GadgetReview

Well, that’s it, folks.  Happy Thanksgiving.  We’re all doomed.

The machines have risen.

And they want…to beat us stupid in ping pong.

In case you’re wondering, this isn’t from Japan.  This was developed by a Vietnamese robotics firm, but it’s an image of the future that is so utterly bizarre as to make you wonder if this is some kind of leftover April Fool’s stunt. All the same,  today I bring you the TOPIO ping pong robot.

Yes, it looks vaguely Schwartzeneggerian (is that even a word?  Well, hey, I’m a writer.  We make up jargon from time to time): it’s big, it’s downright ripped (robots should NOT have abs of steel), it’s wearing what looks like sunglasses and it plays ping pong.

In development since 2005, it recognizes very fast moving objects, has a low inertia mechanical system, and even has an artificial intelligence.  But man, it really does look like it’s going to kill somebody, doesn’t it?

Read

Electric skateboards aren’t exactly all that new, but this one from Altered is definitely top of the line.  Capable of achieving 19 MPH in 4 seconds, it has a 600 Watt motor that can carry riders weighing up to 225 pounds.

The board itself weighs 40 pounds and is powered by a 36 volt battery.  Priced at $600, this longboard of electricity is quite the real deal.  The board even has a wireless trigger for you to control your speed with.  This whole product looks really engaging with some spectacular wipeouts just waiting to happen.  On sale now.

Read

Die hard surfers surf year round regardless of the weather, here in SoCal that is.  And yes, despite our southern location it does get quite frigid at times.  So what’s a surfer to do?  Enter Rip Curl’s H-Bomb heated wetsuit.

Powered by two Lithium-ion, 7.4 volt batteries, the H-Bomb has a set of carbon fiber heating coils that can produce up to 3 hours of body warming heat on a single charge.  Because they’re made of carbon fiber they’re flexible and won’t corrode if exposed to the water.

But like all things ultra cool (or hot in this case) there’s a significant cost to entry: $1,000.

Video after the ‘leap’ …Continue reading: The World’s First Heated Wetsuit: The Rip Curl H-Bomb (video)

Capable of mounting directly to your handlebars or fastening to your belt loop this waterproof speaker case by Sanwa may be a nice choice for those of you who like to ride your bike in the rain.  If you happen to live and ride in Portland Oregon, it could be essential.

I prefer riding with earphones, but for those who want to be able to hear the 18-Wheeler coming from behind them, this is a great alternative.  Your MP3 player fits inside the case and the volume controls are on the outside.  I used to have a SkullCandy backpack that had speakers mounted in the shoulder straps that sounded pretty good, but I question how good this thing sounds.

I mean part of the fun of listening to music was so you didn’t have to hear street noise as you rode, right?  It could be cool off the bike in places like the beach or pool, though.  On sale now for $44.

[via CoolestGadgets]

Read

Perhaps you damaged your knee and you’ve been laid up for 6 weeks straight in bed?  Or perhaps you just returned from a 6 month space exploration and your muscles are beyond atrophied?  The M310 AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill is the answer to your woes.

An inflatable plastic air bags surrounds your body that supports up to 80% of your body’s weight and assists athletes and astronauts to recoup lost muscle tissue.  Max speed of the M310 is 8mph and costs a mere $24,500.  Alternatively, the company behind the space age machine offers a NASA version for $70,000 and tops out at 18mph.  Despite the price it does look more practical than the hyrdo Physio Treadmill we saw earlier this year.

Video after the ‘leap’ …Continue reading: AlterG Anti-Gravity M310 Treadmill: Now Cheaper…$50k Cheaper (video)

Wigitty, wiggity wack!  I guess it was only a matter of time until some updated the century old hiking pole.  Me?  I prefer the good old fashioned wooden stick, Gandalf style (”you shall not pass”).

The ATrek Electronic Trekking Walking Poles incorporate a watch sized LCD display into its handle that can display altimeter, barometer, hygrometer, compass and a clock.  That way you can tell where you’re going, what the weather will be like and if you’re late for dinner.  Flip open the top of the stick and you’ll find an SOS mirror.

You can grab the ATrek Electronic Trekking Walking Poles for $99.

