Introducing the Nokia N8

Introducing the Nokia N8



Take amazing photos and videos, connect to your favourite social networks and be entertained with the latest Web TV programs and Ovi Store apps.

The Nokia N8 introduces a 12 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics and Xenon flash, HD-quality video recording, film editing software and Dolby surround sound. All in a beautiful, aluminium design.



More Information - Nokia Product

The Living Kitchen Project Imagines A Gesture-Based Future

Could Claytronics make the simple act of preparing a meal as interactive and engaging as a video game? Michaël Harboun explores the future of everyday objects with the Living Kitchen Project.

Claytronics is a technology concept that relies on nano-sized computers that can join together to form interactive 3D objects. Imagine walking up to a blank wall, tracing a rectangle, and having the microscopic computers making up the surface rearrange themselves into a functional TV monitor.


Living Kitchen Project Image



Michaël Harboun, a design student at Strate Collège, created the Living Kitchen Project to help envision a world where everyday objects have been replaced with that technology. Where the objects we clutter our kitchens with are reduced to simple surfaces manipulated via hand gestures.

Michaël Harboun - Living Kitchen Project Video



"Now let's imagine a world where physical objects would gain digital abilities, meaning you could change the shape of any object as you would change the contents of your smartphone," Harboun says. "This would revolutionize our relationship with objects. An object would no longer induce a function by the way it looks. The user himself would define the functions of an object, the user becomes creator."

While such technology seems distant and alien, extreme research into the field is currently being conducted at the Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. While the Living Kitchen is still a long ways off, the foundation is being built.

Being a design student, Harboun finished his presentation with a statement about how the role of the designer would change once all of that kitchen clutter becomes obsolete.

"The designer would still keep his position as a guarantor of quality. He would create sophisticated shapes in order to propose the best usages possible for his customer's needs. But he would also play an important role in the way the user interacts with the object. Designing the matter's behavior will perhaps be a new challenge for tomorrow's designers."

Via - Kotaku

Tags: kotaku.com, Living Kitchen, Michaël Harboun

RedEye Mini Dongle - Now on Sale for $49

You've heard about it for months, and now the universal remote that looks nothing like a universal remote is finally on sale in 52 nations. Thinkflood's RedEye Mini -- which simply plugs into the headphone jack of your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch -- can now be procured for $49, and when used with the gratis app in the App Store, can control anything in your home entertainment setup that accepts IR commands. ZDNet was fortunate enough to get a little hands-on time with the device, and their early impressions are quite positive. In fact, they recommend skipping the Harmony hoopla and heading right for this if you're already an iDevice owner (who doesn't use an imposing case or Bumper), and at a buck under a Grant, we certainly aren't in a position to argue. See More Pictures Below

Microsoft's Zune Pass due in the UK?

Zune Pass launched in the US alongside the Zune MP3 players and offered an alternative to the more common ‘pay-per-download’ services like iTunes. For a flat monthly fee, users get to download unlimited amounts of music from the entire Zune back-catalogue. These songs are DRM-restricted, but can be used on up to three computers and three Zune devices. As long as the subscription remains paid-up and active, the music can be listened to an unlimited number of times. On top of this, each subscriber gets to choose 10 songs each month to keep as DRM-free MP3s for no extra fee.

However, the service was never launched in the UK. With the release of the Windows Phone 7 platform just around the corner, though, Microsoft is taking the opportunity to extend the reach of its media service. The mobile OS uses the Zune branding and interface for its media capabilities, so having the Zune Pass service to complement it makes sense.

The screen-grab points to £8.99 for a one-month subscription and £26.97 for three months (hardly a discount - Ed), as well as the option of a 14-day free trial of the service.

Adobe FlashTime to Bring Peer to Peer Video calls to Android

With tongue wedged firmly in cheek, Adobe has named its latest little bit of demo software FlashTime and given it a quick spin to whet our appetites. Built using the forthcoming Air 2.5, this peer-to-peer video chat client harnesses your smartphone's camera to get some direct visual communication going with your fellow Android lovers. Okay, so Android users already have other options for doing just this very thing, but the point being made here is that you can do just about anything with Flash, and since it's Flash it'll be easy to port around to other platforms. Skip past the break to see the demo, which has a multipeer chat session with a desktop Mac thrown in for good measure.

New Gaming Xbox 360 4GB ships August 3rd for $199

Amazon Germany just couldn't keep a secret. Microsoft's just announced that a shiny new Xbox 360 Arcade replacement -- with 4GB internal flash memory, a matte finish, and built-in 802.11n WiFi -- will be shipping August 3rd for $199.99. A stark difference in capacity to the current 250GB model, but at least it's cheaper. Looking ahead to November, the standalone Kinect, it's coming for it $149.99 with Kinect Adventures. Act surprised, Microsoft would really like you to. As for the pièce de résistance -- that'd be the 4GB console, Kinect sensor, and game - that's due out "this holiday" for $299.99. Press release after the break, pretty pictures just below.

