Gadgets

New figures show the US is one of the few places where female Internet users outnumber male users. The study also unveiled intriguing facts about television and cell phone use worldwide. The figures, produced by British communications regulator ... Ofcom, directly compare the UK, France, Germany, Italy, the United States, Canada and Japan. The researchers also produced a separate report on countries with developing economies such as China and Russia. Because the analysis is so detailed and brings together several outside surveys, the figures cover activity in 2007 rather than this year. Across ... (view more)

Despite the economic slowdown, shoppers are expected to flock to stores for this year's Black Friday sales. And there are plenty of treats either confirmed or rumored for technology fans. Black Friday, which takes place on November 28th this year, ... is the day after Thanksgiving in the United States. It marks the unofficial start of the Christmas shopping season and many retailers drop prices to attract customers. The biggest story this year for tech lovers are widespread rumors Apple may be offering intense price cuts for a one-day sale. There's already speculation that some Macs could be ... (view more)

It's been some time since Sony's Blu-ray high definition movie format knocked off its stiff competition from Toshiba and HD-DVD. However, the monopoly on HD flicks hasn't yet morphed into big sales, according to reports. In fact, the slowing global ... economy could drastically hurt the transition from standard (and cheaper) DVD. Although it took a good long time for Blu-ray to nudge out HD-DVD, there had been speculation for some time that this would be the final result. Toshiba's HD-DVD caught fire early because of its cheaper price tag and a popular Xbox 360 add-on (yours truly was a sucker ... (view more)

Circuit City, one of North America's leading technology retailers, could fall victim to the credit crunch. The firm is closing 155 of its 721 US stores this year in what it openly admits is an attempt to save the business. The stores closing will be ... running stock clearance sales from now until December 31 when they cease trading. That's good news for bargain hunters, but also shows how serious the problems are: aside from Black Friday sales (the day after Thanksgiving), November and December are the months in which firms would normally be most anxious to charge full price. The big problem ... (view more)

Think technology helps or hinders society? Granted, cellphones cause traffic accidents, cars pollute, and video games keep kids immobile and out of shape. However, recent research shows that many of these same technologies are bringing families ... together like never before. In the 1930s and 1940s, families often gathered 'round the household radio, listening intently to news on new New Deal policies or the progress of the American Army's march across Europe during World War II. In the following two or three decades, television also brought nuclear units together as families gathered to watch ... (view more)

The economy might be tanking but General Motors seems to think there are still those out there willing to fill up a big, big gas tank: the company has announced it will be accepting customer orders for its gutsy, gas-guzzling revived Chevy Camaro on ... Thursday, October 16, 2008. Fans of the car will remember its long, low shell and deep, guttural roar. The original Camaro, first sold in 1966, became a popular competitor for Ford's Mustang and Pontiac's Firebird. Despite making its mark as a American muscle car mainstay, slow sales eventually led to the Camaro's demise (or so it seemed) in 2002 ... (view more)

The Nikon Coolpix fleet just expanded. Six new cameras were recently introduced by the company, some of which include pretty exciting features like WiFi, GPS, and even touch screens. Starting in September, the S60, P6000, S610C, S610, S560 and S710 ... will become available to consumers. Nikon is releasing six new cameras in an attempt to target different areas of the point-and-shoot market. All, however, include standard features such as "Scene Auto Selector," which pre-judges what setting your camera should be on for the environment you are shooting in, as well as smil detection and Blink ... (view more)

In the pursuit of keeping a neat household, many of us create and abide by a list of daily chores. One task that has long disappeared from the dreaded chore list is watering the lawn, being replaced with the much more convenient automated sprinkler ... system. However, a movement towards water conservation is now challenging the use of automated sprinkler systems, with their main argument being that some sprinkler systems remain active just after (and sometimes during) rainfall. A Los Angeles company has revealed a new device that will allow users to keep their automated sprinkler systems while ... (view more)

A new product is set to debut on the market, hoping to alleviate the hassle of having to write a weekly grocery list, while eliminating procrastination and forgetfulness! Meet the Ikan, a round barcode scanner designed for home use. The device ... boasts a small color screen on the front, a laser scanner underneath and a WiFi antenna inside that connects to virtually any wireless network. How does it work? When you are about to throw away an empty container, simply swipe the barcode of the item underneath the scanner and wait for a beep. The Ikan will consult its online database (containing ... (view more)

What's so dangerous about technology? Granted, a nasty virus or spyware bug can infect a computer, but can anything of the sort really affect the personal health of a computer user? Not really. However, Australian researchers are blaming tech for a ... rather unpleasant trend: hearing loss. The rather baffling study from the land-down-under reports that some 70 per cent of Australians between the ages of 18 and 34 experience a consistent ringing in their ears, a condition indicative of permanent damage to the hearing canal. The cause, according to the study (appropriately entitled "Is Australia ... (view more)