Developages - Development and Technology Blog

Surely advertisers would go gaga over Holosonics if its pinpoint sound technology were to prove feasible and effective. The system relies on ultrasound to project audio that can only be heard within a very specific area.

The plan is to direct advertisements to shoppers’ ears as they pass by a particular section. Useful, for instance, to upsell with related products. But it’s obvious that this technology—if fully implemented and improved upon—has potentially diabolical uses.

“Buy product X, and you’ll be real glad you did.” Here’s a chance for big spenders to influence shoppers towards their side, literally shutting out competitors who can’t afford to purchase these directed announcements.

“Remember, product Y really sucks.” Again, a chance for those with money to gain an advantage over their less financially-capable ones.

“Don’t drink the Kool-Aid!” A believer in reverse psychology? Well, this is a chance to influence people with it, on an extremely personal level. Is it also reasonable to imagine evil pranksters quietly announcing “Don’t forget the sauce for your wife’s recipe!”

“See that guy in the red shirt? Use that knife in your cart…” It’s easy to imagine some white coat turning the Holosonics system into a very compelling suggestion-device. So why not turn that innocent shopper into a lethal assassin?

“Vote for Citizen X. He’s the right candidate.” Holosonics’ tests, which include supermarkets in the US, are out just in time for the November elections.

“Your still have $5,000 on credit; why not buy product X?” And of course, what consumer-oriented suggestion system isn’t complete without the classic there’s-a-discount-so-buy-more incentive.

The above scenarios are either too paranoid, or right on the money. In any case, we’d love to see what other brainwashing techniques you can dream up for the Holosonics’ system. (howstuffworks.com)

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Original post by Rico

Do you know who Marc Jacobs is? We don’t, and we don’t really care, but maybe you want to win a Marc Jacobs-branded wallet? The Gadgenista has the 411 on this giveaway/product placement for soapnet.com:

I’m happy to host a give-away contest for them since I totally love their website (and in promotion of the site re-launch). So, simply put, I’m giving way the following prizes:

• One (1) $25 Barney’s Gift Card
• One (1) $15 Pinkberry Gift Card
• One (1) $15 iTunes Card
• One (1) Marc Jacob’s Wallet
• One (1) iPod Nano [product red baby!]

⇼t! Check out the full details here. To save non-US residents from the trouble, don’t bother.

Tags: Barney’s, iPod nano, Marc Jacobs, Pinkberry, Product red, soapnet, soapnet.com

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Original post by Rico

There really is no need to mention that this gadget can convert music on those old vinyl records and cassette tapes into digital music. Or even that this piece of legacy-driven tech can cram entire collections into a portable media player. It’s probably better to focus on the £39.95 price tag, the apparent fact that it works with a USB port, and the oodles of time you’ll need to set aside if you want to do some serious converting with this baby. (gizoo.co.uk, image from coolest-gadgets.com)

Tags: cassettes to MP3s, Instant Music Vinyl and Cassette Ripper, music conversion, records to MP3s

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Original post by Rico

Looks like the Nokia 5800 will be part of the XpressMusic line of phones, which include luminaries like the 5310. At least according to the leak by the Chinese peeps, though why the new moniker “XpressMedia” wasn’t used will be a question.

According to the source, The upcoming Nokia 5800 XpressMusic phone feature:

• A 640 x 360 (16:9) 3.2″ 16-million color display
• the Symbian S60 “5th Edition” OS
• An accelerometer for auto screen rotation
• A 3 megapixel camera with Carl-Zeiss lens dual LED flash
• some GPS, WiFi (b/g), and Bluetooth 2.0
• a 3.5mm jack for audio and video output (includes TV-out!)
• 140MB of internal memory
• a microSD that accepts up to 8GB (SDHC)
• 1320mAh of battery power via the Nokia BL-5J. W00t!
• a length of 115mm, width of 52mm, thickness of 14.55mm, and a weight of 104 grams

Continue to see more pics and a bit of trivia.

This was the phone featured on The Dark Knight.

Tags: Nokia 5800, Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, Phone in The Dark Knight

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Original post by Rico

The biggest temptation the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin iPod Speakers brings is very childish. It makes you want to take out the portable media player (supports any iPod that fits into a 30-pin connector and any player with a 3.5 mm audio jack), carry it up and make propeller sounds, imagining your on the Hindenburg’s maiden voyage perhaps? But then again, that would look really weird to whoever you wanted to share your portable audio with, and a total waste of the $600 price tag.

