Pumpabike

Hie, ho, Silver, away! This watercraft reminds one of the water strider, a bug with long slender legs that it uses to skim the surface of the water. Probably drawing on the same idea, Zimbabwean inventor Mike Puzey equips this human-powered hydrofoil with an elegant aluminum and fiberglass frame that somehow defies the laws of gravity and walks water. Oddly, the way to fuel this aquatic skipper is to hop (gently) up and down. This then lifts the hydrofoil to skim across any water surface at up to 30kmh. Which also makes for one heck of a cardiac workout.

See bike close up | closed | see also Transparent hybrid kayak/canoe

Via Gizmag

Price: US$499.95 at HS, US$1,000 at Pumpabike
Availability: Sold as Hydrofoil Water Scooter under Hammacher Schlemmer , and Pumpabike under Puzey's site
Device: Water sport device
Basic specs: 14kg, takes up to 110kg, up to 30kmh, no moving parts or noisy engines, rear wing at 7ft, 15kg, 667 x 813 x 673mm

Atom Exec available from second week of July

O2 Singapore has just confirmed that the company's latest PDA-phone, the Xda Atom Exec, will be available in retail outlets from the second week of July. The Atom Exec, which is the upgrade model of the Xda Atom released in 2005, is expected to be priced at S$1,348 (US$991.18).

The new Atom Exec will come with several enhanced features over its predecessor, including a faster 520MHz Intel Xscale processor and 192MB of ROM, both of which are expected to improve the overall performance of the handheld. It will also feature a gun-metal matte casing and the updated Windows Mobile 5.0 with the new Messaging and Security Feature Pack.

What goes in, must come out

Honey, I shrank my camera sensor. Okay, we lied, but OmniVision didn't. The Californian company announced recently what could probably be the world's first 1/18-inch camera sensor in the market.

The chip measures 2.1 x 2.3mm and could be used in disposable cameras for medical applications such as intubation and diagnostic systems, making it less invasive for patients. According to Hasan Gadjali, vice president of Advanced Products for OmniVision, a 1/12-inch CCD is the next closest thing comparable with its chip.

While we probably won't see this image sensor in action on the operating table, it's good to know once in a while what goes inside our body when we're sedated with general anaesthesia.

Blue LED Faucet Light

Just for kicks, impress your guests with a techno faucet that sprouts blue water, thanks to a blue LED faucet attachment. Works even better in the dark, so don't be surprised if you find guests stuck in the loo for longer than usual, and your water bill spiking drastically. For a more sophisticated option, check out as well KWC's Eve faucet which casts new light on the humble tap. Nice!

See big image | components | in the dark

Price: US$14.99
Availability: At ThinkGeek
Device: Toilet tool
Basic specs: Chamber with blue LEDs, batteries pre-installed plus a set of spare batteries (uses G13-A style watch batteries), instruction sheet, two universal adapters (not recommended for faucets outside of the US), 2.25-inch tall, 1.25-inch in diameter

Nokia unveils its first i-mode phone in Singapore

Finnish phone maker Nokia and mobile operator StarHub have jointly announced the launch of an i-mode version of the popular N70 handset in Singapore. According to the joint press release issued today, this is the first time Nokia is launching an i-mode phone in Singapore. More importantly, Singapore is also the first market to release the N70 i-mode handset.

"Users who are more accustomed to the Nokia user interface can now experience StarHub's easy-to-use suite of i-mode services with Nokia N70," said Goh Li-Li, assistant vice president of i-mode Services at StarHub. Other than the i-mode application platform and a new silver-black exterior casing, the new N70 comes with the same features as the original N70. The price of the new N70 handset is expected to range from S$288 (US$211.76) to S$488 (US$358.82), depending on the mobile subscription plan, and will be available from June 24.

Unfortunately, StarHub has confirmed that users of the non-i-mode N70 will not be able to upgrade the firmware to activate i-mode in their handsets. The mobile operator has told CNET Asia that customers can expect more i-mode-enabled terminals from other manufacturers such as Sony Ericsson and Motorola in the second half of 2006. We are guessing the handsets to be the new Sony Ericsson K610im as well as the i-mode versions of the Motorola L6 and L7. (click here for a larger image.)

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