LifeInPocket unveils new powerful app for BlackBerry

iPhone users, don’t be too smug and think that your Apple-powered handset is more or less the de facto standard for smartphones, capable of handling just about anything and everything that you throw at it. No sir, the BlackBerry does have its fair share of supporters with a growing fan base which ought to keep Apple executives looking over their shoulders. Today, LifeInPocket has just announced that they have a new powerful app for the BlackBerry platform which offers the ability of hundreds of tiny, bite-sized advanced apps while remaining small, fast, fully personalized, powerful and best of all, free. Yep, you read that right – you need not fork out more than you should to be productive.

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Zenmo DeskBook Pro Docking Station

Many people would love to have all the power and flexibility that a desktop PC can provide on a notebook or even netbook platform that is light enough to tote around, but current technology still cannot offer that to the masses as desktop replacement notebooks are more often than not way too heavy to lug around on a conference floor (CES attendees ought to know that), while netbooks are too casual for serious on-the-go working moments. A middle ground comes in the form of a notebook docking station which, while it won’t be able to offer all the characteristics of a powerful desktop, it is capable of addressing the connectivity options of a notebook by expanding it with a fair number of additional ports while helping keep your notebook running nice and cool. Enter the DeskBook Pro Docking Station from Zenmo which we’ll look at in further detail right after the jump.

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The Only Botanical Air Purifier

If you’re concerned about the air within your home becoming healthy and free of toxins, finding an air purifier isn’t difficult.  However, this one goes for a slightly different angle on how it goes about cleaning the air you breathe.  Instead of going about things the usual way, it actually uses a plant’s natural phytoremediation capabilities to do the job.

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Fragrance Diffuser Lamp is touch-controlled

Sometimes houses just have a mysterious smell.  Be it due to pets or because you can’t seem to find that pizza box from last week.  Either way, sometimes you really need your place to smell nice to impress the occasional important person.  These lamps will not only offer you a nice reading lamp, but it’ll also subtly fill your home with an aroma to disguise any strange smells.

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Interactive Toy Concepts Skidoo RC Snowmobile

Remote controlled cars are always fun, but come wintertime they’re isolated to the indoors.  It’s not the wisest to take your brand new RC car and put it in a bunch of wet snow.  Then parents are stuck listening to the car run into walls indoors instead of being able to send the kids outdoors with it.  However, if they have this Skidoo RC Snowmobile, the kids wouldn’t be stuck inside.

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TomTom XXL 540S World Traveler Edition

TomTom needs no introduction when it comes to GPS navigation devices, and they have just introduced yet another model for the masses – this time round it will be the TomTom XXL 540S World Traveler Edition that will see action in vehicles of those who pick one up. This is a special edition of the TomTom XXL family of products, where drivers are able to enjoy the entire gamut of TomTom’s premium technologies, ranging from optimal routing to having the latest maps of the U.S., Canada and Europe, all enjoyed over the more generous 5″ display, making it perfect for those with failing vision to not miss a turn (well, there is always voice guidance with such devices these days anyways to further help you out).

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Oyster hydro-electric wave energy device

The world is your oyster, or so the saying goes. Well, soon the Oyster might help save the world, especially when it comes in the form of a hydro-electric wave energy device and not an edible one. Being the largest working hydro-electric wave energy device in the world, the Oyster has just been officially launched in Scotland, having been stationed at the European Marine Energy Center (EMEC) Billia Croo site near Stromness, churning out juice round the clock. How does the Oyster ensure it creates clean energy? Well, it pumps high pressure water to its onshore hydro-electric turbine which in turn is fed into the national grid, helping provide homes in nearby Orkney and beyond with enough juice to keep them running.
This device is wave energy company Aquamarine Power’s first demonstration-scale wave energy device, and the company strongly believes that a farm comprising of 20 such Oysters is capable of providing an amount of energy equivalent to power 9,000 three bedroom family homes – that’s a whole lot when you think about it, and we hope that other countries will be able to see the advantage of such a set up and start making their own arrangements to fit the Oyster in where possible. Specially designed to capture the energy found in near-shore waves in water depths between 10-16 meters (33-54ft), the Oyster has minimal moving parts in order to increase reliability and efficiency while all electrical components are placed onshore, resulting in it being robust enough to withstand the rigors of Scotland’s harsh seas.

