Apple wants to take Nike+ to a different level to perform precise, real-time tracking of runners' performance and--shiver--offer location-based information and advertising. Their latest patent not only details how they will get rid of the current RFID sensor and add a series of force sensors instead--as well as GPS support--but also how they are contemplating other "authorised" shoes. Does this mean they are abandoning their relationship with Nike?

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We've seen turntables designed especially for digitising your crusty old vinyl for years, but ION's LP 2 Flash deck one-ups all that I've seen by recording straight to an SD card or USB thumb drive for quick transferring to a computer or recording straight to your PMP. And if you get tired of being so retro, it'll reverse the flow and play any MP3s you have on your cards or disks, outputting to your stereo via standard RCA jacks. It's a UK import for now, at a price of £130 (US$228).

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You're special, no really. You have a unique view of the world. It's so unique, in fact, that you need at least 32GB to capture your Vision (sometimes it comes out blurry, but not like cool artsy blurry)—and you need speed, because you never know how many unique world views will collide on a millisecond basis. The SanDisk 32GB Extreme III reads and writes information at 30MB/second. Is that good enough for you, Michelangelo? Or is the world still not ready for your revolution in sepia? US$299 this October.

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Here's the Short Take-Off Vertical Landing version of one of Giz's classics: the squirrel catapult. Somehow, I think this one is less cruel than the original one, as the squirrel is more used to these kind of jumps and landings than horizontal launches. But yes, I can't stop watching this time either. Sosumi.

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When the original Rock Band released, there was a huge distribution hiccup and standalone instruments (like an extra guitar or set of drums) just wasn't something you could buy right away. But it appears that involved parties have learned from their mistakes and the new Rock Band 2 instruments will be available individually with the Xbox 360 game's release sometime next week (ironically, you won't be able to buy the original combo though). The wireless drums run US$90, the wireless guitar US$70 and the monster ION drum kit US$300. I'd just gotten over Rock Band/Guitar Hero...and now I find myself mentally budgeting... [Joystiq]

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After being voluntarily retired from the iTunes App Store, following a call by THQ Wireless, the most useless yet completely obligatory iPhone app--PhoneSaber--is returning to the store as LightSaber Unleashed. The lightsaber simulator will tie in with the new LucasArts's game, including completely new graphics, "dueling music," and characters from the game:

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We've been bringing you news on Sony's Bravia Internet Video Link for ages (it's that net-connected, wired, Bravia-TV compatible movie-player device) and now Sony's announcing official support for Amazon's Video on Demand service. So you'll have "tens of thousands of premium movies and TV shows" for the device, and more importantly "streaming high-definition content" from Dailymotion, Sony Pictures Entertainment and other providers will be available too. Since it also streams YouTube and other sources, is it possible that the US$300 BIVL may make a dent in the home-streaming HD TV market? It could, with the might of Amazon and the sheer number of Bravias sold alone. Press release below.

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Since they can't avoid hacked iPhones no matter how hard they try, Apple seems to have prepared iTunes 8 to avoid pwning, disabling this ability in mint iPod touch and iPhone devices. But don't fret, because the iPhone Dev Team has already launched a counterattack:

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This Remote Controlled Hovering Space Surfer has to be the best toy among the ongoing barrage of RC flying apparatuses: a nine-inch Cylon-Silver Surfer-Bender-bred astronaut who one day got all the Beach Boys albums and decided to surf on a 11-inch board capable of hovering, spinning 360 degrees, and moving straight in all directions with ease. It has enough thrust to get up to a 20-metre ceiling, but having a 8m range, I would advise against pushing it that high unless you are willing to wait 15 minutes until the batteries run down. [Hammacher via Toylogy]

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We mentioned the Velocity 103 back in April, giving it a Q2 launch date. It looks like there've been a few delays to Velocity Mobile's entry to the smartphone market though, since the device is only now on pre-sale, with availability at the end of this month. It's a Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional device, featuring a proprietary "Velocity Over The Air" updating system to add functionality, Bluetooth, touchscreen and trackball control, and TV/VGA-out to connect to your TV. Its September launch is in the UK, where it costs a whopping US$569, but there's no info no when it'll hit the US. [TheInquirer]

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We've been following Plastic Logic's potential Kindle-killing e-reader device this week, and the guys over at TGDaily are adding to the intrigue with video of it. Speaking with a company rep, they found out that the device is less than 7mm thin and charges/connects to PCs with a miniUSB connector.

