The Latest in Designer Cell Phones - Fascinating Figure Mobile Phone

There was a time when cell phones were simply "phones" and nothing else! But thanks to "iPhone", "chocolate" and "music phones", the mobile phone has witnessed a huge revolution and transformed from a phone to a device. You may forget your wallet, but its unlikely that you'd forget your cell phone (unless we are taking about me, of course:)) The phone has also become a style icon these days, and people put in a lot of efforts to personalize their cell phones, whether its the cell-phone faceplates, the ringtones, the themes, cell-phone covers or styles and screensavers, everyone wants a device that represents their identity! So here's something that will simply serve as an answer to all your phone-fantasies (well, almost!) A Shanghai-based designer Xiao Zhihua has come up with the concept of a Fascinating Figure Phone which is both stylish and tranquil at the same time!

The inspiration of this fascinating mobile phone is based on the beauty of reflections on a lake. With stylish cell phone skins, its a beauty to look at. When this phone in the off mode, you can see the screen looks like a still water surface. In operation mode, it's totally a different story! You will see flowing music, film images, pictures, web pages, articles, and user interfaces appearing on the display, reminiscent of the reflections on the water’s surface. As users indulge in the visual experience provided by the large screen, they are reacquainted with the beauty of the lake’s reflections. The display is adaptive, allowing it to automatically adjust the screen settings depending on the user’s environment for optimal viewing. So while you browse and search for stuff, you can still feel relaxed and one with nature:) It also boasts of an adjustable touchscreen interface that can be tailored to a user’s mood. You can change the background to any desired image to fit your preference.

Since this is a concept, you should pretty much be able to do anything with it, right?! Hence it's not a surprise that this cell phone can be operated horizontally, vertically and even diagonally!! Its interface can also be transformed to give it a curved appearance.The user is able to select images according to their moods and preferences, giving a stylish dimension to suit the user’s lifestyle. Pretty neat and funky! Hey, we love all this "lounging by the lake" kind of feeling, but after all, it's a phone and most importantly, it should act like one! I like the concept; its fresh and strikes a chord in this busy world. If it pulls off, it should definitely be able to attract a decent amount of attention, especially because of its looks and style! Apple beware, the next-generation of cell phones may be much more trendier than the iPhone!

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Dell Inspiron 1525 - A Blu-Ray Supporting Laptop Priced under $1000!!

Now that the fight between HD and Blu-Ray is officially over, with Blu-Ray coming out as the proud winner, manufacturers all over the world finally have a direction! So what's the next best screen target after TV's?? Yes, Laptops, and you guessed it correct! With the cool widescreen laptops available these days, adding an LCD or Blu-Ray playback technology to the laptops used to be expensive. But not anymore! Dell Inspiron 1525 makes it very easy and affordable to enjoy hi-def experience at a low price.

In good news for high-definition video fans, Dell has announced that its colorful Inspiron 1525 line of laptop computers is now available with optional Blu-ray disc playback starting at USD$879. Blu-ray discs offer the advantage of around six times the data capacity of a standard DVD (50 GB of data vs. 8.5 GB) and the drives are fully backwards compatible, so they will play traditional DVDs and CDs.

Dell Inspiron 1525 laptops with Blu-ray disc drives incorporate Broadcom Media PC technology that allows PCs with integrated graphics to play high definition video. The high-definition video playback is enabled through a built-in dedicated accelerator located in a mini-card slot. The Inspiron 1525 laptop features a 15.4-inch high definition wide aspect display with 720p resolution plus a HDMI port for easy connectivity to high resolution displays and HDTVs. On the aesthetic side of the equation, several styles are available in colors like Sunshine Yellow, Midnight Blue and Ruby Red. See Dell for full-specs and further info.

Find a color that suits your style and enjoy high-quality hi-def video playback on your laptop without making a dent in your pocket! I hope they do the same magic for the regular DVD players too!

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The Much-Awaited Hybrid Electric Car From Aptera Debuts in California

We've been hearing a lot about Hybrid and All-Electric cars with high mileage promises for quite some time now. But looks like finally the long wait is over as one of them succeeds to move from R&D to actual production! Aptera has officially unveiled two vehicles (which look more like mini-planes to me!) that could change the future of automotive design, and is ready to find its place on California streets by end of 2008! Modestly-priced at 26,900(all-electric) and 29,900(plug-in-hybrid), both the Aptera's Typ-1 models are sure to create a buzz, especially as they boast a really attractive mileage figure of 300 miles per charge!!