Of course, countries which do not have the geographical capacity to accommodate an Oyster will have to turn towards other forms of renewable energy sources, but we do hope that the installation of the Oyster will in no way impact surrounding marine life negatively. We do hope to see more of such green ideas hit the market on a large scale basis so that we have an earth to pass down to our kids.

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Etch A Sketch Freestyle makes curved lines easy

Those of you that thought some toys were far too sacred and classic to be updated should probably look away, because you’re probably not going to like this one. Instead of your kids playing with the same old version of Etch A Sketch that’s been around for years, they can have a fresh new version. A version that basically takes any and all challenge out of drawing pictures on the screen.

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Headtime Scalp Massager

Hey, isn’t that Reese Witherspoon? I didn’t know she was into biking and drinking honey tea! Seriously, it’s some model wearing the Headtime scalp massager.




Yes, it is supposed to make your head feel better, but I guarantee that it won’t make it look better. In fact, if you were to look at the inside of the helmet, you might not feel so good at all.



There is about 29 silicon balls for acupressure and 34 ceramic balls. I believe that these little spinners have these soft spikes on them. I believe that the purpose of it is to spin and soothe your aching brow. Apparently, this is much better than someone else rubbing your head to relieve you of your pain. I’m guessing that it won’t get caught in your hair, or only bald people like Lex Luthor could use it.

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Michael Jackson 3D scan up for auction

In 1997, Michael Jackson had a 3D scan taken of his body. Some have supposed that this was part of Michael’s plan to build a virtual reality double of himself, but honestly, we don’t know.




After all, this was the man who slept in a plastic tube during the eighties. Who knew what was on his mind? Considering all the controversy surrounding him with his court cases, maybe we don’t want to know.



Still, this 3D scan data has been put on sale by an anonymous seller for one million dollars. This seller says that: “it [the 3D scan] immortalized him at the age of 37, before his nose was disfigured and when he was in the prime of life”. Really? The prime of his life was in 1997? I would have thought it would have been during that “Thriller” or “Bad” era.

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Tio Light Switch teaches kids about energy conservation

Kids are notorious for leaving lights on. They don’t have the burden of knowing how high that energy bill really is when they constantly leave the lights on within rooms they aren’t using. This light switch was probably created to save the earth, but it might be nice to have purely to save your sanity. With this visual reminder of how much energy is being used, it might help you keep your energy bill down.

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Three-Tuner Moxi HD DVR coming this holiday season

ARRIS has just announced their latest three-tuner version of the Moxi HD DVR that ought to arrive in time for the upcoming holiday season. With the world economy still in the doldrums despite positive news trickling from here and there, surely the coming Christmas season won’t see a mad rush? Or will people stick to tradition and just let their hair down in the coming month, worrying more about whether they have gifts for everyone in mind instead of learning to stretch that ever-depreciating dollar. Well, good news for those who want a HD DVR as the three-tuner Moxi HD DVR is raring to make its debut.




What is the new three-tuner Moxi HD DVR capable of doing anyways, you ask? For starters, it allows for recording of three channels simultaneously – all of these happening while you’re watching a fourth recorded program. You can pick it up in a Moxi HD DVR plus Moxi Mate bundle for $799. As for those who are on a tighter budget and want the two-tuner Moxi HD DVR that was introduced earlier this year instead, you’ll be pleased to know that the former $799 price point has dropped to just $499. Apart from that, you can also opt for the three-room multi-room bundle option that sees a three-tuner Moxi HD DVR and two Moxi Mates that can serve three rooms for a dollar under one grand.



Some of the key specifications and features available on the Moxi HD DVR include :-



A native HD interface and Emmy award-winning Moxi Menu

Up to 75 hours of HD recording space or up to 300 hours at standard definition, and expandable to 6.5 Terabytes for up to 1000 hours of HD recording with an external eSATA drive

Access to many Internet services consumers already use, such as Rhapsody, Flickr and online video from Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube via DLNA server software such as PlayOn (currently provided at no charge) running on their PC

Multi-room viewing with the Moxi Mate and the ability to record three channels simultaneously while watching a fourth recorded program on the three-tuner version of the Moxi HD DVR

Remote and mobile browser scheduling to set recordings while away from home

MoxiNet for full-screen web browsing and Superticker – a ticker widget that provides information, such as weather, sports scores and news along the bottom of the screen

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Darth Vader Robotic Arm

You know that young Anakin Skywalker had one of his arms sliced off during his first encounter with Count Dooku, right? Well, at least he has the advantage of a robotic arm to help him live a normal life.

