The Demo Site

No longer content to just have their notorious bricks serve as props, Lego are using their bricks for actual gadgets, including a digital camera, MP3 player, boombox, walkie-talkie and—my personal favorite-a stop motion video camera.

Dvice says the digital camera and the MP3 player were the only prototypes on display, which are limited both in function and technical prowess (1.3 megapixel sensor for the cam, 2 gigabytes of storage for the MP3 player). But it's the quirkiness of the stop motion cam that appeals to me. If you ever had a box full of Lego bricks and a video camera growing up, I suspect you've made some stop motion shorts in your time. Now, you can apply that same aesthetic to real world videos.

Lego plans to release the digital camera and MP3 player in the fall for $40 and $50, respectively. Who knows about the rest of the stuff—Lego didn't reveal many details on those. [Dvice]

The mystery is over. After all, R2-D2 wasn't the astromech calculating the warp trajectories for the Enterprise. Here you have the exact timing of his stellar cameo—and the frame capture to prove it:

During the Drill Machine sequence as the Enterprise comes out of its barrel role amidst destruction of the other Federation ships above Vulcan, we cut to an interior Enterprise bridge over the shoulder of Kirk that is looking out through the front viewscreen. In space, R2-D2 is floating in the debris from about the top middle of the screen to the bottom right.

Poor R2. [Oh No They Didn't]

Here's the stuff that we didn't post today. (Until now, obviously.)

• Paul Kinny's stereo acoustic guitar doesn't just look like it's suffering from a massive case of elephantiasis, it also seems like a load of BS. Building in two resonating boards with two separate sound holes on either side of the player's head is a creative innovation, and yes, it would produce some kind of "natural chorus" effect, as the maker says. But pro classical guitarist Leonard Grigoryan (above) could only go so far as to call it "interesting," and at times too loud. When it comes to guitars, we take that single central hole in an acoustic six-string as seriously as we take the Tobacco Sunburst paintjob on a vintage Les Paul. [Gizmag]

• Turns out, the matte finish on that 3GS might really have come from Apple Inc. The FCC code seen on the leaked shots is exactly the same as the one on the final approved phone. But what does it mean for us? As John Gruber implies, it was either a red herring used to sniff out leakers internally, or a pulled plug of a design idea. Either way, it's nothing to us. [Daring Fireball]

• The light glove is a wannabe music maker that uses LED readings from your fingers to identify the notes you want to pick. It pretends to be a real instrument, when it's really more of a gesture controller with too few "buttons" to be useful for anything but Guitar Hero. Wait a minute? Air Guitar Hero? Nah, it'll never work. Seriously, it will never work. [Gearlog]

• The photon-powered nanometer sounds like a neat idea. It's a spring-loaded molecular machine that, locked down in darkness, pops up when light hits it. I only have two problems with it: 1) Who's gonna push it back down again once it pops up? And 2) it sounds like I'd need a few million to propel anything interesting, like a case of beer, the ashes of a Gonzo journalism legend, or a live cow. [Gizmag]

• Speaking of photon power, what's with this kid building a whole solar-powered diorama on his graduation cap? Kid, school's over—you can stop working it for extra credit. Drink a beer, jeez. [Hackaday]

Econo-keys is a compact, reversible gadget that has a full QWERTY keyboard on one side, and a built-in trackpad with buttons on the other.

It sounds like a good idea, but for those who frequently need to use both a mouse and keyboard, it might become a little less than convenient. [Econo-keys via OhGizmo via BoingBoing

Monster's SuperThin HDMI cables aren't just marketing noise, they're real, and thinner than the anacondas most people have jacked into their TVs. RedMere's tech lets them skimp on heavy-gauge copper, so they're just 3.5mm around.

Being Monsters, you know they're gonna cost a ton. Four feet of "high speed" SuperThin cable has a suggested price of $90, going up to $100 for 8 feet, and $120 for 16 feet. Standard speed cables start at $80 for 1 meter, $90 for 2 meters, $100 for 4 meters and $120 for 5 meters. I'll leave the judgments to you guys in the comments.

Monster Introduces Breakthrough "SuperThin Cable™ for HDMI™"
— Developed in Collaboration with RedMere, New Powered SuperThin Cables for HDMI Are
Ideal for Elegant Flat-Panel TV Installations and Use with Mobile HD Devices —

New York, NY, June 10, 2009 - Monster, the world's leading manufacturer of cables,
AV accessories, and power conditioning products, today announced the introduction of
a new line of "Powered" SuperThin Cables™ for HDMI™ Cables specifically designed
for use with a wide variety of electronics devices, ranging from today's super-slim flat-
panel TVs to digital video cameras, home theater systems, gaming systems or portable
computers. The new Monster SuperThin Cables for HDMI are the first fruits of a
recently announced collaboration with RedMere, a leader in advanced silicon chip
development. Monster Super Thin Cable for HDMI products will be available in 4-, 8-,
and 16-foot versions in the DigitalLife line of products (DL HDMI HSMI-4, DL HDMI
HSMI-8, DL HDMI HSMI-16).Monster's Core line of cables for HDMI will also offer a
SuperThin cable design in 1, 2, 4 and 5 meter lengths.

HD Signals Are Boosted in the Cable Itself
With the introduction of SuperThin Cable for HDMI, Monster is continuing to follow
through on its commitment to provide consumers with a comprehensive range of high-
quality, reliable connectivity solutions for every need and budget. The key innovation
that made the creation of Monster SuperThin Cables for HDMI possible is the
RedMere™ MagnifEye™ Active technology. Requiring no external power supply the
technology enables industry-leading data speeds and ultimate-quality performance by
boosting the HD signals directly in the SuperThin cable itself. This eliminates the need
for heavy-gauge copper, making the cables extremely light, thin and portable.
SuperThin cables measure just 3.5 mm in diameter, approximately 65% thinner than
normal HDMI cables.

