15 May, 2012

Latest Posts on Coolest Gadgets

Latest Posts on Coolest Gadgets


The Driverless Car – Should we be Afraid?

Posted: 15 May 2012 09:29 AM PDT

I hate to get out on the roads these days. It may be just me, but it seems like its getting worse, maybe its just the sheer number of folks out on the open road, but most days I feel lucky just to make it to my destination in one piece. Are we all just terrible drivers, or is it just a few, that make the rest of us look bad?

Well how about this? Nevada has the distinction of becoming the first state to issue a license for a driverless car, and the lucky recipient is Google. So the next time the car in front of you is making you positively nuts there may not be anyone there to give the middle finger salute, and honking the horn will fall on deaf ears (or no ears at all for that matter.)

These automated cars use video cameras, proximity sensors, GPS and a laser assisted range finder in order to ‘see’ other traffic, as well as detailed maps that allow these phantom vehicles to navigate the open road. At the present time Google has a fleet of 8 vehicles including an Audi, a Lexus and several Toyota Priuses, (or should that be Prium?), and where the heck are they going anyway?

So how would you happen to know if you just got cut off by a driverless car? Simply take a break from the swearing and check the license plates, the ones on the driverless cars are red and have the infinity symbol on the left hand side that is meant to represent “the future.”

I’d like to say that this new technology makes me feel a bit uneasy, but driving already makes me feel like I’m taking my life in my hands, so is a car driven by technology apt to be more, or less safe than cars driven by humans? What do you guys think? I’m thinking I’d rather take my chances with the tech….

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[ The Driverless Car – Should we be Afraid? copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]


Spyder 3 Krypton Laser – Is it Over the Moon?

Posted: 15 May 2012 07:30 AM PDT

The Spyder 3 Krypton is the world’s brightest handheld laser. How bright is it? I’m glad you asked, the Krypton is so powerful, its currently being checked out by Guinness World records. This little gizmo is actually capable of breaking through our atmosphere and into outer space. Which of course comes in handy for those of us trying to communicate with our extra terrestrial friends or wayward astronauts.

With a ridiculous range of 85 miles, the S3 Krypton is the first and only handheld laser that is visible from outer space. Imagine that, before its existence the only thing E.T. could see from up there was the Great Wall of China and the Staten Island Landfill. So go ahead, flash out “we are here” messages in Morse Code, and then make an alien friendly casserole.

Joking aside, viewing the light point of the Krypton laser will appear over 8,000 times brighter than looking directly at the sun. So if you choose not to fry your eyes out of your head, safety goggles are mandatory and no playing “mouse” with your beloved cat. The Spyder 3 comes with 9 operating modes, and a SmartSwitch password-type safety lock to prevent unauthorized evil-doers from trying to bring down jet planes and satellites.

Our friendly little Spyder 3 Krypton Laser provides up to 40 hours of runtime and sports an aircraft grade aluminum chassis, it comes bundled with the requisite safety goggles, a nylon holster and a rechargeable Sanyo battery and charger. Priced from around 400  - 1000 bucks you can get one (and an optional 99 dollar Lasersaber) at wickedlasers.com, at least go there, check out the video, and then PLEASE tell my why you want one. Oh, I want one too… I just don’t know what for.

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[ Spyder 3 Krypton Laser – Is it Over the Moon? copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]


GoPro Dive Housing lets you go underwater

Posted: 15 May 2012 06:30 AM PDT

When it comes to mounted cameras, the name GoPro certainly rings a bell, as we have also seen some of their offerings in the past that are certainly cool in its own nature. Well, this time around, GoPro wants you to enjoy your underwater experience (snorkeling, especially) with the GoPro Dive Housing that will come with a large, flat glass lens which paves the way for maximum photo and video sharpness even when you are underwater, allowing you to snap away or record in a myriad of resolutions. It is said that the GoPro Dive Housing is waterproof up to 197 feet or 60 meters, making it ideal also for underwater filming if that is your cup of tea.

The GoPro Dive Housing will play nice with the entire range of HD HERO cameras, GoPro mounts and accessories. Each purchase of the GoPro Dive Housing will net you the waterproof Dive Housing, protective lens cap, tether string and assorted mounting hardware, where all of it is going for $49.99 a pop. Don’t you think that it is time to live a little bit and start being more adventurous in your outings?

