10. The Spyder III Hand Laser. George Lucas hates this thing. Actual scientists are terrified by it. It’s missing several key safety features and could blind a human being–permanently–from several feet away. But for the evil genius out there, nothing says “doom” quite like a Class IV laser for under three hundred dollars. Burn matches at both ends! Set trash on fire from across the room! It’s all possible now.

9. A copy of Electronic Gadgets for the Evil Genius. Currently available on ThinkGeek, this book gives you access to a whole host of projects that can help any evil genius in the making–a body heat detector, a lightning bolt generator, and plenty of others are available.

8. Craigslist. If you’re going to be an evil genius, you’re going to need minions. Fortunately for the evil geniuses out there, unemployment is at an all time high, thus the pool of folks available to carry out your schemes is higher than ever, if you’re willing to pay for it. Plus it’s also a great place to find old electronics you can scrap out to build your diabolical hardware. But for the cash-strapped (or non-people-person) out there, you might want to consider number 7 instead.

7. A copy of 123 PIC Microcontroller Experiments For the Evil Genius. See? Says so right in the title. But if you’re a little cash-poor, and you don’t want to kick off your evil genius career solo, you’ll need minions that need no sleep or food or pay hikes. You’ll need robots, and this book is a good place to start learning how to build and assemble your own, with a host of step-by-step instructions.

6. A Tron lightcycle. There are only five of these ever produced, but between the Tron Lightcycle (which we talked about earlier this week)’s mix of neon accents, two-wheeled high acceleration and sheer recognizability, nothing says “getaway vehicle” quite like the thing that looks like a streak of light in the night.

5. A giant LCD monitor. It both impresses anyone who sees it in your lair and allows you to see the fear in the eyes of the world leaders you contact on it. Sharp happens to offer a massive LCD monitor that weighs in at 108 inches, and that’s more than big enough to see the terror you inflict on anyone by dint of your mere existence.

4. A case of Ammo. No, not for your weapons! Ammo happens to rank number one in the world in terms of caffeine levels. By comparison, Red Bull boasts 33 milligrams of caffeine per 100 milliliters. Ammo, meanwhile, puts up 570, or nearly twenty times that. Imagine drinking twenty Red Bulls in rapid succession. Now imagine the havoc you can wreak. You’re welcome.

3. Blue Waters. It’s not a toilet cleaning solution, but rather, a highly advanced supercomputer that operates on a scale of billions of operations per second. And the best part? As of April, it was currently located in Iowa. You’ll need that kind of processing speed to automate your lair, keep track of your minions, and of course, get that amazing transmission speed for your ransom demands when you hold the world hostage to your newest device.

2. An iPhone. What, you didn’t think this was going to be just wild and esoteric devices, did you? No! Every good evil genius needs rapid communications with loads of applications, and the iPhone goes a long way toward being the electronic / communications “Swiss army knife” that every good evil genius needs! Plus, considering the way Apple’s been working lately, you’ll be able to learn a thing or two about evil as you tell people who just waited days on line for your product that they should just hold it differently and that’ll fix the problems.

1. A proper lair. Look, you can’t be an evil genius operating out of your mom’s basement or a two-bedroom split-level in the suburbs. It just doesn’t work. But for sheer panache, not to mention incredible security, take a gander at this little beauty–an old United States missile base. For instance, down in Pulaski, Indiana, there’s an old communications center that’s been specifically hardened against nuclear war. It comes on 5.5 acres of ground, with both above and below ground buildings, electric hoist, AND a diesel generator. Plus, it’s yours for just $275,000…unless you just take it over now, seeing that it’s up for sale.

And with these devices in mind, you too will be well on your way toward absolute evil genius dominance. Despicable Me, meanwhile, hits theaters July 9th.

all pics copyright their owners.

There are five of them in the works, each in a different color: one the pictured blue above, but also available in red, yellow, green and orange. The wheels are custom made, dual hubless, with custom tires, and should you be planning a long trip on this sucker you can buy additional tires from Parker Brothers as needed. The frame is a mix of cold-rolled steel, carbon fiber and fiberglass, while the colors are generated via neon tubes behind frosted plexiglass and can be turned off and on as desired.

They’re currently selling for a whopping $35000 each, but with that comes a free Tron helmet, as well as the opportunity to watch your new bike being built on YouTube. Value? Not hardly. Cool? Absolutely.

The pieces use sensors mounted on their undersides to read a series of symbols (you can see them in the pic above) to tell where to go. Basically, they roll in a certain direction until they reach a symbol, and stop accordingly. There are only so many ways each chess piece can move so the programming part of it at least makes sense, and as its foundation, it uses a computer chess program.

This “chess set” may well be the most expensive in existence, costing fully thirty grand to construct, so if you ever thought that Legos were just for kids, here’s all the proof you need that that’s no longer the case.

And that’s why I loved seeing this watch.

This particular rebuild is based around an Arduino Mini Pro 328, and tacks on a wide array of extras, including a block of wood. And lest you think this watch just looks pretty, you’ll be amazed by what it can do. It offers sensing of temperature and range, a drawing program so you can doodle on your watch via a trackball control, a copy of Breakout, and, in what may well be the strangest feature I’ve ever seen on a watch, three different time display styles: analog, digital, or BINARY. Yes, binary.

The original inventor says that other programs or parts can be added at will, and the whole thing can be built for just under three hundred bucks. If you actually own one of these watches, it’s safe to say your geek cred will go up three fold–and if you build one yourself, probably ten fold.

The beleaguered space agency is going populist, offering up an opportunity for you to put your face out in space. Just go to NASA’s web site (linked below) and upload a photo of your face. You’ll then receive a mission confirmation slip for you to print out, detailing the time and date of your launch. Go back to NASA’s site after that and you’ll be able to get a commemorative flight certificate signed by “your” mission commander.

And for those worried about giving interloping aliens a record of your face to find you later and convert you to slave labor, no need to worry. You can skip the photo upload entirely and just send your name into space instead. There are only two missions left, so get your face in space!

Cupidtino will allow your Macbook, iPad, iPhone and iPod be seen as dating assets, rather than geeky gadgets that could turn away a potential partner.

The dating site will provide a platform for Apple fans to chat, meet and hookup. It’s planned to launch in June this year. Currently on its website, the following message is displayed:

Cupidtino is a beautiful new dating site created for fans of Apple products by fans of Apple products! Why? Diehard Mac & Apple fans often have a lot in common – personalities, creative professions, a similar sense of style and aesthetics, and of course a love for technology. We believe these are enough reasons for two people to meet and fall in love, and so we created the first Mac-inspired dating site to help you find other Machearts around you.

Cupidtino will launch in June 2010 exclusively on Apple platforms – including sweet location-based social apps for the iPhone and iPad.

Apparently Cupidtino was started by two developers and one designer who have worked for impressive organizations like Google, Microsoft and Yahoo in the past. The company is based in San Francisco and is currently hiring a new developer, new designer and a PR consultant.

Even if you think that Cupidtino is a lame idea, it has already developed a buzz online in the last few days and also gained a few hundred Twitter followers in the process.

Currently, there are already niche dating sites for the extremely wealthy, the beautiful and just plain wacky pet-lovers. So it was only a matter of time we would see a dating site dedicated to Apple fans.

What do you think of the idea? Would you even join Cupidtino out of curiosity?

It seems anything can be turned into a touchscreen, even your skin. Microsoft’s Redmond research lab and researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have developed a system called Skinput that projects a working touchscreen on to your skin. The prototype uses a microchip sized pico projector to display the touchscreen image and an acoustic detector that analyzes ultralow-frequency to determine where your finger is tapping.

Both the microchip sized pico projector and acoustic detector are embedded in an armband (which looks somewhat adjustable) that projects an interactive image on to your forearm or hand. You can then access the menu and control icons by tapping on your skin. By combining a computer driven technology with a human surface, Skinput gives us a glimpse of the future of portable apps and on the go computing.

