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2400. Mini Weapons – Miniature Bazooka and Samurai Weapons

I’ve said it before and I’ll probably say it again: Girls love miniature things. However, this is one mini set I’d stay away from when picking out something for your sweetie, unless your sweetie is me, cause I think these are great! Mini Bazooka If you love weapons and Halo 3 just isn’t enough of a fix for you, you might stop buy ThinkGeek and pick up one or both of these miniature weapons sets. The bazooka sets are a 1/6th scale replicas of a Panzer Faust3, RPG-7, FIM-43, M20A1, and SA-18. Each set ($8.99) only lets you pick out two, so you may end up with doubles of one when you buy the complete series. Each bazooka comes with its own stand for maximum display-ability. Mini Samurai Swords Maybe bazookas aren’t your thing, though. Maybe you’re more of an ancient samurai type of guy/girl. If so, worry not, there is also set for you. The samurai set include 15 different real metal weapons and battery powered lanterns. Each one is about 5’’ high which makes them the perfect size for arming your work area. These sets retail for just 7.99. Mini Bazooka Weapons [via Coolest Gadgets] Relevant Entries on SlashGear


Copyright © 2006-2007 SlashGear

2397. Alcohol and Art – A New Kind of AA

Sometimes when given choices like going to the museum and see some fine art or drinking beer and watching the game, we choose the less classy road. It may not be because we don’t want to walk around looking at things and struggling to understand them or it might be that we just want to imbibe some alcohol. If the latter is more your style then you’re in luck, there is a way to get the best of both worlds. wine wall Artist Hannes Broecker has created the ultimate masterpieces for the drunk within us all. His ‘interactive’ artwork, found in Dresden, Germany, will inebriate and stimulate you. The wall-mounted containers are each filled with a different alcoholic concoction and ready to fill your glass as you pass. With service like that, these pieces are definitely worth a second look. I hope this is a traveling show because I know of more than a few people who’d go see this with me. The only thing left to wonder about is: do they charge to sample the artwork, how many times can we ‘view’ each piece and what happens when the containers are empty? Wall Art That Will Get You Drunk: A True Masterpiece [via Gizmodo] Relevant Entries on SlashGear


Copyright © 2006-2007 SlashGear

977. Philips Aurea HDTV LCD At IFA 2007

Philips is to redefine the home entertainment experience with the launch at IFA 2007 as the centerpiece of Philips’ 2007 consumer electronics lineup, a totally unique television – Aurea. The Aurea experience is like stepping through a window into a different world, as scenes radiate an aura of light and color beyond the frame. The result [...]

1657. Forget comfort: geeks can sit, lounge, and lie on this DIY Tetris furniture

For those more into geek culture than comfort, these Tetris-inspired combination furniture could be perfect. By fitting the pieces together in different ways, you...  

1697. Venture capitalist: We need to prepare for artificial intelligence

Q: What do people most misunderstand about the idea of singularity? A: I don't think they understand how radically different the world will be in 30 or 40 years, and there are choices that we need to make today to shape the future. - Peter Thiel, ...

1850. Company Demos Personal Aircraft, Future Jetpack

coondoggie writes "Earlier this week researchers with the company ESG Elektroniksystem in Germany demonstrated a form of 'strap-on jet wing' that lets a user truly fly through the air. The system, called Gryphon, consists of a six-foot wing and hand-held rotary controls for the rudder. The pilot has several different instruments available to him, including onboard oxygen and helmet that features a heads-up display. 'Researchers say the final version of the flying wing will contain an electronic system that will take care of some of the steering for the pilot which today can be a little tricky, researchers say. The company also plans to add small jets to the wing making it a true jetpack in the future.'"Read more of this story at Slashdot.

1857. How To Configure Real PC Parental Controls?

Orange Crush writes "As the resident computer geek in an office full of accountants, my boss recently asked me how she could reasonably keep her teenage son from using the family computer to 'access inappropriate sites.' I of course responded 'Give up now. There's nothing in this world that can keep a determined teenager from acquiring porn.' Sadly, she was dissatisfied with this answer. I mentioned that there was in fact software available for this purpose, but that all of it was trivially easy to bypass for a clever young mind. I really can't think of another answer. She could password protect the BIOS to prevent booting a different OS, but that's easily defeated with a screwdriver at most. The only solutions I can think of involve upstream firewalls/proxies/etc to which I gleefully redirected her to her ISPs tech support number. As much as I disagree with her reasoning — and ignoring the obvious 'go to a friend's house' loophole — is there really any other way (on a home budget) to netnanny a household computer?"Read more of this story at Slashdot.

