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Mac Automation: create a Mail-triggered "spy cam"
Have you ever been away from your Mac, then come back only to find that your co-worker has stolen your favorite Apple pen? Well, I am going to show you how to catch them in the act by creating a Mac "spy cam." For this how-to, you will need to create an Automator workflow, AppleScript, and some Mail rules. So, cue the James Bond music, and let's begin. You do need an iSight or a newer Mac with a built-in camera. (Yes, I know there are some tools prebuilt to do this -- but what's the fun in that?)Continue reading to learn how to create the Mac spy cam.
iPod takes one small step for PMPs, one giant leap for consumer electronics
Oh sure, iPods have found their way outside of our atmosphere before, but there's just something magical about spotting one front and (off) center on the Space Shuttle Endeavour. Dollars to donuts it's perpetually repeating the discography of Air.
Everyone else sued over picture caller ID
A four-pack of carriers is getting sued over the infringement of three 2007 patents that appear to center around the concept of picture caller ID -- but here's the best part, it's actually a different dude from a different company than the one that sued Apple. US Cellular, T-Mobile, Virgin Mobile, and Helio are all named in the suit, suggesting that either the remainder of major US carriers have already licensed the technology, or this so-called Intellect Wireless just has a very bizarre way of choosing its defendants. So here's our question: what picture caller ID technology was patented by some random company in 2007 that these guys could possibly be violating?
Lenovo's X300 gets photographed in the wild
Just in case Walt's teaser shot and pages upon pages of specifications weren't enough to satisfy your curiosity about the forthcoming X300, we've got a pretty good idea the photos waiting in the link below just might. Sure enough, we've come across a number of crystal clear (gasp!) shots of the yet-to-be-released ultraportable, and while it's totally devoid of aluminum, we still maintain that it's undoubtedly sexy in its own way. Go on, you're just one click away.
Vain iPhone uses self-portrait as wallpaper
Yeah, we've certainly seen wallpapers with a touch more satire built in, but there's just something eldritch about seeing an iPhone on itself. Be a clever joke or simply a sign of obsession, it's intriguing nonetheless. Now, if only the pictured icons could be hacked to work within the photo...
Asus' Eee PC 701 exposed in Russian review
Well, would you take a look at this. Turns out, 3DNews somehow managed to get their palms around (and within) Asus' Eee PC 701 for a hands-on review. Granted, a heap of the writeup was a bit hard to grasp without understanding Russian (or being a master in deciphering broken translations), but we were able to notice that their sample unit boasted a 900MHz ULV Intel Celeron M processor, 512MB of DDR2 RAM, a seven-inch 800 x 480 resolution display, Ethernet, a 56k modem, and 802.11b/g. Additionally, the wee machine was even put through a series of benchmarks, so if you're interested in digging through an early review (or just want to brush up on your Russian), head on over to the read link -- but for those just yearning for a few more pics, they're posted after the break.
The DS Life: Summer's last throes
The DS Life is a weekly feature in which we scour the known world for narrative images of Nintendo's handheld and handheld gamers. If you have a photo and a story to match it with, send both to thedslife at dsfanboy dot com.If there's anything that closes summer, it's the clement passing of August, the noblest of the middle months. Families have their last barbecues, Jerry Lewis interrupts our channel surfing to remind us about muscular dystrophy, and custodians pull blue, creased tarpaulin over neighborhood pools. Labor Day rewards us with an extended weekend, and then just like that, summer is over.
Sony's flashy PMX-M70 PMP snapped in the wild
We know, yet another sexy device that will likely never hit American shores, but honestly, this thing was undersized (capacity wise) from the get-go. Of course, the futile mind tricks we play in order to convince ourselves that it wouldn't be nice to have Sony's PMX-M70 over here in North America won't stop us from ogling over live photographs. Thankfully, the folks over at IMP3 were able to wrangle up a few shots of the device in the wild, and while there's no news in regard to spec changes, feel free to click on through to see what you'll (likely) be missing.[Via DAPReview]
Toshiba's Portege G500 gets photographed from every angle
There's sneak peeks, and then there's all out photographic mayhem. Thankfully for those looking to get a better view of Toshiba's Portégé G500, the latest group of photos safely falls in the latter category, as TheUnwired has managed to snatch up a myriad of photos showing off the smartphone. Of course, you've already had time to read up on the specs and decide if this thing was for you, so why not hit the read link and see if the attraction is there when it bares all?
Nokia's 8GB N95 photographed in the wild
Unfortunately, we've no new details surrounding this elusive handset, but a few more pictures never hurt anyone. Go on, click through for a couple more glimpses at the 8GB N95 getting cozy beside a few of its soon-to-be rivals.
Wii's Guitar Hero III Les Paul unearthed
As the axe battle continues to heat up, here we have a first look at the Guitar Hero III controller for the Wii, which looks an awful lot like the first Les Paul-modeled iteration we saw -- save for that handy Wiimote slot and Nintendo-esque toggle switch, of course. Reportedly, the white faceplate is also removable, but we know the most of you won't want to disturb the color mojo that will be going on between your Wii and Gibson. Click on for an enlarged view.[Via Wii Fanboy]
RoboCup 2007: let the games begin
While we weren't able to get a first-hand glimpse of the mayhem that is RoboCup this time around, a camera-wielding Georgia Tech graduate student was able to do the honors for us all, and snagged quite a bit of impressive footage from the expo. Many of the shots were snapped during yesterday's practice rounds as competitors prepped their gear for battle (which began yesterday), and we must say that the oh-so-athletic Junior Soccer League robots are worth the price of admission alone. Still, even if witnessing robotic contention in person isn't enough to drag you to Atlanta, be sure to click through to get a glimpse of homegrown robotic innovation at its finest.
