Though we’re still galaxies away from having real lightsabers, the wonderful people in charge of Star Wars merchandising has given us the next best thing–LED flash light lightsabers. The Star Wars Lightsaber LED torch is a full size replica lightsaber handle which makes that whooshing noise when you turn it on and throws an ultra bright blue LED light. Okay, maybe it’s not the next best thing, necessarily, but at least it’s kind of useful and it’ll only cost you US$20. Whoooooosh! [Gadgets.co.uk via Nerd Approved]
The B&D messenger, designed by Okada Noriaki, bills itself as a way for both blind and deaf people to communicate via text message. Though there are several Braille phone products already in the market, Noriaki device is much smaller in size and pretty inexpensive. On one side of the gadget is twelve points that rise and fall in braille lettering; on the other side is a small LCD screen and a regular numerical touch pad. Users must connect the B&D messenger to a computer for it to receive and translate texts.
Good news, iPhone users! Looks like Apple has finally fixed that 2.0 app crashing problem. One Gizmodo reader received an email last night from the iTunes Support Store with instructions for redownloading applications you’ve already bought (for free, of course) and was given a US$15 gift certificate for his troubles! Maybe Adam will convert to Macs after all? [ - Thanks Henry!]
Looks like Asus is sniffing out the next big thing now that it’s found heaps of success with its EeePC concept, and has decided that what the world really needs is a notebook that can function both as a mid-range computer and an Air Wick. The Asus F6 boasts a 13.3 inch screen, an integrated webcam, an Intel Core2 Duo processor, up to 4GB of DRAM support, up to 320GB of HD space and comes in four scents – Floral Blossom, Musky Black, Morning Dew and Aqua Ocean. Asus doesn’t say how long the fragrance is supposed to last, or whether you can reapply it. But for a couple of days at least, when the patrons of your local coffee shop wrinkle up their noses and ask “What’s that smell?” you can proudly say “Me.” [Asus via Far East Gizmos]
An Australian PhD student has found a cheap way to make solar cells with nail polish, a pizza oven and an ink jet printer. 23-year-old Nicole Kuepper’s invention, named iJET, doesn’t require the pricey clean rooms and high-temperature ovens of traditional solar panel manufacturing plants, thus dramatically lowering the cost of solar and paving the road for introducing the technology to third-world countries.
