The Demo Site

Apple has thrown another punch at Palm In the smartphone pissing match that has been simmering between the two companies since January. This time, Apple took to their support pages, informing Palm that they could kill the Pre's compatibility with iTunes—without actually saying as much.

Daring Fireball was first to point out the support article, titled "iTunes: About unsupported third-party digital media players." In the one paragraph article, Apple writes:

Apple designs the hardware and software to provide seamless integration of the iPhone and iPod with iTunes, the iTunes Store, and tens of thousands of apps on the App Store. Apple is aware that some third-parties claim that their digital media players are able to sync with Apple software. However, Apple does not provide support for, or test for compatibility with, non-Apple digital media players and, because software changes over time, newer versions of Apple's iTunes software may no longer provide syncing functionality with non-Apple digital media players.

Unofficial translation: We have the power to hit the kill switch on Pre syncing before you can switch from Pandora to Tweed (which is actually pretty fast). Tread lightly.

What this means for the Pre compatibility actually being shut down by Apple, nobody knows. But that's a pretty strong message, even if it isn't quite a threat. [Daring Fireball via TechCrunch]

Weirdo-rocker Andrew W.K. is good. Exploding pieces of machinery also happen to be good. When you put the two of them together, you get a kids show on Cartoon Network? And is that a ROCKET LAUNCHER?!

Maximum Fun lauds the show for combining children and high power weaponry. I agree. Meanwhile, Laughing Squid informs us that Destroy Build Destroy is a new live action show set to debut on Cartoon Network, where the aforementioned Andrew W.K. guides kids through the process of destroying old machines, then building better stuff from the scrap. After watching the trailer, not only does this show pique my destructive interests, but I'm not sure I'll need caffeine ever again. [Maximum Fun via Laughing Squid via Boing Boing Gadgets]

If you think that trunk is impressive, wait until you see this Elephant's giant dongle. The 4GB USB flash drive whips out from the beast's underbelly when you're ready for it to mount your computer. [XTremeGeek via GeekyGadgets via CraziestGadgets]

Digg founder Kevin Rose got his hands on the beta for the iPhone version of TweetDeck, proclaiming that it will soon replace tweetie as his go-to app.

If it works anything like the desktop version, I will also be making the switch. Apparently, the app version features the same column-based friend group structure as the desktop version, the ability to synch with the desktop version, and Facebook-esque status updates. Unfortunately, the "when" and "how much" part of the question remains unanswered. Hopefully, we won't have to wait long.

UPDATE: The app has been released—and it's free. [iTunes and Kevin Rose via Digg]

In what seems like a natural partnership, Asus and Disney have teamed up to develop the Disney Netpal—a netbook designed specifically for kids that's "fun, web-safe and easy to use."

The Netpal features a durable design, an 8.9-inch LCD display, Wi-Fi capabilities, Windows XP Home and over 40 parental controls including extra filters in browsers and email. There is also a Disney-themed UI "gadget tray" that offers a customized email, browser, icons, themes, widgets and kid-friendly software.

To me, netbooks and kids always made sense, so if I had kids, the Netpal would be an intriguing option for a first computer. All I can say is thank God it's not Hanna Montana (although that's probably coming). The Netpal will be available in two versions—with the base model arriving in July for $350.

DISNEY AND ASUS LAUNCH NETBOOK COMPUTER FOR KIDS

The Disney Netpal Makes Kids' Computing Fun, Web-Safe And Easy

With A Unique User Interface, Wi-Fi, Windows XP and Parental Controls

GLENDALE, Calif. – June 17, 2009 – Disney Consumer Products (DCP) and ASUS, maker of the pioneering Eee PC™ netbook, have collaborated to develop the Disney Netpal, a netbook computer for children that's fun, web-safe and easy to use. Developed with parents and kids in mind, the Disney Netpal by ASUS is durable, with a reinforced mechanical design, and offers a truly magical and engaging computing experience with a unique Disney user interface. Features include more than 40 robust parental control options, an 8.9-inch LCD display, Wi-Fi capabilities, Windows XP Home, and kid-friendly software featuring Disney characters and icons in stunning visual environments. Browsers and email have extra filters to assure that parents are able to control online safety and content for their children, and can easily select with whom their children can correspond via email. The Disney Magic Desktop "gadget tray" offers a creatively designed 2D menu displaying Disney-themed email, Disney-themed browser and a robust suite of Disney-themed parental control options.

With a user interface that is incredibly easy to use for both kids and parents, from package to set-up in four simple steps, the Disney Netpal will be available in late July in two models with prices based on features (see graphic below for Netpal feature comparisons). The Disney Netpal by ASUS is designed for kids ages 6-12. Retailers include Toys"R"Us and Amazon.com, and the suggested retail price is $349.99. Carrying cases will also be available separately.

"Today's kids are a digital generation," said Chris Heatherly, head of Disney's Toymorrow team and VP of Toys and Consumer Electronics for Disney Consumer Products. "Parents are comfortable with their kids using the Internet, but they want to be assured that their kids are having a safe online experience. The Disney Netpal, designed together by ASUS and our Disney Toymorrow team, is a no-compromise device. There are plenty of terrific features and fun applications designed just for kids, but parents have ultimate control over the experience, with the power to set limits on how their kids are using the PC."

