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iTat tattoos up the back of your iPhone
"iTat" is a questionable name for a product, but the actual effect of these "iPhone tattoos" looks pretty good. iTat is a system for etching on the back glass panel of the iPhone, which, on the black iPhone, looks like a sort of tattoo. The whole process is being offered by a company called Sirtified, and you can choose a patterned look, etch a picture, or put text on the back of your iPhone in any way you want. Personally I just like the patterns, but I also think subtler is better. Unfortunately, it's a DIY process. You put a special vinyl sticker on the back of the iPhone, rub in some "Super Magical Etching Fluid" (likely some mix of hydrofluoric acid, not to be played with), then wait a few minutes while the glass gets eaten away. It only takes a few minutes and sounds pretty easy if you follow directions (in fact, you can buy the fluid in art stores, and try etching even without their kit if you want), but the only assurance your iPhone gets is that it's apparently easy to replace the back cover if you need to. (It actually is very easy to swap the iPhone's back out, though you will need a "pentalobe" screwdriver. In fact, if you're going to be customizing your iPhone with strong chemicals, it's a good idea to remove the backside plate first anyway. --Ed) Still, if you want a nice etched pattern on the back of your favorite device, no pain, no gain, right? If you do jump on something like this, be sure to let us know how it works out.
Cranberry DiamonDisc: the $35 DVD that'll last longer than your ghost
We've seen outfit after outfit trumpet their long-lasting optical storage wares before, but Cranberry seems different. Rather than promising that whatever miracle they've just unearthed will be available "in the very near future," this company is selling its wonder product right now. The so-called DiamonDisc -- which is reportedly constructed from "diamond-hard stone" -- is designed to store precious memories for 1,000 years or more, and it's even built to withstand "temperatures extending up to 176 degrees Fahrenheit as well as UV rays that would destroy conventional DVD discs." Unfortunately, each disc holds just 4.7GB of information, and each one will run you $34.95 if purchased individually. Oh, and it's only playable on "most" regular DVD drives, so across-the-board compatibility seems less than likely. The more we think about it, the more sense that whole "just carve it into stone for future generations to see" mantra makes. Kudos, cavemen.
Design your own Kindle (and win it) with Engadget, Amazon, and Adafruit Industries!
Reading isn't just about the text that you're reading, it's an intimately personal experience in every sense of the word -- the way the book feels, the crease of the pages, the wear on the cover, it's all totally unique to your copy at the time that you're reading it. Put simply, it's an experience no one else will ever have. Between three models, dozens of accessories, and countless e-books, no two Kindles are alike, either -- but Engadget has partnered with Amazon and the DIY experts over at Adafruit Industries to hook up five extraordinarily lucky readers with truly unique reading devices. These guys are the laser etching experts -- see one of the Kindles they've done here!Here's the deal: we're asking you to think of a design that would look great on the Kindle's brushed metal back -- something that means a lot to you, something that'll make passers-by drool with envy when you casually hold up your new toy while reading The Economist from the comfort of your train, plane, or bus seat. Draft up that design (seriously, make sure it's awesome, because you'll be facing some stiff competition) and send it to us. We'll post some of our favorites as finalists and hand the reigns over to you -- our dear readers -- to select five winners who will each have their designs laser-etched into reality on the backs of their very own Kindles!The rules: Send your design to us by emailing it to contests [at] engadget [dawt] com with the subject "I want my custom Kindle!" (no quotes). Submissions must be in EPS or AI format, must be in black and white only, and must be composed strictly of vector graphics with all fonts converted to curves. We can scale your design as necessary, but keep in mind that you'll be dealing with an etchable area roughly five inches by seven inches. You can find a (very large) image of the back of the Kindle 2 here for your reference. We can't print anything you don't have the rights for, so to be safe, original work is the best! 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.) 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. Five (5) winners will each receive one (1) Amazon Kindle 6" Wireless Reading Device customized by Adafruit Industries. Approximate retail value is $299.00. 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. Design entries can be submitted until Friday, July 24th, at 11:59PM ET. Good luck! Full rules can be found here.
Show and Tell: Droopy
In today's Show and Tell, we're not bothering with the fleeting relationships we sometimes have with skins or cases. Today, we're examining the hardcore dedication required for permanent mods. When you really like something, you get it etched into the very surface of your DS. At least, that's what one reader did, with cute little tarepanda. See the finished result in all its glossy ebon glory in the gallery below, along with a few other choice pieces from Drew's collection.%Gallery-23940% Show and Tell is all about your stuff, so long as it's Nintendo-related. We love to see your collections, your crafts, your frosted creations, your t-shirts and swag of all sorts. Just snap a few pictures, tell us what's up, and send it all to showmeit [at] dsfanboy [dot] com. We'll take care of the rest.
MacBook Pro gets laser-etched with a Dark Portal
A few times now, I've had the opportunity to laser etch some of my tech stuff, and yeah, I've always thought it would be cool to get a neat pic on my iPhone or my old Powerbook. But I've never had a good enough idea to etch into metal. Of course, if I'd seen this Dark Portal laser etching, though, I might have thought of some Warcraft-y ideas.It's done by a company called Austin Laser Art. Justin, who owns the definitely Epic (or maybe even Artifact?) MBP, says that it took about 20 minutes to etch the laptop itself, though they did a few test etchings on paper to make sure it worked out all right first. The result looks pretty cool -- tons of detail and some really good looking shading. Plus, now we know what's behind that far portal in Nagrand: an Apple store.[Via Wonderland]
Zune Originals engraving now available for 80GB models
Take note, Zune dudes and dudettes: the Zune Originals engraving -- which has heretofore been relegated to the 4GB and 8GB flash versions of Microsoft's new player -- is now available on the big daddy, the 80GB. That's right -- now text, wild graphics, and combinations of the two can be emblazoned upon your media player, serving as a testament to your original and inimitable personality till the end of time. Did we mention it's free? Motor over there and check it out, right this second.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