The B&W Zeppelin features DSP, and over 100W of power divided equally between the bass and treble. Pretty powerful, but it’s reliance on the wall socket (i.e., no battery-power option) means that the Zeppelin fantasy is totally impractical. It’s currently available at the Apple Store and Amazon. [insert propeller sound here]

Tags: Bowers &amp Wilkins, Bowers and Wilkins, Zeppelin iPod Speakers

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Original post by Rico

Everyone knows how gratifying a heartfelt scream can feel. But we all know how neighbors don’t like waking up to auditions for Tarzan. Enter the shouting vase, courtesy of Japan Trend Shop:

The vase supposedly uses some patented (or not) technology to convert screams into soft whispers. You scream into one end, and the silenced audio comes out the other. We can’t really believe that such an acoustic feat is possible, and like Popgadget writes, doesn’t part of the release involve hearing your scream echo throughout everywhere?

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Original post by Rico

Problem: You’ve got a gadget that can broadcast FM signals, allowing you to stream music to your car radio without wires. Examples include the Nokia N78, offerings from iLuv, the USB Fever 8-in-1 FM Transmitter for the iPod and iPhone, and Proporta’s iPod FM transmitter. Unfortunately, with so many radio stations in your area, it’s very hard to find an FM frequency that’s free from interference, especially since some stations are just .5 Mhz apart from each other.

Solution: Check out the Sirius FM Channel Finder. Designed for US users, this online app asks for your zip code. Based on this information, it tries to determine which FM frequency is likely the most free from interference. It simply looks at the list of the FCC-accredited stations in your area, and locates “the most vacant FM frequencies” within the vicinity. Even if the FM channel finder may be designed for Sirius users, it also works wonder for owners of other types of FM transmitters.

Good thing Sirius maintained this tool, which was created some time around 2007, way before we started handling this blog. Got a better way of finding an FM frequency for your transmitter? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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Original post by Rico

BudFits are just what I like in a gadget invention. Simple, cheap and solving one single problem with an Apple iPod accessory.

Taken from the official BudFits website:

iPod earbuds have reached iconic status and are the outward symbol to the world that you own an iPod instead of a generic digital media player. Yet iPod earbuds can be uncomfortable and fall out of many people’s ears during physical activities like exercise and extreme sports. The solution… BudFits.

Apparently these little gadgets are snap-on earpieces that fit Apple’s earbuds and will prevent them from falling out of your ears.

For for less then $10.00 USD a pair, you can’t go wrong. I’ll be ordering a set today and rocking them on my iPod Classic in no time.

Tags: Accessories, apple, iPod, music

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Original post by Sean R.

I know plenty of friends who are Apple lovers. They have Macs, iPods and iPhones in their homes. So you can imagine if a household has this gadgets around, then they will be fighting around to charge them. To solve this problem, the Griffin guys have come up with the new PowerDock 2, a multiple charging base for iPods and iPhones.

It features two or four Apple Universal Docks built into a single charging base made with brushed aluminum with a grippy rubber base. They’ve even included 8 Universal Dock insert adapters to ensure that no iPod and iPhone is missed out.

Griffin PowerDock 2 for iPods and iPhones are also compatible with the following: iPhone, iPod touch, iPod classic, iPod nano with video, iPod with video, iPod nano 2G, iPod 4G and iPod mini.

Griffin’s PowerDock 2, retailing at $49.99, is now available at Apple, in stores and on the Web, and will soon be available on Griffin’s website.

Griffin PowerDock 2 for iPods and iPhones Technical Specifications:

* Power input: 110-240V AC @50-60 Hz
* Power output: 5V DV @ 1.2 Amps
* AC Power supply: 6′ (1.8m)
* 8 Universal Dock inserts included to fit iPod models that charge by Dock Connector

Tags: Griffin PowerDock 2 for iPods and iPhones

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Original post by colbert low

Griffin, maker of all things iPod has just announced (2 days ago) the new FlexGrip and FlexScreen cases for iPod. They’ve also released a new Screen Care Kit for iPod touch. The full info below and somehow I feel I’ve seen this type of casings before but I can’t feel that out yet.

