::: Star Weekend Magazine :::

Sci-tech

Samsung's Ultra Range

Samsung recently made hits at Hong Kong with its Ultra series of cellphones, including the Ultra Music (F300), the Ultra Video (F500) and Ultra Messaging (i600) smartphone. The Ultra Music F300 has a screen on the front and a conventional candy bar phone keypad on the other side, and gives you extra oomph with its Bang and Olufsen-designed digital amplifier inside. Hopefully that won't jack the price up 4x. Just like its Ultra Video brandmate, it has a 2-megapixel camera and a miniSD slot for 2GB more storage. It's an HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) smartphone running Windows Mobile 5.0, which at .46 inches thin is called the world's slimmest messaging phone. And check out that second camera on the front, letting you video conference, too. The item should be released this year.

Robotic Sentry Shoots and Laughs at You

When they're not impressing us with their HDTVs and cellphones, Samsung's out making killer robots. Literally. Along with Korea University, they've created a robotic sentry that's equipped with two cameras (one infrared), zooming capabilities, and a BFG (a 5.5mm machine gun to be exact). The robot has the ability to differentiate between humans and inanimate objects and can even hunt its enemy from afar (which is really scary). It also has a speaker that beckons the fool that walks near it to surrender before being pulverised. The robot is good at keeping up with its "targets," but most of them seemed to be walking so we'd be curious to know if it's possible to out run the machine, though we wouldn't want to be the guinea pig for that job.

Electric Truck Fleet Ready

Phoenix Motorcars will soon start product of the first of its sport utility trucks (SUT) that could substantially reduce the ongoing cost of maintaining a vehicle fleet. The SUT can get 130 miles on a charge, recharges in 10 minutes and tops out at 95 miles per hour. Unlike Tesla Motors' EV that uses "proven" technology, the five-passenger vehicle incorporates the latest in battery and electric propulsion technology. Phoenix Motorcars is using Altair Nanotechnologies NanoSafe lithium ion batteries that the company says are safer because they replace the graphite electrode materials with lithium titanate spinel oxide. The new material allows the batteries to withstand extreme temperatures and recharge faster.

Wall Mounted CD Player

Wall-mountable entertainment components don't begin and end with TVs. This square CD player features an illuminated Corian surface that displays a back-lit touch screen when turned on and functions as a minimalist decorative wall piece when turned off. A little “magnet” connected to the surface, transforms it into a speaker. No word on availability or pricing.

Colour Changing Spoons

Attention cooks on the go & cooks at the office! These 3 colorful spoons are meant for microwave meal preparations only. Plastic spoons change color at (120 F) when food is hot. Simply heat stir and serve. Spoon can remain in microwave while food heats avoiding countertop mess. Heat resistant up to 250 F microwave freezer and top rack dishwasher safe.

A Four-Cent Inhaler

A prototype inhaler for powdered drugs is shown here. It has no moving parts and could sell for one-tenth the price of today's inhalers, according to its maker, Cambridge Consultants. The shape of the device alone creates a kind of cyclone that lifts powders and delivers them efficiently into the lungs as a user inhales. Despite its simplicity, the device is 40 percent more effective in delivering drugs than traditional inhalers are, the company says.

Compiled by IMRAN H. KHAN

Source: Gizmodo.com and Wired