Five Sci-Fi Gadgets That Came to Life

There’s a sci-fi buff inside every one of us. We have had our inspiration from a ton of movies, novels and video games. How many of us don’t wish our otherwise-average-TV transforms into a humanoid that further breaks into a techno jig? Fact is, we all do, well at least many of us. 

Taking a pick from the sci-fi genre, we bring five gadgets that we’ve seen, read or heard about and today can actually get our hands on one. Check them out. 

Tablets
Starting off with something that has been in the news, markets, events and almost everywhere. What we call the tablet today, was actually the PADD (Personal Access Display Device) from Star Trek, a TV series since 1967 and movies which were made since 1979. Okay not actually, but more or less the same. The device seen in the pictures back then is nowhere close to the tablets of today. But you really have to admire the fact that something like this was conceptualized a long time back.

PADD's the way I like it...

Of course the tablet is not a very new idea, there were concepts earlier, but like it or not, they have become a lot more popular now then it was back then. So round one, Star Trek brings the tablet concept to the general public. 

House Cleaning Robots
Cartoon time! If you’ve spent your evenings after school gobbling milk and cookies and staring at Cartoon Network, you’re bound to remember The Jetsons. No one better than Rosie the robot that can clean up the mess that Astro their pet dog made! The real life counterpart we’re talking about here is Roomba.

Oh dear Rosie...

Although not as interactive as Rosie, the robot does the job of getting under couches, cleaning off the dirt and heads straight back to the docking station after work. The good point you have to note is that Roomba is not as nagging as Rosie!

The roomba doing broomba

Exoskeletons 
"Iron Man". That's kind of catchy. It's got a nice ring to it. Sadly, that’s not what the real-world exoskeletons are actually called. SARCOS or the XOS exoskeleton as the US Army calls it, gives the user “super-human” strength.

Wish I had that!

XOS is also referred to as half-human and half-robot. The robot part is obviously the metal-based exoskeleton which the user controls. So if you’re readying yourself to carry a big block weighing 200 pounds, the sensors placed in pivotal points of the exoskeleton detect the parts of the body you’re going to use. After detecting, those particular joints of the exoskeleton get into action and the user doesn’t feel anything but lifting their hands! Pretty neat for now, but you never know, the future exoskeletons could have jetpacks attached to it!

This looks something that I can have.. Hmm..

Wristwatch Phones
The concept dates back to 1940 with Dick Tracy using one of these to for audio communication. It’s also being said that the later models (sometime in the 60’s) also had video. The real life gadget is our very own LG GD910 Watch Phone.

Even if it's not exactly Dick Tracy's, you certainly can try it...

LG’s GD910 is something that many would like to have. With normal features of making calls and sending texts, it also has video playback and a camera. What might eventually stop people to buy this is its pricing, but if you dig espionage, save up for this one!

Lightsabers
Although I never thought of including this, I just couldn’t resist telling you all about how cool a Star Wars sword would actually be in real life! Admittedly, the Star Wars weapon has not been mastered in terms of functionality. Nevertheless, current technology cannot be far from it. We’ve seen lasers rip off metal and concrete although they aren’t really portable.

Darth Vader welcomes you...

So if the current Spyder III Pro Arctic Laser doesn’t come close to the actual thing, then what does? The only difference is you won’t see your friend (or enemy) being amputated if you just pretend to slash him/her.

Good to shoot down spyders

These are the gadgets I feel have been awesome in reel as well as real life. The fact that none of these were from the gaming world is quite a bummer. If you think there are any gadgets that you would like to see, you can tell us in the comments section.

Hands on With the Acer ICONIA A500 Tablate

Here’s one addition to the tablet clan that’s heading our way and promises to offer quite a functionality at a sensible price. Where have I heard that before? And I’m sure that I’m not the only tech loving human out there who thought so, after hearing the big news of Acer’s ICONIA Tab A500’s big Indian debut. I was at the launch, heard the schpeel and waited patiently to get a short but intimate crack at the tablet, a quick look under the magnifying glass so to speak. So having done that, here’s a quick relay of hands on experience with the A500.

Design
I’ve not been particularly fond of Acer’s overall design form when it came to mobiles, although I will admit, the Liquid E Android device did come off as quite a funky looking handset. Their handsets since then aren’t the kind that usually stand out in a crowd but I have a really good feeling that the A500 is the exception to this rule. Of course it’s far from just an extra extra large mobile handset and far sleeker than any of the existing Liquid series handsets. The brushed metal, slick rear panel and curved edges make for very comfortable handling. Being just 13.3mm in depth, it’s no iPad 2, but it still manages to be quite easy to grip for one hand usage.

Comfy to hold in one hand

It’s equipped with a 10.1-inch capacitive LCD panel with a display resolution of 800 x 1280, making it just a little bit sharper (262K colors) than the iPad 2. I did notice, although it was a tad reflective in direct light. It was nevertheless clear enough to view if you adjust the brightness levels accordingly or set it to auto. It’s got a 5 megapixel camera with an LED flash strapped onto the rear and a 2 MP camera in front for video calls. The two speakers strategically placed at the bottom (when in landscape) seemed to provide quite decent audio output.