There are many interesting applications for this device and some challenges. I imagine that a touchscreen surface that is not completely flat, may produce some usage challenges. Trying to operate this device in less than quiet surroundings or in an environment where echo is a problem, may also be difficult. Since the acoustic detector is responsible for determining the direction of the sound (where your finger is tapping) by making frequency analysis, excess noise or echo may cause an inaccurate reading. Operating this device outdoors in a sunlit environment, may also not be as viable as indoor operation, since the image is light projected and increased light may make it harder for you to see the touchscreen. Besides these possible technical difficulties, Skinput also has some design issues. It is not exactly aesthetically pleasing to look at and you might not exactly make it through airport security wearing this.

Even with all these possible complications, if Microsoft Redmond Research and Carnegie Mellon University are willing to work any and all kinks, there is some definite potential. If Microsoft were to expand this technology into the home entertainment and gaming arena, I can see some real interesting possibilities for a touch screen surface on your skin.

Also with your skin being elastic, it may be a little more able to withstand the poking and prodding of your finger, then your average LCD touchscreen. If the electronics consumer version is developed correctly, your new touchscreen surface will last as long as you do.

Set to become available later this year, though no specific release date has been confirmed as yet, BigTrak Jr – which seemingly comes in at around half the size of the original BigTrak, as pictured below – will be capable of storing up to 32 programs and it’ll even see new accessories such as a rocket launcher attachment and a digital camera though, again, details concerning these attachments is pretty sparse right now (so we are unable to offer any indication as to the resolution of the camera, etc).

BigTrak Jr is expected to hit retail this Summer and will carry a price tag of some $40 (circa £30 in the UK).

[via Crunchgear | Technabob]

Having noted that the MotoArt Boeing 747 Jetliner Bed is doing the rounds again (we featured it back in March, incidentally) we thought we’d bring you another Boeing 747 MotoArt creation to add to your Jumbo Jet themed love nest in the form of this Boeing 747 Cowling Bar which, as you can see from the associated imagery, is (apparently) somewhat of a hit with the ladies (wait till they see your 747 bed, eh?).

Okay, jesting aside, whether or not furnishings crafted from reclaimed B747 parts are indeed a hit with the ladies remains to be seen, but if your are looking for a decidedly distinctive bar this Boeing 747 Cowling Bar from MotoArt is sure to catch your eye – and whether you have a particular penchant for the 747 is immaterial, this is a work of art, period.

Fabricated from an authentic cowling that housed a Pratt & Whitney jet engine that, in its former life, flew on a subsequently decommissioned B747 (so, its safe to say, this bar has racked up more mileage than most bars out there) the B727 Cowling Bar is custom fabricated with a ½ tempered glass top and finished with ‘mirror polished aluminum stand-offs’ and there’s even a hardwood bar counter top and integrated shelves for storage of your favourite tipples.

Of course, and as you’d expect, as these are bespoke items, MotoArt don’t actually offer any pricing details but, if you’re interested in kitting out your room with a Jumbo Jet bar you can contact them for a quote (assuming they have access to the materials they need to lovingly create one of these for you).

If you’re looking for other aviation themed furnishings, also fabricated by MotoArt, you may be interested in the previously featured posts below which take in everything from the aforementioned B747 Jetliner Bed through to the (phenomenal) B52 Ejector Seat Office Chair.

• MotoArt F-4 Phantom Ejection Seat Chair [F-4 Office Chair - Great for Quick Exits]
• B-52 Stratofortress Ejector Seat Office Chair – Tailor Made for Aviation Buffs
• MotoArt Boeing 747 JetLiner Bed [Jumbo Jet Bed for Bedroom Pilots]
• Kinky MotoArt Mile High Bed with LED Lighting [Flaps Down, Coming In For An Approach]
• Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet Engine Cowling Reception Desk Ensures Your Reception Area Makes a Lasting Impression
• MotoArt Offer Limited Edition Douglas C-133 Pedal Table [Aviation Themed Coffee Table]

Further information can be obtained from the MotoArt Website.

Having only today posted about a (seemingly bogus) limited edition Star Wars Wii console that appeared, then duly disappeared, from Ebay we got to thinking that, with the holiday season and Christmas looming, we really ought to offer you a heads up concerning our top ten Star Wars related gifts (for adults and children alike) – not least because, let’s face it, any Star Wars related gift is going to go down pretty reasonably, isn’t it?

We’ve tried to arrange the following Top Ten Star Wars Gifts in a somewhat (almost, possibly) reasonable list which shouldn’t be read as offering any indication as to how desirable each item is as each of you will be looking for something specific catering for a certain someone – so the entire following list is worth scanning in full lest you miss that killer gem. We’ve also tried to offer gift ideas that cross the spectrum from cheap to outrageously expensive just to make sure we have you covered regardless of your budget (these are tough times for many people, after all).

Incidentally, if you’re looking for a selection of some of the coolest wrist watches currently out there as possible gift ideas you may be interested in this post: Our Top Ten Coolest Minimalist & Retro Wrist Watches As Featured on TFTS.

TFTS Top Ten Star Wars Gift Guide

Star Wars Force Trainer

An obvious first choice – its always a good idea to start off with a pretty safe bet – the Star Wars Force Trainer is sure to prove to be a hit with children and young-minded adults alike. Have you got what it takes to move a ball (sorry, a ‘remote sphere’) up a tube using just the power of concentration? Of course you have.

Want to know more? See: Star Wars Force Trainer Release Date Confirmed [Star Wars Mind Control Game Feels Your Force, Moves Ball].

Star Wars Darth Vader Lightsaber LED Flashlight

Available from the same online portable that’s offers the Darth Vader Pink Helmet (see below for the all too inevitable puns), the Darth Vader Lightsaber LED Flashlight sports no less than 4 LED bulbs, measures in at some 9.5 inches in length and, yes, it even comes with sound effects (you just knew it would, didn’t you?).

The Darth Vader Lightsaber LED Flashlight, which is powered by 3 AAA batteries (and not by the power of the force, alas), will set you back some $25. You can find out more information by linking through to Darth Vader Lightsaber LED Flashlight [Star Wars Nerdlight is Geek and Earth Friendly].

Star Wars Lightsaber Laser Pointer

If the above details Lightsaber LED Torch isn’t quite what you’re looking for as a gift, how about this Star Wars Lightsaber Laser Pointer?

Beautifully detailed yet (pretty much) small enough to fit on a key ring the Star Wars Lightsaber Laser Pointer comes with a red laser powered by 3 AG5 button batteries and, yes, from a functional perspective its wholly redundant (unless you take a fancy to trying to blind people, which we’re sure you don’t). Still, its cool in a ‘what the hell do I do now, ity shines a light, seen that, what else does it do’ kind of way.

The Star Wars Lightsaber Laser Pointer is your from just shy of $10 – $15.

R2-D2 Aquarium with LED Ambient Lighting (and Integrated Periscope).

Fish fans who also bow at the sheer mention of the name Lucas cannot fail to be enamoured with this R2-D2 Aquarium which comes complete with ambient lighting and an integrated periscope – look through R2’s radar eye and you’ll get a fish-eye view of what’s occurring in the tank. Great. Tacky, but great – though an undoubted conversation starter.

More here: R2D2 Animated Aquarium with Radar Eye Periscope [Star Wars Themed Fish Tank].

Remote Controlled R2-D2 Home Projection Unit

If you don’t already know about this you’re either not a true Star Wars fan or not a geek or you’re neither or you just don’t know about it (which is fair enough, who are we to cast dispersions?).

We’ve covered the ACE (not a work I ever use, wonder why I’ve used it now?) Remote Controlled R2-D2 Home Projection Unit pretty extensively on the site and so id you want the full low down as to what this gem of a projection unit has to offer, and you have a pretty hefty sum burning a hole in your pocket, you can find out more here.

May I just add that if you are seriously considering getting this as a gift for someone we really should talk as I think we’ll get on, become BFFL’s and, who knows, you might get me on too. Hell, its worth a try.

