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Houston newscaster dictates slide transitions, goes bowling with Wiimote

by Darren Murph posted Oct 28th 2009 at 3:14PM

We're not sure who's winning the ratings war in Houston, but we're going to give the upper-hand to KHOU based on these shots alone. As you can clearly see in the image above (and the enlarged versions there in the gallery), this newscaster is wielding a Wiimote. It's hard to say if the news station actually has their slide transitions setup to change with a swing of the controller, or if weather map zooming is handled with something typically used for gaming, but one thing's for darn sure -- lightning rounds of Wii bowling during commercial breaks are definitely happening.

[Thanks, Edmar]

Update: Whoa, looks like this was indeed the real deal. Check the details here!

Gallery: Houston newscaster dictates slide transitions, goes bowling with Wiimote

Stylophone Beatbox made interesting, desirable by superstar Brett Domino (video)

by Darren Murph posted Oct 14th 2009 at 9:17PM

The $25.50 Stylophone Beatbox doesn't look like much, and if it weren't for one Brett Domino and his partner in hip-hop crime Steven Peavis, we just might have continued about our lives without knowing of this thing's potential. Described as the ultimate street cred token for the average white boy, this diminutive box reacts to panel presses by dishing out the hottest beats this side of Compton. The result? An eclectic mix of melodic rap tunes, all beautifully re-rendered by Leeds' most handsome, talented and skilled resident. Hit the video after the break if you know what's good for ya, and feel free to fast forward to 1:33 before having your mind blown. Thug lyfe, y'all.

[Via Gizmodo]

Continue reading Stylophone Beatbox made interesting, desirable by superstar Brett Domino (video)

Caption Contest: Waterproof BlackBerry Storm doubles as flotation device

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Aug 10th 2009 at 6:06PM

Following hot on the heels of a similar outing from Samsung, it seems that RIM's finally wading into the oversized novelty smart phone market.

Josh T: "Even at that size, the Storm was still difficult to type on."
Tim: "HELLO? WHAT? NO I'M IN A SWIMMING POOL. YEAH, IT'S RUBBISH."
Darren: "Clickable touchscreen, huh? Riiiiiight."
Jacob: "I never thought the Storm could've been such a lifesaver."
Laura: "I'm not sure this is what people meant when they said RIM should try to make a BlackBerry that appeals to younger people."
Joe: "Looks like it's time to try out that 'rice bowl' trick."
Ross: "It's pretty rude of him to sit on those text messages all day."
Don: "Gotta watch out for those deep end roaming charges."
Nilay: "A U2 backstage pass is not what it used to be."
Chris: "Analysts say that the Storm's price is inflated and RIM's touchscreen support is still in its infancy."

London Calling Mobile Phone makes us long to be British

by Darren Murph posted Jul 18th 2009 at 6:02PM

You know those red K6 telephone boxes that are such an iconic and unmissable part of any stay in London? Yeah, that's the inspiration for the mobile you're peering at above, just in case you couldn't guess. The so-called London Calling Mobile Phone is a fully-functional handset, packing a color LCD, SMS and MMS functionality, tri-band GSM connectivity and pre-programmed ringtones that include "Rule Britannia" and "God Save the Queen." We'd continue swooning if we had to, but we're pretty sure you're already whipping the plastic out to make this happen. Check the backside after the break, and tap the read link to get your £85.95 ($141) pre-order in.

[Via Pocket-lint]

Continue reading London Calling Mobile Phone makes us long to be British

SmartSwipe helps you max out your Diners Club card without leaving the house

by Darren Murph posted Jul 14th 2009 at 12:42PM

Check it, big spenders. If you just can't get enough of that swipe-to-buy action seen prominently at most modern fuel pumps and McDonald's restaurants, why not bring the action back to your home turf? Available now in the wondrous United States of America, NetSecure's $99.95 SmartSwipe is a USB-enabled device that literally allows you to swipe your credit card in order to make online purchases. Reportedly, this device "scrambles and encrypts the user's credit card data before it reaches the user's computer or internet," thus making online shopping safe once and for all. If you're still confused, hop on past the break for a dead-serious infomercial. Trust us, it's a must-watch.

Continue reading SmartSwipe helps you max out your Diners Club card without leaving the house

Video: Grocery cart morphs into electric go-kart, insanity ensues

by Darren Murph posted Jul 1st 2009 at 9:33AM

We won't bother detailing just how sophisticated the system is that's powering the wild whip you're peering at above. We won't bother mentioning just how many A123Systems batteries are installed, nor how intelligent the creator is. We won't bother wearing our jealously on our sleeves. What we will do, however, is point you after the break in order to have a look at just how exhilarating a ride in the LOLrio Cart (otherwise known as an electric go-kart) is. Harris Teeter, you getting all this?

[Via AutoblogGreen]

Continue reading Video: Grocery cart morphs into electric go-kart, insanity ensues

Full-fledged Atom PC finds home in toy Ferrari

by Darren Murph posted Jun 3rd 2009 at 9:44AM

This, folks, is the definition of oxymoron. Intel's Atom processors are just barely quick enough to serve our lowly needs; would anything other than a Core i7 975 Extreme Edition really be fitting here? Ah well, at least it's not playing back copies of pirated material while out on the show floor.

Plain English Campaign wants to bring down walls of technobabble, rule the world

by Darren Murph posted Apr 28th 2009 at 10:55AM

So look, we fully understand that not everyone "gets" technology-related lingo -- we've had to walk our mums and dads through setting up a WLAN router with a WPA2 password and 1337 encryption many, many times. But this... this is just comical. Peter Griffiths, who we can only imagine looks and speaks exactly like Peter Griffin (pictured), is hoping that his Plain English Campaign can knock down the "walls of techobabble" by "pulling our heads out of the digital clouds and using plain English." Ironic, really, given that most of the technologically illiterate wouldn't know that a digital cloud actually refers to an off-site storage hub where information is exchanged. At any rate, it seems the campaign is pushing to have flummoxing terms such as digital TV, phone jack, desktop and dongle (yes, seriously) changed, or at worse, have them defined clearly in a dictionary that precisely no one would ever read.

