It’s well known that geeks have their love for robots.  Whether it be loving to own/create them or talk about how they’re going to take over the world, we can’t get enough.  Well here’s one more cool robot for us to acquire.  This one doesn’t boast high speeds or any grand functions.  Just a slightly unconventional way of keeping it running.  It doesn’t use AA batteries or even a hand crank.  Instead it’s steam powered.

To get him up and running, just flip his head off and pour in some water.  Then light the miniature fire within his belly and presto you have a walking steam powered robot.  The robot is surprisingly loud and moves at the speed of a snail, with the exception to the motor attached to his back.  Which the motor itself is working plenty hard.  All movements are fairly small and never quick.  There is a video, but unless you truly want to fork out the cash for it, I wouldn’t watch it.  It’s extremely dull and you just keep waiting for the robot to start moving faster.  The Strenco ST-2 Steam Robot is limited edition, there are only about 300 out there.  You can pick him up for about $600.

Source: GeekyToys

Sadly, it has been over a decade since I have been skiing, but I can tell you that nothing wears you out more than a day on the slopes. Your legs will get a great workout, and this is just one reason why you should have a SKIGYM.

The other reason is that it is probably one of the best virtual skiing simulators that I have seen. The SKIGYM was developed from Pro-Idee in Germany with some help from sports specialists, ski instructors, and physical therapists. The balancing-control technology is similar to that of the WiiFit, but this SKIGYM isn’t available for a gaming console, but for the PC.

The software includes Alpine Ski Racing 2007, which has 32 different ski slopes including 18 real life ones like Lake Louise, Beaver Lake, and Chamonix. The user also has the option of setting difficultly levels from junior, amateur, and even professional, and can choose between from six different disciplines including slaloms and super G.

Clearly, there are some fitness advantages to skiing at home, and it comes with a set of ski-poles for added realism. I’m not certain how much of a workout you would get on the SKIGYM compared to a real day on the slopes. This type of exercise/gameplay costs, as it will cost about $2,280.

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I have one of the later models of iLuv and so far have found it extremely convenient.  Especially since I tend to flake on charging my iPod.  Well now iLuv is offering a new gadget for us to drool over.  This one has found its way to this year’s CES and won’t be out for a few more months, but they at least released a  few details to draw in our interest.  The dock has all the usual convenient speccs but with one extra to sweeten the deal.  One great perk is that  iMM183 will work with both your iPhone and iPod at the same time.  That is as long as you have a 4th Gen or later iPod.

It features dual docks to help those of you that have both or a significant other with one as well.  The dock has the regular features like a built-in alarm clock and is able to play your iPod/iPhone through the built-in speakers.  It also has an FM radio and of course a way to plug in any other audio devices you have around.  It also has an extra feature to do with the weather this time around.  It has support for weather text alerts from NOAA and SAME that will automatically come through on the preset radio channels.  It allows you to archive as many as 10 notices for ongoing situations as well as has an LED warning to show when there is a new alert.  So far there is no price released, but it will be available in March.

Source: iPodnn

About six months ago, we reported that Toyota was planning on putting solar panels on the Prius to power the air-conditioner. It has been recently been released that the famed Japanese motor company plans to release a car that is completely solar-powered.

As you can see on the photo, the solar panels are on the roof like solar panels of a house. This is only one way the car gets its power, as the company wants to supplement power by somehow attaching the car to the solar panels on the roofs of homes. This way, a car can be powered in a garage or parked outside.

Toyota is actually quite ahead of the solar power game. Their company in central Japan has solar panels on the roof that are equivalent in area to sixty tennis courts, and can produce enough energy to power 500 homes. That is enough annual savings for 740 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, which is equal to using 1,500 barrels of crude oil.

So is this the dawning of the age of the solar car? I used to think that a solar car was a useless invention, as most people drive at night. However, if it is possible to charge a car with solar power, then I guess we’d power our car in a manner similar to solar-powered cell phone chargers.

Originally, Toyota said that it would have the solar panels on the Prius by Spring 2009. However, a car that is entirely solar powered will take years of development, so we don’t know exactly when we will see Toyota’s solar car. I’m sure you will agree that it is a step in the right direction for a greener world.

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We are a bit late announcing the winner of the last year’s final coolest gadget competition so without further ado it is the iMu Vibrating Speaker: Turn anything into a sound system.

The iMu vibrating speaker will transform any flat, hard surface into a top notch audio speaker.You can listen to your beats from things like tops of household appliances, cupboards and even car bonnets. It works thanks to a unique US Navy-developed composite called Terfenol-D.

Congrats again to Gaj-It.

In second place we have the Anti-Grav R/C Wall Racing Car.

Can an R/C car really impress nowadays? Yes, it definitely can. The Anti-Grav R/C Wall Racing Car races up walls. No special effects or camera tricks, just physics: the car generates a powerful vacuum underneath causing it to cling to any flat surface. Up

Finally in third place comes the The Datamancer Aviator Keyboard.

If you’re a fan of steampunk styled gadgets, then check out this cool keyboard, the Datamancer Aviator Keyboard.
This stunning looking keyboard comes with a brushed aluminum frame, a black felt face plate, and a bunch or jewel LEDs in blue, red, voilet, green or amber.

Thank you to everybody who voted, submitted, commented or told a friend. The randomly drawn winner of the $200 Amazon vouchers is…

jcarey (jeanlcarey@), congratulations Jean.

Thanks again everybody. As we will be busy covering CES 2009 for the next week or so CGOTW will return next week.

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If you write for a gadget themed blog and wish to be included in next week’s contest check out the CGOTW instructions page.

We at Coolest Gadgets are very excited about CES 2009, and you, the reader, will be hearing a lot about it this week. Here’s a little sneak preview of one of the many products that will be on display: the Gdium from EMTEC.

The Gdium is a completely Open Source portable computer, and comes preloaded with applications such as Firefox, Thunderbird, VoIP, a blog editor, video/audio player, and Open Office suite applications. A user who owns a Gdium has full access to a website designed just for him or her. This site has a social networking program as well as email devices, forums, and blogs.

The Gdium also has low energy usage with an MIPS-64 chip designed by ST Microelectronics, running on an optimized Mandriva Linux OS. In addition to this, it has a G-key which “allows users to store their data and apps on a USB flash drive and not have to save anything on the actual machine”.

The EMTEC Gdium has a 10 inch screen with a 1024×600 resolution, and measures small enough to be considered a “netbook”. There is no word when it will be available, but the price should be under $400. However, as I said before, you can see it at CES.

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