August 1, 2007

Logitech Updates G15 Keyboard with GamePanel LCD Screen

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 11:24 PM on August 1, 2007

G15_CTG.jpgLogitech's G15 keyboard has been updated to include an LCD screen so that gamers can keep an eye on any vital information that they may need while they play. Price, press release and another pic are after the jump.

AU: Ummm, the G15 always had an integrated screen. This one just looks a bit better resolved. And orange, which means it goes faster - but not as fast as red. That's the next one.

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Logitech G9 Mouse Has Interchangeable Grip, Will Make David Hasselhoff Happy

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 11:10 PM on August 1, 2007

G9_2CTG.jpg As we reported a couple of months back, Logitech is following up its G5 gaming mouse with the G9. Ah, a much nice picture, don't you think? There's another one, alongside the press release detailing the G9's full specs and price after the jump.

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Canon iVIS HG10 Has 40GB Hard Drive but Falls Short on High Definition

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 10:57 PM on August 1, 2007

canon-hg10.jpgThe Canon iVIS HG10 3CCD can record five-and-a-half hours of top banana quality video action on its 40GB hard drive. Unfortunately, the format is limited to a sad 1,440 x 1,080, (1080i) according to Canon's own specifications page, and the included battery will only give you one hour of actual recording time without using the LCD screen. And there is even more bad news.

AU: 'Sad' is a bit harsh, there. 1440x1080 is standard HDV spec and AVCHD also has this ratio as most typical, with wide pixels for a 1920x1080 finish. Not perfect, but it is in common use right now, so it isn't all that sad... unless all such cameras are sad... which they may well be... pining for Full HD.

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Roller Blades of Death have Petrol Motor, No Brakes

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 10:40 PM on August 1, 2007

Picture%203.pngCustoms officers in Britain have seized 150 pairs of motorized roller blades, amid safety fears. The skates, known as Gasoline Skating Shoes, are fitted with a 25cc motor and have a top speed of 20 mph. Classed as a motorized vehicle, users would need a driving license, insurance and L-plates, were they legal. Check the video with its incongruous Prozac Muzak and discover their deadly secret below.

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Panasonic HDC-SD7 is Now World's Smallest HD Camcorder

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 10:12 PM on August 1, 2007

panasonic-sd7.jpgPanasonic just announced their new HDC-SD7 in Japan. Those tricksters are now saying that this is the world's smallest HD camcorder, and not yesterday's record-holder. This one has a vertical format but is it really the smallest of both?

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Giant Golf-Labyrinth Game For Sale

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 9:57 PM on August 1, 2007

01040101030601030020070730f8295bd4e2d4f5c01e007a3e.jpgDo you like golf? Do you like Labyrinth games? Do you have a HUGE house? If you answered yes to those three questions then you might just be in the market for one of these. Its a scaled up version of a Labyrinth game, and was created as a mini-golf hole that used golf balls rather than ball bearings - If you managed to complete the game in one go you got a hole-in-one. [Craigslist]

Dog Ice Cream Goes by the Name of Wanko

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 9:41 PM on August 1, 2007

wankoice.jpgThis is dog ice-cream, available in, yep, Japan. I don't think that means it's dog-flavored ("Choose from Dachsund Daiquiri, Choco-Chow and Key Lime Labrador"), but that it is for dogs. Hence the bowl - or maybe you think that's what we Giz writers eat off. What I want to know is why they went with the name Wanko? [Gizmodo Japan through Google Translate]

iPhone Reverse Engineering Opens New Door to Total Unlock

The iPhone Dev Team keeps closing up on their total unlocking target: they just announced that they have reverse-engineered the software which controls the iPhone's radio communications. The team has now a new way to search for the key... Read More »

"On" is a Huge, Wall-Mounted Spectrum Analyzer

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 2:32 PM on August 1, 2007

oneq.pngThis piece of art is a huge, wall-mounted electronic spectrum analyzer that displays sound from ambient noise. It looks to be made up of an array of red LEDs set up in a pattern of 8 to 32 bands. The entire device runs on batteries for 4 hours, or AC power, and is turned on by a switch behind the plate glass face. $8200 for 8-bands. I don't even want to know how much this would cost for 32-bands, but I'd bet you an NYU ITP 3rd year student could pull this off for the cost of materials and beer money. Nevermind the guy with no shirt; this thing was made in Europe. [On via MusicThing]

