Tag: New Technology

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Computers Mobile Devices New Technology

iPad – What Do You Think?

I’ve been really bad about putting up new posts both here and my other blog lately, but how could I miss out on putting up something about the latest thing this week – the Apple iPad. What do I think of it? Well, I’m not sure yet. It’s definitely is a wonderful piece of technology. It’s a new category though, so not 100% sure where this will “fit in” just yet. It’s more than just a big iPod Touch, more than just an eBook reader, similar yet different than a netbook…

You get the idea. And we’ll have to wait and see what happens when they are actually available for purchase how well they sell, and what demographic(s) will be buying them.

What say you though? What are your thoughts, praises, critisisms, comments on the iPad?

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New Technology Science Technology

SawStop: Electrical current = Safety

ss_logoOne usually doesn’t think of standard tools in the shop as high on the list of “techy gadgets” but one tool is using a pretty neat technology to help improve safety.

SawStop has table saws on the market that if any part of the user’s body comes in contact with the blade, the saw instantly stops, and the blade retracts into the body of the saw.

How does it work?  There is a small electrical current that runs through the blade.  Inside there is an electical sensor that if it senses a change in the voltage (by a finger, or in the case of their demo, a hot dog), it triggers the brake which stops the blade.  The momentum of the spinning blade stopping in a fraction of a section pulls it down into the body of the saw.   Pretty cool stuff.  Check out the vids below.

Of course, they are not cheap.  I think last I saw about $1800 for the contractor model, and $3800 for the cabinet model to start.

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Computers Fun New Technology Technology

The Table IS The Comptuer

Now don’t get me wrong. I think this multitouch technology is really cool stuff. I can see it being utilized by the military or other government applications, corporations, etc., but when I envision it being a coffee table in the home…

  • Multiple instances of “Get your feet off of that table!”.
  • Will the table really recognize your toddler’s toys, or for that matter, their coloring that finds its way off the paper, or licking, or some other mess from who knows where that they decide to deposit on its surface. But I guess the rounded corners means it’s child friendly, so it’s all good.
  • Ah yes, the new medium for the old fashioned slide show. Instead of having one’s friends and family over to yawn at the slide show on the white screen of the vacation to where the heck was that anyway, now they can have them gather ‘round the coffee table. On a similar note as before though, how will the table recognize that particular person’s head that is now asleep, drooling on the table?
  • I can see a boom for chiropractors everywhere. All that looking down working with photos, maps and whatnot on the table can only mean neck adjustments galore.
  • The video mentions the table being used as a remote control for your TV. Guess we won’t have to worry about lost remotes.
  • Where do you put your coffee table books, anyway?
  • Speaking of books, if it can recognize different objects, could I put a book on it and it will read it to me (ahhh, memories of childhood)? Or better yet, could I put my head down on the table too and absorb the book’s material in an osmosis-like process? Perhaps there would be a market for a MS Surface pillow?

Well, I guess the possibilities are endless…

Oh yeah, and it’s $10,000.

Another video touting its “capabilities”…