Hamburg Science Centre and Aquarium Makes Us Go Ooooooooo

Hamburg Science Centre and Aquarium Makes Us Go Ooooooooo [Architecture]

via Gizmodo by Jesus Diaz on 1/29/08

The Office for Metropolitan Architecture has designed this stunning 247,569-square-foot Science Centre for the Hamburg Hafencity, which is part of the Hamburg harbour, one of the largest ports in the world. The stunning ring design is composed of ten modular blocks, and it will include a science theater, aquarium, theater, offices, laboratories and retail area. It may be their painterly nature, but the rest of the rendering make it look quite surreal, in a Matrix-meets-Tetris kind of way.

otterdam, January 22nd 2008): The Office for Metropolitan Architecture has revealed the final design for a Science Centre and Aquarium for the Hamburg Hafencity complex.

The building of 23,000 m2 will comprise of a Science Centre, aquarium, theatre, offices, laboratories and commercial and retail facilities and is located at the eastern edge of Hafencity, Hamburg's ambitious harbor redevelopment.

The Science Centre is constructed of ten modular blocks that connect to form a ring shaped building. This concept allows for maximum flexibility for exhibitions. Visitors will start their visit at the so called "base station" just under the top of the building, cross over through the exhibition halls and descend in the modular blocks through the various exhibited scientific subjects, such as "the beginning of life" or "everything flows". Approx. 8,500 m2 of the building is located underground with a large part of this space being taken up by the aquarium, providing a zoological tour from Hamburg to the Red Sea.

With terraces on various levels of the building the Science Centre allows panoramic views of Hamburg city centre as well as to the West and East sides of the Magdeburg harbor.

By providing rentable office and laboratory spaces the building will act as a hub for various scientific institutions in Hamburg. Cultural Senator of Hamburg Prof. Dr. Karin von Welck explained that: "The new Science Center will be established as an interdisciplinary meeting place for HafenCity Hamburg, an innovative space for art, culture and science."

As a Science Centre the building leads by example addressing the issue of sustainability not only in its flexible approach to programming and function but also by incorporating the latest environmental technologies.

Speaking at the project launch yesterday Rem Koolhaas said "this building is supposed to reflect Hamburg's serious ambitions for the development of the former port area". OMA's Science Centre is the latest in a series of buildings commissioned by Hamburg Hafencity GmbH as part of a large scale regeneration programme of the area, which stretches some 155 hectares between city centre and the river Elbe. The design is a further development of the winning scheme designed by OMA in 2004.

The project is lead by OMA Partners Rem Koolhaas and Ellen van Loon with Marc Paulin as project architect. Previous collaborations included the design of the new headquarter for NM Rothschild & Sons in London and the redevelopment of Mercati Generali in Rome. Koolhaas and Van Loon completed together Porto's Casa da Musica and the new Netherlands Embassy in Berlin.

[OMA via Dezeen]

Hip Desk From Lindo: Geekish or Freakish?

Hip Desk From Lindo: Geekish or Freakish?

via geeksugar -- Geek is chic. by geeksugar on 1/25/08

I stopped and stared at this product for a few beats too long on OhGizmo!. I am still having a hard time wrapping my head around what it is and how exactly you're supposed to use it. Basically, the Lindo Hip Desk is a piece of fiberglass that wraps around your hips to become a mobile laptop desk. Talk about being attached to your work! (Bah-dumb-chah!)

Anyway, I don't think I can get behind this (and the dumb jokes continue, folks!), but this might be useful to someone . . . somewhere. Those dudes who still wear fanny packs? Maybe. It's still a concept, so you don't have to fear getting hit by a Hip Desk attached to an office drone out on the street quite yet.

Hip Desk From Lindo: Geekish or Freakish?

Geekish!

Freakish!

I think it's _________. See my comment below!

Mock-Up Solves MBA's Port-Based Woes

Mock-Up Solves MBA's Port-Based Woes [Humor]

via Gizmodo by Haroon Malik on 1/27/08

The Macbook Air sure is a fine piece of Cupertino craftsmanship, but the lack of useful input ports is a complete downer on the slinky sexy soiree. Fret not, Flickr user Nybras.Rodrigo has conjured up a fantastic solution. He's confident in his solution, and so are we. Check it out above. There are all the ports you'll ever need; USB 2.0, Firewire 400, Firewire 800, Ethernet, DVI output, Superdrive, iPod Shuffle and even a floppy drive. A floppy disk drive! How did we all miss that one? Kudos, Nybras, you're one up on everyone.

[Flickr]

Casio Phone is Waterproof, Rocks 5 Megapixel Camera, 4 Colors and All Sorts of Sexy Extras

Casio Phone is Waterproof, Rocks 5 Megapixel Camera, 4 Colors and All Sorts of Sexy Extras [Yellow Cellphone]

via Gizmodo by Addy Dugdale on 1/28/08

One of the big Oh Noes about working for Giz is getting to see sexy new phones, enjoying a quickening of the pulse and then thinking, "Buggerama," as you realize that said sodding cell is only available in Japan. Casio's W61CA uses Exilim technology to give you a five-megapixel camera that will survive rainstorms and being dunked in the bath. No surprise then, that it's being marketed as a sports phone, and comes in that sizzling yellow shade so beloved of Akio Morita. Full specs are below.

