| Toshiba TG01 Gets Super-Sensitive With Third-Party Motion Sensor [Toshiba]
July 23, 2009 at 11:00 pm
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|  Folks at Usuda Research Institute and Systems Corp got tired of their Toshiba TG01s just not being sensitive enough. (Unlike that dreamy Wii MotionPlus!) So rather than calling it quits on the relationship, they built a super-sensitive motion sensor.
If you hit the link for a pair of videos, you'll see the DIY motion sensor in action. Those crazy tinkerers were able to make the attachment work by taking advantage of the TG01s USB host functionality, so this could be just one of the first examples of expansions for this gadget. Yeah, maybe the motion sensor isn't very attractive and maybe using it to scroll through and zoom in and out of pictures isn't that exciting, but I'm giddy that there could be a "shake to refresh" function reactive enough for me to not look like an idiot while shaking my phone. Oh! And the best part? The sleek and sexy TG01 has gotten through the FCC. [wmpoweruser via MobileCrunch]
 
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| Loop-In Concept Allows Users To Surf on Sidewalks [Concept]
July 23, 2009 at 10:30 pm
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|  The Loop-In transportation concept hopes to combine the sensations of surfing and skating in to one device that users can use anywhere.
The outside wheels have the ability to maneuver on a wide variety of surfaces and rotate independently of the board. The designers expect their wheel/board setup will give users the feeling of "pushing on a wave continuously". Hopefully there are plans to manufacture the Loop-In soon, though I doubt it will be able to replicate the thrill of getting barreled. [Tuvie]
 
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| Hacker Claims iPhone 3GS Encryption is Incredibly, Dangerously Easy to Crack [IPhone]
July 23, 2009 at 10:00 pm
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|  Noted iPhone security destroyer Jonathan Zdziarski has cracked the iPhone 3GS encryption security, which is to be expected, but the ease and speed with which he did it is worrisome. Zdziarski claims the iPhone 3GS is thus "useless" to businesses.
The iPhone certainly isn't as ubiquitous for corporate use as BlackBerry or even Windows Mobile, but that's starting to change, and Zdziarski is very concerned that the iPhone 3GS's security puts sensitive data at unnecessary risk. He claims that with easily-available software, anybody can break into an iPhone 3GS and start extracting data within two minutes, and access everything on the phone within 45. After reading this, we could see why companies might just be reluctant to trade their BlackBerrys in for a shiny new iPhone 3GS. [Wired]
 
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| Handerpants: Support Where You Never Knew You Needed It [Wonderpants]
July 23, 2009 at 9:30 pm
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|  Do you ever find yourself lacking support, your middle and index fingers dangling all over the place?—yes!—well you're in luck, Handerpants are here to save the day.
I'm normally a Hander-boxers guy, but I need something more for my workouts on the iPhone Treadmill—that's where these tighty-whities shine. The Handerpants are made of 95% cotton and 5% Spandex to ensure a comfortable fit, and are a bargain at $11.95 a pair. If you still can't get enough Handerpants magic after watching the video, there is a free ringtone so you can relive the wonderment everytime you get a call. 
[Handerpants via Craziest Gadgets]
 
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| Sony's Interior Walls Are Slowly Coming Down [Sony]
July 23, 2009 at 9:00 pm
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|  Sony's problem wasn't just that its right hand didn't know what its left hand was doing, it was that its right index finger didn't even know that its right thumb belonged on the same hand. But they're changing. Slowly.
Laptop Mag points to this interview that shows that indeed, different divisions are merging and acknowledging each other's presence. VAIO is now under the PlayStation, Walkman and Reader group. VAIO notebooks are going to use PSN for movies and TV shows. Which is a step in the right direction, but turning a ship this size is like a group of ants trying to move a dumpster. [Laptop Mag]
 
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| Meet the Sartorialist of Tokyo's Film Camera Scene [Photography]
July 23, 2009 at 8:40 pm
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|  As The Sartorialist goes around the world photographing people with incredible style, John Sypal goes around Tokyo, taking photos of people with incredible film cameras. Tokyoites do nerd obsession better than anyone else, and this is some gorgeous old-school equipment.
We tend to forget about film here at Giz, as we're so taken with the newest and most advanced gadgetry, but there's something so cool about these mechanical wonders. Some of them are decades old, some are brand new, but we're sure they're all a breath of fresh air in the monument to tech that is Tokyo. [Tokyo Camera Style via Crunchgear]
 
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| Windows 7 RTM Leaked on BitTorrent [Windows]
July 23, 2009 at 8:20 pm
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| It should come as no surprise—but Windows 7 Build 7600.16385, which Microsoft deemed the RTM, has been unceremoniously leaked. A Chinese 64-bit version was first posted on torrent sites on July 16th with an English version released later that day. As always, grab at your own risk. [The New York Times]
 
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| Google Latitude for iPhone Is a Lame Web App Because Apple Thinks We're Easily Confused [Google]
July 23, 2009 at 8:00 pm
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|  Google's finally released their Latitude location service for iPhone—unfortunately, it's a lame web app. Originally, it was a real application. But Apple thought we would all be horribly confused.
Here's how it went down with Apple, according to Google:
We worked closely with Apple to bring Latitude to the iPhone in a way Apple thought would be best for iPhone users. After we developed a Latitude application for the iPhone, Apple requested we release Latitude as a web application in order to avoid confusion with Maps on the iPhone, which uses Google to serve maps tiles. Which, it's all fine and dandy that Google thinks web apps are the future, but there's no way anybody's going to use Latitude on the iPhone if it's not built into the Maps application like it is on Android. Maybe that's what Apple wants. (Without being able to run in the background, usage was already going to be pretty limited anyway.) Besides, if it's inside of Maps, how is that going to confuse anybody? Unless we're all really, really dumb. [Google Mobile via TechCrunch]
 
