Geeks are like megalomaniacs: when it comes down to it, it's really all about the power. Without juice, all your fancy gadgetry is just dead in the water. We've covered a number of solutions for your power needs, but among the very slickest are the USBCELL batteries from Moixa that let you recharge via your USB port.
Now Moixa's looking to bring the same convenience to your cellphone with the USBCELL for phones and portable devices. The batteries are going to be available in a number of popular form factors, including major phones and Blackberries. They'll be available later this year. No price is announced yet.
One wonders how the cell phone manufacturers, who often advise against using third-party batteries, will react to this. I'd imagine the USBCELL's would be pretty handy as backup batteries, especially when you're on the road.
[via Chip Chick]
If you enjoy a bit of technological tinkering in your spare time and aren't totally terrified of the destruction of privacies that technology will eventually bring down upon our society, you might be interested in the RFID Experimentation Kit. While it's currently out of stock, there're more coming in at the end of March, so you'll want to reserve your copy now.
The kit comes with a USB RFID reader, a dozen different RFID chips, cards and keychains for embedding the chip, and even one tag suitable for implanting in yourself, though it's really recommended that you don't (no problem here). The extensive included book runs you through instructions for a bunch of different little projects you can do with your kit, like setting up an RFID doggy door (though presumably not including performing minor surgery on yourself or your cat, thankfully).
Running at $100, the kit is perfect for the geek in your life, though be warned: some amount of technological savvy is recommended. Windows is required, so Mac users will probably need to switch over to Boot Camp or Parallels, unfortunately.
[via Popgadget]
Oh, Google, how I do love thee! Let me count the ways: you've finally, at long last, added traffic overlays to Google Maps. Just hit the "Traffic" button up next to "Map" to get the 411 (people still say that, right?).
The information has been available from Google via your cellphone in the past, but now they've added it via the web interface as well. The legend is typical Google complexity: red means slow traffic, yellow means so-so, and green means clear. Gray means that the road has been filled with concrete. Or no information. One of those.
As we speak, traffic on the expressway in Boston is pretty much stop-and-go; while I90 looks pretty clear. I'll be sure to avoid the expressway on my commute up the stairs.
[via Lifehacker]
Batteries, batteries. They power all sorts of gadgets today, and they're constantly in need of replacing, recharging, or what have you: it's all a drain on the old natural resources. This four battery Solar Charger is out to prevent such needless waste by powering up your cells with sweet, sweet thermonuclear energy—straight from the Sun itself.
Four NiMh batteries can be charged at a time, of AAA, AA, C, or D sizes (don't mix them though); they'll hit full capacity in as little as six hours, given a sunny day. There are also adapters for plugging your small electronics in directly. While batteries aren't included, the unit itself runs for just $14 at present, so if you've got NiMh batteries lying around, it might be a handy alternative.
[via Red Ferret Journal]
As has been made pretty clear by this point, I don't really follow football. Or play a lot of it. Last time I think I threw a football was at some point in high school; I'm sure it didn't go very far. So a $20 Virtual Distance Football would probably just be a reminder of my terrible lack of quarterbacking skills.
You see, it's a pretty standard foam football but with a distance sensor embedded in it. Fire off your best hail mary pass and the LCD will tell you how much yardage you just threw for. I'd probably advise against using it in an actual game, as stopping to marvel at your cannon-like arm is the kind of thing that's likely to get you sacked.
[via CrunchGear]
Wires, wires everywhere. That's kind of what my desk looks like at the moment. Because I still have two desktops computers underneath, I need to run a bunch of cables up to the top so I can use my iPod dock, speakers, even the power cable for my laptop. But what if I want to make sure the connectors stay on top of the desk when I walk away with the device. I tried Scotch tape at one point, but the adhesiveness eventually wore off, not to mention it looked unsightly.
The Bird-Electron Keeperse Stainless Steel Cable Organizer is a bit of a step up from Scotch tape. Just pop the cable into one of the felt-lined notches, and the weight of the whole contraption keeps those pesky cables from sliding back off the desk. A simple solution to an annoying problem: would that all difficulties could be solved this easily. Granted, for the $55 this is going to cost you, you could buy dozens of rolls of Scotch tape, but think of the aesthetics.
[via Ubergizmo]
I'm not a hardcore biker—heck, I'm not even a softcore biker. Wait, I'm not sure that came out right. I don't do a lot of biking—how about that? But I am intrigued by these new Shimano coasting bikes which boast the first automatic transmissions for bicycles.
Admittedly, I think most people who have reached adulthood have probably learned to cope with manual shifting, so it's not as though this is a desperately needed function. But for those who find themselves put off by the buttons and levers, this might just make life easier all around. I wouldn't expect automatic transmissions to appear in the Tour de France any more than I'd expect them to appear in Indy car racing, but for a leisurely bike around the lake, why not?
Shimano is partnering with Trek to bring automatic transmission bikes to the masses; the models appear to be in prototype at the moment, but you could be seeing them soon.
[via OhGizmo!]
A few years back, I was living the life of an itinerant writer; traveling from city to city, sleeping on couches, air mattresses, even floors. During the day I traveled to cafes and libraries, to write and poach free wireless Internet. The trouble though, was finding a good free wireless hotspot. In a pinch, you could spring for access at Starbucks, but I prefer to frequent the local businesses whenever possible.
Hotspotr is a Google Maps-based interface to finding wireless hotspots; just pop in a ZIP code and it'll display your options, including whether they're free or pay-per-use. Click on a particular location and you'll find details about it, including what type of location it is, whether they have food, and reviews about the environment. You can also add locations that you know of, allowing Hotspotr to expand its database. My local listings were okay, but I added in one notable omission.
But the real reason you know you can trust Hotspotr is its Web 2.0 hallmarks: the lack, for example, of an 'e' in the name points to the heritage of sites like Flickr and Tumblr, while the site's masthead proudly proclaims that it is "Beta-ish." Honestly, how can you go wrong?
[via Lifehacker]
Ready to jump on the Blu-Ray bandwagon, but don't feel like peeling ten Franklins off that bankroll? Sony's preparing to launch a lower cost Blu-Ray player this summer: the BDP-S300.
The S300's biggest selling point is its price: at $600, it's only slightly more expensive than a competing HD-DVD player. As such, it will also run about equal to the cost of the higher-end PlayStation 3, which was to date the cheapest Blu-Ray player available.
Strangely enough, Sony claims the S300 will have the "same capabilities" as its flagship BDP-S1 (pictured). Granted, in PR speak, that could mean anything from the exact same feature lineup to "yes, it also plays Blu-Ray discs." The S300 will also be physically somewhat smaller than the S1, about the same size as a conventional DVD player. It will do 1080p, and it will also play CDs, which the S1 won't.
Sony Electronics president Stan Glasgow also reputedly said that Blu-Ray players would drop below $500 by this holiday season. So unless you need one stat, you're probably better off waiting.
[via Engadget]
