Sunday, October 7, 2007
Vehicles
X-Wing Rocket Launches, Disintegrates Mid-Air
8:06PM Jesus Diaz | Here’s the video of the 21-foot-long X-Wing rocket launching at Plaster City, California, and then desintegrating spectacularly in mid-air. And no, it wasn’t Darth Vader or those pesky deflector towers, just the stress from the launch. I can only say two things. The first is: absolutely amazing. And the second: poor Porkins. [UPDATE: new close-up video after the jump.] Come back later for our exclusive feature, with full video and interviews with the Rebel engineers. More »
Total Immersion D’Fusion, Realtime Dynamic 3D Awesomeness
8:30AM Mark Wilson | You know those graphics you see on your evening news? Those are lame. But this semi-new D’Fusion software from Total Immersion takes graphical video layovers to the next level—meaning that 3D graphics can be manipulated in real space…and like we said in the headline, real time. This is some crazy cool stuff. Despite the language barrier, this video gives a nice demo of the technology with some visual explanation of the mechanics behind the magic.[tvinjapan via therawfeed] More »
iPaq 110 and 210 Apparently Cost Money
8:29AM Mark Wilson | From rumour to fact, we’ve watched as HP has revived their iPaq line. The first two units will be coming out in just two days, on October 8th. Featuring Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, identical 624mHz processors and WM6 Pro, the cheaper 110 will run $299 while its older brother the 210 will cost $399. Of course, with contract, they’ll cost you a lot less. Wait. They’re just PDA’s, or, “phone companions” as the models are called in HP’s press release. And there are no contract rebates for “phone companions.” Damn. [HP and HP via engadget] More »
The Gadget Wars, Who Won/Lost Last Week?
7:05AM Mark Wilson | Every week is a battle. There’s seldom any bloodshed, and generally no tears. But every week is a battle for the consumer mind and the consumer heart. Here’s the way we saw things this week: one winner, one loser and one company that’s sort of treaded water despite big announcements. More »
Apple iPhone Firmware 1.1.1 Class-Action Suit Seeks Injuction Against Locked iPhones
6:16AM Jesus Diaz | A California man has filed a class-action suit against Apple for bricking iPhones with their lastest firmware update. The lawsuit is neither the first nor the the last, but it’s unique because it looks for a permanent injunction against Apple to prevent them from selling locked iPhones. More »
Giz Interview: Creator of Gold Macbook Pro Talks Macs That Match Our Teeth
5:45AM Mark Wilson | Computer Choppers has finished their custom 24-carat gold Macbook Pro modification. And it looks just…golden…other than the Apple logo, of course, which houses more diamonds than will allow us to ever send this link to our wife. We actually gave creator Alex Wiley a quick call today to get the lowdown on pricing…and maybe even placed an order of our own. (OK, we totally didn’t place an order, but we did get some interesting info). More »Thereminbot and Thumpbot Play Crazy, Drives Us Nuts (in a Good Way)
5:00AM Jesus Diaz | Lev is a thereminbot who last week got a new robot friend called Thumpbot. The thereminbot is a robot who plays the theremin, an instrument which usually has two radio antennas and radio frequency oscillators to generate sounds without being touched. Thumbot, on the other side, uses boxes and other objects to add the percussion track in this amazing interpretation of Gnarls Barkley’s Crazy, with the “help from a 20-year-old MT32 synthesizer.” Ranjit Bhatnagar, the author, says that “Lev is a bit out of tune, but hey, robots!.” Still, Ranjit, we absolutely love it. [Moonmilk] More »
Blue LED Cross, Cross 2.0
4:00AM Mark Wilson | The cross may be a symbol of ultimate devotion to countless Christians around the world, but let’s be honest, the design hasn’t seen an update in like 2000 years. And people are hard on Apple products! That’s why here at the Gizmodo chapel (of love), we’re really incredibly excited about the Blue LED Cross. See, while a normal cross says, “I’m a faithful Christian,” this newer (wayz betterz) cross can say something like, “I’m a faithful Christian, ’cause I love to sin.” Well, that’s only if the messages can scroll. You might just have to settle for “chaste-ish.” Additional updates include plenty of rhinestone bling, some of which even glow. While we’re not the types to practice regularly, we’re fairly certain that wearing the Blue LED Cross to church next Sunday will require plenty of faith in your fellow man. Import your cross for $38, a pittance for the long lasting salvation of LED technology. [product via redferret] More »