Amazon Kindle E-Reader Sales Rise After Price Drop

A lot has been reported about the Kindle e-reader and this tidbit gives an insight into its increasing popularity. Amazon has noted a huge growth in sales of the Kindle e-reader each month in Q2 of the current year on a sequential month-over-month and a year-over-year basis. This exponential rise seems to have been noticed after the price of the device was reduced to $189 (approx. Rs. 8,950).

Amazon boasts of having sold 143 Kindle books for every 100 hardcover books over the past three months. Over the past one month, the company claims to have sold about 180 Kindle books for every 100 hardcover books snapped up. Amazon has also revealed that it has sold three times more Kindle books in the first half of this year as compared to the first half of 2009.

“We’ve reached a tipping point with the new price of Kindle-the growth rate of Kindle device unit sales has tripled since we lowered the price from $259 to $189,” affirmed Jeff Bezos, Founder and CEO, Amazon. “In addition, even while our hardcover sales continue to grow, the Kindle format has now overtaken the hardcover format. Amazon.com customers now purchase more Kindle books than hardcover books astonishing when you consider that we’ve been selling hardcover books for 15 years, and Kindle books for 33 months.”

The 6” e-ink display of the Android based Kindle e-reader allows comfortable visibility even in brightly lit areas. The battery life of the device is cited to last for up to two weeks. Users can also avail of 3G wireless capabilities at no additional cost though books downloaded at the Kindle Store must be paid for. Packed into a sleek tablet-like form factor, the e-reader weighs approximately 10.2 ounces which makes for easy portability.

The U.S. Kindle stores offer users over 630,000 e-books that include latest releases as well as 106 of 110 New York Times best sellers. Readers can avail of more than 5,10,000 of these books at $9.99 (approx. Rs. 470) or less.

Google Receives the Last Shipment of Nexus One

Earlier this year, Google revealed that it will be closing the Nexus One web store. Now, according to the official Google Nexus One blog, the company has received the last shipment of the Nexus One phones this week.

Once these devices are planked onto shelves, Google will not make the handsets available. However, present users will continue receiving customer support from the company. Nexus One will continue to be sold through Vodafone in Europe, KT in Korea, and possibly others depending on local market conditions.

Google will offer the Nexus One through a partner for sale to registered developers to ensure they have access to a phone with the latest Android OS.

Registered users can visit the Android Market Publisher website or log on to their developer account to purchase Google’s Nexus One.

Verizon Announces Droid X Launch date July 15th

Verizon Wireless has announced that the Droid X will be coming to its network on July 15th for $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate. The Droid X is a slab-style touch phone. It has a 4.3-inch screen with WVGA resolution (854 x 480 pixels), HD video capture and playback, HMDI out, streaming DLNA support and streaming video content. It can use its internet connection to create Wi-Fi hotspots for up to 5 other devices (additional $20 per month). It also has a 1GHz Texas Instruments OMAP processor and an 8 megapixel camera with mechanical shutter, autofocus and dual LED flash. It will come with a lot of video content, such as V CAST Video, NFL Mobile App, BlockBuster, Skype Mobile and Back-Up Assistant. It as 8GB of internal storage and supports up to 32GB in the microSD slot.

Some specs and details:

• 4.3-inch, 854×480 display
• 8 megapixel camera
• 720p video recording
• 1GHz TI OMAP processor (successor to the chip in the original Droid)
• 8GB internal storage (plus microSD)
• HDMI out
• 720p video
• true multitouch keyboard, with pre-loaded Swype
• Wi-Fi hotspot powers for up to 5 devices.
• “High performance diversity antennas” for call quality
• Battery life comparable to the original Droid
• 3, yes three mics: for video and noise suppression
• It’s not getting Android 2.2 until “late summer”
• It’s $200 after $100 mail-in rebate when it comes out July 15—the bonus is that they’re pulling an AT&T, so anybody eligible for an upgrade anytime in 2010 can upgrade immediately.
• Standard unlimited $30 data plan; $20 extra for mobile hotspot powers which comes with 2GB. Another $20 nets you an extra 2GB of data a month.