5.1 megapixel camera with self-timer button
35mm wide-angle lens
8x digital zoom
Auto-focus
18.9 mm thick
2.7 inches wide QVGA high resolution LCD
Mobile English dictionary
Voice commands
Micro SD card slot
DMB TV
132 grams
320 hours standby
220 mins talk time
Speaker
Earthquake warning system
Nabi disaster evacuation function
Calorie counter
Adelie Penguin anime story
Timer
Distance measurement

The W61CA comes in four colors: gold; white, green and yellow and I wish it was available in the West.

[Casio via i4U]

LEGO Brick Timeline: 50 Years of Building Frenzy and Curiosities

LEGO Brick Timeline: 50 Years of Building Frenzy and Curiosities [Lego]

via Gizmodo by Jesus Diaz on 1/28/08

The LEGO brick turns 50 at exactly 1:58 p.m. today, January 28, 2008. This timeline shows these 50 years of building frenzy by happy kids and kids-at-heart, all the milestones from the LEGOLAND themed sets to TECHNIC and MINDSTORMS NXT, as well as all kinds of weird curiosities about the most famous stud-and-tube couple system in the world. Jump to zoom in and tell us what was your first LEGO in the comments.

(Click on the image to access the huge version—remember to zoom in if your browser auto-scales it.)

It all first started in 1947, when LEGO bought their first plastic injection machine. The brick was not invented then but took final form in 1958, when the shape of the stud-and-tube brick was patented. Since then, LEGO sets have been going through dozens of iterations, from the younger version, DUPLO, to the most sophisticated LEGO TECHNIC and LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT sets, going through all the different themes of LEGOLAND and, of course, the most successful line of all times according to LEGO, LEGO Star Wars.

LEGO brick curiosities

• There are about 62 LEGO bricks for every one of the world's 6 billion inhabitants.

• Children around the world spend 5 billion hours a year playing with LEGO bricks.

• More than 400 million people around the world have played with LEGO bricks.

• LEGO bricks are available in 53 different colors.

• 19 billion LEGO elements are produced every year.

• 2.16 million LEGO elements are molded every hour, or 36,000 per minute.

• More than 400 billion LEGO bricks have been produced since 1949.

• Two eight-stud LEGO bricks of the same color can be combined in 24 different ways.

• Three eight-stud bricks can be combined in 1,060 ways.

• There are more than 915 million combinations possible for six 2 x 4 LEGO bricks of the same color.

• 7 LEGO sets are sold by retailers every second around the world.

• The LEGO bricks sold in one year would circle the world 5 times.

• 40 billion LEGO bricks stacked on top of one another would connect the earth with the moon.

• LEGO bricks are so much more than just toys. They are used in classrooms from preschool to university level to teach everything from math, language skills and science to engineering and technology principles.

• The LEGO brick has inspired generations of innovators, like Jonathan Gay, inventor of Flash.

• World-renowned author Douglas Coupland believes the LEGO brick represents a "language in itself."

• A January 2008 Google search produces 57.6 million references to LEGO bricks.

• There are 55,600 LEGO videos on YouTube.

• Google co-founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, used LEGO bricks to build the external low-cost and expandable casing for 10 4GB hard disks when they were busy developing the Google search engine (today, they have reportedly been used in Google's college graduate recruiting exercises to test potential candidate's creative horsepower).

The first LEGO I remember—which I shared with my brothers and which my dad built for us, obviously without being able to contain his excitement—was a huge fair wheel, yellow. I don't even know where that set is anymore, but I remember the armless minifigs. Or perhaps I'm dreaming. The very first LEGO we got, and which I remember building clearly, was the LEGOLAND Space Galaxy Explorer, which came along with three other sets, including a Rocket Launcher, the Space Shuttle and the Mobile Tracking Station. Do you remember your first LEGO set? Tell us in the comments.

[LEGO in Gizmodo]

80GB PS3 Moving Aside for PS3 Elite With 120 or 160GB Hard Drive, Dual Shock 3

80GB PS3 Moving Aside for PS3 Elite With 120 or 160GB Hard Drive, Dual Shock 3 [Rumor]

via Gizmodo by matt buchanan on 1/28/08

So, it looks like Sony is nixing the 80GB PS3. But not for single model simplicity. Shnope, Sony is introing a re-juiced, re-jiggered top SKU: Ars' fairly reliable source says that the new box will be packed with a 120 or 160GB hard drive and a Dual Shock 3, which is due our on side of the lake in fairly short order. No, it's not really called the PS3 Elite. I hope.

