Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Gadgets
LightCap Transforms Cancer Into Neat Lantern
11:52PM Mark Wilson | For those among us not afraid of mosquitoes or Bisphenol A, the LightCap 200 is a solar-powered LED light that screws onto 2″ water bottles (like those from Nalgene), transforming them into lanterns. Just 75 grams heavy and weatherproof (…though “waterproof” might have been more reassuring), the US$20 LightCap seems like a practical way to reduce the load of your camping gear while still reining over wildlife as its technological master. Plus, drop it into a bottle of Gatorade and you’ve got yourself a party light. [Sol Lightvia OhGizmo!] More »
Gadgets
A New “World’s Most Expensive” Gadget?
11:25PM Mark Wilson | Watches were the original gadget. But unlike their silicon counterparts, good watches tend to appreciate over time. So barring that 5G iPhone prototype sitting in Jobs’ desk, we believe this US$2,157,760 Patek Philippe watch just auctioned at Sotheby’s may be the world’s new most expensive gadget. While the watch itself is a masterpiece, its historical weight tips the scales—owned by race car driver Carlo Felice Trossi, the watch was released in 1932, “a turning point which also saw car racing and the emergence of airplanes,” as described by Sotheby’s. [Telegraph via LuxuryLaunches] [Image: Reuters]
Peripherals
Canon Brings Bucket-Shaped Selphy CP770 to US
11:04PM Wilson Rothman | It was one of those wacky things we thought might not make it to the US but sure enough it has: Canon’s CP770 Selphy printer lives, hermit-crab like, inside a bucket. Details of the thing are after the jump, but the US price is US$150. Canon also announced the CP760, which as you can see in the gallery is not as cute, but is “compact” and costs just US$100. Both printers use dye-sub layered printing, now with an “overcoat” technology to help cut back on blurring. More »
Peripherals
Microsoft’s LifeCam VX-5000 Webcam is Bendy, Portable, Not Ugly
11:00PM Benny Goldman | The LifeCam VX-5000 is Microsoft’s first attempt at a halfway decent looking webcam: a lightweight, compact unit with a flexible base, it can hook on a laptop or monitor, or rest on a desk. The 640×480 video camera (1.3MP still) has 3x digital zoom as well as pan and tilt functions. The LifeCam features a Windows Live Call button on top to quickly start video chats with contacts, and PhotoSwap, which allows you to share pictures in a virtual photo album. The ring around the camera’s outside comes in blue, green, or red, a very tiny way to express your individuality. It will retail for US$50 when it comes out in June; full release after the jump. [MS Hardware] More »
Design
Memento Memory LifeBook Rocks the Oldies
10:52PM Mark Wilson | While much of the world is concerned about baby boomer populations of their own, we finally have the simple technologies to, if not prevent conditions like Alzheimer’s, help improve the independence and quality of life for those inflicted. This Memento Memory LifeBook concept is a feasible idea for those who need constant, quick reminders and easy access to information. More »
Software
Apple Reveals WWDC Plans; Keynote Set for Monday, June 9
10:44PM Wilson Rothman | Today Apple revealed its plans for WWDC, confirming that the Jobsnote this year will take place 10AM PST on Monday, June 9, rather than the usual Tuesday. (No word as to whether the turtleneck will still be black, or if the 3G iPhone will actually be present.) The WWDC will of course have two separate tracks, one for iPhone and one for OS X. More info at Apple’s WWDC website, or in the press release after the jump. UPDATE: Some things we tend to forget repeatedly around here—WWDC keynotes are always on Monday, Macworld Jobsnotes are the ones that are always on Tuesday. My bad! More »
Entertainment
Music Video Is Complete Mac OS X Leopard Tour
10:40PM Jesus Diaz | Whether you like the song or not—Addy says technically this is called Wimp-Pop, but it sounds more to me like Foux Da Fa Fa*—I’ve got to say that this music video made using The Bird and the Bee’s Again and Again is mesmerising. Or at the very least, a really cool musical tour through 40 Mac OS X features and applications: it starts slow and boring with Word, but it ends being a complete explosion of synchronised eye candy using everything from Photo Booth to Stickies to Spotlight to Dashboard widgets to Stacks. See if you can distinguish each and every one of the features and apps featured, then compare it to the list after the jump (I think we are missing a few.) More »
Software
Office for Mac 2008 Service Pack 1 Out Today; Visual Basic Coming Back to Macs
10:25PM Wilson Rothman | Today Microsoft is hooking up all Office for Mac 2008 users with Service Pack 1. The company is also announcing the return of Visual Basic for Applications—in the next version, though, so no specified date yet. Hey, at least they heard your concerns, right? Here’s a link to the SP1 download, which is said to provide “increased stability, security and performance enhancements to the suite.” After the jump, there’s a press release with details on all the particular bug fixes. More »
Entertainment
HBO Series Now Available in iTunes
5:49PM Jesus Diaz | It’s confirmed: HBO has hit iTunes and now you can download The Wire, Rome, The Sopranos, Sex and the City, Deadwood (another season, please,) and what really makes it all worth it: Flight of the Conchords. Ladies (and gentlemen) of the World, rejoice. More »
Entertainment
