December 13, 2007

Online

 · Facebook has announced that it is opening up its platform code to other social networking sites. Is this going to spell disaster for Google's unlaunched OpenSocial initiative?

Gadgets

Nuutbook 6-Inch Portable e-Book Has Great Looks, Even Greater Name

Posted by Addy Dugdale at 8:29 PM on December 13, 2007

20071212002534717.JPGKorean company Neolux has brought out the Nuutbook, a rather sexy e-book. Designed around six-inch e-paper, the Nuutbook lets you read 7,500 pages on a single charge and supports over 1,000 books. Gallery and more info below.

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Phones

iPhone Video Recording Now Working with Drunknbass

Posted by Jesus Diaz at 6:30 PM on December 13, 2007

The geniuses from Monster and Friends have created an iPhone application which can record video up to 45 frames per second. They are still working in the final version, but to give you a taste they have published Drunknbass, a beta which records 5 seconds of video at 10 fps with a resolution of 2 megapixels. I've tested and it works perfectly. It doesn't have any interface, so you just download it, put it in your iPhone's Applications folder, click on the button and it will start recording.
When Drunknbass is finished with the five seconds recording it will replay the clip once. The final application will be able to record unlimited-sized clips (only constrained by your available space) up to 30 frames per second and it will have an interface to save your clips (they are looking for developers to help with the graphical side of the software).

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Random Stuff

Drew Curtis Says NFSW Trademark Application is a Prank

Posted by Jesus Diaz at 6:09 PM on December 13, 2007

drewhahaha2.jpgDrew Curtis has confirmed that Fark is indeed trying to trademark the NSFW (not safe for work) acronym with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. But he says that, although he can't comment on it yet, it's all a "prank." Then he added: "muhahaha." According to Drew, he didn't reply to the internet uproar against this application because he was a) on a trip without laptop charger and b) drunk most of the time. On completely unrelated news, industry analysts looking at that last part of his news point out that Drew Curtis may have secretly joined Gizmodo. [Fark]

Hardware

The Secret of the Time Machine-Assisted Hard Drive Swap

Posted by Wilson Rothman at 4:00 PM on December 13, 2007

Restore_System_Time_Machine.jpgThere's never been a better time to void the warranty on your MacBook and upgrade to one of those sweet 2.5" WD Scorpio 320GB drives. That was what made me throw caution to the wind and attempt a Time Machine-assisted swap. The good news is, it works as billed. You get a bit-for-bit transfer to the virgin drive with minimal fuss. The bad news is, if you don't use a little trick we discovered today, you probably won't get it to work at all.

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Gadgets

Chocolate Bar USB Drive Concept Does Not Melt In Your Mouth or Your Hand

Posted by Adrian Covert at 1:30 PM on December 13, 2007

chocolate_folder2.jpgThis USB Drive concept is pretty neat because of its modularity combined with a touchscreen in the middle used to organize files. The idea here is that files could be organised however you see fit into each "chunk" and taken elsewhere in your pocket for use on another computer. While this can be done to a lesser extent with a USB hub and a handful of flash drives, the main appeal of this concept is its design, which is quite tasty. [Yanko Design]

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Gadgets

Faraday Stool: Because Electrical Towers are Naturally Ergonomic

Posted by Sean Fallon at 1:00 PM on December 13, 2007

faraday_stool.JPGAs you might have guessed, the name of this unique piece of furniture derives from Michael Faraday —an English scientist known for his contributions to the fields of electromagnetism and electrochemistry. So, that partially explains why they went ahead and designed a stool that bears more than a passing resemblance to an electrical tower. Another explanation involves a desire to use steel wire to create a stool that is light, solid, and ergonomic. That sounds great, but by the looks of things my arse would tell a different story. Prices available upon request. [Product Page via Josh Spear]

Peripherals

Activision Roadblocks GHIII Guitar Support for PS3 Rock Band

Posted by Matt Buchanan at 12:40 PM on December 13, 2007

ghiiirb.jpgThe magical patch from Harmonix that was going to give Rock Band on the PS3 some sweet compatibility with Guitar Hero III's guitar has been cockblocked by Activision. It was ready to go on Dec. 4, but Activision threw its hands (and probably lawyers) up in the air, so the patch is in limbo. Harmonix, on the other hand, will provide support to any third-party developer who wants to support Rock Band's gear, which is pretty cool on their part. Check out Harmonix's whole statement after the jump.