The Darth Vader Robotic Arm kit shows you how to build a robotic arm and lets you grip and move real objects with interactive controls. The arm assembles quickly with snap-together parts, and includes a stand with built-in controls. Authentic Darth Vader styling means that, once built, the Darth Vader Robotic Arm becomes a totally cool piece of room decoration for any Star Wars fan, young or old.



It will cost you £28.99 to bring home this Darth Vader Robotic Arm that features gripping, turning, and extending ability, alongside the added bonus of holding lightweight objects – like say, a replica lightsaber?

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Pocket Radar lets you track speeds conveniently

Before the only ones that were typically able to toy with radar were police officers with bulky radar guns. Now you can have your own radar system, except this kind won’t weigh you down. You can tuck it away in your pocket and take it out whenever you’re in dire need of a device to clock the speed of something. It’s not limited to cars either, you can even track the speed of a baseball thrown by one of your buddies.

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Real calculators designed to resemble your desktop calculators

Even if you’re used to using both a Mac and a PC, for some reason you’ll probably start to acquire a preference as to which calculator you prefer. The one within Windows or the one you would use through Mac OS. Either way you’ll get the same numbers, but for one reason or another you might find one of them more convenient than the other. Well these calculators take the in-computer versions and make them real.

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BlockBuster to put Movies on SD cards

Blockbuster definitely felt the pain when Netflix caught on, and it has been years since I have been to a Blockbuster video outlet. (Probably because most of them have closed down.) I generally use that whole RedBox thing, assuming I even want to rent a movie these days.




Yes, it seems that Blockbuster was a little slow to realize that the days of traditional movie rentals is ending, but they have a new plan that could easily put them on top, as far as video rentals are concerned.



Blockbuster intends to start a new program that would involve the kiosks that you see here. All you would need to do is insert your own SD card, and then pick what movie you want to watch.



The movie is then loaded onto that card, and you can take it with you and watch it on whatever media that you prefer. These movies are DRMed and will expire after a certain date, so you don’t have to worry about returning the movie at all.

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The ScentBug Home Fragrance Oil Fan

We’ve all seen those ridiculous scent filled contraptions that promise to fill your home with your favorite smell. They all seem to have that same look, so everyone will know exactly what they are as soon as they see them. Well these are still filled with your favorite smell, but they don’t look quite as obvious as the rest that you usually find at the grocery store. This looks more hi-tech and actually comes in several different colors.

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Brando’s SPY Wireless Camera Pen comes with PMP

This would not be the first time we reported on a Spy Camera Pen, and it probably won’t be the last, either. Normally, spy stuff made for the consumer looks pretty shabby compared to the technology in James Bond or Mission Impossible movies, but this one from our old friends at Brando looks quite decent.




The SPY Wireless Camera Pen + PMP comes in two parts, a transmitter and a receiver. The Transmitter is the pen itself, that transmits with 2.4 GHz. It has a rechargeable battery powered by USB and shoots 640 x 480 video with a lens that no one would ever see unless they looked really close. The lens is positioned perfectly for secret shooting in one’s breast pocket.



The receiver is essentially a PMP with a 3.5 inch screen. Not only can it pick up what the camera is seeing, but it is good for playing all kinds of formats, such as MP3, WMA, MP4, FLV, not to mention JPEGs and e-books. It has 2GB worth of memory built in to it, and expandable with the TF/Micro SD Card slot. It also has a TV out so you can see what you want on a bigger screen.

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Seiko Ocean Theater Alarm Clock lets you sleep with the fishes

Most clocks are just fine with merely playing the sounds of the ocean to lull you into a deep sleep. Well this Seiko clock takes things even further than that. Instead of just playing the sounds, it projects images of the ocean onto your bedroom wall. Of course, it does that along with the time, it is still a clock after all. It doesn’t just project a pretty picture on the wall either, the fish in the picture actually react to your touch

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Ford announces inflatable seatbelts in 2010 models

See if you can figure out what differentiates the two dummies in the photo to the left. If you said that one of them has an inflatable seat belt, then you are correct! (Of course, that is not the only difference, but that is neither here nor there.)




These inflatable seatbelts are part of Ford’s push to make our automobiles a little more safer from accidents. They will be available starting next year, making their debut in the 2010 Ford Explorer. (I think that most car companies have already released their 2010 models by now, so this should be available now.)



