NVIDIA Quadro FX 5800 - the first graphics card with 4GB memory
From Electronics
Launched under the by-line of "the most powerful professional graphics card in graphics history", NVIDIA 's new flagship Quadro FX 5800 graphics card features up to 240 CUDA programmable parallel cores and world first 4GB GDDR3 GPU Memory offering bandwidth up to 102GB/sec. Read More
The (fake) MacBook Nano
From Mobile Technology
For some, one of the disappointing aspects of last month's raft of Notebook announcements from Apple was the absence of even a sniff of a sub-notebook model in the offing. Well it looks like someone has taken matters into their own hands, turning wishful thinking into a blatant rip-off with a fake "MacBook Nano" fashioned from an MSI U100 netbook running Mac OS X. Read More
Sun Unified Storage Systems offer simplified, cost-effective data management
From Electronics
Sun Microsystems has introduced the first products in its Unified Storage System line-up with the promise of breakthrough diagnostics and troubleshooting capabilities, optimized performance, one-fourth the energy consumption, simple installation and configuration in under five minutes and up to 75% cost savings compared to competing storage systems. Read More
Liquid crystal lubricants promise close-to-zero frictional losses
From Automotive
Lubrication enables all of the world’s machinery to function, but even then, at least a quarter of all the energy is lost to friction. Despite some ingenious lubrication methods, at least 15% of the power made in a car engine is lost to friction. In most machinery, frictional losses are much higher than 15% and the heat resultant from friction generates trillions of dollars of repair and maintenance every year. Now a breakthrough in lubricant design employing liquid crystals promises a vast reduction in friction and some quite remarkable lubricants are about five years from market – oils that could reduce friction to almost zero. Read More
Plans unveiled for another architectural marvel in Dubai
From Holiday Destinations
The latest in a long-list of architectural wonders planned for Dubai's skyline, the Anara Tower is a 125-storey modern interpretation of the Minaret that will soar to almost 2000 feet and provide five million square feet of mixed use space including four sky gardens, a major Art Gallery, residential, retail and office space and a boutique five star hotel. Designed by UK based Atkins Designs Studio, the visually stunning skyscraper will also become the new global HQ for developer Tameer Holding Investment, which already boasts an impressive real-estate portfolio including the Princess Tower, Eye-Park and the Podium, a recently announced tower that will incorporate the world's largest LED screen. Read More
The ClarityLife C900 Mobile Phone for Seniors
From Mobile Technology
The ClarityLife C900 is a very simple mobile phone with large controls, so it’s not the sort of technology we normally eulogise about in Gizmag. It’s key difference is that it has been reengineered to cater to the specific needs of the most technologically disenfranchised segment of our society – the elderly. The C900 is can be amplified an extra 20-decibels and it has oversized text for a group where hearing problems and failing eyesight are the norm. Most significantly, the US$270 cell phone incorporates an emergency response button capping off a very relevant feature set to an aging population that just goes on and on - hearing aid compatible, an extra strong vibrating ringer and a flashing orange LED to signal incoming calls for the hearing impaired and a flashlight. Read More
KTM 2WD hybrid dirt bike
From Motorcycles
Patents lodged by Austrian Competition Motorcycle Manufacturer KTM indicate that a hybrid 2WD dirt bike is not far away. Common sense dictates that a motorcycle with both wheels driven (2WD) will go around corners faster and with greater surety than one equipped only with the motorcycle’s traditional rear-wheel drive, much the same as 4WD cars offer superior traction to their rear or front wheel drive brethren. A lot of interesting development work has been done over the last decade with Yamaha offering Ohlins 2WD system on selected enduro bikes in Europe, Christini developing mechanical AWD (aka 2WD) kits for Honda and KTM dirt bikes and KTM talking publicly about its hydraulic 2WD development. Now it appears KTM is to employ a small electric motor on each wheel to supply additional torque when it’s needed. A recently filed set of patent applications heralds some exciting prospects. Read More
The MechRC Megatron-esque robot
From Robotics
Is this Megatron's love-child? The MechRC is a programmable, remote controlled robot with 17 independently controllable servos (points of articulation), each capable of up to 180 degrees of movement. This provides the bot with an extremely wide range of actions – and the database of 100 pre-programmed motions and sound can be expanded by using the included software to create new manoeuvres. Read More
How to set up your surround speakers
From Home Entertainment
The world of home theater seems ever changing. New formats, new innovations and cheaper prices have made an altogether bigger audio-visual experience more accessible for everyone. Two channel systems have been common place in our lounge rooms for decades now, but you might need a few more tricks in your arsenal to get the best out of the latest multi-speaker systems. Tim LeFevre investigates. Read More
BMW unveils F 800 R roadster
From Motorcycles
The 1200cc Lo-Rider concept may have been the big story to emerge from the BMW Motorrad camp at last week's EICMA 2008 Milan Motorcycle Show, but it wasn't the only new kid on the block. Set to join the F800S and ST in the company's mid-market line-up from May 2009, the new F 800 R naked roadster sports an 87hp in-line 2-cylinder engine, F800GS-style headlights, chain drive and a new light alloy cast double-sided swingarm. Read More
