Just kidding. And even if the electronics on Flare are affected by water, I think the worst that could happen would be the lights shorting out. I hope.

I like how the electronics enhance but don’t overwhelm the dress. Ossevoort’s work shows that geeky fashion goes way beyond Star Wars t-shirts and video game-themed sneakers. Not that there’s anything bad about those.

[via Bornrich]

At the front and center of Hyundai’s portable boombox is an oversized 12.1-inch LCD monitor. The spec sheet says the screen is 1280 x 800, but from the pictures I’ve seen, I’m not sure that’s really the case. It’s not like you’re going to be watching Hi-Def video on this thing anyhow. Unlike the classic ghetto blaster, these new compact stereos are all about the image, and not the sound. As a matter of fact, the speakers on this boombox have taken a serious backseat to the screen.

The Hyundai HY-1210 is all about watching movies and TV – not listening to your jamz. The portable has a built-in DVD player, and can play content in VCD, DVD, CD, CD-R, JPEG, MP3, MPEG-4, AVI formats. There’s even a Karaoke feature built-in so you can sing along. And if you don’t have any DVDs lying around, there are USB and SD/MMC/MS slots for watching media stored on digital memory devices. And there’s a VGA connector on the back for some reason too. I can officially say this is the first boombox EVER with a VGA port.

Unfortunately, the TV tuner is analog, so you won’t be able to tune in stations in many parts of the world. At least you can listen to the FM radio when you’re not watching those Harajuku girls on screen. And with a 10-watt per channel stereo amp under the hood, audio actually isn’t that bad. One other technological advancement – this boombox only needs 8 “C”-Cell batteries – so we have made progress in the last 25 years or so. Maybe by 2035, we’ll have OLED boomboxes that run on 8 “AAA” batteries.

The Hyundai HY-1210 boombox can be yours over at ChinaGrabber for $219.99 (USD).

The gorgeous, glowing computer is really the ultimate gaming PC. For starters, it looks amazing. But under the hood, it’s a serious workhorse of a machine, that’ll surely pwn any computer you currently own.

At the core of the system is an Intel Core i7 975 Extreme Edition CPU, and a pair of nVidia GeForce GTX 295 graphics cards running in SLI mode. The system has 12 GB of DDR3 RAM, and 2.5 TB of hard disk. There’s also a Logitech G19 gaming keyboard, a custom Razer Boomslang mouse, and 13 video games thrown in for good measure. In total, there’s over $10,000 worth of components in this bad boy.

Parts and labor for this amazing system were donated by nVidia, ASUS, Crucial, Danger Den, Intel, Performance PCs, SilverStone, Smooth Creations, TigerDirect, Western Digital and the whole thing was put together by Out of The Box Mods.

Currently, the system is up for sale on eBay, with a bid price of $4,000 – but I’m certain that will climb as the auction nears its end on 11/24. For more details head on over to the Charity Case Mod website. 100% of the auction proceeds (after auction fees) will go directly to the charity – so bid early and bid often.

[via flickr]

Did that sound like a bunch of crap to you? It did to me, until I watched the videos.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Here’s another one, with a more ordinary story. Watch it and I swear you’ll think of your own search story:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Dawwwwwwww. There are a few more clips at the official Search Stories channel on YouTube. The videos reminded me of just how much we’ve come to depend on Google and the Internet for all sorts of things, from the simple to the complicated ones, that when we want answers there’s a good chance that we’ll immediately tell ourselves, “I’ll just google it.” It’s a funny (and scary) thought.

[via The Official Google Blog]

As TechCrunch’s Jason Kincaid said, you’ll only need three things to run the OS in your system. First you’ll need a Google Account ID, e.g. a Gmail account. Second, you’ll need the disk image itself, which you can either download via torrent (clicking that link will download the torrent file) or at gadget site gdgt. Finally, you’ll need VirtualBox, a free cross-platform virtualization program, although I see no reason why commercial alternatives like VMWare Fusion wouldn’t work.

