August 5, 2008

Home

Vudu Fills Gaping Hole With AVN Porn Channel

Posted by Matt Buchanan at 11:40 PM on August 5, 2008

One thing you can say about the Vudu video wonderbox is that it gets better all the time. AVN--the Adult Video News--is launching a dedicated porn channel on Vudu. While you'll have to pay for every flick you watch, there are at least two reasons it's better than the FyreTV streaming porn box that Chen loves so, so much.


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Games

The Dark Knight Edition Xbox 360

Posted by Mark Wilson at 11:20 PM on August 5, 2008

ZOMG! The Dark Knight! Xbox 360! All in one!


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Networks

Delta's Bringing In-Flight Wi-Fi to Its Entire U.S. Fleet

Posted by John Mahoney at 11:12 PM on August 5, 2008

Delta will join the other airlines using Aircell's GoGo cellular data service, becoming the first of the U.S. biggies to announce concrete plans for a fleet-wide rollout. They're starting with their 133 MD88/90s, then moving on to hit every plane by summer of next year. It'll run you US$9.95 for flights less than three hours, or US$12.95 for longer flights. There goes our last possible Internet-free haven...I mean, yay! Read on for the full release:


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Peripherals

Another USB Cooking Video Stirs Up The 'Can USB Do That?' Debate

Posted by Kit Eaton at 11:00 PM on August 5, 2008

So, we had the allegedly-USB-powered popcorn maker... and now we have an Instructable for a USB frying pan: good enough to cook an omelette in around seven minutes. This device is a lot more basic, apparently requiring nothing more sophisticated than two aluminium pans, some broken ceramic as insulation and a tungsten coiled filament with some basic wiring. This time, the cooker draws power from two USB sockets... does that make it any more believable? I'm no electronics expert: so I'll leave that up to you lot to sort out in the comments. Suffice it to say I'm not sure I'd be attempting to eat eggs cooked via my computer's USB output power. [Instructables—Thanks, Dave!]


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Computers

Lenovo Webstore Mistake Makes X200's 128GB SSD Option Cheaper Than 80GB HD

Posted by John Mahoney at 10:40 PM on August 5, 2008

Get your orders in now, because you won't see a 128 GB SSD going for these prices, well, anywhere for several years--yet alone inside the tasty 12.1" Thinkpad X200. Yes, you're seeing it correctly--that's subtract US$70 from the total, which comes to US$1,434 with the mistake. Also notice the 64 GB SSD going for a real-world US$830 premium. No word on how IBM will handle the mistake of course, but if you were planning on buying an X200 anyway, might as well give this a try and play dumb. UPDATE: Party's over, unfortunately. The 120GB SSD option has been yanked.


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Cameras

Olympus and Panasonic Launch Micro Four Thirds System For Smaller, Rangefinder-Like Digicams

Posted by John Mahoney at 10:31 PM on August 5, 2008

Olympus and Panasonic rolled out a new standard for interoperable lenses and camera bodies today in Japan, which means we could see yet another new camera category smashed in between consumer, pro-sumer, con-fessional, and all the rest. The Micro Four Thirds system is basically a slimmed down version of the two companies' Four Thirds system, which allowed member companies to build lenses and bodies that were digital-only and interoperable between brands. And while the new Micro version may not sound like much, it could result in the revival of an all-digital, Leica-like quasi rangefinder system with tons of high-quality lens choices.


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Software

Mojave Experiment Goes Awry, Some Guy Loads Vista on his PlayStation 3

Posted by Mark Wilson at 10:20 PM on August 5, 2008

We're not sure what possessed one man to load Windows Vista onto his PS3--hopefully for the science experiment, not the promise of Aero--but he did and the world will never be quite the same. The only catch is that if you think Vista is slow on a PC, you're a spoiled, rotten person. In this clip, Vista takes roughly 25 minutes to boot and 12 minutes to open Notepad. Because in order to run Vista on the PS3's unique platform, the tester had to use the processor emulator QEMU--apparently rumours that Vista ran on tears are unfounded. [PS3Hax]


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Phones

Why Rap Stars Are Hating on the iPhone

Posted by Benny Goldman at 10:00 PM on August 5, 2008

At the Rock the Bells festival on Sunday I asked some of the most important hip-hop artists in the game—and my heroes since childhood—what they hated most about the iPhone. Whether they owned it or not, most of the stars had a good reason to dis the overhyped phone, and their answers ranged from the mundane (Trugoy from De La Soul says it's "too cute") to the slightly crazy (dead prez's M-1 brought up the Matrix and Big Brother). Only Wu-Tang's Method Man couldn't find a way to bring the pain—we expect a new single, "F-A-N-B-O-Y Man", any day now.


