Saturday, November 22, 2008 - Page 2
Computing

A Complete Guide to Playing Video Files On Your PS3, Xbox 360 or Wii

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If you’re here reading Gizmodo, there’s a good chance you have a hard drive full of video somewhere. And you also probably have a PS3, Xbox 360 or Wii. If those two things aren’t working together for you in beautiful symbiosis, allowing you to watch all of your downloaded or ripped video on your TV instead of hunched over a laptop screen, well, this is the guide for you.

Now there are two general strategies you can take: physically copying your files to a USB drive, memory card or CD/DVD, which is pretty straightforward, or streaming your video over the network, which is where things get more fun and interesting. So let’s dive in.


10 Gadgets That Will Trip You Out Without Drugs

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Who says you need drugs to have a good time? All you need is an open mind and a little imagination to tap into the psychedelic potential of your brain. Oh, and gadgets like the 10 featured here can definitely help. Even if they don’t work, just remember that even without the drugs you still have sex and rock n’ roll. That should be enough for anyone.


Low Cost Robot On Wheels Can Spy Baddies, Paint Them to Death

ROMP–or Remotely Operated Mobile Platform–is a poor man’s version of an iRobot battlefield bot. Instead of fancy tracks and miniaturised sensors, these ROMPs seem more like sophisticated all-terrain RC cars rigged with consumer cameras. Until you meet the older brother, of course, the weaponised WROMP with its big gun on top. In the words of its creator, Chris Rogers:


Gadgets

Turn an Old iPod Into a Cigarette Holder to Look Cool, Get Cancer

If you have an old, dead iPod kicking around and are also looking for a way to disguise your disgusting cigarette addiction, here’s a nice way to kill two birds with one stone: hide your cigarettes in your iPod! It’s a pretty straightforward operation, involving getting rid of the guts in your iPod and then filling said iPod with cigarettes. A better DIY project? Quit smoking. Just saying. [Current via ShinyShiny]


Gaming

Wiimote Keychains Project a Mario Mosaic On Your Wall

These mini wiimote novelty keychains have a unique function—it can shine an image of your favourite Mario-Kart character on the wall at the push of a button. Fans can collect six different versions that feature Luigi, Wario, Princess Peach, Yoshi and Baby Mario—but I wouldn’t expect Mario to come flying out of the woodwork on a kart to save you when you shine the signal. Yup, your only hope is that Ron Jeremy happens to drive past you on a moped while you are getting mugged. Available for $US6.


Geek Out

Two Guys Jumped Off the Burj Dubai and Lived to Tell About It

Oh, wow. Apparently, in May, a Brit and a Frenchman snuck on to the under-construction Burj Dubai and BASE jumped from it at 650 metres up. Now, there’s video available of their infiltration, jump and subsequent escape. The footage from up top and the jump is just incredible stuff. I wish I had the cajones to do something like this. Although my favourite part of the video may be the footnote at the end; wait for it, it’s worth it. [Current via Neatorama]


Gaming

New Xbox Experience Causing HDMI Sound Loss Issues

According to a long thread at the AVForums, several Xbox 360 users are losing all sound after upgrading to the New Xbox Experience. Apparently, the problem only appears in HDMI-connected systems. but there has been one report of someone having the same problem using a SCART connector. Fortunately, there seems to be a fix.


Fetus Flash Drive Offends Everyone

You know, all of the jokes that come to mind about this fetus USB flash drive—complete with a detailed how-to process to make your own—I really can’t make them. But I’m pretty sure that it manages to be offensive to both pro-baby killers and anti-women’s-righters all by its lonesome, miniscule self without my help, even though it’s just a little humanoid blob of fabric with a piece of metal hot-glued to its arse. [Instructables]


Gaming

CERN’s ‘Gordon Freeman’ Employee Receives Crowbar, Starts Murdering

Do you remember that photo of the Large Hadron Collider that showed an employee looking suspiciously like Half Life‘s Gordon Freeman? The clowns over at Reddit sent him a crowbar, a headcrab and a book, allowing him to go to town on the alien infestation. The very happy alien infestation, by the looks of that photo. See him in action after the jump. [Reddit via Kotaku]


Wireless Router Flower Vase Concept Also Doubles As Nuclear Cooling Tower

Generally, water and gadgets don’t tend to play nicely together. But I’m a fan of this wireless router/flower vase concept design from Saudi telecom company STC. With it, the router doesn’t have to be shoved away in the corner, its tangle of wires collecting dust bunnies by the pound. Now, how aboud a daffodil–or a cottonball puff simulating the smoke rising out of a sector 7G’s cooling tower. [Dezeen]