Like most nerds, I want a lair. A creepy lair filled with gadgets and weapons. I want to wear stupid outfits and have an arch nemesis. I want to be a supervillain.
If you share this dream, here is some of the gear you are going to need to become a proper villain:
Am I angry that my team didn’t make it to the Super Bowl? You bet I am. This list is for bitter fans—or guys that didn’t give a damn in the first place.
And remember, even if the Super Bowl doesn’t excite you this year, the gadget deals surely will.
[Original Image via Flickr]
Shiny Shiny: This Tamogotchi style device is designed to help us understand men. How you ask? Well, it comes with 100 pre-installed questions, like: ‘What phrase will make boys happy when said out of jealousy by their girlfriends?’ or ‘What type of hair style do men usually prefer their girlfriends to have?”.
This is not a joke. Bandai has really given the green light to this device. They even interviewed 1,000 single men in Japan aged between 20 and 39 in order to achieve the best possible results. By answering a lot of the questions right, your popularity meter rises, ergo your knowledge of men gradually builds up.
As mentioned in our previous posts, Sega Toys has done much to push the market for “adult toys” (no, not those). While the Homestar planetariums (shop link) and other ambient lighting devices are rather male-oriented, Sega and other companies are pushing equally towards the female market by producing bath and spa toys (such as a bath planetarium with a feminine edge).
In addition to the new Homestar Pro 2nd Edition and Homestar Globe announced last week, the ladies will have three new bath gadgets to relax with.
The Happy Savon and Orgel Spa both utilize a rounded whale shape with feminine colors. However, while the Savon is filling the bathroom with airborne bubbles, the Orgel is a pull-cord, 3-minute music box used for women to keep track of timings for different parts of the their bath/beauty routines.
A little more far-out, but in tune with other bath gadgets is the Hanabi de Spa, which basically means “spa by fireworks”. This bath fountain floats in the tub and creates firework-like effects by beaming multicolored LEDs into the spray. So, while the men are watching the stars in the living room and the ladies are using fireworks in the tub, will we ever need to leave the house again?
While planetariums typically project, Sega Toys’ upcoming Homestar Globe is completely internal. Designed by Takayuki Oohira, inventor of the Homestar Planetarium series, the desktop viewers allow users to peer inside to see the stars, planets, and constellations backlit in high-quality.
Hoemstar Globe was announced for June release at last week’s Toy Forum. The details aren’t completely clear (exchange of internal plates, etc), but the concept places the device somewhere between executive gift and cool coffee table conversation starter.
Companies are turning to downsizing to cut costs in this troubled economy. If you were caught up in the layoffs or you simply sucked at your job and got canned, these gadgets can help.
[Image via Flickr]
This article was written on October 23, 2007 by CyberNet.
How many times have you seen a gadget or application and thought to yourself “man is that ugly.” PC World was able to list off 10 items that will surely make you think just that.
I’m not going to post their list verbatim because they give a good amount of detail about each item they chose. Remember, a lot of the items in the list are over 10 years old, and at that time function was a lot more important than design. It’s also like looking at photos from 20 years ago where you wonder “what the heck was I thinking?”
Here’s what their top 10 consists of, and my thoughts on each one:
Top 10 Ugliest Tech Products [via Donation Coder]
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This article was written on May 01, 2008 by CyberNet.
There were some doubts about how real the Psystar Open Computers were, but reviews are starting to pour in from the gadget sites that have received the machines. That’s definitely good news since it adds some reassurance to those who purchased the computer, but it looks like some quirks are already starting to come out of the wood work.
First off the computer comes with the retail Leopard box, which you would naturally assume means you can reinstall the operating system at any point. Wrong. I expect that they give you the box so that you have a legal license for Leopard, but it really does nothing other than sit there and look pretty. Their FAQ’s state that they will not provide any information on loading the Leopard operating system yourself.
Apple’s iLife is a suite of application that come with new computers you purchase, but it is sold separately from Leopard. Well, this isn’t an official Apple computer so if you want iPhoto, iWeb, GarageBand, iDVD, or iMovie you’ll have to fork out another $79 for it. What it really levels out to is $400 for the cheapest computer that Psystar sells, another $155 if you want Leopard installed, and then $79 if you wanted to get iLife. You’re up to $634 right there, and an official Apple Mac Mini starts at $600. Sure the specs aren’t quite as good, but then you can at least reinstall Leopard at your leisure.