Star Wars R2-D2 4-Port USB Hub

Looking to feel safe in the knowledge that R2 is right there on your desktop ready to connect a host of USB gadgetry to your PC whilst being able to sit back and wallow in the glorious beeping of R2 talking to you whenever you plug in a USB device? It’s a big ask, but we have you covered (otherwise there would be little point in featuring the item here, would there). We (I mean I) have two of these, because the first worked for 5 minutes before giving up the ghost and emitting a burning smell. Thankfully the second one worked.

The R2-D2 4-Port USB Hub is yours for just shy of $40 and, if you don’t have one already, its an assured hit (assuming the intended recipient has a PC).

Star Wars Illuminated Lightsaber Stylus Set for Nintendo DS/DSi

If you know a Star Wars fan who’s got a DS/DSi and they’re still using the bundled stylus this Illuminated Lightsaber Stylus Set for Nintendo DS/DSi is sure to go down a treat what with both Darth Vader’s and Luke’s Lightsabers on offer.

You can read more about the Illuminated Lightsaber Stylus Set for Nintendo DS/DSi here: Illuminated Star Wars Lightsaber Stylus Set For Nintendo DS [Feel the Force, Nintendo Boy].

Star Wars Lego Pen Set (Yoda, R2-D2 & Darth Vader 3 Pen Set)

Combining Lego with Star Wars is, few would argue, a masterstroke. Combine Star Wars, Lego and stationary together an, as far as we’re concerned, you’re a damned genius.

The Star Wars Lego Pen Sets come with three pens offering Yoda, Darth Vader and R2-D2 in self assembly format – meaning all manner of creations are possible (most of them just not right).

See: Star Wars Lego Pen Set – Lego, Star Wars and Stationery [Who Could Ask For More?] (we’ve checked the link within that posting, and it’s still valid).

Star Wars R2-D2 Pepper Mill

As if R2 didn’t offer functionality enough (we seen to be obsessing somewhat on R2 in the guide, don’t we) he’ll even grind pepper. Is there any limit as to what this droid can do?

The Star Wars R2-D2 Pepper Mill will set you back just under $20 but if you can live with torturing R2 every time you’re after some seasoning I don’t want to know you (unless you invite me round to dinner).

Star Wars Darth Vader Pink Helmet (Limited Edition)

Do you love someone enough to give them Vader’s Pink Helmet? (Stops writing for a second, thinks long and hard about where this is going – tries to address the situation pronto by relying on stating the facts).

Uh hum. The Darth Vader Helmet (Pink Edition) comes from San Diego Comic-Con, is limited to just 1,644 pieces worldwide and is yours for just shy of a mere $60 (worth it just for the scope of puns it’ll give you, surely). Unfortunately, if you live in Mexico, you can forget getting your hands on Vader’s pink helmet as, whilst everybody else in the world can have it shipped to them, you’re excluded, for some reason (you don’t have the force, perhaps, who knows).

Star Wars Darth Vader Stein

Okay, yes, this is the eleventh item in our apparent ‘Top10’ but we couldn’t let the Stars Wars Darth Vader Stein slip by unmentioned, could we? Drinking beer from the poisoned chalice of the dark side – oh, yes please.

The Stars Wars Darth Vader Stein will set you back just under $21.

Items we desperately wanted to include, but couldn’t as seemingly no longer available.

On compiling this list we, obviously, trawled over previous posts concerning Star Wars related items and whilst we really (and I mean really) wanted to include the following two items we had to omit them as they appear to be no longer available.

Boblbe Megalopis Star Wars Hard Shell Backpacks

When we initially posted about the Boblbe Megalopis Star Wars Hard Shell Backpacks they were available but we did advise you that they were a strictly limited edition and, wouldn’t you know it, alas, they’re all gone. Still the standard Boblbe Megalopis backpacks are really, all said and done, not that much different – if you forget a number of key factors such as a laser etched Star Wars 30^th Anniversary plaque and their stamp of the Beida embedded in aluminium.

Star Wars USB Flash Drives (Vader, Yoda, Stormtrooper & Boba Fett)

Perhaps these are still available, if you relay go looking form them, but these 2GB Darth Vader, Yoda, Boba Fett and Stormtrooper USB flash drives certainly don’t appear to be listed on the site that we originally spotted them on. A crying shame as, along with the aforementioned Boblbe Megalopis Star Wars Hard Shell Backpacks they would have been right at the top of our Start Wars Gift Guide.

Are we missing something?

If you have any Star Wars themed gifts that you think we really should add here, please do let us know in the comments.

ASUS, the first company to showcase USB 3.0 ports on a motherboard, has once again proved why they are the world leader in motherboard technology with their new Sabertooth 55i motherboard.  The new board contains components that have been tested under extreme temperatures and deemed “military-certified”.

The military grade of each component is not the only reason for all of the recent hype surrounding the Sabertooth.  The new CeraM!X Microfin coating allows for a better heat dissipation because of the extra surface area provided by the rough coating.  This cooling factor, along with the CoolMem! fan frame that will house most 40-50mm fans directly over the CPU, the Sabertooth will be as cool as the Fonz.  Not only that, but the Sabertooth is built specifically for Intel’s i5 and i7 series processors.

The rest of the Sabertooth’s components are pretty standard when it comes to a high grade motherboard.  This includes four memory slots for a maximum of 16GB of DDR3 RAM, 10 channel Hi-Def audio, support for multiple NVIDIA® Quad-GPU SLI™ and ATI® Quad-GPU CrossFireX™ graphics processors, and 8 rear panel USB 2.0 ports.

ASUS still has to release information on the rest of the motherboards in their new TUF (The Ultimate Force) series, so do not expect to hear about a release date or pricing information anytime soon.  The good news is that the rest of ASUS’s TUF line and, hopefully, future motherboards will use the new cooling technology to allow for our processors to run at faster speeds.

At last we have it. The culmination of what I’m sure were minutes of product development effort has finally led us to what can only be described as the pinnacle of USB multi-card reader design, the Enter+Ctrl Keys Card Reader from the folks at usbgeek.com. Not only does it read the cards, it looks like a couple of well-known computer keys at the same time. Pure genius.

The Enter+Ctrl Keys Card Reader from the uber-nerds at USBGeeks.com is exactly what you think it is. It’s a USB 2.0 dongle shaped like the Enter and Ctrl keys from a keyboard. You take off the Ctrl part of the unit to expose the business end of the device and you insert pretty much any type of mini-memory card into the side. From the specs on the website, the unit can handle SDHC 2.0, SD, micro SDHC, microSD/T-flash, Sony M2, Memory Stick, and MS Duo. They have thrown an “etc.” on the end so it’s my guess that it supports more than that.

The Enter+Ctrl Keys Card Reader is compatible with Window Vista/XP/2000, Mac OS and is available for sale now at www.usbgeek.com for $12. It comes in your choice of either dark blue or white.

You probably haven’t heard of a company called Kopin Corporation. This could be because they spend most of their time crafting micro-displays for the likes of the military and other highly-secretive, if-you-know-too-much-I’ll-have-to-kill-you type organizations. Either that or you really need to get out from under your rock more often. Anyway, Kopin have announced today that they plan to unveil their new Golden-i™ Wearable Computer at Microsoft’s booth # 400 at the Embedded Systems Conference in Boston on September 22 & 23, 2009. Wearable computers a thing of science fiction you say? I beg of you to read on.

Geeky headgear aside, the Golden-i is a pretty stacked piece of technological cranium fashion. The crux of the unit is a combination three-ounce Bluetooth headset and 15-in virtual PC display. It also features a hands-free natural speech recognition interface capable of controlling just about every feature of your mobile device while it’s tucked away safely in your pocket. Kopin is promising that the Golden-i will serve us with hands-free spontaneous access to digital information, broadcast programming and Internet services all using the industry standard Bluetooth 2.0.

