TechBloggin.com

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Peripherals

We all know the holiday season is coming up, but even if you’re on the hunt for a gag gift for your fav-o-rite prankster, we can’t not recommend the following turds enough. Up first is the absolutely unbelievable Night Sweat Alarm watch, which actually wakes you up if it detects that you’re perspiring. Why? Legend has it that no one knows. Moving on, we’ve got the USB Volcano — a perfect mix of your first-grade science project and your college-era infatuation with all things USB. Things start to get really absurd when viewing the self-explanatory Glass of Milk Light and the Retro Handy Handset, but even those are potentially topped in stupidity by the Air Flow Mouse and cake-shaped USB drives. Have a look at each below before casting your vote, but keep that barf bag handy.

Read - Sweat Alarm watch
Read - USB Volcano
Read - Glass of Milk Light
Read - Retro Handy Handset
Read - Air Flow Mouse
Read - Cake-shaped USB drive

View Poll

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: Darren Murph

written by

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Household

Sure you can go crazy and drop a few hundred bucks on a high-tech door lock, or you can follow the lead of the folks from Makers Local 256 and build this USB-authenticated deadbolt, which should set you back just $60 — or no doubt less if you can scavange up some spare parts. The setup is based on Arduino’s slightly lesser known cousin the Freeduino, and effectively turns any standard USB thumb drive into a key, which can be just as easily lost or misplaced as a regular key but not as easily duplicated. What’s more, it’s not the data on the drive that gets read by the lock, but rather the serial number on a chip, which leaves the rest of the drive free for you to use as you please. Head on past the break to check it out in action.

Continue reading USB-authenticated deadbolt lock promises to only let geeks pass

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: Donald Melanson

written by

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Nearly a month after Line 6 treated bedroom guitarists everywhere with the brilliant BackTrack, along comes a few new tools for the more serious musicians. Or, at least the ones that think they’re serious. The newly announced POD Studio family of USB recording interfaces feature the POD Farm plug-in and 44.1/48kHz, 16-/24-bit recording. The no-frills GX unit boasts a single 1/4-inch guitar input, while the UX1 adds a balanced XLR input with preamp and two 1/4-inch analog outputs; the top-end UX2 (pictured) offers two 1/4-inch inputs (one normal, one pad), two balanced XLR inputs with preamps and phantom power, S/PDIF digital output and a pair of assignable VU meters. Each box comes packed with Ableton recording software, though Line 6 doesn’t bother to share the costs for these.

[Via Electronista]

Read - POD Studio family
Read - POD Farm plug-ins

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: Darren Murph

written by

Filed under: Displays

They’re not much more useful or cost efficient than a second or third regular-sized display, but Korean company Nanovision’s soon-to-be-released 7-inch mini-LCDs — model-named MIMO — are novel, and probably a bit more convenient to hook up thanks to a USB interface. Two models will hit the streets of Korea in just a couple of days, and they both work in either landscape or portrait mode at 800 x 480. The UM-750 (?183,000 or $152), has a webcam, touchscreen, and TV tuner, but its feature-challenged brother the UM-710 (?98,000 or $81) doesn’t. Unfortunately, they’re only planned for Korea at the moment, so everyone else will have to consider a smaller but considerably less adorable alternative.

[Via Technabob; Thanks, Tom M]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: Samuel Axon

written by

Filed under: Portable Audio

We’re still baffled that traditional eSATA flash drives require power from the USB port in order to operate (at least until that Power Over eSATA initiative starts bearing fruit), but it seems that Ao-LAB has found a nice, practical workaround for the time being. The outfit’s eSATA / USB Combo Drive arrives in 8GB, 16GB and 32GB flavors and provides dual interfaces along with a convenient way to power it if you’re dead-set on using eSATA for transfers. And given that speeds over eSATA absolutely obliterate those over USB 2.0, you’re going to want to. Shame there’s no pricing / availability information, but we suspect you can get a few hundred of ‘em sans issue should you contact the company seeking a bulk contract.

[Via EverythingUSB]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: Darren Murph

written by

Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals

Even with today’s wireless video game controllers, you can’t stay untethered forever. After a few hours of gaming on the PlayStation 3, you’ll have to plug in that SIXAXIS or DualShock 3 USB cable to charge. Starting December 18th, Sony Japan will offer an AC adapter intended for PS3 controllers at a price of ¥2,800 (just under $30). Like third party solutions we’ve seen, it has two USB ports so you’ll be able to do two controllers or toss in a Bluetooth headset. Nothing yet on availability outside of Japan, but if we get word we’ll be all over it, ’cause we feel slightly guilty for leaving the PS3 on overnight to charge — what with the world’s dwindling energy supply and all.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: Samuel Axon

written by

Filed under: GPS, Laptops

Word is that Dell’s Mini 9 is a modder’s paradise, rife with precious little alcoves in which to squeeze teeny-tiny new stuff. The confirmation: MyDellMini forum user Tom Beauchamp bought a USB GPS receiver (not much larger than a quarter) and snugly fit it inside his Mini’s case. He’s provided images and instructions so you, too, can illegally navigate with your notebook computer in the passenger’s seat of your car. We can’t recommend that sort of irresponsibility, but if you want to mod it just because you can, hit the read link for the instructions and images. Beware, of course, that a minimum amount of technical savvy is required to avoid breaking a perfectly good little laptop. Like that was ever going to stop you.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: Samuel Axon

written by

Filed under: Wearables

USB blankets are old hat (for better or worse), but the USB Heated Shawl takes an aged concept and makes it relevant again with the addition of a single clip. Clearly designed for elderly folks who aren’t kept warm enough by the bottoms of their laptops and for the billions of cubical dwellers who freeze in silence each and every day, this $28.95 device is a godsend. Just plug it in, wrap it around and enjoy the warmth. Oh, and ignore the haters.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: Darren Murph

written by