iPhone Users Get GarageBand Ringtones

iPhone users with crappy bands will rejoice today, as the recently released GarageBand 4.1.1 update adds easy ringtone exporting. Users have full access to Apple Loops and iLife jingles—as well as their own recordings—to export tracks. Here's the full procedure:


1. Start a crappy band.
2. Meet twice a week to argue whether you are going for a sound reminiscent of the Beatles pre or post Sgt. Pepper.
3. Lose your lead singer who is starting a solo career.
4. Say "fuck vocals, it's all about jamming anyway."
5. Hire a random Hooters waitress for the part in a moment of weakness when you'd had too many to drink and wondered why you were starting a band at age 37.
6. Regret signing tone-deaf Hooters waitress.
7. Fire waitress.
8. Get hummer in back seat.
9. Realize that waitress isn't such a bad singer after all.
10. Record your song in Garageband.
11. Set up a cycle region that covers the area you wish to use in the GarageBand song.
12. Once the cycle area has been set, choose Share > Send Ringtone to iTunes.
13. Find out that the drummer's been "hitting that shit, too."
14. Refuse to pay for the baby—there's no proof it's yours.
15. It's totally yours.
16. Break up with band/waitress.
17. Move to Alaska.
18. Get a call from a special someone you hadn't thought about in some time...a ringer you hadn't heard in ages.
19. Decide to get the band, and relationship, back together.
20. Find out the drummer is "still hitting that shit."

MSKYO Granny Ghetto Blaster Gives Loads of Oom-pah but No Oomph

From Germany comes MSKYO, the speaker that allows your granny to buy her cauliflower and mince at the market while listening to Snoop Doggy Dogg at full volume. This portable ghetto blaster has, according to their creators, "incredible sounds quality." For its $3,900 (2.656,50 euros) price tag, it better be truly amazing no matter if I put my sardines and vegetables in it. I like. Jetz kaufen,

S5 "Poor Man's LoJack" Tracking Chips Will Run for Four Years, Cost $2, Weigh Nothing

When Spidey tosses one of those sticky spiders to a getaway car, suspicious villain or hot chick he plans to stalk rescue later, we take for granted that the tracking chip inside is going to work right? Wireless-technology developer S5 plans to deploy a network of receivers in cities, so that its tiny $2 transmitter chip's unlicensed 915MHz signal can be triangulated wherever it comes from, indoors or out. You'll probably recognize this as a sort of inverted GPS—and also as an infrastructure nightmare—but there are reasons why this harebrained scheme just might work:

Besides the chip's extraordinarily small size and price—$2 though the module itself will cost $7—the main boast is that it will be able to be spotted wherever there is a network of receivers, whether the chip itself is indoors or out. S5 is cautious about managing expectations though: the claim is "accurate location equivalent to GPS."

What's more interesting still is the battery life, which S5 says can last up to four years. That is a stark contrast to current GPS trackers, which need to be charged regularly to be functional.

The trick will be getting enough people to adopt the technology, which is why it's giving away the design of the chip itself, royalty free. The company intends to charge money on the service itself, at somewhere around $1 per month.

The S5 vision is lightweight tags on everything from cats to cars to crates, but they gotta get cracking on that network if the thing will ever happen. According to the company, "several" cities will get S5 receiver towers next year, with 35 cities within three years. Even then, if you want to hide, you just have to drive to the outskirts of town, like the Dukes of Hazzard used to do.

I leave you with some final caveats from the S5 website:
• "Four-years is the approximate life of a 2100 mAh battery when the tag transmits every 30 minutes. "
• "Actual coverage will depend on service availability and network coverage by city."
• "This is an estimated price based on a number of factors, including estimated manufacturing volume and a basic set of features and is subject to change at any time."

High Speed Laser Kills Virus Without Damaging Healthy Cells

A new high speed pulsing laser developed by Arizona State physics professor Kong-Thon Tsen and his son Shaw-Wei Tsen, a pathology student at Johns Hopkins, has succeeded in killing a common virus without damaging the healthy surrounding cells. The laser utilizes the principle of "forced resonance" by vibrating the shell of a virus to "crack" it. Plus, tests have proven that it is possible to break down the shells at energies far lower than those needed to damage surrounding T-cells.

