Gadget Pack: April 2014

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

A Hint of VA's Mobile Gadget Plans // April 30, 2014

A Hint of VA's Mobile Gadget Plans

The Veterans Affairs Department could field up to 100,000 smart phones or tablets, according to a nugget buried inside a request for information for a new mobile management system. The department currently supports 13,000 mobile devices.

VA also supports just over 300,000 desktop or laptop PCs, and this notice means VA only plans to switch out a third for smart phones and tablets in three years.

Is this too conservative considering the broad use of smart phones and tablets in the consumer and business sectors - or does it reflect the current VA PC-centric architecture which could change overnight?

Bob Brewin joined Government Executive in April 2007, bringing with him more than 20 years of experience as a journalist focusing on defense issues and technology. Bob covers the world of defense and information technology for Nextgov, and is the author of the 'What's Brewin' blog.

LeapFrog's latest gadget for kids is a Tamagotchi

Look, we get it: wearable tech is big business these days. We also get that childhood obesity is a serious problem. That's why it's literally no surprise that the folks at Leapfrog are jumping on the nascent child wearables bandwagon with the LeapBand: an unholy combination of a Fitbit and a Tamagotchi that aims to stop kids from playing games on the couch... and get them playing games standing up.

Here's the gist of it -- kids running around wearing a $39.99 LeapBand on their tiny wrists earn energy points to level up and unlock avatars (a cat, dog, dragon, monkey, panda, penguin, robot and unicorn). The LeapBand can also issue challenges to kids, ranging from relatively ones like 'wiggle like a worm' to the more abstract 'pop like popcorn popping.' Meanwhile, the built-in battery should hang in there for about 4 to 6 days between charges -- with any luck your little ones will tucker out before it does.

Naturally, we had to try the thing on for ourselves. It's about the size of, well, a Tamagotchi, and the plastic wristband slid onto even the hairiest wrists without trouble. The buttons are big and gummy enough that even the least coordinated kids can interact with their pets. Ours was a lazy-looking, tracksuit-clad panda we promptly nicknamed 'Rupert' and -- dare we say it -- we had a little fun doting on him. If we're being honest, It's not exactly a novel idea -- iBitz has been trying to take build a data-centric approach to getting kids active, and Striiv cooked up a video game-y fitness tracker two years ago. This whole thing may seem just a little kooky, but hey -- there are worse ways to give your spawn a taste of the quantified life.

A Hint of VA's Mobile Gadget Plans

VA also supports just over 300,000 desktop or laptop PCs, and this notice means VA only plans to switch out a third for smart phones and tablets in three years.

I'm in a MEATING! Wacky gadget that makes your iPhone smell of bacon when ...

I'm in a MEATING! Wacky gadget that makes your iPhone smell of bacon when the alarm goes off

Bacon smelling gadget Phone: hotdigitalnews.com

In a nation of bacon butty lovers like Great Britain, this wacky gadget would surely go down a treat.

A US meat firm sent its customers diffusers for their iPhones which make a sizzling sound and give out the whiff of bacon when it is time to wake up.

The gadgets were delivered in padded boxes along with bacon-scented liquid and a charger. They are plugged into the audio jack of the phone and work with an official app.

Technology writer Mike Wehner received his this week.

He wrote for The Unofficial Apple Weblog: 'After filling the device with a few drops of bacon scent, I set the alarm for my normal wake-up time and hit the pillow.

'At 6:30am I was awoken by a sizzling sound from the app and a sizable puff of bacon fragrance which dominated the room and led my wife to ask me what the hell was going on. 'It's my bacon phone,' I said in a pre-coffee haze, and hit the snooze.'

However he admitted he was still 'too lazy' to actually get up and cook some bacon.

The diffusers are the brawn-child of Oscar Meyer, which sent them to people who registered for its Wake Up And Smell The Bacon online competition.

I'm in a MEATING! Wacky gadget that makes your iPhone smell of bacon when ...

Bacon smelling gadget Phone: hotdigitalnews.com

In a nation of bacon butty lovers like Great Britain, this wacky gadget would surely go down a treat.

A US meat firm sent its customers diffusers for their iPhones which make a sizzling sound and give out the whiff of bacon when it is time to wake up.

