360 DEGREES Weblog

Since he signed his first big deal with ABC-Paramount Records back in 1956, Quincy Jones got used to utilize AKG equipment over the years of a legendary recording career. Finally, AKG introduces the Quincy Jones Signature line, a compact collection comprising studio-degree Q701 open-back headphones with 45-mm driver and two-layer diaphragm, the less bulky still top-notch Q460 cans for the urban commuter, and the easy stowable Q350 earbuds for the gym or the workout through the park.

Prices range from $149 $230 $480

Airport terminals pride themselves at being these huge structures, that commuting from one end to the other can be time consuming and tiring; especially with a heavy suitcase. If the fun-element in you has not yet died and are up for the quirk, how about suitcase-blading (think rollerblade and scooters) the concourse? Here’s the TITAN High-roller Suitcase, which turns into a kickbike when you pull out the footrest. I think it would be funny to see head-honchos of big companies ride their suitcases for a match, and if I were to pick 2 I’d pick Steve jobs and Bill Gates….who do you think would win?

This Trebs Pasta Maker does it all. Just sling in the eggs and flour, push the button, sing an aria or two and presto, perfect fresh pasta for your waistline. You get 500g (1lb) of pasta out of every batch. £129.00.

Novero has several very nice Bluetooth devices that let drivers talk on their phones without having to take their hands off the wheel. Novero has announced a couple new hands free car kits that promise luxury audio quality at a good price. The two new products are called TheTrulyOne and TheTrustyOne.

The two devices are optimized for professional installers and support a number of different handsets. Novero claims that the devices offer installers the same performance as line-fit systems in cars that come from the factory with hands free already installed.

The kits both feature voice dialing, voice-controlled SMS messaging and email with compatible handsets. The audio is sent through the cars speakers and the devices have echo cancellation, noise reduction, and adjustable mics. TheTrulyOne sells for $159, TheTrustyOne sells for $119, and both are available right now.

Ever wonder how much power your TV, microwave, or cell charger uses, and how much that costs you? The Belkin Conserve Insight ($30) is a new, easy-to-use monitor that will tell you exactly that. The white and green adapter plugs in the wall between the gadget or appliance you want to track and the outlet itself, using a small screen on a tethered box to tell you how much energy the attached device is using, as well as the carbon and monetary costs. You might just find out that leaving your guitar amp or favorite lamp plugged in 24/7 isn’t as great an idea as you thought.

While it’s not too difficult to see what’s going on inside your DVR from anywhere in the world these days, keeping an eye on what’s happening inside your house is sadly a little bit more complicated. Sure, there are solutions, but few are entirely plug and play — and those that are tend to be far from affordable. Logitech’s new Alert system is certainly easy to setup and, at around $300, won’t exactly break the bank. Announced today and available later this month it’s a simple, albeit somewhat limited, solution for home security and remote monitoring of… well… anything you can point a camera at. And, with mobile apps for iPhone, Blackberry, and Android, you can do that monitoring from just about anywhere

As if a claw hammer wasn’t already enough of a multi-tasker with its ability to drive in and rip out nails, the Wise Hammer takes things one step further with a stud sensor built into the base of the handle. A simple green LED lets you know when a stud is detected, and a small marking nub allows you to mark its location on the wall so you know exactly where to drive your nail. $29.99 available on the Wise Hammer website.

An ideal board for leisurely cruising the streets or for more strenuous sidewalk surfing, Seattle-based Erickson Longboards offer a smooth ride with a sustainable sensibility. Carved from fallen trees and reclaimed wood, the boards are incredibly strong and stable as well as easy on the environment.

Designed by adventurist Bill Erickson, the longboards are crafted from walnut and cherry trees sourced around central Missouri, hardwoods from Oregon and Washington as well as a run of limited-edition boards carved out of madrone, sycamore and elm. Each 47″-long board is beautifully handcrafted and mounted onto large colorful wheels, providing a solid platform for any level of experience. Erickson Longboards sell online as well as at the Fremont Farmers Market in Seattle for $299.

Having teased us with a concept of their ideas for a camcorder version of their interchangeable-lens NEX cameras, Sony has now unveiled the production version of that dream.  The Sony NEX-VG10 Interchangeable Lens HD Camcorder is, the company reckons, the first consumer model to support switchable optics of this sort, sharing the same E-mount lens interface together with support for regular A-mount lenses with a suitable adapter.  Thanks to the comapny’s Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor, the NEX-VG10 can shoot Full HD video at 24Mbps or 14.2-megapixel stills.

Sony say the NEX-VG10’s sensor is almost twenty times the size of what you’d find in a regular camcorder, and brings various pro-photography style abilities to the table; that includes bokeh-enabling shallow depths of field, up to seven fps continuous shooting, and Auto HDR, Handheld Twilight and Anti Motion Blur stills.  Audio, meanwhile, is courtesy of a Quad Capsule Spatial Array Stereo Microphone, though of course there are external microphone inputs too.

Storage is courtesy of SDHC/SDXC or Memory Stick Pro DUO cards (expect up to four hours of Full HD footage to a 32GB card), there’s a 3-inch Xtra Fine swivelling LCD, electronic viewfinder and dual hotshoes (one powered, one not), while Sony will also throw in a copy of their Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 10 video editing software.  The Sony NEX-VG10 will be available in September for about $2,000, with presales kicking off from July 14th.

These ice straws are an awesome idea – especially for summer. It always takes a few minutes for the coldness of the ice to kick into a drink and by then it is usually diluted to the point of ridiculousness. Having the straw made of ice maximizes the liquid’s contact with the ice – and does away with need for time.