A Silicon Valley tech startup is helping police respond faster to illegal gunfire with a gunshot-detection system providing real-time accurate location.

Besides separating real from false alarms, the system also makes up for unreported gunfire. For example, 15 percent of gunshots go unreported in New Haven, Connecticut, meaning 85 percent of the time no one is reporting gunfire either out of fear or indifference. Since Boston installed ShotSpotter in 2007, police are now alerted to gunfire 80 percent of the time.

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Marijuana Vending Machine

Now this is a vending machine that you don’t see every day - it dispenses medical marijuana. Located in three spots throughout Los Angeles, it was created by Vincent Mehdisadeh, the owner of the Los Angeles Herbal Nutrition Center. Needless to say, these machines have already gotten the attention of federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents who are raring to find out more about these machines as to whether they violate any law(s). These machines can be accessed 24/7, while preserving one’s anonymity when attaining medically prescribed marijuana.

 

Hi-Gain Wireless-G Dish Adapter

Boost your home’s wireless signal with the Hi-Gain Wireless-G Dish Adapter today - this device might not be as small as you’d like it to be, but at the very least you can be sure of a strong signal no matter which part of the home you’re currently at. Of course, I don’t think this is recommended if you happen to live in one of those mansions featured on MTV’s "Cribs", but for the ordinary Joe, it ought to do more than enough to blanket your home with strong WiFi signals, allowing you to check up on the latest gadget news even if you’re in the loo. It supposedly offers a 300% increase in wireless signal and is hooked up to your desktop/notebook via USB. Are you willing to splash out $62 on this?

 

Wiimote Hacked To Control Curtains

Those who have spent a night at the Bellagio will know that curtains in there are remote controlled, but you don’t have to travel all the way to Las Vegas in order to experience this luxury. All you need is a little DIY knowledge, a Wiimote and you’re good to go. "The curtain control system is an existing system from Goelst and is called "G-Rail 6200". Normally it is controlled by infrared or wallswitches. However, it can also be controlled with a CAN bus. I used this CAN bus to interface with an old PC." Guess the Wii has more than one use, eh?

 

Yet Another Video Watch

Telling the time has gotten a technological boost with this offering from Chinavasion. It features the following specifications :

• 1.8" display
• 20fps video playback
• 2.5mm headphone jack (what, no 3.5mm?)
• Audio playback support
• Tells the time (duh)

Fancy picking up this rather tacky looking timepiece? It retails for $85.71 a pop, and don’t blame me if you suddenly find yourself unable to pick up any girl from the day of purchase.

 

Pet Mate Elite

The Pet Mate Elite prevents your cat from coming in and going out as it pleases - this technologically advanced flap allows you to control just which pet is able to come in to your home, even down to the exact minute. Eight RFID chips are attached to different pets, where the Pet Mate Elite will detect the corresponding RFID tag and compare it to the permission levels set by you before it grants/deny access. I wonder whether there is a Teenager Mate Elite that lets you set down ground rules in a much stricter manner without threats of being grounded. The Pet Mate Elite can be picked up for £99.95.

 

Disinfecting UV Scanner

Paranoid androids can pick up this Disinfecting UV Scanner that, according to the product description, "protects your family from colds, flu, and germs such as E. coli. Portable scanner instantly disinfects doorknobs, faucets, computer keyboards and mouse, phones. Just wave it over the item-kills 99.9% of germs in seconds. Great for travel and everyday use. Uses 4 AAA batteries (not included). Folds to just 4 1/2" long to fit in included carry pouch." $29.99 for your peace of mind, and unless you’re extremely subsceptible to diseases and pathogens, the Disinfecting UV Scanner sounds more like a novelty item than a necessary purchase.

 

MSI ECOlution Motherboard

Everyone knows that computer motherboards tend to generate a whole lot of heat, so why not harness all the heat generated to push coolers which will then keep the system cool for better performance? This sounds like a novel idea, where MSI has come up with the ECOlution motherboard in order to harness the power of heat, transforming it into kinetic energy that will then power the chipset’s cooler. I guess this is a pretty automatic solution, because when the motherboard is cooled down enough, the cooler won’t have any more kinetic energy from heat and stop functioning until it is hot enough inside again. Hopefully the accessory on the motherboard won’t generate too much noise.