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Garmin's had a tiny stylistic brain-fart with some new Nuvi GPSs. Imagine a cheesy glimmering gadget suckered-on to your windshield, sending glittering—and distracting—shafts of light into your car... that's kind of what you've got in the "light rose" and "black diamond" editions of the Nuvi 250 and 760. They're covered in coloured faux-diamonds. Yuck. The red, white and blue editions (also new) we can appreciate. But in a few years, in a look back at recent gadget history, crystal-covered GPS units will be consigned to the "what the hell were they thinking?" category. [Aving via Navigadget]

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Tonchidot's Sekai Camera is the killer iPhone application I was looking for: just point your camera anywhere around you to have instant feedback about whatever is on your screen. Directions, reviews, messages, offers, and any tag you can imagine will appear floating in front of you, adding a graphic overlay to the world.

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Hitachi became the latest company to enter the online search arena, unveiling a "similar image search" engine called GazoPa at TechCrunch50. Unlike regular image search services, GazoPa relies on characteristics such as similar colours and shapes rather than traditional metadata. We're not sure why Hitachi, better known as a hardware company, would dabble in something like image searching, but GazoPa seems like an interesting concept if it works as well as it does in the video.

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Pioneer introduced two new plasma TVs with panels designed for incredibly deep blacks at an industry event in Tokyo. Are these the same Kuro gen 2 panels that are currently shipping in the US? Or are they the even better ones we saw in prototype form at CES? The guys at Akihabara News were able to check out the company's new 60-inch and 50-inch sets at Tokyo's Miyako Hotel. Pioneer said that the black levels were five times deeper than its previous KURO panels. How black? When you turn out the lights, you can't tell where the TV ends and the rest of the room begins.

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Samsung's Highnote slider phone is another Sprint exclusive with a hidden speaker that reveals itself when you slide the phone face down. Even in the middle of a press event, you could hear the speaker at work, and for what it was, it didn't sound excessively tinny or distorted.

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The first thing that stands out about Sprint's exclusive LG Lotus is it's shape. Few, if any, flip phones possess a square shape a full QWERTY keyboard in a true clamshell design. The hardware design was inspired by makeup accessories every woman on the planet carries around, but despite its target audience, the Lotus hardware is nice hardware for anyone who make text messages their priority.

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In case you don't feel like waiting an extra month for a WiFi-enabled BlackBerry, AT&T will release the titanium variant of the BlackBerry Curve 8320 on Tuesday, September 23. According to the people at BlackBerry News, the new Curve will run OS 4.5 and cost US$200 on a 2-year contract, with a US$100 mail-in rebate if you subscribe to a data plan. Sure, the Bold, which has GPS and 3G along with WiFi, is coming in October, but its' also a good US$200 more. [BlackBerry News]

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Now not only can you get Sony's OLED TV for the bargain bin price of US$1,748, you'll also soon be able to make that 11-inch hunk of visual sexiness completely wireless. Sony recently revealed a completely cordless version of the XEL-1 with an integrated HDTV tuner, a battery, and a wall mount. No specific information about the timing and price of the "I've got no strings" version, but Sony promises it'll be out "soon." [AV Watch via Engadget]

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Are you the dictator of a country that's desperate to seem powerful to its neighbours, but not quite rich enough to afford the armaments it wants? Take a page from the Fortitude South and buy these inflatable versions of scary military equipment! Trick foreign satellites and spy planes into thinking you're a viable threat--just take each balloon tank to an empty field, blow it up to size and watch the foreign media go crazy! [English Russia]

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From what I've heard, quitting smoking/losing weight/falling asleep can be hard. That's why there are so many fat insomniac smokers around, I guess. Fortunately I saw an ad on TV the other night that put my mind at ease, or at least would have if I was either a smoker, fat or had trouble sleeping.