DirecTiVos to Get Updates (For Some Crazy Reason)

Hallelujah! For some reason, TiVo and DirecTV are updating the older Series 2 generation DirecTiVos as part of an ongoing agreement to explore bringing "future enhancements" to DirecTV TiVo owners. The improvments now include the addition of the Recently... Read More »

Skullcandy G.I. Headphones Kick Ass, Take Names

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 1:19 PM on August 1, 2007

skullhead.jpgRock out in style with Skullcandy's slick DJ style G.I. headphones. They come in a variety of styles from Desert Camo to Rasta, including a couple of military-inspired designs with bullets on the leather band. The speakers on these bad boys are also made of soft leather and swivel a full 90 degrees. $69.95 may sound like a bit much for fashion-focused headphones, but Skullcandy tosses in an extra pair of earpads and a travel bag for the price. [Skullcandy G.I. via Lussorian]

Ten commandments of data loss prevention

Australian Post Posted by Seamus Byrne at 12:13 PM on August 1, 2007

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Australian data recovery specialists, CBL, sent us this line up of the 'ten commandments' of data loss prevention in an email yesterday. I thought it was both a very cute idea and a rather important lesson to all the heathens out there who just cruise from day to day with no plan for how to look after their information.

The beauty of their business is that no matter how much they encourage people to use good data loss prevention procedures, they know that 95% of folks will only learn the hard way.

So here is the list. Six through ten after the jump. How many commandments do you adhere to?

The Ten Commandments of Data Loss Prevention

1. Thou shalt schedule regular backups.
2. Thou shalt perform regular backups.
3. Thou shalt verify that your backups are functional.
4. Thou shalt store your backups somewhere away from the office.
5. Thou shalt leave your computer in an environment free of humidity, dust and smoke.

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iPhone Update 1.0.1 Now Available, Fixes Safari Security Breach, Other Bugs

iPhone Firmware Update v1.0.1 is now available through iTunes, and it will "fix bugs." The JesusPhone is getting an apparently minor upgrade, but the consequences are huge to your security. Discover why after the jump. [Last Updated 11:24PM EST... Read More »

Last few hours for Belkin comp

Australian Post Posted by Seamus Byrne at 11:07 AM on August 1, 2007

Don't forget about the comp Jenneth hooked up last week. Entries close at 6.00pm this evening. Head back to the competition post and have your say on the hype-tastic iPhone. It's that easy.

Baby Alert Child Minder Remembers You're Killing Your Kid(s)

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 10:29 AM on August 1, 2007

babyalert.jpgForgetful parents misplace their keys. Really forgetful parents misplace their children, leaving them strapped in hot cars while they go about their business sans toddler. If you'd rather be safe than sorry, Baby Alert's Child Minder system (baby not included) has you covered. After you replace the generic strap on your kid's car seat with the Child Minder, a keychain alarm will sound every time you move more than ten feet from the buckled fastener that ties your tot down. $64.95 for peace of mind. [The Child Minder System via Sci Fi Tech]

Mac Event at Apple HQ Next Tuesday

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 10:24 AM on August 1, 2007

breaking-new-imacs.jpgNext Tuesday, August 7th, at 10am PDT, Apple's holding an event which will be focused on the Mac. It'll take place at Apple's Cupertino HQ in the Town Hall. Guess those iPod nano rumors were wrong. My best guess is that it's for new iMacs that Kasper at Appleinsider has been speculating on for awhile. But we'll all find out for sure next Tuesday when we liveblog it. for those curious, the Town Hall looks like this:

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NASA Says iPhone Is Not A Suitable Business Tool

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 10:18 AM on August 1, 2007

ff_space_nasa1_f.jpgNASA has declared the iPhone not ready for business use by their employees. Instead, they're planning on supporting the Blackberry 8800 or Palm Treo 750. [InformationWeek] Image via Wired

Philippe Khan wins Transpac ocean race

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 10:11 AM on August 1, 2007

kahn-pegasus.jpgPhilippe Khan, of Borland and Camera Phone fame, won the Transpac sailing race in the double-handed class, with and without handicap factored in. Congrats to team Pegasus. [Pegasus via Giz]

Environment law: you break it, you bought it?

Australian Post Posted by Seamus Byrne at 9:44 AM on August 1, 2007

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A PhD student at QUT's Institute for Sustainable Resources, Nicola Durrant, is investigating whether companies and even governments could be held legally liable for adverse climate change.

