No more peeing in a cup – new tech detects drug use from fingerprints

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26 Jul 2011

No more peeing in a cup – new tech detects drug use from fingerprints

People who have and have applied for a driver’s license know how much of a bummer the whole process is, especially when it comes to the part when you have to pee in a cup, usually in view of the lab tech. Well, that might be a thing of the past if Paul Yates and his crew from Intelligent Fingerprinting gets their way. They have developed a way for police to be able to detect drugs using your fingerprints. It’s able to do this via the application of gold nanoparticles coated with antibodies that stick to antigens on specific metabolites (waste particles) that get secreted through your pores. Fluorescent dyes attached to the antibodies will highlight the presence of any metabolites, which will give feedback if a user has been using a drug. While the technology is being aimed at law enforcement to help identify perpetrators using drugs, it’s not hard to see the potential use of this particular tech in places and procedures where drug testing is critical.

Source: New Scientist

Jawbone UP: bracelet that may UP the years of your life

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Gadgets Team

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26 Jul 2011

0

Jawbone UP: bracelet that may UP the years of your life

It’s ironic, that despite much technological advancement, we as a race are still plagued by disease, the most ironic of which is the growing rate of lifestyle-related diseases and the harmful effects of both malnutrition and obesity. So if we not only want to prolong our lives but improve the quality of it as well, we should begin thinking up of new innovations that will help us achieve both.

Jawbone recently introduced an electronic bracelet that can track your movement, sleep patterns and eating habits and put that information in the palm of your hand. Named UP, the band serves users the whole day and night via sensors which relay movement and sleep patterns to an app accessible to either your phone, tablet, or computer. Users can also type in the nutritional data of their diet. Equipped with all of this information, the app allows you to catalogue your daily activity and tailor-fit a lifestyle that’s right (and healthy) for you.

But don’t worry. The UP is designed to not cramp your style and remain comfortable to wear.

And who says good things had to taste (or in this case, look) bad?

The Jawbone UP is due to be released later this year.

Source: Coolhunting

Teletech Pioneer Recruitment Hub Soon to Open

Press Release

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26 Jul 2011

1

Teletech Pioneer Recruitment Hub Soon to Open

The new Teletech Pioneer Recruitment Hub is SOON TO OPEN in the heart of Metro Manila! This will be located at the 2^nd Floor of GOHOTEL beside Forum Robinsons on EDSA corner Pioneer St., Mandaluyong City. Just bring your updated resume, walk in and apply!

Visit the Teletech recruitment booth at the Pinoy_Blogfest 2.0 on August 5, Friday at the TriNoma Activity Center.

For more details, visit http://www.teletech.com/

ASUS Eee Pad Transformer update

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Gadgets Team

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26 Jul 2011

0

ASUS Philippines has just informed us of a correction regarding the storage capacity of the Eee Pad Transformer in the Philippines.

The official storage capacity will be 16GB and not 32GB as first mentioned. They apologize for any confusion and misleading information that may have found itself circulating on the web. The company, (as well as this author on behalf of our humble magazine), kindly asks that you will all continue to support this unique and intuitive product.

And just in case you’ve forgotten, this is the magnificent Eee Pad Transformer:

Eee Pad Transformer TF101:

Dimensions: 271x171x12.98mm

Weight: 680g

Display: 10.1-inch

OS: Android 3.1 Honeycomb

CPU: Nvidia Tegra2

STORAGE: 16GB

Camera: 1.2Mp front, 5mp rear

SRP: Php 22,995

Additional features with dock:

keyboard

Touch Pad

2 x USB 2.0 ports

2 x Docking port (Host + Client)

1 x Card Reader (MMC/SD/SDHC)

1 x 24.4 Wh Battery

SRP: Php 29, 995

Toyota’s interactive window concept

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Gadgets Team

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26 Jul 2011

0

It seems that augmented reality has been taken a step further, as Toyota aims to implement the technology in their automobile designs.

Toyota Motor Europe’s Kansei Design Division has unveiled a conceptual interactive touchscreen window. It will reportedly be capable of “Drawing in Motion”, “zooming into captured moments in time”, translating languages, tracking distances and can create “virtual constellations” on a car’s ceiling.

