Gizmania

February 13, 2007

Mousepad with wireless speaker

Here's a new function for the mousepad: as a wireless speaker for your digital audio player.

The Wireless Speaker Mousepad also boasts an integrated FM scanner that is capable of working without the transmitter. Volume controls are readily available on the mousepad itself.

There is a maximum working range of 50 feet, which should be more than adequate for any home or office setup. Additional features include a solar-powered 8-digit calculator, a gel pad wrist rest, and an audio line-in cable. The Wireless Speaker Mousepad is powered by a trio of AAA batteries and retails for $29.95.

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Posted by gizmoFan at 10:33 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

January 31, 2007

USB-TV: Save files on Key, see on TV

This is really cool for people that like to download episodes and movies of the net. You put them on the usb key, and then connect the usb-tv to the TV and play it back. This to avoid having a big complicated setup for non-technical people and be able to pass them stuff. Unfortunately, still in trial, but a thing to keep an eye on. [via]

Posted by gizmoFan at 2:17 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

The N-Gauge is

The N-Gauge is reported to be back on new hardware and a new platform, announced at the Game Developer's conference software platform.

This is a very nice multimedia/gaming/cell gadget to have on one same gadget.

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Posted by gizmoFan at 2:10 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

KLIC(Korea Location Information &

KLIC(Korea Location Information & Communications) announced its world’s first terrestrial-based personal portable location detection device 'KP-100'.

Using its location information service called 'mypol', it helps to keep track of the location of people – especially those who need continuous attention and care such as children, the disabled, patients or etc. It is very portable with the size of 45.9 x 63.9 x 17.2mm at 49g. If users press SOS button in emergency, user’s current location will be delivered immediately to those responsible.

It is a terrestrial-based device instead of GPS, it can keep track of the object even when people are outside of building as well as when they are inside. The device enables to check the location of the users within 1m. It can be charged via a handset charger and it runs for about four days per charge.

Posted by gizmoFan at 12:24 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

December 22, 2005

What is MP3?

What is MP3 according to Whatis.com:

MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer-3) is a standard technology and format for compression a sound sequence into a very small file (about one-twelfth the size of the original file) while preserving the original level of sound quality when it is played. MP3 files (identified with the file name suffix of ".mp3") are available for downloading from a number of Web site. Many Windows 98 users will find that they have a player built into their operating system. Otherwise, you can download a player from one of several popular MP3 sites. MP3 files are usually download-and-play files rather than streaming sound files that you link-and-listen-to with RealPlayer and similar products (However, streaming MP3 is possible.) Winamp (PC), MacAmp (Mac), and mpeg123 (UNIX) are popular MP3 players, but there are many others. To create an MP3 file, you use a program called a ripper to get a selection from a CD onto your hard disk and another program called an encoder to convert the selection to an MP3 file. Most people, however, simply download MP3s from someone else and play them.

Digital audio is typically created by taking 16 binary digit samples a second of the analog signal. Since this signal is typically spread out over a spectrum of 44.1 thousand cycles per second (kHz), this means that one second of CD quality sound requires 1.4 million bits of data. Using their knowledge of how people actually perceive sound, the developers of MP3 devised a compression algorithm that reduces data about sound that most listeners can not perceive. MP3 is currently the most powerful algorithm in a series of audio encoding standards developed under the sponsorship of the Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) and formalized by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

Since it is relatively easy to create MP3 files from CD selections and make them available on Web sites for downloading, companies and sites that promote the MP3 format are sometimes accused of encouraging copyright violations. (It is illegal to copy music from a CD and redistribute it unless you have the copyright owner's permission.) On the other hand, MP3 enthusiasts claim that what CD publishers are afraid of is any kind of non-CD distribution. While there are several proposals for how to discourage such piracy, there is currently no secure distribution and copyright management standard that publishers and other parties agree upon.

Several Web sites are promoting MP3 as both a high-quality audio format and as a way in which self-publishers can gain ready access to an audience. Currently, some music publishers are providing sample cuts in the MP3 format as a way to entice users to buy a CD. However, not much mainstream copyrighted material is available except as an illegal download.

As an alternative approach to individual MP3 downloads, IBM and five recording companies plan to offer entire CD downloads to users with access to high-bandwidth cable modem service. Formerly called Madison, the service, which will be tested during 1999, will ensure royalty payment to the artists and publishers. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is also working on a Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI).

Posted by gizmoFan at 11:56 AM

December 4, 2005

MobiBLU DAH-1400 MP3 Player

MobiBLU DAH-1400.gif Another great gadget from MobiBLU is the DAH-1400. It is equipped with advanced OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) technology which provides a display that is sharp, bright, and very easy to read. This player has all the power-user features that are standard in all mobiBLU products, all controllable by its joy stick control and easy-to-use menus and track selection.