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MWSF 2010 Odds and Ends: Gloves, Xserve Rack, Speaker Helmet, USB Power

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Apr 12, 2001
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Capacitive Capable Gloves


193710-mwsf-gloves2_500.jpg


At Macworld, iTouch Gloves (left) and Telefingers (right) both offered solutions for using the iPhone's capacitive touch screen while wearing gloves. iTouch Gloves offer high end leather glove styles that start at $99.95.. They offer a variety of styles in both women's and men's styles.

Telefingers solution is quite a bit less stylish but also much cheaper. For only $15 a pair, you can get a thinner (non-leather) pair gloves with specialized tips that allow you to control your iPhone screen. Either way, it's better than using sausages.

Xserve Racking Solution


193709-mwsf-g6_500.jpg


Electrorack offers a wide variety of server racking solutions, but this one caught our eye. It's a rack enclosure for Xserves and RAID configurations that happens to styled like an oversized Mac Pro.

SurfaceSound in Your Helmet


193709-mwsf-speaker_500.jpg


TuneBug has been offering its SurfaceSound solution Vibe for some time already. Vibe is a small device that takes an audio source and turns any surface into a speaker. TuneBug has taken this same concept and applied it to both Bike and Snow/Skateboard helmets.

Shake connects via Bluetooth to your iPhone and then transmits sound waves throughout your helmet, letting you listen to your favorite tunes without headphones. Shake is expected to ship in April for $119.95.

U-Socket - USB Power in Your Wall


193710-mwsf-usb_500.jpg


Fastmac claims this is the first of it kind due to some regulatory issues they had to clear. The U-Socket allows you to have a wall plate with both USB and regular power outlets. No more hunting for your USB->Power dongle, just plug your USB cable straight into the wall. U-Socket can be installed on any existing wall socket. The price is $19.95 now, but normally $29.95.

Article Link: MWSF 2010 Odds and Ends: Gloves, Xserve Rack, Speaker Helmet, USB Power
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2010/02/13/mwsf-2010-odds-and-ends-gloves-xserve-rack-speaker-helmet-usb-power/
$99?!!

So those gloves start at $99 - I think I'll stick to my Pepperami! :) The Koreans know where the technology is going and spending hundred bucks for a pair of gloves is not it. At least I will be able to eat my stylus. How about that?
 
Instructables

I just bought some conductive thread and will be making my own "Capacitive Capable Gloves".

Wayyyy cheaper than those btw. :D
 
North Face E-tip gloves

My northface E-tip gloves are comfortable, warm and work perfectly with my iPhone. And the pair is only £16 through some online stores.

They look nicer than these gloves as well.
 
kernkraft said:
My iPhone charger does pretty much the same job and I don't have to pay an electrician, I just plug it in a socket...
Click to expand...

I don't have to pay an electrician either...turn off the breaker, 5 mins to swap, turn it back on.:D
 
The helmet speaker sounds like a good idea... until it comes between your head and the ground and gets smashed
 
kernkraft said:
My iPhone charger does pretty much the same job and I don't have to pay an electrician, I just plug it in a socket...
Click to expand...

changing a wall socket is not THAT difficult of a thing to do. I doubt you would need an electrician.

Although i agree it does not make sense to spend money for a function you been living without already, but the idea I like is the thought of new houses. New modern houses from now on should be built with those sockets.
 
I love that USB charger socket. I have three things that I need charged all of the time, but I only have one open socket in my room. So clearing one up for my iPhone would be pretty convenient.
 
kernkraft said:
My iPhone charger does pretty much the same job and I don't have to pay an electrician, I just plug it in a socket...
Click to expand...

I'm actually excited about that u-socket, If you know how to do some wiring it shouldn't be to hard to replace outlets yourself. I may be buying a few of those, that way I can throw my chargers in my travel bag and only have to worry about them when I'm on the road.
 
applefan69 said:
changing a wall socket is not THAT difficult of a thing to do. I doubt you would need an electrician.

