Don’t Buy That Sprint Pixi!
Unless you really hate Verizon. Engadget broke the news that the Pixi has been cleared by the FCC for Verizon, and it includes WiFi!
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synapticapple Unboxes the Plantronics Discovery 975 Bluetooth Headset
In conjunction with Headsets Direct, we recently gave away a Plantronics Discovery 975 Bluetooth Headset (reviewed here) to Gear Diary reader synapticapple. Michelle (that’s her real name) has just posted an unboxing video of the headset, and I thought it was good enough to share. Enjoy! 🙂
Do-It-Yourself Book Scanning
Do you have a library of books that are not available in eBook form? Do you love combining power tools with classic novels? Then give this DIY book scanner a shot! Apparently it can scan up to 1200 pages an hour, depending on how fast you can manually turn the pages. I highly recommend watching the video, as not only does it explain the reasons why the inventor created his book scanner, but he also gives a succinct, persuasive argument for the proliferation of eBooks over paper books. Plus it’s always worth watching when the instructions for how to build…
Slide2Unlock2 Gets Updated to v2.20!
Slide2Unlock2, or more commonly known as S2U2, is a simple lock/unlock application which has the iPhone style slide unlocking for Windows Mobile. It can be used as a screen-saver when your device is idle. It has a CallerID function (but it may not work on some devices, so try it before using it daily); S2P control plugin; and volume control. S2U2 shows various system information items, even without unlocking and is highly customizable. Changes of v2.20 Removed the option “lock the device after any phone call when Bluetooth is on”. Added option “InCall Lock” (S2U2 Settings -> General) Added option…
Playboy releases their Official iPhone App
Oh don’t be shocked; we’ve all read it for the articles, and now you can do so from the privacy of your iPhone. You won’t find full nudity (although it is still rated 17+), but you will find “iconic monthly features” including the Playboy Interview, Playboy Advisor, 20 Questions, Party Jokes, Celebrities Hangin’ with Hef, and Fashion. Along with those items, you’ll also get some extra goodies… The new Playboy iphone app gives fans of the magazine a glimpse of the latest issue, along with exclusive content such as free Rabbit Head and Playmate wallpapers, and a Playmate video clip….
The UMID mbook Pink Edition for the Impossible-to-buy-for Girly Gadget Girl
You can stop staring now. Sure, the UMID mbook Pink Edition is only a little bit larger than a Nintendo DS, but this dainty morsel is running full Windows XP! I am completely intrigued by the Handheld PC form factor, and I can’t help but be interested. Starting at $449 (including a storage pouch and 4GB microSD), you get five hours of “actual (not theoretical)” use for surfing, editing, emailing, chatting …whatever. This would be the a perfect complement to the MiFi that I received as an early Christmas gift (thanks mom!), to boot! If the pink is too girly…
Garia: Golf Cart made by the hands that build Porsches
The Garia Golf Cart is a truly unique vehicle for the links. Made at the same factory where both the Porsche Boxster and Cayman are born, the Garia features the same level of meticulous attention to design and luxury. The cart features a built refrigerator, hand-stitched seats, and an exclusive personalization program where you can choose to have the Garia painted in your favorite color or matched to your other cars. The Garia features a double wishbone front suspension similar to those found in sports cars and inspired by Formula 1 cars. The drive train is built by an Italian…
Sony Store Moving to EPub
We have an official date for the Sony move to ePub… this Friday, December 11th. Going forward, ALL Sony eBooks will be available only as ePubs, and the proprietary BBeB format will be removed. If you did not opt into the PRS-500 upgrade/trade-in program, be sure to back up your library! Also on Friday, the Sony Reader software is coming to Macs and PCs, so presumably you can read your Sony content on your laptop if e-ink drives you nuts! Finally, Sony is renaming their eBook store the “Reader Store”, to better tie in with their Sony Reader line. What…
AT&T Wants to Know about Your Network Problems
AT&T has released a new program for the iPhone called “AT&T Mark the Spot”. The purpose of the program is to help you, as an AT&T customer, report network outages, issues, and dead spots. In this release AT&T makes it really simple to report problems. It will capture your GPS location or you can submit about a location not specifically where you are at. The app has some basic things it wants to know: Is it a dropped call, failed call, no coverage, data failure, or poor voice quality problem? Does it happen once, seldom, often, or always? You can…
Make Collages Quickly with Photovisi
If you like to make photo collages, but don’t necessarily want to futz around with getting those photos to overlap just so, then Photovisi may be a good option to consider. Photovisi offers free collage creation and makes the whole process quite easy. You pick a template (there are 18 from which to choose), upload your photos, crop them if needed, and bingo… you’re done. Just save the image to your computer and enjoy. Photovisi’s downloads are free and sized for use as desktop wallpaper. If you want something a little more tangible on which to show your handiwork, Photovisi…
chicBoom and RockBoom rock your world fashionably
From the company that brought fashion to the portable entertainment world, ChicBlvd, Inc. lets women and men both further enjoy their music in style – and now aloud – thanks to the new chicBoom and RockBoom iPod and mp3 speaker cases. I just hope it doesn’t come down to “Does this chicBoom/RockBoom make my butt look big?”
