Mods

The Joby Gorillatorch Blade is the latest in a line of hands-free flashlights that includes the Gorillatorch Original and the Gorillatorch Flare. While all three 'torches feature Joby's trademark flexible, bendable legs--a feature that originally debuted on the Gorillapod line of tripods--the Blade differentiates itself with an all-new chassis for the lamp and a few new features. It's also the most expensive, which may be a turn-off for casual users.

Starting with the Gorillatorch Blade's flashlight, the unit features an anodized black aluminum tube chassis that's about 6.25 inches long and 1.33 inches thick. The unit is IPX-5 water-resistant, which means you could probably douse it with a hose or rinse it in a sink, but you probably don't want to go submerging it. The unit's design also lends a bit of inherent shock-resistance. Dropping this guy onto concrete may mar the finish, but the functionality probably won't be affected.

Located at the business end of the lamp is the CREE XLamp XP-C LED. When Joby calls this guy ultra-bright, it's not just blowing smoke. Standard output from this LED is 65 lumens, which matches the output of the Gorillatorch Original and proved to be more than bright enough for most of the uses we could think of. However, for users who need even more brightness, the Blade also features a boost mode that doubles the output to 130 lumens for a moment or for up to a three-minute burst. By twisting the head of the flashlight, users are also able to adjust the cone of light emitted by the Blade, widening it to a 160-degree flood or narrowing it to a 30-degree spotlight.… Read more

Nissan and Original Wraps today launched Nissan Graphics for the Cube, and soon for the Juke, Frontier, and other models.

The decorative wraps come in graphics for side, front, and hood. The decorations are all printed on automotive-grade 3M Scotchprint On-Demand vinyl and are fade-resistant.

The catalog features stars, stripes, polka dots, and flowers, so the images should appeal to tastes ranging from subtle to bold.

Prices range from $100 to $300 with installation.

History was made last weekend when American Bobby Cleveland won back his record for the world's fastest lawn mower, restoring order to the natural world. Cleveland's former record of 80.833 mph was broken by British driver Don Wales, who swiped it right from under Cleveland's nose with a 87.833 mph record at the Pendine Sands in Wales last May.

But we Yankees practically invented the sport of riding lawn mowers, and if American men are ever going to be able to justify spending $2K on a new John Deere riding mower, the country needed that … Read more

Rolls-Royce wants you to know that despite its success with the "more approachable" Ghost (MSRP: $245,000), they haven't lowered the luxury bar or gone downmarket.

"Ghost is a more approachable Rolls-Royce that is bringing an entirely new type of customer to the Rolls-Royce brand," said CEO Torsten Mueller-Oetvoes said in a press statement. "But in Paris we are also demonstrating how we continue to strengthen our position as the pinnacle luxury brand, thanks to the enduring appeal of Phantom family and the depth of our bespoke personalization service."

To prove its point, … Read more

Oh my god! Get a load of the DTV Shredder--a motorized skateboard that looks like a cross between a Segway, a skateboard, and Johnny 5 from the "Short Circuit" movies.

Instead of wheels, the device uses two continuous tracks of the sort you'd get on a tank, and is powered by a 15hp 200cc Honda engine. It looks pretty easy to use, too. Forward motion seems to be activated by twisting the handlebar grip and steering is taken care of by leaning left or right on the skateboard-type platform that sits above the tracks.

By using … Read more

AMP Electric Vehicles has announced that it's developing a mainstream SUV prototype for an automaker, but it didn't say which one. The obvious guess is GM since the Cincinnati-based start-up has developed conversion processes for a handful of GM vehicles, including the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox, the 2007-2009 Saturn Solstice, and Pontiac Sky. However, a GM spokesperson indicated that the company does not have any agreement with AMP.

AMP purchases cars from dealerships for customers (or customers can bring their own) and converts the vehicle to operate with an electric drivetrain. Using a custom lithium ion battery pack and … Read more

The 2012 Hennessey VelociRaptor APV, based on the new Ford Raptor Super Crew, boasts a supercharged 6.2L V8, with off-road capabilities--and it comes in armored and nonarmored versions.

This vehicle will be produced in limited quantities; about 50 will be made each year, said company owner John Hennessey.

The vehicle comes with seating options for six, seven, or eight passengers and an entertainment package--including satellite TV, high-speed Internet, and viewing monitors--is available.

According to Hennessey, the nonarmored VelociRaptor will have a curbside weight of 6,000 lbs. The version with armor will weigh between 9,000 and 10,500 … Read more

If you've found yourself on the Car Tech Blog, chances are you love cars. The odds are also good that you've formed a relationship with a car at some point; perhaps you even gave it a name. For most of us, that's usually where the anthropomorphizing of our vehicles ends, but there will always be someone who wants to take things a step further. For these people, there are products like Turbo Style Products' CarLashes. That's right, someone has invented fake eyelashes for your car!

The CarLashes can be cut to fit nearly any vehicle and … Read more

PLX Devices (manufacturer of the Kiwi fuel-saving device) has expanded its lineup of OBD-II readers. We've already seen the PLX Kiwi Wi-Fi iPhone adapter at last year's SEMA show; now, it has announced the PLX Kiwi Bluetooth for Android phones.

Both devices work in similar ways: users plug the Kiwi dongle into the vehicle's onboard diagnostics port (all vehicles manufactured after 1996 should have one), and connect their iOS device via Wi-Fi or Android OS phone via Bluetooth pairing. At this point, the PLX device will stream vehicle diagnostics information, emissions info, power train data, and trouble … Read more