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| Half of Next-Gen Console Owners Are Playing on Standard-Def TVs [Gaming]
July 23, 2009 at 7:40 pm
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|  It's easy for those of us with HDTVs to forget that not everyone has them yet. And Epic's Mark Rein's stat that slightly over half of Gears of War 2 players played it on an SDTV really brings that home.
If you're wondering why Microsoft and Sony are going to drag this current generation of consoles out for as long as possible, look no further than this:
Over half the users who played Gears of War 2 so far do not have HDTVs…My point is, of the systems that are out there now, the majority of them aren't plugged into HDTVs. So there's no way we're ready for the PlayStation 4 or the Xbox Whatever. More than half. That's a pretty wild statistic. And of course Microsoft and Sony won't want to invest in a whole new console until everyone has an HDTV, because without that, there's really not much more for them to upgrade. People need to upgrade themselves first. That being said, I'm still annoyed that the Wii is only in standard def. Sony and Microsoft may be catering to less than half of their user base with HD graphics, but at least they're offering the best experience possible to their entire audience. [Eurogamer via Kotaku]
 
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| DIY Fixes for the Palm Pre's Unfortunate "Oreo" Effect [Palm Pre]
July 23, 2009 at 7:20 pm
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|  The Pre Oreo effect—as in, twisting an Oreo—is definitely an unwanted and unpleasant flaw some have experienced in the Pre's hardware. Pre Central has a few DIY, probable-warranty-voiding methods to fix the problem.
Though Palm or Sprint will likely replace a Pre with obvious wiggle, sometimes you just want to get your hands dirty and do it yourself. The problem seems to be a bit too much give in the tabs that hold the two halves of the phone to the sliding mechanism, so you can fix it by bending the tabs (risky) or even applying a layer of superglue to the rails to make them thick enough to fit the too-loose tabs (riskier). It'd take a confident tinkerer to mess with such delicate hardware, but anything to avoid dealing with wireless carrier customer service, right? [Pre Central, image from same source]
 
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| Palm Pre's WebOS 1.1 Update Un-breaks iTunes Syncing [Palm Pre]
July 23, 2009 at 7:17 pm
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|  Some healthy escalation in the Palm vs. Apple iTunes scuffle: Though Apple tried to block the Pre from syncing with iTunes, Palm has just struck back with WebOS update 1.1, which again allows Pre-iTunes coupling. [Palm]
 
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| A Photo of a Burn From a Flaming iPod [IPod]
July 23, 2009 at 7:00 pm
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|  By now have probably heard a story or two about flaming iPods. After a lengthy investigation, a Seattle TV station managed to score documents from the Consumer Product Safety Commission that shed light on how common this problem really is.
It took more than 7-months for KIRO 7 Consumer Investigator Amy Clancy to get her hands on documents concerning Apple's iPods from the Consumer Product Safety Commission because Apple's lawyers filed exemption after exemption. In the end, the CPSC released more than 800 pages which reveal, for the very first time, a comprehensive look that shows, on a number of occasions, iPods have suddenly burst into flames, started to smoke, and even burned their owners. Within that 800 pages of information, 15 minor burn and fire related incidents reported by iPod owners are discussed. KIRO goes on to describe several of these incidents and how Apple knew that there were defective batteries out there, yet did nothing about it. With over 170 million iPods in circulation, it's not surprising that Apple is trying to keep things quiet. A recall would come at a huge expense—and with that amount of product on the shelves, there is bound to be a few anomalies here and there. The CPSC agrees with this point, claiming that there are not enough cases thus far to warrant any further action. It probably doesn't matter anyway. As Fake Steve points out, the Seattle connection points to a Microsoft conspiracy. And the burns? Masochists with cigarettes looking for a quick buck most likely. Besides, even if iPods did burn you, you still wouldn't buy a Zune. [KIRO 7 via Fake Steve / Image via Daily HaHa]
 
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| Killing Bunnies With Dead Monitors [Image Cache]
July 23, 2009 at 6:40 pm
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|  That's what this careless person is doing by leaving this old Apple monitor on the street, since it's probably going to a dump, where all the toxins inside like lead will leak out. Which kills bunnies.
 
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| Would You Pay More To Have Your Gadgets Made In The US? [Question Of The Day]
July 23, 2009 at 6:20 pm
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|  The iPhone suicide story raises several questions about ethics and the bottom line. One of the most interesting, perhaps, involves the issue of outsourcing in general.
Let's be honest here, a company like Apple doesn't get where it is by spending top dollar for manufacturing and labor. And that's how things like this happen—as long as the price is right, we'll look the other way. Obviously, there are shady companies everywhere, but the Chinese have a long history of unjust labor practices. So, my question to you is: with the economy being the way it is and people dying over a dammed phone in other parts of the world, would you pay more to have your gadgets made in the US? At the very least we have standards here.
Would You Pay More To Have Your Gadgets Made In the US?(survey software)
 
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| Jeff Bezos Issues A Personal Apology for Kindle Debacle [Kindle]
July 23, 2009 at 6:14 pm
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|  Amazon CEO Jeffery Bezos has released his own response to the Kindle book debacle. While his response comes a bit late, it seems genuine. Hopefully he really has taken all the criticism to heart and we never see a similar incident again.
This is an apology for the way we previously handled illegally sold copies of 1984 and other novels on Kindle. Our "solution" to the problem was stupid, thoughtless, and painfully out of line with our principles. It is wholly self-inflicted, and we deserve the criticism we've received. We will use the scar tissue from this painful mistake to help make better decisions going forward, ones that match our mission. With deep apology to our customers, Jeff Bezos
Founder & CEO
Amazon.com [Amazon]
 
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| Man Stuff - The Best of Uncrate [Roundups]
July 23, 2009 at 6:10 pm
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|  Car-mounted grills, fresh shellfish, and ocean-proof suits - beat the summer heat with a few minutes of man time on the computer browsing the week's best from Uncrate.
This week at Uncrate: We get ready for serious sailing in the Helly Hansen Ocean Racing Suit, jam out to Ill Communication Remastered by Beastie Boys, and play some serious 3-on-3 with the Spalding The Beast Portable Basketball Hoop. We also dress for (mild) success in the Gap Fitted Two-Pocket Shirt, taste the ocean with Island Creek Oysters, and mix things up in the Waring Professional Bar Blender. Finally, we do our best Top Gun impression in Randolph Aviator Sunglasses, get ready for some football with the Margaritaville Portable Tailgate Grill, and tour France aboard one of the Trek Lance Armstrong Bikes of Stages.
 
