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As anyone who has seen the Matrix will tell you, an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) can wreak havoc on electronics. You may also know that an EMP is a byproduct of a nuclear blast-which is why the Navy has handed over $7.5 million to L-3 Services, Inc. to build an EMP generator. The device is not…
Earlier this week, the NYT put together a timeline of the evolution of Olympic torches throughout the years. The guys at OObject have followed that list up with 10 of the most notable cauldron designs, and they make a good point while they are at it. While the cauldron was a part of the festivities…
Musical doorbells are annoying enough, but what if you gave your visitors the freedom to express themselves creatively? That’s exactly what designer Li Jian had in mind when he came up with the Pianobell. Unless you are friends with a lot of talented musicians, I don’t see much of an upside here. On the other…
If you and your DVR are having trouble keeping up with all of the Olympics coverage, Microsoft is offering Media Center users the opportunity to catch up with on-demand content. All you need to do is launch Windows Media Center on a PC or laptop running Windows Vista Home Premium or Windows Vista Ultimate and…
Until I loaded up this realtime Global Disaster Alert Map operated by the International Disaster and Risk Conference, which tracks biological hazards, chemical spills, fires, volcanoes, earthquakes and epidemics, I earnestly thought that it had been a pretty good day. I was wrong, and I will not be so naive as to drop my constant…
Handy if you want to hit on a cute waitress at a decent sushi bar or the French exchange student pulling shots at your usual coffee place with horrible abortions of their native tongue, Google Translate is now optimized for the iPhone. It stores your most recent translations on the phone so you don’t need…
We desperately need you to settle an ongoing debate for us. When you refer to everyone’s favorite plastic brick building blocks in the plural form, do you say “Lego” or “Legos?” Lego is technically the correct term-but it sounds weird. I mean “I would like a box of Lego for Christmas” vs. “I would like…
Presenters at Black Hat revealed that most, if not all, of Windows Vista’s security features can be taken out with a single browser exploit, using Java and .NET to execute malicious code. What really makes this a killer, is that it is based around Vista’s fundamental architecture, not a specific security flaw, and can be…
Developers have told mocoNews that T-Mobile will allow open development and distribution for all handsets across its network this fall, complete with a revenue sharing business model, akin to Apple’s App Store. What’s interesting is that T-Mobile plans to adjust the revenue percentage according to how much an app uses the network. So an app…
The limited-edition Pokemon DS Lite was actually released in Japan back in 2006, but is just now showing up in a Gamestop ad in the US. The flashy, surprisingly mature paintjob features Dialga and Palkia, the two Pokemon—Pokemons? Pokemen?—from the Diamond and Pearl covers. It looks to come with a nice bundle, including carrying case,…
According to Boy Genius Report sources, the BlackBerry Thunder looks set to hit Verizon on October 13 as the BB9530. The tipster also sent an inventory list from Verizon, which seems to confirm the model number for BlackBerry’s first touchscreen offering. This seems to fall in line with earlier release rumors for the Thunder, but…
Thinkway Toys’s Pixar desk accessory/lamp/toy/thingamabob has a Luxo Jr. that moves and illuminates exactly like in the movie. As you can see in the video, you can activate it with a motion sensor and a remote control, a key ring in the shape of the the ball. It’s cool for a piece of plastic, but…
During a few of my college summers, I worked in a real estate office making various marketing materials. And browsing through the books of pre-made ads-endless catalogs full of countless tacky self-promotions that included lightning bolts and big game animals-you’d see things like these “3D” pop-up business cards…but nothing quite as bad. Unless your job…
Sanyo’s just expanded their lineup of rechargeable batteries to include Cs and Ds, two sizes Jesus can’t wait to get his hands on. They’re rated as being rechargeable up to 1000 times, which is quite a few sessions of whatever it is you’re doing with C and D batteries. There’s also a new charger for…
We’re trying to figure out what’s better for our readers in terms of video placing. Do you prefer us putting videos directly on the front page so you don’t have to click into a post to watch, or do you prefer we tuck them after the jump so it doesn’t slow down pageloads for people…
When I picture a Lego PC in my head, I see a vivid red, yellow and blue case topped with a small army of minifigs and maybe a pirate ship. But this Lego PC looks nothing like that childhood dream machine, unless you want your kid experimenting with knives and hard alcohol by age 7.…
While this might look like your standard, old-school tape recorder and microphone, it’s actually a breathalyzer. As I see it, it can be used in two ways. The first, is to trick drunks into getting a breathalyzer by telling them you want to hear them sing. The problem with this method is that if someone…
Yesterday, an analyst said that according to his sources, HTC is not having a jolly good time developing their Android headset, and it’s probably going to be delayed ’til 2009. “Not so!” says HTC. They say that his facts do “not match the facts” and you will damn well see their Android phone by the…
While we’re waiting until tonight to see NBC’s delayed rebroadcast of the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games, we can show you some of the most beautiful images from the event. An incredible full-field scroll, projection sphere and LED suits transcend to create what looks to have been one of the, if not the, most…
Invensense, one of the two companies that sold their technology to Nintendo for their Wii MotionPlus Wiimote add-on, has just announced that they’re NOT exclusive to Nintendo and are fielding offers from other companies. One person with the company says, “I can’t get into details about other folks that are interested in this technology, but…