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Peripherals

Brando Joins iPhone 3G Chip-Unlocker Game, Still Needs You to Cut Up SIMs

Posted by Kit Eaton at 9:48 PM on August 5, 2008

In similar style to the SIMable product Wilson showed you back in May, Brando now has its own SIM-hacking device available, and says it works to unlock, unchain, free, liberate—whatever—Apple iPhone 3Gs from being tied to one operator. The slim chip-and-circuit gizmo hugs the rear of your SIM and messes with the signals that go between it and the iPhone (or, indeed, a large number of other GSM and 3G phones) in a way that unlocks the device. Brando's product still requires you to cut your SIM to make room for the chip aboard it, but it looks a fairly simple operation. And it's two thirds the price of the SIMable: just US$21. [Brando]


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Science

Aespironics Drug Inhaler Should Fit in Wallet, Be Cheap, Effective

Posted by Kit Eaton at 9:15 PM on August 5, 2008

An Israeli company, Aespironics, is trying a new approach in re-designing an old faithful drug delivery system: the inhaler. They've teamed up with an expert in drug atomisation and a wind turbine researcher, and have come up with a breath-activated, turbine-assisted design that should be slim, cheap and easy to produce, and deliver dry drugs to the users lungs without leaving them sticking inside the mouth. Sounds amazing doesn't it? Particularly when you consider the implications of a simple, compact and cheap dispenser for aiding ill people in the developing world. The team is planning tests for the year end, and thinks a product could be on the market within three years. If it's an inhaler slim enough to fit in a wallet, I'll take one soon, please: lugging around a conventional one is annoying. [I21c via Medgadget]


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Vehicles

James Doohan's Son Speaks Up Poignantly About Failed SpaceX Rocket Flight

Posted by Kit Eaton at 8:15 PM on August 5, 2008

As you know by now, SpaceX's most recent rocket launch attempt failed early in its flight, destroying the vehicle and sending its satellite payload and the ashes of James Doohan—Star Trek's original Scotty— into the ocean. It's just what happens sometimes with space technology: there's so much complexity, so much technology/aerodynamics/engine chemistry and engineering that just has to work perfectly, in sync and under high stress. And that's a point that is elegantly detailed by one of James' sons in a letter to BoingBoing about the SpaceX launch. It makes for poignant reading.


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Peripherals

Luxeed is Rainbow LED Keyboard for Hippies, Those Who Can't Afford an Optimus

Posted by Kit Eaton at 7:34 PM on August 5, 2008

We first showed you the rainbow-illuminated Luxeed LED keyboard a year and a half ago, but then it was in Korean letter-style versions. Now it's got plain old Western characters and is on sale in the US. It's not quite in the same league as the legendary Optimus Maximus, sure, but with 430 LEDs embedded inside—each fully controllable with some custom software—it actually sounds pretty impressive. Check out the video: it's psychedelic, man. Or, at least, vaguely sci-fi looking anyway.


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Hardware

Micron Starts Production of Super-Fast RealSSD Solid-State Drives

Posted by Kit Eaton at 6:23 PM on August 5, 2008

The inexorable march of solid-state drive technology continues forward with news from Micron Technology (one of the worlds leading semiconductor suppliers) that they're going to produce SSD's with a read speed of 250MBps. That's more than twice the speed of the drives Samsung announced last month (90MBps.)


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Online

MobileMe 'Not up to Apple's Standards,' Says Steve Jobs

Posted by Kit Eaton at 5:53 PM on August 5, 2008

We all know that Apple's MobileMe had a difficult birth: but it's quite another thing to be able to read the criticisms of the service from his Steveness himself. And over at Ars Technica they've got hold of an internal Apple email that Steve Jobs sent out to Apple employees detailing his displeasure that MobileMe was "not up to Apple's Standards." It needed both more time in testing, and a piece-by-piece launch, rather than attempting to launch it as a "monolithic service," he thinks.