 

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Solar-powered Dragonfly

James Watt (I like his surname as it has something to do with power) has created a truly amazing tiny electronic insect robot that is powered by the sun instead of relying on batteries. The best part is, his project comes in the form of a dragonfly that isn’t too far away from its real world counterpart at first glance, and is capable of flapping its wings thanks to simple electronics and a pager motor. If only this puppy will be able to master flight.

5G iPod Video Gets Bluetooth Hack

Ed Hernández has just unveiled to the world his latest project - a 5G 30GB iPod video that comes with a Bluetooth module, enabling audio out. Unfortunately, the 30GB model is too thin for comfort, and hence Ed had to make some modifications in order to make Apple’s famous PMP accommodate the Bluetooth module. The hard drive was replaced with a Compact Flash memory card, while the front white plastic has been removed, with an iVue clear panel replacing it so that the Bluetooth LED is able to shine through. Reminds me of those transparent Gameboys that Nintendo used to sell…

Hyundai In-Dash Dual LCD Monitor

Hyundai has successfully developed its new in-dash dual LCD monitor that is capable of displaying up to two different images simultaneously due to different viewer angles. This will certainly come in handy, as the driver will be able to refer to the map shown on the display while the passenger enjoys a movie. The Hyundai Grandeur will be a recipient of such technology - I wonder how much extra do you have to fork out to have this luxury in your vehicle.

SteakHouse Indoor Grill

Check out the SteakHouse indoor grill that adopts a vertical design which makes one think of a toaster - but there is a more noble intention in making it stand up. Other than to save space and look like some sort of futuristic kitchen appliance, standing vertically allows fats to drain from the food into catch trays so that they won’t smoke right next to the heating elements which are located on both sides of the food tray to speed up cooking times. Forget grilling steaks this summer - you can toast ‘em instead. The SteakHouse Indoor Grill retails for €150 and is a sure-fire conversation starter.

Skeleton Mouse

I suppose if you love the Necromancer class in World of Warcraft, chances are this Skeleton Mouse is right up your alley. Designed to look like a decomposed corpse complete with whitewashed bones, the Skeleton Mouse is definitely eerie looking, and it sure as heck doesn’t look too comfortable at all. I can’t seem to find the scroll button on this thing - hopefully it is not part of the bony spine that curves all the way down from one end to the other.

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Order Starbucks Via Apple

Folks who can’t get enough coffee from Starbucks will soon be able to order their favorite caffeinated beverage from the comfort of their iPhone and iPod touch without waiting in line, courtesy of a new Starbucks program that functions via WiFi at each Starbucks outlet. You’ll be able to bypass the cheery shoutouts from the barista as you choose your drink just like how you would do at an actual Starbucks cafe, save for the fact that you’d be relying on a whole lot of finger pointing instead. Skip those queues and reserve those seats before other iPod-less folk manage to even think of what they want to have for breakfast.

This cell phone is powered by a Hydrogen fuel cell that works by extracting hydrogen from water, then extracting electrons from the hydrogen. It is a water-powered phone, in a sense.

Make sure your tiny one doesn’t venture beyond his/her designated boundaries with the In-Reach Child Tracker.

Japanese engineers aren’t giving up on domestic robots. This “chef” might not be in your kitchen anytime soon, but it is capable of preparing octopus balls by itself, in four steps:

• Chop the Octopus
• Roll the pieces into balls
• Place the balls on the grill
• Serve the cooked balls in a plate

This happens in a tightly controlled environment, but I’d love to see it in action.

[GDC 2008] You might have seen the Zeemote during Mobile World Congress last week, but the company will promote the software development kit (SDK) at the Game Developers Conference being held in San Francisco.

We meet Beth Marcus, the founder and CEO of Zeemote and we had the opportunity to play with it, and to make a long story short: it’s pretty cool. To be honest there was some skepticism when we saw the device in a photo. But we also know that playing with a phone’s keyboard provides a bad experience.

The Zeemote feels good in the hand and it works well as a one-handed game controller. It is also surprisingly light (47g). The Zeemote has an analog joystick, even if most mobile games are built for a digital controller. That will give developers more options when they create their games. Developer John Chasey from Finblade told us that integrating the Zeemote code is easy. Ultimately, the Zeemote success will be measured by the number of games supporting it.

