RSS Feeds
|
BR DE ES FR IT JP NL UK US
Babblebaby
|
Defamer
|
Gizmodo
|
Kotaku
|
Lifehacker
TmoNews claims to have scooped some succulent intel on the HTC Dream launch. While former hearsay had the Android-based smartphone delayed until 2009, current rumour has it that T-Mobile customers will be able to pre-order the phone on September 17th for a lot less than its (also rumoured) US$400 price.
The "T REX" dinosaur light combines some of our best memories from childhood: Puzzles, dinosaurs and interior decorating. Assembled from 16 pieces (of some mystery material), this US$26 tyrannosaurus is ready to destroy any monsters still lurking in your closet. And please note, we said "monsters" not "skeletons"--that time you were reprimanded for hopping the counter at Dairy Queen and mouthing the soft serve spigot is not this poor lamp's cross to bear. [Brando]
That Nintendo Wii, what will it think up next? It's made us smarter and fitter and stronger and just so much better. Oh, and have you heard? Now it's creating OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALISTS. Japanese swimmer Kosuke Kitajima just took the gold in the 100-meter breaststroke, and instead of thanking God or his trainers in typical fashion, he gave another performance enhancer a shout-out:
Development of NASA's Ares Moon rockets continues apace, despite criticisms from an team designing an alternative. Now NASA engineers have announced how they're going to deal with a potentially serious vibration problem in the crew-launched Ares I: springs.
Using the Wiimote's IR sensor elegantly duct taped in place, Instructables user toelle was able to mod everyone's favourite USB toy to launch precision, infrared-guided attacks, just like the big boys (kind of). Using a custom script which looks for IR sources to aim at, you can lay down precision fire by, say, putting your TV remote with the buttons taped down next to the cat. Or attach a small remote to the cat--now we're talking. [Instructables]
FujiFilm has just added to its series of FinePix digital cameras with the F60FD, designed for easy point-and-shoot operation. It's got a 12-megapixel SuperCCD sensor, 3-inch display, mechanical image stabilisation and 3x optical zoom. Plus its software lets it do advanced face detection of up to 10 faces for optimum focus and exposure settings, with auto red-eye removal. And there's a new feature dubbed Scene Recognition where the camera detects the kind of picture you're trying to take, then adjusts itself into macro, landscape or night-shot modes automatically: Handy for the beginner photographer. It's available September for around US$300. [TFTS]
Giz reader Julien has created a version of the iPhone I Am Rich application, but he has completely missed the point by making it donationware. Julien, the objective of this app is making you richer by making stupid rich morons poorer in the process.
A cruel, very talented man named Dean T. Fraser has decided that our Simpsons, Batman, Iron Man, Spiderman, Halo, and miscellaneous superheroes, supervillain, and sci-fi fetishes weren't enough on their own, so he Simpsonised them all. Now, if anyone makes any of the characters in this amazing gallery out of Lego, I will spontaneously self-combust in a fiery ball of nerdgasmic lust.
Back in May we alerted you to the unusual iHome iH41 iPod dock alarm clock, which can swivel around its own corner to let you display a docked iPod touch as widescreen or portrait. Well, it's now available to purchase, with a US$80 price tag. It's got Expanded Bass and Reson8 technology to give its sounds a little clarity and oomph, and has a remote that controls the iPod and clock functions. It still looks as if it's compatible only with touches and iPods, so if you're an iPhone owner maybe it's not the one for you. [Business Wire]
The United Arab Emirates keep building their Blade Runner-ish cities in the middle of the desert, with buildings like the Ras Al-Khaimah Gateway, a 2.9 million square feet hotel, conference and exhibition complex that looks like some kind of alien mothership from outer space. Construction will start later this year and Norwegian architects Snøhetta say they found their inspiration in the desert itself:
For US$259, this Cica lamp must be some kind of limited edition, designer-signed, hand-blown Pyrex glass light that looks like a broken lightbulb, with a high-powered LED that makes the whole thing glow like a Terry Gilliam movie prop. Looks like it, and it's beautiful, but for that price I think I would get a real lightbulb, break it, and solder the LED myself. [GNR8 via Random Good Stuff]
This is the Scope Clock, from designer David Forbes, and if you're into retro-tech chic gadgets, this thing will beat any nixie clock hands down. Just look at it: a cathode ray tube encased in acrylic, with GPS time automagically captured for accuracy, and the ability to display digital or analogue clock faces. It's fabulous, and its rear-end is jammed with controls you'd never have thought to see on a clock: an astigmatism knob, anyone? This is the prototype, but there's a limited-edition version to go on sale soon, at a respectably high US$999. [Cathode Corner via Gizmo Watch via DVice]
The latest entry into the UMPC market first stirred-up by the Eee PC is this new ultra-light from Raon Digital. It's beefy inside despite its tiny size, packing a dual-core CPU—AMD Turion—which, according to the makers, is a first. It looks barely bigger across than its 7-inch screen (with 1024 x 600 pixels), but squeezes everything else in there too, including an electronic dictionary function, Windows XP OS, Bluetooth and drive options that go from 80GB HDD to 12GB SSD. Full specs below.
