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Joby demonstrates brilliance with Gorillapod Magnetic flexible tripod
It's the ultimate "why didn't I think of that?" concept, but kudos to Joby for doing more than just keeping a bar story to itself. Following in the footsteps of the magnified Gorillatorch, Joby decided to add a few magnets to the feet of its tried-and-true Gorillapod flexible tripod. The result? The Gorillapod Magnetic, of course! Reportedly, this little bugger supports digital cameras and camcorders weighing up to 11.5 ounces, and it should go on sale worldwide this April for an undisclosed amount. We know you've been dreaming of a way to snap group photos while inside those steel prison bars, and at long last, those dreams can be become reality. In related news, the company is also showing its professional side with the April-bound Ballhead X, which is described as a "portable yet sturdy" head that can pan, tilt, and rotate cameras up to 11.1 pounds, and while it's designed to play nice with the Gorillapod Focus, it should work fine with 3/8- and 1/4-inch threads on other tripods. Full release is after the break. %Gallery-85963%
Magnetic unveils a clutch of glasses-free 3D displays
As you well know, Magnetic 3D is one of many companies that have been dabbling in 3D sans glasses -- and lo and behold! Here we are in Las Vegas where the company is debuting three new auto-stereoscopic product lines including the Allura (commercial grade high-definition 3D LCD monitors up to 55-inches), Emersa (3D displays for close proximity viewing up to 42-inches), and Envolve 3D touch displays for commercial uses -- you know, slot gaming, kiosks, and all sorts of red hot Vegas-y stuff. Will this be the year that 3D displays stop giving us headaches? Time will tell...
Steorn Orbo livestream begins: Look, fairies!
We're not going to spend any more time on this than absolutely necessary. After all, Steorn's claims haven't changed a bit in the three years since the histrionics began. But we will point you to Steorn's live free energy demonstration so that you can ponder for yourselves how Orbo "uses magnets to gain energy" on a trio of live cams. If you look closely, you might even see a leprechaun dancing after the break. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Sony dives into wireless power game, makes it way more interesting
We've been watching wireless power startups spin their wheels for years on end, and while we've netted a few contact-charging solutions along the way, there's still a dire need for bona fide wireless power. A most unlikely candidate has just shown up to deliver that very need, with Sony's wireless power supply system reportedly pushing some 60 watts of juice across 50 centimeters (nearly two feet) of crisp, cool air. Currently, the magnetic resonance setup is running at about 60 percent efficiency, but we're sure the engineers behind the breakthrough aren't satisfied yet. So, should we expect to see a prototype BRAVIA HDTV at CES 2010 that needs no AC cable to function? Please Sony, say yes. Say it emphatically. [Via Impress]
Carbon ring storage promises 1,000 times higher memory density
Terrifying news, kids: we're growing seriously close to maxing out the density limits of present magnetic memory technology as it becomes increasingly difficult to shrink the necessary grains used in the process. Thankfully, there's a team of German scientists devoted to doing more than standing around and watching the inevitable happen. Cobalt, the element responsible for keeping your precious data intact, typically requires a 50,000 atom fleet for each grain, but boffins from Dresden have found a way to shrink that to a measly flotilla of 50. Without trampling you with technological details, attaching carbon rings to the cobalt reproduces the requisite hexagonal close packed structure, which leads to reduced space requirements. Should this technique prove viable, we can expect yet another race among hard drive makers as they strive to make each other's most capacious drives look downright diminutive. Hit the read link for all the grisly details.[Via Graphene-Info]
CMU researchers control microbots with mini magnets
Pardon the alliteration, but we're excited about the proposition here. For years -- millenniums, even -- scientists have been trying to figure out how to manipulate minuscule devices with magnets, and at long last, we've got a breakthrough in the field. Metin Sitti, an associate professor of mechanical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, is credited with creating a new control technique that could allow microscopic machines to "one day deliver drugs directly to a sickly cell or a tumor." Essentially, the diminutive bots glide across a glass surface covered with a grid of metal electrodes, and you're just a click away (it's the Read link, just so you know) from seeing a live demonstration on how they can be used to "anchor one or more microbots while allowing others to continue to move freely around the surface." Good times.
