As the program’s name says it will lock the computer when the temperature in the surrounding area – basically where the sensor is pointed at – drops. You can set the temperature threshold as well as the amount of time before the PC auto locks, e.g. you can set it to lock the computer when the temperature drops to 20ºC and below, and if that drop is sustained for 5 seconds.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

The sensor’s responsiveness is impressive. The advantage that the Bluetooth-based unlock program has over LockIfNotHot is that it can both lock and unlock a computer automatically. But Stevens probably realized that making his program work both ways – i.e. unlock the computer if it gets warmer – would be quite dangerous, since any object that causes an increase in temperature will trigger that function, so he just left it as it is. Once the PC is locked you’ll have to log in the normal way and enter the password.

You can download LockIfNotHot for free from Stevens’ blog, but of course it’s useless without the IR temperature sensor, and that’ll set you back almost $90 (USD).

[via Ubergizmo]

Looking at the code, I can see that it has no room for variation save for the gender. Its product won’t even have internal organs! I challenge programmers out there to not work and instead set aside their time to come up with a more detailed digital DNA.I’m pretty sure though that not even the most anti-social programmer would prefer to reproduce by writing code, because a coded offspring can only do two things: run and execute. Amirite?

[Alvago Go! via Gearfuse]

This was made by a commenter on xADAMx‘s blog, after the latter posted the original reminder, which he saw in one of the bathrooms of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Check out the blog to see the original picture and to download the high-res pdf version. Work long and proper. Properly? Dammit.

[via Geekologie]

If you watch the video, you will see that when you put the dropper section near a file on your computer screen and squeeze, the file is transferred to the device or at least across the network. When you go to another computer, you can squeeze the dropper and the file is placed onto the other machine.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

The dude in the video then turns and squeezes the bulb and sends the file he has been moving to a set of speakers. Guess what plays- Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Up. Any geek worth his salt knows that is the infamous Rickroll tune. I call BS. What do you think?

[via Make:]

Way back when I started using email daily, it was through a Unix terminal at school. Then, when I had email at home, I juggled a few Hotmail accounts and one that was provided from my ISP. By the time Hotmail was bought by Microsoft, I had already moved on.

Now, I use Gmail. I’ve got a few different accounts and addresses that are all managed by a single one. It works really well and I use Merlin Mann’s Inbox Zero concept to keep my inbox empty. How about you guys? What kind of email address do you use?

[via Clusterflock]

The example above shows an Armenian-friendly keyboard. Check out the official Google blog for the full list of countries with the virtual keyboard enabled. It’s a great feature, but I think you can only access a specific virtual keyboard if you’re on the corresponding version of Google. For example, to use the Armenian keyboard you’ll have to go to http://www.google.am. Maybe it’s just me, but wouldn’t it be more convenient to have the whole set of virtual keyboards available on all versions of Google? Not all Armenians are in Armenia, if you know what I mean.

[via Ubergizmo]

Depending on the configuration, the iTable can detect up to 32 touch points, and can be as large as 65″. Actually I think PQ Labs can build larger screens if you ask nicely. So is the iTable any good? It seems to be good enough for playing Warcraft III. Watch out for the gesture that’s mapped to the attack command:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Now that’s how you command an army.

[via CrunchGear]

If you’ve ever wanted to listen to shortwave radio on your computer or laptop, this is the device to use. For a shortwave radio solution, Raremono looks pretty good. It uses some minimalist design, which is always good in my book. Surfing the radio frequencies has never been easier!

The included software allows you to save audio in either MP3 or WAV file format onto your computer’s hard drive.

It’s available here for ¥3.980 (approx $44.73 USD). For that price, you also get an antenna to pick up the radio waves and the necessary cables to hook everything up.

[Thanko via DVice]

However, the file transfer is mediated by a program called Ur-Transfer, so there’s a chance that the device is for computers running Windows only. Sad face for me and my Mac. The software can also synchronize Outlook data, or you can tell it which folders you want to be synced. Sweet. PQI’s press release also says that the software’s icon will reflect the remaining capacity on the Cool Drive U360′s flash memory.