Obviously, the refreshed line is a shot at the Xbox 360 Elite, with its sorta heavy 120GB of storage. The difference is that Microsoft gets online distribution much better than Sony does, so there's actually content to put on your hard drive. Hopefully this storage in search of stuff to store is a sign of a tsunami waiting to burst through Sony's pipes and into your PS3, but we kinda doubt it. History, etc. [Ars]

ATI Breaks Teraflop Barrier with Radeon HD 3870 X2 GPU

ATI Breaks Teraflop Barrier with Radeon HD 3870 X2 GPU [Graphics Cards]

via Gizmodo by Wilson Rothman on 1/28/08

Remember that honkin' ATI graphics card we showed you at CES? The one that was 1,000 times as fast as a Cray-1? Well, it's official, making its debut today as the $450 ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2. It's the first GPU to break the teraflop barrier, and is nearly double the performance of the HD 3870 you spent all your money on back in November. Press release with technical details after jump. [Product Page]

AMD Delivers Enthusiast Performance Leadership(1) with the Introduction of the ATI Radeon(TM) HD 3870 X2

-- Industry's First Teraflop Consumer Graphics Card Redefines High-Definition Performance for 1080P Gaming and beyond --
SUNNYVALE, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Jan. 28, 2008 AMD (NYSE:AMD) today announced the immediate availability of the ATI Radeon(TM) HD 3870 X2 graphics processor, expanding the visual boundaries of PC entertainment well beyond the 1080P High Definition (HD) threshold. The industry's first graphics processor to break the Teraflop (one trillion floating point operations per second) barrier, the ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 nearly doubles the performance of the award-winning ATI Radeon(TM) HD 3870 introduced in November 2007.(2)

Through an elegant yet aggressive design, the 55 nanometer process-based ATI Radeon 3870 X2 combines two ATI Radeon HD 3870s on a single graphics board, connected through integrated CrossFire(TM) technology. ATI Radeon 3870 X2 is also the first performance-leadership graphics product in the world to support Microsoft's upcoming DirectX(R) 10.1 technology. The ATI Radeon 3870 X2 delivers a new class of price and performance leadership with unbelievable enthusiast value at a suggested retail price of US $449.

This launch follows on the success of the recently released ATI Radeon(TM) HD 3400 and ATI Radeon(TM) HD 3600 series graphics products, completing a comprehensive portfolio of next-generation 55nm GPUs that deliver unparalleled price, performance and energy efficiency from entry-level to performance-leadership class products.

"PC gaming enthusiasts demand the ultimate in performance and scalability for their HD gaming experience and the ATI Radeon 3870 X2 sets the standard by which all should be compared in this segment," said Rick Bergman, senior vice president and general manager, Graphics Product Group, AMD. "With this launch we reaffirm our commitment to enthusiast performance leadership and send a clear message that the ATI Radeon 3870 X2 is the new gold standard of the PC gaming world."

Ultimate Performance

With the upcoming introduction of Microsoft's DirectX 10.1 specification, gamers can expect more realistic gaming environments while developers have access to an increased amount of tools and resources to enhance overall image quality. Through delivering top-to-bottom DirectX 10.1 support, ATI Radeon HD 3000 series users can enjoy a more complete gaming experience now and in the future.

"We're pleased to see our newest DirectX 10 technology brought to market so soon with the introduction of AMD's latest enthusiast hardware," said Kevin Unangst, senior global director of Games for Windows, Microsoft. "One of the greatest advantages of PC gaming is the rapid pace at which the experiences evolve and improve. ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 delivers on the promise of DirectX 10 gaming with significantly improved visuals and enhanced performance."

ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 will also provide support for ATI CrossFireX(TM), the innovative next-generation AMD multi-GPU technology designed to support up to four GPUs. Software support to enable ATI CrossFireX is planned for late Q1 2008.

Ultimate HD Experiences

With the launch of ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2, AMD continues to support the industry-leading Unified Video Decoder (UVD) and ATI Avivo(TM) HD for exceptional platform efficiency and image quality for H.264 and VC-1 high definition content. Enhanced HDMI functionality is also offered via integrated HDCP and audio for HDMI video.

"Alienware prides itself on staying at the forefront of HD gaming innovation so that our brand stands for the best possible experience for our customers," said Patrick Cooper, director of product group, Alienware. "With the launch of the ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 in our Area-51 ALX CrossFire platform, we can push the boundaries of visual realism one step further and provide enthusiast gamers with the perfect blend of next-generation features, performance and platform efficiency."

Ultimate Efficiency

The ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 is the first enthusiast graphics processors to use TSMC's 55nm process technology. The smooth transition to 55nm has allowed for a 2X increase in performance-per-watt over the previous generation. Through an elegant board design, the ATI Radeon 3870 X2 delivers exceptional acoustics that are roughly equivalent to a single ATI Radeon HD 3870. When combined with ATI PowerPlay(TM) technology, the ATI Radeon 3870 X2 delivers exceptional idle power efficiency with the ability to dynamically raise or lower GPU power depending on the usage scenario.

The ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 launches with broad availability and ecosystem support from AMD's Add-in-Board (AIB) and Systems Integrators (SI) partners. AIB partners building boards based on the ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 include Asus, ASK, Club3D, Diamond Multimedia, HIS, ITC, Jetway, MSI, Sapphire, Triplex, Tul and Visiontek. Systems integrators launching ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 series include ABS, Alienware, Canada Computers, CyberPower, Falcon-Northwest, iBUYPOWER, Maingear, Systemax and Velocity Micro.

About AMD

Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE:AMD) is a leading global provider of innovative processing solutions in the computing, graphics and consumer electronics markets. AMD is dedicated to driving open innovation, choice and industry growth by delivering superior customer-centric solutions that empower consumers and businesses worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.amd.com.

(1) Performance comparisons using ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 versus NVIDIA 8800 Ultra using 3D Mark 2006, Supreme Commander, Call of Juarez, BioShock and Unreal Tournament 3 at 2560X1600 on AMD Phenom 2.6GHz CPU, AMD 790FX chipset, 2GB DDR2-800, Windows VISTA 64bit and ATI Catalyst display driver v. 8.45

(2) Performance comparisons of ATI Radeon HD 3870 versus ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 using 3D Mark 2006, Supreme Commander and Unreal Tournament 3 at 2560X1600 on AMD Phenom 2.6GHz CPU, AMD 790FX chipset, 2GB DDR2-800, Windows VISTA 64bit and ATI Catalyst display driver v. 8.45

Scientists Discover How to Neutralize Cow Farts; Your Farts Next, God Willin...

Scientists Discover How to Neutralize Cow Farts; Your Farts Next, God Willing [Environment]

via Gizmodo by Adam Frucci on 1/28/08

Sure, Hummers are bad for the environment, but do you know what else is? Cow farts. Yep, the methane in cow farts contributes to a surprisingly-high 5% of all global warming gasses out there, with methane being 22 times more potent at capturing atmospheric heat than carbon dioxide. The good news? A couple of Japanese scientists seem to have stumbled upon a way to neutralize this problem.

Costing about $1 per day per cow, some simple food additives that include a blend of nitrates and the amino acid cysteine could greatly suppress the methane production in a cow's stomach, making their emissions much more earth-friendly. No word on how earth-friendly it'll make your emissions, but I think it's safe to say your friends and family all have their fingers crossed for a successful crossover.

[Times Online; image via Treehugger]

NEC's Liquid Flask Phone Shows Exactly How Much Battery is Left

NEC's Liquid Flask Phone Shows Exactly How Much Battery is Left [Cellphones]

via Gizmodo by Jason Chen on 1/28/08

We don't have many details, but this NEC flask phone seems to be a combination of being liquid-powered and touch-screened, and is so crazy advanced that we think it's probably a prototype. According to NEC, however, it's going to be released some time in 2008. We think it's cool that the liquid inside will drain as you're using the phone, allowing you to see just how much power you have left. Here's to hoping this isn't a Japan-only release.

[T3 via Chip Chick via Textually]

Microsoft Still Isn't Going Blu-ray, Really [Notable Quotable]

Microsoft Still Isn't Going Blu-ray, Really [Notable Quotable]

via Gizmodo by matt buchanan on 1/28/08

1UP posted an interview from CES with Jeff Bell, Microsoft's Corporate VP of Global Marketing for Interactive Entertainment, in which he mentions that Microsoft has "been talking to Blu-ray all along because we have the best piece of software in the business, called HDi. It is the backbone that powers interactivity in HD-DVD and we have that available to potentially partner with others." The natural specu-reaction is that Microsoft/Blu-ray is on. Well, it's not.

If you remember way back to the beginning of January—the same time as 1UP's interview with Jeff Bell—Microsoft's Albert Pennello made a similar hedge, that they could consider going Blu-ray, if the planets aligned, the sun died and Sony-branded unicorns blotted out the sky. He then came back to us to spell out in (almost) more ways than we could count that Microsoft is totally not going Blu-ray.

HD DVD isn't dead until Toshiba says it is, and even then, we wouldn't be surprised if Microsoft took its sweet time coming around to the other format, intentionally or otherwise.

[1UP]

Do you use Google Reader? I need your help!

Do you use Google Reader? I need your help!

via randomwalks/dj by David Jacobs on 12/24/07

Calling all Google Reader users...
Are you reading this in Google Reader? If so, I need your help on a science experiment.

Click the SHARE button and share this blog post out to your friends, like this:

Why do this?
This may be your first time reading my blog, and you might be asking "Why would I want to do that?" I'm guessing that when Google built this feature, they didn't think people would use it to propagate chain letter-like things, like this post ;-)

Take part in the first Viral Marketing "science experiment" inside of Google Reader! ;-) Let's answer the quesiton, "Can it be done??"

(This experiment originally inspired by Scoble, who linked to me and said, "How did I find it? My friends on Google Reader shared it with me. You can add me on Google Reader too")

Blogs can now easily jump from user-to-user with just one click, whereas before it was hard to "infect" another user virally. More on the viral marketing topic here. After this experiment runs its course, I'll post a longer analysis and explanation, depending on how successful it is.

In the meantime, don't forget to click on the SHARE button below!

