USB

Hardbox External Hard Drive Hides Your Illiteracy With a Book Called Hardbox

This Hardbox enclosure from Korean company Sarotech looks even more book-like than the Western Digital MyBook drives that have been around for a few years. There are two status indicator lights on the front, behind which sits 3.5-inch SATA drives that connect to your PC via USB. It's great for hiding the fact that you don't have any books but have loads of external hard drives. That is, until someone looks closer and realizes you've read a book called Hardbox. Maybe Hardbox means something different in Korean. [Sarotech via AVING via Oh Gizmo]

6:10 PM on Mon May 12 2008
By Jason Chen
2,513 views, 20 comments

Latest by 2-7offsuit: @shamoononon: Dude, it's called coprophagia and it's hilarious. more »

robots

WowWee Chatterbot Looks Like Robot Hell-Hound, Does Friendly Banter

Move over iBuddy and Availbot, the masters of robo-companionship toys have arrived on scene. This is a WowWee Chatterbot, a USB-powered desktop companion that reacts with some motion and a bit of chattering to "trigger" words typed into emails, IM, calendar entries and the like. It's not as smart as Robosapien, of course: basically it just spouts out jokes and bits of commentary. Because we all like hellish dogs with eerie eyes responding to our typing, don't we? The video reveals the toy in action. More »

11:40 AM on Fri May 9 2008
By Kit Eaton
2,577 views, 13 comments

Latest by VENAT0R: @Munch: i'd blend that. shits as creepy as it is stoopid more »

usb

Smart Dog USB Hub Has Four Paws, Four Ports and a Radio

This Smart Dog USB hub is a bit of a three-in-one marvel. As well as the four USB ports, the bow-wow acts as a shonky computer speaker. Then, if you rip the head off this iridescent puppy, you've got yourself a portable radio with autoscan capability. Cost is $19.15. [Gearlog via UberGizmo]

5:55 AM on Fri May 9 2008
By Addy Dugdale
1,151 views, 4 comments

usb drives

Cake Royale USB Drives Are Delicious, But Deadly For Children

Not since the USB Food Hub from Solid Alliance have we seen a peripheral that made us actually want to put it in our mouths and swallow. These Cake Royale series drives range from chocolate, to some yellow looking one, to a white one with strawberries on top, and finally a fruity one. Can you tell we went to culinary academy for three years? No price yet, but the release date is sometime in May. [Vavolo via Nexus404]

3:15 PM on Thu May 8 2008
By Jason Chen
1,597 views, 33 comments

Latest by gtpooh: @Atsumi: That's what she said? more »

storage

USB Poker Chips, Go "All In" with the Gambling Addiction

Do you love poker? Is your favorite channel ~~The Poker Channel~~ The Travel Channel? Are you wearing sunglasses right now so your co-workers can't tell if you're looking at the screen or the sticky note right beside the computer screen? Will you avoid showering for a week just to test your skin's resistance to bacteria for marathon poker sessions?

Then yeah, this 2GB poker chip flash drive is totally worth your $28. Because we both know that when you told all those stories about the "system" you used to make boatloads of cash playing online poker, you were just bluffing. [Product via OhGizmo]

11:30 AM on Wed May 7 2008
By Mark Wilson
2,833 views, 14 comments

usb

Optimus Prime USB Hub Speaks but Won't Stomp Across Your Desk

"I laugh in the face of your so-called transforming USB hub!" says the four-way Optimus Prime USB Hub, "because I, Optimus Prime, am a Transformers USB hub that... um... doesn't transform. Oh." What the 9-inch Autobot bust actually does do is flash its eye lights and shout out when you connect something to it. And in case that gets boring, you can turn the sound function off. Available August for $34.99. [BigBadToystore via Everything USB]

7:57 AM on Mon May 5 2008
By Kit Eaton
1,522 views, 11 comments

Latest by FiveLiters: Looks like Iron Man's bowel movement. more »

maker faire 2008

Quote: Would a Modern Day MacGyver Still Use a Swiss Army Knife?

