August 2, 2007

Apple's Gesture Dictionary, a Fingering Chart for Multi-Touch

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 11:47 PM on August 2, 2007

apple_fingeringchart_front.jpgApple spent another day at the patent office, locking down this idea: a Multi-Touch Gesture Dictionary that identifies all kinds of finger play you can do on upcoming multi-touch interfaces. It started out with just the expand and contract motions on the iPhone, along with the ability to swipe your finger to get from one picture or graphic to the next. This takes those few gestures into the next dimension. Come on over to the next page, and see a larger version of this multi-touch map, which looks as complicated as the West Coast Offense in the NFL.

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WebbAlert Debuts, Babe Talks Tech

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 11:17 PM on August 2, 2007

Check out Morgan Webb's new show, WebbAlert, starting today. Morgan's the host of the G4 network TV show X-Play , the longest-running and most popular show about videogames on the planet. WebbAlert will be a daily show, Monday through Thursday, and she'll talk big tech stories, Web 2.0 and other funny, shocking, or weird stuff (sounds like the Giz!). We like. [WebbAlert]

Flatpack Boombox MP3 Dock - Hand Not Included

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 11:04 PM on August 2, 2007

cardboombox1.jpgNothing to do with Ikea, this boombox iPod dock is made out of paper and comes in a flatpack. Once assembled, its speakers pump out, with the aid of two AA batteries, all the Kurtis Blow and Sugarhill Gang' you ever wanted to hear.

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Oops, iPhone Display Needs to Reboot, Runs Windows XP

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 10:49 PM on August 2, 2007

Windows-iPhone.jpgHey PC fanboys, now you can use this shot of a Windows XP display at an AT&T store when those smug Mac worshipers tell you about how such-and-such Zune commercial was made on a Mac, and how "all media types and artists" use Macs. Windows runs the world, baby. (Thanks, Paul!)

Behind the Wall Couch

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 9:59 PM on August 2, 2007

03.jpgBehind the Wall is a two-sided couch with a stretchy membrane dividing those on each side. I'm not sure how practical it is, but it sure looks like fun. People sitting on the opposite side form a bulge in the membrane, meaning that people can interact through the furniture. There's bound to be a lot of fun games you could play with this, like guess the body part. The couch was designed by industrial designer, Jordi Canudas, who seems to specialize in designing attractive, digg-bait furniture. [Jordi Canudas]

Three Concept Video Projectors for Gaming More than All White

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 9:17 PM on August 2, 2007

08.07_userdesigned_07.jpgThese three objects are all video projectors that go by the name of Trisha, Dane and Trey. They are the fruits of a collaboration between Texas Instruments, Ignition, DLP and a trio of students on a Masters program in video game development at Southern Methodist University. See them after the jump.

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Find One, Find All - I'm on Your KeyFobz, Making a Noize

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 8:44 PM on August 2, 2007

fofa1.jpgIf, like me, you lose your keys and wallet on an almost daily basis, then you just might be desperate enough for gadgets like this. The Find One, Find All is a little radio receiver that you attach to your commonly lost items. You can then use another one - yes, you have to buy two - to track it down. There are six keys, and additional units can be programmed to different numbers. Lost your keys? Press 1. Lost your wallet? Press 2.

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Hitachi's Blu-Ray and HDD/Blu-Ray Cams Stateside in October (Right, Phil?)

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 7:51 PM on August 2, 2007

hita01.jpgWe already knew this was coming despite the naysayers*: Hitachi has finally launched its Blue-Ray and HDD/Blue-Ray camcorders on the world. Launch dates are 31 August for Japan, and October for the rest of the world, and here's a gallery and all the gen on what you can expect.

