Tehnic Effect

Learning electronics just got A LOT easier!

2009-12-11T21:03:00.003-08:00

I'm thrilled to announce our latest offering from O'Reilly/Make: Books, Make: Electronics, by Charles Platt. This is a book that we've wanted to do for awhile. Many of us at Maker Media have had an interaction that goes something like this: You're at a talk, Maker Faire, or elsewhere, and someone spirits you aside, like they're going to confess to a petty crime or some marital indiscretion. What they want to whisper sheepishly into your ear is that they love MAKE, all of theSource: MAKE: Blog RSS Feed

LIFE magazine now available on Google Books

2009-12-11T21:03:00.001-08:00

Posted by Brandon Badger, Product Manager
When I was a kid I used to enjoy thumbing through a collection of older magazines that my grandfather had at his house. I remember flipping through the pages and feeling as though I was peeking through a window into life from decades past. Unfortunately, we lost my grandfather's magazines some time ago, and we've never quite managed to recreate his collection. But I know that if we could, those magazines would be just as fascinating today as theySource: Google Book Search RSS Feed

Review: Dexim P-Flip Foldable Power Dock

2009-12-02T21:26:00.003-08:00

Short Version: Equal parts backup battery and iPhone dock, Dexim’s $55 P-Flip Foldable Power Dock serves as a nice daily desk accessory and then easily pulls double duty as a portable travelling companion.

Review:

Guess what? There are a million iPhone accessories. And it’s not easy to stand out in the crowd if you’re a company that makes iPhone accessories. But sometimes the best course is to offer a simple solution that addresses more than one need for the common iPhone owner and to offer your product at a decent price.

In this case, Dexim has merged a small, unobtrusive iPhone dock with a portable backup battery. Exciting? Not really, but it doesn’t have to be because, at $55, you’re getting two accessories in one for close to the price of most competing backup battery offerings.

The dock is compatible with the iPhone 3G and 3GS and all generations of the iPod touch. The battery pack is 2000mAh, which is about 1.5 times the capacity of the iPhone’s internal battery. So you get about a charge and a half out of the dock. A full recharge of my iPhone 3GS took about an hour and a half.

Dexim rates the product as capable of 8 hours talk time, 15 hours of video, 15 hours of gaming, or 60 hours of music. I can confirm the 60 hours of music claim. I set my phone into airplane mode (turns off all data connections) and let it play music nonstop starting Friday night after work and noticed it had finally petered out on Monday morning. Side note: going without a phone for an entire weekend is weird for most of Saturday morning but becomes pretty nice after a while.

The dock folds down to a very manageable travel size and can itself be recharged with a mini-USB cable. If you dock your phone into it while it’s charging, you’re able to synch with iTunes and all that good stuff.

The main downside is that if you use any sort of protective case, you’ll have to remove it in order to charge up your battery on the go. That’s the tradeoff for having a backup battery that doubles as a dock, though. Also, the $55 price tag may seem a bit high at first glance but considering that a fair amount of competing backup batteries go for around $50, the added bonus of the docking feature makes for a pretty decent purchase.

P-Flip Foldable Power Dock [Dexim]

Source: CrunchGear RSS Feed

Captain Mike’s Mars Adventure ‘Bing and PSC Interplanetary Explorer contest

2009-12-02T21:26:00.001-08:00

Bing with Seattle’s Pacific Science Center (PSC) bring an online Mars experience called “Captain Mike’s Mars Adventure” contest to 1st- 8th graders for Washington State students. “The site takes you on a journey with “Captain Mike” as he prepares for his trip to Mars. As part of the trivia contest, kids’re asked questions about Mars to help Captain Mike learn about planet before his trip. For each correct answer, kids earn a star to add to their Interplanetary Source: D' Technology Weblog RSS Feed

Back to reality, the blog...the meds, and job = no trip for OUT 100 event

2009-12-01T20:57:00.001-08:00

I proudly stayed offline for most of the Thanksgiving holiday in order to recharge. Thanks for all the contributions over the weekend baristas! So while it means I'm woefully behind on email and haven't written much of consequence, I did have the opportunity to connect with reality that is much more pleasant, like:

* Getting together with family for the holiday, including my nephew Mr. E.. Playing "what's in the tent?" is certainly more satisfying than writing about the ghastlySource: Pam's House Blend RSS Feed

"Benching In The Rain" - By Trouffman

2009-12-01T20:56:00.001-08:00

Some people go to extreme lengths to get their hardware running at low temperatures; if it's cold outside you bench there to take advantage of the lower ambient temperature, but what if it's raining? "No problemo" said Trouffman, known for his OverclockingTV exploits.

http://hwbot.org/result.do?resultId=926756

Source: Madshrimps Forum Madness RSS Feed

The Next iPhone Spotted in the Wild?

2009-11-29T23:14:00.001-08:00

iPhone developer Pandav has reportedly spotted usage records for an iPhone model that has yet to be released.

The most recent iPhone 3GS model is referenced as “iPhone 2,1″ on application logs, however iBART, (Pandav’s iPhone app) has picked up a reference for “iPhone3,1″ – an iPhone not yet available.

According to MacRumors, Apple began testing the iPhone 3GS (iPhone2,1) back in October of 2008 about 8 months ahead of its launch. At the time, the usage wasSource: The Next Web RSS Feed

Sam Raimi’s Ghost House Planning “The Next District 9″ From Uruguyan Hot Shot Federico Alvarez

2009-11-29T23:13:00.001-08:00

The hotly tipped future talent of the minute is Federico Alvarez, a 30 year old Uruguyan behind the YouTube smash sci-fi short called Panic Attack - which you can see below the break. So far, Alvarez seems to be following a very similar racing line to the one Neill Blomkamp has roared around over the last few years.

Whereas Blomkamp’s breakthrough short was Alive in Joburg, a shaky-cam alien invasion picture set in South Africa, Alvarez has now made his crash landing with PanicSource: SlashFilm RSS Feed

Black Friday Deals, Extended Hours Announced

2009-11-28T16:28:00.003-08:00

Apple has finally announced this year’s Black Friday pricing on selected products, the only day of the year the company offers discounts at the on-line and retail stores. As in past years, the discounts are modest, ranging from about five percent to eight percent on Macs, laptops, Apple TV and iPods. Discounts on certain Apple software and accessories are slightly more, ranging from 13 percent to 40 percent. The company has also posted shopping hours for the retail stores during the holidaySource: ifoAppleStore RSS Feed

Section 8 gets new maps on PC only

2009-11-28T16:28:00.001-08:00

TimeGate has announced an expansion of its multiplayer-focused shooter, Section 8, with the "Seek and Destroy Map Pack," which adds three new maps and 10 new achievements for 560 ($7). Though the game is available on Xbox 360 as well, the company is only making mention of PC availability for the content at the moment.
The industry has become so skewed towards a console focus as of late, it's kind of nice to see PC players getting some exclusive love. Now, let's all be real quiet andSource: Houstonist RSS Feed

HTC HD2 hits O2 from free

2009-11-23T20:32:00.003-08:00

UK carrier O2 has announced that, as of today, would-be owners of the HTC HD2 will be able to drop into their nearest O2 store and pick up the Snapdragon-based Windows Phone. The launch follows rival carrier Vodafone, who released the HD2 last Thursday. The HD2 is available from free on certain monthly contracts, though you should probably expect to be tied down for at least 18 months.