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Gadgets

Bill Gates "I'm Riiich Biotch!" Snow Globes Bring Holiday Cheer

Posted by Sean Fallon at 12:20 PM on December 13, 2007

bill_gates_snow_globe.jpgHolidays and snow globes go hand in hand —and so does Bill Gates and exorbitant amounts of money. When you put them together, that is a sure-fire recipe for good times. There are two Bill Gates versions to choose from, both of which feature "gold coin" and "green bill" glitter. All that is left to decide is whether you prefer Bill frolicking in his money Scrooge McDuck style, or the more subdued "I'm Really Really Rich" floating head version. Individually priced at $US28.99. An additional photo is available after the break.

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Gadgets

Cute and Classy Digital Photo Keyring

Australian Post Posted by Anna King at 12:00 PM on December 13, 2007

Kaiser-Baas-photo-key-ring.jpgWe've seen digital photo frames with 1.5 inch screens before but this one is locally available and offers decent features.

The Kaiser Baas Digital Photo Key Ring can store up to 70 pictures (jpeg or bmp) that present in a slideshow on the LCD display. The included USB cable is used to upload the images as well as recharge the internal battery, which lasts around 10 hours. The whole thing measures four by six centimetres and is only compatible with Windows. Don't know about the somewhat conspicuous branding though, kinda takes away from the otherwise clean and stylish design.

Available in black or white for $29.95. [Product page via Lako]

Random Stuff

Glow-in-the-Dark Cats Could Make For a Unique Home Lighting Solution

Posted by Sean Fallon at 12:00 PM on December 13, 2007

glow-in-the-dark-cats.JPGScientists at the Gyeongsang National University in South Korea have cloned cats that have the ability to glow-in-the dark when exposed to ultraviolet light. By inserting a virus into the skin cells of a mother cat and placing those contaminated cells into the womb, scientists were able to prove that it was possible to clone an animal with a manipulated gene. Apparently, this development could allow for a better understanding of human genetic diseases in the future. But what about the benefits of glowing cats?

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Gadgets

DIY Smart Beer Coasters Open Up a Whole New World of Drinking Games

Posted by Sean Fallon at 11:40 AM on December 13, 2007

smart_coasters.jpgIf you can stay sober long enough to build one, a company called Sentilla has developed a DIY "smart" beer coaster that could lead to a myriad of new drinking games for you and your friends to enjoy. The coaster is "smart" in the sense that it can detect when a drink is present and when it is removed, it can communicate with nearby coasters, and it can provide feedback in the form of flashing lights. Plus, it does it all wirelessly. More info and a video of the coasters in action are available after the break.

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Entertainment

Producers Say the Strike Has Cost Writers $US106 Million...and Counting

Posted by Matt Buchanan at 11:20 AM on December 13, 2007

cagey.jpgThe Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers has a fun new flash widget on their site with a running tally of how much income the writers have dropped into a black hole since the strike started. Right now, it's at about $120 million. Kind of a dick move if you ask us, since producers trying to screw writers is why they're at impasse. Besides, writers stand to lose a lot more if they let producers slime their way out of fair compensation deals for new media and internet distribution. [AMPTP]

Gadgets

Blik RadioStation: DAB, Wi-Fi, and FM Radio All-in-One

Posted by Sean Fallon at 11:00 AM on December 13, 2007

blik_radiostation.jpgRevo, the company behind the Blik RadioStation claims that their new device is the first to combine DAB functionality, Wi-Fi internet radio and traditional FM radio in a single unit. It also offers a digital alarm clock function and the option to play your iPod tunes through the speaker. Apparently, the internet radio alone will provide access to over 9,000 channels, so if you get DAB signals it may be of some interest. Not sure about the look though —It reminds me of something. Available for £149.95 ($350) starting on December 19th. [Revo via Pocket-Lint via Techdigest]

