Gadgetstronics

A web site claims hearing from an unnamed, "reliable source" that the next major iPhone firmware update is just 10 days away.

The source told iPhone Hellas that iphone 2.2 will be available for download Nov. 21. Earlier, iPhone Hellas published images purporting to be leaked screenshots revealing new features, including direct podcast downloading, Google Street view, a redesigned Safari browser interface and others.

As always, rumors from an unnamed source should be taken with a grain of salt. But Nov. 21 would be a realistic release date for iPhone 2.2. Apple released iPhone 2.1 on Sept. 12 — two months and one day after the release if iPhone 2.0. Therefore, it’s reasonable to expect a major upgrade very soon.

iPhone OS v2.2 to be released on 21 November! [iPhone Hellas via Gizmodo]

Good thing there are third party accessory manufacturers who seem to put in more effort than Nintendo themselves when it comes to the Classic Controller, where the original version looked pretty much like a sophomore effort compared to the Nyko Wing you see here. It is able to provide up to 30 hours of continuous entertainment on two AAA batteries, and can even be charged via its mini USB cable. It might cost more compared to Nintendo’s Classic Controller at $30, but the price is well justified.

Sometimes, I will see something that is worth photographing. If I don’t have a camera on me, I take my two fingers and make an L-shapes and frame the subject in question. It’s the same thing you see directors do on television. I always wondered if real filmmakers do that in reality. They probably don’t.

A Japanese designer named Mac Funamizu is currently designing a camera of the future that works on this age-old finger principle. The camera is put in a pair of sunglasses, and what you see here is what the user is seeing through the sunglasses.

Funamizu’s camera works by putting your fingers in the place where you would want to frame your subject. Then you take your picture with a wink. That is a literal wink by the way, as in you shut your left eye, and the picture is taken in your literal hand frame.

Don’t ask me how it works. If I knew that, it probably wouldn’t be concept technology. I’ve even heard that Funamizu has taken his visionary step further by saying that the sunglasses will display information about the subject that you are photographing.

So, when are these photographing shades due to hit the market? Well, I would say some time in the realm of soon. If you really want this, feel free to give a shout out on the Comments section.

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It looks as though HP still has faith in Linux, having released word that it will be releasing a Linux-powered HP Mini 1000 in January next year. This model will be $20 cheaper compared to the XP-powered Mini 1000, so what makes it much better over Windows with such a minimal difference in price? Which will you gun for - Windows or Linux, and how much of a price difference are you willing to tolerate?

Simulators have not been the popular game genre in the past few years, but maybe this new product will help. PodWombats have designed what they call an “affordable fully-enclosed” gaming cockpit to seal out the world and help you concentrate on your game. The Mark III Pod is basically a small dark room with a chair and shelves. I thought most gamers had that already! If you don’t, then this enclosed gaming chamber will only cost you $2,500. At first it sounds like a rip off, something you could build with some plywood, but then I read the FAQ.

It is ventilated with a quiet blower, carpeted with sound dampening material, speaker mounts, pullout keyboard desk and the racing style chair which is adjustable. You can even have them customize the exterior with multiple colors. Still not sure it would be worth the $2,500 but it could definitely be fun for a good racing sim. You can order one at their site. If you interested in gaming pods, but somewhat claustrophobic, you may have missed this one.

Take a gander at this oddly wide airplane with the three engines in back. This could be the method of air travel by the year 2030.

NASA has recently started a little pet project, cooperating with engineers from MIT to create planes that are more fuel-efficient, quieter, not to mention environmentally friendly.

All I can say is “It’s About Time!” I’ve been hearing so much about how our cars need to become hybrids or electric, and they need to be cleaner for Mother Earth, but very little has been said about those jumbo jets. I mean, they are one of the least-fuel efficient vehicles that we have, and they are as loud as…well, a jetplane.

In other words, I am all for anything that will improve air travel technology, especially when it comes to saving the planet. Let’s hope that this “wide load” look will also make aisles wider, so you don’t have to compete with that inconvenient drink cart when you want to use the bathroom.

Who knows when this plane will roll off the assembly lines at Boeing or other major aeronautical corporation, but if this is the concept plane of 2030, this is quite a while. So let’s ask Coolest Gadget readers, how would you improve airplane travel? Leave an answer in the Comment box.

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A cellphone designed for the elderly might sound patronizing, but there is certainly a need for something easier to use than your usual whizz-bang mobile — hell, even I have trouble getting these new-fangled telephones to work, and I play with them for my job.

The ClarityLife C900 is an unlocked GSM cellphone which costs $280 with no confusing contracts. The cut-down design gets almost everything right but, like your Aunt Flo trying to sneak the cooking sherry back into the pantry, stumbles at the last moment.

As you can see, there aren’t many buttons. Pick up and and hang up are joined by up and down arrows on the front, while the back features a big red emergency button (with the somewhat tasteless addition of a heart). This red switch will, if held steadily down by shaking, arthritic fingers for three seconds, send a text message to up to five numbers.

The phone is also built for the older body, with a double-volume speaker, extra-strong vibrator and a flashing light all signifying an incoming call. BoingBoing gadgets‘ John Brownlee, who knows a thing or two about operating gadgets while afflicted by double vision and shaking (in his case caused by an addiction to German beer and millet), points out the one big fault:

 

I suspect the only real problem with the design here is the lack of numeric buttons […] it’s almost definitely true that your average elderly person will be more comfortable typing in numbers on a pad.

He’s dead right. Oldsters are adept at using a regular pushbutton phone. I actually saw a pensioner on the bus a while back using a pretty modern cellphone, hacked to fit her needs: On the back was taped a hand-written list of numbers, which she then tapped in. Neat.

Product page [Clarity via BBG]

Word has it that the activity-monitoring SNIF Tags will soon make their commercial debut, and this time round they do more than just track your dog’s whereabouts via GPS - in fact, inside each SNIF Tag you will find an accelerometer and motion analysis software that helps determine just how active your pooch is. This data is logged online through the included SNIF base station that is hooked up to your router. The SNIF Tag also knows that no man, or dog for that matter is an island, and hence helps you and your pooch engage in social networking by recognizing whether it is near another dog using the SNIF Tag. It will retail for $200 ($300 once November 24th passes), and you do have to fork out another $10 monthly for a premium membership.

Word has it that the activity-monitoring SNIF Tags will soon make their commercial debut, and this time round they do more than just track your dog’s whereabouts via GPS - in fact, inside each SNIF Tag you will find an accelerometer and motion analysis software that helps determine just how active your pooch is. This data is logged online through the included SNIF base station that is hooked up to your router. The SNIF Tag also knows that no man, or dog for that matter is an island, and hence helps you and your pooch engage in social networking by recognizing whether it is near another dog using the SNIF Tag. It will retail for $200 ($300 once November 24th passes), and you do have to fork out another $10 monthly for a premium membership.

We know that coins can be used to play a prank on others by squirting water, but here is something much more serious. It allows you to store precious information within without giving the game away. Do you have a microSD memory card containing risqué images of your weekend that you do not want anyone else to see, ever? Well, store it within the Hollow Spy Coin, of course! You can use it as a form of currency without being detected or charged for fraud, although that wouldn’t make real financial sense since the nickel alone will cost $30.

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