02.15.2010

Barbie Gets Geeked

A few weeks back, I reported that Mattel was holding open votes to decide Barbie's 126th career. Among the choices were News Anchor, Architect, and Computer Engineer. I'm happy to announce that the people have spoken and we now have Computer Engineer Barbie.

According to Mattel's site, the doll's designers worked side by side with the Society of Women Engineers and the National Academy of Engineering to design realistic clothing and accessories. Barbie will be decked out in a tee with a binary code pattern and some black knit skinny pants. She'll also be equipped with all the latest tech including a smartphone, Bluetooth headset, and even a travel bag for her laptop. Speaking of the laptop, Barbie's will of course, be a pink affair which will match her prerequisite glasses.

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Posted by sherri    Category: toys
Tags: Barbie  Computer Engineer  contest  toys
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02.14.2010

Nokia 5800 Navigation Edition

This variation of the popular Nokia 5800 Xpress Music edition makes the most of Nokia's Ovi Maps that was recently re-vamped into a free 'forever' app.

The Ovi Maps app features coverage for over 70 countries and combines with the 5800 to maximize its abilities to give you turn-by-turn, voice-guided navigation for both driving and walking. Ovi Maps also features free updates, more than 6,000 3D landmarks, free event guides, and free Lonely Planet and Michelin travel guides.

As for the hardware, the bright 360x640TFT touchscreen displays the excellent features of the easy-to-read Ovi Maps and features tactile feedback. The 5800 Navi also features 3.5G (3.6 Mbs); Wi-Fi; 3.2 MP camera with video recording, autofocus, and LED flash; 81MB of internal memory; hot-swappable MicroSD slot that can accommodate cards up to 16GB; very respectable battery life of 8.8 hours talk time and 16 days of standby time; and all the music features of the original 5800 Xpress Music edition including dedicated menu button and even respectable built-in stereo speakers.

The 5800 Navi includes an auto power adapter and a windshield mount right in the box, so it's ready to jump in the car and hit the open road with you. The windshield mount was a little tricky to put together and seemed rather large upon assembly, but actually is quite usable once installed in the car. It's very adjustable and was long enough to put the phone right at my fingertips, even in my huge (read: non P.C.) SUV.

Currently on sale at the Nokia Online Store for $299.

Posted by Brian    Category: cell phones
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02.10.2010

Cosmetic Mirror Lets You Try on Makeup Virtually

It's not a magic mirror, but it's still pretty cool. The Digital Cosmetic Mirror allows women to try on make up without having to go through the time consuming step of applying the makeup. Created by cosmetics company Shiseido, the interactive display allows users to check out new products using augmented reality.

Users simply stand in front of the computer's camera and let it scan your face. The image is then loaded into the computer and it gives you a number of colors to try out. Users then select a color via touchscreen and the computer applies the makeup to the virtual image. If you like what you see, you can print out the photo and pick up your new cosmetics.

The Digital Cosmetic Mirror can apply eyeshadow and lipstick as well as recommend different products and makeup techniques. So far this is a Japan-exclusive but I would love to see this in my favorite cosmetic store in the near future,

Via Japan Trends

Posted by sherri    Category: accessories | devices
Tags: augmented reality  digital cosmetic mirror  makeup
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02. 9.2010

PSP Gets Fashion Forward

You seen fashion PCs, catwalk-worthy phones, and even haute couture-inspired cars. Now meet the fashion handheld console. A Japan-exclusive, Sony is releasing the “Jill Stuart Sweet Limited Package” a blossum pink PlayStation Portable. This special edition console was created in conjunction with designer Jill Stuart

The limited edition set includes the pastel-colored PSP a pouch with a beaded pearl strap along with a matching pink cleaning cloth. There is also a 4GB Memory Stick Pro Duo all packaged in a cute pink box.

The “Jill Stuart Sweet Limited Package" becomes available on March 4 for $230. Interested gamers should start looking for a good import site.

Via TechCrunch

Posted by sherri    Category: design | entertainment | gaming
Tags: fashion  gaming  Jill Stuart  PlayStation Portable  video gaming
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02. 8.2010

iPhone App Makes Sure Your Date is Safe

Even though dating should be about having fun and meeting new people, it's also about finding out if this person is potential mate material. I mean you want to know if the person sitting across from you has had serious run-ins with the law or has picked their nose since age seven. Thanks to this new iPhone and Android app, you might not be able to check about the nose picking habit, but you can get the deets on just about everything else.

Created by information commerce company, Intelius, Date Check does what the company does best, dig up dirt.Date Check is an app that lets users pull up all those juicy secrets that you want to know, but might be too shy to ask on the first or second date. With a flick of the wrist you can find out if a person has a criminal history via the sleeze detector. You can also see if they own real estate, or if they're living with someone -- say a spouse they might have forgotten to mention.

The app is currently available for free on the Android Marketplace and the Apple App Store.

Via Gadgetwise

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Posted by sherri    Category: cell phones | entertainment | software
Tags: android apps  applications  dating  iphone apps
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01.27.2010

Is the Apple iPad "magical"?

Today was 2010's first iDay- the announcement of a new or updated Apple product, predictably following months, or in this case years of feverish speculation. Steve Jobs gave the gathered press the first glimpse of the super-tablet himself, proudly declaring the new iPad not just revolutionary, but magical. It is undeniably sleek, beautiful, and impressive to look at but is it necessary, especially for people already toting around iPhones or iPod Touches, along with a MacBook or a MacBook Air?

