little

      Betaenglish: litel

      English: little

      Spanish: chico

819. Forecast for solar power: Sunny

A few dozen companies say advances in technology will let them halve the price of solar-panel installations in as little as three years. By 2014, solar-system prices will be competitive with conventional electricity when energy savings are figure...

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! 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. 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

Alcohol and Art – A New Kind of AA Tiny Toys Shopping Guide – Nightmare Before Christmas Little Taps and ChoroQ Qsteer R/C Racer Hitch Vault – The Mini Safe

Copyright © 2006-2007 SlashGear

2398. Tiny Toys Shopping Guide – Nightmare Before Christmas Little Taps and ChoroQ Qsteer R/C Racer

I’m not sure what the worlds obsession is with picturing things next to coins. I get that’s small when you use words like little, mini, tiny and micro… no visual necessary, but that’s just me. Anyway, here are two tiny toys that are just a bit bigger than a quarter, enjoy. First up we have Jack from the Nightmare Before Christmas, now he’s not the only character this toy comes in but with the season so close he’s the featured toy right now. This Little Taps toy will sing and dance to songs from the show and should come across any other Little Taps they all interconnect and will sing and dance together. You can pick up Jack for just $14.99. Next I offer you the ChoroQ Qsteer Mini R/C Racers. They come in mini version of the Nissan 350Z or the Mazda Rx-8 and also have some precision steering, which is amazing from such a tiny R/C. You’ll get a set of two with your $14.99 purchase so you and a friend/co-worker and create your own desktop racetrack to pass the hours. Both of these items are available from ThinkGeek and either would make a great stocking stuffer in my opinion. However, for the price I’d stick with the R/C racers. Nightmare Before Xmas Little Taps [via Coolest Gadgets] ChoroQ Qsteer Mini R/C Racers [via Coolest Gadgets] Relevant Entries on SlashGear

Alcohol and Art – A New Kind of AA Mini Weapons – Miniature Bazooka and Samurai Weapons Hitch Vault – The Mini Safe

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. 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

Tiny Toys Shopping Guide – Nightmare Before Christmas Little Taps and ChoroQ Qsteer R/C Racer Mini Weapons – Miniature Bazooka and Samurai Weapons Hitch Vault – The Mini Safe

Copyright © 2006-2007 SlashGear

2395. HappyEar Flamingo Bluetooth headset

This little headset has apparently won tons of design awards and stuff like that. Anyways, it comes in 8 colors ranging from pastel to somewhat metallic. They last for an advertised 8 hours of talk time and 180 hours of standby time which is pretty amazing. They look nothing like a Bluetooth headset either. The only thing I don’t like is the company’s site where you cant find a single picture from any other angle except in the flash ad on the front page where you can’t really see anything. But, they do have a picture of a model wearing one, and it doesn’t look too uncomfortable, which is good since that’s what some of their awards were for. If you want one, it will cost you $80, you can get it here. The Flamingo: strut around in colourful Bluetooth headsets [via shinyshiny] Relevant Entries on SlashGear

Asus Nova P22 small 2-liter PC Zune 80 now available for customization Electricity usage monitor concept

Copyright © 2006-2007 SlashGear

923. xbox mini: a great unfinished masterwork!!!

Some guy over on the Xbox-Scene forums started to work on what will hopefully one day be the finest Xbox casemod of all time. The Xbox Mini case that he fabricated is a thing of beauty, reducing the ugly black behemoth that was the original Xbox into a svelte little package.

950. Rumor - The Palm Gandolf to be released under Vodafone on September 12th

We’ve been hearing rumors about the upcoming Palm Gandolf for a little while now. I still stand by my argument that they spelled the name wrong, shouldn’t it be Gandalf? Anyway, the latest rumor pegs the Gandolf on the Vodafone network on September 12th. © 2007 SlashGear, Posted [...]

957. CEDIA 2007 - Video Demo of the Niveus Media Extender

Remember that cool Windows Media Extender I told you about just a little bit ago? Well Vincent didn’t just take a few pictures, he also got some video footage of it as well. Hit the jump to check it out. © 2007 SlashGear, Posted by Chris Scott Barr [...]

978. Formable Furniture

So you get a couple of interlocking pieces that stiffen at the pull of a wire cable. By manipulating the tension, you can make all kinds of crazy shapes strong enough to act as shelving, seating, or flooring. It’s a little blah looking but crafty people might enjoy decorating each slat, maybe to form a [...]

1650. Hanging Cocoon For Emergency Outdoor Survival

By Andrew Liszewski Even though we may enjoy the occasional camping trip to the great outdoors a good portion of mankind has little to no survival skills in the event they get lost in the woods. That’s probably why just staying in one spot if you do get lost is always the best solution. Not only [...]

