Filed under: Digital Cameras, Displays

Toshiba is pulling an EyeToy, minus a diabolical plan to actually sell the thing and make a killing off of collectable elemental decks. The company's Cambridge-based Research Lab has some new video camera-based feature they're prototyping for possible eventual TV implementation. The real highlight is a fist-based cursor control -- just stick out your hand, make a fist, and control a cursor on-screen for navigating the TV's functions. You can also put up your palm to stop the madness, and even rotate 3D images on-screen, but it's all a little shaky for now. Another thing we saw was picture recognition: hold up a cue card to the TV with an image on it and the TV recognizes it and performs a pre-assigned function. Tosh is also working on speech recognition and some other things; not really changing the world, but some fun stuff all the same.

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

In a stunning attempt at making us afraid to pick up another Samsung DAP ever again, Samsung's set-up for its new YP-Q1 and YP-U4 players was in the ass end of the huge Samsung hall at IFA, with lights enough to cook a chicken and some technical errors to boot. For starters, the Q1 (pictured) is just a pain to use, with capacitive touch controls that only work through tapping in the four directions (or center for select), instead a more natural scrolling motion. The screen is nothing special, and the interface seems a step back from Samsung's other full-featured DAPs. If we were to say anything positive, the Q1 does feel nice and solid in the hand, but it's nowhere near as thin or sexy as it could / should be. The U4 we tested wasn't charged, and had rather infuriating surface and side controls that made us a little happy it wasn't. It's nowhere near as sexy in person as it was in those press shots, and could do to lose a few millimeters here and there.

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Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Your typical soda fountain in a fast-food joint features eight boring choices, usually offering nothing more exotic than "Orange." It's been that way for decades, but one of the oldest players in the market is finally shattering that paradigm. Coca-Cola is introducing a machine that can pour 100 different flavors. Early prototypes underwent testing earlier this summer and second-gen units are headed for limited markets early next year -- the same thing they said about those self-cooling bottles last year. Assuming they do come to market, swapping out the highly-concentrated flavors is likened to changing a print cartridge, meaning new choices can come and go quickly depending on popularity. It all sounds refreshing, but we're not looking forward to the lines as the thirsty yet indecisive ponder 15 different flavors of Diet Coke.

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Filed under: Wireless

Sprint's oft-delayed XOHM service is finally about to go live, ready to launch in Baltimore sometime next month ahead of Chicago and D.C. later this year. We already know about the potential joys of city-wide 4G access, so Sprint is taking this opportunity to talk up "geobrowsing," uLocate-based functionality that enables WiMax surfers to get location-specific info on traffic, events, and weather, provided by third-parties like Google and NAVTEQ. With Sprint offering profit sharing and a free API to partners, expect that list to grow quickly if XOHM takes off. What Sprint is not yet offering are the specific pricing details for consumers, but day passes have been confirmed along with longer-term contracts, all able to extended to include multiple devices if you're suitably endowed.

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For years, way-to-conservative Christian groups have been saying that rock and roll music is “of the devil”. I suppose that would mean that games like Guitar Hero would be playing with the devil, correct?

Fortunately for these conservative groups, there is a “spiritualized” version of Guitar Hero, which has appropriately been named Guitar Praise.

I’m not certain how to play Guitar Praise, but it looks like the rules are the same as Guitar Hero. The guitar even looks to be the same model, and has the five frets. I’m sure the object is the same as Hero, as you must hit the buttons at the proper time. The only difference is it looks like you’ll be playing along with Christian rock instead of Aerosmith or the Rolling Stones.

Some of you may not be familiar with Christian Rock, but I still remember the glory days of such artists like Petra, Michael W. Smith, and Amy Grant. Perhaps this Guitar Praise will have some of their greatest hits.

So maybe this Guitar Praise could be the biggest Digital Christian thing since Veggie Tales. Of course, I know some Christians that are against Christian rock and Veggie Tales, so they probably won’t warm up to Guitar Praise. Well, they are missing out on a lot of fun.

Guitar Praise is available at the Digital Praise site for about $99.95, with an additional guitar for about $69.95.

Source

[ Guitar Praise is Chrisitianized Guitar Hero copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]
<hr noshade /Cool Gift Idea: Digital Picture Frames, check out our reviews.

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Baseball fans can now navigate their computers using a USB mouse designed like a cap of their favorite team. There are 17 Major League Baseball logo designs to chose from.

Features:

• 800 cpi High resolution optical mouse
• Works with windows XP, ME, 2000 and 98
• Made of durable plastic
• Baseball helmet design
• Ergonomic shape
• Left and right buttons
• Button swap for left or right handed users
• Scroll wheel
• Clicking on the scroll wheel gives immediate access to a web site
• Three pads on bottom of mouse for smooth movement
• Measures approx 3½” L X 2” W X 2” H (overall)

The MLB Baseball Cap Mouse is yours for $24.95 from the Solutions website.

Filed under: Portable Audio, Wireless

TrekStor has this interesting piece of kit on display at IFA, the Wireless SoundBox. It all starts with a USB stick attached to the computer. From there, your music is streamed wirelessly at a distance up to 25-meters to up to 20 of the boxy, 2.4GHz speakers. The 4x battery (AA, presumably) speakers feature a nice to touch, "softtouch" coating, individual volume controls, and line-in for connecting audio sources directly. The sound quality was about on par with what we'd expect from such a tiny speaker but the range was quite good considing the level of public 2.4GHz noise on the IFA show floor. €50 (about $74) takes home the stereo starter set (USB stick and 2x speakers) with each additional speaker costing €30 (about $44) starting in October. See our attempt to run away with 'em after the break.

Continue reading Video: TrekStor's Wireless SoundBox is wireless sound in a box

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