So needless to say, in the looks department, the Acer ICONIA A500 Tab is just as smart as the iPad 2, which is its biggest rival as of now.

Elegantly designed right down to the button

Features
Under the hood beats a 1 GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core processor combined with an NVIDIA GeForce GPU, 1 GB DDR2 RAM and Flash 10.2 support. This baby is designed to make functionalities from daily usage to multimedia and tablet gaming as smooth as the Fresh Prince’s one liners on the ladies, pardon the analogy, but I’m sure you get the idea. The prototype ran quite smoothly with a few minor hiccups. I expect that of course, I can tell you more when we’ve got a test piece.

It's quite slim

Honeycomb is going to be a truly enriching Android experience. I’m not sure how it will be for the mobile handset but suffice to say, tablet users will not be disappointed. Acer has also customised the UI to an extent, offering a very neatly laid out specialised interface for your multimedia and other content and Acer’s Social Jogger app allows you to stay connected to Facebook, YouTube and Flickr simultaneously. The onscreen keypad has not been customised and so is the stock Android Honeycomb version, which is nothing to take issue with. It’s large and conveniently designed for typing.

The A500 comes with Dolby mobile support strengthening its overall media prowess. Although I wasn’t able to use any of my test files and an Acer bundled handsfree, I did pop my Moto MILESTONE’s handsfree in while checking out some test videos and games and I have to say, it’s not half bad. With standard sized ports for both HDMI out and USB 2.0, external media sources going either in or out will not be an issue. Incidentally, the A500 supports full HD content i.e. 1080p for playback and would support 720p video capture from its 5 megapixel camera. Preloaded codec support for DivX and XviD formats meaning .AVI, .FLV, MP4 and almost all other types will be supported. Brushed metal rear (sealed) for class Acer will be preloading three games with the A500 – Need for Speed Shift, Hero of Sparta and Golf to give mobile gamers the best of all genres. Thanks to the NVIDIA GPU, 3D-styled games should work without a hitch. NVIDIA has also preloaded their NVIDIA Tegra Zone onto the A500 for downloading high-end content including HD and 3D games. NVIDIA"s Tegra Zone for hi-end gaming In the connectivity department, aside from USB 2.0 (micro and standard) the first batch of A500 Tabs to make it out will feature Wi-Fi connectivity and not 3G, although we were told 3G models would be here later (4-6 weeks). Bluetooth with A2DP for wireless audio streaming is also on board. With Wi-Fi connectivity Acer has thrown in their Clear-Fi media sharing and streaming functionality. Akin to DLNA, you’ll be able to stream and view media content between the A500 and other compliant devices which will be many as this year progresses. The Bottom Line With a price tag of about Rs. 27,990 (16GB), the A500 will be quite the tablet to beat considering the specs. Of course, the iPad 2 is surely going to give it a run for its money. The A500 will be available in 16 GB and 8 GB Wi-Fi models initially and a Windows 7 (W500) version, as well. The 8 GB unit will also be made available at a later, yet to be announced date. There'll also be plenty of accessories available with and for the A500 including a sleeve (dust cover / carry case), screen protector, Bluetooth QWERTY keyboard, cradle / dock with an IR remote and cables (HDMI, AC adapter, USB) etc. HDMI Out for full HD playback While tablets like the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 are also on the horizon, the Acer A500 is here. It could make a serious statement and having beat Samsung to the punch, could set a precedence. Samsung and other later contenders better bring their A game to this party, as the tablet race in India just got seriously hot. Stay tuned to this space for the full review on the A500, in the meantime here’s a quick look at the tablet in our hands-on video.

Super Sexy Smartphones

I’ve been told by quite a few people wishing to buy new high-end handsets, that’s it’s not just the functionality that’s important; looks also play a big part. I have to agree to quite an extent. I mean who wants to walk around with a big bulky handset that does everything but looks like it’s just like it were just a run-of-the-mill, generic device. Elegancy, styling and cutting edge looks are as important in today’s superficial day and age and I say, if you’re paying that much money for it, it had damn well look good! Here’s my list of Super Sexy Smartphones that are loaded with functionality and ooze sex appeal as well. 

Prices included are best prices or Market Operating Prices and may differ depending on your location and dealer.

Sony Ericsson Arc - Rs. 27,499
The Arc is seriously sexy looking handset with its smooth curved rear panel and chromed edges and an all black bezel that blends perfectly with the scratch resistant display. It uses Sony’s Bravia Mobile engine to enhance the visual capacity of the display making the colors richer and the textures sharper. A visual feast, if you will. The Arc is also a very light weight handset with buttons and key placements very well thought out. The handset will come with Gingerbread aka Android 2.3 out of the box and has a 1 GHZ processor under its hood.

