Gizmodo
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plastic
This is How Your Plastic Objects Are Made
Curious as to how all those plastic cups, trash cans and containers you get at Ikea are made? Random Good Stuff takes a tour of the Koziol plastics factory in Germany, where many of those household items are designed. More »
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By Jason ChenComment by Matingmonkey is a proud eMac owner: I've already seen it all on How It's Made. 14 Responses | Other threads
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vending machines
Vending Machine Dispenses Gold Bars To Go
Looking to capitalize on the popularity of gold investments in these tough economic times, TG-Gold-Super-Markt is installing vending machines that dispense 1g, 5g and 10g bars / gold coins at 500 locations in Germany. More »
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By Sean FallonComment by Li Zhang: This is one vending machine I'd definitely like to shake. 6 Responses | Other threads
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man helping machine
Giant Confused Robot Politely Asks for Directions
Just like an American tourist in Europe, this German robot is completely lost and can only understand basic gestures like emphatic pointing to help it to its destination. More »
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By Dan NosowitzComment by klaybc: "Excuse me, but where might I find Sarah Connor?" 4 Responses | Other threads
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enlightenment
Last One Out of Germany Turn Off the Lights (With A Cellphone)
Some free advice if you're ever walking down a dark street in Germany anytime soon: Be sure your cell phone is completely charged. More » -
wind power
U.S. Flew to the Top in Wind Power Production Last Year
The U.S. surpassed Germany as the biggest producer of wind power in 2008, I guess proving that its alternative energy efforts haven't just been a load of hot air. More »
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By Elaine ChowComment by skiterr: So now US is the leader in unreliable power production, that still requires coal powered plants as backup, because the... 20 Responses | Other threads
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robots
I've Got Two Kuka Robot Arms and a Microphone
I learn something new about robots every day. These Kuka industrial robot arms have been used to power amusement park rides, and apparently, make fine German avant-garde electronic DJs. More »
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By John MahoneyComment by jmurph05: Robots are now taking the fun out of everything... 4 Responses | Other threads
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conspiracy theorist
Xbox 360 Logo Spotted in 1697 UFO Sighting Sketch
I'd say that I'm no conspiracy theorist, but I'll be honest, I spotted this 1697 sketch while looking through a UFO conspiracy site. And as far as I'm concerned, it's clearly an ink rendition of two Xbox 360 logos floating in the sky.
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By Mark WilsonComment by Serolf Divad: I spotted the logo in the hot cross buns I had for breakfast this morning, too! 7 Responses | Other threads
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blackberry curve 8900
BlackBerry Curve 8900 Gets Launch Date, $450 Price Tag in Germany
We knew it was coming to Germany first, but there's new info that the BlackBerry Curve 8900 will hit the streets there mid-November, and at around $450 (360€) price for a contract-free handset. German T-Mobile subscribers can even get it for as low as $6.20 (5€) with the right kind of 2-year contract monthly plans: lets hope that kind of pricing is echoed when it comes to the US (on AT&T or T-Mobile?) at a still-unspecified date. [Electronista] -
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Financiapocalypse
Shaky Walkway Designed to Remind You The World Is Going to Hell
German artist Tom Schmelzer is one troubling dude: His proposed interactive walkway, Out of Joint, is supposed to give you a physical feeling of turmoil to match the cataclysmic ups and downs of the global financial markets. So, thanks to avalanche-simulating hydraulics, instead of just feeling sick to your stomach, you will actually be sick to your stomach. More »
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Comment by D.E.P.C. is on a Sexpedition: Does it sing "shake shake shake, shake shake shake, shake your booty, shake your booootay" as you walk through it?... 7 Responses | Other threads
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cars
Audi Travolution Syncs Car to Traffic Lights (Sadly Not Other Way Around)
If you drive in cities, you know the game where you guess the exact speed to, say, cruise down Lexington Ave hitting all the green lights in sequence. With Audi's Travolution system—currently piloted in Ingolstadt, German—that game is no longer necessary, because 46 traffic lights report in to the car's computer, and the car tells you the speed you should go to hit all of them when green. More »