Gadgets

Windows 7 Getting Multi-Touch That Will "Blow Away" iPhone Users

Posted by Matt Buchanan at 10:40 AM on December 13, 2007

surface.jpgOne of the test engineers working on Windows 7, Hilton Locke, dropped a post today pimping Dell's Latitude XT that also contained this little nugget:

I will say that if you are impressed by the "touch features" in the iPhone, you'll be blown away by what's coming in Windows 7. Now if only we could convince more OEMs that Windows Touch Technology is going to drive their sales.

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Games

Make Your World of Warcraft Character Into an Action Figurine

Posted by Jason Chen at 10:20 AM on December 13, 2007

Creating an action figure that kind of looks like you is cool and all, but if you're a World of Warcraft player you're probably more
attached to your virtual avatar's looks than your own. That could be because you spend more time grinding than washing yourself, but if that's you, FigurePrints can make a scale model of your character for the relatively low price of $115 (including shipping).

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Gadgets

Giant NES Controller PC Case Mod...Bigger is Definitely Better

Posted by Sean Fallon at 10:00 AM on December 13, 2007

giant_nes_controller_casemod.jpgIf you liked the Giant Nintendo controller with the built-in NES, chances are you will get a tremendous amount of geeky gaming satisfaction out of this PC mod as well. The case was built as part of a school project by students in Sweden, and the result is a precise, clean-looking mod that cost only $340 to build. Why they decided to go so big is unclear, but it works—and talk about airflow! Hit the link for a complete photo gallery detailing the construction. [Project Page via TechPowerUp via Technabob]

NES Controller Casemod-BackNES Controller Casemod-Internal ViewNES Controller Casemod

Hardware

The Buffalo TurboUSB Smokes All That Dare to Cross Its Path...Or So They Say

Posted by Sean Fallon at 9:40 AM on December 13, 2007

buffalo-turbousb.jpgThe new TurboUSB from Buffalo is being hyped as the fastest flash drive on the market by a whopping 20% margin. That kind of speed would certainly be useful if you are planning on transferring data approaching its 32GB storage capacity. Unfortunately, claims like that don't amount to anything more than big talk and Buffalo exec chest-bumping until someone can prove it. Hopefully more will be revealed when the SHD-U32GS TurboUSB makes its way to store shelves. [Akihabara News via Ubergizmo]

Software

PlaysForSure DRM Mutates Into "Certified for Windows Vista"

Posted by Matt Buchanan at 9:20 AM on December 13, 2007

pfs.jpgMicrosoft probably thinks they're making things easier by rebranding its PlaysForSure DRM as simply "Certified for Windows Vista," the sticker that's slapped on all manner of gear and software. But they're not—they're folding apples into oranges, making for an even bigger flustercuck. Cue confused customers wondering whether newly "certified for Vista" media players will work on XP and why tracks loaded up with FairPlay DRM don't work on their "certified" gear. "Does iTunes not work with Vista?" Sigh. [Microsoft]

Announcements

Breakfast Wrap: Best of Wednesday Night

Australian Post Posted by Anna King at 9:15 AM on December 13, 2007

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Microsoft Withdraws Free Software Deal, Overwhelmed by Privacy-Hating Cheapskates
Suckers! Not that we're bitter or anything about all these "US residents only" offers...

Man Gets Naked, Girl Gets Arrested, Rest of the World Laughs
Kiwis. Although someone will have to explain to me why the girl got arrested.

OLPC Ad by Heroes' Masi Oka Has Us Convinced
Well, with no new episodes thanks to the writers' strike, I have to take my Hiro Nakamura hit however I can get it.

Star Wars Figures that Didn't Make the Cut (Verdict: George, Make These. Now.)
Don't get too excited, they're only concepts. And rocks.

