Cool Futuristic/Concept Gadgets That Really Inspire

About 10 years ago, we didn’t really expect the 1.4mb 3.5 inch floppy to evolve into flash drives 10x smaller with storage capacity as big as 32gb. The interesting thing about technology is; it’s just going to get more and more high-end but the size, is just going to get smaller and slimmer.
These concept gadgets you see before you today, have extremely high chance of getting into production anywhere in the future. For example, Microsoft’s Surface Computing Technology certainly tells us they are for real. Here’s some really cool concept gadgets, just concepts for now but we really hope it’ll be implemented, that inspires.


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If we happened to missed something impressive, please let us know in comment. Full list after jump.

B-membrane Laptop/Desktop

Concept computer designed by Korean designer Won-Seok Lee. No bulky monitors, just a UFO shape system that displays screen like a projector. [via yankodesign]

Nokia Aeon Full Screen Concept Phone

The most prominent design feature of aeon is a touchscreen that stretches over the full surface area of the phone. [via engadget mobile]

Napkin PC

The Napkin PC is a multi-user, multi-interface, modular computer designed for creative professionals to collaborate and bring their greatest ideas to life. [via yankodesign]

Cellphone Code

This phone uses haptic technology to provide physical feedback for making a call. To turn it on…twist a section, to dial a number…twist a bunch of sections, to make an international call…break your wrist! [via yankodesign]

Virtual Goggles

Designed and conceived by Franz Steiner, he wondered what the personal assistant might look like in the future. [Blutsbrueder Design via Gizmodo]

New dSLR?

Concept of a digital camera which can be used in one hand. [perezprada via yankodesign]

Future Internet Search

All you need to do is point the tablet at any object and you should get search results as good as Google’s, just more interactivity. [petitinvention via behance.net]

Sunshine Pillow

We arent sure if it’s warm enough, but it’s good to own one. [Rei Gallery via gizmodo]

Capsule Radio Clock

Not rocket science, but definetely cool to get one. [sequoia-studio via tuvie]

Info-Live Watch

INFO Live is an data organizer for connected internet world. It is able to transfer data information to any hardware and person any moment in time of need. [via nextgendesigncomp]

Jive for the elderly

Jive is a range of 3 products that were designed to get elderly technophobes connected to their friends and family. [jive via tuvie]

LifeMap

Touch screen digital photo storing and organization product. [via tuvie]

Microsoft Arc Mouse

When you go advanced in all your computer equipments, the next best thing is to get a futuristic mouse. [via geekandhype]

Pebble Key Port

Designed with many slots so that user can easily group their keys into categories such as car keys, home keys or office keys. [via tuvie]

Pixel Perfect Hour Glass

Title says it all. A perfect gadget anyone wants to own, I suppose? [Pavel Balykin via yankodesign]

Calliper Style Radio

Like a precision calliper tool, 08 Radio by Mikael Silvanto lets you precisely find the station you want by sliding the entire radio unit up and down the scale. [via yankodesign]

via hong kiat

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Transparent smart phone may be ready earlier than you think

With Polytron Technologies, it should be possible that in the near future your phone becomes so transparent that you would find it difficult to see it. A manufacturer based in Taiwan has released a prototype of this futuristic phone with the hope that one day it becomes the first transparent handset.
The material used to make this product which is still at its early stage is called Polyvision Privacy Glass. When that glass is off, nobody can see through but once it is turned on the electric current passing through makes it transparent enough for people to see through. On the Polytron website one can read a statement explaining that the glass is made of liquid crystal molecules and when electricity passes through it, the molecules line up in the way that incident light can pass through and that is why the Polyvision looks clear.

Transparent smart phone

The glass itself may be transparent when switched on but the SIM card and battery are still not. So the device is not completely see-through once the battery and SIM card are inserted in.
For now the Taiwanese company has only come up with the hardware to show the possibilities. It has no operating system running on it. It is just a translucent concept design with a multi-touch display with dual sides. That said according to Polytron’s general manager, Sam Yu, the technnology is mature and all phone manufacturers are willing to work with them.
You may have thought that transparent phone may come to be in the far future. That may not be the case. How about the end of this year? At least the company Polytron hopes to be able to produced a limited edition of a fully transparent and functional smart phone by that time, according to Mobile Geeks.
Are you hoping to be one of the first to use those transparent handset? Or the idea of losing it because you can’t find it frighten you more? This type of phone is certainly not for those who don’t know how to take good care of their mobile device.
What is Polyvision Privacy Glass exactly?
Polyvision Privacy Glass was actually invented by the Company Polytronix that has been researching into it for the past 20 years. It is the most stable and advanced type of Glass that has been designed to give privacy to any user whenever he desires. The glass has already been used in several construction projects in over 68 different countries. What makes this glass stand out is its ability to turn cloudy when no electric current is passing through.
Imagine a shop with these types of Glasses. When there is the need to exposed the items inside the shop to the public, the shop attended can choose to make the glass transparent so that any potential consumer can see what is inside. Then in the evening the shop attended can turn the glass off again. This is an easy way to replace window blinds.
The technology is already in used in households so it shouldn’t be a surprise if it is now coming into phones. Very soon the phones that we’ve been seeing in science fiction movies will be available to the average person. Let’s get ready for it.