1673. Pleo dinosaur robot delayed (again) until November

If you're champing at the bit to get hold of a Pleo dino-bot, prepare to howl in anguish. Maker Ugobe has confirmed that the Pleo won't be going on sale in October as planned, due to technical snaggles with its battery. To be specific, when charging, Pleo's battery heats up too fast, which cuts off charging after 45 minutes, leaving the little fella short on juice (he's supposed to charge for up to four hours). Hey, maybe this is what saw off the real dinosaurs too. Maybe.  

1663. The Lightning GT - an electric car you wouldn't be ashamed to be seen in

While electric car buffs are a bit busy getting excited about the upcoming Tesla Roadster, British based Lightning Car Company has come out with a blinding little sporty concept of its own. The Lightning GT's stats are amazing - 0-60 in four seconds...  

1687. Lamborghini Reventon: the million-euro supercar inspired by fighter jets

As you may have gathered, there's a low-profile little motor show going on in Frankfurt this week. Now, I can't drive, have no interest in Top Gear, and fear the open road. But I do know a dribbleworthy concept car when I see it. And I see it in Lamborghini's new Reventon.  

1684. The England rugby team is happy to endorse the Pure Move DAB radio

That thing there is the England Rugby Edition of Pure's portable Move DAB radio. The only thing that's England Rugby Team about it seems to be that little rose logo there just above the display. The Move DAB radio can run for 40 hours...  

1760. New AA Batteries Recharged With Urine!

A new battery brand from Japan called NoPoPo comes with a little straw-like attachment. When the batteries get week, just use the straw to RECHARGE THEM WITH YOUR PEE! And, no, I'm not making this up. (props to The Boy Genius Report and Weird Asia News

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.

1858. Lindor Attacks Record Company Copyright-Pooling

NewYorkCountryLawyer writes "Back in March, 2006, Marie Lindor called the record companies suing her a collusive cartel, and their joint agreement to pool their copyrights "copyright misuse" (pdf). A year and a half later, the RIAA apparently got nervous about that allegation and made a motion to strike the allegations. Ms. Lindor has struck back, pointing out to the Judge not only that the RIAA's arguments had no legal basis, but also that its brief was completely silent as to any justification for the record companies' copyright-pooling agreement. Such a justification would be necessary for it to pass muster under 'rule of reason' analysis mandated by the US Supreme Court. Ms. Lindor, a home health worker who has never even used a computer, let alone infringed anyone's copyrights with a p2p file sharing program, is the same defendant who exposed, with a little help from her friends, some of the weaknesses in the RIAA's expert testimony. She also obtained a ruling that the RIAA's $750-per-song file damages theory might be a wee bit unconstitutional."Read more of this story at Slashdot.

1885. Chrome chastity belt to keep 'things' in check

Sorry about this. Hope it doesn't put you off your tea too much. If you're into weird fantasy sex and have a lot of money, this £730 "Genital organ chamber" might come in a bit handy. Or if you're a lady and your man tends to spend a little bit too much time on the internet on his own, and is always hurriedly closing windows...  

1888. Winamp - 10 years old and BACK to battle iTunes

Pretty much everyone's first MP3 player back when the piracy scene exploded into life in the late-90s, it's been a little quiet for Winamp over that last few years thanks to everyone, bizarrely, preferring to pay for music and use things like iTunes instead. Well Winamp - and the 62 million people who still regularly use older versions - could be  

1900. Look like a fool with StreetSurfer's five-wheeler bike

A bike with five wheels? You better not be able to ride a bike, or be planning on some major jumps and tricks to have what looks like four little training wheels where the front wheel should be. If you don't mind getting laughed at, the StreetSurfer bike costs $960, and is apparently superior to a normal two-wheeler,...  

1907. Hug Shirt from CuteCircuit allows you to send hugs via Bluetooth

Bluetooth accessories for mobiles tend to revolve around Nathan Barley-esque headsets or dinky little speakers, so it's refreshing to see a company like CuteCircuit thinking outside the box. They've designed a product called Hug Shirt which pretty much does what it says on the label, with the Bluetooth sensors and actuators attached to the shirt allowing you to send a hug to a friend who's also wearing the shirt. This is all well and good, until of course you inevitably meet up that evening, as after sending hugs...  

1909. Shiny Video: Palm Treo 500v smartphone

That new Palm 500v which was announced on Wednesday? Look who got her grubby little mitts on one, for a quick first-glance type video for you all. Check out Susi's short video above, but check in next week when she does a longer, more detailed one...  

