April, 2011

It was a sad day in Texas yesterday after the New England Journal of Medicine published the discovery that the mysterious cases of leprosy cropping up in humans are not related to contact with other humans, but to armadillo carriers. Now, the celebrated armadillo festivals may be history for armadillo sport lovers and meat eaters in the southern regions of our country.

It should come as no surprise that with the way tablets have been dominating the computer market, traditional PCs are suffering. Really, it's kind of been happening for a while, particularly now that mobile computing is beginning to catch up to desktop computing in the one area desktops have always dominated: power. Fact is, the traditional desktop just doesn't carry as much clout as it used to, and the devs know it. Many are wracking their brains, asking "how can we revitalize the floundering PC market? 

Microsoft thinks it might have the answer. 

I can tell it, but you still may not believe it--a golf course built on the surface of the sea. What will rich dudes think of next?

Seems like this summer, tablet computers are all the rage. We've got another recently released product to look at today, this one made by Acer. The Iconia Tab A500 hit the markets this past week at a very reasonable price. It's only $450.00, a full fifty less than the starting price of the Ipad 2. 

Some 400 million people worldwide are classified as obese. The manufacturer of the first implant to treat obesity, EnteroMedics, has vowed to install its first VBLOC implant  in an obese person before the end of 2011. It has not yet passed muster in the U.S. but the VBLOC is in  Phase III clinical investigations, so the device has a chance of making it into someone's tummy this year.

Remember those egg cups your grandmother made you use whenever you had your eggs? The ones we had at home were silver and looked like tiny cups molded to fit the contours of a hard-boiled egg perfectly. Silicone Zone wants to change the way you enjoy your eggs with their newest line of Egg Chairs.

On Friday, Dell's 2011 Tablet Release Roadmap was leaked- and it contains some rather interesting information: namely the specs for the Dell Streak Pro, Dell Latitude XT3 and Dell Latitude ST...and the release dates for all three. Now, I'm sure you're all wondering if you should really care- I mean, the Dell Streak was a flop, right?

Well, from here, it looks as though Dell is planning on making up for that. 

For those of you who are fans of Lenovo, I've got good news, and I've got great news. The good news is that Lenovo's Lepad and Ideapad U1 are still releasing this summer; they're likely slated for an international release in July. The great news is that the Lepad isn't the only Tablet Lenovo's got in the works. Very recently, the specs and release date for a new Android 3.0 tablet have been leaked.

It's looking pretty decent so far. 

One of the chores that I detest the most is having to mow my lawn, especially during those hot summer days. So when I heard about Husqvarna's new iPhone app that allows you to mow your lawn from virtually anywhere, well, let me just say it piqued my curiosity.

Toshiba's got a very cool notebook on the horizon. They've christened it the Dynabook Qosmio T851/D8CR, and it may well be one of the most unique Toshiba products I've seen to date. What's so unique about it? It's the first laptop that allows for glasses-free 3D viewing. Sounds pretty awesome, no? 

Let's take a closer look.

Like it or not, motion control's been kind of a big deal in gaming lately. We've got the Nintendo Wii, Sony Move, and the Microsoft Kinect. I suppose there's just something about being able to game with a gesture that enchants us. Two days ago, Razer announced that motion control is finally coming to the PC, via the Razer Hydra. If that's not enough to grab you, it's going to come bundled with Portal 2.

Shall we see what Razer's got in store for us? 

For those of you who keep up with tech news, you'll remember Toshiba saying something about a new tablet they had in the works way back in January some time. Well, they've now announced a price, a release date, technical specifications, and a name: They've christened their tablet the Toshiba Regza AT300.

Shall we find out what Toshiba's got in store for us? 

I misplace my phone and temporarily lose it at least once every day. However, I came across this site today that's going to be an extremely big help the next time this happens: I Cant Find My Phone.

Nowadays, seems like the tablet market is the place to be. Every company that's even remotely involved in mobile computing is making one, and RIM(the company responsible for the Blackberry line of products) is certainly no exception. They've got a product in the works known as the "Blackberry Playbook".

Can it take on the current market king, the Ipad 2? 

If you've already tried your hand at Doodle Jump, then chances are you've experienced a fall or two in your jumping exploits. I know I have. But what really happens when your doodler fails to land on a platform and begins the long trek down?

