Dec 15

SpaceNavigator Mouse Designed With Google Earth In Mind

Posted in: Gadgets, Google, Today's Chili

This article was written on November 28, 2006 by CyberNet.

SpaceNavigator Mouse The SpaceNavigator mouse is truly the first of its kind. What makes it so special? It isn’t your typical 5-button mouse that has a scroll-wheel for easy navigation your Word documents. Instead it is designed to navigate 3D programs with ease by offering a unique design that controls the X, Y, and Z-axis.

It was created by a Logitech company called 3Dconnexion and from the sounds of it the primary focus of the mouse was to make navigating Google Earth and SketchUp effortless. Here are the features that the SpaceNavigator has to offer:

Why Choose SpaceNavigator

  • Powerful Navigation at entry-level price
  • Fly through Google Earth and 100+ 3D programs
  • Manipulate models in Google SketchUp
  • Powerful navigation for 3D visualization programs
  • Ideal for 3D designers, students, artists and enthusiasts

Suggested Retail Price

  • SpaceNavigator SE $99
    (commercial use license & full support)
  • SpaceNavigator PE $59
    (non-commercial use license & online support only)

Everyone says that $59 for this mouse is really cheap but I have a hard time stomaching that seeing that I use Google Earth every few weeks. If it somehow worked as a normal mouse as well it might be cool but getting a mouse that is 3D-application specific wouldn’t fit my needs. Of course the $59 price tag is really just for the casual users because anyone that does use Google Earth all of the time is probably doing it for a career…and will have to fork out $99!

How smooth is the navigation in Google Earth when using this mouse? Checkout this video from the SpaceNavigator review on Ogle Earth:

Looks pretty nice, huh? Do you think it is worth the money though?

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Dec 12

CyberNotes: Top Toys of 2006 for Rich Kids!

Posted in: CyberNotes, Gadgets, Today's Chili

This article was written on January 01, 2007 by CyberNet.

Have you ever wondered what the disgustingly rich buy for their spoiled children during the holidays? Take a look at some of the top toys of 2006 for rich kids.

Grand Victorian Mansion

Send the kids out to the backyard to play in their Grand Victorian Mansion. No need for sand boxes, or swing sets when you have a mini house of your own to play in. No Victorian mansion would be complete without a wraparound porch. It also includes stained glass windows, window boxes (for your flowers, of course!), a door bell, and a door-knocker. This is available for purchase from FAO Schwarz for $22,000.

Dimensions: 204″ L x 108″ W x 132″ H

Scallywag Sloop Pirate Themed Club House

For $18,499.99, this Pirate Ship Club House could be yours from Costco. Talk about one unique tree house that your neighbors sure won’t have! The base is made from an old tree with a hallowed-out opening.  The opening is large enough that even and adult would be able to fit through.  There are two parts to it, and it includes a swing, and a fireman’s pole. It comes complete with a cannon hole, a ships mast, crows nest, and a ships wheel! Other options include a spiral turbo slide for $920, and a real cast iron cannon bow support for $2500.

Dimensions: 18′W x 10′D x 20′ H

 

 

7-Foot Robby the Robot

The 7-foot Robby Robot comes from the 1956 film “Fobidden Planet,” and now it can be yours.  All seven feet of it. He’s programmed to recite lines from the movie, and the sound can be connected to your home theater system, or you can even project your own voice using a wireless microphone. Weighing in at 100 pounds, this is an extraordinary gift that only the spoiled rich could have. Robby is also programmed to spin his planetary gyro stabilizers, and rotate his scanners while lights are flashing. The body is extra durable, made out of rugged Fiberglass.

Price: $49,999.95

Made by: Hammacher Schlemmer

 

Life Sized Lego Batman

You could find this guy in the FAO Swartz Christmas catalog for 2006 with a hefty price tag of $27,000! I wonder how many kids had this on their wish list? Measuring 6’6″ tall, he is constructed out of Lego’s! He wears a black bat-suit, yellow utility belt, and a fabric cape. It would come delivered to your house in three separate crated sections with some assembly required.

Price: $27,000

Dimensions: 24″ L x 24″ W x 78″ H

 

Rough & Tumble Outpost

Now this is what rich people buy their kids for the holidays! The Rough & Tumble Outpost is a mega playground for your own backyard. Why would you want a swing set when you could have this outpost for $97,610? :) It includes:

  • Swinging bridge
  • Rock-climbing walls
  • Look out tower
  • Jailhouse
  • Earthquake Landing Platform
  • Fire Pole
  • Wrap-around ramp up to second story

You’ll need a 47′ x 48′ piece of land to put this on!

