One Shot is a portable bike that unfolds in mere seconds. It may not look like a typical bike, but it rides like one. And that’s all that matters right? It was designed to be used on rail transit. The design allows it to be stowed in the train when commuting. Then when you exit, you just pop open your bike and ride.
The folding bike was designed by Alberga Marilena and Vecchia Valentina It folds up easily into a trolley-type rolling case. You just lug it around by the handle when you aren’t riding it. It’s good for the environment and it will give you an excuse to get some exercise too.
It is just a concept right now, but I would love to see this become a reality.
If you have to ask what an oscilloscope is, Gabriel Anzziani’s invention isn’t for you. The founder of Gabotronics made waves when he created the amazingly tiny Xprotolab oscilloscope. Now he’s working on the Oscilloscope Watch, a more portable and versatile version of the Xprotolab.
Like the Xprotolab, the watch is an oscilloscope, a waveform generator, a protocol sniffer, a frequency counter and a logic analyzer in a device that’s about the same size as a sports watch. It has a 1.28″ e-paper display and a 400mAh Li-ion battery that should last up to 12 hours of continuous use or over 30 days if you’re just using it as a watch. It’s powered by the ATxmega128A4U 8-bit microcontroller and will have complementary PC and Android apps. Gabriel is still figuring out the best form for the instrument’s probes. He’s leaning towards integrating them in a keychain, but he’s also considering turning them into wristbands or even the straps for the watch.
Pledge at least $100 (USD) on Kickstarter to get an Oscilloscope Watch as a reward. Eat your heart out, Tokyoflash.
Crowdfunding sites are flush with 3D printer projects these days, so it’s getting increasingly difficult to tell which printer you should buy or if you should just wait for the market to shake out in a few years.
But if you’re looking for a 3D printer that’s small enough to travel with, there’s a new printer in development which could fit the bill better than other printers.
The LumiFold is unique in that it measures just about 9.84″ x 4.72″ x 1.18″ when folded up, which makes it small enough to throw in your backpack or briefcase. Its compact printing platform can’t crank out huge objects, with a size limit of about 3.5″ x 3.5″ x 3.5″.
Unlike most other consumer 3D printers, the LumiFold uses a photographic process to create 3D models. It uses light-cured materials to generate models. This process uses a platform that moves only on the “Z” axis, and then images generated by curing UV-sensitive resin one layer at a time. So the trick to this technique is that you need to also have a projector in order to transmit the X and Y axis information through onto the printing material. Included open source software is used to slice 3D objects into razor-thin layers which are exposed onto the resin.
The cool thing is that the platform can move in increments of just 0.01mm, which produces a very fine object resolution – especially when combined with a high resolution projected image. Just pour some light-sensitive resin into a cup, set it on the platform, and let the light do the work for you. The first time out, you’ll need to adjust the timing for each layer to cure based on the UV output of your projector, but the LumiFold includes a UV sensor to help you calibrate this.
Another unique feature of the LumiFold is its companion accessory, the HoloDock. This allows you to preview a simulated holographic image of the object you’re modeling as it’s being printed. It’s a little gimmicky though, and you certainly don’t need to buy one if all you want to do is print 3D objects. One caveat is that the HoloDock requireS that you place either a mobile device or PC monitor underneath it to create the 3D illusion
And therein lies the biggest challenge with the LumiFold and HoloDock. It’s a really neat idea that you can carry a 3D printer with you. But if you also need to carry a projector and some sort of device to view the previews, it does limit it’s true potential for portability. On the other hand, if you already have a small projector and a mobile device, it’s not an insurmountable challenge.
If you’re interested in checking out more about the LumiFold and HoloDock, head on over to their IndieGogo project before its conclusion on November 6. A pledge of at least $399(USD) will get you the LumiFold parts kit, while you’ll need to spend $449 for an assembled and tested version. The HoloDock Mini – which works with the iPhone, sells for an additional $79, while the iPad-friendly HoloDock Big goes for $99.
Earlier this year Sony released a pair of waterproof and tiny earphones that were also mp3 players. Today they announced two more versatile headphones called the WH Series, aka the 3-in-1 Walkman. These headphones also have built-in mp3 players, but you can also plug them into other media players as normal headphones. Finally, the headphones can supposedly also be used as personal speakers, although I think Sony may have cheated with a bit with this claim.
