TechNama

The first two months of every new year is an exciting period since all the famous companies try to come out with their latest models of laptops and notebooks. After doing some research on the net, i decided to come up with the list of 10 cheapest laptops available on the market for our readers. Those searching on net will find it much easier to get a start point and hence save their time for some other productive activity. So let’s save your time and share the list as of date. I will update the list after six months i. e for the second half of 2010. The list starts from the cheapest to the expensive ones but all of the laptops are below the psychological barrier of $550. All the prices have been confirmed from Amazon since we consider it a global benchmark.

1) Compaq Presario CQ61-410US 15.6-Inch Laptop

Price: $415

Product Specifications:

* AMD Sempron Processor for Notebook PCs M120 ( 2.1 GHz, 512KB L2 Cache)
* 2GB DDR2 System Memory (2 DIMM) (expandable to 4 GB)
* 250GB (7200RPM) Hard Drive (SATA), LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD±R/RW with Double Layer Support
* Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, * Up to 4.25 Hours of Battery Life
* 15.6″ Diagonal High-Definition HP BrightView Widescreen Display (1366×768)
* ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4200 Graphics with 128MB Display Cache Memory with up to 1022MB total graphics memory

Processor, Memory, and Motherboard

* Processor: 2.1 GHz AMD Sempron

Cases and Expandability

* Size (LWH): 14.89 inches, 9.93 inches, 1.38 inches
* Weight: 5.9 pounds

Wireless Connectivity
* 802.11b/g/n WLAN

Power

* 65W AC Adapter – 6-Cell Lithium-Ion Battery

Weight
* 5.9 lbs

Official Website of Compaq Presario CQ61-410US

2) Toshiba Satellite T115D-S1120 LED TruBrite 11.6-Inch Laptop

Price: $439
Product Specifications

* 1.6GHz AMD Athlon Neo MV-40 Processor
* 2GB 200-Pin DDR2 SO-DIMM Memory
* 250GB Serial ATA Hard Disk Drive (5400RPM); 802.11b/g wireless LAN
* 11.6″ LED (16:9) 1366×768 Display; ATI Radeon HD 3200 Graphics
* Window 7 Home Premium 64-bit

Processor, Memory, and Motherboard

* Hardware Platform: PC
* Processor: 1.6 GHz AMD Athlon
* Number of Processors: 2
* RAM: 2000 MB
* RAM Type: SODIMM
* Memory Slots: 2

Hard Drive

* Size: 250 GB
* Manufacturer: Serial ATA hard disk drive
* Type: Serial ATA
* Speed: 5400.0 rpm

Graphics and Display

* Graphics RAM: 128.0 MB

Cases and Expandability

* Size (LWH): 8.3 inches, 11.3 inches, 1.35 inches
* Weight: 3.49 pounds

Power

* AC Adapter
65W (19V 3.42A) Auto-sensing, 100-240V / 50-60Hz input
Battery
Li-Ion (5600mAh, 6-Cell)
Battery Life*
Up to 5.5 hours

Wireless

* Wireless Type: 802.11bgn and 10/100 Ethernet LAN. No Modem Port. No Bluetooth (No Antenna)

Official Site of Toshiba Satellite T115D-S1120 and Click here to Download detail Spec Sheet in PDF

3)Acer Aspire AS1410-2706 11.6-Inch

Price: $449

Product Specifications

* 1.2GHz Intel Celeron SU2300 Processor
* 2GB DDR2 667MHz Memory
* 250GB SATA Hard Drive; 802.11a/b/g/Draft-N Wifi Connectivity
* 11.6″ HD WXGA Acer CrystalBrite LED-backlit Display; Intel GMA 4500MHD Graphics
* Windows 7 Home Premium; Up to 6 Hours of Battery Life

Processor, Memory, and Motherboard

* Processor: 1.2 GHz Intel Celeron

Cases and Expandability

* Size (LWH): 8.03 inches, 11.22 inches, 1.18 inches
* Weight: 3.08 pounds

Power

* Rated Charge (normal use): 6.0 hours

Official Website of Acer Aspire AS1410

4) Lenovo G530 15.4-Inch Laptop (Black Matte)