The gadgets were delivered in padded boxes along with bacon-scented liquid and a charger. They are plugged into the audio jack of the phone and work with an official app.

Technology writer Mike Wehner received his this week.

He wrote for The Unofficial Apple Weblog: 'After filling the device with a few drops of bacon scent, I set the alarm for my normal wake-up time and hit the pillow.

However he admitted he was still 'too lazy' to actually get up and cook some bacon.

The diffusers are the brawn-child of Oscar Meyer, which sent them to people who registered for its Wake Up And Smell The Bacon online competition.

The Gadgets and Gear We Loved Most This Month

4-EYELET RANGER MOCCASINSThe Maine shoe industry used to be the largest source of industrial jobs in the state. But even though the vast majority of those jobs have moved abroad, there are still a handfull of makers putting together shoes in the traditional, hand-sewn, moccasin construction. These Ranger Mocs ($550) from Rancourt & Co. show what a good shoemaker can do with a wooden last, some great leather, and some cool thinking. By adding a leather sole and using shell cordovan, these go from the traditional casual shoe to a more polished, versatile model--one that can hold its own with dressier looks as well as jeans or khakis. Rancourt & Co. is run by second and third generation shoe makers. But while they're keeping the handmade tradition alive, they're also pushing innovation as well--at their site, you can design your own shoes, choosing from dozens of leathers, soles, stitching colors and styles. It's high tech meets down east, and the results are really, really handsome.--Mark McClusky

Photo: Ariel Zambelich/WIRED

SCANSNAP, EVERNOTE EDITIONEvernote has become my digital junk drawer. Anything that could be of use to me later--from scanned handwritten notes and receipts, to web pages and book excepts--gets sent to the archiving service. While the standalone app and browser-based web clipper take care of a lot of those dispatches, there was one weak point in the system: my unspeakably awful Canon P-215 portable scanner. Seriously, this thing was developed by sadists. Fill it with more than a couple pieces of paper and it would choke; the crappy proprietary software didn't work half the time; and to top it off, I still had to move the scanned items to Evernote afterward. It was so bad I simply resorted to snapping photos of any Evernote-bound papers. Then the ScanSnap Evernote Edition ($495) came into my life. Stuff this Wi-Fi scanner full of all sizes of paper, hit a single button, and seconds later they'll seamlessly appear in Evernote. The scanner is even smart enough to recognize what is probably a receipt (based on paper-size) and then send it off to the appropriately labeled folder. During tax time, this little guy performed like a champ, helping me quickly create digital (and OCRable) copies of home expenses and other relevant docs. For as long as I remain an Evernote user, I will never use another scanner.--Bryan Gardiner

Photo: Ariel Zambelich/WIRED

COLD BRUERDo you feel okay because I feel great right now, I mean, just spectacular, like, really, really good, and I'm having a great day at work and really I feel like I can attribute a lot of it to the two cups of cold-brewed coffee I drank this morning (I mean, in addition to the normal one I drank at home) from this Cold Bruer ($65), which brews 24 ounces of coffee overnight as it sits on your counter--wait, how many ounces are in a cup because I guess I actually technically drank three cups--and like I know you have probably tried other cold brew methods, like the Toddy, but I am here to tell you that this produces a more refined, better brew than the traditional method of soaking grounds in water for 12-24 hours and then straining it off--which is great, don't get me wrong but this is way, way better, and oh my god I feel so good--the Cold Bruer is essentially a one-drop-in / one-drop-out method where as one drip of water lands on two ounces of ground coffee in the middle chamber, a drop of coffee comes out from the bottom into the reservoir below and man is it good, it really brings out the vegetal flavor in coffee and you can taste lots of nuance that you just don't get in the soak it overnight method plus this is beautiful to look at and not just, like, some big old plastic tub on your counter. LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA! It's $65. LA! I like it.--Mat Honan

Photo: Josh Valcarcel/WIRED

Photo: Ariel Zambelich/WIRED

Photo: Josh Valcarcel/WIRED

View the gallery in full screen to read more about the things we loved in April.