Actual dimensions: 35.5′ L x 28′W x 15′H

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Dec 12

About that BlackBerry Outage…

Posted in: Gadgets, iPhone, Smartphones, Today's Chili, Wireless

This article was written on February 12, 2008 by CyberNet.

blackberry outage BlackBerry’s email service decided to go out for lunch yesterday and didn’t come back. By that we mean there was a major BlackBerry outage yesterday and thousands upon thousands of people were without access to their wireless email.  Given the crowd of people who typically use it (e.g., businessmen and other professionals), there were a lot of unhappy campers (especially given that this is the 2nd major outage in a years time).

So about that BlackBerry outage…  Remember the nickname that has been given to the Blackberry? It’s called the Crackberry because so many people become addicted do the device. What happens to addicts when they’re deprived of what they’re addicted to? They go through withdrawals and that’s exactly what happened to BlackBerry users yesterday. The Associated Press quoted one person saying that everyone was in crisis.  They said:

Everyone’s in crisis because they’re all picking away at their BlackBerrys and nothing’s happening. It’s almost like cutting the phone cables or a total collapse in telegraph lines a century ago. It just isolates people in a way that’s quite phenomenal.

Another person, a businessman named Stuart Gold was one of many that was mad about another major outage. He was quoted as saying:

I don’t know what happened, I don’t care what happened. They need to save their excuses for someone who cares.

It’s actually quite amazing what an impact one device can have on the World. This critical outage also had the opposite effect.  Besides the upset and angry customers, there were those who took the outage as a welcome break. One man who was quoted by Reuters said his life was easier without it because he didn’t have to worry about replying.

While I’m sure it did most everybody some good to step away from the BlackBerry for just a few hours, the underlying thought here is that RIM needs to make sure a major outage like this does not happen again. People want reliability and in a competitive market, people can leave BlackBerry behind for something that might be more reliable than what they’re currently getting like an iPhone or a Palm device. Oh wait, the iPhone experienced an outage not that long ago too back on January 31st! Is any service reliable these days or are we just expecting too much?

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Dec 12

Blockbuster to Add Another Set-Top Box to Your Collection

Posted in: Gadgets, Movies, Today's Chili

This article was written on April 10, 2008 by CyberNet.

blockbuster set top box

Well, Blockbuster has apparently decided that it won’t be sitting on the sidelines when it comes to distributing digital media. According to Hollywood Reporter Blockbuster has begun developing a set-top box that will stream movies directly to your home, and an announcement will be made later this month regarding that. As expected Blockbuster didn’t want to comment on the rumor, but a spokeswoman said:

We’re talking to numerous companies and vendors about products, services, alliances and initiatives that can help us achieve our mission to transform Blockbuster into a company that provides access to media content across multiple channels — from our stores, by mail, through kiosks, through downloading, through portable content-enabled devices– so it’s not surprising that there are rumors out there.

The thing that really gets me is that this is going to be yet another box to add to our home theaters. Couldn’t they just partner with cable and satellite companies to help reduce the number of set-top boxes we have cluttering our homes? Having another box merely for streaming sounds like a waste of space.

What’s really going to be interesting is how much they’ll charge to get the box. I don’t think people would fork out too much money to get the actual unit, but maybe they’ll give it out for free if you sell your soul sign a rather lengthy service contract?

Hollywood Reporter [via Engadget]
[image via Flickr]

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Dec 10

How to Extend the Life of Your Gadgets

Posted in: Gadgets, Today's Chili

This article was written on November 25, 2007 by CyberNet.

extend life of gadgets Gadgets these days don’t come cheap, so when one of them stops working, not only is is frustrating, it could be expensive to replace. CNN put together a great article on how you can extend the life of some of your gadgets, and I thought parts of it were definitely worth highlighting here. You can read the entire article from CNN here. So how can you extend the life of your gadgets?

–Extend the life of your iPod–

One of the easiest things that you can do to extend the life of your iPod is to buy a protective hard rubber case because  iPods are so small and easy to drop. Sure it may not break the first time it tumbles to the ground, but it’s possible. Another suggestion is to simply run down your battery about once a month before you recharge it – this will help the battery last as long as possible.

–Extend the life of your Cell Phone–

Like iPods, it’s not a bad idea to let your battery drain completely a couple times a week. Some of you are probably used to just putting your phone on the charger every night, even if the phone isn’t in need of charging. Letting the battery drain a few times will allow the battery to work more efficiently. A protective case or cover for your cell phone isn’t a bad idea either. How many of you drop your phones on a regular basis?