The Cool Drive U360 will be available in varying capacities, from 4GB to 16 GB. Price and date of availability are still unknown; better bookmark PQI’s website for future updates on this very practical device.

[via Unplggd]

It’s made of smaller pieces that you have to slide apart before you can get to the flash drive. That’s the flash drive right there, the one one that looks like a domino piece. Here’s what solidalliance has to say about their product: “As we wanted our USB flash drive to be used with care and attention, we chose a precious, expensive, bulky and heavy material that would be difficult to use.”

WOW. So if you want people to use your product with “care and attention”, you screw them over by giving them a needlessly complicated piece of crap? Why don’t you just give us flash drive parts in a brown paper bag scribbled with assembly instructions written in hieroglyphics?

And there’s another catch: the Mnemosyne is priced at a whopping $10,410 (USD). Wow. Apparently to solidalliance, rich people are stupid. I hope that’s not true.

[via newlaunches and akihabara news]

The head-to-head serves as a reminder of just how much technology has changed over the years, as well as a rough idea of how freakin’ rich Apple must be: while the old breadbox has a colossal lead in terms of total units sold at 32 million (it was first released in 1982),  a head esploding 1 million iPhone 3GS units were sold on its first 3 days on sale alone. That’s just insane.

That’s the start of the list. Funny how the C64 is almost all keyboard while the iPhone has no real keyboard at all. Other interesting facts: there are a total of 50,000 apps for the iPhone. McCracken(!) goes by the official number of C64 apps which is more or less 10,000, but several commenters are claiming that there are up to 100,000 programs for the C64. That seems like a huge advantage, until you realize that the iPhone is only less than 3 years old while the C64 is 27.

Of course the iPhone sweeps the tech specs trophies, but the C64 won lots of love because it offered… FREEDOM! The William Wallace of gadgets had neither carrier tie-ins nor app approval jujitsu. As one commenter said, if there was an iPhone emulator for the C64 it would’ve been warmly welcomed and immediately approved, no questions asked, except maybe “Would you like some cookies?”

Head on to Technologizer for the full list and the flame war. The C64 fanboys (fangrandfathers?) are winning. McCracken! Sorry.

[via Download Squad]

HP has already secured the support of a few websites that will provide unique services and features available only to future users of the PSPWTSW. For example, users will be able to print USA Today stories straight off the printer’s touchscreen. Nickelodeon has a bunch of kid-friendly content for print such as word finds, color-ins and mazes. Users will also be able to print Google Maps, coupons, and even movie tickets. Neat.

The PSPWTSW will be available in the United States come autumn for $399 USD. Gizmodo was able to procure a test unit, and while they thought that the hardware is topnotch, they came upon the logical conclusion that the things you can do on the tiny touchscreen can be done just as easily – of not easier – on a normal computer. Maybe HP should have attached a printer to a monitor instead of attaching a tiny computer to a printer.

[via gadgetell]

Okay I must admit, USB frog looks cool. He looks like a tatooed alien frog. With a USB interface sticking out of his butt.

I don’t like USB duck. He’s boring. As I said, both are handmade, plus they’re made from a traditional Japanese heavy crepe cloth called chirimen, hence their price: a 2GB capacity of either animal sells for $83 (USD),  then $94 for 4Gb, and finally $105 for the 8GB. If you think they’re worth it, head on to ExpensiveStuff4U GeekStuff4U.

[via Akihabara News]

As you can see the mouse has two parts. The base is where the optical tracking device is, nothing new here, you move the mouse to move the cursor-on screen. The bobblehead on top is the wobbly one, and theoretically it should minimize the strain by being wobbly.

We don’t have a video of the TRU:MOTION mouse in action, so we can’t say how well this translate into actual usage. But if Smartfish’ brochure (pdf) is to be believed, the wireless mouse – along with other ergonomic peripherals and devices – will be available this year. We’ll be on the lookout for reviews then. For now, why don’t you try mashing a bobblehead figure to a mouse, just to see how it works. Come on. It’ll be fun.

