufacturers who insist on using their own patented connectors for their devices? Can’t they be “asked” to conform to standard connectors as well?
Via ZDNet