Source: Gizmodo | 27 Nov 2008 | 2:00 pm

PC Mice as Speakers - Mini 4-Port Novelty USB (VIDEO)

(TrendHunter.com) Heres a little something for the fans of combo gadgets: the Mouse-Shaped Speaker with USB Hub. Not only do you get a speaker to enjoy the music, but it also acts as a 4-port hub...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 27 Nov 2008 | 1:59 pm

rCard Multimedia Business Cards Finally Hit The Market - Now Called EDG

By Andrew Liszewski Speaking of items we thought would never actually hit the market, the rCard multimedia business card concept was first shown off about 3 years ago, but is just now finally seeing the...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 27 Nov 2008 | 1:55 pm

Massive botnet returns from the dead, starts spamming - Computerworld

ITProPortal

Massive botnet returns from the dead, starts spamming Computerworld - 2 hours ago By Gregg Keizer November 26, 2008 (Computerworld) A big spam-spewing botnet shut down two weeks ago has been resurrected, security researchers said today, and is again under the control of criminals. Spam Botnet Rises From Ashes Despite Web Host Being Taken Down eFluxMedia Spam On The Rise Again Digitaltrends.com CNET News - BetaNews - CRN - Slashdot all 81 news articles

Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 27 Nov 2008 | 1:51 pm

No Felony Charges In MySpace Suicide

A suburban mother who prosecutors say caused a 13-year-old girl to commit suicide by tormenting her through a phony MySpace persona was acquitted of three felony charges by a U.S.
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 27 Nov 2008 | 1:50 pm

Videogames get set to go on vacation - Reuters

Telegraph.co.uk

Videogames get set to go on vacation Reuters - 2 hours ago By John Gaudiosi RALEIGH, North Carolina (Reuters Life!) - With the holiday travel season fast approaching, videogame makers are making sure they have games and consoles handy for trains, planes and automobiles -- and so are holiday destinations. Review: 80GB PlayStation 3 a superb gaming console CNN International Mario Kart and Wii Fit hit over 1M CVG Online BusinessWeek - AHN - PSX Extreme - PC World all 277 news articles

Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 27 Nov 2008 | 1:45 pm

Upcycled Oxygen Cylinders - Real Everest Canisters as Art (GALLERY)

(TrendHunter.com) Inspired by a National Geographic documentary, artist Jeff Clapp creates these unique bells, bowls and ornaments out of recycled oxygen cylinders that were discarded on Mt. Everest...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 27 Nov 2008 | 1:39 pm

Who Will Buy Vacated Airwaves?

A major test is approaching quickly for a renewed effort by U.S.
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 27 Nov 2008 | 1:39 pm

CANADA STOCKS-Toronto stocks index set to fall as oil eases

TORONTO, Nov 27 (Reuters) - The Toronto Stock Exchange's main index is seen falling on Thursday as commodity prices take a breather from recent gains.
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsTech | 27 Nov 2008 | 1:38 pm

Russia Novatek cuts 2008 gas output growth target

MOSCOW, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Russia's second-largest gas producer, Novatek has cut its gas production growth forecast for this year to 8.5 percent from 10 percent citing lower demand, the firm said on Thursday...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsTech | 27 Nov 2008 | 1:37 pm

Mobuzz Folds After All

A quick update on the Mobuzz saga (the Spanish online video entertainment startup turned to asking for user donations to keep its head above water): they’re now officially in the deadpool.

From the website:

It is with deep regret that we inform our friends and fans that MobuzzTV has closed officially today. We need to take some time to see how best to reorganise our project. We have been talking with many interested parties but unfortunately we have not been able to financially sustain our operations until the agreements were closed.

The company has made it clear that all donations will be returned, and that the video archive built up over the last 4 years will remain online. In the latest video update (dating back to 10 November, embedded below), Mobuzz CEO Anil de Mello said they managed to raise 33,000 €, which is about 1/4 of what the startup hoped to achieve a week after starting to panhandle for money. At the time, they were still hopeful about being able to continue producing video shows and attracting enough advertises to execute on their financial plan, but that turned out to be idle hope.

It’s always sad to see a company go, but as Jason already wrote when he covered the company’s final attempt to survive, Mobuzz probably ran out of money for a reason.

Mobuzz Lives! from Anil de Mello on Vimeo.

Crunch Network: MobileCrunch Mobile Gadgets and Applications, Delivered Daily.

Source: TechCrunch | 27 Nov 2008 | 1:34 pm

Mobuzz Folds After All

A quick update on the Mobuzz saga (the Spanish online video entertainment startup turned to asking for user donations to keep its head above water): they're now officially in the deadpool. From the...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 27 Nov 2008 | 1:34 pm

Making Facial Recognition More Effective For Border Security

Facial recognition systems perform some very challenging tasks such as checking an individual’s photo against a database of known or suspected criminals.
Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 27 Nov 2008 | 1:30 pm

Storytelling Jewelery - Recycled Remnant Trinkets by Betty Pepper (GALLERY)

(TrendHunter.com) If you abhor mass produced fashion and crave interesting, unique, hand-made accessories, then it is highly likely that you will fall in love with the magical work of jewelery designer,...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 27 Nov 2008 | 1:19 pm

Fujitsu Offers Free Laptop Upgrades For Life

Barence writes "Fujitsu Siemens is offering its customers free laptop upgrades for life with its Lifebook4Life scheme. Customers buying a Fujitsu Siemens Lifebook will be offered a free upgrade three years after their original purchase, and every subsequent three years for the rest of their life — as long as they purchase an extended three-year warranty. Customers will have to hope inflation stays low, though: the value of each new notebook cannot exceed the value of the previous one, adjusted 10% for inflation. Fujitsu says the scheme is profitable, and a raft of small print ensures plenty of people will find they've excluded themselves from the scheme for all sorts of reasons."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 27 Nov 2008 | 1:13 pm

Apple Prepares For Black Friday Sales Event

Apple Inc. is preparing for an unprecedented one-day sale on Friday that some say may have the company offering rare discounts of up to 15 percent.
Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 27 Nov 2008 | 1:10 pm

Amazon To Shut Down Alexa Web Search Service; Practically No One Affected

Amazon is using the Thanksgiving break to quietly release some bad news - they’re shutting down one of its web services - Alexa Web Search. The service, which we first covered way back in 2006, is already closed to new customers, and existing users have until January 26, 2009 to move on to something else.

Amazon says in an email to developers that the reason for the closing is low usage, and I believe them. Google, Yahoo and Microsoft all offer competing services. On the Alexa Web Search site itself Amazon says the service has been “deprecated,” which is a fancy word for shut down.

The email:

Dear Alexa Developer,

The Alexa Web Search service will no longer be available to new customers as of November 26, 2008. Use of the service is low, so we are shifting our priorities to other areas where we can provide better service to AWS customers.

The Alexa Web Search service will continue to be operational for 60 days until January 26, 2009. The ProgrammableWeb website offers a list of web services that provide web search.

We apologize for the inconvenience to you.

Thank you,

The Alexa Web Services Team

Crunch Network: CrunchGear drool over the sexiest new gadgets and hardware.

Source: TechCrunch | 27 Nov 2008 | 12:58 pm

Fring Lays Off 20%, Says Business Is Surging

Israel-based mobile VoIP startup Fring joins the layoff parade by letting 10 people, or around 20% of total staff, go. Company CEO Avi Shechter says the company is doing well, though, and the layoffs were to ensure that the company had enough capital to get them past 2009.

Shechter also says Fring has recently raised a third round of financing, but declines to specify the amount or investors yet. Fring had raised $13 million over two previous rounds of financing.

Fring recently inked a deal with a European mobile carrier, Mobilkom Austria, and says they’re seeing 400,000 new downloads and activations per month, up from 100,000/month a year ago. They’re also trying out advertisements in the service.

Crunch Network: MobileCrunch Mobile Gadgets and Applications, Delivered Daily.

