I remember back in the day where Bluetooth just kicked off, and having a cellphone with Bluetooth connectivity, much less a Bluetooth headset, was considered to be high end. Fast forward a few years and we have Bluetooth technology embedded in just about most entry-level handsets and above. This is a good thing as well since more and more countries have outlawed drivers from talking on the phone while on the road unless they have a hands-free kit of sorts, which is where Bluetooth headsets come in handy. Jabra is a name that is associated with quality Bluetooth headsets, and their latest release would be the Jabra Stone that will usher in a new era in style after breaking the mold of the traditional Bluetooth headset.

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I’m sure most of you had the opportunity to play with Pop-Up books when you were a child, but if you haven’t, then the experience will be even more fresh with Electronic Popables.

Jie Qi, with assitance from Leah Buechley and Tshen Chew from the MIT Meida Lab have taken the pop-up book to a whole new level. Their Electronic Popables book features plug-in power motors, so not only can stuff move at the pull of a tab, but it also glows with electronic light.

And that’s not all, certain creations will often light up when the user pushes down on the page, and there is even one instance where pop-up Venus Fly Traps actually open and close. There is a video here after the jump if you want to see it for yourself, and I highly recommend that you do.

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Candles are romantic as they give out a soft light and some warmth during those cold nights, but always remember that they do have the potential of being a fire hazard in your home. Thanks to the genius of Thomas Alva Edison and his creation of the light bulb, its successors have managed to end up in a myriad of practical applications, where among them would include the Electronic Mooncandles.

Remote Control Candles! Now how achingly cool is that? It sounds daft, but it’s true. No hunting for matches, no wax oozing over the furniture, and of course, no getting up from your chair ? just click the remote control and voila, your artfully positioned candles magically spring to life. They look just like the real thing, they can either glow constantly, at a choice of two brightness levels, or flicker just like the real thing. You can also set them to four or eight hours of light time, so you don’t even have to remember to turn them off ? and you can do it all from the comfort of your armchair.

Since they’re remote controlled, don’t be too surprised by the price, where the original Mooncandle is going for £29.99 while the multicolor version surprisingly costs the same as well.

E-book readers are getting more and more popular, as it sure as heck beats carrying a tome around with you wherever you go, and there is no need to dump the book at a second hand bookshop once you’ve arrived at your destination. E-books also help save paper in the long run, and would be even better if they could be charged using renewable energy sources such as solar power. Spring Design is back with a brand new e-book reader known as Alex, where it will be the first of such devices powered by Google Android that boasts full browser capabilities and patented dual screen interaction technology known as the Duet Navigator.

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iPods might be the premier portable media players of choice, but this doesn’t mean there isn’t a slice of the market that wants something affordable without compromising on its features. The Gemei HD8800 portable media player is one such device – it comes with 1080p support, although you won’t find anything as fancy as a multitouch touchscreen display in there. $122 thereabouts ought to net you a 4.3″ display at 800 x 480 resolution, 1080p full HD support when connected to a HDTV, alongside support for a variety of popular audio and video formats including RMVB, MOV, AVI, VOB, MKV, MP4, WMV, TS, TP, MPG, Flash, MP3, WMA, FLAC and APE.

Source: Gizmodo

Honda will be working on getting ready the Bicycle Simulator to hit the Japanese market from next year onwards, where it was specially built for traffic safety education. This simulator allows one to cycle through a variety of conditions (without having to go through the nasty experience of a fall and bruising your knees badly in the process), where one won’t have to worry about getting knocked down by a car racing up from behind. In addition, you will not have to go through the experience of having dirty water splashed all over you on a rainy day no thanks to inconsiderate motorists! This simulator will come with a range of courses including “going to school,” “going to the grocery store,” “going to cram school” and “going to a local shopping street” among others. It will target public offices, law-enforcement organizations, driving schools and educational institutions which conduct bicycle safety education programs as the market niche of their choice. Expect pre-sale orders to begin this November onwards.

Source: Far East Gizmos

Samsung isn’t just about fancy and large TVs in addition to cool solar-powered cellphones, as the company does have quite the repertoire of gizmos and devices to satisfy just about and gadget lust. This time round, the consumer electronics, telecommunications and information technology giant has recently announced that it has managed to roll out the world’s first single chip compatible with the newly approved North American mobile digital TV broadcasting standard successfully. In layman’s terms, this means the new chip will probably see a slew of new portable media players released in the US to feature the ability to handle all your portable TV cravings regardless of where you are. This is made possible by merging the radio frequency (RF) and digital chip components into one single 65 nanometer (nm)-scale chip. When compared against standard multiple-chip sets, the solitary chip offers makers of various mobile devices including cellphones, car-mounted televisions and portable media players an optimal solution that is more compact, uses less power, and is more affordable.

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I’m sure most of the readers of this blog probably have way too many gadgets, and these gadgets have an annoying habit of always needing to be charged. Why not have one place where you charge them all simultaneously?

Well, at least you can have one place to do three at a time, which is what the Portable Charging Valet from Sharper Image is designed to do. Yes, because it is made by Sharper Image, it is a Charging Valet, not a charging mat. All the user has to do is unfold the Valet, plug it in, and there are three cords ready to charge his or her favorite mobiles. There is a video of it in action after the jump if you want to see more.

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