Petalite Flux External Phone Charger

Nowadays smartphones have acquired a big role in our lives. Everybody wishes to be connected 24 x 7. It has become the demand of this era. Many telecommunication companies have contributed to the tech- world some of the smartest phones the world has witnessed with lots more to come. Apart from just calling and receiving messages we have come a long way, where all the functionality of computers are incorporated in it. When a device promises such wonders it is no doubt that there will be a certain limitation to it. The greatest limitation anyone can find in these smart devices is the power consumption factor. These smartphones consume power at a very fast rate and it is quite troublesome to plug a charger in it every few hours. The solution to this problem is proposed by Leigh Purnell, a graduate from Aston University, with his invention petalite flux external phone charger.

Dubbed as the Petalite Flux battery, it needs only 15 minutes to recharge and change from being empty to full. It is very light and small and can fit easily in one's pocket or a small bag. The tiny pocket-sized device relieves a user from plugging into a computer USB slot nor a wall electricity socket. When the phone battery runs out, the only thing that one can do is to connect his phone to the Flux battery. In 2014, Purnell established Petalite Battery Systems with the intention of creating the world’s fastest charging external battery. The Flux battery will soon be launched on the Indiegogo crowd funding website. However, this is not the first attempt in this field. Recently, a new battery pack (also commonly referred to as a power-bank) was claimed to charge-up sufficiently in 15 minutes to be able to recharge most smartphones completely. Made by UNU Electronics, the Ultrapak Portable Battery Pack Series is claimed to gain 2000mAh of power with just 15 minutes of charging. 

When asked Leigh about the inspiration for this device, he contemplates that he founded Petalite to permanently remove the stress and worry of having a mobile phone on low battery when you are out and about. It is an increasingly large problem in modern life, especially if you are relying on your phone to direct you somewhere or are waiting for important information to be sent to you. In 2014, Leigh established Petalite Battery Systems with the intention of creating the world’s fastest charging external battery. He has been supported in his mission by the Birmingham Skills for Enterprise and Employability Network (BSEEN) programme, which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund. The tubular Petalite Flux weighs in at 95 g and measures 90 x 30 x 30 mm. While this smaller size will mean easier transport. With a capacity of 2,600 mAh, the Petalite reaches a 100 percent charge in 15 minutes and also powers your smartphone or tablet through Micro USB or Apple's Lightning connector.  It certainly makes this device what we can truly called “portable”.

Glove One: Wear Your Cellphone Like a Glove

Recently the world has witnessed many crazy inventions. Researches have become so advanced that the ideas which were once a mere concept are being materialized and along with it new concept are being generated which, no doubt, one day become reality. Among these new budding ideas, there is a constant increase in concepts regarding wearable technology. It is certainly an approach to make devices fashionable acceptable in addition to being smarter. We are moving on to the age of perfection where we want a device to fulfill all such requirement and the demands are ever increasing. One such conceptual phone has emerged promising to fit right in your hand, and I mean literally right in the hand. A phone that can be worn as a glove. The Glove One.

The universal hand signal for talking on the phone is generally the index finger pointing toward the ear and the last toward the mouth, with the middle and ring fingers folded. Though we know most cellphones (and even home phones) don’t abide by this design anymore, one artist has adapted a glove-like phone that requires the user to hold that motion to use it. Using recycled electronic parts and custom-made circuits, Milwaukee-based artist Brian Cera developed the Glove One design as a wearable mobile communication device. In Cera’s mind, using a cellphone sacrifices the hand to hold it — so why not wear the phone so you can keep both hands usable? Maybe he’s never heard of Bluetooth ear pieces. But it would be quite cool to have such a phone for a change. Bryan Cera, a Master's student at the Peck School of the Arts in Milwaukee, crafted Glove One, a glove-like contraption that doubles as a phone. The “wearable mobile communication device” is also art; Bryan says it represents the sacrifices we might make for social media and technology.