Price: $449

Product Specifications

* 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T4400 Processor
* 3GB 204 Pin DDR2 SO-DIMM Memory
* 160GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM); 802.11 b/g
* 15.4″ 1280×800 ccfl Display (16:10); Intel GMA 4500M Graphics
* Windows 7 Home Premium

Processor, Memory, and Motherboard

* Processor: 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
* Memory Slots: 2

Hard Drive

* Size: 160 GB
* Manufacturer: sata
* Speed: 5400.0 rpm

Cases and Expandability

* Size (LWH): 10.1 inches, 14.1 inches, 1.46 inches
* Weight: 5.95 pounds

Power

* Rated Charge (normal use): 4.0 hours

5) Acer AS5517-1216 15.6-Inch Black Laptop

Price: $480

Product Features

* 1.6GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 Dual-Core Processor
* 3GB DDR2 667MHz Memory
* 250GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive, 8X DVD-Super Multi Double-Layer Drive
* 15.6″ HD Widescreen Acer CineCrystal LED-backlit Display; ATI Radeon HD 3200 Graphics
* Windows 7 Home Premium; Up to 2.5 Hours of Battery Life

Processor, Memory, and Motherboard

* Processor: 1.6 GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2

Communications

*Acer® InviLink 802.11b/g/Draft-N or 802.11b/g wireless LAN, WI-FI CERTIFIED™

Cases and Expandability

* Size (LWH): 10.8 inches, 14.4 inches, 1.5 inches
* Weight: 6 pounds

Battery

*Six-cell lithium ion battery: up to 2.5 hours life depending on configuration and usage (may be reduced if Windows Vista® Aero is enabled)

Offiicial Website of Acer 5517 – 1216

6) Dell Inspiron 11 11.6-Inch Obsidian Black Laptop

Price: $486 (Dell Starting Price – $349)

Product Specifications:

* 1.3GHz Intel Pentium SU4100 Processor (800MHz FSB, 2MB cache)
* 4GB Memory; 250GB 5400RPM Hard Drive; Flash Card Reader; 10/100 Ethernet
* Wireless 802.11 b/g Connectivity; Built-in 1.3MP Webcam; Integrated Audio
* 11.6″ Widescreen High Definition Display; Intel GS45 Integrated Graphics
* Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit); 6 Cell Battery;Webcam – 1.3MP; Wireless card – 802.11 b/g

Processor, Memory, and Motherboard

* Processor: 1.3 GHz Pentium
* RAM: 4 GB
* RAM Type: SDRAM

Hard Drive

* Size: 250 GB
* Speed: 5400.0 rpm

Cases and Expandability

* Size (LWH): 8.42 inches, 11.49 inches, 1.01 inches
* Weight: 2.98 pounds

Power

* Rated Charge (normal use): 4.0 hours

Though released in later part f 2009, but ths laptop is one of the major hit for Dell. The laptop is loaded with Windows 7 operating system which is anothere r plus point keeping in mind its total price.

Official Page of Dell Inspiron 11z

7) HP G60-630US 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black)

Price: $ 529

Product Specifications

* Intel Pentium Dual Core Processor T4400 (2.2 GHz, 1 MB L2 Cache, 800 MHz FSB)
* 3GB DDR2 System Memory (2 DIMM) (expandable to 4 GB)
* 320GB (5400RPM) Hard Drive (SATA), LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD±R/RW with Double Layer Support
* Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, * Up to 3.75 Hours of Battery Life
* 15.6″ Diagonal High-Definition HP BrightView Widescreen Display (1366×768), Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500M (shared) with up to 1309MB total available graphics memory

Processor, Memory, and Motherboard

* Hardware Platform: PC
* Processor: 2.2 GHz Pentium
* Number of Processors: 2
* RAM: 3 GB
* RAM Type: PC 2100 DDR Memory

