Sceptre has a spanking new 50″ LCD HDTV for the masses

You can say that many of us love to own new pieces of consumer electronics whenever we can afford one. However, a lot of that depends on your bank balance, and Sceptre is definitely a name that allows you to own some of the better looking home consumer electronics without having to burst that bank account of yours. For those of you who are looking for a spanking new TV, here we are with Sceptre’s latest addition – the 50″ LCD HDTV that is said to offer a true 50” viewable area, in addition to surround sound and a slim and sleek design – which would make it the ideal centerpiece for just about any room.

Just like all the other Sceptre models which have been released in the past, this new 50″ LCD HDTV from Sceptre will come with its slew of features that are not commonly found in other HDTVs that are on the market. Among these features include SRS TruSurround HD, which is actually a technology that is capable of optimizing bass performance in order to create a vivid 3D sound experience. Apart from that, it will also come with multiple HDMI ports which makes sense in this day and age – where more and more devices come with HDMI connectivity. Apart from that, there is also a USB port that will let you easily view and access music and JPEG files, in addition to being able to swivel up to 30 degrees so that you can adjust it to any viewing angle, among others.

To make sure that your eyes are greeted by none other than crisp images, while your ears enjoy unparalled sound quality (at a budget price of course, we are not talking about audiophile level here), the Sceptre 50″ LCD HDTV was also specially designed to be as energy efficient as possible, resulting in long term cost savings for the consumer. I would say this makes plenty of sense, especially if the HDTV is your primary mode of entertainment in the living room. It does not matter if you use it to watch movies or play games on a console, the Sceptre 50″ LCD HDTV will get the job done just fine. It has an Energy Star rating that is estimated to cost you $21 each year – the lowest in its class, of course.

The asking price for 50″ of viewing goodness? We are looking at just $999.99 here – which isn’t much at all, don’t you think so?

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[ Sceptre has a spanking new 50″ LCD HDTV for the masses copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]


Global Power Converter for the seasoned traveler

Those who are well traveled would know that different countries do have their own set of road rules, language and customs amidst a myriad of differences from the world that you are so familiar with back home, and this would also include the kind of power outlets that they carry. Well, since we tend to tote around a slew of gizmos these days, getting the right kind of adapter is often left at the end of our shopping list, that we sometimes forget to get one even at the airport itself. Never go through such moments again with the $19.99 Global Power Converter, where it will come in a hard plastic case which is sturdy enough for your travels, holding 5 adapter plugs for various countries across all continents, delivering 120v power from 220-240v foreign outlets to boot.

Coming in an easy-to-pack box, the aforementioned 5 adapter plugs will play nice in Europe, South America, Africa, Australia, Asia, Middle East and the Caribbean. It will play nice with electrical appliances that require up to 1600 watt and electronic devices up to 50 watts, anything more than that and you can forget about it.

[ Global Power Converter for the seasoned traveler copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]


Sweet dreams are made of these – the Cocoagraph

There must be a very good reason that the euphemism “sweet memories” are thought up of – they leave a pleasant, long lasting smile on your face that you do not mind reliving those moments over and over again. Well, how about turning “sweet memories” into something that is literal? This is where Cocoagraph as a company comes in – it is said to be able to transform your collection of favorite Instagram pictures into blocks of yummy chocolate. Yes sir, chocolate, the ancient aphrodisiac (as claimed by some quarters) and the stuff that most kids love, will now be able to feature your favorite memories on them – before you gobble them up as dessert after a family reunion dinner, of course.

After getting snapped up for $1 billion by Facebook for taking over the world by storm, Instagram is a program that allows people to snap photos and upload them nearly immediately, while throwing on some sort of image filter to give the captured photo a retro look. I guess regardless how popular Instagram is, the reach of chocolate is far further, and when you merge two and two together, what you get is a potentially explosive partnership that shows synergy working at its best.

Cocoagraph wants Americans to be able to give what they deem to be the perfect present, a chance to eat one’s very own favorite memories, and this is done through the printing of Instagram photos straight onto the confectionery.

You will find that these specially printed chocolates will come in the classic vintage sepia tones of Instagram, where over at the Cocoagraph website, you are able to upload your photo, throw in some borders of your choice, and if you absolutely have a cracker of a line to include, throw in your fair share of custom messages. Based in Philadelphia, Cocoagraph delivers artisan chocolate bars printed with edible Polaroid-style photographs. They do not come cheap though, where a solitary bar will set you back at $8.50, while if you decide to settle for a trio of smaller chocolates, they will retail for $12. Memories that you can keep forever? Not quite, but they’re absolutely delicious!

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[ Sweet dreams are made of these – the Cocoagraph copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]


Edifier Spinnaker speaker system is their new flagship

Edifier has announced a spanking new flagship speaker system, calling it the Spinnaker. One look at it, and I more or less have the theme song of Jaws running through my mind. How can you not experience that with the huge, fin-like resemblance? It is nice to see a company like Edifier slowly but surely building up their portfolio to what they are today, and with the latest addition to their wares, the Edifier Spinnaker will definitely evoke a sensory experience unlike any other – at least visually on the most basic of levels.