The HeadBlade, solving the tough task of head shaving
I’ll just come right out and say it. Are you balding? Are you man enough to admit it and instead of trying to cover it up with hair replacement, comb overs or some other method you simply choose to do “manly” thing and just shave it all off? Or could you have a full head of hair but like the clean, smooth look of your bald head? Are you BBC (bald by choice?) If you answered yes to either of the above questions then the HeadBlade is for you. The HeadBlade, which is used by countless bald celebrities makes the…
The Imaging Source Allows Amateur Astronomers to Take Amazing Photos
What an amazing thing! The Imaging Source has introduced a line of low-noise astronomy cameras that provide amateur photographers with the necessary tools to take amazing photographs using their telescopes. Priced from $390 to $640, the monochrome and color camera models are available “with and without an IR cut filter in three resolutions: 640×480, 1024×768 and 1280×960. The astronomy cameras deploy low noise CCD chips from Sony, which have an exposure time of up to 60 minutes and a maximum frame rate of up to 60 fps.” Granted, the quality of your pictures will also depend upon the strength of…
Chevy Volt Aims to Help the Blind
I bought a Prius over the summer. Halfway through the test drive, my fiancee asked the salesman if he was aware that electric cars have caused issues for blind pedestrians since they don’t hear the cars coming. His response (after an awkward silence where he no doubt considered whether his answer would lose him the sale) was “Well, it comes with a horn.”
Internet Immortality
Judie and I were discussing the concept of immortality this afternoon. She pointed out that our legacies live on long after we’re gone thanks to the internet. This, of course, led to a side discussion about how if you don’t show up in a Google search you are immediately a bit suspect. Why doesn’t Google know who you are? Even scarier, what does Google know about you? So I googled myself…and found one link that still has me laughing. Remember Barnes and Noble’s conference call about the nook? And Spring Design, makers of the Alex Reader, who are suing B&N over…
The Rolling Razor Looks Tricky
I’m not too sure that the Rolling Razor is that much safer to use: after all, nicks and scratches are common with even the most basic stick styles, and I can only imagine the damage I could inflict with something like this. But according to the Rolling Razor site, using one helps to eliminate irritation, nicks, cuts, razor bumps and burn.
Brinell Purestorage Hard Drives for the Ferrari Set
If you wear Zegna suits, have a home in the Hamptons, and if your other car is a Ferrari, then a plastic casing on your portable hard drive would be nothing short of gauche. It’s for you that the brinell purestorage line was created… With the brinell purestorage product series, brinell, the Karlsruhe-based creative designer, has put portable hard drives on the market, setting new standards in the area of IT peripherals. Not only do these units rank among the most compact USB hard drives in cheque card and pocket format with a capacity of up to 500 GB, they…
Pet bunk bed would be great item for crazy cat lady line of home furnishings
This Merry Pet Room-With-A-View is perfect for pet owners who spare no expense on accessorizing for their animals. If you’re regularly buying cat food from the refrigerated food case in the pet food aisle -this pet bunk bed may be right up your alley. Made from kiln-dried Asian fir treated with natural color stains. Steps along one side lead to roof-top balcony surrounded by latticework. Measures 29 by 21 by 26 inches; interior measures 18 by 18 by 14 inches. Pet Bunk Bed – $87
Cellphones Recreate Tchaikovsky
This is absolutely fabulous. Check out the above video from Vodafone NZ; I’ve watched it 3 times today already! Engadget has more details on how it was made if you’re curious. Now to convince the team here to pool our vast cell phone collections and make something similar…maybe with something more modern like the Thong Song. Via Engadget
Motorcycle Grip Opener Pops Bottle Tops with Authentic Revving Sound
Why rip open beer bottles with your teeth when this talking motorcycle grip bottle opener can make the experience more entertaining. Using the grip you’ll be able to remove the cap while listening to a cheesy revving sound. Great gift for the beer drinking Hells Angel wannabe in your life. Talking Motorcycle Grip Bottle Opener via Nerd Approved
Blood Energy Potion – because bloodlust never just “goes away”
Chronic bloodlust is exactly as you might think. It’s an uncontrollable desire to drink blood. This usually hits the peak right around Halloween when companies are marketing all sorts of off-beat stuff list this Blood Energy potion.