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| Idea of the Day: Use Your Hand Puppet As a Cellphone Case [DIY]
July 23, 2009 at 6:00 pm
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|  Kermit: "See? It fits." True. And here's the proof:
Next: An iPhone up Walt Mosspuppet's buttocks. [Thanks David, for letting an internet meme destroy the last of my childhood memories]
 
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| Bill Gates: My 1979 Memories [Gizmodo 79]
July 23, 2009 at 5:20 pm
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|  Our Gizmodo '79 celebration may have ended last week, but there's room for a final post, written by famed retiree and mosquito wrangler Bill Gates. It's no joke: Gates read the series then sent this in:
I read those 1979 stories all last week, and it put me in a nostalgic mood, so wanted to offer my own memory to add to the collection. In 1979, Microsoft had 13 employees, most of whom appear in that famous picture that provides indisputable proof that your average computer geek from the late 1970s was not exactly on the cutting edge of fashion. We started the year by moving from Albuquerque back to Bellevue, just across the lake from Seattle. By the end of the year we'd doubled in size to 28 employees. Even though we were doing pretty well, I was still kind of terrified by the rapid pace of hiring and worried that the bottom could fall out at any time.  What made me feel a little more confident was that 1979 was the year we began to sense that BASIC was right on the verge of becoming the standard language for microcomputers. We knew this could be the catalyst that would unlock the potential of the PC to democratize computing and create the right conditions for an explosion in programs and applications that would lead to really rapid growth of the PC market.
By the middle of 1979, BASIC was running on more than 200,000 Z-80 and 8080 machines and we were just releasing a new version for the 8086 16-bit microprocessor. As the numbers grew, we were starting to think beyond programming languages, too, and about the possibility of creating applications that would have real mass appeal to consumers. That led to the creation of the Consumer Products Division in 1979. One of our first consumer products was called Microsoft Adventure, which was a home version of the first mainframe adventure game. It didn't have all the bells and whistles of, say, Halo, but it was pretty interesting for its time.  Back in the 1970s, there was a publication called the International Computer Programs Directory that handed out what was known as the ICP Million Dollar Award for applications that had more than $1 million in annual sales. In the late 1970s the list included more than 100 different products, but they were all for mainframes. In April, the 8080 version of BASIC became the first software product built to run on microprocessors to win an ICP Million Dollar Award. That was a pretty good sign that a significant shift was underway.
Today, I would be surprised if the number of million-dollar applications isn't in the millions itself, and they range from apps and games created by a single developer working at home that you can download to your cell phone to massive solutions built by huge development teams that run the operations of huge corporations. More important, of course, is the fact that more than a billion people around the world use computers and digital technology as an integral part of their day-to-day lives. That's something that really started to take shape in 1979. Thanks for the memories, Bill—please keep us posted on that new beer keg of yours! Microsoft Adventure shot found on YOIS
 
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| You Don't See an Airplane Lifting a 3-Tonne Cannon Every Day [Airplanes]
July 23, 2009 at 5:00 pm
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|  At least, you don't see it unless you are in the U.S. Marine Corps Combat Logistics Battalion 46, where they use MV-22 Ospreys—dual-rotor aircrafts that can switch between airplane and helicopter mode on the fly—to lift artillery pieces.
In this case, that is an M777 howitzer, a 7000-pound 35-foot beast that requires five people to operate. That guy overlooking the airlift operation is U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Christopher Malloy, at the Landing Zone Sandhill, in Twentynine Palms, California, July 10, 2009. [Flight Global—Photo by Lance Cpl. Kelsey J. Green, U.S. Marine Corps.]
 
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| Microsoft's Last Financial Quarter Could've Used a Service Pack [Microsoft]
July 23, 2009 at 4:59 pm
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|  Results for last quarter are in, and with revenues reported well below already cautious estimates, it was a nasty few months for Microsoft. It's almost as if they're sitting on new generations of products in every single space they inhabit.
But analysts were well aware of Microsoft's cage of not-quite-released hardware and software, and their revenue estimates were still more than a billion dollars long. Months that were supposed to see $14.3bn pass through the company's accounts ended with just $13.1bn, which is a full 17% down from the same quarter last year. That globbed onto an also-tough Q3 to round out their financial year with a 3% decline in revenue overall—the first time they've seen a yearly decline in company history. A section-by-section breakdown bears out the "give 'em some time" theory: Entertainment (Xbox and Zune), client software (Windows and Office) and mobile software lagged, suffering a sort of lame duck lethargy as they waited for their respective next generation products. That, and the fact that everyone in the world is kinda poor right now, and therefore not buying quite as many copies of Songsmith, et al. So what did do well? No wait, first answer this: What has Microsoft actually launched in the last few months? Online revenues actually exceeded expectations, albeit by a small percentage. Way to go, Bing! Worst of all, if it's the fact that a lot of Microsoft's products are in hospice care that's behind the poor showing, next quarter might not be much better: the company's got plenty of Things That Make Money on the horizon, but most of it's not gonna land in time to save this story from repeating itself in a few months. October 11th can't come fast enough. [Business Insider, Techflash—p.s. Erm, hey Bill!]
 