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Comment by ppiddy: This is HUGE. If it were installed in all (or most) cars, the fuel efficiency savings would be absolutely... 2 Responses | Other threads
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dslrs
Pentax Leaks Affordable New K-m DSLR
There've been lots of rumors floating around about Pentax's Photokina lineup, and it looks like the German Pentax site leaked some images and details about the K-m, an entry-level DSLR. Specs are a little bit sketchy, but it's using the same 10.2MP Sony sensor as the K200D, and retains the 2.7-inch screen and the sad lack of Live View. But the iso gets a boost to 3200 and the fps to 3.5, and the pricing seems extremely competitive, at only 500 euro for the 1-lens kit and 600 for the 2-lens kit. The K line has been solid so far, so we'll be watching out for it at Photokina. [1001 via Crunchgear]
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By Dan NosowitzComment by Sexpun Tocome: Haha.. affordable.. I'll buy US.. 2 Responses | Other threads
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art
The Berliner Dom Projected with Graffiti
In 1894, when German Emperor Wilhelm II ordered the construction of the neoclassicist Berliner Dom, otherwise known as the Berlin Cathedral, he probably didn't think it would turn out like this. Projected with the visual musings of graffiti artist Jaybo (specifically, Disney cartoon hands forming Hokusai's The Great Wave off Kanagawa), the Dom is always a spectacle...but not like this. Here's the cathedral on any other day: More »
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By Mark WilsonComment by yungjerry703: cathedrals, what can't they do? i've always wanted to play paint ball in the catholic cathedral in d.c. 1 Responses | Other threads
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wtf
German Family Buys Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle For Grocery Runs
When Joachim Schoeneich of Neu Anspach Germany goes shopping for groceries with the fam from now on, he does so in style: with a tank. Or, more accurately, with a $47,376 six-ton British Army Fox FV721 armored reconnaissance vehicle. "We take the tank to go shopping and little trips," Schoeneich said. "It is a bit hard to find a parking place, but we get right of way at every junction." No kidding. It's too bad the gun doesn't work, but this thing's definitely intimidating enough without it. Well, that and the baby seat he installed for his kid. [Ananova via DVICE]
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By Jack LoftusComment by FrankenPC: DMV: Sir, it's going to take 30 days to register your...uh...vehicle. German guy: 30 DAYS! I TOOK POLAND IN 30 DAYS!!! more » | Other threads
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not funny
T-Mobile Germany Mails Papercraft iPhone 3G Templates Instead of Actual Phones
Oh, the cruelty—German pre-order customers still waiting for their iPhone 3Gs to be delivered apparently received this sick little joke in the mail instead, obviously inspired by reader Matt's original papercraft iPhone he made to quell the anticipation for the first launch. My German is, well, I don't speak it, but Google does, and it seems as if the full flyer after the jump is labeled "As a small passtime/tinkering project" at the top. Just plain sick. More »
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By John MahoneyComment by DaSmith: I think the one who did this deserves his throat to be paper-slit with this! more » | Other threads
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german engineering
A Look Inside Futuristic German Car Factories
Today's list from OObject features a collection of 10 videos focusing on German car factories. Why? Because they are gadgety, first and foremost—but the architecture of the factories is significant as well. In other words, German car manufacturers are realizing a vision where both the product and the factory are an integrated work of art. Examples include the VW factory in Wolfsburg that features 200-foot-tall robotic silos at the end of the production line and an eco-friendly VW assembly plant in Dresden that is transparent and sits right center of the city. German engineering at its finest folks. [OObject]
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By Sean FallonComment by Silentbob: @dingus: I'm sorry, but you are completely wrong. In September, Porsche will hold 36% of VW stocks (today 31%), so... more » | Other threads
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macbook air
You Can Officially Kill a Man With a MacBook Air...By Cutting Them
Sure, the edge of the MacBook Air is impressively thin. But did you know that it's razor thin? According to some German users, the edge is refined enough to slice through freshly baked bread or your arm. This dude says (via machine translation) that he simply turned with his elbow pressed against the Air, and suddenly he was spewing red stuff on his carpet. I'm not really sure there's an explanation for the bread thing. But I do smell a photo contest here! Update: People whose German is better than Google's say that the dude was cut with a vanilla MacBook, NOT an Air. Stealth danger! Also, the bread slicing was a bust. But photo contest potential remains. [fscklog via Engadget via BBG} -