Noted Noel Lee, the Head Monster: "Monster built our reputation on thick, heavy
gauge high-quality cables with unequalled performance capabilities. Now, thanks to
our alliance with RedMere and the leading-edge MagnifEye Active technology, we're
able to provide our customers with the same level of Monster quality and reliability in
a brand new type of 'magically thin' cable. The difference is immediately apparent –
SuperThin cables are much smaller and lighter, matching the sleek appearance of
the consumer electronics products they connect. Whether you want a totally clean-
looking virtually invisible installation option for your HDTV or you just want a much
better and more convenient way to access HD content while on-the-go, there's never
been anything like our new super-thin cables."

Digital Life™ SuperThin High Speed Powered Cable for HDMI (SRP) 4ft. $89.95, 8ft.
$99.95 and 16ft $119.95

Digital Life SuperThin High Speed Powered Cable for camcorder; Mini HDMI to HDMI
8ft (SRP) $99.95

Monster's Core Line of SuperThin Powered Cables for HDMI 1m $79.95, 2m $89.95 4m
$99.95, 5m $119.95.

"Super-Slim TVs Need Monster SuperThin Cables"
Monster's new SuperThin cables for HDMI are poised to usher in a new era of
convenience and elegance in high-performance cable management, both at home and
on-the-go. Featuring a built-in LED indicator that instantly lets users know they are
active, the virtually invisible cables are ideal for use in aesthetically designed home
theater installations utilizing flat-panel TVs. Consumers can literally hide the cables
away in plain sight, as well as fit them into any tight corners for a new level of
installation flexibility. Additionally, the compact and lightweight cables, which include
handy cable ties, are ideal for taking on the road with camcorders or other mobile digital
devices. Their easy portability provides users with a fast and convenient way to connect
camcorders or other digital devices to notebook computers or other display. For total
reliability and performance, the new cables feature corrosion-resistant 24k gold
contacts.

[Monster]

You know Wired editor Chris Anderson's pet idea of the moment that "atoms are the new bits"? At just $750, MakerBot's CupCake CNC rapid prototyping machine—3D printing with extruded melted ABS plastic—made me think about it.

MakerBot founder Bre Pettis compared the CupCake to the mythical Altair 8800—but you know, for 3D printing. Next on their list is a 3D scanner that'll copy the design of objects so you can skip creating the 3D schematic yourself—turning CupCake into a replicator. We talked a bit about the possibilities of DIY object replication—Cory Doctorow's Printcrime story came up, but for now you're limited to 3D printing objects the size of cupcakes, hence the name.

You can buy CupCake fully assembled for $2500, but that takes part of the fun out of it—putting the $750 kit together makes for a weekend of awesome. Besides that very nice Empire State Building model—the tip of which was destroyed partly at my behest to show how sturdy the Lego-grade plastic is—the coolest item they'd produced was a custom lens hood for a camera. Why buy spare parts when you can just make them?

Here it is in action, generating a MakerBot coin:
[MakerBot]

Kudo Tsunoda, the man behind Microsoft's "Project Natal", will be on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon tonight. When he demos it on the show, you think he'll look as ridiculous awesome as these dudes? [MTV]

If there is one thing I can't stand it's the asinine descriptions for designer products that vastly overinflate the importance of the object and the people that created it. Take this Force Lamp for example.

No, this charismatic and almost flying lamp was not recycled from a WW2 bomber nor from a soviet nuclear submarine. Its seriousness, fatality and its "impossible to ignore" nature are all genuine. This lamp was not crafted to impress, but to conquer. It gives you a reason to stop.

It gives you an excuse to escape. It gently pushes you to surrender. Under its powerful embrace you are free to feel protected.

It's a fucking lamp. Here is my description:

Owning this lamp will remind you of watching Spaceballs. Seriously, it should have been called the "Schwartz Lamp."

Eh..eh? [Dezeen]

Vinyl wall decals are nothing new, and there are a few kits out there that allow you to essentially turn a wall into a clock—but Artsick puts the ideas together in a very customizable way.

Artsick's kit comes with a hands-only clock mechanism and a series of decals that you can use to set up your wall in any way you see fit. Naturally, it also allows you to customize the look on a whim. It's like a functional, design-oriented magnetic poetry for the new millennium. [Artsick via Unplggd]

OK, no tit jokes on this one because breast cancer is a serious matter. This is Breastlight, a home appliance that will help women monitor her bosom for lumps. (WARNING: Lots of frontal breast fondling ahead)

While the manufacturer claims that Breastlight is not a substitute for a professional mammogram screening, the $125 device could be a potentially lifesaving device, as it could be used as a monitoring and early warning gadget at home. Women are advised to use their hands to feel their breasts for lumps in the shower, but with this light they can actually see what is going on and see changes through time. In the case she finds something weird, they can go to the doctor for an expert opinion. And if it's nothing, great. But better be an alarmist than sorry.

The Breastlight—which comes with a temperature sign to warn about overheating and has rechargeable batteries—only activates at full power when the lens get in contact with the skin. And yes, you may be able to do the same with a really powerful flashlight, but I will advise against that. [Breastlight via Medgadget]

(Yes, not the kind of breast fondling you were expecting, you pervs)

What better way to usher in the summer by rolling the dice with a floating lounger with a built-in iPod dock, speakers anda 3-mode massage function?