Futuristic Handled Console by Mario Troise

Mario Troise welcomes you to the future of handled gaming. Troise has designed a one screen Nintendo DS concept that seems to be really fantastic and incredible, because it would have almost everything. The concept is very similar to the current Nintendo DS in many respects. The DS would be 3D, it would have 2 motion sensing cameras and GPS. One of the cameras is placed on the front and the other one on the back. The cameras can track the movements of the players in such a way that they can interact with the games through their facial expression or hands.








However, the DS also has mechanical buttons – beautiful and functional

The iPad Clamshell Notebook

Experiments with non-standard use of iPad tablet computer go on. Do you remember the quite doubtful modding - the 25-year old Macintosh with tablet computer casing? This time the idea is similar, however the “envelope” is a bit fresher – this is the iBook G3 “Clamshell” notebook that had quite an unusual rounded case for its 2001 year of manufacture and thus entered the history of portable computers.
The iBook G3 was based on the PowerPC processor with frequency of 300-466 MHz, that in modern times turns computer into a stylish typewriter. Perhaps that is why an unknown moder decided to renovate the device’s configuration.
As the result the iPad Clamshell notebook appeared. The device has a touch screen (formerly known as iPad tablet computer) and new keyboard that is connected with the tablet by Bluetooth protocol. In general, modding can be considered quite successful, however, it has one and quite a sad minus – the notebook cannot be closed – there is a high risk to damage the screen.

Blood Pressure Monitor For Blind and Visually Impaired People

For a blind person many simple things seem to be impossible, even such a simple procedure as measurement of blood pressure. Due to this fantastic blood pressure monitor blind and visually impaired people get the great possibility to make health checks independently. The secret of the device is quite simple – the device features an integrated measurements system that first measures the blood pressure very accurately and then different bumps that are triggered by a microcomputer appear on the surface of the device, thus a blind person can “read” the figures using the Braille. The device is very comfortable to use, because it is made out of soft material due to which the monitor can be easily strapped around the wrist. This device will definitely improve quality of life of blind and visually impaired people, because it will help a person depraved of vision to check health on his or her own.

Cute Analog Watch from a Spanish Designer

Most people are convinced that only TokyoFlash company invents most fantastic watches, however, this is whong. In fact this “analog” timepiece designed by a designer from Spain is a truly great piece of design. While other design look for very unusual or very complicated ways of displaying the time, the Koko Muo display the time in very elegant way that is likely to seem very nice to many people. The watch is made entirely from titanium. The outer ring of the watch shows minutes in a semicircle, while the inner ring shows hours with a broader semicircle. The broader semicircle also displays the a.m hours with a color that is different from the p.m hours. To cut a long story short, this is a very stylish watch that looks like a speedometer of a sport car. This nice watch offers a really unique time in an analog watch.

New Samsung Proxima

The Samsung Proxima – A Great Device For Those Who Often Lose Their Phones
May be there are people who never forget cellphones at home, however, I’ve never met such a person. Neither I know a person who never misplaces his or her cellphone. Every day millions of people spend an awful lot of time on searching for their cellphones all over the home and lots of people lose their phones in public places. Is there a solution? Yes, there is – the fantastic Samsung Proxima.



The Samsung Proxima is really fantastic, because it features a wristband that acts as a dock for a detachable cellphone. There is a proximity sensor due to which the wristband emits a tone or vibrates in case if the phone is too far from its. Due to this nice device you can easily find yoru phone – just press a button! However, these are not all the pluses of the Samsung Proxima. IT is important that you can detect nearby contacts using the same device. Thus you can set your privacy and location details.

How often do you forget your cellphone at home? How often do you misplace it and how long does it take until you find it again? How many phones have you lost in public places? Well, the answer to this questions for many of us is “a lot”, so it’s time to solve this using the Samsung Proxima.

Solar-Powered Toy Cosmos

The Eames Lounge Chair is widely recognized as one of the most beautiful pieces of furniture ever designed. But as shown by this lovely photo of his "do nothing machine," Charles Eames was as much a tinkerer as a designer.



Charles and his wife Ray Eames' furniture and architecture helped define mid-century American design. But they were also tireless tinkerers and inventors, perpetually dreaming up new devices and experimenting with new materials.

In the above photograph from 1958 Charles Eames is shown with his Do Nothing machine, an early solar-powered toy that had an array of bright, moving pieces but no apparent function. In a time when toys were expected to teach something or develop some skill, Eames had a more meditative aim. "It is not supposed to do. It is supposed to be. It's whole function is in its being," he said of the toy.


Solar-Powered Toy Cosmos Vid



Later, reflecting on the toy, he said, "we now have a moment in time which is very precious; but this is valid only if the toy does nothing." It seems to me that the photo above—the toy whirring and Eames looking hopefully to the sun—does a fine job of capturing that precious moment.