That’s exactly what the DataKiller promises to do. Created by Platform of Japan, this large metal contraption is said to instantly kill the data on magnetic media by realigning all of the magnetic particles in the same orientation.

In addition to wiping hard drives clean, the DataKiller can also clear off magnetic tapes just as quickly. After they’ve been through the DataKiller, all erased media can be reused like new. While the idea behind using magnetic fields to erase hard drives is nothing new, this is the first time I’ve seen such an imposing and serious looking data security device. As a matter of fact, the largest of these devices can wipe 14 hard drives at the same time.

Just remember not to put your credit cards inside of the DataKiller when you switch it on.

[via DigInfo]

This wallpaper has special patterns of silver crystals, which have been placed to block the Wi-Fi frequencies of your router, keeping signals from leaving(or entering) your space. The wallpaper goes on sale in 2013 from Alhstrom, a Finnish company, and it will cost the same as mid-range traditional wallpaper, so you won’t break the bank putting this up in every room. Of course, if you put it up in every room, there’s a good chance you’ll disrupt Wi-Fi inside your own home, so you might just want to stick with exterior walls. It’s probably best used in a commercial setting, like an office building to keep other businesses from hopping on your network.

If don’t like the pattern it comes in, you can cover it up with paint, but I actually think the pattern looks cool. You’ll also have to put this wallpaper up on the ceiling as well as the floor for it to work. Naturally windows are still a problem, so if you don’t live in a basement or a Batcave, you still might be out of luck.

[L'informaticien via DVice]

The EZSAVE supports both 2.5″ and 3.5″ drives, even solid state drives. You can set and enter the password via its touch control panel or, for added flair, via voice. As with other 256-bit AES encrypted drives, your HDDs and SSDs won’t be read even if they’re unmounted from the EZSAVE and connected to other devices. If you forget your password, you can still access the data as long as you remember the master key that the EZSAVE generated when you connected the drive for the first time.

Make sure no one’s around you when you order the EZSAVE from Brando for $109 (USD). Then erase your browser’s history. Delete your browser. Reformat your computer. Throw it away. Hide your kids. Hide your drives. This post will not self-destruct.

[via Ubergizmo]

The setup uses either NFC or RFID technology, along with chips embedded in devices; an ID embedded with the chip can be used to identify individuals. The connected devices can then be monitored and their access to electricity regulated remotely, as shown in the video below:

But what else will we be able to do in a world where sockets know who we are? An authenticated network of devices can make it easier to manage our power consumption. It can also lead to charging stations being more ubiquitous, whether for future electric cars on the road or just today’s mobile gadgets in public places like airports. Then again, it can also be used in nefarious ways, from gathering data on devices to denying access to a very fundamental commodity.

In any case, Sony knows that their concept needs industry-wide support in order to be implemented – it will take years and lots of resources to set up the smart outlets and convince manufacturers to install chips in their devices – so office slackers, grounded kids and conspiracy theorists don’t need to band together and rise up just yet.

[via Diginfo via Akihabara News]

Google has what many consider to be one of the fastest search engines on the web and therefore its proprietary server and networking gear technology is considered to be one of its biggest assets. When you look at it that way, it’s understandable that Google would be very sensitive about the secrets hidden inside its web hardware. So it’s surprising that Google and many of the biggest firms on the web have servers in the same location operated by a company called Equinix. While these facilities are very secure, once you’re out on the floor, it’s easy to peek into anyone’s cage of equipment.

Google is rather paranoid since its competition is literally across the hall, and has taken the light bulbs out of its hardware bays. With no light, the idea is it would make it more difficult for competitors to peek in and glean any hints on how to speed up their own services. How do geeks manage the servers you ask? Apparently, if a system administrator needs to work on site, Google hands out helmets with lights attached to them like a miner would wear when people need to go into the server racks.

What do you think, is this paranoia or pragmatism?

[via Wired]

These are nothing like brass knuckles. In fact, they’re actually covered with a soft, rubber skin – totally unlike tough and hard brass. It can do way more than what the brass version can because it’s actually a stun gun in disguise, which is why it would totally be unethical to use these in fist fights.

What you can use this for, however, is self-defense – assuming it’s permitted where you live. Stun guns aren’t legal in many places.

Just flip off the safety and power it up in one hand to send a whopping 950,000 volts of shocking pain throughout the crook or perpetrator. A few seconds will send them running in shock, but a longer contact time will eventually bring them to their knees.

