Merging two or more things together usually results into a thing that is bigger than all its components. But with today’s technology we could actually merge things and still get a compact result. We’ve seen this with smartphones, and another good example is the Keyscan device that acts both as a keyboard and as a scanner while being only a bit thicker than your average keyboard.
Keyscan connects to your computer through a USB port and it also acts as a USB hub. The built in sheet-feed scanner is as compact as it can get, but it still offers good scanning quality. The paper goes in through a slot at the top and exits at the bottom of the keyboard. OK, so you can’t scan your valuable books, but photos and documents will be digitized in no time. Check out this demo clip:
As you can see, the software is pretty intuitive. Once configured, you simply feed in a sheet and the whole process is taken care of, without your interference. Immediately after the scanning process is completed, the software can send the document to Outlook or perform Optical Character Recognition on a business card.
The hybrid device is Windows-only (XP and Vista) compatible and will set you back $160. I reckon that’s more than a decent keyboard and scanner put together, but then again compact things come at greater prices. More info on the official site.
For those that still love their old and noisy desktop computer because … it is just their best friend, or that big and highly vibrating printer that swallows the ink like if it’s new, Nexus Technologies has a great solution – the external dampers.
What you see in these pictures are anti-vibration rubber case feet, which you have to place under the PC unit, printer, laptop or any other large and noisy device. They are made of rubberized material, replacing the solid plastic models that send the vibrations from inside the computer through the chassis to the surface it stays on, creating this way a secondary noise.
Using rubber feet, these Nexus dampers are like a barrier between the case and the surface underneath, absorbing the vibrations and acting as isolators for the resonance. They elevate the device up to 1.4 cm from the surface and in case you have the unit open underneath fro extra cooling it will be great for the air flow, as there are computer fans whose speed is influenced by the temperature inside the case. Rubber is made of polymer and acts as an elastomer, so it can support elastic deformation when stress is applied, without permanent deformation.
Another aspect is the carpet on the floor that interferes with the airflow if the unit stays on it directly, and you use these also to elevate the keyboard and type from a more comfortable position.
Nexus Dampers anti vibration pads are coming soon in a few color options to match your device, like full black, black/orange/white, black/white and blue/white.
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These new batteries from Energizer are designed for high-tech device users, providing much longer operating time to wireless gaming devices, digital cameras, portable media players and other handheld electronics.
Energizer Advanced Lithium is based on lithium, the lightest metal known, and offers 20 more hours of use weighting 33% less than standard alkaline batteries. In digital cameras, these long-lasting batteries last 4 times longer and support temperatures ranging between -40 degrees and 140 degrees Fahrenheit or -40 degrees Celsius to 60 degrees C.
"We expect Energizer Advanced Lithium to appeal to active gamers, music lovers and others who want to enjoy the benefits of our industry-leading lithium technology," said Betsy Laakko, Director of Battery Marketing for Energizer. "Whether playing a video game, photographing a special memory or listening to music, using Energizer Advanced Lithium will ensure that the fun lasts and lasts."
"Between Energizer MAX, the new Energizer Advanced Lithium and the popular Energizer Ultimate Lithium, our consumers now have a clearer understanding of the portable power options available to them and can purchase the battery that best suits their power needs," added Laakko.
The batteries will be available in stores by the end of this month at an affordable price of just $7.99 including 4 batteries.
The top worldwide manufacturer of high-quality long-lasting batteries created this new type in a spirally wound construction using a proprietary lithium battery technology, making them lightweight and resistant at extreme temperatures. You can’t use the Energizer Advanced Lithium batteries mixed with other replacement battery chemistries as this would lead to the discharge of the device they power, but they are secure and provide up to 10 years of storage life.
2 versions of these long-lasting batteries will be available, the Energizer Advanced Lithium AA in 2, 4, 8 and 12 packs, and the Energizer Advanced Lithium AAA in 2 and 4 packs.
Women would be very happy to hear that researchers at Australia’s Monash University have come up with a nanoparticle coating that could make self-cleaning clothes a reality. Ladies could soon say bye, bye to hand washing and washing machines.
According to DVice, the particles, made of anatase titanium dioxide, will coat fibers in wool and silk. In order for these particles to be effective, you need to expose the clothes to sunlight for a few hours, and the particles start munching on errant spills as well as any harmful and smell-causing microorganisms and other dirt. Researchers claim that the particles won’t be introduced right away. However, they assure us that the particles are nontoxic and can be permanently bonded to the fiber, resisting laundering while keeping the cloth’s prized texture the same. Researchers are alos looking to accelerate the cleaning process.
The benefits coming from such nanotechnology can be translated into cash savings on clothes, since these clothes won’t be degraded that quick, plus you can help save wasted energy from washing machines, prevent water consumption and eliminate the use of dry-clean chemicals.
If only they could find a way o include a similar technology in every man-made thing so we don’t have to wash them and waste time on maintenance.
I guess somebody at Lexus really wanted to come up with a new bat-mobile. Maybe the car itself isn’t that spiffy looking, but designer Jon Rådbrink thinks that cool designs must be complemented by "low weight and large presence" in order to make for a great premium car in the future.
While it might look like an exotic prototype, the Lexus design is actually a luxury car forst and foremost. According to Gizmodo, the driver would use a drive-by-wire steering pad and a completely customizable multi-point touch screen. Rådbrink even thinks that our hands are far more accurate for driving than our feet, so he didn’t bother integrating any pedals. Everything is controlled via the steering wheel. "Since the car is powered by electrical motors [found in each of the four wheels]," Rådbrink says, "there is no transmission and you break intuitively by pushing the steering wheel away from your body."
The prototype measures in at around 14.5-ft. and the lightweight materials are obviously introduced for the sake of increasing mileage and efficiency, as it is an electric vehicle after all. How light is light? "I believe that this design paradox of low weight and large presence could be the way we’ll define premium in the future," Rådbrink said. It turn out that the prototype is only intended to carry 2 passengers.
