May 8, 2008

Gadgets

Camouflage Paint Hides Vehicles From Radar, Subsequent Missiles

Posted by Mark Wilson at 11:51 PM on May 8, 2008

A German inventor has developed a paint called AR 1 that can hide a vehicle from radar, and most importantly, "all militarily relevant frequencies." How it works is unclear, though one test researcher proposes it's either by reflecting radar waves in a pattern so they cancel on another out, or by utilising microscopic magnets to absorb radar radiation. And no, it won't get you out of speeding tickets.


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Phones

SIMable May Be Easiest Way to Unlock 3G GSM Phones

Posted by Wilson Rothman at 11:30 PM on May 8, 2008

A company called SIMable has produced a little chip that they call the "10-second solution" for unlocking carrier-tethered GSM handsets. The gimmick is that, instead of unlocking the phone itself—and risking invalidation of your warranty— the chip works on the SIM card, provided you punch a hole in the SIM.


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Gadgets

Steampunk Going Mainstream?

Posted by Mark Wilson at 11:03 PM on May 8, 2008

Here, in our niche technological world, we'd already considered steampunk as a mainstream phenomenon. But according to the NY Times, it could be the next major trend for, you know, normal people.

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Portable

Wave Goodbye To Pocket Billiards with Magnetic Knob MP3 Player

Posted by Gizmodo US Edition at 10:43 PM on May 8, 2008

We all know the hassle of digging into a pocket to twiddle the controls on our MP3 players, but until smart clothing becomes mainstream we're stuck with it. Unless someone takes this magnetic control concept and manufactures it for real, that is. The Pocket Pal is simple: the control stays outside, but is magnetically fixed to the body, which sits inside your pants pocket. Twiddling the control is easy, and would let you adjust volume or skip songs. I'm not sure what'll happen if you lose the knob—would any magnet/iron object do?—but I like the lateral thinking here. [Inventables via Gizmowatch]

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Online

Google Street View Becomes Google Bag View in Alaska

Posted by Addy Dugdale at 10:40 PM on May 8, 2008

One of the occupational hazards of Google Street View is, I guess, having the camera obscured by something. It could be a pterodactyl, perhaps, flying low for a closer view, it could be a giant Monty Python-style animated brogue homing in on the car as if it were a roach ripe for the squishing. Or it could be a plastic bag. One minute it's dancing around, American Beauty-style, the next it's spread-eagled over the camera rather like an over-amorous spinster at a barn dance. This is what College Road in Fairbanks, Alaska, looks like, according to Google Street View. [Google Maps via Google Sightseeing]


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Gadgets

Replica Bat Cuffs Turn Batman into BDSMan

Posted by Addy Dugdale at 9:20 PM on May 8, 2008

"Assume the position," barked Batman, as he wrestled his captive into a supine position. "Ooh, I just love it when you talk dirty to me," purred Catwoman, an enigmatic half-smile playing about her whiskers, as she was bat-handled into submission. Her direct, feline gaze never left the superhero's face, and he shifted uncomfortably as he realised that, somewhere below his bat-belt, the batsuit was becoming too tight for comfort.


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Vehicles

Scientist Studies Cars That Speak and Listen Like KITT

Posted by Gizmodo US Edition at 9:02 PM on May 8, 2008

I used to want a car just like KITT when I was a kid, though perhaps without that slightly annoying nasal voice. And now a Stanford scientist is looking at whether nattering to your vehicle may be good for you, the car, other road users and even (darnit) your insurers or advertising execs.


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Phones

First Live Shots of Sony Ericsson Paris

Posted by Addy Dugdale at 8:25 PM on May 8, 2008

Shots of Sony Ericsson's Paris have been popping up here and there over the past month, but get yourselves an eyeful of the five-megapixel slider. Hang on, should I spell that "Eiffel?" [Unofficial Sony Ericsson Blog]

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Screens

Sony's XEL-1 OLED Lasts Half as Long as You Expect, Says Study

Posted by Gizmodo US Edition at 7:52 PM on May 8, 2008

Now, we've been raving about Sony's diminutive XEL-1 OLED TV for a while, but an independent investigation by Displaysearch is casting doubt on the screen's lifespan. They ran two XEL-1 units for 1000 hours, then measured the change in brightness emitted by the screen. They concluded that it would take 17,000 hours for the screen to lose half its brightness—a usual measure of display life. That sounds like a lot—it's 5.8 years, at 8 hours use every day—but it's actually close to half the 30,000 hours claimed by Sony. Sony, of course, is defending their figure, saying it's based on years of experimentation. Sounds like bad news, though of course when larger OLEDs hit soon they'll have newer tech inside. [Displaysearch via OLED-display]


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Phones

iPhone Stocks Run out in UK, No More Until 3G

Posted by Addy Dugdale at 7:40 PM on May 8, 2008

Both 8GB and 16GB models of the iPhone are out of stock in the UK, according to both the O2 and Carphone Warehouse websites, although units are still ready to ship from the Apple Store online. I guess they're clearing the decks for the 3G version. Just tell us cuando, cuando cuando, Apple. [Pocket Lint]


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Peripherals

On-the-Go Plastic Cover for Laptop a Ziploc by Any Other Name

Posted by Addy Dugdale at 7:10 PM on May 8, 2008

Dust-proof and showerproof—although, despite the shower head-keyboard bunk-up in the picture, apparently not waterproof—this plastic laptop cover from Thanko is a glorified freezer bag. Available in A4 and B5 sizes, it is the plastic sofa cover of portable devices. Cost is around US$20, and I suggest using Cling-film instead. [Thanko via Akihabara News]


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Entertainment

Criterion Collection Going Blu-Ray!

Posted by Brian Lam at 4:19 PM on May 8, 2008

When it comes to the fine art of presenting movies on discs, Criterion's treatment of films, in quality and extras, finds itself unparalleled. And that's why it is amazingly good news that they're finally going Blu-ray.


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Entertainment

Hey Hey, My My, Neil Young Releases Catalogue On Blu-Ray

Posted by Nick Broughall at 2:14 PM on May 8, 2008

Blu-ray music is set to get a massive boost in the form of Neil Young's archive collection, a 10-disc set that will chronicle his music between 1963-1972. Presumably, there will also be another set later on that covers the years after that too.

The discs will include high-definition audio recordings of all the songs in that period, including previously unreleased tracks, as well as video and other memorabilia.

Apparently it wasn't just the superior storage of Blu-ray that got Young excited about the project, but the inclusion of BD-Live, which will let him provide more material to fans as it becomes available. That is, providing they have a BD Profile 2.0 player.

The set should hit US shelves (and hopefully Australian ones too) around July.

[Blu-ray.com]

Computers

Asus Eee PC 900 Priced And Dated For Australia

Australian Post Posted by Nick Broughall at 12:51 PM on May 8, 2008

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We've known it was coming for a long time, but now there's been an official announcement. The Eee PC 900 from Asus will be available in Australia this month in both the 12GB version running Windows XP and the 20GB version running Linux.

The XP version will set you back $599 and the Linux $649. As far as distribution goes, the XP model will be through retailers everywhere and the 20GB Linux model will be through selected computer resellers, so it may be a little bit harder to find.

Hit the jump for the full press release:

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Entertainment

Aussie Photographers Kick Ass In The World Press Photos

Australian Post Posted by Nick Broughall at 12:07 PM on May 8, 2008

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What you're looking at is the World Press Photo of the Year 2007, taken by Tim Hetherington in Afghanistan for Vanity Fair. While it wasn't taken by an Australian, there were plenty of winning shots that were taken by Aussies, which you'll see after the jump.

The World Press Photos are the cream of the crop of photojournalism, and last year included a whopping 80,536 entries.

If you're up in Sydney and want a nice free day out to see some awesome photos, the State Library of NSW has an exhibition running from today until June 5, when it heads up to Brisbane from June 12 until June 30.

It's the kind of thing that really makes you want to get a dSLR and go and take some photos. Honestly, you should check the exhibition out.

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Portable

Dash Express GPS Updates Traffic Models, Software Update Coming

Posted by Brian Lam at 11:29 AM on May 8, 2008

The Dash Express GPS just received its first historic traffic model update using the live Dash data gathered by users. That'll help predict traffic in areas where no Dash or other trusted data sources have been in the last 15 minutes. By end of month, a software update is coming with tweaks in performance, stability and routing. As for today's historic update, Dash recommends all users download the patch by Wi-Fi. Let's hope that more updates come often as this one, and with more features using that internet connection.

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Games

Put Games On Your Zune Now: XNA 3.0 Preview Arrives

Posted by Brian Lam at 11:28 AM on May 8, 2008

XNA 3.0 tech preview is out, and with it, you can dev or install some homebrew games on your Zune right now like Alien Aggressor and Galactic Wars 3. The directions are at [Zuneboards, thanks IPXX]


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Phones

Another Mobile Phone Watch To Help You Look Like A Dick (Tracy Impersonator)

Australian Post Posted by Nick Broughall at 11:13 AM on May 8, 2008

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The other day we saw a mobile phone watch that you could almost be comfortable wearing out in public. Well, here's another one, although whether this particular model passes that "seen in public test" we'll leave up to you.

It's a tri-band GSM phone with a 1.3-inch, 128 x 160 screen, Bluetooth, built-in camera, MP3 playback, voice recording, 6 hours talk time and up to 150 standby. It even comes with a stylus for easy navigation, and will cost the bargain price of $399.

I don't want to hate this product too much - as a child I always longed for a watch I could use to speak to my friends covertly without my parents knowing. But somehow, somewhere between childhood and becoming an adult, that dream died.

Hit the jump for a full-feature list, which just strikes me as overkill.


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Gadgets

Tenori-On Makers Interviewed, Neither Can Play Music

Posted by Adrian Covert at 11:00 AM on May 8, 2008

PingMag did an interview with the creators of the Tenori-on that was overlooked when published, but there are a few interesting tidbits from the interview, like the fact that neither of the creators are musicians.

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Portable

Hema Navigator Tells You Where To Go Offroad

Australian Post Posted by Nick Broughall at 10:53 AM on May 8, 2008

hema navigator.jpg

You hear a lot of stories about satnavs taking people the wrong way down one-way streets or off an embankment where there's no road. But what do you do if this happens to you? Well, if Hema Maps have their way, you'll be using their upcoming Navigator satnav to get back on the road via a bit of off-road action.

The navigator is a product from Australian-owned Hema Maps. It uses their expertise in off-road mapping to create a satnav that can be used anywhere. The hardware is provided by VMS, the same company behind the first in-car satnav.


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Gadgets

DIY Party Button: For Emergency Use Only

Posted by Sean Fallon at 10:30 AM on May 8, 2008

You never know when a partying emergency will strike—which is why you must always be prepared. If you have the know-how, you can build one of these Emergency Party Buttons and launch the fun in a matter of moments. When the key is turned and the button is pressed, the blinds will close, the lights will dim, the stereo will blast, blacklights, laser lights and a strobe will come to life, and a fog machine will do its thing. To see it in action, check out the video after the break.

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Gadgets

Lightning Review: Aluratek Wi-Fi Internet Radio Alarm Clock

Posted by Matt Buchanan at 10:00 AM on May 8, 2008

The Gadget: A Wi-Fi internet radio alarm clock from Aluratek, with over 11,000 free stations worldwide.


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Entertainment

NBC Streaming Full Episodes of 30 Rock and the Office to iPhones (for Free, No Ads!)

Posted by Matt Buchanan at 9:50 AM on May 8, 2008

Even though there's no love lost between NBC and iTunes, that doesn't mean NBC doesn't love you! At least if you've got an iPhone or iPod touch. They're streaming full episodes of 30 Rock and The Office to iPhones (and touches) in Quicktime, for free, with NO ads. They work, nicely, but the major catch is that if you exit Safari, you've gotta re-DL all over again, and the files are huge, so is this Wi-Fi only, really. This looks weird for NBC, but it's really not.

AU Update: Reader Murty tells us that this is working for him down in South Australia. So start downloading and enjoying some free TV!

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Portable

New Zune Colours Make the Beast With Two Black Backs

Posted by Jason Chen at 9:25 AM on May 8, 2008

If you've got time and absolutely nothing better to do, you can grab a resource explorer and dive into the Zune software. What would you find? Some images of two new Zunes, both with a black back. The current black 80GB and red 8GB Zunes have a silver back, which are also pictured, so these would be new new. It looks like just bad lighting, but the resource item actually says "black back." We don't know whether these are retail colours or just limited edition Zunes for employees, but we'll probably find out soon. [Zunited News Center]

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Vehicles

U.S.S. Independence: A Triple Hulled, Weapon-Laden Monster That is Surprisingly Affordable

Posted by Sean Fallon at 9:10 AM on May 8, 2008

Last month, the US Navy and General Dynamics took the lid off the new U.S.S Independence littoral combat ship (LCS). This beast will sail close to the shore and throw everything imaginable at an enemy—from armoured vehicles and helicopters to shells, torpedoes and missiles. Plus, it can hustle at a rumoured 60 knots. Basically, that means the enemy will have a difficult time escaping the wrath of this mighty vessel no matter where they are.

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Software

Photoshop Express Gets Flickr Support

Posted by Matt Buchanan at 8:46 AM on May 8, 2008

As promised, Adobe's online Photoshop-branded photo re-toucher now has full Flickr support and integration. Fix your photos, automatically dump 'em to Flickr. [Photoshop Express]


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Gadgets

Microsoft Developing Copyright Filter for Zune, Will Block Pirated Content

Posted by Matt Buchanan at 8:40 AM on May 8, 2008

Yesterday, NBC jumped aboard Starship Zune after its protracted breakup with iTunes. It's clear why—and going with NBC's pricing was only part of it. Saul at the NYTimes says that Microsoft has agreed to develop a copyright filter that would block pirated content from being played on Zunes. Which is exactly what NBC was demanding from iTunes. Sucks, right? Well NBC's president of digital distribution just thinks you don't know what's good for you:

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Games

Nintendo Wii's Nintendo Channel Screenshot Tour and Hands-on

Posted by Jason Chen at 8:34 AM on May 8, 2008