Laser Gunship to Destroy Ground Targets Death Star-Style
A little explosive destruction action with your morning coffee.

Gadgets

Jetpack with a 10 Mile Range Available Soon for $US226,000

Posted by Adam Frucci at 9:00 AM on December 13, 2007

Jetpacks, the invention we've all been waiting to become a reality for as long as we can remember (along with flying cars and teleporters), are pretty much a reality at this point. While a few months ago the only two commercially available jetpacks had paltry flying times of about 30 seconds, Jet Pack International is releasing a new model early next year that'll let potential pilots take to the skies for a generous 19 minutes.

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Announcements

Fünde Razor Brings Beer, Games and Prizes to Denver and Brooklyn Tonight

Posted by Adam Frucci at 8:39 AM on December 13, 2007

dianecubes.jpgA friendly reminder for those of you near Brooklyn or Denver: Fünde Razor is tonight. So rather than drink and play video games by yourself like you normally do, be a little less pathetic and drink and play video games with some new friends. There are prizes, too! And it's for a good cause! Who are you to say no? [Fünde Razor]

Entertainment

Buy One Get One HD DVDs at Amazon

Posted by Matt Buchanan at 8:35 AM on December 13, 2007

amazonw.jpgOn top of the still running "please go HD, we'll give you 10 free HD DVDs" deal, Amazon's got a buy one, get one special up now too. Some winners from the 58 flick-long list include Letters From Iwo Jima, The Departed, and Happy Feet. Mix those deals up with a cheap HD DVD player, and you've got a pretty stuffed stocking. [Amazon]

Phones

TryPhone Lets You Sample Mobile UI Without Buying

Posted by Jason Chen at 8:00 AM on December 13, 2007

tryphone.pngCurious about how that new phone works? Check out tryphone.com, the site that takes screenshots of just about possible screen and ties it to button presses on the virtual keyboard. In the case of the iPhone, you get to feel what it's like to press all the buttons, but you won't be able to do stuff like multi-touch or sliding gestures. It's a pretty great idea that'll let your parents know what it is they're getting into before you have to go and spend your Xmas teaching them how to use that new BlackBerry Pearl. [Tryphone via Uber Gizmo]

Gadgets

News Round-up: Robo-Pimpin' Ain't Easy and Some Other Stuff

Posted by Benny Goldman at 7:59 AM on December 13, 2007

r2pimp.jpg• Activision gets sued for claiming Guitar Hero III is in Dolby Digital when it is actually in mono. The overly-litigious audiophiles may have a point, but they are still dweebs in my book. [Game|Life]
• Toshiba has developed a process to increase the capactiy of flash memory to 12.5GB. If terms like "double tunnel layer technology" get you more worked up than the porn you'll be storing on the drive, read on. [Electronista]

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Gadgets

GX-5 Xtreme Swing Drops You From 150 Feet Up at 80MPH

Posted by Adam Frucci at 7:40 AM on December 13, 2007

The GX-5 Xtreme Swing (dropping the E makes it that much more Xtreme) ain't your pappy's backyard swing. Flinging passengers at speeds of upwards of 128kph from heights of almost 150 feet in the air, it looks to be a supremely terrifying and fun experience. Unfortunately for us, it's only located in Singapore and New Zealand, which aren't exactly easy treks for those of us trapped Stateside. Oh well, at least we can enjoy seeing other people on it thanks to a 2fps video of it in action uploaded to YouTube. It's like actually being there! [CAN via Spulch]

Gadgets

Ice Cream Company Gives Away 10,000 Frozen iPods Inside Popsicles

Posted by Jesus Diaz at 7:20 AM on December 13, 2007

kibonipodthumb.jpgAfter decades of popsicle promotions that included prizes printed on the stick, Brazilian ice-cream company Kibon has taken it to a new level by including the actual prize inside the popsicle: they will manufacture 10,000 specially made propsicles, identical in size and colour to the actual thing, frozen with iPod shuffles inside. We talked to Mentor Muniz Neto—creative director for Bullet Brazil, the company who got the idea—about how they worked with Apple to achieve this.

