Archive for January 12th, 2010

Joystick-controlled maze rewards you with delicious candy

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The Office M&M Dispenser Maze by Project 240 is a “dispenser that was somewhat more entertaining than reaching into a jar, but also reduces the large M&M flux caused by greedy handfuls.” I guess someone just doesn’t like sharing?

Instead of simply eating candy out of a packet, you’ve got to navigate your sweet treat through a tilting maze you control with a joystick, rewarding you for your hand-eye coordination. After that, you can “reset” the maze, which will drop another M&M out of a dispenser, and it starts all over again.

The maze itself is static, so once you figure out all the right moves you’d be gobbling down chocolate in no time, but it’s still a pretty fun idea — and one that you can check out for yourself in the video above.

Project 240, via Gizmodo

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‘World’s first sex robot’ is a pretty cheap date, actually

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'World's first sex robot' is a pretty cheap date, actually

This is Roxxxy, a gal with an unfortunate name and the dubious honor of being the “world’s first sex robot.” (A title Japan would probably take issue with.)

So, what separates Roxxxy from her doll-like predecessors? Well, she’s got a rudimentary AI governing her that will have her picking up on your likes and dislikes (we’re not sure if that means she’ll remember what you like in your coffee or, well, other things), and she can also feel, listen and speak.

The way she reacts to you will depend on one of five personalities she’s programmed with, which have their own names such as the charming Frigid Farrah, Wild Wendy or Mature Martha, and you can even get a profile custom built.

So, with robots that simulate humans costing tens of thousands of dollars, you’d think courting Roxxxy would drain your bank account. Not so, apparently, as TrueCompanion, the company behind Roxxxy, wants to debut its love droid for somewhere around $7,000 to $9,000, with a subscription fee that’s “comparable to a cell plan,” according to the company.

Via Gearlog

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Extra screen: iMo Pivot Touch 7″ monitor

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Extra screen: iMo Pivot Touch 7

Research shows that the more monitors you have, the more productive you are. That holds true for the iMo Pivot Touch 7-inch USB monitor ($200, shipping 1/18/10), plugging into your Mac or PC’s USB port, and then giving you a bright and sharp 800×480 full-color touchscreen. We connected this little pivoting display, used it in both landscape and portrait modes, and found it to be a useful addition to our desktop real estate.

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What Would Failure to Combat Climate Change Quickly Mean?

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BOULDER, Colo. – Turns out climate policy has some tipping points. [More]



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Marketing FAIL: Reporter wrecks ‘unbreakable’ phone

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Last week at CES we saw Sonim’s “unbreakable” cellphone, the XP3.20 Quest Pro, and were impressed when the company CEO let us take a hammer and nail (that he provided) to the screen and found that we couldn’t even scratch it. Apparently, we didn’t try very hard, because this reporter from the BBC managed to wreck the phone with minimal effort.

The phone is said to be able to endure a 10-storey fall, temperatures up to 130°F, being sumberged in water for half an hour, among other things — except, it seems some mild banging on the metal frame of a water tank. The company will offer a three-year unconditional warranty for the phone when it goes on sale in the U.S. in the spring, though we’d suggest a review of the policy in light of these events.

While I’m sure this isn’t the kind of publicity Sonim was hoping to get out of CES, it’s really more the fault of product marketing than the phone design. Remember, if you’re ever tempted to tout your product as “unbreakable,” “indestructible” or, God forbid, “unsinkable,” just don’t.

Via YouTube

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Laid-back Jet Black (Oldies Club, fostered Northumberland)

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Jet appreciates the finer things in life: a relaxing walk followed by a nice relaxing snooze. He’s a well-behaved gentleman and is friendly with everyone and everything. Do you want the perfect laid-back black Lab in your life?

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Honda Debuts Production Version of 2011 CR-Z Sport Hybrid [Video + Gallery]

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Honda has taken the wraps off the final production version of the 2011 CR-Z hybrid sports car that will start hitting U.S. dealer showrooms in late summer of this year. The car has held on to many of the styling aspects that gave the concept versions a sleek modern look while clearly harkening back to the beloved original Honda CR-X.

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11 Practical Reasons to Buy an Electric Car

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Over the holidays I saw at least two lists dueling it out as to why electric cars may or may not be in your future. Those lists spanned the gamut from “Dude, they’re too expensive!“, to “Oil’s peaking, get off petroleum now!” But, although they brought up some food for thought, what those lists didn’t cover were the practical reasons to consider buying some kind of electric car (pure electric or extended range electric) in the next couple of years.

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New York City to Buy 70,000 New Electric Cars

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A study came out today saying that electric cars–both battery electric and plug-in hybrids–would make up as much as 16-percent of new car sales in New York City come 2015. That’s roughly 70,000 vehicles.

But what’s driving these EV sales? Governments are expected to impose higher restrictions on CO2 emissions, for one. Plus, subsidies and tax benefits for EVs are expected to increase.

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Max (Stray Dogs Sanctuary, Devon)

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Max is a lovely Staffy boy with a beautiful nature. All he wants at this time in his life is a loving home and plenty of TLC. He gets along well with children, other dogs and even cats. Can you offer this sweet boy a second chance at happiness?

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Billy (Stray Dogs Sanctuary, Devon)

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Billy is a super loving boy who has been in kennels for far too long now. He is a typical Staffy who loves being with people and being a part of everything that is going on. He is excellent with children and gets along with other dogs and would make an absolutely wonderful companion to some lucky people.

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