V-Moda Metallo Case Throws in Guitar Pick for Musicians on the Go

Gadget cases come in a variety of different shapes and colors, and there are more and more minimal cases that help users make a fashion statement, as well as protecting their fancy phones. Some may even come with some odd accessories, like guitar picks!

v moda metallo iphone case

The slim profile V-Moda Metallo case will protect your precious iPhone 5 from scratches, and it’s machined from a single block of metal. There’s a back plate that needs to be attached with an Allen wrench that’s included in the package. Apparently, when you tighten the case, it makes a sound like loading a gun, and, it’s supposed to make a sound reminiscent of a sword being unsheathed when you remove your phone. Needless to say, I’m all for fancy sounds.

v moda metallo guitar pick

Oh, and there’s also a guitar pick so that musicians will be able to play guitar whenever they want, though it’s not clear if there’s a way to actually stash the pick inside the case, if it’s used in the assembly of the case, or if it’s just a silly item to throw in the package.

v moda metallo iphone case black

The Metallo case costs $101(USD) and is available through V-Moda’s store. There are four colors to choose from.

[via Ubergizmo]

Former AOL VP becomes new head of CIA tech and science division

The CIA has appointed Dawn Meyerriecks, former AOL Senior Vice President for Product Technology, as its new Chief of Science and Technology. While it seems like a strange move on the CIA’s part, after reading through Meyerricks’s resume, we now understand why she is one of the best candidates. According to Wired, Meyerrick’s is the first internet executive to ever take a top-tiered position in the CIA.

Formera AOl VP becomes new head of CIA tech and science division

Some of the things Meyerriecks has done in the past include working as a Jet Propulsion Lab engineer for NASA, working as a Assistant Director of National Intelligence for Acquisitions and Technology, working as a Chief Technology Officer and Technical Director for the Joint Interoperabillity and Engineering Organization (JIEO), establishing an in-house app market for both spies and analysts, encouraging the U.S. government to use open source software, and much more.

At AOL, Meyerriecks oversaw the relaunch of AOL.com, and also the revamping of AOL Instant Messenger. Meyerriecks stated that the experience that she gained from AOL helped her become a better government tech executive. She said that because of AOL, she learned that it is possible to be innovative without needing to ask for additional funding.

Aside from Meyerriecks’s resume, another reason why the CIA hired her is because it has been trying to improve its position in Silicon Valley. According to Wired, by hiring Meyerrieck, the CIA will be able to boost its position in Silicon Valley and increases its ties to the technology community there. Meanwhile, while the CIA is gaining a new asset, Meyerriecks’s old company AOL is firing a few dozen people.

[via Wired]


Former AOL VP becomes new head of CIA tech and science division is written by Brian Sin & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Microsoft Gives Away Free Wi-Fi Routers Tucked Inside Forbes Magazines

As more publishers make the move to digital publishing, it seems like print publications are dying a slow death. Some magazines have resorted to including a small freebie with every issue, from free posters and coupons to pens and now even Wi-Fi routers. The last one only applies to select issues of Forbes which were sent to various technology and business professionals.

microsoft forbes wi fi router

Each of these issues had a special four-page insert that provided the reader with 15 days of free wireless Internet care of T-Mobile. The insert was part of a promotion for Microsoft’s Office 365.

The compact router inside has to be charged up first before usage. After that, users can expect to get up to three hours of access from each charge. Wi-Fi is meant to be shared, so they made sure that the mobile hotspot can provide Internet access for up to five different devices.

This is one of the cooler tech gifts I’ve seen being given away in a magazine, so you might want to grab a copy of the May 6, 2013 issues of Forbes before the Wi-Fi-packed ones run out.

[via C|NET]

The Web Is 20

World Wide Web20 years ago CERN created the World Wide Web. Now to celebrate, they are bringing back the original web pages at their original URLs for all to see, proof that no one knows how popular their inventions might become.

Tech Deals of the Day: 4/30/2013

Our friends at TechBargains.com compile a list of daily deals to help you save money. Keep in mind that as with any good deal, products are limited in quantity and can sell out quickly – so don’t hesitate to check them out now.

