Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Computers
Asus Gives Reviewers Different Batteries Than Consumers, Considers Free Upgrade
11:20PM Mark Wilson | According to DigiTimes, recent Hong Kong purchasers of the new Asus Eee PC 900 (it’s that Eee with the bigger screen) found that their batteries weren’t as nice as those given to reviewers. Speaking from experience, that sort of thing happens all the time. Real world testing is always more rigorous than reviewer testing. But in this case, consumers were not talking about battery life itself, but a straight-up battery capacity rating. Then, in a turn for the even loopier, Asus actually admitted to giving different batteries to reviewers and consumers. What??? Yeah. More »
Vehicles
The History Behind the F-35B Vertical Lift: from Napkin to First Supersonic Plane
11:00PM Jesus Diaz | Dr. Paul Bevilaqua is the aerodynamicist who designed the F-35B shaft-driven lift fan years ago at Skunk Works, Lockheed Martin’s advanced technology program. His invention changed short-take off and vertical-landing (STVOL) planes forever, making the Lightning II the first supersonic aircraft with this capability. To honour him, Lockheed Martin has released this new video, in which Dr. Bevilaqua explains how the project went from “napkin to production.” More »
Gadgets
Paint Thickness Tester Won’t Determine the IQ of Your Walls
10:30PM Addy Dugdale | A handy little gadget for those of you who prefer to buy second-hand cars rather than brand spanking new models that smell of plastic, Westfalia’s paint-thickness tester will let you know if the vehicle has had a paint job—which can often mean it’s been involved in a crash somewhere down the line. Here’s how it works: More »
Entertainment
Death Star Wedding Cake Wins Fanboy of the Year Award, Sets Grounds for Divorce
10:00PM Jesus Diaz | I got this picture from our Tips mailbox just after reading Wired’s article on Fanboys, Ernie Cline’s odyssey of a group of diehard Star Wars fans who break into Skywalker Ranch to steal a copy of Episode I before opening day. Reader Rye Clifton explained what it is, much to Addy’s disbelief:
Weapons
Georgian UAV Films its Own Demise in Russian MiG Attack
8:54PM Gizmodo US Edition | Apparently the latest twist in an ongoing tussle over separatist Abkhazia, this video shows an “unarmed, umanned aerial vehicle” belonging to the Georgian Interior Ministry performing “basic reconnaissance over Georgian territory,” according to the Georgians. Whether or not you believe the details in that statement, it’s pretty hard to argue with what happens at around 30 seconds into the clip. A Russian MiG29 fighter aircraft shows up, looses off an air to air missile and blows the UAV out of the sky … on camera. Though we imagine the political fallout is going to be messy, the sight of the missile streaking toward the lens is both chilling and awe-inspiring. [Danger Room] More »
Cameras
Ricoh G600 Is Both Rugged and Fugged
8:30PM Addy Dugdale | Does a water-resistant and dust-proof camera really have to be as fugly as this? Ricoh’s ten-megapixel, shock-resistant G600 sits alongside its Caplio 500G, and boasts, as well as a 5x zoom, flash with a ten-metre range, 52MB internal memory and hi-def 2.7-inch display. More »
Games
NES Cartridge Modded into NES System. Space-Time Remains Intact
8:26PM Gizmodo US Edition | This has to be the most jaw-dropping NES mod ever … putting a whole system-on-a-chip NES console clone into an original game cartridge. Talk about how to demonstrate the advances in shrinking electronics over the years! Modder Kotomi took an original Super Mario Brothers cartridge, gutted it and somehow squeezed in all the circuitry, chips, power switches, twin joystick ports and composite video and stereo audio sockets. And it even looks pretty neat. If I was wearing a hat, I’d tip it in Kotomi’s direction. [Technabob] More »
Computers
Gold MacBook Air Has Bejeweled Rainbow Apple
8:10PM Jesus Diaz | Behold the 24 karat gold MacBook Air with a bejeweled version of the classic rainbow Apple. Why anyone would want a heavier, fingerprint-magnet version of a MacBook Air except a rich oil tycoon from the United Arab Emirates, I don’t know. But even while all the shiny gold and coloured sapphires may look tacky at first, I have to admit that it actually looks kind of cool when you see the whole thing. See it, along with all the info about the bling job and price, after the jump. More »
Vehicles
Ben Wilson’s Monocycle Calls for Pert Buttocks
7:40PM Addy Dugdale | Designed for the XXIst Century Man exhibition in Tokyo, this monocycle by Ben Wilson is pretty damn cool. While not as ornate as last year’s steampunk monocycle, Wilson’s one-wheel wonder is stunning in its simplicity, like many of the other product designs on his website. The Brit, who has several other bike designs under his belt, claims to be a fan of propulsion “ever since cycling for the first time without stabilisers.” The XXIst Century Man exhibition, curated by Issey Miyake, is in Tokyo at 21_21 Design Sight until July 6. [Dezeen and Ben Wilson Design] More »
Computers