One of the best parts of our jobs here at WIRED is that we get to test all the new things as soon as they come out. But we often only get a few days to play with something before having to write about it. That can be difficult-getting a clear assessment of an object's worth when you have to crank out a written review in less than a week. Some products only show their true colors after several weeks, months, or years to experience them, live with them, play with them, and wear them. That's what we've rounded up here-things we've been testing and love, or the stuff from our lives that we own and never want to let go. This is the gear we want to take everywhere. This is the stuff we want to cook breakfast for. These are the things we love.

Innovation: A Gadget That Scrambles The Egg Inside The Shell

Courtesy Y Line Product Design

In our 'Weekly Innovation' blog series, we explore an interesting idea, design or product that you may not have heard of yet. Do you have an innovation to share? Submit with this form.

Courtesy Y Line Product Design

If this egg scrambling tool works as promised, your egg can come out of its shell with the yolk and egg already mixed. You could hard or soft boil, fry, scramble or devil them into what creator Geraint Krumpe calls 'golden eggs,' named for the eggs' creamy, soft yellow color when they come out.

'I was laid off from a company I worked for for 11 years,' Krumpe says, when asked how this all started. 'So I had to get creative.'

Krumpe started a product design company and sometime last Easter, he was surfing YouTube videos and found inspiration. 'I found a video with a science guy spinning an egg inside a shirtsleeve. So I said, I have to try this. I stayed up late and broke a bunch of eggs trying to get one to work,' he says.

Eleven months later, after a lot of development and testing, Krumpe and his company released the kitchen creation he calls the Golden Goose. It works by rotating an egg back and forth at an accelerated rate to mix the yolk and egg together without introducing any outside air. A soft cradle nestles the egg and holds it center, keeping it from breaking during the back-and-forth motion.

The device scrambles an egg inside the shell in about 15 seconds.

Courtesy of Y Line Product Design

'You haven't entered any outside air or other gases into the mix of protein and fats, and it allows for this chemistry to happen that has culinary benefits, because depending on what temperature the egg is at and for what time period, you can achieve a range of different flavor profiles and even different colors,' Krumpe says.

Imagine all the golden egg creations! Krumpe tells us that a hard-boiled golden egg comes out tasting like savory custard. And if you simply scramble the egg in its shell and crack it into an iron skillet, it creates a tasty scrambled egg dish because you never whisked in any outside air. Plus, there's a little less dishwashing.

'This way you don't have to wash a fork and bowl, and it has been suggested that you could spend a lot of time as a prep cook scrambling eggs and putting them in the fridge for breakfast or baking. Here they're pre-scrambled. It doesn't take much effort and it's the best possible way to scramble,' Krumpe says.

This invention is already funded, reaching more than $60,000 in support from 1,800 backers, way above its original $34,500 fundraising goal.

Now that it's funded, the plan is to manufacture the devices for the donors this summer and then take Golden Goose directly to consumers. Krumpe says it will retail for around $24, but probably won't be for sale until November at the earliest.

Check out the Kickstarter page for yourself, but a warning, if you're hungry: It includes many photos of delicious egg dishes.

Monday, April 28, 2014

Twitter Hopes a Smarter Signup Process Will Keep You From Fleeing

Twitter is testing out an entirely new way for people to sign up, with an eye toward getting them to stick around. WIRED saw a new Twitter onboarding (or sign up) process last week that indicates the company is trying to overhaul its new-user experience. Among other things, Twitter is trying to steer new users toward the people and topics they're actually interested in. Even if this isn't live yet, it's about time.

Helping new users understand what to do once they sign up for an account has been a significant, long-term problem for Twitter. It has a clear issue to solve with attrition -many people log on and never come back again. People hear about Twitter-maybe via something like Ellen DeGeneres' Oscar selfie-then try to sign up, and are confronted by a fairly large 'what now' problem. Even if you're just using it as a reader, which apparently very many of its users do, you need to have relevant things to read. You want to see updates from your friends or at least people you know, as well as interesting pertinent information.

Part of the problem is that for years now the company has more or less guided people blindly towards popular accounts with little notion of their relevance. Maybe you hate pop music, or teens (as you should!). Well, sorry, Twitter is still going to suggest you follow Justin Bieber.

