We feature tons of coolstuff from Japan on Technabob over the years, but one of the big deterrents to picking up some fun and unusual gadgets from the other side of the Pacific Ocean has been the cost of shipping them around the world. Well for a limited time only, our pals over at GeekStuff4U are waiving shipping fees, to bring a little bit of Japanese cheer to the rest of the world this holiday season.
From now until December 15th, 2012, GeekStuff4U is offering free international shipping on any item priced at over 5,000 Yen (~$61 USD). Packages will be shipped via EMS, and they’re recommending that you get your orders in by the end of the day on December 13th in your country to get your gifts in time for Christmas.
GeekStuff4U has all sorts of nifty and unusual gadgets and goodies available on their site, and it’s definitely worth checking out if you’re looking for something off-the-beaten-path. Some of my personal faves include the heated USB mouse, the R2-D2 projector, and the mega cockroach backpack.
Earlier today, we told you about a ridiculous amount of leaked Dragonborn details, but now we’re getting some news that is perhaps even bigger. Bethesda has confirmed Dragonborn for PC and PS3, saying that it’ll be available on those platforms early next year. We don’t have a specific release date to work with, but it stands to reason that Dragonborn will be available on PC and PS3 sometime in January, around a month after it launches on Xbox 360.
What’s surprising, of course, is the fact that the DLC has been confirmed for PS3. Bethesda’s struggles with Skyrim DLC on PS3 have been well-documented, with PS3 users receiving none of the DLC Xbox 360 and PC players have. That looks like it’s all going to change with Dragonborn, which is arguably the most exciting expansion released for Skyrim so far.
Sadly, Bethesda’s announcement didn’t give any updates on the progress of Dawnguard and Hearthfire on PS3, which makes it seem like the studio will give those two a pass and jump straight to Dragonborn. As far as content goes, Dragonborn is apparently the expansion to have, but we know plenty of PS3 owners who would love to have Dawnguard and Hearthfire, just like their Xbox 360 and PC counterparts.
At least Dragonborn has been confirmed for PS3, which is much better than nothing. Perhaps this means Bethesda has worked out the issues it’s having with PS3 and that Dawnguard and Hearthfire are coming to the console after all? It’s hard to say, but we’ll let you know if Bethesda says anything else regarding PS3 Skyrim DLC. Stay tuned.
Update: Bethesda has explained why it’s skipping straight to Dragonborn on PS3 in a statement to Eurogamer. “We think Dragonborn is our best add-on for Skyrim yet, and we didn’t want fans to wait long, so that’s our current focus. Each platform takes a lot of time and attention.” When asked about the fate of Dawnguard and Hearthfire, Bethesda replied, “As noted in our blog post, we’re not done with content for Skyrim. When we’re ready to share more details, we’ll update everyone.”
So, it looks like Hearthfire and Dawnguard may still come to PS3 eventually, but don’t expect to hear anything new about them until we’re into 2013. It isn’t the most desirable of situations, but at least Bethesda has confirmed Dragonborn for PS3, which is much better than nothing at all.
It’s really not a surprise when you’re told that people spend a lot of time on social media. We all know that Facebook has over a billion users, and that all these statistics that get thrown around of how many photos users share on social networking sites are just a fancy way of saying, “people are using social media.” However, it turns out that Americans are collectively spending over two billion hours on social media, every month.
In its annual Social Media Report, Nielsen says that Americans spent a collective 121 billion minutes on social media websites in July alone, which is up from 88 billion the year before. 121 billion minutes equates to just over 230,000 years, which means if we split that time equally amongst every American, that would be about 13 minutes per person per day.
Of course, not everyone in America uses social media — Facebook alone has around 150 million active users in the US according to the report, and there are a total of around 212 million Americans using social media as we speak, compared to the current total US population of 312 million. It’s also very possible that a lot of social media accounts are probably duplicates or multiple accounts for one person. So, more realistically, people are probably spending a lot more than just 13 minutes surfing Facebook and Twitter every day. Specifically, if we took those 121 billion minutes and split them equally amongst the 212 million social media users in the US, that would be approximately 19 minutes per person per day, on average.