Article Via www.SiteTrail.com

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Google Glass May be Available by the End of the Year

You could call it supershades, smart glasses, or every geek’s dream. But however you classify Glass, you have to admit, it’s pretty awesome. And sooner than expected, interested consumers will be able to sport their hi-tech headgear, and share their live,  first person experiences with the world.  Product director of Google Glass, Steve Lee revealed to The Verge, Google’s plan to have the product available for purchase by the end of this year. The price is promised to be under $1500 at release.



Glass creates a new way to connect life with your social networks

Most of you may try to share important or exciting aspects of your life on your social networks. When you take pictures or even videos of vacations or outings, you might eventually download them, way after the event is over. But, your attempt usually doesn’t fully portray your experience when you must always stop what you are doing and dig out your device to take a picture.
Glass is a refreshingly original idea that layers augmented reality with real life. It allows user to simply talk to the glasses to share live videos and photos, interact with social networks, utilize location based GPS, and access the vast amount of Google’s knowledge, all while keeping your hands and eyes trained on your projects and activities.
The wearable computer is compatible with your Android or iPhone and will be available in multiple colors. Also, Google may have plans to create other designs of the headwear, according to a patent of Glass that went public this week.
Who can get one early?
Pre-orders for the Glass Explorer’s Edition were available to developers during their conference last year, and they are expecting to receive their device early this year.
Don’t want to wait until the end of the year? Selective pre-orders are available for those who are will work for it. It will cost you $1500 and a description of what you will do with your glass. For more information, check out Glass
Will you start saving now?

[Image via extremetech]and Tech Beat

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Rumours: Quantic Dream’s ‘PS4′ Project, XSeed’s Surprise Killer Game

In mid-November, Quantic Dream registered the domain singularityps4.com, suggesting a title and system for the second of two games the Parisian developer is said to be developing for Sony.

Editor’s Note: Superannuation is back to amaze us with some video game rumours and secrets that have been hiding in plain sight. As always, everything that follows is discoverable online, if you know where and how to dig. Superannuation knows. This time, Mr/Ms Annuation has the word on a game called "SingularityPS4″, the next project from the makers of Alan Wake, the likely arrival of Suda 51′s Killer is Dead to American shores. Plus: a tiny bit of news about Relic. Here we go…

In mid-November, Quantic Dream registered the domain singularityps4.com, suggesting a title and system for the second of two games the Parisian developer is said to be developing for Sony. Despite Cage declaring a lack of enthusiasm for the next generation of consoles, it’s been evident for a while his company is eyeing future platforms.

"Singularity" is a rather curious and possibly revealing title. David Cage acknowledged futurist Ray Kurzweil’s recent book The Singularity is Near as a chief influence on Quantic Dream’s "Kara" tech demo, and Kurzweil’s exploration of the synthesis of man and artificial machine is very much up the wheelhouse of what Cage likes to focus on in his games. When asked in an interview about whether he would elaborate on Kara’s themes and milieu in a future game, Cage delivered a rather evasive non-answer. And Cage’s games do sometimes have titles that are rather on the nose.

The singularityps4.com domain falls very much in line with past Quantic Dream domains heavyrainps3.com and beyondps3.com, and mirrors SCEE’s general preference for domains that indicate a game’s platform. Given these domain trends and Quantic Dream’s status as a valued second-party Sony developer that would presumably privy to the overall strategy of their publishing partner, "singularityps4″ could perhaps indicate that Sony will opt for the name of PlayStation 4 for their next console (a surprise to probably no one) — and the current codename of Orbis will vanish.