Disney's Toymorrow team is an internal group of Disney inventors, designers, engineers, researchers and product development experts. The Toymorrow team meets several times a year to brainstorm and develop new products and product concepts that focus on the convergence of toys and digital media in exciting, fun and creative ways.

ASUS is an established leader in the netbook category and is widely credited with launching the netbook craze, with nearly 7 million Eee PC™ netbooks sold to date.

"We're proud to be involved in the creation of this very unique netbook for kids," said Eric Chen, Vice President of ASUS' Systems Business Group. "The Disney Netpal is creatively designed in a way that truly keeps the Disney magic alive, and its state-of-the-art features make it an excellent choice for kids and families."

Disney Netpal By ASUS Is Easy: Kid-friendly Disney Magic Desktop, Applications and Widgets

The Disney Magic Desktop installed on the Disney Netpal by ASUS is an easy-to-use interface specifically tailored to kids, with an intuitive visual interface and instructions that make it easy for kids to operate the computer. Right out of the box, the Disney browser launches numerous kid-friendly Disney websites for kids to explore. The Disney Magic Desktop features a 2D "gadget tray" that displays bold visual icons for easy access to applications. Rounding off the Disney Netpal by ASUS' fun, kid-friendly features are a collection of 15 easily-accessible widgets, including a stopwatch, digital memo pad, which inserts "reminder notes" on the Disney Magic Desktop, and a calculator.

Disney Netpal By ASUS Is Fun, Customizable And Colorful

The Disney Netpal by ASUS features two choices of stylishly designed lids; Disney Princess Pink boasts beautiful pink florals and Disney Magic Blue cleverly displays rows of miniature Mickey Mouse icons. Kids can dress their desktops with more than 10 customizable themes inspired by popular characters from Disney's and Disney∙Pixar's most popular franchises, including Cars, Club Penguin, Disney Classic Characters, Disney Fairies, Disney Princess, Vintage Mickey Mouse, Toy Story and WALL-E. Themes that appeal to slightly older kids, such as Hannah Montana and JONAS The Series styles, are also available. Favorite character icons can be attached to email addresses.

Additional Disney-developed applications include Disney Mix for music and media management, and Disney Pix for photo customization and organization. The Disney Pix application features fun Disney Bobblehead software, which lets kids insert images of their faces on top of bodies, download them into videos and postcards and play wacky moving dance scenes, for hours of fun. The Radio Disney widget streams real-time music and lets kids simultaneously submit song requests, if they wish. The Disney Netpal by ASUS also includes a driving game, number game, memory game and photo scrapbook.

Disney Netpal By ASUS is Optimized for Web-Safety and Sports a Sleek Durable Design

The Disney Netpal by ASUS is designed to be kid-friendly, both in terms of durability and content permissions. It's rugged and durable, with a spill-proof keyboard that protects against inadvertent liquid spills. The Disney Netpal by ASUS' ShockShield data protection guards against data loss when the computer is subject to impact.

The Disney Netpal also allows parents to create a web-safe computing environment with 40 parental control options. Parents can pre-select email correspondence options, browsers, the websites their kids visit and the programs they use. These permissions can also be scheduled on a calendar, providing parents with a convenient, automated means of granting access on the days and times that they choose. Parents can also pull up data to determine where children spent time, and for how long. Additional websites can be added for access, but only if the parent approves and submits the request within the password-protected system.

This "New Ice Suit" has integrated jacket icepacks, designed to alleviate some of the discomfort of Japanese salarymen who have to walking around scorching Japan streets during the summer. Looks like this newfangled ice technology isn't just for elite-level athletes anymore!

Crunchgear says the suits were designed by Japanese company Haruyama, who have created pouches up near the armpits for specially designed ice packs, which supposedly keep your body nice and cool (see: possibly meaningless graphic to the left).

And for the sake of these salarymen who brave the elements, I hope there's some waterproofing action going on there—otherwise you'll still end up looking like a sweaty mess. These suits can be found across Japan for roughly $520. [Crunchgear]

Western Digital just made their first move into the SSD world by announcing that their now shipping the SiliconDrive III lineup (presumably to OEMs), promising storage capacities up to 120 GB and read/write speeds of 100 and 80 MB/sec, respectively.

This announcement comes on the heels of Western Digital's acquisition of SiliconSystems back in March, and the company is now coming through with drives in 1.8-inch and 2.5-inch sizes. The 2.5-inch drive use SATA/PATA transfer interfaces, while the 1.8-inch drive opts for the MicroSATA standard (its capacity also maxes out at 60 gigabytes).

Mums the word on pricing and retail availability, but I'm sure this will all make it's way to the general public soon enough.

WD(R) Begins Shipping New SATA/PATA SSDs Featuring Higher Speeds and Capacities for Embedded Systems and Data Streaming Applications

New Products Based on Third-Generation SiliconDrive Platform

LAKE FOREST, Calif., June 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — WD® (NYSE: WDC) today announced that it has begun shipping its new SiliconDrive® III SSD product family based on technology from its March 2009 acquisition of SiliconSystems. The company's new SiliconDrive III products feature faster read/write speeds and increased capacities, and offer mechanical scalability, making them a perfect storage solution for embedded system and data streaming applications such as multimedia content delivery systems and data center media appliances.