Source: TechCrunch | 27 Nov 2008 | 12:33 pm

Europe gets Resi 5 demo next year? - CVG Online

PC World

Europe gets Resi 5 demo next year? CVG Online - 4 hours ago Capcom has confirmed that a demo of Resident Evil 5 will indeed be making it way to the West after yesterday's Japanese reports. Resident Evil 5 Demo Next Week for Japan Only PC World RE5 Demo Hitting Japan Next Week? PSX Extreme Action Trip - Wired News - Cinema Blend - CVG Online all 9 news articles

Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 27 Nov 2008 | 12:05 pm

Farmer Builds Robot Army

46-year-old Wu Yulu has only a basic school education but has managed to build himself 26 robots from scrap materials over the past 30 years. At first his creations were simple and could barely shuffle along by themselves. The robots got more complex as time passed, and eventually he built ones capable of climbing walls, serving water, lighting cigarettes, playing musical instruments and writing calligraphy. "When I was 11, one day I was sitting on the doorstep, and while watching villagers passing by I suddenly came up with the idea of building a machine that walks like a man," he told the Beijing Times.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 27 Nov 2008 | 11:57 am

DotNetNuke Raises Series A Funding To Fuel Framework Adoption

DotNetNuke Corporation, the owner and maintainer of the open source web application framework that goes by the same name, has raised an undisclosed amount of Series A venture funding from August Capital and Sierra Ventures.

DotNetNuke is a web application framework written in VB.NET, and is used by developers worldwide to create, deploy and manage interactive web, intranet and extranet sites. Its DotNetNuke.com community website has over 630,000 registerered members, and the open source framework (the application is licensed under a single BSD open source license) has been downloaded over 5.5 million times to date.

Details about the amount of funding were not provided, but a blog post on the community site by Shaun Walker (the original creator of DotNetNuke and President/Chief Architect of the corporation) reveals that it took DNN 18 months to close the financing and that it ultimately reflected the ‘market rate for a project of their size and stature’.

Crunch Network: CrunchGear drool over the sexiest new gadgets and hardware.

Source: TechCrunch | 27 Nov 2008 | 11:24 am

Google Round Up: Evil Layoffs, Chrome Speed Test, Street Views - InformationWeek

ITProPortal

Google Round Up: Evil Layoffs, Chrome Speed Test, Street Views InformationWeek - 5 hours ago Here are several short updates on things that Google has been up to. The search giant has been quietly laying off thousands of contractors; its Chrome browser was recently rated as the speediest; and the Street Views user interface gets a revamp. How widely used is Chrome? More than I expected CNET News Google Chrome Moving Slowly Into The Big Boys’ League eFluxMedia Silicon Alley Insider - Sci-Tech Today - Bluhalo - AccuraCast all 53 news articles

Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 27 Nov 2008 | 11:19 am

I Can’t Believe Some People Are Still Saying Twitter Isn’t A News Source

Twitter is emerging as a major force in breaking news. But some people disagree.

Today we saw yet another illustration, when people in Mumbai got the word of terrorist attacks out to the world well before mainstream media even knew something was happening. Mathew Ingram points out previous examples of Twitter users breaking important world news.

If I didn’t hear about something important happening by watching my Twitter stream, it’s the first place I go to get an idea of what’s going on. Years ago I would have turned to the cable news channels, now it’s Twitter.

It’s not just the speed of early reports either. Twitter also serves up a constant stream of updates as situations progress.

The facts seem to be irrefutable. But some people disagree, as they wrote in comments to my Mumbai post. You should also read TomsTechBlog, who argues that it’s irresponsible to think of Twitter as a news source. The reason? The facts are often wrong.

This is the same argument that mainstream journalists used against blogs when they rose to fill a void in the news over the last few years. Yet even the NY Times admitted years ago that blogs were an important news source when disaster struck: “For vivid reporting from the enormous zone of tsunami disaster, it was hard to beat the blogs.”

But blogs are nothing compared to Twitter, which lets anyone with a cell phone instantly update the world with what they see and hear, via the simple and ubiquitous text message.

Sure, lots of Twitter messages are flat out wrong and can spread disinformation. But as Ingram notes in his blog post above, other people tend to immediately correct those errors. Bad information is quickly drowned out by good information.

You can jump up and down and shout all you want that Twitter isn’t a real news source. But all you are doing is viewing the world through a reality lens that’s way outdated. People want information fast and raw from people who are on the scene. If it gets a little messy along the way, that’s ok. We’ll soon see tools that help us distill the really good stuff out of the stream anyway.

What matters isn’t any individual Twitter message and whether it’s right or wrong. It’s the organism as a whole, the aggregate, that lets people stream what they’re witnessing in real time to the world. That aggregate stream gives us more information, faster, than anything before. It’s news, and it’s incredibly valuable.

Crunch Network: MobileCrunch Mobile Gadgets and Applications, Delivered Daily.

Source: TechCrunch | 27 Nov 2008 | 10:56 am

Tony Benn's inventions

Yesterday, I blogged about the audiobook of the latest volume of Tony Benn's diaries, an inspiring look at the life of a passionate, brilliant retired politician who refused to accept the invasion of Iraq as necessary or inevitable.

Now iRoy reminds us that Benn isn't just Britain's longest-serving parliamentarian -- he's also an inventor, the creator of the "backbencher" ("a rucksack with stool attached") as well as a car-mounted easy-chair, a totally bad-ass pocket-protector, a briefcase that turns into a lectern, a magnetic map for logging your parking spot, and the "seat-case," a suitcase that turns into a chair.

Tony Benn's world of invention (Thanks, iRoy!)

Source: Gizmodo | 27 Nov 2008 | 9:00 am

Surgeons Weld Wounds Shut With Surgical Laser

Ruach writes "The promise of medical lasers goes beyond clean incisions and eye surgery: Many believe that lasers should be used not just to create wounds but to mend them too. Abraham Katzir, a physicist at Tel Aviv University, has a system that may just do the trick and is proving successful in its first human trials."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 27 Nov 2008 | 8:36 am

"A fruitfull and liberall harvest"

Pilgrim's blog -- 1623.

[I may not here omite how, notwithstand all their great paines and industrie, and the great hops of a large cropp, the Lord seemed to blast, and take away the same, and to threaten further and more sore famine unto them, by a great drought which continued from the 3. weeke in May, till about the midle of July, without any raine, and with great heat (for the most parte), insomuch as the come begane to wither away, though it was set with fishe, the moysture wherof helped it much. Yet at length it begane to languish sore, and some of the drier grounds were partched like withered hay, part wherof was never recovered. Upon which they sett a parte a solemne day of humilliation, to seek the Lord by humble and fervente prayer, in this great distrese. And he was pleased to give them a gracious and speedy answer, both to thier owne and the Indeans admiration, that lived amongest them. For all the morning, and greatest part of the day, it was clear weather and very hotte, and not a cloud or any signe of raine I to be seen, yet toward evening it begane to overcast, and shortly after to raine, with shuch sweete and gentle showers, as gave them cause of rejoyceing, and blesing God. It came, without either wind, or thunder, or any violence, and by degreese in that abundance, as that the earth was thorowly wete and soked therwith. Which did so apparently revive and quicken the decayed come and other fruits, as was wonderfull to see, and made the Indeans astonished to behold; and afterwards the Lord sent them shuch seasonable showers, with enterchange of faire warme weather, as, through his blessing, caused a fruitfull and liberall harvest, to their no small comforte and rejoycing. For which mercie (in time conveniente) they also sett aparte a day of thanksgiveing. This being overslipt in its place, I thought meet here to inserte the same.]

Of Plymouth Plantation by William Bradford.

May your Thanksgiving bring "no small comforte and rejoycing."

Source: Gizmodo | 27 Nov 2008 | 8:00 am

Sonim XP3: The beast of all phones

Section: Communications, Cellphones

When I say beast I do not mean in looks (like the iPhone), in functionality (like the G1) or low cost (like the Motorola Dyna 8000X).  I’m talking about the height of practicality, a phone designed to suffer the falls, scratches and splashes that your average Joe phone would break merely looking at.  This phone is not about looks, being small, or taking high resolution photos: it is the sort of phone you would expect to see on a building site, or on the top of a mountain.  Let me introduce the Sonim XP3.

