vela: Green Lantern. Or Blue, Or Red, Or Yellow…

Home By on Dec 13, 2013

Vela (pronounced veh-la) is a Bluetooth-enabled LED lamp from the small but spunky crew at Michigan-based twisthink. Is it just a light? Yeah, but it’s about as versatile a lantern as one could hope for. When fully charged it promises 16 hours of luminescence at full intensity, and many more hours if it’s dimmed. You can change the colors it emits at any time or set it to change on a timer; you can make the light dance like a candle; heck, you can even blow your phone to turn it off. So basically it’s four times as entertaining as Ryan Reynolds in Green Lantern.

MORE: Home, Lighting

Gerber Daily Carry Tools: Way Better Than Strained Peas

Gear By on Apr 2, 2013

When I heard that Gerber had a new set of small, lightweight tools, I naturally assumed they were being aimed at the growing number of infants who both need and deserve functioning screwdrivers. Yeah, turns out this is a different Gerber. But that doesn’t mean the tools are any less impressive. Choose from a selection of blades, combination bottle opener/LED lights, and more, each weighing in at just an ounce, or the equivalent of two tablespoons of pureed peas & carrots.

MORE: Gear, Tools

L8 SmartLight

Tech By on Jul 23, 2012

For some people, getting an email or text or tweet is cause for a mini celebration. But how does one celebrate such small samples of communication? With light, of course! Duh. Sheesh. The L8 SmartLight ($69) is made up of 64 RGB LEDs on one side and a single super RGB LED on the other. Hook it up to your phone via Bluetooth or your PC and you’ll be getting dazzling or dainty displays of light whenever you get a Facebook friend request or a 2:47 long voicemail from mom. Those are the best, aren’t they?

MORE: Accessories, Tech

LED Lightbulb by Philips: 20 Years of Light

Home By on Apr 19, 2012

On the scoreboard of futuristic breakthroughs, it’s now light bulbs 1, flying cars 0. Philips’ L Prize, award-winning LED bulb ($60) will be available in stores starting this Sunday, Earth Day. An instant $10 rebate comes with it, along with a mind-mashing 30,000 hours of LED light. At four hours of use per day, that’s 20 years of light. 20 years! And you know what? When this bulb burns out, we still won’t have those damn cars.

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Sony PlayStation 3D Display

Tech By on Nov 9, 2011

Like sushi, smartphones, and soy milk, 3D is coming to the masses. Sony’s new PlayStation 3D Display will surely be the first foray for many gamers into the oh-so coveted third dimension. The 24” ultra-slim LED screen features a new trick: something Sony’s calling SimulView™ technology, which delivers individual full HD screen action to each player in two-player mode. Yes, that means you can race rings around your friend in the included MotorStorm: Apocalypse as both of you enjoy the unspoken male bond that only gets fully fleshed out when gaming in glorious 3D.  The $499 package includes a HDMI cable and one pair of glasses, so you’ll need another for your friend–that is, if you’re into fully-fleshed male bonding.

MORE: LCDs, LEDs & Plasmas, Tech

Samsung D9500, World’s Largest LED 3D TV

Tech By on May 9, 2011

Make room on your wall because Samsung will introduce the world’s largest LED-backlit 3D LCD HDTV. Available in Korea and christened the D9500, it features Samsung’s 3D active shutter technology, QWERTY remote and 240 hz display. Of course, Samsung’s Smart TV is represented here. Connect the D9500 to the internet and installed apps can stream movies and tv from Hulu, YouTube and Netflix. Users can also check updates on Facebook or Twitter, or stream music from Pandora. The included Black Diamond panel improves black reproduction and 3D-viewing angles from any position.

Retailing at $13,000, the set includes four premium active shutter glasses. Expect the D9500  in late May 2011.

MORE: LCDs, LEDs & Plasmas, Tech