US Army turns to toy company to develop new weapon

July 24th, 2008 Filed Under gadgets

We're not quite sure how the pitch session went with this one, but it looks like the US Army was so impressed by toymaker Lund and Company's Hydrogen Fuel Rocket that it decided to recruit the company to build a decidedly more lethal version of it. The new system, dubbed the Variable Velocity Weapon System, will apparently be able to be switched between lethal and non-lethal modes, and be loaded with rubber bullets, actual bullets, or other projectiles, which are fired by mixing a liquid or gaseous fuel with air in a combustion chamber. What's more, the company says that the technology could be applied to any size weapon from a "handgun to a Howitzer," and it says a demonstration version could be ready in as little as six months, with full production possible within 18 months, pending approval.

[Via Danger Room]

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Why So Serious?: Custom Joker Shoes

July 24th, 2008 Filed Under gadgets

Custom shoe-painter SweatShop Clothing sent me the link to a pair of Heath Ledger Joker shoes he made for some chick in New Zealand that wanted them to wear to the movie or something. Here they are. Hit the jump to see a ton of pictures, including several of the painting process. Great job SweatShop. Now how about some polos, but instead of a crocodile or guy on horseback, a little "Why so serious?" Joker face. Oh hell yes. Just let me know if you need any help in the factory, I'll send the neighbor's kids right over. Hit it for a ton more, and a link to the artist's Myspace if you want something similar. P.S. Miss you Heath.

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HP mulling lower cost Mini-Note laptop

July 24th, 2008 Filed Under gadgets

Filed under: Laptops

It was inevitable, was it not? With the success of HP's 2133 Mini-Note, it was pretty obvious that the outfit would be working up a second edition, and according to Jerel Chong, HP Australia's Market Development Manager for Notebook PCs, it's already "looking at a similar device but at a lower cost." Reportedly, the lower cost low-cost laptop will be ready for budget-conscience consumers sometime before 2009, though we have no idea what corners will be cut in order to hack down the price. Mr. Chong did mention that the cheaper edition would be less "durable," but considering that we never viewed the original as a Toughbook replacement, we're not so sure what he's really getting at. Nevertheless, those looking seriously at the more business-minded 2133 may want to hold off, but good luck suppressing that insatiable desire to be instantly gratified.

[Via TheGadgetSite]

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AMD denies report it plans to sell off manufacturing operations

July 24th, 2008 Filed Under gadgets

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

While it may not all be his doing, newly-minted AMD CEO Dirk Meyer seems to be at the center of more than a bit of confusion in his first few days on the job. First, he detailed AMD's plans to take on Intel's Atom processor this fall, which was apparently news to AMD's Chief Marketing Officer, and now AMD is denying a report that AMD is set to spin off its manufacturing operations into a separate company, which arose out of an interview Meyer gave to the Austin American-Statesman. In it, Meyer reportedly said that AMD was "just months away" from spinning off its fabrication business, which would let it concentrate on designing, marketing and selling chips, and allow it to compete more effectively against its two big rivals: Intel and NVIDIA. As eWEEK reports, however, an AMD spokesperson now says that Meyer was referring simply to "how the company manufactures its wafers," which could possibly be a reference to the company's planned shift to a 45-nanometer manufacturing process. That's quite a difference, and we're guessing we'll be hearing yet more "clarification" on the matter before all is said and done.

Read - Austin American-Statesman, "New AMD chief sees clear path to recovery"
Read - eWEEK, "AMD Denies Fab Sell-Off"

[Thanks, Chris]

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Eee hard drive, optical drive, and 3G card continue to reduce meaning of Eee brand

July 24th, 2008 Filed Under gadgets

Filed under: Peripherals, Wireless, Storage

Okay, so there's clearly a tube that dispenses marshmallows to the ASUS marketing department whenever it comes up with another product to slap the Eee brand on, because this just getting silly. In addition to the countless Eee laptops, Eee Box desktop, Eee monitor, Eee televisions, and other Eee-branded crap, we're hearing the company is working on a line of accessories, including an external hard drive, optical drive, and WWAN card. None of this is official quite yet, but knowing ASUS, it'll be out in 30 different varieties by the end of the month.