1903. Learn English with Snoopy and Charlie Brown on new Nintendo DS game

snoopyds.jpg Everyone's favourite dog, Snoopy, is dog-paddling his way to the DS shortly, in a game that promises to teach users English. Yes, a dog teaching you English. Well, at least it's not hamsters! English Lessons With Snoopy allowes gamers to use the stylus to touch all items in a scene, and view the English spelling and pronunciation, triggering animated actions within the scene. Snoopy's joined by Charlie Brown and the rest of the gang, who can help you through English-training minigames, slide puzzles and even a Charlie Brown dress-up game. So that'll be several different zig-zag shirts then?...  

1976. Yahoo Invites Us Into Mash, Its New Social Network (Mark Hendrickson/TechCrunch)

Yahoo Invites Us Into Mash, Its New Social Network  —  A little more than two months after we first reported rumors about Yahoo's new social network Mosh, the company has given us a preview of a social network with a slightly different name: Mash.  —  The service includes features common to Facebook, MySpace, and My Yahoo. Source:   TechCrunch
Author:   Mark Hendrickson
Link:   http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/09/14/yahoo-invites-us… Techmeme permalink

2074. A molecular map for aging in mice

Researchers at the National Institute of Aging and Stanford University have used gene arrays to identify genes whose activity changes with age in 16 different mouse tissues. The study describes how aging affects different tissues in mice, and ult...

2104. Ancient Retroviruses Spurred Evolution Of Gene Regulatory Networks In Humans And Other Primates

By analyzing and comparing genetic data from different species, a research team led by University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) scientists estimated that certain endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) entered the genome about 40 million years ago, and spr...

2178. Wearing a Computer at Work

Roland Piquepaille writes "The European Union has funded an ambitious project related to wearable technology. The project, named WearIT@work, will end in one year and invested funds are expected to exceed 23 million euros. The goal is to replace traditional interfaces, such as screen, keyboard or computer unit, by speech control or gesture control without modifying the applications. This wearable system is currently being tested in four different fields including aircraft maintenance, emergency response, car production and healthcare."Read more of this story at Slashdot.

2283. Super Geek Modified Gaggia Espresso Machine

Nash Lincoln Mods a Gaggia Expresso Machine adding an LCD with buttons and programming an OS for the machine. It can keep the coffee a specific temperature and can even store different brew temperatures for your various favorite beans.

2352. Ricavision kicks out VAVE100 universal MCE / SideShow remote

Filed under: ,
Following up on the RICA 100 that Ricavision unveiled in May is the VAVE100, which doesn't deviate too far from its past siblings in the design department, but does offer up a 2.4-inch QVGA LCD, a shiny green MCE button and SideShow functionality. As we'd expect, this thing is a Class 1 (~50 meters promised) Bluetooth device with A2DP support, and it comes with its own docking station, a BT transceiver and a power charger. The remote enables users to control over 20 different components from up to 50-feet away via IR, and the buttons are backlit to keep you from fumbling around in the dark while trying to switch tracks. Unfortunately, you won't be using one of these to control your new gear (you are asking for new gear this year, right?) until next February, but you will save $25 by pre-ordering now for $274.

[Thanks, Ronald] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2364. Apple patents 8cm to 12cm disk adapters

Filed under:
We're not sure this is still relevant -- the patent was filed in May of 2006 -- but the USPTO has just published a patent application from Apple detailing a number of different 8cm to 12cm optical disk adapters. The application, credited to Tony Fadell, chief of the iPod division, says that since most software doesn't take up all of the available storage on a disk, it would be cheaper and simpler to use the 8cm disks when appropriate -- but that having to ship a standard adapter for slot-loading drives reduce any costs, because they're the same size as 12cm disks. The solution is to make the adapters smaller when they're not in use, and the filing goes on to detail several different folding and multi-part takes on the idea. Considering that such an adapter would make things slightly more complicated for the vast majority of Apple's all-slot-loading installed base, we can't see these ever actually shipping, but it's still an interesting idea. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2438. Q-Jays Dual Micro Earphones Reviewed