Some hypnotherapist by the name of Mark Stephens is selling his treatments for each of these maladies via gadgets. To counter smoking and obesity, he's got MP4 players loaded with audio and video that he claims will help you give up the fags / junk food within days. If you struggle sleeping, there's an MP3 player with soothing music and relaxing stuff to help you unwind in bed.

The MP4 player looks as cheap as Chinese iPod knockoffs usually look, while the MP3 player looks like something I once got given as a freebie that had the world's worst audio quality imaginable.

Once you've been cured of your malady, I've no idea whether or not you can delete all that hypnotherapy stuff for some heavy metal, but part of me doubts it.

Each of the gadgets costs $297, so those obese insomniac smokers are going to have a fair amount to pay. But still, if it works, that could be a small price to pay. And everyone knows that doing stuff is easier with gadgets, right? Right?

[Think Quit, Think Sleep and Think Slim]

It's been seven years since 9/11 and while we over here at New York are still squabbling over what should cover that empty patch of land in lower Manhattan, the folks in D.C. are ready to inaugurate their memorial tomorrow. Adjacent to the Pentagon crash site, the memorial contains 184 units placed parallel with the trajectory of American Airlines Flight 77.

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When he's not making squillions with Family Guy, creator Seth McFarlane is making bajillions creating short web cartoons for Burger King. At least, we assume he is.

Who knew jumping some mushrooms would be such hard work? I'm just surprised that the plumber waited that long to call back the dragon.

[via Kotaku]

Sprint today unveiled the BlackBerry Curve 8350i Push-to-Talk for its cute little Nextel customers. Our wild guess is that this is a limited run, aimed at the last four people on earth who somehow need a real business smartphone... Read More »

One of the things I was really blown away by yesterday was the sheer number of colours in the new iPod rainbow. I don't think I've ever seen that many hues of an MP3 Player. Where did they get them all??

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Don't forget that we're offering the 5 lucky Gizmodians exclusive double passes to visit Sony's UCHI event on September 25. There's no other way to get into this event, where you'll get to grope all the latest and greatest Sony products. You'll be wined and dined (beer and finger-fooded?) and there'll be live entertainment to keep you partying until they kick you out.

To win, all you need to do is show us your gadgets. The most creative entries will make the finals, where other Giz readers will get to vote on the best five. To submit your entry, email it (or a link) to uchi@gizmodo.com.au. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity - you'll be members of an elite group to attend the festivities. Don't miss out because you're lazy.

[Uchi on Giz]

Sony Insider has uncovered Sony's newest Dream Machine, the ICF-CD3iP, the most attractive iPhone/iPod Clock/Radio Dock I've seen yet. No telling what it sounds like, but for the US$100 or so it will cost when it eventually surfaces, I'm guessing it would be somewhere between "tinny but decent" and "hey, that's not so bad."

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One of the smaller, but still significant announcements yesterday was that NBC was coming back to iTunes and that they'd be one of the channels offering TV shows in high-def—for US$2.99. Buried in that, even, is that they'll sell a bunch of older shows for just 99 cents an ep, and offer discounts to Season Pass buyers. Cnet says that "What this means for consumers, however, is that Apple is slowly losing control over pricing of video content at iTunes." Uh, what?

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Apple may have absorbed the super-neato Magnetosphere visualiser into iTunes, but they did make some tweaks in their Borging process. Just like those Picard-obsessed skinjobs, the iTunes version is obsessed with planets and launching millions of photon torpedoes into them. The original,