With legal attacks on major greenhouse gas polluters already starting up around the world, Durrant is looking at whether companies should be moving to drop emissions now, rather than cruising along business-as-usual style because the feds are yet to legislate reductions. And with courts already accepting links between adverse climate change and industry emissions, the legal case against high emissions is building.

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Apple analysis confusion ·  Some confusion from the Apple analyst community today. Apple shares down nearly 7% to 131.76, based on a circular sourcing loop (infinite) that Apple would cut its iPhone production in half, according to a misread quote from Miller Tabak analyst Peter Boockvar, misreported by TheStreet.com. Boockvar had merely said that he'd heard rumors, too. How very bloggish of you all. [CNBC]

Human Tetris Part II - 'Cos Once Just Wasn't Enough

Australian Post Posted by Anna King at 9:15 AM on August 1, 2007

New human Tetris action!

There’s something about grown men dressed up like condoms attempting to contort their bodies into wacky positions - whilst maintaining a look of absolute concentration on their face - that makes me so very happy...

Honestly, where would our lives be without the Japanese?

Human Tetris II [YouTube]

Nokia's Music Store to Launch August 29th Worldwide...Sideloading Only?

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 8:57 AM on August 1, 2007

nokia_n91_music-edition.jpgNokia is planning to launch a worldwide music store on August 29th. Fortune compares it to iTunes, and somehow works iPhone into the headline. Two things I notice: a) This isn't an application, it's a website. b) This is like iTunes in that you can't buy songs over the wire; you have to download them to a PC and transfer songs to a phone. What's the point of Nokia getting into this game if they're not going to allow downloads directly to handsets by WiFi or 3G? [CNN]

Breakfast Wrap: Best of Tuesday Night

Australian Post Posted by Seamus Byrne at 8:45 AM on August 1, 2007

wrap-chicken.jpg

Back to a traditional wrap to eat this morning. A quick list to get you hopping about this winter's morning. Those of you up in the tropics can go bugger off with your pleasant winter weather!

Futurama back in November as a feature film.
Direct to DVD. It ain't no Simpsons.

Anti-GPS tracking device for your car.
Shake off those spies with a lighter plug-in!

DeLorean going back into production!
I know there is one of the originals in Melbourne - one of the Saw guys bought one with their horror movie millions.

Titanic Lamp sinks into the table.
Dead sexy. What is it about warped house fittings?

Unconfirmed: new iPod nano next week?
Said to add video playback, and be called iPod Touch. Probably a lowercase 't'.

Laser printers could be harmful like cigarettes.
The open plan office: mine shaft work hazard for the new millenium?

New solar cell efficiency record!
42.8% beats 40.7%, natch.

Recycling Washer/Dryer Concept

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 8:26 AM on August 1, 2007

water_washer.jpgThis concept washing machine by Reed Crawford saves water from one of the cleaner, later rinse cycles for use in a future wash. Smart, but only if there is an override that I can activate when washing soiled underwear. I mean, hypothetically. [Yanko]

New Solar Cells Set Record in Efficiency

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 8:20 AM on August 1, 2007

solarcells.jpgSolar cells just got a boost in efficiency thanks to a couple of scientists at the University of Delaware. The news cells can convert 42.8% of the light that strikes them into electricity, which is a step up from the previous record of 40.7%.

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NES MP3 Player and Speakers Made From a Cart and Controller

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 8:14 AM on August 1, 2007

People are making the NES controller into optical mice and voice recorders, so why not make it into an MP3 player? Better yet, why not take an actual NES cartridge and make that into speakers and get a horrible, yet awesome NES speaker system going? The only thing better than this would be if the set played all Minibosses, all the time. [Hacked Gadgets via Geekologie]

Bug Labs Plans Open Source DIY Gadget Hardware

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 8:11 AM on August 1, 2007

buglabs.pngRyan at Engadget has a great post about Bug Labs, a company planning to release DIY gadget hardware in the form of modular screens, QWERTY, GPS, Wifi/Bluetooth radios (sorry, no cellular radios). This could be the beginning of a gadget world that could be as open, and sometimes messy, as the PC one. [Bug Labs via Engadget]

