X-Arcade’s rugged Solo Joystick: supports PC, Mac, Linux and nine gaming consoles

XArcade's rugged Solo Joystick supports PC, Mac, Linux and nine gaming consoles

There’s multifaceted, and then there’s X-Arcade’s Solo Joystick. Following up on the outfit’s aptly-titled Dual Joystick, the Solo here is a 12-pound beast that’s built to withstand just about anything. And, indeed, function just about anywhere. Up for pre-order now, the gamepad is set to ship to gamers everywhere on December 1st, bringing with it 11-inches of arcade-style glory. It’ll function with PC, Mac and Linux rigs right out of the box for $99.99, while optional adapters enable support for nine different gaming consoles (PlayStation 1 / 2 / 3, Wii, Dreamcast, GameCube, Xbox, Xbox 360 and Wii U). Oh, and since you’re wondering, they company claims that it’s “hard at work on new adapters for the upcoming Xbox One and PS4,” and it’s throwing in a fully licensed version of Maximus Arcade Software for anyone who places an order before September 1st.

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Via: HotHardware

Source: X-Gaming

This Log Pillow Isn’t as Firm as It Looks

I was just thinking about picking up some new pillows for our bed, since I think I need something with a little more support. While a good firm pillow can help you sleep better, I don’t think that sleeping on a log is particularly good for your head and neck. That is, unless it’s this plush log pillow.

log pillow 1

The Log Pillow is made by Kikkerland, and it looks like the perfect place to catch a nap while lying on your couch, bed, or in your sleeping bag in the woods. Thankfully, it’s not filled with hardwood, but instead it’s packed with the type of polystyrene beads you’d find in a bean bag.

log pillow 2

It measures about 15″ long and 6.5″ in diameter, and sells for $18(USD) over at Fredflare. Or you could just go buy some firewood and try and put your head on that.

What’s the oldest piece of technology you still use every day?

In a world that is changing so rapidly, we tend to think of a gadget as “old” after a year or so when something better comes along. It’s a rare occurrence when you see someone still using an HTC DROID Incredible (my first-ever smartphone) or a laptop from the Windows XP days, but it got me thinking about how many people out there still use old technology on a daily basis. While you could technically count a microwave (for which my parents still have the same one after 20 years), my focus is aimed at consumer electronics, like phones, laptops, TVs, speakers, etc.

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Upgrade cycles vary greatly depending on what the product is. Smartphones arguably have the quickest upgrade cycle, with new phones coming out all the time, and while phone contracts keep users on a two-year cycle, it’s becoming more and more popular to upgrade a smartphone every year or even every few months, thanks to off-contract phone plans. Honestly, it’s to the point where people scratch their heads when they see someone still using an iPhone 3GS — a piece of gadgetry that’s only four years old.

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Larger items usually have a longer ownership life, though, and things like laptops, televisions, and game consoles can easily last a few years without seeming out of date or “old.” Heck, the Xbox 360 will be turning eight years old in November and it’s still chugging along nicely, with millions of gamers still using it on a daily basis.

But your Xbox 360 surely can’t be the oldest consumer electronics device that you use every day. Maybe you have an old turntable that you still use to play all of your vinyl records on? Perhaps you still use the same landline phone from the 90s?

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For me, the oldest piece of technology that I still use on a daily basis is probably an RCA speaker system that I bought with my own cold-hard cash when I was in junior high about 10 years ago. It obviously served as the main portal for playing all my CDs and turning the volume up to 11 because I was a rebel and all. However, it now serves as the speaker system to my home theater, and it still works great to this day.

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Then again, speakers are something that practically last forever, and some would say that they’re like fine wine: the longer they’re around, the better they sound. I actually used to have a set of old speakers from when my dad was a DJ back in the 70s, and used them as computer speakers for a while, but they were too big and clunky (as with any older speaker set), so I had to eventually be realistic and get a Logitech 2.1 system.

Take a look at the devices that you use every day (or mostly every day) and see what the oldest one is. I’m sure there will be a lot of answers that will surpass my 10 years with my speaker system, but we look forward to seeing what devices you keep around, either for its simplicity, or the fact that you just can’t seem to part with it.

Leave your answers in the comments below!


What’s the oldest piece of technology you still use every day? is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2013, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Never Be Pocket-less With A Gadget Again

Never Be Pocket-less With A Gadget Again

Sometimes you realize that the shorts you put on don’t actually have pockets or that the pockets on your jacket are really inaccessible. And then your day is ruined. If you had a t-shirt with a clear plastic gadget pocket this would never have been an issue. Obviously.

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Ford Vibrating Shift Knob Tells Drivers When to Shift: Semi-Automatic Transmission

Earlier this month we saw a car with a joystick shift lever. It looks cool, but it doesn’t have any additional function. Ford engineer Zachary Nelson made a more high-tech shift lever mod that’s geared towards newbie drivers. It’s a shift knob that vibrates to tell you when to shift gears.

ford vibrating shift knob by zach nelson

The shift knob is based on the Arduino Pro Mini microcontroller. Using an Android app and the OpenXC Vehicle Interface, the knob “monitors the vehicle’s speed, RPM and accelerator pedal position. Based on this information, the application calculates and then indicates to the driver when he or she should shift by vibrating the shift knob.” Additionally, the knob can be set to prioritize speed or fuel economy. Zach used a motor from an Xbox 360 controller to make the knob vibrate and then designed and 3D printed the knob’s case. It was then installed onto the manual shift lever from a Ford Mustang.