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Extreme Kayaking: Surfango's PowerKayaks Haul Aquatic Ass

Posted by at 5:36 PM on August 2, 2007

surfangobigpic.bmpIf you've been avoiding kayaking all your life because the strenuous paddling seemed like too much work, Surfango is your dream come true. Tired of paddling away for a few measly miles per hour, Surfango strapped a four-stroke engine on the back of a kayak and the PowerKayak was born. It may only fit one person, but that person is guaranteed to have a grand old time skipping over the waves at a blistering 25 miles per hour.

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Hands On the Timex Ironman iControl (Verdict: Great, But...)

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 3:00 PM on August 2, 2007

timex_icontrol_frontpage.jpgTimex teamed up with Apple for this Ironman iControl watch, which is pretty much a standard workout watch with one major difference: It has iPod controls on it. Communicating with your iPod via a little dongle that plugs into an iPod's universal docking port, you're able to control play/pause, volume up and down, and the go to the next/previous track on any iPod with a dock connector. We got our hands on one of these babies and took it out on the road for a week's worth of workouts.

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Surfango's PowerKayaks Haul Aquatic Ass

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 2:04 PM on August 2, 2007

surfangobigpic.bmpIf you've been avoiding kayaking all your life because the strenuous paddling seemed like too much work, Surfango is your dream come true. Tired of paddling away for a few measly miles per hour, Surfango strapped a four-stroke engine on the back of a kayak and the PowerKayak was born. It may only fit one person, but that person is guaranteed to have a grand old time skipping over the waves at a blistering 25 miles per hour.

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Hitachi delivers first Blu-ray disc camcorder

Australian Post Posted by Seamus Byrne at 1:50 PM on August 2, 2007

Big news from Hitachi - the DVD camcorder is as good as dead. With the capacity improvement of a Blu-ray disc on board, Hitachi is breaking ground on the new gen of disc-based recorders and their ability to shoot HD.

Captures in Full HD (1920 x 1080) to MPEG4 AVC/H.264 (their words... not sure how that varies from AVCHD), you get 1 hour record time to Blu-ray as well as 4 hours at HD to a 30GB drive on board (or 8 hours in 'standard mode'). 5.3Mp CMOS sensor for stills too, HDMI (natch), 10x zoom, and it will still record SD to DVD if you want.

Supports single-sided 8cm Blu-ray, which offers 7.5GB capacity. Both BD-R (write once) and BD-RE (rewritable) discs can be used.

Five record modes available:
- HX: 15Mbps AVC/H.264 (1920x1080); 4 hours HDD / 1 hour BD
- HF: 11Mbps AVC/H.264 (1440x1080); 5 h 20m HDD / 1h 20m BD
- HS: 7.5Mbps AVC/H.264 (1440x1080); 8 hours HDD / 2 hours BD
- SX: 9Mbps MPEG2 (720x480); 20 min DVD
- SF: 6Mbps MPEG2 (720x480); 30 min DVD

Scheduled for release end of this month in Japan, and November here in Oz.

This is just to hand, so that's all we have right now. Pictures coming soon.

Venzero Slickr PMP Wants to Be iPhone Nano

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 1:26 PM on August 2, 2007

slickr1.jpgIf it looks a bit like an iPhone nano but doesn't work like one, it could be a Slickr. Sporting the same sleek looks that made the iPhone a hit (in a smaller frame), the Slickr loses a lot of cool points when you realize it doesn't have touch screen capabilities. Even though it's reliant on button navigation, this German beauty still has a few handy features that could make it worth the $129 price tag.

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$1150, Quad-Driver, Ultimate Ears UE-11 Pro Headphones

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 12:48 PM on August 2, 2007

ue-11-pro.jpgUltimate Ears makes some of the best earphones I've ever heard, with the high end UE line made of custom molded pieces with multiple drivers inside. The UE-11 Pro raises the bar to having 4 in each ear, broken down into dual subs, a mid and tweeter. Audio sensitivity is 110dB at 1mW, which is very efficient. Available in a variety of colors and designs (including monograms) for $1150. I believe that's in a custom metal case. [iLounge]

