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HTC phone battery stops bullet, saves life

Earlier this week, an Illinois man managed to leave his cell phone in his back pocket, a choice that ended up, thanks to his rolling bottom, with his wife calling the police, who sent a SWAT team to the man's place of work.

John Garber, a valet from an Atlanta nightclub might now be dead if he'd kept his cell phone in the same place.

According to the Associated Press, Garber was working at Club Halo when two men were thrown out of the club. Police say that the men allegedly ventured over to a car, grabbed some weapons and began to shoot indiscriminately in the direction of the club.

One of the bullets went through Garber's coat and was about to do him severe damage. Suddenly, it was intercepted by his HTC phone (yes, it was a Droid Incredible), which he had put into the chest pocket of his jacket.

Garber's coat is now adorned with a bullet hole. The top left corner of his red cell phone battery now enjoys a dent that signifies it wouldn't let the bullet through.… Read more

CES: How men from NASA decided balls were more fun

LAS VEGAS--It's not that I stagger around CES looking for indicators of man's doom. It's that they accost me with the precision of a pastry chef.

"Hi," said a very charming man (for an engineer), as I stood entirely mesmerized by a little ball rolling between a couple of cones.

Adam Wilson is one of the founders of Orbotix. He told me that half of the folks at Orbotix used to work at NASA. Now they make Sphero, a little ball that rolls between a couple of cones.

Oh, did I mention that the fun … Read more

CES: An ultrasonic way to lose weight (but how much?)

LAS VEGAS. Losing weight is a sensitive topic. Principally because most people are embarrassed about the need and depressed about their ability to achieve their ideal size and shape.

So when I espied the word "slimming" at the CES booth of Korea-based Ahrong Eltech, I knew I had to stop, just in case I had magically stumbled upon the solution to so many people's largest problem.

"Slimming" is one of the most powerful words in the world. More powerful than "change." More powerful even than "money." Claim it, and you will … Read more

CES: What the gadgets on display say about you

LAS VEGAS--Psychiatry and fortune-telling should merge even quicker than Google and Twitter. Or Yahoo and anyone.

With this obvious societal need in mind, I have navigated the halls of the Consumer Electronics Show here in order to obtain a picture of who you are about to become, based on your current psychology.

I am trying to give the benefit of dubiousness to the companies displaying their wares here. I am assuming that they don't just create these TVs, in-car audio systems, flowery iPad cases, and mind-altering flying toys without considering the people who will be enjoying them.

So here … Read more

CES: Conquer China (and get some cheap speakers)

LAS VEGAS--They tell me that China has taken over America. It's something to do with money, rather than physical occupation, but in this digital world, what's the diff?

So I was riveted to the already sticky carpet of the North Hall at CES when I saw a sign that read Conquer (China) Industry Co. Ltd.

Would this booth offer America hints on how to inveigle its way digitally into China's consciousness, something that Google didn't quite manage to do?

Well, it's the next best thing.

Conquer (China) makes speakers that are wonderfully compatible with your … Read more

CES: Where you can smash an Acer laptop with a hammer

If you're going to be an exhibitionist, you need two things: courage and imagination.

These are not things one would expect from an insurance company. And yet, at CES, the Worth Avenue Group bucks the trend by allowing you to turn to violence.

The Worth Avenue Group, based in Stillwater, Okla., doesn't try to call your attention to its no doubt fine insurance policies for laptops, iPhones, and iPads.

Instead, the voice of Gretchen Cathey offered: "Hey, would you like to pick up this hammer and smash this laptop?"

This sounded like a fine idea.

So … Read more

Where gadgets (and words) come to die

LAS VEGAS--Words are bullets.

They get through to people in ways that pictures, or even deeds, don't. Pictures often fade. Words stay with you and delight or rankle till your last breath. You know, words like "I do." Or "I love you." Or "I'm seeing someone else."

So I wandered into the South Hall of the convention center during the Consumer Electronics Show today to see how the makers of tomorrow's world would be telling their stories.

What words would they use? Could they offer change I could believe in? Would … Read more

Accidental butt-dial brings SWAT team to school

I want you to consider very carefully where you keep your cell phone.

It seems, you see, that an Illinois man whose choice it was to keep his cell phone in his back pocket, made himself to appear something of a butthead, when a SWAT team came to call.

The Chicago Tribune has no end of delight in offering that this gentleman, who surprisingly remains anonymous, made an accidental call to his wife.

Or rather his bottom did, as it rolled over the phone in his back pocket and depressed the key for the last number dialed.

This, so popularly … Read more

Saudis detain spy suspect: GPS-equipped vulture

When relationships break down, mistrust is always at the heart of the heartache.

And the news that Saudi Arabia has reportedly detained a vulture that happened to keep a GPS transmitter for company seems but one more example of this everlasting truth.

Yes, I did say "vulture."

According to Israeli National News, the vulture not only happened to be GPS-aided, but also had a ring upon which was inscribed "Tel Aviv University."

Now, I don't know about you, but if I was sending vultures out to spy on people, I might not so readily attach … Read more

Man uses computers to discover four planets

How do you expect to achieve immortality?

Well, should sporting prowess have passed you by, or should you have suffered an unfortunate career-ending injury on a night out with some foreign language students, perhaps you might might use your computer to discover a planet or two.

Or, in the case of British utility worker Peter Jalowiczor, four.

The Daily Mail reports that Jalowiczor is something of an astronomical enthusiast, despite not actually owning a telescope. If you want to discover a previously unknown planet, you don't apparently need the technology enjoyed by Admiral Lord Nelson.

Jalowiczor told the Mail … Read more