At time of writing there’s no sign of the HD2 on O2’s site, so you’ll have to put on someSource: SlashGear RSS Feed

3D Scanning Without A 3D Scanner [Cambridge Develops Software to Create 3D Models with Regular Webcam]

2009-11-23T20:32:00.001-08:00

Qi Pan, a PhD engineering candidate at Cambridge University has developed software that allows users to create a fully 3D digital model with a regular, stationary webcam. No need for multiple cameras or 3D imaging lasers, as the software is able to render the model by simply having the model rotated in front of the webcam by hand.

(...)
Read the rest of 3D Scanning Without A 3D Scanner [Cambridge Develops Software to Create 3D Models with Regular Webcam]

Google Maps Navigation works out of USA

2009-11-23T13:33:00.003-08:00

A few weeks ago XDA Developers folk managed to get Google Maps Navigation working on the T-Mobile G1. Of course, the navigation side of the software only worked in the USA and if using in Canada, Europe and anywhere else in the world you simply didn’t have the option to use navigation. Yet again the XDA forums people have managed to solve this problem and Google Maps Navigation can now work on your G1 along with the navigation features out of the USA.

Details of how to getSource: Gadget Venue RSS Feed

DIY iPhone Macro Lens Carousel

2009-11-23T13:33:00.001-08:00

The first two iPhones had terrible cameras, something Apple fixed with the 3GS. Those of us who like to complain can still find fault with the lack of an optical zoom lens. Those who don’t just whine go out and fix this for themselves.

Instructables member T-skware did just that, grabbing the lid of an old pickle jar, some lenses ripped from the eye-sockets of donor cameras, a suction cup and sundry old computer and Walkman parts. With these he made a suck-on carousel of macro lensesSource: Wired RSS Feed

David Lynch’s Next Film is a Documentary on Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Updates on Snootworld.

2009-11-19T17:33:00.003-08:00

Everyone I know is compiling a list of the best films of the aughts, and 2001’s Mulholland Drive seems to be a lock on most (and if it’s not, 2006’s Inland Empire is the more pretentious substitute). But as the decade closes out, I do wish we had seen more “Lynchian” films from David Lynch, who seems occupied with experimental video, his son’s ambitious documentary projects, the advent of Twitter, and exposing as many people/fans to Transcendental Meditation as possible. So, ifSource: SlashFilm RSS Feed

Smartphone Success Centers on Software, Not Hardware

2009-11-19T17:33:00.001-08:00

Telecom gear vendor ZTE will step up its game in the crowded smartphone space next year with an Android-based handset, and Google is rumored to be working on its own device. But as the smartphone market continues to heat up, manufacturers are learning the hard way that the key to success in mobile phones lies in the software — not the hardware.

Handset manufacturers are increasingly being elbowed out of the way as carriers embrace developers of operating systems and the apps thatSource: GigaOM RSS Feed

eMachines EL1300G-01w Desktop Computer – $200 Shipped

2009-11-19T14:44:00.001-08:00

TigerDirect offers the eMachines EL1300G-01w Desktop for a sale of price. This computer rocks a AMD Athlon 2650e 1.6GHz, 2GB of DDR2 RAM, 160GB SATA II hard drive, DVD Burner, Windows Vista Home Basic, media card reader, NVIDIA GeForce 6150SE and more. It’s $199.99 + free shipping=$199.99 shipped!Similar Posts:

HP NY810AV Pavilion Elite m9650f Desktop Computer (REFURBISHED) – $700 Shipped;

Gateway LX6810-01 Desktop Computer – $549 Shipped;

Source: Gadget Review RSS Feed

Mozilla’s Road To Camino 2.0 For Mac Users Is Complete

2009-11-19T14:43:00.000-08:00

Regular readers will know that my browser of choice has long been Camino. It’s that other browser built under the brand of Firefox-makers Mozilla, that runs on the Mac platform and is entirely open-source and volunteer-built. I love it because it’s much lighter and faster than Firefox is, while being extremely compatible with just about all sites on the web. And today, version 2.0 has just launched.

Version 2 has been beta testing for several months now, and a release candidateSource: TechCrunch.com RSS Feed

VidZone expanding to 11 more European countries

2009-11-18T14:14:00.003-08:00

Europe's totally awesome (and totally exclusive) VidZone service is finally expanding its reach. Sorry Americans, but this free music video streaming service isn't coming our way. Instead, eleven new European countries will be able to join the party by year's end. Here's the roll-out schedule:

Thursday 26th November: Netherlands, Portugal, Austria
Thursday 3rd December: Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland
Thursday 10th December: Belgium, Luxembourg,Source: PS3 Fanboy RSS Feed

Biker Bags

2009-11-18T14:14:00.001-08:00

Carrying a purse or bag while riding a bicycle has been restrictive thus far. What I mean is that either you end up carrying a backpack or have those geeky baskets in front of the handlebars. Revolutionizing the way we carry our stuff is this absolutely fashionable set, simply called the Handlebar Bag & Bike Rack Bag. What I love is the way it hooks onto the bike, and then simply comes off as an elegant bag; loops, extra straps, and attachment clips detach and can be hidden.

Designer: Source: Yanko Design RSS Feed

Casio Exilim EX-FC150 Announced

2009-11-16T13:15:00.003-08:00

Casio are launching a new point and shoot camera called the Casio Exilim EX-FC150. The camera is an upgrade from the previous EX-FC100 series camera and has been upgraded with a new CMOS sensor that can capture images at 10 megapixels. The sensor is also backlit.

The 37-185mm lens is capable of 5x optical zoom and has sensor shift stabilization. Continuous shooting can be performed up to 40 photos (not sure if that’s per second or in one burst of shots).

Just like theSource: Gadget Venue RSS Feed

PhotoFast unveils G-Monster V4 SSD with hardware level garbage collection

2009-11-16T13:15:00.001-08:00

PhotoFast has unveiled a new line of SSDs that use the parallel ATA connection for netbook and notebook systems that use 1.8-inch SSDs. The line is aimed at upgrades and has a maximum sequential read speed of 128MB/s and a sequential write speed of 90MB/s.

The company claims that the read and write speeds the SSDs are capable of are 145% greater than a traditional HDD of the same size. The big feature of the new SSD is that it has hardware-level Garbage Collection. This feature letsSource: SlashGear RSS Feed

Radio Shack Black Friday ad

2009-11-15T18:16:00.003-08:00

Oh, I get it. It’s called “Shack” Friday at Radio Shack instead of Black Friday. Because “shack” sounds like “black” and “shack” is part of Radio Shack’s name. So basically, they just switched the two words around. I get it.