So, the people over at Pocket-Lint (across the pond), got their hands on a pair of Q-Jay’s noise canceling earphones and reviewed them. They seem to like them, but not so much their price or the cabling. What they liked was all the extras, and of course the sound quality. When you open the package, there are the earphones, with different sized in-ear attachments, which should make finding the proper fitting one for you a lot easier. There were also two extension cords, one with and angled plug, the other a straight plug, lastly there was a leather pouch that you could stow your earphones in. They like the sound quality, apparently a lot as they gave the earphones 8 out of 10. They said that you had to turn the volume up a bit before they started cranking out their best. As I said, the main things they didn’t like were the flimsy cable which seemed prone to breaking, although it might not be, and the price, at £129.99 or close to $260, I can see why. Q-Jays Dual Micro Earphones Review [via pocket-lint] Relevant Entries on SlashGear


Copyright © 2006-2007 SlashGear

2450. Linutop v1.2: low-power Linux desktop Revisited

Tech reviews are very much a snapshot process, making a decision after a relatively short period of time and of a single incarnation of the product. Useful, yes, but not an exact facsimile of living with something day in, day out that you’ve bought yourself. If you’re lucky - and assuming that no manufacturer ever pushes out a product so perfect there are no possible improvements - you get a company that’s constantly tweaking and augmenting; if you’re really lucky, you get an opportunity to revisit their product and ring the changes. Back in May I spent some time with Linutop’s fanless, Xubuntu-based micro-PC, framing my review from the perspective of a Linux-naive home user, to see if the compact device would make a decent alternative to a low-end Windows PC. At the time I criticised how tricky, for a fledgling user, it was to add functionality beyond what was preinstalled; since then, Linutop have released v1.2 of their software package, and asked if we’d like to check out the changes. Linutop Linux-based compact PC The hardware is unaltered from when I last reviewed the Linutop, so you still get an all-aluminium case measuring 3.66 x 1.06 x 5.9-inches and weighing just 9.9oz (280g), containing an AMD Geode LX700 processor, non-upgradable 256MB of RAM, 4 USB 2.0 ports, VGA-out, 10/100 ethernet and audio in/out. Aside from the RAM, there’s no internal memory; instead, Linutop provide a 1GB USB memory stick containing the modified Xubuntu OS, preinstalled software and room for your own files. What’s been fettled, then, is the software: Linutop quote boot time has been halved, improved media playback including digital TV capabilities added (via online stream or a hardware DVB-T dongle), PXE boot (simply add a single line to the startup config file to boot from the network) and more. Linutop connectivity If you’ve read my original reviewthen you’ll know that boot time was a significant issue for the Linutop: it took around two minutes, and there were no ’sleep’ or ’standby’ options to avoid that. Thankfully whatever OS changes have been made have almost halved that; v1.2 takes around 1m6s from plugging in the power (there’s no switch, you have to yank the power cord) to the desktop being ready to use. Not exactly instant-on, but far more comparable to the sort of low-end systems users may be used to. You’re still presented with the settings screen, but now there’s more choice in display resolution, including catering for widescreen displays, and this time changing resolution and keyboard layout (then restarting) worked as it should. Similarly, running multiple programmes or switching between settings is quicker and seems to stall the CPU far less than when I tried it last. There’s a pause loading programmes, yes, but only a minor one and well within expectations. Linutop software Firefox, the Gaim instant-messenger and AbiWord word processor are still preinstalled, but they’re joined by the VLC media player which can handle just about any media format thrown at it. Video can be played full-screen, another improvement in v1.2, and you’re able to stream video and audio files from external storage, Web TV or shared Windows folders across the network. The Linutop is also compatible with Skype, although - I’m told for reasons of keeping down size - it’s not preinstalled; you need to download the installation script from the Linutop Wiki yourself. Straightforward, yes, but you’ll only know about it if you visit the Linutop blog. There’s a useful readme file stored on the USB key that outlines DVB-T use, network boot, system recovery and more, but again no link to it - it really needs to show up on the desktop, or even better automatically open when you boot the Linutop for the first time. Without it, you’d easily be at a loss as to how to access the digital TV functionality, which would be a shame because it works relatively well despite the system’s Spartan specs. There’s no dedicated software; just plug in the USB tuner (Linutop supplied me with a Hauppauge WinTV Nova-T, complete with tiny aerial) and type ’scandvbt’ in a Terminal window. You need to tell it your country and then, confusingly, identify your nearest regional broadcast tower (for which I had to look online), but after that it automatically scans the available channels and loads them as a playlist into VLC. You can then reorder and delete them, but you have to remember to save the playlist before exiting as the software won’t do it automatically. Linutop DVB-T digital TV Like all TV tuners, your