Interested to learn more about the behind-the-scenes action of the Golden-i? Thought so. The Golden-i is powered by Microsoft’s Windows® Embedded CE 6.0 R2 operating system along with a Texas Instruments OMAP3530 processor featuring an ARM Cortex-A8, high performance DSP and a graphics accelerator. Now that was a screenful. As for the communications portion of our tour, the Golden-i sports Nuance Communications VoCon3200 speech recognition and Vocalizer text-to-speech software platforms. Still need more? How about Micron Semiconductor’s ultra-fast, low-power, multi-bit node DDR2 RAM / NAND FLASH Package-on-Package (POP) OMAP mobile memories and MicroSD cards. I thought that’d do it for you.

You might be thinking that you need to carry an unlicensed proton accelerator pack on your back to power the thing, right? Well, according to Kopin, current testing suggests Golden-i’s OMAP dual processor platform can achieve over eight hours of typical use with a single 1200 mA/hr Li-ion battery. Boo-yah.

While the Golden-i may not quite be ready for prime time, Kopin plans to begin shipping Gen 3 Golden-i Eval SDK units for customer field trials in December 2009. Once they’ve worked out all the kinks, you might be able to purchase one of the production units sometime in 2010. There was such an overwhelming amount of info provided in the full press release that I didn’t want you to miss anything. You can click here for the rest of the story.

Are you looking for a way to improve your telekinetic abilities while having fun at the same time? I can’t even begin to count how many times I have asked myself that very same question. After all, who wouldn’t want to increase their chances of being able to read thoughts or mentally manipulate people, right? Well, now you can work on honing those increasingly important skill sets by using one of the latest product introductions from Hammacher-Schlemmer, the Mind Flex Telekinetic Obstacle Course.

Mind Flex is a game that uses brainwaves rather than manual dexterity as its main interface. The object of the game is to maneuver a small foam ball through a series of increasingly difficult obstacles using only your thoughts. I have a feeling that this seemingly simple task will prove more of an exercise in futility for most of the population. Anyway, that’s the gist. The unit receives your brainwaves via a super fashionable piece of headgear that’s a combination of a headband and two ear clips. The fancy hat measures the theta wave activity produced by your brain and is similar to EEG monitoring technology that’s used by medical professionals.

As you relax and concentrate, the headband sends a wireless signal whose strength is based on your level of mental concentration that controls the speed of the game’s air fan. You are supposed to be able to increase or decrease its speed, suspending or lowering the foam ball as you make your way around the course. Apparently, our brains are one-trick ponies, capable of only one foam ball function at a time. To this end, the unit features a knob so you can rotate the gameboard to move the ball through one of eight, interchangeable obstacles.

The Mind Flex Telekinetic Obstacle Course is available for $99.95 at www.hammacher.com and requires 4-C and 3-AAA batteries that aren’t included (ouch). The units aren’t expected to start shipping until September 25 so you have plenty of time to whip your gray matter into shape.

Before today, you may have come across yet another product spotlight piece on yet another blog on yet another universal remote control and yawned. That was before. This is now. The Wand Company (Yes, that’s their real name) is a UK-based start-up that is seeking to capitalize on the still-growing Harry Potter craze with its latest invention, the Kymera Magic Want universal remote control. Yes, it’s a remote control, but not just any remote control. You see, this one is in the shape of a magic wand and that, my friend, has made all the difference.

The Kymer Magic Wand is basically a universal remote control that is capable of learning up to 13 different infrared (IR) codes from your existing remotes and then replaying those codes when the spellcaster (OK, I got caught up in the moment, give me a break) makes any one of 13 different gestures. Among the gestures that the wand can recognize are rotate, left and right flicks, something called Big Swish, Push Forward and Pull Back. All are guaranteed to make you look like a complete tool when you are using them. According to the makers of the Kymera Magic Wand you can program any button on any remote control into one of the 13 slots. That mean you can have one gesture control volume up, the other volume down, the other channel up, the other…I think you get it.

So how does it work? Well, it’s magic, of course. No really, it’s your typical accelerometer technology that’s been found in electronics all over the muggle world for years. What makes it different, and, some would argue, much better, is that it has been repackaged in a wand that has been skillfully covered in “luxurious, Chinese Brocade Upholstery” and wrapped up nicely for storage in a box resplendent in faux dragon hide – because the real stuff is just too damn expensive.

I gotta give them credit. They have done a hell of a job with their marketing. The website is brilliant and the story, while certainly a bit worn around the edges, is definitely sure to get some attention. You can pre-order your own (10GBP/$17 deposit) Kymera Magic Wand remote control by paying a visit to www.thewandcompany.com and forking over 49.95BGP (about $83). If you live in the UK you get free shipping. Batteries included. Self-esteem is not.

The field of professional gaming is somewhat of a mystery to me. I meet this discussion with a combined sense of jealousy and wonder. Why didn’t I decided to go into this? Play games for a living? Get paid tons of money by hundreds of sponsors to be a full-time gaming geek? Anyway, for me, that ship has sailed, but for thousands of would-be gaming pros the dream is still very much alive. There is one thing I do know, however, and that’s the importance of the right gaming gear. Unless you are decked in the latest technology you could very well be left fragging yourself to death and this is not an option. The latest gaming keyboard from the professional game gear gurus at SteelSeries, the Merc Stealth, is sure to have pros and amateur gamers alike getting out their wallets faster than a GoW wall vault.

The SteelSeries Stealth Gaming Keyboard has been designed with the serious gamer in mind. Just the look of the thing might be enough to scare off the wannabes. Cloaked in black and sporting three different LED illumination options (blue, red, and purple), the Merc Stealth is as visually intimidating as it is functionally pimped out. The keyboard features 34 dedicated gaming terrain keys that are tilted at an ergonomic 11-degree angle to ensure that your bouts of CTS are limited during those all-nighters.

The SteelSeries Merc Stealth gaming keyboard also supports simultaneous keystrokes and features a number of hotkeys for multimedia, navigation and other one-click controls. The keyboard also features two USB 2.0 ports and blinged out gold-plated microphone and headset jacks all connected through a gold-plated USB connector. As if all that weren’t enough, all of the Merc Stealth’s keys can be programmed using the integrated SteelSeries Z Engine software.

After that brief rundown, I’m sure you’re ready to get your mitts on your own Merc Stealth keyboard (MSRP $89.99). Head on over to www.steelseries.com to check out the complete spec and to find out where you can pick one up today.

According to their website, Adafruit is a company that specializes in kits and parts for original, open source hardware electronics projects. Stuff like silkscreened circuit boards, through-hole parts and extra large solder pads. It reads like dweeb pulp fiction, doesn’t it? Besides, didn’t Radio Shack used to do the same thing? I can remember when all geeks and future manifesto writers would flock to stores like Adafruit to get their gizmo jollies. Seems like they are getting harder and harder to find these days, but we still managed. One of their latest DIY electronics kits, the Ice Tube Clock, certainly looks cool enough. I just wonder if it comes with the pocket protector or if you have to special order it.

The Adafruit Industries Ice Tube Clock is the company’s first clock kit and it would seem they’ve spared no expense. The clock is pretty much what you would expect of a clock. Once you’ve probably burned yourself about 20 times with a soldering iron and missed at least two pieces that you’ve abandoned and deemed unnecessary to the final construction, you are left with a rather cool looking timepiece. The entire thing is housed in a clear, acrylic box and the main display is some kind of Russian vacuum tube that has glowing blue digits. It’s sort of a nod to the good ole’ Cold War days, I guess. Other specs include an eight-digit display, alarm on/off dot, adjustable brightness, two-week battery back-up, and something called an integrated boost converter.

All in all, the Ice Tube Clock looks pretty cool. It doesn’t do much more than any other alarm clock (where’s the iPod dock?) so I wouldn’t go nuts over the features list if I were you. You can order your own clock kit for $70 at www.adafruit.com (strangely enough, they’re on backorder) and if you are interested in how it actually goes together you can check out the instructions at www.ladyada.net. Me, I think I might pay the nerd next door $20 to put mine together for me.