Since these ultrashort-pulse lasers or USPs don't generate a lot of heat, they are far gentler than conventional lasers, which may open up the possibility of using them to eradicate viruses in stored blood. The duo is currently testing the laser on HIV and hepatitis, which could be truly groundbreaking if successful. Will this physics professor and his biologist son restore my faith in medical science? Only time will tell.

TechFaith Launches "World's First WCDMA/GSM Dual Mode Phone"

China's TechFaith Wireless Communication Company has developed what they are calling the "World's first WCDMA/GSM dual mode phone." The "Twins" phone, as it has been dubbed, allows users the option of loading one WCDMA card and one GSM or loading dual GSM SIM cards. That means it would no longer be necessary to switch out SIM cards or carry around two phones for calls on both business and personal lines.

Other features include: a 2.0 megapixel camera, 2.8" touch sensitive TFT-LCD display, 256MB/64MB ROM memory, MP3 and MPEG4 player, WCDMA modem, Bluetooth, and video call capabilities. Two models will be available the "Dragonfly" and "OMAP' with the latter having a faster CPU and tri-band network support instead of quad-band. Naturally, no pricing information has been released, which is just as well seeing as how this product is unlikely to make its way to the states anytime soon.

NEC shows off cloth antenna: receives OTA, clears nostrils

We've seen some pretty outrageous looking antennas in our day, but NEC could have a hit on its hands with this newfangled cloth iteration. Granted, details are still hazy, but apparently this device can receive OTA TV signals and double as a handkerchief if you so desire. Reportedly, the firm has lined the cloth triangles with a "special metal" that can pick up broadcasted signals, and it's already thinking about integrating this into tents and other outdoor equipment. Additionally, this could certainly take wearable electronics to a new level if it were woven into one's garb (walking televisions, anyone?), but sadly, there's no word as to when (or if) this technology will hit the mainstream.

Logitech Classic Keyboard 200 for Nintendo Wii use

Why on earth would anybody want a keyboard for the Wii gaming system. Well I have a Nintedo Wii but I don’t use it to chat or surf the internet. The Wii remoted is good enough as you can point directly on the TV screen to type in your names or codes. That would be a safer way to prevent RSI on tired fingers. But just in case you need a good keyboard, try the new Logitech Classic Keyboard 200 for Nintendo Wii use.

NOA Design's Tub Lounger Concept Merges Relaxation With Relaxation

We like to relax in the bath and chill out reading magazines in the lounge. So, why not do both together? If NOA Design's concept ever sees the light of day, we may be doing just that. The super lounger consists of chair submerged in the main tank, with a tap feature that has an integrated halogen lamp. Inexplicably, a built in lavatory is missing. The ultimate de-stress contraption gets the imagination to work and makes us think of annoying slang—no we won't "chillax." That's not even a word! Great, now we need to take a bath and kickback in our lounge to overcome the annoyance. That is going to take ages; if only we could do both at the same time...wait...

Lightning Round - Belkin Sport Armband Plus

The Gadget: Belkin Sport Armband Plus. It's Belkin's newest iPod armband for exercising (we tested with 3G Nano).

The Price: $29.99

The Verdict: We're quite happy after a week of use with the Sport Armband Plus. Constructed of a high quality, wet suitesque material, the band sticks well to your skin—but absolutely perfectly after a few minutes of working out. The cord capsule looked like a complete pain in the ass, but a unique rubber case design allows you to flip the entire capsule open, wrap your cord, and flip it back within moments. Sure you get some glare on the screen and the Nano has a propensity to fit just off its center, but the Belkin is comfortable, functional and, need I say, fashionable? (Check it, along with sweet farmer tan).