–Extend the life of your Flat-Screen TV–

Did you know that the average life-span of a flat-screen TV is ten years? One of the best things you can do for your TV is to keep your hands off of it! According to a TV salesman at Best Buy, putting your fingers on the screen can cause some of the pixels to burnout which of course, isn’t good.  Another suggestion is to just use a soft cloth to clean the TV and avoid using glass cleaner or other spray cleaners.

–Extend the life of your DVD Player–

This may come as a surprise, but the average life of a DVD player is only about four to five years which really isn’t very long. If you want to get as many years as possible out of your DVD player, make sure that it’s got room to breath. Shoving it in the smallest compartment or slot on your TV stand doesn’t help … keep it cool! If you decide to move it from one room to another to use, be sure that you turn it off before you unplug it or move it.  The less it moves, the better, so try to keep it in just one room.

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Dec 10

iPhone Reviewer Says Internet “Excruciatingly Slow”

Posted in: Apple, Gadgets, iPhone, Microsoft, Reviews, Screenshots, Today's Chili

This article was written on June 27, 2007 by CyberNet.

It’s time for your daily fix of iPhone updates!  The first reviews are in from The Wall Street Journal (Walt Mossberg), The New York Times (David Pogue), USA Today (Ed Baig), and Newsweek (Steven Levy), and overall I’d say the reviewers were pretty impressed and generally had nothing but good things to say about the phone. My biggest concern after reading the reviews however, is that they mentioned that AT&T’s Edge Internet service is slow. I’ll get more into that later, but first we’ll start with the areas where they were all in agreement.

Areas of Agreement :

Worth the hype?

Is the iPhone worth all of the hype that it’s been receiving lately? The general answer is absolutely! Pogue of the New York Times says, “most sophisticated, outlook-changing piece of electronics to come along in years,” while Baig of USA Today says “This expensive, glitzy wunkerkind is indeed worth lusting after.”

Design, Screen and User Interface

Good news! All four pointed out that it’s practical, but more importantly fun to use. And in a nutshell, it’s slim, sleek, and comfortable in the hand to use and touch.

Regarding the screen, many people including myself were wondering how the screen would stand-up to heavy use. I was thinking that users would end up using a screen-protector of sorts to keep it scratch-free, however that may not be needed. All four reviewers noted that the screen doesn’t scratch easily, and after weeks of use, it was nearly as good as new. Now, whether or not the phone will look “as good as new” a year from now we have yet to know.

Edge Internet/Wi-Fi

While they were all in agreement here, they’re not agreeing that the Internet is great. Instead, the resounding agreement was that it was slow. Not good!

  • Excruciatingly Slow (Pogue)
  • Pokey; far slower than Verizon or Sprint networks (Mossberg)
  • Pokey, compared with 3G data networks (Baig)
  • Feels like dial-up

The one thing that will help compensate with the slow Internet is the Wi-Fi access which Levy notes is partial compensation, and Baig says is iPhone’s savings grace for data. Mossberg says that it doesn’t fully make up for the lack of a fast cellular data, but Pogue says it is fast and satisfying.

I have a feeling that users will be quick to switch to a Wi-Fi network for data when one is available if the Edge Internet is as slow as all four said it was.

Areas of Disagreement :

Typing

I had already been hearing that the keyboard is difficult to use for typing, however it may be one of those things that just takes getting used to. The reviewers didn’t all agree here with Pogue saying it was frustrating, especially at first, and Mossberg saying it’s a non-issue because of smart software.

Apple has actually put together a video specifically for typing on the iPhone.  I must say, it does look like there is pretty amazing technology behind the keyboard. While they recommend getting started with just one finger, I don’t think it’ll be too difficult before you’re using both of your thumbs to quickly type emails and text messages (unfortunately, no instant messages).

Battery Life

Just a couple of weeks ago, Apple surprised everyone with battery life details for the iPhone saying that it will get 8 hours of talk time, 6 hours of Internet use, 7 hours of video playback, and 24 hours audio playback. While those numbers are impressive, how did the reviewers rate battery life?

Well, three of them thought it was great with comments like “impressive,” “so far so good,” and “generally lasts the day.” Pogue however, said that it was not quite as impressive.

I think we’ll wait for the masses to give their opinions on this one, because I’m sure it will widely vary depending on what people are doing with their phones.

Overall

Overall, I’d say wait for the masses to give their opinions. While I think all four reviews had a lot of great insight in them, I tend to find the average-joe review to be more accurate, and I’m sure we’ll be reading plenty of those within the coming weeks. From the sounds of it, the iPhone will in fact live up to its hype and really change the cell phone industry.

