Most of us remember making mix tapes for those special people that made us feel all weird inside. I never really made one for a boy, but I remember making them for friends who were too cheap to buy their own cassettes. I guess at the time I thought I'd be generous enough to share my music, hoping they'd do the same in return when they got their 12 tapes for a penny. That's how we swapped music back in the 80s before anyone had iPods, BitTorrent, or Napster. Today the mix tape is making a comeback in the form of a USB stick. Suck UK has packaged the ubiquitous USB drive in a cassette tape replica. I suppose you could just burn a few songs on a CD or publish a mix on iTunes, but somehow that's just not as romantic. The Mix Tape USB will be available next month, and you know, it might make a nice birthday gift for that special someone. via Technabob

It will measure at 1.8" x 3.3" x 0.3" and weigh at 1.8 oz. Its integrated 2GB with provision of expansion slot will store MP3, protected WMA, WAV (PCM) in addition to JPEG and WMV (160 x 128 @ 25fps). The front of the 105 is dominated by the 1.8" OLED. A power button and a pill-sized button surrounded by four way direction control are sitting beneath the screen. Look for the 105, available in red, silver and black, at around September.
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Uber-Review put it the Steelkeys up against the G15 and the Tarantula and said they preferred the key feel of the 6G over the other two keyboards. The only issue I see for some gamers is that the 6G has no macros or any special features for that matter. It?s simply a keyboard with reportedly good typing feel. The other problem I see is that the 6G is expensive; at $114 you can certainly buy more feature packed gaming keyboards for less money.
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The software will also automatically size, crop and rotate any scanned receipt or document. This would be a good way to keep up with the hoards of business cards we collect during our daily work related activities. Receipts are also categorized to help make doing your taxes easier. The SCANALIZER scanner and travel case is available now for $199.95. If business card scanning is more what you want to do, the Mac only portable business card scanner is an alternative.
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• Autoblog is reporting that Mercedes will unveil a new F700 luxury sedan at the Frankfurt auto show. The car will feature the new MB 1.8L turbo DiesOtto engine said to put out 238 HP with a fuel economy of 39 mpg.
• OhGizmo! posted a meat smeller called the SensorFreshQ which does just what it sounds like. The gadget smells your meat to tell you if it?s fresh, though you have to hold it still for a full minute to get a verdict.
• Last week Apple introduced the new iMac computers and now SlashGear has found a step-by-step from someone dissecting their new iMac. It?s pretty interesting to see how everything is packed inside that small case.
• Popular Mechanics has a story in the August issue of their magazine that talks about new bombs the Navy is testing using reactive materials. This basically takes a bomb that explodes and makes the shrapnel it produces explode as well.
• Weird clocks seem to be very popular right now and thorsten van elten has a clock that uses different fonts for a really strange look. Twelve different fonts are used and you can get different clock formats as well.

The DualMusicPlayer was designed to make you look like the coolest kid on the block.  That doesn't mean it's completely practical!  No, not the goal at all...you want to be different and have capabilities beyond your pals scope of imagination, right?

The DMP plays MP3's and your favorite music when in 'compact' mode but spin a few CDs in it and change the look at the same time.  Open up the DMP and insert a CD (of course you have to set it down during this part, don't wear it around your neck and try to listen to a CD) and you have a very different, conceptual looking, CD player.

You can bet your co-workers don't have one yet so if you like to have cutting edge devices, this would be one for you to try out.  Designed by Yong-Seong Kim, there are only a few choices many readers of the Yanko Design site had and one was to make it read CD's to save your music on the run, and really create a useful tool for the music lover.  A good idea we might see on the racks?

Mouse Computer Japan has just unveiled its plans to release their 17-inch gaming notebook pc ‘NEXTGEAR-NOTE M700 Series’ , with a resolution of 1920×1200.

Powered by Intel Core 2 Duo processor and Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN the ?NEXTGEAR-NOTE M700WXV1? runs on Windows Vista Ultimate OS and supports Intel Core 2 Extreme processor X7800 CPU and 160GB SATA hard disk. It also comes loaded with 2GB DDR II RAM and NVIDIA GeForce 7950GTX graphics card. Weighing just 4-Kg, the machine would attract quite a few gamers who?re looking forward to a perfect replacement for their gaming desktops.

Carrying a price tag of around 364,980 (JPY, VAT included) or $3077, it would certainly give some heat to its western counterparts, however, its quality is yet to be tested, but it seems a good bet especially with cutting edge features mentioned above.

Via: Aving

Good news for all your cell phone lovers, Sony Ericsson is all set to come up with new cyber shot phones in clamshell and slider form factor. Announcement in this regard is expected to be made on August 14.

Not much information on the features and price of these models as yet but according to report new model names is Veronica and Victoria. Sony Ericsson Victoria is a slim phone with thickness of around 14 mm. The best part about Victoria is that it has cyber-shot camera module and will be available in 5 colors. In terms of design, Victoria is quite identical to T650 model of Sony Ericsson.

Slashphone

Most desktop alarm clocks are just that, looking plain and boring. After all, you wouldn't really put too much thought into how a tiny timekeeping device would look like in the big scheme of things, would you? For the rest who feel otherwise, there is the Fabric Clock that is actually a fabulously designed desktop alarm clock decked within walnut wood veneer and stainless steel.

It is fully customizable, where the fabric screen was specially designed to be removed and replaced by virtually any other material that suits the overall color theme in your home. This means you can always recycle your unwanted curtains or bed sheet by reserving a small piece for the Fabric Clock. A total of three fabric swatches has been included in the box to get you started. The Fabric Clock measures 210mm x 105mm x 150mm and will be available for retail pretty soon. No word on pricing details though. 

