Hard drive clocks are a dime a dozen on sites like Etsy, but Hacked Gadgets reader NatureTM went the extra mile and employed an Arduino to control the time and LED light show on the reflective platters.
This is only phase one of NatureTM’s project, a chronodot (for time accuracy) and a case will eventually be added. Details on the build are pretty basic at the moment, but a schematic can be requested and code should be posted…eventually. [Hacked Gadgets]
Last week Japanese toymaker Takara Tomy claimed that they had a soda-powered RC car in the works, and they have delivered on that promise with the “Ene Pocket.”
The car runs on Sony’s Bio Battery which, in turn, gets its energy from breaking down sugars like those found in soda and fruit drinks. Therefore, the efficiency of the car depends on the liquid used (apparently, grape juice is the best). Obviously, a toy like this is intended as an eco-friendly alternative to electricity, but unless you are sifting through dumpsters for the residue in Red Bull cans, all you are really doing is wasting food. At any rate, the car is still in the prototype phase, so there is no word yet on when it might actually be available for sale. [Gigazine via Inhabitat]
Dianne Annunziato is accusing a Dell technician of becoming a virtual peeping Tom during a support call by remotely turning on her webcam.
“First, the technician started asking me what time of day it was,” she said.
When she looked at her screen a minute later, Annunziato said she could see herself in a little box.
“He turned on the webcam; he never asked, ‘May I? Can I?’ Not a word, he just turned it on,” she said.
All I can say is, if I was in the woman’s place during this call, the technician would have seen some naked adult content regardless of the time of day. Fortunately, the Annunziato was wearing clothes, but she was quick to point out the problem with all of this to the technician’s supervisor.
“I said, ‘I could have been sitting here undressed,’ and the supervisor laughed, and I just sat there in shock,” she said.
So far, the technician’s side of the story has not been heard—but Dell claims that they are currently investigating the incident. [NBCdfw via Consumerist]
There isn’t a nationwide ban on texting for regular drivers (yet), but starting today bus drivers and commercial truckers will have to put down the cellphone and concentrate on the road.
I think I speak for just about everyone that isn’t a bus or truck driver when I say…it’s about damn time. I mean, you would be a dammed fool to text while driving any sort of vehicle, but when a big rig goes down there is a much greater potential for disaster (not to mention a bus full of kids). The new ban carries fines of up to $2,750. [Reuters via Crunchgear Image via cuteegroup]
Who cares about FM radio right? But what if the FM radio came in a wooden box that’s really, really tiny? The Motz is all that and an MP3 speaker as well.
Still nothing? Well, maybe you can tape it to your hamster so it looks like he’s carrying around an ’80s style boombox. Of course, it will have to be Korean hamsters only until this thing gets imported to the US. [EarlyShop via Technabob via DVICE]
With all of the plans NASA has for the moon and Mars, it’s about time they developed a suit that didn’t make astronauts look and feel like Randy from A Christmas Story. Their new suit will increase flexibility and mobility.
Named “Constellation” after NASA’s exploration program, the suit will be able to keep an astronaut alive for up to 150 hours. It will also have interchangeable components so the same arms, legs, boots, and helmets can be used with different suit torsos. Currently, astronauts have to wear two completely different suits: one for escape suit for launch and re-entry and another for working outside of the shuttle or ISS. The Constellation suit will retain much of the characteristics of the escape suit, but you can pop off the extremities and attach them onto a reinforced torso equipped with life support, electronics, and communication systems—even a computer that links directly back to Earth.
Increased freedom of movement for exploring lunar and martian surfaces comes from built in panels of material at the joints that keep the volume inside the suit constant while pressurized. The designers are also working on breathable materials for the suit to make it even more comfortable to wear. Assuming all goes to plan, the suits will be ready for flight in 2015—just in time for NASA to scrap or push back all of their missions to other planets. [Technology Review]
It’s a pun that works on every level. Plus, it will be compatible with kinds of eReaders—not just the Kindle thanks to a WideLip grip. Also features double pivoting arms and 2 LED light source.
[Amazon via The Gadgeteer]
AMD has released several new processors in the Athlon and Phenom II lineups and aimed them squarely at budget-minded consumers. The chips have already been benchmarked on several sites, and, overall, they appear to offer good performance for the price.
For benchmark comparisons, check out Hot Hardware, AnandTech, Computer Shopper, Tom’s Hardware, Overclocker’s Club, and ExtremeTech [AMD via Engadget]
You know what, this analog version of facebook looks a lot cleaner and more user friendly than the real deal. Besides, there is still something to be said for putting pen to paper.
Unfortunately for those that prefer an old school form of data entry, the design is only a concept. [Laura Balboa via This Isn't Happiness via Technabob]
Designed by a physician and inspired by the US and Canadian militaries, the ColdAvenger not only protects the skin from the elements, it also protects your respiratory system with a removable ventilator.
Made of medical grade biocompatible plastic, the ventilator creates a “micro-climate” by mixing inhaled cold air with exhaled warm moisture to achieve a balance of warmth and humidity to protect the airways from the damaging cold. The simple design does all this while allowing totally free-breathing and keeping moisture off the face. The ColdAvenger’s patent-pending ventilation technology keeps temperatures inside the mask 40?- 60?F higher than outside air.
If you work a lot in the outdoors, or you are an avid skier or snowboarder, I would think that $80 wouldn’t be too much to pay to avoid that painful feeling you get when your lungs are full of nothing but dry, cold air. [ColdAvenger via ORW]