Know what else? The damn sale starts on Thursday! What a world! “Most stores open at 10 AM Thursday,” says the circular. And then they open at 5:30 in the morning on Friday! That’s Shack-rilege! See how I worked the name of the store intoSource: CrunchGear RSS Feed

Weekend Weirdness: Black Devil Doll, Gone With the Pope, Altitude, and Hausu

2009-11-15T18:16:00.001-08:00

It’s a crazy, mixed up world and we are all thankful for movies, new and old, that offer proof. After the jump, we’ll examine trailers stuffed with images and ideas so nuts they could make a turkey turn crimson. For example, one for the new independent film, Black Devil Doll, about a murderous black power enthusiast who is deep-fried in prison, only to return by way of Quija Board in the shape of an anthropomorphic, horny dummy. I’ve seen the film. It exists and belongs behind bars.Source: SlashFilm RSS Feed

DOE, USDA hand out $24M to biomass projects

2009-11-14T21:23:00.003-08:00

Biomass is often overlooked in favor of sexier renewable energy sources like solar and wind — it’s dirty, capital intensive and not emissions free — but it is one of the only drop-in technologies in the alternative fuel space (meaning that it will work with legacy technology, traditional gas tanks and the like). Finally, it has captured the attention of the Department of Energy, which partnered with the Department of Agriculture to give out $24.4 million in stimulus grants to biofuelSource: Venture Beat RSS Feed

Track Your RSS Feed Clicks with Google Analytics

2009-11-14T21:23:00.001-08:00

Would you like to know how may people are visiting your site via RSS feeds?

If you are using FeedBurner to syndicate the RSS feeds of your blog, you can now easily track all the incoming traffic from feed clicks through Google Analytics.

Just open your FeedBurner dashboard, click the title of your RSS feed and choose "Configure Stats" under the Analyze Tab. Tick the options that say "Item views", "Item click" and "Track clicks as a traffic source in Google Analytics" andSource: Digital Inspiration RSS Feed

Menq EasyPC E790 $80 Android netbook gets video demo

2009-11-13T21:42:00.003-08:00

What does $80 buy you these days? If Menq have their way, and sort out their supply chain, it could get you an Android based netbook; the company’s EasyPC E790 has a 7-inch 800 x 480 display and a Samsung ARM926EJ-S3C2450 processor, and while right now it runs Windows CE, Menq will be pushing out an Android firmware update within a month. That’s good news for techvideoblog’s Charbax, as he’s been playing with a review unit.

Video demo after the cut

Since there’s anSource: SlashGear RSS Feed

Twitter users share early adopters symptoms

2009-11-13T21:42:00.001-08:00

Recent findings of a Pew Internet study revealed, Twitter is being extensively used as a status update service to keep in touch. Youth (age 18 -44), social network users and users with access to mobile internet show early Twitter adoption symptoms.

The study – Twitter and status update, was conducted in September 2009, amongst a sample of 2,253 adults, 18 and older.

The key Highlights of the research indicates:

1. One in every Five Internet user Now on Twitter

Source: Trendsspotting RSS Feed

Palm Pixi review

2009-11-12T14:20:00.001-08:00

It's hard to believe that Palm is already pushing its second webOS device, the Pixi, out the door. It seems like just a few weeks ago that we were eagerly awaiting the release of the Pre, a phone that was considered to be the last gasp for the badly ailing company, and now it's poised to add an entirely new handset to the mix. The Pixi -- a sleek, tiny device -- seems clearly aimed at the only market Palm has recently enjoyed unfettered success with: the Centro demographic. From the looks ofSource: Engadget RSS Feed

Samsung Corby WEP490 Bluetooth headset announced

2009-11-12T14:19:00.000-08:00

Samsung currently has three Corby phones (well, four, if you count the B3310 Corby Mate too), and it will soon introduce a Corby Bluetooth headset as well.

Named Samsung WEP490 Corby, the headset comes in various color versions, to match the colorful Corby phones.

The WEP490 Corby features a status LED indicator, echo cancellation, noise reduction and automatic volume control. It can provide a talk time of up to 6 hours, or a stand-by time of up to 10 hours.

The SamsungSource: Unwired View RSS Feed

Wait, Microsoft’s Project Natal will be $80? That can’t be right

2009-11-11T22:13:00.003-08:00

There is a rumor swirling around the tubes this morning that Microsoft’s motion controller Project Natal will be $80 when it comes out next November. First off, there is no way that the Wii-killer be $80 based on precedents set by the current crop of Xbox add-ons. But more importantly, if the controller system is only $80, it will suck.

Project Natal won E3 this past year. It came out of nowhere and surprised everyone. What was most shocking is how far along the system wasSource: CrunchGear RSS Feed

Loop in-air wireless mouse for your living room PC

2009-11-11T22:13:00.001-08:00

The Loop pointer from Hillcrest Labs is an in-air mouse that can be used to control a PC, Mac or PS3 connected to a TV with natural hand movements. A small RF Transceiver USB dongle that uses 2.4 GHz (2401 MHz to 2482 MHz) connects to the computer or PS3. You can … [visit site to ]

Filed in categories: Audio / Video Gear, News, Spotlight Gadgets

Tagged: Remote, TV, Wireless

Loop in-air wireless mouse for your living room PC originally appeared on The Gadgeteer onSource: TechBlogger RSS Feed

With Wireless Data, Smaller Carriers Must Mind the Gap [GigaOM]

2009-11-10T21:52:00.001-08:00

The floundering economy hasn’t kept consumers from spending on mobile data, according to the latest quarterly report on the wireless industry from Chetan Sharma, one of our GigaOM Pro analysts. U.S. data service revenues grew 27 percent year-over-year in the third quarter, Sharma reported, with Verizon Wireless and AT&T accounting for 80 percent of the rise, underscoring what I wrote last week about how the rich carriers are getting richer. Given the investment needed to build out newSource: GigaOM Network RSS Feed

Will Google’s deal with Admob invite antitrust concerns?

2009-11-10T21:52:00.000-08:00

Google announced its acquisition of mobile display-ad company AdMob today. It feels a bit like a replay of Google’s 2008 acquisition of online ad company DoubleClick. The question is, will the Department of Justice’s eager anti-trust crime fighters scrutinize this deal to the extent it did the DoubleClick deal? Google has said it expects the deal to close in the next few months. And while it said it doesn’t anticipate any regulatory concerns, it also said it wouldn’t be surprised if Source: Venture Beat RSS Feed

Oxytocin: Starting with the basics [Neurotopia]

2009-11-09T17:32:00.001-08:00

So sometimes, Sci gets questions, and sometimes those questions...are close enough to requests. And so, today Sci will begin what is probably going to be an extensive basic series on oxytocin. We ALL love oxytocin, right? Right! And we all missed Sci's big honkin' basic science posts right? Of course right!

So the question basically came down to this: What are the effects of oxytocin in female vs males, in particular the effects on sexual and bonding behavior, and how does thisSource: Thoughts from Kansas RSS Feed

HP MediaSmart Server EX490 Giveaway Winner

2009-11-09T17:32:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Kasey K. of Marshall, Virginia.

He won the HP MediaSmart Server EX490! Check out his winning entry.