It has a yellow and black color scheme: the yellow helping for visual purposes and the black being the substantial rubber edges that this phone boasts.  It has a reasonably large anti glare and shock resistant screen with large functional buttons, but only those that are necessary, with special care to make them durable and extra wide.

This phone is dust and micro-particle proof.  It will also operate under extreme thermal conditions, from -20 to +60 degrees centigrade which covers most of the temperatures that the world can throw at you.

Another major killer of phones is water, but the XP3 has no problems with water as it can withstand being submerged up to 1 meter in depth which eliminates the need for a cover on those mountain treks.  I think after water, the second biggest phone torment is drops and this phone can cope comfortably with drops onto concrete from up to 2 meters.

Other major practical features include the extra loud speakers designed to handle noisy environments (like waterfalls or nightclubs), an extra long battery life, and a 3 year unconditional guarantee, which is pretty long for a mobile phone.  Oh yeah, and it has an in built-in torch, making it the Swiss army knife of phones.

Regarding core functions, it still performs perfectly well.  It is Tri-band (so good for traveling) as well has having WAP and Bluetooth capabilities and the usual SMS/alarm/PC sync capabilities.  Optional extras include a secure looking belt clip, and an external antenna for when finding reception is really difficult.  All in all, this is quite an exceptional phone, and if you often find yourself hiking or mountaineering, then this is a must. 

It is the pinnacle of mountain technology combined with some (only slightly outdated) modern technology.  Yes, this won’t sell as well as any Nokia/BlackBerry/Apple phone, but it provides a real solution, and one that is valuable.

Product [Sonim]

Full Story » | Written by Christian Milsom for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Source: Gizmodo | 27 Nov 2008 | 7:00 am

Meijer’s Thanksgiving Day 2008 sale

FROM GAMERTELL - Meijer has several Thanksgiving Day special offers on games and game bundles as well as a HDTV, iPod Nano $50 rebate and other tech deals… MORE »

Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Source: Gadgetell | 27 Nov 2008 | 6:57 am

Record labels are b0rked

In a barn-burner of an interview, academic Bethany Klein of the University of Leeds discusses the fundamental broken-ness of the record industry and the growing acceptance of acts that license their work for commercials. Klein's just finished a book, As Heard on TV: Popular Music in Advertising, which explores the subject in depth.

Major labels function with the assumption that 90 percent of artists they sign are going to fail — that should have been a red flag for everybody. I mean that’s a bizarre business model in any arena. But particularly in the cultural arena, the idea that the system through which culture is transmitted is dictated entirely by profit should concern us, because that’s going to narrow the types of culture that are transmitted. And then, on top of that, the alternative venues of distribution are stuck in the shadows of these major labels. So it’s not like there’s a viable alternative, necessarily, for artists who don’t fit into this very narrow range that can become the 10 percent that are profitable and popular.

ROCK STAR! (Brought to You by HUGE ADVERTISER!) (via Anil Dash)

Source: Boing Boing | 27 Nov 2008 | 6:37 am

Pie hat!

Now here's a festive holiday crochet project: a hat shaped like a scrumptious pie! They will see you in the street and they will shout, "Delicious head, delicious head, delicious head!" but you will only smile to yourself and think, "Yes, and the zombies love me too, for my brains are wrapped in a tasty layer of pie."

Holiday Pie-rets (via Neatorama)

Source: Boing Boing | 27 Nov 2008 | 6:31 am

How to downgrade to iPhone OS 2.1

FROM APPLETELL - Who loves a good, panicky headline?  Cnet, that’s who!  Citing reports of iPhone 2.2 software upgrade problems, they offer instructions on how to revert your iPhone or iPod touch to version 2.1. MORE »

Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Source: Gadgetell | 27 Nov 2008 | 6:30 am

Disabled boy to lose his tiny pony because the neighbours don't like the smell

A disabled boy in a rural Ontario town may have to give up the miniature pony that he rides as part of his therapy and for his basic mobility. The family's neighbours (who border on a friggin' cow farm) have complained about the smell.

The boy can’t walk or crawl, and Emily is part of his therapy regime.

“When we take him off the pony he cries. Even if he’s tired he doesn’t want to leave her,’’ his mother, Antonia Spiteri, said today.

But at the end of July, the town notified the Spiteris the pony had to be removed due to the complaints...

‘‘The cows go right up to their property too. We thought, ‘You’re kidding – seven cows to one miniature pony?’ We were quite shocked by what we thought was a joke at first.”

Caledon bylaw enforcement manager Glenn Blakely said the Spiteris’ one-acre property is zoned as rural residential and is too small to house a miniature pony.

Town threatens to evict disabled boy’s pony (via Mighty God King)

Source: Boing Boing | 27 Nov 2008 | 6:28 am

Defective By Design's Xmas DRM boycott -- 35 days and 35 products that don't deserve your money

Peter from the Free Software Foundation sez,

Starting this Black Friday and over the next 35 days leading up to the end of 2008, we want your help in promoting a consumer boycott of Digital Restrictions Management. Every day we'll be publishing your stories -- about a product, company, service, executive or politician that has has inflicted the nightmare of Digital Restrictions Management on you and our society, reminding us all why this holiday season we need an all-out boycott.

Day 1: MacBook

Now, nearly two years later, despite the success of DRM-free services like eMusic and with Amazon, Rhapsody, Napster, Jamendo, Magnatune, 7Digital and lots of others all selling DRM-free music, customers of Apple's iTunes Music Store are still plagued by a catalogue of mostly DRM-encumbered music.

To make matters worse, Apple's newest hot products, the iPhone and iPod Touch, offer extra opportunities for DRM, wrapping applications, even those available at little or no cost, as well as movies and TV shows in yet more layers of DRM.

And now, once again, Apple have pushed their DRM agenda even further, with the release of the latest revision of their MacBook laptop computers. The new MacBooks contain a hardware chip that prevents certain types of display being used, in an effort to plug the analog hole. Devices such as the HDfury can get around this, but this adds greater cost and inconveinience to what should be a relatively simple procedure.

35 Days Against DRM — Economic Boycott of DRM This Gift Giving Season (Thanks, Peter!)

Source: Boing Boing | 27 Nov 2008 | 6:24 am

Big Bentaur tee

Loving this Big Ben/centaur woodcut tee. Big Bentaur T-Shirt (Thanks, Scott!)

Source: Boing Boing | 27 Nov 2008 | 6:19 am

Wondermark's hilarious holiday cards

Wondermark's holiday cards are convulsively funny -- so much so that it was hard to pick just one to feature here.

Wondermark Greeting Cards (Thanks, David!)

Source: Gizmodo | 27 Nov 2008 | 6:00 am

The Name of the Game

Today I was reminded of the TV series "The Name of the Game", which ran from 1968 to 1971. A bit unconventional for its time, the show was smart, cool, different. It aspired to be more like a movie, pre-HBO, than a regular TV series. Did I really have a man-crush on Tony Franciosa as Jeff Dillon and a more conventional crush on Susan St. James as Peggy Maxwell?

"The Name of the Game" had three different main characters who were featured in rotation -- Franciosa, Robert Stack and Gene Barry. The show was about a large magazine company, which published People magazine way before People existed. Imagine publishing being the subject of a ninety-minute drama. Somehow, "The Name of the Game" could have sparked the idea that publishing was an exciting way of life. (It's a good life, actually.)

I found this clip on YouTube but I wish I could find a whole episode to watch and see if it matches up to memory. I do like the music in this opening sequence.