(Click here to go to Google Reader)

Analyst: 80GB system abandoned due to sales

Analyst: 80GB system abandoned due to sales [Update]

via PS3 Fanboy by Andrew Yoon on 1/25/08

Best Buy isn't the only retailer getting rid of 80GB systems. GameDaily BIZ has heard from an unnamed corporate source (that isn't Best Buy) that something is definitely "afoot" but he "can't really comment (until the 80GBs are gone.)"

Janco Partners analyst Mike Hickey who told GameDaily, "Sony is likely dumping the 80GB version because it has failed to meet internal sales projections." He added, "A recessionary environment will likely punctuate the 80GB version's relative and absolute retail sales disappointment. The recently released 40GB version is getting traction at retail, suggesting backward compatibility takes a backseat to the console's price point for current buyers." The successful sales of the 40GB system, versus the 80GB package, is likely refocusing Sony's efforts in this generation of hardware.

Of course, Sony is keeping mum on the entire situation. "SCEA does not comment on rumor and/or speculation. We have not made any announcements regarding manufacturing."

Update: GameDaily goofed? Well, this is interesting. We just heard from The NPD Group who told us, "In the last quarter (when both were on the market), the 80GB sold more units than the 40GB." When pressed for a more exact breakdown of the sales data between the two SKUs, NPD said they could not provide that. It's certainly a surprise to us, however, that the more expensive 80GB would have sold more than 40GB, which many have attributed the PS3 sales spike to.

Shipments of free Halo 3 experience delays

Shipments of free Halo 3 experience delays

via Xbox 360 Fanboy by Dustin Burg on 1/26/08

Last November, Microsoft ran an offer where all new Xbox 360 owners could grab a free copy of Halo 3 for upgrading to Xbox Live gold and registering the new console's serial number. Well, Microsoft was supposed to get the free copies of Halo 3 to their new 360 owners by January 18th, but have hit a bit of a snag.

According to a few fanboy tipsters, all the Halo 3 shipments have been delayed, but Microsoft promises to get those who completed the offer a copy of the game within' three weeks. How nice of 'em. That means, if you were one of those who participated in the offer and you don't receive your Halo 3 by mid February, call up Microsoft and yell, yell away. Screaming is healthy, especially when it's over the phone with someone you don't even know.

[Thanks, Drew Green and Ted]

A first look at Mobile Firefox

A first look at Mobile Firefox

via Download Squad by Simon Kerbel on 1/25/08

Mozilla has just revealed a first look at its new Mobile Firefox interface. Actually, Mozilla has designed two UI's: one for touch screen devices, like most PDA's, smart phones (and the iPhone, of course), and one for non-touch devices, like most cell phones.

The Firefox mobile browser takes some hints from Apple's own mobile Safari browser, with the main Firefox screen reproducing some familiar buttons: back and forward navigation arrows, a bookmarks button, a retractable address bar.

The mobile Firefox UI does include a few new buttons/features: the zoom in and zoom out buttons reside on the bottom toolbar (though we're not sure why they don't use the touch screen itself for zooming in and out). The tabs button gives users a different look than in Safari mobile: when pressed, it displays up to four tab previews on the same screen for quick tab switching.

Firefox mobile browser will likely be integrated with Places (Firefox's new bookmark-like scheme) and the newly introduced Weave.

[via Cybernet.com]

Have many Flickr pictures to download? Try Flickr Mass Downloader

Have many Flickr pictures to download? Try Flickr Mass Downloader

via Download Squad by Jason Harris on 1/25/08

If you've ever had your hard drive fail, you've dealt with the ordeal of trying to recover and find all your old files, notably your images. Enter FlickrDown, a utility that allows you to download images from Flickr quickly and easily. FlickrDown is only for Windows at this time and requires .Net 2.0 to be installed.

To get started download the install file and fire up the application. Next, specify a username, email address, tags, or group to find the intended photos on Flickr. Then hit the Download button and the process begins.

Happy Downloading!

Also, on a related note, if you want to upload images to Flickr, be sure to check out the flickr uploadr.

[via ghacks]

No Vista installation CD? You can still download a Vista recovery disc

No Vista installation CD? You can still download a Vista recovery disc

via Download Squad by Brad Linder on 1/26/08

The Windows Vista installation DVD includes more than just the files you need to install an operating system. There's also a recovery center which helps you deal with operating system problems. It can search for problems, find system restore points, restore from backups, or fix a broken boot manager. The problem is that many, (if not most) home computer users don't have a real installation disc. What they have is a system restore disc provided by their computer manufacturer.

A few months ago we discovered that you could create your own standalone system recovery disc using tools included in Windows Vista SP1. But if you haven't downloaded the beta version of SP1, or if something has gone horribly wrong and your computer is in an unbootable state, you might need to look elsewhere.

Fortunately the folks at NeoSmart have put together a downloadable recovery disc image. The ISO is about 120MB, and you'll have to burn it to a disc before you can use it. So you'll need a working computer of some sort to play. If you're running Vista and you don't already have an install disc or a recovery disc, we'd highly recommend creating one now. The recovery center is really one of the most useful new features included in Windows Vista.