When our son was on the way, my wife and I needed a way to be able to print from two different computers (with the printer I already had) and be able to save and access the zillions of photos and hours and hours of HD video we’d inevitably take of our son. Since I’m the only provider of a family with a one-year-old, another on the way, and three pets, I hadSource: Chip Chick RSS Feed

Now A Blackberry App Store Launches For India

2009-11-09T15:42:00.001-08:00

Research In Motion the company behind Blackberry phones announced that BlackBerry App World which is the the official app store for BlackBerry smartphones would now be available for users in India.

The app store will provide a range of free personal and business applications for users to discover, including applications specifically built for the Indian market. Currently the Indian apps include Hungama MyPlay, CNBC TV18 Moneycontrol, Mundu Radio and Arrowmatics.

Indian users canSource: WATblog RSS Feed

Radio Pop: Last.fm for BBC Radio

2009-11-09T15:41:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to add my congratulations to my old colleagues in BBC Audio & Music Interactive on the launch of Radio Pop, a "social radio listening" prototype from the small but perfectly formed BBC Radio Labs team which promises to do for BBC Radio what Last.fm does for music (i.e. scrobbling your listening, connecting you to friends, letting you favourite/bookmark - a.k.a. "pop" - and generating lots of pretty graphs and charts). It's replete with RSS feeds, APML data and some tastySource: fabric of folly RSS Feed

Nintendo 'hasn't committed' to new Zelda for Wii in 2010

2009-11-08T20:01:00.001-08:00

We all know that home console Zelda games take longer to develop than most small, fledgling nations -- still, we'd secretly hoped that Nintendo would pull a hat trick next year, releasing new Wii installments in the Metroid, Mario and the aforementioned Triforce-centric series. Sadly, a recent quote from Reggie Fils-Aime has made us doubtful that this scenario will be realized -- speaking on GameTrailers TV, Fils-Aime explained that Nintendo hasn't "committed to Zelda for 2010."
So,Source: Houstonist RSS Feed

Mechanical Alchemy: The Dreaded Wonky Camera

2009-11-08T20:00:00.000-08:00

Once, long ago there was a boy who was in love with a small grey box. Inside this box was a doorway to seemingly endless adventure, a bastion of hope throughout the doldrums of summer and an unfailing escape from an intrusive Italian mother. Over time this grey box was traded for another grey box and then another. As the years passed the worlds began to become increasingly real, developing more life like detail and a third dimension. It was so that an afternoon could melt away in moments, an Source: GayGamer.net RSS Feed

Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime squashes Wii HD rumors... again

2009-11-07T00:15:00.003-08:00

Oh, brother. Here we go again. Just over a year after Nintendo's own Reggie Fils-Aime denied the existence of a forthcoming Wii HD, the bigwig is having to make that very same denial again. Naturally, a few new rumors of an HD-enabled Wii have surfaced since that fateful day in October of 2008, and with the recent price drop, it made sense to think that the Big N might actually be looking ahead. Instead, it seems that it's perfectly content selling hundreds of thousands of consoles that wantSource: Engadget RSS Feed

Street View takes off at Google Australia, Sydney – Berlin from 1945 and 1953 on Google Earth

2009-11-07T00:15:00.001-08:00

At Google Australia headquarters in Sydney, about 300 Googlers in Pyrmont office lined the park next to office to welcome the Street View camera. The search giant's army of camera-equipped Holden Astra cars are preparing to traverse the country again from this week to take new, higher quality pictures of Australia's capital cities for the Google Maps feature.

Full Gallery: Sydney Morning Herald

Also, Google Earth added historical images of Berlin from 1945Source: D' Technology Weblog RSS Feed

Toshiba 320GB 1.8-inch HDD is world’s biggest

2009-11-05T19:34:00.002-08:00

Flash and solid-state drives have been catching up to tiny, 1.8-inch traditional hard-drives in ultramobile applications over the past year or so, but Toshiba don’t think spinning platters are quite outmoded yet. The company have revealed three new 1.8-inch HDDs including the industry’s first 320GB unit, using unique high-density platters that permit data density of 516Gbpsi.

Each of the 3.0Gbps SATA drives spin at 5,400rpm and have 16MB of buffer memory, while there’sSource: SlashGear RSS Feed

Verizon DROID Eris by HTC gets official

2009-11-05T19:34:00.001-08:00

It comes as little surprise given we’ve already seen it unboxed and know the pricing, but Verizon Wireless have officially announced that, as of tomorrow, they’ll be offering the DROID Eris by HTC. Basically another version of the HTC Hero, the HTC DROID Eris packs a 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen, 5-megapixel autofocus camera, EVDO Rev.A and the HTC Sense UI.

There’s also a microSD slot – Verizon are popping in an 8GB card as standard – and both GPS and a digital compass.Source: SlashGear RSS Feed

Toshiba announces world’s first 1.8-inch HDD with 320GB Capacity

2009-11-05T12:07:00.003-08:00

Just in September this year, Toshiba proudly announced a 1.8-inch HDD with 160GB capacity, which was pretty impressive already (their new SSDs aren’t too shabby either). But today, not even two months later, Toshiba unveiled another 1.8-inch HDD with 320GB capacity [press release in English].

The MK3233GSG features a 3Gbps SATA interface and 16MB puffer, produses just 19dB of seek noise and spins at 5,400 rpm. Needless to say it’s the only 1.8-inch HDD with 320GB capacity outSource: CrunchGear RSS Feed

Blizzard starts selling in-game pets for real world money

2009-11-05T12:07:00.001-08:00

Really big World of Warcraft news today, friends. (Why do I write so much about WoW? Oh, you know, it’s just the biggest, most successful MMO in history. Not writing about it would be like covering tech with mentioning Microsoft or Apple.) Blizzard is now selling in-game pets that you can buy with real money, $10. We’re talking cash money. Dollar dollar bill, y’all.

It’s significant because it marks the first time that Blizzard has gotten into the business of selling in-gameSource: CrunchGear RSS Feed

Pocket Light folds flat, makes your spirits glow

2009-11-03T15:56:00.002-08:00

Designer Harc Lee just came up with a brilliant idea. His credit card-sized Pocket Light is small enough to store in your wallet. Pop it out and fold out its bulb-shaped luminaire, and you have a clever little lightbulb-shaped lamp.

A couple of years ago, we would've scoffed at this design concept, saying it's not possible yet. But with paper-thin batteries already here and OLEDs becoming more practical every day, this design concept could soon see the light of day.

Take a lookSource: DVICE RSS Feed

Translator glasses lets you see what other people are saying

2009-11-03T15:56:00.001-08:00

Having a device that automatically translates other languages on the fly has been a sci-fi dream for years now, but we seem to be edging ever closer to having the technology on hand to make it a reality. NEC's new Tele Scouter is a retinal-display gadget that translates what people say to you, then displays the translations as text on your glasses.

