The gorgeous, glowing computer is really the ultimate gaming PC. For starters, it looks amazing. But under the hood, it’s a serious workhorse of a machine, that’ll surely pwn any computer you currently own.

At the core of the system is an Intel Core i7 975 Extreme Edition CPU, and a pair of nVidia GeForce GTX 295 graphics cards running in SLI mode. The system has 12 GB of DDR3 RAM, and 2.5 TB of hard disk. There’s also a Logitech G19 gaming keyboard, a custom Razer Boomslang mouse, and 13 video games thrown in for good measure. In total, there’s over $10,000 worth of components in this bad boy.

Parts and labor for this amazing system were donated by nVidia, ASUS, Crucial, Danger Den, Intel, Performance PCs, SilverStone, Smooth Creations, TigerDirect, Western Digital and the whole thing was put together by Out of The Box Mods.

Currently, the system is up for sale on eBay, with a bid price of $4,000 – but I’m certain that will climb as the auction nears its end on 11/24. For more details head on over to the Charity Case Mod website. 100% of the auction proceeds (after auction fees) will go directly to the charity – so bid early and bid often.

[via flickr]

Did that sound like a bunch of crap to you? It did to me, until I watched the videos.

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Here’s another one, with a more ordinary story. Watch it and I swear you’ll think of your own search story:

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Dawwwwwwww. There are a few more clips at the official Search Stories channel on YouTube. The videos reminded me of just how much we’ve come to depend on Google and the Internet for all sorts of things, from the simple to the complicated ones, that when we want answers there’s a good chance that we’ll immediately tell ourselves, “I’ll just google it.” It’s a funny (and scary) thought.

[via The Official Google Blog]

For something so simple, rComplex is absolutely stunning, from the shine of the backgrounds to the hard lines of the endless stairs. The simplicity, too, adds to the horror; I’m not really sure what that thing is, but that is one scary silhouette.

rComplex is, alas, only a demo for now–and a demo in need of a little polish at that–but this is a game worth watching out for. The concept is as simple as the look: run down the stairs and don’t get caught. There are a lot of stairs. There are obstacles. There’s music, and a voiceover, and enough challenge to make downloading the demo worth it. But do you really need to be convinced after seeing that screenshot? They had me at shiny.

[via IndieGames]

As TechCrunch’s Jason Kincaid said, you’ll only need three things to run the OS in your system. First you’ll need a Google Account ID, e.g. a Gmail account. Second, you’ll need the disk image itself, which you can either download via torrent (clicking that link will download the torrent file) or at gadget site gdgt. Finally, you’ll need VirtualBox, a free cross-platform virtualization program, although I see no reason why commercial alternatives like VMWare Fusion wouldn’t work.

If you’ve tried creating virtual machines before, the steps for installing Chrome OS are pretty straightforward. Just select Linux as the operating system and Ubuntu as the version, then choose “use existing hard disk” when asked which boot hard disk to use, next, next, next… and voila! You just installed the Chrome browser the hard way. Check out the full article at TechCrunch if you want a more detailed walkthrough.

That doesn’t look so hard, right? If you run across a good deal on a lot of toilet paper, maybe you can even make your own, right? Creator Beru Betto’s even provided a template for you to use, with all sorts of variations, too… including the Prince from Katamari Damacy. Rolled up from rolls. It seems almost too perfect.

Here’s a look at the patterns provided:

Note that the pattern isn’t necessarily toilet paper specific–you could use all sorts of items. But now that you’ve seen this version, why do anything else?

[via Sprite Stitch]

Fresh off the boat from Japan, this USB gadget looks just like the grotesque giant-headed, acid-blood-dripping, eponymous alien of Alien, Aliens, Alien 3, Alien vs. Predator, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem, Alien: Resurrection (and the soon-to-be Alien prequel).

Just plug the nasty thing into your USB port, its grotesque inner mouth randomly pops out of it’s mother mouth, backlit by a glowing red LED. Yummy.

If you’re a fan of Alien, you’ve gotta grab one of these. They’re available for pre-order over at Strapya World for ¥3990 (appx. $44 USD), and should start shipping this December.

I think I’ll put this right next to Hello Kitty and Domokun.

Each one is built from the finest electronic components, with an optical resolution of 1600 dpi, and with microswitches rated for over 1 million clicks. The mice also feature a stiff, but bendable cable that keeps the cord from getting in your way. There’s also a unique sound-wheel control which kicks in to adjust your system’s volume when you click the scroll wheel.

The handmade wooden mice are available in Bubinga, Makor, Sapele, and Ebony woods from exotic locations like Sierra Leone, Cameroon and Sri Lanka. Of course, being a luxury item, you can’t expect them to be cheap. Prices for the mice range from €668 to €859 (appx. $996 to $1281 USD). If you’ve got money to burn, you can get your hands on one of AlestRukov’s mice here.

[via Behance]

Berg encountered a couple of problems while modding the G4, the first being the proprietary connector that the iMac monitor uses to connect to its controller. He remedied it by installing a shelf on the back for the new connectors. He then installed a surface acoustic wave touchscreen, saying, “its high resolution does not distort the image at all.”