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Home

Sonos Improves Wi-Fi With ZonePlayer ZP90 and Small Self-Powered ZP120 Audio Streamers

Posted by Adrian Covert at 3:46 PM on August 5, 2008

Sonos upgraded their ZonePlayer lineup to the ZP 90 and the ZP 120. The ZP 90, which connects to existing home theatre amplifiers, is essentially the same as the ZP 80, but now features SonosNet 2.0, which combines MIMO antennas with Sonos' existing mesh network. The ZP120, Sonos' main amplified unit, also includes SonosNet 2.0, but is also smaller (17.8 x 7.6 x 20.3cm vs. 25.4 x 10.2 x 20.3cm) , lighter (2.3kg vs. 4.5kg), and has more power (55W vs 50W) than the previous ZP100.


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Computers

Lenovo S10 Ultra-Portable On Its Way Down Under

Australian Post Posted by Nick Broughall at 2:05 PM on August 5, 2008

David Flynn over at APC just loves his mini-notebooks. And it looks like they love him as well, considering that he's gotten the scoop on the Australian pricing and release dates for the S10 ultra-portable that was announced overnight.

We can expect the Ideapad S10 at the end of September for $699, which is for the 80GB model (a 160GB model is also expected).

Head over to APC for more details, including which colours won't be coming to Australia.

[APCmag]

Online

Caption Contest: Australian Streetview Edition

Australian Post Posted by Nick Broughall at 1:20 PM on August 5, 2008

streetview parked.png

And this is why I love you guys. Within hours of Google's Streetview going live in Australia, I'm already receiving images of funny quirks within the system. Like this one from reader Douglas.

Obviously, as the Streetview driver was making their way down Denigan street in the ACT, they felt an undying need to pull the Holden Astra in and go to the toilet grab a bite to eat to the Erindale shopping centre. The fun thing is that the camera decided to count that as part of the road, including the drivers door open and trees all around. For the full effect, drive back on Denigan street a bit and then go forward - you'll cop a face full of tree for your trouble.

Even better though is the fact that they pulled in again a bit further down the road. I wonder what they forgot?

So, give us your best caption for this Streetview anomaly, and keep sending in those entertaining Streetview blunders pics.

[Google Streetview - Thanks Douglas!]

Hardware

Details Of AMD And ATI's Fusion Baby Leak

Posted by Matt Hickey at 1:00 PM on August 5, 2008

A few new details about AMD's mysterious Fusion CPU/GPU combo chip have leaked to the Web and they seem to confirm what some rumours have been saying, namely that AMD would be making the chip with help from the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world's largest chip plants. ATI, whom AMD bought two years ago, had been a long time customer of TSMC so the deal makes sense. The technical details point to the first processor under the Fusion name will launch Q1 of next year, and will be a dual-core Phenom CPU running along side an ATI RV800 as GPU at 40nm, a "half-node" size that will probably transition to 32nm within a year. It's an exciting idea, we just hope AMD can pull it off. [TG Daily]

Peripherals

iPhone 3G Hardware Unlock Uses Your Existing SIM Card...Kinda

Posted by Adrian Covert at 12:30 PM on August 5, 2008

Yeah, USB Fever just started taking pre-orders for this super thin iPhone hardware unlock tool that attaches to your SIM card, but be forewarned — it requires that you cut the corner off your SIM in order to work. If you're up for the challenge, it will supposedly start shipping on August 20 for US$35. [USB Fever via iPhone Atlas via IntoMobile]


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Phones

HTC Touch Diamond Now Available

Australian Post Posted by Nick Broughall at 12:18 PM on August 5, 2008

Good news for people looking for a smartphone that isn't made by Apple - the HTC Touch Diamond is now available through Telstra.

For a Windows Mobile device, this is one of the best available, thanks to the fact that TouchFlo 3D essentially hides WinMo deep within its interface.

Being a Telstra exclusive (at the moment), it's only available on an $80 plan over 24 months (or $999 outright), which as you'd expect from the big T, doesn't include any real data allowances ($10 on a business plan). Considering that HTC were pushing this as a real web browsing machine when they launched it in Australia, that's (another) missed opportunity from Telstra.

Hopefully the other networks will remedy the situation when the exclusive arrangement ends in a couple of months...

[Telstra]

Peripherals

LowePro Makes Camera Bags Out Of Recycled PET Bottles

Australian Post Posted by Nick Broughall at 12:06 PM on August 5, 2008

TerraClime100_grn_left_equip_srgb_1200.jpg

Ever wondered what happens to all that recycled PET plastic you throw out every week? Well part of it ends up in these new camera bags from Lowepro, dubbed Terraclime.