Unfortunately, it looks pretty bulky, requiring a computer to be hooked up to the glasses to do the heavy lifting. And even then, theSource: DVICE RSS Feed

Hot gaming news for the week of 10-25-2009

2009-11-02T23:04:00.003-08:00

Section:

No need to scour the interwebs for hot gaming news, Gamertell‘s already done that for you! Here’s a look at this week’s top stories…

Netflix signs with Sony, service available through PS3 soon
Miyamoto says next Wii might be more wee
Penguin releases three Wii MotionPlus bundle kits
PS2 turns nine, Sony says system’s “life cycle will continue”
Gamertell Review: Kenka Bancho: Badass Rumble for PSP

FullSource: Gadgetell RSS Feed

Japanese hardware sales, Oct. 19 - Oct. 25: Time travel sugar rush edition

2009-11-02T23:04:00.001-08:00

Hey, guys! How was your Halloween? Good to hear! Well, we've been up eating candy for roughly two days straight now, and whoa man do we love Whoppers. The malted milk chocolates, not the burgers, which are okay, but that malted milk chocolate is the jam. Some dude came up to us yesterday, and he was like, "Hey! Stop eating so much candy! You're an adult!" You should've seen us, we just opened up a new carton of Whoppers -- they come in cartons, remember -- and just slammed them in like four Source: Houstonist RSS Feed

Engine Of The Day: Ford Kent [Engine Of The Day]

2009-11-02T17:39:00.003-08:00

We've already honored the Ford "Pinto" OHC engine here, but what about the pushrod four that served as the early Pinto's base engine?

Those of you on the other side of the Atlantic might note that the Kent was installed in plenty of beloved British Ford machinery, including the Anglia and Cortina. In fact, the Kent qualifies for our upcoming Longest-Lived Vehicle Engines Of All Freakin' Time feature, being manufactured from 1959 until the present day. Variations of the Kent (some withSource: Jalopnik RSS Feed

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 Up for Sale

2009-11-02T17:39:00.001-08:00

If you’re on the market for a “compact super zoom”, or a point & shoot camera that’s capable of 12x optical but is still small enough to fit in your pocket, you’re in luck. Digital Photography Review (DPReview), a site known for its detailed multi-page reviews of cameras, tested a bunch of compact super zooms a few months ago. Pitting the following cameras together:

Panasonic ZS1
Panasonic ZS3
Sony H20
Canon SX200
SamsungSource: The Gadget Blog RSS Feed

Microsoft not convinced by cloud gaming

2009-11-01T20:47:00.001-08:00

Microsoft believes cloud gaming services like OnLive or Gaikai will not be able to compete against local machines in the foreseeable future. Jerry Johnson, product unit manager of Xbox Live at Microsoft, said streaming technology is something that the industry is betting on longer term, but that it won't be able to replace the experience offered by a local machine anytime soon. ÂI think streaming technology is something that [the industry] is betting on longer term. Right now I donÂtSource: DV Hardware RSS Feed

New Sony Ericsson Rachael UI video hits, still looks nothing like Android

2009-11-01T20:46:00.000-08:00

Calling this Rachael UI an Android "skin" is like calling Windows 95 a "DOS skin," but that's not to say there's nothing to love about it. In fact, we're rather relieved that Sony Ericsson seems to be addressing Android's incredibly lackluster media playback interface, the SE "mediascape" version of which dominates this particular video -- a sequel to the first Rachael UI tease we got back in July. You know what else is great? The video title name drops the same lucious screen resolution as Source: Engadget RSS Feed

Daily Crunch: Down at the Station Edition

2009-10-31T23:23:00.003-07:00

Review: Sanyo Xacti CG10 compact HD camcorder
Advertisers get creative at Waterloo Station, create craziness with projectors
Heated slipper looks downright dangerous
Spooky Tesla Radio in a jar
Dear Valve, where is Episode 3?

Source: CrunchGear RSS Feed

Wintel 7 machines freeze out iPhone

2009-10-31T23:23:00.001-07:00

If you’re having trouble syncing your iPhone with a PC based on the Intel P55 chipset and running Windows 7, you’re not alone.

For the past six weeks, complaints from users running this trifecta of pain have been clogging a thread on Apple’s discussion board. The posts report that - in most cases - iTunes 9 for Windows will recognize the iPhone, but when a sync is attempted, users are greeted with a cryptic “error 0xE8000065″ - an iPhone-connection failure notification.

Source: iPhone News Updated RSS Feed

Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala

2009-10-30T20:25:00.002-07:00

Today is the official release of the latest version of Ubuntu, the most popular Linux-based operating system. Someone mentioned that there had been a new release of the Windows OS recently and if you’re thinking of going with that one, we feel you should a least give Ubuntu a try. Now in its 11th official release and codenamed Karmic Koala, this version of Ubuntu continues the traditional six month development cycle by succeeding Jaunty Jackalope which was released in April ofSource: Hack A Day RSS Feed

Apple TV 3.0 software update is out, with iTunes Extras, LP & Genius in tow

2009-10-30T20:25:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Set-top boxes

Looks like Apple's "hobby" is finally getting the iTunes Extra & LP features it was initially denied, as the Apple TV 3.0 software has just released, featuring a brand new main menu (above) plus genius Mixes and internet radio access. It took a reboot and a few tries for units around here to start seeing the new software was available, so feel free to give that "check for updates" button a workout, 'til then the official PR is after the break describing whatSource: Engadget HD RSS Feed

Halloween Ambiance: Borax Crystal Halloween Decorations

2009-10-29T20:23:00.003-07:00

The crystal spider emerging from its tank...

I was looking for unique and geeky decorations for my Halloween Party, and I’d already bought a box of Borax to make slime (I’ll also be making ectoplasm, I should note) so I did a quick internet search and discovered that, at least around Christmas, pipe cleaners and dissolved Borax make for some intriguing creations.

But what’s a snowflake got to do with Halloween? Er, nothing. So I did a little thinking and some tinkeringSource: Geeks are Sexy RSS Feed

First Look: Motorola’s Droid Is Memorable, But Won’t Make You Forget the iPhone

2009-10-29T20:23:00.001-07:00

Like it or not, Motorola’s new Google-powered Droid smartphone will be compared to the iPhone.

The good news is that this feature-rich handset, running version 2.0 of Google’s Android OS, compares very favorably to the Goliath of the smartphone world as a utility mobile-computing device — and, oh yeah, a phone.

The bad news is that there may be too many good things going on to make using this device the quick, intuitive, out-of-the-box experience it should be.Source: Wired RSS Feed

StatShot: Dollhouse is a Doozy on Twitter [NewTeeVee]

2009-10-27T21:45:00.003-07:00

Because the Gleeks have basically taken over Twitter with their musical Tweets, crushing the competition on the Most Twittered TV Shows list, the good folks at Trendrr decided mix things up this week. With Glee’s dominance out of the picture the remaining graph looks more interesting.

Dollhouse scored nicely with roughly 8,500 Twitter posts on Friday. That was probably because of all the Whedonistas crying about the fact that the show is going on hiatus in November. Dexter slashedSource: GigaOM Network RSS Feed

Epson WorkForce 610 Printer Review

2009-10-27T21:45:00.001-07:00

We’re a three laptop/one printer household. Our printer/scanner/copier is several years old now, and it still works well – except for one thing. It’s not wireless, and it’s stored in a cabinet with no desk space around it. Printing requires connecting the laptop to the usb cable, balancing the laptop in one arm while getting the print job started, and then hoping your print job isn’t a long one. I had given up on scanning – who wants hold a laptop long enough to scan anSource: TechBlogger RSS Feed

T.I.T. ENG to introduce its ID card printer ‘Pointman’ in the Middle East

2009-10-26T14:06:00.003-07:00

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AVING Special Report on ‘GITEX DUBAI 2009′) — T.I.T. ENG(www.pointman.co.kr) introduced its ID card printer ‘Pointman’ in the Middle East market during GITEX TECHNOLOGY WEEK 2009. Since its establishment in 1995, T.I.T. ENG has pioneered the MS/IC card reader and receipt printer modules for banking CD/ATM machines.

