This New BMW Concept Key is Nearly as Impressive as the BMW it Starts Posted by Matt Byrd (12/26/2013 @ 6:13 pm) 
Way back when during a less hi-tech time of car ownership, if you wanted to impress someone with your car keys alone they either had to have a Ferrari logo on them, or had to be accompanied by a particularly humorous key chain attachment. Otherwise, they weren’t likely to generate much of a reaction on their own. The new BMW i8 key, though, is more than capable of doing just that. Resembling your basic smartphone design, the i8 key features a built in LCD screen which relays some vital information about your car when in use. As the i8 is a hybrid, its main purpose is to relay how much charge and fuel is left in your car, which is a handy little trick that isn’t hard to imagine becoming standard in the near future. Function aside, though, the real selling point of this key is honestly its uber sleek looks. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the car its attached to looks to be one of 2014’s best and among the more exciting hybrids released to date. Now, its very much worth noting that this doesn’t appear to be an official design at this time, and more of a highly circulated rumor of what the official model will look like. In any case, even if this is just an enthusiastic fan design, its not hard to imagine this being a good representation of the future of this technology and a very exciting one at that. Posted in: News Tags: BMW i8, BMW i8 key, Gadgets, gadgets for dudes, gadgets for guys, gadgets for men, gear, gear for dudes, gear for men, gizmos, Technology, technology for guys, technology for men
LG Reveals an Attractive All-In-One Chromebook Posted by Matt Byrd (12/20/2013 @ 6:56 pm) 
I personally never got into all-in-one computers. As someone who primarily games on their PC I usually require a computer that can make virtual worlds tremble, and all-in-ones typically aren’t built with those kind of high specs in mind. That being said, I do love the minimalistic style of their design and also very much understand their usefulness for certain demographics and needs. You’ve also got to appreciate the variety of all-in-one options on the market today, ensuring that there is usually the perfect option available for anyone in the market. If that is you, be prepared to consider a new contender as LG has now unveiled the first all-in-one Chromebook called the Chromebase. Besides being a real looker (the Mac influences in the design are immediately apparent), the Chromebase runs off of Chrome OS which means you should expect the reliable performance and smoother navigation that comes with the well designed platform. As usual, it’s power is pretty middle of the road (its 2GB RAM and the Intel Celeron CPU are the real buzzkills), but it should be able to handle average programs with relative ease. Of course, while the price isn’t available yet, you should expect to see that as another selling point considering the low cost philosophy of the Chromebook line. Otherwise, this is one sleek machine that should definitely be on the radar of all-in-one shoppers everywhere. Posted in: News Tags: all in one chromebook, all in one computers, best all in one computers, chromebase, chromebooks, Gadgets, gadgets for guys, gadgets for men, gear, gear for guys, gear for men, gizmos, technology for guys, technology for men
The Next Wave of Ugly Christmas Sweaters Are Going Digital Posted by Matt Byrd (12/13/2013 @ 7:38 pm) While I’m not sure when exactly ugly Christmas sweater went from genuinely dreaded gift from a well meaning grandmother, or perhaps maniacal aunt, to a hipster fashion trend that is now a highly coveted holiday accessory so popular that entire parties are themed around them, there’s no denying the shift did happen. Should you find yourself falling victim to this trend this holiday season or perhaps even invited to one of those said parties, you’re going to naturally want to find yourself an ugly sweater of your own. While all of your favorite online outlets and shady thrift stores most likely offer some, there’s only one site that is offering an ugly Christmas sweater worthy of the modern age. Designed by Digital Dudz and available through morphsuits.com, these sweaters each feature a velcro pocket that stores your Apple or Android phone and, in conjunction with an app, allows you to display a variety of animated Christmas themed images. The final effect gives off the, very convincing, illusion that your sweater image is animated on its own accord. In the case of the fireplace sweater, you can even interact with the animation by double tapping your phone to extinguish and ignite the fire at your will. Going for around $55 a piece, this will likely become the most expensive sweater you’ll ever own and only wear maybe once a year for a laugh. However, in that pursuit, they are incredible successes that are sure to draw a significant amount of passerby attention, or make you the unofficial “winner” of any ugly sweater party should that be your thing. Posted in: News Tags: Christmas gift guide, Digital Christmas sweater, Digital Dudz, Gadgets, gadgets for guys, gadgets for men, gear, gear for guys, gear for men, gizmos, holiday gift guide, morphsuits, Technology, technology for guys, technology for men, ugly Christmas sweater party, Ugly Christmas sweaters