NEC's magnetic flip flop cannot be worn, won't lose data when powered down
Let's just get this out of the way: NEC Electronics' magnetic flip flop isn't at all what you think it is. Well, if you're thinking that you can rock these on your soles in the summertime, anyway. Rather, the nonvolatile magnetic flip flop demonstration proves that handhelds of the future could eventually be made to boot up faster and retain data even when completely powered off. The secret here is the ability for these system-on-chips to survive on zero power when in a standby state, enabling them to draw less energy in the devices they're in. Better still, the accompanying MRAM also doesn't require power, and the "unlimited write endurance" should theoretically mean that you can use your future handheld for practically ever. Sweet -- 'cause you'd totally do that if given the chance.[Via Physorg]
Magnetic / detachable lenses suddenly make cellphone cameras fun
Not that we haven't seen patently absurd lens attachments for mobiles before, but we've yet to come across any that were this universal (and be to honest, this useful). Sure, one could argue that a detachable wide-angle, fisheye or 2x telephoto lens made for a cellphone camera is more likely to do nothing than something, but we prefer to look on the sunny side of things. In other words, it's totally worth $16.99 just to be able to make your subjects pause as you whip out the correct lens for the occasion... which you're photographing on your C905.[Via OhGizmo]
IBM's racetrack memory dashing towards commercialization
So, how do you go about impressing the world after busting out a few systems based around the "fastest chip on Earth?" By getting us all worked up for a little thing called racetrack memory, that's how. Far from being the first memory technology that runs laps around the DIMMs we're relying on today, IBM researchers are suggesting that this iteration could enable users to store substantially more data at a lower cost and be available in around a decade. Put simply, the gurus working the project have discovered a way to overcome the prohibitively expensive process of manipulating domain walls in magnetic storage, essentially making a long-standing approach entirely more viable. If you're totally in nerd heaven right now, we assure you, checking out the explanatory video waiting after the jump is a must-do.[Via BBC]
Magnetic and NEC partner to deliver 3D sans glasses
While calling it the holy grail of 3D may be a stretch, there's no denying that the technology has been largely held back and (rightfully) seen as a gimmick due to the whole "unsightly glasses" requirement. Granted, this isn't the first time we've heard of 3D being experienced sans goggles, but the newfangled agreement between Magnetic and NEC could deliver just that to a display near you very soon. Reportedly, the duo is off demonstrating a 57-inch Enabl3D display at the Digital Signage Expo in Las Vegas, and while this iteration is admittedly aimed at commercial users, the promise of seeing imagery "pop more than a foot off the screen without the use of any special glasses" sure sounds intriguing. No word on when this stuff will be coming to everyday users, but don't be shocked to see marketers coming up with new ways to grab your attention (and frighten the young) with this in the near future.
Is Nokia pondering magnetic ports for some handsets?
Some Nokia sets feature similar-sized headset and charging jacks and in an effort to help owners quickly tell them apart -- and prevent potential damage to the handset -- Nokia may have decided on a bit of clever gadgetry to save the day. The idea is dead-simple, one port will be positively magnetized, the other negatively, so if you try to plug in your cables to the wrong place they will repel. Safe and simple, we like it, now if they were able to extend it out to some type of MagSafe charger adapter.[Via textually.org]
Sticking with the Apple Remote
On that unboxing video we posted the other day (sorry about the ads-- point taken), it was noted that the Apple Remote no longer stuck to the side of the new iMac. Reader Sal emailed me this morning to point out that not only did his Remote not stick either, but apparently he rang up Apple, and the "product specialist" said the Remote should stick. I also called Apple, and they told me the Remote should stick as well.But neither the Unboxing Remote or Sal's Remote actually stuck, so what's the deal? Our commenters have noted over the past few days that aluminum eats magnetic fields, so it could be that the aluminum makes sticking the Remote on a no go. I don't know exactly how it worked with the old iMac (whether there was just a magnet inside or in both the Remote and the iMac), but Sal points out his Remote won't stick to the fridge either. After he told Apple that, they even offered to send him a new Remote, so maybe the Remote he has is defective (which means this is the second new defective product we've heard about in the past few days). One more wrinkle-- other commenters have suggested that instead of the side, the Remote now sticks to the "chin" of the iMac, but Sal tried that and said it didn't work either.At any rate, Apple says the Remote should stick, but everything we've seen says it doesn't. Which is it? Anyone have a new iMac and want to confirm that it sticks? It's not a big loss, of course, if it's really not sticking. But like the Open Apple button, that's another special Apple touch that's been lost on the new iMac.Update: This video, courtesy Rizza in the comments, shows the Remote stuck on the front right corner of the glass (which is one way to get around the aluminum, I guess). So looks like Apple moved the magnet there.
Embotec's levitating keyboard uses magnets, not forklifts
If you can't get 'em to produce infinite clean energy in your perpetual motion machine, why not repurpose those magnets into a keyboard? That's what Embotec's done with their appropriately named Magnetic Levitation Keyboard. The design apparently aligns the magnets in opposition which forces the keys apart before succumbing to the pressure of your digits and German supermodels. Now please, by all means, do not use it near the magnetic desk. Else you might find yourself levitating over the Grand Canyon wearing a smarmy ascot and feathered hair. [Via AVING]
Researchers use magnetic fields to manipulate light
We've seen magnetics used in everything from closet improvements to insomnia treatments, but researchers at the University of Alberta and the United States Naval Research Laboratory have found that "by manipulating electron spin using magnetic fields, they can turn off and on light that's being guided through metals." By looking deeper into the fields of plasmonics and spintronics, the gurus have discovered that this on-off light switch could be used for tasks such as routing infrared light in optical communications or processing radio signals in cell phones. Additionally, this system could potentially decrease power requirements for the devices it invades, and while a finalized product isn't quite ready, the team is already anxious to "build devices that can act as switches in a chip."