(Picture: ID card printer)

(Picture: bonus card system)

Original post by Grace Won

Source: TechBlogger RSS Feed

The Unavoidable Rules of the Internet

2009-10-26T14:06:00.001-07:00

Just like there are laws in meatspace (such as "nothing is certain except death and taxes") there are rules that govern interactions and events on the Internet. The Telegraph has a look at the 10 most prominent truisms on the Web that anyone who has ever spent anytime on a message board or forum will recognize -- if not by name, than as generally being true.
Some of the rules on the list are more well known than others, such as Godwin's Law, which originally pertained to UsenetSource: Switched RSS Feed

Does the New iMac Foretell the Next Apple TV?

2009-10-25T17:27:00.003-07:00

Apple’s brand new 27-inch iMacs come with an interesting feature: the ability to act as a display for connected devices via the built-in DisplayPort connection. This means that, with the proper adaptors, you can connect an array of home theatre devices to the iMac, including Blu-Ray players. The screen has also moved to the HDTV standard 16:9 ratio and it’s wall mountable. All of this makes me think one thing, my next HDTV may be an iMac.

The setup would be relativelySource: The Apple Blog RSS Feed

A look at how the Volkswagen Automotive Innovation Laboratory (VAIL) is changing the world

2009-10-25T17:27:00.001-07:00

Volkswagen is taking great strides in making the roads safer and remove the dangerous fun from driving by developing fully autonomous vehicles. I had a chance to talk to Dr. Burkhard Huhnke, director of the Volkswagen Electronics Research Laboratory (ERL) about the future of the Volkswagen Automotive Innovation Laboratory (VAIL) at Stanford University and how the technology developed there is being integrated into Volkswagen Group vehicles. You may be able to buy a real-life K.I.T.TSource: CrunchGear RSS Feed

OnStar Vehicle Slowdown Catches First Perp

2009-10-23T13:44:00.003-07:00

Filed under: Car Tech

With the advent of cheap cell phones, in-car valet systems like OnStar slowly started to fade away. OnStar is one of the few that has survived, thanks to its partnership with GM and the addition of features unreproducible by cell phones (e.g., remote unlocking and vehicle tracking). One of those features is an anti-theft system called Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. The system, which sends a signal to the car's powertrain to reduce power and gradually slow the carSource: Switched RSS Feed

Chuck Klosterman’s Fargo Rock City to be Adapted by Letterman Writer and Singer of The Hold Steady

2009-10-23T13:44:00.001-07:00

If there’s a writer who is perfect to make more out of a music and Midwest memoir than the original text offers, it might be Craig Finn, singer and lyricist for The Hold Steady. Finn and longtime The Late Show with David Letterman writer Tom Ruprecht have picked up the rights to Fargo Rock City, the coming of age chronicle by music-geek author Chuck Klosterman.

The novel doesn’t actually take place in Fargo, and it’s not about a band. Instead, it is a chronicle of Klosterman’sSource: SlashFilm RSS Feed

Karen Ocamb: 'Hollywood gays: Maine's marriage battle has national consequences'

2009-10-22T17:45:00.003-07:00

Cross-posted from LGBTPOV.COM.

Oscar-winning producer Bruce Cohen and political consultant Chad Griffin, self-described "partners in something," hosted a fundraiser for the No on 1/Protect Maine Equality campaign Tuesday night at the Hollywood Hills home shared by Cohen and his husband Gabe Catone.

Cohen pointed out that exactly one year ago, he, Griffin and a number of others were "knee-deep" in putting on a huge fundraiser at the home of Ron Burkle to fight Prop 8.Source: Pam's House Blend RSS Feed

Apple Release New Magic Mouse, iMacs, MacBooks and Mac Mini’s

2009-10-22T17:45:00.001-07:00

As im sure most people are aware, Apple released new products yesterday and here at Crenk I wanted to just quickly run through them. RAck. rack rack

Magic Mouse

Here it is: the new Magic Mouse, a single button mouse (with a software-controlled right click option) and a touch sensitive top surface that allows you to touch the mouse to pinch, scroll, and drag, just like a trackpad. The mouse uses two AA batteries and lasts 4 months on one change.

It costsSource: Crenk.com RSS Feed

Participate In The Real Iron Fist Tournament!

2009-10-21T15:30:00.003-07:00

Think your Tekken skills are up to snuff? Well, prove it, big man! Namco Bandai has teamed up with GGL Global Gaming to host a national online tournament for Tekken 6. From now until November 29, you can sign up on GGL's official tournament site to put yourself in the running for a share of $10 grand, collectibles, and naturally, bragging rights. But that's not all! The top four online tournament fighters will qualify for an all-expenses paid trip to San Fransisco where they'll battleSource: GayGamer.net RSS Feed

Cisco Data Shows Heavy Broadband Users Are Early Adopters, Not Hogs [GigaOM]

2009-10-21T15:30:00.001-07:00

Global Internet Average Daily Traffic (Q3 CY 2009) (Click to get a bigger graphic)

Global Internet Average Daily Traffic (Q3 CY 2009) (Click to get a bigger graphic)
Households worldwide consume 11.4 GB of data per month over their residential broadband connections, with most of that traffic occurring during the peak hours of 9 p.m. through 1 a.m. in local time zones, Cisco discovered in data it put out today tracking web traffic over the third quarter of the year. The data also Source: GigaOM Network RSS Feed

Don’t Let Social Media Malware Slow You Down

2009-10-20T13:10:00.003-07:00

Several weeks ago, I got a message from a Facebook friend suggesting I check out a link she had forwarded. As my index finger hovered above the anchor text, deep down inside something went, “Not so fast.” I opted out of the click-through and, as it turns out, I made the right choice. A few hours later, I received a desperate and dramatic email message from my friend saying, “I’ve been corrupted!” Hackers had gotten a hold of her Facebook password and were passing themselves off as Source: Web Worker Daily RSS Feed

Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 to be company’s first Android smartphone?

2009-10-20T13:10:00.001-07:00

It seems we could have been calling Sony Ericsson’s first Android smartphone by the wrong name, at least according to a Tweakers forum member. That individual, who claims to have not only talked to Sony Ericsson staff about the device but to have played with a prototype, says that rather than the XPERIA X3, the handset will most likely be branded as the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10. They’ve also let slip some details about a possible launch window.

