Spy Camera Glasses

A hidden camera is a still or video camera used to film people without their knowledge. The camera is "hidden" because it is either not visible to the subject being filmed, or is disguised as another object. Hidden cameras have become popular for household surveillance, and can be built into common household objects such as smoke detectors, clock radios, motion detectors, ball caps, plants, and cellphones. Hidden cameras may also be used commercially or industrially as security cameras.

A hidden camera can be wired or wireless. The former will be connected to a TV, VCR, or DVR, whereas a wireless hidden camera can be used to transmit a video signal to a receiver within a small radius (up to a few hundred feet).

Some hidden camera shows have led to lawsuits or being denied to air by the people who were trapped in set-ups that they found unpleasant.

Here’s a cool spy gadget for all the James Bond fans out there, the Spy Camera Glasses.

This cool spy gadget features a built in 1.3 megapixel camera, capable of snapping spy shots at a resolution of 1280 x 1024.

Photos are taken by pressing the RF remote which you can hide discreetly in your pocket so no one will know when you are taking photos.

These cool spy glasses also have built in headphones and an mp3 player so you can listen to your favourite tunes whilst taking photos.

Here’s the specs.

• A 1.3 megapixel (1280 x 1024) resolution camera located on the arm of sporty shades.
• An RF remote control so no-one will ever know when you’re going to snap next.
• 1GB of internal memory for photos or MP3s.
• The polarised lenses are UV400 for great protection from the sun.
• A USB cable is provided to attach to the shades so you can download your snaps onto your computer, recharge the battery and upload MP3s.
• The camera battery lasts for up to 9 hours or 6 hours when playing MP3s.
• Earbud headphones are discreetly embedded in the sunglass arms.
• A storage case.
• A cleaning cloth.
• A set of spare, clear lenses are included for indoor use.
• Compatible with Windows & MAC OS9 onwards (driver CD included for windows 98).
• Requires a USB port.
• Size:-
• Sunglasses: 17 x 16 x 4cm
• RC: 4 x 3.5 x 1cm
• Case: 17.5 x 11cm.

USB Cup Warmer

It’s no wonder that now, every morning at about 8:30am, I make myself a cup of hot tea. It doesn’t matter if it’s Spring, Summer, Fall or Winter, my day wouldn’t be complete without a cup of tea. The thing is though, I’m a sipper, not gulper. By the time I drink the last drop, my hot tea has turned into cold tea… bleh! So, when Brando sent me the USB Cup Warmer.

The USB Cup Warmer is a black stretchy neoprene 11.5 inch wrap with a 38 inch USB cable extending out of one end. A 2.5 inch cutout to allow for a coffee cup handle is located on one end of the wrap. The idea is that you slide the cup handle through the cutout, then pull the wrap around the cup, where it is held in place with Velcro. In practice, the wrap fit my standard sized mug perfectly snug.

You then plug the USB connector into a free USB 1.1 or 2.0 port on your PC or MAC computer, where it will draw enough power to warm the wrap and the cup that it is enclosing. By the way, it’s a good idea to put the wrap on before you fill the cup up with boiling hot water. Wrestling with the wrap while the cup is full, is a good way to spill hot water on your hand… ouch!

Time Elapsed	Beverage temperature (Fahrenheit) without Cup Warmer plugged into USB port	Beverage temperature (Fahrenheit) with Cup Warmer plugged into USB port	Actual impression of temperature
Begin	160°	160°	Scalding
5min	152°	148°	Very hot
10min	142°	138°	Hot
15min	131°	131°	Very warm*
20min	122°	125°	Warm
25min	112°	120°
30min	107°	117°
35min	102°	113°
40min	98°	110°
45min		107°
50min		105°
55min		103°
1hr		101°

The USB Cup Warmer is a novelty more than anything. Although it will keep your beverage somewhat warmer for a longer period of time, it’s up to you to decide if warm is warm enough.

Pros:
Use for USB port other than something computer related Inexpensive Plug and play

Slingbox

The Slingbox TV signal sender / media streamer is the most impressive gadget I have had the pleasure of stumbling across in 2008, having marvelled at the way such a simple device could reduce arguments over who's turn it was to choose the channel in a TV-obssessed family household.

The Slingbox allows you to stream TV programs directly to an internet connected PC using your broadband connection. The streamed TV signal is delivered by connecting the Slingbox directly to your TV, satellite receiver or cable box. This sounds far too simple to be true, but it genuinely is. The Slingbox is a dream to setup and use, I’ve even heard rumors that my wife was able to configure our device in my absence, but I’m not convinced she didn’t call a ‘techi friend’ to do this for her! It is also an incredibly reliable device for this type of media streaming and can even send freeview TV signals without the need for direct connectivity to a TV. Although it's a superb innovation which delivers clean, seamless images from your TV to PC straight across your broadband connection, the Slingbox does however come with only one minor flaw. It would be even more impressive if 'version two' came with one-to-many connectivity.