But WIRED has seen two very interesting new user signup modes recently. The first, on Android, just uses your Google account information to help populate your new Twitter account and contacts. But the other web-based mode, which we saw while creating a new account last week, was far more interesting.

After new users are asked to do the typical stuff (pick a username, enter your email address, and designate a password) Twitter now asks to connect to your Gmail.

Once you've given it access to your address book, it scans it and looks for contacts. It then spits back a list of suggestions for folks to follow. The one I was given was powerfully good. The first suggestion was my main twitter account, and with one or two exceptions, everyone else in the list of 20 people it spat back was highly relevant to my life.

These were almost all people with whom I communicate regularly (and have done so for a very long time), and who also tweet regularly. That last factor in particular seems important. If Twitter suggests you follow 20 people in your address book who do not actually tweet much, then you're going to have an uninspiring timeline.

Once you've finished selecting people to follow from your address book, it kicks you over to an interests section. That's important, because Twitter is more of an interest network than it is anything else. Twitter has kind of crudely waved at connecting you with interests before, but now it's really trying to get granular-instead of just 'sports' you have an option for 'NHL,' for example.

Dive in and you get a list of people (or brands) for every topic, as well as a preview of their latest tweet. These appear to be sorted by the most-recently updated, which at least gives a modicum of insurance that you're getting fresh content.

After you've followed a few accounts it then prompts you to go back to your profile where you're given a couple of suggestions for a first tweet, along with prompts to add a profile photo and background image.

What you end up with, or at least what I did, is a populated timeline full of relevant things to your interests and people you know. (You also don't have the Twitter new-user egg profile photo if you actually follow the prompts).

It's hard to overstate how much of an improvement this is. I have slightly more Twitter accounts than I do pairs of shoes (though fewer than the number of domains I own). I've signed up for them again and again, over many years, and its on-boarding process has long been, to be charitable, awful. (For example, during a previous attempt I made at signing up for an account, I was suspended for following Twitter's own process. After signing up for a new account via the Android app and importing my Gmail contacts, I followed Twitter's suggestion to follow those contacts-and then was promptly suspended for following too many accounts at once.)

Yet while this seems to be a dramatically improved process, it isn't necessarily the future of Twitter. The product has gone into a stage of hyper-experimentalism recently, and rolls out new user tests all the time, some of which never see the light of day again. When we asked, a Twitter spokesperson declined to comment and referred us to a blog post on its experiments.

But often these test cases do become the new normal. Many weeks before it rolled out its new profile designs, a version of it showed up for WIRED fellow Pranav Dixit (and then went away). And similarly, WIRED staffers had two separate experimental builds of Twitter's iOS app that later effectively merged into version 6 of its software.

Whether or not this particular process flow ends up being the default experience, it's clear the company is at least revamping onboarding. Moreover, the company is certainly aware that sign up has been a problem in the past. So whether it's this method, or another, what's clear is that change is coming.

The Cricut Explore: a must

Last week the ShinyShiny team were invited into what can only be described as a crafting heaven, a Pinterest-lover's paradise, a DIY-nut's dream, you get the picture.

At the top of the Millbank Tower in London, the team behind Cricut had put on a particularly eye-pleasing event in order to showcase their latest product, the Cricut Explore, which is about to launch in the UK.

The Cricut Explore is described by the team as a 'design and cut' machine. But to you and me it looks just like a small printer. The cutting machine allows you to produce all kinds of products, from home decor to clothing to party decorations to cards and gifts, the list really is endless.

All you need to do is decide what you want to cut out using Cricut's online interface, insert the material of your choice and tell the Cricut Explore with the dial what it's going to be working with.

From there its blades will get the work done and produce a cut-out of whatever you like. We have to say we were really impressed by how precise the cutting was, especially when the Cricut Explore was working with thick materials.

The materials you can choose to use with the Cricut Explore are pretty endless and the team had put up awesome butterfly bunting to show off all of the different options, think every different kind of paper you can imagine, vinyl, felt, leather and lots of glittery stuff too.

The Cricut Explore works alongside the Cricut Design Space, which is free online design software used to create the Cricut projects. It allows users to browse through more than 50,000 images and hundreds of ready-to-make projects, so if you're lacking in inspiration then Design Space can help, but if you want free rein then you've got a blank canvas to work from. We had a play with the Design Space and it's essentially just a simpler version of Photoshop, allowing you to add different images, play around with layers and group all of your designs together.

