Hasta La Gadget!

Nano-sized letters are one thing, but nothing impresses the nanotechnology community like creepy crawly nanotech, and some researchers from Rice University look to have fully delivered on that point with their latest so-called “nanocar.” At about two nanometers in length, the new nanocar apparently doesn’t represent a drastic reduction in size over the previous incarnation, but it does have the notable advantage of being able to “travel” across surfaces at room temperature (a temperature of 200° Celsius was required before). Interestingly, that breakthrough was actually discovered by accident, and was later able to be confirmed using a mix of time-lapse photography and a new tracking algorithm. As you might have guessed, however, they’re still quite a ways away from being able to actually control the car, although the researchers say using six wheels instead of four could help with that, as could tracks to keep ’em going in one direction.

[Via DailyTech]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Rice University rolls out new and improved “nanocar” originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 16:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s almost New York Toy Fair time (that’s coming up on President’s Day weekend), but LeapFrog got a jump (yeah, I said it) on the competition by giving us a peek at toys to come.

To follow on the success of the Tag (check out our review), a read-along gadget introduced last year, LeapFrog’s bringing out the Tag Junior for younger kids.

As with the Tag, kids press the Junior onto words and pictures in LeapFrog’s specially-made books, and Jr. interacts by reading them out loud, making appropriate noises, and so on. He’s (it’s impossible not to anthropomorphize here) just chunkier and easier to manipulate for smaller hands. Jr. comes with a book to start on, but others will be available as well. Coming this summer as are all the toys here. $34.99 list, for ages 2 to 4.

More new toys after the jump (I said it again).

There has been much vaunting on the Interweb these past couple of days concerning India’s “$20 laptop.” Or is it $10, or $30? In fact, the number of putative prices for the “Sakshat” device (which apparently means “before your eyes”) comfortably exceeds the number of hard facts that have …

T-Mobile’s decision to bundle Google’s Latitude location-tracking service into the RC33 G1 update may have gotten all the attention this morning, but if you’ve got a BlackBerry, Window Mobile or S60 device, you can start oversharing right away — Latitude is built into the newest version of the Google Maps app. Not only that, but it looks like iPhone owners will be able to get in on the fun soon — Google says it’s working on a Latitude app that will “hopefully” be available shortly. We’re guessing that means El Goog is tied up in App Store approval shenanigans — it’s certainly been naughty before — but what we’re really wondering is if the next rev of Apple’s Maps app will include Latitude, since it’s basically just a really nice Gmaps implementation. We’re guessing the developers of Loopt and Whrrl are equally eager to find out — “duplication of functionality,” anyone?

Filed under: Cellphones

Google Latitude coming to other devices, iPhone included originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 15:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This year the biggest trend in Valentine’s Day sweets is a blend of east and west, with the notable introduction of chocolates that incorporate traditional Japanese flavors.

Shibuya Loft’s display of Valentine’s Day chocolate is heavy on the traditional images: a mannequin in a kimono surrounded by boxes of chocolate “gift wrapped” in a traditional furoshiki wrapping cloth. Taking a closer look, some of the sweets are actuall traditional Japanese confections in flavors like matcha and ume (plum). We also spotted a number of Japanese inspired Valentine’s Day treats at Loft’s leading competitor, the neighboring Tokyu Hands.

Most notable were those from Hamada Confect: chocolates filled with ume flavored ganache or dusted with kinako (soy powder)—even a riff on last year’s popular chocolates with liquor-flavored liquid centers, but in this case the alcohol in question is sake.

The high-end stores are also offering a line-up of tradition-inspired Valentine’s Day edibles. Tobu Department Store Ikebukuro has teamed up with longtime confectioner Kanazawa Waon to present a series of fusion sweets reminiscent of Turkish delight that combine both chocolate and sweet adzuki bean flavors.

Meanwhile Ginza Printemps has a line-up from La Maison Kamebishi called Le Cinq that incorporates a five-year matured soy sauce (from the same brand) into the ganache filling of chocolate truffles. Then there is the Yokohama main branch of Patisserie Enfance, which has created “Shochu Chocolate” by infusing the delicate sweets with premium sweet potato liquor.

Trend Potential

The influence of traditional Japanese style in Western products has been coming back, and resonating with young and old consumers alike. What about traditions in your own market, and how to product innovate to address these social needs? Read the rest of this piece, and many more, in our Trendpool innovation database.