Forget Lasik, Get Eye Power!

This reminds me of a do-it-yourself lasik kit I saw as a gag once. However, given this is coming from Japan, and I can't read Japanese, I have no idea if this Eye Power thing is real. The theory goes, you stare into this machine for 10 minutes and "ultrasonic technology" restores your myopic, near-sighted self to perfect 20/20 vision.

Sounds too good to be true, if you ask me. However, 88,000 yen (about $800 USD) is a bit cheaper than lasik surgery. I suppose if you're brave and you can navigate a Japanese web site to order the device, you could give it a try. But hey, I'm expecting the device to be a waste of money.

Ratuken via DVICE, DVICE.

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Buying a Projector Online

So you need to purchase a projector? Why not go online and get the job done? I found an article that is just right for getting real advice on buying a projector. How to Shop Online for Projectors


Some important steps to take in buying a projector that you should read and digest before embarking on the job of buying a projector.

Just make sure that you have a budget that can get the best you need for your space. When buying a projector you do not get the best results in buying a cut-price projector. Buy well to get what you need.

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Geek fill in the blank t-shirt

Technology moves fast so you have to keep up, and this black write-on, wash-off
100% cotton t-shirt will help keep you updated with the latest saying. Packaged with its own washable marker, it features white lowercase text and fill-in-the-blank style boxes for ur fill-in-the-blank pleasure.

Imagine the fun you can have! Say you''re in a good mood, " im in ur computer upgradin'' ur RAM." Bad mood? Well, you can think of a few.

$16.99 - $18.99 from those crazies at ThinkGeek.

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Just Another Bugatti?

Sometimes it seems that every high-end classic car auction has to have a Bugatti on the block. Considering that the French marque was a low-volume sports/racing machine, one wonders how so a number of survived. (Conversely, would you have kicked Ava Gardner out of bed?) So let's show due respect to this 1937 Bugatti 57SC Atalante Coupe, which will be auctioned by RM in Arizona Jan 17, 2009 with preview Jan 16. Finished in its early 60s restoration colours of Patrol Cream and Lemon Oxide, it is one of the few 'estimate on request' cars in the sale. This Bug was once part of the mammoth Harrah collection in Reno, Nevada where it was retro-fitted with a supercharger. It is said to have a 120 mph top speed, which must have been exciting, to say the least, on those skinny period tires. And how much will it bring? A similar car went for a mere $7,920,000 at a 2008 Monterey sale. But that was before the recession.

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Is a paperless postal service possible?

Is this what the postal service of the future could look like? If so, frankly, my mind is blown. Thanks to Zumbox, Businesses and organizations can now send mail for free - without the use of paper.

So how does it work? Well, unlike email, Zumbox is based entirely on street addresses, just like regular mail. Each address has its own log in, and when people have sent you paperless mail, you can read it via your computer. Businesses can still set up databases and secure mailing lists, and the system is quashing any junk mail it comes across.

If cutting down on use of paper is a goal for you or your business, you might want to give Zumbox a try. You only have your postage costs to lose.

Via Treehugger.

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Rugged outdoor tablet netbook computer

Rugged PC makers, Trimble, have just released another go-anywhere PC. The Yuma is an outdoor, high reliability portable tablet PC designed for the more rugged and outdoorsy type jobs or for people who are a little more clumsy than most. The Yuma can survive most types of punishment. It has an ingress protection rating of 67, so it’s pretty much dust and waterproof and it can handle temperatures from -30C to 60C.

It’s powered by the ubiquitous Atom processor with the usual 802.11 b/g, USB slots, Bluetooth and the Yuma adds GPS and 2 built-in cameras. The screen is a smaller 7″ model however it runs at 1024 x 600 so you can still see everything. You can add functionality via the SDIO or ExpressCard slots and it has a 32Gb SSD for reliability. Oh and just for giggles, it runs Vista.

There’s no keyboard but it has a stylus and an on-screen keyboard and function keys scattered about the bezel. It doesn’t have built-in 3G mobile broadband, but where it’s going there’s probably no service anyway. With a battery installed it weighs a little over 1kg and lasts about 8 hours. The dock is optional. No prices yet, but it launches in April, 2009. Just don’t drop it on your foot. More info here

Trimble, the world leader in outdoor rugged computing, brings you the new Yuma rugged tablet computer, able to withstand even your challenging work environment. Safeguard your software and data in the face of dust, sand, mud, humidity and extreme temperature.

