The Best Netbook Accessories

Image Source : Laptoppimp

Now is the time to get great netbook deals. With manufacturers stopping production, prices on netbooks are cheaper than ever. For some people, a netbook is a great solution to mobile computing. Whilst laptops are getting cheaper, netbooks are still even more affordable and more portable too. And tablets might be cool, but they lack the processing power and memory capacity of a netbook. On top of that, typing a long email on a tablet's touch screen, even on an iPad 3G, really isn't any fun at all, whereas a netbook has a full physical keyboard. Not only can you get a great deal on a netbook right now, but you can get good prices on all the requisite accessories too. Got your new netbook and want to kit it out? Here's what you should think about getting...

A Carrying Case...
Your netbook is going to get carried around, which means that it's liable to get scratched or even broken somewhere along the way. A decent carrying case will not only protect your netbook, but will also mean that you can save a little space in your briefcase or back pack, and carry your netbook over your shoulder. Crusher makes some excellent cases. Look for something that has a carrying strap, rather than just handles, as it will make carrying more convenient. If you're not into the idea of carrying your netbook separately, then look out for deals on specialised bags and back packs that come with a netbook pocket. These can be convenient compromises between separate cases and an over-stuffed briefcase or back pack.

A Sleeve...
If you decide not to go with a carrying case, you're going to need at least a sleeve to protect your netbook whilst it's in a pocket of another bag. A sleeve will give surface protection, meaning your device won't get scratched, but it should also be slightly padded to provide at least minimal shock absorbing capabilities. Look out for a sleeve that's at least 0.25cm or so thick, so that it can adequately protect your netbook. Also, make sure that the sleeve fits properly. They do come in different sizes, and too small means it will be difficult to remove your netbook, whilst too big means that your netbook can slip out when you're carrying it.

Techie Stuff...
There are some other great accessories that you can look out for. If your netbook has an HDMI port, grab yourself an HDMI cable. This will let you hook your netbook up to a regular computer monitor or your TV, so you can get the big screen feeling when you're not on the go. If there's no integrated DVD player on your netbook, you can pick up an external one pretty cheaply. This will make your netbook great for entertainment on a business trip, as well as for working. A wireless mouse is a pretty nice thing to have too, since netbook track-pads can be annoying to use in the long term. Finally, invest in some decent anti-virus software as well. Netbooks are just as vulnerable as any other kind of computer to viruses, and it's best to protect yourself.


Phil Turner would buy an iPad 3g for travelling but he cannot get on with virtual keyboards, so he has bought a netbook instead.

Logitech C930e Webcam - now see extra wide!

Logitech unveiled the new business class C930e Webcam, claiming it to have the widest viewing angle (90 degrees) in class. Coming with Full HD capabilities, it has processing capability for the incoming video content to reduce the load on the CPU. Also, it comes with company's own RightLight2 image adjusting technology, apart from Carl Zeiss certified lens, preventing the motion induced distortions, allowing more animated video chats. It has 4x magnification, and supports H.264 and UVC 1.5 encoding, and is USB 3.0 ready. Although optimized for Microsoft Lync communication platform, it is set to work for others as well, like Skype, is compatible with Windows 7, 8 and Mac OSX 10.7 or higher. With its autofocus , external privacy shutter and in built dual stereo speakers, it surely is quite an attractive option at the suggested retail price of $110.

Product page : Logitech

Two wireless devices added to Seagate's storage line

Seagate Technology unveiled two wireless storage devices at CES 2013 - the Seagate Wireless Plus , a 1TB wireless external hard drive with inbuilt WiFi capabilities; and the Seagate Central, a centralized storage for all devices in a home network.

Seagate Wireless Plus


The winner of CES 2013 Best of Innovations Award, the Seagate wireless plus , with its 8 hour battery life, a 1 TB storage capacity, and the ability to create its own WiFi network and support upto 8 devices, do justify the award.
It can be controlled by the Seagate Media app for iOS, Android and Kindle Fire HD devices, comes with removable USB 3.0 adapter, and can stream content to HDTV's with Apple's Airplay, DLNA or an app for samsung smart TV's.
Price : $199.99 (At amazon and BestBuy)

Seagate Central



Another CES 2013 Innovations awardee, as the name suggests, it is meant to act as a central storage for all devices in a household, a much needed accessory with increased number of devices in each home. It's the first device to use a Smart TV app to access files via a television. It can , like the Backup plus series, can directly backup files directly from Facebook. It has three size variants - 2 TB for $189.99, a 3TB  for $219.99 and a 4TB option for $259.99, and is set to go on sale from March.
 

Eye tracking by Tobii Rex for Windows 8

Working on eye tracking technology since the last decade, and showcasing the Gaze UI for windows 8 last CES, they are ready to set their first consumer level eye tracking device in front of the world at the upcoming CES 2013, which brings the eye tracking functionality to any windows 8 based PC.It can scroll, zoom, navigate and select by tracking the viewers eyeball.

