Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

We’re not certain why call center employees need even more reasons to treat customers condescendingly, but Siemens has announced that it’s developing tech that will “intelligently” assign reps to callers based on determinations of age and gender. No word on how the system makes the determinations, but we’re not going to be happy if we have to start doing Marilyn Monroe impressions just to get someone on the phone.

[Via The Raw Feed]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

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Philips unveiled a new ultra-high-res 256-slice CT scanner called the Brilliance iCT at the Radiological Society of North America yesterday, a unit the company says not only produces higher quality 3D images using less radiation than previous scanners, but does it far more quickly — a full body scan takes only a minute. The speedup is achieved because the rotating X-ray element spins some 22 percent faster than other models, hitting four revolutions a second at top speed. Getting in and out of the machine that much faster also cuts radiation exposure some 80 percent from a traditional X-ray machine, and Philips says the machine is accurate enough to capture a complete image of the heart in less than two beats. Metro Health in Cleveland is the first off the line with the new gear — check the read link for a video of it in action.

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Thought-controlled appendages are far from new, but an international team of researchers have apparently created an apparatus that aims to make the lives of paralyzed individuals a tad easier. The Brain2Robot project utilizes electroencephalograph (EEG) signals in order to give patients the ability to control a robotic arm, which could eventually be used to do everything from hold periodicals to lift a cup of coffee. Reportedly, the arm could be ready for commercial use within just a few years, but there’s no mention of an expected price range. Granted, we’d be a bit more excited about all of this if the technology were somehow made mobile, but it’s hard to kvetch about a helping hand, regardless.

[Via Primidi]

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We’re not sure what Samsung did to invite the wrath of Kim Yong-chul, nevertheless, the former Samsung legal executive is blowing his whistle… again. In a national news conference televised in South Korea this morning, Kim stated that “Samsung has created a large-scale slush fund” valued at some 200 billion won (about $216 million). According to Kim, the fund was used to routinely bribe prosecutors and politicians in hopes of making the investigations into Samsung’s improprieties go away. Last week, South Korea’s parliament voted to allow an independent counsel to investigate the Samsung group in addition to improper payments — including a congratulatory election victory “gift” — made to South Korea’s residing president, Roh Moo-hyun. Roh, who denies the allegations, is considering vetoing the bill according to a statement made by his office. Unlike typical boasts of Samsung world’s firsts, this certainly isn’t the first case of a corporate slush fund. However, with Samsung controlling nearly 20% of South Korea’s GDP, it has legs to become the world’s most notorious case of politcal-industrial corruption in recent years.

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Nah, it’s not like tagging an intruder with shades of neon green, yellow and orange will do much to disable him / her, but it would probably make ‘em think twice before going any further. ‘Course, we’re sure one could think of other uses for an automated paintball gun, and for those creative enough to agree, Team Cynergy has put together a videotaped how-to guide for building a laser-based motion detector and connecting it to your gun. We’ll save the technicalities for those who dare to check out the near-10 minute clip posted after the break, but the long and short of it involves a Parralax BASIC Stamp 2 microcontroller, a red laser pointer, a servo and a good bit of tinkering (among other things). Besides, this is a lot less dangerous than that motion-activated BB rifle and laser-guided turret you built earlier this year, so why not flex some DIY muscle and give this endeavor a go?

[Via HackedGadgets]

Continue reading Automated paintball gun keeps the residence secure

Related:
If you are looking for small and handy digital camera then you will come across many companies who are famous for electronics like Sony, Samsung and so on. Now cameras are coming with video making facilities along with other accessories such as headphones, video capture card, lens protector, tripods and lots more. An infrared camera is perfect for everyone requirements to take pictures in the dark. Now it is possible to take underwater pictures with the help of underwater camera, people who are curious about underwater photography can take benefit from this invention.

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In a month that has seen several people killed after being tasered, a UN committee of ten experts has ruled that tasers constitute torture and are capable of killing. This flies in the face of the manufacturer’s statement, which is that any resulting deaths after a taser is used are “attributable to other factors.” Intended to prevent officers from having to use lethal firearms, the taser has arguably become well established as just another tool in a regular officer’s arsenal for use in scenarios where a firearm would never be considered. As for what effect this ruling will have on the sale of tasers, we’re guessing “not much” until all the involved parties come into agreement about the lethality (or lack thereof) of the taser.

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Scouting a 1U, rackmountable two-channel audio recorder? What about a solid state version? If you just so happened to answer yes to the previous questions, Teac’s got you covered. The outfit’s HD-R1 Recorder relies on CompactFlash cards to store up to 24-bit / 48kHz PCM or MP3 files and can be controlled remotely via LAN or RS-232C. Additionally, the unit touts a USB port, mic preamps, phantom power, RCA, XLR, Euroblock and S/PDIF inputs, and the blue-backlit display is a nice touch, too. Teac has apparently been busy showing its new toy off at Inter BEE 2007, but those tempted by the above specs can secure their own for around $1,100.

[Image courtesy of Sweetwater]

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Since he’s inevitably the most difficult person to buy electronics for, we’re doling out suggestions for him first, hopefully giving you enough time to drop numerous hints and have potential gift ideas rejected.

And if you’re the him in question, well, feel free to pass this guide along to friends and family with a wink and a nudge.

Continue reading Engadget’s Holiday Gift Guide: for him

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Filed under: Features, Misc. Gadgets

Welcome to the Engadget Holiday Gift Guide! We know as well as anyone what a ridiculous mess it is shopping for tech gifts for your family and friends, especially when you tack on the crowds, the traffic, and hearing Jingle Bell Rock 80,000 times. Sure, it seems like you’ve got an infinite number of options to comb through, but with our Holiday Gift Guide we’re aiming to simplify that gadget gift giving experience and pinpoint a most excellent present for just about anyone.

Here’s how we do our thing: the HGG is actually a series of smaller guides broken down first by whom you’ll be buying gifts, and then by price range. (Today we’re starting with him, easily the most discerning gadget giftee; in a few days we’ll go to her, then son, daughter, dad, mom, and so on.) We’ll publish a new guide every few days through Christmas, so you’ll have plenty of time to shop around online and in stores, and we do suggest you check out all the guides — especially since you never know when you’ll find something you want for yourself.

Enjoy, and happy holidays!

P.S. -It kind of goes without saying, but shopping online can produce pretty wild fluctuations in price, so know that many listed prices can be approximations.
P.P.S. -If you have any hot suggestions we may have missed, please don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments!

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While it won’t keep watch on your plants and water them like some devices we’ve seen, the so-called ThirstyLight will at least handle one part of that equation, with it sending out a signal in the form of a blinkin’ LED light when your plants’ soil gets dry. That’s handled by a “Drypoint Digital Circuit,” which checks moisture levels once per second and is able to discern between five different levels of dryness (relayed to you by blinking patterns of increasing urgency). If that sounds like the solution to your plant problems, you can pick one up now for $10, or get ‘em in bundles of three, six, or twelve at a discount.

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