The Catch(es): The case doesn't make room for the Nike+iPod sports kit. So users need to stick their iPod in upside down and leave a chunk sticking out. This is actually not that big of a deal since it leaves the iPod right side up for a runner's viewing (you need to wear the iPod upside down to read it on your arm, why this isn't Belkin's default positioning is beyond us). Confused? Exactly. You shouldn't have to think this hard. That's why you pay $30.

Given that many people interested in this product are also using the Nike add-on, we wish Belkin would release a Nike-compatible version.

The Verdict Part II: Pending the buyer is prepared for the above caveats, we'd recommend the Sport Armband Plus.
[Source]

Life Size Animated Princess Leia Statue for You to Defile

This five-foot-tall statue of an animated version of Princess Leia is certainly a unique collectible for any Star Wars fan. However, things can get real weird real fast if you start touching it impurely. So keep your hands to yourself. Available for $799.99 starting in May 2008.

Google to Lay Own Transpacific Cable, Furthering Benevolent World Domination

Google is not leaving anything to chance, and according to an Australian newspaper is now planning to span the Pacific Ocean with its own undersea fiber optics cable to blast the world with its do-no-evil goodness. Owning a fat pipe like this will make Google the Big Dick of the high seas, making it cheaper for the company to move data and to dominate all those other weasels that are selling internet bandwidth.
Let's hope Google's alleged entry into this bandwidth biz will bring prices down, because with the way things stand now, even though there's a glut of dark fiber spanning the Pacific, the stubborn owners of all that potential bandwidth aren't budging on their too-high prices. Do it, Google, and get going on that wireless carrier threat you made, too! Teach the rest of the world your catchphrase: "Don't be evil."

Ladies' Facial Shaver Makes me Say "Whoaaa"

This, my friends, National's Ferie facial shaver for ladies, available on Amazon Japan. It's got two interchangeable blades, one for trimming your eyebrows, the other for "downy hair" (as opposed to "uppy hair," I guess.) I don't see anything wrong with a quick pluck, so this is not one for me — although I can think of some alternative uses for it:
1. Tagging TFSU on Jesus's chest while he sleeps.
2. Getting mediaeval on jumper fluff.
3. Trimming my bonsai lawn.
4. Creating a hair-don't for the dog.
5 @%*& — no, that's just rude. -Addy Dugdale

Government Retreats From Manhunt 2 Controversy

The government has decided not to cross machetes with the passionate gamers that think Manhunt 2 should not be banned because adults deserve the right to make their own choices.

Just like it did recently with the BBC iPlayer fiasco, the government has abdicated full responsibility to the body in charge, in this case the BBFC.

It has responded to the 3,000-strong signature petition on the Prime minister’s Web site. That’s about all though since it merely reaffirmed its trust in the BBFC’s decision. After all, to come out in favour of Manhunt 2 would probably lead to politicians being bludgeoned to death with prams and breadsticks by concerned mums the nation-over. This is what it said:

“The BBFC considered Manhunt 2 and concluded that, within the current guidelines, it could not be given a classification. The BBFC takes its responsibilities very seriously and it uses its powers to reject works extremely rarely. Details can be found on its website. There is an appeals procedure which the game's producers are apparently pursuing.

The Government is satisfied with the BBFC's procedure and with the provisions for appeal, and will not be intervening in this process. The Government has recently announced a review aimed at helping parents ensure that their children are protected from exposure to inappropriate material in games. This is not intended to restrict the choice of material available to adults.”

The BBFC is expected to make a final decision on Manhunt 2 in the coming months.

Ripple Note Notebook for Stylish Users

Korean company Pixel Labs has a “Ripple Note” laptop that has a particular texture on the outside shell that gives it a “luxurious” look.

The inside is rather plain and comparable to its other notebook cousins:

- Intel Core 2 Duo T7500
- 1.3 Megapixel webcam
- 3 USB Ports (still better than my Vaio SZ)
- Improved WiFi-g connectivity

I think that it is a little “fatty” and that Pixel Labs needs to do it on a slimmer laptop. Price: $1300.