Hard Drive

* Size: 320 GB
* Type: Serial ATA

Cases and Expandability

* Size (LWH): 14.88 inches, 9.9 inches, 1.38 inches
* Weight: 6.57 pounds

Power

* 65W AC Adapter 6-Cell Lithium-Ion Battery

Official Website of HP G60-630US

8 ) Lenovo G550 15.6-Inch Black Laptop

Price: $546

Product Specifications

* 2.1GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
* 4GB (204-Pin) DDR3 SO-DIMM Memory
* 250GB 5400RPM Serial ATA Hard Drive, DVDRW Drive
* 15.6″ (1366×768) 16:9 LED Display, Intel GMA 4500M Graphics
* Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, Up to 3.8 Hours of Battery Life

Processor, Memory, and Motherboard

* Hardware Platform: PC
* Processor: 2.1 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
* System Bus Speed: 800
* RAM: 4 GB
* RAM Type: SDRAM
* Memory Slots: 2

Hard Drive

* Size: 250 GB
* Manufacturer: sata
* Speed: 5400.0 rpm

Ports and Connectivity

* Modem: None

Cases and Expandability

* Size (LWH): 9.6 inches, 15 inches, 1.04 inches
* Weight: 5.95 pounds

Power

* Rated Charge (normal use): 4.0 hours

Wireless

* Wireless Type: 802.11n

9) HP Pavilion DM3-1130US 13.3-Inch Lapto

Price: $549

Product Specifications

* AMD Athlon Neo X2 Dual-Core Processor L335 (1.6 GHz, 512 KB L2 Cache)
* 4GB DDR2 System Memory (2 DIMM) (expandable to 8 GB)
* 320GB (7200RPM) Hard Drive (SATA)
* Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, * Up to 5.5 Hours of Battery Life
* 13.3¿ Diagonal High-Definition LED HP BrightView Widescreen Display (1366 x 768), ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3200 Graphics with 128MB Display Cache Memory with up to 2046MB total graphics memory

Processor, Memory, and Motherboard

* Hardware Platform: PC
* Processor: 1.6 GHz AMD Athlon
* Number of Processors: 2
* RAM: 4 MB
* RAM Type: SODIMM

Hard Drive

* Size: 320 GB
* Type: Serial ATA

Cases and Expandability

* Size (LWH): 12.83 inches, 9.06 inches, 1.23 inches
* Weight: 4.21 pounds

Official Website of HP Pavillion DM3-1130 US

10) Lenovo U150 11.6-Inch Laptop

Price: $550

Product Specifications

* 1.2GHz Intel Celeron SU2300 Processor
* 2GB 204 Pin DDR2 SO-DIMM Memory
* 160GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM); 802.11 b/g
* 11.6″ 1366×768 LED Display (16:9); Intel GMA 4500MHD Graphics
* Windows 7 Home Premium

Processor, Memory, and Motherboard

* Processor: 1.5 GHz Intel Celeron
* Memory Slots: 2

Hard Drive

* Size: 160 GB
* Manufacturer: sata
* Speed: 5400.0 rpm

Cases and Expandability

* Size (LWH): 7.5 inches, 11.4 inches, 1.35 inches
* Weight: 3.31 pounds

Power

* Rated Charge (normal use): 7.0 hours

Apple has finally unveiled its much awaited Apple iPad. The Apple iPad offers many exciting features and is more or less built on the same lines as Apple iPhone. However, its price is remarkably attractive to general users and we strongly expect it to give a real tough time to the traditional laptops and netbooks in the near future. Below is detailed overview.

Specifications of Apple iPad

-SCREEN: 9.7-inch IPS LCD screen. The LCD provides the backlighting, but most of the technology is IPS, or In-plane switching. This gives it a stronger viewing angle than most screens.

- RESOLUTION: 1024×768 pixels (132 pixels per inch)

- SIZE: 0.5 inches thin.

- DIMENSIONS: 9.5 inches x 7.5 inches x 0.5 inches

- WEIGHT: 1.5 pounds (1.6 pounds for 3G)

- CHIP: 1 GHz Apple A4 chip. They went in-house instead of going to Intel.

- MEMORY: Three models with 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB solid state hard drives.