Source: Boing Boing | 27 Nov 2008 | 5:55 am

The verdict: Lori Drew is guilty. - ZDNet

New York Daily News

The verdict: Lori Drew is guilty. ZDNet - 10 hours ago Lori Drew has been convicted of three misdemeanor counts of computer fraud in the MySpace suicide of young Megan Meiers, 13 when she hung herself. Neighbor Guilty in MySpace Hoax Case ABC News No Felony Charges In MySpace Suicide RedOrbit New York Times - Los Angeles Times - eFluxMedia - Washington Post all 2,458 news articles

Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 27 Nov 2008 | 5:45 am

Panasonic makes a move for 3D Blu-ray

Section: Video, Accessories, Content, HDTV

It is widely known that the future of Blu-ray is in 3D and a feasible idea for this was shown by Panasonic at the CEATEC show in Japan although it was pre-production.  However they have now made a bid to be king of this future market with a proposal to the BDA (Blu-ray Disc Association) regarding a way of producing two way (left and right eye) full High Definition discs.
The BDA hopes to begin discussions on this proposal by the end of this year with an aim of finalizing plans and commercializing by 2010.  This is an important and greatly beneficial step for Panasonic as it will allow them to avoid any format war, which will be good not just for the company but also for the general public who will be spared the worry of buying the wrong format.
This early start is a result of an increase in activity within companies trying to be the first to get a standard format, helped in part by the expansion of film studios with the aim of being ready to incorporate future 3D filming seamlessly.  Obviously, the film studios will see this as a great step forward, which will mean they do not have to pick sides and run the risk of losing millions of dollars in wasted equipment.
In fact, Hollywood is already starting to embrace 3D again (although obviously not Panasonic’s proposed standard) with James Cameron’s Avatar set to be released in 2009 and Disney/Pixar is currently in the process of implementing 3D technology.  Taking this into account, Panasonic has done incredibly well to get in there first.
Fortunately for current (or future) Blu-ray player owners, the format shouldn’t need any new players and should play perfectly fine on current TVs and Blu-ray players.  In fact, all you will need is a new HDMI cable (we can certainly anticipate that this will be an expensive cable) but still nothing in comparison to Blu-ray players.  You can also anticipate that the studios will try and get the most out of this as possible with prices being higher than current Blu-ray discs.

This will be a big push forward in this area of technology and the proposal has come surprisingly quick showing that companies can learn from past mistakes.  Hopefully it wont be long until we can have HD-3D (that sounds good doesn’t it?!) in our homes.

Source [TechON]

Full Story » | Written by Christian Milsom for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Source: Gadgetell | 27 Nov 2008 | 5:20 am

State of the Art No Keyboard? And You Call This a BlackBerry? - New York Times

Vancouver Sun

State of the Art No Keyboard? And You Call This a BlackBerry? New York Times - 11 hours ago By DAVID POGUE Research in Motion (RIM), the company that brought us the BlackBerry, has been on a roll lately. For a couple of years now, it’s delivered a series of gorgeous, functional, supremely reliable smartphones that, to this day, outsell even ... RIM’s BlackBerry Storm and NY Times’ Pogue don’t mix IntoMobile New York Times slams RIM Inquirer eFluxMedia - E Canada Now - Product Reviews - GigaOm all 316 news articles

Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 27 Nov 2008 | 5:06 am

Talking Web, Memory Aids, and Solar Phones In 5 Years

jbrodkin writes "A talking Web, solar technology embedded in windows and cell phones, and the end of forgetting will all come in the next five years, IBM predicts in its third annual Next Five in Five list, detailing innovations that could change our lives in the next half-decade. The other predictions: We will all have digital shopping assistants and, separately, 'crystal balls' to predict our future health. If IBM is right, in five years we'll forget about keyboards and use our voices to surf the Web on solar-powered laptops. DNA profiles will predict our personal health risks, and we'll get automatic reminders to perform daily tasks, generated by digital recording and analysis of our conversations."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 27 Nov 2008 | 5:03 am

Reviews: What to Give? What to Get? Our Idea of the Perfect Wired Holiday

Our gift guide helps you answer the eternal questions of what to do for those finicky geeks on your list. Read on for the coolest gear that will please the nerdy and nice. (And enter to win the coolest bag stuffed with some of our favorites.)

Source: Wired Top Stories | 27 Nov 2008 | 5:00 am

Top 10 Products That Helped Us Forget 2008

:

This Mobile Device Only Does Email — Perfectly

Not every gadget needs a carnival of features. Take the Peek, which tackles just a single task: mobile email. No phone, no browser, no camera—and no apologies. It won't satisfy convergence-rabid smartphone fetishists, but for the rest of the world (i.e., the majority of it), this one-trick pony is a godsend. In terms of looks, its slim profile stands up to the big boys. But the real treat is the interface. Instead of forcing you to wrestle with laborious setup menus, the Peek asks for a name, email address, and password. That's it. Message from your Comcast.net account? Done. Gmail, Hotmail, and other webmail accounts? No sweat. Peek has an army of techies behind the curtain to handle the digital diplomacy that makes their device work flawlessly with every major email purveyor — and quite a few minor ones. It runs on T-Mobile's massive cellular network, so even the most itinerant technophobe can use it on the go. —Terrence Russell

$100, plus $20/month

:

Sleek Sony Cam Shows Off Family Photos on the Spot

Face it: No one checks your Flickr page. The only time friends see your photos is when you whip out the old digicam and cruise through whatever happens to be stored on it. The crafty folks at Sony know this, which is why they made the Cyber-shot DSC-T700, a pocket snapper that's as adept at displaying images as it is at capturing them. Just 0.7-inch thick, the sleek case incorporates a 10.1-MP sensor and Carl Zeiss lens, giving pictures a crispness rarely found in compact cameras. Flip it over and you'll find that the back is literally all display — a 3.5-inch, 16:9 touchscreen that replaces every hard button except Review, Zoom, Power, and Shutter. But this rig's beauty goes way beyond the surface: 4 gigs of onboard memory hold up to 950 hi-res shots. So enough with the uploading. Quit spamming the world with links to 40 shots of your lunch and start bragging with this. —John Mahoney

$400

:

Stage a Water-Cooler Ambush With Pump-Action Nerf Blaster

Workplace warlords must master a complex arsenal — the preemptive status report, the perfectly timed personal day, the BCC. And ever since Nerf released its N-Strike line of "toys" in 2002, we've had one more: the foam bullet, expertly aimed at your coworker's concentration-furrowed brow. For the serious open-plan warrior, there's no better weapon than the Recon CS-6. This pump-action blaster comes outfitted with a shoulder stock and a red-dot sight for cubicle sniping. Should you get caught in a watercooler ambush, the CS-6's six-shot magazine staves off the dreaded hollow click. But if you're going under cover, you'll need a sidearm you can conceal behind a manila folder. No problem, because the Recon is a transformer. Remove the stock and barrel extender and it becomes a stealthy Nerf pistol. Keep one in your desk drawer and those hooligans from accounting will never even look at your parking space again. —Cliff Kuang

$20

:

Commute-Friendly Electric Cycle Does 0 to 30 in 3.8 Seconds

The electric vehicle is a cool idea too often poorly executed. Today's batteries don't have the oomph or range to be practical — unless you drop 100 grand for a Tesla. That's why Brammo's gearheads started with motorcycles. They're so light that even readily available batteries can make one commute-worthy. The 285-pound Enertia is proof of that. At its heart is a lithium-iron-phosphate power cell designed to be as safe as it is efficient. "A plasma fire is not something we want to see," company founder Craig Bramscher says. The Enertia charges in just over three hours and is good for 45 miles. The 13-kW motor silently propels the electro-cycle to 30 mph in 3.8 seconds — quick enough to beat that cab away from the light — and to a top speed of 53 mph. Brammo hasn't created a highway-ready monster (yet), but Bramscher takes heart in what his creation can do: The electric motor's instantaneous torque is perfect for wheelies. —Chuck Squatriglia

$15,000

:

3-D-Ready HDTV Uses Laser Light to Double Color Range, Save Energy

Mama always told you not to stare into the sun. She might have added lasers to the list of no-nos — looking directly at the concentrated beams can burn your retinas. So who'd have thought they'd make an ideal light source for televisions? Mitsubishi's 65-inch LaserVue taps this tech to produce an astonishingly vivid picture. The rear-projection set's color range is twice as broad as a typical HDTV's, yet it consumes 33 percent less energy than a similar-size LCD. Though this 3-D-ready TV may seem straight outta Solaris, you don't need to fear its newness; unlike most nascent technologies, lasers have stamina. The company claims they'll never need replacing. So go ahead and screen those Lost DVDs 24/7. Or if you're feeling reckless, fire up your Blu-ray player to savor Angelina in all her Beowulfian glory. Kind of like staring at the naked sun, only hotter. —Jose Fermoso

$7,000

:

USB Stake Helps Brown Thumbs Turn Green, Monitors Soil Conditions

Those cacti on your windowsill don't deserve to die. Even if you regularly fail at horticulture, the EasyBloom can help. Just leave it in your proposed planting area for 24 hours, either stuck in the dirt or propped up in its cradle, then plug it into your computer's USB port. The gizmo measures soil conditions, sunlight, temperature, and humidity, comparing the results with an online database to recommend species that will thrive there. And should the weather be wacky that day, the EasyBloom is smart enough to check the National Weather Service for local averages. Your data is stored online for quick reference. If you've already killed everything in the garden, plunk the sensor down in your little Death Valley, set it to Monitor mode, and let it tell you what you're doing wrong. But here's a tip: If you find yourself running the autopsy repeatedly, it could be something basic. You do have to water the crops, you know. The EasyBloom can't do everything for you. —Elizabeth Livengood

$60

:

Svelte Ultralight Notebook Comes Fully Loaded

Ultralight notebooks come dressed to impress, but most disappoint when it's time to roll up the sleeves and get to work. Not the Voodoo Envy 133, a glossy black Kubrickian slab of awesomeness that makes other ultralights weep from their USB ports. Encased in carbon fiber, the Envy is just 0.7-inch thick and weighs 3.4 pounds when outfitted with a solid-state hard drive. Its looks will induce pangs of jealousy in the boardroom; back in the hotel room, the Envy proves that it's not just a pretty face. Even the base model rocks the tiny-team roster with a 1.6-GHz Intel processor, 2 gigs of RAM, swappable battery, LED-backlit display, and the widest array of ports — HDMI, eSATA, and ExpressCard — in its class. Like most of the svelte set, the Envy is heavy on wireless (802.11n, Bluetooth), but wired users aren't locked out. Since the case is thinner than an Ethernet jack, Voodoo built the connector into the power brick, which generates a dedicated wireless link with the computer. An instant-on OS lets you surf the Web or make Skype calls without booting up Windows. It all adds up to one drool-worthy package. —Christopher Null

$2,100, and up

:

Cycling GPS Tells You Where You Are — and How You Got There

At Wired, we love cycling almost as much as we love melting the chrome off passing cars with our high-powered laser. Almost. But even the combustion crew couldn't help raising an eyebrow at Garmin's top-tier, GPS-enabled cycling computer. This Tour-worthy unit tells you not only where you are but — thanks to heart rate, distance, and elevation tracking — exactly how you got there. The 2.2-inch color screen is as easy to read in the noontime glare as a sundial and offers more data-customization options than a crooked accountant. The Edge plays nice with wireless power meters to let you monitor the wattage you're generating while you pedal. It even lets you beam saved routes to other nearby 705 users. Optional street maps ensure that you can always find your way around town. So program this into your new Edge: 520 Third Street, San Francisco. Just don't roll up on some chromed-out fixie, because not even the 705 can see Lazor coming. —Mathew Honan

$500

:

It's the All-Digital Future – $100 Netflix Box Streams 15,000 Films

At the start of 2008, the Web-streamed movie experience still felt like a half-baked preview of its potential. Digital delivery required expensive hardware, and you paid extra for each rental (cough, Apple TV ... cough, Vudu). It wasn't the future we'd hoped for. Then came Roku's Netflix Player, the $100 video box that could summon more than 15,000 titles at no charge for Netflix subscribers. It was a revelation, wherein we learned what streaming video was supposed to feel like: nothing. That nothing changed everything. So go ahead, tear through all four seasons of The Office on a whim (then the original British version for good measure). Watch Strays because there's nobody home to exercise a Vin Diesel veto. For movies you can't stream, you still get your little red envelopes. And the same Roku box you love now will support hi-def streams when Netflix offers them. This little treasure chest is the real thing, straight from the all-digital future. —John Mahoney

$100

:

Try This at Home: Camera on a Flex Cable Finds Lost Objects

Milwaukee may have designed it to help home inspectors spot hidden mold or shoddy repairs, but the M-Spector is just too much fun to leave to the pros. Did your 5-year-old really drop your diamond ring down the sink — or pawn it for Fruit Roll-Ups? Want to find out the easy way how many bananas your "hilarious" brother-in-law stuffed in your tailpipe? Grab the M-Spector, thumb the power button, and the 2.5-inch screen lights up with 320x240-pixel color video, transmitted from the tiny CMOS camera on the end of its flexible neck. A camera-mounted LED illuminates dark and dismal places, letting you see anywhere you can cram the 3-foot-long cable. Sure, cops could use the M-Spector to peer around corners or ferret out shanks in prison cells, but it's equally effective at locating the perfectly good grape that rolled under your fridge. Just don't get too creative; you'll probably want to draw the line at home colonoscopies. —Chuck Cage

$250

Source: Wired Top Stories | 27 Nov 2008 | 5:00 am

Tech-Savvy Secrets to Getting the Best Black Friday Deals

There's more to getting a good deal on the day after Thanksgiving than standing in line at Best Buy -- if you don't want to get suckered, you need these tips for savvy online and in-person shopping.

Source: Wired Top Stories | 27 Nov 2008 | 5:00 am

Gallery: Geeky Toys That Will Make You a Christmas Hero

:

For Wired.com readers, sometimes the usual toys just won't do — we need some technology and science to jumpstart our fun circuits. From sound labs to RFID kits, check out the gifts we think will make your nerdy family and friends' eyes light up behind their taped-up, Coke-bottle glasses.

Thames and Kosmos Genetics and DNA kit

A well-written manual and a few snap-together models provide a good conceptual understanding of how DNA and genetics work. Some of the hands-on activities seem like nothing but busy work; others are invaluable at getting kids interested in the process of scientific experimentation.

One experiment takes you through the process of isolating DNA from tomatoes. Adult reviewers found it more difficult than the manual let on — which probably means that a kid should have no problem. You can also breed bacteria and then do some genetic engineering on them, but be careful — under the Patriot Act this stuff can get you thrown in jail.

:

Few of us have held a lion cub in our arms while it purred. Now you can do the next best thing. WowWee, creator of a family of robots including Robosapien, Roboraptor and the giant talking Elvis head, has come up with four of the cutest plush toys since the invention of the teddy bear 100 years ago. Their Alive series consists of too-adorable-for-words robotic versions of four endangered animal cubs: Panda, White Tiger, Polar Bear and Lion.

They're classified as plush because they are soft and cuddly and can't stand or walk on their own. They're classified as robots because WowWee has given them touch sensors, sound generators and exceptionally expressive faces. When you pet one, it looks up with its big blue kitten eyes and sighs — continue to pet it and it will purr (or the panda and polar bear equivalent) and close its eyes in delight, as your fully human heart melts into a puddle of small animal love all over the floor.

The uncanny valley has never been narrower; since so few of us know what these cubs look like up close, WowWee has designed replacements that look and behave as we expect them to. They're so realistic they will also freak the hell out of your house cat.

:

It looks like a homemade rowing machine. It's more like a specially made vomit machine. But in a good way. DreamFlyer is basically a very carefully balanced recumbent chair with a joystick and monitor mount. Hook up your favorite flight simulator, strap yourself in and take off.