Maximum sex appeal

The Arc features -

• 4.2-inch LED backlit Capacitive Touchscreen with a 480 x 854 pixel resolution
• 3G, EDGE/GPRS, Wi-Fi with DLNA Support and Hotspot functionality
• GPS with A-GPS support
• Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP and EDR, USB 2.0
• 8 Megapixel camera with autofocus and touch focus, LED flash, 720p video recording
• Stereo FM radio with RDS
• memory expandable up to 32 GB via microSD card
• HDMI Out
• 3.5 mm handsfree socket

HTC Incredible S - Rs. 27,000
With a macho styling that’s both unique and well designed, the Incredible S is one that fares well in the looks department. The slightly rubberized shell make sit easy to grip and the superb S-LCD display under scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass is as vibrant as they come. The handset comes with FroYo out of the box that runs on a 1 GHz Scorpion processor and features HTC’s Sense UI with HTCSense.com for added functionality. The 8MP camera is preloaded with handy and fun settings to get capture all kinds of moments in style.

Uniquely styled with a macho look

Here’s a quick look at the handset’s specs -

• 4-inch S-LCD Capacitive Touchscreen with a 480 x 800 pixel resolution
• 3G, EDGE/GPRS, Wi-Fi with DLNA Support and Hotspot functionality
• GPS with A-GPS support
• Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP and EDR, USB 2.0
• 8 Megapixel camera with autofocus and touch focus, dual LED flash, 720p video recording
• 1.3 Megapixel secondary camera
• Stereo FM radio with RDS
• 1 GB internal memory expandable up to 32 GB via microSD card
• DivX/XviD codec support
• 3.5 mm handsfree socket

Dell Venue - Rs. 26,990
The Venue may not be the sleekest handset around but it does manage to exude a certain elegant look and feel to it with its curved display and very business like rear paneling. A 1GHz Scorpion processor is what runs this FroYo loaded device and Dell has thrown it their won customized interface called Stage UI. The on board 8MP camera features Face detection and 720p video recording.

Gorgeous curves

The Dell Venue also comes with -    

• 4.1-inch AMOLED Capacitive Touchscreen with a 480 x 800 pixel resolution
• 3G, EDGE/GPRS, Wi-Fi and Hotspot functionality
• GPS with A-GPS support
• Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP and EDR, USB 2.0
• 8 Megapixel camera with autofocus, LED flash, 720p video recording
• Stereo FM radio with RDS
• 1 GB internal memory expandable up to 32 GB via microSD card
• 3.5 mm handsfree socket

Nokia E7 - Rs. 27,200 The E7 is Nokia’s latest Communicator that’s taken the design form to a whole new level. The sleek handset has just a minor flaw and that’s the flip out display. It’s a bit tricky actually getting the hang of popping it out. The hidden keypad features individual keys that are soft and comfortable to use for long periods. Nokia’s Clear-Black Display (scratch resistant) technology infused with the handset’s AMOLED display makes the screen extremely legible even in direct sunlight. It comes equipped with a 680 ARM 11 Processor and runs Nokia’s new Symbian ^3 OS. A few steps ahead of the original Communicators Nokia’s E7 features -     4.0-inch AMOLED Capacitive Touchscreen with a 360 x 640 pixel resolution 3G, EDGE/GPRS, Wi-Fi GPS with A-GPS support, Ovi Maps - Free for life Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP and EDR, USB 2.0 8 Megapixel camera with autofocus, dual LED flash, 720p video recording VGA secondary front facing camera Stereo FM radio with RDS 16 GB internal memory expandable up to 32 GB via microSD card HDMI Out 3.5 mm handsfree socket Apple iPhone 4 - Starting at Rs. 33,600 This list would be incomplete without the inclusion of the ever popular iPhone 4. It’s definitely one of the most elegantly yet simplistically styled device and is pretty much a fashion statement all to itself. iOS is by far one of the smoothest UI’s to have on a mobile handset and with Apple’s Retina Display that is, so far, the highest resolution on a mobile device, tends to stand out even more. The display itself is Scratch-resistant with Oleophobic surface that’s designed to keep smudges at bay. With a 1 GHz ARM Cortex-A8 processor and Apple’s own A4 chipset, graphics from games to anything else and overall speed are not be a problem. The iPhone 4 also features a Scratch-resistant glass back panel. Active noise cancellation with the help of a dedicated microphone will ensure your calls are crisp and well heard. Smooth lines and a brilliant display The iPhone is equipped with - 3.5-inch LED backlit IPS Capacitive Touchscreen with a 640 x 960 pixel resolution 3G, EDGE/GPRS, Wi-Fi with a hotspot option GPS with A-GPS support Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP, USB 2.0 5 Megapixel camera with autofocus, touch-focus, LED flash, 720p video recording secondary front facing camera for Face-Time chatting via Wi-Fi 16GB or 8GB internal memory 3.5 mm handsfree socket