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Gadgets

Colour-Changing Shower Head Protects Your Junk from Scalding

Posted by Jason Chen at 7:10 AM on December 13, 2007

showerhead.jpgTemperature-detecting faucets have been available here for a while, but the same concept for shower heads have been mostly a Japanese-only affair. Imagine our surprise when we found these shower heads from China, which have four different shades to correspond to different temperatures: white for "I need to pay my utilities", blue for "damn it, I should have waited for the water to heat up", pink and violet for "ahhh, time to pee", and hot red for "ouch my nads". And since it's from China, it's pretty likely that this shower head should appear in cheap online and offline stores some time soon. [Alibaba via Gadgets News]

Entertainment

Terminator Home Theatre Looks Tacky, Probably Sounds Great

Posted by Jason Chen at 6:50 AM on December 13, 2007

cyberdynetheater1.jpgWe probably shouldn't judge anyone's home theatre builds when our own looks like it was built by a seeing eye dog that had to retire because he himself went blind, but this Terminator home theatre system seems kind of tacky. Electronic House has the details on the owner, who built it "with no knowledge of CAD," drawing it "freehand on paper." Sure, on paper this 159-inch screen and loads of speakers may seem like a good idea, but when you place it into a setup that looks like silver poop, we'll have to pass. [Electronic House via Dvice]

Computers

Chubby Casually Racist Harry Potter Look-Alike Reviews OLPC XO Laptop

Posted by Matt Buchanan at 6:30 AM on December 13, 2007

While American children aren't so enthralled with the XO Laptop, it quite strikes the fancy of this chubby 8-year-old British boy with a squealing, girly giggle. Not only does it all do all of the things a regular computer can do, you can "chat to other people over in Nigeria." See, his dad brought it to him "from Nigeria" and the Neighborhood app lets you see if "there are maybe a lot of Nigerian people there." But don't worry, it's not just a bunch of spammers, the OLPC's very international! Since his chat buddies "speak very bad English" our reviewer thinks "they're in the Peru." I feel the Third World catching up to us already! [BBC]

Entertainment

Samsung May or May Not Show Off 40-Inch OLED Display at CES

Posted by Matt Buchanan at 6:10 AM on December 13, 2007

oledsammy.jpgOld, busted and tiny: Sony's 11-inch OLED display. New hotness: Samsung's 40-inch OLED display, the largest in the world. Previous reports held they were showing this monstrosity off at CES, but the latest has Samsung saying they might hose us with a punier 31-inch model because "the bigger and pricey one could face difficulty in attracting more major clients." That makes no sense to us, especially since we know a 40-incher's behind the curtain. Bigger, flashier and pricier is better, especially when it comes to CES. [OLED Display.net via Pocket Lint via Electronista]

Gadgets

Lightning Round: Kingston's 19-in-1 Card Reader

Posted by Jason Chen at 5:30 AM on December 13, 2007

kingsoncardreader.jpgThe Gadget: Kingston's 19-in-1 card reader that not only handles the standard SD, CF, MS and MMC cards, there's a native slot for microSD and MMCmicro as well. What this means is you won't need a separate > adaptor to fit your microSD cards into before docking—fantastic, since lots of phones now use these tiny arse cards in order to save physical space (but sacrifice storage space).

The Price: $US17

The Verdict: It works.

[Kingston]

Gadgets

San Francisco Working on Ambitious Solar Plan, Rebates and Loans for Solar Installations

Posted by Adam Frucci at 5:05 AM on December 13, 2007

solarinstall.jpgThe city of San Francisco is working on a groundbreaking new solar energy initiative, working on adding a combo of loans and rebates that would make installing solar panels a cheaper and more attractive option for local residents. Under the proposed plan, businesses would be eligible for rebates of up to $US10,000 while residents would be eligible for $US3,000-5,000 discounts off the cost of installing panels.

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