]]> http://nexus404.com/Blog/2009/09/03/adafruit-industries-ice-tube-clock-diy-vacuum-tube-clock-blue-led-display-alarm-battery-back-up-retro-nerd-vibe-included/feed/ 0 http://nexus404.com/Blog/2009/08/14/digidude-camera-mount-doubles-as-keychain-funky-portable-camera-tripod-with-attitude/ http://nexus404.com/Blog/2009/08/14/digidude-camera-mount-doubles-as-keychain-funky-portable-camera-tripod-with-attitude/#comments Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:32:47 +0000 Alex http://nexus404.com/Blog/?p=18451

Maybe because I’m a foodie or because they’re crafted so nicely, I gotta admit that I simply love those Cake Royale USB flash drives that invite you to take a bite. Along the same lines, today I laid my eyes on DigiDude. Designed by Quirky Community, it’s a cute little thing that not only acts as a funky keychain but also doubles up as a camera mount.

All you need to do is yank the dude’s head and pull his feet down (retractable and bendable legs for adjustable camera height & grip), then find a way a rock to put it on. The DigiDude will take care of everything — no more shaky hands and you will be able to say good bye to those blurry pictures, cumbersome tripods, and unnecessary camera gear.

Quirky Community’s DigiDude will be available in five versions, all with different personalities and attitudes — Pinky Scorsese, Snot Buster, iChomp, G-bling-Money-Son, and BoltBot. All dudes are available right now and will cost you $19.99.

We have all seen the expandable USB hubs that are currently on the market. They allow you to string together as many as you need to increase the number of USB devices that you can attach to your computer (or each other). As far as USB hubs are concerned they don’t get much more insane than the new 49-port V3 from UK-based Cambrionix.

If you are looking for the ultimate in USB connectivity with a professional-grade attitude the 49-port USB hub called the V3 is certainly the gadget for you. With this product you are pretty much guaranteed to never want for another USB port again. While it’s clear that the V3 was not designed for the average consumer (think quality testing of multiple USB devices) it would seem that the press that Cambrionix has received as of late has caused them to open its availability to the general public.

Each port of the Cambrionix V3 is supplied with 500mA of power and it has a single connector to hook it up to the host machine. The board measures 270 x 221 x 15-mm without the optional front and back protection plates. For the average home user and super geek it just might not be that cost-effective, but it certainly would look cool on your desk or mounted on the wall, wouldn’t it? Cambrionix is asking 399GBP plus VAT ($657) for the new V3 and you’ll also need a separate 5V or ATX power source. Find out more by visiting www.cambrionix.com.

I know that when I go to shop for a flashlight there are two things that I really need: a full-blown replica of the lightsaber of Darth Vader and really bright red LEDs. Up until now, I had little choice in my lightsaber flashlights, so when I saw the latest geek gadget from the folks at Wesco I felt that my prayers had been answered. They have just announced the availability of the Darth Vader lightsaber LED flashlight and 40 year-old virgins all over the world are lining up to get theirs.

Wesco has modeled their new lightsaber flashlight after Darth Vader’s lightsaber. From what I have read it is complete in ever detail (with the exception of the plasma blade that slices through anything) and even sports a handy little loop so you can hang it on your belt. The Darth Vader LED flashlight is imported from the UK and features four bright red LED bulbs. When it comes to a flashlight, what the hell good are red LEDs? Maybe if you work for the crime scene investigators you can check for bodily fluids with it.

As if what I have described is not enough, the lightsaber flashlight also comes complete with authentic sound effects and measures approximately 9.5-in (24.1-cm) long. Three AAA batteries included. Increased chances of finding a girlfriend are not. They are expected to ship starting on September 15^th so you can pre-order yours for $24.99 at www.shop.starwars.com.

If you’re a dedicated Star Wars fan who feels the force you may like to know that you can now pre-order the Star Wars Force Trainer mind control game which, as you’d probably gathered, offers you the potential ability to lift a ball (or remote sphere, as its officially referred to) merely using the power of thought.

The Star Wars Force Trainer is billed as being capable of reading and interpreting your brainwaves courtesy of a headset that senses your brain’s beta waves and transmits information directly to the training tower and, should you be concentrating enough, you should see the ball ( sorry, remote sphere) rise with accompanying Star Wars sound effects (that’ll probably put you off, thus resulting in the ball dropping and frustration ensuing as you release that the force in you is far from strong and actually quite puny). Of course, as you train and get used to focusing your mind this could lead onto you managing to lift additional items with the power of your mind, such as cars, trains, entire buildings and…no, actually, it won’t.

The Star Wars Force Trainer is available to pre-order now for $140 and is listed as due to ship from 30^th September (but, being a Jedi, you probably knew that already).

Check other Star Wares related items on TFTS.

C&CS [via Gadget Review]

Motion-capture is popping up everywhere. The Wii brought it home with its WiiMote and the iPod found a way to integrate motion-sensing into a portable communications device. The main problem with most of these motion-capture gizmos is that they aren’t very refined. By this I mean they are good at detecting big motions and not so good at the little ones. The Acceleglove by AthroTronix is set to change all this and its makers hope that the gaming world will be the first to notice.

So what makes the Acceleglove so cool? Besides the name, I mean. Well, the big point of differentiation is that it contains a set of highly sensitive accelerometers in the fingers of the glove. This has the potential to allow the user to make any series of rather complex and intricate movements with his hands and have them translated into digital movement on whatever device he is using. I am thinking that video game puzzles and the like would be a great market. Think about picking up small objects off the ground or turning the dial of a safe. Pretty cool if you ask me.

The Acceleglove is still in the development stages at this point, so its motion capture capabilities are somewhat limited to a small set of hand motions like pointing and pinching. That being said, there is certainly the potential for this little device in a boatload of applications so let’s hope they get the bugs worked out. Initial estimates on a street price put this one slightly out of reach at about $500. Should it reach commercialization in the near future I would expect this number would come down considerably.

We all remember the Rubik’s Cube. Six sides of multi-colored mayhem that drove many a would-be puzzle solver to the brink of insanity. How could something so simple turn out to be so mentally taxing? As a child of the 80s I can still remember the craze as it hit the market. Nerds and geeks everywhere flooded the stores to become the first to solve the riddle. I was one of them. It took me only about a week before I was exploring ways of dismantling the device to return it to its original state of order. In an effort to entice a new generation, one lost in video games and technology, the torturers responsible for the Rubik’s Cube have come up with a new creation, the Rubik’s 360.

The Rubik’s 360 is one mean-looking puzzle sphere. It actually contains three concentric spheres of varying diameter two of which have small holes cut into them. Inside the clear container, there are six small colored balls. The goal of the puzzle is to navigate the balls through the small openings in the inner spheres and place them into their corresponding color-coded compartments on the outer sphere. It’s just that simple. The challenge; prevent the already-placed balls from breaking loose while you work on the others.

While the original Rubik’s Cube (still the world’s fastest-selling toy) was genius you could still “solve” it by taking it apart or removing the stickers. The Rubik’s 360 has no stickers and from what I can see, no easy way to take it apart. So if you have tons of time on your hands and love driving yourself mad, you definitely need to get your hands on one. They are slated to hit the market sometime later this summer and will retail for $14.99.

We’ve all seen the little gadgets that you can carry around that let you know when you’re near a Wi-Fi signal. They normally take the form of a small handheld device that you can fit in your pocket or put on your keychain. Not a bad idea, really. So why don’t we see too many wearable gizmos that do the same thing? Probably because they don’t seem to make much sense and most people wouldn’t be caught dead wearing them. The makers of the WiFi Cap certainly got it right when they called their latest invention “geeky” and I’m sure they won’t be winning any fashion awards anytime soon.