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Comment by hanswurst0815: @Wilson Rothman: As far as I'm concerned, you're all robots. more » | Other threads
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prosthetics
Fluidhand Prosthetic Makes Us Think of Darth and Luke
*Warped voice through Tannoy system* Chut chut. Pay Luke Skywalker bolla Tatooine frumf ti pund, konchee er pinkosponto kapa. Luke Skywalker bolla Tatooine frumf ti pund, pay." Translated from Huttese into Galactic Basic, that reads: "Greetings. Could Luke Skywalker make his way to the Tatooine Lost & Found, where his prosthetic hand has been handed in. Luke Skywalker to Tatooine's Lost & Found, please." More »
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By AddyDugdaleComment by OPRAH: Yay! I have no left hand and someday this could come in handy. No pun intended. more » | Other threads
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distractions
Germans Dangerously Race Office Chairs Down a Hill for Sport
If there's a more illustrious sport to come out of Germany this year than office chair racing, I'd like to see it. The first ever German Championships in Office Chair Racing took place on Saturday in Bad Koenig-Zell, and it consisted of 70 people riding their office chairs down a 560-foot course without breaking their chair or themselves. The real tricks looked to be surviving the initial ramp and the second ramp further down the course that were designed to throw people off. Those crazy Germans! [Reuters]
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By Adam FrucciComment by pipichua: ok... stop being geeky.... none of u guys have seen Jackass? more » | Other threads
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nasa
German Schoolboy Corrects NASA's Math - We're All Doomed
NASA has been forced to check its math after a 13-year-old German boy wrote to tell them their calculations for the probability of an asteroid hitting earth were incorrect. Agency bosses had predicted a one-in-45,000 chance of an interstellar object bringing an end to life as we know it; that was until teen Nico Marquardt told them that the figure was closer to one in 450. More »
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By Chris MagorComment by DJTripleRRR: Wow... That's embarrassing. They're all supposed to be super clever there but they get corrected by a 13-year-old... SCARY! more » | Other threads
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space fleet
Buran Space Shuttle Floats Along the Rhine
The Buran space shuttle was once the apple of the Soviet space fleet's eye. Unfortunately, it has now been reduced to floating peacefully down the river Rhine, where it will eventually come to rest at the Technik Museum Speyer in Mannheim, Germany. The great shuttle took to the skies only once during an unmanned test flight, but two decades later, the modern relic has gone the way of a crushed Buzz Lightyear—it's realized it can't fly, but at least it can put on one hell of an exhibition. Good on you, Buran. The images of the final float look stunning, and the video of the event, which is set against some seriously melancholic music, makes the whole event look like a sad and dignified funeral procession. Check out the pictures in the gallery below, then jump in to see the clip. Warning: have your hankies ready. More »
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By Haroon MalikComment by Discofunk: No wonder it didn't fly again.. they forgot to include a tail section. more » | Other threads
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fingerprint thieves
German Hackers Publish Interior Minister's Fingerprint to Protest Against Biometric IDs
A group of hackers has captured the fingerprints of the German Interior Minister as a protest against plans to use biometric data in e-passports. The latest edition of their magazine, Die Datenschleuder, contains a plastic foil that reproduces the whorls and swirls of Wolfgang Schauble's digit, meaning there are 4,000 copies of the politician's prints just waiting to be attached to someone's finger. More below. More »
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By AddyDugdaleComment by Franssu: In other news, the fingerprints of the German Interior Minister have been found in the toilets of an über-gay sex... more » | Other threads
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concepts
Silbervogel Gravity Car Has No Muscle, Still Makes the Mark
The Silbervogel Gravity Car concept, by Jakob Hirzel from the Pforzheim University Of Applied Sciences in Germany, has no engine, but still wants to grow up and be a real racing vehicle. The racer relies solely on, you guessed it, gravity to pick up speed. We're thinking the whole exempt engine thing is going to give the Gravity Car a little handicap in conventional races, but as a play thing, it would be pretty great. [Jakob Hirzel via Tuvie] More »
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By Haroon MalikComment by Fingerling17: woow.. that thing looks so hot.. haha.. i bet it costs a lot for something that doesnt have a machine..... more » | Other threads