The second problem was the lack of real estate in the base of the iMac: “I initially wanted to make it a Core 2 Duo all in one. Unfortunately, there is a lot less space in there than you think. Its very impressive how Apple constructed it. because it was convection cooled, the parts literally stacked on top of each other. They fit together like a puzzle. The disk drive alone probably takes up 70% of the volume in the base.” He states the solution to this problem more vaguely though: “I decided to keep the computer separate.”  But if it’s proof you need, don’t worry, Berg’s got it all on camera:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Although we all know that a conventionally oriented desktop touchscreen monitor would be a pain to use for more than a few minutes, I think Berg still deserves a round of applause. And major plus points for the Blu-ray drive. But wait!

He had some leftover parts and decided to use them to build a “big touch screen remote equipped with Windows 7 Media Center and a convenient blu-ray player hooked up to my HD TV.” This time he used a 17-inch HP monitor and painted the whole thing black. The touch screen is resistive, which according to him is less sensitive and operates at a lower resolution, but that’s okay Mr. Berg. You turned a white iMac G4 into a black touchscreen Windows Media Center remote control. If that’s not modding then I don’t know what is.

[via Hacked Gadgets]

Ah, what a sweet young bride. So… uh… animated.

The thing that sets Love Plus apart from other dating sims of this time is that it revolves around actual interaction of this type… it’s just that I’m not sure anyone expected someone to take it to this extreme. With Love Plus, as soon as you get the girl,  you’re supposed to take her out and engage with her in the real world. As in, you take her on dates, where she probably eats as much as a real girl (but at least she costs less).

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The proud new groom is planning a reception for November 22. He has invited the media to attend, so I’m sure there will be lots of interesting footage to check out. I wonder if anyone is going to ask him how he feels about all those other Nenes out there with all their boyfriends.

[via Tiny Cartridge]

Before we commit ourselves to this future, note how doubly frail this gossamer tip is – it’s a rumor about a possibility. So it may be as real as Duke Nukem Forever (or do kids nowadays refer to GT 5?). But a gamer can dream, can’t he?

logos from Mozilla and kotaku

[via PlayStation Insider via Maxconsole]

The Pac-Man tree skirt (bound to be at least as interesting as the actual gifts sitting on it) is an impressive 41 inches in diameter. That’s a lot of black felt spread about on your floor. Sure, you can go bigger, but really, how much living room do most of us have? It’s available at Etsy for only $14, too. I challenge you to roll on down to your favorite Xmas decor outlet and find something half so cool for so little.

You’re probably not going to get Pac-Man at Target, for that matter. Oh, you might find him somewhere, but in the holiday department? Good luck.

These wall decals let you transform any wall into a larger-than-life Pong screen. They’re perfect for video game and media rooms, and will look great alongside your PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii. They’re available in a variety of colors, and the set sells for $55 bucks (USD) over at VinylWallDesign’s Etsy shop.

And what’s with the eight-to-nothing score? Did somebody’s paddle break?

Fans of the classic Sega console will appreciate the clean and compact styling of this portable remake what is arguably one of the best consoles of all time. While I can’t find out much about this casemod other than the fact that it features a nice 7-inch widescreen display, a built-in controller, stereo speakers and that it was “make by china SEGA fans.”

Check it out in action here…

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I want my portable Shenmue now!

[via TechEBlog]

These new Tactile Pro 3 keyboards are built from the same technology used in the original Apple Extended and Extended II keyboards, complete with lovely, long-throw, clicky ALPS mechanical switches. While the key switches may be decidedly old school, the design of the Tactile Pro 3 has been updated to be more ergonomically friendly than retro Apple keyboards. It’s got a sleek, curvy form factor, and is built for durability. The keys are each laser etched, and the case is designed to keep crumbs and dirt from getting in-between the keys. And Matias has included a special technology that prevents missed key-presses if you’re a smokin’ fast typist. There’s also a built-in 3 port USB 2.0 hub, and it’s even compatible with PCs if you don’t have a Mac lying around.

While $149.95 (USD) might sound like a lot for a keyboard, it seems like a worthwhile investment if you spend all day sitting at your keyboard like I do, and want to type at the highest speed and accuracy. Want one? The Tactile Pro 3 starts shipping in January 2010, and Matias is accepting pre-orders here.

[thanks for the tip, Kenny P!]

They say that necessity is the mother of invention. I’d like to add that boredom is its father. And for people whose needs are mostly being taken care of, daddy reigns supreme: “The idea was inspired last year by boredom and a strong desire to drive something off of a cliff. So Bob’s son Rick and his buddy Jake figured out a way to turn big cars into remote-controlled toys.”

Rick and Jake rigged the vehicles so they could remote control the steering and the throttle. Brakes? What brakes?

The insane…ly fun event lasted for 8 hours. Moravitz didn’t charge spectators for their show, but he says they got enough donations to cover the insurance that he bought for the event. Redneck geeks sure are crazy.

[via KARE 11 via nfttu via Make:]