1925. Sprint LG Muziq

Right on schedule, Sprint has launched its new Muziq flip from LG. No surprises here: $100 (after instant savings, mail-in rebates and 2 year contract) buys you LG's LX570 clamshell with dedicated music controls, A2DP Bluetooth stereo audio, 1.3 megapixel cam, and a weak-azz 64MB MicroSD card (in the box) with room to grow up to 4GB at your own expense. It's also one of a few handsets to feature an FM Transmitter for untethered pumpage of your tunes over the car radio. Of course, it's also Sprint Music Store, Radio, and TV enabled as you'd expect a Sprint media phone to be. Come on, at least you could pretend to be a little excited. Via

2390. Nintendo DS or Sony PSP? Which is the SlashGear holiday choice?

As the holiday season fast approaches, we’ve been getting questions from readers regarding which portable games console they should buy for themselves, their friends or their kids.  It’s hard to believe that there are still people out there who haven’t decided on a side in the PSP/DS war, but here are a few factors you should consider before splashing your cash either with Sony or Nintendo.   Traditionally the Nintendo has been seen as the young-persons’ choice, but this year a range of “brain training” games has pushed it into the eyeline of the adult and even elderly market.  The clever controls - undeniably more innovative than the PSP’s, with both the usual D-pad and buttons as well as a touchscreen and stylus - have given games designers more flexibility, and its backward-compatibility with Game Boy Advance titles mean there’s a healthy, and cheap, back-catalogue to choose from. On the PSP’s side, however, are the media and processing capabilities which have made Sony such a contender in the lounge gaming market.  While UMD-based movies may have bombed, the handheld can still play films and audio stored on Memory Stick or streamed wirelessly from a PS3.  Recent sales figures from Japan show that PSPs there are being snapped up, with 250,000 sold in the four days following the redesigned Slim & Lite’s launch and, although it lacks the catalogue of classic titles, more recent games on the PSP - usually aimed at a teenage audience - score highly in reviews. Both consoles have wireless, allowing for multi-player gaming, but the DS edges ahead a little with many multi-player games requiring only one game cartridge.  Pair the PSP with a PS3, however, and you can make use of Remote Play, which lets you access media and games on your home console wherever in the world you have a WiFi signal.  As for add-ons, the PSP can be augmented with a TV tuner, GPS, camera and more, but of course these are not necessarily cheap options and some require imports since not all are officially available outside of Japan. Many find the DS better for impromptu gaming, with the handheld working well in snatched moments on buses and waiting in queues; on the other hand, some have accused DS titles of lacking the in-depth gameplay that is available on the PSP.  It’s very much a matter of taste, and if you’re buying for anyone other than yourself then it could be worth asking them whether they settle down for longer periods or see themselves gaming more casually. Of course, for some it will come down to price: the PSP Slim & Light comes in at $169.99 while the Nintendo DS undercuts it at $129.99.  In the run up to the holidays retailers will be clamouring for your business with bundled games, cases, and the ubiquitous “travel pack” (which usually consists of a travel charger, some sort of case and maybe a screen-protector).  Here at SlashGear we’d recommend the DS for younger or significantly older would-be gamers, who should be well catered for by the simple interface and drawn in by the quirky, easily-grasped games.  For teenagers and media junkies we’d lean toward the PSP: its integration with the PS3 is fantastic, the games on offer are nicely biased toward those willing to invest time and effort, and it certainly has the power to see it supporting top titles for some time to come. Which handheld would you recommend, and why?  Let us know in the comments - but try to keep it focused on the hardware, and not let it get personal! Relevant Entries on SlashGear

Rock Band issues being addressed by Harmonix DS gets another pimped upgrade, DSVision gets you video, books, and manga on your DS Sony upgrading the battery behind the PSP

Copyright © 2006-2007 SlashGear

1940. Hasbro Power Tour Guitar has launched, bears Gibson name

All the way from January, this nifty little guitar works a lot like guitar hero, without the whole video game aspect of it. The entire fret board is also used instead of just a few buttons. There are 12 tracks that are supposed to be preloaded for you to jam out to. There is also a [...]

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

2066. Complex Humanoid Robot Has a 'Soft Touch'

A new Japanese humanoid robot called Twendy-One has a SOFT TOUCH -- "241 pressure-sensors in each silicon-wrapped hand" -- that lets it pick up a loaf of bread without crushing it. The five-foot tall, 245 pound rolling robot speaks Japanese and is one of the most complex ever built, but may cost as little as $200,000 when it starts work in around 2015 at hospitals and offices. Here comes the VIDEO!

