hey guys i decide to part with my ipod touch its about 3 weeks old and in excelent condition no scratches from what i can see i kept it in a case the day i got it. purchased it from best buys also a mirror screen protector was purchased the day of the ipod so the bare screen has never been touch by any fingers, as you can see from the pics I am not only including everything that came with the ipod but, upgraded earphones, the mic ones, just incase you are interested in calling on your ipod or something, every thing you see in the pic is included: dock station thingy, usb cable, cleaning cloth, extra screen protector and of course the mic headphones, for the bonus iam including a free Cect iphone clone this little gadget is pretty awesome it can play mp4s, mp3s, internet,2 mega pixle camera ,and i believe java games. A little sign of use in the back but nothing big, same as above every thing in pic is include, car charger, wall charger, skin, carrying leather case, USB cable and i didn’t get a pic of it but i am also including a brand new micro sd card so if your interested just give me a email you can reach me at joshua.rodriguez63@yahoo.com. thank+you ;)
Attached Images media1.jpeg (68.7 KB) !BTfNY6gBmk~$(KGrHgoH-DcEkJw1)bDiBKIu54VP)w~~_1.JPG (12.1 KB)

It’s not easy to launch a successful WebEx competitor. Most businesses have long since established their “system” for dealing with web meetings, using old standbys like WebEx or GoToMeeting. And those businesses that are willing to venture into the unknown have had plenty of cheaper alternatives to choose from, like DimDim, for quite a while. But that isn’t keeping CallWave from launching one of its own, dubbed Fuze Meeting. And while it’s not going to be an easy space to compete in, Fuze Meeting doesn’t disappoint.

As far as startups go, the history of the company is pretty unique. CallWave was founded in 1998 and went public in 2004, trading on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol CALL. After reaching a peak soon thereafter of over $15 per share, the stock dropped steadily, dipping as low as 50 cents early this year. Deciding to cut its losses, the company delisted itself from NASDAQ on Monday after buying back shares from public shareholders at a 44% premium over the current market value and paying out a total of $10 million. CMO Patrick Moran says that the company did this on its own accord, and that its hand wasn’t pushed by any banks or VCs. CallWave will soon change its name to Fuze Box to reflect its new position as a startup.

While all of this has been going on, CallWave has been building the “fuze platform” that powers Fuze Meeting, which it’s pitting as a sleeker, lighter, and cheaper alternative to services like WebEx. Last fall, the company decided to show off an early version of the product to some press, perhaps prematurely (it was labeled as “incomplete” by CNET). Finally in May, a full eight months after making its public debut, Fuze Meeting finally became commercially available. And only now that the company’s financial wranglings are complete is it ready to really announce it to the public.

I played around with the complete version yesterday, and for the most part I was impressed. The application is slick and intuitive, and unlike some other screen sharing apps, Fuze Meeting requires no plugins — it should work on just about any browser, and also offers support for both the iPhone and BlackBerry. Screen sharing supports high resolution video sharing, allowing presenters to jump to any point in the video as each participant’s screen is updated in real time. Presenters can also annotate video frames, which will likely appeal to marketing organizations.

While the service is currently working on acquiring free users, it is going to operate under a subscription model of $29 a month, or 12 cents per minute for users who would prefer to pay as they go. This is substantially cheaper than WebEx, but other less well known alternatives sport similar price points, so cost won’t be the only thing Fuze can rely on to differentiate itself.

If you’d like to see a video of the service in action, check out the clip below. Warning: it features Moran’s kids, and may be too cute to handle.

Fuze Meeting from Patrick Moran on Vimeo.

Crunch Network: MobileCrunch Mobile Gadgets and Applications, Delivered Daily.

Okay, it’s not exactly the Camp David Summit that took place in 2000 between the Israelis and the Palestinians, but sometimes the littlest gestures can go a long way.

A couple of days ago, upon hearing that Microsoft had officially joined Twitter, the official Linux account sent out a tweet welcoming them. “Welcome to Twitter, @Microsoft!,” they said. The tweet sat unanswered for over a day, and it seemed like Microsoft may never answer. But about a few hours ago, they did. “@Linux thanks, nice to be here,” they replied.

Short, sweet, and to the point. A sign of peace in the operating system ecosystem? Probably not. But it’s something — just look at the shirts that were going around in this war just a few years ago (above).

Twitter is turning into quite the sanctuary for rivals to at least pretend to be nice to each other. Just look at Coke and Pepsi the other day.

[photo: flickr/will hybrid]

[Thanks Russell]

Crunch Network: MobileCrunch Mobile Gadgets and Applications, Delivered Daily.

I don’t recall how the YouTube user Pruane2Forever, aka “Sexman”, came on my radar, but I definitely remember a few of his videos from a couple years ago. (Here’s a old favorite — Not Safe For Work.) Basically, it’s this kid who does movie and new media reviews that are (or at least used to be) unintentionally hilarious. These days, he apparently has quite the following on YouTube, as he has over 150 videos that range in popularity from tens of thousands of views to over a million.

One of his most popular ones was a video from 4 months ago in which he calls out rapper 50 Cent. Sexman wonders how 50 still has “street cred” after doing endorsements for Vitamin Water, makeup and dildos (I’m not kidding). “What else is he gonna do? 50 Cent diapers for your little gangsta?,” Sexman wonders at one point. He concludes that 50 Cent is “just a media whore!”

Well, 50 Cent has responded. Yesterday, the rapper posted a video alongside Sexman, who apparently flew from Canada to New York to meet up at the rapper’s request.

Pure. YouTube. Gold.

Here’s another old classic. Sexman’s review of the latest Rambo review.

[thanks Corentin]

Crunch Network: CrunchGear drool over the sexiest new gadgets and hardware.

Gizmodo acaba de inaugurar una serie de artículos acerca de los gadgets que distintas personas consideran más importantes en su vida, empezando con los de Steve Wozniak, uno de los fundadores de Apple, que en My Most Memorable Gadgets, By Steve Wozniak cita:

• Un juego de electrónica que le regalaron unas navidades, que según recuerda no enseñaba ningún tipo de fórmula ni tan siquiera a leer los valores de las resistencias, pero que le seirvió para aprender cómo conectar cosas unas con otras y las relaciones lógicas que hacían que algo funcionara o no. Imagino que era muy similar al Scatron u otros similares que algunos también recordamos con cariño.
• Una radio de transistores que le regalaron cuando tenía 10 años, que se convirtió en su primera experiencia de lo que era disponer de música que llevar con él cuando quisiera y que años más tarde sustituiría por un Walkman y luego por un iPod.
• El Apple I, que casi considera tan importante como los otros dos, pues siempre había querido su propio ordenador con el que nunca se quedaría sin cosas que hacer.