It is, however, quite unlikely that the game will come to market simply titled "Singularity". Singularity was, of course, the title of Raven Software’s commercially unsuccessful time-travel-themed 2010 shooter, and Activision holds the "Singularity" trademark in multiple territories. ("Singularity" was also, oddly enough, the name of an apparently now-scrapped big-name action film at Sony Pictures about nanotechnology that Roland Emmerich and Kurzweil were collaborating on in late 2011— something that makes me wonder if Cage possibly consulted with Kurzweil for his project.) In order to use the name in commerce, Sony and Quantic Dream will have to add some sort of subtitle or additional words to make sure their name doesn’t infringe on Activision’s already existing mark, assuming "Singularity" is anything more than a working title.

***

According to Remedy Entertainment’s recruitment page, the studio is now working on an "unannounced iOS project" alongside the previously known "unannounced AAA project for future generation consoles", which many believe to be a full-fledged sequel to Alan Wake.

This new iOS project is quite possibly a sequel to Remedy’s first mobile release, a remake of their 1995 combat racer Death Rally that broke even in three days. Last August, Remedy’s Oskari H√§kkinen told VentureBeat that his studio is "going to be doing more Death Rally".

H√§kkinen hinted that Remedy hopes to bridge the gap between Death Rally and the company’s other franchises by placing a greater emphasis on cinematic storytelling as to "bring more life to the cars and the drivers". In terms of gameplay, he also hopes Remedy can tailor the next Death Rally with "user-generated content" in mind to allow players to realise "the craziest cars and the craziest weapons". (Additionally, a publicly accessible sitemap for Remedy’s website reveals a page with the URL "death-rally-2".)

But a few weeks later, Häkkinen said in another interview that Remedy had not yet decided what its next mobile title will be. And despite the commercial imperative for a Death Rally 2, he said Remedy still wants to "create new themes and franchises" that suit its creative ambitions.

***

It appears XSEED is the American publisher for Suda 51′s recently-revealed PS3 and Xbox 360 action title Killer Is Dead. Last week, the niche publisher registered the domain killerisdead-game, as well as presumably marketing-related sites killandlove.com and

loveandkill.com.

The game is yet to be confirmed for release outside of Japan, where it is slated for release in the summer. If one wants a very iffy suggestion for a possible American release timetable, the domains are set to expire in about a year.

Also of note: XSEED seemingly almost dipped its toes into the mobile free-to-play market last year. The company very quietly put up a site, trailer, and Facebook page for a "free to play action RPG for iOS and Android" that was intended for release last summer. The game, which was developed by Japanese mobile studio Blockbuster, seems to have been a fusion of Infinity Blade-esque touch and slash gameplay and a JRPG aesthetic.

***

Finally, amid THQ’s troubles, Alex Peters, who was the studio head at THQ subsidiary Relic Entertainment, states on his CV that he left the Vancouver developer this month to join Activision. Peters was at Relic for two years, and prior to joining the studio, he served as game director on the ill-fated RPG Pirates of the Caribbean: Armada of the Damned and chief operating officer at DICE.

Picture: It’s not a screenshot! It’s a futuristic-looking dentistry robot. Photographed by David Guttenfelder/AP.

　

Superannuation is a self-described "internet extraordinaire" residing somewhere in the Pacific timezone. He tweets and can be reached at heyheymayday AT gmail DOT com.


Read more Assorted Scoopery! Secrets lurk within.

Originally published on Kotaku

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Samsung Announces Future Plans for Smart TVs

Starting off initially as a South Korean company specializing in home appliances and other electronic items that facilitate ease and comfort in everyday life, it can be agreed that Samsung has found its calling in the Smartphone market with their Samsung Galaxy Note II and Samsung Galaxy S III making headlines and keeping the company in the limelight quite occasionally.

With such good media exposure, growth, profits and demand drafted with the help of their Smartphones range, Samsung has not neglected its humble roots. By bringing the other electronic items in its inventory up to par with the current changes, Samsung can cater Smartphones and Smart Tv’s to its consumers. The dual technological advantage this grants Samsung an extra advantage that ensures that the company has a finger in more than one pie or in this case, more than one market.

　

With the New Year coming around and receiving a stupendous response to the new and improves Smartphones launched, Samsung announced its plans to provide new and improved Smart TV’s in the market as well. The new Samsung Smart TV introduces a whole new user interface to the consumer.

Samsun Smart Tv’s will come equipped with 5 pre-determined user screens that can be flicked with the help of a remote in a motion which is similar to how one would flick across their Smartphone screen. The pages are dedicated to user features such as:

Page 1 -"What’s on Right Now?"
This page showcases and keeps a track of shows that are currently being shown and can also recommend TV shows for you to watch. An integrated engine called "S-Recommendation" even pays attention to the current time so it won’t be recommending late night movie marathons if users have to go to work the other day.

