products

What's better than RFID tags? Your own fingerprints, of course. No batteries needed, no electronic eavesdropping devices, and no storage problems. They're always convenient and, well, they're always at your fingertips. The only problem with using fingerprint biometric controls is finding a suitable fingerprint reader. And, no, we're not talking about that archaic monstrosity used at the local cop shop, either. We're talking about an small, inexpensive fingerprint reader that just needs a swipe of your precious digit for unleashing a torrent of programming power.

Olimex Ltd., a Bulgarian electronic design and PCB fabrication company, has just raised the bar on powerful microcontroller development platforms, to the joy of DIYers around the world. Two new PCBs, cryptically named LPC-2478STK and PIC-LCD3310, are ready to rock your next embedded project.

Do you need a microcontroller for a project (maybe, ahem, our Mood Cube project?) but case space is at a premium? Well, fret no more. The Really Bare Bones Board (RBBB) Freeduino PCB is the perfect fit.

If youve been looking for an opportunity to experiment with Parallaxs Propeller microcontroller, then opportunity is knocking at your door. A current sale price has reduced the Parallax PropSTICK Kit to $50.

In Parallax parlance, a Propeller processor is called a cog. Each Propeller contains eight 32-bit cogs. Revolving around a central hub, these eight cogs can operate simultaneously or independently at speeds up to 20 MIPS per cog. This central hub concept contributes to the processors name: Propeller.

What the heck is an iButton, you ask? Manufactured by MAXIM Integrated Products, Dallas Semiconductor, an iButton is a fingernail-sized computer chip housed inside a stainless steel can. This can acts as a unique conductive connection that enables the enclosed computer chip to form a speedy 1-wire interface with a PC, PDA, or embedded computer. Throw some software into the mix and you have a handy data ID without the messy airborne detection problems that are commonly associated with RFID.

If you happen to still have a PDA and youre looking for a cheap IR keyboard, look no further than BG Micro. BG Micro has slashed $55 off the former retail price of the discontinued Targus Universal Wireless Keyboard (PA870U).

For those of you who are new to the exciting world of electronics (or, if youre a solder vet looking for some creative fun), SparkFun Electronics has just completed an impressive introductory lesson on how to master surface mount device (SMD) soldering.

To say that CES is a crazy scene is more than an understatement. Every January in Las Vegas, corporate executives, retail buyers, tech press, plain-old hardcore gear heads and, ahem, Vegas professionals can be found by the tens of thousands scouring four massive convention halls for the greatest new toys, dodging booth babes and insane infomercial-style hawkers (who may or may not be on unicycles) at every turn.

Thanksgiving may be the country´s oldest celebration, but that´s no reason to cook with 17th-century tech. Whereas early settlers cooked over open fires, we have smart ovens that automatically adjust to what´s inside them, thermometers that read surface temperature with infrared radiation, knives with molecular structures that keep them sharp longer, and a meat grinder as powerful as a small car engine. Give thanks for technology.

PopSci's esteemed "The Goods" section-the place to go for the hottest tech products around-is now coming to you once a week on PopSci.com. Launch the gallery here.