The Geek Church

In today’s society, we routinely rely on devices of mobile technology such as cellphones, iPods, laptops, digital cameras and handheld games. Of course, these devices are usually powered by rechargeable batteries or the kind you have to replace right away. As a result, consumers can end up spending quite a bit of money every year on batteries for the times when they can’t use special cords and adapters to power their devices. But what about a new innovation that eliminates the need for buying batteries?

Once again, Chinavasion is here to satisfy your needs, dear readers. They have developed a device called the Solar Vest. As its name implies, this vest actually is designed to absorb and store energy from the sun when worn by a person. The vest is equipped with 5V, 6V, 9V and 12-20V output, eight power connectors and seven device connectors. Furthermore, the vest does have a failsafe option for cloudy days. AC and USB inputs can be used to increase the vest’s energy reserves.

The Solar Vest is available to the consumer for only $126. Such an investment could be a long-term means of saving money you would have spent on batteries. However, you should consider how practical wearing this vest would be on a very hot day. Would hours of sweat and discomfort really be worth saving battery money?

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When it comes to cleaning carpets in the home or on the job, vacuum cleaners are usually the weapon of choice for doing such a task. Of course, well-known companies such as Hoover, Eureka, and Oreck all claim that they have the best to offer in terms of vacuum cleaner technology. However, I wonder if any of them has ever tried or even thought of creating an automatic, self-operating vacuum cleaner with a camera for capturing live footage of your carpet while in use.

Well, Chinavasion has already built this carpet-cleaning innovation. They call the G182. It is actually a smart robot designed to function as a vacuum cleaner. It comes with a recharging base that it can dock with automatically. It also has a wireless IR virtual fence that prevents it from going into places that the user considers undesirable. Another feature of the G182 is a tilt IR-equipped web camera that can be operated by remote control and a net connection. The camera can be linked to your home Wi-Fi network to give you live footage and audio capability when the robot is in active use.

You can have this new smart vacuum for only $500 if you like spending that much on home cleaning appliances. But before you pull out your wallet or checkbook, dear reader, be aware that this innovation has a significant flaw. Due to the webcam mounted on the top, the robot unit will not fit under most couches, so you’d still have to move the couch yourself to get at the dirt underneath. This fact certainly does not add credibility to such a new innovation that’s supposed to give great convenience to the consumer.

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The trend of portable technology continues to grow in popularity, causing devices like the cellphone to keep getting smaller. Let’s consider the evolution of the phone in the last few decades. Once, it was just a basic, land-line unit with cords of limited length and then the cordless phone was created. After that, the development of the cellphone came and most units have been about the size of small two-way walkie talkies. Now phones have gotten even smaller.

Take a moment to imagine a cellphone being the size of a portable mirror. That’s what Qiao Sheng has recently developed. They call it the A45. The device comes in a high lacquered finish and has a display which can be rotated through 180 degrees. The phone’s display is a 2.2” mirror-sized touch screen and the device has a user interface. Furthermore, the A45 is also equipped with a camera that uses 3 Megapixels. Unfortunately, there wasn’t information available at this time concerning the price of this new product.

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Technology continues to become more portable, providing convenience and easy access for people on the go. Such examples of this include laptops, cellphones, iPods, netbooks and digital cameras. However, the energy sources for the tech we rely on are usually not so convenient. Batteries have a limited charge, so they eventually have to be recharged or replaced and special power cords and adapters have to be plugged into a stationary wall socket. If energy sources need to become more portable for easy transport, how about a power generator you can carry on your back?

Of course, you may be wondering how this is possible. The answer lies with Bourne Energy’s new development called the Backpack Power Plant or BPP-2. It is a thirty-pound, hydroelectric device that generates fifty watts of energy. That’s the same amount of power you can get from sixty solar panels. The device is about the size of a tall airtank and can be easily carried like a backpack. It can be used in any stream of water deeper than four feet and runs quietly without giving off heat or exhaust.

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I recently got a chance to try out the Wildcharger from Pure Energy Solutions. Of course, it is virtually impossible to review this product without comparing it to the Powermat, which we gave away in a recent contest.

After all, it is the same basic principle. You get a specialized skin for your mobile device, and you put it the plugged in mat, and then forget about it as it charges. What could be better?

Anyway, I have reviewed it, and you can read the full review here.

Google has not been wanting to Apple to put Google Voice on the iPhone, and yet it has it anyway.

Of course, you have to run Google Voice on the iPhone browser. You can add shortcuts to the home screen for SMS, Dialer, Inbox, and Contacts.

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Man, I really want to shred on a guitar or play some awesome bass, but I’m just too lazy and undisciplined to learn how to play.

Fortunately, there is an app for that. Thanks to VoiceBand, all I have to do is just go ba-ba-bah in some form into my iPhone, and I’ll have some serious sound that I could probably peddle on iTunes. Check out the video above if you want to hear more about what VoiceBand can do.

You should be able to get VoiceBand at the iTunes store for about $3.00.

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This next product is by Innergie, a company that is coming out with all new ways to charge things.

This particular one is the mCube Mini, a way of charging a laptop, netbook or other mobile device on a car or a plane.

I had a chance to try it out, and, if you’re interested, you can read my review here.

What you see right there is the Loop from Hillcrest. It is an “air-mouse” that uses motion controls to shift the cursor around on your PC, and it is also compatible with gaming systems like the Xbox 360 and PS3.

I had a chance to try it out, and found that my computer recognized it instantly. It is a pretty good product if you like to use air mice, and its shape is as practical as it is lovely. It costs about $99, and if you want to know more information, then you can read my full review here.

I think you may remember when I reported on the War between Verizon and AT&T. It is getting into epic Star Wars and Lord of the Rings scale.

After the jump are two vids that show how bad it is getting. Keep in mind, that they are not the only commercials that are playing.

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