Tech Tools and Toys

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Nano Chips, Poddie Bits

By Larry Wood, Additional Reporting by Haley Myers

Tools

NRAM v. DRAM   
Carbon nanotube company Nantero, Woburn, Mass., may become the first company to develop production carbon nanotube chips. These “building blocks” of nanotechnology are typically used in semiconductor devices, but Nantero is onto something more intriguing. Nantero has developed memory chips with nanotube filaments that bend to a contact when an electric current is applied and remain bent once unplugged, because the tubes are so small. One hundred thousand of these tubes bundled are about the size of a human hair.
    Unlike DRAM, which loses its memory when the computer is turned off, NRAM never does. In an NRAM-based computer, you could turn your computer off without putting anything away, then turn it on again instantly, with the OS and all of your documents loaded and ready to go. 
    Remarkably, these nanotube circuits switch on and off in half a nanosecond — about 20 times faster than conventional RAM. In the next few years, they may hold nearly 100 to 1,000 times more data in the same amount of space. These remarkable chips could displace not only conventional DRAM in your computer but hard drives, as well. These low-power, tiny, permanent memory chips are ideal for use in cell phones, digital cameras and PDAs. Nantero’s goal is to have production chips on the market by summer 2007.

Toys

New iPods
iPod and iTunes (and more than 3,000 iPod accessory products) have fundamentally changed how and when we listen to music, play games and view video. Three out of every four MP3 players are iPods. Apple released a new generation of the mini-media player in September, in plenty of time for Christmas.
    Improvements in the fifth-generation iPod include better support for video and games, a 75 percent battery life boost, a brighter and better viewing screen, redesigned headphones for better fit, gapless playback between tracks and third-party game support, starting with PacMan, Tetris, Cubis (Tetris on steroids), Mini Golf and Tech Hold ‘Em at $4.99 each.
    Apple’s price on its 30 GB model is $249; it holds 7,500 songs or 40 hours of video. For $100 more, you can get an additional 50 GB. The 80 GB iPod holds up to 20,000 songs and 100 hours of video. Up to now, iPod video has been encoded in pretty crummy resolution, at 320 x 240 pixels. New video is being encoded at 640 x 480 pixels, the resolution we’ve known in standard definition TV.
2nd-generation iPod Nano: Completely remastered, the new, thinner iPod Nano is aluminum and comes in vivid green, blue and hot pink, in addition to the typical silver and black. The Nano now has 24-hour battery life, a brighter screen and the new headphones and search features. Storage capacity has increased, and models are offered at 2 GB, 4 GB and 8 GB at $149, $199 and $249, respectively.
    2nd-generation iPod Shuffle: The new Shuffle ($79) has a square-ish shape and a built-in clip to make it easier to wear. The world’s smallest MP3 player now has 12-hour battery life and comes with a USB2 dock and new headphones. The 1 GB device holds up to 240 songs. It’s beautiful and tiny. 
    iTunes Revamped: iTunes 7 improvements (free for download from Apple online) are awesome. It looks about the same, with several new features you’ll love. The source list now has four sections: Library, Store, Devices and Playlists. The sections make the interface easier to navigate by helping you focus on what you want to accomplish.
    In addition to the List view, iTunes 7 allows you to display your media in album view and cover-flow view. Album view displays album cover art vertically, to the left of tracks. Cover-flow view shows 3-D art displayed horizontally at the top of the window, so you can find your source quickly by scrolling through images using the slider. What if you have old songs and no album covers? With an account, Apple provides free cover art for albums that encompass 3.5 million songs.
    220 TV Shows and 40 Networks: Apple claims you can download episodes of more than 220 shows, including NFL highlights by game or season pass. Now, you can also synch your iPod with your TV series picks. For example, you can track the 10 most recent CSI episodes, and iTunes will automatically drop the one you watch and replace it with a new episode.
     Now Playing: Apple also announced availability of 75 movies from Pixar, Walt Disney Pictures, Miramax and Touchstone Pictures. The same day movies are released to DVD, they will be released to iPods for $12.99 preorder for the first week, before increasing to $14.99. If you have high-speed broadband access, most movies download in about 30 minutes. You can begin to play a movie as it streams in, which will usually take about one minute to start.
    Transfer: iTunes: If you have a couple of iTunes with the same account, you can transfer music and video between the two computers just by plugging in your iPod.

And TiVo, Too

Toshiba’s RS-TX60 DVD   
Recorder/TiVo ($325 to $349) is a progressive-scan DVD recorder and player with a 160 GB hard drive that holds up to 200 hours of TV shows and includes TiVo’s basic services (manual program recording, pause/rewind live TV, program guide) without upfront or monthly charges.

Mondo Gizmo

Here are other tech toys, some classics and some new, that promise to warm the minds of the digitally inclined on your list. For more great gift ideas from local purveyors, check out Prosper’s Online Holiday Gift Guide. 
     LEGO Mindstorms NXT Robot Kit: In about 30 minutes, build a robot ready for your immediate future that walks and talks and comes in five different species, so to speak. Choose from vehicle, animal, machine, humanoid or gadget. Robot software interfaces with PCs and Macs. Suggested retail: $249.   
    Robosapien V2: This 2-foot tall robot can roam free or be controlled by remote. Its near-human senses, including sight, sound and touch, help it respond to you and its environment. The robot has a range of movements, from bending and sitting to grasping, throwing and doing martial arts. And the little Robosapien can even grab a full can of soda or your beverage of choice. Did we mention it can talk, as well? Suggested retail: $199.95.
    R2-D2 Interactive Droid: The lovable “Star Wars” replica can communicate with its owner via beeps, whistles, gestures and flashing lights. It can obey commands and play games. This R2-D2 has three modes: companion or friend, game-player and “whatever you want” command mode. At 16.5 inches high, this robot weighs in at 7 lbs. Suggested retail: $119.95.   
     RadarGolf System: This system includes a handheld device that tracks a special golf ball equipped with a microchip to help you find it. It works like a metal detector. The handheld device will beep when you’re close to a lost ball and also indicate where the ball is using LCD visual light. The system comes with 12 balls and a case for the handheld tracking device. Suggested retail: $199.95.
    Philips Digital Photo Frame: Upload your digital photos into this 7-inch frame to show a slideshow, thumbnails or an individual photo. You can save about 100 photos in any orientation. The screen displays high-definition images. Suggested retail: $199.95
    Garmin StreetPilot C550 WAAS Enabled Portable GPS: Listen to classic rock or reggaeton on this GPS plus MP3 player. The navigation system provides “street-level detail” from addresses to restaurant listings and ATM locations, notifies you of weather or traffic delays on your route and outlines an alternative path. The system works in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Suggested retail: $799.99.   
    Oregon Scientific SmartGlobe:  It’s a real globe, 21st century-style. With three skill-level settings, this interactive globe can school any age in geography, culture, history and world languages. Using a SmartPen, select one of these topics and then choose a region on the globe. The globe can also connect to the internet and receive real-time news updates for a particular region. Suggested retail: $149.99.

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