am

The 404 744: Where we make our own leaked photos (podcast)

Remember the dream of the Concorde? It was that supersonic passenger jet that would ferry passengers from New York to London in less than 3 hours, but supersonic travel never took off because of the loud sonic booms that the planes would generate as they broke the sound barrier.

NASA is working on new technology that would dampen or eliminate those booms, and the space agency is hoping that this will usher in a new era of supersonic travel.

Early experiments add a 24-foot-long spike to the plane mounted on the nose of the aircraft that creates three smaller shockwaves to greatly reduce the noise as the aircraft hits Mach 1. It could mean shorter travel time for consumers, but Jeff is more excited to wean himself off the sleeping pills he takes every time he boards an aircraft.

In less exciting historical innovations, New Yorker Till Krautkraemer is touting a beverage that offers a new way to supplement your protein intake: drink it! MeatWater is intended as a meal supplement with flavors like Peking Duck, Beef Stroganof, and Fish'n Chips; but the liquid contains zero animal byproducts, so vegans and vegetarians are encouraged to consume it for their daily dose of protein.

This is not a joke. According to the Web site, MeatWater has 22 amino acids that aid in performance recovery and decrease body fat when ingested with liquids, and it's recommended that you drink MeatWater warm, as the flavors and aromas are heightened this way.

And while we're solving first-world problems with technology, check out this double USB concept that hopes to save precious microseconds and the frustration you experience from "plug rejection."

Finally, Intel is following in the footsteps of Polaroid and Lady Gaga by introducing its own celebrity employee: Black Eyed Peas' Will.i.am has been appointed director of creative innovation, a role that places him as an ambassador to the company and collaborator in "new technologies, music and tech advocacy."

There's not much to say about this should-be joke, so we're just waiting to hear the BEP single that samples the Intel Inside chime. Wait, he's already doing that.

Episode 744 Subscribe in iTunes audio | Subscribe in iTunes video | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Chevy brings in ham radio expert to engineer hidden antenna

The 2011 Chevy Camaro Convertible boasts new AM/FM antenna technology, thanks to its fans and one ham radio operator.

Fans spoke out after leaked photos of the new Camaro revealed an AM/FM whip antenna on the rear deck lid.

Chevy turned to ham radio operator and antenna expert Don Hibbard to help redesign the car's antenna. Hibbard and colleague Gregg Kittinger were challenged to conceal the AM/FM antenna without sacrificing radio reception.

"We weren't sure that it would be possible," said Kittinger. "Typically antennas are hidden in a vehicle's rear window, … Read more

Texas project to put green products to the test

"Green" manufacturers and technology companies are stampeding to find a home in a proposed Texas development that will put the water- and energy-saving devices of tomorrow to the test in a real-world urban setting.

Texas A&M University System and a Dallas-area developer are creating a $127 million commercial and residential "incubator" where cutting-edge sensors will monitor data on everything from light bulbs to appliances and toilets.

Companies like General Electric, Philips Electronics, Owens Corning, LG Electronics and Kimberly-Clark are lining up to test their products in the proposed Urban Living Laboratory.

The 73-acre site, … Read more

Hang a classic car on the wall of your man cave

There's a Nudie-built Elvis car hanging on a 50-foot wall behind the bar of Buck Owens' Crystal Palace in Bakersfield, Calif. Legend has it Owens won the car in a poker game against the King, but now that both men are deceased, we may never know.

While 3D Classic Car Shelves from Gadgets and Gear aren't the stuff legends are made of, one of these babies won't need a 50-foot wall either.

Replicas of the front end of classic automobiles, the shelves come in shapes ranging from muscle cars such as the 2010 Chevy Camaro and … Read more

Game Boy games we want to see on the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console

Sometimes, old can be better than new, especially when old is cheap. Retro games have flooded the Nintendo Wii via the Virtual Console, and the Nintendo 3DS will receive similar treatment via its recently announced Game Boy Virtual Console.

Considering the Game Boy's history dating all the way back to 1989, that adds up to a heck of a lot of games that could come back into circulation. Not all of them should, of course, but there are plenty of gems well worth a price point that we sincerely hope wouldn't hover above $5.

In fact, a retro … Read more

HD Radio: Ready for prime time?

HD Radio is the best way to listen to broadcast radio. AM and FM HD Radio stations simultaneously broadcast analog and digital signals, and these stations can display the song title, artist, and other data. The first HD Radio stations went on the air in 2003. Too bad HD Radio is a secret.

Based in Columbia, Maryland,iBiquity Digital is the developer behind HD Radio. I recently spoke with Bob Struble, HD Radio's president and CEO, to catch up on what's new. Struble told me there are 2,000 stations broadcasting HD Radio in the U.S., and … Read more

Dyson delivers two larger blade-free fans

Last year, Dyson attracted a lot of attention with a couple of blade-free fans that used something called Air Multiplier technology to blow a nice, even stream of air to cool you down. Those 10 and 12-inch models aren't exactly cheap, costing $299.99 and $329. But instead of making more affordable fans, Dyson is coming out with two larger higher-end models that will cost $450.

The AM02 Tower (pictured left), available in iron, blue and silver, or just silver, stands 1m tall and measures 19cm wide, whereas the AM03 Pedestal fan is even larger and pumps out more … Read more

Will.i.am riffs on BlackBerry, music distribution

It's easy to dismiss a celebrity product endorsement as an empty money grab, but not so when the celeb is Black Eyed Pea's front man Will.i.am and the product is his BlackBerry. When speaking about his phone there seems to be an honest affinity between the man and the brand, a relationship he plans to capitalize on as a means to communicate directly with his audience.

"I've been using them since the very beginning; I'm a BlackBerry fan-fan," Will.i.am said.

At one time this may have meant Will.i.am … Read more

AMD upgraded as 'Fusion,' 16-core chip future looms

Advanced Micro Devices stock was upgraded Thursday by Broadpoint AmTech analyst Doug Freedman, citing a solid product road map and debt restructuring efforts.

AMD was trading above $7 midday on Thursday, high above the $3.50 (approximate) lows seen back in July of this year.

Freedman said in a research note Thursday that he is upgrading AMD to "buy" from "neutral" and raising the price target to $10 from $5.80.

"Positive events...lead us to believe that AMD's risk/reward is now compelling," he said. One of the biggest positives was AMD'… Read more

Dartz Kombat T-98 vs. Hummer H-1

Earlier this week, I posted a video featuring an SUV, the T-98 Kombat, as made by Russian manufacturer Dartz (whose $1.5M Dartz Prombron Monaco Red Diamond Edition extravagantly decked out in whale penis leather--how high-brow is that--even got lip service recently on "The Colbert Report"). Anyhoo, this particular blog (located here for your convenience) garnered the snide comment of "It looks like a Hummer...big deal." Well, funny that you should say that, sir, as today's video features the Dartz Kombat one-on-one against the Hummer H1. Let's get ready to rumble!

The Dartz … Read more

am