[via Besportier]

Read

Bone conduction seems to be of all the rage these days when talking about submersible earphones.  I had a bland experience with the Finis SwiMP3’s and feel that music underwater has yet to be truly conquered.

Thanko of Japan has just announced the new EMP-708LITE Vonia earphones that use bone conduction to transmit the music to your brain in up to 5 meters of depth.  This product is only available in Japan but you can order a pair for around $45.  Any opinions on this technology??

[via NewLaunches]

Read

I don’t know what’s more disconcerting about the Scubacraft: the $164,000 price tag or the fact that this thing can dive to a depth of 100 feet and sports an open cabin.  In any event, if you didn’t completely catch that, the Scubacraft doubles as a boat that can fly across the water at 50mph and can also dive underwater like a submarine.  You’ll need to bring your own scuba gear since the cockpit is completely open and one can only hope that the process from boat to sub is instantaneous, but I have my doubts. …Continue reading: Scubacraft: Look, It’s A Boat…No A Submarine

GPS devices have become so common place these days you can barely cross an intersection without seeing one mounted to a car’s windshield or a biker’s wrist.  The Satsports GPS, though, is like no other on the market today and can provide pertinent information to bikers, skiers, golfers and runners.

For those who frequent the fairway they’ll be able to take advantage of the device’s 700 stored golf courses, providing 2D/3D maps of the fairway as well as yardages to the front, middle and back of the green.  It can also guide Tiger Woods wannabes to where the ‘hazards’ lie and even provide information as to what club to choose according to the hole at hand.  When the match is complete golfers can sync their collected data with their computer, which should hopefully help lower their handicap.

Skiers will also find the Satsports GPS beyond useful.  Not only can it provide a virtualy unlimited amount of ski maps, but it can assist your recovery in the event of an avalanche by providing your exact coordinates.  Work up an appetite on the slopes?  No problem, stored in the device is a list of restaurants, lodges, bars and more.  And much like the golfer’s game, the skier’s runs can be downloaded to their computer and stored for review and comparison.

And like all GPS devices it can track speed (live, average and maximum), distance, time, and altitude (live and variances), making it an ideal choice for the hiker, runner or even walker – heck all types of athletes.  Once your activities are complete you can simply upload the data to a map or view it on a Google Earth flyover.  Toss in a special $65 SD card and the Satsports can perform turn-by-turn driving directions.

The Satsports GPS will be available at select ski resorts for the price of $490 US, with major retailers to follow soon after.

• Processor: Samsung 2440A 400Mhz
• Battery: 3.7V Li Ion 1050mAh
• OS: Windows CE 5.0
• Speaker: 1W internal speaker
• Memory: Built in Flash 256MB Samsung SLC RAM – 64MB
• Dimensions/Weight: 90 x 55 x 16 mm – 125g
• Display: touchscreen LCD – 2.7″, TFT QVGA (320 x 240)
• Color: Black & Aluminum
• GPS: SiRF Star III  Embedded Patch Antenna
• Applications: Satski, Pocket Caddy, Satsports Log (running & cycling), MP3 Player, Image Viewer, Video Player
• Micro SD
• Free silicon case with built in 6hr back  up battery

…Continue reading: Satsports GPS Is The Swiss Army Of Navigation Devices

I’m an avid bike rider and attend the good old gym on a regular basis. One thing I’ve long failed to do is keep track of my workouts – I don’t even have a little black book to record my mileage or ’sets’ completed. Enter the Garmin Forerunner 310XT.

The Forerunner 310XT is Garmin’s first fully fledged GPS watch to offer not only a myriad of workout and tracking options, but is waterproof up to 50m. Aesthetically it’s a bit on the large side, but that lends itself to a reasonably large screen, all things relative of course. The wrist band is finished in bright orange, so there’s no mistaking this thing for anything but a workout watch, although I’m relatively confident that runners and triathlon nuts could get away with wearing it year round, though they might be a bit hampered by its 20 hour battery life.

And despite that sounding like a short battery life I assure you it’s not, especially if you use the Forerunner 310XT specifically for your workouts. To streamline the charging process Garmin has included a clothespin like charger that grasps the 310XT at two contact points, making charging the device a snap (pardon the pun). …Continue reading: Garmin Forerunner 310XT Review