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nuclear war
Germany Titanic Doomsday Bunker Is Groovy, Surprisingly Not Full of Nazis
Here's where the West German political elite was planning to spend nuclear winter, drinking Martinis and having toga parties after armageddon, waiting to see who emerged victorious from a worldwide thermonuclear war: a gigantic nuclear bunker with 17 kilometers of tunnels equipped with all kinds of commodities. More »
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By Jesus DiazComment by pevans34: i started building one of these the other day, just in case more » | Other threads
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cellphones
Four Episodes of Friends Cost One Man $22,000
Stories like this keep us up at night. One woman was using her husband's Vodafone mobile phone to download four episodes of Friends. The downloads were interrupted as the man left his home in the UK for a business trip in Germany, but once his plane touched down, the downloads continued. More » -
seaquest
Germans Launching Fish Into Space in the Name of Science
Today, in a display of the poor prioritization of science projects in Germany, German scientists will launch 60 fish in to space, presumably to figure out how to make fish sticks taste better. More »
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By Adam FrucciComment by D_Zarster: Rofl! This picture reminds me of the falling whale in "hitchikers guide to the galaxy" lol.. more » | Other threads
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cellphones
Cellphone Flasher Gets Small Fine, Large Public Humiliation
Wondering what actually would happen if you took a picture of your junk with your cameraphone and texted it to some unsuspecting lady? You'd get fined for "distributing pornographic material," at least if you do it in Germany, where one such exposure case closed just yesterday. The actual cost was around $220. But the humiliation—especially when the judge said of the 21-year-old perp's unit shot, "We all had a bit of a laugh when we saw the thing"—that was priceless. Let this be a lesson to all you would-be porno distributors out there. [Reuters] -
displays
Giant Display Made of Paper Lamps
Space Invaders 2008 is an art installation with 176 lamps (each with its own lampshade style) hung in a 1,600 feet-square curtain. They're all wired up to a system with a camera, turning them into a low-res video display that reacts dramatically to passers-by, as you can see above, or to music, as you can see after the jump. More »
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By Kit EatonComment by wizzledizzle: When the man runs across you get a better perspective of how huge it is, thou it is stupid more » | Other threads
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medical timepiece
Insulin Watch Concept Gives You Your Fix and Tells the Time
Sufferers of Type-I diabetes will appreciate this concept insulin-delivering watch from Germany. Piezoelectricity generated by the wearer's movements drive the insulin-delivering pumps in the watch body, which contains enough of the drug for two to three weeks. The idea is to make life a little more normal for diabetics rather than have them wrestle with syringes each day. Jump for more info. More »
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By AddyDugdaleComment by diggabyte: Oh, and on the cure vs technology topic...let me chime in with the two choices: A) some sort of gene-therapy cure... more » | Other threads
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have yourself a merry nano christmas
Teeny-Tiny Advent Calendar Has No Nano-Chocolates
What do you do if you've got the resources of a university nanotechnology group and time on your hands in the run-up to Christmas? Build the world's tiniest Advent Calendar, of course. The 8.4 x 12.4-micron calendar was carved into a layer of acrylic on a gallium-arsenide wafer after normal clean-room business was done for the day. "We just wanted to have a nice picture of Christmas on our home page," claims the team. More info after the jump. More »
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Comment by JacquesAss: Damn! I thought this was an Advent calendar filled with iPod Nano's. Still cool, I guess... more » | Other threads
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alcoholic art
Wall Art That Will Get You Drunk: A True Masterpiece
Even someone who has never set foot in a museum before can appreciate art like this. This "interactive" art installation by artist Hannes Broecker in Dresden, Germany, features wall-mounted containers filled with deliciously intoxicating cocktails for patrons to enjoy. The idea behind the work is that art should stimulate the senses. In this case, the sense of taste is being stimulated while all the other senses are being dulled. Call me crazy, but Broecker could be the next Picasso. [Coolhunter]
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By Sean FallonComment by Mandatory_Field: @92BuickLeSabre: Hahahahaha! Good one! more » | Other threads
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iphone