These are just rough estimates obviously, and not every single social media user only spends 19 minutes per day browsing the sites, but the total 121 billion minutes makes sense no doubt. Furthermore, Nielsen reported that, on average, users spend roughly 20% of their time online on a computer browsing social media, while on mobile devices, users spend around 30% of their time surfing the likes of Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ on their tiny screens.
As tablets and smartphones rise in popularity you see more and more accessories designed like things we know. There is the old school phone handset to attach to your iPhone. Or maybe you prefer to look like a trucker and have a CB handset on your phone. Or there is always the retro joystick to use when gaming on your tablet. It seems that anything old-school but adaptable to our new technology is a hit.
Taking that cue, meet the iKazoo from Ogaco Gadgets. I want to call it a controller, but it does so much more. Built in to the slender device are lip sensor, flute, full chromatic keyboard, optical game controllers, touch pad and a microphone. Out of the box iKazoo is compatible with any electronic device containing a camera. That enables you to make and play music, like a kazoo. The other key to iKazoo is the open source software. You – or others – can train iKazoo to do whatever you choose. Make music, games, apps. Turn it into a fitness tracker, art tool or remote control. Use iKazoo as a R/C controller, presenter tool or voice recorder. The Ardiuno compatible microcontroller, Bluetooth wireless networking, optical, shock and motion sensors, multitouch sensor, RGB LEDs and headphone make it happen. Ogaco is serious when they say iKazoo is built for multitasking! iKazoo is not on the market yet, and no price has been announced but sign up for launch details on Ogaco’s website. This is one device that just about anyone could use.
A security flaw in popular photo filter and sharing app Instagram could allow hackers to steal user accounts, after it was discovered that certain cookies are sent in plain-text rather than secured. The exploit, discovered by Carlos Reventlov and apparently flagged to the Instagram team in early November, relies on the fact that while log-in and profile editing is done over encrypted links, Computerworld reports, a plain-text cookie is sent to the Instagram servers when the app is loaded. If the hacker intercepts that cookie – among other criteria – they can subsequently gain access to the account and lock out the legitimate user.
“Once the attacker gets the cookie” Reventlov says, “he is able to craft special HTTP requests for getting data and deleting photos.” The flaw was identified and repeated using the latest version of the Instagram app for iOS, v3.1.2, on the iPhone 4, and relies on the fact that the company does not use HTTPS for API requests, Reventlov points out.
For the exploit to work, however, both the hacker and the legitimate Instagram user must be connected on the same LAN. That’s obviously not going to be the case if the Instagramer is using their mobile data connection, but if they’re on the same WiFi hotspot then it leaves them potentially susceptible.
If compromised, the hacked account can give up not only whatever user details have been stored, but access to the photo streams of any friends on the service. It’s also possible to change the password and lock the proper owner out, as well as delete photos that the user has taken.
According to Reventlov, the Instagram team is yet to respond to his comments on the insecurity. It’s unclear if the Android version of the app is susceptible to the same exploit.
I’ve seen a few transforming robots in my day but few are as fluid and fast as this odd creation from Brave Robotics, a Toyko-based company that is selling its creation for a mere 1.98 million Yen. The little robot starts out as a car and then quickly transforms into a standing humanoid complete with FREAKING ARM MISSILES. Sadly, that many Yen translates to about $26,000, which could fund the purchase of a few dozen Transformers toys and the salary of a dedicated butler to transform the toys for you by hand.
The robot is entirely 3D printed – except for the motors and circuitry – and is controlled using a wireless remote. It looks to be an entirely homebrew project nearly 10 years in the making because, if this history is any indication, the roboticists look to have been working on this since 2002.
I think the most important part of the site, however, is the throwaway at the bottom of the History page where the company intends to make a full-sized transforming car/robot with built-in AI by 2030. Considering how smoothly this fellow is moving around, I’d expect them to have something by, oh, say next winter.
For years now, we’ve used the Crysis series to determine how good a PC is at a glance, with enthusiasts today still asking “But can it run Crysis?” when you bring up your PC’s technical specifications. It looks like Crysis 3 will continue the series’ trend of demanding a lot of power, as Electronic Arts has released the PC requirements for the incoming game. Luckily, EA has share the requirements two months before Crysis 3 launches, which is good since it sounds like some of us will have to spend some time upgrading.
