Monthly Archives: October 2010

“eLegs” to Help the Paralyzed Walk Again

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Image from Berkeley Bionics

To be honest, when I heard the name “eLegs” i thought it was the end of a joke that I missed the punch line for. However, seeing this in action is absolutely amazing. The mobility this device gives people who have been paralyzed from the waist down is unprecedented. I am convinced that it will changes many lives in the very near future. What isn’t so surprising is where the technology comes from. Lots of technology that we take for granted were built with war in mind. Take the internet and gps for instance. The “Hulc” exoskeleton was devised to give the wearer strength that allowed him or her to lift over 200 lbs without tiring. Shortly after this product was unveiled, Berkely Bionics introduced eLegs which is based off of the same technology. You can see a video of both eLegs and Hurc below.

In the video of eLegs, the participants became paralyzed in different ways, however , all have restored mobility because of the eLegs exoskeleton. The device is intended to help the rehabilitation process after spinal cord injury. However, by the looks of things, the technology may soon be at a point where people who have been born paralyzed may be able to make use of eLegs as well.

Hurc Exoskeleton:

[source:Berkeley Bionics, gizmodo]

Longbox Blowes up Notion Ink’s Spot with Digital Comics Partnership

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Well, well, well….what do we have here? According to the folks over at Longbox…Notion Ink’s Adam will be the first tablet to include Longbox’s Digital Comic Library. Looking at the video below – I am thoroughly excited. Rather than dealing directly with a publisher – it seems Notion Ink is providing access to different publishers on one platform through their “Genesis” store – much like iTunes, a place where you can purchase video and music content regardless of the source. Talking about the Notion Ink team, Longbox CEO Rantz Hoseley had this to say :

“It’s easy to talk big lofty ideas.  To see a company deliver the goods, even when it isn’t easy to do so?  Those are the kind of people you want to partner with, and Rohan and his team have been phenomenal in that regard.”

That’s one strong endorsement, especially about a new start-up that many people didn’t think would have made it this far. They are so confident in the experience that Hoseley goes on to say:

“Yes, a generic Android version of LongBox Digital, as well as an iOS version for iPhone and iPad will be released shortly after the launch of the ADAM tablet.  We’re confident that the experience of LongBox on the ADAM is a superior one, but we also strongly believe that you cannot dictate to people how, or on what device, they consume their entertainment media.”

Big talk, and I wouldnt mind putting the Adam to the test with a shiny review unit if I must say so myself! You can check out the Adam Specs here. There will be four versions:

  • LCD – Wifi only = $339
  • LCD – 3g + Wifi = $449
  • PixelQi – Wifi only = $449
  • PixelQi – 3g + Wifi = $498

Enough of the words Video below.

[source: Longboxdigital.com, Notionink.com]

Samsung’s Galaxy Tablet

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While out gallivanting around the city, I happened upon the Samsung Store in the Columbus Circle Shopping center. I figured I’d test my luck to see if they had a Galaxy Tablet Review Unit that I could get my nubs on to try out. Sure enough, the little guy was on the first table as you enter the store. As I played around with it I noticed a few major things.

First, it really is quite lite. According to specs its supposed to be around 1.5 lbs and it feels it. It was well put together and definitely felt like a grown person’s toy. The size is controversial  but I suppose it all depends on what one would use it for. At 7″, it does what it does quite well. The screen is crisp and clear and it wouldn’t take up much space in a briefcase or small bag. However, rumors of the ability to lug this thing around without a case of some sort is a gross exaggeration. I doubt anyone would carry this thing in their back pocket or the inside of a jacket. 1.5lbs is light, but not that light!

Next, I noticed an older app that I used to have on my G1 called Bubble Blast. I figured I’d open it up to see what it looks like on a 7″ screen. The answer is… terrible. Functionality-wise, it works as you would expect, but you can also tell not much work was done to optimize the game for the tablet space. The reason I point this out is because I am quite sure there will be a lot of apps in this same boat so there will be some wait until Android 3.o comes out and developers are able to get their android apps to a tablet friendly place.

Lastly, flash is working – not magnificently, but working. Checked some flash heavy-sites and the browser chugged its way through. I was impressed, but thought that it could be done better. I only expect the mobile flash experience to get better, especially after Steve Jobs’ public lambasting of adobe. Hopefully those who decide to spend the 600 bucks or so for this bad-boy when it comes to US Carriers will be able to wait for the software updates that will make the Galaxy Tablet browsing experience a bit better.

Below are the Galaxy Tablet Specs:

  • 3G/Wifi/Bluetooth 3.0 Version
  • Android 2.2
  • 7hrs of Movie Viewing (4,000 mAh battery)
  • 1.0GHz processor
  • 7.0″ Capacitive Display
  • Front facing Camera with 3.0 MP rear facing camera for video conferencing
  • Plays HD Video
  • Access to Samsung “Media Hub”
  • Coming to ATT,Tmobile,Sprint, and Verizon

[Source: Samsung.com]