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usb
photoshop disasters
Photochopped R2-D2 USB Beverage Cooler Can Be Yours, Actual Product or Not
Add this one to the "ouch, ouch, ouch" Photoshop bin. Yeah, I can use the pen tool to smoothly decapitate R2 and throw a Coke can top and USB cord in too. What I can't do, though, is build an actual USB beverage can cooler out of a shrunken R2-D2 model. Which I would want. It's up for pre-order at Play.com for $36—whether you get a layered .PSD or an actual cooler, though, remains to be seen. [Product Page via Nerd Approved]
usb
Here's something to put a smile on your face on a non-descript Wednesday morning: Thanko's new Code-Padlock USB protector. Does it use some funky encryption, or a digital keypad interface? No: it uses a physical code-padlocked lid that stops you from plugging in a thumbdrive if you can't work out the three-digit code. Brilliant, except that a thief will just steal the whole thing and work out the code at their leisure. So it must be aimed at stopping "casual eyes" accessing files you'd rather keep to yourself. Ah... ones with lots of pink pixels—it all becomes clear. You can of course lock up other USB devices, but you'd have to be working in a really mean office environment to need to do that. Yours for about $9. [Akhabaranews]
Thanko's Code-Padlocked USB Thumbdrive Protector is Brilliantly Flawed
Here's something to put a smile on your face on a non-descript Wednesday morning: Thanko's new Code-Padlock USB protector. Does it use some funky encryption, or a digital keypad interface? No: it uses a physical code-padlocked lid that stops you from plugging in a thumbdrive if you can't work out the three-digit code. Brilliant, except that a thief will just steal the whole thing and work out the code at their leisure. So it must be aimed at stopping "casual eyes" accessing files you'd rather keep to yourself. Ah... ones with lots of pink pixels—it all becomes clear. You can of course lock up other USB devices, but you'd have to be working in a really mean office environment to need to do that. Yours for about $9. [Akhabaranews]
usb
Designer Laurent Hongisto has crafted the Lisco USB Snake as an attempt to solve that age-old (ok... decade-old) dilemma of never having a USB cable handy when you need one to charge/connect-up your device. So the design combines elements of those '90s "slap bracelets" with a USB A to mini-USB cable, wrapped up in colorful polyurethane and designed to be carried around on your wrist. Hmmm. Ok... so it looks kinda odd, and do you know anyone who'd want to wear this as jewelry, let alone anyone who's frequently that desperate for a USB cable? It doesn't have the geek-chic of the USB watch, and looks like it's aimed at the teen girl market. Sooo, this'll remain firmly in concept-land, methinks. [Yanko Design]
Lisco USB Snake Combines Jewelry, USB Cable in One Wearable Device
Designer Laurent Hongisto has crafted the Lisco USB Snake as an attempt to solve that age-old (ok... decade-old) dilemma of never having a USB cable handy when you need one to charge/connect-up your device. So the design combines elements of those '90s "slap bracelets" with a USB A to mini-USB cable, wrapped up in colorful polyurethane and designed to be carried around on your wrist. Hmmm. Ok... so it looks kinda odd, and do you know anyone who'd want to wear this as jewelry, let alone anyone who's frequently that desperate for a USB cable? It doesn't have the geek-chic of the USB watch, and looks like it's aimed at the teen girl market. Sooo, this'll remain firmly in concept-land, methinks. [Yanko Design]
webcam
Boynq's Iris Webcam Has a Touch of Anglepoise in its Design
*Squeak* Hello. I'm Pixar's famous Anglepoise lamp... yes, the one from the CGI film. *Squeak* I'm here to complain about this new Iris webcam from Boynq, which takes a few too many design cues from me and my fellow lamp kind. Look at it: it's unmistakable isn't it? As well as a VGA webcam, it's got a 5W RMS speaker and an 8-LED light. Now, call me a drama queen but I think that's taking things a bit too far. More »
usb
Another USB Cooking Video Stirs Up The "Can USB Do That?" Debate
So, we had the allegedly-USB-powered popcorn maker... and now we have an Instructable for a USB frying pan: good enough to cook an omelet in around seven minutes. This device is a lot more basic, apparently requiring nothing more sophisticated than two aluminum pans, some broken ceramic as insulation and a tungsten coiled filament with some basic wiring. This time, the cooker draws power from two USB sockets... does that make it any more believable? I'm no electronics expert: so I'll leave that up to you lot to sort out in the comments. Suffice it to say I'm not sure I'd be attempting to eat eggs cooked via my computer's USB output power. [Instructables—Thanks, Dave!]
usb flash drive highlighter
If you asked us what two things on our desk that we'd want to combine into one thing, we'd probably pick these two things, the USB drive and the highlighter. When has it not occurred to you to put these obviously similar things in one package? We mean really, a USB drive fits in your hand and a USB highlighter fits in your hand. What more connection do you need? Thanks, High Dexx USB Flash Drive. You know exactly what we're thinking. [Gadgtes2Order via Oh Gizmo]
High Dexx USB Flash Drives Combine USB Flash Drives With Highlighters
If you asked us what two things on our desk that we'd want to combine into one thing, we'd probably pick these two things, the USB drive and the highlighter. When has it not occurred to you to put these obviously similar things in one package? We mean really, a USB drive fits in your hand and a USB highlighter fits in your hand. What more connection do you need? Thanks, High Dexx USB Flash Drive. You know exactly what we're thinking. [Gadgtes2Order via Oh Gizmo]
giz explains
Giz Explains: An Illustrated Guide to Every Stupid Cable You Need
We put up with too many cables. There are at least four different kinds of USB plugs, two kinds of FireWire and like a million different ways to connect something to TV or monitor. Modern gadget life can be kind of retarded in this way. Why not one kind of cable, or just a couple? I don't know. But until everyone gets on the same appendage-to-hole scheme, in the meantime, you can use this: an illustrated guide to pretty much every kind of cable you will see in current gadgets and what it's used for (unless, you know, Sony springs a new one on us overnight, which is honestly possible). More »
3:00 PM on Wed Jul 30 2008
By matt buchanan
124,838 views,
105 comments
Latest by n/a: Your HDMI vs DVI (vs display port) discussion is flawed. Both DVI and HDMI can carry audio (the catch being that few PC graphics cards support the feature). The difference between the two is the HDMI only has more »
usb
Olympics Themed Webcam is Not Really A Winner
"Citius, Altius, Fortius" runs the Olympic motto (that's faster, higher, stronger) and, oh dear, this Olympics themed-webcam can just about manage "cheaper, nastier, LEDier." It's in the shape of the five-ring emblem, with a 1.3-megapixel cam in the center ring. The other rings get a glowing LED each. It's $27, USB 1.1, not Mac-compatible and unlike the Lego Olympics models, it bodes ill for other nasty Olympic-themed gizmos yet to surface. [SiteDV via ChipChick]
storage
If Warhol Made Hard Drives...
...they might not have been so different from these external drives from Meninos Design Studio. Acrylic cases coated in customizable vinyl, 250-500GB, 7200RPM drives are hidden behind your favorite take on glossy commercialism (from mock Red Bull containers to giant Marlboro packs...or even your own custom skin.) Our favorite is this little Pulp Fiction reference, but all of their designs beat yet another silver box: More »
memory
There are plenty of odd USB drives out there—especially ones shaped like food. But those drives are meant for happy-go-lucky types that may or may not have an eating disorder. But what about hotheads that have a love/hate relationship with their computer? Plankon's 1GB "Nailed" USB drive fills that void with a design that almost begs short-tempered nerds to smash an unruly laptop with a hammer. Available for the steep price of $45.
More »
"Nailed" Flash Drive For People Who Secretly Hate Their Computer
There are plenty of odd USB drives out there—especially ones shaped like food. But those drives are meant for happy-go-lucky types that may or may not have an eating disorder. But what about hotheads that have a love/hate relationship with their computer? Plankon's 1GB "Nailed" USB drive fills that void with a design that almost begs short-tempered nerds to smash an unruly laptop with a hammer. Available for the steep price of $45.
More »
diy
DIY Sawed Off USB Cable...For Jackasses
By now you have probably heard about the original DIY sawed-off flash drive project which was so popular that it quickly evolved into an actual product. Well, now annoying pranksters can get in on the act with a DIY version that randomly turns on Caps Lock, Insert, Num Lock modes "and other mischief" in 30 second intervals. Seems to me that the problem would be pretty obvious to the victim though. [I Make Projects]
power
Simple Hack Turns USB Charger Units into iPhone Chargers
Apparently many USB charger units—you've probably got at least one that came free with a gizmo: I've got three—won't work to charge the iPhone. That's 'cause Apple's lovely design engineers made the phone's electronics look for the standard USB D+ and D- lines, which lots of USB chargers omit. Thanks to a simple hack, however, you can add these lines in by spoofing reference voltages instead. All it takes is a few resistors, some wire cutting and soldering, and the ability to have no fear that you're precious iPhone is going to go up in an expensive puff of smoke. The magic resistor formula is revealed below. More »
6:37 AM on Mon Jul 28 2008
By Kit Eaton
8,832 views,
21 comments
Latest by n/a: I have a USA-Spec interface for my car and now my 3g wont charge while I'm driving & playing music. Sucks balls, like SamidhaLepidus if you know of a cable let me know. USA-Spec it will take 7-8 weeks for the more »
bluetooth speakers
When the lights go out, be wary of flashlight-shaped Bluetooth 2.0 speakers, because they'll do little to illuminate anything, and you'll just blow your eardrum out when the power comes back on. Still, this baton-sized speaker pairs up nicely with a mobile on the road, and if you aren't traveling it plugs in too. Output is 2W×2ch with a frequency zone of 20Hz - 20kHz. Power is supplied by a Lithium battery, AC adapter, or even USB. Japan-only for $76, but for that price I kind of want it to light up and flash in rhythm to the music, or at least help me find candles in the dark. [New Launches]
Bluetooth Speaker Could Moonlight As Flashlight, Runner's Baton
When the lights go out, be wary of flashlight-shaped Bluetooth 2.0 speakers, because they'll do little to illuminate anything, and you'll just blow your eardrum out when the power comes back on. Still, this baton-sized speaker pairs up nicely with a mobile on the road, and if you aren't traveling it plugs in too. Output is 2W×2ch with a frequency zone of 20Hz - 20kHz. Power is supplied by a Lithium battery, AC adapter, or even USB. Japan-only for $76, but for that price I kind of want it to light up and flash in rhythm to the music, or at least help me find candles in the dark. [New Launches]
Spider Cam
Philips Wireless Internet Cam Concept Would Be Creepy, Crawly Desktop Addition
This wireless Philips concept by Flynn Product Design certainly freshens up the traditionally bulbous webcam design, and it's the first of its kind that I can say genuinely frightens me (just a little). And while those three creepy little legs do make the cam look like a desktop arachnid, they also serve a functional purpose. Thanks to a ball and socket joint connecting the legs and body, this spider-like cam can be positioned into a variety of unconventional positions. More »
thanko
Thanko's Cooling Fan Keyboard Cools Your Over-Heated Wrists
Bless those guys at Thanko—they've been wondering what else to apply fan-cooling tech to, and have come up with this keyboard that cools something you never thought needed it: your wrists. The gizmo has three fans built into the wrist-rest area of a standard USB keyboard, ready to puff sweet air at your sweaty wrists at the flick of a switch. Bizarre. And if you want one, you'd better have really hot, sweaty arms indeed 'cause this thing takes up two USB ports. It looks pretty sturdy, mind you, and is out in Japan for about $62. [FarEastGizmos]
usb drives
It's been a while since Solid Alliance charmed us with their food-shaped USB drives, but Brando's shot back with edible-looking disks of their own. At our count, there's chicken, hot wings, a slab of pork, a pizza slice, a burger, a watermelon slice, a strawberry, cookies and biscuits—all lifelike enough that your kid would accidentally put it in his mouth. Best of all, these hold 4GB worth of junk and cost only $28. Has anyone made a bacon USB drive yet? Huge gallery after the jump.
More »
Brando's Chicken, Pork, Pizza and Watermelon USB Drives Are Phenomenally Delicious
It's been a while since Solid Alliance charmed us with their food-shaped USB drives, but Brando's shot back with edible-looking disks of their own. At our count, there's chicken, hot wings, a slab of pork, a pizza slice, a burger, a watermelon slice, a strawberry, cookies and biscuits—all lifelike enough that your kid would accidentally put it in his mouth. Best of all, these hold 4GB worth of junk and cost only $28. Has anyone made a bacon USB drive yet? Huge gallery after the jump.
More »
humping dog
The Crunching Dog—a sadly neutered version of the humping dog—is finally on sale. All it takes is $9.99 for you to get a cheap plastic dog to show you that you're worthless because you'll never do as many situps or do them as fast as this crappy toy from Japan. Seriously though, how can something with a dong THAT huge even physically do situps? This is the excuse we're using to justify our own obesity, in case you were wondering. [ThinkGeek]
The Neutered USB Humping Dog On Sale Now
The Crunching Dog—a sadly neutered version of the humping dog—is finally on sale. All it takes is $9.99 for you to get a cheap plastic dog to show you that you're worthless because you'll never do as many situps or do them as fast as this crappy toy from Japan. Seriously though, how can something with a dong THAT huge even physically do situps? This is the excuse we're using to justify our own obesity, in case you were wondering. [ThinkGeek]
