Hasta La Gadget!

There is nothing quite like having a nice drink at the end of the day with good company, but if you happen to lack some self-control, the conversation at your table would get boisterous and some might even say, nonsensical along the way. Well, if you are one who drives home alone, it would be better if you had brought along a designated driver as it would be far too foolish to endanger not only yourself but others on the road when you have taken in one drink too many. Well, just what other inventions can we look forward to that are able to help us get home safe and sound despite having our fair share of fun and drinks? Trust a brainy boffin over at MIT, a specific Dhairya Dand in particular, to come up with a set of “ice cubes” which are capable of keeping track of how much you have drunk during the evening, where it will flash red to inform you that you have had too much to drink.

This set of glowing cubes after was specially designed to monitor a person’s alcohol intake, where it will change color from green to red as the alcohol intake increases, so that one has a visual cue as to when to stop. I am rather skeptical of this, as the person him or herself might feel that they are far from their limit, and would not need the warning light. After all, how many of us have run a red light because we figured out we could be fast enough? What is there to prevent one from doing the same when it comes to drinking?

Well, I guess at the end of the day, something is still better than nothing, and each cube is comprised of a colored LED, an accelerometer, IR receivers, and a battery, and these have been molded into an edible, waterproof jelly so that the circuitry remains protected without affecting the drink’s taste. The accelerometer is able to calculate the number of sips a person takes, comparing it with a timer in order to estimate one’s level of intoxication while changing the flashing LED’s color accordingly. With the different alcohol levels in individual drinks, there is still plenty of work to be done before these smart ice cubes are perfected, but they are a start to begin with.

Source
[ Ice cubes get smart copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Security of your precious data is often one of the priorities to have right at the top of your computing list, and even more when it comes to giant corporations. Well, there are many ways to leak out data (unwillingly or otherwise), and here is a potential solution for those who want to enjoy private and restriction-free browsing – with the iTwin Connect. The iTwin Connect will also be able to offer the wonders of remote file access and access to the home/office network (i.e., functioning as a personal virtual private network or VPN), coming in a simple and highly portable device form factor.

Basically, the iTwin Connect will comprise of two identical halves. In order to install, all you need to do is plug the device into a USB port on the home/office PC, detach one half of the device which will then be designated as the iTwin Connect “key”, and carry that detached bit along. Whenever you are on the move, plug this key into a notebook and a secure VPN tunnel will magically be created to the home/office PC.

For the non-techies out there, there are some obvious benefits to reap from the iTwin Connect, where among them include ‘Teleport Me’, a feature that lets you browse privately and without being tied down to any restrictions. All Internet traffic will be directed via the secure VPN tunnel and the Internet is thus accessed via the home/office PC’s Internet connection.

Not only that, ‘Teleport Me’ will also provide private access to the Internet via iTwin’s dedicated network servers in US, Europe or Asia/Pacific. This bit comes across as useful should the home/office PC be in a position where it cannot be left on, and also should your browsing sessions require an IP locale that is different from that of the PC.

You can pick up the iTwin Connect for $129 a pop.

Press Release
[ iTwin Connect unveiled copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

We are still not quite done with CES 2013 just yet, even though the show ended late last week, there are still some ripples to cover considering the vastness of the entire event. Well, Rapoo, being one of the leading manufacturers of wireless peripheral products, did take the opportunity to make an announcement of a trio of new wireless, portable audio solutions back at CES 2013. They are the Bluetooth Portable Speaker A5000, Bluetooth Portable Mini Speaker A3060 (as seen above) and Bluetooth Portable Speaker A8060, where all of them will deliver a compact design and powerful sound perfect for use at home or on the go.