The 3-in-1 Walkman comes in two models. The NWZ-WH303 has 4GB of storage and a 30mm headphone driver, while the NWZ-WH505 has 16GB of storage and a 40mm headphone driver. The WH303 will be available in black and white while the higher end WH505 will only come in black. Both models can play music for up to 20 hours on their rechargeable battery. But as I said, even if they run out of power, you can still use these as normal headphones using a supplied cable.
Finally, by swiveling the ear cups outward and activating its “surround sound” mode, you’ll be able to listen to your music without wearing the headphones. Then again, you can do that with any pair of headphones with swiveling cups. The difference here would be the quality of the sound. Sadly Sony didn’t demo this feature in their product video.
According to Sony Europe, the 3-in-1 Walkman should be available in the UK 10/2013. The NWZ-WH303 will sell for £99 (~$160 USD) while the NWZ-WH505 will sell for £179 (~$280 USD). Barring any problems with their sound quality, these seem to be practical gadgets to have. But I think they’d be more enticing if, instead of the gimmicky speaker mode, you could wirelessly transfer music between the headphones and your media player.
Nintendo’s announcement of the Nintendo 2DS is one of the most surprising developments in the gaming world this year. As an entry-level variant of the Nintendo 3DS, the 2DS can play all 3DS games and thousands more DS games. But unlike the 3DS and the 3DS XL, the 2DS can’t be folded. It’s upper screen also can’t display stereoscopic 3D, hence the lose-lose situation regarding its name. It’s an honest name, but for some people it will be like being told that a Honda Bivic exists. And it’s a Civic.
According to Kotaku, the 2DS’ screens are the same size as the ones on the 3DS. The lower screen is still a touchscreen and the 2DS will also come with a stylus. But as you can see its Circle Pad and face buttons are on the upper half of the device. I think the buttons were shifted up so that the shoulder buttons – which are at the top of the device – will still be within your index finger’s reach while your thumbs are on the Circle Pad and face buttons.
Aside from the “slate” form and the lack of a stereoscopic 3D display, the 2DS has a few other deficiencies compared to its big brothers. For one, it only has a mono speaker, but you can still get stereo audio via its headphone jack. It also has no physical Wi-Fi switch; you’ll have to toggle that from within the menu. So it’s a lesser device, but that means it also has a lower price. It will only cost $130 (USD), $40 cheaper than the 3DS and $70 cheaper than the 3DS XL.
*Update: Kotaku also shared Nintendo Europe’s nifty comparison chart (pdf) between all three 3DS models.* The Nintendo 2DS will be available on 10/12/2013, which is also the day Pokémon X and Y are released. That timing should help push units right from the get go; it will be enough for many people to see that the 2DS can play the latest Pokémon game. But only time will tell if Nintendo’s questionablenamingscheme and hilarious yet also depressing decision to ditch their system’s main feature will pay off.
Will customers think that there are 2DS games? Or that the 2DS can’t play 3DS games? Will developers still care about the quality and functionality of stereoscopic 3D in their 3DS games? Will Nintendo finally realize that they have to come up with a practical naming scheme for their devices? Seriously, why didn’t they just name it the 3DS Jr.?
Well, this is certainly a surprise. While the other big names in gaming are rolling out their new home consoles, Nintendo’s bringing a new handheld to the table. Called the 2DS, it looks like a 3DS laid flat without the hinge, and as you might surmise from the name, no three dimensional graphics. IGN reports that the 2DS will come in red and blue (with the front either being black or white, depending upon region) and will cost $129 when it arrives on October 12. For your money you get a handheld that packs dual screens, two cameras round the back, a single speaker and a 3.5mm headphone jack, plus a 4GB SD card.
The new handheld is considered to be a part of the 3DS family, and as such, it can play all 3DS and regular Nintendo DS games, and also provides access to 3DS apps like the Nintendo eShop. Nintendo is positioning the 2DS as a far more affordable option than the $169 3DS, which should make it the more palatable choice for parents with small children. Strong move, Nintendo, get ’em hooked while they’re young.
We’ve seen plenty of awesome NES casemods and portables over the years, but this example is 3D-printed. It is called the NESPo and was made by modder Dave Nunez. Dave used a Nintendo-on-a-chip (NOAC), because he didn’t want to destroy an original console. Anyway, there is practically nothing inside the box when you use a NOAC.
