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Video-Conference Your Doodles Via Cell Phone With Tegakichat

by Joshua Fruhlinger, posted Oct 1st 2008 at 5:16PMBreaking News



Japan is drenched in arcades with female-only purikura (photo booth for you gaijin) corners in which aflutter girls take pictures, bless them with sparkly decorations, and print them to book cover friendly stickers for all to see, for better or worse, to the horror of their moms, to the delight of their potential boyfriends. Let's say Sharp was to take the purikura phenomenon and fuse it with to the teenage girl's number one obsession: the cell phone (keitai for our Japanese readers). That's exactly what it did with this concept phone and software, complete with a shared art space that can be collectively decorated over wireless networks. Scary? Perhaps. Cool enough to snap some video in awesome disbelief? Most definitely.

Don't miss the gallery at Engadget.

Continue reading Video-Conference Your Doodles Via Cell Phone With Tegakichat

Retro-Stylish JVC Everio Shoots HD Stills and Video

by Joshua Fruhlinger, posted Oct 1st 2008 at 2:38PM


While JVC Victor hasn't promised us a review unit just yet (cmon, we're still begging here), we did get a chance to get up close with its SDHC concept camcorder today at CEATEC. Designed for the more sophisticated user (as opposed to family users, they tell us), the camera will shoot both high-quality HD video and stills, something they say has yet to be done in a device. The upcoming Everio is slated for release in the first half of 2009 at an undisclosed price, but JVC promises the unit is, indeed, coming. In the meantime, we'll have to make do with these new shots in the gallery.

Has Panasonic Reinvented the Remote Control?

by Joshua Fruhlinger, posted Oct 1st 2008 at 11:23AMBreaking News


Panasonic is looking to reinvent the remote control with its EZ Touch Remote prototype that it is showing off here at CEATEC. Rather than rely on a touch-screen interface that forces one to look down at a remote (and away from the object of one's entertainment), the concept puts the visual feedback where it belongs: on the screen.

The remote can sense left- or right-handed users and adjust the interface appropriately, moving important triggers around based on where one's thumb may (or may not) be. Dual touch pads allow for multitouch data entry and zoom manipulation, while gestures allow for quick scrolls, making this one of the most intuitive and drool-worthy remote controls we've seen in a while, or ever.

We're so into it that we've provided a full gallery and three videos after the break (and if you want to see more of what televisions are going to do in the coming years, check out our gallery of 7 Cool TVs From the Future).

Continue reading Has Panasonic Reinvented the Remote Control?

Sony Shows Off Bent 0.3mm OLED Screen

by Joshua Fruhlinger, posted Sep 30th 2008 at 2:48PM


The last time we saw Sony's 0.3mm OLED protoype, it was encased in lasers and protected by deathbots in an underground prison of doom. This time around, Sony is showing off the razor-thin display for all at CEATEC to see, and they went all bendy on us. The new prototype has a curve to it, perhaps foretelling some curious plans for the technology in its expensive years ahead. Despite the curve, the picture remains as sharp and contrast-heavy as one would expect from OLED. Pictures and proof of the curved madness below.

For more images, head on over to Engadget to see a full gallery.

Top 11 Free Brain Games

by Joshua Fruhlinger, posted Sep 21st 2008 at 11:01AMFeatured Story

Not all video games are bad for you. In fact, most video games actually engage different parts of your brain to help develop logic, decision-making, mental speed, and even creativity. Now, a new trend in gaming called "brain games" aims at actually training your noodle to help you improve your mental facilities. Problem is, many of these games require some sort of site subscirption fee or even a Nintendo DS to play "Brain Age".

Fear not, dear Switched reader. We scoured the net to find 11 of the best brain games -- and even better, they're all free.

1. WordCrunch
WordCrunch Brain Game

WordCrunch is your basic word-search game, but it changes themes on a daily basis. This one is easy to learn but tough to master. This is the ultimate test of your vocabulary, mental speed, and visual acuity.

Top 25 Optical Illusions On the Web 15

by Joshua Fruhlinger, posted Sep 17th 2008 at 6:00AM

Instant Test: Are You Creative or Logical?

This silhouette wins the award for coolest thing we've seen all day -- and it's not just because the tiny dancer above is in the buff. This is a little test that will tell you whether the left or right hemisphere of your brain is more dominant.

Instead of concentrating on her chest, concentrate on the woman's movement. If you see her spinning clockwise, that means you're using the right side, or more creative side of your brain. If she appears to be moving counter-clockwise, then that means the left side, or more logical side of your think muscle is superior.

At the Switched office, some of us see her going clockwise, others see her spinning counter-clockwise. At least one of us claims to see both, while another one of us opened this animation in Adobe ImageReady in order to isolate the frames to see if there's any direction-changing funny business going on. There isn't.

Top 25 Optical Illusions On the Web 16

by Joshua Fruhlinger, posted Sep 17th 2008 at 6:00AM


Stare at this one for a while... then, when it's done playing, take a look at the world around you. Things might seem a little "squishier" than they used to be.

From Metacafe



Top 25 Optical Illusions On the Web 17

by Joshua Fruhlinger, posted Sep 17th 2008 at 6:00AM


No, those wheels aren't turning -- it's just your eyes playing tricks on you.

From http://www.michaelbach.de/ot/mot_rotsnake/index.html


Top 25 Optical Illusions On the Web 18

by Joshua Fruhlinger, posted Sep 17th 2008 at 6:00AM


Look at squares 'A' and 'B'. 'A' might appear darker, but, in fact, it's not.

From http://web.mit.edu/persci/people/adelson/checkershadow_illusion.html

Top 25 Optical Illusions On the Web 19

by Joshua Fruhlinger, posted Sep 17th 2008 at 6:00AM

In this one, what may seem like black and white... isn't.


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