Monday, May 12, 2008
Peripherals
A REAL Universal Remote Concept
11:20PM Mark Wilson | Not so long ago, we ran an “All Giz Wants” about a real universal remote—one that wouldn’t just change your channels but change your life. (Marketers, feel free to use that). This concept holds a kinship to our humble dream of turning on our oven with the touch of a button…errr…remotely. Make no mistake, it’s just an artist’s rendering with ergonomics that are questionable at best. But it’s something to keep us trudging through life (hopefully from our couches). [coroflot via DVICE] More »
Games
MiWi the Dental Hygienists’ Choice of Wii Knock-Off
11:00PM Addy Dugdale | The latest Wii knock-off is the MiWi. Following in the Vii’s footsteps, this one, by Number One Electronics Company in the World Evah, No, Really, Eittek, looks like something you might find on sale in the oral hygiene department of your local shop. It’s got utterly craptastic plastic clubs and paddles, as well as an N64-esque joystick. And some idea of the quality of the console is given when you see what the games look like: More »
Peripherals
Asus Eee Crystal Case Actually Made of Plastic (But Still Good)
10:52PM Mark Wilson | Asus Eee fandom has no bounds, and while replacing the case on most laptops seems preposterous, for the Eee it’s just another day of tiny typing and eye strain at the office. This Crystal Case by Proporta is constructed of scratch/shock resistant polycarbonate, but maybe more impressively, features a double hinge that adds 360 degrees of screen rotation to the Eee (perfect for the touchscreen-modded system). Personally, I could use about another 15 degrees of tilt on my Macbook Pro—not for my own use, but for every time a friend checks their email and attempts to push the screen beyond its natural bounds. Ooh, I get shivers just thinking about it. [Product via BBGadgets] UPDATE: Yes, it looks like a case protector rather than replacement…so no touchscreen fun. More »
Gadgets
Mr. T-Wannabe Halves Car with Angle-Grinder to Hack Off Police
10:30PM Addy Dugdale | A British man who had his car clamped outside his home used an angle-grinder to cut it in two. Ian Taylor’s car, which he had bought for $100 for his stepson to use (guess he doesn’t like his stepson much) and had yet to tax, was parked on his front drive, but was protruding by two inches onto the pavement. Although Taylor had legally registered it to be off the road, the clampers didn’t care, and stuck a Denver Boot on it. Taylor’s revenge was to play “Will it Angle-Grind?” on the vehicle. More »
Random Stuff
R2-D2 Cake Brings Balance to the Force, Dorkiness to Wedding
10:00PM Jesus Diaz | Perhaps knowing that a Death Star wedding cake was starting marriage asking for trouble, reader and chef Charlene made an R2-D2 one, bringing balance back to the Force, and restoring dorkiness throughout the Galaxy. There have been others, but her nine-layer version of everyone’s favourite astromech is far more realistic and complex, thanks to some DIY tech hacks. More »
Gadgets
Electronic Hogu Measures Just How Hard Your Foe Can Beat You Up
9:15PM Addy Dugdale | The final project of a team from Cornell University, this electronic hogu, modelled above by a lantern-jawed mannequin called Bob, uses piezoelectric sensors and a microcontroller to measure the kicks and punches between contestants in a Tae Kwan Do bout. Piezoelectric sensors and a microcontroller are implanted in the transmitter side, while the receiver side has wireless receiver circuitry, another microcontroller, and a monitor to display the score. As that great black belt of martial arts would say, “Haiiiii-YAAAAAAA!” Yes, I’m talking Miss Piggy. [Cornell via GEARFUSE and HacknMod] More »
Gadgets
Heat-Sensitive Knickers Don’t Make Me Hot Today
8:50PM Addy Dugdale | Normally, I would get excited about these pants with a daisy that changes colour when next to your hot hot skin. But it’s Monday today, and Monday’s the day I do the washing and the ironing. Tuesday is J.’s day for LEGO—he’s currently attempting to do the Kama Sutra out of bricks, Wednesday we’re watching all Flight of the Conchords episodes back-to-back, Thursday I’m teaching the dog how to mow the lawn, Friday is National Morris Dancers Day, Saturday I’m learning how to make a lava lamp using a paperclip, boogers, an old milk bottle and our bedside lamp. So, it’ll have to be Sunday. Hang on, I’ve just seen the price. Thirty bucks? I feel a headache coming on. [Ethical Superstore] More »
Press
RIM Sees Apple US$100M Fund for Programmers and Raises US$50 Million More
7:30PM Addy Dugdale | Hot on the heels of the BlackBerry Bold comes the news that the company behind it is to start up its own venture capital firm. And if it’s a way of besting Apple’s iFund, then the Canadians win, by fifty million buckeroonies. The BlackBerry Partners Fund is a bunk up between RIM and Thomson Reuters, and has earmarked US$150 million for mobile applications and services for mobile platforms including BlackBerry. Full press release after the jump. More »
Phones
4:01PM Nick Broughall | The rumours are true – the iPhone is coming to Australia, and it will be on multiple carriers. After Vodafone shouted out First! last week with their announcement that was rather short on details, Optus has today done the same thing, announcing that they will release the iPhone in the Asia region, including Australia, Singapore, India and The Philippines.
Users over at Whirlpool.net.au are saying that the Optus deal will be a timed exclusive, although there was no mention of it in the press release. All we know for sure is that Optus will be releasing the iPhone in Australia at some point this year.
This really is in line with the rumours we heard from the Australian MacTalk forums last month, where it would be across multiple carriers and available from Apple resellers. Optus promises us more details in the weeks to come, but I’m guessing we’ll probably have to wait until at least June 9 before we hear any real details – Apple will be guarding any info on a 3G iPhone as close to their chests as possible.
[Optus via Whirlpool.net.au - Thanks Matt and Jack, and thanks James for the Photoshop!]
Optus Gets iPhone In Australia Too, Looks Like Exclusivity Is Dead
4:01PM Nick Broughall | The rumours are true – the iPhone is coming to Australia, and it will be on multiple carriers. After Vodafone shouted out First! last week with their announcement that was rather short on details, Optus has today done the same thing, announcing that they will release the iPhone in the Asia region, including Australia, Singapore, India and The Philippines.
Users over at Whirlpool.net.au are saying that the Optus deal will be a timed exclusive, although there was no mention of it in the press release. All we know for sure is that Optus will be releasing the iPhone in Australia at some point this year.
This really is in line with the rumours we heard from the Australian MacTalk forums last month, where it would be across multiple carriers and available from Apple resellers. Optus promises us more details in the weeks to come, but I’m guessing we’ll probably have to wait until at least June 9 before we hear any real details – Apple will be guarding any info on a 3G iPhone as close to their chests as possible.
[Optus via Whirlpool.net.au - Thanks Matt and Jack, and thanks James for the Photoshop!]
Phones