The bags consist of up to 97% recycled PET plastic, making them some of the most environmentally friendly bags on the planet. What makes up the other 3% is anyone's guess, but we here at Gizmodo would like to think that includes solar dust and the love of a baby panda.

The bags are available in three different colours, grass, plum and black, and will cost between $29 and $89, depending on the size of the bag. A portion of the bag's sale will also go to Polar Bears International, who will spend the money trying to save polar bears from the impact of climate change.

So that other 3% could actually be made from the love of a baby polar bear then, not a panda. Awesome!

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Gadgets

Massive Multitouch Hologram is Like Microsoft Surface Without The Surface

Posted by Gizmodo US Edition at 11:30 AM on August 5, 2008

The VisionAire projected multitouch (or more accurately, multiswoosh) hologram is an early, rough iteration of an extremely exciting concept: fully interactive holographic displays. Obscura Digital has adapted their proprietary multitouch software to the Musion Eyeliner hologram projection system, which is most notably responsible for the holographic Gorillaz effect during the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards.


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Phones

Optus Billing Raincheck Customers Before They Get Their iPhones

Australian Post Posted by Nick Broughall at 10:50 AM on August 5, 2008

Thumbnail image for iphone optus.pngIf you're looking for a lesson in how to piss off customers, just look to Optus. Perhaps it's just a side effect of offering better iPhone deals than the other major carriers, but reports are flooding the internet of customers who, not being able to get their hands on an iPhone, signed up for a raincheck. And despite being told they'd be waiting as little as five days for their phones and that they wouldn't be charged until they had their hands on their iPhone, are now receiving bills and being told that they will have to wait until September before they will receive the phone.

Forums like MacTalk and Whirlpool are filled with stories of disgruntled "customers" who after discovering the long wait involved with their raincheck, have tried to cancel their order, only to spend hours on the phone to Optus' customer support without resolution.

Even The Australian has heard reports of the shenanigans, today running a story entailing the now repetitive story. Speaking with an Optus spokesperson, the confusion seems to come from the terms around the raincheck itself. From the Oz:

According to the policy, customers can either connect to an advertised plan; order the advertised mobile phone and use alternative equipment until the advertised mobile phone is available; connect to the advertised plan, order the advertised mobile phone and suspend the advertised plan until the advertised mobile phone is available; or connect to the relevant advertised plan and buy a different mobile phone that is in stock.

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Random Stuff

Extended Stay Gal Licks a MacBook Pro, HDTV To Evoke Feelings of Cleanliness, Naughtiness (Slightly NSFW)

Posted by Jason Chen at 10:04 AM on August 5, 2008

How clean does Extended Stay Hotels think its surfaces are? Very, very clean. So clean it hired a lady (probably for a little bit more than its US$59.99 nightly rate) to lick various surfaces around their hotel. It certainly looks real and has all the real links and notations that an Extended Stay Hotel website should have, but Boing Boing has its doubts. Can't we just enjoy a lady licking a toilet/washer/dryer/toaster/refrigerator without calling fake on it? More licking after the jump.


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Phones

Online Calculator Makes Choosing Your iPhone Plan Simple

Australian Post Posted by Nick Broughall at 9:36 AM on August 5, 2008

Australian iPhone plans comparison calculator -.jpg

In Australia, we have an advantage over other countries in that we have several networks offering the iPhone. Of course, the downside of this is that there is a lot more information to try and digest before you make the decision of where your money should be spent.

Fortunately, reader Andrew has come up with an incredibly awesome iPhone plan calculator. Simply slide the scales to your approximate usage, and you'll be given a solid guide of which plans will suit you in your iPhone purchase, including the monthly cost and the total cost of ownership.

If Pythagoras was alive today, this is exactly the kind of practical mathematics he would spend his time working on. If you're looking for an iPhone, make sure you check this out before you empty your wallet.

[Numbers in a flash - Thanks Andrew!]

Software

iPhone 2.0.1 Update Now Available (Also Available For iPod Touch)

Posted by Jason Chen at 9:11 AM on August 5, 2008

A reader just tipped us off to the iPhone 2.0.1 update being out RIGHT NOW. Just fire up your iTunes and click the old update button and you'll be able to grab it. We're updating now and will let you know what's different. Right now all we see is "Bug Fixes" listed under the changelog, but there's a security update info link in the update screen as well, so it might be that. [Thanks tipster!]


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