I love gadget in general. I’ve got slingboxes, Internet enabled PDA’s, digial media servers, digital photo frames, next generation games machines and touch screen tablets around the house. In fact if its got an Internet connection somewhere in its capability I’ve got to have it. However, this means a number of compromises. For example, the latest and greatest invariably are unreliable to begin with, the amount of wires behind my TV set is scary (think of the snake pit in the Indian Jones movie) and it means I constantly need to have either rechargeable batteries to hand (for all of the remote controls) or I need to take different power supplies when I go abroad.

There may soon be light at the end of the tunnel. A small US based company called PowerCast has developed a smart little chip which retails for $5 per device and it able to be embedded into all types of technology. This device recharges the device via RF waves from a unit that you plug into the mains.

Imagine it. You could have remote controls that you never need to change batteries for again. Or you could take your PDA, portable DVD player, laptop on the move and only require 1 pluggable unit.

How cool is that?

Powercast have recently signed a deal with Philips electronics to start integrating the device in a number of consumer electronics such as mobile phones etc.. and this promises to be an interesting development.

Keep watching this space

Regards

Dean

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I’m currently sat in the Algarve nursing a hangover (one too many caprihina’s last night) on a wi-fi connected laptop about 12ft from my front door - overlooking the sea.

I have access to exactly the same digital world as if I were at home or at the office. I can SSH onto any server I normally have access to by logging onto a single secure Linux server based back home.

I still get access to email via webmail.

I’m talking to friends and family through IM.

I’ve got access to all of my favourite web sites through bookmarking sites like del.icio.us

I can even watch my favourite TV programmes from my Sky or Freeview box back home through my Slingbox. Although strangely enough i’ve not managed to watch more than 5 mins of TV through it as the lure of the beach and those caprihina’s are just too much

I have however been listening to my favourite music through Pandora - the radio stations here a not quite to my liking.

When I eventually walk onto the beach and loose my Wi-Fi connection I have a Palm Treo 750v to keep in touch with the outside world. Its got GPRS, Email, Web Browser, Telnet etc..

The world is now so connected that it seems as though we can do just about anything from anywhere. Which begs the question. When we are this connected - how is one supposed to disconnect and have a holiday?

Me - I’m going to do it the old fashioned way and turn them all off and leave them behind from now on.

Regards

Dean

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