Gold Bullion Wireless Mouse only looks like a million bucks

by Darren Murph posted Apr 9th 2009 at 2:06AM

Look, we fully understand the dilemma. You picked up a Pure*Gold PC late last year, and you've been tirelessly searching for a suitable mouse to use with it ever since. At long, long last, said device is finally upon us. Too comical for Crapgadget and too outlandish to be taken seriously, the Gold Bullion Wireless Mouse operates on practically any USB-enabled machine and is coated with precisely zero atoms of gold film. In other words, around 98 percent of the $34.68 asking price is for the looks alone, but you know it's worth it.

[Via technabob]

Video: LG's LGenius presentation lays out totally fake, remarkable TV advancements

by Darren Murph posted Mar 28th 2009 at 3:01AM

Not that we haven't seen completely off-the-wall viral marketing ads before (including one from LG, in fact), but this one just takes the proverbial cake. In a perfectly staged LGenius presentation, we're informed about a few astounding up and coming TV advancements. The first one intelligently replaces all swear words with baby laughter or eerie silence, while the "Happy Time" feature automatically detects when a program is too sad for one's health and adds random images of cute puppies and kittens. Finally, the "Family Time" feature turns any sensual scene into one with cartoon characters, making even the steamiest bedroom romance seem perfectly acceptable for innocent eyes. Seriously, this one has to be seen to be believed -- mash that play button and have a gander.

[Thanks, Kellen]

Canon EOS 5D Mark II flash drive: just 21.1MP shy of awesomeness

by Darren Murph posted Mar 27th 2009 at 9:23AM

You could say that this is the perfect USB flash drive for existing EOS 5D Mark II owners. We'd argue, however, that this is the perfect USB flash drive for those looking to just live vicariously while not shattering the bank. 'Course, $129.99 for a 4GB USB key is pretty absurd, but at least that gets you Live View and a 1080p movie mode. Er, wait...

[Via Zungua]

Caption Contest: Fire-breathing robot scuttles into choir practice

by Darren Murph posted Mar 19th 2009 at 7:26AM

We're not so sure who thought it'd be a bright idea to invite Torayan, a 7.2 meter tall, fire-breathing robot to what appears to be an otherwise calm and collected choir practice, but that sucker is going to burn.

[Thanks, Chris]

Nilay: "Look, he wants you off the ****ing set."
Ross: "Turns out he's a little sensitive about being compared to the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man."
Paul: "Needless to say, there were a few rule revisions to the RoboSoccer games the following year."
Chris: "Years of steroid abuse have drastically altered Asimo's personality and physical appearance."
Joe: "This could be the biggest thing to happen for Open Source, EVER!"
Jacob: "I AM THE VOICE OF THE GENERATION!"
Darren: "Ah, so that's what those waivers that mom had to sign were for."
Richard: "Kanye's backstage rants have really gotten out of control, haven't they?"
Thomas: "Wait until you see me pee."

Nokia 1600 survives week in fish's belly, still makes smelly calls

by Darren Murph posted Feb 28th 2009 at 2:17PM

First off, it's rather amazing that someone in a developed nation is still using the Nokia 1600 as their primary handset. Secondly, it's even more astounding that said handset lasted a week in the belly of a cod and could still make calls after it was rescued. In a just-barely-believable story hosted up at The Sun, a businessman was both shocked and confused when his presumably sunk cellphone began ringing his lady friend around five days after he dropped it at sea. As the tale goes, a 25 pound cod managed to swallow the thing, and a pair of fishermen discovered it upon gutting their catch. The best part? The bloke who it was returned to is still using it, despite the fact that it literally reeks of rotten fish. Who knows -- maybe he suffers from ichthyomania.

[Via Nokia Conversations]

Video: Rolly conducts choir of AIBOs, crowd goes wild

by Darren Murph posted Feb 26th 2009 at 1:07PM

Here at Engadget HQ, we're having a heated debate on which aspect of this finding is more fascinating. The fact that a Rolly can conduct an entire choir of musical AIBOs, or the fact that we finally understand the purpose of Sony's questionably useful jellybean. Have a look at the video above and toss your vote in below.

[Via MAKE]

Caption Contest: The Network covers ground in a Smart car

by Darren Murph posted Feb 12th 2009 at 4:19PM

We've heard that The Network is pretty expansive, but we never could figure out just how Verizon Wireless managed to cover all those dead zones in record time without being heard. Now, it all makes sense.

Sean: "With a requirement to cut costs and save cake, Verizon has hired Bob the Builder to do the work of thousands. New Verizon slogan: 'Yes we can!'"
Darren: "Anticipating an ambush from Chad and all his traditionalist friends, Verizon employees were forced to wear hard hats not just on location, but in transit."
Paul: "There's probably a smarmy guy with glasses in that car. Can you feel the anger rising within? You must learn to control that anger."
Chris: "'Small, slow, and easily destroyed' was not the corporate image Verizon was hoping to project with its road fleet."
Don: "Verizon was forced to quickly improvise after its first vehicle, the Storm-mobile, mistook park for reverse and met an unfortunate end."
Joe: "It's a long, lonely road out there -- longer and lonelier when your car is wearing a funny hat."
Nilay: "God, I hope no one can hear me now."
Ben: "Ironically, this Verizon Wireless driver was seen using a GSM handset while traversing the International Speedway."
Thomas: "My other car is a T-Mobile."

[Thanks, Evan]