And you thought you had a strong punch.

The Knuckle Blaster Stun Gun is available from Amazon for about $48(USD).

[via InStash]

Watch the demo below to find out how to use BlackSMS:

I find it a bit tedious to keep switching between the Message app and BlackSMS, especially if you end up engaged in a long conversation. It would’ve been nicer if it was integrated into iMessage itself; then again I’m not sure if Apple will allow that. Also, keep in mind that both you and the person you’re texting have to have the app and need to be texting with iMessage, not regular SMS. But if you can’t wait to pass digital secret notes, download BlackSMS from the App Store for $0.99 (USD). Just don’t render it useless with a weak password, okay?

[via Lifehacker]

In the case that you happen to have an account with a company that had been hacked, then fret not, because you can use PwnedList to check if your information has been compromised.

The online tool was developed by Alan Puzic, who is a professional security intelligence researcher who’s into “white-hat” hacking (or the good kind, if there really is one). In an interview, Puzic said: “Our goal was to design a simple-to-use online portal where an average user could check to see if his or her account credentials were leaked.”

You can check if your accounts are safe simply by typing in your username or e-mail address and hitting “Check.” If you find you’ve been compromised, now would be a good time to go change all of your passwords that use that email address. And if you’re worried about PwnedList itself, don’t, because they won’t store any of the information that you enter or any hits on searches you’ve made for your accounts on its database.

[via PCWorld]

For starters, there’s a safe that looks just like the TARDIS, complete with all the appropriate blue Police Box details, including a flashing blue light on the roof. It looks like it’s a pretty decent size, and could hold small, but precious things like coins, jewelry or even small documents. Of course, there’s no telling if they might get transported to some other time or dimension once you put them in there and shut the door.

Star Wars fans can skip the TARDIS and go straight for the R2-D2 safe, which finally proves that there wasn’t actually a little person inside of the droid, but a hollow storage compartment perfect for holding onto your precious galactic credits and other goodies.

Each safe locks using an app which runs on your iPhone, iPod Touch or Android phone which outputs a series of blinking lights when docked – so your only key is a mobile device with your code keyed in. Of course, the biggest problem with small safes like these is that if a criminal really wanted what was inside, they could just pick it up and crack it open with a lightsaber, a sonic blaster, or a ball-peen hammer.

Both safes both come from UK watch and gadget company Zeon, and are expected in stores sometime around June.

[via Pocket-Lint and C|Net]
(Thanks for the tip, Mo!)

Tests have yielded a 98% percent recognition success rate. The data gets sent back to a laptop where it is aggregated into a reading of your specific butt. Then it can be used as the “key” to keep others from using your car.

It might also alert you to the fact that you are gaining weight if it one day refuses to turn on the car. That will teach you to eat the entire bag of chips.

[via TechCrunch via Geekosysytem]

The problem was that when people tried to get into their rooms, they found the keys no longer worked. Huge crowds of people lingered in the lobby and halls since they had nowhere to go. The hotel elevators were also locked out. The police even had to be called as some fights broke out in the hotel. When it was all over, guests were locked out for about four hours. The lockout didn’t end until about 3am, and people were given free rooms as a thank you for not destroying the hotel.

Strangely enough, the problem started at about 11pm, so it’s not clear if the cutover to 2012 was responsible for the failure, since the system clock would have had to have been on Central time for that to have had an impact.

[via 9news]

Of course, it would also be insane to just carry a bag while you workout. Imagine having to lift weights and keeping a close eye on your purse or backpack. Why not just bring along your valuables and essentials with you–in your towel?

Playing on this idea, the Zhu PockeTowel has a pocket compartment at the bottom with a hidden zipper. Just put your stuff inside and hang the towel around your neck or over your shoulder while you go do your thing.

Aside from its handy pockets, the towel is made from bamboo, which has natural anti-microbial and hypoallergenic properties.

Each Zhu PockeTowel retails for $19.95 (USD). You can get two at a discounted price of $33.95 and three for $41.95.

[via Oh! Gizmo]

The LockDown has a touchscreen keypad and LCD screen to facilitate password entry. It uses AES 256-bit hardware encryption, and you can use it with any OS or USB-based device. Here’s Satechi’s setup video for the LockDown:

Turn on private browsing and head to Satechi’s website to order the LockDown. It sells for $99 (USD), which isn’t too bad considering it comes with a USB 3.0 cable, USB-to-DC cable and screwdriver for assembly. Note that the encryption will still protect the hard drive even if you take it out of LockDown, so you can make and swap out multiple encrypted hard drives. Just make sure you don’t lose the enclosure, or you’ll never access your data again.