Glove One is a perfect example of the lengths we’re willing to go to stay plugged-in. Cera says his glove is not meant to be used by everyone on the planet, rather makes a statement that the creation represents a future where smartphones have become an actual part of our bodies, and our hands become a vestigial limb replaced by a handset. It sounds very Star Trek-like, but according to Cera, It presents a futile and fragile technology with which to augment ourselves. A cell phone which, in order to use, one must sacrifice their hand. It is both the literalization of Sherry Turkle’s notion of technology as a “phantom limb”, in how we augment ourselves as well as a celebration of the freedom we seek in our devices. All of the One Glove’s parts are 3D printed, and the SIM card slots into the glowing center of the gadget. Each joint on the fingers hosts a button to represent the different keys on a normal phone, and holding a button on the pinkie finger switches it on. Simply dial the number you wish to call on your fingers (the glove will read back the number you pressed), and it will place your call.

Now You can be Pals with a Robot: Palro

Robotics and telecommunication industries have always been in competition neck to neck. If one comes up with a new design, the other is bound to show the world they are not far behind. It is like a constant silent waging war. We have witnessed loads of new telecommunication technology recently hitting the market, some crazy some awe inspiring. So now it was the time for robots to answer, and they have indeed provided a strong one too. Robotics is itself a branch with vast expanses that have yet to be explored. One such step to move further is taken by FujiSoft. They have produced a magnificent example of humanoid robot, the Palro.

Given Japan’s rapidly aging population, efforts are accelerating to devise more practical and affordable robots to help seniors handle daily tasks, as well as to cope with a projected shortage of caregivers. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s government has allocated ¥2.39 billion in the fiscal 2013 budget to assist the development of such robots and increase their use. “I find them very effective,” Akira Kobayashi, head of the Fuyouen senior citizens’ home in Yokohama, said, referring to the Palro humanoid robot and the Paro therapy bot that looks like a baby seal. Palro is short for pal + robot. The machines since last year have been leased to the residence free of charge under a separate project initiated by the Kanagawa Prefectural Government to promote the use of such nursing devices. The prefectural government also has leased a motorized exoskeleton suit called HAL, or Hybrid Assistive Limb, which allows the operator to walk and perform other activities more easily, to a local hospital to aid rehabilitation programs. At the Fuyouen home, the 40-cm tall Palro provides recreation services to residents by playing games and quizzes, singing and dancing with them.

The little creature has obviously mastered our language quite quickly and can be seen below chatting with an even more robotic humanoid about such idle things as the weather, career aspirations, and just how great PALRO is. PALRO's 39 centimeters tall (just over a foot), and boasts a 1.6GHz CPU Intel Atom CPU, 1 GB of RAM, 4 GB of flash memory, a 3 MP camera, Wi-Fi, 802.11 b/g/n, and a lithium ion battery to top it all off. He's also equipped with a 3 megapixel webcam Inside that barrel chest is a full-fledged PC with an Atom Z530 processor and an Ubuntu kernel keeping everything in check. It's available as ever for educational and research institutions for about $3,600. Considering PALRO has 20 DOF, a camera, 4 directional microphones, a speaker, LED arrays in its head and chest, 4 pressure sensors in each foot, 3-axis gyro sensor and an accelerometer. It is also skilled with voice recognition. During the press conference, PALRO responded to verbal commands through speech recognition (“step back” and “introduce yourself”), and demonstrated its face recognition software by visually identifying three people at once. PALRO seems to have a lot of the same software features for 1/6th the price.