Electronic Arts has shared three sets of requirements: minimum, recommended, and high-performance. We imagine a lot of users will be able to meet the minimum system requirements, but if you want to go for high-performance, you’ll need the latest and greatest. You’ll also need a machine running DirectX 11 regardless of your hardware, so you Windows XP users are being left out in the cold with Crysis 3, sorry to say. Here’s the full list of requirements straight from EA:
Minimum system operating requirements:
• Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8 • DirectX 11 graphics card with 1GB Video RAM • Dual core CPU • 2GB Memory (3GB on Vista) • Example 1 (NVIDIA/Intel): NVIDIA GTS 450, Intel Core2 Duo 2.4 Ghz (E6600) • Example 2 (AMD): AMD Radeon HD5770, AMD Athlon64 X2 2.7 Ghz (5200+)
Recommended system operating requirements:
• Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8 • DirectX 11 graphics card with 1GB Video RAM • Quad core GPU • 4GB Memory • Example 1 (NVIDIA/Intel): NVIDIA GTX 560, Intel Core i3-530 • Example 2 (AMD): AMD Radeon HD5870, AMD Phenom II X2 565
High-performance system operation requirements:
• Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8 • Latest DirectX 11 graphics card • Latest quad core CPU • 8GB Memory • Example 1 (NVIDIA/Intel): NVIDIA GTX 680, Intel Core i7-2600k • Example 2 (AMD): AMD Radeon HD7970, AMD Bulldozer FX4150
So Crysis 3 is going to be one power hungry game, but did we really expect otherwise? The footage we’ve seen of the game has looked great so far, and if you’ve got the hardware to crank everything up to maximum settings, then you’ve got some beautiful visuals to look forward to. Of course, Crysis 3 requires some really expensive hardware to look its best, so beautiful visuals may not be worth it in this case.
Crysis 3 was accidentally revealed by Electronic Arts earlier this year and is built on CryEngine 3. It’ll be available on Xbox 360 and PS3 as well as PC, but aside from a rather vague February 2013 window, we don’t have a solid release date for the game yet. We’ll let you know when a release date is announced, but in the meantime, let us know if your rig is beefy enough to run Crysis 3 at max settings.
Just about every device that Apple sells these days is made in China by Foxconn and other major manufacturers. Though it looks like some of Apple’s items are no longer being manufactured in China. A recent teardown performed by iFixit on the new 21.5-inch iMac revealed that the machine was made in the USA.
I say the teardown revealed this fact, but it was actually etched on the back of the iMac’s case, in plain sight. The little laser its stamp on the back says “Assembled in USA.” Exactly how much the machine is actually assembled in the US remains unclear – though the machine’s large IPS display is definitely still assembled in China by LG.
Products can be called “Assembled in the USA” without all components actually being produced within the US. The only qualification is that “substantial” assembly must take place in the US. According to the FTC having all components assembled in foreign countries and merely screwed together in the US wouldn’t qualify product to be labeled as “Assembled in the USA,” so Apple must have a manufacturing facility or partner somewhere in the US once again.
Regardless of where the new iMac is made, the iFixit teardown also revealed that the slim new model is almost impossible to repair or upgrade, so if you want an iMac that you can tinker with, then grab a 2011 model.
I beat up my luggage. It gets tugged up and down stairs, dumped off my back onto the floor, jammed into the closet. You name it. Even my computer and gadget bag gets the treatment. So I’ll pay attention to a durable bag. Pelican is known for high performance gear. How high performance? They make cases and carrying devices for everything from a machine gun to medical equipment. If they can protect military and hospital gear, I am pretty sure they can put up with an abusive traveler’s whims.
Included in the Pelican ProGear™ U100 Urban Elite Laptop Backpack is the strategic construction for abusive use. Bring on your laptop – the built-in, watertight and crushproof case will protect up to a 15” laptop or 17” Macbook. It is also tested to survive 3 feet under water for 30 minutes. The front contains a hard, impact protected tablet case too. There is ample options for storing other devices or office supplies including expanding storage on the bottom. And, of course quick, TSA-friendly access to the laptop. The S-curve comfort back makes the U100 easy on the back. Currently $199.21 on Amazon, it is a perfect essential for any motorcycle commuters or average bag abusers like me. This bag will give you peace of mind that the investment on your back won’t suffer consequences of your actions.