mileage will vary more with signal quality than anything else; needless to say, when supplied with a reasonable signal (through an installed aerial rather than the portable one included) the Linutop managed both window and full-screen playback with no problems. One issue with the lack of dedicated software is the absence of a signal-strength gauge; there’s no way of telling whether moving the portable aerial around would have a beneficial effect on image quality. I tried using a Freecom USB tuner but the Linutop would not recognise it; there is a scant list of compatible hardware on the project Wiki. With VGA-out the only way of connecting a display, you’re limited if you want to hook the Linutop up to a TV or other large display. It’s a shame, because it would make a compact and functional alternative to a normal DVB set-top box. When I asked Linutop about this, they pointed out that most flat-panel displays have VGA among their connections and as such they’ve no plans to add S-Video or similar. However, I was told that HDMI “could be interesting” as a future development. There has also been some interest in the PVR community as to using it as a MythTV frontend, although consensus is that the hardware would only support standard rather than high-definition media. There’s no option to record DVB-T TV directly on the Linutop. Of course, the home market is only one area Linutop are aiming at; the silent, low-power (no more than 5-6W) device is ideal for digital signage and presentations. There are new options for looped webpages, photo presentations and Flash, and you can set these to automatically run on boot so as to minimise user involvement. Linutop - supplied with Firefox browser Documentation remains a thorny issue; the Linutop Wiki remains the first signposted port of call, but it lacks the sort of “new user” information so necessary when dealing with an unfamiliar OS. The same NAS problem I experienced in May remains - searching the Wiki results in no guidance, the readme file details accessing Windows shares on other PCs but didn’t work for my LaCie NAS, the Xfce desktop environment support didn’t help and I was again left to the mercy of Googling for answers. Is it too much to ask for a simple “type in your username & password” script to make common setup issues like these straightforward? My request from last time still stands: a few bookmarks to basic Linux tutorials would go a long way in rescuing new users. Linutop tell me that they’re in the process of re-examining their Linux documentation to better cater for those new to the platform, but that they also prize the fact that the OS implemented is “standard” so as not to require changes from more adept users familiar with Xubuntu. Linutop Despite all that, the upgrade to v1.2 is a significant one, and it certainly broadens the Linutop’s scope as a home PC. It’s interesting to look at the state of competition; in my initial review I compared the Linutop to a cheaper Dell Dimension desktop which far exceeded the former’s specs (albeit consuming many times the power even when idle), and the past few months have seen ASUS release it’s Linux-based Eee laptop. Although ostensibly aimed at significantly different markets, the Linutop and the Eee could both be viewed as basic home computers and here the Eee laptop (priced from $299) could edge ahead with what’s supposedly a particularly user-friendly GUI and battery-of course its battery-powered portability. When I put this to Linutop they confirmed that their target is more professional than home, and it’s true that in school, library and business settings the Linutop undoubtedly makes more sense than the Eee. It’s smaller and likely more robust, consumes less power and - most importantly - has access to the UBUNTU software library. Would I still recommend the Linutop for a home user? Again, it’s a qualified yes. Just as some are buying an ASUS Eee as a second machine for when their kids are wanting to go online but the main PC is occupied, the Linutop makes for a great, low-maintenance system that, out of the box, can quickly get up and running. It’s also a decent Linux learning platform, with the backup that most mistakes can be erased with a simple restore of the USB stick (which you can do from an optional boot menu on restart). For a home looking for their first computer, I’d still lean toward a full, traditional PC, if only for the flexibility it brings, but anyone else - particularly business or library/public service users - should certainly consider Linutop’s offering. Thanks to Linutop for the loan of the unit; it’s available now for €280, while the v1.2 OS can be downloaded from the site by existing owners. Rating:

    3.5 out of 5 stars

Relevant Entries on SlashGear
Copyright © 2006-2007 SlashGear

2468. The next evolution of labels (Robby Stein/Official Gmail Blog)

The next evolution of labels  —  Back in the Paleolithic Era, the world was a very different kind of place.  People were hunter-gatherers, lived in caves, and kept all their email in folders*.  You can't really blame them.  Between tracking woolly mammoths, fashioning crude stone tools … Source:   Official Gmail Blog
Author:   Robby Stein
Link:   http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2007/12/next-evolution… Techmeme permalink

2508. Venturer launches 'affordable' high definition HD DVD player

Venturer has launched the SHD7001, described as the 'affordable' HD DVD player, although no price for the player is currently available, perhaps because the price of said players is falling so rapidly, the landscape might be very different when it hits the shelves in late December.  