Nokia Lumia 630 (Dual-SIM): First look

Just yesterday, Microsoft announced the new Windows Phone 8.1 update at its BUILD conference highlighting some amazing new features that will be coming along with the update. With the new update, Nokia also announced two new devices which will be running on WP 8.1 out of the box.
Today, Microsoft and Nokia, in a quick move, held a special event in India where we got a quick preview of the new update and also got to play with the first Windows Phone 8.1 device that will soon be launched in India. The Nokia Lumia 630 is the company’s latest smartphone and is said to replace the current budget Windows Phone device, the Lumia 525. The smartphone runs on a Snapdragon 400 quad-core processor clocked at 1.2GHz but with a mere 512MB of RAM. When asked about not having 1GB of RAM, Nokia officials responded that the new processor provides enough power for the fluid functioning on the OS. Apart from that, the smartphone will come with 8GB of internal storage (which can be expanded via a microSD card), a 4.5-inch ClearBlack display with 480x854 pixels resolution and Gorilla Glass 3 protection, a 5MP camera, and an 1830mAh battery. Nokia will launch the phone in single and dual-SIM variants.
The design of the Lumia 630 follows Nokia’s nice colourful and matte plastic back which can be popped out and replaced easily. The design is quite similar to the Nokia X, only with much more curved edges. The dimensions make it perfect for one hand operation and feels quite comfortable. The new update runs very smooth on the smartphone and thanks to the new keyboard update, typing is amazingly fast.  The camera is just average as it manages to get decent shots in good lighting conditions, and there is no flash unit onboard. There is no front camera (just like the Lumia 525) either.

Overall, the Lumia 630 seems to be a good and smart looking update to the Lumia 525 essentially due to the new WP 8.1 update. Nokia hasn’t confirmed the release date yet but we are presuming that it will arrive in stores before June. Regarding the price, the phone was announced at $159 which could mean that it will be somewhere around Rs.12,000-14,000.

Source-DIGIT.

ClearView Clio: World's first and only Transparent Speaker!

ClearView Audio has unveiled its Clio Bluetooth wireless speaker at CES 2014. The speakers boast of a unique "invisible" design that consists of an ultra-thin, arched acrylic glass transducer.

The Bluetooth speakers provide a cord and clutter free experience. The device has a Bluetooth front and center but on the back there is a line-in for any non Bluetooth devices. The speaker's design allows for it to output sound in multiple directions and has mute, volume up/down, and Bluetooth buttons on its side.

ClearView speakers use a moving cone and membrane to produce sound, and has a setup that includes thin panel of acrylic glass and actuators. The actuators cause the glass to vibrate, that produces sound waves. The glass is freestanding and radiates sound evenly around the speaker. ClearView Audio also supports its patented "Edge Motion" audio system in the speaker, that pushes sound from the side of the device.

"ClearView Audio’s patented Edge Motion audio systems use a differentiating mechanical principal to generate sound. Instead of pushing from behind, like a traditional cone speaker does, Edge Motion-driven speakers actuate a thin membrane along the side in a manner that creates an extremely efficient, piston-like motion in front. The result is a speaker system which is thin and lightweight with the ability to produce a rich, full sound across the audio range." the official website states.

Clio is available for pre-order on the company's web site, with an expected shipping date in May. The device is available in three colors (Silver, Charcoal, or Dark Bronze) and costs $349.00.

Source-DIGIT.

Sony’s Lens-Style Camera: DSLR Quality in a Smartphone

Smartphone is a synonym for a magic box. There is hardly any task that a smart phone cannot do. One peculiar feature that people usually keep in mind while looking for a smartphone is its camera quality. Certainly SLR and DSLR camera are quite off the hook because of the price and delicacy. They are not preferred by many. But what if we could turn our normal smartphone into an extraordinary DSLR quality camera! Sounds weird but is actually not. Sony has come up with a magnificent accessory to realize this concept. With such a tense competition among different companies to shine in the market, Sony has taken this race extremely serious. Sony has developed smartphone attachable lens-style camera Cyber-shot DSC-QX100/DSC-QX10. This accessory powers up your camera with extra features to further enhance shooting comfort. It can easily be connected with the mobile device and enables you to share images directly from your camera. This has revolutionized the field of photography by completely altering the orientation of camera, you can control the DSC-QX100 / DSC-QX10 from your smartphone, even when it’s not mounted. You can shoot in limited spaces and from extreme angles that were previously impossible.