Nokia's geometric 7500 gets pictured
No word on official specifications or anything of that caliber just yet, but it looks like the geometry-inspired 7900 handset has an awfully similar sibling as well. Nokia's 7500 was caught on camera initially in a "spy picture" that resembles a horrific attempt at creating a Microsoft Paint masterpiece (seriously, it's after the break for your protection), but an entirely more stunning iteration hit the 'net shortly thereafter giving more legitimacy to its reality. Finally, the perfect gift for your child's seventh-grade math teacher, no?Read - Nokia 7500 spy pictureRead - Nokia 7500 "official" picture
Sony Ericsson K850 / K530 handsets get spotted
No sooner than Sony Ericsson goes and makes the K850 and K530 (amongst many others) official, it looks like there's already been some hands-on action with a pair. Reportedly snapped at the recent Sony Ericsson product launch in Hong Kong, the five-megapixel K850 cameraphone was oohed and ahhed over, but the not-exactly-soft soft keys and lack of backlighting seemed to be a bit of a drag. The K530 was admittedly in early prototype mode, so not much was known other than it still sported the generic model designation of SE123. But hey, at least the photos waiting after the jump will somewhat quell your insatiable desire for more details about these mobiles.Read - Sony Ericsson K850Read - Sony Ericsson K530
EB's Mobile Internet Device snagged by Engadget Chinese
We've got to give credit where it's due, and our Chinese extension is definitely delivering the hands-on goods of late. The most recent device to get caught under their camera is EB's Menlow-based MID UMPC, which was seen still sporting a 4.8-inch 1,024 x 600 resolution display and packing Red Flag Linux, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, a 3.5-millimeter headphone output, and WWAN connectivity to boot. Of note, it seems that the version they caught could still see some changes before the final release, but do your eyes the favor of hitting the read link and viewing the gallery for yourself.
HP Compaq's 2510p laptop snapped in the wild
Sure, Apple's latest 15-inch MacBook Pro may have stolen the thunder from HP Compaq's 2510p by getting its LED-backlit machine out to customers first, but for the purely Wintel crowd, this one's sure to please. In some foreign lair, the amigos (and chicas) over at TecnoSquad were able to apprehend a loose 2510p laptop long enough to snap a few detailed pictures showing off its exterior and even its posture while parked in a docking station. You already know what's inside, so make sure you leap past the jump in order to catch some external photos including one that unscientifically shows it as the brightest of the three pictured machines.
MediaStreet adds Bluetooth to eMotion digital photo frame
Nah, MediaStreet can't be considered a pioneer by throwing in Bluetooth functionality with its eMotion digiframe, but considering that only a few others have made such a gesture thus far, you won't find us bellyaching. The firm is upping the ante on its seven-inch widescreen digital photo frame by adding in the ability to instantly transfer photos snapped on your cameraphone or BT-enabled device onto the frame, but didn't forget about the traditional loading methods in the process; users can still import media onto its 256MB of internal memory via SD, CF, SDHC, MMC, MS / MSPro, xD, or USB 2.0. The device plays nice with JPEG / BMP photos, MP3 and WMA on the audio front, and AVI / MPEG1/2/4 when looking at video, and while this may not be the biggest buck on the block, it manages to support a variety of interchangeable wood frames and a wireless remote while ringing up at just $149.[Via Slashgear]
Forthcoming Netgear WiFi Skype phone caught on video
While watching Netgear's CEO play around with its "version 2.0" WiFi Skype phone certainly isn't as riveting as seeing the Nissan Dualist mech run around the streets of Ginza, the crew over at LiveDigitally was able to snag a few precious seconds of Patrick Lo's time in order to catch a glimpse of the aforementioned device. The overall design doesn't deviate too much from the existing rendition, and while Mr. Lo didn't get into the nitty-gritty per se, he did drop word that it'll be lighter, smaller, have a much improved GUI, last longer on a single charge, and "work seamlessly" with hotspots. Unfortunately, there wasn't even a hint as to when we'd see this thing hit the market, but click on through if you're interested in seeing the (very brief) interview.
Corsair Flash Survivor GT 8GB escapes torture test unscathed
We've seen some mighty rugged flash drives put to the test in our day, but Corsair's Flash Survivor GT 8GB managed to withstand a well-planned and carefully executed attack on its life like none that have come before it. This soldier of a USB drive not only performed great when tested against more fragile alternatives, it somehow escaped sans injury after being submerged in a pool, cooked in boiling water for ten solid minutes, and being creamed with a hammer numerous times. The torturers expected the CNC-milled anodized aircraft-grade aluminum housing to hold up fairly well under duress, but even they were utterly amazed at how invincible this thing really seemed. The $130 drive earned a much deserved 10 out of 10 rating from the flabbergasted review crew, and while we're not quite sure if it could withstand a nuclear attack like one of its competitors, it can apparently live through just about anything that you yourself could.[Thanks, Rodger]
Ugobe's Pleo packaging unveiled, battery now replaceable
Unfortunately, we don't have any surefire news that Ugobe's long-awaited Pleo is actually any closer to shipping, but considering that a design has apparently been decided upon for the packaging, we'll take that as a hint. Ugobe's founder Caleb Chung was quoted as saying that the "photos on the box are nearly life size and are designed to convey the wonderful range of expression and organic movement of which Pleo is capable," and continued on in order to mention that the final version of the dino would sport a battery that's both rechargeable and replaceable. Lastly, he threw in yet another phrase of confidence that the device was "getting really close" to actually launching, but considering the false alarms we've seen in the past, we're not banking on anything until this bad boy invades a few homes.