2108. My Genome, Myself: Seeking Clues in DNA

For as little as $1,000 and a saliva sample, customers will be able to learn what is known so far about how the billions of bits in their DNA shape who they are and what their health risks may be. Three companies have already announced plans to m...

2225. The First Year of IE7 - It's been a little over a year since ... (IEBlog)

The First Year of IE7  —  It's been a little over a year since we released IE7 on Windows XP and for Windows Vista, so I thought it would be worthwhile to talk about where we are after the year.  —  According to internal Microsoft research based on data from Visual Sciences Corporation … Source:   IEBlog
Author:   Ieblog
Link:   http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2007/11/30/the-first… Techmeme permalink

2270. Slide Owns Kid Twice

Some little kid faceplants off at the top of a slide but it doesnt keep him from walking up in once again only to wipeout a second time. Got to love his Mother who just laughs at him.

2313. Police launching criminal YouTube?

Manchester police have come over all forward-thinking, launching a new crime submission page that accepts photos and even videos of crimes. So if you've just sat by doing nothing, idly filming a gang of youths mugging a pensioner on your mobile, it's possible to alleviate your guilt a little bit by sending the footage to the police...  

2325. Vertipod - the flying Segway (OF DEATH)

Fancy dying in a unique and novel way that will secure your immortality via a report on the local news? Perhaps you ought to investigate the Vertipod. Clearly little more than a death trap for the rich and tired of life, Vertipod is a hovering, $10,000 potential death machine, which maker Pete Bitar would probably prefer we called a "personal transport solution."   

2341. KEF launches Instant Theatre series with seven new high-end systems

The audio maestros over at KEF have been busy little workers by the looks of things, with today's news that their new Instant Theatre series is comprised of seven new home systems. The KEF Instant Theatre series (KIT) set-ups each come with either two or five main loudspeakers, a subwoofer (with integrated power amplifier) and compact DVD/CD player, with that crazy little thing called love HDMI technology inside. Each system is available in glossy black or matt silver, and feature just a single cable between components, so won't be spoiling your minimalist living room aesthetics anytime soon....  

2354. CE-Oh no he didn't! Part LII: AT&T CEO scoffs at Verizon's "Any Apps, Any Device" plan

Filed under: CellphonesEven 6 months ago, it would have been inconceivable to imagine the CEO of the biggest cellphone operator in the US sniping at its primary competitor's hints at becoming more open. The key point being that none of the cellphone operators in the US are actually "open" by any objective definition, so maybe AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson should have bitten his tongue rather than stating that his company is "probably one of the most open networks in the world," in a mild rebuke to Verizon's open network plan for 2008. Also Randall, stating that "all of the handsets we sell are Java-equipped" might be a little unwise considering that AT&T's flagship handset, and probably the most widely publicized handset (ever?) is clearly not. At least the debate is moving forward: hopefully his statement that "[all carriers] are all going to be open over time" will come to fruition with a little more gentle prodding coupled with the occasional kick up the arse.

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

2356. Venturi intros CREW vn740 DMB-equipped GPS unit

Filed under: GPS We haven't heard much from the Venturi that makes solar/wind-powered vehicles lately, but the Venturi that makes generic PMPs and GPS devices still seems to be kickin' it, with it now showing off its new CREW vn740 model. While there's nothing too stand-out here, the device should certainly handle all your in-car distractions quite nicely, with it boasting a large 7-inch touchscreen, along with some DMB TV capabilities, a PIP function, and an integrated FM transmitter, among other standard features. No word on how much it'll set you back, but only those in Korea will have to worry about that little detail.

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

2358. NVousPC outdoes itself with Romero Britto special edition laptop

Filed under: Laptops NvousPC has never been one to shy away from unorthodox paint-jobs for its laptops, but it now looks to have outdone even itself with its latest eye-catching model, which it created with a little help from pop artist Romero Britto. As with the company's other laptops, however, the specs are decidedly less stand-out than the exterior, with this particular model boasting a 15.4-inch display, a T7600 Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, and a lowly CD-RW / DVD-ROM combo drive. No word on pricing or availability, but you'll apparently be able to get a closer look at it at Britto's Miami Beach gallery through February of next year.