The Cricut Explore sounds interesting, but you've got to wonder how all those little cut-out things could be put to good use - or at least that's what we wondered before we were invited to the event.

Luckily the Cricut team were on hand to walk us through what can only be described as a 'crafter's wonderland', full of different scenarios showcasing Cricut cut items.

We were particularly impressed with this awesome butterfly dress. As you can see from the close-ups, the bodice is made entirely from little leather butterflies... and... you guessed it... they've all been cut out using the Cricut Explore.

Although the event made us excited about getting our hands on a Cricut Explore, our cynical sides wondered whether we'd be left feeling ridiculous and ashamed days later when our lives don't look at all like a dreamy Pinterest board.

However, the Cricut Explore is a lot more functional than you'd expect for what is essentially just a gadget made for crafters, allowing you to upcycle furniture, customise clothes, make decorations and pretty much make whatever the hell you like.

Obviously if you're not into crafting and even the sight of a mason jar, an upcycled chair or bunting makes you queasy, then the Cricut Explore isn't for you. But for those with even a slight interest in making things and customising their stuff, then it's really a lot of fun. The software's interface means you don't need any strong design skills, the easy-to-use functions mean you don't need to be an expert in art-y gadgets and the pre-designed templates mean it's great for those who get a little impatient too.

The Cricut Explore will be available from June 2014 from selected Hobbycraft stores, Amazon.co.uk and a number of other craft retailers and etailers at £249.99.

Sunday, April 27, 2014

Gadget Watch: Whistle, a fitness tracker for dogs

By Joseph PisaniGADGETPACK.BLOGSPOT.COM

Posted: 04/28/2014 12:01:00 AM MDT

NEW YORK - Bad news for lazy dogs: A new device, called Whistle, lets pet owners track how much exercise - or sleep - their four-legged friends are getting.

Whistle is similar to popular activity trackers designed for humans. It wraps around a dog's collar and syncs with a smartphone app, collecting data on how much activity and rest the pet had.

I tried it out on my dog, who would much rather sleep on the couch than chase a ball. It's no surprise to find out that he wasn't getting at least 30 minutes of movement a day. But that was mainly my fault.

Whistle pushed me to take him out on more walks for longer periods.

At $129, it is as pricey as some of the latest human fitness trackers from the likes of FitBit and Jawbone.

One major difference: Whistle syncs data to its app through Wi-Fi, as well as Bluetooth. That lets you check up on your dogs without being near them, so you can track how much exercise your dog is getting when left with dog walkers, a doggy day care or family and friends.

The Whistle app, available for Apple and Android smartphones, is nicely designed. Multiple people can download the app and see the same data through the same account, which is a great if others help care for your dog.

The Whistle looks slick. It is round and is made of stainless steel. It weighs 16 grams, or less than an ounce. It is about 1.5 inches wide and less than half-an-inch thick.

My biggest worry was losing it. But the device locks on to a rubber strap that is then wrapped around the dog collar. It stayed in place and never fell off.

Because it is waterproof, dogs can take the Whistle with them for a swim, the company says. I used it during rainy dog walks, and it always worked fine.

The app lists how much rest and activity the dog gets in a day. You can also add what the dog ate, what medication you gave it and any additional notes or photos you want.

The app looks like a Facebook timeline for your dog. You can scroll down to see what the dog has done during the day. You can also quickly swipe the screen from left to right to see what the dog did on past days.

The company recommends using it on dogs that weigh more than 10 pounds. It still works on smaller dogs, the company says, but the Whistle might be too big for them. It's up to you to decide. My dog is a little over 11 pounds and didn't notice the Whistle at all.

The built-in battery lasts about a week before it has to be recharged. The app alerts you when it starts getting low.

The Whistle is charged through a USB cord that plugs into a computer or laptop. It doesn't come with a wall charger outlet, which is a pain if you don't have a laptop or desktop computer. I used the wall charger for my iPhone, or you can buy one for less than $10.

The Whistle is sold in PetSmart stores and online at Whistle.com.