Menciona también un reloj de pulsera de tubos nixie como el gadget que sin duda más ha llamado la atención de todos los que tiene -a fin de cuentas llevar en la muñeca un reloj que funciona a 140 voltios no es algo muy normal-.

La Mavica, pensada para ver las imágenes en la televisión, y la QuickTake para verlas en el ordenador le parecen dos cámaras digitales significativas, aunque en realidad la Mavica es electrónica pero no digital sino analógica.

Finamente, y a nivel personal, la calculadora HP-35 fue muy importante para él ya que diseñar sus sucesoras fue para él un trabajo increíble.

• littleBits, el «lego» de la electrónica, un sucesor moderno del Scatron.
• Sony Walkman, treinta años de un producto revolucionario, aunque la tecnología moderna lo haya dejado anticuado.
• Gadgets que cambiaron el mundo, otra lista más.

# Enlace Permanente

Ein MP3-Player in Form eines Lego-Bausteins. Finally, all Gadget-Conception has come to an end.

Brick MP3 Player (via Malte)

ARKNAV is slowly but surely making a name for itself in the GPS navigation market, and their latest device would be the R-35 GPS Tracker.

Our extremely compact GPS tracker features a built-in motion sensor and is ideal for movement detection or anti-theft applications with vehicles or other assets. It is so lightweight and compact that it can even be used as a stop-motion detection device for the elderly — with alerts when subjects are not moving. And our tracker can be housed in an optional magnetic waterproof box with either a large rechargeable battery or external I/O power cables for easy attachment to vehicles.

This brings to attention that motion detection is of utmost importance where the elderly or chronically ill are concerned, and with the R-35’s integrated motion sensor, it sounds and looks like the perfect solution for stop-motion detection. Of course, you can also utilize this motion sensor to be set for movement detection for asset or vehicle security.

Press Release
Introducing Foolish Gadgets because not all gadgets are cool
[ ARKNAV offers R-35 GPS Tracker copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Folks who have been looking forward to the Sonos CR200 controller for quite some time now will be pleased to know that the device will be made available to the masses very soon after going through rigorous tests proposed by the FCC suits. This portrait-oriented controller is tipped to come with a touchscreen display that supports an on-screen QWERTY keyboard for easy navigation and typing, making it a snap to look up songs by artist, album, or titles. This certainly does away with the need for a scroll-wheel of sorts. There is no word on pricing for the Sonos CR200 though, so hopefully it won’t make you burn a bigger hole in your wallet than it should.

Source: Engadget
Check out the Coolest Gadgets 2008 Gift Guides, Christmas shopping made easy.
[ Sonos CR200 in the flesh copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

When rechargeable batteries are mentioned, many of us will definitely think about Sanyo and their range of Eneloops that have garnered pretty high ratings from consumers over the years for its reliability and ability to live up to its own advertising in terms of performance. Well, this time round the Japanese electronics giant is back with a new Eneloop lamp - basically a rechargeable light that can function as both an interior lamp and a flashlight. According to Sanyo, “The Kobe earthquake is the starting point. We aimed at designing a shape that is really helpful in case of emergency.”

The lamp itself is weirdly shaped, looking like a bud vase while featuring a maximum diameter of 121mm and a height of 221mm. It comes with a built-in rechargeable battery and LEDs that cater for lighting applications, located at the bottom. Sanyo has decided that it is possible to merge both the functions of an interior lamp and a flashlight, letting you use the device as the former on an almost daily basis, but instantly turning into a vital piece of survival equipment in case of an emergency. Inside the lamp, you will find a couple of Eneloop nickel-metal-hydride batteries that can be fully charged within approximately a dozen hours when placed in a charging stand. Since the self discharge rate is extremely low and slow, chances are pretty good the lamp will still work great and not suffer from battery exhaustion during an emergency.

There is no official pricing details released yet, although some sources have bandied about a ¥15,000 (approximately $156) price point. Sanyo Electric has chosen September 11, 2009, as its release date - we wonder whether it had anything to do with the anniversary of the deadly attacks on the Twin Towers, where such an emergency lamp would come in handy.

Source: Tech On
Introducing Foolish Gadgets because not all gadgets are cool
[ Sanyo unveils eneloop lamp copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Garmin is a well known name when it comes to GPS navigation systems, and their latest foray into the market includes expanding its relationship with BMW Motorrad, where both of them have joined forces to develop the next generation BMW Motorrad Navigator known as the Navigator IV. This is a motorcycle-friendly GPS navigator which will be based on Garmin’s zÅ«mo 660, where it aims to bring out the level best of Garmin’s navigation technology, merging that with exclusive, BMW specific features including a customized mount, preloaded BMW dealer database, unique audio and Bluetooth handling capabilities, and more.

You can tell by the 4.3″ navigator’s screen size alone that this is one highly portable device, boasting a bright touchscreen display which works even when you’re wearing a pair of oh-so-cool leather gloves. Preloaded details include detailed street maps with millions of points of interest, comprising of various locations such as restaurants, gas stations, ATMs, hotels and specific street addresses. Once the rider selects a destination, the system will automatically calculate the best route and spews out turn-by-turn, voice-prompted directions in order to get you to the final destination within the fastest route. You can also listen to the navigator through a compatible Bluetooth enabled helmet or headset thanks to the BMW Motorrad Navigator IV’s stereo (A2DP) Bluetooth wireless technology.

While you’re zipping down the freeway on your favorite 2-wheel vehicle with this, you can easily access trip information straight from the BMW Motorrad Navigator IV’s trip information page, checking out a variety of information including speed, heading, altitude, and a customizable fuel gauge that can be modified to accommodate the motorcycle’s maximum fuel range. Other features include sophisticated routing capabilities that ensure you’re always on the right lane for added safety, alongside arrows that point to the appropriate lane for approaching turns or exits. There is no word on pricing, but the BMW Motorrad Navigator IV is tipped to be out in North America and Europe sometime in Q3 this year.