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

2359. Sony XEL-1 OLED TV unboxed

Filed under: HDTV
Sony's XEL-1 OLED TV -- with its 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio and a ridiculous 3mm thin enclosure -- has been unboxed over at TV Snob. Next to all of its accessories, the XEL-1 looks rather less appealing when compared to the clean press shots. In particular, we're left a little confused as to what the deal is with that ugly external power brick: isn't that what the big box underneath the screen was for? Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2360. Self-Destruction Button returns in miniaturized form

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets
Who could forget the famed Big Red Button of Doom from 2005? Sure, nearly three years have passed since its inception, but there's nothing like a little (literally) impostor to conjure up memories of the not-too-distant past. Available now, the miniature Self-Destruction Button comes in black, white and green motifs, fits snugly in the palm of one's hand and even doubles as a keychain. This highly portable device ensures the instant vaporization of your person and most of your surroundings should you find yourself in some horrifically inescapable situation, or, something to that effect, anyway. Grab yours now for $26.94 -- Y3K is just around the bend!

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

2371. NEC shows off fluorescent light-powered wireless camera

Filed under: Digital Cameras It looks like those looking to put together a quick and easy surveillance system for spying on their employees could soon find their solution courtesy of NEC, which is set to debut a new security cam that draws all its power from a standard fluorescent light. But that's not all, the camera also boasts some built-in 802.11b WiFi capabilities to stream all that video (or, more specifically, an image every ten seconds) back to a PC, which can presumably be used to monitor dozens of these little all-seeing wonders. No word on a price or release date, but NEC will apparently have more to say about it at the iExpo2007 conference that gets underway in Tokyo on December 5th.
 Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2378. Xbox 360 Fall Dashboard Update due next week, Microsoft tells all

Filed under: Gaming
We've been hearing quite a bit about next week's Fall Dashboard Update for the 360, but Microsoft's finally ready to spill all of the beans. Obviously, the biggest update is the "Xbox Originals" downloadable Xbox games, but other improvements include enhanced online profiles, increased social networking, beefed up parental controls, improved menus, and our personal favorite: DivX support. As stated before, Xbox Original games, like Halo 1 and Fable, will be going for 1200 MS points (about $15), which is roughly comparable with your local game store's bargain bin. Also on the fiscal side of things, certain titles on Xbox Live Arcade are getting permanent price drops, akin to "Platinum Hits" of retail titles. As for DivX, Microsoft was a little vague when speaking with Joystiq about it, but it sounds like XviD is in play as well, which is just double fun. It's all hitting as a free download on December 4th, starting at 2AM PST.

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

2380. Android fever, catch it: Verizon joining Open Handset Alliance?

Filed under: Cellphones, HandheldsIn a recent chat with clients, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster did a little name dropping regarding Google's Open Handset Alliance, casually mentioning in passing that Verizon "is a member." Hold up there, chief; last time we checked, that isn't the case. Among US national carriers, only T-Mobile and Sprint have publicly thrown their hats into the Android ring, so we're not sure whether Mr. Munster knows something we don't (which is entirely possible) or whether he's just a little confused. For what it's worth, we can understand why he'd be confused in light of Verizon's recent commitment to open its airwaves to all comers -- the initiative appears to share much of the same spirit as the OHA's charter, after all -- but by the same token, Google's intention to snap up 700MHz bandwidth would seemingly pit the two juggernauts against one another. We'll have to wait and see whether Big Red's name magically appears on the Alliance's member list, but if it does, the pressure's gonna get pretty high on AT&T to cave, eh? Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2402. Hitch Vault – The Mini Safe

I take great precaution in making sure I’m never without something I need, or if I am without making sure I have a backup plan. For example, I have a spare set of keys my parents keep for me and when I know I’m having a short cash flow month, I stash a little in a secret place that I often forget about until I’m in desperate need of it. The Hitch Vault takes those same concepts and brings them a little closer and more accessible. You put into your truck/SUV standard hitch receiver and voila, mini safe. It’s perfect for storing an extra set of keys, cash, credit cards or what-have-you. There’s a combination lock on it and unless you’re prone to forgetting numbers it’s a perfect solution for making sure your essentials are safe and handy. If this device isn’t something you’re interested in, I bet you know someone who could really use one and it is the season for giving. You can purchase a Hitch Vault for $70 at Amazon. Never be Locked out Again [via Coolest Gadgets] Relevant Entries on SlashGear

Alcohol and Art – A New Kind of AA Tiny Toys Shopping Guide – Nightmare Before Christmas Little Taps and ChoroQ Qsteer R/C Racer Mini Weapons – Miniature Bazooka and Samurai Weapons

Copyright © 2006-2007 SlashGear

2403. Spy pen comes with Shredder

Have you ever been in a situation where you had to a secret message visible only by ultra violet light and then after words needed get rid of the evidence, but there wasn’t a convenient way to fully destroy said evidence so you had to eat it instead? Me too, I hate it when that happens. Anyway, now there is a pen that can help all us out in those hard times. The Ultra-Violet Pen and Light with Message Shredder is that pen. That’s right, there’s a shredder built into the pen, how handy! This pen is sure to fulfill all your secret/spy/covert/paper shredding needs, and it’s safe for ages 7 and up. You can get it for about £5 from the Spycatcher of Knightsbridge website. Be careful purchasing this item, they seem to be in the business of catching spies by selling spy devices. Crafty devils! Ultra Violet Pen and Light Comes with Message Shredder [via Coolest Gadgets] Relevant Entries on SlashGear