Toshiba's NC-MR technology could boost HDD capacity 'tenfold'
Just days after Fujitsu tooted its own horn and suggested that it could increase hard drive capacity by 500-percent in a mere two years comes word that Toshiba coincidentally has a similarly grandiose claim. Aside from the obvious leapfrog game that's being played here, Tosh has apparently been working hand-in-hand with Tohoku University to develop "a phenomenon" dubbed Nanocontact Magnetic Resistance, or NC-MR, in which an "enormous difference in magnetoresistance is achieved when two magnetic materials are situated close together and connected by a contact point that narrows to around 1-nanometer." Put simply, the prototype NC-MR structure is twice as large as today's read heads, and elements based on the NC-MR structure would have a "lower resistance than existing TMR elements, enabling the read heads to be miniaturized and still operate quickly." Of course, these sensational claims have yet to make it beyond the drawing board, and while you may be anxious to get one of these in your rig, you'll be waiting about five years or so if things continue as planned. [Warning: Read link requires subscription]
Researchers utilize electricity to move magnetically-stored data
While Fujitsu works overtime in order to boost hard drive capacity by 500-percent in just two years, researchers at the University of Hamburg in Germany are devising a method to move magnetically-stored data around a HDD "a hundred times faster than currently possible." Guido Meier and colleagues are purportedly using "nanosecond pulses of electric current to push magnetic regions along a wire at 110-meters per second," which easily trumps today's method of using comparatively slow spinning discs to access data. Additionally, their vision of the next-generation hard drive will sport fewer mechanical parts in order to lessen the "wear and tear" that existing units face. Notably, the idea behind the creation was actually conjured up by an IBM employee in 2004, but if the Germans crafting the current prototype have anything to say about it, said idea could turn into reality sooner than later.
Magnetic signals could cure chronic insomnia
Make no mistake, there's a plethora of devices out there aimed squarely at rudely disrupting your nap, but a technique that utilizes a gaudy head wrap and magnetic pulses could make the process of conking out a whole lot easier. Apparently, scientists can use relatively standard medical equipment in order to "stimulate the brain with harmless magnetic pulses," which essentially penetrate the nerves that control a type of deep sleep called "slow-wave activity." By forcing the brain to conjure these waves, it helps trigger deep sleep in even the "most chronic insomniac," and researchers are hoping that these methods could be used to create a machine that lets weary individuals get one fabulous power nap. Until then, however, may we suggest wading through every last Intel roadmap presentation you can find without ever losing focus, as this little trick seems to work quite well in corporate settings.[Via Spluch]
Magnetic clothes hangers rearrange your closet
As with most things that have remained fairly constant over the years, it was just a matter of time before someone with a tick of free time and a bright idea gave a new face to the clothes hanger. Daniel To's simply-named magnetic clothes hangers maintain the same forked design to gingerly hold your favorite threads, but rather than sporting a rotating hook, a magnetic cube was attached in order to give design-conscience homeowners a new way to assemble their closets. Of course, you'll need a metallic rack / roof to take advantage of the attractive (ahem) design, but we sure hope these end up coming in a heavy duty flavor for the more weighted aspects of our wardrobe.[Via Freshome]
Morpho Towers: ferrofluid sculptures that groove to the music
There's just something irresistible about random objects that get down to surrounding beats, and the Morpho Towers: Two Standing Spirals installation is quite the eye-catcher indeed. The pair of ferrofluid sculptures were deigned to stand in a platter of ferrofluid and move "synthetically to music," which translates into a magnetic field being generated by sound and creating autonomous art. Subsequently, the towers react by attracting "spikes of ferrofluid" from the bottom-up, which can mold itself and transform into a variety of stunning shapes. The spikes themselves are designed to "rotate around the edge of the spiral cone, becoming large or small depending on the strength of the magnetic field," and by utilizing time series metadata ingrained in the music, the designers can create (and control) more dramatic scenes on the towers' sides. So if you're interested in what a magnetic Christmas tree might look like, be sure to take a peek after the jump for the artwork in motion.[Via SciFiTech]
Magnetic beads could peruse your innards
We've got a sneaking suspicion that the whole idea of "minimally invasive" procedures will soon become a matter of perspective, as Canadian researchers are dreaming up yet another method of perusing parts of your innards you never thought possible. If the brilliant minds at École Polytechnique Montréal have their way, microscopic medical beads could eventually be used to inspect, pass medicines, and take a joyride through even the smallest tubes in your body. Already being tested on live pig (and showing outstanding results, too), the idea is to utilize MRI machines to magnetically push objects through the bloodstream, which could reach locales that modern day surgeries can't. Interestingly enough, this procedure has far exceeded the brainstorming stage, and if you're one of those strong-stomached type, be sure to hit the read link for a couple of live action videos of the process.