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Gadget Watch: Whistle, a fitness tracker for dogs

Article posted: 4/26/2014 7:03 AM

NEW YORK -- Bad news for lazy dogs: A new device, called Whistle, lets pet owners track how much exercise -- or sleep -- their four-legged friends are getting.

Whistle is similar to popular activity trackers designed for humans. It wraps around a dog's collar and syncs with a smartphone app, collecting data on how much activity and rest the pet had.

I tried it out on my dog, who would much rather sleep under the couch than chase a ball. It's no surprise to find out that he wasn't getting at least 30 minutes of movement a day. But that was mainly my fault.

Whistle pushed me to take him out on more walks for longer periods.

At $129, it is as pricey as some of the latest human fitness trackers from the likes of FitBit and Jawbone.

The Device

The Whistle looks slick. It is round and is made of stainless steel. It weighs 16 grams, or less than an ounce. It is about 1.5 inches wide and less than half-an-inch thick.

My biggest worry was losing it. But the device locks on to a rubber strap that is then wrapped around the dog collar. It stayed in place and never fell off.

Because it is waterproof, dogs can take the Whistle with them for a swim, the company says. I used it during rainy dog walks, and it always worked fine.

Doggy Data

The app lists how much rest and activity the dog gets in a day. You can also add what the dog ate, what medication you gave it and any additional notes or photos you want.

May Be Too Heavy For Tiny Dogs

Battery Life

The built-in battery lasts about a week before it has to be recharged. The app alerts you when it starts getting low.

Where To Fetch It

The Whistle is sold in PetSmart stores and online at Whistle.com.

Friday, April 25, 2014

The gadgets that changed your life

When we asked you to tell us which gadgets changed your life, our goal was to arrive at a simple list of important devices. Instead, we learned how some of the products we talk about on Engadget every day make such a profound impact.

Remember when Facebook bought Oculus VR a few weeks ago? The news led to heated conversations about how VR technology would lose its edge and become a vessel for ' branded experiences' (or in layman's terms: fancy ads). But we've seen actual life-altering uses of the Oculus Rift as well. For example, before Roberta Firstenberg passed away (and far too young, we might add) this technology gave her an opportunity to relive her younger years and see the sun one more time.

Most life-changing gadget: iPhone

In what was a top 10 list full of smartphones, the iPhone came out on top. Specifically, the iPhone 3GS. When it debuted in 2009, we considered it an incremental upgrade to the 3G, but still an 'unquestionably excellent smartphone.' Reader Matthias Liffers from Perth, Australia, remarked:

'This gadget finally let me address my information addiction without having to remain in front of a computer all day.'

Apple wasn't alone however. The Droid X, Galaxy S II and Palm Pre were also well-represented. And BlackBerry had more than its fair share of fans, too.

Most life-changing gadget (that wasn't a smartphone): TiVo

Talk all you want about how you're going to cut the cord, but we know you can't live without cable and a DVR filled with The Real Housewives of New Jersey. While the term ' TiVo' has become synonymous with 'DVR' (kind of like asking someone for a 'Kleenex'), the company still does well on its own. We most recently called the Roamio Pro 'the company's best yet.'

On TiVo, Tom Paladino from Long Island, New York, said:

'It completely reorganized how I consumed television at the time, and laid the groundwork for how I would consume media over the next decade and beyond.'

Honorable Mention: Pre-paid feature phones

Charles Everett III told us about the gadget that changed his life, a Kyocera K9:

'(The Kyocera K9) was my first cellphone my parents gave me. It was prepaid, so if I wanted to keep it on, I had to work by doing extra chores, saving left over lunch money and getting good grades.'

The real story here, though, isn't about the K9, since most prepaid phones at the time were good for one thing only: making calls. We're more intrigued by the way Charles' parents taught him responsibility by giving him the phone, but made him work to keep it running. We can only hope that other parents are teaching the same lessons today with data allowances. Want more data to send selfies on Snapchat? Mow the lawn, kiddo.

Tomorrow's life-changing gadgets

If, in the past decade, phones and DVRs changed our lives, what will come of the next 10 years? Will we see a more discreet head-mounted computer that's less likely to result in assault? Or will it be something we can't even imagine yet, delivered to you by Amazon's PrimeAir drones? Whatever it is, we're pretty damn excited to tell you all about it when the time comes.

