Atari 2600s get PC innards, 22,857 times more processing power

Atari 2600s get PC innards, 22,857 times more processing power

Atari games redesigned in HTML 5 may bring back a flood of nostalgia, but they leave out a key part of the gaming experience: the classic hardware. Hard Drives Northwest filled that void by gutting a limited number of authentic Atari 2600s and stuffing them with modern PC components. Packing a Core i7 3.4GHz processor, the retro console now boasts 22,857 times more processing power than it did in its heyday, according to Microsoft’s calculations — more than enough oomph to handle the recent remakes. Other internals include 8GB of RAM, a 120GB SSD and a Radeon HD 6570 graphics card with 1GB of video memory. With support for USB 3.0 and 2.0, eSATA, DisplayPort, DVI and HDMI, the system is well stocked on the connectivity front. Finally, the signature of Atari founder Nolan Bushnell acts as the cherry atop the faux wood grain-toting package. While the souped-up machines aren’t up for sale, a pair of them are slated for a giveaway. Glamour shots and the full set of specs await you at the source.

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Atari 2600s get PC innards, 22,857 times more processing power originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Sep 2012 18:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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thumbsUp! Dual SIM Card Case for iPhone 4/4S: Switching Made Easy

Having a phone that can easily switch between SIM cards is very convenient, especially if you travel a lot. Usually, you’d have to manually take out a SIM card and insert another one in its place, unless you’ve got one of those off-market phones with mulitple SIM slots. The thumbsUp! case makes this process easier, if you happen to have an iPhone.

thumbsup dual sim card case iphone

No official iPhone has had a dual-SIM card functionality, which is probably one of the reasons why thumbsUP! released its Dual SIM Card case. The case allows you to carry two SIM cards at the same time. You can switch cards simply by powering down your phone and flipping a switch on the back of the case. It supports micro as well as normal-sized SIM cards. It appears to connect into the iPhone’s SIM slot on the side and then provides its own switching mechanism.

thumbsup dual sim card case iphone open close

The Dual SIM Card case sells for £29.99 (~$48 USD) and works for the iPhone 4/4S. If you’re planning on upgrading to the new iPhone that will be announced this week, you might want to wait until a compatible case is released.

thumbsup dual sim card case iphone box

[via Ubergizmo]


Grove Wooden iPhone Case Offers Natural Protection for iPhone 4/4S or iPhone 5

I liked the design of the Grove Skateback, but I’ve been waiting for Grove to release a full-on wooden case for the iPhone. It looks like that time has come, and you can even pre-order one for the iPhone 5. If you plan on sticking with your iPhone 4 or 4S, then you can buy yours right away.

grove case iphone wood handmade front

The Grove Case for iPhones is handmade and made out of wood. The case uses a slide-together design made out of bamboo that has a plant fiber core. The back of the case looks very neat, and it’s the perfect place for some fancy artwork that you can either upload or choose from the available designs. There are also custom engraving options, but these will cost you $20 extra (that’s how much it costs for the iPhone 4S version).

grove case iphone wood handmade

If you pre-order your Grove Case now, until September 30th, with a $20 deposit, you’ll get the iPhone 5 case for only $59. That sounds like a deal. The case will be released in the first week of October – shortly after the anticipated mid-to-late September release of the iPhone 5.

grove case iphone wood handmade back

[via iLounge via Ubergizmo]


Pong iPhone Anti-Radiation Case Won’t Protect You from Being Nuked

OK, so this phone case isn’t going to actively protect you from the radioactive fallout of a nuclear bomb, but it is supposed to protect you from those harmful radiowaves that are constantly emanating from your precious iPhone.

pong soft touch iphone radiation case

Pong’s Soft Touch iPhone case incorporates tech that will reduce the exposure to wireless radiation by up to 93%. That’s pretty good. This has been done by redirecting cell phone radiation away from your head and body. No more smartphone-induced brain cancers – if you believe that the radiation is actually doing anything bad to you in the first place.

pong soft touch iphone radiation case back

If that’s isn’t enough, the case has been engineered to improve signal strength by 41%. This means less dropped calls for everyone, though for people living in NYC will probably still experience some. Its makers claim that the improved signal quality will boost talk time by about 1.3 hours as well.

pong soft touch iphone radiation case blue

The Pong Soft Case sells for $69.99(USD), and is available in black, pink, light blue or white.