Continue Reading "Zeemote Bluetooth Mobile Game Controller Hands-On"

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Space Solar Power System

I guess it is apparent by now to everyone that the world will soon be plunged into an energy crisis, no thanks to growing economies in the east as well as the general decadence in the west, but there are people from all walks of life who think otherwise and try to make their lives as green as possible. Relying on nuclear power alone is a wee bit too dangerous IMHO, so this plan by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to build a Space Solar Power System (SSPS) gets my thumbs-up. The end result would be to see the SSPS running by the year 2030 comes around, where huge solar collectors in geostationary orbit will convert sunlight into microwave beams that are then sent to receiving stations on earth 36,000 km downwards and subsequently converted into electricity for everyday consumption. One thing’s for sure though, while it sound much safer than having a nuclear reactor blow up, what happens if the SSPS experiences a technical breakdown? Do we need to send a rocket up into space just to fix it?

Yuno PC Concept

Most folks often read the morning news with a hot cup of joe in one hand, but the Yuno PC concept wants to bring both ideas together in a single device. It is a coffee mug that keeps your favorite morning beverage warm while delivering news and information such as weather, time, stocks, traffic and more wirelessly on its wraparound touch screen display. Sounds pretty difficult to read, especially with a curved surface facing you. I think I’d stick to my standard paper-and-mug combo, thank you very much.

Sonim XP1 Indestructible Phone

We’ve just got word that Sonim will be showing its Sonim XP1 “indestructible” phone at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. At the show, the company will challenge the attendees and particularly attending media to hurt the phone.

”If you’ve been watching the videos on YouTube, you’ll have seen the Sonim shot with a Glock 9mm by Mobil magazine and a Remington rifle by Metro, the largest paper in Sweden” Bob Plaschke, CEO of Sonim

Anyone who refrains from using a cellphone because of a difficult environment could be interested in the Sonim XP1. Press Release

Chanel Coco Phone Concept

Designed by Fred de Garilhe, this phone would have a lower sliding part that contains the display and the function buttons while the upper-piece would hold the numeric pad. When not in use, all the user interface elements would disappear to reveal a pure shiny surface.

Check out the photo gallery. More concepts.

Power-Generating Bionic Knee

This power-generating knee has been adapted from a knee brace. Although it is said that it could power a small device like a cellphone, it is not aimed at consumers. Instead it could be used by people who don’t have an easy access to electricity, like workers in remote areas or explorers. The inventors hope to have a commercial product for field workers in five years. [more at TimesOnline]

Explay Oio Nano Projector

Explay is specialized in projectors that are small enough to fit in a pocket but that can project an image that is 20 times their size. The current product is a matchbox size solution that can project images as big as 30”. One of the secret behind this prowess is the use of uber-small light sources such as lasers and LED lights.

There are no details on the actual resolution or prices at the moment.

PC Guardian Physically Locks USB Ports

It is known that USB keys can be used to steal data or install malware/spyware software on your computer. If you believe that you’re at risk, you could think that this USB port lock is what you need. After all, it’s easy to install and is a simple physical look for the USB port.

The issue is that now you also need to lock the whole case. Also, it’s not clear to me how it protects the two USB ports just underneath the locked one on the photo. Anyhow, it’s up to you to see if this is going to help, but it doesn’t seem unbreakable at all.

Wikipedia Offline for iPhone and iPod Touch

Patick Collison coded an offline Wikipedia app for the iPhone over his Christmas break because he likes “the warm fuzzy feeling of having the sum of all human knowledge in his pocket”. For the same reason that we do not own an iPhone yet, he wanted to prevent online Wikipedia users to go nuts over the slow EDGE connection.

The app takes 2.2 GB and I am not sure if iPhone users would like to spare the storage space for it. If you do, watch Patrick’s tutorial video on YouTube about the installation.

Walkman Case Hides iPod

iPod theft has gotten pretty common since Apple’s portable media player took the world by storm, so what’s an iPod owner supposed to do? Well, other than make sure it remains well hidden, you can always take the ingenious route by storing it inside the shell of an unused Sony Walkman. How ironic, using the dead "body" of the 80s iconic audio player to keep the millennium’s top PMP away from the sight of many. Just make sure you don’t use the iPod’s famous white earphones with it or you’ll probably give the game away. Folks who are great with DIY jobs will be able to find this a very viable project to keep them occupied over the weekend.

