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Video: Trace of Time clock erases tasks as deadlines pass


Pictured above is one of the most genius adaptations of the so-called "clock" that we've ever seen, and while the concept has been around for a tick, Il-Gu Cha's masterpiece is just now making its way around the expo circuit and showing itself off in a new video. Dubbed Trace of Time, this eraser-equipped timepiece is constructed primarily from glass and wipes away Dry Erase tasks as those deadlines slip away. Sure, the inability to hit the snooze on certain items could prove aggravating, but it's safe to say this is a bona fide procrastination killer at the very least. Peek the video just past the break.

Eurotech introduces Atom-powered in-wall Panel Computers

Why leave all the new computer fun to your desk or lap, right? In an effort to give that barren wall of yours something to cheer about, Eurotech has recently introduced a new trio of Panel Computers, all of which are powered by Intel's less-than-amazing Atom CPU. The Vx-120F-N270 and Vx-150F-N270 are practically identical save for the 12.1- and 15-inch touchscreens (respectively), with each possessing an Atom N270 processor, a fanless design, high-brightness LCD, twin gigabit Ethernet jacks, a front-mounted USB port and an expansion slot for add-on boards. The outfit also debuted the rugged Bx-400F-N270, which should withstand abuse not seen on typical in-wall PCs. Prices have yet to be made public, but you can pretty much bank on your local home automation dealer charging a boatload come mid-September.

InterHome learns from inhabitants, adapts to save energy


We've seen all sorts of devices that learn over time, though most of them fall into the humanoid category. Now, a team of gurus over in the UK has developed an entire home that can learn from those dwelling in it and react in order to curb energy waste and even prevent unauthorized entry. InterHome, a model designed by researchers at the University of Hertfordshire, is scheduled to be unveiled at the Microsoft Imagine Cup finals, and it should make other home automation systems look rather antediluvian in comparison. By sensing how the owner(s) like their climate and such, it can reportedly save up to £300 a year in energy costs alone. Furthermore, it can "take decisive action and text if it is being burgled or the door has been left unlocked," and the whole system can be monitored remotely and controlled via the web. Too bad we're terrified that it could one day turn on the owner and refuse to allow entry to anyone other than leaders of The Resistance, but other than that, it sounds pretty nifty.

Colorware offers up $6,000 Stealth MacBook Pro: it's really dark


Colorware's well known for offering up all sorts of consumer electronics in all sorts of hues, but the outfit has definitely stepped up its game with the Stealth MacBook Pro. This limited edition piece is an all-black 15-inch MacBook Pro with a matte display, 3.06GHz CPU, 8GB of DDR3 RAM, 256GB SSD, an 8x SuperDrive, zero gloss finish and a SofTouch coating that'll make it downright impossible for your fingers to stop stroking it. Reportedly, these will be limited to just ten units, and each one will cost a not-at-all affordable $5,999. See Apple, this is what you get when you voluntarily axe the BlackBook. Opportunity, lost.

[Via Engadget Polska]

GameStop hits the sauce for the 4th, offers up bizarre Wii bundles


Are you in the market for a "Summer Fun" Wii bundle to get your Independence Day started right? Oh, yeah? Fantastic, 'cause GameStop has just the packages for you. For the low, low price of $249.99, the aforementioned bundle consists of a Nintendo Wii console, a water gun and... wait, what? Amazingly enough, GameStop has seen fit to bundle a $0.25 water gun with a Wii and call it a bundle; heck, it's even limiting them to two per household. If that's not strange enough for you, there's also the Pirate Tattoo bundle and Take a Bath with a Buddy (a rubber ducky, just so we're clear) bundle. Talk about really taking advantage of that whole "freedom" thing.

Read - Summer Fun bundle
Read - Pirate Tattoo bundle
Read - Take a Bath with a Buddy bundle

[Via Joystiq]

Finger Dance Alarm Clock: it's like DDR, in an alarm clock


If the world required that you complete an expert DDR jam each morning only moments after you awoke, there's a solid chance the global death toll would far outpace the birth rate. Thankfully, all that's typically necessary is that you actually listen to whatever device you've got ringing. If you've noticed lately that said noises just aren't cutting it, here's a little puzzler that's pretty much guaranteed to either get you up or entangle you in infinite frustration. The £9.99 ($16) Finger Dance Alarm Clock sounds at a user-determined time, and once your weary eyes begin to focus, you then have to use your digits to follow a lighted dance pattern in order to shut the cacophony off. It's half torture, half genius -- precisely the way we like it.

[Via OhGizmo]

5-inch Android-powered Archos Internet Media Tablet landing in September


Just under a month ago at Archos' Paris reveal, we were somewhat dismayed that an Android-based device didn't show up... officially, at least. We were told to expect more information about a Google-powered unit this September, but it looks as if said wait has been hacked considerably. According to The Inquirer, Archos has informed it that a 5-inch internet media tablet loaded with Android will be unveiled on September 15th, a date that certainly jibes with prior information. The handheld will boast Google's sauce underneath with a layer of Archos applications on top, and while the Windows 7-equipped Archos 9 PCTablet (pictured) is expected in October, this here device should hit shelves a few weeks prior. In related news, the briefing also included word that Archos was working on a few "telephony products," which is just barely enough to get you simultaneously excited / hot and bothered.

