CrunchGear |  |
- Japan gets the Pentax K-x in “robotic colors” (limited edition)
- Daily Crunch: Attic Hideout Edition
- Yup, the Acer Aspire One AOD250 dual boots Windows XP and Android, all right
- How to hide that subwoofer in the corner of the room
- DIY: This cabinet conceals a dark secret
- Maybe, maybe not: New doubts on Blu-ray being part of the next iMac revision
- NES guitar: Now you’re playing with power, indeed
- Cable skips iTunes synchronization foreplay and gets straight to the charging
- You know Street Fighter, but do you know… Fighting Street?
- Here’s some info about Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony multiplayer
- Windows 7 Launch Party hosts: Are you planning on actually having the party?
- 250GB PS3 Slim coming on November 3rd for $350
- Luxury wine vending machine
- Microsoft giving away 777 copies of Windows 7 Ultimate to residents of Zevenhuizen, Netherlands
- Observe these delicious ravioli sponges
- New e-reader “txtr”: Germany’s answer to the Kindle
- Green: California getting closer to banning power-hungry TVs
- Unsurprising: TI doesn’t approve of calculator hacks
- Amazon makes brick and mortar stores more irrelevant with same day shipping
- DIY: Secure your data using the Konami code
| Japan gets the Pentax K-x in “robotic colors” (limited edition) Posted: 16 Oct 2009 03:00 AM PDT
The Pentax K-x was announced last month, and it seems to be a very decent entry-level camera. We already reported the device will be available in a few different colors in Japan, while the US only gets black, white, and red models. And today Pentax said in Tokyo [JP], they are ready to roll out a very special version of the K-x, which is a particularly colorful model inspired by the so-called Kore Ja Nai robo toy [JP]. The robot was introduced in Japan in 2001 and is available in different variations (the one you see in the pic above is a cell phone strap). Spec-wise, the K-x isn’t any different from the conventional models so the design is the main selling point.
Pentax plans to sell the robo K-x exclusively in its own online store [JP] (price: $880), and the model is restricted to just 100 units. Pre-orders begin in early November. People living outside Japan might want to contact the Japan Trend Shop or Geek Stuff 4 U and ask if they can help with the purchase.
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| Daily Crunch: Attic Hideout Edition Posted: 16 Oct 2009 12:00 AM PDT |
| Yup, the Acer Aspire One AOD250 dual boots Windows XP and Android, all right Posted: 15 Oct 2009 07:00 PM PDT
Oh, netbooks. Doug loves ‘em, but I’m still not convinced of their vitalness. Is it neat to see a tiny little computer zip around the Internet? Sure, yeah. Can I go about my business without ever having owned one? So far, so good! I bring this up because yesterday I was able to goof around—in truth, that’s probably the most accurate phrase to describe it, no matter how silly it sounds—with Acer’s newest netbook, the Aspire One AOD250 ($350, available now, rumored for the past 700 years). It’s a netbook; it doesn’t look too different from netbooks you’ve already seen, but for one difference: see that little switch right there? That’s where you tell the netbook to boot into Android or Windows XP. So throw XP and Android on it. That way, you’ve got an operating system that was designed from the ground-up to be gentle on devices with very little horsepower, and another operating system where people can "surf the Internet," that is, fire up Internet Explorer and buy movie tickets from that one Web site. You know, because no other browser, let alone operating system, can work in the Internet. (Is is just me, or do you still know people who, despite the fact that computers have been pretty accessible since the mid-1990s, are still like, "What’s a URL? Oh, you mean the words I type to read my Hotmail?") In having both XP and Android on the netbook, Acer can say, "Hey there, person who’s money we’d like! Did you know that with our notebook you can use an OS that excels on netbooks, and have your Windows, too? And all you have to do is press this button, et voilà!" Presumably Acer has a marketing team that’s a little more clever than that. How does the AOD250 feel? Frankly, like every other netbook out there. That may be fine if you have small hands, or are comfortable with working in small spaces, but if you’re a Big Guy, it’s not exactly ideal to smash your wrists together trying to poke out an e-mail or tweet. Another weird point: we’re pretty used to seeing Android on touchscreen devices, and interacting with it as such. This Acer netbook, though, doesn’t have a touchscreen. Now, I’m cool with that—the Zune HD is my very first touchscreen device, and I’m still getting used to it, several weeks after having given the nice man at Wal-Mart my money—but I can almost hear some of you yelling "Lame!!!" Calm down, sirs, it really isn’t a big deal. Specs? Again, I feel like I’m beating a dead horse here, but you read about one netbook… It’s got a 10.1-inch screen, 160GB hard drive (not a flash drive, just to clear that up), 1GB of memory, built-in 802.11b/g and Bluetooth, three USB ports, and a multi-touch touchpad. An Intel Atom N80 powers the whole thing. That should be enough to run Windows XP, right? I mean, XP is an 8-year-old OS at this point! So, netbookers, I ask you this: yea or nay? I feel as thought I’ve completely skipped out on the netbook fun, and don’t really have as personal reaction to this as I normally like.
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| How to hide that subwoofer in the corner of the room Posted: 15 Oct 2009 06:30 PM PDT
So here’s a few ideas on how to set things up so it won’t be quite so obtrusive. To some custom installers, this will be old hat but to mere mortals like myself. The suggestions actually come from Sound And Vision magazine, and they sound (if you’ll pardon the pun) quite reasonable. They suggest either downsizing the woofer (since technology makes it not quite so necessary to have a 20inch woofer in your house anymore), or installing it in the floor, ceiling, or under the couch. There’s also the option of custom cabinetry, if you are feeling really ambitious. Someone needing a really large bass system may decide to go with the ‘false wall’ method, which involves using fabric to conceal the subwoofer at the front of the room. If you’re at that point, though, you’re probably a bit more hardcore than someone who’d be turning to a magazine for DIY tips.
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| DIY: This cabinet conceals a dark secret Posted: 15 Oct 2009 06:15 PM PDT Well, maybe not a dark secret. It’s actually pretty cool. Carpenter Brian Grabski needed a place to hide… something… and built an exceptional concealment method into this custom bookcase. To open the compartment, you first open all the drawers at once, and a pin pops out of a concealed location. You then turn the pin, which activates the mechanism, and opens the secret compartment. Now personally, I went with the briefcase stuffed under the bed to hide my porn. It was portable, and more or less secure for the casual snoop. This is way more serious than I ever was about it. And really, much cooler. [Via Make]
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| Maybe, maybe not: New doubts on Blu-ray being part of the next iMac revision Posted: 15 Oct 2009 06:00 PM PDT
I’m not about to knock myself out for noting the 800th iMac rumor of the past few weeks, so here’s the deal: people "close" to Apple now aren’t sure whether or not Blu-ray will wind up on the next iMac revision. Blu-ray may be on Mac Pros, and maybe then only as a build-to-order option, but that’s enough "maybes" to bore a slug. Oh, also: maybe Apple will use Intel’s new Core i7 (Clarksfield) quad-core CPUs? I can’t name too many non-power user applications that even tap into a dual-core CPU, let alone a quad-core. And now we wait for a new rumor tomorrow that will totally and completely contradict today’s. Sigh. Oh, I’m also contractually obligated to use the phrase "bag of hurt" when doing an Apple+Blu-ray story. This complete my obligation.
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| NES guitar: Now you’re playing with power, indeed Posted: 15 Oct 2009 05:20 PM PDT
Actually, what really needs to happen is the guitarist from The Advantage needs to rock this thing. I think I would die from a nerd overload if I saw him jam out the Castlevania theme on this thing. I met those guys at a show in Tokyo, incidentally, and they’re cool as hell. The project is actually an updated version of an much older NES guitar, updated with Mario, Luigi, and Donkey Kong knobs and a cartridge for the headstock. [via TecheBlog, Craziest Gadgets, and Gearfuse]
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| Cable skips iTunes synchronization foreplay and gets straight to the charging Posted: 15 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT
Believe it or not, sometimes people just want to plug an Apple i-Device into a USB port to charge the thing without waking the sleeping giant that is iTunes. As much as I love hearing my desktop fan start up like a jet engine while iTunes slowly stumbles its way to life only to tell me that the version I downloaded yesterday now needs to be updated again via an 80+ megabyte download, it'd be nice to just charge my i-Whatsit in peace. Yes, you can turn off the iTunes auto-open feature but what if, as OhGizmo! suggests, you're looking to charge your iPhone on a friend’s computer real quick? Actually, if you’re at your friend’s house and it’s gotten so bad that you need to commandeer their computer just to charge your iPhone, then it'd be highly unlikely that you’d have this cable with you. You know what? This post has already gotten out of hand. We could sit here and talk in circles all day, endlessly running scenario after scenario but the end result would be that an iPod cable with a small switch that allows you to choose between synching or simply charging your device will be of interest to some but not to others. Therefore, it is with a heavy heart that I present to you the $13 Sync Blocker Cable. Sync Blocker USB to Dock connector cable for iPhone/iPod [USBfever.com via OhGizmo!]
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| You know Street Fighter, but do you know… Fighting Street? Posted: 15 Oct 2009 04:30 PM PDT
Man, that music is pretty hot.
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| Here’s some info about Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony multiplayer Posted: 15 Oct 2009 04:00 PM PDT
Not that any of you noticed, but I’ve been AFK for the past few days, so I’ve totally missed out on all the Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony videos and screenshots that have hit my inbox. I’m fixing that right now. As the very first trailer alluded to, you’ll be able to use parachutes in multi-player. (Thank God it’s not weather balloons!) Other multi-player highlights include: • The use of tanks and helicopters • A bunch of new weapons with which to kill-streak your friends until they log off in utter frustration
Given that I played GTA IV’s multi-player for all of 10 minutes (not because it was bad, but I’m just more of a single-player gamer; I even prefer to solo in WoW!) I really can’t speak to these additions. Maybe if I were more social?
Moving on, this here’s another video that highlights the game’s whole nightclub/nightlife/celebrity atmosphere. That, for the record, is why I wasn’t so keen on the first GTA IV expansion. Motorcycles and whatnot just aren’t my scene, whereas I have no problem with listening to "Pjanoo" and other, similar songs over and over again. That’s about it for Ballad news. In other Rockstar news, however, they just put a bunch of their older games in the PSN Store for all of you PSP Go owners. Games to be newly found there include Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition and Manhunt 2. I think that ties up all the loose ends. The lesson is, never leave the house again.
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| Windows 7 Launch Party hosts: Are you planning on actually having the party? Posted: 15 Oct 2009 03:30 PM PDT
If you’re a Windows 7 Launch Party host like me, you’ve probably gone through a wave of emotion. First you were probably stoked that you were chosen, you then probably had fun with everyone else over the awful launch party videos and hand-outs, and then last week, you probably got the sweet party kit that contains a special version of Windows 7 Ultimate. But are you now dreading the damn party next week? I am. So I wanna know, are you actually planning on having the party? If so, give me some and others some tips and/or words of encouragement in the comments below.
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| 250GB PS3 Slim coming on November 3rd for $350 Posted: 15 Oct 2009 03:28 PM PDT |
| Posted: 15 Oct 2009 03:20 PM PDT
The vending machine is operated by the Goss Wine Bar in Ginza, Tokyo’s poshest neighborhood. All customers need to do is to insert said pre-paid card, select a bottle of wine among 24 different kinds and watch how the wine flows into their glasses. Reportedly, customers enjoy the fact that they can actually see the bottle before they drink the wine and that they can now taste expensive wines in smaller quantities. The Goss Wine Bar claims the number of customers has risen by 20% in September (when compared to September 2008). Via Nikkei [registration required, paid subscription]
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| Microsoft giving away 777 copies of Windows 7 Ultimate to residents of Zevenhuizen, Netherlands Posted: 15 Oct 2009 02:30 PM PDT
Fellow nerds will know that Final Fantasy VII had a special "mode," I guess, called "All Lucky 7s" that triggered when your HP was at 7777. I bring this up to segue into this story, that Microsoft is giving away 777 copies of Windows 7 to the lucky residents of Zevenhuizen, in Groningen, in The Netherlands. "Zevenhuizen," of course, translates to "seven houses." All you have to do is visit a Web site, enter in your information, and Windows 7 Ultimate (!) is yours. Requirements: be a resident of that city, not be an employee of Microsoft, be 18 years old or older, and wait for the magic to happen. You also need to be a Windows user; if you primarily use a Mac or Linux or whatever you’re not eligible. Sorry. Not for nothing, but I’d like to take my hat off to whatever Microsoft hired to come up with this fun little stunt.
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| Observe these delicious ravioli sponges Posted: 15 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT
If you’re standing up, you better find a place to sit down because I’m about to blow your mind. These are sponges that look like a ravioli. Again, these are sponges. That look. Like ravioli. I KNOW, RIGHT?!!! They're called Spongioli. You get six of them for – wait for it — $99.95. That is not a typo. Wait, yes it is. I'm sorry. They're $9.95. That was, in fact, a typo. Here’s part of the product description:
Low in carbs! Oh, Baron Bob, you ARE the living end. Spongioli Gourmet Kitchen Sponges [Baron Bob]
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| New e-reader “txtr”: Germany’s answer to the Kindle Posted: 15 Oct 2009 01:59 PM PDT
Deutsche Telekom’s e-book reader probably has gone the way of the Dodo, but the Germans are still getting a home-made Kindle competitor. The device, dubbed txtr, was announced at the Frankfurt Book Fair that’s happening in Deutschland right now, and it will become available in that country as soon as December 1 (as pre-order). The txtr is the product of a Berlin-based start-up of the same name. It features a 6-inch grayscale e-ink screen, a microSD slot (an 8GB card is included in the package, 1GB flash), an ARM11 CPU (532MHz), 64MB RAM, a micro-USB port and “ultra-long battery life” (company quote). The device is sized at 151×131×12 mm and weighs 281g. You can download books and other documents via the USB port, Wi-Fi (802.11b/g) or the txtr wireless service (EDGE/GPRS). The reader can display PDFs and books in the EPUB format. Currently, there are over 10,000 books offered in the official txtr store, with about 3,200 of them being English books. It costs $18 per month to access your documents via the web and synchronize web sites with the reader. When compared to the Kindle, the price for the txtr can’t really be called competitive at this point: $480 is a lot of money. Another problem for txtr: The Kindle will hit German stores as early as this Monday, while the txtr will be delivered to German customers December 15. A company representative also said a new version featuring a 9.7-inch touch screen is already being considered for next year. Via netzwertig [GER]
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| Green: California getting closer to banning power-hungry TVs Posted: 15 Oct 2009 01:30 PM PDT
Uh oh, another vaguely political post on CrunchGear. As you already know, the Consumer Electronics Association, the trade group that organizes CES, is fighting tooth and nail against possible regulations that would see California essentially ban the sale of power-hungry HDTVs. This mostly affects plasmas because they consume the most electricity of the different types of TVs out there. The California Energy Commission, the body responsible for the investigation, says certain types of TVs ought not to be sold because they consume just too much electricity. As a matter of fact, TVs account for 10 percent of all energy consumption in the state. Mandate that manufacturers get their act together, and create TVs that don’t require crazy amounts of electricity to run, and everyone wins: consumers pay less for their monthly electricity bill (consumers would save, on average, $30 in the first year by switching to more energy efficient TVs), the green crowd gets to feel like it’s saving the planet, California doesn’t have to spend money generating all that electricity, etc. Well, one group may not benefit: the manufacturers themselves. Some of them are complaining that having THE GOVERNMENT mandate how efficient their TVs need to be will stifle innovation, raise prices (because they’ll have to change their manufacturing methods or whatever), etc. (I say, if not the government, then who, the "market"? Ha! Markets work when everyone has access to perfect information, among other things, otherwise things can get out of hand. See: this past year on Planet Earth.) The Commission disputes the idea that changing energy standards will necessarily raise prices for consumers. You should note that Vizio, the little company that came out of nowhere, has no problem with the new regulations, should they pass. Easy for it to say, seeing as though it makes only LCDs, which aren’t very power hungry. Keep in mind that this isn’t a done deal yet. You’re not going to walk into Best Buy tomorrow and find that all the plasmas are gone. Should it even pass then I imagine it’ll take some time before it actually affects your buying ability.
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| Unsurprising: TI doesn’t approve of calculator hacks Posted: 15 Oct 2009 01:00 PM PDT
The EFF is getting in on the action, claiming that TI’s threats are baseless. TI-83+ calculators are going for less then $50 on eBay. They’ve been out for over a decade. If they’re not doing what their owners want them to do, maybe TI should look at how to provide continued value to their customers.
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| Amazon makes brick and mortar stores more irrelevant with same day shipping Posted: 15 Oct 2009 12:51 PM PDT
According to the press release, "Thousands of items are now available for Local Express Delivery. Amazon Prime members pay just $5.99 per item for the service." Amazon Prime costs $79 per year and extends free two-day shipping or overnight shipping for $4 per item to subscribers. I have it and it's totally worth it if you order a lot of stuff from Amazon. Non-Prime members will pay quite a bit more for same day shipping, with items carrying a shipping fee based on the type of item ordered and, in some cases, the weight of the item. Certain items, like CDs and DVDs for instance, cost $10.99 per same-day shipment plus $2.99 per item. So order three CDs and it'll cost you whatever the CDs are priced at plus $10.99 + $2.99 + $2.99 + $2.99. Not cheap but, hey, the heart wants what it wants.
Each of the seven eligible cities has a cutoff time by which products need to be ordered. In Seattle, where Amazon is headquartered, the cutoff time is 1:00 PM. In New York City and Philadelphia, it’s 10:00 AM; in Boston, Washington, D.C. and Baltimore it's 10:30 AM; and in Las Vegas it’s 11:00 AM. Future cities include Chicago, Indianapolis, and Phoenix. Amazon Launches Same Day Delivery in Seven Major Cities and Expands Saturday Delivery Options [Amazon.com]
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| DIY: Secure your data using the Konami code Posted: 15 Oct 2009 12:30 PM PDT Ahh the Konami code. Favorite cheat of gamers for years, it lives in legend and will never die. Much like that Rick Astley video. And while it might not be the most secure way to lock your data, it certainly raises your geek cred. Since it’s all about the geek cred, one of the clever monkeys at Protodojo built a custom flash drive using an NES controller. Not content to just make a cool looking drive (and it is cool, no doubt) the intrepid builder also added a security feature that requires you to enter the aforementioned Konami code in order to access your data. Now obviously, this is a one off product, and not available for sale. The good news is, if you were slightly dishonest and saw this sitting somewhere and grabbed it, you’d at least know how to access the data. [via Joystiq]
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Keeping your home theater (or “living room” as my wife calls it,) clean and uncluttered can be a real pain if you have a decent sound system. Sure, there’s the obvious “run the wires under the floor” trick, but what do you do with the 
Wow. Amazon.com is now offering same day shipping – same day shipping — in seven major cities across the U.S. with more on the way in the near future. If you live in New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington D.C., Baltimore, Las Vegas, or Seattle then you're already in one of the same day delivery zones.
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