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Hanging Printer Concept

Screen-Printed Solar Cells: Be Green Fashionably

Monitor Traffic Conditions with Cellphones

Honda Drive Recorder

Tongue-controlled Wheelchair

RFID In Phone Controls Office Security System

Bike Stand Pumps As Well

Kingston Launches 16GB Class 4 SDHC Card

• Compliant: with the SD Card Association specification version 2.00
• Secure: built-in write-protect switch prevents accidental data loss
• Compatible: with SDHC host devices; not compatible with standard SD-enabled devices/readers
• File Format: FAT 32
• Reliable: lifetime warranty
• Simple: as easy as plug-and-play
• Capacities: 4GB, 8GB, 16GB
• Dimensions: 0.94" x 1.25" x 0.08" (24mm x 32 mm x 2.1mm)

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Amazon MP3 Store goes International

Online retailer Amazon.com now holds the distinction of being the only retailer to offer DRM-free MP3s from all four major music labels - that, and in addition to thousands of other independent labels worldwide. These offerings are now no longer limited to the US only, but internationally so the rest of the world can get on with their lives without being tied down to some sort of pesky DRM music on their respective audio players.

1.1 Billion Cellphones Sold Worldwide in 2007

That’s the result from a study done by Strategy Analytics. That’s an increase of 10% from the Billion phones sold in 2006 and the growth is expected to continue to 1.24B phones for 2008. The growth in unit shipped is driven by emerging regions, where Nokia leads. I thought that Motorola had dropped at the forth place, but here’s what the studay says:
1/Nokia
2/Samsung
3/Motorola

Treo 800w Specifications Leaked

Well look here - after hearing news of Palm’s intention to close down the majority of their retail stores, along comes more information of the upcoming Treo 800w’s specifications. A case of a little bit too late, perhaps?

Netflix on Video Streaming on Mac, Video-on-Demand

Netflix recently announced its quarterly results, and discussed about the idea of having video streaming (Instant Watch) on the Mac. Again, it comes back to a digital rights management (DRM) issue: 

“To date, the only widely used DRM format for the Mac has been Apple’s own FairPlay system, which has not been licensed to any third parties. This has so far limited the Netflix service to Windows alone” (electronista)

Video on demand can be seen as a threat to Netflix and many are wondering if the rental company should create its own VoD system. At the moment, the company dismisses the idea, but it’s hard to tell if it really believes that DVD discs will hold their own for the foreseeable future, or if they simply do not want to validate an concept that is harmful to their business.

LawnBott Gets Upgrade

For those who do not yet have kids who are old enough to mow the lawn as a chore, fret not. There is the LawnBott LB3200 that not only goes about its task without complaining or asking for higher wages, it is also Bluetooth-enabled, allowing one to control it remotely from a cell phone or laptop. You will first need to include the perimeter wire to set the boundary before unleashing the LawnBott LB3200. Capable of cutting on slopes up to 30 degrees in an area as large as 38,000 square feet, it will automatically return to its dock once it is running out of juice or when the job is complete. Don’t worry about coming home to a shredded pet as there’s a free-floating 360-degree bumper, a blade-stop sensor and an onboard alarm system to prevent untoward accidents. Is the Lawnbott LB3200 worth $3,250?

SpaceShipTwo & WhiteKnightTwo Unveiled

Designs for SpaceShipTwo and WhiteKnightTwo from Virgin Galactic were unveiled, ushering in the age of private spaceflight to the masses (or at least those who could afford it, that is). Currently, the SpaceShipTwo stands at 60% complete with test flights due later this year while the WhiteKnightTwo is 70% completed. The latter will also hold the record for being the largest all carbon composite plane when finished - in comparison, the Boeing 787 is just 50% carbon composite. Some key features of SpaceShipTwo include :

Designed to re-enter the atmosphere at any angle, it can correct itself. I wonder if there must be some sort of physical fitness test future passengers must go through before stepping onboard.

Glowing Skateboards Patented

Check out these glowing skateboards from Photon Light Boards. These will definitely increase the cool factor as you blaze through town performing all your ollies and tricks to impress the ladies. These boards can be purchased pre-fitted with LEDs in a range of setups, or for those who want something more personal, there is always the option of a custom setup. The boards alone are pretty expensive, ranging from $95 to $200 minus trucks and wheels, with the higher price point pointing towards an obviously more complex design. These skateboards are rechargeable thanks to a sleekly mounted powerpack and plug. View the video of the Glowing Skateboards here.