Press Release
Introducing Foolish Gadgets because not all gadgets are cool
[ Garmin enters into business with Motorcycle OEM copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

This is definitely an overly female product, I’m pretty sure there aren’t many men that could stomach having this on their desk.  For that matter it would take a special breed of female to handle this bright pink flower webcam.  Likely the best candidates to have one of these are the girls that still play with Barbie dolls.  Which for the most part, that bunch is far too young to have a webcam.  However, if you are or know a female that would adore this webcam, it’s at an affordable price.

The webcam is hidden within the big pink flower and then in addition to that it has several LED lights, a total of 12 LED lights to be specific.  Both the light and webcam are on a flexible neck, so you can get the angle just right.  The light itself has a separate switch so you can turn it on and off.  You can also make sure that it won’t easily be knocked over thanks to the suction cup on the bottom of the webcam’s base.  You can purchase it for $24.69 from Uxsight.

Source: Gizmodiva
Coolest Gadgets UK - For all your UK centric tech and gadget news.
[ Lotus USB Webcam with LED light copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

When we reported on Kiva.org’s decision to open up its micro-lending platform to U.S. entrepreneurs, Kiva CEO Premal Shah told us he was concerned about backlash in the community. Shah acknowledged that the decision to open lending to U.S. recipients may draw criticism because it goes against the idea on which Kiva was founded—lending to help development in third world countries where credit options are limited.

It looks like Shah’s prediction was correct. There is now a lending team on Kiva’s community platform titled “Unhappy Kiva Lenders.” The members, which total 375 lenders from around the world, are angry that Kiva is extending loans to U.S. entrepreneurs. The team’s page states that “including borrowers from the USA has undermined the very core of what made [Kiva] so unique and special; small, impactful contributions to entrepreneurs in impoverished situations in developing countries.”

The tirade on the page is harsh, calling the decision “shameful and disgraceful” and a deviation from Kiva’s core mission. The group cites an example of a recent Kiva loan request from a U.S. entrepreneur who had a college degree and a career in architecture who wanted to start a business in website design. The loan he requested was for $7000 to start the business, an amount the lenders suggest could help 7 to 10 different borrowers in other parts of the world.

Kiva’s stated mission is “to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty.” The anti-U.S. lenders claim that lending to U.S. entrepreneurs doesn’t alleviate poverty because Americans aren’t living in true poverty, compared to people in underdeveloped countries.

**US borrowers do not have to pay to send their kids to elementary school. **They don’t have to build their own house. **They don’t have to walk miles to get the bare minimum of medical care….if needed they can access FREE, generally high quality medical care. **They have a system of laws and courts in place that work. **They enjoy police and fire protection. **They generally have access to inexpensive and dependable public transportation. **They take for granted electricity, clean water, inspected food and indoor toilets. **

Some of that may be true. On the other hand, Shah makes a compelling case for the need for a micro-lending platform in the U.S. He says more than 10 million U.S. business owners face difficulty obtaining capital—even before the credit crisis and economic slowdown which made lending tight. And there’s no doubt that with the credit crunch creating a drought of lending, small businesses in the U.S. are finding it tough to find funds, especially if their financial history isn’t stellar. Finally, there is nothing wrong with giving U.S. lenders the opportunity to boost entrepreneurship at home, especially at a time where jobs created by small businesses can help lift the economy out of a recession.

It seems to me like the angry protests are misdirected. Kiva’s lending program has long been hailed as one of the more innovative platforms on the web and its ambitions have always been towards helping foster entrepreneurship (as well as alleviating poverty) in various areas of the world. Kiva’s decision to offer microlending to U.S. entrepreneurs reflects a genuine need for additional lending in the U.S. economy. And who knows? Kiva’s policy may attract a new crop of lenders who want to help at home first, and once they get hooked, spread capital overseas as well. The more capital that goes into the Kiva system, the more chance borrowers everywhere will have to eventually tap into it because many Kiva lenders simply recycle their loans as they are paid back.

We’ve contacted Kiva.org for a formal response.

Crunch Network: CrunchGear drool over the sexiest new gadgets and hardware.

THREE kitchen gadgets that work.

Giz isn't letting you go for the weekend without Dealzmodo! We've got nice deals on laptops including a 13" Lenovo. Games? Steam's got a bundle you can't miss! Try to stay sober and keep all your fingers! Happy 4th everyone!

Computers and Peripherals:
· 17" Lenovo W700ds Core 2 Duo 2.5GHz Dual Screen Laptop with Palm-Rest Wacom Tablet and NVIDIA Quadro for $2,234.25 plus free shipping (normally $2,979 - use coupon code USPW700JULY).
· 16" HP Pavilion G60t Dual Core laptop with 3GB DDR2 250GB for $479.99 plus free shipping (normally $579).
· 15.6" Dell Studio 15 Laptop Core 2 Duo Processor 2.2GHz LED Widescreen Display with $100 Dell Gift Card for $799 plus free shipping (normally $1,055).
· 15.4" Toshiba Satellite L305-S5919 Celeron Laptop with 2GB DDR2 160GB for $299.99 (normally $450).
· 15" Dell Inspiron 15 Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 2.4GHz Laptop with Blu-ray/Radeon HD4330 for $679.00 (normally $829.00 - use coupon code 6??JBPM0H1ST3H).
· 14.1" Gateway T-6345U Intel Dual-Core T3400 2.16GHz Laptop 2GB 250GB for $379.99 plus free shipping (normally $549.99).
· 13.3" Lenovo IdeaPad U350 Intel Core 2 Duo ULV Laptop for $599.00 plus free shipping (normally $699 - use coupon code USPU350NEW).
· Dell Optiplex 360 Core 2 Duo E7400 Desktop with 2GB DDR2 RAM, 320GB HDD with 22" LCD Monitor for $519.00 (normally $807).
· Lenovo C300 Intel Atom 230 All-in-One Desktop with 20" LCD for $399.00 plus free shipping (normally $499 - use coupon code USPC300NEW).
· 24" Dell UltraSharp 2408WFP Widescreen LCD Monitor for $395 plus free shipping (normally $484 - use coupon code 22X6DLMFK6K92G).
· 23" Samsung 2333SW Widescreen LCD Monitor for $161.99 plus free shipping (normally $179.99 - use coupon code 22X6DLMFK6K92G).
· 1.5TB Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 Internal SATA Hard Drive (2-Pack) for $199.99 plus free shipping (normally $269.99 - use coupon code 47DGX1L4SS?JS2).
· 1TB Hitachi Internal Hard Drive and Thermaltake BlackX eSATA & USB Dock for $79.99 plus free shipping (normally $111.98 - use coupon code FIREWORKS15 and this rebate form).
· DigiPro 8x6ft USB Graphics Tablet w/Cordless Pen for $39.99 plus free shipping (normally $100).
· Microsoft 3000 Wireless Optical Notebook Mouse for $15 plus free shipping (normally $22 - valid today only).
· GE Cell Fusion Bluetooth Phone System with 2 Handsets for $40 plus free shipping (normally $80.29).

