Household -- Engadget

Samsung's Tango robot vacuum uses cameras to clean your floors, duvet covers

by Tim Stevens posted Nov 5th 2009 at 8:14AM

Just because a Samsung vacbot never cleaned your floors doesn't mean they're not out there somewhere, attacking dust on hardwood and carpet -- and apparently Egyptian cotton too if the above picture is anything to go by. This Tango is the latest from the company, following in the tracks of the Furot and Hauzen and sharing their dual spinny brush design. Tango is said to use a 30fps camera to tell where he's going, a gyro to keep a sense of direction, and crash sensors that now can detect furniture and feet from up to 2cm away. Prices will range from ₩500,000 to ₩700,000 and, though that equates to between $425 and $600 American, the stores these will be available in probably won't take dollars.

eStarling photo frame might just have more social networking skills than you do

by Donald Melanson posted Nov 5th 2009 at 2:16AM

Digital photo frames have been more than just photo frames since the earliest days of the product category, but eStarling looks to be expanding things even further than usual with its new 802.11n Touchscreen Connected Frame. In addition to that speedy WiFi connectivity, this one boasts a fairly large 10.2-inch display, 2GB of RAM, an SD card slot and, most importantly, a slew of social networking features. That includes support for photos from Facebook, Picasa or Flickr (more services are also promised), a built-in Twitter client, a video inbox feature to receive videos shot with cellphones (or any other internet-connected device, for that matter), and even its own Gmail address to let anyone easily send photos straight to the frame. Unfortunately for anyone considering this as an alternative to a kitchen computer, there's no full-fledged web browser, calendar apps, or the like, but it will at least give you weather updates, and could well be further improved by some of the promised firmware updates. Of course, all that will also cost you more than your usual photo frame -- $249.99, to be specific.

[Via Gearlog]

How-to: geek up your pumpkin

by Richard Lai posted Oct 31st 2009 at 11:03AM

BOO! It's Halloween and it's also a Saturday, so let's not hear any pathetic excuses for not carving pumpkins. While we're no experts, we've got a few tips for making your jack-o'-lanterns better looking and more unique:

Always mark where you're carving first instead of freestyling, especially for the lid. Once the knife's in there's nothing you can do about it.
Want an accurate carving? Draw or print your pattern on paper first and then stick it on the pumpkin, so that you can use a pin to punch an outline.
Use a scalpel. Seriously, it's so much better than kitchen knives.
Be creative: consider using a variety of carving depths instead of just cutting out holes. It's best to start off with the darkest areas so that you know where the threshold is. If it's too shallow you can always scrape the trench.
Don't use candles -- they don't last and aren't safe for the kids and animals; many LED candles have a convincing flickering glow, so try those. Alternatively, why not convert a cheap solar garden light into a lid for your jack-o'-lantern? Or go Ben-Heck and try the Cylon mod?
Keep the seeds for roasting -- they make a good snack.

Feel free to refer to our gallery for the whole process. Enjoy and have a happy Halloween!

Gallery: How-to: geek up your pumpkin

Qooq recipe and cooking tablet launched for French speakers only

by Laura June posted Oct 29th 2009 at 10:28AM

Cooking tablets and recipe readers have been pretty limited (and not very good) in the past -- but this one looks extremely promising. Called the Qooq, the 10.2-incher boasts -- in addition to a bunch of recipes, of course -- complete meal prep videos, instructions and advice on choosing ingredients, shopping lists, meal planners -- all which can be updated monthly via a subscription service. Specwise, we're looking at a glass touchscreen, Ethernet and USB ports, an SD slot, WiFi, and a built-in stand. The custom UI looks pretty attractive, but there are some drawbacks. The Qooq does not have a browser (though it's got built-in weather, digital photo viewing, and internet radio apps), and it's only available for French language speakers for now. If you do speak the language of love, you can get one of these puppies for €349 (about $513), with the subscription service running an additional €12.95a month (about $19).

[Via Red Ferret]

AlterG's M300 treadmill: same 'anti-gravity' vibe, now 'only' $24,500

by Darren Murph posted Oct 29th 2009 at 5:08AM

We've always heard that holiday calories "don't count," but disregarding urban legend for a minute, we'd say AlterG's timing here is nothing short of impeccable. Nearly 1.5 years after the outfit's P200 series was a-okay'd by the FCC, an all new walking machine has entered the fray. The M300 treadmill brings along the same "anti-gravity" feel (useful for rehabilitation and athletic training), but in a machine that's a third of the price and way, way sleeker. The idea here is to reduce the strain on joints and muscles as one exercises, and while that's certainly commendable, we're still thinking it'll take one or two more iterations to get one priced for the everyman. You know, unless you consider $24,500+ (or $499+ per month for the rest of your Earthly life) "affordable."