[via Chip Chick]

Problem is, the price stinks: the PoOP mousepad sells for $16 USD at Mousepad Warehouse. There’s no way I’m paying $16 for a mousepad. And it doesn’t even mention the deadlier Sulfur Hydrogen Iodine Titanium mix– wait. Never mind.

[via Nerd Approved]

But Neatdesk’s doesn’t stop there; the included NeatWorks software “identifies and extracts the important information and automatically organizes it for you.” From what I can tell, it can recognize and automatically classify your scanned documents.

It’s very helpful not only for organizing and archiving, but for accounting as well, because the software recognizes US and Canadian business cards, as well as receipts and other records accepted by the IRS. The Neat Company claims that NeatWorks can export data to Outlook, Excel, Quicken and TurboTax too.

You can order a Neatdesk over on Amazon for about $399 (USD). A Mac-compatible version is also available.

[Neatdesk via Everything USB]

The duplicator can be used as a single 60-port device or as three separate 20-port devices. The duplicator only works with Windows; for some reason its product page says that it requires Windows XP SP2. Additional minimum system requirements are: Dual Core 2.0 GHz processor, 2 GB RAM, 3 USB ports (for a 20 to 1 port ratio – not bad!) and Microsoft .NET.

I’m not sure if you can use it as a USB hub, as support for USB devices is not mentioned. Although I’m pretty sure none of you own 60 USB devices.

You can get Nexcopy’s 60-port USB duplicator at ProDuplicator for $3,000 USD; shipping is free within the 48 contiguous states.

And that’s why I’m not impressed by the software. First of all, just how hard is it to manually log out or lock your computer? If you have sensitive data then it should be worth the ” annoying effort required to constantly lock and unlock your PC with passwords or finger swipes.” Second, if you want to protect your data, why give potential thieves another way to steal it? If your phone is stolen then your data’s security is also compromised.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

In a way, it’s cool because it’s like your computer can detect your presence. Unfortunately it’s just like that, but not really. If you have sensitive data then by all means take measures to protect it. Make a hard-to-guess password and don’t give it away. If you want to check out Phoenix Freeze, you can download a trial version on Phoenix Technologies’ website. Just make sure your phone doesn’t get lost or stolen.

It’s just wrong. Like a Bumblebee that transforms into a plane. Or an Optimus Prime that transforms into a gorilla. Oh wait.

Meh. It’s okay I guess, since it’s doubly geeky. But I can’t believe it’s a PC. /runs

You can preorder a Blaster 4-port USB hub at Big Bad Toy Store for $60 USD; shipping starts September this year.

[via Maximum PC]

The aluminum enclosure is compatible with 3.5″ SATA drives and even has a built-in fan to ensure your hard disk stays (relatively) cool. But as I said, what’s different about this device is that it can play digital media files – cheap. Its product page says that it supports “MPEG 4 MP4 WMA WAV AAC DVD VCD MP3 CD and more AV formats and JPG.” So I guess we could call it an HTHDDE.

The enclosure can be connected to a TV via a component AV cable; unfortunately it doesn’t support HDMI, so no hi-def watching with this one. Once you’ve connected it to your TV, you can navigate and play your files using a remote control that comes with the enclosure. And yes, the screwdriver is included in the package.

Like most other HDD enclosures, it also connects to computers via USB, but it also has a couple of USB ports built-in. Amazingly, it can also read SD and SDHC cards. This brandless box is quite the device, isn’t it? The best thing about it is that it’s dirt cheap.

You can buy this surprisingly versatile HDD enclosure at Deal Extreme for only $33.20 USD. If you have any spare hard drives lying around just plug it in the enclosure and voila: you have a cheap Apple TV-ish device. Well it can’t record, download or stream multimedia, and there’s the lack of HDMI support, but for $33 it looks like a good buy. Although I don’t know how well its built-in media player performs. So, you know, it may not be a good buy. I don’t know. What do you think?