(This article has been significantly revised because the whole “Cryptex” concept from The DaVinci Code flew over my head. My apologies. And now, we return to your scheduled programming.) The Crypteks USB drive doesn’t just have a mechanical lock like the DIY Cryptex drive. It has additional security features aside from the mechanical lock, like 256-bit AES hardware encryption, a read-only mode and the ability to set the number of wrong password attempts before the drive goes Men in Black and wipes its contents.

The Crypteks USB has already earned more than twice its target goal on Kickstarter. The fundraiser will still be up for 22 days, so sneak your way to its project page if you want to be one of the first to own a Crypteks USB drive. Those of you who want to play it safe with your money (but apparently not with your data!) can avail of the retail version when it drops mid-2012. My only complaint about this drive is that it’s USB 2.0-spec only, which is kind of disappointing considering the drive costs $130 (USD) for the 8GB version and $160 for the 16GB version.

[Crypteks via The Verge]

The Ballistic Clipboard was actually developed upon the request of law enforcement personnel. Not to take anything away from the conventional bulletproof vest, but the clipboard can actually protect the officer (or clipboard-wielding person) in areas where the vest can’t – providing he or she has fast hands and lightning-quick reflexes, that is.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

The discrete protection that the Ballistic Clipboard provides costs $150 (USD), which seems like a pretty reasonable amount for something that could literally save your life at some point.

[via Ubergizmo via Oh Gizmo!]

Now, I don’t know about you, but I think having one of those emergency distress buttons would be pretty cool. Not for your home or office or car (although it would be pretty cool to have a button at each of these locations), but for yourself. And that’s essentially what you’ll get with MyRingGuard.

Currently in the prototype stages, MyRingGuard is a ring that’s molded from silicone and plastic that, when triggered, sends off a signal to your smartphone via Bluetooth to fire off a pre-programmed text message to a set group of people, along with your exact location via GPS.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

MyRingGuard is up for funding at Indie Gogo with a target goal of $30,000. Assuming the project is funded, a $39 pledge will get you a MyRingGuard personal emergency button for yourself. Now there’s another way of putting a ring on it.

[via Oh Gizmo!]

I didn’t have the mind to reason with her then that it was because the peephole was way up there and I way way down here. So that was the last day I answered our door (until I grew tall enough), which wasn’t much of a problem for me because it’s not like I wanted to stop what I was doing every time someone would knock or ring the bell.

But with this premise in mind, designer Hyun-june Yang has come up with the “Who Is Out There?” peephole that’s designed for kids and elderly adults who can’t reach the regular old peephole anymore.

Aside from being a normal peephole, “Who Is Out There?” also integrates a periscope to create a child-friendly peephole. What results is an extended peephole that looks a bit like some pipes welded together, but it could prove to be really useful.

[via Yanko Design]

To use the camera, simply look through its lens, press its button and then “scan the room at a slow and methodical pace.” Like a boss. Spy. Like a boss spy. You should then see any camera lens flash red, as shown in the video below:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

You can order the SpyFinder Personal hidden camera detector from Spytronic for $99 Canadian (~$94 USD). Next step, a hidden hidden camera detector. Or a hidden camera that looks like a hidden camera detector. Or a hidden camera detector that looks like a hidden camera. Get on it folks. And by folks I mean Brando.

The flaw apparently opens these devices up to allow anyone to copy all the data off the phone as long as they craft an app that asks for the right permission. The data could then be grabbed remotely by anyone since an app can open a network port on the device.

The key flaw is in the android.permission.INTERNET permission and when that permission is called into action, a nefarious app could access just about everything. That permission allows the theft of things like GPS location, email addresses, SMS logs, call logs, and any information in a currently running app. HTC is investigating now and promises a fix if they determine the issue is truly a threat.

[via Android Community]

The CCD-Me-Not is a modified umbrella created by Mark Shepard, studded with infrared LEDs, which are designed to confuse the object detection algorithms used in computer-aided surveillance systems.

It’s definitely an interesting device to have if you are worried about Big Brother watching your every move.

This project is an offshoot of Sentient City, which offers a number of different and unusual devices including, sensor-detecting clothing and setting up an ad-hoc wireless network with your thermos, among other things.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

[CanadianArt via DVice]