Note: Gizmodo has a great iPhone Review Matrix for quick, easy referencing.

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Dec 09

Finally! Optimus Maximus Pre-orders Start May 20th

Posted in: Gadgets, Today's Chili

This article was written on May 16, 2007 by CyberNet.

The day is actually approaching. I wasn’t sure we’d ever actually see the day, but on May 20th you can pre-order an Optimus Maximus keyboard. Keep in mind, it isn’t cheap. In fact, the keyboard costs more than most of you probably paid for your entire computer – $1,536.

Despite the price, I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if the 400 keyboards that will be available in December are sold-out quickly.  It’s been hyped, and re-hyped for what seems like forever now. So, if you’re really wanting to shell out the $1500 for the keyboard, be prepared on May 20th at 7:00 am Eastern time with credit card in hand to purchase your pre-order.

Here’s a quick re-cap on what you need to know about the Optimus Maximus (in case you’ve been hibernating over the last year and haven’t heard a thing about it):

  • 114 OLED keys (each key has a display)
  • Each display is 32×32 pixels (full color)
  • Replacement keys can be purchased for $10

Is there anybody out there with plans to make this big purchase?

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Dec 08

Available Today: 16GB iPhone & 32 GB iPod Touch

Posted in: Apple, Gadgets, iPhone, ipod, Mac, Today's Chili

This article was written on February 05, 2008 by CyberNet.

expanded iPhone When everybody was making their predictions of what Apple would announce at Macworld 2008, a 16GB iPhone was usually on the list. Macworld came, and what we got was the MacBook Air, iTunes movie rentals, iPhone Firmware, and Time Capsule, but no 16 GB iPhone was to be found.  It’s been three weeks now and apparently Apple wanted to throw a curve ball by releasing an expanded storage iPhone and an iPod Touch three weeks after Macworld.

Double the storage for the iPhone means that there is now a 16GB model.  If you recall, the original pricing of the 4GB iPhone (which is now discontinued) was $499.  Guess how much the 16 GB model is selling for? You guessed it, $499. Quite the deal, isn’t it? The iPod Touch also got double the storage.  Previously they had an 8GB and a 16 GB model, but now there is a 32GB version which is priced at $499 as well.  That means more songs, photos, and videos for those of you who just can’t get enough space.

Many of you who already own an iPhone or an iPod Touch are breathing a sigh of relief at this point knowing that prices have remained the same for the older models. I don’t think Apple would want to repeat the fiasco they went through back in September when they so abruptly dropped the price of the 8GB iPhone and announced that they were discontinuing the 4GB model all together. The expanded storage models of the iPhone and the iPod Touch are available starting today at the Apple store online, or in Apple and AT&T retail stores.

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Dec 08

Sidekick III Release Scheduled For June 26

Posted in: Gadgets, Today's Chili

This article was written on May 30, 2006 by CyberNet.

Sidekick III Release Scheduled For June 26
 

Information on the much anticipated Sidekick III release is very sparse but Gizmodo says that they have some reliable dates. A celebrity launch party is expected to be on June 20 and located in New York City while other “normal” people will get to savor the goodies on June 26. These dates have not been confirmed by T-Mobile but they do sound reasonable.

News Source: Gizmodo

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Dec 07

Proverbial Wallet Helps Curb Your Spending

Posted in: Gadgets, Today's Chili
ProvWallet.jpg

What’s one more swipe of the credit card, right? In this digital age, when hardly anyone uses cash anymore, it’s harder to recognize the consequences of each purchase. You don’t feel and see your wallet emptying out. You don’t actually have to count out the bills and hand over your hard-earned cash. Just swipe and your done. The folks over at the MIT Media Lab have created a solution to help you more conscious of the effects of your purchases: the Proverbial Wallet.

The wallet helps you monitor and control your electronic spending by making the consequences of your purchases real. Inside each wallet is a little mechanism that monitors your bank account by communicating with your cellphone over Bluetooth and has a unique way of alerting you about your spending. 
There are three models: 

The Bumblebee, which buzzes and vibrates with each transaction, making you aware that each time you swipe your card money it taken from your account. 
The Mother Bear, which has a hinge that resists opening when you have reached your monthly budget. This wallet is probably only appropriate for serious shopaholics. 
And the Peacock, which swells and shrinks depending on the amount of money in your bank account (So your assets will be one display to attract a potential mate, like a peacock’s tail. Get it?).
Video after the jump!
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