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As most of you already know, the Nintendo DS Lite comes in more colors and design variations than you can shake a rainbow at. Announcement of the silver colored DS Lite in Japan was well received by some people who want something more mature to reflect their age, but this silver color still looks pretty much plastic rather than metal. If you're craving for something more, how about adding on real chrome to your DS Lite with the Shock! Magnum Chrome replacement shell?

This replacement shell guarantees a shiny metallic finish - all it takes is some knowledge, common sense (to decipher the directions properly) and the right tools. Made using copper-nickle-chrome electroplating, the case's exterior finally reflects a metal finish and is touted to resist scratches (something all DS Lites are extremely prone to - mine looks like a seasoned scratching post already) although it probably won't do much in keeping fingerprints at bay. Choose from a variety of colors, forking out $39.95 for the color of your choice.

Product Page via Technabob

I can vouch for the fact that keyboards are some of the most unattractive objects on the average office desk since most of them come in a uniform color (mostly black these days) and rarely feature lines which will make heads turn. Luxeed from Korea aims to change all that with its new range of keyboards. These new keyboards come with the complete ensemble of keys, save for the addition of color changing LEDs integrated under each individual key.

There are two different models to choose from, where the white backlit model retails for approximately $127 and can light up in a blinding array of color combinations (meant for those who love showing off) while the black backlit version will be my choice since the keys remain elegant in black, with only the letters and characters that change colors. The more mature looking black version is a wee bit more expensive ($7 to be exact) and is certainly worth every additional penny. Each purchase comes with software that lets you program just what color you want to appear on each key.

Product Page via Technabob

Summer is the time where kids have plenty of time off, running wild at home. Unfortunately, most kids these days won't be found having fun outside in the garden under the hot summer sun, but instead prefer to remain cooped up at home, gorging on a diet of video games, pizza, and carbonated drinks. Instead of being glued in front of the TV all day long, how about giving them a game that tests their reflexes and speed of thought instead? Known as Hyper Dash, this electronic action game targets kids aged six and above and comes with a "tagger" as well as five "targets".

Targets can be arranged in any space (as long as it is not too big), and the tagger calls out a target while reading RFID tags in the targets whenever you tag them. Choose from four different levels of play where level one calls out the colors you need to tag, level two throws numbers into the fray, level three adds special commands such as Double Strike, Triple Strike, Reverse, Double Reverse, and the final level features Compu-Strike (math problems that involve addition and subtraction). Hyper Dash retails for $24.95 and would be a very welcome distraction to snap video game zombies out of their spell.

Product Page via TDG

Asus? U3 laptop is now officially announced to hit our shelves and it appears that company has bundled it with all the goodies to magnetize young geeks with its arresting specs.

This 13.3 inches Santa Rosa-based notebook features piano painted LCD cover exterior, stainless contour and magnesium aluminum alloy casing with genuine leather bound palm rest.

U3 series notebooks detailed hardware specs comprise:

? Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T7500/ T7300/ T7100/ T5450/ T5250/ CM540
? Mobile Intel GM965 Chipset, ICH8M South Bridge
? Intel 4965 a/b/g/n, 3945 a/b/g Network Connection
? Genuine Windows Vista
? nVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS with 128MB VRAM, Turbo Cache 384MB with 1GB system Memory; 896MB with 2GB System Memory
? 1.3M Pixels Video Camera
? Up to 2560MB DDR2 667 MHz RAM (only 1 slot)
? Support for Intel Turbo Memory
? SATA HDD up to 160 GB, Turbo Memory/ GPS/ 3G/ Bluetooth Option
? External USB Optical Disc Drive (Combo/Super Multi)
? Ports: 1x HDMI, 1x e-SATA, External GPS RF in connector, VGA port/Mini D-sub, 3x USB 2.0 ports, Audio jack, LAN RJ-45, Phone RJ-11 jack, 1394 Type jack, TV-Out (S-video)
? Dimensions: 31.85 x 24.3 x 2.22~3.22cm
? Weight: 1.75kg (with 3 cell battery)

The notebook is forecasted to release sometimes in September and will hit our shelves with $2,000 price tag ballpark.

Via: Laptoplogic

This is a globally acclaimed fact that iPhone has managed to draw enough revenue as well as popularity for itself. So much is the heights of its craziness that a Japanese iPhone lover has made an iPhone look-alike through scrap material. Yes, believe it or not but that is the fact! The people who saw it claim that this iPhone mockup looks durable enough than the real one as it has an all aluminum back. The cult of Apple can go far much beyond anybody’s imagination...really!

Image: Gizmodo

Via: Techeblog

Have you too gone crazy to feel your iPhone like Thomas Martel who surgically altered his thumbs in a revolutionary new technique called ?whitting?, I don?t know about your degrees but the heights of his craziness clearly reveals that how deeply he is obsessed to feel revolutionary touch-sensitive spec of the iPhone.

Martel quotes:

From my old Treo, to my Blackberry, to this new iPhone, I had a hard time hitting the right buttons, and I always lost those little styluses. Sure, the procedure was expensive, but when I think of all the time I save by being able to use modern handhelds so much faster, I really think the surgery will pay for itself in ten to fifteen years. And what it’s saving me in frustration - that’s priceless.

Whereas, according to Dr. Robert Fox Spars who worked in the development of the procedure:

This is really, on the edge sort of stuff,” we’re turning plastic surgery from something that people use in service of vanity, to a real tool for improving workplace efficiency

This latest process makes a tiny incision into both thumbs by shaving the bones down, followed by cautious muscular alteration and modification of the fingernails.

Now, though Martel’s new thumbs is shaped small and effeminate in contrast to its monstrous large hands, he says that he can lift almost anything that I couldn?t lift before - opening spaghetti sauce jars was also problematic and now it?s a cakewalk, that?s really amazing.

Image

Via: Northdenvernews