Archive for January 2007

This cool new desktop alarm clock lets you integrate it into your environment by providing interchangeable fabric face panels. The clock features a walnut wood and stainless steel case with a special frame that lets you easily replace the face with any fabric of your choice (it includes 3 swatches in the box for you to get started with.)

Interact TV, makers of numerous Linux-based home media servers has just announced the latest in their line-up, the MyTellyHD (what sort of silly name is that?) It features a complete home media server including PVR, DVD, music and photo library capabilities.

One thing sorely lacking from Sony’s SIXAXIS controller for the PS3 is the rumble sensation that’s present in pretty much all of the other major gaming systems out there. Sony claimed they left it out due because it interfered with the systems motion sensors, but conventional wisdom tells us that a legal dispute between Sony and Immersion kept the controllers rumble-free. That all said, it’s us gamers who really lost out, and there are certainly some games where rumble feedback is sorely missed.

Apple today introduced an update to the 2nd-generation iPod Shuffle line by releasing it in four new colors, adding metallic pink, green, blue and orange to the already available silver model. Like the earlier silver model, the new iPod Shuffles feature 1GB of flash memory (holding about 240 tracks,) a super compact design and a built-in clip to attach it just about anywhere.

While most conventional printers use ink, toner or wax to print, these new portable printers from Zink will print full color images without applying any substance to the surface of the paper. Instead of ink or toner, Zink’s compact printers will use a special paper, embedded with color dye crystals that are activated when heat is applied.

Microsoft today announced what’s in store for the Xbox 360’s Live Arcade download service, and it looks like there’s some pretty good stuff coming down the pike in the near future. Here’s a list of the games that we can expect in the coming weeks and months (release dates weren’t specified): 3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures, from developer Wanako Games and publisher Sierra Online, allows gamers to putt their way through 36 fun-filled holes of manic mini-golf action on wild courses that range from the Old West to outer space and feature a bevy of crazy hazards and obstacles.

One of the biggest problems with home electronic gear is hiding all the wires associated with your projects. Sure, there are cable management solutions such as cord channels, cable ties and ugly wiremold systems, but none of them look nearly as nice as running all your cables in the walls.

I’ve heard of pest eradicators that use ultrasonic sounds to drive off rodents and insects, but this is the first humane way I’ve heard of to get rid of those annoying teens. Coined the “Mosquito Ultrasonic Teenage Deterrent,” the device emits annoying tones that can only be heard by those aged 20 and younger.

Regardless of whether you’re a fan of the the British Sci-Fi classic Doctor Who, you’ll be the life of the party when you wear the Cyberman Voice Changer Helmet. Modeled after the recently updated version of the Cybermen in the long-running BBC series, this helmet not only makes you look quite silly, it makes your voice sound silly too.

Having trouble unlocking those oh-so-pesky achievements on your Xbox 360 games? Now you can generate your own custom achievements with this fun achievement generator web application. The guys over at Technology-Ninja put together this tool that lets you make any silly achievement badge you’d like.

A couple of years back, a new regulation was passed that enabled banks to remotely deposit checks by scanning digital images, then transmitting the images to the originating bank. Now that digital images of checks are considered to be just as good as paper checks, it looks like this technology is starting to hit homes. USAA is now offering the ability for its members to deposit checks without ever leaving their house.

The folks over at Boing Boing dug up this fun little stop-motion video features a handful of arcade classics, brought to life through the magic of candle-mation (that is, animation done completely with tealight candles). Pac-man, Pong, Space Invaders and Tetris all make an appearance, along with a nice little musical Mario tribute.

Remember K.I.T.T., the talking computerized car from the old 80’s TV hit Knight Rider? Now K.I.T.T. (actually just a full-scale replica) can be yours if you’re the winning bidder in this eBay auction. Built by a dedicated fan in Toronto (I guess Canadian’s love David Hasselhoff too,) the car took over 4 years and $40k (CAD) to build.

Didn’t think you could maintain that deep, dark, tropical tan during these cold winter days? Well thanks to this handy USB gadget, you can keep that (un)healthy glow all year long. ThinkGeek’s USB Desktop Tanning Center lets you roast your epidermis to three shades of tan, ranging from Starbucks Vanilla Latte to Ooompa Loompa.

This nifty add-on for the Xbox 360 combines additional cooling like Nyko’s Intercooler, but also adds some other nice bells and whistles to the back of the console. The Gamexpert Cooler King adds direct-connect video outputs to the back of your Xbox 360, including VGA, component, S-video and composite, as well a digital optical output for surround sound.

Ever since the Sony PSP came out about 2 years ago, it’s gotten a pretty bad rap for its relative lack of quality gaming titles, especially when compared to the Nintendo DS. Sure, a handful of innovative games like Lumines and LocoRoco have made their way onto the portable, but for every one good game, there are twenty stinkers.