Hello Kitty Privacy Sticker Hides Your Phone's Texts, Emails

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 12:47 PM on August 2, 2007

hellokittysticker.jpgPrivacy screens make sense for laptops and PCs, devices with large screens that are used for extensive periods of time in open areas. The Sanrio "Hello Kitty Mail Peeping Block and Display Protect Sticker," or HKMPBDPS as I like to call it, makes less sense. Sure, it prevents people from reading your precious texts by peering over your shoulder, but is that really something you worry about? Maybe the website says it best: "4. Kitty is shiny with lame." $8 [Hello Kitty Privacy Sticker via ShinyShiny]

Casio Adds A 5.1 MP Cameraphone To Its Exilim Line

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 11:46 AM on August 2, 2007

casio-exilim-w53ca.jpgWhile Casio's Exilim line has become synonymous for quality cameras, they took a different route this time and hit us with the W53CA Cameraphone. The device features a 5.1 Megapixel camera with 9 point auto focus, image stabilization and a clamshell swivel screen. To top it off, Casio added MicroSD, MP3 support, and one hell of a sleek design. Unfortunately, it's a Korea exclusive. Sigh. [UberPhones]

Motorola spreads some low end handsets around

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 11:44 AM on August 2, 2007

moto-w156-thru-w213_270x441.jpgIntroducing the W206, W213, W156, W160, W175 and W18. The bigger question: Why release 6 low end candybar phone at once? Might as well do one phone that we care about. [Crave]

X2 RC Car Wants 200mph Record

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 11:11 AM on August 2, 2007

x2rccar.jpgI still remember the first RC car I played with. That little dune buggy wasn't fast, and it really wasn't fun, considering it was connected by a cable to the remote itself (so you had to jog with it to go more than a few feet). RC cars have come a long way since then, and enthusiast/designer Nic Case hopes his latest car, the X2, can break the 200mph mark. A 29.6 volt motor powers the rather bland body while special foam tires are used to prevent melting at crazy high RPMs. Hit the jump for a video of some X2 test runs, along with a video of Nic's current world record holder, the 134.4mph TC3.

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Logitech G9 mouse available mid-September

Australian Post Posted by Seamus Byrne at 10:56 AM on August 2, 2007


Another release from the local Logitech reps tells us the new G9 Laser Mouse will be available in Australia from mid-September at an RRP of $169. Current US price conversion would be more like $119, which reflects the premium we saw being charged on the new VX Nano. This sort of gear usually turns up at some pricing well below RRP at the specialists, though, so keep your eyes peeled.

Keyspan USB 2.0 Server Brings WiFi, Ethernet to Your Favorite Two Devices

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 10:53 AM on August 2, 2007

keyspanusbserver.jpgIt's time to stop hogging all those fancy USB devices you've collected and let your pals in on the wonders of high-speed portable data storage, printing, scanning and more. Keyspan's USB 2.0 server will help you share whatever you plug in to its two ports via Ethernet or WiFi. Ringing up at $129, this could be your holdover device until Certified Wireless USB inevitably becomes the cheaper alternative. [Keyspan]

Logitech VX Nano lands in Oz

Australian Post Posted by Seamus Byrne at 10:48 AM on August 2, 2007

We had full details on the US launch of the Logitech VX Nano early last week. Now we have the word that it is now ready to roll here in Australia, at a price of $129. US price in AU conversion right now is $82 for comparison, so even considering the weak US currency right now we're facing a steep mark up. It is a sexy little unit, though.

Denon adds headphones to line up

Australian Post Posted by Seamus Byrne at 10:33 AM on August 2, 2007

AHD5000K-220.jpgTheir stereos are some of the best in the business, so the news that Denon is launching a range of headphones should be music to... no, I can't stomach that cliche. But yeah, this line up looks excellent.