Gaming:
· The Beatles Rock Band Limited Edition Bundle on Xbox 360 or PS3 for $235.99 plus free shipping (normally $250).
· Steam Powered huge 20-Game 2KGames Bundle digital download on PC for $53.99 (normally $230).
· Fight Night Round 4 on Xbox 360 for $42.90 or PS3 for $44.90 (normally $59.99).
· The Conduit on Wii for $39.99 plus free shipping (normally $49.99).
· UFC 2009 Undisputed on Xbox 360 for $39.99 plus free shipping (normally $59.99).
· Guitar Hero: Metallica on PS3 for $39.90 (normally $59.99).
· Fuel on Xbox 360 for $37.90 (normally $59.99).
· Bioshock and Oblivion Bundle on Xbox 360 for $34.99 plus free shipping (normally $39.99).
· Terminator: Salvation on XBox 360 for $29.90 (normally $59.99).
· STEAM Fallout 3 on PC digital download for $24.99 (normally $49.99).
· Wanted Weapons of Fate on Xbox 360 for $22.99 plus free shipping (normally $42.99).
· LittleBigPlanet on PS3 for $21.90 (normally $59.99).
· Game Party on Wii for $10.99 plus free shipping (normally $19.99).
· Project Sylpheed on Xbox 360 for $9.99 plus free shipping (normally $29.99).
· Amazing Adventures: The Forgotten Ruins on DS for $9.98 (normally $19.99 - valid today only).
· Tiger Woods PGA Tour by EA on iPhone for $6.99 (normally $9.99).
· MLB World Series 2009 on iPhone for $2.99 (normally $8).
· Multiplayer Championship Poker on iPhone for $2.99 (normally $10).

Home Entertainment and Movies:
· 52" Philips 52PFL7403D LCD HDTV (Refurbished) for $1,199.99 (normally $1,999.99).
· 42" LG 42PQ30 HD Plasma TV for $619 plus free shipping (normally $799.95).
· 40" Sony KDL-40S5100 BRAVIA S series LCD for $649 plus free shipping (normally $800).
· 32" Dynex 720p Widescreen LCD HDTV for $299.99 (normally $380).
· Dell M109S DLP Mini Projector G101H LED .8lbs 34-Watts for $299.00 plus free shipping (normally $449.99 - use coupon code 22X6DLMFK6K92G).
· Polk Audio RM6750 5.1 Channel Home Theater Speaker System for $199.99 plus free shipping (normally $247 - use coupon code SPEAKER633).
· Jensen JIMS-185-BK Digital Music System for $35 plus free shipping (normally $45).
· 6-Foot HDMI Cable for $3.18 plus free shipping (normally $4.99).
· Planet Earth: The Complete BBC Series on HDDVD for $20.99 (normally $99.98).
· Batman Begins Limited Edition on Blu-ray for $14.99 (normally $49.99).
· The A-Team Season 1 on DVD for $17.54 plus free shipping (normally $49.95).

Personal Portables:
· Nikon D60 10.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-135mm AFS DX Nikkor Lens (Refurbished) for $429.99 plus free shipping (normally $670).
· 250GB Archos 5 Internet Media Tablet for $279.99 (normally $300 - valid today only).
· 8GB Apple iPod nano (4th Gen) with Free $5 in music for $133.95 plus free shipping (normally $149.99).
· 60GB Apple iPod Video (Refurbished) for $119.99 plus free shipping (normally $172).
· Lubix NC1 Stereo Bluetooth Headset for $29.99 plus free shipping (normally $79.99).
· Plantronics Explorer 350 Bluetooth Headset for $19.99 plus free shipping (normally $89.95).
· Palm Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard for $9.99 plus free shipping (normally $79.99).

Hobomodo:
· Ice Cream Parlor Truffle at Godiva for $0 (valid 7/3 -7/9).
· BOSS ORANGE fragrance for $0.
· Mars Chocolate for $0.
· 12-Track Definitive Jux MP3 download for $0.
· Golden Voices Collection 5-Track MP3 download for $0.
· "Sahara" by Justin Adams and Juldeh Camara MP3 download for $0.
· "You Don't Know My Friends" by Tom Brosseau MP3 download for $0.
· TargetTap on iPhone for $0.

If a deal looks too good to be true, investigate the store and see if it's a good, reputable place to buy. Safe shopping!

[Thanks TechDealDigger, Fat Wallet, DealNews, GamerHotline, SlickDeals, Cheap College Gamers, CheapStingyBargains and TechBargains.]

Giz isn't letting you go for the weekend without Dealzmodo! We've got nice deals on laptops including a 13" Lenovo. Games? Steam's got a bundle you can't miss! Try to stay sober and keep all your...

If you’re on the lookout for a wearable USB drive, it wouldn’t be that hard to find one.  The task is finding one that doesn’t look either overly tacky or just plain over the top geeky.  Then of course there are the few that make an attempt to appear punk and fail miserably.  Well for those that are tired of the USB jewelry that falls into those categories, there’s actually a seller on Etsy that you should check out.

Their drives vary in styles, but all are very tasteful.  If you’re going to find a USB necklace anywhere, you’re probably going to have the best luck there.  They all range in price and each one can be purchased in various sizes.  When you go to purchase the necklace you can choose between 2GB, 4GB, 8GB and 16GB.  The pair you see here can be purchased together or individually.  If you purchase the pair with a 4GB drive, it’ll cost you $99.98.  None of the drives are cheap, the cheapest you’ll find is $49.99 and about the most expensive is going to cost you $139.98.