Although i agree it does not make sense to spend money for a function you been living without already, but the idea I like is the thought of new houses. New modern houses from now on should be built with those sockets.
Click to expand...

What happens when the USB standard is replaced?
 
U-Socket is a really cool idea. It's going to be significantly more elegant than having iPhone chargers dotted around the house and I assume will be a cheaper option. I agree also that this should quickly become the adopted standard for all new house builds. Well done to whoever came up with the idea!
Vanilla
 
another factor that gives a slight advantage to the U-Socket, is that you apparently do save on power. Apparently, if you leave a regular power plug into the wall, there is a slight power draw, while with USB there is not.

Please also note that the USB ports only draw power when something is physically connected to the port. We didn't want a vampire port that continually sucks and wastes power when not in use so this was one of the features on the top of our priority list during the design phase.
Click to expand...

that's from the page and is a bit dated, but the fastmac rep basically said the same thing on the show floor.
 
Why not USB 3? I want Firewire!

jwilson25 said:
I don't have to pay an electrician either...turn off the breaker, 5 mins to swap, turn it back on.:D
Click to expand...

Do you often use PCs? :rolleyes:


applefan69 said:
changing a wall socket is not THAT difficult of a thing to do. I doubt you would need an electrician.

Although i agree it does not make sense to spend money for a function you been living without already, but the idea I like is the thought of new houses. New modern houses from now on should be built with those sockets.
Click to expand...

No, you are right, three wires, but the last time I cut the wrong one, people died! :D Of course, I see your point about having these in your new house or just installing them in the office, kitchen, bedroom and wherever USB devices are likely to be used.


richu96 said:
I'm actually excited about that u-socket, If you know how to do some wiring it shouldn't be to hard to replace outlets yourself. I may be buying a few of those, that way I can throw my chargers in my travel bag and only have to worry about them when I'm on the road.
Click to expand...

I think those USB chargers can charge anything, just like an ordinary USB port on your computer would. I even have a USB charger in my car.
 
arn said:
another factor that gives a slight advantage to the U-Socket, is that you apparently do save on power. Apparently, if you leave a regular power plug into the wall, there is a slight power draw, while with USB there is not.
Click to expand...

That is correct. If you put your hand on your USB charger from Apple, you'll feel that it is warm even when there is nothing plugged into it. Same is true for all "wall wort" style adaptors that convert AC to DC.

Cutting down on so-called "vampire loads" can reduce your electricity bill by hundreds of dollars per year.

Edit: Just to clarify, it looks like the U-Socket is active whenever a USB cable is plugged into it, so in order to stop vampire draw, you'd have to unplug the USB cable end from the wall (not just unplug the dock connector from your iPhone). Better than nothing, but not ideal.
 
Bought 4 USB U-Sockets

What a great revolutionary idea.

I am going to put one in my office, my den and my family room to start.

Yes we have been living without it for years and the USB dongles themselves (at least on my iPhone 3G) have become relatively small (as compared to the old bricks from the older iPods), but now this will free up a few critical power slots in critical areas (like my office).

And... I love the comment about hiring an electrician.
 
arn said:
another factor that gives a slight advantage to the U-Socket, is that you apparently do save on power. Apparently, if you leave a regular power plug into the wall, there is a slight power draw, while with USB there is not.



that's from the page and is a bit dated, but the fastmac rep basically said the same thing on the show floor.
Click to expand...

That was my first question—and it has a good answer! I’d get a few of these outlets for sure.

If I had a house.
 
TuneBug has been offering its SurfaceSound solution Vibe for some time already. Vibe is a small device that takes an audio source and turns any surface into a speaker. TuneBug has taken this same concept and applied it to both Bike and Snow/Skateboard helmets.

TuneBug Shake connects via Bluetooth to your iPhone and then transmits sound waves throughout your helmet, letting you listen to your favorite tunes without headphones. Shake is expected to ship in April for $119.95.

Vibe is their current product, it does NOT include Bluetooth, but retails for $69.95
 
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