Skyla Memoir – digital photo frame that incorporates a scanner

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How’s this for a smart idea? A digital photo frame that also includes a built-in high-resolution photo scanner. Traditional photos can be scanned into the device and then instantly displayed on the screen.

It’s a perfect, neat, solution for the technophobes in your family. If your grandma can’t cope with digitising all her old pics, then just give her this and show her how it works, and she’ll be sorted.

There’s 1GB of internal storage, which will hold 2-400 scans. It’s also got a light sensor, so it can adjust brightness based on its environment and an 8″, 800 x 600 display. They’ve also chucked in a card reader, for grandparents who’ve progressed to digital cameras, and two USB ports so you can get the data back onto a PC if you need to.

I’m a big fan of simple concepts that make sense, and this is exactly that. So long as the interface is good, this seems like a great product. Perhaps a little overpriced at £178, but all digital photo frames are overpriced – let’s hope that competition drives down those costs a bit over the next year or so.

Skyla Memoir

Turn your iPhone into a scanner

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When’s the last time you used a scanner?

For me, the answer’s probably “years ago”. It’s something that’s completely exited my life, for some reason. Probably because I just don’t seem to ever get stuff on paper any more. Not stuff that needs to be on my PC, anyway.

Well, an Industrial Design student at the University of Cincinnati, Kyle A Koch, has come up with a big cardboard construct that can be used to scan stuff in using your iPhone. You’ll also need some decent light, and the picture quality won’t even approach ‘medium’, but hey – you never know when it could come in handy.

(via Likecool)

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Tikitag – your very own RFID kit

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RFID – or radio frequency identification – is a technology that allows identification and tracking of things. A small tag is placed on an object, and a reader can then recognise that tag as unique. For a while it’s been used by businesses for stock control, or by zoologists to track animals, but now a company called Tikitag is selling an RFID kit that you can use at home.

The Tikitag starter kit contains an RFID reader, which attaches to your PC via USB, and ten sticky tags which you can attach to things. The things, when placed on the reader, can then trigger certain actions on your PC. Examples include opening a specific web page or a software application.

Killjoy company Paraben launching anti-porn network download analyser

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If you spend your lunch break positioning your monitor so no one else can see it and happily browsing through Raven Riley’s charming online photography albums while you deep-throat a Gregg’s sausage roll – YOUR TIME IS UP, SICKO.

Network safety specialist Paraben has revealed the latest development in its world of computerised forensics, a file-scanner that, no doubt thanks to everyone at Paraben spending ages analysing all kinds of porn themselves, can identify porn photos on users’ computers and instantly grass the offender up to the boss. If you’re a fan of beach volleyball you’d better start being more careful…

Epson launches PX700W and PX800FW photo printers

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Epson has announced the arrival of its Stylus Photo PX700W and PX800FW printers, offering high quality colour images and, on the PX800FW, four-in-one functionality.

Epson claims that the quality of the photos printed by these machines exceeds that of photo labs.

The compact PX700W is fitted with a 6.3-inch colour LCD for easy perusal and selection of images, and features a high printing speed, with photos produced in around 17 seconds, plus integrated Wi-Fi and Ethernet for home networking…