Hasta La Gadget!

The mind’s power should not be underestimated in any way, and while we are still some ways off from the standard issue mind controlled computer (mouse and keyboard manufacturers would certainly loathe such an idea, as they would no longer have the relevant wares to sell to computer users), here is something that might just pique your interest. I am talking about the $129.95 Mind Controlled Movie Director which will allow you, the wearer, to be able to directly influence the course of specially created movies and games.

You will need to have the right dose of concentration and relaxation of course, and during some of the more crucial moments to achieve an action, you are required to blink your eyes. Basically, you have the power to choose, and this is like a modern day “Choose Your Own Adventure” series, where you can select who lives and dies, or whether the hero ends up victorious or loses, or even how close an arrow will fly towards the bullseye. The headset relies on electroencephalogram technology in order to detect the electric signals that are generated by the brain. The more you master your mind control, you are able to change plotlines and choose new endings in each of the four included movies. The Mind Controlled Movie Director will play nice with Windows 7, Vista, XP, Mac OS X 10.6.5+ operating systems, and make sure you have an AAA battery to keep the Bluetooth headset going.

[ Mind Controlled Movie Director copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

When we talk about the younger generation, most of the time, we would think of them being irresponsible with a dash of cheekiness, and who can blame them for their youthful optimism? There is a downside to that though, as some of them do take things in life lightly, and as such, getting them a shiny new device for their birthday might not be such a good idea. After all, with the number of scrapes and falls that your son or daughter had gone through over the years, do you think giving them a shiny new MacBook Pro is going to help slow them down? Woe to your wallet when they return home from school with a broken display on their MacBook Pro.

Well, here we are with Lenovo who has a heart to help out this particular group of consumers – with the latest release, the Lenovo ThinkPad X131e. Lenovo says that “we know from experience that students are our toughest customers – literally – and for that reason we make it a point to go above and beyond our standard ruggedness features in the laptops we introduce for education.” Let us see how far they have gone with this particular promise right after the jump.

Built specially for students using technologies which enhance classroom learning alongside a rugged design that is meant to meet the physical demands of the average school day and beyond, the Lenovo ThinkPad X131e will come in two choices where processor options are concerned – the Intel Core or the Celeron processors, where they are also accompanied by AMD E-Series Accelerated Processing Units (APUs) to deliver strong performance, Dolby Advanced Audio for rich and resonant sound so that your ears will also benefit from the experience, vibrant HD graphics and USB 3.0 connectivity – useful when it comes to transferring data in the blink of an eye.

Teachers, too, will fall in love with the Lenovo ThinkPad X131e simply because it also comes with a wireless activity LED indicator on its cover. This makes it easy for teachers to help identify those students who are connected to a Wi-Fi network in the classroom, checking out their Facebook account instead of working on that assignment. I can think of a few ways to circumvent this though, so while it is a nice thought, it might not work as intended due to the ingenuity of our youth these days.

Among the heavy duty features that can withstand the rigors of a student’s life include reinforced hinges, stainless steel hinge brackets, a tightly aligned keyboard, a dustless fan, a strengthened AC adapter cable, an enhanced HDD shock performance among others. It is rather affordable when you think about it – price start from $499 upwards.

Press Release

[ Lenovo ThinkPad X131e plays nice with students in classrooms copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

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 ]

Sprint has offered a new bundle of a device with a compatible data connection – the Lenovo IdeaPad U310 Ultrabook, where it is the first Ultrabook that comes bundled in a wireless package which also comprises of a 3G/4G mobile hotspot device without any additional charge. The Lenovo IdeaPad U310 Ultrabook is one of the new category of sleek and stylish, no-compromise, computing devices which was inspired by Intel, where it incorporates useful features for consumers such as a speedy start-up, thin and light designs.

This will be an exclusive offer that is available through Sprint Telesales (1-800-SPRINT1), Web Sales (www.sprint.com/ultrabook), Sprint Business Sales and Sprint Business Solutions Partners, where it will comprise of a Lenovo IdeaPad U310 Ultrabook alongside a MiFi 3G/4G mobile hotspot by Novatel Wireless or Overdrive Pro 3G/4G mobile hotspot by Sierra Wireless. The asking price? $799.99 inclusive of tax, and you will also be able to enjoy three months of free mobile broadband service on the mobile hotspot device alongside a two-year Sprint mobile broadband service agreement. The thing is, will the Lenovo IdeaPad U310 Ultrabook be able to live up to its expectations as a decent computing device? Let us take a closer look at it after the jump.

The Lenovo IdeaPad U310 Ultrabook is surprisingly thin, measuring just 0.71″ in thickness, and tipping the scales at under four pounds. The battery is able to deliver up to 7 hours of battery life, boasting a 13.3″ HD display, an Intel Core i5 processor and Intel GMA 3000 HD graphics, a 720p HD webcam and stereo speakers with Dolby Home Theatre V4 audio enhancement, Lenovo’s AccuType keyboard with individual rounded keys, a glass touchpad for easy scroll, zoom and rotate functions.

As for Sprint’s data plans for the 3G/4G mobile hotspot device, pricing start from $34.99 monthly for 3GB of combined 3G/4G data on the Sprint network. Those who want to pick up the $49.99 monthly plan will get to enjoy 6GB of combined 3G/4G data, in addition to enjoying three months of free mobile broadband service alongside a two-year Sprint mobile broadband service agreement.

Press Release

[ Sprint to offer Lenovo IdeaPad U310 Ultrabook copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

I  like to keep track of my stuff, let it be said that nothing is more infuriating to me than having someone help themselves to something I worked for. So imagine running a school, business or hospital where you are in charge of keeping track of assets, equipment, computers or even people?

Check out the L4 tag, a small flat unit designed to be plugged into your laptop or tablet’s ExpressCard slot. The tag works with the Ekahau RTLS system which can track and manage the tags anywhere in a campus or office complex that has Wi-Fi coverage. Designed for use primarily in hospitals and large office settings the technology could be used to protect personal assets as well.

The L4 has an internal rechargeable battery that is recharged directly from the laptop ExpressCard slot. When the laptop is turned off, or the battery of the laptop is depleted, the L4 will run for several weeks on its internal battery. The L4 can even detect and report the power status of the host laptop as well.

The L4 is a part of an entire line of asset protection and communication devices that operate off an existing Wi-Fi network. These devices include simple trackers, badge tags that can send and receive messages and wearable tags that allow both people tracking and emergency communications.

The L4 begins shipping to customers soon and will be available through Ekahau.com, I guess technology will soon make it so that an honest thief simply won’t be able to get away with anything anymore, won’t it?

[ L4 Laptop Tag – Theft Deterrent and Asset Tracker copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]