Sling Media, the maker of Slingbox, says it's all about staying connected to your favorite programs, wherever your life takes you. Choose the SlingboxTUNER, SlingboxAV, or SlingboxPRO, depending on your needs, and the type of programming and equipment you have at home.

How Slingbox Works

The Slingbox device plugs into your television source (cable, satellite, set-top box or DVR) using a coaxial, component, composite, or S-video cable. The network connector on the Slingbox then connects to your Internet router with a standard ethernet cable, or wirelessly with a special bridge adapter. An infrared cable from the Slingbox, pointed at your TV or DVR gives you the ability to remotely control them from your computer. No matter how you connect the Slingbox, you'll need to install the SlingPlayer interface software on your computer or portable wireless device, in order to view the video programming remotely.

Technical Communication - Truecall call screener

Specifications:

• Recording software requires Windows XP or Vista
• USB SD card reader supplied
• Web access facilitates configuration but not absolutely necessary

Pros: Easy preliminary setup. Neat and effective

Cons: PC users might prefer local control rather than via a server at a small but not insignificant cost

Overall: Fine-tuning messages and configuration will take time but is worth the effort. Works well as a smart answering machine and (optionally) call recorder

The need to screen unwanted phone calls was once largely restricted to celebrities and victims of malicious or demented callers.

Telephone add-on blocks calls you don’t want and optionally records those that you answer

The need to screen unwanted phone calls was once largely restricted to celebrities and victims of malicious or demented callers.

Now junk calls are becoming almost as overwhelming as spam email and are equally tricky to block. The Truecall system is designed to do so with the minimum of hassle.

The basic setup could hardly be simpler. You plug a lead from the little Truecall box into your main phone jack and your phone or Dect base station into the box. After a few seconds your phone rings and you are prompted to record a greeting message for callers.

Options too numerous to list here are designed to deal with just about any conceivable type of telephone nuisance. Configuration can be done on the keypad, or rather more easily via an indirect web interface on Truecall’s remote server, which carries an annual charge of £15 after the first year. This also allows you to simply paste in a list of Star or Zap numbers. Holding down a button on the Truecall box sets up a dial-up link that synchronises data with the server.

You can pick up your messages remotely by calling your own number and calls can be recorded with the aid of an optional module.

Kozo Lamps made out of pipes

Every time I glance at this lamp it reminds me of Runaway Bride. In that movie the main character creates lighting out of hardware typically meant for other tasks, such as pipes and that sort of thing. I thought it was a brilliant idea when I saw the movie and I still think it’s a great idea. I’m glad to see someone making something like this in reality, instead of just in Hollywood.

Although it’s not entirely reality, since these are in the design stages still. The designer David Benatan works for a design company in Tel Aviv. Which is where he makes these interesting lamps made out of pipes. The best part of the whole lamp is that it can be turned on and off by turning the faucet handle. Part of the fun of the design is also that many of the lamps don’t appear to be stable, they look as if they might tip over. They are thankfully perfectly secure though and won’t go tipping over. The pipes are left completely authentic, they still have rust on the joints and marks from hand tools that were used to assemble them. Hopefully these will make it to stores sometime soon.

EyeMove PC

Over the years those concepts which we use to see in sci-fi movies are being shaped for usage in normal lives. Just look at the EyeMove PC which in every sense is a mobile computing solution which makes even notebooks passé. The Eye Move PC not only looks ultra chic but also has an integrated projection lens controlled by a multi-function wireless controller. Thus all your tasks or multimedia content can be viewed on any wall or surface and you can access the PC via the wireless controller. That doesn’t mean that you go and throw out your mouse and keyboard in the dumpster since there’s no word on when it may actually be produced for the consumer markets.

This next device is so cool, that I couldn't tell what it was when I first saw it. I realize that some of you don't understand my mindset, but sometimes the things that you can't tell what they are by looking at them are the most interesting.

This is the case with the Eyemove PC, which could easily change the way we do PCs. The Eyemove is actually two units wirelessly synced together. The first is an oval shaped projector that can be mounted vertically on a wall or horizontally on a stand. The controller is a circular touchscreen that has a keyboard, mouse, and joystick all-in-one. Combined together, you have a display that is projected anywhere with a very unique interface.

EVCOMM Soft Phone

Evcomm soft phone is a client-based SIP application for the PC or laptop running the Microsoft Windows operating system. Evcomm soft phone uses the SIP protocol to allow user to make and reiceive telephone call, send and receive instant messages, and see enterprise contact availability vi presence.

Features

• Protocol: SIP v2 (RFC 3261), RTP
• Audio: G711 (uLAW/aLAW), G723.1, GSM, iLBC, Speex, AMR
• Proxy: Multiple Proxies Supported
• Line: Multiple Lines Supported.
• DTMF Supported
• Friendly User Interface supports phone book, call history, configuration.
• NAT Traversal

Requirements:

Operating system

Windows2000/WindowsXP