Alcohol and Art – A New Kind of AA Tiny Toys Shopping Guide – Nightmare Before Christmas Little Taps and ChoroQ Qsteer R/C Racer Mini Weapons – Miniature Bazooka and Samurai Weapons

Copyright © 2006-2007 SlashGear

2448. Floppy disk shaped CDs

If you miss floppy disks so much and the recycled toys that come from them aren’t enough, give this new and improved version a whirl. It’s actually a CDR in descise, giving the illusion that you haven’t kept up with current technology. When in reality, you just enjoy all of the quirky gadgets and toys that come with new technology. Unfortunately although it does look cool, it doesn’t quite hold as much. It holds 200MB whereas a normal CDR holds 700MB. I’d say that’s a bit of a jump in storage size. They are sold with four colored floppy disk labels, each disk sells for $14 and $32 for four of them. Even if it is for a novelty factor the price is still a bit steep for how little storage you receive.

Recordable CDs – shaped like floppy disks [via retrotogo] Relevant Entries on SlashGear

Bodygard Self-Powered Emergency Tool - Your own personal bodyguard The Black Hole Phone Bag - Be Paranoid No More Hydro Physio Lifestyle Water Resistance Treadmill - Because Pools are just too expensive

Copyright © 2006-2007 SlashGear

2475. Eee PC 4G hacked - man adds 16GB "hard drive" and Bluetooth

The 16GB hard drive is actually a 16GB Corsair USB memory stick stuck in the Eee PC's little underside expansion port, and the Bluetooth functionality is the internal bits of a Microsoft Bluetooth dongle. The full details of what he did to the poor little laptop...  

2495. Mac Life imagines future Apple products - the iCar, iEye, iProtection and Squidget

Admit it - you've had several discussions already about where Apple will go next, or what product they should reinvent. Personally, my favourite Apple concept I've thought up is the iToaster, with every slice of toast being laser-burnt with the shape of an apple. Mac Life has taken the typical geek pub conversation, ran it through Photoshop, uploaded the results online, and needless to say, Apple fans are in for a treat when they see the thought and attention to detail put into these concepts. The Squidget MP3 player, aimed at tweens, would include several iPhone apps, and possibly be designed by fashion houses with removable faces. Aiming a little higher, the iEye digital camera not only records photos...  

2499. Aleutia E1 mini Linux PC - solar powered and silent

Can't get hold on an Eee PC, yet want a small conversation-starting computer? Try this little cutie. The Aleutia E1 uses 8 Watts of power when running, a mere fraction of the energy required to have most desktops sitting there doing nothing...  

2519. Poll: What OS are you running on your Eee?

Filed under: Laptops
So ASUS' little low-cost monster, the Eee, has wormed its way into the hearts and minds of gadget lovers, their friends, family members, and random dudes and chicks you know (if this year's holiday wish-lists are any indication). It turns out everyone wants a piece of the 7-inch hearththrob, and that got us thinking. With the multitude of OS options for the miniscule laptop (ASUS' Xandros build, XP, Ubuntu, Debian, even OS X), we want to know: current users, what OS are you running on your Eee?

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2526. BlackJack revisited: Samsung readying "Ace" smartphone for Sprint?

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds
From a distance, this thing looks just a little too much like the BlackJack (the old one, not the new) for comfort -- but when you zoom in a bit, it looks like Samsung's spinning a few cute touches into its SPH-i325 "Ace" for Sprint. Mobiledia has this one pegged for the first quarter of next year, offering a Windows Mobile Standard alternative to the BlackBerrys of the world with a slim shell, QWERTY keyboard, and landscape QVGA display; it's probably not going to make any BlackJack II owners envious, but at least this gives Sprint customers a chance to keep up with the Joneses. Even better, Boy Genius Report claims that we might see a little GSM radio stuffed in there for the globetrotters in the crowd. Anyone have an old Samsung Ace for Mobile ESPN, by the way?