Source: GeekyGadgets
Introducing Foolish Gadgets because not all gadgets are cool
[ Surprisingly tasteful USB Necklaces copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

When I was a kid, I had to do a self-portrait in the third grade. It wasn’t a pretty good likeness of me. If I wanted to do a self-portrait now, I’m certain it would be as good.

Perhaps this is why Jen Hui Liao invented a self-portrait machine. This device is designed to take a snapshot of the user, and then it will draw a picture of you.

You might wonder how this works. I’m not certain either, but if you thought that this device comes with some robot arm to draw for you, you’re half right. There is a robot arm, but the user actually handcuffs his or her wrist to it. You might want to check out the YouTube video after the jump to see it in action.

From there, the user just sits and watches as his or her likeness as it is made on paper. My source is somewhat negative on this device, saying that it is a robot who is making us to the work. I suppose this is bringing about our dystopian visions of a machine-dominated future, but let me put a positive spin on this.

I don’t know how to draw myself, much less anything else. If I could have a machine do it for me, I suppose that works. After all, we have machines do a lot of hard work for us these days.

So, why not have a machine do it for us? I suppose that passing a machine’s work off as ours, calling it a self-portrait, is nigh cheating. I wonder if I’m the first tech blogger to bring that up.

Source

Cool Gift Idea: Digital Picture Frames, check out our reviews.
[ Self-Portrait Machine copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

(TrendHunter.com) PhoneSuit has come out with a miniature movie theatre device for your iPhone called MiLi Pro. This handy gadget uses the power of a MiLi Battery Pack with a LED micro video projector. Apparently the...

Thanks to tabloids, we know more than we really should about celebrities. I mean, do I really need to know that Hugh Jackman is in Hawaii? If I went to some tropical place, the only ones who would see fit to report about it is me.

I’m sure it is harder to be a celebrity than the tabloids make it look. You’ve seen the video footage with the barrage of flashing cameras by the paparazzi. For those celebrities who are sick of all the flashing, they can now flash back! I’m not talking about Britney Spears when she forgot her underwear.

The Flash Purse is a concept gadget that works by sensing the activation of other flashes. I’m not certain how it does that, but somehow the device senses the flashes and gives its own flash. So when the paparazzi guy goes to get his pictures developed, all he will see is one large spot where his subject’s face will be. So much for his million dollar paycheck.

It sounds like something that celebrities would be buying in droves, doesn’t it? I suppose that this is something that the inventors of the Flash purse are counting on. This way the flash purse will sell at a high price, and the rich celebrities will pay for it.

Believe it or not, the flash purse can work at 1/125 shutter speed, which should be enough to make those shots that you see in the picture. It reminds me of those shots of ghosts or angels that people say they catch on camera. Maybe that’s how the paparazzi guy can make some money off of his work.

Source
Coolest Gadgets UK - For all your UK centric tech and gadget news.
[ Flash Purse copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Start Mobile has managed to get 18 separate iPhone applications approved by Apple. So you’ll imagine their surprise when one of them was recently rejected. But you may be even more surprised to find out why.

Apparently, Apple doesn’t like the way one piece of art in the app depicts President Obama. Is it out of line or tasteless? Well, you can determine for yourself, because you’ve undoubtedly seen the art in question before: It’s Shepard Fairey’s famous “HOPE” image of Obama that was everywhere during his Presidential campaign.

So why on Earth would this be rejected? Well, here’s the wording in the rejection:

It contains content that ridicules public figures and is in violation of Section 3.3.12 from the iPhone SDK Agreement which states: “Applications must not contain any obscene, pornographic, offensive or defamatory content or materials of any kind (text, graphics, images, photographs, etc.), or other content or materials that in Apple’s reasonable judgement may be found objectionable by iPhone or iPod touch users.”

“Ridicules public figures”? This image is hanging in the National Portrait Gallery at the Smithsonian — yet, Apple apparently finds it inappropriate.

To be clear, the app in question is a free demo app of Start Mobile’s galleries and contains a dozen images, but Apple is clearly just unnerved by the Obama one as you can see in the correspondence below which the developer has shared.

Here’s Apple’s initial rejection letter:

Subject: Start Mobile Wallpaper Gallery 1.0: Application Submission Feedback
Date: Tue, 19 May 2009 12:27:02 -0700 (PDT)
From: iPhone Developer Program
To: XXXXX@XXXXXXX.com, XXXXX@XXXXXXX.net

Please include the line below in follow-up emails for this request.
Follow-up: 74455381
Dear START MOBILE, INC.,

Thank you for submitting Start Mobile Wallpaper Gallery to the App Store. We’ve reviewed Start Mobile Wallpaper Gallery and determined that we cannot post this version of your iPhone application to the App Store because it contains content that ridicules public figures and is in violation of Section 3.3.12 from the iPhone SDK Agreement which states:

“Applications must not contain any obscene, pornographic, offensive or defamatory content or materials of any kind (text, graphics, images, photographs, etc.), or other content or materials that in Apple’s reasonable judgement may be found objectionable by iPhone or iPod touch users.”

An example of a public figure is attached.

If you believe that you can make the necessary changes so that Start Mobile Wallpaper Gallery does not violate the iPhone SDK Agreement we encourage you to do so and resubmit it for review.

Regards,

iPhone Developer Program
****************************

Here’s Start Mobile’s follow-up trying to explain why the image is not ridiculing a public figure:

Subject: [Fwd: Start Mobile Wallpaper Gallery 1.0: Application Submission Feedback]
Date: Tue, 19 May 2009 21:56:29 -0700
From: John Doffing
To: iPhone Developer Program

Follow-up: 74455381

Apple Developer Program:

The attached image is most certainly NOT content that ridicules a public figure, nor is it in any way “obscene, pornographic, offensive or defamatory”.

The attached image is an iconic portrait by globally acclaimed artist SHEPARD FAIREY, and is actually included in the National Portrait Gallery!

* http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts_and_culture/7817466.stm

According to the BBC:

“When people think of a portrait of Obama, they think of this image.”
Fairey’s works are also in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Thank you in advance for your time and consideration.

–

THANK YOU!

