mail2web.com Blog

Ice Cream Security System


May 31st, 2005


By GadgetManiac

Euphori LockBen & Jerry’s Euphori-Lock has been around for a few years now, but is making the rounds again thx to a mention in Popgadget.

The device, which is intended to safeguard your ice cream from poachers, is a combination lock that fits over your pint container.

Ben & Jerry’s Euphori-Lock

Posted in General ~ No Comments

Wizpac MP3 Player


May 31st, 2005


By GadgetManiac

The unremarkably-spec’d and oddly-designed and unfortunately-named Wizpac is an MP3 player disguised as a slider phone. Up to 1GB of memory with a 128×64 pixel two color OLED display. Panko Technologies Wizpac Specifications

Posted in Music Players ~ No Comments

Mosquito Update


May 31st, 2005


By GadgetManiac

Mosquito feeding Today’s Wall Street Journal has a small piece on mosquito & bug repellents. The article states that CDC-approved mosquito repellents now include DEET, picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus … all of which are to be used topically. As an alternative to the use of DEET, the piece makes note of a company named Buzz Off, which impregnates clothing with an insecticide called permethrin, which the EPA considers to be safe & effective. Both approaches appear to work and to complement each other. DEET works by blocking the receptors on mosquito antennae and permethrin stuns or kills them. Buzz Off - makers of insect repellent apparel BTW, mosquitoes are attracted to dark clothing and perfumes & scents.

Posted in General ~ No Comments

Card Cameras


May 31st, 2005


By GadgetManiac

A recent issue of the New York Times compares 6 new slim-profile digital cameras: the Canon PowerShot SD400, Casio Exilim EX-S100, Fujifilm Finepix Z1, Nikon S1, Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T33 and Cyber-shot DSC-T7. These are mostly 5-Megapixel devices less than 0.8 inches thick and with 2 – 2.5 inch LCD screens and 3x optical zoom. The reviewer gives the overall nod to the Sony DSC-T7, with place and show going to the Nikon S1 and the Canon SD400 respectively. This came as a relief to me, as I had recently purchased a T7, and had been happily using it in various countries during the course of this month … but a full review of my experiences later. These Cameras Are Lean but Not Spare - By David Pogue NYT May 26, 2005 Here’s a shot I took of some flamingos with the DSC-T7 while in the Caribbean. It confirms what the article said about the T7 producing slightly softer shots..

Flamingos feeding

Posted in General ~ No Comments

More on Cell


May 30th, 2005


By GadgetManiac

The cover story of the May issue of Nikkei Electronics Asia is devoted to the Cell microprocessor from STI. The article provides a good summary of the capabilities of the Cell processor, and positions the chip at the center of the emergence of consumer electronics as the key technology driver for the electronics industry in place of PC’s. A similarly-optimistic viewpoint is expressed in: “IBM�s Cell Processor: The next generation of computing?”, wherein the author suggests that Cell will have a big impact on all market segments. Can Sony Dominate with Cell? – NE Asia MAY 2005 Issue IBM�s Cell Processor: The next generation of computing? – by David K. Every

Posted in General ~ No Comments

A Better Brain


May 29th, 2005


By GadgetManiac

Self-help guides abound and are on a variety of topics , but there do not seem to be many credible ones around that purport to help your wetware. In this vein, New Scientist has assembled an eleven step program intended to improve your brain. Some of the items put forth by New Scientist as ways to get the most from your brain are simply common sense : Get a good night’s sleep, exercise 3 or 4 times per week, and eat the right foods. They suggest a good breakfast, a lunch consisting of an omelette, salad and yogurt, with the evening meal being fish-based, plus strawberries and blueberries for desert. The article strays from the path of orthodoxy somewhat by touting the benefits of unproven techniques, including — the Mozart Effect, the chewing of gum to improve test scores, thought control through neurofeedback, and the art of paying attention, which is facilitated by increasing arousal levels and eliminating distractions. The piece also describes a number of chemicals that can augment or improve memory : such as Modafinil which is able to keep a person awake and alert for 90 hours straight, and Ritalin for improved concentration. 11 steps to a better brain – New Scientist 28 May 2005 Update on June 24, 2005 :- MSNBC’s ‘The Week in Pictures’ for the week of June 16-23, 2005 includes the following image : Newborns in Ko�ice listen to Mozart and Vivaldi In a transparent allusion to the Mozart Effect, the caption accompanying the picture shown above, states that babies in Ko�ice, Slovakia are made to listen to classical music composed by Mozart and Vivaldi, in an attempt to “help them adapt to life after birth”.

Posted in General ~ 2 Comments

Genetic Savings and Clone Inc


May 28th, 2005


By GadgetManiac

Kitten cloned by Genetic Savings & Clone Genetic Savings & Clone, the only company in the world selling cloned cats, has announced a 36% fee reduction … thereby bringing their price for replicating your feline down to a more reasonable $32,000. Too-cleverly-named GSC plans to expand their product line later this year by also offering dog cloning services . GSC press release , wherein they annouce new programs and fees In a related development, Bill AB 1428, intended to forbid commercial pet cloning failed to pass in California earlier this month. BILL NUMBER: AB 1428 - to prohibit the commercial sale and transfer of cloned or genetically modified pet animals within California. And factored with the work of Hwang Woo-suk, the South Korean researcher who cloned a human embryo in 2004, one surmises that its now inevitable that the future will resemble some variation on the themes expressed by the films Multiplicity, Blade Runner, and Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones : Clone army as depicted in Stars Wars Episode II

Posted in General ~ No Comments

PalmOne LifeDrive Reviewed


May 20th, 2005


By GadgetManiac

The palmOne LifeDrive Mobile Manager has just been reviewed by the New York Times. They liked almost everything about the device including the ‘gorgeous’ screen, the connectivity and synchronization features, email support, the mini-browser and the handwriting-recognition system. On the down side, the reviewer was disappointed by the 6-second delays that occur when the device reactivates after the mini-disk spins down to conserve the battery. The reviewer concludes by saying that the LifeDrive could well replace a laptop during short out-of-the-office stints, provided that one can tolerate those 6-second time dilations. A New Spin on a Palmtop

Posted in General ~ No Comments

Dress for Success


May 20th, 2005


By GadgetManiac

The journal Nature is reporting that the wearing of red clothing enhances one’s chances of winning a sporting event. The article states that, in Olympic wrestling events, those donning red won 55% of the time. The effect also seems to be true for soccer and other sports. The authors speculate that red may well intimidate an opponent, or perhaps modify testosterone levels. Red is a recipe for sporting success

Posted in General ~ No Comments

Sony vs. Microsoft vs. Nintendo


May 19th, 2005


By GadgetManiac

Fortune Magazine has a piece about the new game consoles from Sony Microsoft and Nintendo and the upcoming video game wars, as well as some observations and predictions. To sum up the article, the author is betting on Sony’s PS3 with its Cell processor to be the “dominant game platform for the coming generation”. PlayStation 3 at the Launch Event Sony vs. Microsoft vs. Nintendo: Who Will Win the Next Videogame Battle?

Posted in General ~ No Comments

Microsoft Gold PartnerBlackBerry AllianceClick to verify BBB accreditation and to see a BBB report. RatePoint Site Seal