Old gaming consoles don’t work the greatest after being used over and over again.  Once it’s worn out beyond repair, you’re left with the decision to toss it or cling to it for some kind of a project.  Most gamers that are attached to the console would prefer to find a way to cherish the memories and keep the console around.  However, if you can’t come up with a good idea for it, it just ends up collecting dust in the closet.  Well if you own a Sega Mega Drive, here’s one idea to get some more use out of the old console.

Within the console there isn’t a whole lot to remove.  Wired managed to remove all of the unnecessary parts and install an iPod dock instead.  The dock is taped up to make sure that it fits well inside of the Sega.  Of course you wouldn’t want to do this to a Sega you would still like to use, so it’s definitely best if you find one that you no longer intend to keep on using.  You can check out more detailed pictures by going here.

Source: GadgetVenue

If you have tons of money to blow and a family member with a love of expensive shiny gadgets, you’re in luck.  It turns out Olympus decided to jump on the shiny bandwagon and create their very own Swarovski covered camera.  Some might have thought that the camera looked great without being covered in a bunch of frivolous shimmery rocks, but then again those people probably don’t have the cash for this anyway.

Most people these days have to save up just to afford a decent quality normal camera, much less a good camera that’s covered in expensive crystals.  The Olympus Pen E-P1 is limited edition from Harrods and comes with two different lenses.  They aren’t bothering to list what type of lenses though.  Perhaps they believe those that buy shiny cameras aren’t really concerned about the details.  You can purchase this camera for the low price of £1999.99.  For those curious, that translates into $3,315.

Source: Ubergizmo

You will find that the GammaTech Durabook R13S might be durable and yet does not skimp when it comes to performance, running on an Intel Core 2 Duo processor which is capable of delivering faster multitasking performance and greater energy efficiency in order to increase one’s productivity. Apart from that, the R13S is also equipped with a pretty hefty 9-cell lithium-ion battery which ought to provide around 7 hours of juice on normal use, which should be more than enough for most ordinary folks like you and I. Other functions crammed into the GammaTech Durabook R13S include a GPS Receiver, Bluetooth connectivity, a Super-Multi DVD Burner optical drive, HD audio, a built-in speaker and array microphone, Intel’s GME965 Integrated graphics chipset and an integrated multi-memory card reader.

You won’t find the GammaTech Durabook R13S shirking from its computing responsibilities even in harsh conditions, as it is humidity and water resistant, boasting a waterproof keyboard and touchpad, allowing it to function at full capacity even in rain and snow (some of you might just shiver at that thought of being left out in the wet and cold, but the GammaTech Durabook R13S is starting to sound like a real trooper). It will also boast maximum dust-resistance and can withstand extreme wind-borne dust and sand conditions.

Press Release

Both models will be available via select retailers in the US, while you can also purchase it via an online Sanyo store (sanyostore.com) sometime later this month onwards. The one-sided KIR-SE1S is tipped to retail for $34.99,while the two-sided KIR-SL2S hand warmer is a wee bit more expensive at $44.99.

According to Tom Van Voy, General Manager of the Consumer Products Group for SANYO North America, “The SANYO eneloop hand warmers are perfect for indoor or outdoor activities, maintaining a warm, comfortable temperature. Whether used while watching a football game, skiing, hiking, walking outdoors, or just sitting indoors in a cold office environment, the hand warmers are comfortable, convenient, and easy to use. We’re very excited to bring these popular products to the U.S. and further expand our offerings of eco-friendly eneloop rechargeable products.”

You can juice up the Eneloop Kairo for up to 500 times before it starts to lose its charging effectiveness, and your mittens will always remain nice, cozy and comfortable as you can choose from different levels of heat ranging from 102 degrees F in the low setting to 109 degrees F in the high setting. It takes around 3 hours to charge it up to the maximum, where a low setting will deliver up to 4 hours of warmth.

Press Release

Designed with pen-dodging dummies in mind, this idiot-proof magnetic gizmo allows anyone who can press a button to record a single 30 second video message. It’s a doddle – no pens or scraps of paper required. Once you’ve recorded your message a flashing LED alerts passers by. All they have to do is press the ‘play’ button – easy! Think of it as a high tech sticky note with a 1.5” LCD screen, built-in vid cam and USB rechargeable battery.

Of course, it might end up as something negative for this £29.99 device considering moms who would love to find another avenue to nag their kids as well as husbands. Good thing there is no auto-play loop here…

Because other than hold your keys together, the Darth Vader Breathing Keychain has only one purpose: to make Vader breathing noises! One push will get you 3 loud, deep Vader breaths. Why three? Because that’s all Vader needs to drive any point (including that of his lightsaber) home. The Darth Vader Breathing Keychain is great for intimidating your subordinates, for bringing a bit of Star Wars levity to any boring meeting, and for Star Wars prank phone calls.

Interested in getting one? They’d make for great and affordable Christmas gifts at $12.99 each.

As you can see, someone has even used the safety bars on the DDR game, but made the subject matter of the competition not dancing, but texting, something that the teens these days are really, really good at.