[Via TrustedReviews]

How would you change the Palm Pre?


You knew it was on deck, and at long last, here it is. Your one and only shot (okay, so maybe that's a gentle stretch) to tell the world -- and Palm, since it's a part of the world -- exactly what you think about the Pre. Since going on sale to the general public just under a month ago, some analysts have suggested that some 300,000 or so units have been moved. We're quite confident that at least some of that bunch have their eyes peering at this here post, so we'd like to formally ask for your opinions in comments below. Is there anything you'd like to see changed on Palm's Pre? Is the build quality up to snuff? Is webOS everything you thought it'd be (and more)? Is the QWERTY keyboard doing it for you? Do you wish it supported something that it doesn't? Unleash your wrath below -- we'll keep your true identity a secret. Maybe.

Sony readying CyberShot DSC-TX1 and DSC-WX1 cameras?


It was only a few months ago that we were fielding rumors about Sony's CyberShot DSC-HX1, and now we're struggling to keep our credit card at bay each time we waltz by one in the local camera shop. Today, Sony Insider has pointed out that the outfit may be readying a new duo to complement the megazoom: the DSC-TX1 and DSC-WX1. If the latest whispers prove legitimate, the TX1 will boast a 10 megapixel sensor, 4x optical zoom, 3-inch LCD, 720p movie mode and a price tag somewhere south of $400. The WX1 should check in as a lower-end model with 10 megapixels, a 5x optical zoom, 2.7-inch LCD and the same 720p movie mode; why exactly it'll be cheaper we're not sure, but that's the good word at the moment. E-tailer Provantage already has listings for both cameras up, so it seems as if it's just a matter of time before Sony confirms all the good news.

[Via Sony Insider]

iPhone 3GS prototype scooped up at airport, now on eBay


Seriously folks, what's up with these prototype iPhones falling out of nondescript white vans and ending up on eBay in the shadiest of manners? Just months after we saw an original iPhone prototype (ancient OS included) pop up on The 'Bay, now we've got one of the world's first iPhone 3GSs on there as well. According to the highly ranked eBay seller, the "guy" he "got it from" actually stumbled upon it at an airport, and rather than doing the nonsensical thing of hitting up lost and found, he decided to make the most of the sudden opportunity. According to the new owner, an Apple Genius has confirmed that it is an iPhone 3GS, but due to its prototype nature, they can't help him get past the "Connect to iTunes" screen. In other words, it's an incredibly rare brick. If that sounds like just the thing to complete your collection, you can visit the road to overpaying through the read link below.

[Via ElectricPig]

Ask Engadget: Best Bluetooth mouse out there?


We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Sang-Jung, who is desperately in search of the perfect cordless critter to take some of the strain away from that trackpad.
"I'm heading to university next year, and I've purchased a MacBook. I'm also taking my four year old desktop, just in case I'm left with no computers when the MacBook is being repaired or whatnot. With only two USB ports on a MacBook, I want a Bluetooth mouse. Budget is about $100, and of course, it needs OS X support. Thanks for the help!"
Alright folks, it's time to get serious. Do you own a Bluetooth mouse that you can recommend? Recommend against? Be sure to spill your thoughts in comments below, and feel free to send in a question of your own to ask at engadget dawt com.

D-Link's Xtreme N DIR-685 storage router hands-on and impressions


Somehow or another, D-Link managed to combine a NAS, digital photo frame, secondary display and 802.11n router into a single device, and when the Xtreme N DIR-685 Storage Router was announced way back at CES this year, we were certainly interested to see how such a conglomerate would go over. At long last, the do-it-all wireless router is finally making its way out to the public at large, and with an MSRP of $299.99 (sans any internal HDD space), it's definitely one of the pricier routers out there. We've taken this strikingly unique device into our lairs for a few days of testing, and if you're interested in seeing if this bad boy is worth the price of admission, you'll need to follow us past the break.

Apple patching nasty iPhone SMS vulnerability


Given the hype surrounding Apple's iPhone, we're actually surprised that we haven't seen more holes to plug over the years. In fact, the last major iPhone exploit to take the world by storm happened right around this time two years ago, and now -- thanks to OS X security expert Charlie Miller -- we're seeing yet another come to light. Over at the SyScan conference in Singapore, Mr. Miller disclosed a hole that would let attackers "run software code on the phone that is sent by SMS over a mobile operator's network in order to monitor the location of the phone using GPS, turn on the phone's microphone to eavesdrop on conversations, or make the phone join a distributed denial of service attack or a botnet." Charlie's planning to detail the vulnerability in full at the upcoming Black Hat conference, but Apple's hoping to have it all patched up by the end of this month.