While yesterday's revelation at Maker Faire by MacGyver creator and real-life inspiration Lee D. Zlotoff that a MacGyver blockbuster was in the works was a pretty sweet surprise, we followed up by asking him perhaps the most pressing MacGyver question of all: Would a modern day MacGyver still use a Swiss Army knife? [Maker Faire on Giz]

7:35 PM on Sun May 4 2008
By matt buchanan
13,135 views, 95 comments

diy

DIY Glowing Video Tape USB Hub: Put an Old VHS Tape to Good Use

Have any old VHS tapes lying around? Really? What the hell is wrong with you? That stuff should have been tossed ages ago. Anyway, since you have one, it might be a good idea to repurpose it into something useful—like a USB hub. As far as DIY projects go, this one should be simple enough—even for a novice. All you need outside of the tape is a USB hub, some LEDs, a small switch (optional) and some cables. It looks cool, and when all is said and done you can act all high and mighty about your herculean recycling effort. Additional image after the break. More »

8:00 PM on Fri May 2 2008
By Sean Fallon
5,755 views, 9 comments

Latest by OMG! Ponies!: @Blue387: Well, right now I'm a fan of the "camouflage in the open" method. I have a sh*tty old external case for a 3.5" desktop hard drive. The case is about 5 years old and looks it. It's plenty more »

to catch a predator

Microsoft COFEE Won't Perk You Up, But It Will Instamagically Hack Your Computer

You know how in cop shows they seize deviants' computers and bring them back to the lab for some good ol' latex gloved analysis to prove how obviously guilty or sick the suspect is? That's old hat. Microsoft's latest treat for law enforcement is COFEE (Computer Online Forensic Evidence Extractor), a USB drive that'll cut through whatever flimsy security miscreants have slapped on their computer in a flash, and then automatically analyze the dirty bits the cops need to bust their ass, from internet activity to stored data, no pwnage skillz or trips to the lab needed. Microsoft's giving the wonder tube to lawmen for free, and 2,000 officers in 15 countries are already using it. But will it work on Macs? [Seattle Times, Thanks M]

8:30 PM on Tue Apr 29 2008
By matt buchanan
14,193 views, 98 comments

Latest by archpope: This is where steganography comes in. Use something like TrueCrypt, and call the file corel.dat or something like that. I'm sure M$ doesn't have a backdoor on third-party software. more »

virtual console

Virtual Console Duplicator Copies 60 USB Sticks At Once

For those times when 59 copies just isn't enough, make 60 USB copies at once with this Virtual Console duplicator. Featuring optional 128-bit encryption and the ability to duplicate actual files (rather than just writing a binary mirror), it takes the copier just two minutes to fill 60 1GB drives with whatever pictures of your dog/resume/butt you find necessary to distribute to the public. Intended for industrial use, the system runs $8000. [product via SlipperyBrick]

9:50 AM on Tue Apr 29 2008
By Mark Wilson
3,563 views, 28 comments

junk

Teeny Weeny USB Drive Robs Your Computer of Dignity (NSFW)

If you thought the USB Humping Dog was a bit too sassy, prepare to be made uncomfortable by the Teeny Weeny Drive. This USB flash drive chucks subtlety out the window and is just shaped like a stubby, rubbery penis. You've been warned. Hit the jump for the uncensored photos and promo video. More »

12:01 PM on Mon Apr 28 2008
By Adam Frucci
35,937 views, 34 comments

watches

Photowatch: Strap-On Digital Picture Frame and Wristwatch

A half-way house between a digital watch and those crazy do-it-all multimedia watches, the digital photo frame watch may actually appeal to more people. The built-in memory can store 60 photos and it can superimpose the time in analog or digital format over the top. And that's all it does: simple. It charges through USB, lasting about 8 hours —its main drawback, perhaps— and is Mac and PC compatible. In leather and stainless steel, it'll set you back $99.95. [EverythingUSB]

5:55 AM on Mon Apr 28 2008
By Kit Eaton
2,252 views, 6 comments

Latest by Princess Sparkle Pony: Cool idea, but the logo, the battery life and the fact that it looks like it weighs 20 pounds kills it for me. more »

usb

Brando 3-Way USB Hub Doesn't Need Power Brick

See those two USB plugs on this hub gizmo from Brando? They're what makes this thing a little bit neat, even if its looks aren't anything special. Most USB hubs need to draw energy from a power brick if you're going to load them up with much more than a memory stick and charge up a gadget. But this one plugs into two USB ports on your PC for more juice, so you can connect up to three different devices and charge or sync your phone or camera at the same time via the mini-USB connector. It's available now for $12. [Brando]