"Aptera" is a greek word for "wingless flight". And just as the name and shape suggests, this car looks more like an airplane rather than a car. With 3-wheels, a perfectly aero-dynamic design, and doors that flip open upwards, the Aptera looks like something out of a stylish James Bond movie! Through extensive fluid dynamics modeling and materials engineering, the Aptera team has created the most efficient, lowest-drag shape that can surround two occupants side-by-side, and has safety as a priority in the design.

Some Features
The car has three wheels, making it eligible for most carpool lanes(HOV), even with only one person in the vehicle. It also has "two plus one" seating offering ample room for driver and passenger while an infant seat (for newborns to age three) can be located in the middle behind them. Storage room is also generous with enough space to fit 15 bags of groceries, two full-size golf club bags or even a couple of seven foot surf boards with the infant seat removed. Solar cells embedded under the roof operate an always-on climate control system, ensuring the interior never gets too hot or too cold. The dashboard display and info-entertainment system is controlled by an in-vehicle computer, which also controls the "Eyes Forward" vision system which gives the driver complete situational awareness without taking their eyes off of the road. And yes, it also comes with an Advanced drive computer with GPS navigation, CD/MP3/DVD player and XM satellite radio!!

Is this Car Safe?
Unlike many 3-wheel vehicle designs that were abandoned in the 80's due to their instability the Aptera has two wheels in the front and a single rear wheel eliminating any tendency to roll-over. The Aptera also features traction control for more stability control.

Performance Specs
So how fast witll this mini-plane travel on the road, you'd think! Well, the Aptera team and the conducted test trials claim that top speed for the production model will exceed 85 mph, going from 0-60 in under 10 seconds.

A Few Concerns
I love the concept, and the design meets the requirements for an efficient Hybrid Car. But they say the top speed is around 85mph, so can you imagine trying to drive this car in the HOV lane at around 60-70mph?? If you do, be prepared for some swearing and honking!:) Also, despite their safety commitments, I find it a bit hard to imagine that such a design could be stable and safe, and car doesn't really start "flying" in the high-california-winds!! So take a moment and check out the detailed Specs and FAQs on their website.

Aptera is initially going to be launched exclusively in California only, but slowly the team would expand to other US, Asian and European markets. Jump over to their website and take a look at more pictures and cool videos. If you like what you see, they are accepting fully refundable $500 deposits from California residents.

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Alight Kitchen - A Cool Concept in Eco-friendly Kitchen Designs

With every passing day, we see more and more people tend to lean on designing their homes and interiors to be more "green and eco-friendly". Some people go to extreme lengths to hire reputed designers that can give meaning to their ideas and design something captivating yet useful. "Conceptual Kitchens" that are in sync with the decor of your home, but at the same time add an element of "green" seem to be the in-thing these days. But looks like some Turkish designers have come up with a truly revolutionary kitchen set-up with a host of features to give it a stylish modern look, at the same time designing it to minimise wastage of food and water. It looks too fancy to be true, but you have to read on to admire the motive behind such an innovative design!

Altera Design Studio’s latest concept comes in the form of a retro-looking kitchen design called "Alight Kitchens". It was recently awarded a design win at the Incheon International Design Competition 2007 and will be exhibited at International Design Fair this December. The project deals with global shortages of clean water, food, resources. What role can a designer play in minimising wastage of resources became the theme behind the birth of this beautiful kichen. The system is designed to not only minimize waste materials but to make people aware of how much they are consuming.

If you can take your eyes off the vibrant kitchen, take a look at some of the cool features that the Alight Kitchen boasts of:
Only ready-made food and beverages can be consumed in sheet-metal packaging so people will be conscious about what and how much they eat.

The cooling unit provided in the design will only allow storage of 3 days' worth of food.

A Smart oven warms up the food in groups to minimize how often it’s used. It arranges the ideal time and temperature for the packs by reading their barcodes!!

There are 4 hollow plates located on the main dining table. Each of them can rotate on its center-axis so you can eat on the either side of the plate. The center of the table also features a small flatware station.

The integrated dishwasher conserves water by using a biological solution for filtering and reusing the dirty water. On the table, there are two lids for detergent and capsules of filtering solution, and also a lid under the table for changing water after several usages.

All plates are stored underneath the table in their own compartments, in sheet-metal packages which is easy to collect, store and recycle after usage.

This may not be a kitchen that you cook in daily; I for one simply CANNOT imagine myself using this for my everyday chores, especially as cooking for me is an elaborate affair, and I'd prefer a spacious open kitchen with a window overlooking some green field!:) But even then, I really admire the intention behind this design.
It brings an innovative kitchen concept that focusses on minimizing waste of time, food, energy used in appliances like refrigerators and dishwashers, and the need for a large kitchen space. This design can surely fit the bill for bachelors or vacation homes, condos or places that you use occasionally. I love the look and design, and I'm sure more and more people would eventually warm up to the idea of such innovations!

