Join Fuse PowerSlice is one terrific charging pizza with the works
The first time that I saw the PowerSlice from Fuse at CES last January, I was more than impressed. Sure, I have seen charging stations for multiple devices before, but the PowerSlice got my attention with its unique pizza construction.
Allow me to explain what I mean. The user purchases a base unit that is like a pizza pan, and it is good enough for four “slices”. The interchangeable slices slide in for the proper connectors of micro USB, mini USB, Samsung 20 pin, LG, and Apple (all of them sold separately).
The base unit even has a USB port so you can plug in your USB compatible gadgets. Actually, that isn’t quite accurate. The USB port is labeled “not for smartphones”, and this is accurate. It failed to charge my Droid X, but it does my Bluetooth headset just fine. Not sure why that is, but I would have used the Micro USB to charge my smartphone anyway.
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Case-Mate accidentally posts iPhone 5 cases early (Whoops!)
We have reported on Case-Mate before, and they make cases for a lot of mobile gadgets. A few months ago, we reported on Case-Mate’s contribution to the iPad 2.
It would appear that Case-Mate is trying to be current, and they might have jumped the gun. Case-Mate accidentally posted their cases for the iPhone 5 earlier today, even though the official announcement won’t be until mid-October. As you might have guessed, the company took the page with the new cases down. I can imagine the panic attack that the Case-Mate execs had after they learned that the posts for the iPhone 5 cases had gone live.
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Would you buy a phone like this? Samsung hopes so.
What you are looking at in this picture is not a phone that is on the market today, but really should be. It is a concept phone by a designer named Heyon You for Samsung.
It is made from two AMOLED panels, a protective glasses cover, module case, and silicone rubber. It also has a foldable display, which is not new technology in the sense that someone has done it before. I’ve been hearing about foldable and rollable displays since I started reporting about tech 5 years ago.
I always thought that whoever gets their hands on the flexible display could make a killing, but they would have to work well. Samsung has stated that this bendable display can take a punishment of 100,000 folds before a six percent decrease in brightness along the seam.
Continue reading » Would you buy a phone like this? Samsung hopes so.
SmartKeyboard concept gives your iPhone a touchable keyboard
It seems that touchscreens are here to stay, and I’m certain that touchscreen keyboards will be our future. I’m guessing that the next generation or two will be fully used to touchscreen keyboards with no haptic feedback.
Until then, you can use this SmartKeyboard for your iPhone. This is a concept designed by Jing Yang of the eico Motion Lab in China.
You can see it in action on the video after the jump, and how it sticks onto the bottom of the iPhone. The user now has what they wanted in an iPhone: buttons. Why, it’s practically a BlackBerry.
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Escape Capsule offers iPhone 4 protection
By now, you know about Mr. Jobs stepping down as CEO of Apple. Perhaps the new CEO, Tim Cook, might want to look into these EscapeCapsules.
Okay, that sounded weird. I’m not implying that Mr. Cook needs to escape in any way from his new position at Apple. The EscapeCapsule isn’t something that one uses to quickly leave, but it is something to protect the iPhone 4. Right now, Catalyst has put their Escape Capsule on Kickstarter, but it really should be an official Apple accessory as it is downright useful for protecting an Apple asset.
What you are seeing here is an exo-skeleton made from high-impact clear polycarbonate, which can protect against the elements, including water. It also can protect against impacts like scratches, and while I don’t have the exact specs, it will go underwater.
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Charge a phone while you walk
We all know that we make a lot of kinetic energy just by moving around, and we all need energy to power our mobile devices.
This is why researchers at the University of Wisconsin in Madison are working on a harvester that stores all the energy that we create by strolling, running, or walking.
Tom Krupenkin, a UW-Madison associate professor of mechanical engineering, says that human beings generate a kilowatt of power while sprinting. That is more than enough to power laptops, flashlights, and mobile phones.
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WINGStand truly brings the iDevice and Bluetooth keyboard together
Apple has a nice peripheral for the iPad and iPhone with their wireless Bluetooth Keyboard, but you really need your iDevice to be at the proper angle if a keyboard is going to be any use.
This is where the WINGStand comes in. It can attach the iPad or iPhone to the keyboard. That might sound like a simple piece of plastic, but in the gadget world, little things like this can do a lot.
I don’t know why Apple’s wireless Bluetooth keyboard doesn’t have something like a Wingstand on it already. What were users doing before, leaning their iDevice against a wall?
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All-Weather Soft Case Bike Mount from Bracketron
This device from Bracketron is for those who are in to biking, either motorbiking or pedaling. The All-Weather Soft Case Bike Mount is a way to mount a mobile device to bike’s handlebars, and it works pretty well.
I had a chance to try it out for myself, and it lives up to its promise of mounting without tools. The bolt to install the mount can be twisted by hand, and the case snaps in place easily.
The case is made to lock tight with the zipper, and I was able to interact with my iPhone’s touchscreen from there. This would have protected my iPhone from the rain with the “weather resistant housing”. Sadly, this case was too small for my Motorola Droid X, but is perfect for iPods and iPhones. It even comes with some padding to fill the gap between the device and the weather-resistant plastic screen.
Continue reading » All-Weather Soft Case Bike Mount from Bracketron