A few days ago, we talked about results from a study conducted by Nokia about using a ring and magnetic fields to control your mobile phone remotely. Now here's another techie ring that you can wear on your finger but it's not for your cellphone. No, this time, it's for your computer.

Over the years, I've accumulated my fair share of USB flash drives in a varied mix of sizes and capacities. For one, I kept misplacing the thin, 2.5-inch devices. Second, I kept buying them as they came out with increasing capacities and you never can have enough portable storage devices, can you? At least that's what I think so.

Can't get enough tech-related stuff to fill your home with? In case that holds true for you, then you might want to consider looking into BRC Designs' Binary Chair and Table. This furniture company specializes in unusual and outrageous pieces but I don't think anything can be wackier than their Binary Collection.

Things can get boring pretty fast if you only have a punching bag to throw some punches at. A sparring mate could be a viable option, but if you're still a beginner then things could get dirty (and painful) fast. For times like these, it sure would be helpful to have a punching robot around to help you land your punches, a punching robot in the form of the Punching Pro.

Now here's a party game that will get everyone in the mood--to tell the truth, that is. This game puts a shocking (pun intended) twist to the party favorite, Truth or Dare. Ever wondered if that person was giving a truthful answer when he or she picks Truth? You can now, with Shocking Liar Reloaded.

Life gets too busy sometimes. We lead very hectic and "bizzy" schedules (I couldn't resist this pun, even though I've already used it in the title), that's why it's probably a good idea to get Bizzy so we don't stay out of the loop of good places that are worth a visit.

For all you Razer fans out there, I've got a spot of good news. Remember the Razer Switchblade that was first previewed at CES 2011? Well, Razer's in the process of planning the product's launch.

For those of you who don't know, Asus has had a pretty nifty looking tablet PC in the works for a while now. I'm sure that's rather old news for most of you, however- it was given an official launch on March 25. So why am I revisiting it now?

Well, for one, Asus has announced an official release date.

Gear up for the SupaBoy Portable Pocket SNES Console because it's coming to you very, very soon. A release date hasn't been set yet but Hyperkin has announced that it is already in its prototyping stage.

Some pretty cool news from Asus this week, in the form of a new Nvidia card. The Nvidia GT520 Silent is a passively cooled graphics card, meaning that, as the name suggests, it's completely, well, silent. Not that graphics cards generally make a great deal of noise to begin with- or maybe I'm just desensitized to the sound of a computer's cooling system kicking in. I'd also venture to guess that the passive cooling system also means that the new piece of hardware ultimately consumes less power, as well.

Now, we've but one question left to answer- what can this new product do?

Let me ask you a question: what do ninjas hate the most? Stumped? Here's the answer: fruits! If you don't believe me then watch the video below to find out more. Kidding aside though, that's the premise that Halfbrick Studios used when they introduced the Fruit Ninja iPod game to the world in their trailer.

Nothing drains me of energy faster than having the heat of the summer sun beating down on me. So what can you do to cool off? Aside from taking huge swigs out of the water bottle, there's a new player in town that promises to keep you cool and feeling mighty fine: the CoolWare Personal Cooling System.

There are a lot of things that you can do on the iPhone but one of the things that I find hard to do is take good photos. Maybe I have my shaky hand or sometimes imperfect timing to blame, but the iPhone isn't exactly one of the most easy-to-grip devices when it comes to holding it horizontally to take some photos. Luckily, the OWLE Bubo can resolve all that and do even more.

Something wacky this way comes. We've seen spy cameras smartly hidden in pens and watches, but this has got to be the first: the spy camera t-shirt. It's not something that you can really use in the office unless you've got Casual Wednesdays or Fridays but you can literally capture any scene in front of you whenever you want (or need) to.

It looks like Lenovo's out to develop a tablet that can figuratively and will literally be able to crush its competition. At 23 inches, the planned Lenovo Ideapad would probably be more than anyone can handle on their laps–and that's because it's not meant for full mobility use.

For those of you who like your laptops to be larger than life, Dell's added a new big brother to the Alienware family. The behemoth M18X boasts an 18.4 inch screen, making it one of Alienware's largest desktop replacements to date. Now, I know what you're thinking here: That sort of size comes with a lot of power, doesn't it?

Oh yeah. 

If you've got a lot of money to burn (and I really do mean a lot) then maybe you should look into investing in a worthy timepiece that sounds cool and looks even more impressive: the Devon Tread 1 Watch.

