Gadgets - SlashGear

‘Gadgets’ Stories

SlashGear Week in Review – Week 15 2011

Shane McGlaun, Apr 10th 2011 Discuss [0]

Welcome to another edition of the SlashGear Week in Review! Early Monday I ran across a cool printer hack that turns your ink jet into a printer that prints with invisible ink. The ink is lemon juice and the person that needs to read the invisible ink sprays it with an iodine solution to make the letters viewable. The commercial for the Touchwood SH-08C from DoCoMo has turned up on YouTube. The commercial uses a big handmade wooden ramp with xylophone keys that play classical music when a ball rolls down the ramp. Read The Full Story

Rolobox ensures kids play with the box more than the toy

Shane McGlaun, Mar 16th 2011 Discuss [0]

My house is like a little kid wonderland. We have every game console that you can buy on the current market, more games than you could play in a whole weekend, and a computer in just about every room. My kids also get more toys than any sane parent would buy because toys are cool. Despite all the cool stuff around here to play with, my daughter is always busting into my office and asking for a box to play in. Read The Full Story

EcoSquid Makes Selling or Recycling Gadgets Easy

Samia Perkins, Feb 24th 2011 Discuss [1]

There are lots of gadget recycling options out there, and sometimes the number of choices can be overwhelming. EcoSquid is a site that compares many different websites and lets you choose the best option for selling, trading in, or recycling your old device. You just type in what gadget you want to get rid of, and the site will give you a list of options. So step away from that blender... Read The Full Story

Sakar Licenses NERF brand for lots of electronic gear

Shane McGlaun, Feb 15th 2011 Discuss [0]

NERF has been around for a long time with all sorts of stuff made from foam. I would bet most of us are familiar with their toys. The NERF name has been used on other stuff too with lots of cases for portable game systems that carry the name. Sakar has announced that it has licensed the NERF brand to use on a line of electronics. Read The Full Story

LeapFrog unveils new LeapPad Explorer learning tablet for kids

Shane McGlaun, Feb 15th 2011 Discuss [1]

LeapFrog has been making some really interesting and high-tech learning toys for kids for a long time. These toys are often a little geek's first foray into the world of gadgets and electronics. The latest offering from LeapFrog has landed and it is called the LeapPad Explorer. The Explorer reminds me a lot of the VTech InnoPad that I mentioned last week. Read The Full Story

Survey Says: Consumers want easier, not cooler gadgets

James DeRuvo, Feb 13th 2011 Discuss [3]

According to a new survey, more than half of American and British consumers would rather have an easy to use gadget that works consistently, than a "cool," but complicated gadget. The survey also says that while consumers will embrace innovation and pay extra for smarter devices that can automatically handle their daily needs, but they're becoming extremely frustrated with gadgets that freeze or crash on a regular basis. Does this mean that new technologies are moving faster than the public can embrace them? The survey seems to suggest so. Read The Full Story

M16 golf ball launcher is Mr. Driving Range Ball Picker Upper’s worst nightmare

Shane McGlaun, Feb 10th 2011 Discuss [0]

If they ever remake Caddy Shack, this is the weapon that Bill Murray's character will use to hunt gophers. Feast your eyes on the golf ball launcher that attaches to the barrel of your AR-15, M4, or M16 rifle. The launcher replaces your muzzle brake and launches the golf ball a really long way. Read The Full Story

My Keepon borrows dancing robot’s moves with a toy price tag

Chris Davies, Feb 2nd 2011 Discuss [0]

Tiny dancing Keepon, the endearing yellow spongeball robot, is spawning a toy version. My Keepon will lack the original's research functionality - it was designed to be appealing to special needs patients - but will still be able to dance in time to music and react to touch. Read The Full Story

Keyport USB drive gets more storage

Shane McGlaun, Feb 2nd 2011 Discuss [3]

Back in September of 2001, I mentioned that the cool Keyport key hiding slider thingy had gained a new feature with the ability to add a flash drive into one of the ports. If you forget exactly what this thing is, it's a small box that can hide up to six special keys inside that slide you when you need them. Read The Full Story

NEC Avio Thermo Mirror tells you you’re hot

Chris Davies, Jan 17th 2011 Discuss [0]

"Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the hottest of them all?" Brothers Grimm style questions will soon be answerable by NEC Avio's Thermo Mirror SX-01, which bundles a contact-free digital thermometer inside a mirror so as to make checking for flu symptoms more straightforward for businesses and public venues. Read The Full Story

OnBoard Research Intellitouch Capo tuner for guitars unveiled

Shane McGlaun, Jan 12th 2011 Discuss [0]

I used to take guitar lessons as a kid and my instructor would tune the guitar every time I went in using a tuning fork and his ear. Things are a lot simpler now with high tech tuners like the new Intellitouch CT1 Capo tuner from OnBoard Research. The turner clips to the guitar and will work with 6-string and 12-string guitars. Read The Full Story

Columns

CES 2011 is Over and I’m Still Alive

Evan Selleck, Jan 11th 2011 Discuss [21]

Before the Consumer Electronics Show kicked off in Las Vegas, I wrote up a piece about how I was excited, and equally uneasy, about the trip to Vegas and the impending show. It’s the biggest tech show around, and while it may not seem like it, there really is a lot to do. But, time marches on, and here we are a couple days after the show has officially wrapped up. So, I figured I’d tell you how it all went, and whether or not I’m looking forward to next year’s extravaganza.