Unfortunately, that launch windowSource: SlashGear RSS Feed

Lenovo IdeaPad S12 gets ION powerup on October 22 in Japan

2009-10-19T23:33:00.002-07:00

At this point, we're not really sure which date has been discussed more in the history of humanity -- the Mayan doomsday prediction or Microsoft's October 22, 2009 launch of Windows 7. Lenovo's S12 was originally supposed to be the first ION-sporting netbook on the scene, but the Chinese company opted to hold back the NVIDIA infusion till Windows 7 showed up, and has been shipping a version of the 12-inch IdeaPad with only standard netbook specs so far. Well, come this Thursday it's out withSource: Engadget RSS Feed

PCH, LeMons Cars For The Street Edition: Cadillac Fleetwood or Volvo Wagon? [Project Car Hell]

2009-10-19T23:33:00.001-07:00

Welcome to Project Car Hell, where you choose your eternity by selecting the project that's the coolest... and the most hellish! Wearing a helmet in your daily driver is cool. Really!

Yeah, once a car gets a full roll cage and fixed racing seat it becomes slightly less comfortable as a commuter car, but you'll get used to it. The Faster Farms Chickens' 1966 Belvedere takes one team member to work and back every day, five-point harness, no side glass, the works. His friends and family Source: Jalopnik RSS Feed

Facebook 3.1 With Notifications Should Soon Highlight The iPhone Push Problem

2009-10-19T17:39:00.002-07:00

Sometime soon, Facebook 3.03 for the iPhone will be available in the App Store. It should be a small update with some bug fixes. The bigger news is what will be coming soon after it: Facebook 3.1 for the iPhone, complete with Push Notifications.

While we’ve long suspected that this would be a feature in the next major iteration, developer Joe Hewitt confirmed it tonight on Twitter. And that feature will make what is already one of the best iPhone apps out there, even better. TheSource: TechCrunch.com RSS Feed

Motorola Droid hands on!

2009-10-19T17:39:00.001-07:00

We absolutely nailed this puppy to the wall over and over and over again, so it’s only fitting we’d be doing the first actual unveiling, right? We’re not going to get too in-depth though, that will come at a later time. Here are some brief thoughts before the photos:

It’s running Android 2.0. Duh.
It’s thin. Just slightly thicker than an iPhone 3GS and the thinnest QWERTY-slider we’ve ever seen.
It is the fastest Android device we’ve ever used.Source: The Boy Genius Report RSS Feed

Droid Does: Verizon Launches Anti-iPhone Ad for Motorola Droid [Video]

2009-10-18T15:00:00.002-07:00

The iPhone will soon see a fresh challenge with the imminent launch of the Motorola Droid, and Verizon is set to market the phone with a series of anti-iPhone attack ads titled “Droid Does“.

The first ad rolled out tonight, directly picking on the iPhone’s most commonly-cited shortfalls: lack of a flash, no replaceable battery, lack of a physical keyboard and more. The counter on the DroidDoes site appears to count down to October 30th, according to BGR, meaning the iPhoneSource: Mashable RSS Feed

Your Email Provider Indicates Your Credit Score – Yahoo Users Have The Worst Credit

2009-10-18T15:00:00.001-07:00

What email provider do you use? The classic Hotmail? Perhaps the rising Gmail? Or maybe you just Yahoo because you find it ironic. Whatever you use, here is a terrifying thought: there is a decided connection between what email provider you use, and what your credit score is.

Don’t believe me? A survey was taken with 20,000 credit scores, and the score and the email providers were linked, and it became clear: the word after the @ in your email address tells more about you, than youSource: The Next Web RSS Feed

Tremendous fireball over the Netherlands

2009-10-17T17:12:00.001-07:00

A couple of days ago, the Netherlands and Germany were treated to a spectacular fireball, a very bright meteor burning up over their skies. Photographer Robert Mikaelyan was at the right place at the right time and got tremendous photos of the bolide:

Wow! Click through to see the series; you can see the meteoroid breaking up as it slams through our air. Robert took beautiful shots, especially given that he couldn’t have had more than a few seconds to get them; things like thisSource: Bad Astronomy Blog RSS Feed

Review: MapQuest Navigator for iPhone

2009-10-17T17:11:00.000-07:00

Last week, I took a look at MotionX GPS Drive. The hits just keep coming, and this week a big player stepped into the ring. MapQuest comes to us with a new off-board (maps are loaded over the Internet on the fly) navigation app which they have kindly allowed me to test drive.

With the iPhone Navigation market getting quickly populated, I was curious to know how a big player like MapQuest would do in this space, especially given their long experience in mapping and routeSource: Gear Diary RSS Feed

Activision: Guitar Hero 5 launch 'probably' franchise's best, DLC sales getting 'interesting' [update]

2009-10-15T16:37:00.003-07:00

If you want to know anything about Guitar Hero, you talk to Dan Rosensweig, CEO of Activision's Guitar Hero division. (Yeah, it has its own division.) Speaking to GI.biz, Rosensweig offered -- rather candidly, we might add -- some insight into the performance of Activision's latest, Guitar Hero 5, and its DLC.
While one might assume that a series' strength starts to wane once it gets around to having the number "5" in its title, that's apparently not the case for Guitar Hero.Source: PS3 Fanboy RSS Feed

Google SketchUp Plus Energy Data = Open Source Green Building (Cool!) [Earth2Tech]

2009-10-15T16:37:00.001-07:00

Green building geeks now have a more powerful tool for developing next-gen building designs with minimal environmental impact. Software engineers at the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory launched this week an update of their plug-in for SketchUp, Google’s open-source 3D building modeling tool. With a growing list of features, the latest version of the free OpenStudio plug-in, will enable architects to create more detailed simulations of their designs’ energySource: GigaOM Network RSS Feed

WhitePages Now Lets You Control Your Own Listings

2009-10-14T12:07:00.003-07:00

When was the last time you actually looked in the phone book to find someone’s number? For anyone under 40, the Web has already replaced the phone book with people search. But the listings are not always complete or up to date. One of the largest people directories online, WhitePages, is adding consumer-editing capabilities to make its people database more accurate.

You can now edit your entry, and control to some extent the information that is shown on the site. For instance, youSource: TechCrunch.com RSS Feed

Ping! app updated to 1.0.1, fixes bugs

2009-10-14T12:07:00.001-07:00

Ping!, the iPhone-to-iPhone messaging app, has just been updated to version 1.0.1, and with the update comes a bunch of bug fixes. Here’s a little of what’s changed:

You can now unregister your Ping! ID
Landscape keyboard fixed so you can now send updates from that view
Duplicate messages will no longer be received
Notification settings icon fixed
There’s now an in-app invitation email

Ping! certainly isn’t the prettiest appSource: Gear Live RSS Feed

PSP minis developer surprised by cost of ESRB ratings [Update]

2009-10-13T20:24:00.003-07:00

Here's one reason why PSP minis are more expensive than their iPhone counterparts: the ESRB. Sony doesn't enforce any control over the pricing of minis, but they do mandate getting approval from the ESRB ratings board. That, apparently, has been a significant hidden cost some developers didn't expect. "You have to invest some money into dev kits and into getting ratings for your game. The costs of ratings such us ESRB is significantly more then we had realized," Fieldrunners developer SergeiSource: PS3 Fanboy RSS Feed

JESS: Dixit is the JdA 2009

2009-10-13T20:24:00.001-07:00

The Spanish Game of the Year, the JdA (Juego del Año) award, has been announced in the 4th International Game Festival in Córdoba. The winner is Dixit by Jean-Louis Roubira, illustrated by Marie Cardouat and published by Morapiaf in Spain.