Press Release

[ GoPro Dive Housing lets you go underwater copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]


Etcher delivers Etch A Sketch for the iPad

Posted: 15 May 2012 06:00 AM PDT

I am quite sure that when you first played Draw Something on the iPad, you must have figured out that the iPad, if it had a properly programmed app, would also be able to double up as some form of Etch A Sketch, a toy that gave you many hours of fond memories as a child. Well, I guess those prayers have been answered, as a Kickstarter project that is looking for the right amount of funding has just announced Etcher – an app for the iPad that has every intention of delivering the Etch A Sketch experience right on the iPad itself. This is more like it – the convergence of the old and the new, merging new technologies with tried, tested and successful ideas.

Etcher actually functions as an iPad case, where the 9.75″ tablet will be able to fit nicely within the Etcher itself, ensuring that your recently purchased iPad does not experience any unwanted knocks or scratches. Not only that, it will also make that startling transformation of turning it into a fully-functioning version of the classic child’s toy Etch A Sketch, which was first released to the market in 1960 and has more or less been something that kids have played with over the decades, although its popularity has somewhat been ebbing into the twilight over the years.

Etcher functions in pretty much the same manner as that of the original Etch A Sketch, as it has the very same plastic knobs in order to create similar patterns on the screen. The only difference? When you use the Etcher, it will be a digital image instead of a physical image. Shaking will delete what you see on the screen, so I think it might not be too advisable to play this while you are flying or riding on some bumpy terrain. The other thing is, you need not snap a photo of what you have drawn for posterity, as the image can be saved to the iPad and shared online later on.

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[ Etcher delivers Etch A Sketch for the iPad copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]


Fahrradi Farfalla FFX requires pedal power to run

Posted: 15 May 2012 05:30 AM PDT

We do know that owning a Ferrari would mean you have made it in life, more or less. After all, the Italian company does come up with some of the best supercars in the world, but as we all know, supercars are far from green – even if Ferrari promises a hybrid model to arrive later in 2013. Well, here is the greenest “supercar” yet – the Fahrradi Farfalla FFX that will break one speed record by Ferrari – it is the slowest “supercar” yet. Why do we say so? For starters, Austrian artist Hannes Langwelder decided to swap its V12 gas engine and replace that with a set of pedals. No need to pull up at any gas station here, but it also means arriving at your destination after sweating it out.

"Fahrradi" is German for "bicycle," while "Farfalla" translates to "butterfly" in Italian, so the mixture known as the Fahrradi Farfalla FFX tips the scales at just 220 pounds, sporting a pedal powertrain that has 11 gears. Gotta love the gullwing doors that resemble a wing beat similar to a butterfly. While this is the slowest “supercar” to date, it is by no means the cheapest. After all, it has a whopping $1.6 million price tag attached to it, now how about that?

For those who are interested, the Fahrradi Farfalla FFX is currently on display at the LENTOS Museum of Art in Linz, Austria. I do wonder just who is going to drop that kind of insane money on a “car” that does not even drive. You can cruise down busy roads in this though, pedaling furiously inside while others on the outside think that you are just trying to show off by driving slowly on purpose, when it is a very different story inside. Definitely able to draw in the chicks, but when they get into the car, boy are they going to be surprised to see that it is not going to rev anywhere near a red line, but rather, there is the dank smell and stench of sweat that they are so familiar with at gyms.

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[ Fahrradi Farfalla FFX requires pedal power to run copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]


Floating Rope Swing

Posted: 15 May 2012 05:00 AM PDT

Just how high have you gone on the swing before? As a kid, I have always tried to get enough momentum to go a full circle, but somehow or rather, that never happened. Which is a good thing too, when you come to think about it today – there was no seat belt to strap me in, and I probably would not have achieved the kind of terminal velocity required to go a full circle without falling down and breaking my neck halfway up in the air, upside down. For those who still want to achieve something similar, don’t you think it is safer to do it on water? This is where the $3,800 Floating Rope Swing comes in handy this summer (or if you happen to be filthy rich and own an island that you call your own).

Granted, it is not the most affordable swing out there in the market, but at least it is capable of providing open-water launches into a lake or pond. Touted to be safer compared to traditional tree or dock swings, it lets you let go at any point in time for a launch towards the water. Made from 28 oz. marine-grade, reinforced PVC, the horseshoe-shaped floating platform is stable and works great as long as you do not tip the scales at more than 250 lbs.

[ Floating Rope Swing copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]