Start your browser’s engine and head to OpenXC to find out how to make a vibrating shift knob. Or not.

[via Wired via Gearfuse]

You Can Make Beautiful Abstract Art With The Google Maps API

You Can Make Beautiful Abstract Art With The Google Maps API

Google Maps offers a lot of tools for developers (or anyone!) to work with, visualize and customize the existing service. And a lot of cool maps, infographics and tools come out of the APIs. But sometimes it’s nice to take something like the topographical data and move it in a totally different direction. Like maybe art?

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Chromecast bootloader exploit surfaces, opens up plenty of possibilities (video)

Chromecast bootloader exploit surfaces, opens up plenty of possibilities video

“Give it time.” It’s something many mums have uttered to their frustrated youth, and it’s something that’s also uttered amongst the hacker crowd each time a new device emerges. In the case of Google’s $35 Chromecast, it took but a couple of days for the HDMI streaming stick to be exploited. Granted, Google’s never been one to keep its biggest software projects under lock and key, but for those looking to tinker a bit with their new toy, GTVHacker has the goods. The exploit package has thus far been used to confirm that the software within is not Chrome OS — it’s described by the aforesaid site as “a modified Google TV release, but with all of the Bionic / Dalvik stripped out and replaced with a single binary for Chromecast.” Those interested in giving it a go themselves can test their luck here, while the timid among us can hop on past the break for a video.

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Source: GTVHacker

iPhone 5C Packaging Spotted in China: Proof a Cheaper iPhone is Coming?

For months there have been rumors that Apple will release a less expensive version of the iPhone for the masses – especially in parts of the world where the current gen iPhone is considered too expensive. Images have leaked of colorful, possibly plastic-cased iPhone components, and now we have what appears to be a product name – the iPhone 5C.

iphone 5c packaging

This tub of plastic packaging clearly labeled “iPhone 5C” and adorned with the Apple logo was spotted in China and posted on the WeiPhone forums. While they definitely could be boxes for some cheap knock-off iPhones, I’m going to go out on a limb and say this looks legit, and the plastic construction of the packaging would go well with the rumored less-expensive iPhone. Now what the “C” stands for is anyone’s guess – perhaps it stands for “cheap” but I don’t think so. It’s more likely to stand for “colors,” IMHO.

Regardless of the veracity of this image, I don’t think we’ll be waiting too much longer to see the next iPhones emerge from Apple. All signs point to a September or October reveal of both an inexpensive model and an updated iPhone 5, rumored to be called the iPhone 5S – though I’d really love for a surprise reveal of an iPhone 6.

[via Ubergizmo]

barZapp Is Capable Of Spotting Fake IDs

barZapp Is Capable Of Spotting Fake IDs

Underage drinking is a serious problem, one that’s compounded by the fact fake IDs aren’t exactly hard to come by. Bars, clubs and liquor stores have a responsibility to ensure that alcohol is not served to anyone who is underage, but fake Ids are widely used to get around the regulation. A new app has been released that is capable of spotting fake IDs, it can scan licenses from every U.S. state and even Canadian provinces. This will no doubt make it hard for underage people to get away easily.

Called barZapp, it can scan the barcode on an ID through the iPhone’s camera to determine whether it is legit. The app will also provide additional information such as owner’s height, weight, date of birth and even the eye color. The IDs expiration date will also be shown. barZapp will even show the visitor’s history at that particular location, making it much easier for bouncers and bartenders to determine who is trying to give them a slip. The app comes with two packages, $1.99 lets users scan 10 IDs a day, where’s a $19.95 monthly subscriptions lets them scan unlimited IDs throughout the month.

Like It , +1 , Tweet It , Pin It | barZapp Is Capable Of Spotting Fake IDs original content from Ubergizmo.

    

Apple Developer Portal Now Back Online After Being Hacked

Apple Developer Portal Now Back Online After Being Hacked

Last week many users were complaining that they were having trouble accessing Apple’s Developer Portal. The company later confirmed through an email that it had actually been hacked and that to prevent any further loss of information, they had shut it down. Now after eight days of being offline, the Developers Portal is back online.

A self titled Turkish security researcher, Ibrahim Balic, claimed that he was behind the hack. He said that he found 13 bugs, which he reported to Apple. According to him, one bug allowed him to access information about users of the portal. It was claimed that information of as many as 100,000 users had been collected, the researcher said information of 73 users, who were Apple employees, was sent to the company as a proof. Balic said that his intention was not to cause any harm or damage. Apple didn’t comment on Balic’s story, they only confirmed that some information had indeed been leaked. Nevertheless, the debacle is over now. The system has been completely overhauled and it is quite likely that those bugs have been taken care of.

Like It , +1 , Tweet It , Pin It | Apple Developer Portal Now Back Online After Being Hacked original content from Ubergizmo.