Finland has produced Angry Birds and red-hot gaming company Supercell, but there’s another profitable startup that’s got a far unlikelier background and product.
One of the more outlandish-sounding startups I met in Helsinki last week was Valkee, a company that makes a device that shines lights onto your brain cells through your ear canals.
The company has an unusual backstory that marries hard science with consumer hardware. Co-founder Juuso Nissila had been researching the circadian rhythms of birds and found that there were light-sensitive proteins on the surface of the brain that could help regulate their sleep schedules. He wondered if the same photo-sensitivity could be found in human brains.
At the same time, a friend and Nokia researcher Antti Auino was putting lights up all around his home. He was trying to fight off Seasonal Affective Disorder, or the “Winter Blues” when people get depressed during winter months with the lower amounts of light.
“I told him you don’t need to your light your house. You need to light your brain,” Nissila said. The ear canal was the most natural and obvious way to shine light onto the surface of the brain. Within weeks, they had a prototype.
Called The Valkee, the device looks like an MP3 player with a set of fancy headphones attached to it. The earbuds actually have a pair of lights attached to them that run for 12-minute sessions at a time. The idea is that by shining light into sensitive areas of the brain, it will stimulate a special OPN3 protein in parts of the brain that help regulate serotonin, melatonin and dopamine production.
They’re initially marketing it to people with Seasonal Affective Disorder, but they’re planning to expand their consumer base to people who need to fight off jet lag.
“If I stop using it for one week, I start eating more and it becomes very difficult to wake up in the morning,” said Timo Ahopelto, who was CEO of the company before leaving to join early-stage Finnish VC fund Lifeline Ventures, which also holds a stake in Valkee. I’ve used it, and I can’t tell if there is any effect yet beyond making my ears feel warm in the morning. But I’m also Californian, so I’m not even really sure I suffer from seasonal affective disorder because we don’t really have seasons.
All of these studies are fairly small and it’s still early, but Valkee is following up with more double-blind studies where neither the patients nor doctors running the studies will know whether Valkee headsets or placebos are being used.
“We were working with severely depressed people. We live quite north in Oulo. it’s only 170 kilometers to the Arctic Circle, so the darkness is very, very, very abundant,” Nissila said.
Ahopelto says that the company tries to be very open with potential customers. They don’t edit comments on the Facebook Page, for example, if anyone has anything critical to say.
“We don’t moderate negative comments out. There are some people who say they spent 190 euros on it and it didn’t work or that it was the worst purchase in their life,” he said. “Then there are others who say that it’s helped save their lives and winters.” You can see a recent sample of reviews here.
The comments range from critics who call it “snakeoil…” to actual users who say things like:
“My depression had become so severe that even during the summer it lingered this year. Not only has my suicidal thinking ceased, my ability to stay awake after dark, and even though I still have restless sleep, I wake up with a desire to get out of bed, and my pain has decreased. I haven’t had a prescription ibuprophen in 2 weeks now. I lived in constant pain in my back and everywhere. It may be the fact that I am better able to take my magnesium and vit D now that I have my Valkee, either way I am alot more functional and alot less miserable!”
Ahopelto adds that the company has a return rate of less than 1 percent, including people who order the Valkee on the web and return it within 14 days.
The first year, the company sold about 5,000 units. In the second, they sold 20,000 and they expect to sell perhaps around 50,000 units of the current edition, which has better casing. Like many other hardware startups, Valkee has benefited from the rise of Facebook, which has given the company a cheap way to find customers without having extensive retail or distribution partnerships.
While a device that shines lights into your ears sounds like it might be a niche product, Ahopelto thinks the potential market size is large.
“Maybe a quarter of people in New York suffer from Winter Blues and even in Southern Italy, you’ll still find about 5 percent suffering from seasonal affective disorder,” Ahopelto said.
The company is in the process of raising a Series A venture round and they plan to launch in the U.S. next year if they get clearance. Valkee has Class II(a) clearance in the European Union.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