Indeed. Throw some alcohol into the mix here and you have a perfect storm of potential disasters—everything from electrocution to ruining a perfectly good iPod. Still, if you are willing to take the risk, the iPod Stereo Pool Oasis can be had for $200. [Hammacher via Coolest Gadgets via DVICE]

Microsoft's Morro antivirus service—no, not Live OneCare, their other soon-to-be-terminated antivirus deal—is hitting beta "soon," before it launches at the end of the year for free. You and I are laughing. Symantec and McAfee, not so much.

Live OneCare mostly bombed out because you had to pay for it—Morro is free, and if it's good enough to protect people against the most common nastyware, who's gonna dish out 40 bucks to Symantec for the latest Norton? People like cheap stuff if it's good, but free stuff even better if it's decent—so it's highly amusing to hear Symantec's Consumer division president Janice Chaffin crowing to Reuters that "a full Internet security suite is what consumers require today to stay fully protected."

The one real saving grace for antivirus software makers is that Microsoft isn't bundling Morro with Windows—probably only because they can't, what with the constant threat of antitrust issues that in part led them to yank other native apps out of the OS. I'd argue that security is a pretty fundamental component of an OS, so if there's any app Microsoft should be allowed to bundle, it's security software.

Maybe it is better this way—you'll be able to download it for free if you really want it, like other Windows Live apps. But then I wonder if a bundled Morro could've saved Adam, so we'd still have one more cranky Windows guy in the world. [Reuters]

It's no secret that machines are taking over the world, starting with our menially laborious jobs. We've got cooking robots, vacuuming Roombas, and now there's the Aero Blue Robot—a force-feeding droid. [Japan Times via DVice]

Her name was Skittles Eniac Marley. (James White designed Boing Boing Gadget's future-retro prism graphic.) [Signalnoise, Flickr, interview at BBG]

Casio's Exilim phone (vaguely NSFW ad here) looks to cram in just about every feature you can get on a Verizon dumbphone, with a few higher-end bonuses: It's military-grade ruggedized and features an impressive 5.1MP camera.

Exilim is Casio's digital camera line, so when they've branded a phone with the name, you know the lens is going to get some attention. Who knows if the pictures look good (the camera line is not particularly well-reviewed) but it's got autofocus, an image stabilizer, and video recording, so it's likely one of the better phone cameras out there. Otherwise, you've got the standard Verizon features (VZ Navigator, visual voicemail, V Cast Music) in a rotating flip phone package that just happens to meet military standards for durability.

It's available today online, though at the very steep price of $279, and that's after a mail-in rebate and with a 2-year contract. That's more expensive than every one of Verizon's BlackBerry offerings and, in fact, the third-most-expensive phone in Big Red's lineup. Press release below. [Verizon]

RUGGEDIZED CASIO EXILIM WITH 5.1 MEGAPIXEL CAMERA NOW AVAILABLE FROM VERIZON WIRELESS

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and NEW YORK – Verizon Wireless and Casio introduce the Casio® EXILIM, a picture perfect blend of digital camera functionality and entertainment features for the adventure seeker. The Casio EXILIM boasts a 180-degree rotating display, professional 5.1 megapixel camera and access to instant messaging, Visual Voice Mail and V CAST Music with Rhapsody.

Available color: Black and champagne

Key features:

· Meets military specifications 810F standards for: water (immersion and rain), humidity, salt-fog, shock, vibration, dust, solar radiation, altitude, and low and high temperature storage

· Camera and video capabilities –

o 5.1 megapixel auto focus camera with flash and optical 3x zoom

o Resolution adjustment: 2560 x 1920, 2048 x 1536, 1600 x 1200, 1280 x 960, 640 x 480, 320 x 240, 160 x 120

o Dedicated camera/video key

o Video capture and playback

o Best shot mode: off, person, scenery, night view, person and scenery, twilight, food, character, sports, party, monotone, sepia, reverse, high sharpness, high contrast and vivid

o Image stabilizer

o Auto focus: off, single point AF or 9 point AF

o Perspective adjustment

o Self timer: off, three, five or 10 seconds

o White balance: auto, sunny, shade, tungsten and fluorescent

· Supports up to 8 GB of optional removable memory (microSD™ card sold separately)

· Bluetooth® profiles supported: headset, hands-free, dial up networking, stereo, phonebook access and object push (for vCard/vCal)

Lifestyle features:

· VZ NavigatorSM-capable – customers can get audible turn-by-turn directions to more than 15 million points of interest and share the directions with others

· Visual Voice Mail – customers can delete, reply and forward voice mail messages without having to listen to prior messages or voice instructions

· V CAST Music with Rhapsody – customers can choose from more than 4 million songs to download over the air; get the master copy of the songs on their PCs; and sync favorite tracks, albums and playlists from their PCs to their phones using a USB cable

Price and availability:

· The Casio EXILIM is available for $279.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. Customers receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted.

· VZ Navigator is available for $2.99 daily access, and Visual Voice Mail is available for $2.99 monthly access. Other charges may apply when downloading or using applications.

· Customers can purchase the Casio EXILIM beginning today online at www.verizonwireless.com or in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores. For additional information on any Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go online to www.verizonwireless.com.

Monster's followup to their decent Turbine buds—Turbine Pro—show they're more betterer with gold trim. Listening to them immediately after the Turbines, they definitely sounded better—richer, better balanced, with more presence, kinda like going from Shure's SE110s to SE115s.

Incidentally, the rep claimed all of Shure's buds would fit on the Turbines perfectly, in case you hate the pack Monster provides. But I don't think you will—they fit pretty nicely, and I have picky, small earholes that I apparently need to clean, since the buds pretty slimy when I plucked them out.