[Via MedGadget]

Machined Gear Clock makes watching the time pass a true joy (video)

by Darren Murph posted Oct 28th 2009 at 3:58AM

We've seen no shortage of homegrown clocks in our day, and while most are cute for their time, few are worthy of being lauded in this manner. Alan Parekh's Gear Clock is a delightful mishmash of machined gears, thrown together in a fashion that resulted in an actual time-telling gizmo. Hop on past the break to watch this thing spin, but be sure to hold the mute button for the lead-in. Clearly 'Sound Check' wasn't activated.

Continue reading Machined Gear Clock makes watching the time pass a true joy (video)

US government lays out cash for wall-based, in-home 'smart meters'

by Darren Murph posted Oct 27th 2009 at 4:47PM

Google has its PowerMeter, Microsoft has its Hohm and Obama has his "smart meters." Got it? Good. Around two years after UK taxpayers began footing the bill for in-home energy monitors, it seems as if America's current administration is looking to follow suit. While visiting the now-open solar facility in Arcadia, Florida today, the Pres announced that $3.4 billion in cash that the US doesn't actually have has just been set aside for a number of things, namely an intelligent power grid and a whole bundle of smart power meters. Aside from boring apparatuses like new digital transformers and grid sensors (both of which are designed to modernize the nation's "dilapidated" electric network), 18 million smart meters and 1 million "other in-home devices" will be installed in select abodes. The idea here is to give individuals a better way to monitor their electricity usage, with the eventual goal set at 40 million installed meters over the next few years. Great idea, guys -- or you know, you could just advise people to turn stuff off when they aren't using it, or not use energy they can't afford. Just sayin'.

Shape-shifting 'Breathing Chair' looks to make the beanbag fashionable

by Donald Melanson posted Oct 27th 2009 at 3:49PM

Shape-shifting chairs may not always be the most attractive additions to your living room, but Taiwanese designer Yu-Ying Wu is hoping to change that with her so-called "Breathing Chair," which has already won a few prestigious design awards but hasn't yet snagged any commercial partners. The secret, such as it is, is the array of "professionally calculated" holes spaced out through the three layers of foam plastic, which are designed to compress into the shape of an armchair when someone sits in it and spring back into a cube when they stand up. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any video of it in action, but the chair will soon be on display at Red Dot Design Museum in Singapore if you happen to be in the area.

Update: Thanks to commenter Deny for digging up a video of the chair. Check it out after the break.

[Via MAKE]

Continue reading Shape-shifting 'Breathing Chair' looks to make the beanbag fashionable

How-to: recycle your old gadgets

by Laura June posted Oct 27th 2009 at 1:56PM

We see a lot of gadgets come in the door here at Engadget. In fact, getting them in the door is actually the easy part... it's getting them back out that's a bit confusing. Recycling -- something that most of us do on a day-to-day basis with our trash -- is a bit stickier when it comes to gadgets. In recent years, however, most major consumer electronics companies have stepped up their games a bit and begun "take back" recycling programs of their own. There are a lot of resources out there if you want to rid yourself of old gadgets in a responsible way, but it can be a pretty overwhelming prospect, especially if (like us) you have an actual pile of old cellphones which has been growing since 1998. We thought about that a lot, and decided to try to make sense of all the wild masses of information out there on the internet, and to provide our readers a central location to look for all that information. Read on and see what we've come up with!

Continue reading How-to: recycle your old gadgets

Dyson DC25 Blueprint impressions: is the 'Ball' worth it?

by Darren Murph posted Oct 27th 2009 at 10:16AM

Dyson's DC25 Blueprint just started shipping en masse this month, and with an MSRP of $529.99, it's significantly more pricey that the "bargain-minded" DC23 Turbinehead that we had a peek at last month. The company's range of 'Ball' vacuum cleaners have been around for years now, but this is the first chance we've had to roll one over our own carpet. With a striking white finish, impeccable build quality and a design to make any gadget nerd blush, there's quite a bit here that you won't find on your average vac, but is the sphere really enough to warrant the lofty sticker? Read on for our two pennies.

Gallery: Dyson DC25 Blueprint - Limited Edition

Continue reading Dyson DC25 Blueprint impressions: is the 'Ball' worth it?

ReNu solar panels announced for iPhone charger, sound dock, LED desk lamp

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Oct 26th 2009 at 1:57PM

Sure, we've been frustrated by solar-powered iPhone chargers and amused by the irony of solar-powered lamps in the past, but that doesn't mean we're not looking forward to the day when we can meet our gadgets power needs without relying on fossil fuels. That's why we're pleased to note that a company called ReNu has just announced a solar panel that can be used to charge your iPhone or iPod, power the device's sound dock, or even keep your desk light shining sans mains power. Featuring a modular design, the panel can dispatched to your window to soak up the rays for 10 or 20 hours (depending on the amount of sunlight it receives) and then returned to your dock for about nine hours of music playback, recharge your iPhone (twice!), or provide about four hours of light with the LED desk lamp. Of course, most people are going to hang this thing in the window once, forget about it, and then spend the next several years powering their devices with the included AC adapter -- but at least they're trying, right? Available for pre-order now, the ReNu solar panel ($199) and the Renu panel / iPod dock combo ($249) both ship in February 2010, while the Side Light desk lamp ($89) ships in next March, and the Sound Dock ($149) should see the light of day sometime in April. Hit the read link to place that order, but not before peeping the galley below.

