Remote-controlled whiteboard hack is as practical as it is pretty
April 30, 2008
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets
[Via Slash Gear]
Continue reading Remote-controlled whiteboard hack is as practical as it is pretty
Lucky Dragon Phone
April 30, 2008
If you’re a follower of feng shui, then the Lucky Dragon phone should be right up your alley. Apparently, it was designed to “generate auspicious energy each time you hold and use it”, and “activates good chi every time you make or receive a phone call.” Sounds pretty dodgy to me, as calls from bosses at midnight rarely herald good chi, Lucky Dragon phone or not. This handset is available in Singapore, retailing for S$168 with a 2-year contract or S$668 without.
Electric Cars From Norway Coming to a City Near You
April 30, 2008
Filed under: Vehicle Tech, Green Tech
Think Global an electric automobile company based in Norway, announced last week that it will ship 50,000 of its electric cars to the U.S. The new Think automobiles are plug-in electrics that look like a cross between a Smart Automobile and a VW Cabriolet. The electric automobiles are shorter than the Smart car, but taller. In addition to the convertible pictured above, Think Global will release a two seater coup model.
The vehicles top out around 65 miles-per-hour and get about 110 miles to the charge, which is perfect for getting around the city, but good luck taking them on a roadtrip. The Think will set you back something like $17,000 in the U.S. and, curiously, the batteries will be leased separately for about $100 or $200 each, and might even include wireless and insurance. This is significantly less than other electric cars out there, like the Tesla, which costs more than $100,000, and will hopefully bring the electric automobile within reach for the average man/woman.
Think Global was launched in Oslo in 1991 and bought by Ford in 1999. Ford stopped leasing the cars in 2003, when California stopped requiring auto makers to produce zero-emissions cars. Now, Think is owned by Inspire, and its tech savvy investors hooked up with Google in 2006 to figure out what it means to be a 21st-century vehicle company. The result is expected to hit the road by the end of the year, so pretty soon you can start spending all your gas money on your hefty electric bill. [Source: ValleyWag]
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Small Wait Auto: GTAIV Wal-Mart launch recap (Tulsa, OK)
April 30, 2008
Click to embiggen
Apart from the one guy standing behind me, the image above represents the entirety of the crowd that was on hand for the midnight launch of Grand Theft Auto IV at the Woodland Hills Wal-Mart in Tulsa, Oklahoma. That’s all of them. Seriously, there’s no one hidden off camera (apart from behind-me-guy mentioned above). There’s no line extending down the DVD isle. What you see is it. I’ve been to midnight launches before, and I have the ability to tell you that this was by far the smoothest one I’ve had to last. Compared to the hours I had to wait in line for Halo 3 last year (in addition to the time I spent once the line actually started moving), Wal-Mart was nothing. I was literally standing at a register at midnight, and I was back in my vehicle, game in hand, by 12:07.
Wal-Mart’s plans for the GTAIV launch were leaked earlier this month, proclaiming that the chain wanted to be the “Fastest way to play GTA IV.” While it seems to be more out of coincidence than actual planning, my Wal-Mart certainly proved to be swift. After the break, I’ve compiled some of the reasons to consider Wal-Mart for your next midnight launch.
Continue reading Small Wait Auto: GTAIV Wal-Mart launch recap (Tulsa, OK)
New Madden 09 pics show triumph, failure and mustaches
April 30, 2008
Filed under: Sports
Electronic Arts has unveiled an assortment of reportedly in-game Madden 09 screenshots. The snapshots include almost catching the ball, nearly avoiding a tackle, almost making a tackle and other-in process moments that’ll make you … what’s this Wow, we’ve lost our train of thought staring at this gorgeous mustache in front of our eyes. We offer no explanation for our fixation. Check out the gallery.
Gallery: Madden 09
Continue reading New Madden 09 photos show triumph, failure and mustaches
BlackBerry 9000’s official spec sheet leaked
April 30, 2008
Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds
A fistful of RIM documentation on Waterloo’s upcoming BlackBerry 9000 has found its way onto the interwebs courtesy of the good folks at Boy Genius Report, and while there’s nothing groundbreaking here, BlackBerry fanatics are sure to be drooling by the time they get to the last slide in this page-turner. The spec sheet promises a tweaked web browsing experience — and we’ll take anything we can get there, considering the device’s support for HSDPA. We also see mentions of an improved picture library, automatic music playlists, and inline video streaming in the browser (!!!), all accompanied by a handful of screen shots of the device’s delicious new theme. Seeing how we’ll probably be waiting a few months yet for this thing to get into our hands, go ahead and satisfy your impatience (for a few minutes, anyhow) by clicking through to the full novella.
A Checklist for Buying Your First HDTV
April 30, 2008
‘Round these parts, we anticipate most everywhere to own, or at least be familiar with, an HDTV. Still, there’s a first time for everyone, and for folks just now looking to hop on in and see what this whole “high-definition” thing is all about, ExtremeTech’s Joel Durham Jr. has a quick ‘n dirty guide of things to do before tossing a set in your vehicle.
Allowed, a few of the tips seem glaringly obvious, but really, buying a new (or first, in particular) HDTV isn’t always a simple process. What’s your size requirement What’s your budget What technology do you prefer Do you’ve the wiring scheme all planned out Can you afford to pull another all-nighter If you’ve been wondering where to begin when thinking of bringing a new set into your crib, you should definitely give the read link a look — at worse, you can state you’re a seasoned veteran for already knowing the dos and don’ts. [Source: Extreme Tech]
[Image courtesy of Radioru, thanks Jeremy]
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iPhone Finally Coming to Canada
April 30, 2008
Filed under: Cell Phones
It seemed like it would never happen, but the impossible has occurred: Apple’s iPhone is coming to Canada. The news was quietly slipped into telecom giant Rogers’ latest earnings report, with the simple statement that the company was “thrilled to announce” a “deal with Apple to bring the iPhone to Canada later this year.” Apparently, lips are sealed on all other details, but we’ll keep you posted as news gets our way. [Source: PR Newswire]
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
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Gypsii Social Network for Cell Phones
April 30, 2008
Social networking has been the buzzword for quite some time now, and Gypsii is yet another addition to the already crowded social networks available on a cell phone. Built primarily around photo sharing as well as tagging thanks to GPS-derived location data, you’ll be able to share where you’ve been on the Gypsii network. It is compatible with S60, BlackBerry and Windows Mobile clients, so unless your friends rock on to these operating systems, you won’t be able to get much social networking done.
Suzuki Offers Up Garmin GPS On All 2009 SX4 Cars
April 30, 2008
Filed under: Car Tech
Back in the day, integrated GPS units were the stuff of luxury vehicles, gargantuan SUV cruisers, and lost old ladies. Suzuki is looking to change all of that by including the Garmin T.R.I.P. on all 2009 SX4 Sport and SX4 Crossover automobiles — at no extra charge. As Suzuki gleefully points out, this marks the first time a sub-$16,000 automobile has included a GPS unit as standard equipment. The T.R.I.P. (Travel, Real-time traffic, Information and Play) sports a flip-up 4.3-inch screen and Bluetooth connectivity. As for software, it will include real-time traffic, weather forecasts, local event listings, community-based suggestions, and a gas station finder that can filter based on fuel prices. We’re still fans of portable GPS units, but there is something elegant about those big-screened integrated monsters.
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