Military-Grade USB Key

Iron Key has a USB key for “enterprise and military” applications. Enterprise, because it is using hardware encryption and military because it’s rugged, thanks to its shock and water resistant casing. From the website:

“A password is used to unlock your IronKey, and this is verified in hardware. If an IronKey is lost or stolen, attempts to unlock or tamper with the IronKey will trigger a self-destruct sequence, ensuring data is kept confidential.”

And I guess that in a life-or-death situation, throwing the key to the adversary’s face could even save your life.

Sony Ericsson readies new accessories

Sony Ericsson has been pretty busy lately, recently launching the "Hearty Red" color for its DS-220 Bluetooth headset and MPS-70 audio system. Not only that, there is the MBS-100 Bluetooth speaker that comes in the shape of a football for those living in Europe. No further specifications concerning the speaker are available, but do expect it to come with some decent audio performance as well as the option to run off AC power or battery.

New Four-Legged Robot - New4LR

A German University (Technische Universität Darmstadt) is working on an Aibo-like robot that will come with an open-source software development kit (SDK). It is currently aimed at researchers and enthusiasts, but it is possible that someone will turn it into a product down the line. It is powered by two AMD Geode 500Mhz processors and is called “New4LR” (they don’t say, but Old4LR seem to refer to the Aibo).

Optimus OLED Keyboard in The Wild

This image has popped on the web and shows the first image (to my knowledge) of the much hyped Optimus Maximus Keyboard designed by Art. Lebedev Studio in Russia.

If you’re have followed the saga, the Optimus keyboard is unique in that each key is made of an organic LED (OLED) display that can be software-configured to adapt to any language and any applications. The idea appeared in 2005, and had episodic drama like rumors of going monochrome or imminent shipping date.

It is expensive: $1564 (1256Euros).

Apple iPods Part 3: nano Gets Bigger Screen And Paint-Job

Apple overhauled the wee nano too this week, whipping out the paintbrush and squeezing in a bigger screen for watching videos with less squinting.

The new nano boasts a 2in screen, with a decent display resolution of 320x240 pixels. Again, like the new iPod Touch and iPod Classic, it comes with Cover Flow for flipping through your tunes via album covers.

The aluminium chassis is newly tweaked and the nano now comes in silver, black, blue, green and a special edition red. It also comes pre-loaded with a few games, including iQuiz, an entertainment trivia game, Vortex, a frenetic 360 degree brick-bashing game and Klondike, a version of Solitaire. New games like Sudoku, Pac-Man and Tetris will be available for download on iTunes later in the month.

Audio playback time is rated at 24 hours and five for hours for video. Shipping now, the 4GB iPod nano comes in silver for £99 but if you want the funkier black, blue, green and red versions you’ll have to shell out for the 8GB version at £129

Card Managing Wallet keep things neat

For those who want to keep everything in its proper place, there is always the Card Managing Wallet that features creatively designed slots at the wallet base which ejects the labeled card, saving you the trouble of fumbling through your entire card collection. Too bad for those who own more than a single Visa or Mastercard - you'll just have to insert the one with the highest credit limit lest you embarass yourself in front of your date at the glitziest restaurant in town when the bill arrives. The Card Managing Wallet retails for $39.99 and $59.99 for the half dozen and 12-card holder respectively.

Apple iPods Part 2: iPod Classic Gets Bigger, But Thinner

Sounding like a Coke flavour, Apple has refreshed its iPod ‘Classic’ player by swapping out some smaller drives with some bigger ones, leaving consumers with a choice of an 80GB or, a whopping 160GB model. Like the new iPod Touch, it also comes with the new interface Cover Flow feature, which lets you browse music by album cover – although, not with your finger on the display like the Touch.

It also sports a new, all-metal chassis and with 160GB of storage under the hood, Apple says it will cope with 40,000 songs – the first generation iPod could tackle a 1,000 and I remember when I thought that was a lot too.

In usage terms, Apple promises up to 40 hours of music playback and seven hours of video playback on the 160GB model and up to 30 hours of music playback and five hours of video playback on the 80GB model.

Both models are shipping now and cost £159 for the 80GB player and £229 for the 160GB one.

Set Phasers To…..TV?

