Activity #2

5 innovative gadgets in 2011

1. Liquid Image Extreme Summit Series HD Goggles (MSRP $400): Wouldn't it be great to record your actual snowboarding or skiing trip down the slopes? Liquid Image Extreme offers a set of snowboarding goggles that come equipped with an HD camcorder that records footage onto a Micro SD card. The user need only push a button, and a high definition video camera located near the user's forehead turns on and starts recording footage.
2. Mitsubishi Digital Electronics 92-inch 3D TV (MSRP $5,000-$6,000): 50-inch TV screens were once considered huge, but not anymore. Mitsubishi has introduced a 1080i HD TV that is over 7 and 1/2 feet long. This is the largest TV that the company offers, and it is also 3D capable. However, the 3D glasses that one needs for the TV do not come cheap either: a starter pack from the company, which includes two pairs of active-shutter 3D glasses and an adapter, costs an additional $400. In the case of this 3D TV, cheap plastic (dual-tone) or "passive" 3D glasses simply don't work.
3. Vizio Theater 3D TV (MSRP $300): For those individuals who don't need a theater-size TV, Vizio offers a 3D TV that starts just under $300 for a 22-inch model. The 3D glasses themselves run $29.99 for one pair or $44.99 for two, and they can also be used in movie theaters.
4. Nike+ Sportwatch GPS (MSRP $249): Runners typically track their mileage while running as a way to measure their progress. Nike tapped into the runner market back in 2006 by introducing a shoe sensor that transmitted running data and mileage to the user's iPod, but that required owning an iPod. Now, the company is again trying to expand into the running market by offering a stand-alone running watch that also contains a GPS for mileage tracking and route mapping.
5. Wave Xtion Web/TV Browser (MSRP $199): The Xtion connects to both a PC and a TV, allowing Web browsing on one's TV. While this concept itself is not new, what is new is the fact that the Xtion does not require a user to have any kind of keypad or joystick in order to rapidly surf the Web or even play online games. Hand motions suffice, since the device actually tracks the gestures of the people sitting in front of the TV.