Germans Can Now Unlock iPhone Using iTunes
As expected, the Germans can now get their unlocked 999€ ($1473) iPhones. The big news is that they don't come already unlocked. They are normal iPhones, and to unlock them you only need to use iTunes: More »
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Comment by rangren1983: Hi, We can offer you the 3rd and 4th version sim for iphone unlock,the edition is 1.1.2,they don't need cutting... more » | Other threads
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skype
Skype's Encryption May be Used as an Excuse for Trojan Viruses by German Police
Skype's encryption codes are proving a problem for German police, who say that their officers are unable to monitor suspect conversations. One of the country's top cops admitted yesterday that the combination of VoIP technology and Germany's strict anti-surveillance laws — a reaction to the Stasi's exploits during the Cold War — is making it harder to keep tabs on criminal and terrorist activity in the country. More »
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By AddyDugdaleComment by CYST!: "We currently have 230 proceedings related to suspected Islamists" CALL IN TEAM AMERICA! THEY GET THOSE DAMN DURKAS! --really? suspected christianics too. more » | Other threads
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apple
iPhone Hits Germany November 9
Starting November 9th, it'll be Germany's turn to embrace or reject Apple's iPhone, and T-Mobile will be the provider. Contrary to hopes of a 3G iPhone in Europe, just like here in U.S., the phones will start out using the EDGE network for data, and Wi-Fi will speed things up if there are any hotspots in the vicinity. Hit the jump for pricing details. More »
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Comment by coach: Gott im Himmel! Owning an iPhone for those two years will set you back € 1600! Oh my. more » | Other threads
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caffeine
Blue Label -Snail- Espresso Machine Hopefully Makes Espresso That Matches Its Looks
We've seen our fair share of high design-minded espresso machines, but the Blue Label -Snail- by Pierre Ittner is without a doubt the sleekest, most comely java juicer we've come across. According to Google's machine translation, it's forged from aluminum, uses nespresso pods—hopefully not just—and has a 19-bar pump, with the alluring deep blue hue coming from a "flip-flop" lacquer. If extremely attractive espresso machines are your cup of coffee (sorry), be sure to scope out the other prototype designs on the site. [room69 via OhGizmo!]
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Comment by cookiemuncher: Please do not confuse this with an espresso machine. The Snail does NOT make espresso, instead it brews crap coffee... more » | Other threads
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iphone
Looks like the iPhone's hitting Germany via T-Mobile the same day as the UK: Nov. 9 for 399 euros. We're going to hazard the guess it'll also touch down in Normandy that day. [Yahoo!/AP] -
apple
iPhone and T-Mobile Germany Land Deal For iPhones in Deutschland
Reuters has confirmed with an insider that Apple and Deutsche Telekom have reached an agreement to sell the iPhone in Germany. The price will (supposedly) be 399 euros ($554), which is slightly more than the $399 Apple's selling the phone here in the US. Whether this price premium is because the phone will be a 3G version to appeal to Europe's 3G-ness, or whether they're charging early adopters more money first before lowering the price for the mass market is unknown. [Reuters via Apple Insider]
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By Jason ChenComment by aside: @SHAUNO Not so normal any longer, unless VAT is 38% in Ireland. In the past, with about 1.20-1.25 USD for 1 EUR,... more » | Other threads
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ifa2007
Loewe's Design Studio TVs are Absolutely Fan-Bloody-tastic
Look what we found at Loewe: four fantastic concept TVs from their design studio. The white Concept Lowboard, red Connect Tripod, Docking Pot and Roundboard have all sorts of fabby extras, such as subwoofers, wireless connectivity pits and sexy mood lights in places you would least expect it. And two of the designs are pretty much dead certs to go on sale, according to our special friend at Loewe. More » -
government hacks
Germany Bans "Hacker Tools" - Punishment Half that of Kiddie Porn
In a law left vague enough for ridiculous exploitation, the German government has just passed Paragraph 202C, which states that it's illegal to possess, produce, use or distribute a "hacker tool". More » -
it's coming here too
First Windows Mobile 6 Phone Launched on German O2
The first commercially available Windows Mobile 6 Professional phone has just launched on Germany's O2 (we're not counting the WM6 upgrades you can download online and upgrade your old phones to), which means WM6 fever is just about upon us. The phone itself, the XDA Terra, is based on the HTC Herald, which is also coming to T-Mobile US complete with the new OS. More »
germany
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