This year marks the 41st anniversary of Star Trek beaming into our homes for the first time with an episode entitled the ‘The Man Trap’.

The folks at Thinkgeek feel that to truly mark the occasion [seeing as we overlooked the 40th anniversary] we need something else that traps men just as effectively as the aliens disguised as the fairer sex: the TV remote.

Except, in this case, it’s a really cool Type II phaser. It would be nice to think that you could atomise annoying neighbours now and then but I’ll settle for changing the channels with something that boasts lights and sounds.

You get four power settings – each one louder and flashier than the last – a light control knob and a flip-up sight, for when you’re smashed and there seems to be two or more TVs floating in front of you.

Best of all, you can detach the Type I phaser from the stock to reduce your geek factor [a little] but still keep all those Trekkie lights and sounds.

Yours for £15. Bargain. That’s around £5,000 cheaper than Spock’s spacesuit and a whole lot less trouble than the Star Trek home cinema
.

New Apple iPods Part 1: Meet The iPod Touch

I’m sure very little of this is a surprise considering Apple’s big event had more leaks than a Russian nuclear power plant, but Apple has introduced a new kind of iPod, called the iPod Touch.

The most noticeable features are the big 3.5in display, with touchscreen controls - a la iPhone – and, for the first time on an iPod, in-built Wi-Fi which can be used with the new iTunes Wi-Fi store for browsing and purchasing tunes on the move. It’s 8mm thin and Flash-based, with an 8GB and 16GB model.

Features like Cover Flow will allow you to browse your music collection by album cover using your finger to scroll. It sports the Safari Web browser onboard, as well as Google Search, Yahoo oneSearch and Apple’s YouTube application.

The 4GB and 8GB models are due in a few weeks and cost £199 and £269, respectively.

New Apple iPods Part 1: Meet The iPod Touch

I’m sure very little of this is a surprise considering Apple’s big event had more leaks than a Russian nuclear power plant, but Apple has introduced a new kind of iPod, called the iPod Touch.

The most noticeable features are the big 3.5in display, with touchscreen controls - a la iPhone – and, for the first time on an iPod, in-built Wi-Fi which can be used with the new iTunes Wi-Fi store for browsing and purchasing tunes on the move. It’s 8mm thin and Flash-based, with an 8GB and 16GB model.

Features like Cover Flow will allow you to browse your music collection by album cover using your finger to scroll. It sports the Safari Web browser onboard, as well as Google Search, Yahoo oneSearch and Apple’s YouTube application.

The 4GB and 8GB models are due in a few weeks and cost £199 and £269, respectively.

Uncrushable 3,000-Foot Depth Watch

If you're a big fan of scuba diving, then the $299.95 Uncrushable 3,000-Foot Depth Watch would definitely be the perfect timepiece for you. Made by Jules Jurgensen, this watch utilizes washers and O-ring gaskets between the case and back for the tightest seal available. The 4 mm faceplate is twice as thick as those found on other watches and is constructed from the hardest mineral crystal available. Even the case back is twice as thick, ensuring that it is capable of handling more pressure than you ever could. Fathers' Day might be over, but Christmas is coming so if you're all out of ideas on what to get dad/hubby, this could be it (assuming he's not a couch potato, that is).

Official: The UK Loves The Wii The Most

The Wii console continues to break records this week by becoming the UK’s fastest ever selling console, with sales tipping over the 1 million mark just 38 weeks after it launched.

The new data from Chart Track points out that the PS2 took 50 weeks while the Xbox 360 took 60 weeks to top the magical figure. The diminutive Wii now controls a whopping 68% of the UK console market [I take it this does not count older consoles like the millions of PS2s], while Nintendo’s other little earner, the DS dominates the handheld market with an 86% share. A chuffed David Yarnton, general manager of Nintendo UK said:

“The non-stop demand for Wii, even in the traditionally slow sales period for video games in the UK, is clearly behind this record-breaking achievement. With the increasing number of unique software titles for the system from Nintendo and third parties, [the Wii] is being enjoyed by both avid and new gamers of all ages.”