More info (in Spanish) in the official web of the JdA award.

¡Nos jugamos!

Source: Boardgame News RSS Feed

XShot Finds a Gadget Sweet Spot [WebWorkerDaily]

2009-10-12T20:53:00.002-07:00

I’m all about gadgets and doodads that have specific functions, are easy to use, and actually help me do something better. I’ve been seeing one gadget in particular at tech conferences lately that really caught my eye.

The telescopic XShot camera extender ($29.95) is a simple but “wow” device that allows you to mount your digital camera and then extend it away from you so you can include yourself in the pictures. At conferences, however, the clever device is being used bySource: GigaOM Network RSS Feed

Hands-on: 1TB Seagate FreeAgent Go Portable Drive

2009-10-12T20:53:00.001-07:00

The Seagate FreeAgent Go is a 1TB, USB-powered hard drive that works. What more do you wanna know?

I just got the 1TB FreeAgent Go Portable Drive from Seagate and I’m impressed. First off, it’s not that large. I mean, it’s sort-of bulky compared to Seagate’s smaller FreeAgent Go drives, but it’s manageable. The drive is just a tad less-thick than the width of a SD card. It has a good amount of weight too it and feels solidly constructed. I like it.

The extra bulk comesSource: CrunchGear RSS Feed

T-Mobile Project Black (Project Dark) Unveiled? [Project Dark A T-Mobile $50 ‘Everything Unlimited’ Plan?]

2009-10-10T17:29:00.001-07:00

Only yesterday we offered you a heads up concerning T-Mobile’s Project Black which, it now transpires, is actually known as Project Dark by company insiders, and today it would seem that details are now shaping up as to what exactly T-Mobile’s Project Dark actually is should a purported leak from within T-Mobile transpire to prove reliable.
(more…)

See: T-Mobile Project Black (Project Dark) Unveiled? [Project Dark A T-Mobile $50 ‘Everything Unlimited’ Plan?]

Source: Nexus404 RSS Feed

South African wildlife - White rhinoceros [Not Exactly Rocket Science]

2009-10-10T17:28:00.000-07:00

The white rhinoceros - the planet's second largest land mammal. Even though it's the most common of the five existing speceis of rhino, there are still just over 17,000 left in the wild. For comparison, more than five times as many humans pack into Wembley Arena when there's a match on. With that in mind, we felt lucky and priveleged to see these magnificent animals, not just once but on four separate occasions.

These photos come from the clearest daylight sighting (most were ofSource: Thoughts from Kansas RSS Feed

PSP plus second stick, camera, 32 gigs

2009-10-07T19:47:00.003-07:00

[JoblessPunk] recently finished his what-a-psp-should-be mod. He’s internalized a camera and added a switch in the body to toggle between using the camera or using the USB port. There’s an additional analog stick, and added charging functionality via the USB port. He’s also packed in an additional 32 GB of flash memory. The device is of course running custom firmware which facilitates the ubiquitous flock of emulators and homebrew apps.

We agree that the originalSource: Hack A Day RSS Feed

We're looking for two spies

2009-10-07T19:47:00.001-07:00

Here's the idea. We get one person inside the Borg, and one person inside the Googleplex, and they post items about what's going on at their shops. Who's in, who's out, who needs to work on their personal hygiene. You don't need to be "Fake Ballmer" or "Fake Schmidt" or fake anyone. You can just be a regular little worker bee with lots of opinions about how things should be done. Sense of humor and a taste for adventure are a plus. Send email and a sample of your work.

Source: The Secret Diary of Steve Jobs RSS Feed

Xbox 360 Fancast 137 -- Two Tix to Tokyo

2009-10-06T20:26:00.003-07:00

Filed under: Podcasts

With Richard and Xav both returning from far off lands, this episode spirals into an out-of-control frenzy of giggles and inappropriate behavior. Basically, it's the same thing you've come to love and expect. This week we hear all about the Tokyo Game Show, video game violence and who does and does not deserve to get punched.
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3).
[Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in Zune Marketplace Source: Xbox 360 Fanboy RSS Feed

Video: NTT DoCoMo's Touch Wood concepts show their grains at CEATEC

2009-10-06T20:26:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Handsets, NTT DoCoMo

We'll spare you the obvious cheap jokes, but grabbing hold of NTT DoCoMo's Touch Wood concepts at CEATEC was a true, honest-to-goodness pleasure. Engineered in cooperation with Sharp and Olympus, the kidney bean-esque touchscreen phone was accompanied by a TV tuning smartphone with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. Both units were in the early prototype stage, with the bean shaped fellow being a mere mock-up that failed to do anything when pressed. TheSource: Engadget Mobile RSS Feed

Google intros “sponsored mail with enhanced content” in Gmail

2009-10-05T21:30:00.003-07:00

Section: Communications, Email / IM, Web, Google

A new feature arrived in Gmail over the weekend, and despite a pretty banal sounding name, it does seem interesting. Anyway, officially the feature is called “Sponsored mail with enhanced content” which sounds really official and sort of like something that will end up giving us more ads to stare at try and ignore.

Thankfully this is not going to be bringing more ads for everyone. It adds an “interactive gadget” whichSource: Gadgetell RSS Feed

Rugged, Waterproof Hard Drive Keeps Your Secrets Safe

2009-10-05T21:30:00.001-07:00

How do you like the sound of 640GB of take-anywhere, kick-anywhere, dunkable hard drive? Then you’ll be pleased to learn about the A-Data SH93, an external drive with a rubber body and wraparound USB cord that van be left underwater for a half hour with no ill effects.

Why on earth do you need an underwater hard drive? Well, of course you don’t, until you have found a waterproof computer to go with it, but if your extreme computing adventures are anything like mine you are narrowlySource: Wired RSS Feed

webOS 1.2.1 Brings Back iTunes Syncing to the Pre

2009-10-03T15:55:00.003-07:00

Found under: webOS, Firmware, Palm, Pre, ,

If you own a Palm Pre youre already familiar with the Palm vs Apple conflict when it comes to iTunes usage. Every once in a while iTunes syncing stops working on the Pre but Palm always finds a solution to bring that functionality back to its flagship phone. After webOS 1.2 we have a new firmware update already. Version 1.2.1 will offer you iTunes syncing which means youll be able to enjoy your iTunes songs at least until Apple bringSource: MobileTopSoft news board RSS Feed

Computer Makers Aim to Banish Boot-Up Blues

2009-10-03T15:55:00.001-07:00

In the time it takes your computer to boot up, you can probably make some toast or a cup of tea before the thing is ready to use. In the near future, you might only have enough time to take a sip of that tea or check your watch.

Mindful of how frustrating the wait is, makers of PCs’ basic input/output systems (BIOS) are working on bringing instant-on computing closer to reality with promises of significantly faster boot time.

“People want PCs to be like their Source: Gadget Lab RSS Feed