Attached at the bottom of the screen, connected with a USB cable, it is much like the Tobii PCEye, for the
users with impaired motor skills. However, the Rex is to be used in combination with the keyboard , mouse and touch controls, and not replace them.

This year, only 5000 limited edition units will be prepared by Tobii , whose pricing is yet to be announced.However, Rex developer edition is currently available for devs to create and improvise various apps functionable with it. It costs around $995 for the devs.

The pics currently shared by Tobii are that of the developer edition, but I expect the consumer edition to be a bit slimmer, glossier.XD
CES 2013 is what we got to wait for again!

Source: Tobii

IntelliPaper : paper based disposable USB drives

We have seen concepts for this kind of stuff, but the design team at IntelliPaper have patented the technology to lay out silicon chips on sheets of paper, which when torn and folded, can be used in any USB port!! files can be transferred as long as the paper stays intact (of course!).

Though don't expect storage of the order of GB or anything.. the range is of 8-32 MB, not much, but still, what counts is the technology. So far, the developers have implemented their technology in mail-out flyers, promotional brochures, and business cards, among other items. Uploading data to a fresh card does require a special reader and some software to avoid damaging it, which intelliPaper offers to customers. If someone doesn't want to risk damaging the paper drive itself, intelliPaper also communicates wirelessly with any near field-enabled smartphone or tablet.



The inexpensive nature is going to make it quite useful, with memory on any kind of paper product - card, invitation, etc... The company mostly ships intelliPaper to customers in bulk, but it is also preparing to release products aimed at individual consumers (greeting cards, note cards, and so on). The design group recently finished an Indiegogo funding campaign that was intended to speed up this process, but only raised US$6,480 of its $300,000 goal. Nevertheless, the team did manage to find a U.S. distributor and plans to release USB-enabled note cards, called "DataNotes," in mid-2013.
Check out the video below to see intelliPaper president/CEO Andrew DePaula demonstrate some of the many uses for a sheet of paper outfitted with USB capabilities.
Source: intelliPaper

ROCCAT's Isku FX keyboard lights up with the game

ROCCAT's new Isku FX Multicolor Gaming Keyboard features 36 macro keys and backlighting options in 16.8 million colors that correspond to in-game actions

ROCCAT Studios recently revealed the latest iteration of its Isku line of gaming keyboards, which feature backlit keys for late-night sessions. Rather than just having one color to choose from, as in last year's model, the company's new Isku FX Multicolor Gaming Keyboard lights up in a range of 16.8 million colors, which can now be programmed to match in-game actions.

The key layout and basic features have remained largely unchanged since the ROCCAT's last Isku keyboard, but that's not necessarily a strike against it. This newest version still uses an Easy-Shift[+] key duplication system that allows for a total of 36 macro keys, which includes three thumbster keys, so you barely need to move your hand to run custom game commands. Up to five different macro profiles can be configured at a time, and new macro commands can be created in the middle of a game with a dedicated recording button.

The keyboard also has a 1000Hz polling rate with a 1ms response time, along with a large wrist rest and adjustable feet. It also includes timing software that will audibly alert you to certain events in the game, like when an item or weapon respawns, and is compatible with ROCCAT's achievement system, which was introduced earlier this year.

The most noticeable change is in the backlighting, which now has 16.8 million color options along with six adjustable brightness levels. As before, the Isku keyboard communicates with a compatible ROCCAT mouse for macros functions and to sync their colors, but now these colors can be programmed to match what's happening in a game. For instance, the two devices might glow red when you're hit by an enemy, or flash white when a new round is about to start. They can also be set to light up for notice from other programs or just to provide ambient lighting.

It looks like ROCCAT's new keyboard could provide an interesting (if purely cosmetic) touch to any gaming session, though gamers are sure to find the macro keys much more useful than any sort of backlighting.

ROCCAT's Isku FX Multicolor Gaming Keyboard is expected to hit store shelves this week in multiple language layouts, at a price of US$99.99.

Source: Roccat , Gizmag

Blast of hot, hot heat can heal flash memory, science proves

Researchers have found that a blast of 800C heat can stop flash memory from wearing out.

Current flash drives tend to burn out after 10,000 cycles of data being written and read, which is a bit of an issue for server farms and other data-heavy computing outlets relying on solid state drives (SSDs) day-in-day-out.

Scientists now reckon that with this toasty blast SSDs can last up to 100 million cycles instead.

A quick heat hit is much easier to apply than baking the chip for hours at 250C in situ, as was the previous "solution".

More than times a thousand

Scientists looked to future memory sources for inspiration, deciding to try a solution used by phase change RAM (PCRAM) which could end up usurping flash memory in the long run.

The Macronix engineers redesigned a flash memory chip with tiny onboard heaters that can use an electric current to generate pulses of heat just a few milliseconds long that have a healing effect on the chip.

Sounds power-hungry, but the scientists argue that because the process can be done just occasionally and bit-by-bit, it can be programmed to heal just when a device is hibernating and connected to a power source.