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"sQuba" -World's First Zero-Emission Underwater Sports Car

The Swiss have been known for their outrageous yet creative innovations, and albeit pricey, they surely attract buzz from those who seek to own something fancy and exclusive. From watches to cars, it has been an interesting journey, and their latest offering goes well beyond one's imagination as they develop a Concept Car called "sQuba" which can instantly grant you the "Bond Appeal"!! Remember James Bond’s amphibious car, Lotus Esprit from "The Spy Who Loved Me", the all-in-one fictional vehicle that looked like a car on land, but when chased by bad guys in a helicopter, plunged into the water and became an airtight submarine — complete with "torpedoes" and "depth charges"!! Looks like the Swiss are about to realize your fantasy with their latest design!

The concept car, named as "sQuba", was developed by Swiss designer Rinspeed Inc. and is already making a splash at the Geneva Auto Show that's going on right now. The company's 52-year old CEO Frank Rinderknecht, a self-professed Bond fan, had been waiting 30 years to recreate the car he saw Roger Moore use to drive off a dock, and has finally achived his dream! Just to let you know, this innovative company has presented transparent, flying and voice-activated cars too in previous Auto Shows!

Some of sQuba's cool features include the ability to plow through the water at a depth of 30 feet (with electrical motors to turn the underwater screw). The car has an open top, making that a convertible sports car! The open car helps if passengers need to get out to explore the aquatic wealth around, or to make a quick emergency exit! I would have felt more protected with a covered shelter when I'm in the midst of sharks and whales though, but the open top was necessary to counteract the unwanted buoyancy within water.

To enable normal breathing, the car is equipped with an integrated tank of compressed air similar to what is used in scuba diving. And if you are thinking whether this fancy underwater car can be used on land too or not - then let me tell you that the sQuba’s top speed on land is about 77 mph, but it slows down to 3 mph on the surface of the water, and 1.8 mph underwater.

So how does this underwater car work?? He removed the combustion engine from a sports car and replaced it with several electrical motors. Three are located in the rear, and one provides propulsion on land while the other two drive the screw for underwater driving. When you take the car into the water, it floats. But the moment you open the door a little to let the water in, it starts going "underwater", like a submarine! Without occupants the "sQuba" surfaces automatically. It is even capable of autonomous driving on land thanks to a sophisticated laser sensor system from the Hamburg company Ibeo - without any help from the driver!! You can get more first-hand details here.

This highly innovative concept car runs on rechargeable Lithium-Ion batteries, and is also a totally "zero-emission" vehicle! And it's not just a car, its a sports-car convertible, and can strongly be categorised as a "Green Underwater Car". Even the Motorex lubricants used in the ‘sQuba” are biodegradable!! Can you beleive that! Hats off to the designers for having thought about everything. It's truly an innovation that not only realizes a fantasy, but actually stands out in terms of creativity, planning and achievement!

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The Blue Frog Lounge (Mumbai) - Cool Restaurant Design in India by the Serie Architects

Indian architecture for the most part has been traditional with carvings and intricate patters, and for a long time, people used to favor these traditional settings until the West came to influence the thinking and gave birth to a new design style of "cool and retro"! And now, its very common to see designers come up with chic yet comfortable and meaningful ideas in terms of house decor, furniture and designing buildings, offices, and now restaurants. Check out this latest Restaurant and Lounge in Mumbai, currently termed as the most hip-city in India. The Blue Frog Lounge is designed in cool blue shades with psychedelic lights to suit your moods.

Anglo-Indian architect Serie has completed the design of the Blue Frog acoustic lounge and studios in Mumbai, India. Why the name "Blue Frog"?? Well, the moment you step into the lounge, you'll be struck by a vision similar to frogs sitting on lily pads. For unobstructed people and performer watching, you'll see staggered heights and angled booths atop a glowing blue lake of light, giving the impression of floating in a warm lake under the spring moonlight!! The designers Chris Lee and Kapil Gupta, have successfully created an entertainment space that is both attractive and stand-offish at the same time, mirroring its patrons casual chic attitudes. Just take a look at their restrooom design below and you'll know what I'm talking about!


The lounge will be used as a music venue within a complex of sound recording studios in a converted warehouse and incorporates a restaurant, bar and live music stage. The different sized cylindrical booths seat between 4 and 10 people and are arranged at various heights to stagger the eye levels of seated diners and standing customers, intended to afford uninterrupted views of the stage. The empty central area can be used as additional space for standing visitors or as an extension to the stage. The undulating booth structure is made from block board finished with mahogany and topped with back-lit 8mm acrylic sheets. As it'll mostly be used as a recording studio, the walls are designed t be bumpy and textured to help absorb sound.