2585. Chinese Moon Photo Doctored, Crater Moved

mytrip writes "A controversy over last week's photo of the lunar surface, allegedly from China's lunar spacecraft Chang'e, appears to be resolved. It's real but it isn't. An expert says the photo's resolution shows that it is of recent origin. However, for some inexplicable reason, someone on Earth edited the photo and moved a crater to a different location. 'In the week since the picture was released amid much fanfare in Beijing, there have been widespread rumors that the photo was a fake, copied from an old picture collected by a U.S. space probe. The photo from China's Chang'e 1 orbiter is clearly a higher-resolution view, with sunlight streaming from the northwest rather than the north. The mission's chief scientist, Ouyang Ziyuan, told the Beijing News that a new crater had been spotted on the Chang'e imagery — a crater that didn't appear on the US imagery. Lakdawalla determined that the crater in question wasn't exactly new — instead, it appeared to be a crater that had been moved from one spot on the picture to another spot slightly south.'"Read more of this story at Slashdot.

2590. Space Shifting DVDs to Cost Extra?

Depending on who you listen to Steve Jobs has supposedly been pitching the idea of selling "premium" DVDs that would include an extra fee for the privilege of transferring your legally-purchased DVD to a different device. "The courts have held that "space-shifting" your CDs to a portable music device is a fair use. So you can legally import your CD collection to your iPod, or any other device, without paying a penny. But Steve Jobs apparently wants to charge you $4 for the privilege of doing the same with your DVDs."Read more of this story at Slashdot.

2602. A Molecular Map of Aging

Researchers at Stanford University and the National Institute on Aging have generated a database that catalogues how gene expression--a measure of how active a gene is--changes in different parts of the body as the animals age. The findings sugges...

2641. Keepin' it real fake: lunar evidence edition


Not content with just KIRF'n popular gadgets, our favorite reversers of engineering are back and this time, doing it up in space. Notice any difference between the 1994 Pentagon photo (on left) of the moon and that taken by China's Chang 1 last week in almost exactly the same location? Hint: look in the yellow circle. Right, what appears to be a new crater on the geologically dead hellscape we call the moon. Well, since the image was released under great fanfare in China, it's been heavily shouted down as a fake by flat-Earthers in the West. It's not, at least not in the traditional sense. According to Emily Lakdawalla of The Planetary Society, the image is real (and likely original) but the "new" crater is just an artifact from the process of stitching and blending 19 image strips taken on different orbits. The correctly stitched image (achieved by sliding the left-most crater up, and the right-most down) is presented in the yellow box above. Unfortunately, the chief scientist of the Chinese lunar exploration program, Ouyang Ziyuan, said that the emergence of the crater was proof that their photograph was original. Sorry Charlie, the crater is not new, only the lighting angle and resolution is... we think.

[Via MSNBC] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2694. Transcend M5 - Multi-card reader

Transcend has presented its latest multi-card reader, codenamed M5 and available in pink or ivory. Besides the small size, the card reader also features an “attractive modern style”, and an “adapter-free-multi-format convenience”. The M5 is capable of reading a couple of different memory cards, including CompactFlash, SD, xD, Memory Stick, miniSD, MicroSD, and last but not [...]

2697. Shocker: people loathe cellphone carriers

Filed under:
We know, we know, it may be difficult to understand how companies that lock you in the moment you decide on a phone / plan -- only to be about as helpful as a bottomless bucket the moment turmoil arises -- could be hated. Nevertheless, we can't say we're shocked at all to hear that cellphone providers are among the least liked in all of the service industries. In a recent report released by the Consumer Reports National Research Center, it was found that "fewer than half of respondents were completely or very satisfied with their cellphone service," and sadly, that's hardly different than in years past. Among the biggest gripes were high prices and mandatory contract extensions, and while pro-rated ETFs are fine and dandy, there's still a few less notable carriers that haven't swallowed that pill just yet. As for internal rankings, Verizon and Alltel each scored higher than the rest, and Sprint was found bringing up the rear.