Samsung has added to its line of wireless speakers with the new YA-SBR510. There's sparse info, but it looks to be a bigger, newer version of the BS900 we showed you last year. It's got both Bluetooth and line-in connectivity so you can play music from almost any source. There's also the YA-SD210 cradle, much smaller and designed only for Samsung PMPs—the P2, T10 and S3—but also acting as a speaker. The SBR510 is available in Korea at first for around US$220. [Akihabaranews]
Posted by Nick Broughall at 3:17 PM on August 12, 2008
According to a report on ZDNet today, analysts from both Gartner and IDC are claiming that Apple's Australian market share is growing at a rate that far outstrips the competition. And this is despite the fact that Macs cost twice as much as PCs...
Gartner analysts apparently reckon that the house that Jobs built is recording 52% year on year growth, and in the second quarter of 2008 captured 5.3% of the market (compared to 3.8% for the previous year.
But what's even more interesting is that Analyst group IDC claim that Apple are fast approaching Toshiba and Lenovo, who each claim about 8% market share (although they claim Apple has 6.2% market from Q1 2008).
HP are still the country's biggest computer maker, with Dell and Acer behind them.
Although nobody outside of Apple probably has any way of knowing, but I wonder just how much of an effect the Sydney Apple Store has had on Mac sales?
[ZDNet AU]
Lenovo's ThinkPad W700 is a 17-inch behemoth that's the first notebook ever with a built-in Wacom digitiser. Designed for professional use in industries such as graphic design, photography and CAD, the digital tablet lets you manipulate images in programs like Photoshop without any extra gear. In addition, the 3.6kg notebook features a professional grade, WUXGA screen with 400 nit brightness (it's actually stunning) and an auto colour-calibration sensor that lets you adjust display settings on the fly. Except for the fact it runs Vista, it's like the perfect pro photographer's workstation.
Posted by Nick Broughall at 1:52 PM on August 12, 2008
For a relatively small market, the Australian satnav scene certainly has a lot of players. Think about it: There's TomTom, Garmin, Mio, Navman, Pioneer, Uniden, Magellan... plus countless cheap Chinese manufacturers offering sub-$200 devices.
Well, as of today, the market is even slightly more crowded, with Navigon hitting Australian shelves through distributor Navigation Solutions. Typically, the release doesn't actually mention what models will be on sale, nor how much they'll cost. It also fails to describe whether any of the models available in Australia will work with the SUNA traffic channel. However, they do mention that the new models (whatever they are) will hit shelves at the end of August, and will use Navteq maps.
Hopefully we'll find out more soon. In the meantime, press release junkies can find this one - in its entirety - below the fold...
Posted by Nick Broughall at 12:19 PM on August 12, 2008
Posted by Nick Broughall at 11:03 AM on August 12, 2008
ATI's Nvidia-slaying Radeon HD 4870 X2, previewed last month, will get official tomorrow at SIGGRAPH says the WSJ, who notes that some reviewers are calling it the most powerful card around. It's an interesting test of ATI's graphics card strategy: Cheaper, less power-hungry GPUs that can be easily strapped together (like the dual-GPU 4870 X2) versus Nvidia's penchant for obscenely powerful single GPUs. The best part? Whoever you go with, you can't really go wrong anymore. [Read More »
If you thought the post office was slow, get a load of this Real Snail Mail project. Created by the aptly titled Boredom Research team for the SIGGRAPH 2008 Slow Art Exhibition, this snail mail service uses live snails to deliver your email messages via RFID chips planted on the shell. When you compose an email via their website, it will be delivered to one of three "snail agents" who wander aimlessly around a tank. If it should slither within range of a drop off point, the data will be collected wirelessly from the snail and delivered to the recipient.