This sure shows that architecture and design is getting highly competitive in India, and its not far when the designers in the rest of the world will look towards indians for ideas and innovations!

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The Wave-Powered Suntory Mermaid Ship - All Set For its First Voyage

Most of us are aware of how many times oil spills in large ships cause irreversible damage to the ocean life and pollute and destroy the marine resources. Since quite some time now, people have been exploring alternative sources of energy to make eco-friendly ships. And looks like one of them has actually succeeded. After the air-powered car, here comes a wave-powered boat! The three-ton catamaran Suntory Mermaid-II is all set for its first voyage from Hawaii to Japan in May 2008.

The primary objective in designing this ship is to make alternative energy work economically and practically. And here's a brief explanation of how that is achieved. As the above picture shows, a pair of side-by-side fins in the ship's bow absorb wave energy and express it in a dolphin-like "kick". Since the fins react to the waves, the ship as a whole remains remarkably steady. Sort of like driving over a bumpy road - your car's tires jounce and bounce yet the passenger cabin does not.

The Suntory Mermaid II is the latest of a number of Japanese eco-powered, recycled aluminum construction watercraft sponsored by Asahi News, supported by Suntory Co. and built by the Tsuneishi Shipbuilding Company. Kenichi Horie, veteran of a number of eco-voyages over the past decade and a half will captain and crew the vessel on its May 2008 inaugural 4350 miles long voyage from Honolulu, Hawaii to Kii Suido, Japan on wave power alone.

Unlike pedal-power, the Mermaid II's innovative wave propulsion system shows the way for large cargo shops to go green, but that comes with the associated disadvantge of low-speed. The Mermaid II has a maximum speed of just five knots and will take two to three months to make the trip from Hawaii to Japan, compared to a diesel-powered craft's single month journey. But that shouldn't be a problem for large cargo ships.

The recycled-aluminum hulled catamaran is equipped with 8 solar panels producing 560 watts power to run electrical lighting and Horie's computer & phone. The ship does have an outboard motor engine and a sail, but they're only there for use in case of emergency. The massive ship sounds like the perfect design for its intended use. At least we'll not be responsible for large-scale depletion of non-renewable marine resources!

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Emotiv-EPOC: A Headset that Controls your Mind!

Are you a video-game freak, just like millions of others?? Do you like challenging yourself with hand-held video games and burn out your fingers punching the arrow keys on your tiny keyboard? well, here's presenting a mind-controlling headset that can actually "understand and translate" your thoughts into actions so you only use the grey cells, and leave the rest to the headset! If you think I'm just babbling and not making any sense, read on and you'll discover that I'm talking about something that indeed revolutionizes the mind and thought process.

Emotive Systems Inc. recently demonstrated a new gadget which looks like a headset, or is actually a headset, but does much more than that. The headset's sensors are designed to detect conscious thoughts and expressions as well as "non-conscious emotions" by reading electrical signals around the brain. The company, which unveiled a prototype last year, says the headset can detect emotions such as anger, excitement and tension, as well as facial expressions and cognitive actions like pushing and pulling objects. Some of the smart interpretations of this gadget include acknowledging meditation, tension and frustration; facial expressions such as smile, laugh, wink, crossed eyes, shock (eyebrows raised), anger (eyebrows furrowed), horizontal eye movement, smirk and grimace (clenched teeth); and cognitive actions such as push, pull, lift, drop and rotate (on six different axis) as well as a completely new category of action based on visualization, the first of which is the ability to make objects disappear.

The headset will be sold with a game developed by Emotiv, but it can also be made to work with existing PC games, the company said. Users will also be able to access an online portal to play more games, chat or upload their own content such as music or photos.

Emotiv plans to work with IBM Corporation to explore applications beyond video gaming. The "brain computer interface" technology could transform not only gaming, but how humans and computers interact, said Paul Ledak, vice president of IBM's Digital Convergence business. Emotiv Systems Inc. plans to start selling the $299 EPOC neuroheadset sometime in the latter half of 2008. Check out a first-hand review from someone who experienced it at the Conference. The Emotiv EPOC Headset looks cool and while I think that the technology is fascinating, even stunning at times, it's hard to tell at this point whether it has real world practical video game applications. Plus, mind control is a very sensitive issue, and if it can be used for simple motives like playing video games, when misused, it can also have dangerous implications. Reserve one of these headsets today and find out for yourself!

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Solar Laptop Charger Bag - An Efficient Way to Charge your Laptops and Electronic Devices

The Go-Green culture is picking up with the rising awareness of depleting natural resources and the growing Green House effects. Turning towards renewable and natural sources of energy has become the need of the hour. Voltaic Systems recently announced a Solar Laptop Bag at the CES 2008(Consumer Electronics Show) which could be a real blessing as Laptops remain to be the most power-consuming devices in this world! It uses high efficiency solar cells to generate maximum power in the limited space available, and it can also charge cell phones and most other hand held electronics.

