Author: Shinychris
LED 'green' TVs make little financial sense
Interesting piece over on www.oled-info.com about how much money you will save with a ‘green’ TV. It has picked up on research from an Israeli newspaper that shows if you buy Samsung 40inch green LED TV it will take over 166 years to offset the difference in price over a conventional LCD screen.
The newspaper has made the calculation, assuming that you watch 4 hours of TV a day. It has worked out that Samsung’s 40inch LED TV consumes almost half the amount of electricity when compared to normal 40inch LCD TVs (95Kw/h vs 175 Kw/h). This works out a little over a dollar a month in terms of electricity savings. But the cost of the set is more than double. Would be interesting if these results are replicated in the UK but they probably are quite similar.
All TV makers are now offering green or eco TVs. Usually they still sell their normal TV, and the new green model is offered at a premium. Some use LED technology to reduce power consumption, and some use ideas like an optical sensor that knows if you leave the room and shuts down the screen, or an ‘eco-mode’ button that reduces brightness by 20%. But it seems that while they might save energy, they make little financial sense right now.
Via Oled Info
Nintendo announces new colours and apps for DSi
Nintendo's popular DSi handheld games console is to come in several new colours and with additional pre-installed applications from next month.
Available in Metallic Blue, Light Blue and Red as well as standard black and white from October 23, the DSi will boast a series of new features as standard including Flipnote Studio and a Facebook feature. The Facebook feature will allow users to post their photographic creations straight to their Facebook profile in order to use image manipulation tools in the Nintendo DSi Camera.
Flipnote Studio enables users to make notes on their Nintendo DSi or get creative and animate their own mini-movies. Those using their Nintendo DSi to access the Nintendo DSi Shop through Nintendo Wi-Fi connection before March 31st, 2010 will also receive 1,000 Nintendo DSi Points for free! Users can then use these points to download exclusive games and/or applications called Nintendo DSiWare. Users can also purchase additional Nintendo DSi Points within the Nintendo DSi Shop or redeem Nintendo Points cards that can be bought in stores where available.
A2B Metro now available throughout London
Officially launched earlier this year the A2B Metro electric bike is now available from several retailers including Harrods (via Cycle UK concession), Selfridges (via Bike Republic Concession) and EV Stores Electric Vehicle retailer on London’s Park Lane.
Also new to the A2B range, is the A2B Hybrid. Designed to complement the energy you put into your ride, its torque sensor detects your pedal power directly boosting your effort with Ultra Motor’s direct drive electric motor power.
The A2B Metro recommended retail price is £1999.00 and the A2B Hybrid recommended retail price is £1799.00. Dealer details can be found on the Ultra Motor website www.ultramotor.com/uk
The A2B Range from Ultra Motor will also be showing at the London Cycle Show, Earls Court which is open to the public from 9th-11th October. The London Cycle Show’s commuter test track, will provide visitors the opportunity to trial the A2B Metro.
Finis upgrades SwiMP3 with 1Gb memory
I love the Finis SwiMP3 player. It’s fantastic for relieving the boredom of swimming up and down the pool and sound quality underwater is surprisingly good thanks to its use of bone-conduction technology.
Humans normally hear through air conduction, but because there is no air underneath the water, Finis claims that bone conduction provides the clearest sound quality possible. Instead sound vibrations are transferred from the cheek bone to the inner ear, giving the swimmer much better sound quality. Certainly audio quality is much better than other underwater MP3 players I’ve tested including Speedo’s much cheaper Aquabeat.
Exspect launches FM Transmitter range for iPod, iPhone
Accessories firm Exspect has unveiled four FM Transmitters for hooking your iPod, iPod Touch or iPhone to your home speaker system or in-car stereo. All Exspect FM Transmitters are compatible with every FM radio and boast several features as standard, including a large LCD display, full range frequency between 88.1MHz – 107.9MHz (handy in big cities where frequencies can get very crowded), auto-memory of the last frequency used, and an auto-off feature to ensure your power consumption remains as low as possible.
To preserve the battery life of your Apple device, all Exspect FM Transmitters come equipped with a mini USB port, a mini USB cable and an in-car charger. Exspect's flagship device, the Intelligent FM Transmitter also features a Radio Data System (RDS) facility, which shows the current track being played on your device directly onto the stereo's display. Sounds quite a natty feature.