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| Death By iPhone: Apple and China's Cultural Time Bomb [Iphone Leak Suicide]
July 23, 2009 at 4:30 pm
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|  Last week, a 25-year-old communications worker died in an "apparent suicide" after losing track of a prototype iPhone built by Foxconn, his employer, for one of the most secretive companies in technology. It was only a matter of time.
First, a recap: Sun Danyong's death came after a case of prototype iPhones he was charged with shipping to Apple's headquarters in Cupertino ended up short by one. Sun couldn't produce the device and claimed not to know what had happened; security officials at Foxconn, the manufacturer of Apple's iPhone and Sun's employer, didn't buy his story. At all. In the days following the incident, Sun quite possibly went through hell. He confided in his university friends—he had just graduated—that his house had been searched repeatedly and without announcement, that he had been endlessly interrogated, that he'd been held in solitary confinement, and even that he'd been outright tortured by security guards. Soon after, he was found dead at the base of his apartment building, having fallen 14 stories. He died, one way or another, for a phone. Yeah, no, you're right: This is fucking crazy. A common snap response is that this is just symptomatic of poor labor regulations in China, a sentiment seemingly backed up by Foxconn's tellingly honest statement on the issue:
Regardless of the reason of Sun's suicide, it is to some extent a reflection of Foxconn's internal management deficiencies, especially in how to help young workers cope with the psychological pressures of working life at the company. They've since suspended one security guard without pay, and turned over the investigation to police. But to put this incident in that broad context isn't useful, either to explain what happened or to know how to deal with it. To a certain extent, Apple does own Sun's death, and it's almost shocking that something like this hadn't already happened. Apple's history of secrecy is long and storied, but hardly seen as scary by itself. We spend a lot of time trying to crack it for stories, and just as much laughing at how extreme it is—even Apple's office employees in California are constantly monitored by cameras, forced to pass through absurdly complex security gates on a daily basis, carrying prototypes in black cloaks and flipping on warning lights in rooms when the cloaks are removed from the devices of idolatry. But there's a lot at stake for Apple, so to an extent their paranoia is understandable: keeping a device like the iPhone secret keeps their strategy out of competitors' view, and more importantly ensures an all-out media eruption when it goes public on schedule. There is no more secretive company in tech, and there is no device more important to keep secret than the iPhone. Apple's also had, since the early days, a punitive attitude towards those who betray them. Stories of Steve Jobs not giving his best friend and early employee Dan Kottke pre-IPO stock because of disagreements, or banning difficult journalists from having access to the company's products or briefings come to mind. (Disclaimer: But not all.) I'm hardly saying that killing is in the character of the company, but there has sometimes been a price to pay for crossing Apple. This ethos becomes dangerous when combined with billions of dollars and the dubious values at Chinese manufacturing companies like Foxconn, which've placed profit above human rights in the past. Foxconn may be huge, but they're not unique, and if they can't keep Apple's hardware plans quiet, it's easy to imagine another manufacturing conglomerate stealing their contracts worth untold billions. It's a scary and very real threat to a solid business relationship, and a subtly tyrannical one. But the stakes are much higher at Foxconn's campus (to use a generous word) than at Apple's. If an Apple employee leaks a product, he could lose his job, and Apple would lose what amounts to some free advertising—after all, leaks aren't a bad way to build buzz either. If a Foxconn employee does the same, he endangers thousands of jobs, billions of dollars in contracts and a vital relationship for his company. That's an unrealistically, recklessly high responsibility to ask each employee—Sun and his alleged torturer—to shoulder. Imagine yourself in Sun's shoes: You have just lost a prototype of the world's most coveted gadget, built by the world's most unforgivingly secretive electronics maker. Would you like your life to be hung against the balance of billions of dollars, in a country with lax labor laws and a history of running its citizen over with tanks? But wait, Apple says, let us be clear:
We are saddened by the tragic loss of this young employee, and we are awaiting results of the investigations into his death. We require our suppliers to treat all workers with dignity and respect. They require every last line worker to keep secrets worth billions of dollars; they require Foxconn bosses to make sure these employees keep their mouths shut; they require that suppliers treat their workers well. Of those, requirement they're most willing to talk openly about also sound the most like an afterthought, and to "require" something doesn't necessarily mean you really expect it. (As an aside, who's to say that the case didn't leave China with all the devices, and through the many handlers in the shipping and airline companies, ahem, lose a little weight during the complicated transit? And why weren't such valuable prototypes delivered by hand? Art museums do this, and they don't even have industrial spies to deal with.) Rightly or not, Sun was the only guy Foxconn felt it could hold accountable for the mess it found itself in, a judgment which probably cost him his life, and which his employer felt tremendous pressure to make. But this scenario could have easily been foreseen, and the matter of how much human risk Apple calculated it could take before a 25-year-old man ended up dead is at least as important a question as how they respond to it. [Photo from Southern Metropolis Daily and The Brisbane Times]
 
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| Japan's 2-D Lovers: Falling In Love with a Body Pillow [Japan]
July 23, 2009 at 4:20 pm
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|  Lisa Katayama of TokyoMango has a story in this week's NYT Magazine about otaku in Japan who are in love with anime pillowcases. Yes, they are "dating" body pillows with cartoon prepubescent girls on them. What's going on in Japan?
It's both a sad and a disturbing trend, this "2-D love" thing. It seems like a natural step from the hikikomori phenomenon, where thousands of boys afraid of the outside world shut themselves in their bedrooms for years on end. What's driving Japanese men to these extremes of isolation and anti-social behavior? Lisa quotes stats that say that a full quarter of people in the country between the ages of 30 and 34 are virgins, while half of them have no friends of the opposite sex. It's clearly not the only place with lonely people with social disorders, but there's something in the way their society operates that is pushing these awkward, introverted boys and men to unhealthy places. [NYT Magazine]
 