Basically, as project deputy director at Macronix Hang‑Ting Lue puts it, "It's not going to drain your cellphone battery."

So when will we see this self-healing memory make its way into our handsets and computers? It might not be as far off as it sounds.

"It took a leap of imagination to jump into a completely different regime…very high temperature and in a very short time," says Lue.

"Afterward, we realised that there was no new physics principle invented here, and we could have done this 10 years ago." 


From IEEE Spectrum via BBC , Techradar

Turn Your IPad into mini foosball table!!!

As many bar game aficionados are aware, little compares to a good foosball match, and while owning a table of your own has typically required sacrificing a sizable portion of your house, Classic Match Foosball by New Potato Technology promises to bring the iconic game to the iPad's smaller form, complete with physical controls.

New Potato Technology is the company previously responsible for Pinball Magic, and like that device, Classic Match Foosball is a full physical accessory which cradles the iPad. The unit contains real controls to lend that all-important tactile feedback, with eight 2-axis control rods which are accompanied by score counter sliders.

Classic Match Foosball is powered by the iPad's on-board batteries and sports four folding removable legs for easier storage. The unit can also act as a charging dock, and comes with a complimentary iOS app, which offers a 3D instant replay of every goal to recap your glory.

The foosball table is compatible with all full-size iPads except the most recent model, presumably due to Apple's introduction of the Lightning port. However, the device in question must be running iOS 5 or later. The company states that the game supports up to four players, though in reality, one imagines that two players would be a much better fit for the iPad's 10-inch form.

Classic Match Foosball is will set you back US$99.99.

Source: New Potato Technology via Gizmodo UK

Belkin first to market with third-party Lightning accessories

 
Belkin announced today that it will be the first third-party manufacturer to market with Lightning accessories for the latest Apple devices

With its new car charger and dock accessories for iPhone and iPad set to ship the middle of November, it looks as if Belkin will be the first third-party manufacturer of Lightning accessories to reach the market. While the Car Charger 2.1 AMP will charge all of Apple's current Lightning devices (including the iPhone 5, iPad mini and 4th-gen iPad), the Charge + Sync Dock is designed specifically for iPhone 5.

Charge + Sync Dock

Most eye-catching of the two is undoubtedly the Charge + Sync Dock. The rather svelte-looking accessory cradles an iPhone 5 while taking up no additional width. The dock includes a fold-away audio jack and auxiliary port so that it can be connected to either headphones or speakers.
The user will need to supply a standard Apple Lightning Cable which will run through a channel in the base of the dock, so there may be the expense of an extra cable to consider if the dock is to become a second or third charging location. The dock also includes a removable magnetic base.

Car Charger 2.1 AMP

The Car Charger 2.1 AMP is exactly what you'd expect, connecting your Apple Lighting device to your car's cigarette lighter socket. The device draws 10 watts at 2.1 amps over its 4-ft (1.2-m) cable. The device will sit alongside Belkin's existing Car Charger 1 AMP for older Apple devices.

Pricing and availability

Belkin says that both the Car Charger 2.1 AMP and the Charge + Sync Dock will be available to pre-order from November 7, and are set to ship by November 15. Both accessories are priced at US$29.99.
Product pages: Charge + Sync Dock, Car Charger 2.1 AMP, via Apple Insider , Gizmag

Nissan's new leather seats feel like human skin

Nissan's new upholstery aims to replicate the texture and softness of human skin (Photo: Shutterstock)

Nissan is working on a material for its car seats that will replicate the texture and softness of human skin. The project called Premium-fEEL interior concept (PEEL) has seen engineers carry out detailed studies of what provides the sense of touch with a comfortable sensation. They discovered that nothing matches the comfort and tranquility associated with the feel of human fingers against the body. Being enveloped in the softness, the warmth, and the texture associated with a pattern of fingerprints is uniquely satisfying to people, who subconsciously interpret these sensations as a gentle caress.

The leather upholstery of the new Infinity QX56 (Photo: Nissan)

Most surfaces of an automobile cabin are experienced through pressure, sliding contact, or both. Nissan's studied both of these interactions as a function of perceived comfort, and the results appear below:

Nissan's research findings on comfort. The upper half of the figure describes comfort in terms of the compressibility of a surface, while the bottom half does the same in terms of the roughness of a surface (Image: Nissan)

The graphs indicate that the situation of maximum comfort occurs when a leather surface is only slightly less compressible than a human finger pad, and when the roughness of the surface is about that of a human fingerprint. Their overall conclusion is that the texture and yielding nature of baby skin is very nearly ideal.
Nissan is aiming to achieve this using semi-aniline leather with a textured and lightly pigmented protective coating which contains the fingerprint patterns.
One could argue that the best way to replicate an original is to use the original itself, but – aside from the serious creepy factor – with the cost of lab-grown human skin currently around US$250,000 per square meter, it's not likely to end up in car upholstery any time soon.
Source: Nissan Motor Company, Gizmag