Tech Deals of the Day: 12/31/2012

Our friends over at TechBargains.com compiled a list of daily deals and we wanted to share them to help you save money.

Keep in mind that as with any true deal, the products are limited quantity and can sell out quickly – so don’t hesitate to check them out now. If you’re looking to buy a product from a specific store, save money with updated and verified coupon codes here.

Computers & Peripherals:

Home Entertainment:

Personal Electronics:

Cheap Wireless AirPlay Speaker Hack: Apple & Raspberry Pi

Tinkerers looking for a way to make their old speakers play nice with Apple’s AirPlay technology can now do so on the cheap, thanks to the Raspberry Pi, a neat hack made by Cambridge Engineering student Jordan Burgess and some free software.

raspberry pi airplay wireless speaker by jordan burgess

The key component for Jordan’s hack is James Laird’s Shairport, an open source Airport Express emulator. Jordan also used the free Raspbian OS provided by the Raspberry Pi Foundation. Here’s the hack in action:

The tinny sound isn’t just YouTube’s compression; Jordan reminds us that the Raspberry Pi wasn’t built with audiophile level technology, so you might want to get a USB sound card as well. Head to Jordan’s website for more details on the hack. I’m still hoping the AirBridge gets produced.

[via TechCrunch]

Panasonic Emergency Flashlight Runs On Batteries Of Any Size

Panasonic Emergency Flashlight Runs On Batteries Of Any SizeWith the BF-BM10 mix & match battery-powered emergency flashlight, Japan’s Panasonic has taken an innovative approach to an all-too-common problem: having exactly the right size and number of batteries on hand to power your flashlight. Got one of these and one of those? Pop ’em in the “Any Battery Light” and let it shine!

Moneual Touch Table PC Brings Multitouch Computing to Hungry Diners

We’ve seen a number of multitouch tables over the years, with the most notable being Microsoft’s PixelSense (formerly known as Surface). But most of these have very large screens and are designed for coffee tables or larger installations. Now, a Korean company called Moneual is set to release a touchscreen PC that’s built into a small cafe table.

touch table pc moneaul

While specs and pricing for the The Moneual Touch Table PC have yet to be revealed, it’s clear that the table is ideal for use in places like restaurants and cafes. It could be used to display menus and accept orders in place of printed ones, and also is capable of accepting payments right at the table as well, using what appears to be an NFC reader of some sort. It seems like a pretty cool idea, and certainly would reduce the number of errors that servers make with taking orders. I imagine the same system could be used to let you play games or even surf the internet while you wait for your food.

The Moneual Touch Table PC will be shown off at CES from January 8-11, 2013.

Xbox 360 Bullet Buttons Get Lit up

I’ve already swapped out the buttons on one of my Xbox 360 controllerswith some bullet buttons, and they look cool. But now I’m really jealous because somebody is now selling a bullet button mod that actually lights up. Sweet.

led bullet mod xbox controller 1

DeadEye Modz takes actual 9mm brass bullet casings, drills out the centers, and mounts colored LEDs inside of them so you know which button is which by color, not just by touch like with other bullet mods. The installation process is pretty straightforward, but unlike other button mods, you’ll need basic soldering skills to attach the LEDs and resistors to the board to provide power. Instructions are provided, so if you’re reasonably handy, it shouldn’t be a big deal.

led bullet mod xbox controller 2

There’s also a matching, light-up Xbox Guide button – made from a shotgun shell – and available in a variety of LED colors of your choice.

led bullet mod xbox controller 3

A full set of LED bullet buttons is $20.99(USD) over on Etsy. The shotgun shell guide button sells for $12.99. And if you’ve got lots of money to burn and don’t feel like modding your own controller, you can always go for this fully-pimped-out customized controller for $259.99:

led bullet mod xbox controller 4

BLU Vivo 4.65 HD Unlocked Android 4 Smartphone Announced

If you’re soon to be in the market for a new smartphone and you’re looking for an unlocked device that you won’t have to stick with a contract for, BLU Products’ Vivo 4.65 HD might be perfect for you.

blu vivo 465 hd smartphone

This smartphone has a large 4.65-inch Super AMOLED display promising HD resolution. The processor inside the device is a dual core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A9 and the smartphone supports 3G/HSPA connectivity. The phone also features 1 GB of integrated RAM. Other hardware features include an eight-megapixel autofocus camera that can record HD resolution video. The device will ship with the Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) operating system. The smartphone also supports dual SIM cards allowing both to be active and receive calls at the same time.

The unlocked Blu Vivo 4.65 HD smartphone will be available in major US retailers in January 2013 at a price of $299.99(USD). While it definitely doesn’t have top-of-the-line specs, it sounds like a good deal if you want to avoid a phone contract.

Apple and Intel Rumored to Team up for Smartwatch in 2013

No matter how you feel about Apple, you have to admit that the company did change the smartphone world when it unveiled the first iPhone 5-1/2 years ago. Apple then came back and set the tablet world on its ear with the iPad. Now it’s possible that Apple could be set to try to change the world of wristwatches.

ipod watch

Rumors are circulating that Apple and Intel are working on a new smartwatch product that will debut in 2013. Sources in China claim that Apple is working on smartwatch. This particular rumor helps make sense of the redesign of the iPod nano away from its watch-friendly square face, despite the popularity of wristband accessories and various Kickstarted smartwatch projects out there.

According to Chinese sources, the smartwatch would be Bluetooth enabled and have a 1.5-inch touchscreen display. The watch would be designed to work directly with the iPhone allowing users to make phone calls and perform other functions from their wrist. Other smartphone integrating watches have been on the market before and have proven unsuccessful, which makes this fertile ground for Apple to sow.

It’s worth noting that Apple rumors never cease and some products, such as an actual Apple HDTV and touchscreen iMacs, and have never materialized despite ongoing rumors.

[via PCMag]

Special MRI Correctly Diagnoses Alzheimer’s Without Spinal Tap

MRI machineNothing induces quite as much fear in a patient as the words ‘spinal
tap’ or ‘lumbar puncture,’ a test used to resolve diagnosis in many
neurological diseases. One disease that can be absolutely diagnosed by
lumbar puncture is Alzheimer’s disease, and the test is currently used
to distinguish it from other neurological diseases, such as
Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (FTLD), that commonly appear with
consequent dementia. But a new MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) model that distinguishes the two
diseases may prove critical to the success of future focused
treatment…

China’s New “World’s Fastest Supercomputer” Will Have Intel Inside

China's New “World's Fastest Supercomputer” Will Have Intel InsideChina is planning to use 100,000 Intel Ivy Bridge-based Xeon E5 processors to power its next supercomputer, rumored to be the world’s fastest. It’s a startling switch from previous statements favor the establishment of a high-end hardware industry independent of any foreign technology providers.

Acer Preparing $99 Android Tablet Computer

Those newfangled tablets seem to be all
the rage these days, but there are still people who don’t want to or
can’t put down even $199 for the cheapest Nexus 7. What will be
catering to those people in a few months, if the rumours are true, is
Acer with its Iconia B1.