Ford has said that they want the inflatable seat belts to be the standard for all of their cars, and hope that they will succeed in their design of reducing head, chest, and neck injuries. By the way, my source says that these new inflatable seatbelts are considered to be “more comfortable”, but it doesn’t say whether that is before or after they are inflated.

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Infractor is an innovative way of research

This next device is odd, to say the least, but I can see how it would come in handy. There is a video of it after the jump if you want to see it in action, but it won’t make sense without a little bit of explanation.




Here’s how it works. You begin with a “light source” that is really a database of some information, like the New York Times, for example. This source is placed on a table that is probably best described as a Microsoft Surface (but isn’t).



This source shines a light with visible particles that essentially contains all the information of on that database. From there, the user can physically place a “prism” that filters out all the information except a certain subject. That subject can be pre-determined by the user by a jog wheel.

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More Courier details leaked

Details about Microsoft’s alleged bookish tablet PC are beginning to surface, and with every bit leaked, the anticipation rises. Courier, the dual screen tablet which we reported about here a few months back, looks more like a book reader should look, but also enables a “cliff notes” representation of the data files saved on it, but also contains a searchable “journal overview” which enables users to search by subject, keyword, or other criteria.

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Samsung Convoy to arrive on Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless will be offering the Samsung Convoy handset for those living Stateside, where this rugged Push to Talk device with military specifications was specially constructed in a manner to withstand the harshest of elements while working just fine. You will find that the Convoy comes with a high-quality stereo speaker, extended battery life and multiple messaging options that enable it to remain connected despite operating under the toughest conditions. Among the other specifications of the Samsung Convoy include :-




Meets military specifications 810F standards for shock and dust resistance, vibration, salt fog, humidity, solar radiation, altitude and low and high temperature storage

Push to Talk capabilities

1300 mAh for long battery life

VZ Navigator support

2.0 megapixel camera with Night Shot, panorama, color effects and more

Bluetooth version 2.1 wireless technology

Support for headset (mono and stereo), hands-free, dial-up networking, serial port, object push (vCard and vCalendar only), basic image, basic printing and phonebook access

Personal organizer with calendar, tip calculator, currency converter, notepad, alarm clock, world clock and stop watch

Expect to fork out $49.99 for the Samsung Convoy after a $50 mail-in rebate alongside a standard 2-year customer agreement. The Samsung Convoy will be made available from November 15th onwards.

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LG Chocolate Touch from Verizon Wireless

So you’ve heard about a brand new kind of chocolate in town that won’t help lower your blood pressure due to the presence of anti-oxidants, especially when this is the type of chocolate which requires you to fork out a monthly subscription fee. We’re talking about the LG Chocolate Touch here that is available from Verizon Wireless, boasting qualities that will make audiophiles happy thanks to its patented Dolby Mobile feature that offers a dramatically richer listening experience with its potent bass and sparkling clarity. Among the other functions of the LG Chocolate Touch include :-




FM radio with 12 presets

Integrated Song ID

Dedicated side key for easy access to favorite songs

Bluetooth-capabilities

“Join the Band” feature

The “Join the Band” piano function allows customers to play along on a full scrolling 88-key keyboard

Dolby Mobile equalizer

Touchscreen display

Access to Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and other social networking sites

3.2 megapixel camera

Expect to exchange $79.99 with a $50 mail-in rebate for the LG Chocolate Touch in a new two-year customer agreement that is on a Nationwide Calling Plan.

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Power Duo Reserve iPod and iPhone charger by Griffin

I’m not one of those people who always has to listen to an iPod all day, but if I was, then I’m sure I would forget to charge it. Hopefully, you can carry around a backup charger handy.




According to Griffin’s website, their PowerDuo Reserve is “the industry’s most trusted AC and 12 volt chargers”. The included portable battery is designed for the iPod and iPhone.



All you have to do is magnetically lock the small battery pack to the car charger or AC adapter, and the tiny green lights let the user known when it is charged. Later, when you are listening to your iPod and see that its battery is getting low, just plug in the charged battery pack for a little more juice.

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Belkin Cushdesk comforts your laptop and your lap

We have already covered Belkin’s Series of Comfort Mice, and I was able to check out another Belkin product that improves user comfort on their computers.




I suppose that the CushDesk doesn’t really need any explanation as to what it does, nor is it anything really advanced. However, it solves that universal problem of putting a laptop on your lap and beating that “hotseat effect”. It is the same effect that happens whenever you have a cat laying on your lap. At first, it is quite warm and comforting, but after a while, you just want to throw it off.

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