[via CyberNet]

LED cell phone doesn't even have a screen

LED cell phone doesn't even have a screen

via DVICE by Adam Frucci on 1/22/08

You know, a cell phone doesn't need to have a fancy touchscreen or a slide-out QWERTY keyboard to be slick looking. Simple design is oftentimes just as good, if not better, than complicated, flashy design. Just take a look at this LED cell phone, for example. It doesn't even have a screen, but it outclasses many of its rivals through sheer simplicity of design.

Simply covered in lights and touch sensors, the phone uses a tiny amount of energy and is completely efficient. Its simplicity and efficiency make it perfect for developing countries, as it can be loaded up with simple AA batteries rather than with Lithium Ions that would need to be charged frequently. No word on this concept becoming a reality, but keep your eyes peeled.

Via GizmoWatch

Blu-ray destroying HD DVD in sales; consider the war over

Blu-ray destroying HD DVD in sales; consider the war over

via DVICE by Adam Frucci on 1/22/08

I hate to break it to you early adopters who gambled on HD DVD as your choice in the HD disc format war, but it looks like Blu-ray won. After Warner Bros announced that it was going exclusively with Blu-ray, everyone pretty much decided that the war was over, and it looks like consumers listened.

That's because in the week after Warner's announcement, it looks like almost 93% of all HD players sold were of the Blu-ray variety. It doesn't get much more lopsided than that. So if you've been waiting for a clear sign that it's safe to jump in on the side of Blu-ray, it doesn't get much clearer than this. Consider the format war, at long last, over.

Via Electronista

Wrong Number Generator will drive people insane

Wrong Number Generator will drive people insane

via DVICE by Adam Frucci on 1/23/08

Feel like driving someone insane in a malicious way? Come on, everybody knows at least one person they'd like to drive bonkers. This Wrong Number Generator is a brilliantly simple way to do just that.

How's it work? Well, you plug your victim's phone into one end and run the other end into the wall jack and leave it to do its business. It'll then intercept any numbers that they dial and replace them with wrong numbers. This will be annoying. But the real coup? It'll let the right numbers through 25% of the time, making them think that the problem is with their fat, inaccurate fingers, not with the phone itself. All the while you can sit back knowing that you're causing lots of stress for your poor victim. Sweet.

Product Page, via Nerd Approved

Feel like a powerful exec with the Buffalo keyboard/Skype phone combo

Feel like a powerful exec with the Buffalo keyboard/Skype phone combo

via DVICE by Kevin Hall on 1/23/08

With this Buffalo keyboard and built-in Skype phone, otherwise known as the — get ready for it — BKBU-SKJ109/SV, you'll have everything you need to communicate right in front of you. It's like a little nerve center for the budding power executive or evil villain.

The receiver is Skype certified, so you won't have to do much to it to get it to work other than have Skype on your machine and install all of the appropriate software. There is one downside, though, that you'll notice right when you pick up the set: it's pretty small. While that's a good thing in the sense that it doesn't add too much to the keyboard, you may not feel all that powerful after all. Other than that, you've got a full board with 109 keys.

The Buffalo BKBU-SKJ109/SV comes out in Japan, where Skype is crazy popular, in early October for around $65.

Canon 800mm lens is one huge ...

Canon 800mm lens is one huge ...

via DVICE by Travis Hudson on 1/24/08

It's day two in our impromptu oversized gadgets series. Today we pay a trip to Canon to take a look at one hell of a gigantic lens. Blowing by the previous largest telephoto lens by 200mm is this 800mm behemoth.

For the nitty gritty, this massive lens goes by the name EF800 f/5.6 IS USM. The IS means this beast of a lens includes image stabilization and USM is the ultrasonic motor included in the lens that allows for quick and silent automatic focusing. Surprisingly, the lens was also constructed in a way that makes it weigh less than its little brother, the EF600, even though they are similar sizes, thanks to a magnesium alloy lens barrel on the EF800.

The Canon lawyers got to work on this lens as well slapping it with the title of the longest focal lens with optical image stabilization available. The downside is always the price, especially with this lens, at $12,000 once it becomes available. Maybe a cheaper spy camera is a better option for your voyeurism, Romeo.

Via Crave

What They Said: The 5 biggest drawbacks of the MacBook Air

What They Said: The 5 biggest drawbacks of the MacBook Air

via DVICE by Kevin Hall on 1/24/08

The MacBook Air may be one of the thinnest laptops ever made, but Apple had to make some sacrifices to shed all that poundage. Did the company go too far? Some reviewers on the Web think so. Of course, a lot of the criticism centers around the stunted functionality the Air suffers because of its excised features — such as the lack of an optical drive and Ethernet port.

But that's not all the reviewers nitpicked. The Air has issues that go beyond its jettisoned components — the single USB port took some heat, for example, and not for the reason you'd expect. Click Continue for five downsides of the MacBook Air that have come to light since its big debut.

