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’Net Junkie Shawn "Speedy" Lopes |
Latest gadgets on parade
at gizmodo.comTwo years after Honolulu exorcised itself of the universally detested Van Cam program, the U.K.-based Astucia company has announced the arrival of imbedded road studs that can be armed with cameras that are capable of taking an accurate snapshot of license plates of cars traveling up to 150 mph.
Not to worry, however. While these road studs, which may also be outfitted with flashing lights that warn drivers of oncoming pedestrians or a breach of posted speed limits, could be an attractive option for forward-thinking (and deep-pocketed) city governments, there are no plans to install them here or anywhere any time soon.
You might be wondering where I picked up this bit of info. For those who haven't already heard, gizmodo.com dishes up-to-the-minute (or just about as close as you can get to up-to-the-minute) insider updates, announcements and reviews on high-tech gadgets like cell phones, PDAs, portable audio systems and digital cameras. Each day, gizmodo.com adds a number of new toys to its continually growing list of futuristic products. Without exaggeration, one could take days to sift through all the information offered here.
Read all about the $150 leather-trimmed Gucci iPod case; the LidRock device, which protects miniature music CDs by attaching itself onto the top of a soda cup (the straw goes through the middle of the disc, naturally); malleable "Wrap Radio" headphones; a spiffy, new illuminated seven-color mouse pad; a virtual personal trainer that measures your pace against a digital "partner" and keeps tabs on calories burned; and the apparent successor to the popular Tamagochi virtual pet, which includes an IR port to allow your "pet" to interact and even mate with other virtual pets.
Some of these inventions actually have applications outside the home as well. Take for instance the new Kevlar body armor for dogs or the "Secret Scream" gun, which emits ultrasonic waves that cause migraine headaches, permanent deafness and cellular damage.
Of course, by "cellular damage," I assume gizmodo.com means harm to your cells, not your mobile phone. Did I mention Samsung's new SGH-P130 comes with a 1-megapixel camera, digital zoom and a nifty twist-and-flip opening design?
Note: Web sites mentioned in this column were active at time of publication. The Honolulu Star-Bulletin neither endorses nor is responsible for their contents.
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’Net Junkie drops every Monday.
Contact Shawn "Speedy" Lopes at slopes@starbulletin.com.
