Gadzooki

The Iron Key

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This has got to be a gadget that’s waaaay on top of my gadget must-haves for 2008.  Sure I have USB drives that is security-tough, I’ve installed so many protection “things” that I’m sure it couldn’t be invaded or hacked by any soul.  But hey, there’s always that one time when it can be hacked into right?

The Iron Key just does all the protection out-of-the-box with a HUGE PLUS.  This thumb drives hold up to 4 Gigabytes of data, but includes a hardware encryption chip that scrambles the data so as to be completely unreadable without a password.

It’s super protected to the point that if it detects any malicious intent on its data IT WILL SELF-DESTRUCT!  Talk about protection, eh? 

Sure… passwords can be hacked, but not the IronKey. It’s built to withstand attacks both virtual and physical. 10 incorrect password attempts, and the encryption chip self-destructs, making the contents of the flash drive totally unreadable. The contents of the drive are filled with epoxy, so if a hacker tries to physically access the chips, he’d more likely damage them instead. Even if he did get access to the memory chips, they’d be worthless without the encryption chip. Electron-shielded, even a scanning electron microscope can’t get inside.

I’ve been storing several personal and extremely personal stuff on my Sandisk Cruzers and PY thumb drives all these years that I sometimes am very wary of someone picking it up and hacking it to get to my files.  The Iron Key seems a great solution, at least for me.

The Iron Key USB sports the following features:

– Fast 30MBPS Read, 20MBPS Write
– Drive contents encrypted with AES CBC-Mode Encryption
– Onboard IronKey Password-manager keeps all your internet passwords safe
 -Secure version of Firefox included that encrypts all your web-surfing traffic
– Encased in a potted metal case, not plastic, one of the strongest USB keys around
– Exceeds MIL-STD-810F military waterproofing standards
– The encryption chip self-destructs if an invasive attack is detected
– If your Ironkey is lost, you can restore from a secure backup to a new Ironkey in minutes
– Dual channel SLC NAND Flash for high-quality and read/write speeds
– Windows XP and Windows Vista only, but Mac and Linux drivers are in development

The Wifi Frame

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 Here is a cool gadget that ties your online asset to the real world.  If you’ve been laboring to upload your digital photos online for family and friends to see then this is definitely your cup of tea.  If your family is like mine, 6 out of 10 of them would most likely be net savvy while the rest would be your usual lot (wouldn’t touch the net or a PC until kingdom come).So anyway, this eStarling frame is WIFI ready and is smart to connect to your online photo-albums (facebook) pronto.  It is sold here for about $449.  And why the heck is it this expensive when it’s just a “frame”… look at the flip-side technology it has…  Almost looks like a mini-tablet PC eh?  

Techy stuffOnce configured, the frame can be left to operate in a completely stand alone mode. It supports WEP or WPA encryption and has fully featured TCP/IP setup supporting DCHP and manual IP. (By the way, if you don’t know what this stuff means, don’t worry, it’s all easy to sort out and set up.)

E-MailOnce the photo frame is online, it gets its own dedicated email address that anyone you share it with can send photos to. You can secure this by only allowing pictures from specific email addresses to be displayed. So don’t worry – your Wi-Fi picture frame isn’t going to try to sell you Viagra!

Displaying PhotosSimply email any photo to the frame. It checks for new email every few minutes and puts any pictures it receives into rotation in a slideshow. It functions in the same way when receiving photos via a Flickr or Photobucket feed. You can also add or delete photos directly via the web-based control panel.

Specifications

  • eStarling 8″ Widescreen features widescreen aspect ratio (800×600 resolution)
  • Innoloux panel used to ensure highest level of clarity
  • Black Piano Finish
  • Memory Size: On-board FLASH memory 128M
  • Wi-Fi 802.11b/g with Support for WEP encryption
  • MMC/SD/MS/CF 4in1 card slot
  • Views JPEG files
  • External 120V/240V AC Adapter

 

The bad/funny dog Wrex

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A friend YM’ed me yesterday to tell me that they’ve adopted a pet puppy from the city pound.  The family is all excited about spending their very first day with “Spots”, his children were very delighted to just run with Spots all around the yard.  Well, that happy time is long over, barely 24 hours at that when Spots began leaving “little gifts” to clean.  It takes some genuine loving to adopt a puppy.  It’s a great commitment… for the parents!

Sent him another email just now that the next close thing to Spots is just nearly as good.  Welcome Wrex The Dawg, saw this toy from GeekAlerts.

Wrex The Dawg is wacky, fun & near to the real thing with all its antics and fake growls.  Let me share with you some of its features:

Stuff like: Rubbing his robo-ass across the floor like a bad dog, fake peeing with funny sound effects, sneezing, and slot machine eyes that look help a whole lot with the cartoon feel.

You can even turn him into a cat, which he does pretty convincingly. Put him on guard duty and he’ll act like a guard dog. The remote is styled like an oversize industrial remote for some reason. Pretty cool stuff. I would say he’s a cut above most “dog” robots.

Wacky & Fun

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I was a little surprised when I saw this pic at BoingBoing, but I must also tell you that what followed after that was a wide smile.  Like this… 🙂  It seems that nobody can limit creativity these days.  The picture you’re viewing above is an actual PC which has the case of an actual Microwave.  Pretty cool I must say. 

The LCD cover (which serves as the PC’s screen) was modified to snap perfectly into the microwave’s case.  Under the hood reveals a “crammed-up” area that wasn’t just meant for perfect component cooling like what the standard PC cases offers.  This may mean you cannot use this for a long time, unless you are in a cool room.  Here’s the photo of its guts:

I must say that it’s a guaranteed head-turner, would you agree?  A concept project by CaseArts.

