Gizmodo: exo

Did XSKN Leak the New iPhone, Again? (We Doubt It)

Mark Wilson — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 12:49:00 EST

Before the iPhone 3G was released, a Chinese case manufacturer named XSKN showed a case with a curved back that ended up resembling the iPhone 3G. Now, XSKN has leaked their iPhone nano case. Real?

iDeals China claims that it is, and offers plenty of specs to back it up. They say that the new iPhone nano will be the same height as the current iPod nano and include "3 sensors, camera, [and a] mirror screen but no 3G." They also say that production of the iPhone nano will begin on December 20th, when we can expect to see all sorts of shots on the web.

Of course, there are a slew of reasons why these claims could be completely nuts. For one, it actually seems less likely for the manufacturer that leaked the last iPhone to leak the next iPhone. Does Apple really need third party cases ready at launch so badly that they're willing to forgo any level of secrecy and hand over device mockups (along with full specs?) to a company that historically cannot be trusted? No way. A factory-to-factory dialogue is all we could imagine.

And then there's the absurdity of the iPhone nano itself. On one hand, it could be an entry-level iPhone that allows Apple to corner the same market they did with their original nano (and shuffle, for that matter). But on the other, an iPhone nano would be comically small—almost like holding a Bluetooth headset to your face.

Needless to say, the entire Giz staff is highly skeptical of such a rumor—most of us don't believe it. But we wanted you to know what's going on in the world of iPhone rumors leading up to Macworld next month. Consider yourself armed and geek-dangerous. [idealschina via PMPToday]

Project E Takes Twitter-like Idea Into Meatspace

Charlie White — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 11:53:58 EDT

Who needs Twitter when you have E, this electronic device that senses how you feel at any given moment, and communicates that to other people who buy into this electronic nervous system? Simply pick up E, gesture how you feel, and it lets everyone else in on your secret. On the right in the pic above is Exo, and it knows when you've entered the room, and if you pick it up and pet it, it tells your friends you're happy, and if you shake it, it tells your friends you're mad. There's also a variety of status icons you can choose by tilting it forward or backward. That's just the beginning of the system, though.

The walk-around device for your forays into meatspace is called Evo (pictured at left), worn around the neck wherever you go. Using Bluetooth, it's able to sense when other E users are around, and lets you connect up with them by holding your Evos together. And when you get home, the data collected by your Evo is downloaded into Exo.

So far it's just a design concept, looking for investors and showing prototypes to all who will listen and fondle the odd-looking thingamajigs. The only problem with this "welcome to the social" idea—which sounds vaguely familiar to us for some reason—is that a critical mass of users must be achieved before it actually makes any sense. It would be tons of fun if all of a sudden everyone in the world had one. [Project E]

Alienware-Killer: Ultra Gaming EXO Prototype PC

Brian Lam — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 15:25:43 EDT

Here's a differentiating factor among PCs: The EXO Ultra Gaming PC, built by ex-Alienware system designer Garrett Bain, will be running GPUs chosen from the top ~1% of all NVidia's GPUs from a particular manufacturer. (That's unique.) Looks like now that the big corporations have bought up all the bigger boutique PC makers, there's room for a new generation of gaming PCs, built with even more dedication to being stupid, stupid, stupid fast. The EXO prototype is that, and there's more inside that sets it apart as one of the systems able to go the extra mile.

•Each EXO prototype has a polished aluminum chassis frame, and this one has carbon fiber panels all around. You can, however, order whateverthefrick panels you want, including woods like bamboo, diamond patterned steel plate, and more. Whatever. Seriously, not just what you can select in a drop down menu in a browser based shopping cart.
•Instead of routing power supply cables through you entire case, they've got a mobo tray mounted "power strip" with short lead cables to all components. Very clean.
• Like I said before, the EXO has an exclusive deal with NVidia to get their top ~%1 of the bin. That means that the chips inside of the EXO machines will be of higher quality, and shipped to overclock. (A first.)

and...

•They'll ship with drive bays with power and SATA cables in the back of the drive array. Plug in, like a rack system, no fussing with wires.
•The watercooling system is done with a combination of a small water reservoir, and a peltier thermalelectric cooler. That's both video and CPU, of course. Each hosed system is tested to 30PSI, but it runs at 5PSI. This won't leak.
•Every computer is built by hand, by one technician.
•Every PC comes in a giant steel luggage case, suitable for shipping and lugging your PC to a LAN party.
•If you have to ask how much these things are, you can't afford it. Really. But they will have lower-priced units.
•3-motherloving-years of warranty! US based tech support! English is NOT a second language!
•Warranty doesn't include overclocked parts, but they'll swap in your new chips for free if you send it back.
•They'll ship in about eight weeks or so.

The lead designer came over from Alienware, and the company is backed by ultra products, makers of various PC accessories, to do a Gaming PC without compromise. (Like when Honda develops Formula 1 cars.) It'll be interesting to see how these machines stack up, side by side with the Alienware and Voodoo and Falcon Northwest machines in the world. –Brian Lam

Homepage [Ultragamingpc.com]