On the Eve of PC Gaming’s March to the Living Room, An Interesting New Gaming PC Emerges Posted by Matt Byrd (12/10/2013 @ 4:31 pm) 
When famed game company Valve announced the introduction of the open source linux based “Steam OS” earlier this year to compliment their new line of Steam Machines, they made it clear that they have every intention of bringing PC gaming to the living room in a way never thought possible. While nobody who’s ever glanced at their success record would ever doubt Valve’s ability to accomplish this goal, the lack of specifics on the subject at the time of announcement left some questioning just how they’d accomplish such a herculean effort within the industry. Since then, however, the unveiling of a few Steam Machine prototypes to go along with some additional details regarding the OS, have cleared up the picture somewhat and rightfully raised expectations. However no prototype has personally intrigued me more than the recently announced Jetpack PC from PiixL. Described as a slimline PC, the Jetpack is capable of sliding into your TV frame whether it is mounted or propped up on a stand. Once installed it allows you to instantly start using your TV as a PC that can support either Windows or Steam OS. While the specs are not currently available, PiixL has said the Jetpack has universal GPU compatibility and looks to be more or less as customizable as a standard desktop (though some parts like power supplies are likely not interchangeable). Starting at a $1,000, the practicality of the Jetpack as a gaming PC solution is going to depend largely on whether or not on the built in specs and exactly how customizable and accessible it is. Regardless of the specifics though, the Jetpack is an amazing example of the creativity inspired by Valve’s big move into the living room. If this is only an early example of the technology that will be fueling that move, then the coming years should be very interesting for the PC gaming revolution. Posted in: News Tags: built in gaming PCs, essential gadgets, Gadgets, gadgets for dudes, gadgets for guys, gadgets for men, gear, gear for dudes, gear for guys, gear for men, gizmos, hottest gadgets, Jetpack PC, must have gadgets, PiixL, Steam Machines, Steam OS, Technology, technology for guys, technology for men, TV PC conversion
The Cinema One is a Pricey, but Incredibly Interesting, Alternative to Video Streaming Posted by Matt Byrd (12/03/2013 @ 9:28 pm) 
I love Netflix and Hulu. Hell, I think most of us do. If I had to make a complaint about those services, though, it’s that they both have an incredible tendency to not have the exact movie I want to watch at that time. This isn’t so much a fault of their massive libraries, as it is the result of the impossible task that is acquiring every film and TV shows that have ever been made, along with being able to anticipate the exact whim of every user. The Cinema One from Kaleidescape proposes an interesting solution to this dilemma. It allows you to store up to 600 DVD quality titles or 100 Blu-Ray quality titles within the player to be accessed at your leisure. The movies themselves can either be downloaded from the Kaleidescape store, or ripped straight from the DVD and Blu-Ray source. Think of it then as your own personal steaming service then that is catered entirely to your tastes. Even better, it offers services that Netflix and Hulu can not such as custom DVD like scene skips for every title, and video and sound quality that is simply not possible with the traditional streaming methods. As absolutely incredible as the concept and actual product is, the price is a real buzz kill. Coming in just shy of $4000, this is already a big ticket item before you even consider the additional costs of purchasing movies to add to it (though it does come with 50 free movies upon purchase). While the whole “no subscription fee” thing helps somewhat, even then that’s a price tag that limits the market considerably. Based on concept and design alone, though, this is one of the most notable devices released this year, and will certainly serve well as the centerpiece of any true film buffs entertainment center. Posted in: News Tags: Cinema One, Gadgets, gadgets for film buffs, gadgets for men, gadgets for movie fans, gear, gear for guys, gear for men, gifts for movie fans, gizmos, gizmos for men, Kaleidescape, Netflix alternatives, Technology, technology for guys, technology for men
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