I suspected they added another driver to round out the sound—and the $250 pricetag, $100 more than the regular Turbines would support that—but apparently it's still a single dynamic driver, just made with a different designed and different materials. I'm interested to see how they stack up in a more comprehensive review scenario than my quick listen against similarly priced multi-driver buds. They'll be out next month. [Monster]

Jon Rubinstein has been the de facto leader of Palm since he came aboard to save it as Executive Chairman with the Pre—a shadow CEO. Now he's officially CEO, taking over from outgoing honcho Ed Colligan. [Palm]

The short answer: For the time being, yes. But in the future, you may want to upgrade. The long answer after the jump.

The new iPhone 3GS introduces OpenGL ES 2.0 compatible hardware. Its 3D chip—reportedly a PowerVR SGX GPU core integrated in a Samsung chip—is more powerful than the previous generation.

The Graphic Advantage of the 3GS

The new graphic processing unit provides the iPhone with a modern GPU core with 5th-generation shader-driven tile-based deferred rendering. The current 3D graphics unit is 4th-generation tile-based deferred rendering, compatible with OpenGL ES 1.1, but not 2.0.

Simply put, the new GPU is capable of a lot more tricks than the graphics engine in the first and second generation iPhones: Faster frame rates, more detailed and photorealistic shading and lighting, and more polygons.There are also other characteristics that make the iPhone 3GS a better game machine than the iPhone 3G, like a faster CPU and more memory, which allows for larger datasets—bigger worlds—and higher resolution textures.

In other words: The iPhone 3GS has better graphics than the current iPhone 3G, and there is no way around that.

The past vs the future

Just like with computers, this will undoubtedly affect the complexity of applications, games being the most obvious example. With better hardware, developers will create better applications that can do a lot more. Not only have better, more detailed graphics, but also having the capacity to introduce other things, like real time voice chat during games, or physics simulation engines.

This could mean an instant breach between the old iPhones and the new iPhone 3GS. Fortunately for developers and users, the new GPU includes a driver that supports OpenGL ES 1.1. This introduces three possible scenarios. All of these scenarios will happen sooner or later.

• First, developers can choose to develop a single game. That's the easier, less complex option. Games will use OpenGL ES 1.1 on both machines, and the same graphical assets—same textures, same 3D models, same sprites.

This is happening now: Existing iPhone/touch games will work without any problems in the iPhone 3GS too, looking exactly the same.

• Developers can choose to introduce a game programmed for OpenGL ES 1.1, but taking advantage of the more powerful iPhone 3GS hardware to make it look a bit better and have a faster frame rate. This requires some more effort. Ideally, however, they can also choose to make a game for OpenGL ES 1.1 and 2.0, building both engines in the game so it plays seamlessly for iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS.

This second scenario will happen soon: Companies like Ngmoco have announced that they are planning to introduce games that will run in all models of iPhone, but will look better in the 3GS.

• Finally, developers can do a 100% OpenGL ES 2.0 game, putting all their resources into this engine and making a great looking game, taking full advantage of the new GS and future hardware. This last part is important, because new hardware will be available and it will be invariably more powerful than the previous generation, allowing for more complex games and applications to appear.

This last scenario won't happen anytime soon. 40 million devices—including iPod Touch—is a market too big to ignore. But it will happen. There will be a breaking point.

The breaking point

In fact, the breaking point may be the iPhone 3GS itself. By introducing a completely new, modern, shader-based 3D API—which is extensible and will be here for many years to come—Apple has put in place the architecture that will make its iPhone OS product line grow. So whenever the new iPhone or the new iPod touch or the new iPod tablet appears, they will be using OpenGL ES 2.x, and that means that developers will be able to scale up and down their apps with ease, without having to handle both standards.

Then, in a not-so-distant future, a developer will really push the hardware envelope and create a killer app. They will drop the iPhone 2G/3G support and set the iPhone 3GS as the minimum hardware configuration. That day, the divide will happen and everybody will think is normal, just like a five-year-old computer can't run Crysis or Photoshop CS4.

Because that's the real key: iPhone OS-based machines are really tiny computers running a version of Mac OS X. So get used to it, because one day people will upgrade their iPhone OS thingie not because new Apple features, but because future killer apps and games. It's just a good thing nobody keeps the same phone for 5 years.

Surround sound is awesome, but how many people actually use it? Is it true surround sound or virtual surround sound? Is the system hooked up correctly? Let's find out.

Do You Have a Surround Sound Setup?(poll)

The response about not hooking up the rear speakers is particularly interesting because studies conducted last year by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) concluded that as many as 35% of people failed to hook up their rear speakers properly because they either lacked the skills or were concerned about aesthetics. Other research has put the figure as high as 50%. [Image via Dave's Home Theater]

As you can see, modder David Penfold completely went balls out with the orange paint to create his PC homage to the movie A Clockwork Orange.

Inside this annihilation orange box beats an Asus Rampage II Extreme motherboard, an Intel Core i7-940 chip, 6GB of 1,600MHz Corsair DDR3 memory, three GeForce GTX 280s and three Intel X25-M 80GB SSD drives in a RAID0 setup. With a name like "Overclocked Orange", you can expect that Penfold pushed the hardware to the max as well—like the Core i7 running at 4.0 GHz.

Suddenly I have the urge to add A Clockwork Orange to my Netflix queue and toss my pathetically weak computers out the window. [Bit-tech via Technabob via Geeky Gadgets]

I'm not upgrading to the iPhone 3GS, and thanks to AT&Ts pricing, I'm not alone. But owning an old iPhone 3G is going to hurt when iPhone-3GS-only games come out. Luckily, Ngmoco has no plans to start that trend.

While yes, the new iPhone 3GS brings twice the RAM, a faster processor and better 3d imaging to the table, Ngmoco isn't going to make games that are unable to run on the regular old iPhone 3G. This is the Rolando and Star Defense developer's plan:

"We're scaling the imagery based on the performance of the device, so if you've got a 3GS, the game's going to look better and run at a great frame rate. And if you're on an iPhone 3G, the game will look a little bit different, but the frame rate will be the same, 'cause obviously performance and speed are actually an important part of a cool first person shooter gameplay experience."

Just like PC games! Makes sense to us. But this is but one developer (albeit a great one); don't expect this to be a path all devs take. Inevitably, there'll be a port of some slick game that they claim they just can't get to run on the wussy iPhone 3G hardware. And it will suck so very much. [MTV Multiplayer via Kotaku]

Somewhere, as I transitioned from being a proud desktop user with parts scattered around my room, to the being a dedicated laptop user, I forgot how to use a mouse. And today, I embrace the swiftness of the trackpad.

Is it a matter of preference and practice? Yes, but no.

Think about it. The distance it takes to move your hand from the QWERTY to the trackpad, usually below the spacebar, is much closer than the distance it takes to drop your hand on a mouse, reorientate your arm/wrist and fingers into place. And a trackpad's control scheme uses a finger, which has a lot more dexterity than an arm/wrist you use when handling a mouse. Also, the future is multitouch trackpads. No other control scheme can match the potential of pinching/scrolling with multiple fingers, zooming, etc.

The touchpad is also a really natural movement, practiced by everyone since childhood days of drawing in the sand on the beach, or fingerpainting. The only more natural movement is to trace movement on an actual screen, but any screen we use in a non mobile environment is too big and vertical to do this easily on, for extended periods of time. Besides, the touchpad itself would work great with a secondary LCD display under it, making it essentially, a touchpad.

So, here's to a future where the trackpad is everywhere. I look forward to it.

[SanwaNexus404, AdessoNexus404, Adesso2Nexus404, DinovoGiz, KeysonicKustomPC, SandbergTechhook, Adesso3Pcrush, MCEallproducts, McsaiteGeekalaert, TruFormProKeyboardco, ToshibaOverclockers, iKeyGadgetadvisor, iKey2Geekwithlaptop, FentexMiniGeekwithlaptop, EeeKeyboardDeviceDaily, LogitechHomeTheaterDialectical, special thanks to Quinton Ma for researching the models in this gallery.]

The SNIF tag that uselessly linked up dogs on social networking sites just got a bit less useless, but not by much. Now it tracks your dogs activities, vaguely.

Steven from Boing Boing Gadgets recently tried the system out with his pug Gus, and I don't quite see the point of it all.

So what does it track? "Average Power Correlate" (APC), which the company claims is a "correlation based on empirical measurement." In other words, a relative measure of the amount of energy that accumulates in the tag's accelerometer. Thus, the charted numbers themselves are rather meaningless, which was a bummer in that I was unable to make any comparison(s) to my own level of fitness, distance traveled, etc.

Yeah I think I'll just keep my $150, thanks very much. [Boing Boing Gadgets]

We've got a delicious gallery of pics of the new 13 and 15-inch MacBook Pros.

Just by looking at the 13 and 15-inch models together, you can tell that Apple was pretty much right when they said that they belong in the same family. The construction is almost identical. The only difference is that the 13-inch has one fewer audio jack and no side-board speakers, as been the case for the 13 for years now.

Sometimes putting these deals lists together sucks because I'm tempted to buy everything—including this 40'' 1080p HDTV for just $648. Thank God for Hobomodos! Now let's see if we can get that on a bumper sticker.

Computers and Peripherals:
• Lenovo G530 15.4" Dual-core Laptop for $429 plus free shipping (normally $499).
• Asus EEE Top Intel Atom All-in-One Desktop w/ 15.6in Touchscreen LCD for $419.99 plus free shipping (normally $499 - use this rebate form. Valid thru 6/21).
• Acer Aspire AS4530-6823 AMD Dual-Core 2GHz 14.1in Laptop (3GB/320GB/Geforce 9100M) for $449.99 plus free shipping (normally $600).
• Dell Vostro 1320 Core 2 Duo T6570 2.1GHz 13.3in UltraSharp Laptop (3GB/250GB/Vista Biz + XP Pro) for $599 (normally $988 - use coupon code 16MVMNC1H6D02M).
• Dell Inspiron 530 Intel Pentium Dual-Core E5200 w/ 24" Widescreen LCD Monitor for $551.65 (normally $649 - use coupon code KWNC$M1PMMR03M).
• HP Pavilion m9500t Intel Quad Core w/ 6GB RAM, 500GB Hard Drive & Blu-Ray Desktop config for $599.99 plus free shipping (normally $999 - use coupon code DT8392).
• Dell G2410 24" Full HD LED LCD Monitor for $209 plus free shipping (normally $299).
• 26" KDS K-2626mdhwb LCD Monitor for $249.95 (normally $300).

Gaming:
• RedOctane Ignition 5.0 Dance Pad for $49.99 (normally $79.99).
• NBA 2K9 on Xbox 360 for $19.97 (normally $29.99).
• Super Collapse 3 on Nintendo DS for $12.98 (normally $19.99 - valid today only).