New Fujitsu Mini Notebook gets built-in GPS
From Mobile Technology
A netbook that combines full-featured PC functionality with voice-prompted GPS navigation, a 16-inch desktop replacement notebook that incorporates a second 4-inch touch screen and a 2.2 pound convertible tablet PC are among the latest mobile computing offerings from Fujitsu. Read More
Mophie Juice Pack for iPhone 3G now shipping
From Mobile Technology
If there’s one complaint iPhone 3G users have it is the battery life, so it’s hardly surprising to see the first Apple certified “Works With iPhone” attached battery hit the market. The Mophie Juice Pack for iPhone 3G is a rechargeable lithium polymer battery in the form of a non-slip, soft grip case that is designed to more than double the battery life of your iPhone and protect it at the same time. It offers pass-through USB so the iPhone can be charged and synced with iTunes via the included USB cable without removing it from the Juice Pack. Read More
SNIF Tag: pet tracking meets four-legged Facebook
From Pet Gizmos
Using RFID technology to track the whereabouts of your pet isn't a new idea, but the SNIF Tag takes the process a step further by incorporating an accelerometer and motion analysis software, meaning that not only can you locate your canine companion, but you can also determine how active they've been and even who they've met while you're stuck in the office. Read More
Last call: Mars Phoenix lander mission winds down
The approaching Martian winter has spelled an end to the pioneering Phoenix Mars Lander mission. More than five months after reaching the red planet, the lander sent what is expected to be its final transmission back to Earth on November 2, exceeding its planned operational life-span by two months. Increased cloud, dust and the onset of colder temperatures mean that the robot is no longer receiving enough sunlight to charge its batteries and although engineers will keep the airwaves open, further communication with the lander is not expected. Read More
Caterham’s new Superlight R300 delivers 339bhp-per-tonne
From Automotive
British lightweight sportscar manufacturer Caterham has released details of a new addition to its ‘Superlight’ family. The new Superlight R300 is an update the previous R300, which was originally launched in 2002 and fitted with a Rover engine. The new model offers chassis developments and increased engine performance that see the R300 go from 0-to-60mph in 4.5 seconds courtesy of a new 2.0-litre Ford Duratec engine, tuned by Caterham Powertrain (CPT) to deliver 175bhp. The latest 515kg interpretation of Colin Chapman’s ‘lightweight minimalist’ philosophy balances power and chassis to deliver an impressive 339bhp-per-tonne. Read More
World's smallest video projector
From Cameras and Imaging
The EPP-HH01 Pico Cube from Epoq Multimedia lays claim to the mantle of the world's most compact and lightest portable video projector. We're not sure how accurate the claim is, but a unit which includes a speaker in its 2 x 2.2 x 1.6 inch footprint is pretty impressive, and anyway, it's a title that will undoubtedly change hands many times in coming years as video projection systems shrink rapidly to satisfy our mobile multimedia demands. Read More
Epson V300 Photo Scanner tailored for film conversion
From Cameras and Imaging
Designed as a low-cost option for converting images captured on film into digital files, the new Epson Perfection V300 Photo scanner offers optical resolution of up to 4800dpi, 48-bit color depth, zero warm up time and can also be used for regular A4 document scanning. Read More
The checkered history of automation
From Inventors and Remarkable People
"If only I had known, I should have become a watchmaker” – attributed to Albert Einstein after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. One law of science that has forever remained unchanged is the law of unintended consequences. When an idea is born its full range of repercussions is completely unpredictable, and the history of technology is a littered with fascinating examples of how one breakthrough can spawn something totally unexpected. In the hands of others, some do lead to tragedy, but more often than not we profit from technology's unexpected boons. Gizmag's Kyle Sherer follows some of these strange tangents to discover how an 18th century chess playing machine, French duck faeces, and a 60s movie called “Sex Kittens Go to College” are linked to the development of the computer, automobile, telephone and even space exploration. Read More
JL Audio Fathom f212 subwoofer
From Home Entertainment
Well known to car audio enthusiasts, JL Audio subwoofers set a high standard in clean, deep bass reproduction. So it’s not surprising that when they turn their attention to home audio the results are just as impressive. Enter the Fathom f212 dual 12-inch subwoofer. It employs JL Audio’s new 12W7 subwoofer drivers, boasting the most powerful and refined motor system JL Audio has ever used on a 12-inch woofer. The result is even greater output and accuracy than the single 12-inch Fathom subs in the range. Read More
The worker assist device - coming to a workplace near you?
From Good Thinking
One of the most interesting and perhaps landmark technology projects we’ve ever seen is Honda’s experimental walking assist device - the second partial exoskeletal device exhibited by the company this year. The original machine shown by Honda was designed to assist weak leg muscles in the elderly. The second iteration is being trialled in Honda factories as a worker assistance device to support bodyweight when performing tasks on the workshop floor. This second experimental machine could have vast ramifications for skilled factory workers around the globe – if human efficiency in complex tasks can be improved, such robotic assistance devices could make a lot of sense on the balance sheet. Read More
