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Lava Mobile's A10 for India proves IPS displays don't have to be pricey
We still associate whiz-bang screen technologies like IPS, Super LCD, and Super AMOLED with high-end devices, but an Indian company we'll admit we've never heard of -- Lava Mobile -- is looking to change that. Its Rs. 5,499 (about $123) A10 handset features a 3-inch IPS display with a claimed 178-degree viewing angle paired with a 3.2 megapixel camera, storage expansion up to 16GB, an orientation sensor, mapping capability (though GPS isn't actually mentioned), and a Yamaha-sourced sound system paired with a 3.5mm headphone jack that may or may not sound any better than your average handset. It tops out with EDGE data -- but 3G services are just now starting to come online on a wide scale in India, so that won't be a downgrade for most users. Not the specs we're looking for, but mark our words, manufacturers: we're expecting high-tech displays on everything now. Follow the break for the press release.
Lava Mobile's B5 Alpha touts groundbreaking ABCDE keyboard
Okay, we're admittedly a wee bit stumped by what Lava's peddling here. The Lava B5 is a decent-looking, Bold-esque device with an ABCDE keyboard layout -- yeah, this kinda frightened our digits, too -- but as to what OS it runs or what network type it calls home is a complete mystery. For what it's worth, the pic (render?) shows us Verizon Wireless and an EV-DO symbol, all on what must be some old flavor of Windows Mobile... so we've got our doubts as to the veracity of that setup. The phone is destined for India and as such has an Indian calendar, Nimbuzz (messaging, Skype, and the like), a 2 megapixel camera, a bundled 2GB microSD card expandable to 8GB, and even a PC Suite app of some sort that's potentially handy. Pricing on the B5 Alpha comes in at 4,399 rupees (roughly $95). Oh, and if the whole ABCDE keyboard isn't quite catching your fancy, no sweat: Lava has a B5 featuring old reliable QWERTY on offer. [Thanks, deej]
Hurry! Universal Invention of the Future just $10.50 on eBay
One man's junk is another man's treasure -- that's the bromide behind eBay. And sometimes if you look hard enough you can find a device that changes everything. An invention so magnificent, so unknowable, that its discovery alone could "make you feel good all over the world" without even making a bid. The prototype pictured above has universal purpose: it can inflate helium balloons when it detects hot lava, find gold floating in the sea, or let you know when a horse wakes up with the Swine Flu. Really, the choices here are limitless. And for just $10.51, the "Universal Invention of the future" is yours -- hurry, just 8 hours left. Check the video treasure after the break, you can thank us later.
First Look: iLava for iPhone/iPod touch
The lava lamp was an icon of 70s pop culture, and that same idea has made it into the 21st century, right on the iPhone. iLava [iTunes link] imitates both a lava lamp, and the demo that Jeff Han gave us at the TED conference. The iLava application is completely multi-touch, meaning that anything you touch will have an action. Touch the lava, move it around. When you tap and hold your finger in a specific area, you'll add heat and see the lava rise. You can also stretch the lava apart, or pinch multiple pieces of lava together. Shake or tilt the iPhone to move the lamp, just as you could a real lava lamp. If you're looking for a cool iPhone application that could bring a few minutes of enjoyment, then look no further than iLava. You can download it from the iTunes App Store for $0.99US. Update: The developer of iLava contacted us to let us know that this application is essentially the same thing that Jeff Han used at the TED conference. Both applications use the same codebase, and was developed by Llya Rosenberg (the same name mentioned in the demo video) over the past few years. Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
Things heat up in new Mines of Moria screens
Turbine has released a new batch of screens featuring the Forges of Khazad-dum for the upcoming Lord of the Rings Online expansion Mines of Moria and they're tempting us to use the "boy are they hot" pun, because they're literally filled with lava. Come to think of it, first it was fire and now we've upgraded to lava. Even some of the Trolls (we're pretty sure they're Trolls) are lava-infused. Ah yes, we dub thee Lava Trolls! Don't get us wrong though, we love the idea of dungeons and zones full of hot, bubbling lava.Give the image above (or gallery below) a click to check out the screens and all that burning liquid. There's also a pretty cool armor set, some impressive architecture and various vanity shots of those Lava Trolls. The more we look at them, the more we're diggin' their spiky-yet-bulbous design.%Gallery-18340%
Widget Watch: I Love Lamp heats up to 2.1
Marc from iSlayer sends word that they've updated the best little lava lamp widget ever: I Love Lamp is now at version 2.1.New to this version is the ability to actually change the color of the "lava" and the "water" inside the lamp (which, in real life, is actually transparent oil and translucent wax-- the more you know), as well as a little extra optimization and a little more randomness. As before, you also have a few options for style and color of the lamp. I Love Lamp is sweet and a cool little addition to your dashboard-- get it for free from iSlayer.
Living on lava: that's hot
As much as we do really hate to quote Paris Hilton, that is pretty hot. Chris Jensen at GameAlmighty has an entertaining and interesting story up about how so many games feature a lava level, have villain's lairs built around lava, or just feel the need to put molten rock in there somewhere. To quote from the article, "...have you ever stopped to consider what it must have been like to build a castle or dungeon near or on a river of lava? It breaks every rule in the OSHA handbook, I'm sure."He breaks down the difficulties on building things around lava, let alone living near it. It takes a very hardy soul, and we admit that we would probably start thinking about moving if we had a lava flow nearby. Of course if we did, we could also just call in Tommy Lee Jones and Anne Heche to save the day. If any knows how to corral lava and work with it, it's those two.
How would your DS fare ... in a volcano?
That's one of the many tough questions Robert Falcon asks over at modojo.com. He decided to analyze the DS and PSP's ability to survive various natural disasters, including floods, earthquakes, and blizzards. Keep in mind that if your DS Lite somehow manages to find its way into a pit of boiling lava, you need to take pictures so we can post them. Seriously, that stuff is blogging gold.On a slightly more serious tack, has anyone had a DS or DS Lite miraculously survive when it had no right doing so? Let us know![Thanks, Justin!]
