Gadget Talk

Synaptics aims to break new ground by offering yet another updated version of its highly rated ClearPad solution, culminating in the advanced multi-touch ClearPad 3000 Series capacitive touch sensor solution. Arriving at this solution is no fluke for the company, as they have long built upon the success of Synaptics’ patented, flagship ClearPad touchscreen solution, where the new 3000 Series will bring together Synaptics’ best-in-class ClearPad sensing technology alongside their exclusive design-in services, making life a whole lot easier for OEMs and ODMs of mass-market mobile handsets and other handheld devices who want to include the in-vogue high-resolution capacitive touchscreens with advanced multi-finger gesture capability into their products. Guess what Synaptics is trying to say is this – companies who use their displays are able to release products to the market faster with a higher degree of reliability.

What makes the spanking new ClearPad 3000 Series so different from the rest of the displays in the same market? Well, you’d be astounded to know that it is able to distinguish up to 10 simultaneous finger touches (unless you’re born with more than ten digits on both hands, chances are you’ll literally have your hands full with any device using this display!), alongside the ability to recognize complex multi-finger gestures (such as pinch and rotate) with fine accuracy and low latency. Hmmm, perhaps future devices using the ClearPad 3000 Series sensors will definitely be able to hold their own or go up against the iPod touch and iPhone, depending on how good a company’s programmers are in order to come up with an easy and intuitive user interface. The ClearPad 3000 Series is based on new, proprietary Synaptics technology will boasts four dozen (!) sensing channels and advanced power management, trumpeting the case for an 8″ display with superior accuracy without doing a number on your battery life.

If your company is interested, the Synaptics ClearPad 3000 series engineering samples will be abailable for general release will be available in November 2009.

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The winner of last week’s coolest gadget competition is the Water Powered JetLev-Flyer: A Monster of a Hosepipe.

The JetLev-Fly Water Jet Pack is the ultimate watersport gadget for all you water junkies out there. Now, if you?re thinking it?s another jet ski gadget then think again! This water propelled monster, made up of a 4 stroke engine and 10 metre flexible hose can power the rider to a whopping 50 feet (15m), has a top speed of 30mph, and travels almost 200 miles before it needs to be refuelled. Pretty impressive I would say!

Congrats again to Gaj-It.

In second place we have the Washable Keyboard.

The Washable Keyboard is perfect if you like to keep your work station clean. Its amazing how many germs and pieces of food get onto your keyboard in a short space of time and with the Washable Keyboard it makes cleaning it so simple. With a normal keyboard its pretty much impossible to clean them properly as most are not waterproof. With this being 100% waterproof it means your keyboard won?t stop working if you happen to spill your drink on it either.

Finally in third place comes the ClimbStation – A treadmill for climbers.

ClimbStation is like a vertical treadmill that revolves at a top speed of 17 meters per minute. In fact, the Climbstation can automatically adjust the scrolling speed to match the user?s climbing speed, or lack thereof.

Thank you to everybody who voted, submitted, commented or told a friend. The randomly drawn winner of the $50 Amazon vouchers is:

Karl (baumkz@…), congratulations.

Thanks again everybody and good luck with the next CGOTW contest on Friday.

Want to hear about future contests first? Subscribe to our daily digest via email or RSS.

If you write for a gadget themed blog and wish to be included in next week’s contest check out the CGOTW instructions page.

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Toshiba knows that a man’s home is his castle, although the queen yield considerably far more power in the confines of the castle compared to the king figurehead. Well, we suppose both parties can always find it easier to bury the hatchet whenever there is a full on argument concerning one of life’s little details, where a well designed and tastefully furnished could go some ways in helping couples reach an agreement before their anger boils over into bitter fights. Hence, Toshiba has decided to announce its latest addition to their comprehensive 2009 LCD TV/DVD combination line up, offering the brand new Stainless Style model which in essence, is an all-in-one entertainment centre that merges both style and innovation with picture excellence, boasting a stainless steel look that is in vogue in many kitchens throughout the world.

The new Toshiba Stainless Style LCD TV combination will definitely not look nor feel out of place in the kitchen as it compliments stainless steel kitchen appliances, maintaining the overall sophistication and harmony within the kitchen layout. The Stainless Style TV will bring together Toshiba’s industry-leading image and sound quality with one-of-a-kind designs, resulting in an ideal environment for entertaining right in the heart of the home. Not only do you get to see what the local TV channels are spouting at that moment in time, you also get a built-in DVD player just in case you want to watch reruns of your favorite movies while preparing dinner for the family – just make sure you don’t accidentally cut yourself when engrossed in a lengthy series.

Features within the Toshiba Stainless Style (pretty neat name if you ask us) include a 16:9 widescreen high-definition LCD display, HDMI and PC inputs that enable it to be used with a computing, gaming support, and is eco-friendly by being ENERGY STAR compliant. There is only one screen size available though, where the 18.5″ model (also known as the 19LV612U) is going for $349.99 when it arrives later this September.

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South Korea consumer electronics giant LG is back with a bang – this time round they are working on a new bunch of LED LCD HDTVs for the home consumer market that will hopefully be affordable enough for normal Joes like you and I to pick one up while enjoying the latest in TV technology right smack in the middle and comfort of our living room. LG aims to redefine the LED LCD HDTV landscape, as their new range are the first LCDs to receive THX Display Certification in the US market. Known as the new LH90 series, they can be easily found throughout the hallowed halls of national retailers including Best Buy and other leading electronics dealers, where proud new owners will be able to wear a smug look due to the advanced picture quality, smart energy savings and stylish design found in each LH90 HDTV.

Originally making their preview at CES 2009 earlier this year, the new LH90 series of LCD HDTVs will boast a full-array of LED backlighting with a whopping 2,000,000:1 Mega Contrast for unsurpassed picture quality and color detail. Mind blowing figures, eh, putting all current LCD HDTVs to shame as contrast ratios are now counted in the millions. Not only that, the LH90 will feature local dimming technology for precise automatic picture control, resulting in deeper blacks and wider color gamut. The inclusion of TruMotion 240Hz technology makes sure you enjoy smooth motion even during fast-action sports and movie scenes – perfect for those who love watching their action movies over and over again. An integrated THX Movie Mode on the LH90 makes room for a one-button solution for experiencing studio color, black levels and clean signal processing.

If you’re interested in picking one up for your home, the new LG LH90 will come in 55″, 47″ and 42″ class sizes, retailing for $3,199.95, $2,399.95 and $1,899.95 respectively. Image courtesy of EngadgetHD.

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