bunker
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Microsoft: Surface was developed in an 'underground bunker' at first, we can play the secrecy game too
We commonly associate extreme secrecy around a product design with Apple, but it now looks to be in vogue with all the major technology companies: just days after Samsung revealed the Galaxy S III's secret sauce, Microsoft has explained to TechRadar that it developed its surprise new Surface tablets under a similarly tight watch. A special wing of Microsoft's hardware unit initially worked in an "underground bunker," according to the division's Stevie Bathiche, before moving to a more conventional building with an 'airlock' door -- the company was just that concerned that Bob from Accounts Receivable might spoil the whole thing. As we all know by now, that level of secrecy proved effective almost until the last minute and let Microsoft design to its heart's content; we still don't know if other PC builders were aware. The practice is a sharp break from Microsoft's tendency to telegraph its strategy well in advance, and it emphasizes just how much importance Redmond places on its self-developed Windows 8 hardware.
NZXT Bunker keeps your USB peripherals secure, even at dodgy LAN parties
So, here's the situation: you roll into a LAN party in a less-than-ideal section of town. The lights are dim, the bouncer looks suspect, and Mike Tyson's tiger is situated there in the rear of the room. Even the Ethernet cables are grimy. Everyone's got their eyes on you and your new Alienware, and that stash of Razer peripherals just feels ripe for the taking. You aren't about to make a beeline back to your Daewoo, so you wrap each and every USB cable around your right arm just to make sure you go home with everything you came with. Sadly enough, that's not exactly an awesome way to trample your nearby enemies, but it seems that NZXT has a delightful solution. The company's new Bunker USB Locking Drive is designed to fit within a spare 5.25-inch slot in whatever tower you own, offering a foursome of USB 2.0 sockets and a potent, daunting locking mechanism. The idea here is that your webcam, mouse, keyboard and USB headset can be plugged in, and you can keep your mind at ease that nothing is going anywhere when you waltz over to the restroom. Unfortunately, critics over at Overclocks Online noticed that the shallow depth prevented all but the smallest of flash drives from fitting in, further proving that this thing is designed specifically for use with PC peripherals. Hit the links below to learn more, and get ready to shell out $24.99 come March if it's something you're into.
Military looking to build autonomous, bunker-busting killbot
We remember hearing something in the 1990s about SDI (or "Star Wars") actually being a tool to fight UFOs, and that places like Area 51 contained vast underground bases positively teeming with ETs. We didn't think much of it then, and neither do we now -- although this request for information posted over on the FBO website has given us pause. The query is officially for info regarding "robotic underground munition technology," meaning that Defense Threat Reduction Agency would really, really like to get its hands on an autonomous bunker-busting robot capable of being dropped on a target and digging into (and then blowin' up) whatever it is that lies beneath the ground. Features specified include: a survivable underground communication system, capabilities to efficiently overcome natural and man-made obstacles, viable passive and active defensive and offensive systems, vehicle control logic to avoid, traverse, neutralize or defeat natural and man-made obstacles, and more. One one hand, this does sound like a bit of "war on terror" overkill, but again we don't really expect the federal government to throw tons of money at a grandiose and over-expense project that will never come to fruition. We'll be keeping a close eye on this one.
Reader WoWspace: the "Trog room"
This week on Reader WoWspace, we've got a really wild and interesting setup for you! This one comes to us courtesy of J. who has actually demolished and semi-rebuilt the room that his and his wife's WoWspace is in, just to fit in with what he calls the "troglodyte mode" style. Whatever you'd call this particular bunker, I know that this is one of the most absolutely unique WoWspaces I've seen to date! If you're curious to learn more about J. and his wife R.'s setup, check out all the details of this week's Reader WoWspace after the jump!