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| Gadget Deals Of The Day [Dealzmodo]
July 23, 2009 at 4:00 pm
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|  There are great deals on laptops today—check out the Dell Mini 9, or the 13" MacBook Pro with a free iPod Touch. A big thank you to Chris who put together the entire deals list today.
Computing and Peripherals:
• 14" HP Compaq 2.0GHz Core2Duo Laptop for $480 (normally $1,197).
• 13" MacBook Pro 2.26GHz Core2Duo with Free 8GB iPod Touch for $1,199 plus free shipping (normally $1378).
• Dell Mini 9 1.6GHz Atom (Hackintosh Ready) for $199 (normally $240).
• 18.4" Averatec All-In-One PC 1.6GHz Atom for $399 (normally $545).
• 25" Samsung SyncMaster 1080p LCD Monitor for $299 plus free shipping (normally $342).
• 24.6" Samsung 1080p LCD Monitor for $299 (normally $349).
• Dell V305w Wireless All-In-One Printer for $69 (normally $129).
• Logitech diNovo Keyboard for $59.99 (normally $134).
• 1TB Seagate Hard Drive for $79.50 (normally $89.99 - use coupon code AWESOME10).
• 500GB Seagate FreeAgent Go Hard Drive for $100.79 (normally $117 - use coupon code FR1NXFVM$J9D3B, valid today only).
• Panda Internet Security Bundle for $0 (normally $30 - use this form).
Gaming:
• House of the Dead: Overkill (Wii) for $19.99 (normally $27.99 - valid today only).
• Killzone 2 (PS3) Map Pack Bundle Deal, 3 Maps for $11.99 (normally $11.99 for 2 maps).
• Conan (360) for $9.99 (normally $19.99).
• Dissidia Final Fantasy (PSP) for $31.99 (normally $36.99 - use coupon code SAVE5DIS).
• Resident Evil 5 (PS3/360) for $49.99 (normally $53.99).
• Aion (PC) Pre-Order for $39.90 (normally $47).
• DualShock 3 Controller (PS3) for $39.99 (normally $42.99).
• The Price is Right (iPhone/iPod Touch) for $0.99 (normally $4.99).
• Devil May Cry 4 (360) for $16 (normally $23).
• Tenchu: Shadow Assasins (Wii) for $14.99 (normally $19.99).
• Logitech PS3 Cordless Media Board for $55.99 (normally $65.99). Home Entertainment:
• 42" Philips 1080p 120Hz LCD TV for $749.00 plus free shipping (normally $954 - use coupon code MM0LT?$N9X3N3P).
• 37" Panasonic 1080p LCD TV $649.00 plus free shipping (normally $726).
• 32" Sony Bravia 720p LCD HDTV for $439 plus free shipping (normally $549).
• Klipsch Quintent III Surround Sound System for $296.98 (normally $398).
• 25% off at DeepDiscount.com on DVDs or Blu-ray Discs (use coupon code CJ25 or DD22863).
• Unforgiven (Blu-ray) for $9.49 (normally $12.99). Personal Portables and Peripherals:
• Samsung SL30 10MP Digital Camera for $76.99 plus free shipping (normally $97 - use coupon code AWESOME10).
• Sennheiser HD-218 Headphones for $38 (normally $60).
• Plantronics .Audio In-Ear Headphones for $14.99 (normally $31).
• Magellan Maestro 4250 GPS for $150 (normally $199).
• Panasonic 4-Handset Cordless Digital Phone for $59.99 (normally $79.99 - use coupon code 54835). Hobomodo:
• Blockbuster Express Kiosk Rental for $0 (use coupon code CKVPX9A7).
• UniBlue Disc Rescue 2009 Software Key for $0 (use this form).
• Subscription to Surfing Magazine for $0 (use this form).
• Soduku 1000,000,000 Game (iPhone/iPod Touch) for $0.
• Selection of TV Show Episodes on iTunes for $0.
• Purplish Rain Prince Tribute Album for $0 (use this form, answer to question is keyboardist).
• "Follow Me" by Brooke White MP3 for $0. If a deal looks too good to be true, investigate the store and see if it's a good, reputable place to buy. Safe shopping! [Thanks TechDealDigger, Fat Wallet, GamerHotline, Cheap College Gamers, CheapStingyBargains and TechBargains.]
 
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| Split Stick Double-Headed USB Drives Separate Your Work and Personal Lives [USB]
July 23, 2009 at 3:40 pm
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|  Whether you want to separate work from your personal life, his from hers, or your stuff from that other personality you call "Bad Charlie", the Split Stick gives you two separate flash drives in one USB device.
 The drive is divided in half—2GB on each side. So separating files is as simple as choosing which side to stick into the computer. The drive also comes in several colors and includes the option of laser etching text or icons on either side of the switch to help you distinguish between drives. Available for $20. [Split Stick]
 
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| If You Buy a Computer That Costs Over $1000, It's Probably a Mac [Apple]
July 23, 2009 at 3:20 pm
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|  That's because according to NPD, in June, 91 percent of the market for computers that cost over $1000 belonged to Apple.
Sure, it helps that Apple only sells two computers under $1000—the white MacBook and Mac mini—so if you get a Mac, it's probably going to cost over a grand. In fact, the average selling price of a Mac is $1400. But, consider that Apple claimed just 66 percent of the $1000+ market in the first three months of 2008, and 88 percent in May of this year. It also means that people just aren't buying super tricked-out PCs—which is something Microsoft courted with its Laptop Hunters ads, showing how cheap PCs were compared to Macs. To wit, the average selling price of all PCs in June was precisely half that of Mac: $700. (For Windows notebooks, sans netbooks, the average selling price was $569.) Which suggests there are way more Laurens than Giampaolos in the world. Of course, I would definitely prefer far more Laurens. [BetaNews via BusinessInsider]
 
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| Sony Finally Popping 400-Disc Blu-ray MegaChanger (So Don't Toss Your DVDs Yet) [Sony]
July 23, 2009 at 3:00 pm
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|  As predicted, Sony is announcing BDP-CX960, a 400-disc Blu-ray MegaChanger for the relatively sane price of $800. Trouble is, nobody has 400 Blu-ray discs yet.
OK, I'm sure somebody (Howard Stringer?) has 400 Blu-ray discs, but fortunately for you, the thing plays DVDs and even "CDs," which I'm told are how they stored music in caveman times. The thing is surprisingly affordable for what it is, $800 to start with means that come Christmas, it'll probably be selling somewhere for much less. AV-wise, it's got what you'd expect from a high-end stand-alone Blu-ray player, including 7.1 channel Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Digital Plus, DTS-HD High Resolution Audio and DTS-HD Master Audio decoding onboard, plus the ability to bitstream audio to a receiver through the HDMI port. There's a step-up model, BDP-CX7000ES, that's not so reasonably priced—$1900 to be exact, and it comes with only a few extras, like an RS-232 port for home control, and ability to output Deep Color (12-bit). It's one of those things custom installers will sell to people who have four houses and 16 cars, so most of you shouldn't worry about it. The Ethernet port on both units connects to Gracenote via the internet, to identify all your movies and pull down graphics. What's not cool is that neither that Ethernet port or the USB port are available for incoming video streams from your own home network. Come on, Sony—get with the program! Price being reasonable (at least for BDP-CX960), the biggest question is this: Is there value in a megachanger? I myself ripped all of the DVDs I own, so that they fit neatly on a little hard drive, and are ready when I want them. Ditto for music. On the flipside, I don't plan to rip any Blu-ray discs in the near future, even though it's possible. But I also don't plan to own a giant collection of them, at least not until they're selling used for under $10 a pop. Along with the$800 MegaChanger, Sony is announcing BDP-S1000ES, a $700 Blu-ray player with Wi-Fi. It's too expensive for what it does, and redundant (there's another Sony Wi-Fi model, the BDP-S560 on the way for $350), but at least it's DLNA compatible for home networking, unlike the changers. Still waiting for built-in video-on-demand options like you find on LG and Samsung players, not to mention Sony's own Bravia Internet Video Link, though. Final thought: In the press release Sony says its Blu-ray player line has 13 devices. In my mind, accounting for both MegaChangers and the upcoming Wi-Fi models, that's still 11 too many.
 