- INCLUSIONS: Accelerometer, Microphone, 30-pin connector, Compass, full capacitive multi-touch, Bluetooth 2.1, 802.11n Wi-Fi, 3G access on higher-end models

- BATTERY LIFE: 10 hours at full blast. On standby, it will last over a month.

Apple iPad Interface:

The interface should be familiar to you; it looks a lot like the iPhone OS interface. In fact, it’s essentially a custom version of the iPhone 3.2 OS. Primary apps are housed at the bottom and you swipe left and right through your home screens to find apps. Steve Jobs even mentioned that it would be easy for people to pick up on the interface because so many people (7.5 million) have either an iPhone or an iPod touch.

There is a new SDK for developers to build apps specifically for the iPad, but all iPhone apps run in the iPad. iPhone apps can run either in their native resolutions or in a “double pixel mode” for full-screen use. Most of the apps we’ve seen run very well in double pixel mode

Apple iPad Web, Email, and Maps

Just like the iPhone, it utilized Safari Mobile as its browser. It’s bigger, but not much else is different. And just like the iPhone, it does not support Adobe Flash, a plug-in that Apple simply doesn’t like.

In fact, most of the other standard web apps are the same between the iPhone and the iPad. Email, for example, utilizes a similar interface, but it does have more features such as email previews. Google Maps runs on the iPad just as it does on the iPhone.

One app that did get some new features though was the Photo app, which now sports an iPhoto-like interface and some new multi-touch inputs that allow you to easily view and manage multiple pictures.

Apple iPad Connectivity

Apple’s tablet comes in two models, based on their connectivity. Both versions have Wi-Fi connectivity, which is to be expected. However, the higher-end model also comes with 3G access — for $130 more, you can have a 3G-enabled tablet.

If you want the 3G model, you have to use it currently on AT&T: it’s the official launch partner of the iPad. Luckily though, you don’t have to sign a contract to use the 3G connection. Instead, you prepay for however many months of 3G access you desire. It costs $14.99 for 250 MB of data per month, while you’ll need to fork over $29.99 monthly for an unlimited plan. You can cancel any time without any termination fee.

The iPad utilizes microGSM, meaning that it’s not specifically bound to AT&T. Thus, you can expect it to work on international carriers sometime in June or July. That doesn’t mean you can just stick in a T-Mobile or Verizon card though: Verizon and Sprint use the incompatible CDMA 3G format, while the iPad’s 3G modem doesn’t support T-Mobile’s 3G frequency.

Apple iPad Gaming

You really want to look out for the iPad as a gaming device, because EA and others are going to build some amazing games on this platform.

Several games were demonstrated for the iPad, including Need for Speed Shift and N.O.V.A. In Need for Speed, the driver moves the car by turning the tablet. Tapping on the device changes your perspective and zooms. You utilize the touchscreen to accelerate and change gears. Our estimation is that the game looks great — better than an iPhone game — but still doesn’t compare to the PC. In N.O.V.A., a first-person shooter, you can use thee fingers to open a door or slide two fingers to toss a grenade. There are more input possibilities with Apple’s tablet.

The same things that made the iPhone a popular gaming platform were apparent in these demos, however the iPad’s HD capabilities and its more advanced touch screen will make it a stronger gaming platform. And with all iPhone games running on the device, there’s already a big library in its collection.

Official Site of Apple iPad

Apple iPad Pricing

The Price of iPad is the most exciting feature and i am sure that is going to bring the revolution. As you can see from the image above, it comes in two editions: Wi-Fi enabled or Wi-Fi + 3G capable. There are also three sizes: 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB. Thus, the cheapest (Wi-Fi, 16 GB) costs only $499, while the most expensive iPad, the 64 GB model with 3G, costs $829.

Here’s the rundown, in order of price:

- $499: 16 GB, Wi-Fi only
- $599: 32 GB, Wi-Fi only
- $629: 16 GB, Wi-Fi and 3G
- $699: 64 GB, Wi-Fi only
- $729: 32 GB, Wi-Fi and 3G
- $829: 64 GB, Wi-Fi and 3G

In addition, you have to take into account the cost of 3G services. The iPad has 3G through AT&T alone currently, but there is no contract, meaning you can prepay or cancel at any time. For 250 MB of data a month, it costs $14.99 per month, while unlimited data is $29.99. It’s quite a good deal in our estimation, especially since you can cancel your contract at any time and you get access to any AT&T Wi-Fi hotspot for free (e.g. Starbucks).