First off, Rapoo’s compact Bluetooth Portable Speaker A5000 will be a Bluetooth 4.0 speaker that will come in a range of bright colors that include lime green, watermelon pink, electric blue and basic black. Do not judge this by its small size, as it can deliver powerful sound while on the go, while boasting of a built-in microphone that doubles up as a speakerphone for hands-free calls as well as a 3.5mm jack to connect mobile devices

As for the cylindrical Bluetooth Portable Mini Speaker A3060 that you see above, it too, will jive to Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity while boasting Intelligent Voice Prompt that delivers audio status updates which includes when the speaker is paired to a device, battery life and volume changes. You are able to control the volume, pause/play music and skip over to the next/previous track from the connected smartphone, or you can also opt to use the integrated controls that are located on the top of the speaker. It will feature a built-in microphone for hands-free calling, a rechargeable lithium ion battery and five different metallic shades to choose from – silver, green, orange, yellow and blue.

Last but not least, the sleek Rapoo Bluetooth Portable Speaker A8060 will too, have Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity and Guided Acoustic Wave (GAW) Technology. It comes with smart control buttons with a proximity sensor that illuminates the controls whenever one is in range. All three models are tipped to be available before the first quarter of the year is over.
[ Rapoo does a slew of wireless audio solutions copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Have you ever thought to yourself on getting some sort of night vision gadgets after watching numerous movies and playing your fair share of video games where there is an espionage level which requires you to sneak around in the dark (and in a cardboard box, to boot!), checking out all that is going on with a pair of night vision goggles? Fret not more, that need not remain a figment of your imagination with the $179.95 Shirtpocket Night Vision Monocular.

To put it in a nutshell, the Shirtpocket Night Vision Monocular is a compact night vision monocular which will fit comfortably into most pockets. It is rather small and compact, being no larger than a tape measure, and is more than capable of delivering handy night optics so that you can spot wildlife in either dusk’s ambient light or the total darkness of a moonless night. Either that, or you can stake outdoors of your own home, looking at your daughter’s bedroom window to make sure no creepy dudes who sparkle in the morning make their way up the wall and enter her room only to watch her sleep. The Shirtpocket Night Vision Monocular will rely on active infrared technology to illuminate subjects up to 82′ away and thanks to its CCD sensor, you get crisp black and white images. As long as the trio of AAA batteries last, that is.

[ Shirtpocket Night Vision Monocular copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Outdoor Technology might be a name that only some are familiar with, so here is a little bit of an “educational class”, so to speak. Basically, the company is the cutting-edge creator of action lifestyle accessories, where they will soon let you rock out under your helmet thanks to the introduction of CHIPS, a wireless drop-in audio system which will play nice in all helmets with audio enabled liners – a universal device, actually. Extreme sport enthusiasts will definitely fall in love with it, as they can now enjoy their favorite tunes while making calls without having to take off their helmets. The patent pending method of delivering wireless audio to helmets is touted to be the first its kind in the market, and it also delivers a tangle free solution to the action sports market.

Using it is a snap actually, being so simple, you can basically rock out and speak freely sans any pesky wires hanging around from April 2013 onwards in locations such as Chile, Australia and New Zealand. As for other regions, interested folks will just have to wait until winter 2013, where it will be accompanied by a sticker price tag of $129.95.

Caro Krissman, Co-Founder and CEO, said, “The CHIPS are a game changer, we solved a problem with a simple solution that changes the game for the hundreds millions who ski or board with helmets with no good audio system. Why have annoying wires and small buttons hanging from your helmet or no audio at all when you can be totally connected yet unplugged with simple easy to use controls.”

Using the Outdoor Technology CHIPS will require you to just drop the CHIPS into the slots within a helmet liner, and you can then listen to your favorite tunes or make calls without ever having to remove your helmet. Thanks to a minimalist two button design, you are able to operate the CHIPS inside any liner, even when you are equipped with the bulkiest gloves or mittens. Double click the left earpiece and you can raise the volume just in case the other party is a little bit hard to hear, and double click again to lower the volume. In order to play/pause, press the right earpiece once and you’re good to go.

Press Release
[ Outdoor Technology CHIPS announced copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]