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

2530. Third party Amiga development continues as lawsuits drag on

Filed under: Desktops
We pretty much assumed we'd never actually see the "better than OS X" Amiga OS 5 as the suit between Amiga, Inc. and Hyperion (developers of OS 4) drags on , but our curmudgeonly hearts were stirred just a little by reports that third-party Amiga development soldiers on. Spurred by the twice-as-high-as-expected sales of "OS 4 for Classic Amigas with PowerPC Accelerator Boards" (say that three times fast), and the development of an open source Amiga OS replacement called AROS, it seems like enough people are still interested in the platform to potentially keep it alive while Hyperion and Amiga battle it out. There's even recently-released commercial software available -- something we'd have never thought possible. Just goes to show that you can't keep a good (or kinda neat) OS down, eh? Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2553. Cameraphone remotely activates cameraphone in DIY venture

Filed under: Cellphones, Digital Cameras
We've seen some fairly intuitive home security creations in our day, but this little wonder ranks pretty high up there. Utilizing a couple of cameraphones, a microcontroller, solenoid relays, a photoresistor, wires galore, a soldering iron and a robust picture messaging plan, this cameraphone activated cameraphone can be used to snap pictures of a pre-defined location whenever you get curious. We could even see building an entire fleet if you're really paranoid, but by the time you add all those additional lines, you may be better off just pulling the trigger on a bonafide CCTV system. Nevertheless, feel free to follow the read link and hack until your heart's content, and check out a video of this setup in action after the jump.Continue reading Cameraphone remotely activates cameraphone in DIY venture Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2558. Photographer drops suit against Apple for lifting images in advertising

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets
It's not clear whether or not a settlement agreement was reached, but photographer Louis Psihoyos, who sued Apple over what he claimed was an infringing use of his "wall of video" image (pictured) in marketing materials for the Apple TV, has dropped his suit. The suit was dropped with prejudice, which means a settlement is likely, but neither party is commenting on the matter. Either way, let's hope Apple is a little more judicious in appropriating art for advertising in the future. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2592. Old Software or Open Source?

Pakled writes "I teach a high school multimedia course. We were scheduled to get new software this year but due to several pointy haired bosses, no software was ordered. The software I have to teach is Flash 5, Dreamweaver 2000, Photoshop 7 and (god help me) Movie Maker. The question is: is it better to teach old commercial software or their open source counterparts (Komposer, Gimp, etc.)? Is the steep learning curve and slightly less uniform design worth a little student frustration to teach them software written in the past 5 years?"Read more of this story at Slashdot.

2618. Sarcos humanoid robot learns how to take a shove

Filed under: Robots We've already seen some of Sarcos' robotics gear put to some slightly frightening use in the form of a military exoskeleton, and it now looks like one of the company's full-fledged robots is getting a chance to strut its stuff as well, with a little help from the folks at Japan's Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute. As New Scientist reports, they've developed some software that allows the robot to stay on its feet when its bumped, shoved or even kicked (which makes mere dynamic balancing robots look positively inadequate). The key to that, it seems, is that the robot's joints are never kept rigid, which allows them to give slightly when any of the array of sensors detect the slightest jolt, giving the software a chance to then adjusting the robot's feet as necessary to keep its balance. Not surprisingly, they don't seem to have given the robot the ability to shove back just yet, but you can check out its current capabilities in the video available at the site linked below.
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2620. Macbook ultraportable and Penryn Mac Pro due for Macworld, 3G iPhone in June?

Filed under: Cellphones, Desktops, Laptops We've taken a "don't stop believing" approach to Apple ultraportable rumors up to this point, and there's no reason to think these "fresh" predictions from CNBC's Jim Goldman are anything different, but they at least serve as a nice refresher in the lead up to Macworld in January. Goldman predicts the new Pro laptop will be half the thickness of the MacBook Pro, the hard disk will be replaced with NAND storage, and Apple will be selling the thing for $1,500 -- the same price the black MacBook currently goes for. He's purportedly citing sources that claim to have seen the product, and says that the laptop is supposedly due to show up at Macworld. Jim's sources also say that the 3G iPhone is supposed to hit shelves by late May or early June of next year, which beats out some industry predictions of a late '08 release.

Of course, since it's just a month before Macworld, it's about time the rumor mill heated up a little beyond incessant Macbook and iPhone rumorings, and MacBidouille is stepping up to stoke the flames. The French rag is claiming that the Mac Pro will get bumped to an 3.2GHz eight-core Penryn setup (totally believable) featuring NVIDIA QuadroFX graphics (sure) with a BTO Blu-ray burner available (maybe), and that DVD Studio Pro will be renamed Disk Studio Pro and refocused on BD authoring (another definite maybe). On top of that, MacBidouille also claims that OS X 10.5.2 will be released, and that it will be "the largest and most important intermediate system update ever released by Apple." We're a little less sure we buy that, but as always, only time and Steve will tell.

[Thanks, L2 and Mark]

Read - Jim Goldman predictions
Read - MacBidouille predictions Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2627. Sony working on direct-to-PSP download store

Filed under: GamingNow that PSP owners in the US can finally access the Playstation store without a PS3, it looks like Sony's getting ready to take the next logical step and cut the computer out of the equation as well. Speaking to MTV's Multiplayer blog, Playstation Network operations chief Eric Lempel said PSP downloads were "Something we're thinking about. With the capability of the PSP it's something that should be possible...it's just a matter of priorities and some technology that we need to make it all work right and make sure the content is delivered securely, just to protect some of our [intellectual properties]." Lempel went on to say that Sony is also working on and iTunes-like syncing functionality for the PSP, and that Mac support will be forthcoming. All in all, it seems like interesting times are ahead for Sony's newly-revived little gamer.

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

2642. Creative Zen Stone Plus officially in 4GB for $90

Filed under: Portable Audio
What's that little iPod shuffle? Not feeling so hot? You say that for $10 more than you cost someone can officially get a Creative Zen Stone Plus that not only has a display, but four times your storage? Yeah, we'd have a tummy ache too. Well, at least the $90 4GB Plus only seems to come in black, unlike colors-of-the-rainbow you. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2645. Barbie B2 touchscreen MP3 player in pink and bearskin

Filed under: Portable Audio
If you've ever wondered how Barbie will prey upon the insecurities of the future generation of robot-assimilated little girls -- this is it. Somewhere in that Planet of the Apes, dystopian fembot horde sits the touchscreen Barbie B2 MP3 player. Unfortunately, without any clues for scale, the device is either the size of a fingernail, or giant Barbies with even more preposterous breast-to-hips ratios are invading Korea as we speak. We'll guess something closer to the former (while secretly hoping for the latter).

Update: We found the site pushing the B2. Of course, the makeup case design comes with a mirror to remind your little princess that she'll never quite meet the corporate beauty standard. Picture after the break.

[Thanks, MadHat]Continue reading Barbie B2 touchscreen MP3 player in pink and bearskin Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2647. Fujitsu Siemens claims 25% of Brits will have a green Christmas this year. Hands up?

Sent through on the interwires today was a hopeful little story about how 25% of us British folk are going to attempt a green tech Christmas. It's actually come via Fujitsu Siemens Computers, who has recently made concerted efforts to become 'eco-friendly', with examples such as their Scaleo PC Green Edition laptop impressing those with environmentally-friendly consciences. Get the drift? Fujitsu...  

2665. Brain Changes When Viewing Violent Media

Ponca City, We Love You writes "Scientists at Columbia University have used Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to show that a brain network responsible for suppressing inappropriate or unwarranted aggressive behaviors became less active after study subjects watched several short clips from popular movies depicting acts of violence. These changes could render people less able to control their own aggressive behavior. Although research has shown some correlation between exposure to media violence and real-life violent behavior, there has been little direct neuroscientific support for this theory until now. 'Depictions of violent acts have become very common in the popular media,' said researcher Christopher Kelly. 'Our findings demonstrate for the first time that watching media depictions of violence does influence processing in parts of the brain that control behaviors like aggression.' The full research paper is published on the The Public Library of Science, a peer-reviewed, open-access, online publication, that publishes all its articles under a Creative Commons Attribution License."Read more of this story at Slashdot.

2698. Polaroid shows off a portable DVD player with iPod dock, total lack of effort

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video
Okay, we understand that the newest iPods have locked video-out, so we'll ignore the fact that the Polaroid DPJ-08580B portable DVD player with iPod dock only works with 5G models, but there's no excuse for the rest of the specs -- especially stretching 480 x 234 resolution across an 8.5-inch screen. Top it off with the usual overwrought portable DVD player design and a ¥28000 ($252) pricetag, and you've got a nice little bundle of fail just waiting to be put under the tree.

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

2707. Verizon sued over GPL code in FiOS routers

Filed under: NetworkingUh-oh, it looks like Verizon's been too busy ramping up speeds on its FiOS network to mind a little thing called the GPL -- the company has just been sued for using a GPL'd app called BusyBox in its FiOS routers but not providing the source code. BusyBox is a bundle of utilities used in embedded Linux applications, and the authors have been pretty vigilant in policing GPL-compliance in distributions that include it -- they've sued two other companies that have shipped devices with BusyBox, and gotten settlements both times. We're not sure what Verizon is doing with BusyBox on its routers or why it hasn't released the source, but expect this one to reach a resolution rather quickly.

Disclaimer: Although this post was written by an attorney, it is not meant as legal advice or analysis and should not be taken as such. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!