The real deal killer for many people is the fact that the machines cannot be updated using the standard automatic update system. Obviously this is a huge downfall because it’s pretty much a guarantee that the operating system will be out-of-date in a month or two. That not only leaves you in the dark for bug fixes, but also makes you more vulnerable to attacks. Here’s what Psystar says about updating Leopard:
Can I update my Open/OpenPro with the Leopard OS using the Apple web site or the Leopard Automatic Update Feature?
We do not support that feature of the operating system. Supported updates will be listed under support on the Psystar website. Future operating system updates may cause severe system problems. Only install updates that have been tested and posted to the Psystar support website.
And that’s not it either. Engadget is really putting the system through its paces. They immediately found out that the PC is incredibly loud because the fan always runs at full speed, and they even go as far as to say that it’s “loud enough so that it’s hard to talk on the phone when the machine is running.” Plus they noticed that their DHCP lease drops every fifteen minutes and it has to manually be renewed in the preferences. Yikes!
I don’t know about all of this. If I was going to grab a computer that ships with Mac OS X Leopard I would expect that it would perform better. If you really wanted to use your own computer to run Apple’s operating system it looks like you might be better off doing it on your own, which means you’ll at least know what to do if you wanted to reinstall it.
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PRNewswire: Targus(R) Inc., maker of the world’s top-selling laptop computer cases and accessories, today unveiled its new cooling products to protect your lap and laptop. The new products include the Chill Mat, Chill Mat XC, Chill Hub XC, CoolWave(TM), and Stow-N-Go Chill Mat.
Compatible with PCs and Macs, these cooling devices are built to help protect your workspace and laptop from heat damage by providing optimal air ventilation for enhanced performance. Most of these cooling devices can be used when the laptop is sitting on your lap, therefore offering the added benefit of protecting your legs from heat and providing a stable workstation.
“Laptop cooling devices are essential to keeping your computer running at an optimal level,” said Carolyn Perrier, vice president of accessories at Targus. “Targus’ new cooling devices are compatible with just about any laptop and provide a combination of portability and protection to enhance laptop performance.”
Chill Mat for Laptops
Equipped with dual, USB powered fans, Targus’ Chill Mat for Laptops is designed to protect your laptop from overheating without the need for an external power adapter. For easy stowing, it comes with built in cable management.
Chill Mat XC and Chill Hub XC for Laptops
Designed for laptops of up to 17″, the Chill Mat XC and Chill Hub XC allow users to adjust the speed of the dual USB powered fans. For convenience, the cable tucks away into a covered storage compartment. Users can conveniently adjust the height to fit their preference. In addition, the Chill Hub XC offers an integrated 4-port USB hub so you can attach additional USB devices to the hub.
CoolWave
This stylish and uniquely designed laptop stand allows for optimal airflow and protects your desk, table or countertops from any heat-related damage.
Stow-N-Go Chill Mat for Laptops
The Stow-N-Go Chill Mat is ideal for busy professionals on-the-go, offering portable cooling and built-in cable storage for easy stowing. Designed for laptops of up to 15.6″, the expandable design allows users to have a full size Chill Mat with travel size portability and powered by USB for added convenience.
Targus(R) Keeps You Cool with Latest Laptop Accessories [PRNewsire]
The second real day of CES 2009 kicks off with Sony CEO Howard Stringer’s keynote speech. Sony said yesterday they saved BIG product announcements for the gadget emperor himself. What are they? (Besides Tom Hanks.)
Apparently, a trailer for Angels & Demons. Tom Hanks is here! He has Betamax regret! His first real gadget was a Sony Trinitron. Hilariously self-conscious, mocking the fact he’s shilling for Sony. All he ever sees is Sony, Sony, Sony. And uses Sony Sony Sony. Except the teleprompters! LG.
Here’s Sir Howard Stringer. Tom: “I’m whatever Sony wants me to be, Howard.” Tom is hilarious.
3D glasses, “unlike any other prototype before. They let you watch a movie while walking around. “Tom why don’t you try?” “Oh look, they’re so cool and hip…They’re going to get even better than they are now? I’ll be checking the Fedex.” “Will you take the hold off my paycheck for Angels and Demons now?”
Tom exits, being pulled into realm of Casio and Samsung. “Howard save me, you’re a knight!”
