Product Review
By David Johnston, Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

This is Logitech’s top-of-the-line webcam. It has the capability of taking still images at over 1 megapixel and video at 640×480 and a microphone positioned in the base which is alright if there’s not a lot of background noise (it picks my typing up quite well though) It also rotates left and right and up and down. It has a “face tracking” feature, but it’s pretty worthless. It does require good lighting behind it for the best quality images. I’ve also noticed that with the latest Windows Updates, you have to do a registry hack to get Yahoo Messenger not to crash when using your webcam. You can find that fix on Yahoo’s help pages.

My camera also had a problem with getting stuck in the down position, so I read that someone else fixed it by taking out one of the layers of plastic that hides the internal electronics. Read the Complete Review Here

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By Vic DaSilva
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

This little remote plane does the usual stuff like fly, but it can also take panoramic pictures using a digital camera(included) that you snap under the belly of the plane. To take pictures simply press the remote’s RELEASE button to activate the camera to get digital aerial shots of anything you want. The specs for the digital camera are nowhere to be found but the camera is almost certainly low-res. The plane, which can accommodate up to 55g of cargo, also comes with a paper glider that you can release in the air, mini parachutist and a cargo pod so you can drop messages. I don’t know about you, but this thing sounds like trouble.
Price:$161

P.S. Remember kids, stay away from those no-fly zones.

Source: Techdigest

Some time ago, reader Rick Markey insisted we share this tidbit about a technology that aims to turn pig manure into fuel. With oil going through the roof, we thought the info was timely.

According to the Salt Lake Tribune, “Manure from 25 sewer lagoons at Circle Four will be piped into one of four concentrators where 85 percent of the solids floating in the manure will be captured and then moved to an oxygen-free digester. here, methane will be released from the solids by carbon-chewing bacteria stimulated by an environment kept at 95 degrees. The gaseous methane is then turned into liquid methanol using a thermocatalytic reaction that heats the methane to 200 degrees.”

Oink!

Vic DaSilva
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews
For the Gadget that keeps on giving, comes a water cooler that makes water from air(think of it as a dehumidifier with a filter). The Waterex is capable of producing 30 liters of water in 24 hours and has 2 water compartments that can store up to 18 L of water . It has five filters to make the water taste just right and a overflow protection sensor for when it’s full. One cooler should provide enough drinking water for 10 people per day.

By David Johnston
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

Today the Supreme Court of the United States decided the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios v. Grokster case in which MGM was suing the Grokster network claiming that it was responsible for the content shared over its network. Lower courts had ruled in favor of Grokster because of the lack of centralization and direct control it had over the content shared on its network, however the Supreme Court determined that because Grokster distributed its software “with the object of promoting its use to infringe copyright” (Justice Souter) that it was responsible for the illegal actions of the users of its software. It has been noted, however, that this ruling will probably not do much to stop file-sharing software makers since the Supreme Court doesn’t have jurisdiction outside the United States. In any case, this is a major decision in the continuing battle between the music, movie, and software industries and the creators of file-sharing networks.

Source: Top Tech News

I must be out of it, because when I saw pictures of this book-shaped media player, I thought it was cute in a geeky sort of retro old-fashioned way. Like for those wealthy older people who buy realistic looking $200 1940s radios that hold $15 CD players inside.

Turns out, one guy’s vision over at dapreview.net is probably more accurate. He thinks the device will be handy for hiding porn from the wife.

Regardless your particular needs, here are some specs:

“The MP-02-OTG is built around a 3.5-inch hard drive and does all kinds of nifty stuff.
• USB 2.0
• Supports AVI/MPG/MPEG/DAT/VOB/WAV/WMA/MP3/JPG
• Outputs: Component/VGA/S-video, Stereo/Photolink
• On-screen menu system
• Slideshows with music, 14 types of picture transitions
• Picture zoom, rotate, pan
• Dimensions: 200 x 145 x 49mm
• Runs on AC power
• Karaoke!
Source: dapreview.net

By Vic DaSilva
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

XM Satellite Radio may be getting a new customer, the U.S. military. The military is thinking of using XM’s services for homeland security purposes. XM and Raytheon Co., a defense contractor, have jointly built a communications system that would use XM’s satellites to transmit information to soldiers and emergency responders during a crisis. If need be, information will be relayed just to specific devices , so individual users can get messages appropriate to their regions. The advantages of going with commercial satellite radio receivers are: lightweight, battery-powered and cost as little as $99. Another nice feature is the ability to transmit maps and imagery, which can be displayed on a portable computer connected via the receiver. One thing is for sure, the military version of these portable receivers, which will have to be modified to be “field ready” will cost more than $99. Source: AP

By Vic DaSilva
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

You’re a cat person, but not a lover of disease carrying wild animals especially ones with white stripes on their tales(aka Pepe le Pew). So here is the situation, you want your little fur ball to go in and out of the house but you want to keep Pepe le Pew away. Well, lucky for you a company by the name of Quantum Picture is working on a Pet recognition software. Using a regular cat door, a digital camera, a light source and a computer, the system can recognize whether it’s a cat or Pepe trying to get in, then decides whether to open sesame or keep the puppy closed. Source:Make