The Voltaic Generator is the first solar bag powerful enough to charge a laptop. It is so designed that the solar panel generates up to 14.7 watts of energy from a day of direct sunlight, which is sufficient to fully charge a laptop. The included battery pack efficiently stores the equivalent of a typical laptop charge and automatically delivers the required output voltages to the device. Common adaptors are included for easy connection to laptops, phones and other handheld electronic devices also via USB or car-chargers.

Other features of the Solar Laptop Bag include capacity to hold up to a 17" laptop inside a protective case. The bag fabric is made from recycled PET (soda bottles), which is tough, water resistant and light-weight. Experts believe that a 14-watt panel will be good enough for charging a laptop when it is not in use. But running it directly from the sun would require larger, and more expensive panels.

However, it looks like Voltaic Systems has done a good job of providing an alternative solution to meet the need, and it definitely ties well with the Green Products Theme. They plan to sell it by the spring of 2008, and the expected starting price would be $599.

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A PC in your Coffee Cup?? - An Interesting Concept by Yuno PC!!

When technology and creativity come together, you can be sure that an innovation is born! What are the two things you rely on the most to get you through your work day? I bet most of you answered "Coffee" and "Personal Computer". So you'll be glad to know about a new personal computer concept that combines the power of both these essentials in one unique design! Its like being connected to the world, without carrying the bulk of a laptop, and sipping your caffeine that is sure to keep you on your toes. Check out this cool, trendy, yet amazingly useful gadget that will take your breath away!

Designed by Jason Farsai, this looks simply like your regular Starbucks Coffee Cup, albeit more colorful and trendy. Everyone has their own routine, what they read, watch, listen to, and of course drink. The Yuno PC mug incorporates all the important morning alerts such as weather, time, traffic, stocks, and more on its touchscreen display, so you no longer need to log on to your laptop or newspaper! You can customize your alerts and that will help you get the most out of your morning by providing you computer tools and accessories right on your Coffee Mug. Just imagine your life when you can play songs, drink coffee, get weather reports, send email using the same coffee mug that you use several times in your daily life.

Sounds really interesting, right? Before you get all excited and ready to buy one, let me tell you that this is just a concept, and though it sounds plausible, it does raise some questions too about how you could achieve it. The processing power, the memory, internet connectivity, protection from beverage, touchscreen capability and more need some serious thought. But then, look how much technology has developed in merely the last decade and you'll know that there's a great chance you'll buy one of these for yourself before you get too old to drink coffee or trade stocks! Any takers??:)

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LG Launches its Interactive Mobile Phone in Europe (with InteractPad)

With TV's, Cars and Video Games going interactive, our mobile phones were the only device which needed to be more "understanding to our needs", and seems like LG has come out with an efficient solution. LG Electronics, a worldwide technology and design leader in mobile communications, today announced the European launch of its 2008 iF product design award winning LG KF600, a new mobile phone that is as feature-rich and easy to use as it is stylish, thanks to its unique InteractPad. The InteractPad replaces physical navigation keys with context-specific virtual keys that change to fit the task at hand. This is far more flexible than standard hardware keys and eliminates the need to memorize exactly which key performs what function. These virtual keys are also larger and better spaced than physical keys, improving accuracy.

The InteractPad is an ideal interface for controlling multimedia features like the LG KF600’s digital audio player, camera and video camera. Because its controls are not tied to physical buttons, each of these functions has a custom interface that makes it incredibly intuitive to use.

It is also equipped with multi-sensorial feedback that provides users with audio, visual and tactile cues. When a virtual button is pressed it becomes larger and the phone vibrates just slightly and makes a clicking sound. This feedback is not only designed to make these virtual buttons seem more like real ones, it also makes the phone more comfortable to use and improves accuracy. Ideally something suited to the disabled and elderly people who need to use a phone simply as "a phone"! Equipped with Eight dynamic graphic interface themes aim to project the owner’s personality. The LG KF600 is far more advanced than other slide phones and unlike any other phone available because of its unique interface and feed-forward tactile navigation made possible by the InteractPad.

The LG KF600’s powerful multimedia features include a 3 mega-pixel camera, MP3 player, video recording, FM radio, Bluetooth and more. Its ergonomic trapezoidal shape is the ideal complement to the phone’s sleek, glossy finish. It is said that this cool new device would soon be available for purchase and will be introduced at World Mobile Congress 2008 in Barcelona, Spain in February.

Source Credit: WebWire

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The Lazy Teapot - A blessing for the Disabled and Elderly

It's true that the entire gadget craze is aimed at making us lazy, but it's better to go with the pretense that they make life more simple! At least my hubby would agree with this theory, and so would many others in this world. You have to admit that some of these design innovations are not the same for all. What might be a lame device for someone, could actually be a blessing for someone else. And this Lazy Teapot seems to fit the bill! It's a classic teapot that relieves you of that cumbersome task of actually picking up a teapot and pouring its contents into a cup:) And there's a little more!

Designed by Lotte Alpert, this concept is both stylish, elegant, and could actually come in handy. Most of the cool gadgets simply sell on a style appeal, and the few that work towards making lives simpler, are an instant hit! This elegant porcelain teapot, available in classic white, comes with a matching silver docking base, which allows you to pour your cofee or tea without having to lift it up. The pout is long and ensures that you don't spill your hot drink and create a mess while serving your guests.

Furthermore the holding device is able to boil up the liquid in the teapot and to keep it warm precisely on different temperatures. The measured temperatures are read at the diodes in the region of the operational controls and compared with the temperature that was manually chosen. So now you don't even have to worry about reheating your beverage! It is great for clumsy people as well as for handicapped, disabled or elderly people who find it hard to lift or balance the pot. Plus, the Lazy-Teapot looks really chic and is sure to impress your guests too! And if it makes you a little bit lazier, who cares? After all, that's the mantra the entire "La-Z-Boy" company runs on, right!!

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Garmin's Nuvifone - The All-in-one Device that Leaves iPhone Behind!

With advances in technology, everything is moving towards nano technology, and small and cool gadgets are replacing the age-old bulky devices. After the initial hype of the iPhone subsided, and it failed to create the lasting impression that everyone thought it would, people were looking for Apple to build on the existing design and improve it. But looks like we have a new player in the market! Garmin International Inc, the world’s leading GPS manufacturer recently announced its entrance into the mobile phone market with the nüvifone, an all-in-one, sleek and slim, touchscreen device that combines a premium phone, mobile web-browser, and cutting-edge personal navigator, which is guaranteed to transform how individuals connect, communicate and navigate their life. This could be the breakthrough product that users around the world have been longing for — a single device that does it all.

It is an innovative mobile phone with a wide range of advanced yet easy-to-use features. The all touchscreen device integrates premium 3.5G mobile phone capability with an internet browser, data connectivity, personal messaging, and personal navigation functions all in one. A very simple User Interface makes it appealing to geeks and non-geeks alike! When docked onto the vehicle mount, it automatically turns on the GPS, activates the navigation menu, and enables hands-free calling. With several built-in mobile entertainment applications, and a camera that tags your pictures with the exact latitude and longitude reference of where the image was taken, it is one cool and rich device!. It also provides direct access to millions of geo-located landmark and sightseeing photographs available through Google’s Panoramio picture sharing site.

If you have already used Garmin's GPS system, nuvifone will be even better! It includes preloaded maps of North America, Eastern and Western Europe, or both, and allows drivers to quickly find a specific street address, establishment’s name or search for a destination by category, and gives turn-by-turn, voice-prompted directions alongwith route re-calculations if you miss a turn!

What's more, it also includes Google's local search capability, and a unique "Where am I?" feature lets users touch the screen at any time to display the exact coordinates of ther location, the nearest address and intersection, and the closest hospitals, police stations and gas stations. And if you've forgotten where you parked you car and don't have a panic button, relax, for your phone will come to your rescue as it automatically marks the position in which it was last removed from the vehicle mount!! And as if all this is not enough, this phone also includes access to real-time traffic, fuel prices, stock prices, sport scores, news reports, local events and weather forecasts. Do you have any more needs from your phone??

I think Garmin's Nuvifone was one device that everyone was waiting for, and if it stands through the test of time, it will leave the iPhone way behind! It is supposed to be released in Q3 of 2008. For additional information and to see 3-D demos, check out their website. I think I'll definitely think of buying one; how about you?

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FuelVapor Introduces a High-Mileage Low-Emission Next-Generation Sports Car

Global Warming has taken its toll everywhere, and the "Go Green" technology seems to be the mantra of the hour. Everyone is trying their best to make the environment cleaner in any possible way, and FuelVapor has come out with an extra-ordinary Green Sports Car that looks like something out of this planet, or perhaps a james Bond Movie!! If you thought Hybrids are the best you can get to fight the escalating fuel prices, think again! What if I told you there's a fancy-looking sports car that guarantees a high-mileage, keeps the air cleaner, and can go from 0 to 60mph in 5 seconds??

