Ink is so twentieth century. Nowadays, if you want your writings to last the ages, you'd better be using metal. Grand Illusions has created a writing implement that is made of a metal alloy that can leave a mark on most types of paper. Since there's no ink and no lead, there's no reason to ever refill or sharpen this implement, though since it actually works like a pencil, it will wear down slowly over time. Still, for $30, a pen that will potentially last for years is a pretty good bargain. Long as you don't lose it.
You think you're hardcore doing your crossword puzzles in ink, eh? Try metal, sucker. Don't call yourself a dedicated cruciverbalist without one. In fact, don't call yourself a dedicated cruciverbalist period, 'kay?
[via Popgadget]
It's been an odd winter so far here in the northeast. No snow to speak of, and temperatures in the 40s and 50s. Still, there has been a morning or two where I've had to scrape the old windshield off. On the one hand, there's something cathartic about ice scraping—on the other hand, I could easily do with less time spent in the freezing cold.
So why not soup up the old ice scraper with a little bit of the old electric magic? Eddie Bauer, of all places, is offering a powered ice scraper. Just plug it into your car's cigarette lighter; a fifteen foot cord allows reach to all of your car's windows—unless you're driving a Hummer.
At $15, it's a pretty good deal for avoiding frostbite.
[via Gizmodo]
There has not yet been invented the copy protection system that dedicated hackers cannot break. The major reason for this, of course, is that you need to be able to decode the content to watch the video, and to do that you need the key. If you have the key, you can decode the content. It's that simple.
So it really shouldn't come as a surprise to anybody that the Advanced Access Content System (AACS) of HD DVD and Blu-Ray has already been cracked. AACS was supposed to be far tougher than CSS, the system used on conventional DVDs (the cracking code for which was once famously printed on a t-shirt).
A tool called BackupHDDVD has been released which ought to allow you to pull content off an HDDVD (for your own personal use, of course). Engadget is testing it out, and though they haven't gotten it to work yet, that's largely a restriction of the DVD playing software. I fully expect this to be GUIfied and perfected within a couple of weeks.
We bought my grandmother a small LCD screen for her kitchen for Christmas, a Sharp Aquos 13". It's a pretty nice TV, marred only by the fact that it's still relying on analog over-the-air reception. My parents confided that they've been eyeing an update to their TV as well (a 27" Sony CRT), but the eternal question reared its head: LCD or plasma?
Three of my buddies from college all own 50" plasma screens now, which they appear to be pretty happy with. I'd always heard that plasma was superior to LCD at larger sizes, but this New York Times article has me wondering again. Reputedly, Panasonic has been pumping plasmas over LCDs for their large screens, focusing on better contrast, viewing angle, etc. Then again, the fact that profit margins on LCDs have been falling due to increased competition couldn't have anything to do with it, hm?
So, I ask you, Gadgetboxers, when it comes to the home television set—the center of your home theater—do you prefer plasma or LCD? And, more importantly, why?
[via Slashdot]
It's always good to ask yourself important questions, like: "do I need a heated dish drying rack?" It's also important to answer those questions honestly: "Yes. Yes I do." Our house does have a dishwasher, but his name is Dan and honestly, Dan can only do so much with dishes when the rack is full and the dish towels that could be used for washing are damp and dirty.
One would hope that introducing the power of electricity to dish drying could solve my problems by speeding up the whole process, but really, it's impossible to say. The dryer, which costs about $70, can hold "up to 4 large size dishes, 8 medium size dishes, 6 small dishes, and 6 sets of chopsticks." I only have 4 sets of chopsticks—do you think that will be a problem?
I think I might save the cast to invest in a dishwasher proper (I shall call him Bob).
[via Oh Gizmo!]
Why, hello there. It's been far too long, Gadgetboxers. I'd love to discuss where I've been for the past week, but well, it's not for me to say. There were spies, you see, and girls, and gadg—okay, I spent my Christmas vacation watching the James Bond marathon on Spike. Are you happy now that you've crushed what little self-respect I have left? Hmm?
Let's just move on. Speaking of James Bond, I bet even the legendary superspy would be jealous if Q handed you this Underwater Digital Wrist Camera. Submersible up to 30 feet, it can take 360 photos (fairly low res, given the 32MB of memory), or 32 ten second clips of video...of fish (yes, only fish). The camera also includes a self-timer (for pictures of you with fish), and weighs less than twelve ounces (lighter than many fish). It's Mac or PC compatible, and quite the value for $80, presuming, of course that you like taking pictures of fish.
[via Digital World]
Here is my conclusion of the Hottie Amplifier, a guitar amplifier designed from the shell of classic chrome toaster: waste of a perfectly good toaster. I know pretty much zip about guitar playing, so you'll have to decide for yourself whether a solid state amp with a 6" Jensen "MOD" speaker, output jack, and powered by a 9-volt battery is worth $150.
[via The Red Ferret Journal]
There are any number of cruel, torturous devices of the variety known as "the alarm clock." These sinister contraptions are designed to rip you from the arms of your restful slumber, and send you plodding about your quotidian duties. But one of the most diabolical design concepts in this field has finally been made flesh—well, plastic.
Clocky, the Frakensteinian brainchild of MIT student Gauri Nanda, will cost you just $50—but the disruption it causes to your life will be priceless. As you plead for another five pitiful minutes, desperately whacking the snooze button, Clocky will spring to live, rolling off your nightstand and zooming around the room, beeping and flashing the whole time. Unless you catch Clocky and silence him (preferably with a sledgehammer), you may never sleep again. Ever.
Clocky is available in white, aqua, and mint, or, if you, like Sam Tyler, are mysteriously stuck in the seventies, a brown shag covering.
[via Uber-Review]
I'm trying to think of all the handy uses for US Modular's new self-proclaimed "Handy Drive." It incorporates a flash drive from 128MB to 4GB, a ballpoint pen, and a flash light. Crazy? Crazy useful. No more jotting down illegible notes in the darkness, no more trying to find the USB port on your computer in a darkened room, no more, er, getting yourself locked in a supply cabinet by accident at the holiday party. Well, two out of three ain't bad.
Unfortunately, there's not much more known about the Handy Drive at this point, besides the capacities and the fact that the 128MB version will run you $20. Crucial details (ink color?) are still missing from US Modular's website. We do know that it will have a keyring (ooh) and will work with OS X, Windows, and Linux (ahh). We have no idea why the picture above has the Unilever logo on it (oh).
[via Macworld]