Oncore's just released a six-bay MacBook and iBook charger which, as its name implies, can charge six batteries at the same time. Or rather three batteries at the same time, since it's divided up into three sets of two charging bays. Each bay can charge one while holding onto the other for when the first is done. This is made for the "education" market, but is perfect for when we need to go in the field and liveblog an Apple event and have to have six batteries on us. Comes in just charger or charger + six pack battery configurations. [Oncore via Macworld]
Zune Guy says he's leaving the Zune because Microsoft is leaving it to die on the vine (or wherever MP3 players hang). But that's just not true! They're actually verrrry busy poking Hollywood types to get exclusive original video just for the Zune. It's not just any video they're looking for though, but video that can "capitalise" on its social networking features. I'm not really sure what that is, but I'm going to take a wild swing and guess it's not going to be awesome enough to send sales skyrocketing, unless like, they get South Park to only be available on Zunes or something. Man that would suck. [Reuters]
Aahhggg hooking up new A/V gear: the beautifully coloured plug porn, just ready to accept fresh, pure cable connections. So satisfying, so fulfilling. Now you can spread that love all around with this new tee from Threadless--"A/V" designed by fellow hookup enthusiast Olly Moss. Olly, I don't know you, but I think we would get along very, very well. My back has been needing a few additional HDMI outs, and now it has them. Thank you sir. Take a detailed look after the jump, and then order it: [Threadless - Thanks, Graham!]
Heroes Season 2 was mostly garbage. So I was kind of glad the writer's strike gave them the chance to reboot and blow past the rest of the season, thereby preserving my final, dangly shreds of interest (though I worry about this season's rumoured multi-verse). Anyways! One deleted scene reveals Hiro's dad's (George Takei) power:
I have done a number of iPhone case reviews in my day, and every time I do I find myself wondering--who uses these things anyway? As far as day to day usage is concerned, it seems that most of these cases do nothing more than add unnecessary bulk. And, as OObject has pointed out with their list of the 12 worst iPhone case designs, there are plenty of cases out there that downright defile an otherwise beautiful piece of technology. Still, I can understand why people would want to protect their investment or make the phone easier to carry. So, my question to you is: do you use a mobile phone case?
Posted by Nick Broughall at 8:40 AM on August 12, 2008
Russian Hacker Mob Takes Over Georgian Web During Invasion
It just goes to show that the Internet is the latest battleground for war.
Three Million iPhones 3G Sold in One Month, Says Analyst Who Is Not Gene Munster
That's a lot of iPhones!
Braille Karaoke Good For Blind, Even Better for Deaf
Great idea, but I can't see this making its way into too many karaoke bars.
Robots Go Mano a Mano With Medieval Weapons
It's fighting robots - what's not to like?
Olympics Watching: Ultimate PC/HDTV Strategy Guide
I always hate listening to the US complain about something they have that's infinitely better than what we have in Australia, but I keep linking to it. Is there something wrong with me?
A new show on Playboy TV asks the question that is on all our minds day in and day out: what would you choose, a girl or a gadget? Their Gadget or the Girl reality "program" will force contestants to choose between a weekend vacation with a girl of their choice--as in one of the contestant's providing, we assume, and not just them naming Evangeline Lilly and doing the biggest fist pump in the history of man--or a random high gadget. What kind of gadget? Crave says it's going to vary between things like a 60-inch HDTV to an upright arcade box, but they won't know what it is until they made their decision. So tough! If only I could have Evangeline Lilly as a sounding board for this decision. [CNET]
That is, if you're excited about the prospect of talking to a creepy joker-faced white beetle with eye holes as hollow as your soul when you're around the conference table. The folks at the Nokia Research Center's Smart Spaces lab are actually intending this design concept for home use, but I can see a lot more interesting potential for it zooming around a tabletop, knocking over the CFO's coffee and looking all demonically cute. On the bright side, the Roomba wannabe will be controllable via the Web with an app for Nokia's Linux internet tablets, and it conferences via Google Talk. See it in action in this vid from Nokia HQ, complete with an adorable skit by some Finnish Nokians trying to act natural around the thing while doing dishes.
Chris Fox's Electrolux concept would be the missing piece in any Korean BBQ night out, if by "missing piece" you mean "a slight upgrade to what you currently have." Instead of one gigantic grill in the middle of the table, this concept links up many different cookers and plates via daisy chain and can all be powered by one outlet. Great for cooking your own meat to optimum tenderness, but even greater for having your own home BBQ without having to buy one of those industrial sized cookers. Just a design for now, damn it. [Yanko Design]
Heroes Season 2 was mostly garbage. So I was kind of glad the writer's strike gave them the chance to reboot and blow past the rest of the season, thereby preserving my final, dangly shreds of interest (though I worry about this season's rumoured multi-verse). Anyways! One deleted scene reveals Hiro's dad's (George Takei) power: