9 Gadgets You'd Be A Fool To Buy Right Now 
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Spotify Finally Makes Its Australian Debut 
Top 10 Pervasive Tech Myths That Are Only Wasting Your Time One of the main reasons why Mac users still use Boot Camp to run Windows Natively instead using virtualization software likeParallels is its lack of 3D gaming (OpenGL and DirectX) support. In Parallels Desktop version 3.0, now in final candidate development, you can finally use 3D gaming without rebooting.
The other major feature is “SmartSelect”, which allows users to open a file in either a OS X or Windows program directly from OS X. You won’t have to fire up the Windows program first and open it the long way. New versions cost $79 and upgrade versions are $39 if you buy before June 6. – Jason Chen
Product Page [Parallels via MacWorld]
Your friends have undoubtedly been clogging up your in-box with funny pictures from Google Maps Street View, but do you know how those pictures were taken? You do now. Google licensed shots from Immersive Media, a company that specializes in 360-degree videos, in order to fill out their coverage in cities like NYC.
As you can see, IM mounts a 11-camera contraption on top of their vehicle as they drive in order to capture the 360-degree view you get on Google Maps. One thing to note, however, is that Google’s San Francisco shots look a lot more detailed than their NYC shots. That’s because Google took their own van out to take the SF pics. – Jason Chen
Google Maps zoom: here’s the device and vehicle behind it [Boing Boing]
Erik over at IGN Gear got his hands on the upcoming Xbox 360 wireless guitar and has mostly good things to say about it. The controller is shaped like a Les Paul and looks quite similar to the old PS2 controllers. The buttons themselves have been moved around and made to look more like the PS2 version as well, increasing the start and back buttons and moving the guide and D-pad up nearer to the neck.
The new stuff? Interchangeable faceplates, a removable neck and a headset jack. Plus, a second place to attach the strap so it’s not so uncomfortable. It’s even compatible with Guitar Hero 2, but probably won’t make beating Jordan on expert any easier. Head on over for some more shots. – Jason Chen
Guitar Hero Les Paul [IGN]
I was ready to make my final review a real ball-buster, but fortunately for Verizon and ESPN, this isn’t going to be one. ESPN Mobile launched their independent cellphone and service in the latter part of 2005 only to have it flop halfway through 2006, but now they are back with a vengeance as part of Verizon Wireless’ V Cast service. I have been playing with this phone for a couple weeks and I am pretty impressed. Hit the jump to see my review and a video teaser.
This CueSight gives you a laser sight from your cue to the ball that helps your aim. This one’s actually better than the previous one because it offers a cross instead of a spot, and will actually give you another sight down the table if you line it up correctly. See annoying animated gif for an infinitely repeating demo.
The cue’s actually a great idea to get beginners into the action quicker, since it’s no fun to lose all the time no matter what game you’re playing. Which is why we stopped playing Gears of War with Travis. – Jason Chen
Product Page [CueSight via Coolest Gadgets]
Remember the gadget we told you about last year from Regal Cinemas that lets you tattle on your fellow movie patrons? It’s available now in select NY theaters. The idea is that you can use this instead of having to walk out of the theater to tell ushers that there’s a man on a cellphone/baby crying/minority stereotype yelling at the screen.
All you have to do is press the appropriate button—one for picture, two for sound, three for piracy, and the last for “other disturbance”— and an usher will come in and throw down some minimum-wage justice. Best of all, the users say they won’t identify the person who pressed the alert, so you’re going to have a lot of people jamming on the button when their neighbor coughs too loud. – Jason Chen
High Tech Tattle-Tale Device Hits NYC Theaters [WCBSTV With Video]
It’s been a while since we last found a fingerprint reader we really liked. The previous champion—the lovely Cylon-red Microsoft Fingerprint Reader—was demoted to just Windows login duty (and eventually abandoned altogether) because of its lack of Firefox support. The Eicon? It supports Firefox. That’s just one of the reasons why this Upek Digital Privacy Manager USB Fingerprint Reader shines.
In addition to offering flawless Firefox and IE password handling, the reader is simple to use and solid in the way that gasses and liquids are not. Plus, it even works in Vista.
RealPlayer used to be cool, until iTunes and Windows Media Player made it obsolete. The new RealPlayer is badass for one reason: It can rip net videos, even those on YouTube and from video streams, with a single click.
There’s a new option for the poser who wants to have the best-looking skateboard on the block, especially if they’re the type who will never ride it: Three-dimensional laser etching.
A bunch of designers hacked away at the plywood using an Epilog Legend 36EXT laser and went to work on over 80 different boards. When we first heard about the idea we thought the designs would be pretty rudimentary, but they can actually produce pretty intricate images at 1200dpi.
However, having the sweetest deck on the block will set you back, $500 to be exact. And that doesn’t even include the wheels.– Ben Longo
Designers Use Laser to Grind 3-D Art Into Skateboard Decks [Wired via OhGizmo!]
Sling fans ahoy! Instead of releasing new virtual remotes (the onscreen remotes you use to control your set-top boxes) with big software updates, now Sling’s going to release more frequent updates with just the remotes. Yippee!
The version 1.0 update includes support for TiVo Series 3, AT&T Uverse &HomeZone, Some Motorola Cox set top boxes, various UK remote and even AppleTV/FrontRow/iPod. Nice! Grab it now if you’ve got Windows and a Sling. – Jason Chen
AU: I’m hitting the UK for a stint very soon, and I’m thinking I might pick up a Slingbox there – then we can find out if it’s perfectly fine for use here in Oz (can’t see a technical reason why not, especially using a UK edition). Anyone already test this theory? -SB
Download Page [Sling]