Marketed by ThumbsUp, the WiFi Cap is basically a ballcap that doubles as a signal-detecting device. It let’s you know that you are in the wireless zone by lighting up a little display on the front of the cap. There are several other reviews of this technology floating around out there and I have to say that they are spot on when they point out the seemingly obvious flaw of this new design. How are you supposed to see the signal if you are wearing the cap? I guess if you have a friend with you (who shouldn’t have let you put on the damn thing to begin with) they can let you know when your head starts to blink.

According to the ThumbsUp website, The WiFi Detecting Cap can locate either 802.11b or 802.11g signals and runs on CR2032 batteries that are housed in a small battery pack that tucks neatly inside the lining of the cap. If you are measuring the success of the device by its ability to find wireless signals, you might have a winner. If you are using fashion and practicality as your yardsticks, it might fall a bit short. You can purchase your very own nerd cap at www.thumbsupuk.com for 12.99GBP/$21.00.

Solar power has remained a bit of an oddity when it comes to its acceptance as a wide-spread alternative power source. It probably has something to do with the cost of making the photovoltaic cells or the fact that no matter what device is created with solar power in mind they always look like something out of Weird Science. That being said, there are places where solar power has found acceptance: highway signage lighting, backyard landscaping lights, and, of course, the calculator. But what about the nerd on the go that needs power for his gadgets in the middle of nowhere? Enter the SOLAR ChumAlong Solar Tracking System.

Bad name aside (it makes me think of shark fishing for some reason) this is actually a cool little gizmo. The ChumAlong is designed to act as a portable solar power collection device that will actually follow the sun as it moves across the sky. This ensures that you will always get the best possible reflectance directly into the panel cells. This little feature is supposed to be able to increase your collection efficiency by as much as 50% over stationary panels. The unit includes micro-controller technology, single axis positioning, geared stepper motor gear/worm gear drive train, four optical sensors, three LED modes, auto wake up and shutdown, and so much more. Everything you could ask for in a portable solar collection device.

The SOLAR ChumAlong is a great gadget for the green set. Here’s what you get for your money:

• Micro-controller Technology
• Single Axis positioning, East-West Direction
• Geared Stepper motor gear/Worm gear drive train
• 4 optical sensors
• Low power- Only draws 5-15mA standby/~150mA during positioning
• Samples ambient light ~ every 10 seconds
• Auto shutdown at dusk
• Auto Wake up and seek on sunrise
• 3 indicator LED modes (sampling, standby, positioning)
• Derives power from battery being charged
• 5-Watt solar panel, Rollable, 300ma @15.4vdc output
• Diode blocking for reverse polarity protection
• Brass boom support rods
• User-Friendly elevation adjustment
• Bias adjustment for ‘On-Target’ positioning

Includes:

• 1- 5W Flexible Solar Panel
• 1- Controller Base w/Boom Support
• 4- Brass Boom Support Rods
• 1- Solar Sensor
• 1- 12V DC Power Cable w/Clip Leads
• 1- 15ft/4.6-m Solar Panel Extension cord
• 1- 12V Cigarette Lighter Adapter Cord

On the downside, it doesn’t come with the 12V rechargeable battery that the unit needs to function and I really couldn’t tell how you are supposed to connect electrical devices to the ChumAlong to power them. It would have been nice to have those little details taken care of to make it a true out-of-the-box toy. You can purchase your own little slice of solar heaven at www.scientificsonline.com for $399.

If you are having trouble with excess popularity, good looks, and general coolness, and the pocket protector isn’t doing it for you, I think I have just the thing. I believe I may have stumbled upon the quintessential geek garment. This thing enables you to accomplish two things. You can harness the power of the sun to charge electronics and look like a complete idiot at the same time.

I wasn’t able to track down the source of this brilliant combination of haut couture and eco-friendly charging, but I think it’s safe to say that it was born in the land of the Great Wall. The CVFR-S09 Solar Vest combines the hideously bad look of a tan fisherman’s vest with the equally bad look of four solar panels strewn across the back. I can’t be sure what really sets this one apart from the rest. Maybe it’s the fact that anyone wearing it is almost guaranteed to remain alone. Maybe it’s the words “Solar Vest” embroidered across the back. Either way, I’m pretty sure that even Napoleon Dynamite would be embarrassed to wear this thing. This pic says it all -

This vest is equipped with four solar panels that can be used to charge your gadgets. The panels are even removable so that you can set them in the window to recharge while you’re inside. That makes it all OK, doesn’t it? The fact that someone can hold up to eight gadgets in their vest and recharge each of them – one at a time – is somehow both sad and weird. At $140, you just can’t go right. Now drop that quantum mechanics textbook and head over to www.chinavision.com before they’re all gone.

Just in time for the September release of the Clone Wars: Republic Heroes game for Wii, BDA Consumer Products, Chinese Champions of Controller Creation, has created a set of officially-licensed Nintendo Wii controllers designed to resemble lightsabers and a clone trooper blaster. This is truly the stuff of dweeb dreams.

Licensed by Lucasfilm Ltd. and marketed under BDA’s POWER A brand, the POWER A Light-Up Lightsabers are sculpted replicas of the famed weapons used by Anakin Skywalker and Jedi Master Yoda. Designed for use with the Wii Remote, an on/off switch allows players to control the light-up feature of the lightsaber. The Anakin lightsaber is illuminated with a blue glow, while Yoda’s has a green glow. The Wii Remote fits in the lightsaber handle that has been specially designed to help alleviate Wookie Wrist.

The Clone Trooper Blaster was created to accompany the The Clone Wars: Republic Heroes game and is designed for use with both the Wii Remote and Nunchuk. As if this weren’t enough, it also comes with a set of decals that allow you to add a battle-worn look to your blaster or keep track of your virtual kills. That way, when your friends come over to admire your skills (and laugh at you), they’ll know you are a true Star Wars hero. Just remember to put these nerd nick-knacks under your bed before you invite a girl over. You do want to increase your chances, don’t you?

There’s no price information available on these Wii-riffic offerings just yet, but we do know they are set to hit store shelves sometime this fall. May the force be with you.

Whilst we try to keep cross posting between TFTS and EP at an absolute minimum there are, on a few occasions, items that strike us as being so very cool that they undoubtedly merit all the exposure we can give them – and this is most certainly the case with this uber cool Lumina Italia Ra Fibre Optic Desk Lamp designed by Ettore Cimini.

Sporting two fully adjustable steel and technopolymer arms, the Lumina Italia Ra Fibre Optic Desk Lamp uses fibre optics to deliver light from a main fluorescent bulb down each of the arms resulting in a highly focused beam emanating from each of the tips and, as we stated on EP, the result puts us in mind of some curious two headed mechanoid snake.

The Lumina Italia Ra Fibre Optic Desk Lamp, which comes with an integrated dimmer control, allowing you to adjust the lighting intensity to taste (the maximum on offer being limited by the single 100W bulb), can spread its arms to a maximum radius of 700mm.

No word on pricing, unfortunately, as such information is provided on a contact only basis but, regardless of the price (and it’ll be on the steep side) few would argue that the highly sculptural Lumina Italia Ra Fibre Optic Desk Lamp is frankly magnificent.

Motorola’s new AURA luxury cell phone which, according to Motorola, boasts ‘the world’s first 16 million color, circular display’ comprising of a scratch-resistant, 62-carat, Grade 1 sapphire crystal lens, has now begun shipping though, as you’d expect, the Motorola AURA’s price tag is not for the faint hearted.

Billed as being an exquisitely performing device designed to the highest standards, the Motorola AURA’s specifications certainly impress with the device apparently consisting of over 700 individual components whilst its Swiss made ‘assisted-opening’ blade mechanism alone utilizes no less than 130 precision ball bearings and three tungsten carbon carbide coated main gears. Additionally you’re looking at stainless steel housing complete with chemically etched details finished with a protective PVD, mirror finished coating (the same as used on luxury watches, Motorola is at pains to point out).