[Via HotHardware]

UK moviegoers treated to industry's first interactive 3D game


Now here's a way to make us show up for the previews. O2 has evidently figured out that getting moviegoers involved in the action is a good way to get more fundaments in seats, and starting next week, the first in-cinema interactive 3D game will be rolled out in 20 Vue theaters around the UK. The title, dubbed Asteroid Storm, will rely on two overhead cameras that recognize hand raises down below. In short, moviegoers simply move their hands to direct a damaged spaceship out of an asteroid belt, but there's no word on whether or not "everyone's a winner." Here's hoping not, chumps.

Video: D-Touch drum machine keeps heads, hands bobbing


Oh sure, we've seen countless drum machine hacks over the years, but there's just something special about one that's so simple, yet so fulfilling. D-Touch is hailed as a visual markers recognition system "that enables the development of low-cost tangible user interfaces and mixed reality applications," and here, we're seeing it used to create movable sounds. Users simply print out the cubes, fold 'em up, add lentils and arrange them on the highly sophisticated A4 sheet of paper. We get the feeling this one won't cost you much to replicate, so why not hit the read link for more instructions after digging into the vid just beyond the break?

[Via Engadget German]

AMD's RS880 integrated graphics chip could make netbooks usable

Tired of hearing that your next favorite netbook / nettop is hamstrung with one of those woefully underpowered GMA950 graphics chipsets? Eager to see what all AMD is going to do about it? If The Inquirer is to be believed, an up and coming integrated chipset should elevate the multimedia prowess of low-end machines, as the RS880 would actually be based around the new Radeon HD 4200 core. In theory, at least, this chip would be around 15 percent faster than similar alternatives out there now, giving future netbooks just enough power to churn through 720p video without st, st, stuttering. Needless to say, the suits are refusing to comment on the matter, but we're definitely holding out hope for this one.

Motorola's Aura Celestial Edition soon taking "giant leaps" for "mankind"


Here's a fact: the world really doesn't need another mildly tweaked Aura. Sorry, it just doesn't. That being true and all, we're still pretty jazzed to see Motorola giving the ultra-luxurious handset another go with the moon-themed Celestial Edition. Word on the street has it that this here handset won't deviate much from the predecessor, but it will come pre-loaded with multimedia from the original moon landing mission, a laser etched quote honoring the 40th anniversary of the journey and a price tag that's far, far beyond stratospheric. We're told that it's all set to go on sale next month, but good luck finding one.

[Via phoneArena]

iBUYPOWER launches Core i7-packin' Paladin XLC desktops


Nearly a month to the day after iBUYPOWER launched its gamer-centric M865TU gaming laptop, the outfit has now given the desktop gamers in attendance something to consider. The liquid cooled Paladin XLC series is comprised of three well appointed models, the XLC V1, XLC V2 and XLC V3. All three of 'em are stored in the monstrous Coolermaster HAF 922 (the V3 gets a HAF 932), while even the lowest end model gets a Core i7-920 processor. Other specs include up to 12GB of DDR3 RAM, as many as three NVIDIA GeForce GTX 285 GPUs, upwards of 1TB of HDD space, optional Blu-ray support and Windows Vista Home Premium. The trifecta can be ordered now for $1,399, $2,159 or $4,299 in order of mention.

Elonex launches £189 6-inch eBook reader through Borders UK


Elonex has been dabbling in small screen wares for quite some time now, so it's not a huge surprise to finally see it join the likes of BeBook, Sony and Amazon by introducing its very own eBook reader. Design wise, the 6-inch reader looks an awful lot like that played-out OEM model that everyone seems to start with, but hey, you won't find us kvetching about competition. The device is launching exclusively at Borders UK, and with that comes the new Borders eBook Download Store. With a 4GB expansion card, there's room for some 8,000 ebooks, and the 9 millimeter-thin frame ensures that this one won't bog you down too much. Interested consumers over in the UK can snap this one up right now for £189 ($311), and that price nets you 100 free ebooks, a charger, data cable and a great sense of pride.

[Thanks, Sam]

Engadget's recession antidote: win a VTech IS9181 WiFi radio

This whole global economic crisis, and its resulting massive loss of jobs got us thinking. We here at Engadget didn't want to stand helplessly by, announcing every new round of misery without giving anything back -- so we decided to take the opportunity to spread a little positivity. We'll be handing out a new gadget every day (except for weekends) to lucky readers until we run out of stuff / companies stop sending things. Today we've got a boomin' VTech IS9181 internet radio on offer, ready to stream jams from the world wide web when not playing back your MP3 collection. Read the rules below (no skimming -- we're omniscient and can tell when you've skimmed) and get commenting! Check after the break for some photos of the prize!

Special thanks to VTech for providing the gea
r!

The rules:
  • Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but if you want to share your proposal for "fixing" the world economy, that'd be sweet too.
  • You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.)
  • If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine.
  • Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
  • Winner will be chosen randomly. The winner will receive one (1) VTech IS9181 WiFi radio. Approximate retail value is $199.99.
  • If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
  • Entries can be submitted until Wednesday, July 1st, 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
  • Full rules can be found here

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