Interesting Uses and designs of USB flash drives that you did not know existed!!

My USB flash drive is boring..its a metallic hp 8 GB 2.0 drive. Making my rounds around the internet, i have come across some of the most interesting designs that blew my mind away. Maybe i am shopping in the wrong places because mine is extremely mainstream. If you have a clue of where i should get lovely flash disks as these, do share :-)

Antique USB flash drives

Card Shaped USBs

Camera and Film roll inspired USBs

Ninja / Warfare USBs

Nature inspired USBs

Jewelry flash drives

Fantasy film/ Sci-fi / Cartoon flash disks

Make up inspired flash disks

Product inspired flash drives

The Vibrator that doubles up as a USB flash Drive. 
This was particularly interesting :-) The Crave Duet vibrator and flash drive ; though i find entwining both uses in one device a bit far fetched. Which lady would be comfortable using a gadget for storing information at the same time doing you know what.....

i took the liberty of uploading the video that shows how well it functions and the reasons the designer had for making such a gadget .

Other Interesting ones:

Apart from the normal uses of USB flash disks such as storing important information, there are different ways  that they can be used to better both your business and computer usage.

• to keep your computer secure, there are several flash disks that can be used to lock or unlock your computer when you tun it on and off and therefore does not warrant you to key in a password. you can have the flash disk plugged in while you use it and have it removed when not using the computer.
• In an office setting, custom flash disks can be given as corporate gifts. It is an incredible marketing strategy for the company since it allows them to take branding advantage accordingly as well as acquire both the disks and branding done at good prices because of the bulk advantage. For corporate clients and employees, it offers them a chance to get practical and functional gifts. 
• For employees in the office environment, these devices offer ease and convenience when it comes to data and applications portability, securing back ups and ensuring virus free computers.
• Instead of using a lot of money for printing and publications for event giveaways or trade shows, you can invest in affordable flash drives which will not only contain all the necessary information in documents and PDFs loaded prior but will make the attendees impressed by the lightweight and compact method of storing information. 

I still insist, if anyone knows a place where i can get really cool designs, do let me know. 

Lenovo Yoga 13 Ideapad: flexibility and Compactability

The Lenovo Yoga 13 idea pad has an excellent ultra book design concept. Lenovo has positioned itself in the forefront of innovative technology and design manufacturing providing strong, reliable and powerful machines over the years. (See review of the Lenovo S400 here)
So why exactly makes this laptop stand out? It has extremely flexible hinges that allow the screen to flip 360 degrees making it one of the best and simplest hybrid tablet-computers available in the market. Its convertible status is spectacular since it provides 4 modes that capitalize on consumer content for easy creation and sharing. This is because it perfectly incorporates the windows 8 usability that goes perfectly well with the many applications and eases use of the windows 8 O.S due to its tablet status. ( Have you read about the Dell Inspiron Duo Hybrid tablet? )

The specs :

• 8 hours battery life, 4 cell lithium polymer with 54Wh capacity.

• 3rd generation Intel core i7 processor, dual core, 64 bit computing with Max turbo speed 2.6 GHz

• Windows 8 64 or windows pro 64

• Intel HD graphics 4000 integrated

• 13.3'' 1600*900 resolution HD+IPS display that is capacitative multitouch.

• Memory of 4GB, 8GB DDR3, 128GB SSD

• Weight of 1.54 kg

• 1.0 MP HD integrated webcam

• USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports, combo jack, 2-in-1 card reader (SD and Micromedia card) and HDMI

• Bluetooth 4.0 and Lenovo 802.11 wireless b/g/n

• 10*7 cm track pad that allows pinch-to-zoom, two finger scrolling and clicking 

Some of the preloaded applications include Skype, one key recovery, McAfee antivirus and eBay. It retails for $1000. On my part, too much an amount for the specs, but then again, you pay for the architecture and creativity does not come cheap.You can order one to be shipped since am not aware of a retailer in Nairobi currently stocking it.