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All in one electric hub powers up your old bicycle

The boffins at MIT are working on an all-in-one electric wheel hub called the GreenWheel which when retrofitted to old bicycles converts them to electric power. There are plenty of Chinese electric wheels on the market, but this one goes a stage further by folding all the technology, including batteries, into the single hub, making it easier to install and use. The development prototypes still need to have the wheel spokes rejigged, but they’re working on an alternative so it can become more DIY friendly. What’s more, the single wheel should be able to power the bike for 25 miles, which is astonishing when you think of the size of the battery enclosure. Fascinating. [Via]

A GreenWheel equipped bike is a smooth ride, as Discovery News found out during a recent afternoon test ride around MIT’s campus. Turning the handle mounted throttle, like any motorcycle, just a few small degrees produces a noticeable increase in power and a light electric hum. The handle-mounted throttle is connected wirelessly to the electric motor in the wheel. The GreenWheel is also durable. The team estimates its range at 40,000 miles, or about eight years work of travel at an estimated 20 miles per business day.

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Infrared Nighttime Camera

Camouflaged, waterproof, silent and heat sensing, this Infrared Nighttime Camera grabs 3 megapixel stills and/or video and stores them onto an integrated 1 GB SD card. We’re talking 2800 photos or 500+ 10 second video clips. The rechargeable battery lasts for around 14 days and charges up in 2 hours, and the whole thing hooks up to a USB port to allow downloading onto your computer. A great way to capture scavengers, ne’er do wells and the next door neighbour stealing your hubcaps. £219.00.

Cameras like this are often used by professionals such as hunters, forestry workers, zoologists etc. There is no shutter noise and no flash to disturb the observations. 40 infrared diodes sense the body heat and motion of humans and animals: Inside a 12m (36ft) perimeter and within an angle of 110°. If both are detected the weatherproof camera silently releases the shutter and the data is stored to the internal memory, or optionally to the supplied 1 GB SD card.

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Samsung Rogue coming to Verizon soon

Another Samsung touchscreen handset known as the Samsung Rogue is about to hit Verizon Wireless soon. The Samsung Rogue will feature an AMOLED touchscreen display and a slide-out QWERTY keyboard.

Here are the details known so far:

Network: Verizon EVDO Rev A data network
OS: Samsung OS with TouchWiz 2.0 UI
Display: AMOLED Touchscreen display
Camera: 3MP with Geo-tagging and Flash
Connectivity: EVDO, 3.5mm headphones jack, Bluetooth 2.0
Others: MP3 Player, GPS

Checkout more images after the jump:

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Bayer's Contour USB Meter Empowers Patients

Simple to use, the patient simply insert a test strip into the meter and take their test as usual. The Contour gives the test results on the easy to read color OLED display and logs it for later use. Able to hold up to 2,000 test results, the devices is a great way to track blood glucose patterns which can be a boon to both doctors and patients. Based on Bayer"s CONTOUR system, the meter utilizes the incredibly accurate No Coding technology for results patients can trust. Bayer also added the AutoLog feature that allows users to mark their tests as Before Meal or After Meal for more detailed records.

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Weather Alarm Clock Photo Frame

Weather Alarm Clock Photo Frame – triple function combo keeps you dry, happy and on time

The Weather Alarm Clock Photo Frame crams a lot into a mini desktop sized package. You’ve got yourself an indoor outdoor weather temp station thingy, a 16MB digital photo frame and an alarm clock. Wake up, check the weather, remember the wife and pop down for breakfast in the seedy motel dining room. Perfect. £49.95.

Weather station, clock and photo frame in one. The first of its type we’ve seen, this neat little gadget combines 3 useful functions to free up space on your desk, worktop or bedside table. * Clock with alarm and indoor temperature/humidity * Weather station with weather icons and temperature trend indicator * 1.8″ digital photo frame with 16Mb memory stores up to 120 pictures. * Mini USB port for importing images.

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