Gadget Blog

A still from "Charlie Magnetico." Where there's smoke…

(Credit:
Screenshot by Edward Moyer/CNET)

Times have been good for aficionados of Jim Henson.

Not only did we see a new Muppets feature film over the holidays, last week we also saw the posting of a “lost” Henson short: “Robot,” made for an AT&T data-communications seminar in 1963. And now a kind of “sequel” to “Robot” has made its way online.

AT&T posted “Charlie Magnetico” to its AT&T Tech Channel (and YouTube) earlier in the week (you’ll find it embedded below). Like “Robot,” the film stars the charmingly croaky “Computer H14″ (Henson’s first robot puppet), who tells the tale of Magnetico Electronics and its “tafflerated conducer.”

The fictional gadget, used in missile guidance systems, falls victim to a communications mix-up, which of course makes for a bang-up finish to the film. (”Charlie Magnetico” also stars Henson’s first employee, Jerry Juhl, as Charlie himself, and Charlie’s mother. Juhl went on to become the head writer for “The Muppet Show” and “Fraggle Rock.”)

I’ve been a fan of Henson’s work for a long time, especially his commercial work from the early 1960s. –Robin Edgerton, AT&T archivist … [Read more]

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Yahoo! News – Welcome to Just Show Me on Tecca TV, where we show you tips and tricks for getting the most out of the gadgets in your life. In today’s episode we’ll show you how to find out what apps are running on your Android 4.0 …

Yahoo! News – Welcome to Just Show Me on Tecca TV, where we show you tips and tricks for getting the most out of the gadgets in your life. In today’s episode we’ll show you how to find out what apps are running on your Android 4.0 …

Scientists and engineers have built a monitor that tracks heart rate, respiration, and movement–without requiring direct contact with skin.

The 2-inch-wide sensor works without skin contact.

(Credit:
Oregon State University)

The “life and activity” monitor, developed at Oregon State University, is wearable and non-invasive. The sensor does this via a 5-axis inertial measurement unit and a non-contact heart rate sensor that allow for ongoing and simultaneous monitoring of movement, heart rate, and respiration. Imagine adhering such a device to your pants instead of wearing yet another arm or wrist band that’s trying to resemble a watch.

The researchers, who reported on their emerging tech this week, say the next step is to continue to miniaturize a device that is already just two inches wide–ultimately taking the form of, say, a disposable bandage prescribed by a doctor for a few weeks of continuous monitoring.

“When this technology becomes more miniaturized and so low cost that it could almost be disposable, it will see more widespread adoption,” said Patrick Chiang, an assistant professor of computer engineering at OSU, … [Read more]

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Hey, that’s purty.

(Credit:
Dexim)

I have “a friend” (who is no way whatsoever me, no sir, mm-mm) who recently got so excited about her new smartphone case she couldn’t stop looking at it for days. Point being that accessories can hugely boost one’s enthusiasm for gadgets, even the most humdrum ones.

Take these Dexim Visible Green illuminated charging cables that use electroluminescent (EL) technology to display the current flow from the power socket to your device. They function like any other charging cable, but they do it with such pizzazz that you (and by “you,” I mean “me”) can’t help but feel energized watching them. Suddenly, charging a smartphone feels like going to a rave.

The speed of the lights varies depending on your charging needs; the lower the battery the faster the visible current moves, slowing when your gadget reaches 65 percent. Once a device is fully charged, the glowing stops and the charger goes into power-saving automatic standby mode.

A Visible Green charging system for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch (folding AC plug plus cable in purple, dark blue, light blue, or green) goes for $35, with the cable alone selling for $20. A 2.6-foot charge and sync cable compatible with … [Read more]

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