#Dinnercam, Possibly the Most Obnoxious Gadget Ever

Photo credit: YouTube/mweb

There's something not quite right about the #dinnercam, and we're not talking about the hashtag in its name. The gadget, a rather clunky-looking lighting set-up, supposedly helps restaurant patrons snap better Instagram photos of their food.

#Dinnercam is the work of a South African internet provider, MWEB, created as part of an ongoing project 'exploring how WiFi and the web are changing everyday life in public spaces,' which admittedly makes #dinnercam sound more like an advertising gimmick than a real product.

Regardless, MWEB recently lent the machine to a Cape Town Mexican restaurant called El Burro, which had it available to customers on request. #Dinnercam has a few lighting options-red, violet, and white to name a few-which don't appear to always yield the same results as professional photography. Or Instagrams taken with good, old-fashioned natural light, for that matter. Take a gander:

Gimmick or not, the #dinnercam represents a startling trend in restaurant etiquette. We love a great food photograph as much as the next person, but when a hulking lighting machine appears atop the two-top next to you, things have gone too far. Just put down the cell phone and enjoy your meal, people.

If you're not annoyed already, watch the video of #dinnercam in action below.

[via Eater]

Tickle

A new device points people in the right direction when trying to find a specific location by tickling their toes inside their shoes.Silicone insoles are placed in a pair of shoes which communicate with a smartphone and vibrates when a change of direction is required.The person then turns left or right depending on which sole vibrates meaning they do not have to look at a screen to get to where they want to.The gadget, called the 'SuperShoes', can be placed in any shoes and its creator said the idea came from the 'overbearing nature of today's technology'.

We don't get lost any more - we don't wander, wonder or discover

Dhairya Dand

America based inventor Dhairya Dand, 24, said he hoped the gadget could free people from a reliance on their smartphones.He said: 'Most of my work addresses problems and opportunities I see around me.'We don't get lost any more - we don't wander, wonder or discover.'The wearables help people get lost and be in multiple places at once, imparting new skills and capabilities.' The gadget features three vibrating motors, a receptive pad that recognises touch, an onboard micro-controller and low power bluetooth and battery.

They can be flexed and twisted and placed into any regular pair of shoes.To use them, wearers first register with an online platform called ShoeCentral.The smart technology then pairs up with a smartphone and tickles feet to provide directions and even suggests new places which might be of interest.The invention has already been showcased at the Tokyo Design Week.

Gadget Watch: Whistle, a fitness tracker for dogs

- Bad news for lazy dogs: A new device, called Whistle, lets pet owners track how much exercise - or sleep - their four-legged friends are getting.

Whistle is similar to popular activity trackers designed for humans. It wraps around a dog's collar and syncs with a smartphone app, collecting data on how much activity and rest the pet had.

Whistle pushed me to take him out on more walks for longer periods.

At $129, it is as pricey as some of the latest human fitness trackers from the likes of FitBit and Jawbone.

THE DEVICE: The Whistle looks slick. It is round and is made of stainless steel. It weighs 16 grams, or less than an ounce. It is about 1.5 inches wide and less than half-an-inch thick.

My biggest worry was losing it. But the device locks on to a rubber strap that is then wrapped around the dog collar. It stayed in place and never fell off.

Because it is waterproof, dogs can take the Whistle with them for a swim, the company says. I used it during rainy dog walks, and it always worked fine.

DOGGY DATA: The app lists how much rest and activity the dog gets in a day. You can also add what the dog ate, what medication you gave it and any additional notes or photos you want.

MAY BE TOO HEAVY FOR TINY DOGS: The company recommends using it on dogs that weigh more than 10 pounds. It still works on smaller dogs, the company says, but the Whistle might be too big for them. It's up to you to decide. My dog is a little over 11 pounds and didn't notice the Whistle at all.

BATTERY LIFE: The built-in battery lasts about a week before it has to be recharged. The app alerts you when it starts getting low.

WHERE TO FETCH IT: The Whistle is sold in PetSmart stores and online at Whistle.com.

