A collection of geniuses at the University of the Algarve in Portugal have developed a top-mounted camera that brings an element of Augmented Reality to your average pool-hall game. Granted you’re probably going to have to be playing in a science lab to get the effect, but here it is. The laser guided system detects the table, the cues and the position of the balls to suggest to you where your shot might land up and what your next move could be. Still a prototype, so stop bobbing your head!
5 years from now, we’ll be able to TOUCH through our phones NEW TECH
At least that’s a prediction being made by IBM in this new viral they’re teasing the world with. We’ll hold you to that IBM.
Wi-Fi: Getting there…The Belkin N750DB and Range Extender FULL REVIEW
REVIEW BY NIR APTIR. FOLLOW HIM @knifeatgunfight The new N750 DB and Range Extender from Belkin is a subtly styled, soberly built device, and manages to make setting up W-Fi just a little simpler for anyone wanting to install or upgrade a Wi-Fi network. It’s refreshingly different in terms of design when you put it next to some other wireless routers – they’re normally very bulky with antennas jutting out, not something you would want hanging around in full view. With that, there’s also no wall-mounting ability, but it’s not problem because it just looks awesome, you wouldn’t want to mount it on a wall anyway. For those of us that are arriving on the slow train, the era of dual band is upon is. The 5 GHz radio band is making its way to the mainstream for a supposedly higher throughput of data over wireless. If you don’t have… Read More »
Wii Mini coming in March NEW GADGET
As with all things in the gadget world, the Wii is going mini and Nintendo are finding a new doorway to eek a little extra cash out of enthusiasts. And this one is great for the “classic” gamers. Y’know the type, those who know that last year some games came out and they’re still worth playing. It’s a smaller than original Wii, amazing looking it has to be said, and comes with a Wii Remote Plus and a red Nunchuck controller. It’s also retro-compatible with all your Wii accessories. It’s got no internet capabilities and games are played on small discs rather than downloaded onto a hard drive. The idea here being it’s an opportunity for you to play all the Wii games that have launched in the 6 years of Wii. These include: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Super Mario Galaxy and Animal Crossing: Let’s Go to the… Read More »
Playing paintball in cars
You are not reading that wrong and “yes” it is as cool as it sounds, if not cooler. In an attempt to prove the performance of their new 2013 RS4 Avante, Audi bolt up two of them with a machine gun turrets and fire paintballs at each other. Favourite part: their attempt at making it “official” by pointing out it’s being done at the “R & D Bunker” Worst part: Music choice
MYO – Control your environment with a wrist band NEW GADGET
Next level wizards at Thalmic Labs have created this weeks tech meme with the teaser video of their astonishing MYO wrist band that gives you control over gadgets and vehicles within your environment. Granted you will need to walk around looking like Boris Becker in the 80′s but it’s a small price to pay for gesture control which doesn’t rely on camera-based technology like Xbox Kinect. Using the electrical activity of your muscles and picking up on the movement of your arm, the MYO wrist band gives you control over your phone, laptop or even offroad vehicle to simply pause, play, steer or stop the device with the movement of your hand. It is a bit Hogwarts. They’ve also opened the doors to developers who might see uses for it that Thalmic Labs can’t even imagine. Get it: $149 (about R2000) From: https://getmyo.com/preorder
Ford Focus 2013 ROAD TEST
Few hatchbacks, in fact scratch that… No hatchbacks are truly perfect, and the Ford Focus is no different. But coming so close to it that you’re terrified, the Ford Focus does tick that box. And now there’s a new one out on SA roads, and I’ve been driving it. Mercifully there’s an easy way to sum up the new Ford Focus, and it can be done by addressing just three areas: SYNC, steering and engine. SYNC is Ford’s proprietary in-car entertainment and information system, developed in conjunction with Microsoft. It is incredibly clever, nifty and capable, and also not yet available in the new Ford Focus. The SYNC system in this car works through a 4.2-inch TFT display that, from the driver’s position, doesn’t look big enough to play a game of Angry Birds on while you sit in traffic. And worse than that, you actually can’t because it isn’t… Read More »
Volvo’s pedestrian airbag system released NEW TECH
Ferrari and Lamborghini might be good at blowing minds with speed and danger, but Volvo certainly knows how to garner the same reaction from the other end of the spectrum: safety. Their new V40, debuted last year, is now available overseas, and it’s the world’s first car to feature the pedestrian airbag system. Basically the car detects (from the front bumper) the contact between your car and a person. It shoots off a charge, blows the front bonnet upwards, pushing the person away from the windscreen and in to an airbag on the outside of the car. It activates at speeds between 2- and 50km/h. Anything quicker and let’s be realistic…
Google Chromebook Pixel. World’s brightest and best laptop NEW GADGET
The latest in the range of Google Chromebooks has been announced and fittingly it is called the “Pixel”. A good name since is boasts a 12.85-inch touchscreen retina display with the highest pixel density of any laptop anywhere. Design-wise they’re going for an “illusion” for the user. Few lines, fewer markings and a handful of screws leave the user free to forget they’re using a laptop and take their grubby paw to the screen whenever they see fit. Pinch and zoom on photos, slide through webpages and edit photos by touch. Vents are hidden, screws nearly invisible and stereo speakers seamless. But this isn’t always the best way to get good audio out of a device. First play will tell. Reg laptop, urge to touch button it works
Flyboard: the powered wakeboard extreme sport NEW GADGET
Well the extreme sport and Jackass videos will follow shortly no doubt. Using a concept that we’re not unfamiliar with (but won’t mention here), the Flyboard is explained as a jet powered wakeboard that lets you fly like a bird or swim like a dolphin. And as the video below shows, that’s not a bad description. NOTE: hot girls on surfboards perving at you while you fly are not included in the price. As I can understand it from the pretty non-descript PR bumpf, the Flyboard is connected to a jetski which gives you 90% of your propulsion. The other 10% goes to the hand jets which give you just enough thrust to direct yourself where you want to go. 20 minutes, and they say you’ll be mermaid-ing through the air. Get it: http://flyboard.com/