Well, it may not have the power, HD or graphics capabilities of its fatter rivals but as top sod, Simon Cowell, would say, it obviously has the X-factor.

Darth Vader Transformer. Oh No.

There will be Star Wars fans gagging at this and I’m sorry, but Darth Vader has had his asthmatic ass dragged into this century to become, or all things, a Transformer. I could see the usefulness of the Darth Vader costume and even the kitsch fun of a Vader phone, but this?

It looks OK as plastic toy figurines go but it’s still pretty lame. The only upside, if it can be called that, is that he transforms into the Death Star and not some crappy American muscle car with all the handling of a concrete block.

Here are the features, few as they are, of the Hasbro Star Wars Transformer Deluxe Death Star:

* Darth Vader battles the Rebel Alliance fleet with weapons, warriors, and the power of the Force!
* Darth Vader mech figure changes into Death Star vehicle mode and features two awesome battle modes with electronic lights-and-sounds excitement!
* Figure comes with Darth Vader pilot mini figure, 2 TIE Fighter mini vehicles and 3 Stormtrooper mini figures
* This is one awesome figure for your collection!
* A "must-have" for any Star Wars collection!

Wow, how awesome [not] is that? It’s bound to sell lots though. Expect to pay £25.

European Treo 750 gets WM6 update

For owners of the Treo 750/750v living across the pond, you can finally enjoy the goodness of Windows Mobile 6 on your smartphone courtesy of the European site. Users of BlackBerry Connect would have to hold off this upgrade process though since it is now compatible with Windows Mobile 6 at point of publishing. You can now enjoy improved calendar management and an enhanced user interface, email messaging, HTML/Smart Filtering, SharePoint access, and voice command via Bluetooth among others. Those who can't wait for the update on the US site can always head towards the European site without any worry of bricking your precious Treo 750.
[Source]

Palm Centro - First Clean Image

After days of looking at blurry pictures, here comes the first clean image (it’s a computer rendering) of the Palm Centro.

As we said before, the word on the street is that the Centro is a low-cost smartphone that would retail for $99 or so. It looks like a (small and) good phone for heavy SMS users and we’ll have to see what other functionalities are available before commenting further. I can’t wait for the upcoming leak of the user manual and/or the specs. I wonder if Palm organized the “leak” because they are under pressure right now…

Flexible displays created by stretching crystals

As researchers continue to forge ahead in their quest to create commercially viable flexible displays, a new team from Canada has apparently unearthed a breakthrough of sorts. Reportedly, the crew has been able to conjure up a full-color display which boasts pixels made from photonic crystals, and by "bonding them to an electroactive polymer that expands when a voltage is applied to it," the colors of the pixels change. According to André Arsenault of the University of Toronto, the newfangled devices "can be viewed just as well in bright sunlight as in indoor light," and if all goes as planned, we could be seeing a whole lot more of these promising units "in as little as two years" when the startup Opalux looks to fit these bendable creations into billboards, handheld gadgetry, and anything else it deems fit.

Netgear intros SPH200W WiFi phone with Skype

If you can reach back into the archives of your brain, you may be able to recall an elusive Netgear WiFi Skype phone that was previewed in May. Unless our eyes are seriously deceiving us, that very handset has now been launched, and it's been titled the SPH200W. Sporting 802.11b/g compatibility, around four hours of talk time (or 48 hours in standby), WEP / WPA / WPA2 support, and most importantly, the ability to take and make Skype calls wherever there's an open WiFi signal, this device also allows you to manage up to 500 contacts and touts a built-in speakerphone. Unfortunately, there's no word on how much this unit will cost you.

Sony PSP gets Go!Messenger

Sony has upped the ante when it comes to functionality of its PSP console, bringing Go!Messenger to the fore that empowers users with text, voice, and video chat capabilities. While chatting with your friends using MSN Messenger and the on-screen keyboard might be excruciatingly slow, there is always the option to use VoIP functionality over a WiFi network. After all, it sure beats navigating through the on-screen keyboard taking all 10 minutes to type out a sentence. Go!Messenger is free for all Sony PSP owners and comes with the next firmware upgrade.