FuelVapor Technologies has developed a new technology that has produced one of the highest mileage cars in North America. Created by inventor George Parker, this new concept car - the “alé” (alay) uses regular gasoline and a new “fuel vapor technology” to acheive what it advertises.

This car is really out-of-this-world, as it has only 3 wheels!! This design enables the car to perform at a superb level, as well as aid in improving fuel efficiency and aerodynamics. The car’s key innovation's are the fuel vapor system and it's light weight aerodynamic body. This fuel vapor technology (patent pending) allows the engine to run on “fuel vapors” rather than liquid fuel, which allows the “alé” to run on a ratio of over 20:1 without compromising performance. This means with a 10-gallon gas tank found on most vehicles, you can travel from Vancouver BC to San Francisco CA on one tank. Over 15 hours of driving without filling up.

The first prototype is now complete and the results are outstanding. Plans are for limited production ale's to begin fabrication in 2008. People have actually test-driven this beauty. For more details about the design, engine, features and pictures, visit their website. FuelVapor Technologies will also be competing in the "Automotive X-Prize" - a $10 million competition for the fastest 100mpg car in the world.

I'm certainly wishing them the best, for this could be an innovation we are all waiting for!!

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Tata Nano (World's Cheapest Car) - An Innovation that Fuels the Indian Dream

The US economy might not be in its best times, but the growth and revolutions in emerging markets like India are breaking all barriers! The latest to hit the ever-growing Asian and European markets is the sensational Tata Nano - the no-fuss, fuel-efficient energy car that has fueled every Indian's dream to own a car. Anywhere else, a new car may have received some acclaim for what it's worth, but in india, things are different. Advertised as "the world’s cheapest car", the Nano is a no-frills automobile designed by Tata to be affordable to millions who commute on 2-wheelers carrying a family of 4-6!! The impact is huge, and everyone is excited at the prospect of owning a car that is only 1 lakh rupees ($2500). But whether it stands the tests of time, and whether it creates more problems than solutions is yet to be seen.

Termed as a "People's Car", it is a cute (or maybe not!!), compact car designed to appeal to first-time car buyers in one of the world’s fastest growing car markets. The car is the culmination of about five years of research and input from designers across the world. But it is definitely a step ahead in innovation, right from using aerospace adhesives instead of welding, a clean and efficient fuel-burning technology to the concept, distribution strategy and marketing, and has succeeded in catching the attention of the world.

Designed to look sleek and compact, about the size of a BMW Mini Cooper, and styled to enable aerodynamics, this concept car is not for those seeking class. The four-door Nano is a little over 10 feet long and nearly 5 feet wide. It is powered by a 623cc two-cylinder engine at the back of the car. With 33 horsepower, the Nano is capable of 65 miles an hour. There's a singel wind-shield wiper, and no A/C (though a high-end version will also be out sooon) Its four small wheels are at the absolute corners of the car to improve handling. There is a small trunk, big enough for a duffel bag, but on the whole, it does give tough competition to the current favorite Maruti-800.

But a look at the side effects of this revolution is in order here. As everyone knows, India is densely-populated, and the current road conditions, narrow lanes, and lack of traffic control, and the dearth of parking structures may be on a rise if the streets get flooded with these cars!! On the other hand, neccessity is the mother of invention, so this might give rise to more infrastructure opportunities and new businesses! It will surely be a safer bet for those families of 6 who risk their lives travelling long distances on a motor-bike!!

But saying all this, whether the Tata Nano succeeds in revolutionalising the automotive industry is yet to be seen. If it delivers all that it has promised, it may surely be seen in every low-middle-class household in a short span of time. Check out more videos and pics here, and tell us what you think about this Mini Car Revolution.

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Cars that Change Colors on the press of a button!!

My old car is going busted, and it's time for us to seriously start thinking about buying a new car. So as we were browsing through some models online, we saw that the sleek-looking blacks or graphites and the metallic blues added a dent of another 1000 dollars to our pockets which are already falling apart!! And unfortunately, those are the only colors that catch your eyes, not the stark whites, right?? So I sat there wondering how much fun it would be if we could make cars that changed colors on our whim?? Pop-press a button, and my car turns grey; come sweltering summer and I'd press the button again to turn it into a soothing white...or much better, I can have a modern double-colored car with streaks - such that I've seen and dreamt about in 2 fast 2 Furious!!!

Looks like God wanted me to revel my dream, and at least be happy with the thought that something like my crazy idea could actually exist. Yup, Nissan, the renowned car-maker who's trying hard to revamp it's image and restore it's lost glory is coming out with new ideas that would appeal to the nerdy and young crowd (like me and my readers!!) They were the ones who dreamed up the concept of "self-healing paint" some two years back, which was supposedly scratch-resistant, and they are now talking about "a paramagnetic concoction", which enables motorists to change the color of their ride at the press of a button.

