Latest Posts on Coolest Gadgets

Gumball Pinball Machine
NAO Next Gen Robot is looking really realistic these days
Game Strap makes a standing commute more fun
MorpHex is both ball and robot, rolling and creepy
Olloclip iPhone Camera Lens
Skypad Alpha 2 Android tablet

Posted: 14 Dec 2011 08:16 AM PST

Gumball and pinball machines tend to go hand in hand, and here is something which might just pique your interest – the Gumball Pinball Machine, bringing together what could very well be the best of both worlds. This gumball machine will need the deft skill of a pinball maven in order to obtain up to three 1″ diameter chewy confections that are stashed away inside. A Hammacher exclusive, this machine will come with a baseball-themed playing field which will comprise of a quartet of “Win” holes as well as a trio of “Lose” holes. You will need to rely on pure mechanical movement without electricity, where turning the coin slot crank will see three gumballs drop into play.

You will then call upon your vast pinball experience to use the two spring-loaded flippers to navigate through the treacherous machine, knocking each gumball into one of the winning holes, and any gumballs which bypass the flippers will be returned to play thanks to the game’s plunger. All successful scores will deposit winnings via the flip-up candy door, while losing gumballs remain in hostage in a container. Each $1,000 purchase will be accompanied by 850 1″ multi-colored gumballs.

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[ Gumball Pinball Machine copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

NAO Next Gen Robot is looking really realistic these days

Posted: 14 Dec 2011 06:30 AM PST

It seems like robots are getting more realistic each day, and the NAO Next Gen could be the coolest yet. This version has a new on-board computer with a powerful 1.6GHz Intel AtomTM processor.

Aldebaran Robotics designed this NAO robot to help teach autistic children, or help others not capable of autonomy. That’s right, this is not a toy, and there is a video available after the jump so you can see what is capable of.

Look at the thing, it has prehensile hands, for crying out loud! I also love the dual cameras that are capable of facial recognition, as well as the four microphones. You can talk to it with a vocal recognition program known as Nuance, and teach it a few things like how to play catch, for example.

In case you are wondering if the NAO Next Gen will be for sale, the answer is “yes”. I don’t yet have a price on this guy, but I would imagine that it would be pricy.

So is the NAO the beginning of a new era of servant robots? I can easily imagine a future where these tiny robots make my bed, do my dishes, and other household chores that I would rather not do. This image is plucked from several science fiction movies, and I wonder if we really are headed into this type of era of servant robots.

Source

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[ NAO Next Gen Robot is looking really realistic these days copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Game Strap makes a standing commute more fun

Posted: 14 Dec 2011 06:15 AM PST

I don’t live in a situation where I take the morning train to work, but I am sure that if I did, I might have trouble finding a seat. Then I will discover the world of one arm on the handle.

I would imagine that travel this way could be quite tedious. Since one hand has to be holding the strap at all times, it makes activities rather limited. Sure, I could be doing apps on my smartphone, but only if they are one-handed.

This means that I can’t play games on portable gaming stations like Nintendo and the PSP, but I can play on the Game Strap. The Game Strap is essentially a gaming platform for these holding straps, and it looks like a great way to pass away boring time.

This is a concept for now, and suggested games for playing would be shooting types, pinball, and what looks like Tetris. There are buttons on the side for the controls, and I wonder if tilting controls are an option. I wonder if this will ever be actually on a train or bus, and if people will be fighting over these Game Straps instead of shuffling for a seat.

Source

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[ Game Strap makes a standing commute more fun copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

MorpHex is both ball and robot, rolling and creepy

Posted: 14 Dec 2011 06:00 AM PST

This is the MorpHex, and I would highly suggest that you hit the jump so you can see what it can do in the video.

You will notice that has six feet so it can walk along on the floor in a creepy fashion like a weird spider, but it can also curl up into a ball and roll once its feet are retracted.

You can watch as it does some interesting movements like some funky dancing, and you can see that it is quite large. I thought from the picture you see here that it was the size of a tennis ball, but it actually is the size of a globe.

The MorpHex is designed by Norwegian engineer Kare Halvorsen, and he used a globe from Toys “R” Us. He also used 25 servos, a Basicmicro ARC-32 board, an XBee radio, a 2S 5000mAh LiPo battery pack, and a Turnigy 8 amp regulator.

So far, the designer can make the MorpHex crawl, but he can’t make it roll in a controlled direction. This reminds me of something from a science fiction movie, like the rolling robots from Star Wars Episode I. I’m not looking forward to the day these creepy ball robots chase after me like those spider robots from Minority Report.

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[ MorpHex is both ball and robot, rolling and creepy copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Olloclip iPhone Camera Lens

Posted: 14 Dec 2011 05:00 AM PST

Everyone and their dog knows by now that the iPhone 4S’ built-in camera is one of the best in the business where smartphone cameras are concerned, and the iPhone 4 follows closely behind. Well, if that is the case, you might want to maximize the potential of your iPhone’s camera with this nifty little accessory, the $69.99 Olloclip iPhone Camera Lens. This is no ordinary fisheye lens, where it plays nice with the iPhone 4S and its predecessor, but is also a quick-connect lens system that will comprise of other lenses such as wide-angle and macro lenses, all crammed in a small and convenient package.

The Olloclip is a snap to use – all you need to do is slide it over your iPhone’s rear camera lens, and you’re good to go. The fisheye lens is good enough in capturing a nearly 180 degree field of view, while the wide angle lens is said to double the field of view there and then. Want to get up close and personal with a particular object? Not a problem, as the macro lens lets you focus the iPhone within 12mm-15mm of your subject.

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[ Olloclip iPhone Camera Lens copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Skypad Alpha 2 Android tablet

Posted: 14 Dec 2011 04:30 AM PST

Have you entertained the thought of purchasing a spanking new tablet in time for the new year? Yeah, well, if the Apple iPad 2 is not your cup of tea, then I am glad to say that you would be spoilt for choice when it comes to Android-powered tablets. Here is a candidate just in case you are in the market for one – the Skypad Alpha 2. This Android-powered device will run on an upgraded 1.2GHz ARM Cortex-A8 CPU coupled with a Mali-400 graphics processor, helping your eyes enjoy a visual feast of full HD 1080P video without missing a beat, in addition to the handling of stereoscopic 3D video files.

With the Skypad Alpha 2′s HDMI 1.4 output, you can always view high definition or 3D movies when it is connected to a capable HDTV or monitor. Don’t be fooled by the relatively diminutive 7″ display, as it has been updated to be able to handle up to 5-points of capacitive touch recognition for improved navigation, gaming and surfing needs. Let us take a closer look at the Alpha 2 after the jump, shall we?

Android 2.3 Gingerbread is the operating system of choice, and Skytex has worked together with 1Mobile to offer Alpha 2 users immediate access to over 200,000 of the best apps and games available for Android – without having to fork out a single cent to boot. It seems that the Alpha 2 is also future proof to a certain extent where its operating system is concerned, as there is word that an Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update is coming your way sometime early next year, so watch this space!

Being thinner and lighter than its predecessor, the Skypad Alpha 2 will also sport a sleeker design with a flush glass top and durable aluminum shell. It ought to fit into the palm of your hand perfectly, while slipping it into a coat pocket is also another practical aspect of its design. Additional hardware configurations include a mini-USB 2.0 OTG port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a front-facing webcam, and a microSD memory card slot for expansion purposes.

Press Release

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[ Skypad Alpha 2 Android tablet copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]