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Follow Joseph Pisani on Twitter at http://ift.tt/1q9rfUY

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Gadget Review: Triple Play from Viatek (PlushPals, Pearl and Grab It!)

This is what we call a triple-play review. Three unique products sent to me by the same manufacturer, all tied together into one mega-review. My only caveat to you, the buying public, is these products are not meant to be used together. Attempting to do so might result in injury, fire damage or a rift in the space-time continuum. You've been warned.

Viatek is a company that develops and markets new and innovative products. Everything from kids' toys to kitchen miracles, they have something for you. Below are just three of the many products available on their site.

Interactive Plush Pal: These adorable animals come in three types (Manny the Monkey, Patch the Dog, and Freddy the Frog) and they shake, dance and move their mouths in time with any audio connected to them. Reaching out from behind the animal is an audio jack that can plug into any normal headphone port on your computer or phone. When you send music through, the animal dances and sings along, although the mouth will move whether there are lyrics or not. Yet a toddler watching it probably won't care and will become instantly entranced.

The best part is plugging it into your phone when receiving a call. As long as the settings are correct on the phone and the volume is turned up, the animal comes to life and seems to be talking directly to you. My son is a little too young at the moment to get what was going on when I tried it, but I tried again on a two-year-old friend of his and she giggled and smiled like it was made of rainbows and puppies (which is on target if you buy Patch the Dog; personally I tested Manny the Monkey).

Viatek has these for $39.99.

Grab-It! Universal Mount: These handy little items (shown in the photo holding up the smart phone) are great for tech geeks, like myself, who have smartphones and/or tablets that keep moving randomly from place to place on our desk. We hear them vibrate underneath loose sheets of paper, two or three notebooks, possibly from the inside of an empty coffee mug, basically anywhere the phone can fit. The mount gives you a stationary and secure place to put it where it's still useful and accessible.

It works in the same fashion as other mounts on the market, through air suction, but takes is an even simpler approach than many. Instead of just a one-stick suction cup, you push the larger end against any solid and smooth surface, then pump downward a few times. Each pump makes the seal tighter. You can twist the gears to loosen and tighten the angle at which the smaller end points. Then when you are satisfied with the angle, just push your device onto the other end, pump a few times and you're good to go.

Since Viatek sells them in a two pack (for just $14.99) I now have one in my office at work and at home. For long-term placements it will require a few extra pumps each day to replace any lost grip or tension. Completely affordable and much more handy than you originally imagine.

For those thinking this is a great device for your car, it's not, unless your car has a completely flat and non-porous surface. Alas, mine does not. I did mount it to the windshield, but that placement I found too distracting and possibly dangerous. I would stick (pun fully intended) to desks and counters. I find glass desktops work amazingly well.

Pearl Hair Remover: Here's the one product I imagine most people didn't imagine showing up on this website. I've plied you with tons of tech gadgets, movies, books and an utter deluge of Doctor Who, so how does a hair removal system fit in? Well, I fully admit that I pretty much hate shaving and anything that tells me it will make me have to do that less is worth a shot.

It works by sending heat down through the hair follicle thereby 'crystallizing' it. Once you've gone over the desired area, the kit comes with pads to use in order to gently remove any lingering affected hairs. Then there is a smoothing serum to put on afterwards to help ensure comfort and lack of irritation. According to the instructions, the more you use it, the less you will have to because the hair will grow back slower.

Etsy acquires indie

Gadgets are probably the last thing you'd look for on Etsy's DIY-heavy marketplace, but that could soon change. Today the NY-based company announced that it's acquiring Grand St., an online retailer focused on electronics with a creative, maker bent (think app-enabled piggy banks and Wifi-enabled kids' toys). In the short term, at least, Grand St. will continue to operate as its own marketplace, but it's possible that such hardware could someday have a home on Etsy.

In a blog post announcing the acquisition, Etsy CEO Chad Dickerson said, 'What unites Etsy and Grand St. is a shared vision of the way making is changing, and we're excited to learn from their community.' Grand St., which is also based in New York, curates all the products on its site, and a beta feature lets buyers give feedback to makers. The deal is still closing -- and financial details haven't been shared -- but it definitely seems to be positive news for those in the small-batch maker space.