Home Entertainment and Movies:
• 52'' Sharp AQUOS LC52E77U 1080p LCD HDTV for $1350.90 (normally $1899 - use coupon code AFL5).
• 40'' Toshiba 40RV525U 1080p LCD HDTV for $648 plus free shipping (normally $799).
• 37" Panasonic VIERA X1 Series TC-L37X1 720p LCD TV for $603.12 plus free shipping (normally $629).
• 32" Panasonic VIERA TC-L32C12 720p LCD TV for $453.11 plus free shipping (normally $475).
• Polk Audio Monitor 70 3-Way Floorstanding Speaker for $179.99 plus free shipping (normally $229 - use coupon code EMCLTLX43).
• Polk Audio Monitor 40 Two-Way Bookshelf Loudspeakers (pair) for $119.99 (normally $300 - use coupon code SPEAKER683).
• The Complete Monty Python's Flying Circus Collector's Edition on DVD for $45 plus free shipping (normally $88).
• Borat on DVD for $2.99 (normally $14.99).

Personal Portables and Peripherals:
• Sanyo Xacti HD1010 4MP High Definition Camcorder for $479.99 plus free shipping (normally $538).
• Olympus SP-565 UZ 10MP 20X Digital Camera (Image Stabilized, Wide-Angle) for $199 plus free shipping (normally $244 - use coupon code FMSZTHZ7$1QFBT).
• SanDisk Sansa View 8GB MP3 Player (refurbished) for $54.99 plus free shipping (normally $99.99).
• Sound-Sensitive, Color Changing Alarm Clock w/ Thermometer for $6 plus free shipping (normally $13).
• Nokia BH-102 Wireless Earset for $2.99 plus free shipping (normally $39.95 - use this rebate form).

Hobomodo:
• Subscription to Esquire Magazine for $0.
• Subscription to Tennis Magazine for $0.
• "Love Bug" by the Jonas Brothers MP3 Download for $0.
• Crest White Strips Advanced Seal Sample for $0.
• Symphony Music for Kids for $0.
• 1oz. Doggie Shampoo Sample for $0.
• Christian Bumper Stickers for $0 (TURN OFF TV—God may be wanting to speak to you!).
• Frosty-cino Shake from Wendy's (valid on 6/10 from 3-5PM at participating locations only—possibly only Miami).

If a deal looks too good to be true, investigate the store and see if it's a good, reputable place to buy. Safe shopping!

[Thanks TechDealDigger, Fat Wallet, GamerHotline, Cheap College Gamers, CheapStingyBargains and TechBargains.]

Scientists at the University of Waterloo have designed a lithium-sulfur battery that, thanks to nanotechnology, is capable of 3 times the power of lithium-ion batteries with equal volume while remaining both lighter and cheaper to produce. Long-distance electric cars, anyone?

The different atomic structure of the battery and knowledge of nanotechnology are what make this battery different. They used "mesoporous carbon, a material that presents a highly uniform pore structure at nanoscale level," to allow for a more efficient design:

The team assembled a nanostructure of carbon rods separated by empty channels, sulfur was then melted to fill the tiny voids thanks to capillary forces. All the spaces were uniformly filled with sulfur, thus maximizing the surface area in direct contact with carbon and boosting battery efficiency.

We've been needing a new battery technology for awhile now, especially for electric cars, so here's hoping they can get these lithium-sulfur batteries into production as soon as possible and that they deliver on the possibilities we see here. If it really is capable of three times the batter life, we're talking about something like a 730-mile range on a Tesla, 20 hours on a MacBook, or half a week on an iPod, all without added bulk or expense! [Gizmag via DVICE]

I've always enjoyed Toshiba's LCDs as they sat on the show room floor, but couldn't take them seriously until they developed some cutting edge LCDs powered by LED. Now they've got three. Updated w/ live pics.

The top of the line ZC700 includes localized dimming and is the true example of what LED LCDs can do, and is the only example I am sure is not merely sidelit but backlit, because of its ability to locally dim sections according to the brightness required. LEDs in the array below an area depicting a black sky will remain dark, while the LEDs below the moon in a movie will light up. That helps it achieve a theoretical dynamic contrast ratio of 2 million to one. Unlike the XBR8 from Sony, this set doesn't have separate red/green/blue LEDs, but mere white ones, arranged in clusters of 10—though they wouldn't tell us how many total are in the set. Unlike the XBR8, this set is actually affordable at $2300 and $3000 for 46 and 55-inch models.

The lowest tier of the new line is the XV648, the first example of a TV with Dolby Volume built in, which keeps the volume consistent through commercials, etc. It'll be available in 40, 46 and 52-inch sizes. It also has a tech called CrystalCoat that reduces screen glare.

The ZV650 improves upon the XV648 while adding 240Hz screen refresh technology. (Toshiba reps admitted that none of the sets use real 240Hz—they just have a 240Hz "look" that uses a combination of 120Hz refresh with backlight scanning to achieve the effect.) It supposedly will reduce motion blur while helping the dynamic contrast ratio reach 100,000:1 by strobing the lighting, wiping the light palette between frames, which helps the brain process the images as if it was watching a CRT. Sizes include 42, 47 and 55-inch flavors.

I'm excited to try these out. I expect them to be on par with Samsung's LED models, but not quite on par with Sony's XBR8.

TOSHIBA BRINGS INDUSTRY-LEADING PICTURE QUALITY TO HOME THEATER WITH ITS FIRST SERIES OF LED TV

Toshiba introduces LED TV incorporating FocaLight technology with Local Dimming, and ClearScan 240 motion enhancement, demonstrating best-in-class picture performance

Digital Downtown, New York - June 10, 2009 - Toshiba America Consumer Products L.L.C. ("Toshiba"), a market leader in LCD TVs, today announced that it is now shipping its premium REGZA® HDTV Series, including the highly acclaimed ZV650 LCD TV, and state-of-the-art SV670 LED TV. These new series combine the most advanced picture technology with stunning designs, creating a highly immersive viewing experience that improves and extends home entertainment in new and exciting ways.

