The Hottest Newest Gadgets in Town

At halfway through 2008, consumers have witnessed world events and economic trends that are both appalling and daunting. The calamities in China and Myanmar, the skyrocketing prices of oil, the downhill slide of the housing market, and the sudden announcement of bankruptcies of big companies have not only engaged our attention but also influenced our vacation plans, buying decisions, and many other aspects of our lifestyle. For example, cars with higher fuel efficiency are being bought at an unprecedented fast rate. Families are taking vacations close to home. And, of course, the consumers’ growing awareness of environmental and energy issues affect the selection of the hottest new gadgets. The favorite five of the hottest newest gadgets in town include a television, a cellular phone, a streaming device, an electronic toy, and a laptop computer.

Philips Eco TV

Last January 2008, the Eco TV from Philips won the Best in Show Award during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Such award has serious weight because the CES is the world’s largest tradeshow strictly for consumer electronics. For four decades now, the CES features the latest in gadget technology as well as trailblazing innovations. And for 2008, the most impressive one is the Philips Eco TV. But why should this electronics marvel automatically become the favorite of consumers? There are two major reasons.

First of all, the phase out of analog TV is expected to be complete in February 2009. There are converters that consumers can buy so that they can continue using their old TVs. But digital televisions are here to stay. It does not matter whether consumers want the SDTV (Standard Definition TV), the EDTV (Enhanced Definition TV), or the HDTV (High Definition TV), the decision to buy a digital TV will come sooner or later. The images on the flat-panel 42-inch LCD, with the 1080 resolution, will certainly convince even the most ornery analog-TV-loyalist.

Second, there is an ever-increasing pressure to conserve energy and lower the consumption of oil. The Philips Eco TV certainly fits the bill of an advanced-technology device that supports the stewardship of the environment. The ingenuity behind this television’s power-saving technology lies in its backlight dimming ability. With darker scenes, the backlight dims to improve the so-called “black-level performance” as well as save power. The backlight is also dimmed when, through a room lighting sensor, the TV’s computer perceive a darker room. The standby power of the Eco TV is estimated to be lower than 0.15 watt and, interestingly, the box is manufactured from recycled materials.

Moto Rokr E8

The evolution of cellular phones has not yet lost its steam. Newer models are coming out every season, toting new features and more advanced technologies. There is the Pantech Duo C810 that has a dual-sliding design, QWERTY keyboard, and access to AT&T broadband services but body feels flimsy to the touch and the material appears inferior. There is the Nokia N95 with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3G support, and integrated GPS but the speakerphone is not the best quality and it is prohibitively expensive. And there is the RIM Blackberry Curve 8320, with its high performance and impressive design but this 2-megapixel camera is incapable of recording videos.

Although the economic slump has forced people to cut back on expenses, the need for cellular phones is tangible. But consumers want the phones to have the best combination of features. Thus, the cream of the crop of new cellular phones is the Moto Rokr E8. Instead of a regular keyboard, it has the Haptics keypad that provides easy touch-pad controls.

The Moto Rokr E8 has the “ModeShift technology” that makes the phone digitally “morphs” into a music player. The quality of sound from the speakers can compete with the MP3 player. It is also easy to load songs into the E8 using a USB 2.0 connection. It has Bluetooth, a 2GB internal memory, an external memory card slot, a 2-megapixel camera, and Moto’s Razr2 series signature feature: the CrystalTalk technology. The CrystalTalk technology allows the user to talk while reading text messages. At 3.5 ounces and with dimensions of 4.52 by 2.09 by 0.42 inches, the phone’s body feels tough. It is solid but not massive. And yes, the camera can record videos.

Slingbox SOLO

Many consumers may have cut back on their travel plans but many Americans travel more for business than for pleasure. When they travel, they pack clothes, personal items, as well as the streaming device called the Slingbox SOLO.  The major function of this device is to allow the traveler to watch the shows on his television from any part of the world. When the SOLO is connected either to the cable box or to the satellite system, the American businessman in Japan can watch news from his home state using his laptop. The other way is also possible. That is, a businessman can watch a show in Brazil while taking his coffee break.

The software is user-friendly, easy to setup, and easy to navigate. The user can watch the television show being streamed by the Slingbox SOLO while using any program in the Microsoft Office and typing the finishing touches to a report. The SOLO is also compatible with the Mac, the Palm Treo and any broadband-connected host computer. The images are of good quality and the best part is that there are no monthly fees. Of course, when the Slingbox SOLO is used with the cellular phone or PDA, there will be extra charges.