Pictures of iPad

Video of iPad Review

via Mashable

I wonder what went inside the mind of Fabrice Gonet when he was designing this awesome looking but too heavy on the pocket watch? The watch is awesome looking and i must confess it. It seems the watch of someone whose interested to watch every part of its wrist watch ticking before checking the time.

According to Gadgettastic, the designer was inspired by the era of buccaneers and pirates when he created the black pearl watch. The watch has a few details that are reminiscent of pirate ships. For example, the HD3 integrates a tiny cannon hatch on its left side. The canon features skulls and bones.

However, if you are rich, you still have to fight for the limited 11 watches that have been manufactured. The shocker has been kept at the end. The price of this Pirates looking HD3 Black Pearl Watch is $400,000.

[via Gadgettastic, Gizmodo]

Once in a while every geek has to throw off his usual attire to get suited! However, if you still want to show off your geeky spirit, these official Startrek Cufflinks can come in handy. These classic cufflinks are made from enamel and rhodium plated silver and come in two designs. The first is a representation of the always classy Delta Shield. The second design is a tiny replica of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701. Both are handsome, high-quality accessories that will surely be a candy for your eyes for a long time.

Product Specifications

* Officially licensed Star Trek cufflinks in enamel and rhodium plated silver
* Two styles: Delta Shield or Enterprise NCC-1701
* They may force you to dress up, but you can still express your geeky style

Price

The Star Trek Cufflinks are priced at $49.99 and available here

Pictures of Star Trek Cufflinks

Samsung has introduced CL80 digital camera that comes with 14 mega pixel and integrated WiFi. The Samsung CL80 lets you see every scene in a completely exciting way. A host of top-ranked features and technologies turns this camera into a true must-have. And the small, handheld size makes it easy to take it with you everywhere you go.

You dont need to be amazed with WiFi integration in camera as Sony Cybershot DSC G3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ50 are already there with WiFi equipped features. But still, Samsung feels there should be more opponents and the answer is Samsung CL80.

Samsung CL80 Specifications:

• 31mm Wide Angle Lens
• 14 Megapixels & 7x Optical Zoom
• Smart Auto 2.0 (Smart Auto analyzes key elements of your composition such as color, brightness, motion and subject; then automatically adjusts to take the perfect shot)
• HD Movies (record HD video in 1280×720p resolution at 30 frames per second)
• 3.7″ AMOLED Touchscreen LCD
• Dual Image Stabilization (feature allows you to capture crystal-clear, blur-free shots without using a flash or tripod)
• Instant Uploads with Wi-Fi (Upload your photos to Facebook, Picassa, Flickr, Photobox or your movies to Youtube; thanks to integrated WiFi)

Leonardo Da Vinci is famous for his painting of Mona Lisa but there is a modern day artist out here who created the famous MonaLisa design motherboard. The design got so famous that Asus has put it in its Headquarters in Peitou, Taiwan. Below are some of the pictures of the Asus MonaLisa motherboard.

[via]

USB flash drives have come in a variety of shapes and we have earlier written a post on 101 creative USB flash drives here. Today i will share another unique design that i came across. The Bullet shaped USB Flash drive.

Specifications

* Memory Capacity: 2GB
* Data Retention: over 10 years
* Operating Current: <33mA
* Suspend Current: <28mA
* Reading Speed: Up to 11MBps
* Writing Speed: Up to 2.5MBps
* Operating system: Windows98/2000/XP/Vista, Mac OS 8.6 or above, Linux 2.4 kernel version or above
* Color: Silver, Golden
* Size (LxWxH): 6.1cm x 2.28cm x 1.2cm
* Gross Weight: 0.070kg

The flash drive comes in both Golden and silver colors and they store 2GB of files. They sell for $19.99 (USD) each here

If you ever need to ignite fire for your bonfire or you are thinking to get yourself warm in a chilly winter season, Looftlighter is the gadget you surely need at your side.  Imagine a hairdryer type of gadget that blows air and heat in excess of a thousand degrees fahrenheit. This is the main functioning of Looftlighter.