The goal is to keep children busy and entertained during road trips, which I’m sure a majority of parents will greatly appreciate. The interactive window concept also promotes children’s curiosity about their environment and the objects they pass outside.

For a concept demonstration, view the video below:

Window to the World (CIID/Toyota) from CIID on Vimeo.

It’s official: Globe is carrying the BlackBerry Playbook, pre-order available till Friday

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Gadgets Team

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25 Jul 2011

1

It’s official: Globe is carrying the BlackBerry Playbook, pre-order available till Friday

RIM’s highly anticipated entry to the tablet market will now be available locally courtesy of Globe. The data-centric device is now up in pre-order status, interested parties need to hit up http://ph.blackberry.com/playbook-tablet/ to reserve their own slice of tablet heaven. Pre-order begins from now till July 29, 2011. People who pre-order will entitle customers to avail of a special limited bundled offer of a BlackBerry PlayBook and a BlackBerry smartphone starting with the My Super Surf Plan 2499.

Globe Postpaid head Martha Sazon said, “The BlackBerry PlayBook is a great new addition to Globe’s array of BlackBerry products and services to our customers. The tablet’s topnotch features and best-in-class performance, coupled with My Super Surf Plan’s customizable postpaid offers, are a perfect match for subscribers who want an awesome unlimited browsing experience. We are confident that the BlackBerry PlayBook packages from Globe are perfectly poised to meet the needs of even the most discerning users and we are pleased to introduce these terrific new offers to the Philippine market.”

ThumbMOB launches Vuclip locally – view online videos on any device, on any carrier

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Gadgets Team

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25 Jul 2011

1

Filipinos love viewing videos online – a study by Synovate in August 2010 reported that more than half (53%) of Filipinos surveyed said they watched videos online, while one in three had uploaded photos or videos – the highest percentage in Asia. So it’s not hard to see why ThumbMOB, a developer of Social Games and Apps on Mobile Devices would want to bring Vuclip, the world’s largest independent mobile video service, to the Philippines. So what makes Vuclip different from YouTube and all the other video sharing sites already on the web? Well, Vuclip promises to deliver video to any phone, on the fly, no downloads required. The company says that as long as a phone can surf the net, the service will work on it.

“The Philippines is another excellent market for Vuclip. Already, without any promotion,there are over 350,000 Filipinos using Vuclip to watch videos on their mobile phones,”said Nickhil Jakatdar Co-Founder and CEO of Vuclip, adding “Vuclip is a catalyst for a new mobile video ecosystem that brings together carriers, content providers, advertisers and consumers, in fact anyone who wants to be a part of the burgeoning mobile video experience.”

“Vuclip’s service does particularly well in places where the mobile screen is often the onlyway to access the Internet. We are already the number one mobile video service inplaces like India, Indonesia and Malaysia, ” Jakatdar added.

Vuclip will be available on all three major carriers through special data plans, starting at just Php 10 for two hours of unlimited video access. Just type “m.Vuclip.com” on your phone browser; or click on the Vuclip button on select MyPhone phone models.

Watch the AVP below to know more.

Canon joins the Manila Zoo in celebrating its 52nd anniversary

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Gadgets Team

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25 Jul 2011

0

Canon joins the Manila Zoo in celebrating its 52nd anniversary

The Manila Zoo has recently been in the news as of late, with reports alleging the sad, sorry state of the Manila tourist spot. Thankfully, none of the rumors are true, and as we saw earlier today the animals are happy, content and definitely not starving nor unhappy at their living arrangements. Canon intends to keep it that way, and has hosted a succession of photography activities at the Manila Zoo to commemorate the 52nd anniversary of the iconic attraction.

“We are one with all Filipinos in celebrating the founding of the Manila Zoo. Through photography, we hope that they will better appreciate the wildlife inside Manila’s oldest zoo,” says Alang Chng, president and CEO of Canon Marketing Philippines Inc.

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim was present during today’s festivities, and loudly proclaimed that despite calls and offers to relocate the zoo to other places to give way for modern development projects, the zoo will never close or go away as long as he’s the mayor of Manila.

CMPI opened the newly rebuilt Nipa Hut to all visitors which whill now be called Canon ImageNation Centre and will be the site of upcoming zoo activities and future Canon PhotoSkwela sessions. CMPI has been supporting the zoo over the past years to improve the facilities and improving animal awareness for the citizens in Metro Manila.