Three models to suit the budget of audiophiles with very different budgets. Their tagline is "placing your ears right beside the speakers", and it really seems like they took it to heart by treating the headphones like a pair of true speaker units. The AH-D5000 flagship ($1499) has a mahogany housing "that provides superior acoustic characteristics", a microfibre diaphragm, and an optimiser to balance acoustics across the full dynamic range. They claim a frequency response of 5Hz to 45kHz. Woof!

Take the jump for brief info on the cheaper models, a full size image of the AH-D5000s, and the full press release.

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B&W Zeppelin iPod Dock Blasts The Real Zeppelin

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 10:33 AM on August 2, 2007

bnwzeppelin.jpgHigh-end speaker producer Bowers & Wilkins (known on the street as B&W) is going all Hindenburg on your iPod dock. Named after its obvious inspiration, B&W's Zeppelin is a two-foot-long black ellipsoid with a bundle of goodies hidden inside, including a 5-inch subwoofer, four speakers and an amp that can pump out 100 watts of power. It'll also handle the classic iPod dock jobs like streaming pictures and videos to a TV. For $599, the least B&W can do is guarantee that it won't burst into flames and crash land in your living room. [Sci Fi Tech]

Virgin America's In-Flight Ethernet, USB, 110v Power and Doom

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 10:12 AM on August 2, 2007

virgin-aircraft.jpgArtur Bergman of Six Apart and O'Reilly got a tour of the new Virgin America planes and found some some amazing geek amenities. Every seat includes 110 volt AC current, ethernet, USB ports for charging iPods and phones, but will also accept a QWERTY for the linux-based, thin client, in flight entertainment system. And, it has Doom. But I'm not sure if it has Internet.

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Breakfast Wrap: Best of Wednesday Night

Australian Post Posted by Seamus Byrne at 9:16 AM on August 2, 2007

breakfast-orangegrapefruit.jpg

Suck it up. Grapefruit this morning. *wince*

Canon HG10 is world's smallest hard disk HD camcorder.
Another world's smallest? Who cares. Is it actually a good camera?

Viruses: data storage of the future?
Keep a medical mask around in case of emergency.

PS3 to get PVR and digital tuner?
Word from the SCE New Zealand boss.

Deleteworm virus going after your MP3s.
Dear me! Who would make such a thing!?!??

Scientists get bacteria to grow petrol.
You can totally see government funding for dickhead research like this instead of sustainable resources.

TomTom 920 the New Flagship GPS Navigator?

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 8:51 AM on August 2, 2007

tomtom-go910.jpgHints of a new flagship GPS from TomTom, dubbed the 920, are showing up in TomTom's 720 software. That's good, because right now, its hard for consumers to tell the major differences between the 720 and the 910 (pictured above), which are similarly priced, with ~4 inch screens. The 920, would, in theory and speculation, have the best features from both, including, possibly, a SIRFstar III chipset.

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Arkanoid For the DS Gets Paddle Controller

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 8:30 AM on August 2, 2007

dsattach.jpgRemember Arkanoid in the arcades and its weird paddle/knob controller you twisted to make the stick move around? Famitsu's revealing a Nintendo DS attachment for the game with a GBA Slot attachment that actually replicates the knobbiness of the original! The attachment will come in various Japanese DS colors, and will be available for an unspecified amount of yen. [Neogaf via DS Fanboy via Technabob]

Sony's XAV-W1 Does SACD, 5.1 Surround and DVD On a 7-Inch Screen

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 8:30 AM on August 2, 2007

sonysacdcar.jpgGreat news for people really into that dead format, the SACD. Sony is releasing a hot SACD car stereo that can also play videos on its built-in 7-inch screen (which can be customized with a wallpaper). The player can handle SACDs, CDs and DVDs for your entertainment pleasure, delivering 5.1-channel surround sound in your ride. It's also HD/XM Radio ready, and has an iPod dock. Which is good, because as we've said we don't give a shit about SACD.