Point the barrel end at your pile of kindling and logs, and switch it on. After about 15 seconds, you’ll see a spark and some embers. Pull back about 3 inches, and keep pouring on the heat. In no time at all, you’ll have a roaring toasty fire! Now all you need are marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers, and it’s a party! Stay warm!

Key Features

* Handheld electric firestarter without flame!
* US 110v power
* Puts out air and heat in excess of 1000 ° Fahrenheit
* It can start a fire in as little as 15 seconds

Price

The Looftlighter is available for $79.99 at ThinkGeek

[via]

Acer Ferrari brand of laptop is famous among the Ferrari fans and their previous version was a big hit. Using its previous experience, Acer has come out with their latest Acer Ferrari One Notebook for its fans.

Acer Ferrari One FO200-1799 Notebook Specifications

* AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 dual-core processor L310 (1.20 GHz, 1 MB L2 cache, 800 MHz FSB)
* Windows® 7 Home Premium 64-bit
* 11.6″ HD Widescreen CineCrystal™ LED-backlit Display
* AMD M780G Chipset
* ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 3200 Graphics
* 4096MB DDR2 Dual-Channel Memory
* 250GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
* Multi-in-1 Digital Media Card Reader
* Acer InviLink™ 802.11a/b/g/Draft-N Wi-Fi CERTIFIED®
* Integrated Acer Crystal Eye Webcam
* Two built-in stereo speakers
* 3rd Generation Dolby Home Theater® audio enhancement
* Full-size Acer FineTip Keyboard
* Multi-Gesture Touchpad supporting circular-motion scrolling, pinch-action zoom and page flip
* 3 – USB 2.0 Ports
* 1 – VGA port
* 6-cell Li-ion Battery (5600 mAh), up to 5-hour battery life2
* 3.31 lbs. (system unit only)
* 11.2 x 8.03 x 0.9/1.2 inches

Price of Acer Ferrari One Notebook

The Acer Ferrari One Notebook comes with a price tag of $599 and i think its not a bad deal for Ferrari enthusiasts!

[via PR]

Have you ever wondered about a portable keyboard that you can take with you everywhere and hence avoid the mess of using public keyboards? I guess not! However designer Yoonsang Kim & Eunsung Park have come out with their concept of a unique keyboard that looks like any other normal full size keyboard but it has one special and unique feature! You can easily fold it and take it with you while you are on the go! The project to design this keyboard has been labelled “None Bacteria Project” by its designers and i think they are too much conscious about catching the bacteria left on the public keyboards! Look at the pictures of the cool folding keyboard below!

Do you want to get one? If yes then you better have to wait for its commercial release sometime in near future!

[via]

We were on the hunt for a fun related post since it got quite dry here at Technama with a serial of tech stuff.
No, no… hey MJK (our best author here at TN) I am not saying that all the tech stuff you post here is boring rather it is very interesting. This time MJK searched for interesting use of laptops! Some are weird, some are interesting and some hilarious too! WARNING: don’t try the following heroics with your laptop unless you have the tough machines that of Dell, Asus etc.

So here you go with the interesting usage of laptops:

Oyster is the world’s first hydro-electric wave energy device that has been launched in Scotland and is stationed at the European Marine Energy Center (EMEC) Billia Croo site near Stromness. The device is officially the world first and only hydro-electric wave energy producing device which is actually installed and working.

Oyster produces power by pumping high pressure water to its onshore hydro-electric turbine which turns to produce energy to feeds into the national grid to power homes in nearby Orkney and beyond. The high pressure water in turns goes out through low pressure pipes back into the sea. The video given below shows the working of Oyster Hydro Electric Wave Energy Device.

The device Oyster is wave energy company Aquamarine Power’s first demonstration-scale wave energy device. The company believes that a farm of 20 Oysters would provide enough energy to power 9,000 three bedroom family homes. In case deployed across the North America shores, it will light up the whole America.

