Gizmo Watch

Micro Star International has announced a new barebones Wind PC that comes with an on-board Intel 1.6GHz Atom Processor. The Wind MS-6496 Nettop is equipped with a supporting 82945GC northbridge and 82801GB (ICH7) southbridge. It features one external drive bay for an optical disk drive and one internal drive bay for HDD, Gigabit Ethernet port, VGA port, six USB ports, memory card reader, 7.1 audio output, mini PCIe and CF slots. The front panel’s got 2 USB slots, headphone-in, mic-in and 4-in-1 card reader (SD/MMC/MS/XD). The nettop is a thin-client and measures 65mm (D) x 240mm (W) x 300mm (H). It consumes less than 40 watts of power and comes with a 65 W AC adapter.

Via: diTii

GPS gadget-makers have turned to package-products to establish differentiators. Not surprisingly, therefore, Jukka Roitto has chosen to stay in line with this trend by developing Seek—a portable GPS system, music player and a trendy wristband rolled into one attractive package. Designed for travelers visiting a new place, Seek offers direction guides that can be accessed via its interactive touchscreen. While location maps take care of the gadget’s primary purpose, an in-built music player helps you stay entertained. Strap it on to your wrist and go globetrotting in style!

The world of gadgets is all about numbers and sizes. The race among gadget-makers is primarily to outdo one another in size, weight and other physical specs, while performance is lent a step-motherly treatment. Not that it is ignored, but just that other factors play bigger roles in the whole rat-race. Shuttle PCs need no introduction. The “small ones” now have a tiny little brother—the X27, dubbed Shuttle’s smallest desktop. A nettop (a small desktop powered by an Intel low-power chip) by nature, the X27 runs on Intel’s Atom processor and measures just 10×7x2.75 inches. The size may remind you of the Asus Eee Box. Shuttle claims that its X27 scores on low-noise levels as well. 23 decibels is the maximum for this PC, which consumes just 36 watts (23 watts while idle!). Other specs include 4 USB 2.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet port and Analog 5.1-channel audio. If small things fascinate you, the X27 fits the bill perfectly.

Via: Crave / Digitimes

Having an amputated body part is a major problem, for it always gives you the feeling of being incomplete irrespective of how the world sympathizes with you to believe that you are complete. Considering the feeling of those amputees, it feels great to know that Otto Bock Healthcare, OrthoPros and Biodesigns have together succeeded in developing the world’s first completely computer-controlled prosthetic leg. To judge the success of their creation, the makers have invited all local amputees of California to attend the C-Leg Road Show, which is being held at the Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center and Orthopedic Hospital at 1225 15th Street, Santa Monica, CA on the 28th of August 2008. The C-Leg is being seen as a major improvement over conventional prosthetics that barely give an individual a complete sense of autonomy. This technology outscores others on the fact that it adapts to a person’s natural movement. With the capability of adjusting 50 times per second, it gives the amputee freedom of movement but not by compromising the stability factor.

Image / Via

Toshiba Matsushita and Idemitsu Kosan have launched the Small-Molecule Organic EL Display Panels that are 30 times more durable that the existing TMD models. The screen is designed for mobile phones and consumes 100mW of power and has a luminosity half-life of 60,000 hours. This is also deemed to be the world’s highest level of performance for any display screen of 2.2 inches. These screens are said to be better than existing plasma and LCD displays. Toshiba’s TFT substrate design technology and element design technology and RGB light-emitting materials and peripheral materials by Idemitsu have resulted in such a cool screen. The screens may be produced from March 2009.

Via: ElectronicsInfoLine

The mystery Intel tablet PC concept was finally revealed at the IDF keynote. Assumptions that it is a medical device has been proved correct, and it seems to be a tablet meant for medical health professionals and fits into the Panasonic’s Toughbook range. This tablet could be used in rugged and/or hazardous environments but no information about its specs is known yet. However, most people at IDF would be interested in seeing a normal PC upgrade rather than a device meant for the medicos. We will just have to wait a little more and see what the specs say. So much for the great mystery and surprise.

Via: SlashGear

The tabletop is certainly not an attractive place. So, how about giving one of the most mundane objects in the world a makeover? Ross McBride has done just that. He has converted a table into a digital clock surface, with digits that source their glow from an electroluminescent film. The electronics involved are quite minimal and the film itself is just 6cm thick (thin rather!). The Time Table features an auto update clock that retains its settings even when you turn the lights off. Other features include an alarm and a timer. Candlelit dinners will soon be replaced by electroluminescent table dinners, we reckon!

Via:Pipeline

After the failure of Internet on television, Yahoo revealed that they are working with Intel to create the “Widget Channel,” through which you can watch TV shows. Also, a web computer would run alongside the TV shows. Widgets would appear in the corner of the TV screen and these small windows would let you email, read headlines etc. by using a TV remote control. The Widget Channel would run on a new class of Intel chips that would enable high definition audio/video etc. This new product could increase the interactivity and also increase Internet usage. Widgets could be built using Javascript, XML, HTML and Adobe Systems Flash but not limited to them. The first range of these TV may come out in the first half of 2009.

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Via: Yahoo

We have seen outright bizarre case-mods. Now, it’s time for the flashy “designer” stuff to make their entry. Craig, the owner of the Bloo Balls idea, certainly has his tastes skewed toward the ostentatious. We have no better explanation for this plexiglass fabrication that screams for attention. The copper plumbing (that remind you of monster intestines), plasticky appearance and flashing lights add to the effect. Someone’s already come up with an alternate name for this one – Daftpunk!

Microsoft has launched “Photosynth,” which offers a 3D, 360-degree view of any environment and allows users to share places and things they may love. All with the quality of a movie, and the awesome control that a game might provide and detailed resolutions. Photosynth assembles 3D scene compositions by detecting similarities and this is done from the camera’s vantage point. Photosynth may still not be complete and may not support all the platforms but the preview definitely looks good. Right now, it runs only on the Windows OS, but they plan to release a Mac version soon. Well, we are all waiting for that to happen.

Via: Electronista