Gadgets: New Year, Same Gadgety Names
By Jay GarrettHappy New Year my Gadgety faithful! I hope that you all had a fab Christmas and here’s to a fantastic 2010! I’m now sober enough to type once more and have managed to break a few resolutions already – but that’s what they’re for right?
We’re only a week into the new year and the big three are already making their presence felt!
Yup, Apple, Google and Microsoft are making column inches and keeping the likes of us speaking their almost hallowed names.
Unless you’re just fresh out of rehab or have been too busy watching ‘celebrities” sleep on Big Brother you must know that Google have finally unleashed its own brand Android phone: Nexus One. Where it seems to have almost disappointed some people it’s probably the nicest Android blower out there. More interestingly though is the new online store that Google has created to vend the gPhone and perhaps others of its Android brethren.
Microsoft seems poised to beat Apple to a tablet-based announcement. The big M’s Courier tablet, reportedly a HP built device, is rumoured be get a reveal during Steve Ballmer’s keynote CES address scheduled for Thursday 7th. That would well-and-truly pip the fruity iSlate to the post as that’s not due to be flashed ‘til the 27th. Tactics from Microsoft? Surely a coincidence. The Courier is said to have a rather natty multi-touch interface – let’s see.
Apple seems to be everywhere you turn once more. If it’s not news about the iSlate or iTablet being whispered on the grape-vine, it’s rumours and nudges regarding the next iteration of the much lauded iPhone. Will it have a front-facing camera for video conferencing, will it have 64GB of memory, will it rock a 5MP camera, will it be able to control a quad-bladed helicopter, will it......? Hang on. What?
You read right – this is the latest reason to get excited if you own an iPhone. Using the handsets accelerometer and connecting via Wi-Fi you can fly the Parrot AR.Drone! As if that wasn’t cool enough it has two on-board cameras that beam a pilots-eye view right to your phone's screen.
This means that you don’t need to see the craft in order to pilot it – the great outdoor beckons! If you do loose connection then autopilot kicks in to gently land the drone. If you’d rather stay indoors then you can use the included foam propeller hubs to avoid injuring pets, loved ones and decor.
Now for the best bit! The AR part of the name: Augmented-reality. You can create race circuits around your area that are superimposed onto the iPhones display there’s also games that involve shooting robots, dodging lasers and dog-fighting with another chopper.
Being AR there is a chance that you could fly against anyone anywhere in the world! No doubt developers will be working on something seeing as Parrot has also released an API (Application Programming Interface) for the little blighter.
This is already my must-have ‘toy’ of 2010 and Parrot say that the AR.Drone is “affordable” but that’s the only hint on pricing at the moment. It’s due for release later this year and you can sign up for email updates at the Parrot Web site.
Apple seems to be everywhere you turn once more. If it’s not news about the iSlate or iTablet being whispered on the grape-vine, it’s rumours and nudges regarding the next iteration of the much lauded iPhone. Will it have a front-facing camera for video conferencing, will it have 64GB of memory, will it rock a 5MP camera, will it be able to control a quad-bladed helicopter, will it......? Hang on. What?
You read right – this is the latest reason to get excited if you own an iPhone. Using the handsets accelerometer and connecting via Wi-Fi you can fly the Parrot AR.Drone! As if that wasn’t cool enough it has two on-board cameras that beam a pilots-eye view right to your phone's screen.
This means that you don’t need to see the craft in order to pilot it – the great outdoor beckons! If you do loose connection then autopilot kicks in to gently land the drone. If you’d rather stay indoors then you can use the included foam propeller hubs to avoid injuring pets, loved ones and decor.
Now for the best bit! The AR part of the name: Augmented-reality. You can create race circuits around your area that are superimposed onto the iPhones display there’s also games that involve shooting robots, dodging lasers and dog-fighting with another chopper.
Being AR there is a chance that you could fly against anyone anywhere in the world! No doubt developers will be working on something seeing as Parrot has also released an API (Application Programming Interface) for the little blighter.
This is already my must-have ‘toy’ of 2010 and Parrot say that the AR.Drone is “affordable” but that’s the only hint on pricing at the moment. It’s due for release later this year and you can sign up for email updates at the Parrot Web site.
Odd News From Our Partners >>
