gears

3D Printer Build Week: Day One

I hope to review the coming batch of preassembled 3D printers, but first I need to build one.

That's the idea, anyway. Thanks to MakerGear, an expansive online 3D-printing resource, I have a DIY kit for a Mosaic 3D printer. I also have the help of Matt Fitzgerald, an editor on CNET's digital-imaging reviews team. Not only can Matt take a decent picture, I also intend to lean on his mechanical expertise that comes from his hobby restoring motorcycles.

It can't hurt, but you don't need that experience to build a 3D printer. Still, I've never done it. I hope once we get through the building process, I'll have a better idea of what to look for when it comes time to review a premade printer like those announced at CES this year. The goal with this series of posts is to share what we find out.… Read more

Video game characters get real with fake Facebook photos

Artist Andrew Golden lives in a world where famous video game characters have escaped from their consoles, signed up for Facebook accounts, and posted photos from their everyday lives.

Golden's imaginings run the gamut from Uncharted Drake's family vacation at the Grand Canyon to Goro from Mortal Kombat showing off his 12-pack stomach and four arms at the gym.

The images don't stop at snapshots. They also include snarky or admiring comments from video game characters' Facebook friends. Mario from Super Mario Brothers hoists a beer at a bar while his sibling Luigi announces his photobomb in the comments section.… Read more

Prescription Bottle Beer Holder cuddles cold ones

I have a certain affinity for tacky novelty gifts. I used to peruse comic book ads offering untold delights such as X-ray specs, hand buzzers, and fake vomit.

The Prescription Bottle Beer Holder from Gadgets and Gear would fit right in with those tasteless gags. It's bound to be a hot joke gift among both frat boys and medical professionals.… Read more

Repeated theft shuts down luxury car sharing startup

Peer-to-Peer luxury car sharing startup HiGear closed this week due to several thefts of members' cars.

It seems that being handed the keys to a virtual smorgasbord of luxury and classic cars was too tempting not to fall victim to a ring of professional car thieves. Using stolen identities and credit cards to bypass HiGear's member security checks, bandits boosted four member vehicles worth a total of $400,000, according to TechCrunch.com. The worst part is that members probably personally dropped the keys into the boosters' open hands.

Unlike other car-sharing networks, HiGear didn't use an iPhone-based … Read more

Fisker Karma is so green, even interior uses low-carbon leather

Less than three months on the market and the Fisker Karma is already getting high praise for being "green" and luxurious. Just last month, the near $100,000 plug-in hybrid was named "Luxury Car of the Year" by BBC Top Gear magazine.

Part of what makes the Karma so luxurious is the used interior material from Bridge of Weir. The EcoStandard and EcoSport models' seat, steering wheel, dash, door casings and center console trim are all wrapped in the Scottish company's locally produced "low carbon leather," Bridge of Weir said in a press … Read more

Look for $99 Kinect, other Xbox deals for Black Friday

The Kinect motion-control camera peripheral for the Xbox 360 will be available for $99 during the Black Friday/Cyber Monday period, according to Microsoft.

The discounted Kinect (it's usually $149) will be available from "participating retailers" from November 24 through November 28. Microsoft pointed us towards a few other deals on Xbox hardware and games as well, which include:

Kinect from $99 (regularly $149) Three-month Xbox Live Gold subscription for $12.99 (regularly $24) Gears of War 3 for $39 (regularly $59) Forza Motorsport 4 for $39 (regularly $59) Dance Central 2 for $29 (regularly $49) Kinect Sports 2 for $29 (regularly $49) Xbox 360 consoles ($199 - $399) discounted by $50 to $100 (from November 24 through November 26 only)… Read more

What a sneaky Stealth Bastard

Stealth Bastard is stealthy PC action game filled with obstacles, deadly pitfalls, and of course, espionage action.

Created by Curve Studios, Stealth Bastard: Tactical Espionage Arsehole (for Windows) is a free side-scrolling platformer that that encourages using both stealth tactics and speed to race against the clock. Players control a ninjalike spy who can jump and cling to walls, hack through consoles, and sneak around the shadows. Dodge security cameras, killer lasers, and bladed pinwheels while running as fast as you can to the exit. Play through dozens of levels, download user-submitted stages, or create your own … Read more

BBC puts the brakes on TomTom, 'Top Gear' partnership

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but those of you who got excited about the announcement of a "Top Gear"-edition GPS navigator by TomTom will be saddened to know that the brakes have been applied to the project.

According to the Guardian, the BBC states that its presenters "must take particular care not to endorse any product or service which could be covered in the programs on which they work." In a nutshell, because GPS navigators are car accessories and "Top Gear" is a show that reviews cars, there is … Read more

Forza Motorsport 4: Complexity meets accessibility

It's one of the last mutually exclusive genres left in gaming. PlayStation owners have Gran Turismo and Xbox 360 loyalists have Forza Motorsport. Both franchises are proven winners, and the latest incarnation on Xbox 360 allows Kinect users the chance to race controller free. But does that ambition steer Forza away from what it does best?

Jeff:Forza Motorsport 4 packs in such a shocking amount of content and detail, most racing buffs will salivate just at the introduction movie. Sure, it can be a bit overwhelming for people who don't have transmission fluid running through their veins, … Read more

TomTom Top Gear Edition quotes Jeremy Clarkson, so you don't have to

It would seem that you couldn't swing a cat these days without hitting something with the "Top Gear" logo on it. Assets from the madly popular automotive show--including the colorful commentary of the show's most popular presenter, Jeremy "Jezza" Clarkson--are featured in both Gran Turismo 5 and the upcoming Forza Motorsport 4 racing games for the PS3 and Xbox 360, respectively, and even in an iOS game. Today brings the news that you can now put ol' Jezza on your dashboard with the announcement of the TomTom Go Live Top Gear Edition, the first &… Read more