Hasta La Gadget!

Sure, the PS4 and Xbox One (or “XBone” as we like to call it around here) are coming out in just two months, so the idea of buying an Xbox 360 or PS3 doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to someone like me. I always have to be on the bleeding edge, even if there are no games at launch. Still if someone told me that my Xbox 360 and PS3 would be packaged inside of R2-D2, I might make an exception.

There’s not a whole lot of detail posted about this awesome looking gaming system, except that it’s got both an Xbox 360 and PS3 built in, 500 GB of storage (not sure if that’s per console), a single power supply for both consoles, and internal cooling to make sure they don’t overheat.

This R2-unit also has a 13-inch display built into its flip-up head, and four USB ports in front for connecting controllers – though I only see two. It’s possible that it could be this system, but that one build had a projector built in. Or it’s also possible that Etsy seller Ohhshiney is building these based on Mark Bongo’s Instructable. Either way, it’s a pretty nifty game system for Star Wars junkies.

Best of all, you can actually own this system – if you’ve got about $800(USD) to spare. It’s available over on Etsy now, though it says that they are being made to order, so I’m not sure how quickly the system will be in your hands. I suppose if you wait long enough, somebody will build an R2 unit with a PS4 and an XBone built in. Or maybe a C-3PO with an Fairchild Channel F and a Magnavox Odyssey built in.

A few months ago I talked about a Kickstarter project called the LightUp, an electronics kit for kids and newbies. Instead of wires or solder, LightUp uses magnets to connect the modules together. It turns out that there’s already a very similar product out on the market. It’s called littleBits, and it already has a growing number of modules and a healthy community.

Like LightUp, littleBits uses color-coded modules that easily snap together using magnets. Each module also has screen-printed labels that identify its parts. Unlike LightUp, littleBits uses the polarity of magnets to prevent you from sticking a module to another module the wrong way.

The modules are separated into four types: power, input, output and wire. The first three are self-explanatory, while the wire module is used to extend or branch out your circuit. Each type has multiple variants. For instance, there’s a USB and a coin battery power module, a button and a light sensor input module, an LED and a DC motor output module and more.

Head to littleBits’ online shop to order a kit. The base kit costs $99 (USD) and comes with 10 modules. You can also buy more modules separately.

Check out the littleBits website and their YouTube channel to see what customers have built with the kits.

[via Make:]

Got a few minutes to spare? Then don’t check out Salty Bet, because it will take those minutes and turn them into hours of lost time. Salty Bet runs an endless livestream of computer-controlled matches on M.U.G.E.N., a free and highly customizable fighting game. It has a massive stable of characters from various fighting franchises and then some. Seriously I wouldn’t be surprised if I saw a match between a Betamax tape and my neighbor’s dog.

Yep, that’s Son Gohan from Dragon Ball Z, and he’s up against Shadowcat from Marvel Comics. So far I’ve seen Kuchiki Byakuya of Bleach, Rikuo of Darkstalkers, Jill Valentine and some robot that just turned into a rocket ship and flew away.  And it didn’t come back. Seriously this game is nuts. Don’t believe me? Here you go:

Salty Bet is free to join. If you sign up, you get virtual currency, which can only be used to bet on the matches. It has no other value or purpose. The real benefit of becoming a member is that you can join the website’s chat, which is half of what makes Salty Bet such an addictive time waster because the folks there are as freaked out about the matches as you are.

Salty Bet also has a paid membership with a few fringe perks, but trust me you can lose hours just lurking on the site. The game is hilariously bizarre and unbalanced and the folks on the chat are funny, although their language is indeed salty. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to watch Shuma-Gorath lay the smack down on Link.

[via Pocket Tactics]

Andy Ayre turned to 3D printing to help solve his first world problem. His wife has a “huge DVD collection” and they were running out of space to store them all. Andy started ripping the DVDs, but he eventually got tired of changing the disc in the DVD drive every hour or so. Since he just acquired a 3D printer, he decided he’d print a robot that will swap the discs for him.

Andy calls his buddy Jack the Ripper. In simple terms, Jack has two trays and one arm. You place the DVDs to be ripped on one of the trays and the arm will grab one disc and place it on the DVD drive. When your computer is done ripping, the drive pops open and Jack goes back to work. He takes out the disc that’s just been ripped, places it on his other tray then grabs a new one to place on the drive.

Like many other pet projects, building Jack the Ripper is hilariously complicated, especially when you consider it’s meager capabilities. Then again, the fact that it works is just a bonus.  Andy probably had loads of fun designing and building Jack. Build a robot that will click on this link to Andy’s website for more on Jack.

[via Hack A Day]

I can hear the theme music playing in my head now. Just look at this awesome replica of K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider. To say that this version is impressive would be a massive understatement.

Chris Palmer built his replica out of a 1991 Pontiac Trans Am, while the original KITT was a 1982, in case you weren’t aware. Sadly, Chris’s K.I.T.T. doesn’t actually talk yet, but that can be forgiven because all of the other details are simply amazing. It took him about three years to complete the project.

I don’t know about you, but I am really jealous. This brings back all kinds of memories of my childhood back in the 80s. And a time when David Hasselhoff hadn’t lost his mind yet.

[via Bit Rebels via Geekologie]