FlexGrip
FlexGrip provides the ultimate in silicone protection for iPod nano and iPod touch against dirt, dings, dents and scratches. The two-color case is smooth on top with a textured, nubby rear surface for easy grip. It goes on easily and allows full access to the screen, connectors, and controls. FlexGrip for iPod touch includes a static peel touchscreen protector and cleaning cloth.

FlexScreen for iPod nano
FlexScreen features the same textured back as FlexGrip and adds a crystal-clear, scratch-resistant polycarbonate face shield. This incredibly durable shield easily snaps onto the outside of the case for added protection.

Screen Care Kit for iPod touch
Griffin’s new Screen Care Kit for iPod touch includes five static peel screen protectors, and a premium lint-free cleaning cloth to remove smudges, dust, and fingerprints. Cleaning and care instructions are included, making this kit a necessity for the iPod touch user who wants to preserve the screen from damage.

Tags: FlexScreen and Screen Care Kit for iPod touch, Griffin FlexGrip

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Original post by colbert low

Below is announcement regarding new capabilities for the Slacker Portable Radio Player that allows it to instantly access hundreds of thousands Wi-Fi hotspots that normally require a password or web-based login.

Current owners of the Slacker Portable Player will be able to get Devicescape functionality through a free firmware update available today - a simple station refresh will automatically update all existing players. All new Slacker Portable Players will ship enabled with the latest features.

The Slacker Portable can now instantly access hundreds of thousands Wi-Fi hotspots that normally require a password or web-based login. Devicescape automates the process of accessing Wi-Fi hotspots making it simple for Slacker Portable users to refresh their Personal Radio stations at hotspots all over town as well as favorite places, such as Starbucks and McDonalds.

“What makes the Slacker Portable one of the most innovative digital audio players in the market is its wireless connectivity allowing listeners to automatically refresh their Personal Radio stations,” said Rob Enderle, Principal Analyst for the Enderle Group. “With connectivity key to the Slacker experience, it makes sense for them to partner with Devicescape to make that connectivity easy to use and easy to find.”

Tags: Slacker Portable Radio Player

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Original post by colbert low

From the land of Korea, we have this retro/brick looking Portable Computer dubbed HDPC that has ugly looking buttons. It’s sort of a PDA cum phone from MIU that boots dual OS (Windows XP/Windows CE 5.0 or Linux Qplus) which will satisfy Windows haters.

It comes with a smalllish QWERTY keyboard, 4-inch display with 800×480 resolution, lasts up to 90 hours on low power mode and wireless internet functions. Don’t expect it to launch outside Korea anytime soon in July 2008.

As the name ‘HDPC’ signifies, user can converge the stand-alone technologies of existing portable devices such as car PC, navigation, mobile phone, PMP, mp3, UMPC, electronic dictionary, internet phone, PSP, digital camera, voice recorder, mobile IPTV into HDPC. The HDPC is expected to be available in July 2008, and the price would be between 400,000(KRW) and 500,000(KRW).

photo and news via aving.net

Tags: MIU Hybrid Dual Portable Computer

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Original post by colbert low

The iPod and iPhone firmware update 1.1.4 has been released by Apple and it comes out just over a month’s time after the V 1.1.3 came out. Itsd available via the iTunes or it can be downloaded as a 165 MB standalone setup file. Just make sure you backup all your data on your iPod and iPhone or you’ll be tearing your hair out faster than you can say Steve Jobs!

Check out what Erica Sadun went through on the update. I keep my iPod nano in the shelve until V 2.0 comes out. I feel safer doing that.

Here is the 165 MB standalone setup file.

Tags: iPhone, iPod

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Original post by colbert low

iLuv i730 Bluetooth hands-free car kit with FM Transmitter for your iPod: The i730 makes answering and making calls wireless and easy without having to take out your phone. Call features include call reject, call transfer, voice dial and redial options. Compliant with Bluetooth V2.0 and great for communication ranges up to 33ft (10mm). Made […]

Original post by colbert low

The Samsung SGH-F250 is a sleek and good-looking music phone that comes equipped with dedicated music playback navigation keys on the front. This glossy tri-band GSM/EDGE slider music phone has a stylish metallic keypad and with an optional 2GB MicroSD card, where you can store up to 1,500 tracks in various formats which you can […]

Original post by colbert low