9:50 AM on Thu Apr 24 2008
By Kit Eaton
2,496 views, 27 comments

Latest by Bokusatsu_Tenshi: I need one of those right now. Pity I'm nowhere near a store that would sell it. more »

usb photo frame

USB Photo Frame Speakers Are Classier Than The Original

We've seen photo frame speakers before, but this Brookstone version looks much, much classier. Gone is the birch-colored 1970s-style wood, and in is a dark, black finish. The principal is the same: two photo frames that hold a 6" x 4" photo each, that also plug into your computer's USB port and act like speakers. Audiophiles won't enjoy the sound quality at all, but it's a neat integration of two things that are already on your desk. [Brookstone via Everything USB]

6:30 PM on Tue Apr 22 2008
By Jason Chen
2,099 views, 5 comments

Latest by ripfire4: @Synthfilker: Oh that's right, I forgot. We all point the speakers away from us now. My bad then. more »

storage

Addonics Snap-In ExDrive25: Cheap 'n' Snazzy Way to Give Old 2.5-Inch Drives a Second Chance

Sure there are other ways to enclose old 2.5" drives, but have you ever seen a more elegant one for 29 bucks? The Addonics Snap-In ExDrive25 promises hot-swappable connections via USB 2.0 and eSATA (if your PC can support it). Since eSATA can't power the drive via the bus—not yet anyway—you'd have to buy the $15 power adapter for that, or just try one of the ones you already have lying in a drawer somewhere. Jump for a detailed diagram of the product, including a shot of its backend. More »

11:00 AM on Tue Apr 22 2008
By Wilson Rothman
3,769 views, 14 comments

Latest by SpyderMS: @FritzLaurel: the comment by chairman_now seems to indicate that is definitely a possibility. more »

owc mercury-on-the-go

OWC's Triple-Interface Mercury-on-the-Go 500GB HDD

The Mercury-On-The-Go from OWC is a somewhat tempting three-way connectible 500GB portable HDD. Component-wise there are no surprises, under the hood is a 2.5" 5400 RPM Hitachi Travelstar 5K500 with an 8MB cache. With Firewire 400/800 and USB 2.0 you get three-way connectivity and bus power. More »

8:00 PM on Fri Apr 18 2008
By Chris Magor
5,961 views, 25 comments

peripherals

Bonanza Banana Flash Drive Has a Bunch of Memory (8GB, Actually)

When I saw this Bonanza banana, I thought of this. Eddie Murphy stuck one up a tailpipe, now you can stick a banana up your USB port—well, you can stick it wherever you like, it's Friday and we're all adults here. The fruity flash drive has an 8GB capacity, looks lovely, tastes rubbery, and is made by a firm called Hantat. [AVING via Pocket-lint]

7:05 AM on Fri Apr 18 2008
By Addy Dugdale
2,649 views, 12 comments

windows vista

Vista Update Scrambling USB Devices, SP1 Auto-Rollout Stalled?

An update that went out last week for Vista to patch security holes in Windows Defender (ironically) is apparently knocking out some USB devices like mice and keyboards, so that they stop working entirely. Microsoft actually admits the issue: "We are aware of concerns that a recent Microsoft update may be causing problems with USB devices. We are investigating the matter, and at this time, do not have any information to share." So you might wanna skip that one. Speaking of, the Reg also says Vista SP1's supposed auto roll-out "remains missing in action" and has an MS spokesman seemingly confirm the delay. We installed manually a while ago. Anyone got the automatic update? [The Reg]

5:50 PM on Wed Apr 16 2008
By matt buchanan
4,543 views, 40 comments

Latest by SneakerFiend: @openfly: Happy i had a hacked version and got caught. My xp isn't as great as vista is but give it a week and it should be up and running faster than vista was. If not then im going to remove more »

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