Here are the specs:

-9.7" LED backlit, fully multi-touch display, with IPS technology (IPS provides wide viewing angles and good color reproduction, important for a tablet that you may use both laptop-style, and as a media player). There's also a special fingerprint-resistant coating, obviously good for a screen with a touch interface.

-Up to 10 hour battery life for video, music, and wifi surfing.

-Half an inch thick, weighs 1.5 lbs, 9.5" high, 7.5" wide.

-Wifi, Bluetooth, and optional 3G through AT&T (yay, not). Assisted GPS on 3G models only.

-On-screen keyboard only- but wide enough, apparently for something approaching touch-typing. Jobs typed with all his fingers, not just thumbs during the demo. There's also an optional hardware keyboard which also charges the iPad.

-The iPad will run all current iPhone/iPod Touch applications, plus have its own iPad-only apps.

-The iPad is an advanced e-book reader, using the iBooks app for reading and the iBookstore app for browsing and buying books. iBookstore has licensing deals with some of the biggest publishers so book selection should quickly get competitive with the Amazon Kindle's, plus iBook supports the EPUB standard, which offers thousands of free books. The best part? The Amazon Kindle and BN Nook use low-powered e-ink displays which are easy on the eyes and give great battery life, but they are not backlit or in color. The iPad is both, and while battery life is sure to be less than the Kindle's, 10 hours is still really, really good.

-iWork, Apple's answer to MS Office will be available for the iPad. Pages, Numbers, and Keynote (Apple's versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) will be $9.99 each, a great price for a full featured app.

What are the advantages of the iPad over the iPhone or iPod Touch? The screen, obviously is almost three times the size, a huge improvement for web surfing, watching videos and viewing photos, email, and working on documents. The on-screen keyboard, which will surely elicit much discussion, won't please everybody, but will surely be more comfortable for typing longer docs and emails, and there is the optional hardware keyboard.

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Posted by Mia    Category: devices
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01.26.2010

LG's Lotus Gets Elite

LG and Sprint are continuing their partnership with the release of the successor to the stylish Lotus phone. The LG Lotus Elite has all the looks of the original Lotus, but has stepped it up a notch with a few exclusive features.

One of the new features on the Elite is the 2.4-inch external touchscreen that allows users to easily navigate all their pertinent information without having to open the phone. The screen has a 320x240 resolution which makes for a vibrant phone experience. Other features include the new three dedicated shortcut keys for social networking, email, and text. The social networking button, dubbed Social can be mapped to a person's favorite social network.

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Posted by sherri    Category: cell phones
Tags: cell phones  LG  Lotus Elite  Sprint
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01.25.2010

Sony Wants You! $10,000 Scholarship up for Grabs

Contrary to popular belief, there are more than a few girl gamers out there, serving up their own brand of pwnage with a smile. When it comes to game development, women continue to be an underrepresented segment of the industry. Sony Online Entertainment is doing their part to remedy the situation with the G.I.R.L. scholarship.

The G.I.R.L. (Gamers In Real Life) program was created to affect how women are portrayed in video games. And there's no better way to change the machine than to work from within. In conjunction with the program there is also a scholarship was created with the express purpose of recruiting into the fields of video game production and design.

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Posted by sherri    Category: on the web | on the web
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01.20.2010

Cast Your Vote for Computer Engineer Barbie

Now that geeks are considered sexy, we techies are finally being appreciated for our sparkling intellect, and almost obsessional love of tech. In my mind, we were always sexy, but it just took mainstream society awhile to catch on. Now one of our most treasured mainstream childhood icons might be getting in on the geek sexy angle.

Mattel creator of the iconic Barbie doll is asking people to vote on the dolls next career. Since her debut in 1959, Barbie has had over 120 careers. She's been an astronaut, a rock star, and a veterinarian. Hey, she has to pay off the mortgage for that dream house and Ferrari somehow.

Listed among the possible careers is computer engineer. I can think of no better way to show the next generation the coolness of tech than presenting some lucky youngster with a shiny ne "Computer Engineer" Barbie. Please lend your vote and let's initiate Barbie into our ultra-cool society of tech.

The results on the voting will be available on February 12. So vote and keep your fingers crossed.

Via CrunchGear

Posted by sherri    Category: on the web
Tags: Barbie  computer engineer  toys  vote
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01.18.2010

Ritmo Advanced Pregnancy Sound System

Any expectant mother can tell you, it's never to early to start communicating with your child. Besides having extended conversations while baby is in-utero, music has been proven to assist with positive fetal development including displaying "advanced intelligence, coordination, and learning abilities."

Nuvo Group's new device helps deliver soothing sound to your baby with the Ritmo Advanced Pregnancy Sound System. Kind of like a speaker system for your unborn bundle of joy, Ritmo is a lightweight belt that fits comfortably around mommy-to-be's tummy. The belt has four built-in speakers that utilized patented Safe&Sound Technology to make sure that the sound level is perfectly safe for baby's ears. The belt also comes with a controller used to plug in an mp3 player.

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Posted by sherri    Category: devices
Tags: music  Nuvo Group  pregnancy  prenatal  Ritmo Advanced Pregnancy Sound System
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