SiliconDrive III SSDs include 2.5-inch Serial ATA (SATA) and Parallel ATA (PATA) and 1.8-inch Micro SATA products featuring native SATA 3.0 gigabits per second (Gbps) or ATA-7 interfaces with target read speeds up to 100 megabytes per second (MBps) and write speeds to 80 MBps in capacities up to 120 gigabytes (GB).

"SiliconDrive III is the first example of how WD plans to productize solid state technology developed by SiliconSystems. The launch of SiliconDrive III will also enable WD to leverage its global sales and distribution channels to accelerate the adoption of SSD technology beyond SiliconSystems' traditional embedded systems OEM customer base into data streaming applications such as multimedia content delivery systems and data center media appliances," said Michael Hajeck, senior vice president and general manager of WD's solid state storage business unit. "SiliconDrive III is an ideal solution for OEMs that require increased performance, capacity, reliability and data throughput in their applications."

SiliconDrive III has been designed and optimized for high performance and high reliability in demanding 24x7 applications in the embedded systems, media appliance and data streaming markets. Performance and reliability is achieved through the integration of the company's patented and patent-pending advanced storage technologies in every SiliconDrive III product. The company's patented and patent-pending PowerArmor®, SiSMART® and SolidStor® technologies address critical OEM design considerations such as the elimination of drive corruption due to power anomalies, the ability to monitor a SiliconDrive's useable life in real-time and integrated advanced storage technologies that ensure data integrity and SSD life for multi-year product deployments.

Web site at http://www.wdc.com/en/products/index.asp?cat=21.

I'm kind of curious to know how many people prefer to pre-order vs just showing up at the store. As far as the 3GS is concerned, this choice could make all the difference.

As you may already know, there will be two separate lines on June 19th: one at 7 am and one at 8 am. The only way you are getting in to the earliest line is if you pre-ordered from AT&T. Everyone else could be stuck for hours, or even come up empty handed. You can also pre-order now from Apple and get the phone shipped to you on launch day. I mean, if you are committed to getting something at launch, it makes sense to pre-order—but I'm willing to bet that a lot of people skip that option for some reason. Consider this a final heads up—although it is already too late for that early line at the AT&T stores.

Did You Pre-Order The iPhone 3GS?(survey software)

The fire season has started in half of the world and I wish there were more of these 747 Firefighting Supertankers. They can drop 20,500 gallons of water in one go, as you can see in the video.

Rob Cockerham at PopSci got to see it in action, and took a few photographs of this mighty—and extremely useful—sploshing megalomaniac dream machine. [Popsci]

In the wake of their buyout by Oracle, Sun Microsystems has canned their 16-core Rock chip project—once touted by the company as a "game changer," and their answer to IBM's latest Power CPUs—after five years of development. This represents the second major chip offering from Sun to be shelved in recent years. [NYT]

In lieu of a Photoshop Contest this week, we held an MS Paint contest asking you to design your dream iPhone apps. Now we know why you should never, ever design apps in Paint; these are absolutely terrible.

No top three this time because, well, none of them really stood above the rest to me. Maybe you guys disagree. What were your top three favorites?

According to this Amazon video, the Kindle DX can survive a 30-inch drop with ease. Good, because apparently the old Kindle can't survive some shaking in a padded sleeve, inside a laptop bag.

Like Matt's real life Kindle problem shows, it doesn't matter how many tests you run, something will always screw your toys. [Silicon Alley Insider]

Even if you don't understand Portuguese, the brand new shinyness of the iPhone 3GS comes across loud and clear. Check out the vid to see many of the new features in action. [iphoneportugal]

If you're looking for a mid-sized television, we've got 20-40'' HDTVs for dirt cheap. If you're here just for your the freebies, we've got those too.

Computing and Peripherals:
• Gateway T-6345U 14.1" Dual Core Laptop for $379.99 plus free shipping (normally $450 - use coupon code EMCLTMT56).
• Dell Vostro 1520 Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 15.6" 1440x900 Laptop (Blu-Ray/Geforce 9300/128GB SSD) for $796.50 (normally $1,505 - use coupon code 4HJHRBR$V$Q2LK).
• 22" Acer X223Wbd Black LCD Monitor for $139.99 plus free shipping (normally $160).
• 20"Samsung 2033SW Widescreen LCD Monitor for $129.99 plus free shipping (normally $169).
• OCZ StealthXStream 500W ATX Power Supply w/ Active PFC for $29.99 plus free shipping (normally $59.99 - use this rebate form and coupon code EMCLTMT26).
• Cables To Go 7-Port Aluminum USB Hub for $18 plus free shipping (normally $27).
• $50 off Quicken's version of MS Money.

