Hasta La Gadget!

If you’ve been following the Facebook press events that have occurred over the past couple of years, you know one thing is rather apparent: they love to hold press conferences. Zuckerberg and the Facebook crew have held press conferences for everything from the opening bell on their IPO top an announcement about possible Facebook couponing. Here’s the long and short it, it being the April 4th Facebook event: if Facebook wanted to make a Facebook phone, they wouldn’t do it like this.

We’ve seen the Facebook phone already. It’s been released by HTC more than once, and rumors of a phone such as this have been swirling for years. The reason people are pumped up about discussing such a device isn’t because they want one, it’s because the idea is so absurd. Why in god’s name would someone create a smartphone dedicated to one single service?

“Anyone for an HTC ChaCha?“

Instead you’ve got a Facebook event coming up that will address the fact that there’s been no acceptably solid release of a Facebook app for Android thus far in the social network’s history. What we’ll see is a presentation about 1 hour long with several top Facebook developers talking about how this version of Facebook for Android will be a real, dedicated, just as good as iOS release. And we’ll all go home wondering why Facebook didn’t just send out a press release instead.

Have a peek at the iOS version of Facebook today, then have a look at the Android version of Facebook, then you’ll know what’s being released at the upcoming event. Let us know if you think otherwise!

Facebook event to reveal “real” Android app (not a phone) is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Ever feel like you’re glued to the computer way too much? Maybe it’s distracting you from going out and meeting new people. Either way, if you’re looking to change some things about your computer-using habits, a new summer camp in California looks to help you unplug and detox your brain from information overload.

An organization called Digital Detox has started what they call Camp Grounded, and they’ll be holding summer camp sessions to help technology addicts unplug from the internet and step away from blue-hued screens to experience the world in a more natural way. The camp plans to do this by involving participants in nostalgic activities that we all remember doing as children.

For $300 for a month-long retreat, you can “trade your computer, cell phone, Instagrams, clocks, schedules and work-jargon for an off-the-grid weekend of pure unadulterated fun.” The organization adds that “friendships at camp are based on real-life connections, and the most important status we’ll update is our happiness.”

Digital Detox has three summer camps planned for this year in the US, with international summer camps launching in Cambodia, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica next month. The Cambodia retreat, for instance, will involve a group of 12 guests who will gather on a deserted island for six days of various activities, such as yoga, meditation, and writing workshops.

[via The Guardian]

Image via Flickr

US summer camp helps tech addicts unplug and detox is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Sometimes you just need to take your vino with you. Maybe you are headed for a day at the races or a picnic in the park. Schlepping a bottle around sure is not convenient. There’s the need to keep it from breaking and you have to find a bottle opener. Hassle for sure! Sure, there’s the box-o-wine solution but is there actually GOOD tasting wine in a box?

Firebox wants ladies to more easily carry their wine and look stylish too. Meet the Wine Handbag, £29.99. This designer-esque ‘bag’ holds 1.5 liters of vino and has its own spout on the side. The durable cardboard construction won’t let you or your wine down.  It even comes with wine included – in either Cab, Chardonnay or Rose. So next time you head out and take good wine with you camouflage it!

[ Wine To-Go copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

While conspiracy theories abound in all fields, the digital age has
added a new playground for the nefarious to up their game. The next time
you make a Skype call, you might want to be aware how third-parties
could possibly hi-jack your transmission and encrypt a secret message with
callers none the wiser.

If you were waiting for an ultra-sweet shooter made to take away any thoughts you had that Android was a lesser environment than these so-called full-system PC operating systems, NVIDIA has got just the thing for you. Here we’re seeing The Conduit HD, revealed here working on NVIDIA’s Project SHIELD on Android – that’s not even streamed, it’s straight from the system! Have a peek at this undeniable action thriller on none other than the NVIDIA Tegra 4 right this minute.

What you’re having a peek at here is not a future game that’ll only be coming to Project SHIELD, nor is it a game that’s relegated to processors that haven’t been released yet – The Conduit HD is already on the Google Play app store right now! But here’s what you need to look out for in this demo – keep an eye on how fantastic this game looks on Project SHIELD, then try it out on whatever smartphone or tablet you’ve got right this minute. Let us know how it goes!

With Project SHIELD, this game comes alive with what NVIDIA says are “nearly endless customization options”. As you decide where each of your controls is mapped to the hardware on Project SHIELD, so too will you become more skilled at ending the lives of your opponents. This game was originally launched (in a lesser iteration) on the first Nintendo Wii, and it’s been optimized by its developers in collaboration with the NVIDIA developer team for placement on the NVIDIA TegraZone.

For those of you that follow the NVIDIA TegraZone releases like a hawk, you’ll know that this game has been out for a little over a week. We’ve got our own hands-on review of The Conduit HD if you care to take a peek right this minute as well! Once you’ve seen this game played on the ASUS-made Google Nexus 7 tablet, you’ll have a little bit of an idea how the NVIDIA Tegra 3 (inside this tablet) will be trumped by the NVIDIA Tegra 4 (inside Project SHIELD).

Have a peek at the Project SHIELD timeline below as well for more information on this groundbreaking system. Coming soon to a market near you!

NVIDIA Project SHIELD goes wild with The Conduit HD is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.