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Eee hard drive, optical drive, and 3G card continue to reduce meaning of Eee brand

July 24th, 2008 Filed Under gadgets

Filed under: Peripherals, Wireless, Storage

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ZombieHarmony: The Zombie Of Your Dreams Is Only A Click Away

July 24th, 2008 Filed Under gadgets

Still looking for that special ~~someone~~ zombie? Well look no further than ZombieHarmony, an online dating service for the undead. ZombieHarmony...because the apocalypse doesn't have to be lonely. But don't go trying to use the site if you haven't been infected. Disclaimer: ZombieHarmony is for zombies only. We advise signing up for ZombieHarmony only if you lack a pulse, have limited motor skills, or feel an intense desire to feast on human beings. We are not responsible for lost or ingested loved ones. If you go on a date with a zombie, we cannot be held liable for contributing to the apocalypse. Please date responsibly: bring a baseball bat or crowbar. Despite the warning, I used the site anyways and think I found the zombie of my dreams, her name is LimblessLisa, and she's gorgeous in a corspy kinda way. Just kidding, I don't think the site really works, it's just a fun looking frontpage. Sorry to let you down, sickos. But seriously, if you want to date an undead bitch with a taste for blood my ex-girlfriend's number is (XXX) XXX-XXXX. UPDATE: Sorry, had to remove the number. Haha, I'm being sued! ZombieHarmony Thanks to Alex, Julian, and Shawn, all of whom used the website to score some zombie brain.

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ZombieHarmony: The Zombie Of Your Dreams Is Only A Click Away

July 24th, 2008 Filed Under gadgets

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Armpit TV for mass-transit? Optimal for deodorant sales!

July 24th, 2008 Filed Under gadgets

Here’s a new word that might be invading your vernacular in the near future if you happen to be a frequent mass-transit commuter. Pitvertising. That’s right. Ads directly from the deep caverns of your fellow passengers’ armpits.

It might sound sort of creepy and unpractical, but think of the most common sight on a crowded subway car. Tons and tons of sweaty armpits, attached to those very same fellow passengers who are reaching for the handy support hanger. And what better way is there to utilize such a medium than by advertising, oops, we mean “pitvertising” a brand of deodorant?

Deodorant company Right Guard recently sent out a flock of pitvertisers out into the wilds of London to test out their new form of media. And while it might not be playing something entertaining like The Best of Monty Python, at least it’s better than the choice of entertainment you usually have, which usually consists of glancing between the same poster ad over and over again or staring into the depths of an non-displayed armpit.

I guess the question remains, can such a scheme actually sell deodorant? Well that all depends on the pitvertiser’s hygiene. If I were running Right Guard, I’d make sure the owners of the armpits in question were only to wear the display after a serious workout at the gym. It’ll just get people thinking about how many times they might have been emitting a foul odor from their pits. And what does that mean for Right Guard? Boku bucks.

Source via Textually
[ Armpit TV for mass-transit? Optimal for deodorant sales! copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]
<hr noshade /Cool Gift Idea: Digital Picture Frames, check out our reviews.

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Vancake Camper: A Really, Really Lowrider

July 24th, 2008 Filed Under gadgets

If there was a limbo competition for cars there is now no question on who the winner would be. How low can the Vancake go? Try this out for size. This mini-Volkswagen bus is only 3-feet and 1-inch tall. Meaning for the average 6 foot man, this automobile only reaches to around the waist area.

Officially known as the Camper, but affectionately titled “Vancake”, this super low-rider is the world’s lowest Volkswagen bus. Call us crazy, but we don’t see this niche having a super stringent competition at this point. And to add even more to its wonderful allure, there’s a little back story to go along with its awesomeness.

Designers Just Kampers and Andy Saunders created the Vancake in only three days! Working away during the Bug Jam festival at the UK’s Santa Pod Raceway from June 18 to June 20, the team managed to remove the Volkswagen’s roof, equip an electric sunroof, and completely redo the car’s previous paint job to give the Vancake a more scaled feel.

The Vancake is not only totally snack sized, but is also totally street legal. The only thing we’d worry about is getting rear-ended by fellow drivers who are fascinated by our tiny car. For only three days of work, we’d say it’s a hell of an accomplishment.

Source via Coolbuzz
[ Vancake Camper: A Really, Really Lowrider copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]
<hr noshade /Pressy idea: Educational Toys