Best,
John

Now, lest you think Apple is possibly rejecting the app because Start Mobile doesn’t have permission to use the artist’s work, Start Mobile has three other apps featuring the work of Shepherd Fairey that are already in the App Store.

Okay, so maybe Apple’s isn’t comfortable with the bit of legal wrangling that is taking place over the artwork? That’s possible, but that’s not what it says in the rejection. And there are other applications like this one that use the image in question. And, you’ll notice, that’s not even the real version of the image, and it’s being used in the app’s icon. Why Apple would let that slip by and not this app? I have no idea.

And further, Start Mobile actually has another app that also features an Obama image that has been sitting around waiting to be approved for 2 months now, presumably for the same reason. That app features artwork from urban artist Justin Bua, and contains the image of Obama shown on the right.

So why doesn’t the developer just remove the offending images and get these apps approved? Well, because he doesn’t think he should have to, and believes this is just another case of the App Store approval process gone off the tracks.

“You notice that my original email to you didn’t scream CENSORSHIP or anything like that. I am quite sure that this is simply what amounts to a clerical error. A billion apps sold. 50k apps. etc etc. So this is just growing pains on their part. But unfortunately, it effected us directly, and had we not done SOMETHING, the end result would have been what amounts to accidental censorship,” Start Mobile’s John Doffing told us over email.

He goes on to note that he spoke with someone in developer relations a few weeks ago about the rejection, and they indicated that any apps that contain images of Obama may simply be getting rejected outright because there was a lot of “incendiary political content” that was coming through the App Store approval process around the time of the election. Sometimes “‘the baby is thrown out with the bathwater,” is what Doffing was told.

Doffing said that openness about what was going on made him hopeful that the app would find its way to the App Store, but that apparently didn’t change anything.

Sadly, this looks like yet another ridiculous App Store rejection. While Apple has no shortage of developers wanting to make apps for the platform, at some point, all of these ridiculous rejections run the risk of turning developers away.

Apple badly needs to straighten out its policies and get a team in place that doesn’t make dozens of silly mistakes with regards to app approvals and denials. The system continues to be broken.

Sure, Apple can do what it wants, but it’s asking developers to make apps for its store, which move iPhone and iPod touch units and make Apple all that money. Increasingly, the promise is that developers can earn a living off of the platform, or at least supplement their income. But they can’t do that if Apple keeps rejecting their apps for no apparent reason.

Crunch Network: MobileCrunch Mobile Gadgets and Applications, Delivered Daily.

Seeing a USB powered light is nothing new, you could easily find one in pretty much any shape or size.  What’s odd about this one is that it uses an actual light bulb.  It actually claims to be the world’s first USB powered light that utilizes a light bulb.  Typically a USB light has an LED light, which works just as well.  However, if you’re tired of everything being LED, this would be a refreshing change.

The overall appearance of the light is pretty minimal and it definitely puts on display that it’s using a real light bulb.  It’s on a cable that allows you to bend and shape exactly how you want the light to sit.  Unfortunately it is a Japan product from the company JTT.  Which means it will be hard to get your hands on if you’re outside of Japan.  Which if you’re reading this, it’s highly likely that you aren’t in Japan.  Within Japan the light is priced at 1280 Yen, which converts into about $15.

Source: Newlaunches
Coolest Gadgets UK - For all your UK centric tech and gadget news.
[ The USB powered light bulb is the first of its kind copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

gdgt: Gadget-Community
gdgt ist eine Community, in der die Mitglieder Listen ihrer Gadgets anlegen und diese bewerten, darüber andere Nutzer kennen lernen und neue Gadgets für sich entdecken können.
gdgt.com (more…)

Web2Null gesponsort von: active value

I’m sure anyone reading this blog has played Dance Dance Revolution (DDR). I’m sure that anyone who has played this game has discovered that it is not as easy as it looks, and moving feet to the beat can wear you out. No wonder why the arcade version of the game has guardrails!

I’ve seen a finger-sized version of DDR before, and generally designed as a USB-powered excuse for fidgeting. This would be the first time I have ever seen a finger-sized DDR attached to an alarm clock.

This is the type of alarm clock that gets your mind in “wake” mode by letting your fingers do the dancing. Yes, that alarm clock will simply not shut up unless your fingers touch the right lights.

Yeah, I would probably prefer something with a snooze button myself, but that is just me. I actually have a version of Dance Dance Revolution: Hottest Party for the Wii, and I don’t play it very often. I certainly wouldn’t play it with my fingers, even if it was tiny.

Well, if nothing else, this Finger Dance Alarm Clock is yet another way to wake up. Considering all the alarm clocks we have covered such as the Simon Alarm Clock, this one is just another one of our unique ones. It causes about £9.99 or $16.

Source

Introducing Foolish Gadgets because not all gadgets are cool
[ Let your Fingers Need the Waking copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

This whole global economic crisis, and its resulting massive loss of jobs got us thinking. We here at Engadget didn't want to stand helplessly by, announcing every new round of misery without giving anything back -- so we decided to take the opportunity to spread a little positivity. We'll be handing out a new gadget every day (except for weekends) to lucky readers until we run out of stuff or companies stop sending things. Today we've got a Transformers Bumblebee Nintendo DS Starter Kit, which includes a protective Nintendo DS Lite Armor sleeve and universal stylus. We'll also be throwing in a Megatron strylus just for fun! Read the rules below (no skimming -- we're omniscient and can tell when you've skimmed) and get commenting! Hooray for free stuff!


The rules:

• Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but if you want to share your proposal for "fixing" the world economy, that'd be sweet too.
  
• You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.)
• If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine.
  
• Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
  
• Winner will be chosen randomly. The winner will receive one (1) Transformers Nintendo DS Lite Starter Kit and one (1) Megatron stylus.
  
• If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
• Entries can be submitted until Friday, July, 3rd, at 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
• Full rules can be found here.

Filed under: Announcements

Engadget's recession antidote: win a Transformers Nintendo DS Lite Armor case and stylus! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

This whole global economic crisis, and its resulting massive loss of jobs got us thinking. We here at Engadget didn't want to stand helplessly by, announcing every new round of misery without giving anything back -- so we decided to take the opportunity to spread a little positivity. We'll be handing out a new gadget every day (except for weekends) to lucky readers until we run out of stuff or companies stop sending things. Today we've got a Transformers Bumblebee Nintendo DS Starter Kit, which includes a protective Nintendo DS Lite Armor sleeve and universal stylus. We'll also be throwing in a Megatron strylus just for fun! Read the rules below (no skimming -- we're omniscient and can tell when you've skimmed) and get commenting! Hooray for free stuff!