The Much Anticipated SAMSUNG S4

The much anticipated Samsung S4 is being released later on today (3 pm P.T and 6 pm E.T) in New York. The eye speculation software is rumored to be a major feature after Samsung filed for an Eye Scroll patent in January. With this software, screen movements will result from eye movement that the user does. The phone will be able to respond to any intentional eye movement that will allow clicking by blinking and automatic scrolling up, down and to the next page, a concept that has been previously researched on desktop computing. 

Much as it is a commendable application of artificial Intelligence, there may be certain cons that come with it. For instance, the behavior of the tracking software could be easily disrupted by public distractions and could bring some awkwardness in public for the user if they have to move their eyes in certain ways. 

Another speculation revolves around the floating touch technology that allows for screen movements with as much as the hovering of the finger on the screen without actually touching it. Wireless charging is another feature anticipated for and may even allow for the communication of the phone with charging mats and stands that may allow data transfer which will help with syncing data to the phone.

Other budding rumors include the impressive Exynos 5 processor (8 processors!!). To cater to the problem of battery life that most smart phones face, the LITTE architecture ensures 4 powerful Cortex-A15 cores for power hungry functions and additional 4 Cortex-A7 for simple functions. This way, in most instances the powerful cores will shut down unless warranted to work depending on the gravity of the functionality. 

In conclusion, key features include

·         System: Android 4.1 O.S

·         Screen : 5-inch screen

·         Resolution : 1920*1080

·         Camera 13mp rear and 1.9 mp front, LED flash, Video 1080p

·          Memory :2GB SD RAM, 32GB expandable

·         Network : GSM/ WCDMA/LTE

·         Transmission : GPS, WIFI, Bluetooth 4.0

Samsung prides themselves in being at the forefront of dynamic technology and constant innovations .From the past gadget releases, they hardly disappoint. Looking forward to the Samsung S4.

How campaigns can go wrong.

Designers Jennifer Shannon and Andi Cheung came up with an eye catching magazine spread dubbed 'Women in Technology' that showcases a model in a bikini made from junk computer parts. This campaign was supposed to highlight the negative stereotype of how women are more into fashion than technology and that the one of the most effective ways of 'attracting' them in this field is to fuse the two aspects together.

Personally, i do not think its a form of objectification when they made a piece that shows off her entire body..because when it comes to bikinis, there is always a form of double standards that always crops up.If she was near a swimming pool wouldn't it be fine? (Though a decent pair of clothing would have still sent the message home) What i have a problem with is the fact that i cannot get a comprehensive message from the campaign. What goes through your mind when you see the pictures? All it resonates is a heightened level of creativity especially when it comes to e-waste usage. By saying that women are more likely to approve and understand the concept of wearable technology is utterly false because i do not.

I think the campaign was a case of misplaced priorities and took a wrong turn by emphasizing more on the negative stereotype than coming up with a thought provoking method of relaying the functionality and existence of the relationship between women and technology and rather comes off as a sexist affair.
Me no likey :(

Phone Cases that will drive you Crazy!!!!

A friend of mine sent me some beautiful iPhone case photos that i loved a bit too much. I therefore looked for more designs and inspiration. Some people may view them as being over the top but on the other hand, life is too short to have a boring phone case! ( I said that :-) ). The cases are actually functional since they act as protective barriers against scratches, falls, wear & tear and dust . You can get them to match with what your wearing, get them to go with your moods for the day or to match your boyfriend's outfit if your that kind of girl :-) . I stumbled upon some cool designs;  thought i would share them with you:

 and my personal favorite :-) ....

It is possible to customize your android phone case by yourself if you are feeling artsy. All you need is transparent or rubber cases that match the size of your phone. When using transparent cases, you can use paint (on the transparent case) to evoke a design you like or you can stick a picture/graphics/patterns/messages to it that you love/relate to. When using rubber cases, you can use spray adhesives to stick chunks of your old jewelry pieces, buttons and brooches in a design you find appealing. You can incorporate fabric as well by having to recycle old blanket pieces, tweed, leather and denim.
Otherwise, if you want them ready made, you can check at Mr. Price. They have iPhone and Blackberry cases that are absolutely beautiful.
Am on a project aiming to make one for myself. I will share it with you once i am through.