It begins with iPhone 3 software details, progresses into face stealing, and somehow ends up at a claw machine containing a mountain of mammaries. Obviously words do nothing to express the joy of this week's Gadgettes.
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EPISODE 129 |
iPhone OS 3.0: What you need to know
iPhone 3.0-ready with $24 stereo Bluetooth headset
iPhone OS 3.0 will turn your phone into a revolutionary sex toy
The 3D FaceStatue might be the creepiest product of all-time
Japan’s latest supermodel–a robot
... Read more
Mmmm, delicious frozen steaks...
We're only a couple of weeks into the new year, but we've already run into what will likely be one of the top 10 weird swag boxes we'll see in all of 2009.
The fine folks at EA, in an effort to promote the upcoming skateboarding game Skate 2, sent journalists a Styrofoam freezer box with some frozen Omaha steaks in it, along with a press release and an asset CD (wisely sealed in a Ziploc bag).
The tie-in? Well, the words "skate" and "steak" contain the same letters, and the game apparently has a mode called the Hall of Meat in it, so it's not as random as it seems.
Enjoy these photos of frozen video game meat. ... Read more
(Credit:
GizmoWatch)
The gadget world is filled with concepts and prototypes that never come close to going into production. So it's particularly encouraging to see one finally make it that far, especially one as whacky as the "iShoes."
These personal conveyances went through two versions before brother-partners Ilya and Borish Kaganovich were apparently satisfied. Now GizmoWatch says the powered footwear, which we still think are best described as a cross between the Segway and a motorized skateboard, are actually for sale.
That's the good news. The bad news is the price--$599 plus $20 shipping--which is significantly more than the range of $399 to $499 estimated earlier, and the maximum speed of 13.5 miles per hour is down from the originally projected 15 mph. Then again, if it went much faster, the price might need to be even higher to defend against all the liability lawsuits brought by idiots who crashed and broke their necks.
New and improved?
(Credit: iShoes)The high-tech industry needs to take some lessons from iShoes about rolling out new versions. Crave wrote about the originals on Friday, and over the weekend the inventors apparently decided it was time for an upgrade.
What they've come up with is no minor tweak either: iShoes 2.0 barely resemble the first version, looking more like three-wheeled roller skates than mini-shopping carts with 4-inch wagon wheels. Despite the design overhaul they're still powered by electric motors controlled by a wired remote, but Gizmodo says new specs are on the way.
The classic version
(Credit: iShoes)The most disappointing news, however, is the price: $499 and $399 for the large and small sizes, respectively. For that kind of money you could get a Segway knockoff, though the insurance might cost more than both of them combined. No matter what, it's not worth rushing into any purchases--at this rate, version 3.0 might come out by the end of the week.
(Credit:
iShoes)
Something tells us that Ilya and Borish Kaganovich have more than a few scars on their knees. The two brothers are the inventors of the "iShoes," which are kind of a mashup of the Segway and motorized skateboards for your feet--and they look just as dorksome, if not worse.
Each pair has 4-inch wheels and weighs a total of 16 pounds but can still hit 15 miles per hour, according to Coolest-Gadgets. The shoes--which come in men's and women's sizes, if they get beyond the prototype phase--can reportedly go 5 to 7 miles without recharging the batteries.
They might be great for younger, more coordinated types, but not us. Just viewing the iShoes in action (video below) makes us want to climb into an "Armchair Cruiser."
(Credit:
Popgadget)
Almost as if on cue, just after we complained about robots of dubious value, we find two toys that we especially like. First was the iPod Transformer. (OK, so it's not a real robot, but we still want one.) Second is the "Plen," a Japanese invention that can actually skate around your desk and even do skateboard tricks on any flat surface, according to Popgadget. And before you choke on the price--$2,000--be sure to check out the YouTube clip. You might just change your mind.
Unless the San Francisco Bay Area gets hit by an uncharacteristic chill this winter, we on the Left Coast will be locked out of enjoying this portable ice rink sold at Hammacher Schlemmer. But that doesn't mean our compatriots in colder climes can't get in on the fun of ice skating and hockey in the backyard.
The rink, which we spotted on Luxist, can be used when temperatures dip below 32 F and stay at freezing for two to three consecutive days. In case of a thaw or rain, the frame's locking system keeps water inside the rink, and rigid plastic at the bottom protects it from skate damage if the ice gets too thin.
A 37-foot rink sells for $700, with other sizes available as well. Blue and red lines mark hockey zones just like professional ice hockey rinks. Cutesy skating costumes and Tonya Harding-style drama, however, are not included.
(Photo: Luxist)
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