Iomega StorCenter 1TB w/RAID, Gigabit Ethernet, UPnP, and USB Expansion

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 8:05 AM on August 1, 2007

iomega-storcenter.jpgIomega's StorCenter NAS devices are shipping in sizes from 500GB to 1TB with 7200 RPM SATA-II drives. The 1TB uses two drives, so can work in RAID 0, 1, or JBOD (one large drive). Each has Gigabit, but no WiFi, and has Active directory support and UPnP server ability. Interestingly, you can tether drives to this one via the two USB ports. $269 for 500GB, $389 for 1TB. [PR Newswire]

Missing Sync V4 Released, Supports Windows Mobile 6

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 7:50 AM on August 1, 2007

missingsync.jpgWindows Mobile owners who own Macs will be familiar with Missing Sync, the app that lets you sync your smartphone to OS X's Calendar and iCal (among other things). The latest version is available, and brings support for newer phones and phones running Windows Mobile 6. Other new features are a video plug-in for video importing and call log/SMS log importing to grab the call list/SMS list from your phone onto your computer. If you've got a WM phone and a Mac, you need to get this. [MarkSpace via MacWorld]

Lightning Round: Kontrolfreek's Speedfreek Xbox 360 Controller Attachment

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 7:20 AM on August 1, 2007

speedfreek.jpgThe gadget: Speedfreek, an add-on from Kontrolfreek for the Xbox 360's left analog stick to make racing games easier to play by making the cars more precise to control. The verdict: Pretty comfortable for racing games, because it allows you to use just the sides of your thumb to gently nudge the car left or right. The catch:

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iPhone Software Update 'Arriving Shortly', Says VP of iPod Product Marketing

Greg Joswiak, Apple's VP of iPod Product Marketing, tells a bunch of analysts that the first iPhone software update will be coming soon. Analysts then went on to speculate that the update could bring: new widgets, peer-to-peer applications (chat,... Read More »

Japanese Anti-Pervert Panties Block IR

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 7:10 AM on August 1, 2007

st_undies_250.jpgIn Japan, riding the train in a skirt is still an invitation to have your ass grabbed or photographed by some random perv. These days, there's a more advanced threat: cameraphones with IR night vision cameras like on those old Sony camcorders, can be tweaked to see through clothes. Cramer Japan made these nylon and polyurethane panties that block IR, hampering the photographs. The name of the undies? ShotGuard Inner Shorts. The company is planning bras made from the same material. [Wired, thanks Mark]

OXO Corn Stripper is Simply Ingenious

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 6:30 AM on August 1, 2007

cornstripper.jpgOXO's kitchen gadget for taking corn off the cob combines a mouse-shaped handle with a blade and measuring cup. The only other way to get corn off the cob is with a huge knife (fun but not safe) or manually with your chompers. (Which is not a good idea if you're meaning to spit it back into a communal salad bowl.) [OXO via SciFiTech]

Laser Printers May Be as Harmful as Cigarettes

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 6:22 AM on August 1, 2007

deathprinter.jpgBad news, office drones: That laser printer sitting in your cubicle might be doing some serious damage to your health. It turns out that one third of all laser printers emit tiny particles of toner that, when inhaled, have similar effects as secondhand smoke. Awesome! The printers are more dangerous when they're used a lot, especially for graphic and photo heavy prints that require a lot of toner. In an open office setting, tests revealed that particle levels in the air increased five-fold during the working day due to printer use. That's such fun news, isn't it? And here you were eating salads, jogging and not smoking, and it's going to be your laser printer that does you in. Life sure is hilarious sometimes.

AU: This research comes out of a QUT science lab. As bad as the news is for lasers in the workplace, word up to the Aussie lab who cracked this one open.
[BBC]

Japanese Wii Supply Normalising - US Soon Too?

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 6:00 AM on August 1, 2007

japanwii.jpgAkiba blog is reporting that the Nintendo Wii is showing up in Japanese retailers in "semi-normal" numbers, meaning that the incredible demand may have finally faded enough to match the supply. If this holds true for the US, people may be able to get Wiis without stomping and punching each other in the face in stores. Probably not, though. [Akiba Blog via Kotaku]

Cect Phone Watch From China Has Bluetooth, MP3, MP4 and FM Radio

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 5:40 AM on August 1, 2007

cectphone.jpgThe M500 GSM Watch from Australia isn't your only cellphone watch option now with the Cect Mobile watch from China. It's got a semi-decently large LCD, six hardware buttons, GSM support, Bluetooth, MP3, MP4, FM radio and a headset jack. No pricing yet, but it does come in all sorts of colors. [Phone Daily via Slashphone]