[Via Wired]
Read - InformationWeek
Read - NYDailyNews Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2745. Super Talent 256GB SSD uses SATA port to connect

256GB is huge in terms of SSD storage, and will probably cost you a small fortune, as such the price obviously isn’t listed, go figure. Super Talent has actually released two different 256GB SSD drives. The FSD56GC35M is the one we are talking about today, and it is an amazing drive. It comes in a 3.5-inch form factor, connects via SATA and is completely interchangeable with any other SATA drive. Furthermore, it is an industrial drive, with operating temps of -40 to 85 degrees Celsius. Lets not forget the inherent bonuses of all SSD drives, namely lower power consumption and the ability to handle bumps and vibration better due to a lack of moving parts and generally faster performance. Like I said, no word on price, and its likely only available if you can afford the price that’s so high they seem unwilling to give it out freely. Super Talent Launches 256GB SATA SSD [via PCLaunches] Relevant Entries on SlashGear


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2753. The Voyager Arcade Machine features 36 vintage games

voyager arcade machineEvery geek in the world has at least the occasional wet dream about having a basement full of arcade machines. Especially the older more accomplished gamers who can’t go out into the arcade and play their favorite game. No one seems to carry Pac-Man anymore. This Voyager Arcade Machine has plenty of vintage games to keep you occupied for hours on end. This arcade cabinet is designed with the classic 70’s and 80’s arcade machines in mind. They have also kept in mind how much of a beating those machines got from frustrated gamers and therefore made their machine sturdy enough to stand up to a bit of abuse. Each cabinet comes with 36 different games, including Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Galaga and Wonderboy. It features a modern PC operating system, a lockable coin box, 8 way joystick, and on certain games a 2 player function. The arcade cabinet is being sold for $3,675. Voyager handcrafted arcade machine – with 36 games [via retrotogo] Relevant Entries on SlashGear


Copyright © 2006-2007 SlashGear

2776. Are Humans Evolving Faster?

University of Utah researchers have discovered genetic evidence that human evolution is speeding up -- and has not halted or proceeded at a constant rate, as had been thought -- indicating that humans on different continents are becoming increasingly...

2802. Red Octane VP excuses axe incompatibility, blames Rock Band issues

Filed under: ,
Alright, try to stay with us here. Guitar Hero III's axe works just fine with Rock Band, but only the Xbox 360 hardware -- and Rock Band's guitar won't play the first note on any flavor of GHIII. Yeah, it's a bit confusing, but apparently the folks over at 1UP were downright tired of being dizzy, and phoned up Guitar Hero publisher Red Octane's co-founder and VP of Business Development, Charles Huang, to chat about the totally confusing compatibility quandary. We fully understand the complexities in getting the instruments to work with other games, as well as the potential business impact, but Mr. Huang chose to take a different route in explaining why no Guitar Hero title would accept a Rock Band controller. He was quoted as saying that Red Octane wasn't "too interested in having [Harmonix] guitars work on its game, because [Harmonix is] having a lot of issues with its guitars." Of course, this logic begins to fall apart when you realize there was absolutely no compatibility even before these malfunctions came to light. Nice try, though.

[Via DailyTech] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2805. Do our brains work like Google?

Google's patented and powerful search algorithm, PageRank, may mimic the way the human brain retrieves information. Our memory for words can be modelled as a network in which each point represents a different word, with each linked to words that r...

2896. Opinion: All YOU want for Christmas is an iGo!

Jon_smal.gifSo there I was, going away for a festive weekend break to the Christmas markets of Brussels in Belgium with the other half. Thankfully, I was taking Eurostar rather than flying and there's no real luggage restrictions. And what else was different about this trip to the dozens of foreign jaunts I've had in the past? Well, for once I didn't have to lug about 73 different leads and chargers with me - making my bag feel like it's full of bricks and my shoulder cracking under the weight. Yes, I've finally managed to break out the iGO I've had sitting in my cupboard for a few months and boy, is it one of those little life-changing gadgets that only really come around once in a while...  