Howard: “I’m not recession proof.” He has seven principles for the industry: Fusion of industries, open technologies (Linux, consumers expect choice), social networking, squeezing more money out of consumers (he calls this a “value chain” and “good business,” go green, etc. Nothing unobvious or mindscrewingly revolutionary.
By 2011, 90 percent of Sony products will connect to Internet and each other.
Heeeeere’s the G3 Wi-Fi web browser camera. They’ve already uploaded photos of Tom and Howard using the camera to Picasa, and then sent it to a Bravia TV on stage. Available now for “an extraoridinarily reasonable price.”
Connected photo frame/alarm clock/screen thing with Chumby power—plays video, Big Ben alarm clock. Very cool. Quoting Letterman on weather from it: “It’s so cold in NY right now, Bernie Madoff is actually looking forward to burning in hell.””
Flex OLED protoype, eco-friendly. “How many people get a chance to squeeze Beyonce? I hope Jay-Z isn’t in the room.”
Sony sells more HD products than anyone else, they think they’ll benefit from DTV. We’ll see!
Pixar dude John Lasseter is here. “Sound check: Is my shirt loud enough in the back?” I want one. He’s here to pimp Blu-ray: “You can’t go back.” Showing Wall-E on Blu-ray. Man I love that movie.
He’s demoing Sleeping Beauty BD-Live content—menu represents real-life weather, kind of cool. His kids beat his ass at Cars Blu-ray game. Trailer for their upcoming movie Up. Looks awesome, and funny. More Tom Hanks talk: He’s working on Toy Story 3.
Talking PSP and PS3 and how they interact. Kaz Hirai coming up. Talking about PlayStation Network and how it’s expanding what you can do with PS3.
New free MMO called Free Realm for boys and girls, tweens and teens. Launching on PC first. Looks like medieval Second Life. MTV dumping 2000 hours of programming on PSN video. Hello, Real World Brooklyn! EA is now onboard PlayStation Home, bring more games and yay, contextual ads to “savvy consumers.” Overall though, no new PlayStation announcements. Where’s Netflix streaming? Seriously dude. Even my pants has that now.
America’s doctor, Dr. Oz is getting his own show thanks to Sony. Find out why your penis doesn’t work the way it used to, everyday. Oh, by the way, you’re a fatass. He just said Sir Howard is bulbous dude. He should be six foot six to match his weight. Drop your belly fat or DIE. Outside of a fried food convention, this has to be the most ironic place he could drop this speech. High fructose corn syrup is the devil, says Dr. Oz. I knew it!
Sony is all up in the new Yankees stadium. 550 Bravia LCDs. The whole park is on,e giant Sony commercial. Reggie Jackson is here. Says he can’t wait to see the new Sonyized Yankee Stadium. New candy bar: Reggie Bar. Tom Hanks loves it.
Talking up green products: Greenheart bio-plastic, Eco Bravias, etc.
Here we go; 3D announcement. We’re supposed to put on 3D glasses now. 3D Cars clip in Tokyo drag race. Gran Turismo in 3D. 3D footage from Virginia Tech at Orange Bowl.
Dreamworks Animation CEO Katezenberg up to talk about 3D. Two revolutionary events in the history of cinema: The arrival of sound, then the arrival of color. He thinks 3D will be the third. (How conveniently poetic.) “It’s not your father’s 3D.” It’s 3D that uses polarized lenses and dual projectors (so you do still need glasses, even though Sony insists that they’re different ’cause they is state of the art and less dumb looking, from Ray Ban.) Showing 3D clip of CGI flick Monsters and Aliens, with a giant robot fighting a giant girl and some monsters—pretty cool. 
Sir Howard’s back up with a Sony Ericsson phone, has Gracenote for identifying songs. And hey, our friend the Vaio P.
Hello, Usher. He’s in 3D too, but no glasses required. Usher: “Yeah I do…. know a lot about technology. *Pause* Sony technology.” He just had two sons, captured experience with… Sony. Howard asks if Usher misses the album. Usher says Sony Ericsson lets him make an album. Also mentions Sony sponsored his Broadway run on Chicago, which Tom Hanks’ wife was also in. Woooo, the incestuous commercialization—as entertainingly, ironically self-aware as they’re trying to make it (and it is)—is mud-pie thick.
Howard wrapping up, talking about how they make dreams, rainbows and economic revitalization happen.
And that’s it!
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.