Gaming:
• Logitech G9 Wired Laser Gaming Mouse for $27.00 plus free shipping (normally $57 - use this rebate form).
• X-Men Origins: Wolverine on Xbox 360 for $33.49 plus free shipping (normally $59.99 - use coupon code XMENWLV5).
• Red Faction Guerilla on Xbox 360 for $39.99 plus free shipping (normally $59.99).
• Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Rings of Fate on DS for $21.99 (normally $39.99).
• Ratchet and Clank: Tools of Destruction on PS3 for $29.99 plus free shipping (normally $59.99).
• Virtu Tennis 2009 on PC for $34.90 (normally $49.99).
• Velvet Assassin on PC for $24.90 (normally $49.99).
• Luminous Arc 2 on DS for $19.90 (normally $29.99).

Home Entertainment:
• Philips 42PFL5704D/F7 42" 1080p 120Hz LCD TV for $849.15 plus free shipping (normally $1,000 - use coupon code 65G7RQ11J?M2LH).
• 40" Sharp AQUOS LC40E77U 1080p LCD HDTV for $824.60 (normally $899 - use coupon code AFL5).
• 40" Sony Bravia KDL-40V4100 1080p LCD TV Plus free Sony BDP-S360 Blu-ray Player for $999.98 plus free shipping (normally $1,094).
• 37" Insignia NS-LCD37-09 720p LCD HDTV for $398 plus free shipping (normally $599).
• 22" Vizio VW22L 720p LCD TV for $209.00 plus free shipping (normally $300 - use coupon code MJC9BZ6QVRMJ0L).
• 20'' Samsung 2033SW Widescreen Flat Panel for $130 plus free shipping (normally $170).
• Logitech Harmony 610 Universal Remote Control for $63.00 plus free shipping (normally $80).

Movies:
• Entourage: The Complete Fifth Season on DVD for $19.99 (normally $39.99).
• Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy on DVD for $3.99 (normally $14.99).
• True Blood: The Complete First Season on DVD for $24.99 (normally $39.99).
• Casino Royale: 2-Disc Edition on Blu-ray for $14.99 (normally $29.99).

Personal Portables and Peripherals:
• Sonos Multi-Room Music System (2 Zone Player) for $699 (normally $849)
• Olympus Stylus 1040 10MP Digital Camera for $99.99 plus free shipping (normally $132 - use this rebate form).
• Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-T90 12MP 4X Digital Camera (Optical Image Stabilization, Touchscreen) for $219.99 plus free shipping (normally $249.99 - use coupon code 3WCP9XPZ8S8WSB).
• Creative Labs Vado High-Def 720p Pocket Video Camcorder for $129.99 plus free shipping (normally $214.04 - valid today only).

Hobomodo:
• McAfee VirusScan Plus 2009 3-User for $0 (normally $30 - use this rebate form).
• Quart of Gidden Paint for $0 (valid starting on 6/25).
• Great Value 90 Calorie Strawberry Cereal Bar for $0.
• Meal from Chick-Fil-A for $0 (valid only only 7/10 - you must dress like a cow).
• 1-year Subscription to Cruise Travel Magazine for $0.
• Gambit Puzzles on iPhone for $0 (normally $1.99).
• Arts & Crafts 2009 - 15 Song Sampler MP3 Album Download for $0.
• "Remember Severed Head" by Clues MP3 Download for $0.
• Coromega3 Squeeze Sample for $0.

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.]

We've noticed trouble with iTunes App Store, both on iPhone and Mac. It went so far as to put my account in security lockdown, though iForgot fixed that. Purchases and upgrades still wiggy though. What are you noticing?

The Wiimote is a cute controller, but it's $40. And now Nyko and Mad Catz have each released nearly identical alternatives that run $5 and $10 less, respectively. But do they work in performance-heavy gaming? Actually, yes, yes they do.

The Products
Nyko Wand: $35
Mad Catz "Wireless Remote": $30
Nintendo Wiimote: $40

Testing Infrared
The Wiimote's pointer effect works for one reason: IR tracking. The Sensor Bar is really an infrared LED matrix, and the Wiimote reads its position relative to this bar. So to test IR tracking, I loaded the Home Menu and then House of the Dead Overkill.

In a light-challenging environment including open windows and artificial lighting, IR tracking was clearly superior on the Wiimote—pretty much perfect, actually. The cursor was simply more fluid and appeared onscreen with a more even frame rate than it did on either generic controller.

It wasn't that the Wii ever misread the position of either the Nyko Wand or the Mad Catz controller, it's that dragging the cursor with these remotes met occasional drops in frames. I'm nitpicking, but you can notice a real difference, side by side, in the menus. The Wiimote was the smoothest, then the Mad Catz, then the Nyko (though the generics were honestly pretty close). This principle proved consistent when playing HOTD later, as tracking the gun around with the Nyko or Mad Catz proved an ever so rougher experience than with the Wiimote. The game was still completely playable, the menus completely navigable. But the control went from an A to an A- on the non-Nintendo Wiimotes.

Then, after about an hour of play, the Mad Catz cursor failed to show on the screen—as if the remote could not track its position relative to the Sensor Bar. The accelerometer tracking was still working, however, which indicated that it wasn't a Bluetooth communication problem. And the other Wiimotes were functioning without problems. Reloading the Wii and swapping batteries could not fix this issue. Weird.

Winner: Wiimote
Testing Accelerometer
The Wiimote's 3-axis accelerometer is responsible for the other half of the Wiimote's motion tracking. It detects the general orientation of the controller, along with shakes, etc.

