Gadgets

The owner of the restaurant down the street from me has to hold the menu about an inch from his eyes to read it. I think he’d love this iPhone app. It’s called ZoomReader, and that’s exactly what it does: zoom and read.

Like the Eye Glasses app we covered way back in 2009, ZoomReader uses the iPhone’s camera and screen to magnify text. But thanks to the iPhone 4’s hi-res camera and display, and some rather clever options, it manages to be a lot more than just a neat gimmick.

Android enthusiasts have long championed Google’s “open” philosophy towards the smartphone platform. The recent appearance of a new Trojan horse in unofficial Android app venues, however, may cause users to think twice about how open they want the platform to be.

The app in question, Android.Walkinwat, appears to be a free, pirated version of another app, “Walk and Text.” The real version is available for purchase in Google’s official Android Market for a low price ($1.54).

Not only will Sony’s new MDR-RF865RK headphones break your jaw if you try to speak their name out loud, they will wirelessly beam your music up to 330 feet. That means that Usain Bolt could strap them on at the start line and fire up his iPod. Then, 100 meters and 9.58 seconds later, he could still be listening to the opening bars of his Power Song, his iPod left alone beside the starting blocks.

Should the Lighting Bolt so choose, he could then adjust the volume up or down, depending on how celebratory he is feeling, via a knob on the side of the cans, and continue to enjoy listening for a very respectable 25 hours.

Developers and mobile gamers alike will be happy to learn that in-app purchasing for Android will be available starting sometime this week.

The Android Market’s in-app billing system is currently available for developers to test, but apps using the service won’t be able to publish until it goes live.

Android’s in-app billing will handle financial transactions and provide a standard purchasing ecosystem across all apps, while giving developers the freedom to control how virtual goods are purchased and tracked.

Gadget Lab Notes is an eclectic roundup of gadget news briefs and intriguing products that catch our eye.

NeuroFocus Mynd Is a Wireless EEG Headset
Have you ever wanted to record exactly what you’re thinking? NeuroFocus’ Mynd is a sensor covered EEG headset that records your thoughts—it captures mental activity 2,000 times per second—and relays that information over Bluetooth. The Mynd’s mind-reading capabilities have applications in the medical field, as a product for people with neurological disabilities, as well as with tracking Internet surfing habits for advertisers and marketers.

Gadget Lab Notes is an eclectic roundup of gadget news briefs and intriguing products that catch our eye.

Foxconn Source Says iPhone 5 Will Have a Flat Metal Back
According to a source at Foxconn, the iPhone 5 is already in production, and it sports a flat metal back (as opposed to the iPhone 4’s glass back or a curved metal back like the original iPhone). It’s also expected to have a dual-core chip like the iPad 2. An image of the charging cable has surfaced, but not a finished product.

Clik Clok, the Worst iPad 2 Accessory I’ve Ever Seen
Clik Clok is an iPad 2 accessory only Flava Flav—and diehard fans—could love. It is a big gold (or silver or red) chain necklace that attaches to the new iPad through its magnetic points. As soon as it’s clicked in, the clock app automatically launches, so you can… look like Flava Flav. Except with a $500 tablet around your neck instead of a large plastic clock.

You’d have to be extremely lucky to find an iPad 2 at your local Apple store, because the tablet seems to be sold out everywhere.

The iPad 2, which went on sale 5 p.m. Friday, was completely sold out by the end of the weekend, according to financial analyst Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray.

Even the ninth person standing in line for an iPad 2 at an Apple store in Los Angeles couldn’t get the model he wanted (a white, 64-GB iPad 2 with 3G), reports 9 to 5 Mac.

Alex Liauw designed the almost ridiculously practical Cinco bike, and unlike most concepts, this one will be in stores soon. The Cinco is for city bikers, and is made to carry loads and yet still be easy to ride. Think of it as a mini cargo-bike and you’re half way there.

The most obvious feature is the rear carrier, which can be used with either a wooden deck or a wide, strong basket. Because it is part of the frame, this rack is strong and stiff, and can even carry a loaded airline carry-on case.

We called the hot-and-almost-here Fujifilm X100 Leica-like, but if you didn’t believe use, take a look at these photos from Flickr user Nokton. They show the classic Leica M3 and the new Fujifilm hybrid rangefinder together, and they could have been separated at birth.

Well, not quite at birth: the M3 was born back in 1954, while the X100 isn’t even close to its first birthday. But it’s clear that, as Nokton says, the new camera has some Leica DNA. In fact, I had to double check the first time I saw the side-by-side shot to see which was which.

Under his real name of Pieter Franken, Nokton has also reviewed the X100, and he pronounces it as good, with high ISO performance at the level of the Nikon D700, a good, fast lens and a great viewfinder (this is arguably the main point of the camera, with its instant switch between optical and electronic modes).