Summer Technology Round Up

If you’re like me, your summer fun just isn’t complete without some cool gadgets. This month I’ve put together a list of gadgets that are bound to put a smile on your face, a dent in your wallet, and a welcome diversion from the summer heat.

Parrot AR.Drone (www.parrot.com)

The Parrot AR.Drone is one of the most impressive remote control helicopters I’ve seen in a long time. With its automatic flight stabilization system flying becomes a breeze. But what makes this “quadricopter” special is the on board camera in the front that broadcasts via Wi-FI to your iPhone or iPod touch what the pilot would see from the cockpit.  Combine that with unique control software on your iPhone and you’ve got one of the most intuitive piloting experiences for even the most non-technically savvy user. And with a built in autopilot, the AR.Drone will stabilize the craft after takeoff and make a soft landing in the event the Wi-Fi connection is lost. The AR.Drone effectively merges real world flight with a high tech video game experience.

Apple’s iPhone 4 (www.apple.com) vs. Sprint’s EVO (www.sprint.com)

With the latest round of new mobile phones now on the market, it looks like handset war is still going strong. And that’s good news for us consumers. Both the iPhone 4 and the Sprint EVO have really taken “state of the art” to a new level. Each offers cameras in the front and back, now opening up the era of video conferencing. With the rear cameras now supporting 720p HD quality video capture, shooting video from your phone just made citizen journalism an every day occurrence. Combine that with increased screen size, resolution, and pixel density you’re viewing experience will be a step beyond the norm. There are a couple of differences that may be a factor in your purchasing decisions. The iPhone 4 doesn’t offer web browser support for Adobe Flash like the EVO Android platform, but does compensate with a second mic for noise cancelation and a built in gyroscope for precise movement control in applications. The EVO on the other hand has a larger screen, FM radio, and can act as a Mobile Wi-Fi hotspot for connecting up to 5 computers to the Internet through its 4G connection. All things aside, I love the competition, because is translates into better, faster, more capable mobile phones on the market.

It never ceases to amaze me how a bright shiny object can lighten your mood and spark that creative side of your brain. Learning to play with new tools, toys, and ideas can break you out of the “business as usual” mentality. So have some gadget fun and force yourself to look at the world with new eyes. Good things will follow.