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2903. The best thing I've heard so far at Le Web 3 - Hans Rosling, founder of Médecins Sans Frontières

"There are hundreds of types of wine, but I only know two types: red and white. I'm not interested in wines. I don't know wines - but I know more than two hundred types of countries. My neighbour, he knows hundreds of different types of wines, but he only knows two types of countries: western countries and third world countries. There are too many people who know wine and too few people who know countries." If there's one thing you would ask of bloggers, what would you ask? "Consider how all these blogging communites may enforce the ethnic homogeny of western europe and America. Break that...  

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2968. ATI demonstrates hybrid-chip CrossFire graphics tech

Filed under: , We've already seen laptops like Sony's Vaio SZ include integrated graphics alongside much more powerful (and power-hungry) dedicated chips, but AMD's looking to make such setups all the more commonplace with new chips capable of hybrid CrossFire. AMD recently demoed the tech to PC Perspective, showing off a 2.2GHz Phenom machine with both unreleased RS780 integrated graphics and a RV620-based card labeled HD Radeon 3450. Running games like Call of Duty 4 and Unreal Tournament 3, frame rates jumped from 30-35fps to around 55fps when hybrid mode was enabled. That's pretty respectable, although the system is limited to speedups of the slowest chip times two, so bigger gains are probably not in the offing. However, there can still be benefits to using chips of drastically different horsepower: the integrated chips can power down the heavy hitter to save power when not needed, and totally switch over when required. That's a pretty solid compromise, we think -- and with AMD aiming for the initial batch of hybrid CrossFire-capable cards to be priced around $50, it looks like we'll be seeing these setups a lot when AMD starts shipping these early next year. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2969. Tesla to deliver Roadsters with "temporary" transmissions?

Filed under:
The Tesla Roadster was supposed to be out before the end of the year, but it looks like the wicked-fast electric car won't make that target -- apparently the company is having problems finding a transmission strong enough to handle gear shifts while the car remains at full torque. The problem is somewhat unique to electric cars, and Tesla's got two different suppliers scrambling to find a solution -- but in the meantime, the company is considering providing vehicles outfitted with "temporary" transmissions that are basically guaranteed to fail after a few thousand miles. The first of these has already been built for company chairman Elon Musk, and Tesla is deciding whether to start shipping cars with the temporary units to other customers and then replacing them when a final transmission becomes available. That's the price of progress, we suppose, but something tells us quite a few people would rather just wait for the final product. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

3031. Dr. Kawashima dumps Nintendo for mobile game fling with Namco Bandai

kawashima-mobile.jpgTsk, those brainy professors aren't content to have their mugs slapped on the front of one company's games. Japanese boffin Dr. Kawashima is famous as the face of Nintendo's first DS brain training game, 'Brain Training from Dr. Kawashima'. However, he's now hopped into bed with a different publisher.  

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3082. How-to guide details fix for stuck LCD pixels

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We've heard all sorts of myths when it comes to fixing a stuck pixel on an LCD, and while the following methods shouldn't be expected to bring completely dead pixels back from the grave, commenters seem to think the methods are at least somewhat successful in getting pixels out of their single-colored funk. Up first is the flashing colors approach, which points you in the direction of a free java applet that rapidly flashes different hues on the screen to try to get the affected pixel to change. If that fails, you can try applying pressure to the stuck pixel, and if you're still left with the annoyance, you can resort to tapping the monitor with an eraser nub (or similar). So if you find yourself sick of staring at that non-conforming pixel, hit the read link and give the trio of methods a go -- just don't go in expecting any miracles, alright? Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

3102. LaCie LaCinema Premier - Multimedia Hard Disk

As the name suggests, the LaCinema Premier made by LaCie is a truly multimedia hard disk. Available in 3 different storage capacities: 500GB, 750GB, or 1TB, the external drive simply connects to your computer via the USB interface, and on the other end it is connected to a TV, by using the included cables. In terms [...]

3119. CES 2008: All your singing Mr Clock Radio robots are belong to us

Meet Mr Clock Radio. Made by Geewiz Entertainment, he claims to be the world's first "animated robotic alarm clock radio". And that just about describes all you need to know. He has 30 different ways of waking you up, some of which involve singing. Watch the video above for a taster.  

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1/14 | Idea conceived
1/17 | Semester starts
1/19 | Design completed