Wrong Number Generator

I know that April Fool’s Day is still a long way off, but the Wrong Number Generator is always good for a laugh (or two). Plug it into the phone jack and you’re good to go - perfect to set up the entire office for some laughs when dealing with a particularly difficult colleague. No idea on how it works, but it will automatically change the number you dial, although there is a 25% chance that the call will go through properly in order to prevent the victim from complaining about a consistent defect of wrong numbers. Of course, most folks these days already have a cell phone so chances are this will only be good for a couple of wrong numbers. Rest assured, emergency lines such as 911 will always dial correctly. The Wrong Number Generator retails for $89.

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Apple Macbook Air

Yes, the rumors were true, Apple has launched the Macbook Air, an ultra-light 13.3” laptop that does not have an optical drive. This will give Sony much needed competition in the uber-thin laptop category. In this post, we will tell you if the SSD upgrade makes sense and we compare this laptop to the Sony Vaio TZ to see if Steve Jobs is overselling the MacBook Air, or not. Click on the title to see the full post.

Form Factor
0.16 to 0.76 x 12.8 x 8.94 inches (0.4 to 1.94 x 32.5 x 22.7 cm)
3lbs (1.36 kg)
The Specs
1.6 – 1.8Ghz Intel Core 2
1.3.3 widescreen LED 1280×800 pixel
2GB of RAM
80GB HDD or 64GB SSD
Optional external optical drive
Integrated Intel Graphics

Steve Job’s comparison with the Vaio TZ is not really fair because that one includes an optical drive. I like the better display on the Vaio, but the display size is a little detrimental to the keyboard ergonomics. It is pointless to argue on the details, both laptops will offer a similar experience, but I think that Apple wins on the cool factor and on the price. Honestly, at somewhat equal configuration, the Vaio TZ is just too expensive, by a large margin. The Macbook Air wins.

Should you get the SSD version?
Solid state drives (SSD) are cool these days, but should you get one? In theory, they do have some benefits:
Battery life improvement
Better shock resistance
Faster handling of many small files (seek time)

However, I don’t know anyone who “needs” to spend $1299 on a 64GB SSD (and a slightly faster CPU) to reach the grand price of $3100. Honestly, you won’t even feel the CPU difference. Now, I do know a lot of people who “want” an SSD. You got it: “need” and “want” are two different things. I would not recommend this upgrade.

Design Compromises
I started by writing “design flaws”, but the points below aren’t flaws, they are compromises. I’m talking about the fact that the battery is sealed and about the concealed ports (USB, micro-DVI…). The sealed battery might be an issue in the long run, when it will hold less and less power or if it dies.

Update: The MacBook Air battery costs $129 and Apple will change it for you - hopefully right away, but I don’t know for sure.
I don’t yet know what Apple’s policy about this (will they change it for you?), but this is something that buyers should look into.

Conclusion
I welcome the entry of Apple in the super-thin laptop category because it will put pressure on Sony to get their act together and stop the overpricing of their Vaio line of laptops. Even at $1800, it is difficult to find an equivalent sub-notebook that is cheaper, even from Asus (U1 Series, S6FM Series). For windows users, I bet that it’s possible to install XP or Vista, but we should see the first test pop up on the web soon. We will keep you posted.
Do you you want/need this laptop, why? What’s your take on it and what else would you like to know about it?

MacBook Air Battery Replacement A Cinch 
Wile everyone thought that the MacBook Air battery replacement process would be complicated, AppleInsider thinks otherwise. They claim that there is no need for special tools or knowledge if you want to swap out the MacBook Air’s battery. All you need to do is uncover the MacBook Air’s bottom cover, unscrew the battery from the chassis and unplug it from the circuit board with a tug. It is not soldered onto the board like many believed. From the sounds of it, it will probably take less than three minutes to perform this little operation. You could, of course, settle for Apple’s $129 MacBook Air Out-of-Warranty Battery Replacement Program that requires approximately 5 days to complete.

Panasonic 103-inch HDTV: 15 units sold in 2007 
Last year at CES, the top Plasma manufacturer claimed that they were selling their 103-inch “by the hundreds” … at a $80 000 to $50000 price tag since its launch in 2006, I can imagine why the real number is only 15 units for 2007. One customer from the Middle East got five of them!

In my opinion, the world’s largest commercially available TV is more of a marketing investment than a real source of revenues for Panasonic, a bit like Formula1 cars for automotive manufacturers. That’s why they did it again by releasing a 150-inch this year.