Man With Titanium Heart Feels ‘Emotionless’

A man who became the first permanent recipient of the Jarvik 2000 left ventricular assist device, now claims that he’s cold-hearted.

Peter Houghton, 68, got the mechanical ticker back in 2000. Inside is a titanium turbine the size of a C battery embedded in his dodgy left ventricle, the heart's main pumping chamber. The only moving part is the ‘impeller’ that moves his blood and sounds like mini-washing machine through a stethoscope. Even odder, is the titanium jack in his head for charging the device.

All the same, despite having a life returned to him and leading an active life these days, he feels he can no longer bond emotionally, even with his relatives.

Conceptual UNI enables compartmentalized computing

Those who find difficulty in cracking open a typical tower to replace that aging DVD writer with one that burns in high-definition should adore Richard Choi's UNI concept, which exemplifies compartmentalized computing and takes the stress out of upgrading. Apparently, the "Think" module would act as the core computer and handle the essentials, while a variety of other plug-in modules would provide additional outputs (HDMI, DVI, optical audio, USB, etc.), hard drive space, and optical drives.

Logitech announces V470 mouse

The notebook toting fraternity definitely have far more peripherals to look forward to these days compared to a few years ago, and the Logitech V470 Cordless Laser Mouse is the latest to be announced. The V470 eschews RF in favor of Bluetooth connectivity, making it a snap to hook up to MacBook or Windows-based notebooks without the need for an external receiver. It uses Bluetooth 1.2 wireless technology and features laser tracking for a higher level of accuracy. There is a battery life of 4 months, but I personally find that the figure is probably closer to 70% if you plan on using your mouse for at least 8 hours every day. Features include Side-to-Side Scrolling and an indicator light. The Logitech V470 will retail for approximately $49.99 when it is released early next month.

Asus unveils R600 GPS

Asus’ new R600 GPS navigation device just recently made it through FCC, getting one step closer to being released in the U.S. Asus is aiming at the mid-high range GPS market with this device with features like a light sensor that will automatically adjust the LCD backlight to enhance viewing, bluetooth connectivity to make and receive hands free calls, and a large 4.3″ touch screen.

Asus is also flexing their muscles with a 2200mAh Li-Ion battery and an SD slot that can support up to 4GB where as most other sat nav systems out there can only support 2GB for expansion.

Here is the full set of specs:
OS: MS Windows CE .Net 5.0
CPU:Samsung 400MHz
Display:4.3″ 65K TFT with Touchscreen 480 x 272 Pixels (WQVGA)
Memory:128MB Flash ROM, 64 MB SDRAM
GPS: Built-in SiRF starIII chip
Expansion Slots: SD Slot, up to 4 GB
Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.0 Handsfree
Dimensions:142 x 83 x 18mm, 260g
Battery/Working time: 2200 mAh, (6 hours working time)
MP3 player, Video player, Photo Viewer
Supports Light sensor
Optional TMC module

Crush Cans, Frogger Style

While you could accomplish the same feat by strapping on a shoe—or better yet, bracing your forehead—where's the fun in that? It supports up to 90kg (though charging Frogger leaps probably aren't a great idea) and runs a little under $23.

Make a Solar Water Heater for Less Than $5

There's nothing like soaking up some free solar energy, but the biggest barrier to entry has been the expensive devices you'll need, such as solar panels and water heaters. Now you can make your own solar water heater for less than five dollars, and the Instructables site says it's not all that difficult to do.

Just snag the coolant grill from an old refrigerator that you might have lying around, or maybe visit the local redneck section of town and there might be one sitting in the yard. It takes about three hours to construct the device after you've found all the necessary parts, and then, before you know it, the water coming out of that grill is hot enough to burn you. If that water's had time to sit in there for a while and it's a sunny day, that is.