Putting the Motorola AURA’s decidedly cool (and rather classic) aesthetics aside, in terms of functionality the AURA is a quad band (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) with GPRS and EDGE  handset measuring 1.87” x 3.81” x .7.30” with its circular LCD, 1.55 diameter display offering 300ppi resolution, offering a wholly insipid 2 megapixel camera (which is faintly ridiculous considering the AURA’s price tag – which we’ll get to in a minute), stereo Bluetooth 2.0+EDR and has a purported battery life of up to 400 hours standby and up to 7.3 hours talktime.

A beautiful if, from a functionality perspective, a somewhat rather uninspiring handset, the unlocked Motorola AURA will set you back a cool $2,000 and if looks were everything we don’t doubt that the premium is wholly deserved – but if you’re looking for a handset that’s positively brimming with features there’s (far) better deals to be had though, personally, its beauty certainly wins us over.

Trossen Robotic’s MechRC Humanoid Robot, which comes pre-assembled – or what Trossen Robotic’s bill as being as being ‘ready-to-walk’ – and which boasts 17 separate servos resulting in the MechRC being capable of enacting over one hundred pre-loaded actions out of the box, has just become available in the US.

Trossen Robotics MechRC Humanoid Robot, which, incidentally, has been ‘designed by the Transformer artist’ – hence its particularly mean looks – comes with IR remote as well as a USB/Serial communications cable which allows to you program the MechRC robot via an easy to use interface utilising filmstrip style sequencing command software which will also allow you to add sound effects or a soundtrack (to which the MechRC can strut its stuff) which will be played through a speaker mounted in MechRC’s chest.

You can see the Trossen Robotics MechRC Humanoid Robot in action in the video below and, we think you’ll agree, both its dexterity and its particularly smooth animation is impressive (I couldn’t pull half the moves featured if I tried).

Trossen Robotics MechRC Humanoid Robot Key Features:

• The MechRC Robot comes pre-assembled.
• Designed by the Transformer artist so there is a startling likeness to the Transformer form.
• The ‘bot sports 17 servos with 180 degree movement..
• Metal Gear Servos with 13kg-cm torque!
• Audio can be played through the speaker in the robot’s chest.
• More than 100 moves are pre-stored on the robot – see him throw some serious shapes fit for the dance floor or reveal his killer fighting moves.
• An easy to use 3D visual interface is used for programming.
• The robot is manipulated in an animation film strip making customizing seriously user-friendly.
• IR remote control.
• Lithium battery pack and charger.
• MechRC Commander software CD ROM.
• USB/Serial communications cable.
• User Guide.
• Requires a PC (not Mac compatible).
• Suitable for ages 14 years+.
• Size: 36 x 32 x 15cm.

The Trossen Robotics MechRC Humanoid Robot can be purchased now via the Trossen Robotics site for just shy of a not unreasonable $600.

Aimed specifically at geeks who yearn for a digital LED alarm clock capable of displaying the time in a range of particularly nerdy formats – from standard display to hexadecimal, binary to octal – this ThinkGeek Epoch LED Clock comes complete with standard AC power adapter as well as an integrated USB port, allowing the Epoch Clock to draw power directly from your PC or notebook.

According to ThinkGeek’s official product page, ‘Like the enigmatic monolith from 2001, this clock will appear only as a mysterious geometric shape to those of inferior intelligence. The more evolved will easily decode the elegant time display rendered by its LEDs. Others may appreciate beautiful words or works of art but your language has always been numbers, the closest expression of eternal truth.’

ThinkGeek Epoch LED Clock Features:

• Displays the time in multiple formats: Standard, Hexadecimal, Octal, Binary, Roman
• Unix epoch time display
• Day, month, year display
• Date display and Unix epoch display can be turned off/on
• 12-hour (AM/PM) or 24-hour (military time)
• Alarm clock with snooze and two volume settings
• Back-up power from two AA batteries
• USB port on back provides output power
• Awesome LED display
• Dimensions: 7″ x 2.6″ x 2.2″
• Comes with: Clock, AC power adapter, instructions, conversion chart

The Epoch Clock, which is exclusive to ThinkGeek, retails for just short of $50.

ThinkGeek.com

Just for a change, let’s cut straight to the chase here – we love Big Time Digital Wall Clock. In fact we love this beast of a digital clock – which measures in at a far from understated 100 x 50cm – so much that the moment I’ve finished writing this post I’m seriously considering heading off to the product page to place an order (before the wife gets home from work and tries to convince me that there are more important things in life – like the bills).

Billed as being manufactured from light weight materials, the Big Time Digital Wall Clock is a great edition to the home/office for geeks who, like me, have a strange fascination with the time (where does it all go?) and feel the need to be constantly reminded that their life is ticking slowly away. And, with this colossus hanging on the wall in front of you I’d suggest – with reasonable certainty – that you’ll never loose sight of the minutes falling away into obscurity. It’s enough to give someone a complex.

Capable of displaying the time in red, green, blue and grey – ensuring that the clock fits in beautifully with your décor – the Big Time Digital Wall Clock retails for just shy of £70 (which equates to around $137/€89 at the time of writing).

LazyBone [via 7Gadgets]

We’ll never tire of featuring Lego products, whether official products from Lego themselves (such as this item) or from those all to happy to mimic Lego’s iconic brick design and, besides, this official Lego Chess Set really is a beauty that’s certain to appeal to collectors and enthusiasts alike.

Measuring in at a considerable 17”/24cm squared, this official, medieval themed Lego chess set comes complete with thirty-one mini figures, two giant trolls, two horses, two skeleton horses and two dragon heads all of which come complete with accessories such as armour and weapons and all of which need to be constructed prior to the game commencing.

The Official Ultimate Lego Chess Set retails for around £140 (circa $300).

Lego Shop

Blenders are, if you don’t mind us saying, invariably rather humdrum affairs that offer little to get excited about so it comes as somewhat of a shock to find ourselves actually posting about one – but then this Gas Powered Party Blender powered by a 23cc 4-stroke engine is hardly your run-of-the-mill blender.

Sporting its own set of handlebars complete with working throttle control, the Party Blender’s stainless steel pitcher holds up to 48oz of foodstuffs and, considering the sheer power on offer, it’s reasonably safe to assume that if this blender cannot blend whatever you put into it it’s probably wholly un-bendable.

Deliciously overstated to the point of absurdity, the Gas Powered Party Blender with Handlebars retails for around $300 (approximately £148 / €194 at the time of writing) and, yes, in case you haven’t gathered, we so want one.

AJ Prindle

Those of you who are particularly into virtual racing who are looking for the ultimate experience par excellence and who either have no better half or do have a partner but don’t mind soon joining the ranks of the aforementioned should look no further than this Gamers Cockpit GT3 Racing Simulator Gaming Chassis which comes with a veritable host of components.

Sporting an all steel Holden Racing Red or Ford Racing Blue (what, no Jaguar Racing Green?) chassis and mounted Autotecnica ‘Monza’ Race Seat in either red/black or black/grey, the GT3 Racing Simulator is available complete with either PlayStation 2 or Xbox 360 Pro console, a choice of three Logitech steering wheels (namely the G25 racing Wheel, Driving Force Pro or Drive FX Wheel), a Samsung 940MW 19” LCD monitor, a Logitech X-230 2.1 speaker system and, just for good measure, you’ll get Gran Turismo 4 and Rally Evolved (for PS2 model) or, for the Xbox 360 Pro model, Project Gotham Racing 3 (what, no Forza 2?) thrown in.

That said, with prices starting from AUS$2895 – and what with the most expensive option coming in at a sobering AUS$3250 – I suppose the least you could expect is some bundled software. After all, once the Gamers Cockpit GT3 Racing Simulator Gaming Chassis gets delivered to your home you’re going to have some serious time on your hands following the prompt departure of your partner.

[via Born Rich]

As regular readers have no doubt gathered, we found fault with just about everything we featured yesterday primarily not because we were in a bit of a mood (though it has been known) but because nothing especially excited us but, thankfully, this simply fabulous and beautifully geeky Gakken Self Build Vacuum Tube iPod Amplifier Kit has served to resurrect us from our stupor, sending us running around the room in a thinly veiled dance of excitement like either a headless chicken or a complete idiot (yes, okay, it’s the latter).