Transcend 32GB 133X CompactFlash Card 
Transcend takes the spotlight again with its 32GB 133X CompactFlash Card, making it the largest ever for a device in its class. While you drool over the specifications below, there isn’t any official word with regards to the price and availability of this 32GB monster. Serious shutterbugs will definitely be aiming to lay their hands on one of these babies though.
High-speed 133X performance
Dual channel flash interface
CF Type I
Supports IDE PIO mode 6 and Ultra DMA mode 4
Read/write speeds up to 45MB/16MB per second
Fully complies with the new CF 4.1 standard Hardware ECC (Error Correction Code)
ATA interface
Low power consumption
Multi-platform compatibility
RoHS Compliant
Lifetime Warranty

iPhone Gets Diamond Case 
They say that diamonds are a girl’s best friend, and apparently the same holds for an iPhone case with this sample from Case-Mate. Handcrafted with 42 pieces of diamonds encrusted in 18-carat gold, this Diamond Case will hit your bank account for massive damage - to the tune of $20,000 more like it. Of course, those with a whole lot less money can always settle for the limited edition $90 carbon-fiber case.

Contact Lens with Display 
Who would’ve thought that the realm of science fiction has been blurred with a group of University of Washington engineers having successfully developed contact lenses that are capable of displaying various details such as the number of an incoming call on your cell phone. The display is superimposed on the outside world, and with further maturity of the technology, it can be used by drivers to view the display speed of the vehicle or even by pilots to see the plane’s condition when flying. I’m more excited about the use for this in a video game than anything else since we already have dashboards in the respective cockpits on both car and plane. Web surfing on this would be interesting too, but don’t get caught with your pants down (literally or otherwise) while surfing for off limits websites during office hours.

Lotus Notes heading for iPhone 
Looks like Lotus Notes will soon hold the honor of being the first official iPhone third party application, with folks at IBM saying that "we have a lot in common [with Apple]. We’re going to cross-pollinate." The inclusion of Lotus Notes and Lotus Symphony would definitely make the Mac more of a threat to Microsoft Office, and with the iPhone picking up all this productivity software, it can finally rest easy the next time someone refers to it as being a smartphone. Word on the street has it that a formal announcement is in the works really soon.

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While most calculators these days are dual-powered (that is, they rely on either the batteries within or on natural sunlight), who would have thought of a water-powered calculator? Well here you have one in the flesh, where electrolytes within water will enable you to ensure that your tax returns are all properly balanced. While this is a rather interesting device to own (at $8.99 a pop it is worth checking out if you have the loose change to spare), one does wonder whether you would use a calculator anywhere else without light. Perhaps a water-powered wireless mouse would be a much better idea.

The Amazon Kindle has certainly made a fair amount of waves since its release, but Iranian inventor Ramin Sedighi claims to have developed a talking e-book that allows readers to move a stylus across words, pronouncing the selected words out loud. In addition, the system claims to "explain" pictures, although I am extremely skeptical about such capability. Shapes maybe, but something as complex as a picture? Can you actually cram in that much processing power to tell the difference between a child’s doodle and some form of abstract art? That aside, other features include a USB port, audio out, 512MB memory and an SD memory card slot. There is no word on pricing, although it has been slated for an early 2008 release.

What you see here is but the wild imagination of what Apple’s rumored Newton UMC is supposed to look like, and I wouldn’t take this to be gospel truth. The display could be the closest thing to the final product since Apple has already expressed strong interest in a 5.2" 800 x 480 pixel touchscreen display by Balda, the same supplier who provides Apple with their iPhone screens. It is also tipped that the Newton UMC will feature an on-screen keyboard, so there is no need for a physical board that takes up even more space. Well the first Newton kind of bombed, and since Apple’s stock is sky high these days I guess ventures such as the Newton UMC is worth another shot.

Not using voice, but by projecting the number on the ceiling or wall automatically whenever there is an incoming call. The power-saving LED light is capable of lasting approximately 100,000 hours so unless you run some sort of telemarketing business from the home, chances are you will probably throw away the Projection Telephone outside long before it has outlived its usefulness as you yearn for something new and fresh a few years down the road. Looks more like a novelty item to have than anything else to me. The Projection Telephone retails for $29.15.

Verizon Wireless will be enabling holiday revellers to text in their individual New Year’s wishes in New York City’s famouse Times Square. You will not only be able to send text messages but also pictures, best wishes, and even a proposal request to Spotlight Live’s 75-foot Jumbotron in Times Square. These messages can be sent from virtually any text-capable handset from any wireless carrier to 81878, while picture messages will have to be redirected here. You won’t have to fork out a premium since regular text messae rates apply.

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