That looks like an ordinary smartphone at first glance, doesn't it? Sure, it's probably got a few nifty features, but it's nothing reallly unique, is it? Guess again. The Motorola Atrix is actually a phone, laptop, and media server all bunched into one pocket-sized package.

And it's got some pretty nifty features. 

The RLX backpack looks just like an ordinary backpack, except for the fact that, well, it's not. That's because it has a solar panel to charge your gadgets. That's right: you will literally be a walking, talking charging machine. Er.. That didn't come out right.

Those are probably words that you'd never want to hear your child ever say to you, especially if you're touring a national park or a zoo. Fortunately, we're not talking about a real bear. What we're talking about is this adorable and amazingly fluffy case for your Nintendo 3DS.

A group of graduate students from around the United States have come up with a life-saving application that will enable healthcare workers located in remote areas all over the world to instantly diagnose malaria.

Cause of Death is another fantastic role-playing game from Electronic Arts similar to the tune of Surviving High School, a game that I reviewed some time ago. The big difference between the two is obviously the plot. Since I went crazy over Surviving High School, I immediately pounced upon Cause of Death without any second thoughts.

That picture looks more like a router than a PC, doesn't it? Well,it's definitely a computer, make no mistake. That device there is the Stealth LPC-670: the latest in Stealth Computer's line of "little pcs" . And it's proof that big things do indeed come in small packages. 

If your morning is something that you look forward to every day then investing in a good shower system would probably be a smart thing to do. If you're one of the people who need a shower up there and another one in your hand then Delta Faucet's In2ition Shower System would be a great match for you.

What do you get if you put a slingshot and a pig together? Pig Shot, that's what. It's an entertaining game for the iPhone and iPod Touch that doesn't require a whole of thinking but a whole lot of pig shooting. All that tumbling makes for one unfortunate and constantly dizzy pig. How far can you go before you bump into a rock or collide with a sheep that won't go easy on you once you do? 

Facebook's become a social media giant since its inception in 2004. Nowadays, it seems nearly impossible to find someone who hasn't at least heard of it. But CEO Mark Zuckerberg isn't content with just social media. Facebook's going to expand into computer hardware.

Yes, you read that right. 

Matt Richardson from Makezine has come up with the AWESOME button (yes, the word deserves to be in all caps) that will input a random synonym of the word "awesome" every time you click it.

When you think of a Lamborghini, what's the first thing that comes to mind? The Italian line of sports cars, most likely. Why not a computer? First announced in 2006, Asus's line of Lamborghini laptops have done the names of both companies justice- delivering high performance and power along with top quality aesthetic design. Recently, Asus has upgraded their Lamborghini VX7 model with Intel's new Sandy Bridge microarchitecture.

What does that mean for the VX7? 

So here we have the Porn Detection Stick. The name more or less tells you what the software contained on this USB drive can do. It searches through all of the images on the hard drive on any computer and sniffs out anything pornographic that may be hiding in any cleverly renamed and disguised folders on the hard drive.

Tasers definitely have their uses but they can also cause a lot of pain. Then there are the laser dazzlers, another phaser which disarms individuals by way of temporary blindness which causes disorientation. So it was definitely pleasant to hear about the StunRay which functions more like a huge, extra-bright flashlight to stun you senseless.

So what do a couple of gears and a hamster add up to? The sequel to the best-selling puzzle game for the iPhone and iPod Touch, that's what! I was able to download the game for my iPod Touch when it was still being offered for free at the iTunes App Store but didn't get around to playing it until early this afternoon. It's been two hours, I barely got any work done, but I'm still hooked.

If any of you have ever played the Metal Gear Solid series, you'll remember that a lot of the soldiers had microscopic robots known as nanites in their bloodstream, which served to keep them healthy-recycling waste, destroying bacteria, all that fun stuff. That sounds like some absurd pipe dream from the realm of science fiction, doesn't it?

Tell that to IBM. They just took the first step in developing the technology. 

LEGO seems to be everywhere lately, at least in my eyes, anyway. There have been two video games released by LEGO lately which incorporates it's brick-constructed world for some awesome gaming. I also featured some snazzy looking earphones for the musicphile that looked like they were made by LEGO themselves. Now I've found two more LEGO-inspired items that are not only decorative but are also fully functional.

Do you find yourself getting too lazy to head on over to Twitter sometimes? Do you wish there was some gadget somewhere that can read those tweets out aloud for you so you can stay updated on your friends' and family's latest tweets? Well, your wish is toymaker Takara Tomy's command because they've released the cute and adorable Twimal that can do this for you.