Gallery: PR shots for Renu's solar powered iPhone charger, desk lamp

[Via TreeHugger]

Bang & Olufsen BeoCom 5 landline: all the cool kids have one

by Laura June posted Oct 21st 2009 at 1:42AM

We know what you're thinking: what could be more impressive to your "friends" than an incredibly super sweet landline telephone about 9 years after most people stopped having them? That's right, a landline. Bang & Olufsen's BeoCom 5 is destined to take things to the next level with hot functions like "hold" and the ability to store up to 400 contacts. The BeoCom 5 also boasts a rad looking speaker phone if you want to get a whole group convo going like we did back in junior high. Other good news here is that this baby can handle two separate lines -- in case one is simply not enough. No word on when the newest BeoCom will be unleashed, or how much it will cost, but we're going to guess it won't be cheap.

[Via Acquire Mag]

Panasonic serves up latest prototype robots, dish washing servant included (video)

by Darren Murph posted Oct 18th 2009 at 11:11AM

Keeping those dreams alive by scrubbing dishes at your least favorite eatery? Best put those aspirations on the front burner, as Panasonic's got a mighty fine robot swooping in to take your place -- and for a whole lot less cash, to boot. At Panny's robotics laboratory in Osaka, the company recently showcased its latest gaggle of prototype robots designed to help humans take it easy more often. Among the usual suspects were a porter robot designed to help with heavy lifting, while the star of the show was undoubtedly the dish washing bot that wasn't afraid to get its metallic digits wet and soapy. As expected, an array of integrated sensors kept it from grabbing a wine glass too tightly, and its four fingers enabled it to do most everything a human washer could (sans the kvetching). Have a peek at these guys in action just past the break.

[Via Impress]

Continue reading Panasonic serves up latest prototype robots, dish washing servant included (video)

Dyson's Air Multiplier is the overpriced bladeless fan you never asked for

by Paul Miller posted Oct 12th 2009 at 7:01PM

We can't fault Dyson for chutzpah. After putting the company's spin on vacuum cleaners and then hand dryers, we probably should've guessed that a revolution in table fan engineering was next up. When we first saw an image of the Dyson Air Multiplier "bladeless fan" a few spurious theories popped into our heads as to how it works, but it didn't take long to figure it out: it has blades in it. It's just that these blades are inside the lower canister, rather similar to, dare we say it, how a vacuum cleaner is set up, with the air then routed through the ring up top. The benefits of this tech are that there are no nasty blades to get fingers caught up in, but also that there's no "buffeting" -- that on-off gush of air caused by fan blades unceremoniously chopping up the air into inelegant segments. Unfortunately, the downside of the Dyson method is that you can't make Darth Vader voices through the backside of the fan, and the whole assembly is closer in noise pollution to that of an actual vacuum cleaner than a regular table fan. And then there's the matter of price: $300 for the 10-inch model, $330 for the 12-inch, and neither of them offer nearly as much wind as a regular fan this size -- quite a steep entry fee for the gentle breezes that emanate out of this plastic wind tunnel. Full PR is after the break.

Gallery: Dyson's Air Multiplier

Continue reading Dyson's Air Multiplier is the overpriced bladeless fan you never asked for

Switched On: Towards telepresence's tipping point

by Ross Rubin posted Oct 9th 2009 at 6:09PM

Ross Rubin (@rossrubin) contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

To steal a line from Las Vegas' tourism board, what happens in the custom install channel has stayed in the custom install channel. While technologies routinely filter down from the enterprise to consumers, products and services that are the province of professional system integrators rarely become something the average consumer can manage, despite their perceived coolness, convenience and, in the case of some electrical and thermostat control, cost benefits. Examples include automated lighting, heating and air conditioning, multi-room video, and surveillance.

But this is starting to change. One capability that has somewhat filtered through recently has been multi-room audio, which had to go wireless with the Sonos music system. While a Sonos system is still a relatively expensive product, but it is a drop in the bucket when compared with systems such as those from Russound. And telepresence may be getting next in line. The recent release of the Avaak Vue lives up to its promise of being a relatively simple and affordable product that extends webcams to walls, allowing consumers to peek in at will at what is going on at their home. Access is from a simple Web site that allows you to view up to 50 cameras around the home by dragging and dropping them onto a Web page.

Continue reading Switched On: Towards telepresence's tipping point