Pong Revived

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 This wonderful news from LikeCool.  I don’t know, something in me kicks in when people talk about Pong.  Maybe because I was one of the “fortunate” few who actually stayed up real late so I can touch that Atari paddle and try a game of Pong.  And that was after a long line of 20 elementary school classmates who wanted their fair shot too.  Yeah, that was the hip thing my friend… nothing like being there when everything was in their baby stages.This Pong table, boy is something to look out for.  Designed by Moritz Waldemeyer, aiming to re-create that feeling way back 70’s when it was a real worldwide hit.  This tabletop has 2,400 LEDs and two track pads embedded in its surface.  When the game’s turned off, it sits like any other table.I am unsure if this is in its concept stage or would be available soon.  

LightTalk II

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This tech gadget shouts out “cool”! 🙂

Thinkgeek gives us a “bored” meeting gadget-o-fun.  Let me just create some other scene and probably send someone’s proposal to sky heaven.  Ok, picture this, you’re on a date and you’re just about to pop the question of the century “I love you, will you marry me?”.  You’ve doodled these words and have scanned this into LightTalk II.  Now you pretend to be a great magician, go down on one knee and wave the “magic” wand.  Out comes the question in mid-air, to your girlfriend’s shriek of admiration. 

I think she’ll pull out a hankee, tears in the eyes… musters the words “yes”.

It could happen!  Hey, that’s original!

Retails for $39.99 availalbe at thinkgeek.com .

Here’s the tech stuff:

  • Scanning Area: 4″ x 7″
  • Image scans best when drawn with a black marker (.2″ thick)
  • LighTalk II dimensions: 8.5″ long, 1″ diameter
  • Black Unit Color with Red-Orange LEDs
  • Continuous Display Mode – cycles through all 8 messages
  • “Beam” images to another LighTalk II unit
  • Uses 2 AAA batteries (not included) for over 10 hours of continuous display
  • Includes: LighTalk II, wrist strap, and instructions

    • The Retro Alarm Clock/Dock

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    Here’s a great way to wake up every morning, and it’s not your usual alarm clock at all.  A GadgetShop.com find, this slick and stylish Retro Alarm Clock carries what I say is a 1-2-3 power punch for the geekiest person in you.  Too your geek friends call it your regular IPod dock, to mom… hey, say it’s an alarm clock.  Either way you’d surely hear those ooohhs and aaahhhhs of admiration.

    You can configure it to wake you up to your favorite tune.  “Say a Prayer” perhaps?  Or rock it to Madonna’s latest hit… you choose.   Once you plug this into this “dock” the IPod quickly goes into clock mode.  It will automatically charge it for you as well.  How’s that for a feature?

    Omni directional speakers, analog alarm sounds and/or your iTunes favorites… you’re the boss.  Available in ebony black, metal blue or cool silver colors, pink… or white.

    Retails for about US$70… not bad eh?

    Fractal 23 : Furniture for the space home

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    This is an awesome furniture concept by designer Takeshi Miyakawa.  Really cool for urban living geeks who’d like to squeeze every square inch of small dwelling/living areas.  It would make a good conversation piece as well when you host those Jengga parties. LOL.

    Check out the designer’s page here, and a post from another tech blog right here.

    Originally dubbed as Fractal 23, probably because of the fact that there are more or less 23 “ports” or drawers from this cube.  As a blog aptly puts it, the only problem is that this space-age furniture should be placed in the middle of the room.  It’s definitely not a corner piece, sad to say.  Does it rotate though… it would be cool if you have it rotate so to make access to other drawers easier.

    Somehow this reminds me of the rubik’s cube toy.  Ah this would certainly be a good comeback gimik?  It reminds me too that this may be a new “Transformers” gadget?  Like legs probably coming out from under and the head popping out.

    Something for the composer in you

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    I have a few songs under my belt, yes they have seen the inside of a radio station too… played it once or twice actually.  But I’m not THE composer, like I have a grand piano in my home ready for my “moment” to glory with that hitsong.  This gadget is really handy for those like me who’s not really “there” in writing songs.  I am not as gifted, not even a beginner at that.

    Yamaha designed this concept portable keyboard cum notebook, dubbed as “key for journey”.  I think this will hit it big in the media world.  While it’s not your standard full length keys, the most used are there.  It’s battery operated (of course) and slots for earphones, in-line, and yes even good ‘ol USB are available.

    You can check here more info and here as well.

    A great coin saver

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    We’ve heard stories of moms having a jar hidden somewhere out of site.  She would always put in loose coins in there so that she’d have something to pull out say for quick change or to tip the pizza guy.  But somehow, if you’re mom is like mine :), instead of pulling out those coins, she’d still use those she would pull out from under the couch cushion or under the chair, above the counter or on the fridge.  She’d say that well, I know there’s about $4 worth of coins there, so let me get that instead.

    Well, with this coin saving jar, I’m sure mom will always look to put those nickels and pennies where it should be… in the jar.  This has a battery powered counting system that you push everytime you put in or take out a coin.  Neat eh?  I hope in the future, as a development from this model, we’d have a model you can teach to count coins as they all come in.

    This is available here for about $20.

    Specification
    Dimensions: Height: 15.0cm Width: 10.0cm Depth: 10.0cm
    Weight: 0.1Kg
    Batteries: Energizer Ultraplus – AAA Battery (4 Pack)