While I could tell in HOTD that the third party controllers were fine for sensing sudden motion (shaking to reload), I doubted their ability to track the subtle intricacies of pitch, yaw and roll. So for this test, I dusted off Super Monkey Ball in which slight movements to the Wiimote tilt the entire level. What did I find?

There was no discernible difference in motion control among the three controllers. I mean, maybe a computer strapped to a mechanical arm could detect minute subtleties, but I was able to play several levels on each remote without ever cursing a wonky controller. Maybe a Wii Sports addict would find their average bowling score to be ever so slightly different over 1000 games with a generic controller, but I'll hand it to Nyko and Mad Catz, I'd never have known I wasn't using a real Wiimote from gameplay alone. Then again, the Wiimote is pretty much only 85% accurate at any task to begin with.

Winner: 3-Way Tie

The Little Stuff
When I purchased a Mad Catz controller for PlayStation (original) years ago, I regretted the decision almost immediately. Doomed by my cheapness to wielding the bulky, awkward controller, I vowed to never go generic again. Times have changed. Both Wiimote alternatives feel perfect in your hand, and the vibration on each is remarkably close to the real thing. The Nyko Wand's speaker is a bit on the quiet side—probably about half the loudness of the Wiimote and Mad Catz controllers. Maybe this decibel difference matters in audio-heavy games. I dunno.

I wasn't able to test the remotes with Wii MotionPlus, but Mad Catz, with their 1:1 duplication of the Wiimote body, promises me that there are no possible compatibility issues. Nyko, with body dimensions ever so slightly different than the Nintendo Wiimote (something you'd never notice in your hand), has found that while sizing wasn't an issue Nintendo's final firmware caused some "minor issues." Nyko will be updating the Wand with Wii MotionPlus compatible firmware in "all future shipments" and offering consumers who've already purchased the device a free firmware upgrade option.
Nyko and Mad Catz are a virtual tie when it comes to buttons. As different as the buttons may look, neither set feels all that different from the Wiimote during play. I will say, I prefer the B button (triggers) on both third party remotes to the Wiimote's. There is a little more pull in each that feels just right for gun games like HOTD.

As for special tricks, Mad Catz includes none, but Nyko's Trans-Port technology allows their Wand to communicate with peripherals electronically. I've used their version of the Zapper, and without a mechanical link between peripheral and remote buttons, it feels better than Nintendo's official version. But we don't know how many peripherals will take advantage of Trans-Port, and besides, only Nyko will support the system.

Winner: Wiimote, Runner Up: Nyko Wand

After years without a proper fake Wiimote to suck some cash away from Nintendo, two titans of third party peripherals have produced their own respectable knockoffs. And I'm really glad this development has happened. Even if neither is cheap (the Nyko Wand is $35 while the Mad Catz Wireless Remote is $30), they do put at least a little pressure on Nintendo, who charges a straight up insulting $60 for their Wiimote/Nunchuk combo.

But given Mad Catz' sudden dealbreaker issue with the IR and Nyko's ever-so-less fluid IR experience and initial issues with Wii MotionPlus, we're still going to recommend the good old Nintendo Wiimote—that is, unless Mad Catz and Nyko get a little more price-competitive.

And who woulda thunk, our verdict had nothing to do with accelerometers?

Nyko Wand

Feels/Works Like the Wiimote

Quiet Speaker

Trans-Port Tech Is Promising But Underutilized

A Tad Ugly

Slightly Imperfect IR

Mad Catz Wireless Remote

Feels/Works Like the Wiimote

Looks Like the Wiimote

Very Troubling IR Issue During Testing, Probably Anomalous to Unit...But Still!

Layar combines GPS, camera, and compass to identify your surroundings and overlay information on screen, in real time. It is available for Android now and it will be available for iPhone soon, but exclusively for the 3GS.

The reason is that Layar needs a compass to work, as Maarten Lens-FitzGerald—from developer SPRXmobile—tells us:

We are definitely going for the new iPhone 3GS because of the compass! We're aiming for release after summer, but we depend on Apple accepting it.

I'm sure they won't have any problems. I can't imagine anyone saying no to such cool application— especially not when it makes use of the new magnetometer in the iPhone 3GS. Maarten also tells us that they are planning to make it available for any smartphone with GPS and a compass, which probably will mean the Palm Pre at one point.

But that doesn't matter if you are an Android user: You can download and play with it right now, although it seems that this release is limited to the Netherlands. Once more information layers are released worldwide, Layar will be extremely useful in many scenarios. The most obvious one will be to find your way in unknown places, but it will also be great for real estate and tourism guides. [Layar]

Logitech introduced its newest notebook mouse today—the M555b. Besides Bluetooth connectivity, the M555b also features a nearly frictionless scroll wheel, laser tracking and a low battery indicator.

All in all, it provides some basic conveniences that you might not find in a standard notebook mouse. Cordless is always nice and zipping through huge documents and web pages with a single flip of the scroll wheel could definitely be helpful while working on the road. If you agree, the M555b will be available later this month for $50. [Logitech]

Nintendo DS owners that pre-order the limited edition game Strike Witches will be treated to a pouch shaped like Bloomers (buruma) shorts—the shorts traditionally worn in gym by Japanese schoolgirls.