Moleskine: from notebooks to reading glasses

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Gadgets Team

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25 Jul 2011

0

Moleskine: from notebooks to reading glasses

The legendary notebook of artists, writers, intellectuals and travelers, Moleskine has broadened its horizons beyond its pages and released a collection of accessories suitable for the aforementioned types or those who simply enjoy quality and the classic forms (and just like to read and write like I do).

The Moleskine New Collections focus on writing, travelling, and reading. Though this collection includes bags, cases, writing tools and small electronics made by Giulio Iacchetti and retain the same simple aesthetic as that of the Moleskine notebooks, one piece I am personally interested in are the Moleskine Black Reading Glasses. Measuring 5.25 x 1.125 inches (13.34 x 2.86 cm) and weighing only 2oz (0.1lbs), the lightweight rectangular acetate frames give you comfort and versatility as the symmetrical design allows you to wear the glasses however way you put them on. Spring hinges give it a perfect fit while the lenses are plastic, scratch-resistant, distortion-free and come in a variety of focal lengths. So whether you’re into paperback novels or e-books, this lovely pair will make the joys of reading more comfy and definitely, more fashionable.

Available in black and transparent and are sold online for $49.95. Case sold separately.

Source: Moleskine

Summer NAMM 2011 highlights

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Gadgets Team

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25 Jul 2011

0

The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) holds regular trade shows which showcase new and upcoming music products. Having recently concluded their Summer show this year in the US, a few products caught this author’s eye that local musicians might be particularly drawn to. While the local availability and price for most of these new toys are still pending, here are some of the new products you might want to watch out for:

IK Multimedia iRig MIDI

IoS MIDI Interface

Standard Core MIDI interface connects any MIDI hardware device to Core MIDI-compatible apps
3 MIDI ports: IN/OUT/THRU
Micro USB port can charge the iOS device while in use

http://www.ikmultimedia.com/irigmidi/features/

NUMARK MIXDECK EXPRESS

All-Inclusive DJ System

2 CD decks + 3-Channel mixer integrated into a single unit
2 USB ports for external hard drives
built-in audio interface
Control MIDI software, with no timecode needed, via USB
balanced XLR outs, two 1/4″ balanced mic inputs and 1/8″ and 1/4″ headphone output
comes with Native Instruments Traktor LE (Europe and Asia)

http://www.numark.com/mixdeckexpress

AKAI EIEPRO

USB Audio/MIDI Interface

4-ins/4-outs, XLR~1/4″ combo jacks + Mic/Line/Guitar switches
24-bit resolution, sample rates from 44.1kHz until 96kHz
3 USB inputs allow it to function as a hub for MIDI controllers/hard drives
nickel plated inputs, VU meters, aluminum casing

http://www.akaipro.com/en/index.php

PRESONUS AUDIOBOX VSL-SERIES

Rack-Mountable USB interface

USB 2.0 interface
high-headroom, Class A XMAX preamps, 114dB dynamic range
MIDI I/O, zero-latency mixing
includes dynamics processing and EQ of StudioLive series mixers with super low latency
Fat Channel compression, limiting, 3-band semi parametric EQ, HP filter, etc
reverb and delay effects with dedicated busses
3 models : 22VSL ($199/Php 8480), 44VSL ($299/Php 12,700), 1818 VSL ($499/Php 21,300)

http://www.presonus.com/

VOX AC15C2 ‘Twin’

Valve Amp, AC Custom series

2-channel, 15 -watt combo
Two 12-inch Celestion Greenback speakers
larger spring reverb tank
three 12AX7 dual triode vacuum tubes (pre-amp)
two EL84 pentode tubes (power)
optional VFS2 footswitch

Available in November (US), SRP: $1100 (approx: Php 47,000)

http://www.voxamps.com/products/

Macbooks can be hacked….through their batteries?

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Gadgets Team

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25 Jul 2011

0

Macbooks can be hacked….through their batteries?

Yeah, you read that right. A security researcher by the name of Charlie Miller has managed to hack batteries belonging to Apple’s Macbook line of notebooks and has uncovered a potential vector for malware and viruses that hasn’t been approached before. “These batteries just aren’t designed with the idea that people will mess with them,” Miller says. “What I’m showing is that it’s possible to use them to do something really bad.”