If you’ve tried creating virtual machines before, the steps for installing Chrome OS are pretty straightforward. Just select Linux as the operating system and Ubuntu as the version, then choose “use existing hard disk” when asked which boot hard disk to use, next, next, next… and voila! You just installed the Chrome browser the hard way. Check out the full article at TechCrunch if you want a more detailed walkthrough.

Each one is built from the finest electronic components, with an optical resolution of 1600 dpi, and with microswitches rated for over 1 million clicks. The mice also feature a stiff, but bendable cable that keeps the cord from getting in your way. There’s also a unique sound-wheel control which kicks in to adjust your system’s volume when you click the scroll wheel.

The handmade wooden mice are available in Bubinga, Makor, Sapele, and Ebony woods from exotic locations like Sierra Leone, Cameroon and Sri Lanka. Of course, being a luxury item, you can’t expect them to be cheap. Prices for the mice range from €668 to €859 (appx. $996 to $1281 USD). If you’ve got money to burn, you can get your hands on one of AlestRukov’s mice here.

[via Behance]

Berg encountered a couple of problems while modding the G4, the first being the proprietary connector that the iMac monitor uses to connect to its controller. He remedied it by installing a shelf on the back for the new connectors. He then installed a surface acoustic wave touchscreen, saying, “its high resolution does not distort the image at all.”

The second problem was the lack of real estate in the base of the iMac: “I initially wanted to make it a Core 2 Duo all in one. Unfortunately, there is a lot less space in there than you think. Its very impressive how Apple constructed it. because it was convection cooled, the parts literally stacked on top of each other. They fit together like a puzzle. The disk drive alone probably takes up 70% of the volume in the base.” He states the solution to this problem more vaguely though: “I decided to keep the computer separate.”  But if it’s proof you need, don’t worry, Berg’s got it all on camera:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Although we all know that a conventionally oriented desktop touchscreen monitor would be a pain to use for more than a few minutes, I think Berg still deserves a round of applause. And major plus points for the Blu-ray drive. But wait!

He had some leftover parts and decided to use them to build a “big touch screen remote equipped with Windows 7 Media Center and a convenient blu-ray player hooked up to my HD TV.” This time he used a 17-inch HP monitor and painted the whole thing black. The touch screen is resistive, which according to him is less sensitive and operates at a lower resolution, but that’s okay Mr. Berg. You turned a white iMac G4 into a black touchscreen Windows Media Center remote control. If that’s not modding then I don’t know what is.

[via Hacked Gadgets]

Before we commit ourselves to this future, note how doubly frail this gossamer tip is – it’s a rumor about a possibility. So it may be as real as Duke Nukem Forever (or do kids nowadays refer to GT 5?). But a gamer can dream, can’t he?

logos from Mozilla and kotaku

[via PlayStation Insider via Maxconsole]

Fans of the classic Sega console will appreciate the clean and compact styling of this portable remake what is arguably one of the best consoles of all time. While I can’t find out much about this casemod other than the fact that it features a nice 7-inch widescreen display, a built-in controller, stereo speakers and that it was “make by china SEGA fans.”

Check it out in action here…

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

I want my portable Shenmue now!

[via TechEBlog]

These new Tactile Pro 3 keyboards are built from the same technology used in the original Apple Extended and Extended II keyboards, complete with lovely, long-throw, clicky ALPS mechanical switches. While the key switches may be decidedly old school, the design of the Tactile Pro 3 has been updated to be more ergonomically friendly than retro Apple keyboards. It’s got a sleek, curvy form factor, and is built for durability. The keys are each laser etched, and the case is designed to keep crumbs and dirt from getting in-between the keys. And Matias has included a special technology that prevents missed key-presses if you’re a smokin’ fast typist. There’s also a built-in 3 port USB 2.0 hub, and it’s even compatible with PCs if you don’t have a Mac lying around.

While $149.95 (USD) might sound like a lot for a keyboard, it seems like a worthwhile investment if you spend all day sitting at your keyboard like I do, and want to type at the highest speed and accuracy. Want one? The Tactile Pro 3 starts shipping in January 2010, and Matias is accepting pre-orders here.