So why not make an arcade game where players must “face-off” with each other on stainless steel phone-like keypads? It sort of reminds me of MasterType, a very old-school computer program that helped me learn to type. In that game, the player had to save a spaceship by typing in the correct sequence of letters to shoot the guns to destroy the aliens. I am assuming the player does a similar sort of game in Textminator.

What makes this game unique is that not only can the high-scoring player enter in their initials, but the Textminator has a built-in camera so the player can snap a pic of themselves for a virtual wall of fame.

So, let’s see how Textminator plays out in a modern video arcade. Perhaps it will spawn Textminator 2: Judgment Page.

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Well, now you can design your own, as a gift for family, friend, or co-worker. This “Design Your Inspiration” (trademarked) program is a new service offered by Successories, a company with 25 years of experience in the inspirational art industry.

All you got to do is head to the Successories DYI site, and You can create something inspiring and personal with your own image, favorite quote, and put it all on a frame and mat board.

Well, now here’s a gift idea! I’m not certain how it will come off, though. You’d better make certain that you have the right picture, as well as the right inspirational quote.

These products are available to create from the Successories website at varying prices. The wall sized art is about $119.00 while the framed desk size art is about $45.00. They are “expertly assembled by our artisans” within 48 hours from time of order and delivered via Fed Ex with three day or next day service.

This product is somehow able to take a normal plasma display and “turn it into an interactive multi-touch screen” to allow users to “control and navigate applications with their finger, electric pen, or other object”.

From what it sounds like, it is a 65-inch screen that is transparent, and goes in front of a regular screen. From there, I’m guessing it syncs with that regular screen. I say “guess” because the press release is sort of vague as to how the plasma overlay works.

The PXDUO-65P has 16 function buttons, with 14 of them customizable. It includes a three-button electric pen that are customizable for mouse functionality.

All and all, this device is one very unique device for presentations. However, I’m still a little confused as to why it has to be put in front of another screen in order to get it work. Can’t you just use the screen you have?

Well, there is no word when this product will be out to the general market. I really hope that they have this and the Starboard FX-77GII on display at CES. These Press Releases are doing a lot to stimulate my imagination, but I really want to see them in action.

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The Knuckle Duster Corkscrew is a tribute to the idea that great things sometimes can only be accomplished with a struggle.The Knuckle Duster Corkscrew looks great in your bar or office – no one should be brave enough to argue with you when they see it. And if they do become violent, just crack open a bottle of wine, and you will be instant friends. Knuckle Duster Corkscrew – peace through libation.

ThinkGeek is carrying this non-violent yet unique device for $12.99.

Press Release

This one design from MUJI has got to be one of the most original that I have ever seen. As you can see, the basic kit comes with a bunch of bricks, and some material hardly ever used with Lego: paper.

Yes, the MUJI has some paper with some punch out holes as well as a hole puncher. The idea is that you take pieces of paper and stick them in between bricks for some unique creations, like that alligator that you see from the picture.

As someone who still plays with Legos as an adult, I can’t believe that I hadn’t thought of this use before. Especially since my wife is an avid scrapbooker, and has all kinds of hole punchers. I’m sure that one of them, along with a good handful of bricks, could have made this MUJI kit. I swear, it’s time I start inventing and marketing goods instead of reporting on them.

As you might have guessed by the label on the MUJI kit, it is only available in Japan. Hopefully the kits will be available in other countries, but if you are in Japan, you can get it starting November 27th.

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The LG X120 netbook is the first of its kind from LG, where it not only delivers all the benefits of a netbook, it also offers users a shortcut to the fun stuff with a unique Smart On interface which makes it a snap to stay connected faster and easier than ever. Regardless of whether you’re an avid social networker who just needs to check on your Facebook page round the clock or a college student who wants something light and yet functional, the LG X120 is able to deliver. Although I would think for the former, he/she would probably also own a cellphone or BlackBerry which already comes with a Facebook application to handle the mobile social networking aspect.

Tipping the scales at 2.8lbs, the slim and stylish LG X120 will feature a sleek white matte exterior and fashionable blue trim, capable of running for up to 7 hours on a full charge. You also get round-the-clock Internet connection thanks to a built-in AT&T 3G wireless connection, although that remains subject to the area you’re at as well as the signal strength, so be prepared to surf at EDGE speeds sometimes as well. Other features include 1GB RAM, a 160GB hard drive, a 10.1″ screen with crystal clear LED backlighting, an integrated 1.3 megapixel camera, HD stereo speakers and Wi-Fi connectivity. You can pick up the Window XP-powered LG X120 for $179.99 with a 2-year AT&T DataConnect service agreement, accompanied by a $60 monthly 5GB plan.