If you’re looking to buy a product from a specific store, save money with updated and verified coupon codes here.

Computers & Peripherals:

Home Entertainment:

Personal Electronics:

Microsoft IllumiRoom Project: Same Display, Bigger Screen

Earlier this year Microsoft introduced IllumiRoom, a prototype technology that augments TVs and other displays by projecting room-filling visuals that complement what is being shown on the screen. Microsoft Research recently released a video that explains the basics of IllumiRoom.

microsoft illumiroom project

IllumiRoom can augment your gaming sessions in a number of ways. The most obvious and impressive way is to extend what’s being shown on your TV into the area around it. The resulting effect is halfway between a 3D headset and a cinema. But this is also the most difficult feature to implement because it will require “access to the game’s source code.” Other features of the IllumiRoom include adding spatial cues or matching mood lighting to enhance immersion.

Movies can also be extended using the IllumiRoom, but again the movie would have to be made with this function in mind. In other words, every scene has to be shot in a wide field of view in addition to the usual shots.

As mentioned in the video, the current proof-of-concept prototype uses a Kinect to analyze the color and geometry of the area around the TV and an off-the-shelf projector to display the complementary visuals. But as Microsoft’s researchers imply in their paper (pdf), the goal is to pack all the necessary hardware into one device. This IllumiRoom-capable device will then be “connected wirelessly to a next generation gaming console as a secondary display.” I wonder if we’ll hear more about it on May 21.

[Microsoft Research via Destructoid]

Flash Rods Get Souped up with USB 3.0 under the Hood

We’ve talked about Flash Rods flash drives that look like toy cars several times over the years. My favorite continues to be the Back to the Future DeLorean. The company has offered several other versions of its vehicular flash drives over the years and they’ve all had USB storage of one sort or another stuffed inside. The company has just announced its new mid-size Flash Rod line.

fr3

Like all of the drives in the Flash Rods family, these are storage products with a storage device crammed inside of a toy car. The biggest difference in the new mid-size range from the company and some of the other products offered is that the storage hardware itself uses USB 3.0 connectivity.

flash rods 57 vette

All of the other drives from the company have used USB 2.0. Moving to USB 3.0 storage devices means that transferring files to and from the Flash Rods will be faster than ever before.

The drives are compatible with both Windows and Mac computers. You can choose from several different card types including a Shelby Cobra, a 67 Mustang, and several others. The 32 GB version sells for $110(USD), while the 64 GB version costs $130. They’re available now over at Flash Rods.

[via EverythingUSB]

Tech Deals of the Day: 4/29/2013

Our friends at TechBargains.com compile a list of daily deals to help you save money. Keep in mind that as with any good deal, products are limited in quantity and can sell out quickly – so don’t hesitate to check them out now.

If you’re looking to buy a product from a specific store, save money with updated and verified coupon codes here.

Computers & Peripherals:

Home Entertainment:

Personal Electronics:

New Robot Can Feel Coins

A look at new robot sensores developed by the the Department of Biomedical
Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology that are advance enough to get the coins out of a pocket that is full of items. These new sensors can help to make the next generation of robots even more human like. The piece also examines other robots that use new touch abilities.

K-9 USB Hub: The Laser Nose Knows

Doctor Who’s dog, K-9 might look kind of cute and cuddly as robot dogs go, but he can definitely hold his own. Now, you can have K-9 standing guard over your desktop – in USB hub form.

doctor who k 9 usb

While it doesn’t contain the fount of encyclopedic knowledge of his TV doggelgänger, this K-9 USB hub can connect up to four of your devices to a single port. Unfortunately, his nose doesn’t actually fire laser beams either, but I’m sure with a little laser pointer modding, you could easily pull that off. It’s also not clear if his ear-tennae spin around, but I sure want them to.

K-9 is available for pre-order over at Entertainment Earth for $40(USD), and should ship starting this June.

[via GeekAlerts via MightyMega]