Mister Tipster desktop RSS ticker

We're still waiting for someone to create an RSS reader that spits out feeds like a vintage paper stock ticker, but until that cool-but-admittedly-wildly-unpractical day comes, it looks like we'll have to settle for something like FeedVision's Mister Tipster. Hooked up to your Windows XP-based PC, it'll keep track of all your RSS feeds, displaying headlines one at a time on its four-line LCD display, with three configurable blinkin' lights that can be set to flash when a word or phrase is detected. Ok, so it may not be as au courant as the Optimus mini three, with its fancy OLED displays, but you can get your Mister Tipster in your choice of three different colored displays: dark blue text on a gray background, yellow text on a black background, or the classic Game Boy color scheme above. It will, unfortunately, cost you almost as much as the mini three, with the Mister Tipster setting you back $135 at the current sale price, or $150 after October 31st.

[naz @ Oct 6th 2006 2:01PM]

or you could be cool and make a diy project out of it and get an lcd panel and wire it up to do the same and more. or the slightly less cool (but still cheaper, and more versatile) buy a kit lcd that comes with pretty much everything you need without having to solder, i.e. from crystalfontz. and by cool, i mean really geeky. which is cool to me.

[Gary J @ Oct 6th 2006 2:07PM]

Doesn't beat the wireless Squeezebox 3 which also plays your tunes.

[Larry Bloom @ Oct 6th 2006 2:12PM]

I have a LED sign which does the same thing... it just needs a computer with bluetooth in a general range... and rss feed (engadget)

[Brian @ Oct 6th 2006 2:44PM]

That sounds awesome. What is that device called? Link?

[TheCount666 @ Oct 6th 2006 2:12PM]

$150 is a damn rip-off when you can buy a Logitic G15 keyboard for 70 bucks with a built in LCD and just download software to do something similar and not have yet another box sitting on top of your desk and using up a USB port.

[Retroradical @ Oct 6th 2006 2:36PM]

I am so saving up for when that, "cool-but-admittedly-wildly-unpractical day (of ticker tape)comes"

[malren @ Oct 6th 2006 2:37PM]

That hardly seems worth the cost. A USB-powered LCD and some free software should run you about $75.

[Mike Neilson @ Oct 6th 2006 2:43PM]

I don't think I want one if it is going to display weather predictions that end up being that wrong. :)

On a more serious note, it looks like something I could have made in shop class. $150? I don't think so.

[John Stracke @ Oct 6th 2006 2:50PM]

Just seeing the headlines doesn't sound that useful. It should have a button to punch to make my browser go to the story.

[biscuitus @ Oct 6th 2006 2:53PM]

I love the look of this guy, but for $150 it seems like it should connect to your wireless router by itself, without needing to go through your computer. How much is the Chumby going for?

[LPD @ Oct 6th 2006 3:20PM]

Spend another $100 bucks and get a SqueezeBox from Slim Devices. Then you'll have something really useful.

[mb @ Oct 6th 2006 3:26PM]

I think this is why I have a monitor connected to my computer.

[boynamedsue @ Oct 6th 2006 3:55PM]

you know what else can display RSS feeds?

a monitor.

[CT @ Oct 6th 2006 5:07PM]

You know what can occupy the screen of a monitor at times?

Full screen games, movies, etc.

Helps to think why something like this would be made before trying to be witty.

[RM @ Oct 6th 2006 7:39PM]

Reminds me of PointCast (http://www.businessweek.com/1999/99_17/b3626167.htm) but with freedom of choice.

[dsol @ Oct 6th 2006 8:09PM]

wow brushed metal, I thought apple invented that look for itunes.

/recently upgraded to 7.1
//not happy with interface

[boynamedsue @ Oct 6th 2006 9:01PM]

okay. i'll go cry in shame, and you spend 135 dollars on a device with a screen you could find on a first gen cell phone.

[whatsaname @ Oct 6th 2006 9:17PM]

What does it do that a palm, pocket pc, tablet, or a custom LCD diy system can't do for less the price and higher the quality? I don't even pay attention to the rss feeds on firefox so something like this would be a even greater waste of money.

[CRH @ Oct 6th 2006 10:16PM]

who needs rss feeds from al gores website?

[sdsdv10 @ Oct 7th 2006 8:35AM]

Maybe, and I mean just maybe, if they take the 1(one) off the front of the price.

Come to think of it, forget the whole deal...

[yhong @ Oct 7th 2006 6:06PM]

I have one one my desk right now... except mine is a VFD (vacuum fluorescent display) instead of an LCD (VFDs are MUCH brighter), runs off USB, has a USB hub built in, shows RSS, system stats, etc, and the best part is... cost me about $30 to make.

[docca @ Oct 7th 2006 8:00PM]

You gotta be kidding, right? I have a self-built LCD gadget that looks eeriely similar to this one, down to the screws on the corners (except mine is all black plastic) sitting on my desk right now. It cost me an amazing $15 to build and shows me far more useful stuff besides RSS... CPU/disk/network usage stats, RSS, my Amarok (my favorite MP3 player program) stats/remote control feedback (for volume changes, etc), new mail, etc.

All provided by the LCDProc project:

http://lcdproc.org/

Come on people, LCDProc has been available since what, 1998 or earlier?

[Nic @ Oct 8th 2006 2:33AM]

Don't you guys remember? An old Palm as an auxiliary LCD? http://www.hackaday.com/2005/03/01/reuse-your-old-palm-pda-as-an-lcd-display/ It works terrificly with RSS, BTW.

The Logitech G15, in comparison, is an absolute waste of money. Why not a diNovo Edge instead?

[Mike @ Oct 8th 2006 2:14PM]

couldn't someone just write the 20 lines of code that it would take to print an RSS feed automaticlaly? You could hook it up to an old linked sheet printer...