Lenovo IdeaPad U1... my next computer

The Computer Electronics Show (CES) is in full swing for 2010, and as is the case every year, the gadgets are coming out. One of the most promising this year is Lenovo's IdeaPad U1, a hybrid device that is tablet and netbook all in one. The potential is... outstanding.

The IdeaPad U1 is a netbook with a removable touchscreen, essentially a tablet when removed. The versitility of this is outstanding, and we'll see if the product matches the potential.

CNET has an excellent overview of Lenovo's new toy. Check it out here.

Water Dropplets that BLOW YOUR MIND

Have you ever seen water bounce on water? You have -- you just don't know it yet.




High speed cameras are opening up science discovery and analysis in ways we never could have dreamed, even in the most mundane areas. It's a fascinating time to watch.

Google Makes it a BAD Day for GPS Companies

Google today released a free, turn-by-turn navigation for Google Maps this morning, in BETA, and it's GOOD. How good? Check out the stock prices for Garmin and TomTom.

As you can see, everyone can see what a major impact this release will have on the pay-for-use GPS.

Although it's currently only available on Android 2.0 OS phones, Google is sure to release this beyond, and the impact will be huge.

Compared to the current releases of pay GPS units, Google stacks up very, very well, and is certainly going to put a major dent in their future sales.

See the Gizmodo review here.

Wyle E. Coyote would be Jealous!

No good reason for this post - it's just cool. Gay Wilkinson is a 'World Champion' Anvil Shooter.

Something you need to see to believe. I guarantee you, 90% of men will love this. The other 10% are wrong.




Why? Because you can.

Slo-mo Sneeze is Juicy/Scary

I love slo-mo photography/video, but this demonstration of Mythbusters Adam hurling an impressive sneeze at Jamie is something else, and something to show to those around you with no sneeze-cover.

This was done in a PSA for H1N1 avoidance.

The Fun Theory

66% is impressive. Check this out.

No #$%$#$% Wires

Wireless charging is still in its infancy, but the idea is great: you have a mat or platform onto which you can toss your gadgets and let them charge. No tangled wires and fumbling around. There's a catch, of course, in that most of these chargers will require a special case or add-on to be hugging your device. And cost... they are pricey, not only for the mat, but for the adapter too. This makes something like the Powermat one pricey charging station if you want to charge each of your gadgets, but I like their advertising.

Currently, the mat will run about US$100, with about $40 per adapter. Pricey, indeed, but as the technology becomes integrated into the product, as inductive charging becomes more ubiquitous, that cost will decline.

Google Docs Works the Interns for Improvements

This is a great addition for students.

Google Docs, and online option to Microsoft Office, has added a fairly powerful equation editor this summer, super/subscripts, among other improvements. I've used GDocs with students many times, and for other personal uses as well. It may be a good option for students who don't have Office available. Best of all, it's free, and you do not need a Google account to access it.

Read more about the equation editor and summer improvements here

MIT Students Take Pictures from Space for <$150

Two MIT students have captured images from space on a severe budget of $150. Perhaps the most impressive part is they did it entirely with off the shelf items.

Gaining over 17 miles in altitude, they were high enough to see the curvature of the earth, the darkness of space, and the intense cold associated with severe altitude. Impressive.

Check the details here.

Next Phase of Netbooks

EeePC is coming out with the next revolution of the netbook. Asus is about to release the Eee Keyboard. An introduction is here:




This device will eventually be perfect for students. A full size keyboard (the biggest complaint of netbooks thus far), this is also smaller, lighter, and more portable than a netbook. By providing a small touchscreen on the keyboard itself, students can sit in class, take notes with the full-size keyboard, monitoring on the small touch screen, then return home, hook up to a monitor, and you have a full size computer at home. No need for clouds, no need for a PC at home and a netbook for class, it's a valid, all in one solution.

Keys are going to be the battery life, reliability of an exposed keyboard (unless some type of hard case is provided, and reliability of the touchscreen on the side.

None the less, this is an exciting blend of a smartphone, netbook, and PC, all in one. Once again, Asus is leading the way.