Xbox 360 Price Cuts: $50 off Premium, $20 off Core, $30 off Elite

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 5:37 AM on August 1, 2007

360pricecutcc.jpgNew information on the Xbox 360 price drop detailed in the Toys 'R Us and Wal-Mart ads this weekend. Circuit City is bringing out a full two-page layout with price cuts of $50 for the Premium, $30 for the Elite, and $20 for the Core. Yes, this means all those rumors of the Core getting canned are probably false. So you're looking at a final price lineup of $279, $349 and $449 if you pick up an Xbox 360 starting August 12. [Joystiq]

US Launch Dates for Motorola RAZR 2 and Q9, More

Every once in a while the so-called Boy Genius actually nails a rumor or two, so we couldn't help but pass this one along: He's soothsaying now that the Motorola RAZR 2 V9 and Motorola Q9 will be rolling... Read More »

iPhone Keyboard Patents That Never Were

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 4:46 AM on August 1, 2007

iphone-keyboards-1.jpgThose dudes at Apple sure love to patent things. For every patent they file that actually makes its way into a device that's sold to consumers, there have got to be 30 others that just sit there collecting dust, waiting for an opportunity to sue the pants out of the next guy to come up with the same idea. Case in point? Check out all these variations on the iPhone's touch keyboard that Apple holds patents on.

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Unconfirmed: New iPod Nanos Coming Next Week, Called iPod Touch?

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 4:42 AM on August 1, 2007

ipod-nano.pngThe last few months of iPod rumors have all come down to this, a final push before the supposed launch next week. What's going to be new? Supposedly, a two-inch-square flash-based iPod that may be called the iPod Touch, based on the fact that it's going to play back video and cost $299 and $399 for 4GB and 8GB. If the rumor is true, It would essentially be a phone-less iPhone, which was what everyone's been thinking Apple would bring. It makes sense that they're not following up with a 6G iPod that looks exactly like the iPhone, instead making a smaller nano with a larger screen that fits easily in your pocket. Then later this year or early next year they can come out with a big 6G iPod with a huge 16:9 screen and an iPhone-like interface. Of course, this is all conjecture now, but the pieces do start to fit together. [9 to 5 Mac]

Intel GPS processor integration coming ·  Intel and GPS chipmaker SiRF to team up for GPS and processor integration coolness [Press Release]

Tango Motorcycle is Like a Segway, But Less Pathetic

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 4:15 AM on August 1, 2007

Tango.jpgSure, the Segway turned out to be a gigantic joke of a failure, but that doesn't mean the technology from the dork transporter is useless. Some clever high school kids from Canada have designed a really unique motorcycle-type vehicle called the Tango that uses the same balance-based tech for control.

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Microsoft Adding Extra GPU Cooling to Retail Xbox 360 Elites

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 4:00 AM on August 1, 2007

360open.jpgApparently Microsoft has started adding extra GPU cooling to new retail Xbox 360 elites in order to stave off overheating problems (and the three red lights) the units may be having. These added heatsinks were only previously found in refurbished Xbox 360s in Europe, which meant we were pretty much SOL. Ben Heck dismantled a new Xbox 360 and found a new heat pipe and new materials, but still thought that the cooling was a bit weak because there are no fans directly on any of the components. [Ben Heck via Evil Avatar]

Lumin LED Lamps Look Phallic, But They're Just Flashlights

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 3:57 AM on August 1, 2007

purdy_leds.jpgLEDs are spreading all over the home, and now these Lumen LED Lights have found their way into every corner of your house, bringing a spot of color here and there and adding a little extra style on the way. These 8-inch phallic symbols are available in the colors you see above, and run on three C batteries that the company says will last a minimum of 1500 hours.

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Sanyo Backup Camera Has New Tricks

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 3:17 AM on August 1, 2007

sanyo_backupcam.jpgSanyo's Rear View Backup Camera System claims to have a new twist on an old idea, "AirCam technology" that gives you a wide angle shot of whatever is behind you rather than some annoying fisheye image that's hard to look at. Mount the tiny camera on the corner of your license plate, wire it up, and it gives you a clear view of what's behind. It's also capable of a few clever tricks we hadn't seen in a backup camera before. This thing can help you park.

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