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| First Great White Shark Caught With Fishing Gear Tear [Jaws]
July 23, 2009 at 2:40 pm
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|  I'm no fisherman, but if you are looking for a good fly reel, you might want to check out Abel. Apparently, they are good enough to handle a 6-foot, 150 pound great white shark.
"The grab was instantaneous, and the shark cooperated with a quick left turn to allow the proper hook set," said Patterson. The fight lasted about 25 minutes. Patterson thought it was a mako shark until he got it close enough to the boat and skipper Conway Bowman identified it as a great white. Interestingly, "Patterson" happens to be Jeff Patterson, director of sales for Abel products. He was conducting tests with their equipment about five miles off the La Jolla coast—or so the story goes. Be that as it may, it is believed to be the first great white taken off the coast of California using a fly rod and wheel. However, it is illegal to capture great whites because of their protected status, so it was set free shortly after this picture was snapped. So, watch your ass California beachgoers—Jaws is out there and presumed pissed. [LA Times]
 
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| Perspective on the iPhone Suicide: Guy Died Over a F*&#ing PHONE [Iphone Leak Suicide]
July 23, 2009 at 2:00 pm
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|  Let's step back from the iPhone leak suicide for a minute and just think about the basics of what happened. A phone was lost. A guy was tortured. A guy killed himself or something. Over a fucking phone.
It may have been a very special phone, and it may have been a phone that would have cost a company and its shareholders maybe upwards of billions of theoretical dollars if it had leaked out into a competitor's hands, but really, it's a phone. Is it worth a life? No. I think this secrecy thing has gone far enough. Especially since nothing stays unleaked ever anymore! What caused the death? An overzealous security official who used "interrogation methods" to find the phone. A fucking phone. Going to extremes like putting the worker into solitary confinement, searching his house (illegally? legally?) and possibly beating him isn't the way to go about things. I know, the employer probably put a lot of pressure on the security chief to find that phone—maybe even threatening the chief himself with termination if the missing device wasn't found—but he's a grown man. He can make his own decisions about right and wrong. Torturing a guy over a phone is not right. It's just a job. Is it worth a life? No. But of course the blame doesn't lie only with the security guard. The company Foxconn and its parent company Hon Hai aren't pillars of the Chinese community when it comes to placing the welfare of its employees above how much yuan they squeeze out of them. Foxconn admitted to breaking Chinese labor laws. CHINESE labor laws. If they don't care about their workers under normal, everyday circumstances, how much do you think they'll value a man's welfare if they think a little roughing up will save a multi-million dollar contract and secure future dealings with Apple? It's just money. Is it worth a life? No. And was this method of interrogation even such a smart idea in the first place? If you're just so compelled to torture someone (which you shouldn't be) don't do it over shit that would be leaked three months down the road anyhow. Think about the last two years: do you remember any Apple product that hasn't had spy shots leaked beforehand that turned out to be real? It's now become inevitable. The CIA doesn't torture someone to stop the sun from coming up. That's fucking retarded. As for Apple, are they blameless in this? No, of course not. They know exactly what kind of people they're dealing with. Remember that Chinese labor law story linked above? Apple sent a team to investigate Foxconn before the manufacturer admitted to wrongdoings, yet found nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, you could come to the conclusion that having an insanely locked-down company do your manufacturing is the situation Apple prefers, so they can use fear and intimidation tactics to maintain their culture of secrecy. But really, it's just a product. Is it worth a life? No. This may have started about a missing phone, but in the end, it all boils down to being about money. Someone was indirectly killed, through a sequence of sad and unfortunate events, over money. You know who kills for money? Criminals. So please, Apple, stop doing business with criminals. And get your own priorities straight. A phone is not worth dying, or killing, over. [iPhone leak suicide coverage @ Giz]
 
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| Soliloquy Super-Green Super-Yacht Is Obviously Super-Cool and Super-Expensive [Design]
July 23, 2009 at 1:50 pm
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|  According to Alastair Callender, his 190-foot Soliloquy would be able to fully propel itself using a combination of solar power, wind, and hybrid marine power technology. And it looks like a metamorphic alien mothership to boot.
It looks cool, but I have a hard time imagining this titan moving at a decent speed using these technologies. On the other side, if Cousteau's Alcyone ship—with its wind towers—can work, maybe this design could work too.   
 
I would pass even if I had the money to buy it, though. Why would I get a cold, super-expensive super-yacht for a gazillion dollars when I can use the same money for a fast 100%-wind-powered three-mast schooner, with fully automated sail deployment, and have a crew of Scandinavian sailorettes with unbuttoned white shirts, short navy blue skirts, and no panties for the rest of my life? See? Rich people don't know how to spend their money. OK. Perhaps that was way too much. Screw the automatic sail deployement. Let the sailorettes do their job. [Callender Designs and SolarSailor]
 
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| New Final Cut Studio Lets You Collaborate Over iChat Theater With People Too Poor for Final Cut [Apple]
July 23, 2009 at 1:35 pm
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| Totally not the most pro feature in the new Final Cut Studio, but our favorite is that you can share Final Cut video, timelines and more through iChat Theater, even if the other person doesn't have Final Cut. Apple's touting over 100 new features in the Final Cut Studio (which drops the number nomenclature for the overall suite) with updated versions of all the core applications: Final Cut Pro 7, Motion 4, Color 1.5 and Compressor 3.5. New ProRes codecs, background "easy exporting," new 3D animations, 4K support in Color are some of the more noteworthy new features. Interestingly, while there's a new version of Logic Express to go with the new Logic Studio, Apple didn't drop anything on the Final Cut Express front. But maybe the best thing is the new price: $999 for the full version, which is $300 less than the previous Final Cut Studio. Upgrading is $299, whether you've got Final Cut Studio 1 or 2. Logic Studio is $499, same as before, and both of them are shipping now, with Logic Express coming in about a month. [Apple]
 