The Spinnaker is actually a CES Innovations Award winner, standing proud at 16.5” in height, sporting a very special shape that was specially designed to project the sound towards the listener, thanks to its front facing tweeters and mid-range drivers. These will be reinforced with a downward firing bass driver that is located in each speaker. The Spinnaker from Edifier will come with a Bluetooth connection built-in, ensuring that you will be able to live out a wireless lifestyle. Of course, going wireless is also a great idea in this day and age, as that would mean one less cable to worry about gathering dust, not to mention being a tripping hazard.

The Edifier Spinnaker will also be accompanied by a USB rechargeable wireless remote that is capable of controlling the volume, track navigation and play/pause preferences without a hitch as long as you remain within a 10-meter radius (that measures to 30 feet).

I would call the Spinnaker shape that of a shark’s fin, but I guess Edifier preferred the more diplomatic route by calling it a ‘sail inspired design’, and it is not there just for looks alone. In fact, the sail inspired design is said to be able to enhance the sound in a variety of ways. Thanks to a tapered cylindrical shape, the internal standing waves and resonances cannot collect to a measurable degree in any area within the enclosure, and will cancel themselves out at various frequencies.

Not only that, the aluminum frame is also paired with internal damping materials which will reduce unwanted enclosure vibration, giving the listener(s) a more lifelike and accurate sound presentation.

It might look expensive, but the Edifier Spinnaker is surprisingly affordable, coming in black and burgundy for $349.99 a pop.

[ Edifier Spinnaker speaker system is their new flagship copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]


Retro Computer Mouse and Mousepad Set

Take a look at the number of computer mice in the market – they are practically dime a dozen out there, and boy do they come in ever more ergonomic shapes and sizes. Here is something that will help you recall those fond memories of yore when you first started off in the world of computers, and having more than 256 colors on your monitor was considered to be a luxury item that you cannot afford. Enter the $17.99 Retro Computer Mouse and Mousepad Set – it is the perfect gift for those old school computer users.

This particular mouse and mousepad combo is definitely a blast from the past, where it is specially styled to look like an exact replica of your classic 1980’s desktop mouse. The mouse will feature a standard three button mouse, but thankfully, the manufacturer has decided to throw in a wheel for scrolling capability, otherwise I am quite sure it would not sell at all without that particular feature. Another piece of good news for you – the Retro Mouse does not require you to open the underside and clean all those lint from its rollers, since this is an optical mouse complete with a USB interface which will play nice with both Mac and Windows platforms.

[ Retro Computer Mouse and Mousepad Set copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]


Herbie the Mousebot Kit

I have long associated the name Herbie with Disney’s Volkswagen movie that is a cult classic, but here we are with something from Thinkgeek that has been updated to meet the requirements of the 21st century – it is the $44.99 Herbie the Mousebot Kit that we are talking about right here. Just like a normal flesh-and-bone mouse, Herbie the Mousebot Kit, too, needs some form of sustenance to work. Good thing all you need to feed him is light, and watch him go!

After all, Herbie loves nothing better than a spot of bright light and will chase after it, putting Garfield and other fat cats to shame. This is one unique DIY kit that you can introduce to budding scientists in your home to explore light and the world of robots. There are also other option parts let which enables more than a single, lonely Herbie to play with one another.

[ Herbie the Mousebot Kit copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]


Tanita’s Sleep Meter is Internet connected

They say that getting enough hours of sleep is important, and not only that, picking up quality sleep is also another issue as quantity alone should not be used as a benchmark. If only there was a way for one to be able to measure the quality of sleep. Wait a minute, Tanita has a potential solution in the form of their Sleep Meter which is strategically located right under your bedclothes. Basically, the Sleep Meter is said to be effective even when you are sleeping on your side, as it is fully capable of measuring the sleep state of the user regardless of how he or she is sprawled all over the comfortable mattress..

The Tanita Sleep Meter will rely on a sensor that contains water to perform the necessary readings required, where its measurement data will then be made available over the Internet for remote monitoring capability. Also known as the “Sleep Scan (SL-511),” this device is hoped to see action for business use, particularly in nursing and caring businesses, hotels and express companies. Shipping of the Sleep Meter will kick off early August to volunteer testers, while those who want to pick one up for themselves will have to wait until early October.

The Sleep Meter will come with a mat-like sensor that is placed under bedclothes, and whenever you lie on the bedclothes, the sensor will get to work automatically, measuring your sleep state. Should you make some movement away from the bedclothes, it will stop whatever it is measuring at the moment, sending such measured data to a server over a wireless LAN connection.

After receiving the data, the server will start to use its built-in algorithms to analyze it. The user of the Sleep Meter (upon waking up, I suppose) or a manager is then able to perform a check on the analysis results that comprise of (but not limited to) sleep stage, sleep score, and sleep type through a simple act of accessing the server.

Basically, all vibrations sent to the water contained in the mat are picked up by a condenser microphone. These detected vibrations will be separated into a trio of components (pulse, breathing and body motion) that are based on the differences in frequency, intensity, etc. Using those vital data, analysis results are then calculated. Sounds like a dream job, testing the Tanita Sleep Meter. What do you think?