[thanks for the tip, Kenny P!]

Measuring 5″ x 5″ x 2.5″, the Instax is a chubby white thing, like a marshmallow or a cloud. It looks friendlier and more playful than most other cameras. The cute camera prints cute pictures too – wallet-sized pics that have the classic thick border popularized by Polaroid. Note that it can only print pictures of that size, so if you want bigger pics then you’re better off with a conventional cameras. Here’s a sample of pics taken and printed on the Instax:

What’s funny is that the Polaroid PoGo actually prints borderless pics, which makes the Instax more of a spiritual successor to the old Polaroid cameras than the PoGo.

The Instax has a wide-angle lens, a built-in flash, and four exposure settings. Basic features, but then again Fuji isn’t marketing this to serious photographers, and a simple feature set helps keep the price down. The large bay at the back of the Instax houses the film cartridge.

Note that I have not used the Instax (or the PoGo), and I don’t know how much it costs to print digital pics where you live, but for me the short & long term costs of the Instax are just way too high. Photojojo is selling the Fuji Instax instant camera for $90 (USD), but if you’re going to get one you might as well go for the camera + film bundle which costs $105, and save yourself $5. As I said earlier, the film costs $20 for a pack of 20 exposures, which I’m sure most people will use up in no time at all.  Three packs of 20 exposures are also available for $55.

[via bltd]

This unassuming looking prototype might not look like much, but it’s actually the EZ-REM-0001, the very first remote control to require no batteries at all. Power to the remote control is generated using the tiny vibrations caused by pressing the buttons on the face of the remote. The device uses a combination of a sound vibration power generation device, an RF remote control, and a specialized power supply that can drive the circuit with very little power. This new technology was developed as a joint-venture between Japan’s NEC Electronics and Soundpower.

While this might not seem like much, the notion of powering your electronic gadgets simply by using the power generated through button presses is pretty groundbreaking. Perhaps someday we’ll see other devices that can convert your physical movements into renewable energy for electronics. While I don’t know if vibrations will ever generate enough power to send radio waves, you might someday juice up simple electronic devices by simply pressing the power button.

Cool stuff, Maynard. Very cool stuff, indeed.

[via Tech-On!]

The images section will surely be a hit, because it’s basically a treasure trove of cool and free wallpapers for you iPhone. There are two galleries available – the NASA image of the day and the Astronomy picture of the day. Is there any difference between the image of the day and the picture of the day?

The videos and updates sections offer more content, with YouTube clips in the former and twitter feeds in the latter.

Check out the app’s official page for more info. If you have an iPhone or iPod Touch, you can download it here (iTunes link). Do you think the other government agencies should come up with their own apps? I wonder what the IRS app would offer.

[via MethodShop]

This minivan mini speaker from Korea’s Newgood is perfect for those times when you don’t need a lot of sound, but want something more than a pair of ear buds. While they won’t blow your eardrums, I bet these little vehicles would get a million miles to the gallon if they could actually drive. And they’d probably have tiny little DVD players in the headrest of each of the front seats too.

Each minivan measures just 9cm (appx. 3.5 inches) long, and cranks out tunes from your favorite media player. The tiny little vehicle charges up a built-in battery using an included USB dongle, and even has teensy little LED headlights for nighttime driving.

I haven’t found anyone outside of Korea selling these yet, but they’re cute enough that I’m hoping someone will decide to import them so suburbanites around the globe can enjoy them. For now, you’ll have to admire them from afar over at 10×10, where they sell for 13,700 Korean Won (appx. $12 USD) – a whole lot cheaper than a real minivan.

If you need to use the reader half of it, just unscrew the pen to reveal the USB connector. I don’t know if you can use the pen half on its own though.

Maybe in the future we’ll have pens that can recognize our handwriting and store it as a text file, ready for us to plug in to computers  - or our heads! – for reviewing.

You can get the Four SD Slot Pen at GeekStuff4U for appx. $22 (USD); at that price you’d better not be the type who easily loses pens. The pen comes with two ink refills and a USB cable.