One problem with this idea is when water is moving through that grill, it doesn't get quite as hot. Also, you'll have to take your showers and use hot water only on sunny days. The water heater's creator admits this device is probably only good for camping or for a science experiment, but it's a good demonstration of the simplicity of solar energy.[Source]

HTC Shift Gets 60 Hours of Hands-On

The dudes over at GottaBeMobile got to play with the HTC Shift, the upcoming Windows Vista-running UMPC from HTC. If you don't remember, this UMPC beats current UMPCs because it has an actual slide-out, fold-up QWERTY keyboard. What does GBM think about it? Best. UMPC. Ever. They even made a video of their experience.

Here are the specs, if you don't recall:
• Windows Vista Business (3 hrs battery)
• Intel Santa Rosa A110 Processor
• 1GB DDR2 RAM
• 40GB HDD
• HSDPA (Data only) ready
• Web Cam
• Biometrics
• Windows Pocket PC (over 5 days battery life when used exclusively)
• Qualcomm 400MHz Processor
• 64MB RAM

Yes, it has both Windows Vista and Pocket PC (PDA OS), but nobody wants to use anything but Windows Vista on this. Three hours seems pretty short for a portable device of this size, but we're still looking forward to seeing what this can do in our own hands. [Source]

Pee and Play

The Piss-Screen - a pressure-sensitive inlay set within urinals, enabling users to play while they pee. New devices were installed in male restrooms across Frankfurt, teaming up with a variety of bars, clubs and cafés. The game itself was displayed on a screen above each urinal, and would automatically start as soon as someone began to pee. The player could then control the car whilst relieving himself – if they wanted the car to go right, they simply peed to the right (and visa versa).

Sony Ericsson K850i CyberShot

The Sony Ericsson K850i is a phone that signals a new era in digital imaging. Although it is very important to have a high resolution camera like this, there are many other criteria that are important to shoot a great picture or video too.

The phones has specs that include autofocus, digital zoom, an automatic Xenon flash, three LED video light for recording at night. The BestPic feature lets you select the best out of nine stills shot in quick succession. The handset shoots videos at 30 frames per second (30fps) which is double that of normal phones. The handset also boats HSDPA technology that can achieve much higher data speed than 3G, quad band GSM mobile network connectivity to GPRS, EDGE, Bluetooth and USB.

Magellan Triton

Unleash your inner explorer with the adventurous Triton handheld GPS from Magellan. There are six models in total, all sporting QVGA touch screens (2.2"or 2.7") that are waterproof up to one meter. Some feature expandable memory via an SD slot alongside a 2-megapixel digital camera and digital audio player. The top-of-the-line Triton 2000 has a 3-way electronic compass and a built in barometer. All the Triton models can be enhanced with National Geographic's own topographical maps, which have never been commercially available on a GPS unit.
   Accessed via software and transferred to the GPS unit via optional data cable, the National Geographic maps are an outdoorsman's dream.
   You can fly through virtual areas, plot routes through recreational sites and mark waypoints for your journey. When you get back from your trip, plug back in and upload your data to get a visual representation of your hike. The Triton 2000 is priced at $499, but you can strip away various features until you bottom out at the Triton 200, a $129 barebones device. Look for the Tritons next month.

First iPod Dock/Speaker With DAB

The very stylish RDI-03, which will ship in October, is the first merged product from Intempo which already builds speaker docks and decent DAB radios. The glossy piano black exterior hides 30Watts of power including a 15Watt subwoofer. It’s compatible with iPods and MP3 players and will charge all iPods, barr the Shuffle.

The DAB radio sports a alarm clock function too and everything can be controlled by the remote. You will be able to find it in Dixons, Currys.digital, Argos and Amazon.

Expect to see more clever products like this as the year rolls on, and about time too.

New CD player from YankoDesign

Sales of CDs fastly going down. All music goes to Internet.

Looks like designer Yong-Seong Kim decided to stop this process. DMP, a portable music player that supports CD and MP3 files. Use the MP3 player as you normally would, hang it around your neck, clip it on your jeans or place it in your pocket. Otherwise open both sides and insert your favorite CD and you got yourself a CD player my friend. Now that’s music to my ears.