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Sales Partly Suspended: South Korea Apparently Loves the iPad 2

Posted: 04 May 2011 03:41 AM PDT

It looks like the iPad 2 is selling well in South Korea, too. According to a Reuters article from today, the device is actually flying off the shelves in the country (where it went on sale on April 29). Major Korean telcos SK Telecom and Korea Telecom at least had to suspend sales today even though they started offering the iPad 2 online less than a week ago.

As usual with Apple products, country-specific sales numbers are impossible to get, but SK Telecom says they are completely sold out and blames the iPad 2′s “global supply shortages” for the situation.

Google Translate tells me Koreans can still order the iPad 2 (all models) in Apple Korea’s online store though (even though customers have to wait 1-2 weeks).

Wii Price Drops To $150, Effective May 15

Posted: 04 May 2011 03:01 AM PDT

What would you do if you were Nintendo, sat on a 5-year old console and were about to announce its successor? You would probably lower the price to boost sales, and that’s exactly what Nintendo in the US today did with the Wii.

For $149.99 (down from $200) you get a Wii console in either black or white, Mario Kart, and a matching colored Wii Wheel. Not a bad deal (the previous package came with two games, Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort). Before you rush to the nearest game store: the new price is effective May 15.

On the same day, Nintendo plans to launch the so-called Nintendo Selects collection for Wii, which includes The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Animal Crossing: City Folk, Mario Super Sluggers and Wii Sports (each priced at $19.99/see above).

Daily Crunch: Ship Shape Edition

Posted: 04 May 2011 12:00 AM PDT

Be A Sky Pirate At Last With This Sweet Kite

Posted: 03 May 2011 07:59 PM PDT


Some kids wanted to be firefighters, doctors, and movie stars. I wanted to grow up to be either Boba Fett or a sky pirate. Final Fantasy III and Skies of Arcadia helped nurture this ambition, and while I’m no closer to it now than I was then, at least there are kites like this that remind me that the sky will one day be mine.

This awesome denim kite is sold by Grey Label and handmade “in Bali by father Mâdé and his 2 sons.” Looks like it might need a pretty fresh breeze to stay aloft.

[via NotCot]

Ubisoft Opens Its Own Movie Studio

Posted: 03 May 2011 07:40 PM PDT

Variety reports that French developer Ubisoft (Prince of Persia, Assassin’s Creed, Vin Diesel – Wheelman) has established a sub-company, Ubisoft Motion Pictures, that will be in charge of adapting its games into movies.

I’m guessing Ubi isn’t investing hundreds of millions in sets, property, cameras, and such, and this is really more of an administrative thing. Its major franchises are almost certain to be adapted, and if Ubi wants to bring them to the same standards as their games, a serious licensing and oversight body should be formed.

That said, as much as I enjoy Assassin’s Creed, I can’t say I’m looking forward to the movie.

Nintendo Rumor Roundup: Storage, Disc Format, And Vitality Sensor

Posted: 03 May 2011 06:49 PM PDT


The Wii successor/Project Café rumors have died down since Nintendo’s official announcement a week ago, but there’s still a little info leaking out (allegedly) here and here. Today has brought a few more nuggets to the web, so let’s take a look.

There are reports that the new console only has 8GB of storage. I’m not sure how I feel about this, because putting too much on external storage (SDXC cards, for instance) is asking for piracy and media-mounted hacks. This spec could easily refer to system storage and not a “mandatory add-on” like a hard drive unit.

Game discs are rumored to hold 25GB of data. The only discs in production capable of doing that kind of density are Blu-ray; I doubt Nintendo secretly developed an entirely new disc format, and micro-DVD-DLs would likely be even more expensive. And I’m pretty sure we’re definitely getting discs. It’d be cool if it were not 25GB of disc space, but 24GB of solid state space, but with 32GB going for around $30 in bulk, that’s just not going to happen.

And let us not forget about the Vitality Sensor! I was there when they announced it (though we couldn’t report it due to bad wi-fi), which was some time ago, and Satoru Iwata says that it has not been forgotten. The delays are Nintendo working to make it work with as close to 100% of the population as possible. Due to “large individual differences in the biological information of humans,” compatibility is not as high as they’d like, so they can’t give a release date.

Similarly, Iwata declined to put a date on the new Mario and Mario Kart games — but said they would come out this fiscal year, or else they won’t meet their hardware sales goals. Iwata’s full remarks on this and other stuff can be found here, it’s actually interesting reading. He’s very articulate when there’s time to translate properly.

Vague Details Surface For Next Dell Adamo Laptops

Posted: 03 May 2011 05:30 PM PDT


Most of this “inside information” on Dell’s next Adamo series isn’t really news, but one good sign is that the company appears to be looking at serious performance as well as good design. That’s nice, but of course the result will be an extremely high price. Problem?

Nah, sounds good to me.We need more of that in PC laptops. I’ve had enough of five-million-run pieces of garbage that take cues equally from Apple and Fischer Price. Bring it on, Dell.

CrunchDeals: Archos 7 Android Tablet For $125 Shipped

Posted: 03 May 2011 05:00 PM PDT


Sure, everyone’s talking about Honeycomb (well, some people are), but if you just want a little hackable tablet on which to do whatever it is you do with a 7″ tablet, this Archos 7 is going for a bargain-bin price right now. It was $200 at launch last year, but as you can imagine, there is a bit of stock left over, and it’s available on eBay for $125 with free shipping. It’s from TigerDirect, but cheaper than they have on their own site.

Need something to use as a second screen, Twitter/RSS device, or home media controller? This thing might suit you.

[via Dealcatcher]

Apple Granted iPod Touch Design Patents In China

Posted: 03 May 2011 04:31 PM PDT

Not too much to say here except that Apple is assiduous in its pursuit of patent lockdown. iDevices are eminently imitable, and in China there’s a whole sub-industry of fake gadgets — one might even say that is the industry, and the legit gadgets are the sub-industry.

These just-granted design patents don’t signal the end of fake iPods or anything like that, but if Apple wants to crack down on design pirates, it’s good to have your paperwork in order.

American Airlines Testing Access To Streaming Video In-Flight

Posted: 03 May 2011 04:24 PM PDT


It seems like it was just yesterday that the major airlines were finally dragged kicking and screaming into offering in-flight wi-fi. But now that it’s just another feature of flying, they’re going to be scrambling to differentiate or at least agree on what seems reasonable to offer. American is leading the pack this time, or so it says, by being the first to test streaming video services.

I’m not sure how much water that claim will hold. After all, anyone who has wi-fi access can reach a dozen streaming video sites — YouTube, Vimeo, etc. But perhaps American means something a little more institutional, and perhaps purpose-built.

The trouble might be bandwidth at that point. If their satellite connection can handle, say, 10Mbps down, that’s probably no more than 10 SD movies playing at one time, and even that’s stretching it. The real numbers may be higher, or lower, but I don’t get the impression we’re looking at any gigabit connections up there just yet.

And then there’s the money thing. I expect there will be something like the above.

Update: GoGo has contacted me to clarify that the streaming service is actually going to use on-plane storage. Makes more sense, but it’s not much different from the in-flight entertainment systems on most planes today. Nicer screen, though, that’s for sure. They also note that the total bandwidth is more like 3Mbps (using EVDO rev A), so streaming over that would be pretty much impossible.

Whatever the case, American also announced that it plans to have installed wi-fi on every single one of its domestic planes by the end of next year.

Razer Subtly Improves Their Goliathus Mouse Mats

Posted: 03 May 2011 01:54 PM PDT


Mousepads haven’t really advanced much for a long time, but it’s worth noting when a nice one like Razer’s Goliathus gets a little tweak. They’ve added a little edge reinforcement to the things so they don’t fray. I found that the greater danger to cloth mats after a long time is dirt and oil soaking in and making it overly reflective (not all sensors are good for it), but the fraying did happen to mine as well, and made it look cheap. Unforgivable!

The new mats come in two finishes and a number of sizes. Check ‘em out here.

Olympus LS-20M: A Pocket Cam With A Focus On Audio

Posted: 03 May 2011 12:55 PM PDT

We recently reviewed the Zoom Q3HD, a pocket cam (like your Flips and Playsports) with a little extra love given to the audio side of things. Olympus has decided to take that route as well with its new LS-20M… a pocket cam with a little extra love given to the audio side of things.

What, I said it was the same route.

The LS-20M will do 1080p video and records 24-bit, 96kHz linear PCM audio with variable gain. The screen is only 2″, unfortunately, but there’s an extra little LCD for crucial information below it, something I found very handy on the Q3HD. It records to SDHC, and will of course also do 720p and 640×480. Everything’s at 30FPS, alas, but that’s to be expected.

There sure are a lot of buttons on there. I guess you’ll find your way around it after a while, but I liked the Q3HD’s simple interface. Different strokes!

Update: I didn’t get this at first, but the lens is actually on the “top” of the device, between the microphones. That’s pretty weird, Olympus. How will you look at the screen if you’re pointing this thing like a remote? I’m not optimistic.

The device will be available in June for an “estimated street price” of $300.

Here’s the full press release, in case you’re curious:

New Olympus LS-20M Unites High-Definition Video and PCM Audio to Capture Sights and Sounds Like Never Before

New Full-HD Video Combined with Magic Movie Special Effects and Pristine Audio Recording to Create Movies that Look and Sound Like Professional Productions

CENTER VALLEY, Pa., May 3, 2011–Transforming everyday videos into memorable movies can be a challenge, but the Olympus LS-20M Linear PCM recorder makes it easy to add creative flair to any recording with the introduction of high-definition video. Record a live recital, create home movies and upload amazing linear PCM audio and high-definition video with the new Olympus LS-20M. Incorporating technologies much like those that debuted in recent Olympus digital imaging products, the new LS-20M isthe first Olympus recorder that captures and edits 1080p HD video while recording 24 bit/96 hHz Linear PCM stereo sound. Combined with four different optional Magic Movie special effects features, the LS-20M enables users to create home movies that look and sound like professional productions in a device that's so compact it fits in your pocket.

"The potential number of uses for the Olympus LS-20M Linear PCM recorder are limitless," said Amy Leslie, product manager, Olympus Imaging America Inc. "Anyone looking to capture and upload music performances, sporting events, weddings, meetings or just create their own fun videos, can use the LS-20M for their personal and professional audio and video needs."

Lights, Camera, Action
The new Olympus LS-20M takes handheld recording to a new dimension with HD video. By combining Olympus' superior audio capabilities, cutting-edge design and the outstanding optical performance expected from Olympus, this all-in-one handheld offers the versatility and practicality you need.

Olympus is creating more ways for consumers to share memories and express themselves through video. Users can capture full HD movies utilizing one of three video format settings up to 1080p for stunning HD video clarity.The camera lens and microphones are located on top of the unit – just point the device in the direction of the intended object and hit record. A crisp, 2.0-inch color LCD on the front of the device clearly displays the video as its being shot. Below the video LCD is a1.46-inch LCD data screen that displays time, audio levels and battery life. Want to record a live recital that looks and sounds like a professional ballet? The LS-20M can do that, just point and record.

The HD video compression format makes it easy to upload videos to Facebook, YouTube, iTunes, Vimeo and other web-based content sharing sites, and the resolution offers remarkable detail on modern home theatre systems.

The camera features a 4.1mm (16:9 at 49mm, 4:3 at 59mm) autofocus lens and 4x digital zoom delivering premium video no matter where you are shooting. The Olympus LS-20M allows users to record in low light for more dramatic footage and also offers close-up video shooting. The combination of video and audio excellence has an infinite number of possibilities. Record a close-up of a hummingbird in HD video and set it to your own sound track of better-than-CD quality audio.

Studio-Grade Audio
Olympus has been on the cutting edge of audio recording technology since inventing the microcassette format in 1969. The fourth in the series, the LS-20M lives up to the company's renowned history of Linear PCM recording capability, to capture the rich, dynamic sound quality of music performances; like a studio in your pocket. The device captures rich, dynamic sound with its two condenser mics, and the ability to record in Linear PCM (WAV files) and MP3 formats. Use internal or external microphones to record better-than-CD quality audio for movies that sound like they were made in a Hollywood studio.

The recording features don't stop at amazing sound quality. For your convenience, the Olympus LS-20M offers manual or auto-level recording. The "auto" level is perfect if you are recording from the crowd. Thanks to the manual level, musicians can capture optimal sound checks and live performances.

Certain settings, like crowded press conferences or a live show at a packed club can provide unwanted background noise that can later be incredibly frustrating. Thankfully, the Olympus LS-20M features a switchable low-cut filter that enables users to eliminate low-frequency sounds and unwanted background noises, like coughing. Collaborating musicians who want to monitor the recording progress on the fly can do so with the built-in speaker.

The Olympus LS-20M voice-activation feature automatically starts a recording when a certain level of sound is reached. The self-timer feature starts the recording process after a predetermined amount of time; both are ideal for recording a performance or video without having to operate the recorder.

Movie Making Magic
Specially designed to expand the potential of your creativity, the new, simple to operate, Magic Movie special effects technology turns scenes of everyday life into extraordinary images that are distinctive and compelling. Using technology from Olympus' cameras, Magic Movie allows users to create exciting videos, then upload and share them with the world on YouTube or Facebook. Unleash your creative side by incorporating linear PCM audio with your own artistic expression.

The LS-20M Magic Movie special effects settings:

* Rock–create your own rock video! Step on stage with the classic Rock Magic Movie setting, featuring saturated black images and bright, bold background colors;
* Sketch – the Sketch Magic Movie setting turns your video into a living and breathing pencil drawing, reminiscent of some popular 80's videos. Sketch adds an artistic feel and poetic flavor to your recordings;
* Pinhole –the Pinhole Magic Movie setting allows users to record video with soft, darkened outside edges – enhancing the subject in the center of the video. Pinhole is great for setting a mood to tie in with the melody or focus of your recorded sound;
* Pop — The Pop Magic Movie setting super-saturates colors to create a brighter, more vivid video recording. Turn your world into a work of pop art!

Powerful Punch in a Compact Package
The Olympus LS-20M features a lightweight, durable, black body with silver function buttons in a slim, pocket-size device that fits in your palm. At just 5.3inches long and 5.4 ounces, the LS-20M provides remarkable power in a convenient and portable size.

The attractive Olympus LS-20M is eye-catching and designed with ease-of-use in mind, with the control panel located just below the video and data LCDs. As the previous LS-series models, the record button lights up when activated and the thumb panel enables easy adjustments to settings while recording. A switch on the right side panel allows for easy transition from audio/video to audio-only recording.

Inputs at the base of the unit offer easy access to USB and HDMI connections. Plugging the device into a computer or tablet for fast video uploads couldn't be easier.

Accessories
The Olympus LS-20M is packaged with everything needed to make HD movies straight out of the box. It's equipped with a 2GB SD card, one rechargeable Lithium ion battery, a USB cable and an AC adapter. The battery is easily charged by plugging in the LS-20M to a computer. For added memory, the LS-20M can handle SDHC cards up to 32GB for longhours of movie making.

An optional RS-30W Wireless Remote empowers users to start and stop the recording of the Olympus LS-20M without touching the unit. This is ideal for live performances, as the device can be placed in an optimal recording position and activated at a distance.

Pricing and Availability
The Olympus LS-20M provides excellent audio and HD video recording of premium movies at a highly competitive price: estimated street price of $299.99 (U.S.). It will be available in June 2011.

ABOUT OLYMPUS IMAGING AMERICA INC.
Olympus Imaging America Inc. is a precision technology leader, designing and delivering award-winning products for consumer and professional markets.

Olympus Imaging America Inc. works collaboratively with its customers and its ultimate parent company, Olympus Corporation, to develop breakthrough technologies with revolutionary product design and functionality that enhances people's lives every day. These include:

· Digital Cameras

· Professional and Consumer Interchangeable Lens System Cameras

· Related Underwater Products and Accessories

· Digital and Micro-cassette Recorders

· Digital Media

· Binoculars

Olympus Imaging America Inc. is responsible for sales in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. For more information, visit: www.getolympus.com.

Specifications*:

Recording Format

Voice: PCM (WAV) and MP3

Movie: MOV

Recording Media

SD/SDHC card slot

Recording Time(2GB SD card)

PCM

96kHz 24bit: 55m

44.1kHz 16bit: 3h

MP3

320kbps: 12h45m

256kbps: 16h

Shooting Time (2GB SD card)

1920 x 1080 30fps

96kHz 24bit: 15m

44.1kHz 16bit: 17m

1280 x 720 30fps

96kHz 24bit: 20m

44.1kHz 16bit: 30m

640 x 480 30fps

320kbps 44.1kHz: 1h

256kbps 44.1kHz: 1h

Image sensor

1/4 inch CMOS, 5.32 Mega Pixel

Lens

4.1mm (16:9 at 49mm, 4:3 at 59mm)

LCD

2.0 inch color

USB

Hi speed USB2.0

Frequency response

PCM 96kHz/24bit: 20Hz-44kHz

Maximum headphone output

3.0mW+3.0mW (at load of 16Ω)

Speaker

16mm round dynamic speaker

Maximum speakeroutput

270mW (8Ω load)

Microphone Jack

3.5mm dia

Earphone Jack

3.5mm dia

Power Supply

Lithium Ion Battery / AC adapter

Compatible OS (USB connection)

Microsoft Windows XP/Vista/7 Mac OS X 10.4.11-10.6

Size

5.3 x2.5 x 0.7 inch (134.7 x 62.8 x 18.2 mm)

Weight

5.4 oz (154g), including batteries

*Specifications and design are subject to change without any notice or obligation on the part of the manufacturer. All trademarks and registered trademarks listed herein are the property of their respective holders, in the US and/or other countries.

© 2011 Olympus Imaging America Inc.

Alienware M18x Configurator Now Online, Systems Not Shipping Until End Of May

Posted: 03 May 2011 12:40 PM PDT


Dell finally made the M18x official last month. The 16lbs gaming *air quotes* notebook went on sale earlier today and can be spec’d out to the max. Prices start out at $1999, but that’s for the basic model and as we all know, basic models are for chumps.

An additional $975 nets a Core i7 2920XM overclocked to 4.0 GHz. Or perhaps you’re a RAM guy. Well then, select the 32GB option for just $2,000 and while you have the company credit card, you may as well go with the dual 2GB AMD Radeon HD 6970M setup. But not everything carries a premium. The M18x includes a swanky metal plate that can be engraved with 21 characters of your choice. Let me suggest, “Trust Fund FTW.”

No matter what specs you choose, the systems will be in Dell’s care until at least May 24th.


D&D Encounters: Role Playing Without (Much Of) The Dork Factor

Posted: 03 May 2011 12:35 PM PDT

Lightning bolt! Lightning bolt! Sleep! Go visit a hobby shop to play D&D Encounters! This kinder, gentler version of D&D is designed to allow relative noobs to experience the thrill of pretending to be a paladin. D&D Encounters is, in essence, a way to play a quick, single adventure in one or two hours with a dedicated DM. You type your ZIP code here and reserve a slot. Then you head into the game store and play. The closest one to me in Brooklyn, for example, is the Twenty Sided Store, a place I’d never heard of until now.

Like churches that advertise music and fun to bring lapsed Catholics back onto the rolls, D&D Encounters is aimed at bringing former fighter/clerics back behind the dice. The encounter happens on May 11 this year and more encounters will be run over the summer.

The program is free for all and you don’t have to know how to play to join. I suspect bringing a six-pack of something wouldn’t be frowned on, either, but confirm with your local store.

LG’s New Blade Laptops Continue The Thin-Bezel Trend

Posted: 03 May 2011 12:30 PM PDT


Ever since late last year, LG has been struggling against the worldwide menace of LCD bezels. I think it’s great, personally — thin-bezel displays means nice multi-monitor setups, more efficient use of space, etc. Their new Blade notebooks mostly use it to look cool, but there ain’t nothing wrong with that, either.

The new 14″ P430 and 15.6″ P530 models focus on being thin and sexy, though I have to say they only half succeed. The body portion of those laptops is looking a bit chunky, though you can’t fault the design from other angles — partly because they’ve cribbed the face design directly from Apple. I know, pretty much everybody does in the laptop world these days, but still.

That bezel really is something, though. They say it’s 40% narrower, essentially letting them put a 14-inch screen on a case designed for a 13.3-inch one. Doesn’t sound like a lot, I know, but in practice, these little usability tweaks make a lot of difference.

These thin guys are more “real” laptops than, say, the MacBook Air, though: they’ve got Core i7s inside, a nice GT520M graphics card, and presumably room for a full-sized hard drive in there. The P430 will be launching everywhere in the world except for the US in May, and the P530 in June.

LG SETS NEW STANDARD IN STYLE AND PERFORMANCE WITH BLADE SERIES NOTEBOOKS

P430 and P530 Feature Super Slim, Super Light Designs in Super Strong Exterior

SEOUL, May 3, 2011 – LG Electronics (LG) today introduced two notebooks – the P430 and P530 – as the first in the company’s new “Blade” series to be launched later this month.

LG’s Blade series comprises ultra-slim notebooks that deliver the ultimate in style without sacrificing performance. Compared with LG’s first generation slim notebooks (models P210 and P420), the Blade series boasts a noticeably slimmer profile. The P430 and P530, with 14-inch and 15.6-inch LED LCD screen respectively, offer outstanding features that set them apart from the competition in slimness, weight and material.

“The Blade series is the fruition of many months of effort by LG engineers and designers to develop portable computers that deliver beyond the performance, looks and value that today’s consumers have come to expect,” said J.J. Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of LG Electronics PC Business Unit. “Leveraging tomorrow’s technology and breakthrough design, LG will continue to offer slim, beautiful notebooks that raise the bar in portable computing.”

■ Three Super Slims: Screen, Bezel, Body

The minimalist, sophisticated designs of the P430 and P530 feature a super-slim LED LCD screen, bezel and body, creating a new style icon for fashion-forward consumers. The notebooks’ new display technology, developed in collaboration with LG Display, allows the LED LCD screens to be incredibly thin while still delivering rich, sharp images. With respective depths of 4.5mm and 4.7mm, the screens of the P430 and P530 are up to 50 percent thinner than any other notebooks in their class.

Thanks to LG’s world-class bezel technology, LG Blade notebooks boast bezels that are more than 40 percent narrower than other notebooks in the same class. This allows the 14-inch P430 to be designed around a 13.3-inch-class notebook. Together, the thinner display and narrower bezel contribute to LG’s new Blade series being up to 22 percent slimmer than the closest competing product in its class.

- Super Light, Maximum Mobility

The P430 and P530 boast extremely lightweight bodies to maximize mobility. Weighing in at just 1.94kg with a depth of 23.8mm, the P430 is lighter than conventional 13-inch notebooks, while the P530, at 2.2kg, weighs less than traditional 14-inch notebooks. Unlike most notebooks with 14- and 15.6-inch screens, LG’s P430 and P530 are comfortable to carry around in a shoulder bag, making them the ideal companions for work-ing on the road.

- Super Material, Sturdy Exterior

Designed with a metallic case, the P430 and P530 offer a more durable alternative to other slim-style notebooks. The metal casing results in a stronger exterior, ensuring extreme protection despite its ultra-slim depth. With a brushed aluminum finish and diamond cutting, a technology that uses real diamonds to cut the edge of the case, LG’s Blade notebooks have a smooth, high quality cover with a refined and luxurious look. The P430 and P530 are available in two colors: Misty Blue and Titan Black.

- Perfect Mix with Unbeatable Performance

Thanks to the second generation Intel Core i7 processor, the P430 and P530 boast outstanding performance. Intel’s new quad-core processor is 20 percent and 50 percent faster than the previous generation Intel Core i7 processor and the second generation Intel Core i5 processor, respectively. The notebooks also include NVIDIA Graphics GeForce GT520M – which boasts 50 percent better performance than integrated graphics cards – to deliver exciting, game-friendly graphics.

The P430 and P530 include an array of multimedia features including a 1.3 HD web-cam, SRS and DLNA technology to easily share and enjoy photos and videos with other DLNA-enabled devices.

LG’s “Style by Blade” campaign will accompany the roll out of the P430 at the end of May and the P530 a month later in markets throughout Europe, the Middle East, South America, and Asia.

The Finger-nose Stylus Is, As Far As We Can Tell, Not A Joke

Posted: 03 May 2011 09:52 AM PDT

We’ve all been there: you’re relaxing in the bath (or, as real men call it, the “ultra masculine germ drowning station”), tappin’ away on your iPhone. Your left hand holds your $500+ handset inches above its certain electronic execution; your right hand is playing Angry Birds. In between shots, you unwittingly drop your right hand into the water — oh no! Now it’s useless! You can’t use your wet hand on a touchscreen! You try to use your hair as a towel, forgetting that you already dunked your head. You’re stuck, and you were so friggin’ close to finally getting 3 stars on this level!
Read the rest at MobileCrunch >>

Colorware Now Doing Its Thing On The iPad 2

Posted: 03 May 2011 09:16 AM PDT


It’s exactly like the Colorware version of the original iPad just with the iPad 2. You follow? They’ll paint yours for $400 or you can order a new one directly from Colorware starting at $900.

Fighter-Size Phantom Ray UAV Flies Into Your Nightmares

Posted: 03 May 2011 09:05 AM PDT

This fighter-size UAV is called the Phantom Ray and may have played a part in the recent events in Pakistan. Designed around the Boeing X-45, this UAV recently flew to 7,500 feet at 204 mph and has been spotted making flights in Afghanistan as well as test flights at Edwards AFB.

"The first flight moves us farther into the next phase of unmanned aircraft," said Craig Brown, Phantom Ray program manager for Boeing. "Autonomous, fighter-sized unmanned aircraft are real, and the UAS bar has been raised. Now I'm eager to see how high that bar will go."

Considering the power of our current drone air force, this one can only mean we are one step closer to a Skynet-like autonomous defense system.

via DefenseTech


Sirius XM Had A Great Quarter Thanks To New Car Sales

Posted: 03 May 2011 08:43 AM PDT

Things are looking up all over. Sirius just reported that they had a great quarter thanks to new car sales. They are up 118% new subscribers from Q1 2010 and hit 20 million subscribers, up 2 million from the same period last year.

Subscriber growth accelerates. Strong auto sales drove net subscriber additions in the first quarter of 2011 to 373,064, up 118% from 171,441 in the first quarter of 2010. Ending subscribers as of March 31, 2011 were 20,564,028, up 9% from the 18,944,199 subscribers reported as of March 31, 2010.

Clearly the small uptick in buying is improving the outlook for cars and the radios inside them alike.

Conan On The World’s Most Expensive Toilet By Kohler

Posted: 03 May 2011 08:34 AM PDT

As if the real product, the Kohler Numi, isn’t crazy enough with it’s remote control and $6400 price tag. But really, I’m all for a panini maker in the bathroom. I knew something was missing from my lunchtime baths.
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