Crave

Futurist types have been talking about SSD drives for years--solid state hard drives with no spinning platters or other moving parts to slow you down on the road to rapid computing. It's not totally crazy--after all, that's pretty much how your iPod Nano works--but for desktop and laptop computers, the high price and low capacity of these little drives have kept them from being more than an amusing proof-of-concept.

SanDisk has got a new Solid State Disk for all the naysayers out there, upping the capacity to a reasonable 32GB (still small for a hard drive, but not … Read more

Now this is retro. While other gadget makers waste their time with reproductions of phones and alarm clocks, Telstar Electronics is doing right by TV designs of yesteryear under its "Predicta" brand.

Despite their distinctive '50s look, Brandish says these sets are outfitted with modern technology such as DVD and stereo hookups. Pictured here is one of the more eye-catching versions, which it describes this way: "The Meteor, the quirkiest of the models, is designed by Mike L. Scott and has aircraft/UFO inspired legs, a hand-built hardwood cabinet and a 24-inch screen, which pivots on a … Read more

Last night LG said it would release a combination Blu-ray/HD DVD player in early 2007. The news comes with no other details, but I expect the company to divulge a bit more information, perhaps including a mocked-up image or even a physical box of some kind, at the company's press conference, scheduled for 8 a.m. PT this Sunday at CES. Until then we're in the dark as regarding questions such as "When exactly?" "How much?" and "Is this for real?"

LG has made a similar announcement before, so I'll … Read more

From the Tech Report yesterday comes the news that Apple and HP will release laptops in Q2 that will feature new LCD screen technology. Instead of the regular fluorescent lamps that serve as backlights for your typical LCD screen, the new displays will use LEDs. The Tech Report's story mentions that the effect will be a brighter image with better contrast. What it doesn't mention is that LED-backlit displays will allow for thinner laptop designs and longer battery life.

Apple and HP may be readying their designs, but Sony is already selling such a laptop. The Sony VAIO VGN-TXN15P/W … Read more

--ONLY IN JAPAN: Live Action Pac-Man (Break.com)

--SECOND LIFE: Counting the real 'Second Life' population (CNET News.com)

--GAMING: Wii-optimized Internet radio site surfaces (Joystiq)

--PREDICTIONS: 2007 Trends: WiLife (PSFK)

--ZILLIONAIRES: Bezos' space ship revealed (BoingBoing)

--NEWS: Blockbuster shuts down in Peru; piracy blamed (Reuters via Eyebeam reBlog)

--CYBERLAW: Is Apple the new Microsoft? (Monkey Bites)

--WEB 2.0: Comic Vine is nerdy in a cool way (Webware)

Apparently, the musical nostalgia we've noticed recently just won't quit. The latest gear for LP die-hards comes in the form of Numark's "x2 Hybrid Turntable" as featured on Uncrate.

This music time machine spans several generations, mixing vinyl albums, CDs and MP3s (what, no cassettes?) to bring out the aspiring DJ in you. But for its $1,000 price tag, we'd expect them to throw in a few 8-track tapes too.

Heard about the phone calls from Samuel L. Jackson and read news about the phenomenon, but just couldn't quite bring yourself to pay the $10?

No worries. The snakes are back.

Snakes on a Plane is now available on DVD in case you missed Agent Flynn cursing out the "mother f***in' snakes on the mother f***in' plane" the first time around.

If you really want to purchase this fine film for posterity, drinking games and whatnot, Snakes on a Plane is available for $20 from New Line Cinema and the other usual places.

For the … Read more

This latest installment of our campaign for wireless speakers seemed almost too good to be true--until we saw the price.

The "Planets" from France's Elipson not only claim to provide top-quality sound, but they're also built with Bluetooth modules that allow the speakers to detect and couple with each other wirelessly and automatically, Ministry of Tech says. The versatile orbs, which can receive and transmit digital and analog signals, will work with all manner of devices, including computers, MP3 players and cell phones, as well as amps and tuners.

But we almost forgot--the cost. They're … Read more

What would a true Mac loyalist want if stranded on a desert island? The "i-Trunk," of course. (Presuming that a solar charger or other power source was available.)

French designer Pinel & Pinel not only makes luggage but delivers its pieces fully equipped and "custom-finished to your specifications and preferences," according to Cool Hunting--in this case, with a 20-inch, iMac, JBL speakers and Canon printer. But the best part is the design of the case itself, which resembles a giant iPod when open.

Other models, which come in 51 colors, are outfitted with such equipment as … Read more