Sababa Toys’ iNo

Summer means get-together with friends. There will be cookouts and lighthearted ball games. These get-togethers with friends can become more exciting with the newest electronic toy from Sababa. The toy is called the iNo. The iNo is simply an iPod game module that challenges you and your friends to compete in buzzing in the name of the artist or the title of the song or the name of the album of the music being played. Obviously, the one who gets the highest number of points is declared the winner, unless you changed some rules.

The iNo is licensed by the Apple to provide a fun interactive music game as well as other trivia games. It turns tame ordinary hangouts into thrilling and frenzied music contests. After all, everybody loves music. Each iNo is composed of one base unit, four remote controls, 50 action cards, instructions, and the Sababa Toys’ quality guarantee.

Asus Netbook

September is still several months away but incoming freshmen college students are putting together their plans and are scouting for the gadgets that they will need. One essential gadget is the personal computer. But an ordinary desktop is too bulky for the needs of a college student who needs to be always on the go. Thus, a laptop is a better idea. There are literally millions of laptops available but one that will be a hit among college students is the new Asus Netbook. It is a mini-laptop.

The Netbook is portable and lightweight, only about 2 pounds. The nine-inch screen is great for those all-night study sessions. There are USB connections to make up for the relatively lesser storage space. And it is fast for everyday use, including email, internet research, and various Microsoft Office applications. For those who worry about budgets, they will be glad to know that the prices of all new models of Asus mini-laptops are affordable.

Electrolytes in the Body

You have heard it before. The greater part of your body is made of water. The average person can survive up to a maximum of 3 weeks without food but cannot survive more than 3 days without water. Water is very important to the human body. Water is inside, in between, and around every cell in your body. But it is not water alone that is vital to survival but the numerous salts that are dissolved in the water. These salts are electrically charged particles and this is why they are called electrolytes.

Each of these electrolytes performs critical functions inside the body. Some electrolytes work with each other while others work with the body’s enzymes. These electrolytes were doing their jobs since the minute you were born. It is now time to get to know these electrolytes in the body.

Calcium

This electrolyte is famous for its important role in the formation of bones and teeth. Aside from this, calcium is also vital in keeping the heart beat normal and in maintaining the strength of the muscles.

Fluoride

This electrolyte is also needed in keeping the bones and teeth healthy and strong. Without fluoride, the teeth will easily crack and decay.

Magnesium

This electrolyte is very similar to calcium. It is also involved in the formation of bones and teeth. And it also helps in keeping the muscles function properly. But magnesium has another job, which is to activate the enzymes. The enzymes catalyze or assist in carrying out the chemical reactions inside the human body.

Phosphate

The phosphate is a big electrolyte because it is composed of five atoms. Four of them are oxygen and one is phosphorus. The phosphorus is also needed in the formation of bones and teeth. But this electrolyte has two unique jobs. The first one is to form the body’s DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and the second one is to produce the energy that the body will need.

Zinc

This electrolyte is crucial to the body because it helps form the enzymes. As mentioned before, enzymes make the body’s chemical reactions happen. Zinc is also needed in keeping the skin healthy. Without zinc, the wounds will not heal well.

Iron

This electrolyte comes in two forms: the “heme” and the “non-heme.” As a heme, this electrolyte is similar to zinc. It helps in forming enzymes. As non-heme, this electrolyte becomes part of the muscle cells and the hemoglobin. The hemoglobin is the part of the blood that lets it carry oxygen towards the different parts of the body.

Selenium

This electrolyte is vital for helping the thyroid gland function do its job. The thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate many processes in the body. Aside from this, selenium works with Vitamin E to protect the cells from free radicals. Free radicals are molecules that can cause damage to the body tissues. Unfortunately, the body’s natural chemical reactions produce free radicals. The only way to stop these free radicals is to have antioxidants such as vitamin E and Selenium.

Iodine

This electrolyte helps the thyroid gland in producing the right amount of hormones.

Copper

This electrolyte is another antioxidant. But copper has other jobs. One is to produce energy. Another job is to help build the bone. And still another job is to produce red blood cells, connective tissues, and the hormone called epinephrine. Epinephrine is also known as adrenaline. It helps the body cope with emergency situations.

Chloride

This electrolyte keeps the other electrolytes working. Chloride alerts the body when there are not enough electrolytes.

Potassium

This electrolyte also helps maintain the electrolyte balance inside the body. It keeps the muscles and the nerve cells functioning properly.

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