The rules:

• Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but if you want to share your proposal for "fixing" the world economy, that'd be sweet too.
  
• You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.)
• If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine.
  
• Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
  
• Winner will be chosen randomly. The winner will receive one (1) Transformers Nintendo DS Lite Starter Kit and one (1) Megatron stylus.
  
• If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
• Entries can be submitted until Friday, July, 3rd, at 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
• Full rules can be found here.

Filed under: Announcements

Engadget's recession antidote: win a Transformers Nintendo DS Lite Armor case and stylus! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ever since the Egyptians invented zero, curmudgeons have argued that technology creates as many problems as it solves, but I've never encountered a product that does exactlythat, until now. I'm talking about a litter box.

We all know there are plenty of products that cause more problems than they solve. As a professional technologian, my job is to sift through innovations to see which ones make for an improved life, and which ones are too troublesome for their own good.

CatGenie—pardon the pun—gives me pause.

After spending a month with it, I declare that it is the perfect zero-sum innovation. Every single advancement comes with drawbacks. While my wife and I no longer suffer from any of the problems associated with a traditional litter box, we are beset with an abundance of unanticipated others.

CatGenie is one of these SkyMall-type gadgets that bills itself as the "World's Only Self-Flushing, Self-Washing Cat Box," tossing in, for good measure, a weighty promise: "Never touch, smell, or buy cat litter again." You install it easily by splicing the cold water line from underneath your toilet, running a waste tube up around the lip of the same toilet, and plugging the contraption into the wall. You pour in beads that resemble litter enough that cats get the idea, and you click in a replaceable cartridge of cleaning agent.

When the automatic cleaning cycle is engaged, a mechanical scooper removes the poo, and detergent-infused water floods the box and then drains, taking any trace of funk with it. The moistened beads are then blown dry, like Ron Burgundy's hair, as a sweet floral scent fills the bathroom and any adjacent living quarters. The crap in the toilet is easily flushed away, as long as you remember to do it.

Compared to the alternative of sifting out chunks from a litter box and tying them off in environmentally uncool plastic bags, this is a beautiful promise. Because of the automatic setup, there's no chance of getting punished by your cat for forgetting to clean a box frequently enough. Everything I described above happens exactly as billed. And even our dumb neurotic brother-and-sister act somehow figured out how to use it very early on. They weren't even intimidated by the swirling Sarlacc pit that it becomes during cleaning. My key initial fear turned out to be totally baseless.

So why does the thing make me yearn for the days of the scoopable Arm & Hammer, even though PetNovations Ltd says there are 82,940 households already enjoying this contraption?

When I first watched the cleaning cycle, with my gadget-lover's grin, I marveled at the swirling and churning and slooshing and clacking. I kept marveling for about 15 minutes, by which time my grin had soured, and I was looking at my watch. By minute 25 I stormed out of the bathroom in annoyance, came back at minute 35, shocked that the thing was still doing its business, and then returned again, sometime after it had stopped, roughly 40 minutes after it had begun. CatGenie recommends that for two cats, the process should run two to three times a day. That's two solid hours of cleaning cycle.

The installation is stupid simple, but you need to be within 8 feet of both a power jack and a toilet (or laundry water line and drain). If you think that's easy, stick your head in the bathroom—very few have power jacks anywhere near toilets, and I had to run my power cord up along the back of a sink. It's not a hazard, but it looks like Wilson's Amateur Home Improvement Show down there.

CatGenie is also massive. Its basin has about half the volume our cats are used to, but because of its wide surrounding lip and the tower of machinery, the system is probably 25% larger than a good-sized plastic litter box.

After a few days, we discovered an interesting characteristic of the non-toxic litter beads: They do not absorb odors. Right around 8:30 every morning, our big male cat, Wade, comes trotting up the stairs with a combination guilty/relieved look on his face, and soon after, we are engulfed in a sickening stink. Mind you, the cats' depository is an entire floor away down the stairs in the guest bathroom. Scooping the offending dung into the toilet would defeat the purpose of owning a robotic litter box. ("Never touch litter again," they promised.) My sole move is to, yep, run the damn machine.

Only the problem doesn't go away instantly. In fact, it gets worse before it gets better.

As the detergent floods the basin containing Wade's leavings, the whole thing becomes a savory poop stew. Even when we run the fan in the bathroom, the smell is unbearable for about 10 minutes, after which it disappears instantly, replaced by the machine's pleasant perfume.

I kept telling myself that these problems are just growing pains, things to get accustomed to. CatGenie is not as messy as a litter box. There's none of that residual ammonia smell that you can't get rid of permanently, and for the most part, none of the crusty extras that come from overzealous (or just misguided) burying. The plastic beads manage to find their way all over the house, and I am embarrassed to confess, our 1.5-year-old kid manages to stick one in her mouth about every two weeks, but they are non-toxic plastic beads after all, and nothing that can't be vacuumed up.

At least, I once told myself, there are no more plastic bags full of poop and urea headed out to some landfill. I read somewhere once that San Francisco had solved something like 90% of its trash problems, and that the remaining 10% was cat and dog poop in plastic bags. (Not the actual stats, btw.) At least by switching to a bagless litter system like this, I'm being environmentally kosher, right?

Not in the least.

During every cleaning cycle, CatGenie runs a built-in hair dryer over all the beads for about 20 minutes. I plugged in my Kill-a-Watt meter and discovered this demanded a constant and alarming 1160 watts of electricity. For up to an hour per day, I am running the equivalent of four large plasma TVs, just so I don't have to touch litter.

The costs start to mount. Besides the up-front $300 and the daily running of water and electricity, the $15 cartridge needs to be replaced every 60 cycles—that is, every 20 to 30 days. And the scatter-prone beads need to be replenished every three to six months, at $24 per carton. Like an inkjet printer, the maintenance costs continue forever, making the notion of buying a $7 box of Arm & Hammer every two weeks seem all the more reasonable.