He purchased an NOAC for $15 in the form of the Retro-BIT RES, then opened it up to get the guts. A $20 4.3-inch TFT camera screen was also used, along with a NiMH rechargeable battery. The system gets around three hours of life on a charge.
The case and buttons are all 3D-printed. Dave designed the parts in OpenSCAD, then printed them out with polylactic acid using the Makerbot Replicator 2. The entire printing process took 14-and-a-half hours. After that, he simply put it all together. It looks pretty sweet, even if it is a bit chunky. You can check out more build details at Dave’s blog.
A couple of years back, AOC released a compact USB-powered secondary display which could be easily used to extend your computer’s desktop. The $130 display was a pretty good deal then, and now AOC has improved a few features of the original with its recently released e1659Fwu portable display.
The updated display measures just 0.9″ thick vs. the 1.4″ thick original. The new model has a smartly-designed folding stand which lets you use it in either portrait or landscape modes in a snap. It’s also got standard VESA mount holes this time around. In addition, it transfers data to the screen via a fast USB 3.0 connection, vs. the USB 2.0 connection of the original.
The 15.6″ display still offers 1366×768 resolution though, and I was hoping they might bump it up to HD resolution this time. Still, it’s a handy thing to throw in your bag if you need extra display space, or if you want to mirror your primary display for presentations. To use it, simply connect it to your PC’s USB port and it works like an extra display. Mac users will need to install the latest DisplayLink driver to make it work though.
You can find the AOC e1659Fwu portable USB-powered display over at Amazon for $129.99(USD). If you don’t mind the added thickness of the original, it’s available for just $90 now.
One day we’ll all communicate using memes and gifs, but until that day comes we will have to deal with language barriers. We’ve already seen a couple of translatorapps, but Sigmo looks like it could be the most practical and affordable alternative yet. It’s a wristwatch-sized Bluetooth device that relays voice translation.
Note that I said “relays”, because the Sigmo doesn’t do the translating. Instead it connects to your iOS or Android device via Bluetooth via the Sigmo app. The app then connects to language translation services online to translate what’s being said. The people behind Sigmo didn’t say exactly which services the app connects to, only that Google Translate is one of them. Here’s how Sigmo works:
It’s definitely not perfect, but it seems to get the job done. Sigmo says that the app won’t drain your mobile device’s battery. As for the 2-way speaker, its battery should last up to 300 hours on standby and is good for up to 8 hours of use.
Its dependence on a mobile device and an Internet connection hampers it a bit, but it’s way better than nothing. Pledge at least $40 (USD) on Indiegogo to get a Sigmo as a reward.
Currently, the Sigmo app can translate 25 languages: English (US), English (UK), English (Australia), English (Canada), Spanish (Spain), Spanish (United States), Spanish (Mexico), French (France), French (Canada), Finish, German, Italian, Japanese, Chinese (China), Mandarin (Taiwan / Hong Kong), Catalan, Korean, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Portuguese (Portugal), Portuguese (Brazil), Polish, Russian, Arabic, Indonesian, Hebrew, Czech, Turkish, African and Malay.
The ability to to make perfect copies is one of the most convenient advantages of working with digital content. That’s why software developers make it easy to copy and paste content between applications. But what about copying and pasting to and from different computers? What if you could drag content from one screen directly to another screen? That’s what the people behind the Tagtal tStylus claims it can do.
The tStylus works with companion desktop and mobile apps to let you copy what’s on the screen of a desktop computer or an iOS device, and then transfer that to another iOS device. All you have to do is press the tStylus on the screen of the source device, wait a couple of seconds, then do the same on the recipient iOS device. The devices don’t need to be connected in any other way; they just both have to have the tStylus app. Once you’ve dropped an image, you can trim it down using the tStylus.
Aside from transferring screenshots between devices, there’s also a specialized tSylus app called Tagtal Album, which you can see in the image above. With Tagtal Album you can copy and paste images to and from Instagram, Facebook, Picasa or Flickr using the tStylus.
Finally, the tStylus app also has a color picker feature:
Pledge at least $29 (USD) on Indiegogo to receive a tStylus as a reward. Tagtal claims that the stylus will eventually be sold for $80, so you’re getting $51 off. If they add the ability to copy text from one device to another, I’m sold.
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