Before you ask...no, they are not wearable. No, don't bother sniffing them. At least in the US, very few people will pick up on just how perverted this all really is—unless, they were a big fan of wrestling back in the day that is. [AkibaOS via Kotaku / Image via MoPo]

TomTom users have the notable perk that they can "skin" their GPS with celebrity voices. But I couldn't ride with Homer Simpson for five minutes before throwing his spastic ass right out the window. Here's the clip:

[TomTom via ElectricPig]

Oh Pangao, you got me at "Enlarge female's breast obviously: Pangao breast enhancer can stimulate female's breast, accelerate blood circulation and activate cell renewal and hormone secretion through physical massage with forceful vibration balls inside." YES!

According to the company, this "micro-computerized, low-voltage, intensity adjustable" Magic Massage Bra will do all these things:

• Make breast up.
• Dredge breast glands.
• Eliminate blood stasis.
• Effectively prevent women from breasts diseases and flaccid
• Also can move fat and make a well-shaped figure.
• If use it often, you can have a sound sleep, immunity from disease and better internal
secretion.

Whatever all that pseudoscientific crap means, don't buy this snake oil. If you are a woman, get a magnetic bra or a bra booster instead and call the boyscouts for your breast massages. [Alibaba via Nerd Approved]

I can't say I can relate to having Cellphone Inferiority Complex, but I will say I'm pretty excited about Core-Tex Communications Implants and becoming a Pure Energy Being early adopter. [Slowpoke via The Daily What]

The new app "Incoming!" makes it possible to use Skype over 3G and Edge networks by turning all of your outgoing calls into incoming calls with the help of a partner desktop app.

•Turn your outgoing calls into incoming calls using the Incoming! desktop application along with the iPhone application.
•Depending on your phone plan, you can eliminate long distance charges and daytime minute fees.
•Make your own visual favorites list for fast dialing.
•Easily access contacts from your phone's address book.
•Conference calling supports up to nine callers.
•Supports international calling.
•This app also works with an iTouch by routing the incoming call to a nearby phone.

I have to admit, that sounds pretty awesome if it works properly. You can check it out for yourself in the App Store right now for $5. [TerryDemco and iTunes]

New iPhone Application Allows You to Use Skype Over 3G and Edge Networks

Users can harness the power of Skype without the WiFi VoIP restrictions by turning every call into and incoming call.

MIAMI, FL – June 16, 2009 – Terry Demco, developer of Apple iPhone/iTouch applications, today announces the release of his newest app, Incoming! for Skype. With Incoming!, every call becomes an incoming call with the assistance of a partner application that's downloaded onto the users main computer. By using a helper app on a computer that's connected to the internet, it allows Skype to work on the 3G or Edge network, thus eliminating VoIP restrictions. Incoming! is now available in all iTunes stores around the world for $4.99 US. More information can be found at www.terrydemco.com.

Just the facts:

* Turn your outgoing calls into incoming calls using the Incoming! desktop application along with the iPhone application.
* Depending on your phone plan, you can eliminate long distance charges and daytime minute fees.
* Make your own visual favorites list for fast dialing.
* Easily access contacts from your phone's address book.
* Conference calling supports up to nine callers.
* Supports international calling.
* This app also works with an iTouch by routing the incoming call to a nearby phone

Requirements:

* Mac OS X 10.5 or Vista
* Skype version 2.8 (Mac) or Skype version 4.0 (PC) on your main computer
* Current SkypeOut account
* Main computer must have internet connection

I wish these Mario, Koopa, Goomba, and Shroom 4GB USB thumb drives were actual Nintendo mass-produced products. That way I wouldn't have to spend $55 on each of them, but hey, they are handcrafted with love.

The Mario Brick—which is available in one and six feet configurations—costs only $19, though. So nice indeed. [Etsy via Geeky Gadgets]

Ever wondered when exactly we can expect the events from your favorite sci-fi movie to happen? Thanks to Dan Meth's awesome Futuristic Movie Timeline, you'll wonder no more. Ugh, only 4 more years 'til the Postman. Damn you, Costner! [Dan Meth]

Amazon's Kindle App for the iPhone was a definite clue, and now Jeff Bezos is just flat stating it: the Kindle hardware doesn't really matter—Amazon's long game is all about content.

Speaking at a conference this week, Bezos laid out his vision for the Kindle brand in full. Core to his plan is that the Kindle hardware and Kindle book divisions have an, uhh, open relationship:

The device team has the job of making the most remarkable purpose-built reading device in the world. We are going to give the device team competition. We will make Kindle books, at the same $9.99 price points, available on the iPhone, and other mobile devices and other computing devices.

An open-access Kindle bookstore would pose a threat to the reader's market share, so either Bezos has something mysterious up his sleeve, or he's come to terms with the fact that the Kindle—and indeed every dedicated e-reader—is essentially a stopgap device, awkwardly carrying out its single, simple task until something more versatile comes along.

When that happens, whichever company runs the de facto ebook store will stand to make tremendous amounts of money, and if Bezos' comments are anything to go by, he's planning for Amazon to assume that role. For now, though, it's all talk: Kindle iPhone app aside, the only way to read Amazon's ebooks is to plunking down some serious cash on one of the Kindle flavors. These "mobile devices and other computing devices" sound promising: let's see them. [NYT]

We've gotten plenty of breadcrumbs regarding the upcoming BlackBerry Tour, but we finally have the full specs.