1. It does have an optical drive, after all
Apple offers an external CD/DVD drive for the MacBook Air. Be forewarned, however, if you buy one, it will only work with your MacBook Air — other MacBooks just don't pump out the power necessary to keep the external drive running. That's all right, since other Macs tend to have optical drives. To its credit, it looks like the Air has one powerful USB port.

2. Single USB port is picky on drive size
The USB port is hidden in a foldaway hatch alongside the headphone jack, and it looks like anything but your average thumbstick may have trouble connecting with the MacBook Air. Make no mistake: not all USB drives are created equal.

Engadget tried the slim Sprint / Novatel U727 USB EV-DO modem and couldn't get it to fit. Since Wi-Fi is your only option with the MacBook Air, it's important — especially to us bloggers — to have an alternative when that isn't available.

It's like the iPhone's recessed headphone jack all over again.

3. Power cord options more finicky than a cell phone's
Let's say you misplace your power cord. Well, if you happen to have one of Apple's other MagSafe chargers sitting around, you'll have to accommodate the MacBook Air if you want one of them to fit. Gizmodo confirmed that, on a table, other MacBook chargers won't fit in the Air, though the Air's charger will work with both MacBooks and MacBook Pros.

So you'll actually have to put your laptop in your lap, which may not be so bad according to Steven Levy from Newsweek. Levy says, "the Air doesn't run as hot as Apple's other laptops — it's actually possible to work for an hour with the device on your lap without the feeling that your fertility is at stake."

4. Low battery life
Apple's best-case scenario for the MacBook Air is five measly hours. Walt Mossberg from the Wall Street Journal found that with the screen's brightness all the way up, music playing and his Wi-Fi active, the MacBook Air only managed 3 hours and 24 minutes. With all of that turned off, Mossberg says, "you could likely get 4.5 hours in a normal work pattern."

What's worse, the battery is sealed into the laptop. Forget carrying a spare with you to swap out if the battery is low. But, as David Pogue of the New York Times points out: "That’s a familiar Apple trick for saving bulk; as on the iPod and iPhone, sealing the battery eliminates the need for a walled compartment, battery contacts and a door." The worst that can happen? Your battery dies and "you’ll have to pay Apple $130 to install a new one," says Pogue.

5. Remote Disc isn't quite there yet
Apple does offer an alternative in recompense for the MacBook Air's lack of an optical drive: the Remote Disc feature. It allows you to install software onto the Air using another machine, even a computer running a Windows operating system.

Edward C. Baig from USA Today gave the feature a whirl, though the trouble he ran into wasn't necessarily the Air's fault: "I ran into initial snags trying to remotely install software from the DVD drive in a Dell PC, until tweaking settings in Windows." Baig reports that Apple is "working with the companies to try to resolve compatibility issues."

The Bottom Line
The MacBook Air is a challenging design — no question there. It has the screen and keyboard of your average notebook, yet shares the attractive slimness and low weight of an ultraportable. Apple has tried its best to balance sacrifice with functionality, and in the process toes the line between a logical step forward and a radical leap.

Is it for you? You'll have to decide for yourself.

UE3 devs subpoenaed in SK / Epic suit

UE3 devs subpoenaed in SK / Epic suit

via Xbox 360 Fanboy by Richard Mitchell on 1/24/08

Shacknews reports that subpoenas have been served to several Unreal Engine 3 liscensess in a lawsuit against Epic games, filed by Silicon Knights last year. The subpoenas have been served in order to acquire the liscensees' engine contracts as evidence in the upcoming trial. Specific liscensees are not named, though known liscensees include Square Enix, Ubisoft, 2K Boston/Australia, EA, and the US Army.

Mark Rein, Epic VP, stated, "I'm leaving the litigation to the lawyers but, if this is the case, I'd like to apologize to any of our licensees who Silicon Knights have inconvenienced." And inconvenienced they may be. If submitted as unsealed evidence, the contents of the contracts could become public record, allowing anyone access to the trade secrets therein. Epic's lawyers can move to seal the documents if this turns out to be the case.

The lawsuit was filed last July, with Silicon Knights claiming that Epic did not deliver final code for the Unreal Engine 3 on time, thus hampering the development of Too Human. The company further asserted that Epic purposefully sabotaged UE3 liscensees while promoting its own products such as Gears of War. Epic later filed a counterclaim and a motion to have the case dismissed. The motion was denied in November last year and both suits will come to trial.

[Via Joystiq]

Israel developing autonomous "digital general": run, John, run

Israel developing autonomous "digital general": run, John, run

via Engadget by Evan Blass on 1/24/08

Israel is reportedly developing a sophisticated piece of software meant to help troops make quick decisions during battle and, under the right conditions, autonomously manipulate the nation's defense systems. First reported in Defense News (subscription required), the unnamed system would primarily be used for tactical decisions during periods of heavy bombardment, although in a worst-case scenario, the complex algorithm would supposedly be capable of taking over total military control. Yes, we know what you're thinking, but don't worry: Israeli officials have already sworn up and down that "there's no way we're letting this thing go Terminator on us -- no freakin' way."