 

 The estimated price of the Cyber-shot DSC-QX100 and the DSC-QX10 in India is INR 24,990 and INR 12,990 respectively. The lens cameras lack a viewfinder but can be attached to smart devices and paired with them through Wi-Fi or NFC, following which photos and videos can be shot with the help of Sony's PlayMemories app, which is available for both iOS and Android converting the device's screen into a real-time viewfinder. The same app lets users tinker with camera settings, coming with the ability to release the shutter, start or stop movie recordings, and adjust common photographic settings like shooting mode, zoom, Auto Focus area and others. Once pictures or videos are taken, they can be saved directly on both the phone and the camera or either, and can be shared instantly via social media or other common mobile applications. If the lens is not paired with the device, pictures and videos can be saved on a microSD card or a memory stick on the camera lens.

 This accessory provides a great help when shooting photographs in dimly lit environments, Sony's 18.2-megapixel Exmor R sensor collects light from the lens. Featuring back illumination technology, the sensor increases light sensitivity and combines with Sony's Column A/D Conversion to reduce noise by half. Additionally, the camera has built-in Optical SteadyShot image stabilisation to combat camera shake, keeping handheld pictures and videos steady and blur-free. It has Program Auto, Intelligent Auto and Superior Auto modes to choose from, and will be available in two different colours - black and white. Sony is the world's No. 1 manufacturer of image sensors for digital cameras and video recorders (based on Sony research from April 2012 to March 2013 that shows Sony has a 50% market share) so the image quality is assured.

Watch? No! It’s a Computer

Sony has clearly marked its presence in the gadget’s market. With the new step inventions springing out from Sony technologies every other day, has strongly put forward the fact that this company has come to stay in the spotlight. Recently Sony has contributed some marvelous products to the gizmo’s corner: from personal 3-D viewer to lens-style camera, and still it has more in store for gadget lovers. Gone are the days when desktops were the commodities of the rich. The trend has moved on from heavy computers to desktops, to laptops, to tablets and now the mesmerizing wrist computers. Yes! Sony is currently working with full force on this very concept and claim to bring it to reality till 2020.

 

Our present need for internet connectivity is so profound that secondary devices like the Nextep Computer are bound to happen. Developed to be worn as a bracelet, this computer concept is constructed out of a flexible OLED touchscreen. We like being connected no matter where we are, so computers, cell phones and wireless networking gadgets will no doubt keep getting more portable and easier to use when we’re away from home. The mind-boggling design of this device was created by Hiromi Kiriki as the next generation of ultra-portable computers. The OLED screens would let the Sony Nextep roll up to conform to the shape of the wearer’s wrist. When in use, the computer folds out to expose its twin holographic projector screens and split pull-out keyboard. It’s designed to keep you connected to your social networking sites at all times, so you’re never more than a few folds and clicks away from your online network. This gadget is the new definition of COOL!

Looking at pictures behind the concept computer, it seems it would have 3G connectivity allowing for wireless data and possibly voice calling. There is even a camera a wearer can use by simply pointing and shooting with their wrist. The prototypes are being tested now, if it were to be sold now it would cost about $20,000. But in the year 2020 the planned cost is $300. That isn’t too much for a device that looks so impressive and promises such extravagant features. But price is always a subject of market risks, so the estimated put forward right now might not be an accurate one. This potential computer by Sony raises a lot of hopes as its design is very capable of supporting various apps along with other user friendly features. The bracelet device can be converted into a tablet with three display units and two additional keyboard panels, however, it is not ascertained whether it would also double up as a mobile device, although there is a high probability that it might. 

 

 This device is set to hit the market at the peak of Electronics boom in the world. As a result, there is a high probability it will hypnotize the business camps with its handy and sleek design and portability. It will be an instant task handler and much more than we can hope for.