One of the projects leads of the Apple iPod has come up with a novel design for a household thermostat. Tony Fadell’s Nest thermostat has the brains of a smartphone and the looks of a product made by Apple. Instead of complex programming steps, the device learns from every day use. It can be controlled from an iPhone or iPad and through a computer. It will be interesting to see if this product really catches on. Optimal adjustments to the temperature in a home can potentially save a lot of energy. There also seems to be ample R&D and funds behind the product. Just purchasing the domain nest.com was probably quite an investment. The Nest thermostat should be available for sale late this year for $249.
Could Steve Jobs legacy really be preserved?
Some years ago a lot of the people in the world learned almost instantly of Steve Jobs passing via devices that he helped create. Steve will truly be missed by many and specially by Apple itself. His passing is also a testament that all the money in the world cannot buy health in this age. Steve was able to survive several more years than other people with a similar condition and this was probably due to the fact that he had access to numerous treatments. Many have heard the rumors that Walt Disney was cryogenically frozen to preserve the body until a time when there was a cure for his sickness. Disney died of complications of lung cancer in 1967. Like Disney, Jobs could potentially also be frozen to preserve his great mind and intellect. Assuming that he is thawed within this century, it will be interesting to see if his innovations can still be applied to the more advanced technology available at that future time. R.I.P. Steve.
A next generation alarm clock
By now many people are using their smart phones to wake up every morning instead of a traditional alarm clock. In the case of the iPhone, there are numerous applications that enhance this with images, weather updates, and other features. The Lark alarm goes much further by including a wrist band that can softly wake you by slightly vibrating. This is particularly useful because it will typically only wake up the wearer of the wrist band and not the sleeping partner. It also includes a sensor and Continue reading “A next generation alarm clock”
A real docking solution for MacBooks
Some of us remember the Apple PowerBook Duo with a native docking station. Since then, there has not been a nicely designed dock solution. Henge Docks now offers a great option for MacBooks and MacBook Pros. The dock accepts a system vertically and it attaches to connectors on the bottom of the enclosure. The dock can be configured to offer only the desired connectors while hiding others. It can be used in combination with an external display or a media system setup. The system also reuses a user supplied MagSafe power adapter Continue reading “A real docking solution for MacBooks”
A virtual keyboard and remote control
Computers are more and more forming part of a home entertainment system. An Apple Mac mini for example now comes with an HDMI connector and supports native HDTV resolutions. It is often cumbersome to have to deal with a traditional keyboard and mouse in the family room. A great alternative is the Mobile Mouse Pro application. It allows for wireless remote control of a Windows or Mac computer using an iPhone. The application works in tandem with a program that runs on the computer being controlled. It is a great buy for $1.99 at the iTunes store. Continue reading “A virtual keyboard and remote control”
A novel tool to remember things
It seems that more and more we have to deal with an ever growing amount of digital information. It is increasingly difficult to manage things like pictures, bookmarks, notes, and other digital tidbits. Evernote provides a clever way to organize it all. The system is composed of a main application that runs on a computer and supporting plugins and apps that run on mobile devices. For example, lets say that you come to a website on your computer that you want to remember. Yes, it can be bookmarked, but often it is difficult to search through the default bookmark systems in most browsers. Continue reading “A novel tool to remember things”
A multifaceted iPad case
There have been a hundreds of options for iPad cases in the market. Most do a good job protecting the iPad, but fail in increasing usability. Brenthaven 5-in1 case does a great job. The case has three pieces: a top, bottom, and overall cover. The pieces are then customized to achieve five functions: (1) full, hardshell protection of the iPad when not in use, (2) a horizontal viewing stand, (3) a strap system to hang the iPad for viewing videos, (4) a stand to make typing on a flat surface easier, and Continue reading “A multifaceted iPad case”
True access to your personal data from anywhere
A recent MacRumors article mentions Apple’s interest in Near Field Communication and the possibility of it being a feature on a future Apple mobile device. NFC is presently utilized in “tap and go” credit card payments. The feature enables users with NFC enabled cards to pay “wirelessly”. Users can simply wave their card at the merchant’s payment sensor and this will transmit the information necessary to process payment. This also opens the possibility of having an electronic wallet instead of the traditional credit card. Continue reading “True access to your personal data from anywhere”
Make HD recordings from a DVR portable
Digital video recorders (DVRs) are presently the norm. Many people are able to pause live TV and watch shows hours and even days after the original broadcast date. The problem now is how to extract the programs from proprietary DVRs like the ones from Comcast, AT&T U-Verse, DirecTV and others and view them on the many portable devices now available. The El Gato EyeTV HD can easily accomplish this. The kit contains the award winning EyeTV 3 software and a box with analog component audio and video inputs. These can be connected to any modern DVR and allow for the recording of videos in HD. Component video is mostly limited to 1080i, but this good enough for most portable devices, specially since most HD broadcasts are in 720p. The software can be configured to automatically convert video to a format compatible with an Apple iPad, iPod, and many other mobile devices.
Flipboard, an electronic social magazine for the iPad
The makers of Flipboard devised a very clever way to present media content from numerous sources in a “magazine” format. Magazines are easy to read because of layout of text and pictures. The format is more appealing than the traditional social networking or blog website. The Flipboard application for the iPad also provides an elegant way to navigate through content from Twitter and Facebook as well as pictures and other digital media. The content is then easy to comment and even share. Pages are passed just like in a magazine. Page transitions are smooth and the content is easy to read. The “virtual slate” application is free and works very well.