[Via Danger Room]

Vudu price slashed to keep up with Apple TV

Vudu price slashed to keep up with Apple TV

via Engadget by Paul Miller on 1/24/08

Competition is a good thing, and now that the Apple TV is actually turning into a solid offering in its space, Vudu is cutting the price on its box to stay relevant. Originally launched at $399, you can now snag a Vudu to rent your movies and TV shows straight into your living room for $295. The best news is that if paid the full price for one of these things in the past 30 days, you can call up Vudu and get a $100 movie credit. Who knows if it'll be enough to mitigate the aggressively-priced and now competitively-featured $229 Apple TV, but it looks like consumers are winning already.

Nintendo's 2007 profits almost double fiscal 2006

Nintendo's 2007 profits almost double fiscal 2006

via Engadget by Paul Miller on 1/24/08

While a few companies have posted some hefty earnings this year, it's hard not to be impressed with the sort explosive growth Nintendo -- a 100 or so year old company -- has seen in 2007. Profit for the nine months leading up to December 31st was $2.45 billion, up 96.3 percent from the same timespan in fiscal 2006. Naturally a huge chunk of that is the 20 million Wii consoles sold, 14.29 million of those in the last three quarters, and the related software title, but it's pretty clear that the DS continues to shine, with 24.5 million sold in the last nine months, and most likely a higher per-unit profit. Nintendo shares are down 2.4 percent in Tokyo.

AT&T hands out free hotspot access to broadband customers, ups its bandwidth

AT&T hands out free hotspot access to broadband customers, ups its bandwidth

via Engadget by Joshua Topolsky on 1/24/08

AT&T, continuing to be the open, giving, and free-wheeling loony that it is, has decided to bestow cost-free access to its 10,000+ WiFi hotspots (for its broadband subscribers, that is). Effective immediately, if you're tossing money the company's way for any high-speed access, you can hop onto wireless networks in retail shops, restaurants, and airports free of charge... provided they're AT&T networks. We know its a lot to handle, but get this -- the telco has also upped the speeds of its U-verse service to a whopping 10 Mbps downstream / 1.5 Mbps upstream configuration, undoubtedly warming the hearts of AT&T subscribers hankering for a little more bandwidth to sustain their ever-increasing 'net needs. It's like the holidays all over again.

Read - AT&T To Deliver Free Access To Nation's Largest Wi-Fi Network
Read - AT&T Boosts Bandwidth Choices and Speed with 10 Mbps Offer for U-verse Customers

Remote Disc: no movie playback, no HD support, and everything else you need to know

Remote Disc: no movie playback, no HD support, and everything else you need to know

via Engadget by Ryan Block on 1/24/08

One of the more more interesting, albeit minor, announcements at Macworld was Remote Disc, Apple's method to undermine the need to bundle an optical drive with the Air. To our chagrin, Apple also undermined the ability to do much fun or useful with the disc sharing system. Here's what you need to know about Remote Disc, top to bottom:

• The Remote Disc installer is 42.3MB for Mac, and takes almost 86MB of space! AND it requires a restart of the host Mac. (Windows, ironically, does not require a restart to begin sharing media.)
• You have to ask permission to use the drive every single time, there's no client whitelist or anything like that. Even if you've already asked permission on that drive and disc, if you stop using it and come back to it, you have to ask permission again.
  
• Every time you ask permission as a Remote Disc client, the host gets a popup asking if it's cool to share your drive. You can, of course, accept or decline (but the only way to stop getting prompts is to turn off disc sharing).
• Ejecting the disc on the client side does not eject it on the host side.
• Ejecting it on the host side, however, gives a host-side prompt about the disc being in use. You can override and eject, however.
  
• To reinstall or boot from CD using Remote Disc, the host must use the installed Remote Install Mac OS X application. It's a fairly simple process, but sharing an install CD over a wireless network is asking for trouble. It took an absurd amount of time (nearly 10 minutes) to boot over 802.11g. You need bandwidth.
• To remote boot from a shared CD, hold the option key while starting up. You'll be presented with a BIOS-level WiFi / network selection that looks surprisingly unpolished for Apple (but works with WPA and advanced WiFi crypto all the same)

Bummer for media:

• You can browse the file contents of DVD discs, but you cannot actually play that media back over the network.
• You can't rip DVDs over the network using a tool like Handbrake.
• You can't even browse a music CD or listen to tracks. Don't even think about burning a disc remotely.
  
• Remote Disc appears only to be able to share CD / DVD drives and CD / DVD discs, not high capacity / HD optical drives.
• We tested sharing a regular DVD over an HD DVD drive, no luck. Data CDs on DVD drives worked fine though.

We've heard of some client firewalls harshing on Remote Disc, but we didn't see any issues when testing. Despite its shortcomings, it did work exactly as advertised, and with zero fuss. We miss anything?

Gallery: Remote Disc: install and host side disc sharing

Gallery: Remote Disc: client side disc sharing

Gallery: Remote Disc: shared remote install, host and client