Aside from the ION 330 ITX, the PC is equipped with an x64 SSD by Corsair,  4GB Twin2X4096-6400C5 DDR by Corsair, a 90-Watt Pico power supply unit by Logic Supply,  Windows Vista Premium, and an LG GH22 DVD Writer drive. Here’s a more thorough look at the little green thing:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

The design is too loud – and too green – for my taste, but the fact that it rotates makes it one of the best mods that I’ve seen. Check out the Casemod Blog for more pics and info.

[via The Awesomer]

The Aphone A6 phone does its best to look like an iPhone, featuring a 3.5-inch capacitive multi-touch display, and a “dual-core” CPU of some sort. The phone has a 2.0-megapixel camera, GSM EDGE (not 3G), Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity too. It’s pre-loaded with 20 games, Opera Mini, Skype, and Email apps too. Of course, the strangest thing is looking at the screen filled with iPhone-esque icons, then booting into Android 1.5. Weird-o-rama.

If you have the patience to wait for a video clip from China to load into your browser (let it buffer a bit and it’s not so painful), watch the video below to see the Aphone in action. Otherwise, you’ll just have to take my word for it.

No word on where and when you’ll be able to pick up the Aphone A6, but I imagine these will start to turn up in various schlock shops around the globe soon.

[via k3bbs via Shanzai with a nod to Gizmodo]

Stash a Zoombak in you kids’ backpacks and you can tell exactly where they are at all times. Or stick on in your glovebox and find out where that valet is really going with your car. Just load up the iPhone app, choose your tracked item, human or pet, then click “Find Now”. You can even enable a continuous tracking mode, which will watch the movements of your Zoombaks at five-minute intervals.

While Zoombak modules retail for $99 to $149 (USD) each, but I managed to find many modules for as little as $38 over at Amazon, which is a steal. You can grab the iPhone app here.

(Note: If you already have a Zoombak, you will need to update your devices to the latest software to use this app. Be sure to read the notes up on the iTunes store.)

Walky’s interface is idiotproof – make your fingers walk and the robot walks, make a jumping gesture and the robot jumps, kick and the robot kicks. You can imagine how much easier it would be to teach people how to control robots using a system like this as opposed to something that uses an array of buttons, levers and knobs. Nintendo hit upon that idea too, and turned it into lots of money by creating the Wii. Hand over a gamepad to an inexperienced gamer and you’ll have to spend quite some time explaining the controls before the person gets the hang of it, but give that same person a Wii and he won’t even need your help because the input system is much more natural. But is gesture-based input really the simplest and most practical input system?

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

I don’t know about you, but I’m gonna have to side with buttons, levers and knobs for now. If you watched the video you saw how freakin’ cumbersome the system was; there was simply too much effort needed for a simple command. Maybe gesture-based systems are okay for entertainment or educational purposes – Walky is indeed a fun way of introducing robotics to kids – but if I had to use a natural input system I’d rather it be a voice-operated one.

[via Plastic Pals]

The Cool Rider isn’t quite as schmancy as a Segway, but it still looks like a fun way to get around. The vehicle features a powerful single-wheel drive system that can pull you along the streets at a zippy clip.

The battery-powered motor can hit a top speed of 12 mph, and can run for about an hour per charge. The battery pack is removable too, and plugs into any wall outlet. The other unique thing about the Cool Rider is that you can detach the standing sled from the back and just use it to pull you on your skates or rollerblades.

While the $1250 (USD) retail price isn’t exactly pocket change, the Cool Rider does sell for about 1/4 the price of a Segway. Sold? Then head on over to Opulent Items and plunk down your credit card. While you mull it over, why not watch this Cool Rider video clip…

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Gotcha.

BTW, Did you notice that none of the people in the photos are wearing a helmet or knee pads? I don’t know about you, but the whole thing looks just a little bit dangerous to me.  I’d have to bet these things aren’t street-legal anywhere around here.

[via 7Gadgets]