The chair magnifies your own body movements, so when you tilt the joystick in any direction, the chair actually pitches (18 degrees in either direction) or rolls (to a maximum of 50 degrees) or (get the barf bag) both. The only thing the chair can't simulate is changing G-forces, which doesn't seem to bother most people who have tried it. The tubular aluminum construction measures 3 feet by 6 feet, weighs next to nothing and can be stored upright when you don't feel like doing aerobatics in your living room.

:

Online gaming and fresh-air activities seem almost mutually exclusive, don't they? The ME2 system from iToys aims to put a stop to that. One part of the toy is a cellphone-size game unit, the other part is an online virtual world. The trick: Kids earn points in the virtual world not by playing online, but by playing outdoors.

The game unit houses a three-axis accelerometer that measures how active the child is over the course of the day — more movement in real life (like running, playing basketball, etc.) equals more juice in the virtual world. A great idea, but a lot depends on whether kids will take to the handheld's retro-ish monochrome LCD display screen. You, on the other hand, you can look at it as a hackable USB-equipped accelerometer in a snazzy case.

:

OK, it's not Mil Spec, and you shouldn't use this when hunting the Taliban in Waziristan. Nevertheless, it is an honest-to-goodness infrared imaging system encased in a conspicuously large helmet for a child's toy. (It's almost like they know this is going to be dad's night-vision system.)

An LED spotlight on the forehead throws an infrared beam approximately 50 feet, illuminating up the darkness with invisible rays that the vision sensor can detect. The spotlight also makes you stand out like a lighthouse to anyone else with a similar night-vision setup, so forget about midnight paintball ambushes if your opponent is similarly equipped.

:

Thanks to the Safety Police, it's next to impossible to get your hands on a good, well-stocked child's chemistry set. They have yet crack down on electronics kits — but that's probably next on the list, so get yours while you can.

The GeoSafari Digital Recording Lab is a beginners' electronic kit for the 21st century. Spring-mounted resistors, capacitors and transistors make it easy to build simple but ingenious electronic circuits. The real selling point, though, is an RTS0073 CMOS integrated circuit, a very simple digital recording and playback chip.

The manual contains schematics and wiring diagrams for 59 different circuits, and the concepts behind each component are clearly given so it shouldn't be too difficult for a smart kid to grasp of the world of integrated circuits — and then to start working on circuits of their own.

:

State-of-the-art robotic designers are focusing more on interactivity these days than on mobility. Kota is a case in point. This robotic baby triceratops, as big as a medium-size dog, responds to petting by moving its head and tail, and emitting a friendly little dino-growl.

RFID sensors in its mouth allow it to "eat" RFID-equipped leaves (included). Children can "ride" Kota by sitting on its back and pretending, but for all its friendly responsiveness, Kota is a bit of a letdown as long as it just stands there. Your mission, should you chose to hack this toy, is to set it free.

:

RFID tracking is here; why shouldn't you get in on it? Alcatel-Lucent has come up with what is essentially a home RFID kit. You get a USB RFID reader and 10 sticky RFID tags, all for $50.

Attach the RFID tags to things around your home or office, install the software and you're good to go. You can use your own programming skills to make your computer do various things when various RFID tags are presented to your reader, or use Tikitag's application website to link your RFID tags to just about anything on the web.

Source: Wired Top Stories | 27 Nov 2008 | 5:00 am

Top 10 Products That Helped Us Forget 2008

:

This Mobile Device Only Does Email — Perfectly

Not every gadget needs a carnival of features. Take the Peek, which tackles just a single task: mobile email. No phone, no browser, no camera—and no apologies. It won't satisfy convergence-rabid smartphone fetishists, but for the rest of the world (i.e., the majority of it), this one-trick pony is a godsend. In terms of looks, its slim profile stands up to the big boys. But the real treat is the interface. Instead of forcing you to wrestle with laborious setup menus, the Peek asks for a name, email address, and password. That's it. Message from your Comcast.net account? Done. Gmail, Hotmail, and other webmail accounts? No sweat. Peek has an army of techies behind the curtain to handle the digital diplomacy that makes their device work flawlessly with every major email purveyor — and quite a few minor ones. It runs on T-Mobile's massive cellular network, so even the most itinerant technophobe can use it on the go. —Terrence Russell

$100, plus $20/month

:

Sleek Sony Cam Shows Off Family Photos on the Spot

Face it: No one checks your Flickr page. The only time friends see your photos is when you whip out the old digicam and cruise through whatever happens to be stored on it. The crafty folks at Sony know this, which is why they made the Cyber-shot DSC-T700, a pocket snapper that's as adept at displaying images as it is at capturing them. Just 0.7-inch thick, the sleek case incorporates a 10.1-MP sensor and Carl Zeiss lens, giving pictures a crispness rarely found in compact cameras. Flip it over and you'll find that the back is literally all display — a 3.5-inch, 16:9 touchscreen that replaces every hard button except Review, Zoom, Power, and Shutter. But this rig's beauty goes way beyond the surface: 4 gigs of onboard memory hold up to 950 hi-res shots. So enough with the uploading. Quit spamming the world with links to 40 shots of your lunch and start bragging with this. —John Mahoney

$400

:

Stage a Water-Cooler Ambush With Pump-Action Nerf Blaster

Workplace warlords must master a complex arsenal — the preemptive status report, the perfectly timed personal day, the BCC. And ever since Nerf released its N-Strike line of "toys" in 2002, we've had one more: the foam bullet, expertly aimed at your coworker's concentration-furrowed brow. For the serious open-plan warrior, there's no better weapon than the Recon CS-6. This pump-action blaster comes outfitted with a shoulder stock and a red-dot sight for cubicle sniping. Should you get caught in a watercooler ambush, the CS-6's six-shot magazine staves off the dreaded hollow click. But if you're going under cover, you'll need a sidearm you can conceal behind a manila folder. No problem, because the Recon is a transformer. Remove the stock and barrel extender and it becomes a stealthy Nerf pistol. Keep one in your desk drawer and those hooligans from accounting will never even look at your parking space again. —Cliff Kuang

$20

:

Commute-Friendly Electric Cycle Does 0 to 30 in 3.8 Seconds

The electric vehicle is a cool idea too often poorly executed. Today's batteries don't have the oomph or range to be practical — unless you drop 100 grand for a Tesla. That's why Brammo's gearheads started with motorcycles. They're so light that even readily available batteries can make one commute-worthy. The 285-pound Enertia is proof of that. At its heart is a lithium-iron-phosphate power cell designed to be as safe as it is efficient. "A plasma fire is not something we want to see," company founder Craig Bramscher says. The Enertia charges in just over three hours and is good for 45 miles. The 13-kW motor silently propels the electro-cycle to 30 mph in 3.8 seconds — quick enough to beat that cab away from the light — and to a top speed of 53 mph. Brammo hasn't created a highway-ready monster (yet), but Bramscher takes heart in what his creation can do: The electric motor's instantaneous torque is perfect for wheelies. —Chuck Squatriglia

$15,000

:

3-D-Ready HDTV Uses Laser Light to Double Color Range, Save Energy

Mama always told you not to stare into the sun. She might have added lasers to the list of no-nos — looking directly at the concentrated beams can burn your retinas. So who'd have thought they'd make an ideal light source for televisions? Mitsubishi's 65-inch LaserVue taps this tech to produce an astonishingly vivid picture. The rear-projection set's color range is twice as broad as a typical HDTV's, yet it consumes 33 percent less energy than a similar-size LCD. Though this 3-D-ready TV may seem straight outta Solaris, you don't need to fear its newness; unlike most nascent technologies, lasers have stamina. The company claims they'll never need replacing. So go ahead and screen those Lost DVDs 24/7. Or if you're feeling reckless, fire up your Blu-ray player to savor Angelina in all her Beowulfian glory. Kind of like staring at the naked sun, only hotter. —Jose Fermoso

$7,000

:

USB Stake Helps Brown Thumbs Turn Green, Monitors Soil Conditions

Those cacti on your windowsill don't deserve to die. Even if you regularly fail at horticulture, the EasyBloom can help. Just leave it in your proposed planting area for 24 hours, either stuck in the dirt or propped up in its cradle, then plug it into your computer's USB port. The gizmo measures soil conditions, sunlight, temperature, and humidity, comparing the results with an online database to recommend species that will thrive there. And should the weather be wacky that day, the EasyBloom is smart enough to check the National Weather Service for local averages. Your data is stored online for quick reference. If you've already killed everything in the garden, plunk the sensor down in your little Death Valley, set it to Monitor mode, and let it tell you what you're doing wrong. But here's a tip: If you find yourself running the autopsy repeatedly, it could be something basic. You do have to water the crops, you know. The EasyBloom can't do everything for you. —Elizabeth Livengood

$60

:

Svelte Ultralight Notebook Comes Fully Loaded

Ultralight notebooks come dressed to impress, but most disappoint when it's time to roll up the sleeves and get to work. Not the Voodoo Envy 133, a glossy black Kubrickian slab of awesomeness that makes other ultralights weep from their USB ports. Encased in carbon fiber, the Envy is just 0.7-inch thick and weighs 3.4 pounds when outfitted with a solid-state hard drive. Its looks will induce pangs of jealousy in the boardroom; back in the hotel room, the Envy proves that it's not just a pretty face. Even the base model rocks the tiny-team roster with a 1.6-GHz Intel processor, 2 gigs of RAM, swappable battery, LED-backlit display, and the widest array of ports — HDMI, eSATA, and ExpressCard — in its class. Like most of the svelte set, the Envy is heavy on wireless (802.11n, Bluetooth), but wired users aren't locked out. Since the case is thinner than an Ethernet jack, Voodoo built the connector into the power brick, which generates a dedicated wireless link with the computer. An instant-on OS lets you surf the Web or make Skype calls without booting up Windows. It all adds up to one drool-worthy package. —Christopher Null

$2,100, and up

:

Cycling GPS Tells You Where You Are — and How You Got There

At Wired, we love cycling almost as much as we love melting the chrome off passing cars with our high-powered laser. Almost. But even the combustion crew couldn't help raising an eyebrow at Garmin's top-tier, GPS-enabled cycling computer. This Tour-worthy unit tells you not only where you are but — thanks to heart rate, distance, and elevation tracking — exactly how you got there. The 2.2-inch color screen is as easy to read in the noontime glare as a sundial and offers more data-customization options than a crooked accountant. The Edge plays nice with wireless power meters to let you monitor the wattage you're generating while you pedal. It even lets you beam saved routes to other nearby 705 users. Optional street maps ensure that you can always find your way around town. So program this into your new Edge: 520 Third Street, San Francisco. Just don't roll up on some chromed-out fixie, because not even the 705 can see Lazor coming. —Mathew Honan

$500

:

It's the All-Digital Future – $100 Netflix Box Streams 15,000 Films

At the start of 2008, the Web-streamed movie experience still felt like a half-baked preview of its potential. Digital delivery required expensive hardware, and you paid extra for each rental (cough, Apple TV ... cough, Vudu). It wasn't the future we'd hoped for. Then came Roku's Netflix Player, the $100 video box that could summon more than 15,000 titles at no charge for Netflix subscribers. It was a revelation, wherein we learned what streaming video was supposed to feel like: nothing. That nothing changed everything. So go ahead, tear through all four seasons of The Office on a whim (then the original British version for good measure). Watch Strays because there's nobody home to exercise a Vin Diesel veto. For movies you can't stream, you still get your little red envelopes. And the same Roku box you love now will support hi-def streams when Netflix offers them. This little treasure chest is the real thing, straight from the all-digital future. —John Mahoney

$100

:

Try This at Home: Camera on a Flex Cable Finds Lost Objects

Milwaukee may have designed it to help home inspectors spot hidden mold or shoddy repairs, but the M-Spector is just too much fun to leave to the pros. Did your 5-year-old really drop your diamond ring down the sink — or pawn it for Fruit Roll-Ups? Want to find out the easy way how many bananas your "hilarious" brother-in-law stuffed in your tailpipe? Grab the M-Spector, thumb the power button, and the 2.5-inch screen lights up with 320x240-pixel color video, transmitted from the tiny CMOS camera on the end of its flexible neck. A camera-mounted LED illuminates dark and dismal places, letting you see anywhere you can cram the 3-foot-long cable. Sure, cops could use the M-Spector to peer around corners or ferret out shanks in prison cells, but it's equally effective at locating the perfectly good grape that rolled under your fridge. Just don't get too creative; you'll probably want to draw the line at home colonoscopies. —Chuck Cage

$250

Source: Wired: Gadgets | 27 Nov 2008 | 5:00 am

Gallery: Geeky Toys That Will Make You a Christmas Hero

:

For Wired.com readers, sometimes the usual toys just won't do — we need some technology and science to jumpstart our fun circuits. From sound labs to RFID kits, check out the gifts we think will make your nerdy family and friends' eyes light up behind their taped-up, Coke-bottle glasses.

Thames and Kosmos Genetics and DNA kit

A well-written manual and a few snap-together models provide a good conceptual understanding of how DNA and genetics work. Some of the hands-on activities seem like nothing but busy work; others are invaluable at getting kids interested in the process of scientific experimentation.

One experiment takes you through the process of isolating DNA from tomatoes. Adult reviewers found it more difficult than the manual let on — which probably means that a kid should have no problem. You can also breed bacteria and then do some genetic engineering on them, but be careful — under the Patriot Act this stuff can get you thrown in jail.

:

Few of us have held a lion cub in our arms while it purred. Now you can do the next best thing. WowWee, creator of a family of robots including Robosapien, Roboraptor and the giant talking Elvis head, has come up with four of the cutest plush toys since the invention of the teddy bear 100 years ago. Their Alive series consists of too-adorable-for-words robotic versions of four endangered animal cubs: Panda, White Tiger, Polar Bear and Lion.

They're classified as plush because they are soft and cuddly and can't stand or walk on their own. They're classified as robots because WowWee has given them touch sensors, sound generators and exceptionally expressive faces. When you pet one, it looks up with its big blue kitten eyes and sighs — continue to pet it and it will purr (or the panda and polar bear equivalent) and close its eyes in delight, as your fully human heart melts into a puddle of small animal love all over the floor.

The uncanny valley has never been narrower; since so few of us know what these cubs look like up close, WowWee has designed replacements that look and behave as we expect them to. They're so realistic they will also freak the hell out of your house cat.

:

It looks like a homemade rowing machine. It's more like a specially made vomit machine. But in a good way. DreamFlyer is basically a very carefully balanced recumbent chair with a joystick and monitor mount. Hook up your favorite flight simulator, strap yourself in and take off.

The chair magnifies your own body movements, so when you tilt the joystick in any direction, the chair actually pitches (18 degrees in either direction) or rolls (to a maximum of 50 degrees) or (get the barf bag) both. The only thing the chair can't simulate is changing G-forces, which doesn't seem to bother most people who have tried it. The tubular aluminum construction measures 3 feet by 6 feet, weighs next to nothing and can be stored upright when you don't feel like doing aerobatics in your living room.

:

Online gaming and fresh-air activities seem almost mutually exclusive, don't they? The ME2 system from iToys aims to put a stop to that. One part of the toy is a cellphone-size game unit, the other part is an online virtual world. The trick: Kids earn points in the virtual world not by playing online, but by playing outdoors.

The game unit houses a three-axis accelerometer that measures how active the child is over the course of the day — more movement in real life (like running, playing basketball, etc.) equals more juice in the virtual world. A great idea, but a lot depends on whether kids will take to the handheld's retro-ish monochrome LCD display screen. You, on the other hand, you can look at it as a hackable USB-equipped accelerometer in a snazzy case.

:

OK, it's not Mil Spec, and you shouldn't use this when hunting the Taliban in Waziristan. Nevertheless, it is an honest-to-goodness infrared imaging system encased in a conspicuously large helmet for a child's toy. (It's almost like they know this is going to be dad's night-vision system.)