Sapphire's new video card, the HD 6790, released yesterday. People are buzzing all over about it, and a lot of people are positively enthralled. Personally, I can't really blame them- Sapphire Technology is the largest manufacturer and supplier of graphics hardware for a reason. But then, even the best can make mistakes, and talk is cheap. How does the new graphics card actually stack up? 

.... What first caught my attention about PetCakes was the Pet Party Kit, which comes with appropriate baking pans depending upon whether the host is a dog or cat, the PetCakes mixes, pet invitations, and even a pet party hat!

I'm giving you a head start this Mother's Day with an early idea for a Grandma gift, because the 'Photo Frame Table' doesn't come with your pictures.  You will have to collect or create photos that fit in the frames; that's why you should get started now.

If you think that being 'addicted to food' is just an expression, think again.  This study, conducted by researchers at Yale, University of Texas, and Arizona State University, reveals some interesting similarities between food addiction and drug addiction.  Can the brain tell the difference?

Real Crimes: The Unicorn Killer intrigued me from the get-go because it wasn't just your ordinary hidden object mystery game. It was based on a true crime that happened in 1977, hence the title. This fact can turn off a lot of people right from the start. I mean, one reason why people turn to games and to a virtual world is to escape from the real one, right? Even for just a little while.

The Commodore 64 was more than a computer. It was the symbol of an entire generation, and still tops the charts as the best selling PC of all time. Many who lived and gamed in the 80s will have fond memories of the device, and it ran thousands of games- a lot of those games are still being played today.

Enthusiasts will be happy to know that Commodore plans to bring the old machine back. 

With everyone doing double or triple duty these days, it should not be a surprise that furniture and lighting design is being asked to do the same.  For example, with this Book Lamp doing double duty, you don't need a table!

No, you have NOT seen everything yet!  Not, at least until you see these spinning exercise wheels for your dogs and cats.  Not treadmills... they are so yesterday!  Wheels, like way-oversized hamster wheels.

Now Zuma Deluxe is a Match 3 type of video game that I think is definitely a force to be reckoned with. I first played this game a few years back when I was still in college. I stopped playing the game when things got busy with my thesis but I didn't bother to uninstall the game, figuring I would just finish the game later on. I eventually forgot about it until yesterday.

Today, we're taking a look at Douglas Engelbart- one of the forefathers of modern computing. One of his most famous invention is a mouse. It's pretty clear to anyone who's used a computer what sort of influence that device had. Truth is, if it weren't for Engelbart, computers would likely have evolved in a very different direction.

I don't know anyone who belongs to our generation that hasn't played or at least heard of Pac-Man--that tiny, yellow dude who went around mazes eating pac-dots while being chased by Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde and loading up on power pellets to turn the tide on his would-be assailants. Now fans and collectors can have a little piece of Pac-Man in their own room and right beside their bed care of the Pac-Man Alarm Clock by Firebox.

That song by America literally began playing in my head as I was reading up on this innovative app(cessory) for the iPhone and iPod Touch: the Pinball Magic. While Pinball Magic doesn't necessarily perform any tricks or magic per se, it sure does a fine job of transforming your iPhone and iPod Touch into a full-fledged mini pinball machine.

Burger simulation and time management games are not uncommon in the world of video games. Assemble a burger, cook patties and add different condiments, get them to the customer before they get angry--yep, we've played all that before. Cue the entry of Burger Bustle, a game that hopes to bring something different to the plate.

SSDs- Solid State Drives-are here to stay. And while they may not quite have as much storage space as standard hard drives yet, they're certainly catching up fast. But why should you bother using one over more traditional hard drives?

There are actually quite a few reasons why Solid State is the better choice. 

It sure has been a crazy time with all the leaks going around lately. Just earlier this week, photos of the HTC Pyramid spread over the internet when an anonymous tipster sent word to xda-developers. Now it's RIM's BlackBerry Touch, dubbed the Monaco or Monza, that's been making the rounds.

Unless you're a professional gamer who's optimized their rig to the extreme, there'll always be someone faster. Maybe they've got a better mouse. Maybe they've trained harder. Maybe they're just naturally adept at computer games. At the end of the day, all that matters is that, when faced with a foe like them, the traditional keyboard-mouse interface just seems...clunky.

Razer can help.