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iPhone cold weather test · These Euros tested the iPhone's cold weather durability by tossing it in a freezer. It passes. [YouTube]

Microsoft HD Photo, the new JPEG? · Microsoft's HD Photo standard, which compresses more easily than JPEG 2000, could be the next generation JPEG. [Ars]

Russian Dorm Tetris

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 8:00 AM on August 2, 2007

What do you get when you combine some Russian college kids, an empty dorm and the desire to re-create Tetris in 100x scale? This video. [English Russia]

Aluminium Foil Stops iPhone Car Tape Adapter Buzz

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 7:56 AM on August 2, 2007

iphone-aluminium.jpgWhen I tested Monster's "iPhone compatible" tape adapter, I expected the $25 setup to have extra shielding to stop GSM buzz from the cellular radios. It didn't. As a joke, I tried some anti-alien brainwashing technology, or aluminum foil. Turns out wrapping a bit around the first few inches kills off a lot of the louder spikes in GSM buzz. Tragic it took some Reynolds Wrap to make my shiny car and my $600 iPhone work well together, but I no longer have to switch to airplane mode or risk blowing out my speakers with EMI bursts.

Bicycle Horn Honks at 115db - That's Jet Plane Loud

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 7:30 AM on August 2, 2007

bikehorn.jpgRide a bike? Cars not giving you the respect you deserve? Add the Thunder Horn, the electronic bike horn that boops at 115 decibels. In comparison, a Jet Plane is 120db, a chainsaw is 115db, and a car horn is around 110db. Yes, this thing is slightly louder than a car horn. Take that, Nissan Sentra. [Brando via Pocket Lint]

Monster Announces Wireless iPod Bridge

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 7:30 AM on August 2, 2007

monsterdock.jpgMonster, that company that makes "high end" cables that our readers L-O-V-E is looking to make something that's notable for its lack of cables: a wireless bridge for the iPod. Consisting of a dongle and a base station, it'll allow you to send music from your iPod to your stereo from up to 30 feet away on a proprietary 2.4GHz wireless frequency. No word on pricing, but I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that it'll be overpriced because of the brand. [Crave]

Apple Hints at Ad-Subsidized iTunes

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 7:11 AM on August 2, 2007

itunesads.pngMusic Ally went through Apple's testimonial at the UK Copyright Tribunal's decision on online royalty rates, and discovered a quote from iTunes VP Eddie Cue:

The placement of third-party advertising at the start, end or during actual delivery of a Repertoire Work to a customer by way of a permanent download.
Sounds like ad-subsidized iTunes, doesn't it?

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Magnetic Toaster Tongs Protect Fingers

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 7:00 AM on August 2, 2007

magnetic-toaster-tong.jpgGetting toast out of your toaster without lighting your fingers (or eyes, if you turn it upside down and shake it like we do) on fire is difficult. With these magnetic toaster tongs, you can reach in and grab your toast, then stick the tongs back on the side of your toaster when you're done. Sure, wooden tongs means they may actually light on fire too, but...uh...whatever! [Shop Catching Fireflies via Damn I Like that via Uber Review]

ATI recall on HD 2400 and 2600 ·  ATI's recalling a batch of Radeon HD 2400 and HD 2600 cards with a bug in the BIOS application process. If you've got one, return it. [Digitimes via Slashgear]

American Airlines to Test In-Flight Wi-Fi in 2008

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 6:30 AM on August 2, 2007

Some time in 2008, you may be lucky enough to get on a 767-200 transcontinental American Airlines flight that's testing the AirCell in-flight broadband service. The wireless net access will be available to all classes—yes, even us poor people—for a price. There will be three antennas outside the plane to transmit your 802.11a/b/g "Lolz im on a plane" messages to your buddies. No word on when this will move to widespread deployment. [AA - Thanks Mike]

Google Streetview Camera Car Invasion, a Call for More Photos

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 6:00 AM on August 2, 2007

google_car_search.jpgSend in your photos of Google Streetview camera cars to tips@gizmodo.com, and this Friday we'll have another gallery of your sightings across the USA. This time, in addition to the gallery, we'll place a marker on a United States map for each sighting, tracking the Google camera car invasion from coast to coast. Be sure to note the location where your pictures were taken, reduce their size to 800 pixels on any side, and please limit your submissions to three shots. [Last Week's Gallery]