True to BlackBerry style, you get a full QWERTY along with a sharp 480x360 screen, Bluetooth, 256MB of storage and an MicroSD/SDHC expansion slot. As you'll see in the press release linked below, it's not just a phone but a "premium phone" with voice dialing and noise cancellation. It'll support your yapping for 5 hours per charge.

The most interesting component for the non-business consumer will surely be the Storm-reminiscent 3.2MP IS camera with autofocus, GPS-enabled geotagging and video support.

Sprint and Verizon will both offer the Tour this summer. The price looks to be around $200 with rebates. [Blackberry]

Warp drives may hold the key to reach the stars—despite the naysayers. The Discovery Channel is featuring a scientifically accurate warpship design, following our current knowledge of spacetime.

The spacecraft's shape—created by Dr. Richard Obousy and Alex Szames Antigravite—is optimized to manipulate the surrounding dark energy and surf the spacetime bubble, as you can see in this concept image:

First proposed by Mexican physicist Miguel Alcubierre, a warp-drive powered spacecraft won't move faster than the speed of light-which is not possible under Einstein's relativity theory-but will move the space-time around it faster than the speed of light itself. Unlike Alcubierre's drive, Dr. Obousy's concept doesn't use general relativity but "the physics of higher dimensional quantum field theory."

And since I'm not Scotty, you can see Dr. Obousy explaining the theory himself here. [Discovery]

To protect the meek scrollwheel, the honorable Sony VGP-BMS10 Bluetooth mouse took an oath of loyalty and drew its metal shield. Then a laser was placed in its underbelly to track foe and friend alike.

We can only hope that the VGP-BMS10 is as trustworthy as it looks.

Otherwise, the mouse is just another premium mouse. Featuring an 800dpi sensor, 30-foot range and PC-only compatibility (which seems odd), Sony's optical knight is available now in Japan for $70. And in other news, I must be Jonesing for my first trip to Medieval Times. [Sony via Newlaunches]

As mentioned late last night: If Xbox LIVE doesn't work for you today, there's good reason. Microsoft planned the outage for maintenance. "On Tuesday, June 16 beginning at 12:01 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. PDT (2009-06-16 0701 to 2009-06-17 0659 UTC) Xbox LIVE and Xbox.com will be offline for scheduled maintenance." In other news, PSN should be online, but it's still a bitter disappointment.

Remember those heady days when USB drives used to cost hundreds of dollars? Well, thanks to Kingston's latest 128GB monster, they can again.

The DataTraveler 200 comes in three sizes 32GB, 64GB and the world's first 128GB USB flash drive, which sells for a whopping $546. However it doesn't look like they are expecting too many people to snap up the largest option, it is build-to-order only.

All of the capless drives have built-in password protection and are enhanced for Windows ReadyBoost. The smaller versions are priced at $120 and $213 respectively. [Kingston via PocketLint]

There are more than a few approaches to the twinned problems of insufficient plug space and cable tangle, but the obscenely overdone Outlet Wall concept, courtesy of Ironic Sans, is easily my favorite.

Say what you will about feasibility—the Outlet Wall looks fantastic. Replacing the whole surface with hundreds of live outlets is a practical guarantee that you'll burn your entire house down, so in practice, the wall would have to be made mostly out of dead sockets. But discussing the practical implications of the Outlet Wall feels dumb, and kind of misses the point.

Aside from the neat switchboard aesthetic, the Outlet Wall's message is what really resonates: This room here? This room is for technology. [Ironic Sans via Gadget Venue]

From TeamXbox, the same site that may or may not have broken news on a PSP-like Microsoft handheld, comes a marked rumor about the next Xbox.

...in addition to built-in Natal tech, a key feature of the next Xbox would be full HD stereoscopic 3D visuals similar to 3D movie theatres.

And that's everything they said on the matter.

So while the Xbox 360 would be getting Natal, the Xbox 720 (or whatever you want to call it) could have Natal and 3D immersion. TeamXbox claims that the 720 won't be launched until 3D television solutions go more mainstream, which by my guesstimation won't happen within four years.

Still, with Hollywood's focus on 3D, it's not hard to believe that Microsoft would design their home entertainment console to match—even if the risk would be huge.

But for now, this is all just rumor. If TeamXbox's portable Xbox story comes to fruition, we'll allow ourselves to get a little more excited. [TeamXbox via Maxconsole]

If you haven't watched the season finale of Galactica, don't read this. But if you have, it's time for a definitive revelation hidden in one of the latest episodes of the series: Luke's father was really a Cylon.

During the episode in which the humans and the Cylons discover a devastated Earth, they come across the remains of its civilization. One of the things they found partially covered in the radioactive soil was a "2000-year-old, ancient Cylon." That was the exact phrase in the script, which was used by VFX supervisor Gary Hutzel and chief model maker Pierre Drolet to create the Cylon head you see above.

