Crave

Ancient iPhone

Now that the iPhone is a reality, there's sure to be rampant speculation on what inspired the unique, all-display design. Since it looks like no other cell phone, it's not outrageous to suggest that, as is the case with most Apple products, Steve Jobs and company went beyond the existing gadget world for inspiration. But while attending CES in Las Vegas, we couldn't help notice an "ancient" Egyptian hieroglyphic on the wall of the Cleopatra-themed bar at Caesar's Palace. Perhaps the Apple design team spent an evening here and found their muse for the … Read more

Apple planning Super Bowl Beatles ad?

There will, of course, be a football game played on Feb. 4. But we all know half the audience just watches the Super Bowl for the ads, and that's something Apple might be counting on.

The Toronto Sun reported Wednesday that Apple could be ready to announce a three-month deal for Beatles songs on iTunes via a commercial during this year's Super Bowl. Classic Beatles songs have not been available on iTunes while Apple and Apple Records--The Beatles' label--have tussled in court over a trademark dispute. To this point, The Beatles have actually resisted any online music service, … Read more

Ferrari's F2007 tested at Fiorano

Ferrari's new Formula 1 car, the F2007, made its track debut at the Fiorano Test Track, in northern Italy, on Monday.

The car, which will compete in this year's Formula 1 World Championship, was tested by Felipe Massa. Massa took the F2007 for a run of 39 laps throughout the day over Fiorano's long course (2.976 kilometers, or about 1.845 miles). His quickest lap time: 58.360 seconds.

(And you thought I had a cool job.)

The F2007, wet and with driver, weighs about 1,323 pounds (600kg), according to Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro's specs. (… Read more

SideShow backpacks: Cheaters rejoice

Last week brought a slew of CES products demonstrating how the new Windows Vista SideShow would work, from media players to laptops. But the most practical application may not involve a traditional piece of hardware at all.

Eleksen, maker of the fabric keyboard, continues to weave their technologies into textiles with its "Wearable Display Module," according to Laptoping. This little gadget has a 2.46-inch color LCD and can store 1GB of data, controlled by a fabric interactive touchpad with seven buttons, that can be sewn into bags, backpacks or even your clothes.

Teachers, beware: This could bring … Read more

Where are all the Wiis?

Well, it's been a nice couple of months since the launch of the Nintendo Wii and the PlayStation 3. After the predictably massive crowds and instant sell-outs of the systems on launch day, stores have had plenty of time to restock and get the new next-gen systems back on their shelves. Unfortunately, that hasn't quite been the case.

The Nintendo Wii is still almost impossible to find, and this is a surprising frustration for guys like me who decided not to wait in line for hours to get one at launch. After some legwork and a number of … Read more

Sanyo's lie-detecting massage chair

We have a theory (yes, another one). We've often wondered why shopping malls continue to thrive, despite the convenience of online commerce, but then it dawned on us: massage chairs. So we suspect that there's a secret cartel among all retailers to develop them in new forms all the time.

The latest conspirator to surface is Sanyo, with its "Zero Gravity" model. Language from its press release sounds like it came straight from NASA's R&D labs: Using its "Stiffness Detection Sensor" technology, the chair "diagnoses stress areas by measuring changes … Read more

Craving NYC: Downtown chic meets Wii Sports

We took a break from Craving NYC last week so that you all could savor the multitude of exciting announcements coming from CES and Macworld. But now that's over, and I have a new video blog adventure to share with you.

Recently, I had the opportunity to check out some high-tech fun at the Hotel Gansevoort, one of those hotspots in the Meatpacking District of downtown Manhattan--you know, the kind of place that shows up in the pages of Us Weekly because of its celebrity clientele. But one thing you don't read about in the gossip columns is … Read more

Rumor: Apple to license FairPlay DRM

Apple may begin licensing its FairPlay digital rights management technology to third-party manufacturers in the near future--at least, that's the rumor. According to an unsubstantiated and unsourced item appearing at tech.co.uk, Apple plans to allow iPod-accessory makers to stream copy-protected iTunes content. To date, that feature has been restricted to Apple products, such as the AirPort Express wireless router and the forthcoming Apple TV. Other digital media products can stream only non-protected iTunes content--essentially, music and movies you've ripped to your PC.

If it pans out, the change could be a big deal and a positive … Read more

LG's Super Multi Blue HD Player spotted in CompUSA

A member over at AVS Forum has posted pics of LG's Super Multi Blue HD Player apparently on sale at a CompUSA in Texas. In case you hadn't heard, the Super Multi Blue HD Player is LG's answer to detente in the next-gen DVD format war: playback capabilities for both formats bundled in a single player, the LG BH100 ($1,200 list). The player won our Best of CES award this year. The AVS Forum member confirms what Senior Editor David Katzmaier reported in an earlier Crave post--namely, that the player doesn't offer playback support … Read more