Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Monday, January 04, 2010

I Daresayâ¦ SNAP!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/yankodesign/~3/fv7ZceHA0lA/

No foolies, this concept vehicle right here is called the “SNAP.” This is the first time I’ve seen a transport vehicle that not only offers single-person transportation, but also a multi-singular long-range option. What I mean is this is basically a three-wheel single passenger vehicle until it’s time to get on the train. Each SNAP vehicle is able to simply connect to the main SNAP train, one next to the other, offering private mass transit with ease!

And once you’re on that train, you can open your door and talk to your fellow SNAP pilot along the way to your train’d location. Or keep it closed. Eat your sandwich in there in peace, probably.

What’s more? The SNAP singular vehicle option is similar to a two-wheel motorbike, shelling out tight turns like they were french fries. Adjustable track width back wheels for stability, giant front wheel for ease in leaning. Moveable chassis allow for connection to the locamotive. The train travels with multiple SNAPS at a time for a slightly more gas-friendly and environmental option.

SNAP races are a definite must when these fabulous machines come to fruition. I say so.

Designer: Vít Bechynský

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SNAP concept vehicle by Vít Bechynský

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House Completely Made Out of Glass Is Perfect for Exhibitionists [Architecture]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Lw3i7glzBGI/house-completely-made-out-of-glass-is-perfect-for-exhibitionists

I would like to live in this glass house, a place in the middle of the woods that even has glass-based furniture. Why? I just want to walk around naked all day. Like I do now, but better.

Sadly, it's just a concept based on a furniture line by Santambrogiomilano. The furniture is real, however. Thinking twice, it would be too much like living under the glass stair of an Apple Store. I still prefer Cameron's house from Ferris Bueller. [Santambrogiomilano via Apartment Therapy]

Your Next Cellphone Might Have a 14.6MP Sensor and Shoot 1080p Video [Cameras]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/iKo8qn7rXRE/your-next-cellphone-might-have-a-146mp-sensor-and-shoot-1080p-video

OmniVision has made a new 14.6MB image sensor specifically for cellphones which will give them the ability to shoot 1080p video at a breezy 60 frames-per-second. Considering that we're talking about cellphones here, that's quite a nice upgrade.

The OV14825 image sensor is designed to go easy on power consumption and will hopefully enter mass production in the second quarter of this year. There's no word on when we'll start seeing it in cellphones, but I'm hoping it's before I buy my next one, even if it's uncertain whether phones hitting the market in the near future will be able to process all that data from the sensor.

Ah well, there's at least always the novelty of saying that it's a 14.6MP phone. [Mobile Burn]

Android Taking Wind Out Of iPhone's Sails [Data]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/cfCxtrNpvTM/android-taking-wind-out-of-iphones-sails

Just in time for Google to unveil its own Nexus One smartphone, ChangeWave Research reports the public is more excited than ever to buy an Android based handset — at the expense of Apple, Microsoft, and Palm.

ChangeWave surveyed 4,068 consumers in the first weeks of December and found that 21% of people looking to buy a smartphone in the next 90 days want to buy one running on Android. That's up from 6% when ChangeWave asked people in September.

Considering Verizon is spending tens of millions marketing the Droid, this shouldn't come as a shock. Google is a popular brand unto itself, so it makes sense that people are excited about its smartphones.

Apple remains the smartphone of choice for now, with 28% of the people saying they will buy an iPhone. The BlackBerry falls to third place with 18% — but interest in BlackBerry devices actually perked up. Meanwhile, Palm needs big help.

Lenovo IdeaPad U1 Hybrid: laptop by day, unhinged tablet by night

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/04/lenovo-ideapad-u1-hybrid-laptop-by-day-unhinged-tablet-by-nigh/

We are still trying to wrap our heads around what Lenovo's just announced here, but it appears that the 3.8-pound IdeaPad U1 Hybrid is a 11.6-inch laptop with a retractable multitouch screen. It's sort of like the Always Innovating Touchbook, but in our opinion a lot more interesting. When the screen is locked into its upright position in the laptop's chassis, it's powered by a CULV Intel Core 2 Duo processor and runs Windows 7 Home Premium. But when the screen is pulled from its shell it morphs into a Qualcomm Snapdragon powered-multitouch slate with a 16GB SSD that boots Lenovo's customized Skylight Linux interface. Two processors and two operating systems? Hybrid is right. It seems like we'll have to wait until June to buy the $999 device, but we've been promised a look at it in Vegas so stay tuned.

Lenovo IdeaPad U1 Hybrid: laptop by day, unhinged tablet by night originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 19:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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