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[ Tanita’s Sleep Meter is Internet connected copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]


iGills SE-35 offers more than just waterproof protection

So you love going snorkeling, and while you are at it, why not snap some photos? After all, it makes perfect sense to capture the overall feeling of wonder whenever you are swimming a few feet below the sea’s surface, not to mention having that surreal environment which is a whole lot calmer (in most cases, unless you jump right into the middle of a feeding frenzy) than what we get up here on solid ground. For those who are wondering whether to purchase a waterproof case for your digital camera, you might want to consider an alternative – the iGills SE-35, where the name itself gives the game away.

Basically, the iGills SE-35’s primary function would be to make sure your iPhone remains nice and dry despite you being underwater, but it will also do far more than that. In fact, the iGills SE-35 is said to be able to transform your iPhone into a fully-featured dive computer. This is a waterproof scuba diving case that works great in protecting the iPhone nice and dry down to depths of 130 feet (40 meters), and it also makes life easy for you to use underwater thanks to half a dozen buttons that have been integrated into the design.

Not only that, you will be able to retain access to your iPhone’s camera to shoot underwater images, while the iGills SE-35 will also come with a complementary app that paves the way for you to take advantage of its navigation tools. Are your surroundings too dark? Not to worry, there is also a built-in torch to help you out here, with of course, an automatic dive log to boot.

Polycarbonate is the material of choice for the iGills SE-35’s housing, where it is said to feature similar material used to manufacture bulletproof glass, and it will place nice with all iPhones except for the original iPhone from 2007 and the iPhone 3G. Basically, anything from the iPhone 3GS and newer will work, although I do think that it will not work with the next generation iPhone. You cannot receive data transmission or make calls when underwater though, but that should not be an issue. The iGills SE-35 has a pre-order price of $329.99 a pop.

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[ iGills SE-35 offers more than just waterproof protection copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]


Bang & Olufsen Playmaker offers wireless connectivity

If there are three things from Denmark that I love, it would be these three – in no particular order, of course. They are (can I have some drum rolls, please) Danish butter cookies, Carlsberg beer, and of course, the high end stuff from Bang & Olufsen. We will be munching on cookies and drinking beer on this lazy Sunday morning while talking about the Bang & Olufsen Playmaker, their latest, state-of-the-art receiver which is said to be able to wirelessly connect digital music sources to just about any Bang & Olufsen speakers.

Normally, the name ‘Playmaker’ is invoked when it comes to team sports, where there is a central figure in the team who calls the shots and actually pulls the strings of the game. Bang & Olufsen’s Playmaker, I suppose, lives up to its name on paper – where it is capable of unleashing the true, high-quality sound experience of Bang & Olufsen speakers within one’s digital music realm, thanks to one-step wireless operation straight from any smartphone. Not only that, it is also DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) and AirPlay compatible. What does that mean? Head on after the jump to find out.

Basically, the Playmaker is able to stream music from practically any smart phone, tablet, Mac, PC or media server. It also delivers what Bang & Olufsen claims to be a “second-to-none sound performance”, courtesy of its high performance Digital Audio converter which was specified for even the most powerful B&O speakers.

The Playmaker in essence delivers the best of both worlds to music lovers, ranging from outstanding audio quality from Bang & Olufsen’s extensive range of premium active speakers and one-touch access to digital music collections, all sans pesky wires that might trip you or your house guests up.

It is said that the Playmaker comes with extremely ease-to-use and intuitive operation, where you can add Playmaker to just about any set of Bang & Olufsen active loudspeakers, and it will take nothing but seconds for you to discover just how good a smartphone actually sounds. Playmaker is also capable of creating new wireless music scenarios, similar to how one is able to easily set different music zones in the house.

The asking price for the Playmaker when it arrives in Bang & Olufsen showrooms in US, Canada and Mexico at the end of July would be $425, although you can opt to have it bundled with a powerful BeoLab 3 loudspeaker for $4,310.

Press Release

[ Bang & Olufsen Playmaker offers wireless connectivity copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]


iCufflinks make you look smarter than you already are

Wearing a pair of cufflinks makes you feel as though you are smarter compared to having a pair of buttons making sure the end of those sleeves remain close together. While there are plenty of cufflinks in the market, just which one suits your personality the best? I would say that if you are the tech savvy kind, then you might want to check out what the $127.99 iCufflinks offers – it looks absolutely gorgeous being made out of machined aluminium, where it will come complete with pulsating LED. The LED itself will be powered by a CR1220 battery which is said to last up to 72 hours, and it is also totally programmable to do your bidding.

Just what kind of “pulsing” pattern can you expect from the iCufflinks? It is said to be the same as that of the “breathing” LED pattern which can be found on majority of notebooks and desktops. The default pattern has been reverse engineered from Apple’s “breathing” LED which can be found on Macs, MacBooks, and iMacs amongst others, leaving me to wonder whether there is a possibility of Thinkgeek being served up a cease and desist letter from the legal eagles over at Apple.

[ iCufflinks make you look smarter than you already are copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]