Vacuum Tubes. Oh, yes..yes..yes!

There is, however, one slight problem – and that is that the product page we’re sourcing is written entirely in Korean and, in being presented entirely in image format, will not play ball with any of the numerous translation applications we have come to rely on so, as far as technical specifications are concerned, we’re at somewhat of a loose end.

We could simply go down the digression route in order to pad out the post (and this sentence isn’t a digression?) but, on reflection, we though we’d just post an image of the specifications for you to decipher (and parts certainly can be) as well as a series of product images for you to drool over.

The Gakken Self Build Vacuum Tube iPod Amplifier Kit retails for around $150 / £74 / €97 which is, we think you’ll agree, a remarkable price – though you’ll have to factor in shipping costs should you wish to avail yourself one of course.

We so want one.

Ever so often along pops an idea that’s so insanely simple yet so positively brilliant that we kick ourselves under the desk for not having thought of it ourselves, especially when we suspect it’ll prove to be a runaway success, and this cool Binary Code Tote Bag, that sports a less than friendly message and is aimed at geeks with serious attitude issues, is just such an item.

Made by RedPaperRecord this canvas Binary Code Tote Bag, which comes in black though can be made available in other colours on a request basis, measures in at around 15″ x 16″ with 23” straps and, for those of you who are not fluent in Binary, sports the message ‘F*ck You’.

A sure-fire hit with the IT crowd, and a great gift for someone you really cannot stand and who has no idea what binary is, as well as geeks who are perpetually having a bad day, the Binary Code Tote Bag retails for a mere $14.

We’ve been paintballing on a number of occasions and, whilst we put in a reasonable performance with the stock paintball guns provided, we would have loved to have seen the whites of our opponent’s eyes when facing them with this cool Stargate SG1 P90 paintball gun mod.

Created by a chap named Mad Matt, the Stargate SG1 P90 paintball gun is made using a replica of the P90 from SG1 and the internal workings of a standard paintball gun and, according to Matt, it’s entirely functional.

Matt writes:

‘i got board one day and was looking at my old p90 replica from stargate sg1 and thought that would be a sick paintball gun so i took som pics of it uploaded them into eds max and made a 3d model tool a pic of one of my paintbal gun internals and made a model of them and cut and madeled what i needed to to make them fit together once i got it i tool my replica and and cut out what i needed to from the inside to acomdate the paintbal internals this is my finished product.’ (sic)

Needless to say, few of us who are into paintballing would say no to having this weapon in our arsenal.

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Those of you who simply cannot get by in a day without taking time out playing the arcade classics of yesteryear cannot fail to submit to involuntary palpitations at the sight of this beautifully realised Tabletop Retro Arcade Machine which boast no less than 150 arcade classics – from 80’s classics such as Pac Man to Space Invaders, Asteroids to Battlezone (and, of course, Pong) – though we should advise that this device is as expensive as it is desirable (and, we think you’ll agree, its very desirable).

Coming as a self contained unit with authentic arcade machine controls – an adjustable joystick, 11 large buttons and a 3” trackball – the Tabletop Retro Arcade incorporates a generously proportioned 19” LCD screen (which give you an indication that this is not your run-of-the-mill tabletop arcade machine) and is based around an integrated HP Slimline PC which also purportedly allows the playing of standard PC games on the unit (should the unit’s included 150 arcade classics prove not quite enough to be going on with) as well as allowing the device to play your digital music files courtesy of included jukebox functionality. It even as integral stereo speakers and an inbuilt sub-woofer.

Complete Retro Arcade Machine Game Listing (which is both long and distinguished):

Asteroids, Asteroids Deluxe, Battlezone, Black Widow, Centipede, Crystal Castles, Gravitar, Liberator, Lunar Lander, Major Havoc, Millipede, Missile Command, Pong, Red Baron, Super Breakout, Space Duel, Tempest, Warlords, Atari Math Gran Prix, Atari Maze Craze, Atari Night Driver, Atari 3D Tic-Tac-Toe, Atari Adventure, Atari Air Sea Battle, Atari Video Cube, Atari Outlaw, Atari Slot Racers, Atari Space War, Atari Street Racer, Atari Submarine Commander, Atari Super Baseball, Atari Super Football, Atari Surround, Asteroids, Backgammon, Battlezone, Blackjack, Bowling, Breakout, Canyon Bomber, Casino, Centipede, Circus Atari, Combat, Crystal Castles, Demons to Diamonds, Desert Falcon, Dodge ’Em, Double Dunk, Flag Capture, Football, Fun With Numbers, Golf, Gravitar, Hangman, Haunted House, Home Run, Human Cannonball, Millipede, Miniature Golf, Missile Command, Off the Wall, Quadrun, Radar Lock, Realsports Baseball, Realsports Football, Realsports Tennis, Realsports Volleyball, Sky Diver, Slot Machine, Sprintmaster, Star Raiders, Atari Star Ship, Steeplechase, Stellar Track, Swordquest: Earthworld, Swordquest: Fireworld, Swordquest: Waterworld, Ninja Kids, Ninja Spirit, Video Checkers, Video Chess, Video Olympics, Video Pinball, Yars’ Revenge, Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga, Galaxian, Dig Dug, Rally-X, Pole Position, Xevious, Dragon Spirit, Bosconian, Rolling Thunder, Mappy, Spy Kid, Spy Hunter, Defender, Defender II, Gauntlet, Joust, Joust 2, Paperboy, Rampage, Robotron 2084, Smash TV, Bubbles, RoadBlasters, Blaster, Rampart, Sinistar, SuperSprint, Marble Madness, 720°, Toobin’, SPLAT!, Satan’s Hollow, Vindicators, Root Beer Tapper, Klax, Taito Legends, Space Invaders, Jungle Hunt, Bubble Bobble, Operation Wolf, Rainbow Islands, Operation Thunderbolt, Phoenix, Space Invaders Pt. II, Colony 7, Electric Yo-Yo, Zoo Keeper, Great Swordsman, Gladiator, Exzisus, Plump Pop, Rastan, Super Qix, New Zealand Story, Battle Shark, Continental Circus, Plotting (aka Flipull), Volfied, Ninja Kids, Space Gun, ThunderFox, Tube It, Return of the Invaders, Tokio, Digital Leisure, Dragon’s Lair, Dragon’s Lair II and Space Ace.

Measuring in at 24” in height and 22” in width and weighing in at a not inconsiderable 65 lbs, the Tabletop Retro Arcade Machine – which, we’ll warrant, is just about the only retro gaming machine you’ll ever need – retails for a coronary inducing $2495.95.

If you’re a keen golfer whose putting leaves a little to be desired or if you’re new to the sport and are looking for a little assistance in improving your putts, this rather geeky, PGA approved Dixx Digital Putter could be just what you need to help heighten your game as it comes with its own, on-board LCD screen capable of offering an analysis of your putting, thus allowing you to see where you may be going wrong.

Initially when we came across this Dixx Digital Putter we assumed that the on-board LCD display, in looking very much like some sort of targeting device, would help you to line up your shots but that transpires not to be the case. However, what the Dixx Digital Putter will do is to analyse your putting in terms of swing level, speed and pace to offer immediate feedback as to your (apparent lack of) putting prowess consequently allowing you improve upon your game.

Powered by two micro batteries (we assume these to be watch batteries) the Dixx Digital Putter has an endurance of up to 3 hours with the device storing your performance throughout your game on-board for later in-depth analysis concerning you average swing speed and the overall quality of your swings as well as a host of other information that should prove invaluable in helping you understand why it is that the ball never quite hits the desired mark and you’re always the last person to get to the 13th hole.

Available in a range of sizes, the Dixx Digital Putter retails for around €949 (which is approximately $1408 / £683 at the time of writing).