Like Ralph McQuarrie did for Darth Vader, the pair took inspiration on classic samurai armor designs.
The result clearly came way too close to the Sir Dark Lord Van Vader Von Ham of Shin's helmet. So close that they took a couple of layers out of the helmet, to make it look like the skull on the right, which is the model that finally ended up in the actual shot:

Beautiful design either way, although I liked the full helmet better. I don't care it looked like Vader's, specially when McQuarrie also did art for Battlestar Galactica (some of it is under these lines.) [Darth Mojo—Thanks Alice]

In the days of touchscreens and wireless data, our heroes of yesteryear find solace in the companionship of one another.

From the creator, Byron Casebier:

Here is my weak (and slightly unfinished) Atari iPod Dock. I thought sharing may create interest for someone that can do this better. As far as specs, I gutted a broken, iPod clock radio and put it all inside the Atari. Everything works except for the clock (it was the broken part). There is even a remote control so I can sit back on my vinyl couch, drink some Tang and control my tunes...And yes, I'm still rocking a 3rd gen iPod.

A little geek factoid about that generation of iPod: It's still Jason Chen's, Matt Buchanan's and my favorite iPod design. Those orange glowing buttons were the best.

Stick together, little iPod and Atari. Your ability to find true love in this crazy, fast-paced world is an inspiration. [Thanks Bryon!]

The iPhone Dev Team has got us excited (and Apple worried) by announcing they have a fully-working software carrier unlock ready for the 3.0 firmware ahead of its official release.

On Tuesday evening they will do a live demo of the new yellowsn0w carrier unlock working on official 3.0 firmware, just before the big Apple release. While jailbreaking is already possible on 3.0, this is good news for would-be unlockers with an iPhone 3G, though those going for the 3GS will have to wait a bit longer. [DevTeamBlog via TheModShop—Thanks, Dylan!]

Mathematica's Wolfram Alpha, the occasionally cheesy, unintentionally racist autistic savant of search engines, has finally been optimized for iPhones (and therefore Android phones, the Pre, and others). Search pages are presented in a clean, simple menu format, although the result layouts seem mostly unchanged.

The next, rising generation of connected, know-it-all kids just got way more annoying. [Wolfram Alpha via Electric Pig]

Well, it looks like the Dell Latitude Z, a svelte, mid-range ultrathin, has come out of hiding for its first photo shoot.

Pictures posted on NotebookReview show how the skinny, optical-drive-less Latitude Z looks to be somewhere between the ultra-thin Adamo and the kinda-thin Studio 14z.

As the leak comprised solely of images there are no firm details on the specs, but Windows Vista and Intel Centrino stickers are clearly visible, along with a fingerprint scanner and an oddly positioned Ethernet port.
Other tipsters on the site claim it will feature a 15" matte widescreen, a Core 2 Duo processor and a webcam with facial recognition. [NotebookReview Thanks, Kevin!]

On top of the server-side compression and new interface we saw last week, Opera has done something pretty wild with the next version of their software: they've turned it into a zero-config server for files, music, photos and websites.

Unite is somewhere between a personal web server and a file sharing application, technologically and conceptually. The interface is straightforward, divided into panels for each service that you choose to "host." All of them behave in the same stupid-simple way: you start a service, whether it be photo sharing, music streaming, web hosting, or straight file sharing, select a shared directory, set your privacy preferences and go. There are also hosted chat services, and "Fridge," which is a—you guessed it—hosted quasi-Facebook wall for other Opera users to drop notes on.

Even at this early stage you can find a lot of shared content to explore, including plenty of publicly streamable music, which will almost certainly cause Opera problems even though, strictly speaking, they're not doingthe streaming. There's no video service for now, but Unite is extensible, meaning that anyone can design a plugin to add to the program's default file-serving capabilities.

Opera is proud of the fact that Unite runs against the tide of most new web services, opting for client-side content hosting over cloud-based solutions—so proud, in fact, that they're able to repeatedly, straight-facedly describe Unite as a "Web 5.0" product, which is a bit rich considering it's essentially a collection of services that have been available for years, albeit never in such a simple or consolidated way. As a convenient tool for sharing large amounts of content, I get it. As a game-changer? I'm not so sure.

Try it out for yourself: a technical preview of Opera Unite is available for download here. [Opera]

After getting us all hot-and-bothered pre-release the Olympus E-P1 Micro Four Thirds rangefinder-esque camera has now been officially revealed.

In addition to wielding a 12.3 megapixel Live MOS sensor (the same 4/3 style as found in many mini-DSLRs) the retro-styled E-P1 "Digital Pen" has a three-inch LCD, in-body image stabilization, a dust reduction system and 19 automatic scene modes. It can also record HD video in 720p/30fps and includes a HDMI TV-out for direct playback.

There will be two Micro Four Thirds lenses available along with the camera for US release in July, a 17mm 1:2.8 Pancake and a 14-42mm 1:3.5-5.6. Price-wise it comes in better than expected at $749 for body only, or $799 with the 14-42mm lens. My personal choice, though, would be the body with the 17mm for $899. [Akihabaranews]

Google updated their integral Maps Android app with some pretty sweet new features, including voice search, public transit and walking directions, and a beefed-up Latitude. It's great to see them pushing updates as they're ready, without waiting for carriers. [Google]