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| Automotive Pool Table Would Make For An Interesting Driving Experience [Pool]
July 23, 2009 at 1:30 pm
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| Hurricane Billiards makes some of the best custom tables anywhere, and this version entitled "Unique Autosports" is no exception. It looks better than my car I can tell you that much. But what would something like this be like to drive I wonder? Like a cross between a car, inline skates and a unicycle I bet. Hmmm, that sounds better than my car too. [Hurricane Billiards via Autoblog via Born Rich] 
 
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| Razer Orochi Bluetooth Laser Gaming Mouse With 4000dpi for Tiny Hands (or Laptops) [Gaming]
July 23, 2009 at 1:10 pm
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|  After years of proclaiming wireless ain't good enough for real gaming mice, Razer's got a Bluetooth notebook mouse. Otherwise, Orochi is what'd you expect from Razer for $80: 4000dpi, 7 programmable buttons, and onboard memory for storing your macros.
If you still don't trust wireless or your batteries die, it has a breakaway USB cable—though Razer claims 1-3 months of juice under "normal usage." What exactly is normal usage, you ask? I don't know. [Razer]
   
 
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| Homemade Portable 8-Track Player May Be the Pinnacle of the Format [DIY]
July 23, 2009 at 12:50 pm
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|  Sure, a portable 8-track walkman is a completely ludicrous idea, but you've gotta love that someone went through the effort to actually make one. It's far from pocket-sized, but it's probably the most portable 8-track player ever. [Instructables via Make]
 
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| GoPro Hero Wide Helmet Cam Gets Upgraded With 1080p, 720p Slo-Mo [Helmet Cameras]
July 23, 2009 at 12:30 pm
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|  Brian enthusiastically called the original SD Hero helmet camera, an easy-to-use wide-angle shooter, "cheap and amazing." With 1080p recording and 720p slow motion capability, GoPro's new Hero sacrifices a little of that first adjective for a ton of the second.
Cosmetically, the HD Hero is basically indistinguishable from the previous version, and the similarities run deep: it's got the same 170° field of view, an identical 5MP still shooting mode and the same water-resistant credentials. But hardware performance has been bolstered elsewhere, with support for 30fps shooting in 1080p mode and 60fps shooting in 720p, all powered by a larger 1100mAh Li-Ion battery for up to three hours of recording per charge. For such a large performance jump on such a new camera a price hike is inevitable, but it's really not that bad. The $300 price is at least in the same range as the $200 base model, and judging by the previous model, I'd expect the footage—especially in the 720p slo-mo mode—to be fairly spectacular. [HelmetCameraCentral via Engadget—Image from Freeskier Mag]
 
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| This Ring Is Actually a Real Bluetooth Headset [Headsets]
July 23, 2009 at 12:10 pm
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|  This is Orb, a ring that transforms into a beautiful Bluetooth headset. Looks like sci-fi material, but it's an actual product coming in 2010. Good, because it's probably the first Bluetooth headset that looks great on a woman's ear:
There will be three models of the class 2 Bluetooth Orb: A $130 basic model—coming in January—a $175 Deluxe edition with a minuscule FOLED display, and a limited edition with actual precious gems on it, both coming in April 2010. [Gizmag]
 
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| New iPod Touch and iPod Nano Features Uncovered [Apple]
July 23, 2009 at 11:46 am
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|  These are just two of the gazillion new made-in-China cases for the new iPod touch and iPod nano. And as all of them show, both devices will have cameras. The iPod touch's camera is at its center, on the top.
According to Leander, the Chinese factories are already sending samples to distributors. Head to the Cult of Mac to see every single one of these cases. It's hard to believe than anyone would have spend so much money in making all these unless they already had the specs. [Cult of Mac] 
 
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| Sony Bringing Touchscreen Vaios This Fall, PSN Content Possible As Well [Sony]
July 23, 2009 at 11:40 am
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|  Sony has some touchscren Vaios planned for this fall to coincide with the release of Windows 7, which features more robust touchscreen support than Vista. It's also working on bringing content from the PlayStation Network to VAIOs at some point.
One of Sony's Senior VPs said that the company is going to be releasing some Vaio notebooks that take advantage of touch capabilities "at the launch of Win 7," which is October 22nd. In addition, we may see the movie and TV content that you can currently download on the PS3 coming over to Vaios as well. They're also discussing bringing games over, so you can pay for the casual games that have been converted from free online flash games for the console market, right on your laptop. How convenient! [Laptop Mag via Electronista]
 
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| Dell Mini 9 OS X Capable Netbook For Only $200 [Dealzmodo]
July 23, 2009 at 11:17 am
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|  By far, the best and most inexpensive OS X experience on a netbook can be found on a hacked Dell Mini 9. And now you can get your hands on one for only $200.
Needless to say, if you want to run OS X but can't afford a pricey Mac, this is definitely the way to go. And all you need to do is follow these instructions to get your OS up and running. Better hurry though, this could be your last chance. [Dell]
 
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| NES Controller Business Card Holder Makes Me Want Use Business Cards Again [Nintendo]
July 23, 2009 at 11:00 am
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|  Facebooking and smartypantyphones be damned, I'm going back good old too-cool-for-school school. All the way back to the 80s, with stupid jackets, antiquated business cards, and this anodized aluminum NES Controller Business Card Holder.
$31 will get you the pretty case with fake buttons, and two compartments: One for your business cards, the other one for the cards you collect. Or, alternatively, one for rolling paper, and the other one for papers with a lot of small funny pictures on them. See, I'm full of good ideas. [Geek Stuff 4 U via Akihabara News] 
 
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| HTC Click Budget Android Rumors Start to Congeal With New Photo, Possible Price [Htc Click]
July 23, 2009 at 10:18 am
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|  So, HTC Click, we meet again. Today we've got an artsier, clearer photo with an unobscured HTC badge, Android-appropriate buttons and an overall size that seems to match our 2.8-inch screen estimate. Oh, and a price rumor.
The handset was apparently spotted at a Vietnamese carrier launch event for the HTC Magic, where, according to an attendee on the Tinhte forums, HTC Vietnam indicated a price of five or six million Vietnamese dong. Six million sounds like an awful lot of dongs, but Google has it on good authority (read: math) that this converts to around $280-$330—a low enough price for carriers subsidize down to zero, bundled with a smartphone-level plan. Stepping into even more speculative territory, there seems to be some question about how this handset would work, control-wise. Given the "Click" moniker and throwback HTC Touch styling, it seems obvious: that big circle will just be a simple button, surrounded by a touch-sensitive ring-slash-d-pad, like on the HTC Touch Pro/Diamond series. In fact, in terms of hardware, I'd wager something nearly identical to those aging Windows Mobile handsets, given the Click's purported low price. Anyway, at this rate we'll probably get the full picture before too long, so just sit tight. [Tinhte via Techradar]
 
