The cases you buy for your gadgets, for example, your iPhone, may look ho-hum. After all, it’s just a case that protects your gadget from scratches and the occasional bumps. But you may not realize that case manufacturers can be quite the ingenious bunch. We’ve seen some really cool case designs before and some of them are so cleverly designed we just have to have it. [Read more…]
A watch is a great conversation piece. There are an innumerable number of different watch designs and whatever you wear actually kind of reflects on yourself as a person and reveal a little about your personality. If you want to show people that you’re cool, hip and intelligent then a watch like the Nooka Zizm will convey those traits to other people – and more.
The Nooka Zizm is a uniquely designed watch that boasts of great design elements that elevate it from just a plasticky looking timepiece to one that shines because of unique design decisions made in designing it. The first thing that will be noticed when looking at the watch is the cool facets on the crystal face. The facets will show you a refracted view of the watch dial. And what a watch face it is. [Read more…]
In a season of price cuts and with the Wii U only a year away, people are naturally wondering what the next big thing is in the world of video games. And since controllers have been such an important element of the current generation, how are we going to be controlling our games in the future? Here’s my thoughts on the technologies out there:
Touchscreen Gaming
Hey, this is easy. Turns out that some elements of the present of video game hardware will probably be around in the future (no, really!). The DS brought us touchscreen gaming over half a decade ago now, but that technology looks especially primitive compared to the offerings from the current wave of smartphones (though the simplicity of smartphone games still leave something to be desired). What’s the future of this technology? Essentially, going bigger and better. Invest in a tablet pc and you’ll immediately see the difference that having a screen nearly three times the size of smartphone can make: precise control over the field of play, as well as far more superior visuals. With a large screen area, you also have more space to integrate input areas, allow for more complex games.
Nintendo’s Wii-U is the immediate future of this tech: a handheld display for a TV-based console providing full touch-screen interaction with the game onscreen (or alternatively, interaction with other information relevant to the player). For me, this is exciting because there are plenty of stagnant game genres that have been consigned to the PC because neither joypads nor motion control have been adequate replacements for the mouse and keyboard. The strategy game springs to mind instantly: games in the vein of Starcraft and Command & Conquer could be revamped for home console play (and touchscreen monitors may ensure that PC versions remain relevant).
Motion Control
Motion control has sold millions of consoles (Wii), and shifted many peripherals (PS3 Move and Xbox 360 Kinect), so is there any doubting that it’s here to stay? Well, flying in the face of overwhelming evidence, I still completely believe that this has been a very successful gimmick. Wiis collect dust, and nobody seems to have the enthusiasm sufficient for developing games for the competitor’s systems. And it all seems like a bunch of daft flapping to me: gesture based control, rather than literal ‘motion’ control.
But in the long term, motion control has the potential to be a cornerstone of interactivity. Microsoft’s Kinect technology is most interesting, as it potentially solves the problem of interactivity solely being about our hands, bringing our entire body into play. But even this kind of motion will always be a source of detachment: objects we pretend to hold will have no weight, we’ll have to ‘pretend run’ to move anywhere. Visions of full-body robotic motion suits arrive in my head with B-movie gusto.
Virtual Reality?
We are, however, getting into the dangerous realm of controllers that would be incredibly immersive, but would be incredibly difficult to sell to people. For all of its motion control innovation, the Wii controller’s most intelligent feature was the fact that it was shaped like a television remote control. It gave consumers something familiar to latch onto when seeking a new experience. Even 3D cinema glasses have found success only by adopting the familiar Wayfarer design.
Full-body motion suits? Scary science fiction nonsense. And another classic idea we’re always going to have trouble accepting is the VR helmet. After decades of uncomfortable, daft looking products and bad science fiction featuring them, we just can’t take them seriously. Perhaps someday someone will develop something sufficiently lightweight and ordinary looking that becomes a mass market favourite. Sony’s new HMZ-T1 3D Virtual Reality Headset is part of the evolution, but don’t expect it to be a huge success. But how are we supposed to interact with games if we can’t see our hands whilst using these things? Motion control probably isn’t the answer, at least if you like not smashing expensive VR visors.
Gamepads
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Video game controllers have reached a sort of equilibrium in the last decade, and though the number of triggers and the position of the two joysticks will vary, there’s a definite formula. Any future console could take a cue from the Vita and feature a rear-mounted touch pad, and motion control seems a likely candidate for inclusion too. But the simple tactile feedback, durability and ease of use of a button has been grossly underestimated in the last few years.
Steph Wood is a copywriter and gaming blogger working on projects for Comet, a UK based retailer who stock cheap iPad 2s and other gadgets.
A couple of months ago, I was planning on taking a short three-day vacation out of town with my family. We were excited about the trip and were happily packing when we realized that we would be leaving our cats without no one to take care of them. That definitely put a damper to our plans. Fortunately, a relative came through for us and was gracious enough to agree to house and pet sit for us while we were away. [Read more…]
Home security is a growing issue in this day and age. You just can’t be safe enough with the constant threat of burglary or home invasions. Home security systems are becoming the new gadget frontier for those who love to buy and acquire gadgets. And it’s actually a good investment of your gadget money because it goes into something that protects whatever else you own inside your home, not to mention it ensures the safety of your whole family. [Read more…]
Gadgets are not only found within the realm of the consumer sector. The military is actually gadget heaven for the latest and most advance electronic equipment. And they need to be at the cutting edge of technology because we’re talking about defense and the protection of lives – not just the civilians but also military personnel as well. [Read more…]
Home safety is very important. For gadget lovers, gadget are not just the ones they bring with them and show off to the public. True gadget love will also extend to items inside the home, including things that help keep our homes safe for us. [Read more…]
Biking is a very healthy pursuit. I won’t say that it’s a sport, even though it is. I just think that biking is more of a way of life. I know of many friends who have come to rely on their bike not just as something to get fit with during the weekends but as a reliable form of transportation that is environmentally friendly. With so many pros, many people should really examine how they can incorporate biking into the lives. [Read more…]
No one can argue that Bear Grylls is the quintessential alpha male. The guy has shown in his hit TV show Man Vs. Wild the various ways a man can survive when he left out to fend for himself in various inhospitable environments. It’s an entertaining show that gives you a great peek into survivalism and, of course, gives you an idea of what to do in case you get stranded in the middle of the Arctic Circle (well, it could happen). [Read more…]
It is undeniable that international calling cards are one of the greatest technological innovations that have made our lives and chores easier and faster. With calling cards, communication became more convenient, accessible and cost efficient. For instance, a businessman can simply call India from Philippines to follow-up the supplies needed for his business. Likewise, a son can simply call India from United States to talk to his parents and tell them that he made it to the honor’s list.
Originally, calling cards have been developed for use in public pay phone booths. The user simply inserts the calling card into the pay phone and the machine can automatically read the available load balance. The user can then use the calling time corresponding to the available load balance. Earlier phone cards have a magnetic strip that contains important information such the available load balance and calling time of the account. Indeed, that magnetic strip serves as the data storage of the calling card. As technology advanced, innovations have also been introduced to calling cards. Some calling cards started to use optical storage instead of the magnetic information database. With the optical storage, the available load balance can already be reflected on top of the card for the user’s convenience. The most recent technological development among calling cards is the use of micro chips. Issues such as hacking threatened the use of micro chips but the problems were later solved with the use of highly-secured technologies.