stunt

It's how California wine became famous. So why shouldn't it work for somewhat minor U.K. TV personality Tim Shaw?

Shaw, you see, has decided to lock himself in a steel box for 30 days, in order to, well, be happy and famous and rich. Or something.

His Man in a Box escapade is, quite naturally, being screened live on Justin.tv. So you can watch in real time as Shaw attempts to live with himself, a camera, and one light, which is turned off for 12 hours a day.

The creators of this deeply human experiment understand … Read more

Discount coupon site Groupon has been in the press enough recently for its rapid growth, choice position in the venture capital spotlight, and the presence of a hundred thousand imitators, but it might be pushing its way into the media even more now. The Chicago-based company has launched what might be one of the most ridiculous social-media promotions that any brand has attempted to pull off: it's challenging a member to live off its deals for an entire year, and is offering a $100,000 prize if the guinea pig proves successful.

The contest winner, according to a promotion page, … Read more

(Updated at 1:56 p.m. PST, after I put down my own bottle of Lapin Kulta.)

If you've ever spent a long night drinking with Finns, you may have noted that after the 10th beer, they can become jolly, effusive, and positively inventive. Well, please hark the words of Martti Roth, an alleged employee of Intel Finland, who thought of something rather special while under the influence of alcohol.

I am not libeling him, truly. Because Roth says he really did come up with the notion, while at a bar, that he and his Intel friends should create … Read more

MetroPCS and Samsung announced a new basic phone just in time for the holidays. The Samsung Stunt has a simple black-and-blue candy bar design, with features like text and multimedia messaging, Bluetooth, speakerphone, and voice commands. It measures approximately 4.2 inches long by 1.7 inches wide by 0.54 inch thick and weighs about 2.6 ounces. No word on pricing yet, but we'll let you know once we find out.

Jet Car Stunts is an exceptional arcade driving game in which (as you might guess) you drive a jet-powered car through a series of stunt-inducing tracks.

This app makes terrific use of the iPhone and iPod Touch interface, with four customizable touch-screen buttons (accelerate and brake/reverse, and jet engine and hand-brake/air-brake) and accelerometer control for both steering and (when you're airborne, which is often) your pitch and roll. The game is split between two different but equally well-developed modes: 11 speed-heavy Time Trial levels with more traditional race-type tracks, and 25 architecturally inspired Platforming levels that focus … Read more

With more than 100,000 apps in the iTunes App Store and huge success around the world with the iPhone, it would appear Apple has done just about everything right with the launch of its first mobile handset. But as any iPhone app developers will tell you, the app approval process is less than ideal, with some developers waiting well beyond Apple's 14-day waiting period and sometimes longer to get their apps approved. Though Apple has stated it is working on the app approval process, there has been little in the way of progress if you ask iPhone app … Read more

Here's a really ingenious way to record your cycling stunts. All you need is the old-school bicycle bell that you use to warn pedestrians or freak out your cat.

Jens Almstrom has found out that by removing the upper casing of the bell, there is usually a screw at the bottom chassis, which has the same dimensions used for most tripod sockets. What he did was to simply mount the camera onto that screw, and there you have it--a simple fix to record your journey or stunts with your BMX.

Our advice is to not fumble with the controls … Read more

Calling all people who really, really, really want to go down in the history books, but don't have the advantage of being Sir Richard Branson: Guinness World Records has added a social network to its site, so that you can share all your wackiest exploits.

I thought we had something like that already. It's called YouTube.

Members of the Guinness World Records community, which was created using technology from the New York-based KickApps, can share audio, video, photos, and other dubious evidence of their strange talents. Right now, some of the most-viewed videos include "continuous reading marathons,&… Read more

A small group of automotive journalists gathered recently in Southern California to watch an unusual sight: A fully functional Volkswagen Touareg that could be controlled without anyone in the driver's seat.

The custom-made SUV was part of a special showcase hosted by Volkswagen, where a select few got a glimpse at some of the stunt driving skills used in the making of The Bourne Ultimatum, the third and newest installment of the Bourne films. The movie's stunt team developed a special cockpit attached to the top of the Touareg, complete with a seat, steering wheel, and pedals that … Read more