[via Gadgetose]


Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Leather Cover hands-on

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Leather Cover handson

Those prone to throwing their e-readers into backpacks and messenger bags know the value of a good case — and Amazon clearly does, as well. Last time around, the company offered up a lighted version for the Kindle Touch — obviously that technology’s no longer needed on the Paperwhite. The design is fairly similar, however, with a form-fitting plastic back and a leather front — this time out, however, the front and back are bit more textured.The case also has a magnet on its front and inside, helping it close more securely. As with its predecessor, the inside is cloth, to help protect the Kindle’s screen and bezel. Best of all, there’s a light sensor built-in, so the reader sleeps and wakes as you open and close it. The case is up for order now on Amazon’s site for a cool $40. It comes in a rainbow of six colors.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Leather Cover hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Sep 2012 16:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spaho Design’s Ripple Case Puts an Optical Illusion on Your iPhone

I’m not sure how well cases with holes will actually protect your iPhone, but since there are some available from major manufacturers, they must help at least a little, right? If you don’t mind having a case with holes in the back, then check out the 3D printed Ripple case.

shapeways spaho design iphone 3d ripple

The Ripple case design was obtained after modifying one with straight lines. The series of curvy opening creates a pattern which produces a sort of 3D optical illusion, which is definitely unusual.

shapeways spaho design iphone 3d ripple side

It was created by Spaho Design and it’s available through Shapeways for $30(USD), and you can choose from a number of different materials if you’re going to get one.

shapeways spaho design iphone 3d ripple back


Grove Wood Case For iPhone 5 Available For Pre-Orders

A number of iPhone cases have hit the market in the recent past. Given the sheer number of iPhone users, it is no wonder that many vendors want to get into the race with their own offerings. However, so far very few iPhone cases have come off as extra-ordinary.

Grove has now announced a new iPhone case which is made up of wood. The case is meant for the upcoming iPhone 5, so current iPhone users can heave out a sad sigh. Grove has plans of offering the case for a price of $79. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Case makers allude to 4-inch display on new iPhone, iCA Military Edition iPhone case up for pre-order,

Cyclops Case Dresses Up Your iPad in (Almost) Self-Cleaning and Furry Garb

Here’s another iPad case that you can add to your growing collection (that most likely already includes the French Cover and the Moshi iGlaze iPad VersaCover): the Cyclops iPad case. It basically plays up the iPad’s design, since the ‘eye’ of Cyclops in this case is your iPad’s camera.

Cyclops iPad CaseThese cases are perfect for people who love everything furry and for those who use their tablets at home (since given their furry nature, it probably wouldn’t be the smartest thing to do to take it to the great outdoors and expose it to the elements.)

What makes the Cyclops case so different, though, are its arms. Not that you haven’t seen arms on cases before, but they aren’t just there for show or for decoration.

Cyclops iPad Case1

They’re actually made of microfiber material, so you can use them to wipe your screen and get rid of annoying smudges and finger marks.

The Cyclops iPad Case is available online from Accessory Geeks for $34.99 (USD).

[via The Fancy]


iPhone 5 Mockup Shows How Taller Design Stacks Up Against the 4S [Video]

An anonymous case manufacturer has been showing off a physical mockup of the iPhone 5 at Europe’s IFA consumer electronics fair this weekend. While it doesn’t tell us anything we don’t already know, this video from the Verge does a good job of highlighting the differences we’re expecting to show up between the old and new device. More »

ADAPPT XT iPhone Case: The Multi-Tool Case

For some reason, at least in my mind, iPhones and knives shouldn’t really mix together, but that didn’t stop Jeff Glazer and Joe Goetz from combining an iPhone case with a multi-tool – complete with a functional blade.

adapptxt multitool iphone case

The ADAPPT XT iPhone case combines a card-based multi-tool with an iPhone case. The case is made out of polycarbonate to protect your iPhone from drops and scratches. The customizable multi-tool includes a bottle opener, flat-head screwdriver, 10 piece wrench set and a ruler. A 1.5″ utility blade is smartly hidden inside the case as well. We’re not sure what the TSA will say if you try traveling with your iPhone in this case, however.

The designers state that the ADAPPT XT will be available for the iPhone 4, 4S and 5 when it’s released. The project was launched on the crowfunding site IndieGogo, and currently hasn’t amassed much but there are still 25 days left for funding. You’ll have to pledge $40(USD) to get your hands on this multi-tool case.

adapptxt multitool iphone case diagram

adapptxt multitool iphone case card

[Thanks for the tip, Joe!]