Modern notebook batteries aren’t in the same league with batteries you buy for your flashlight at the store – they usually have a microcontroller embedded in them that monitors the charge level of the unit, allowing the operating system and the hardware to know when to stop charging once it’s full. Miller discovered that the chips that come with both Macbooks and Macbook Airs ship with default passwords on them, which potentially could allow anyone who know the default passwords to infiltrate and re-purpose them for nefarious purposes, including bricking your battery on purpose, making it overheat till it caused a fire and more. It would even be possible to put in malware, and you’d probably wouldn’t even know if you were infected. Even if you did, it (the malware) would be extremely difficult to remove. “You could put a whole hard drive in, reinstall the software, flash the BIOS, and every time it would reattack and screw you over. There would be no way to eradicate or detect it other than removing the battery,” Miller says.

For his part, Miller’s already contacted Apple and Texas Instruments about the potential vulnerability, and is releasing a fix for the issue code named “Caulkgun” at the Black Hat security conference in August. Caulkgun changes a users’ battery firmware’s passwords to a random string so that would be attackers won’t be able to compromise your system that way.

Source: Forbes

Research team concludes that 3D hurts your eyes

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Gadgets Team

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24 Jul 2011

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Research team concludes that 3D hurts your eyes

For the people whose eyes hurt while watching the latest summer blockbuster on 3D screens – it’s not just you. A research team at the University of California, Berkeley has concluded that viewing content on a stereo 3D display hurts both your eyes and brain. Author Martin S. Banks writes that “when watching stereo 3D displays, the eyes must focus — that is, accommodate — to the distance of the screen because that’s where the light comes from. At the same time, the eyes must converge to the distance of the stereo content, which may be in front of or behind the screen.” Banks, who is also a professor of optometry and vision science, wrote the entry on a Journal of Vision article: The Zone of Comfort: Predicting Visual Discomfort with Stereo Displays. Additionally, content viewed from short distances (like 3D monitors and soon, 3D mobile phones and tablets) is more uncomfortable the stereo content is placed in front of the screen.

Source: Tech Crunch

HP outs anorexic HP x2301 Micro Thin LED monitor

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Gadgets Team

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24 Jul 2011

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HP outs anorexic HP x2301 Micro Thin LED monitor

Aside from making notebooks, printers, tablets and phones, HP’s also been known for releasing a monitor or two to the general public. The totally anorexic HP x2301 takes being skinny to extremes, being only 8.9mm thick. It boasts full HD resolution (1920x1080p) and superb 8,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. It features a translucent aquamarine base, brushed anodized aluminum accents and micro-slim design, taking the artof display into a new level. While we’re not sure how much this baby is going to set you back when you do decide to grab one yourself, we’re already readying our wallet.

Play the records on your wall… on your wall.

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Gadgets Team

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24 Jul 2011

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Play the records on your wall… on your wall.

There’s nothing like going analogue and oldschool. So what if you can experience all of those “oldies but goodies” while saving on desk space? Ionaudio introduces the VERTICAL VINYL wall-mountable turntable, the turntable that lets you play your records sideways.

Using the built-in speaker with volume control, you can now listen and play any record. Just choose between 33 or 45 RPM platter speeds with the 45 adaptor included. VERTICAL VINYL is also battery powered so you don’t have to worry about those ugly wires cluttering your wall. You can also play it on your tabletop. But then it wouldn’t be as cool now, would it?

KEY FEATURES:

Wall-mounted turntable plays records vertically
Onboard speakers with volume control
33/45 RPM with 45 adaptor
Battery powered for no wires when mounted
Ideal where space is limited
Optional AC adaptor available separately

INCLUDES

Vertical Vinyl Turntable
(4) AA Batteries
Quickstart Guide
Safety/Warranty manual
45 adapter

Source: ionaudio

Week in Review: July 18 – 22

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Gadgets Team

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23 Jul 2011

0

The previous week was a doozy, and if you haven’t read the latest news and some of the reviews that graced our pages don’t fret – we’re looking back at the most important stories that you might have missed.

Reviews:

Acer Iconia Tab A500

HTC ChaCha

Sony VAIO F

News: