Badassery.
(Credit: TechEBlog)I had a fairly good shop program in high school (what's up, Tumwater T-Birds!). Instead of making rickety chairs for our mothers to injure themselves on, or fire-prone wooden ashtrays, our class concentrated on technology. That's where I got to play with my first industrial laser, built my first robotic arm, and designed my first circuit board. It was pretty great.
But not as great as the work of this kid, who, as a side project, built a six-round, bolt-action, high-powered coil gun. For those who don't play video games, a coil gun is an electronic weapon that uses a series of magnetic coils to accelerate a magnetic projectile--like a bullet--to a fast, destructive speed.
We're not sure what school this kid goes to, but that's not important. What we'd like to know is: which teacher signed off on the project that was likely titled "Making a magnetic silent death device"?
You can see a video of the thing in action at TechEBlog.
I went shopping for my little brother's birthday last weekend, and I never thought I'd say it, but toys are way too complicated. In addition to having the most complicated packaging ever, all the action figures and playsets look like they were teleported out of some dystopian future. I really do miss the days when the imagination and roleplaying were the only accessories necessary to have a fun time. Which is precisely the reason why I've selected designer/craftsman Andy Mangold's Rubber Bandit modern take on the classic rubber band gun to show off today.
The Rubber Bandit is Mangold's sole creation, handcrafted out of curly maple and bloodwood that gives it a classic, authentic feel. You can tell by the pictures alone that a lot of time and careful design went into making it; the gun even comes with interchangeable barrels that lets the shooter "fine tune the amount of damage." I especially like the the small box and classic card that come with the toy, but it's definitely not for younger gunslingers; the packaging reads:
"DANGER! This rubber band gun, handcrafted to the highest standards, is capable of inflicting 1st and 2nd degree welts, contusions, and bruises, on the supple flesh of it's targets. For safety's sake, it should only be wielded by a trustworthy and licensed adult. For fun's sake, place it in the hands of your craziest, most demented, deranged, unbalanced, loose-cannon of a friend, and watch the rubber fly."
According to Andy, each gun only costs around $40-50 to make, and while there's no set prices yet, he's willing to design and build custom-orders. E-mail him at andymangold[at]gmail[dot]com to inquire about pricing and availability.
Click the slide show below for more details pictures.
Pew! Pew! Pew! Snap.
(Credit: Franziska Dierschke)Franziska Dierschkeare is the designer behind this concept camera, a unique take on the kitschy toy camera popularized by the Lomography Diana, Holga, and the Supersampler...all of which can be found at your local Urban Outfitters, if you dare.
This pinhole camera is slightly different in that there's no viewfinder to look through. Instead, users are encouraged to simply aim the photogun as accurately as possible and blindly pull the trigger. Dierschke claims that this method of shooting puts less emphasis on picture and more on the "playful" act of taking pictures.
Sounds like fun, but I think I'll stick with my old standby camera for those surprise candid shots--not everyone appreciates a gun in their face, even if it is neon green. Check out the slideshow below for flicks of the gun in action, as well as some sample shots.
(Source: LikeCool via Noquedanblogs)
(Credit:
ariadna)
With news of a new kind of dengue emerging in Singapore, this sounds like a job for...a mosquito laser zapper! Punnily dubbed a "weapon of mosquito destruction" (WMD), scientists are finally declaring a Cold War against malaria and all mosquito-related ailments.
This particular one appears to take a Death Star leaf out of the "Star War" book, with the laser designed to detect the audio frequency of beating wings, zero in on the culprit, and burn it on the spot. The good news is the WMD will be capable of sweeping an entire area or village and "toast(ing) millions of mosquitoes in a few minutes", physicist and project lead scientist Dr. Jordin Kare told CNN.
Intellectual Ventures, a company founded by former Microsoft executive Nathan Myhrvold, commissioned the research.
Now all we need is a home version that we can set up to fry those miniscule terrorists before they can infect any loved ones around.
(Via Crave Asia)
(Credit: Cobalt Flux)
This is not the first Wii gun attachment in the market and definitely not the last we'll see. But the Dark Ops Wii Light Gun from Cobalt Flux sure looks a lot more menacing than its angelic white counterparts available on retail shelves.
Priced at $19.95, it features an ergonomic pistol grip, plus a lock and load capability for easy loading and unloading of the Wii controller just like a gun magazine. More importantly, international shipping is available though it's limited to FedEx.
(Via Crave Asia)
The Oregon Trail, an Apple II classic, is coming to the iPhone and iTouch. The original Oregon Trail computer game was developed in 1971 by Don Rawitsch, Bill Heinemann, and Paul Dillenberger. The game taught school children about the realities of 19th century pioneer life. The player assumed the role of a wagon leader guiding his party of settlers from Independence, Missouri, to Oregon's Willamette Valley along the Oregon Trail via a Conestoga wagon in 1848.
This old-school, side-scrolling voyage was entirely remade to take advantage of the multitouch display on the iPhone or the iPod Touch. The game incorporates the iPhone/iPod Touch accelerometer into some of the minigames and combines that with updated graphics and sounds, with the end result being a nostalgic, fun, and educational journey. Priced at $5.99, it would make a great gift, or an inexpensive self indulgence.
All of the decision-making and problem-solving fun of the original game, plus additional features, take the Oregon Trail experience even further than before. It has eight skill-based minigames like hunting, fishing, wagon repairing, river crossing, rafting, telegraphing, gold panning, and berry picking. Random events, such as disease, bandits, and hitchhikers, that the real pioneers faced increases the challenge. Side missions add more depth to your journey and affect your westward trek. The game has been completely updated with colorful and animated graphics. To prepare for your departure, you select the members of your party, choose your departure date, and purchase supplies.
Maintaining its western motif, Wild West Guns is another Gameloft release, and unlike The Oregon Trail, this game requires quick hand-eye coordination to remain alive in this shooter. Do you think you have the fastest thumbs in the west? If so, put up or shut up with 18 challenges featuring typical western environments like saloons, deserts, and trains, plus diverse targets and enemies including cowboys, sheriffs, and vultures. The game also has interactive backgrounds that allow you to shoot elements to earn more points. This app is selling for $4.99 in the iTunes App Store.
Start off with a bowl full of Gadgettes, inspired by illuminated electronics. Sprinkle a serving of bling prescribed by our resident doc. And finish it off with a loud new segment that's been a long time coming.
Listen now: Download today's podcast
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EPISODE 126 |
OLED Wallpaper: Who needs a window?
Flashlight with assault crown is dangerous lighting
Modern decor for coffee addicts
On call street lamps let you light up the town with your cellphone
Good Vibrations
Vibrator chandelier
What the hell?
Old-timey rotary phone hides Bluetooth secret
Tool Time
Alcohol shotgun will still kill brain cells
Pink Watch
Scar your iPod for life with these shaggy cute-cases
Bling RX (thanks for the name, Eli!)
World’s Most Expensive Crystal and 24k Gold Plated Bike
Voice mail
Anonymous
shark rant!
E-MAIL
... Read more
From the "how in the hell do I get this guy's job?" corner of the tubes comes an interesting video from Engadget.
In it, a guy dressed in a white lab coat takes out his frustrations on a Vissumo touch-screen monitor using a 9mm. There are days I wish this was my job. I just need to get CNET to build a firing range, then convince them to let me walk around the office with a 9. Hmmm, you know, thinking about it, I don't see this happening anytime soon.
Check below for the video. One last thing--does the feel of the video remind anyone else of those Dharma instructional videos from Lost?
(Credit:
Bandai)
You gotta hand it to the Japanese for pushing the toy envelope on the commonplace, from beans to bananas. The Gun O'Clock (4,095 yen, $40), timed to launch in Japan on November 15, takes off from the Laser Target Alarm Clock in that you get to pop your gun at the alarm clock just for the satisfaction of shutting it up.
The cool thing here is that every time you pull the trigger and miss, you'll feel the feedback. Plus, there's a choice to make this even more challenging--pick Hard mode to hit the target five times successfully to turn off the alarm. Honestly, though, we don't know if this will help those with anger management issues, or simply trigger them.
(Via Crave Asia)
This week you can travel to the Wild West, go out for a spin with everyone's favorite hedgehog, or get terrorized in a mansion filled with horrifying enemies.
WiiWare
- Wild West Guns (Gameloft, 1,000 Wii points): Take on the old west in Wild West Guns. The game offers various shooting modes including the chance to take pair in an old-fashioned train heist. Enjoy it alone or with a friend!
- Sonic The Hedgehog (1991, Sega Master System, 500 Wii points): Sonic The Hedgehog was the first game to give Nintendo and Mario a run for their money. The game was lightning quick and featured a brand-new character that stole the hearts of gamers of all ages. Relive the 17-year-old classic now available on the Virtual Console.
- Splatterhouse 2 (1992, Sega Genesis, 800 Wii points): Splatterhouse 2 is the follow-up to the gory original and has you taking on the Terror Mask again in hopes of saving Jennifer from certain doom. Battle your way through the mansion's terrifying bosses with all kinds of weapons in this absolute bloodfest.
What games do you think are missing from the Wii Virtual Console? Sound off here!