Available now from HMV, Play.com and other leading retail outlets, there are four Exspect FM Transmitters range in price from £29.99 for the entry level model (EX153) to £49 for the EX156 with Intelligent FM Transmitter.
Noel Edmonds iPhone app
For me Noel Edmonds lost the plot sometime after the Multi-Coloured Swap Shop ended (not that I’m suggesting for one minute he is mad of course, I know how litigious he can be). So to hear that he’s launched an iPhone app for his belief in the crazy-sounding philosophy of Cosmic Ordering is no real surprise.
Perhaps more of a surprise though is that he thinks people will pay £1.20 for it. I guess these are probably the same people who check their star signs in the newspapers and really think that one twelfth of the population will act. Apparently, according to today’s Metro, Edmonds used to keep a record of his cosmic orders on ‘small scraps of paper – not the ideal way to keep a record of such an important part of one’s life.
Apparently the 60 year old has attributed the revitalisation of his career to his new mindset which encourages people to think positively about the goals in life. “The cosmos exists solely to help those who want to help themselves. It is an incredibly powerful force and a wonderful friend,” he said.
To find out more about Cosmic Ordering click here.
Ant and Dec partner with Nintendo
As if we don't see them enough on our screens Ant and Dec have announced they are to front Nintendo's biggest ever TV ad campaign in the run up to Christmas (I think that's Ant doing his best aeroplane impression, but it could be the other one).
The pair will first hit our screens on October 16th where they'll be meeting and challenging Nintendo fans and families from across the UK. Yes, the great British public will be given the opportunity to star alongside Ant and Dec, as the real stars of the ads, following a national recruitment campaign looking for genuine fans of Nintendo titles. Self confessed fans of Guitar Hero and their DS's, Ant and Dec are no strangers to the world of gaming and admit to recently becoming obsessed with the Nintendo DS game Rhythm Paradise which they played throughout filming Britain's Got Talent.
Says Ant: "I have always been a massive fan of Nintendo consoles. I loved my Nintendo 64 growing up. Mario Kart 64 was my favourite, it kept Dec and I entertained for hours during the PJ and Duncan years! Even today when I play Mario Kart on my Wii, I have a lucky steering wheel at home that's only mine to use!!"
Sennheiser's HD 380 pro headphones
Everyone knows that German firm Sennheiser makes great headphones – that look and sound great too. I swear by my pair of PX100s for listening to my iPod. This pair though look much more serious and come at a much more serious price too (a cool £140). A foldable pair they are intended as professional monitoring headphones for audio professionals such as sound engineers and musicians. Sennheiser claims they offer high sound pressure level and extended frequency response. They are provided with zipped carrying case.
TenOne's Pogo Stylus for your iPhone
To be honest I’m not really sure why you would need a stylus for your iPhone. Surely the idea of iPhones is that you don’t need one. On their website, TenOne says they are perfect for those who like to wear gloves in winter or have long fingernails! Er, OK then.
Still, the Pogo Stylus does look quite nice. Made of ultra-light aluminum it comes in anodized finish and is available in several colours including grey and a rather fetching pink colour. Apparently, the soft tip glides easily over the surface of the display, making it fun and easy to sketch and draw characters. The stylus is available in the US for $14.95 or in Europe for Euros 17.95
Get your domain name on a matchbox – of course
Perhaps the strangest, certainly the most unusual, Christmas gift I’ve heard of since that company that produced certificates for buying a chunk of the moon. Yes this Chrimbo you can get your very own matchbox with your domain name written on it. Simply open up your matchbox to find a unique activation code, then type it into the Mr Site website to register your domain name. Well I guess it beats socks – just about.
As long as your choice is still available, ‘Dot Com in a Matchbox’ can offer the following domains for one whole year: .com, .net, .org, .biz, .info, .co.uk, .org.uk. Visit www.mrsite.com for more information and to buy online. To build a website for your name, Mr Site also offers Website Beginner (£19.99), Standard (£34.99) or Pro (£99.99)? No matchbox required.