Page 2 – Movies and TV Shows
This page shows the on-demand shows and movie content that users would want to see. However it is not integrated with Netflix.

Page 3 -Music and Photos
This page allows users to add, save and share their photos or music library with other computers, network drivers, smartphones and any other supportable storage devices.

Page 4 -Social Networking Services
The social networking services page provides access to all the popular social media websites including Skype, Facebook and Twitter etc. The Samsung Smart TV’s large screen size coupled with the Skype Video Calling services makes it a very impressively attractive option.

Page 5 – Apps
The Apps are housed on the last page of the user interface and include all downloadable apps which are common for Smart TV’s.

Although the features have wow-ed audiences, if compared to Panasonic’s update which allows users to customize their own home screens with their preferences, the Samsung Smart TV’s user interface can come off as restrictive and stiff. Looks like Samsung will have some tough competition in the Smart TV market as well.

And if all that doesn’t convince you to think about a Samsung Smart TV, maybe their seductive ad might:

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Fifth-Generation iPad Rumored For March Release

Apple could release its fifth-generation iPad as early as March 2013 according to a new rumor that spread through the interwebs like wildfire on Monday. According to the rumor, which surfaced with only a few details, the fifth-generation iPad will be fashioned after the iPad Mini.

The device will come equipped with a smaller width and will weigh less than former Apple iPad devices.

The third and fourth-generation iPad devices were actually thicker and heavier than the iPad 2 as they sacrificed size for new pieces of technology.

　

How close will Pixar’s vision of a future tablet be to the iPad 5?

If the rumor is correct Apple would be preparing to launched the fifth-generation iPad at a much faster rate than it did when moving from the third-gen model to the fourth-gen model. However, the move to push out its next tablet from a competition standpoint would make sense. The Amazon Kindle Fire HD and the Google Nexus 10 both recently released to much fanfare, devices that have likely eaten into the Apple iPad’s sales. By pushing up its release schedule Apple can once again claim to have the "next greatest tablet" on the market, while making the Nexus 10 and Fire HD models seem aged out of the market.

Apple hasn’t offered any huge updates to its full-sized tablet line since releasing the third-gen model. The biggest changes to the iPad 4 were a Lightning connector ans a faster processor. The iPad 4 also received better wireless support, a sticking point for many iPad 3 users.

If the iPad 5 rumors are correct and it follows the same concept as the iPad Mini, users are likely to see different edges and perhaps a change in coloring on both the front and backside of the device.

Apple is remaining as tight-lipped as ever regarding the devices details and news of a possible March 2013 release schedule.

Will you be picking up a fifth-generation iPad when it finally arrives?

[Image via ipadguru]

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How Technology Helped During Hurricane Sandy

As the whole world followed the news about Hurricane Sandy, the Americans who were actually affected hunkered down and got ready to face a beating from nature. Something that is not all that common in that particular part of the world. One element of the preparations and disaster response that we cannot ignore is technology. While we use technology in practically all aspects of life, it has shown its worth more than ever during – and after – Hurricane Sandy’s onslaught.



　

Hurricane Sandy

 
Social Media

Even before the hurricane hit the US East Coast, social media was already abuzz with news reports and tips on disaster preparedness and safety. On Twitter, #Sandy quickly became a trending hashtag, providing the Twitterverse with easy access to information related to the hurricane.

Ordinary citizens helped any way they could, with some people posting information on animal shelters and links to information about how to ensure the safety of pets during the storm.

Note: as it can happen with citizen reporting, there were still some rotten apples who managed to spread false information. The lesson: social media should not be your sole source of info, and in any case, always double check for veracity.

Google

Google was quick on the ball as well, as it set up an interactive map which showed users the predicted path of the storm. Additional data such as precipitation figures was integrated in the map, and perhaps even more useful, the locations of emergency shelters near the user’s area.

Popular weather service, AccuWeather, also joined the fray by starting a Hangout on Google+. The added value of this service was that people could join the Hangout to listen to and ask questions from meteorologists.

Tech Startups

Tech startups in New York were not about to be left behind either. There were some companies who continued their services and even lowered fees to help out those in need. Airbnb, the room/house rental service, waived its fees for users in the areas hit by Hurricane Sandy. Some coworking spaces have also opened up their doors to people who have no Internet and working space.

…And a little dash of humor!

All these are excellent examples of how people took advantage of technology to make things easier or more bearable in the face of nature’s power. However, there is another way technology helped – to give people a break with some humorous elements thrown in. From silly photos to jokes about the weather – the affected Americans were still able to smile and chuckle in spite of their situation. Something that we all should remember.

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