Oyster is designed to capture the energy found in near-shore waves in water depths between 10-16m (33-54ft). There are minimal moving parts and all electrical components are onshore, making it robust enough to withstand the rigors of Scotland’s harsh seas.  The first deployed Oyster was switched on by Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond MP, MSP.  On the occassion the Minister said:

“I’m delighted to see first-hand the full-scale Oyster now installed and operating offshore. This is a key milestone for Aquamarine Power and for Scotland’s marine renewables sector. Scotland’s potential renewables capacity is estimated to be around 60GW. Our waters hold around ten percent of Europe’s wave power potential and as much as a quarter of its tidal power potential. The EMEC provides world-leading test facilities for Aquamarine and other companies to develop the technology needed to harness this huge untapped potential. I am delighted to confirm further R&D funding of almost £1m (US$1.66 million approx.) to Aquamarine Power for the development of Oyster 2, which could be installed within two years.”

Chief Executive Officer of Aquamarine Power, Martin McAdam, said on the following on the occassion:

“This is a fantastic day for the wave energy industry and for Aquamarine Power. We have proved what we always believed – that wave energy can produce sustainable zero-emission electricity to power our homes. The UK has one of the best wave resources in the world. Now it also has the best technology. This is exactly the kind of support the industry needs. With continued support of this nature we can help decarbonise our electricity supply and build a major, world-beating industry here in the UK.”

With the results from the first deployed Oyster, the company is hoping to improve the overall processes and come out with more efficient and productive commercial product.

Let’s Strive for the Greener World.

Gadgets have always been my craze and it is evident from the fact that TN gadgets section is the most active section. Anyways, i just came across this music lovers hat for winters. The music lovers can not only listen to the music while being on the go but at the same time display the beat on their amplifiers positioned on the side of the hat.  The inbuilt speakers of the hat can be connected to iPod, mp3/4 players or to mobile phones. The EQ panels on the sides of the hate will analyse the beat patterns and amplifier will displaying it.

Key Features:

Light-up equalizer panels react to the volume of the music being played.

Compatible with any music player with standard headphones output (3.5mm).

Recharges via USB

One size fits most.

Price:  £19.99

[via]

Do you believe it? Yes of course its true! The iPhone 3GS Supreme is officially the world most expensive cell phone with a whooping price tag of $3.2 million. Is there any iPhone fan ready to buy it. Lets see what this iPhone 3GS Supreme got!

Designed by Stuart Hughes, the $3.2-million iPhone 3GS Supreme features a 22K solid gold casing and a front bezel studded with 136 diamonds — “rear logo has 53 flawless diamonds, front navigation button is home to a very rare diamond at 7.1 cts.”  It was reportedly commissioned by an Australian businessman. Continue reading to see the case it comes in.

This is the box in which this luxurious iPhone 3GS Supreme is packed. The chest is made from a single block of Granite , in Kashmir gold with the inner lined with Nubuck top grain leather , which weight is a massive 7kg. We have also included some original & raw construction images for you view.

Few of the shots of its various components in the design phase.

[via]

Nova DSLR Camera is designed like a PlayStation controller and can give an easy grip to the user with the buttons positions on the extended arms. The extended arms can also extend to give an easy grip to both left handed as well as right handed people. Not only this, you can combine both arms to form a single extended arm for more focused uses.

Nova DSLR camera is designed by Erin Fong and is only in the concept stage with no commercial sales taking place at this moment. According to Erin Fong:

The Nova DSLR Camera takes different forms with the mobility of the camera arms, giving comfort to left-handed and right-handed users. In addition, the buttons are located at the fingertips allowing users to simultaneously take pictures and easily locate the features they need. Whether the Nova is used with one or two handles, the flexibility of the camera’s form gives users a greater versatility in image capturing along with an enjoyable experience while using the Nova camera.

The design is not tested by consumers and hence it will be difficult to conclude that this design will revolutionize the making of DSLR cameras. I must add that the typical DSLR designs are difficult to handle for an average users like me.

[via]