Smarter Gadgets » Mobile gadgets http://www.smartergadgets.com Journey to discover new smart gadgets Tue, 25 Jul 2006 03:24:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Are flying cars on the horizon? http://www.smartergadgets.com/2006/02/21/are-flying-cars-on-the-horizon/ http://www.smartergadgets.com/2006/02/21/are-flying-cars-on-the-horizon/#comments Tue, 21 Feb 2006 16:11:09 +0000 info http://www.smartergadgets.com/2006/02/21/are-flying-cars-on-the-horizon/ At least since the days of the Jetsons, we’ve thought about having flying cars.  Terrafugia, a start-up created by Lemelson-MIT Student Prize winner Carl Dietrich and others at MIT’s Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics is working to give us just that.  They’ve named this upcoming prototype, The Transition, which they describe as a “personal air vehicle”.

With folding wings, this car will go from automobile to plane as needed.  It will be designed for 100 to 500 mile jumps, and will cruise up to 12,000 feet.

It will probably be a fully operational prototype by 2008, with actual models available by 2009 or 2010.

Not all mobile gadgets are small.  Sometimes mobility comes in the form of a flying car.  Although I’d love to own one, I’d actually be happy with just a car that has wheels that turn sideways, so that I could easily parallel-park.

flying car

]]> http://www.smartergadgets.com/2006/02/21/are-flying-cars-on-the-horizon/feed/ 0 Toshiba will offer cellphone service that scans barcodes for product reviews http://www.smartergadgets.com/2006/02/16/toshiba-soon-offers-phone-that-scans-barcodes-for-product-reviews/ http://www.smartergadgets.com/2006/02/16/toshiba-soon-offers-phone-that-scans-barcodes-for-product-reviews/#comments Thu, 16 Feb 2006 19:39:30 +0000 info http://www.smartergadgets.com/2006/02/16/toshiba-soon-offers-phone-that-scans-barcodes-for-product-reviews/ So, you are standing in front of the latest gizmo at your local store, and are considering purchasing it. But you haven’t gone online yet to check out what the buzz is. What do others think of this gizmo? How is it rated? You don’t know, but Toshiba will allow you to find out right there in the store.

Simply take a picture of the product’s barcode with a cellphone’s digital camera, and Toshiba’s new service will scan the internet for product reviews on up to 100 blogs, in 10 seconds flat. Just like that, you’ll know if that gizmo is getting rave reviews or being trashed by consumers.

Toshiba will be testing the software in Japan soon and may offer it as a service on cell phones before April 2007.

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