As a leader in technology, Toshiba designed its new REGZA line of premium LCD TVs to elevate the viewing experience to the next level by using its unmatched processing power to create all-new levels of picture quality. In addition, next-generation connectivity and industry-leading cosmetic design were added to create a new REGZA experience.

REGZA models set themselves apart with a litany of cutting-edge picture technology features such as the new FocaLight LED Backlight with Local Dimming for superlative picture contrast, ClearScan 240 motion enhancement with Backlight Scanning for amazing picture clarity with fast-motion video, and the enhanced REGZA Engine with PixelPure 5G 14-bit video processing, Resolution+ super resolution technology, and AutoView histogram controlled automatic picture adjustment.

In addition to picture quality enhancements, these new REGZA series also offer a comprehensive suite of next-generation connectivity features including a USB port, SD card Slot, 4 HDMI inputs with InstaPort and REGZA-LINK, IR Pass-Through Port, and high-resolution PC input.

To ensure that the sound quality is as enjoyable as the picture quality, Toshiba has also included new Dolby Volume sound leveling, and Audyssey EQ. Toshiba is the first TV company to incorporate new Dolby Volume, a technology that solves a real-world problem by utilizing human psycho-acoustic algorithms to ensure a consistent volume level, even during commercials or when changing channels.

"Toshiba LCD TV market share has seen a meteoric rise from just 4.1 percent in November 2007 to 11.4 percent in April 2009,"* said Scott Ramirez, vice president of Marketing at Toshiba. "For 2009, we developed and incorporated a wide range of advanced, robust technologies to create an all-new level of REGZA LCD TV. We didn't just make LED TV; we innovated by utilizing superior Local Dimming. We didn't just utilize higher frame rates; we innovated by adding new Backlight Scanning Technology. We didn't just wrap everything in high-gloss black; we innovated by creating the stunning new Deep Lagoon Design with Infinity Flush Front. The new REGZA is more than our dealers and consumers expected, and the response has been nothing short of amazing."

REGZA XV648 – Deep High Contrast in All Light Conditions

A new addition to the 2009 REGZA lineup, the XV648 Series offers extra features that truly make a difference. Extra room light can lower the contrast on some TVs, but Toshiba's new CrystalCoat™ technology stops ambient room light reflections from washing out the picture, creating 30 percent better contrast in bright rooms.** In addition, Dolby Volume technology ensures a consistent volume level when changing channels or during commercials. The result is improved picture and sound quality for an enhanced home theater experience.

The REGZA XV648 will be available in 40-inch, 46-inch and 52-inch screen sizes.

REGZA ZV650 – Clarity in Fast Motion

The ZV650 Series takes things to the next level with enhanced fast-motion picture quality, next-generation connectivity, and unique cosmetic design.

Toshiba's new ClearScan 240 technology combines 120 frames per second with advanced Backlight Scanning Technology to create a 240Hz effect. Far superior to 60 Hz or standard 120 Hz systems, ClearScan 240 provides amazing picture clarity with fast-motion video that is perfect for sports enthusiasts and action movie buffs. This new system also helps the ZV650 series attain its high 100,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, combining amazing picture clarity and incredible picture depth.

In addition, Toshiba wants to make connecting source devices and watching content simple and flexible. Therefore, the ZV650 incorporates an expanded array of connectivity features including a USB port for playback of digital video, audio and picture files, an SD card slot for playback of digital picture files by simply taking the SD card from the camera and inserting it into the TV, four HDMI Inputs with InstaPort for faster switching and REGZA-LINK for two-way device control, an IR Pass-Through Port to control source devices that may be hidden in a cabinet or closet, and a high-resolution PC input that allows you to use the TV as a big-screen PC monitor for multimedia or gaming.

REGZA ZV650 is available in 42-inch, 47-inch and new 55-inch screen sizes (measured diagonally at 42 inches, 47 inches and 54.6 inches respectively).

REGZA SV670 – The Toshiba LED Difference

The SV670 Cinema Series LED TV Series is the next generation of REGZA, and the next generation of LED TV. While some LED TVs utilize standard edge LED, the SV670 incorporates superior FocaLight Full Matrix LED with Local Dimming. The full matrix creates better brightness uniformity. More importantly, the local dimming allows deep blacks without sacrificing peak white brightness for an all-new level of picture quality with a previously unattainable 2M:1 dynamic contrast.

A new level of picture quality deserves a new level of design, so the SV670 series is the first to incorporate the Deep Lagoon Design with the Infinity Flush Front. Inspired by nature, Deep Lagoon evokes the image of sand disappearing below the surface of calm shores. The unique Infinity Flush Front then adds an edge-to-edge anti-reflective front panel, reminiscent of an infinity pool. Together, these new design elements create a stunning appearance that stands out on a sales floor, and will accentuate any home décor.

The SV670 is available in 46-inch and 55-inch screen sizes (measured diagonally at 46 inches and 54.6 inches respectively).

Pricing and Availability:

REGZA XV648 Cinema Series LCD TV Series
40XV648U (available August 2009, MSRP $1,099.99)
46XV648U (available August 2009, MSRP $1,499.99)
52XV648U (available August 2009, MSRP $1,999.99)

REGZA ZV650 LCD TV Series
42ZV650U (available June 2009, MSRP $1,299.99)
47ZV650U (available June 2009, MSRP $1,699.99)
55ZV650U (available June 2009, MSRP $2,399.99)

REGZA SV670 Cinema Series LED TV Series
46SV670U (available June 2009, MSRP $2,299.99)
55SV670U (available June 2009, MSRP $2,999.99)

For full product details and more information on the SV670, ZV650 and XV648 as well as other REGZA products, please visit http://www.REGZA.com.