Is this just an idea, because we all have a lot of ideas...or is it for real?? Well, looks like it is real and the secret behind this is a special polymer containing paramagnetic iron oxide particles, which is applied to the car's exterior. Then, by applying an electric current, the spacing of small crystals within the iron oxide particles can be adjusted, therefore affecting their ability to reflect light and change color. The catch (yeah, there's always a catch!) once your engine is turned off, and there's no current running, the charge is lost and the car turns to a default color (maybe white, maybe something else, it's for them to decide)

If all goes well, Nissan expects to roll out these vehicles by early 2010. Though the concept is fascinating, and truly an innovation, I wonder what would happen when all parked/turned off Nissan cars would turn to the same default color...how do you identify your car? especially for people like my husband who never bother to memorize the number plate?? well, it sure will be more work for cops chasing people, as the latter could keep flipping their car colors at the whim of a button and confuse the cops!!! sounds funny, huh?!! The case of the color-changing Chameleon Car - wow, I sure am a born writer:)

So what say you? Does this sound interesting, disturbing, rubbish, stylish or hoax??

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Touchscreen Coffee Table and Furniture!

With the advent of mobile devices, remote PC's, laptops and seamless mobility, humans rarely have to sit at their desks to complete their work, and people hardly find time to sit through sitcoms at home. The traditional model of advertising is hence undergoing a major transformation. Advertisers are now targetting users on the cell phones, or IPTV or Interactive TV ads, and one new player in this ever-booming market is the Touchscreen Coffee Table.

With coffee shops providing free Wi-fi internet, you see a lot of youngsters and professional spending quite a bit of time in these cafes sipping lattes while surfing the web. But now you don't even need to have a laptop to surf the web. A San Francisco-based startup called TableTouch has come out with a coffee table with a built-in Wi-Fi-enabled touchscreen and a software that allows you to browse the internet using your fingers. Customers can now choose and select to read the news and stories on their table while they have their cup of caffeine, and advertisers have found an innovative way to pop their products amidst these stories. So if a user finds something he likes, he can click on it and get more details, or disregard it and move on! Also featuring a built-in Bluetooth connection, the tables can send audio to your headset, so you can listen to the news without opening your eyes!! Now, that's living like a prince, right?!! Apparently, the company also plans to extend this concept to regular furniture, TV consoles and more.

Trials with the first batch of these machines is live in Tully's Coffee shops in the Bay Area, and the company's founder and CTO John Calder is all set to install these smart and cute Coffe Tables in other cafes, airports, and bars in the coming year. This 5-year old startup is now competing with Microsoft, who is ready to launch its own brand called "Surface", which is based on a similar concept. But is John afraid of the giant? No, because apparently, this market is growing so rapidly there's room for a couple more players too!

So, may the best man win! I for one surely love this concept! No more carrying around a laptop on loong plane flights just to kill time during intermediate halts! Find your nearest Coffee Shop and you'd probably find a TouchTable already installed!! To read more about the company tableTouch, click here.

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The Traditional Parking Meter - Redesigned!!

The one thing I hate about driving a car is when i have to spend hours trying to find a parking spot. And finally, when I get one, it is a paid spot with a parking meter that gobbles up my quarters, and as luck would have it, I dig into my purse to find that I'm out of quarters!! Oh, how I'd love if these meters would start accepting credit cards!! That's a thought that crosses many minds several times a day, and one such mind belonged to Fred Mitschele, who figured out how to make money out of this simple thought.

In cities like New York and San Francisco, where parking is really hard to find, you see patrol cars taking rounds to find a car parked against an expired meter so they can immediately make money by issuing you a fine or a ticket. But in smaller cities, lots of such fines go unpaid, denting the pockets of such governments. On the other hand, customers are looking for an alternative form of payment for such meters, so they don't have to finish their dinner in a hurry before the 1-hour parking window expires.

Photo Violation Technologies, based in Vancouver, British Columbia, has found the perfect solution. The newly re-invented parking meter allows you to swipe a credit card rather than hunt for coins, and what's great is that you can leave your cell phone number with it, and it'll call you when your time is up, and also provide you with an option of putting additional time on the meter, without returning to your car!! And for those who take the law lightly, the PVM will take a photo of your car's license plate if you fail to pay your dues! Amazing and Perfect!! Just the way you need it. Now only if they figured out a way to park your cars too!!

Mitschele has partnered with IBM to finanace a $1 million trial, installing 300 PVM's in Niagara Falls, SFo and Vancouver. When the trial ends in July 2008, Mitschele hopes to make upto $200 million in 5 years. Not bad at all!!

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