The “smart home” has been a part of technology folklore for nearly 30 years. Despite hundreds of companies offering a myriad of solutions to make your home completely automated and networked, all of them are too expensive to really become mainstream. But Nokia is hoping to change all that by making the central device, the central controller of your home something that you already carry around with you – your (Nokia) mobile phone.
Maybe Dell just wanted to jump on the excitement of Black Friday, or maybe they always planned on offering some pretty good deals. Either way, if you head on over to Dell’s website today, you can pick up some pretty special savings, including up to $1400 off a Studio 17 desktop replacement. There are a few different laptops on offer, so if you’re in the market for a Dell notebook, today’s a good day to start looking.
[Dell]
Kids today have got it easy. Not only do they have mobile phones and the internet, they’re now going to get a free netbook just for going to a public school. So long as they live in NSW that is, with The Australian today reporting that the NSW State government and the Federal government have kissed and made up over funding for the free laptop scheme.
Sadly, there’s no mention on exactly which type of netbook years 9-12 students can expect to see come next year. They will have wireless though, and will connect to the Department of Education’s network through each student’s unique ID, which the Government claims will help prevent theft of the devices.
Students will also get to keep the netbook when they leave school, although you’d feel pretty bummed if you were in year 9 next year and you had to keep the same, 3-year-old netbook heading into uni… Those things aren’t that powerful to begin with, let alone 3-years down the track…
Considering the massive success that Street View has had here in Australia (not to mention the controversy), the fact that Stuff.co.nz is reporting that Street View is likely to be launching for our Eastern neighbours across the pond tomorrow is great news. Not just because it means we can scope out our ski trips in advance, but because we like seeing any form of technology land over there in NZ.
Typical – First day of Summer and I’m sick as a dog. Hence the Vitamin C. Anyway, here’s what went on over the weekend:
Inside NASA’s 747 Flying Telescope It’s a plane!
How To Calibrate Your HDTV (and Not Lose Your Mind) Wow. I’m about to search my DVD collection now.
Star Trek vs Star Wars: The Final Battle I’ve never been a Star Trek fan, but this was fantastic.
Flying Aerocar Auction Shows the Future Comes From 1956 And there you have it: The world has had a “flying car” since the 1950s.
Linux for iPhone May Open the Door to Android iPhone Go, Hackers, Go!
Calling All Wannabe Dr. Evil’s: Super Secret London Tunnel Lair For Sale If we all put in $100 bucks, we could buy it ourselves…
Crazy Guy Beats Guitar Hero 3 Using Drums Almost certainly the best video you’ll see today.
By allowing its snooty customers to manipulate the snooty Microsoft Surface interface with their snooty fingers, BMW has officially become the first car maker to offer the touchscreen tech to a worldwide car-buying audience. Impressed? Me neither, but that’s just because I’m a low-paid writer who’s insanely jealous of anyone driving a car that’s hotter than my 2006 Mercury Milan. So, basically everyone.
Is this tire really the “Holy Grail of Eco-Transportation,” as Treehugger believes? Maybe. Time will tell if the electric engine inside the Active Wheel from Michelin will catch on and further drive down the cost of electric vehicles. For now, let’s delve deep into this tire-motor combo, and you can decide for yourself if it has what it takes to kill the gas-guzzling combustion engine for good.
The global recession has sparked riots at the Nerf factory in Dongguan, South China, but there are as-of-yet no reports of any Vulcan GF-25 cannon discharges. In fact, no foam weaponry of any kind was brandished during the tussle, which came to a head following layoffs and unpaid wages.
We figure this RC Black Widow Spider is good for maybe one, possibly two, good scares before a skittish family member offs it with a well-placed slipper to the head. But until then, you’ll have seconds or minutes of fun making this hairy little abomination scurry around the family room on its eight little legs. Requires six AA batteries, one 9-volt battery, about $US36, and a forgiving family that doesn’t instinctively squash something that resembles one of the deadliest spiders on the planet. [Play.com via Technabob]
I was overcome with nostalgic joy this fine afternoon when I first laid eyes on these M.U.S.C.L.E Men USB dongles (short for Millions of Unusual Small Creatures Lurking Everywhere). The memories! These fleshy pink rubber men, featuring unforgettable names like Muscle Man, Mr. Blocky and Mr. Tea (teacup for a head, duh!), were a staple of my youth. Too bad those fond memories were quickly sullied by the obscene humping end of these USB dongles. Why the Japanese took something as sacred as Kinniukman and turned him into something like this, I’ll never know. All I can say is “only in Japan,” and then order ten for my desktop. [Geek Stuff For You via Boing Boing Gadgets]