Rainbow Moments Candles Have Coloured Flames For Colourful Arsonists

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 5:50 AM on August 2, 2007

rainbowcandles.jpgBlue and white flames are so yesterday—red, green and orange are where it's at now. And by replacing standard candle wax with various minerals and crystals, Rainbow Moments Candles can produce these flames in the comfort of your own home. You can get them as both birthday candles or the decorative kind, or buy colored lamp fluid and make your camping trip that much more exciting. [Rainbow Moments via Cool Hunting]

Gigantic Optimus Prime Birthday Cake Forcefully Removes Socks From Feet

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 5:30 AM on August 2, 2007

primecake.jpgMorgan Valentine, better known as best wife ever, ordered a custom-made Optimus Prime cake for her husband's 30th birthday. The cake was made by Nashville's The French Connection, and has dirt, rocks, grass, plants and an Optimus Prime the size of a toddler. I bet the guy even got sex afterwards. [Flickr via Boing Boing]

Detergentless Haier Washing Machine Uses Ions to Clean Skid Marks

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 5:10 AM on August 2, 2007

haier-wash2o.jpgInstead of using detergent, this Haier WasH2O uses ions to get rid of brown and yellow stains in your clothes. The WasH2O breaks up water into OH- and H+ ions, where the OH- "attracts" stains and the H+ ions "sterilize" the clothes. We don't know anything about chemistry, but that sounds like black magic to us. Will this be a world-changing innovative product, or will this be like the Segway? [Wash2O via Oh Gizmo via Freshome]

Bluetooth 2.1+EDR spec approved · The Bluetooth SIG group just approved Bluetooth Core Spec Version 2.1+EDR, which brings easier pairing and enhanced power optimization. [Bluetooth]

Scientists Figure Out How to Grow Gas From Bacteria

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 4:50 AM on August 2, 2007

LS9_x220.jpgIn our current quest to stop giving the kings of Saudi Arabia billions of dollars to build yachts and bombs via our love affair with gasoline, some scientists at a company called LS9 claim to have figured out a way to grow petroleum from bacteria. The exciting prospect could shoot us to energy independence in a matter of years, as LS9 says their tech will be ready for the prime time in just a few years.

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Nutcracker's Minimalist Design Gets The Job Done

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 4:39 AM on August 2, 2007

nutcracker_3shot.jpgLeave it to the commenters to make the nut cracking jokes, but this design concept could be a serious ballbuster. Consisting of two aluminum tubes, it's sized to fit a walnut inside, and all you need to do is twist, and the nut is cracked right in two by the nutcracker's ridged edges. Seems pretty simple. Created by German industrial designer Christopher Kuh, his idea was to craft a minimalist design that was not only simply functional but would be a decorative item when you're not using it to crack a few nuts here and there. To us, leaving this thing lying around would look like someone absentmindedly left the hub of the toilet paper holder in the kitchen. [Yanko Design]

15-inch Gigantor Digital Photo Frame Comes Cheap

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 4:35 AM on August 2, 2007

gigantor_photo_frame_desk2.jpgThe Gigantor photo frame isn't only big on size, like its name, but it's big on value as well. For $249, you'd normally only be able to get an 11-inch photo frame, but the Gigantor gives you 15 inches of mother-in-law viewing glory. It even has built-in speakers, an IR remote, 8 types of memory card support, MPEG1/2/4 video, and 1024 x 768 resolution. Gojira would be proud. [ThinkGeek via Crunchgear]

Deletemusic Worm Goes After What Really Counts

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 4:15 AM on August 2, 2007

img_broken_cd.jpgCall me crazy, but this sounds much worse to me than past viruses in the news: a new worm goes straigh