An LED spotlight on the forehead throws an infrared beam approximately 50 feet, illuminating up the darkness with invisible rays that the vision sensor can detect. The spotlight also makes you stand out like a lighthouse to anyone else with a similar night-vision setup, so forget about midnight paintball ambushes if your opponent is similarly equipped.

:

Thanks to the Safety Police, it's next to impossible to get your hands on a good, well-stocked child's chemistry set. They have yet crack down on electronics kits — but that's probably next on the list, so get yours while you can.

The GeoSafari Digital Recording Lab is a beginners' electronic kit for the 21st century. Spring-mounted resistors, capacitors and transistors make it easy to build simple but ingenious electronic circuits. The real selling point, though, is an RTS0073 CMOS integrated circuit, a very simple digital recording and playback chip.

The manual contains schematics and wiring diagrams for 59 different circuits, and the concepts behind each component are clearly given so it shouldn't be too difficult for a smart kid to grasp of the world of integrated circuits — and then to start working on circuits of their own.

:

State-of-the-art robotic designers are focusing more on interactivity these days than on mobility. Kota is a case in point. This robotic baby triceratops, as big as a medium-size dog, responds to petting by moving its head and tail, and emitting a friendly little dino-growl.

RFID sensors in its mouth allow it to "eat" RFID-equipped leaves (included). Children can "ride" Kota by sitting on its back and pretending, but for all its friendly responsiveness, Kota is a bit of a letdown as long as it just stands there. Your mission, should you chose to hack this toy, is to set it free.

:

RFID tracking is here; why shouldn't you get in on it? Alcatel-Lucent has come up with what is essentially a home RFID kit. You get a USB RFID reader and 10 sticky RFID tags, all for $50.

Attach the RFID tags to things around your home or office, install the software and you're good to go. You can use your own programming skills to make your computer do various things when various RFID tags are presented to your reader, or use Tikitag's application website to link your RFID tags to just about anything on the web.

Source: Wired: Gadgets | 27 Nov 2008 | 5:00 am

Reviews: What to Give? What to Get? Our Idea of the Perfect Wired Holiday

Our gift guide helps you answer the eternal questions of what to do for those finicky geeks on your list. Read on for the coolest gear that will please the nerdy and nice. (And enter to win the coolest bag stuffed with some of our favorites.)

Source: Wired: Gadgets | 27 Nov 2008 | 5:00 am

Apple issues Cease and Desist for iTunes database analysis

FROM APPLETELL - How much ownership does Apple have of your iPod, or the software you “generate” with your applications?  Can they legally prevent you from altering your preferences? MORE »

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Source: Gizmodo | 27 Nov 2008 | 4:45 am

Nintendo offering two limited edition DS bundles for Black Friday 2008

FROM GAMERTELL - The two DS bundles include a new color system and a game.  They will be offered at most retail locations… MORE »

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Source: Gadgetell | 27 Nov 2008 | 4:28 am

Creative Vado HD pocket camcorder now available for pre-order

Section: Video, Portable Video, Imaging, Camcorders

Remember that great little HD-capable pocket camcorder from Creative that we told you about way back in May, the Vado HD?  Well it seems that it is now available, well available for pre-order.  The Amazon listing is not reflecting any shipping date and currently the Vado HD is simply listed as being “temporarily out of stock,“ however rumor has it that December 7 will be the day.

As for features, the Vado HD seems to be well worthy.  It has 8GB of internal memory which will give you about 2-hours of recording time at 720p quality, or up to 4-hours of recording time at a VGA quality.  Aside from the recording time, the Vado HD measures in at 3.3 x 7.9 x 6.3-inches and has a 2-inch display.  It also comes with an HDMI cable that will allow you to hook it up to your television for instant playback as well as the Vado Central Software which allows for easy uploads to video sites such as YouTube.

Additionally, it seems to be priced at a very competitive point. It is retailing for $199, which is about $30 cheaper than the Flip Mino HD.

Product [Amazon]  Via [epiZENter]

 

Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Source: Gizmodo | 27 Nov 2008 | 3:15 am

BuzzBox’s Fast Forward Is StumbleUpon With A Train Of Thought

I like StumbleUpon, the website recommendation engine that lets me click a button whenever I’d like to view a new, potentially interesting website. But for all the hours it has helped me waste, I wouldn’t go as far as to call it useful - pages that get recommended are rarely related to each other beyond a general category, so there’s never any logical train of thought.

San Francisco-based startup BuzzBox is looking to add some logic to the art of ’stumbling’ with its new Firefox plugin, Fast Forward. The service generates site recommendations based not only on their popularity, but also by the order in which they were viewed. For example, when I clicked the ‘Fast Forward’ button while reading about Twitter users reporting on the terror attacks in India, the service directed me towards the latest CNN coverage on today’s atrocities, as this was the page most frequently visited after reading the TechCrunch article.

To accomplish this feat, Fast Foward records and analyzes the anonymized browsing habits of its users. CTO Mike Prince assures me that all data is totally anonymous and that the service ignores any secure browsing (like banking or Email), but there are still a few possible issues. For one, users may be inadvertently directed to staging pages that are typically obfuscated (I actually managed to land on a BuzzBox alpha page by hitting Fast Forward from its homepage). Prince acknowledges that there are still some issues, explaining that it is still in an experimental stage. And if you do frequent sensitive sites, it’s easy to turn off tracking entirely.

While the plugin is for Firefox only at the moment, the company plans to have an Internet Explorer version available in the next few months. For now BuzzBox isn’t doing anything to monetize Fast Foward, but in the future the plugin may integrate unintrusive overlays at the top of some sites with small ads (Prince emphasizes that the plugin won’t be annoying).

I like Fast Forward - in my testing it was usually easy to tell why certain pages were being recommended, and while it may not always be as entertaining as StumbleUpon (because the recommendations are less varied), I find it much more useful. That said, the service will need to seriously ramp up its privacy settings, otherwise paranoia may keep its userbase small.

Crunch Network: CrunchBase the free database of technology companies, people, and investors

Source: TechCrunch | 27 Nov 2008 | 2:48 am

FAA Greenlights Satellite-Based Air Traffic Control System

coondoggie writes "As one of the massive flying seasons gets underway the government today took a step further in radically changing the way aircraft are tracked and moved around the country. Specifically the FAA gave the green light to deploy satellite tracking systems nationwide, replacing the current radar-based approach. The new, sometimes controversial system would let air traffic controllers track aircraft using a satellite network using a system known as Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B), which is ten times more accurate than today's radar technology. ADS-B is part of the FAA's wide-reaching plan known as NextGen to revamp every component of the flight control system to meet future demands and avoid gridlock in the sky."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 27 Nov 2008 | 2:23 am

Last-minute Black Friday deals on Vizio HDTVs

In case you’re in the market for a new TV, what with the digital switchover and all, it looks like Vizio’s got you covered. They’ve got some nice TVs out there, although these aren’t necessarily those. Still, they’re a solid TV maker and you could do a lot worse than $700 for a 42-inch LCD right now. Read on for the whens, wheres, and hows.

Vizio sez:

• VIZIO 19” HD LCD HDTV (VA19) $199.99 at Costco Locations Nationwide through 12/7/08 with Member Only MVM Coupon
• VIZIO 32” Plasma HDTV (VP322) $437.00 at Walmart effective Wednesday, 11/26/08 - New Everyday Low Value
• VIZIO 37” HD LCD HDTV (VW37) $499.99 at Costco Locations Black Friday weekend while supplies last Friday-Sunday, 11/28-30/08
• VIZIO 32” Full HD 1080p LCD HDTV (VOJ32LF) $559.99 at SEARS Stores Nationwide thru Sunday, 11/30/08
• VIZIO 42” Full HD 1080p LCD HDTV (VS420) $698.00 at Sam’s Club Locations Nationwide now while supplies last for the Holidays.

“New everyday low value,” huh? I think they meant low price. When a TV doesn’t have a lot of value, you don’t really want to broadcast that.