Despite all these negatives, a great debate rages in my household: I would like to return to the olden ways of scoop and bag, and my wife says, "No." Her argument, a good one, is that the bathroom has never stayed cleaner. Guests have to step around an awfully large contraption, but at least "it doesn't feel like you're walking into a barn."

As Sigmund Freud once explained, moving from the wilderness to the towns didn't solve humankind's problems, it just swapped out the rustic difficulties for more urbane ones. His conclusion, though, was that while life still sucks, there's a reason we don't move back to caves. After experiencing a more civilized litter box, I can't revert to scooping poop, but I impatiently await the next evolutionary leap in cat sanitation. [Product Page]

In brief:
After cleaning it's amazingly fresh

Cats took to it almost from the start

Sounds like the TARDIS when it runs (could be a minus for some but not me)

Easy installation

Can run automatically up to four times per day

Empties into toilet that must be flushed

Non-toxic clean beads get all over house

Beads don't kill odor

It's huge and must be stationed near toilet and power plug

Self-cleaning cycle runs over 40 minutes, smelly at the start and hot at the end

Hot-air bead dryer demands 1160 watts of electricity for about 20 minutes

No way to stop cycle once it has started

One of the most effective ways to amplify your message on Twitter is to get your followers to retweet it to their followers. Retweeting is also becoming a popular way to pass links around Twitter. They are becoming the new currency of the Web because of the power of passed links. One service in particular, Tweetmeme, is cornering the market on retweets by making it easy for blogs and other sites to add a retweet button to every page. You can see one at the bottom of this post. Just click on it, and it will take you to your Twitter account and populate a message with a “RT,” the headline, and a short link. Go ahead, do it now. Do it again. Okay, thanks.

Lots of sites use Tweetmeme’s retweet button, and it drives a lot of its overall traffic. Nick Halstead, the CEO of Fav.or.it (Tweetmeme’s parent company) says that the buttons are so widespread right now that they are generating 196 million impressions a week month. In other words, that is how many pages load with the buttons every month week, and some portion of those result in actual retweets. Halstead is making some improvements to the retweet buttons. Before each retweet generated by the button would include a promotional “via @tweetmeme.” That has now removed to make more room for the actual headline and link. Next week he is going to introduce an image button which can be included in RSS feeds and emails to spread the retweet love even further. And sites will be able to embed a retweet counter to show how many overall retweets they get every week.

More importantly, the retweet buttons will begin supporting URL shortening service other than bit.ly, and will include an option for sites to choose their own custom short URL. (For instance, we use http://tcrn.ch). Tweetmeme will also offer analytics for site owners to see how their retweets are spreading. Basic data will be free, and Tweetmeme will likely charge for more detailed analyticss. All of this, of course, also turns into valuable data for Tweetmeme to determine the most popular links and stories on Twitter, and makes Tweetmeme itself a better news aggregation site.

Crunch Network: MobileCrunch Mobile Gadgets and Applications, Delivered Daily.

It's the 4th of July weekend and millions of celebrants are mixing their marinades and prepping their grills for the upcoming barbeque festivities. Unfortunately, not everyone has the time to attend to each marinading piece, or possesses the ability to judge a meat's readiness simply by touching its exterior.

To help all the amateur grillers out there (and for the experienced gadget-loving Q'ers) DVICE has put together a list of six gizmos to bring your grill skills into the 21st century. The tools cover every part of the grilling process, from a marinade infuser that claims to give you "maximum flavor penetration," to a motorized brush that helps with messy grill cleanup. For the in-between steps, they list an apron, a discreet thermometer, and a pair of tongs with a flashlight just for night grilling.

Continue reading Modernize Your Grilling With High-Tech BBQ Gadgets

Modernize Your Grilling With High-Tech BBQ Gadgets originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We're kicking off our series exploring memorable gadgets from memorable people with one most influential tech giants: Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple. – JC OK...meaningful...here goes......

We're kicking off our series exploring memorable gadgets from memorable people with one most influential tech giants: Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple. – JC

OK...meaningful...here goes...

For that definition, it was probably an electronics learning kit I got for Christmas at about age 8 or 9. As I recall, it didn't teach electronics formulas or resistor codes, but was full of projects to hook up input devices like switches and output devices like buzzers and lights. It was like learning how to connect all the devices to your hi-fi, or connecting all your peripherals to a computer. It also gave me a good start toward understanding logic rules, like both switches have to be on for the light to shine, or if switch A is on, then switch B selects which light is on.

I call this one the most meaningful, because, pretty clearly to me, it preceded my other important gadgets and inspired me to like gadgets and to understand how to build some. It's like how the transistor led to the chip, which led to microprocessors, which led to personal computers. Everything goes back to the first invention, in that sense. This electronics kit gave me the understanding that made it easy to progress to large logic devices with multi-pole switches, and some relays, which then progressed to a large tic-tac-toe computer with transistors which progressed to a large adding/subtracting machine with transistors, etc.

The word 'meaningful' has the root 'meaning' which implies some emotion. In that sense, my first transistor radio, at about age 10, would fit the bill. It gave me portable music that I could listen to all night long as I slept, every night. 20 years later came the walkman, and 20 more years later came the iPod, but the real change in life, the one having the most 'meaning', was with the transistor radio.

I always wanted my own computer. With the Apple I, I now had a machine that I could program. I would never run out of things to do in my entire life. So it's a close runner up to the other two.

The gadget that has been the most attractive of attention ever is not my Segway. It's my nixie tube watch from CathodeCorner. It looks very large to other people and looks very strange. It's handmade in America too. The nixie tubes run on 140 volts on your wrist. Airport security guards who have seen every kind of watch ever made have a thrilling time with this watch.

I used to fly to Japan regularly to scour new gadgets, and always bought tons of things which were always surprising at the time, but looking back, few have special meaning. The first consumer digital camera, I think the Mavica technology, was meaningful. The first one for computers, not TV's, was the QuickTake from Apple. But in many ways, no digital camera to this day has been as good as the first Ricoh one.

The HP-35 calculator was also very meaningful in my life, as it led me to an incredible job designing for the follow-on models.

Much thanks to Woz for helping to kick off our series. Coming up soon: Phil Torrone, gadget maker and modder extraordinare.

Image credit: Sony Mav, HP Calculator