Press Release

With its inherent ability to remain connected to the Internet, the Intouch IT7150 is capable of achieving instant access to news, weather, social media, other dynamic content and online photo galleries, alongside enabling users to organize and share their own photos through a partnership with FrameChannel. Apart from that, users can also upload photos and other content into the internal frame memory directly from a memory card, the Web, or even a PC using a Wi-Fi or USB connection. You will be able to check up on the latest news updates from Washington through FrameChannel, while subscribing to personalized RSS feeds from your favorite sites (including CG, of course!). Heck, even the latest weather conditions can be checked out if it is so required before you head out for your vacation.

Some of the features found on the Intouch IT7150 include :-

• 7″ color digital display screen with 16:9 aspect ratio
• High resolution at 800 x 480 pixels
• Wi-Fi connectivity
• Touch operation with on-screen QWERTY keyboard
• Digital photo frame with FrameChannel partnership
• Wireless RSS 2.0 feed reader
• Live internet radio
• Video/audio/photo playback function
• Stereo speakers (1W x 2)
• 128MB of internal memory
• Audio jack
• Clock, calendar and alarm
• USB cable included to connect to PC
• Rechargeable battery with estimated 1.5 hours battery life

Expect the Intouch IT7150 wireless Internet frame to retail for $229.99 if you’re interested in bringing one home.

Press Release

We’ve all had those days where we feel like we’re absolutely tied to our desks.  On those days we dream of having a fully stocked kitchen right at the desk.  However, even a mini fridge isn’t always something you can keep around.  Well if you’re big about your coffee, now you can at least make sure that your coffee stays warm.  If nothing else, if nothing else it’ll allow for you to get your caffeine fix.

The USB Whirl Wind Warmer Cup would be great for anyone that wants a hot drink and needs a way to stir things up.  If you use instant coffee it’d allow for you to keep it well blended.  The device has a switch that lets you choose between heat, stir, heat and stir, as well as just the usual power off function.  You can purchase the rechargeable USB gadget for $37 through USB Brando.

Source: OhGizmo

A PhD student at the Cambridge University Engineering Department named Qi Pan has made like Apple and “thought different”.

As you can see from the video after the jump, Pan took a detailed paper building and rotated it on an axis, filming it with an ordinary web camera. His ProFORMA (Probabilistic Feature-based On-line Rapid Model Acquisition) program scanned it, and he immediately had something ready for 3D model generation. He could even shake the real thing and move it, and the CG image would do the same. Wild!

A program like this can have a lot of applications, but all I can think about is the way it will change animated films with 3D computer animation. Instead of some graphics designer having to painstakingly make an object for three-dimensional space, all the programmers would need is a simple rotational scan. It’s better technology than motion-capture!

This man Qi Fan has just made computer animation history, and I look forward to the next PIXAR or PDI film that will use it. Of course, the technology is still under development, but I can see it being in the hands of a typical consumer.

Source

From what I can tell from the product description, it is essentially a huge interactive screen created for presentations that looks just like a traditional whiteboard. Considering that most people use whiteboards for quick idea-generating presentations that most people forget about later, it might as well be technological.

The Starboard FX-77GII comes with a wireless two button pen device that is sort of like a mouse and “operates and annotates on the board”. I suppose that would make it a handheld cursor for this gigantic Paint program for your wall.

As you can see, it has 12 customizable function buttons, and is designed to use the Hitachi Educator Portal for “uploading and sharing lessons, watching tutorial videos, and obtaining additional teaching resources”.

Beyond the info from the press release, that is all that we know about this product. Apparently, the FX-77GII has uses some of the same technology as the FX DUO Interactive Whiteboard, which you can read about here.

The press release says that the FX-77GII is priced lower than the FX DUO, but it doesn’t give the price point at all. It also does not say where and when it will be available, either.

Source

It’s just another day in the gadget world and another clock meant to bend your mind.  No one really knows why they insist upon creating clocks that do nothing but make your head ache.  However, they keep on doing it, so there must be plenty of people out there dying to snatch them up.  At least with the Stretch Clock you won’t be stuck staring at the same boring clock you see in every office and home.

The stretch clock is meant to bend and extend the minutes of your day.  Those hoping that time will fly right by should probably keep away from this clock.  The clock comes with a cardboard template with four pegs.  Those pegs and the template allow for you to stretch the clock yourself from 9 inches on up to 12.  You can hang it asymmetrically or in a square shape.  To purchase the clock it’ll cost you $50 through Uncommon Goods.

Source: CraziestGadgets

Parents have for years attempted to get their kids to eat a few bites more by just making airplane noises.  Well now you can add a little visual appeal to the usual routine.  Sure, it’s not actually necessary and the child probably won’t care either way, but it keeps parents entertained.  Plus you’ll feel less foolish making airplane noises when you have an airplane spoon and a lighted runway.

The LED bib is only able to be washed with a damp cloth.  The plane itself is also only able to be wiped off and it features an on/off switch to flip on the plane’s LED lights.  The plane also comes with 3 different spoon attachments.  The bib doesn’t kick on until it’s activated by a motion of any kind, which pretty much means that it will stay on all the time if you have a baby that likes to squirm.  These run on button cell batteries and are intended to be used on kids 12 months and older.  You can purchase the set for $24.99 through Think Geek.

Source: RGS