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Latest Gear Live Videos
Solar MP4 Player is Multi-Functional
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Misc. Tech, Music, Portable Audio / Video, Video Games, Videos, USB,
The environmentally friendly Chinavasion Solar Powered MP4 Player has a 3.5-inch TFT screen with 1.6 million colors and a built-in Nintendo, Gameboy, and Gameboy Color emulator. It also functions as an E-Book (in English and Chinese) and an LED flashlight. Its two solar panels will not only keep the built-in Li-ion batteries going, but through its USB out can recharge 4.5V, 5V, 6.3V, and 9V devices. With 1GB of storage, you can add to it with an SD card. The Solar Player is available for $123.32, less if you buy in quantity.
Read More 
| Chinavasion
Gallery: Solar MP4 Player is Multi-Functional
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BigDog Balances in any Terrain
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Misc. Tech, Science, Videos,
Funded by DARPA, Boston Dynamics has developed the BigDog. About the size of a goat, it also has the dexterity of one. The gas-powered bot’s control system keeps it balanced so that it can navigate on all types of terrains. Sensors monitor such aspects as hydraulic pressure, oil temperature, engine temperature, rpm, and battery charge. Its legs move in an animalistic way and if something interferes, it simply absorbs the shock and carries on. Watch what happens when some dude decides to give it a kick.
Read More | Boston Dynamics
Gallery: BigDog Balances in any Terrain
Here’s an example of someone who took the idea of dispensing with your past on eBay to the extreme. Ian Usher will be auctioning his life on the site beginning June 22. His reason for doing so is that he wants to leave everything and begin again. The sale will include his house and all contents, as well as his car, motorcycle, and jet ski. He will even give you a one-time introduction to his friends and a chance to take over his job. That’s taking a break-up very seriously to go to such extremes, but since the man is a filmmaker he should get a fairly decent documentary out of the experience.
Read More | MSNBC
Gallery: Man Auctions Life on eBay
Speak Without Sound with TheAudeo
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smartphones, Misc. Tech, Science, Videos,
We always want to complain when we hear someone on a cellphone who is too loud. TheAudeo was originally designed for those who cannot speak but also can be utilized by those who can. Ambient designed the tech that translates thought into speech through a neckband by catching nerve signals. At this point, it recognizes about 150 words and phrases. The company is working on an improved version that will identify phonemes and thereby have a larger vocabulary base. This video is almost eerie, don’t you think?
Read More | Ambient
Gallery: Speak Without Sound with TheAudeo
Etch-A-Sketch Doubles as Clock
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Smart Home, Misc. Tech, Toys, Videos,
We have discovered many odd clocks at Gear Live and this prototype is no exception. Made out one of our fave toys, the Etch-A-Sketch Clock, built on the Arduino platform, was designed by the New York mechanical engineer Angela Yuan. When a minute goes by, the device tilts, shakes to remove the current display, and changes it to update the time. We think it is a novel idea and hope Ms.Yuan continues her creative streak.
Read More | Angela Yuan
Gallery: Etch-A-Sketch Doubles as Clock
With all that fuss about the recent Endeavor launch, we just couldn’t resist this ZFlyer Hand Command. This astronaut is no ordinary toy. You can lead it around since it has stabilizing rotors and sensors. It will then recharge on its base unit in 10 minutes for another 7 minute flight. We don’t know if it will make it all the way up to the Space Station, but maybe it will meet the returning paper airplane half way. The ZFlyer will become available March 30 and you can pre-order for £17.99 (~$36.00.)
Read More | Toyology
Gallery: ZFlyer Takes Off
Why settle for a simple Scooba to wash your floors when you can get a ReadyBot to clean your entire kitchen? The prototype loads your dishwasher, cleans up the mess on your counter, and even takes care of leftovers. Created by a group of engineers from Silicon Valley, the team hopes to have them on the market in approximately two years. They also say that being made of commonly available parts, the bot will be affordable for us common folk. We say, “Sign us up.”
Read More | ReadyBot
Gallery: ReadyBot Does Dishes
Can the military ever have enough robots? Apparently not. An iRobot team devised the packbot Griffon, a prototype that combines with a steerable parafoil system. Controlled by radio and running on gasoline, it attaches to the Ozone Razor with two hang points. The kit was meant to be carried by soldiers or civilians for search and rescue missions. We understand that it never went past its practice runs and we suspect that it was forgotten in lieu of newer technology.
Read More | c/net
Gallery: Griffon Barely Took Off
We’ve been avid users of Twitter for quite a while now. On the personal side, it allows us to keep in greater contact with our friends and associates. On the Gear Live end, it allows our readers to get up-to-the-minute updates whenever any of our sites posts new content. We think it is a fantastic web and mobile service, but it is really hard to give a concise answer as to why it rocks so much when trying to tell someone else that they need to give it a try.
Thankfully, my friend Lee LeFever (along with his wife Sachi) has put out yet another superb “In Plain English” video - this one focuses on Twitter. If you have yet to sign up, give the video a look. If you do sign up (or if you already have an account) and need a couple of new friends, I’m @andruedwards, and the site is @gearlive. Go ahead and add us.
Read More | The Common Craft Show
Gallery: Twitter in Plain English
Robot Gymnast is Super-Coordinated
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Misc. Tech, Science, Videos,
This automated gymnastic bot is more talented than most humans we know. Earlier studies showed that walking robots needed pressure sensors on the soles of their feet. Take this a step farther and this one features a layer of urethane foam which have been embedded with LEDs and photodiodes. When the light disperses in the foam it is detected by those diodes. All we know is that the robot is incredibly impressive as it goes through its acrobatic routine.
Read More | BotJunkie