About Toshiba America Consumer Products, L.L.C.
Toshiba America Consumer Products, L.L.C. is owned by Toshiba America, Inc., a subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, a world leader in high technology products with subsidiaries worldwide. Toshiba is a leading manufacturer of a full line of home entertainment products, including flat panel TV, combination products and portable devices. Toshiba America Consumer Products, L.L.C. is headquartered in Wayne, New Jersey. For additional information, please visit www.tacp.toshiba.com.

*According to The NPD Group's retail tracking service for 19" through 55" Units in the LCD TV / TV/DVD Combination category.

** "Bright rooms" are defined as rooms with light intensity measuring 200 or more lux.

At what may soon become the norm price for entry-level Blu-ray players, Walmart is selling Magnavox's NB500MGX Blu-ray disc player/DVD upconverter for $128—but not online.

The Blu-ray player doesn't have Ethernet (so it's just Profile 1.1), but it'll play all the Blu-ray movies in full 1080p.

For Father's Day, Walmart is also featuring 2-for-$20 Blu-ray movie bundles and a Garmin nuvi 250—with a 3.5'' touch screen and voice guidance—for $128 too. Unfortunately, as I mentioned, these deals are not available online and can only be found in Walmart stores. [Thanks to Checkoutblog]

Note: Walmart refers to the player as both NB500MGX and NB530MGX. We are assured that this is a sales-reference difference, and not a spec or appearance difference.

As an illustrator and UI designer, this is one of the most beautiful iPhone-related products I've ever seen: A stainless steel stencil kit to quickly draw iPhone applications user interfaces. It even comes with a Zebra mechanical pencil.

I want it badly. They have only made a hundred of these for $16.95 each. If you are one of the thousands of iPhone app developers, you better hurry up. [Design Commission]

T-Mobile Netherlands, the country's iPhone carrier, posted the processor and RAM on their site that Apple's been so cagey about confirming, and it's exactly what we thought: 600MHz CPU (up from 412MHz) and 256MB of RAM, double the previous models.

Even though Apple wouldn't give us the specific numbers, T-Mobile Netherlands has been a pretty reliable source for leaking things Apple doesn't quite want known, even new hardware. Besides, those specs are exactly what had been rumored, so we're just left to wonder why Apple bothered to hide them. [T-Mobile via iLounge]

Aside from photo transfers and straight up storage expansion, the SD card slot in the new MacBook Pros has a single, extremely cool trick up its sleeve (slot?): it's bootable.

According to a fresh Knowledge Base article, a properly formatted SD card can be used to boot OS X from the internal slot. As (vaguely) described, this could be a valuable backup and restoration tool, or a convenient way to maintain a semi-portable install of your OS. In proper giveth/taketh fashion, Apple states in the same posting that, despite being the clear, inevitable replacement for the SDHC standard, SDXC cards won't be supported, meaning storage will effectively be capped at 32GB.

If Apple really wanted to make this useful, they'd extend Boot Camp to support external storage devices; a feat which is currently only manageable through complex and unwieldy hacks. On this, the article is tellingly silent. [Ars—SDXC tip from Richard L.]

Something about a robot-operated dismembered hand placing raw fish on my plate just sounds...yummy!

The Chef Robot, model M-430iA hand type H (yes, after Man's fall, robots will actually categorize our various limbs with cold, alphabetic precision), can gently relocate small objects like sushi and pharmaceuticals (two of our favorite pastimes) without crushing or dropping the precious cargo.

It's too early to determine whether or not bodily fluids like blood, puss or liquefied, decomposing skin will taint the dining experience. But robots, people, robots! [Mainichi Daily News via TokyoMango]

Art Lebedev's Swissarmius is the Swiss Army Knife of storage containers. As you can see, it organizes your utensils in a way that mimics the classic Victorinox design.

It's another brilliant concept from the Art Lebedev studio, but like many of their products the "when" and "how much" part of the equation may take some time to figure out. [Art Lebedev via Gizmodiva via Likecool]

If you are still looking for the iPhone OS 3.0 Golden Master in Torrent and you are not sure about what to download, here's what you should look for (extra bonus: It works with with the iPhone 1st Generation.)

• iPhone OS 3.0 Gold Master Final for iPhone 1st Generation: Search for iPhone1,1_3.0_7A341_Restore.ipsw

• iPhone OS 3.0 Gold Master Final for iPhone 3G: Search for iPhone1,2_3.0_7A341_Restore.ipsw

• iPhone OS 3.0 Gold Master Final for iPod Touch: Search for iPod2,1_3.0_7A341_Restore.ipsw

[Thanks Adam Curry]

Now we're not saying BART is in cahoots with Apple. What we are saying is, BART took down a legally-purchased ad for having a "too dark" background, and then rejected the same ad when updated with a white background. Hmm.

DVD Jon's doubleTwist ad was a little jab at Apple—the product itself enables flexibility Apple doesn't like, and DVD Jon plopped the ad right next door to the San Francisco Apple store. But the ad is on BART property, legally paid for, and so it's interesting that BART would remove the ad for reasons that are, shall we say, a bit dubious. Apple, of course, is a major BART advertiser, plastering iPod ads all over the transit system.

Of course, it's totally possible that the ad just needs to be transparent or translucent to let light through, and any opaque color would be inappropriate. But it's a little suspicious, no? [Boing Boing Gadgets]