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| Kensington Nightstand Dock Converts iPhone In Retro Alarm Clock [IPhone]
July 23, 2009 at 10:00 am
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|  I know at least one more person who sleeps with her iPhone in bed, but for those of you who use your nightstand for more than storing books and handcuffs, this Kensington Nightstand Dock looks like a perfect iPhone accessory.
When combined with the free Kensington Rise&Shine iPhone app—which shows the time and the weather—it converts your iPhone into a retro-looking bedside alarm clock. Maybe a way too expensive at $40, but it's a good idea. [Kensington and Rise&Shine App via Geeky Gadgets] 
 
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| US Airways Getting In-Flight WiFi in 2010 [US Airways]
July 23, 2009 at 9:40 am
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|  US Airways is the latest airline to hop on the in-flight WiFi train, signing up Gogo inflight internet service to its domestic A321 fleet for next year.
Aircell to Power Gogo Inflight Internet Service TEMPE, Ariz., July 23, 2009 - US Airways (NYSE:LCC) is turning aircraft into Wi-Fi 'hotspots' by partnering with Aircell to provide Gogo® Inflight Internet service beginning in early 2010. Full Internet access including Web, Instant Messaging, email and VPN access will be available for purchase to passengers with laptops, smartphones and other Wi-Fi enabled devices. "Gogo Inflight Internet will allow our customers to make the most of their flying time by catching up on work or relaxing and surfing the Internet. This is an exciting new option for our passengers that we believe will enhance their travel experience," said Andrew Nocella, senior vice president, Marketing and Planning. Gogo will initially be installed on US Airways A321 aircraft, flying select domestic routes. A map detailing those routes can be found at www.usairways.com. And later next year, customers will be able to see if Wi-Fi is available on a specific flight by looking for the Wi-Fi icon while booking their flight on usairways.com. The pricing for Gogo Inflight Internet on US Airways will be announced closer to the launch date. Customers will be able to choose service from Aircell's standard pricing structure, which currently ranges from $5.95 to $12.95, depending on the length of flight and type of Wi-Fi enabled device used. "Gogo is for anyone who wants to make plane time their time," said Jack Blumenstein, president and chief executive officer of Aircell. "Whether you want to stay connected to the office, your family or friends; whether you want to work, play or learn; Gogo is for you. We look forward to working with US Airways to bring the world to its passengers." More information about US Airways' new Gogo Inflight Internet service can be found online at usairways.com and gogoinflight.com.
 
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| Spacesuit Gas Problem Forces Abrupt Spacewalk Interruption [Space]
July 23, 2009 at 9:20 am
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|  Astronaut Chris Cassidy is a space rookie. Yesterday he went on his first extra-vehicular activity in his first space mission, working to replace four aging batteries at the International Space Station. Until something in his suit went very wrong.
His lithium hydroxide CO2 scrubber broke, allowing the lethal gas to build up to dangerous levels. Lithium hydroxide is a corrosive alkali hydroxide, a white hygroscopic crystalline material that is used in filters to purify air. For unknown reason, the filtering mechanism didn't work, and the CO2 wasn't correctly processed. Cassidy didn't notice any apparent effect, but the spacewalk came to a sudden ending after Houston noticed that things weren't right at all inside his suit. His words after getting into the ISS airlock: "I'm just going to sit here and wait for Dave and enjoy the view." Balls of titanium, I tell you. [Aviation Week]
 
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| Wi-Fi MicroSD Card Makes Eye-Fi Look Obese [Kddi]
July 23, 2009 at 9:05 am
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|  Japanese phone king KDDI is showing off a MicroSD card with built-in Wi-Fi, sorta like those photo-uploading Eye-Fi cards everyone loves so much. Actually, they're exactly like that, except, well, much smaller.
There's not much of a space for a product like this now, since cellphones account for most of the devices with MicroSD storage, and they generally have some kind of data connection anyway. But it's easy to imagine a (near) future where traditional SD cards are considered too bulky for smaller point-and-shoot cameras and camcorders, and a wireless MicroSD card would make sense. [Tech-on]
 
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| Iron Man's Many New Faces [Image Cache]
July 23, 2009 at 8:34 am
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|  There's no secret that we all love Tony Stark here in Gizmodo—the greatest tech superhero and cocktail maker ever. Here's a cool sneak-o-photo of his new armors, at the San Diego Comic Con. [Follow Comic Con at io9]
 
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| Cambrionix 49-Port USB Hub Finally Gives Your Expansive Novelty Thumb Drive Set a Home [USB]
July 23, 2009 at 8:28 am
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|  It's a piece of industrial equipment, sure, but something about the Cambrionix Hub V2 is kind of fascinating. Consider this: With 49 500mAh ports, this USB hub needs its own ATX power supply.
The intended uses for this hub range from the esoteric to the boring: product testing, ad-hoc mega-NASes and group disk manipulation all make the list, while 49-strong Humping Dog orgies somehow don't. Near-unlimited pluggability doesn't come cheap, with the basic hub—without the pictured reinforcement plates or power supply—rings up at about $650. UK-only for now. [Cambrionix—Thanks, Steven!]
 
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| Chinese Police Take Over iPhone Suicide Investigation, Foxconn Security Official Suspended [Foxconn]
July 23, 2009 at 7:39 am
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| Foxconn has suspended a security official, and turned over its probe into a worker's recent alleged suicide to police, who are currently investigating the possibility of murder. Reports say that 25-year-old Sun Danyong was subjected to brutal treatment—including beatings—by Foxconn security after a shipment of prototype iPhones turned up at Apple's door one device short. The murder investigation and treatment of the case as an "apparent suicide" is probably just a formality, since the circumstances of the case—which, if they've been accurately represented—haven't changed, meaning that it's Foxconn's poor treatment of its workers, and by proxy, Apple's incredible demands for secrecy, that are in question here. [Register]
 
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So much for that 
The New York Times' David Pogue has 
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