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Two Burnout Picture Packs Available
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Driving, Xbox 360, Xbox Live Marketplace,
For the Burnout uber-fans out there, there are two new Burnout Picture Packs (pictured above) available for download on the Xbox Live Marketplace. Quick question though - is anyone out there actually spending their Microsoft Points on anything other than Live Arcade games? Are the picture packs actually worth the cost to some folks? Let us know.
Read More 
| Major Nelson
XP On Mac Contest Over - Instructions Included!
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Microsoft, Mods / Hacks, Software,
We had a few people write in who were salivating over the video we posted yesterday of Windows XP being installed and running on an Intel iMac. Your wait is over, dear friends. narf2006 and blanka have claimed the championship, and will soon be the proud recipient of $13,854. In the meantime, you can download the instructions and files needed to get Windows XP up and running on your Intel-based Mac (be it an iMac, MacBook Pro, or mini) here.
Read More | XP on Mac
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Last Day To Buy TiVo Lifetime Subscription
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Corporate News, Home Entertainment,
Just as a reminder, today is March 16 - the last day you can buy a lifetime subscription to the TiVo service. After this evening, you will need to choose a TiVo service contract in one-, two-, or three-year increments. Sucks, we know - especially with the Series 3 looming on the horizon.
Latest Gear Live Videos
Speaking of tomatoes, Australian scientist Amy Walmsley has attempted to grow tomatoes that would integrate the Avian Flu vaccine.
“We just harvest the fruit, freeze-dry it and there’s your vaccine,” Walmsley told the newspaper. “That would be a lot easier than giving injections—especially for a flock of 5,000 chickens.”
How “Star Trek” is that?
Read More | Physics Org
Is the AlphaGrip a controller? Nope - it’s a keyboard. The standard QWERTY keyboard layout we have today was invented in 1874, due to the high rate of mechanical failure of manual typewriters when the keyboard was laid out in a standard ABC layout. Since keyboards have become commonplace, and no longer face the same difficulty typewriters do, a number of new layouts (most notably, the Dvorak layout) have been tried, but in general, with a few exceptions, the keyboard has remained the same.
No longer! AlphaGrip has reinvented the keyboard.
The AG-5 interfaces with computers via a single removable USB cable. It uses a simple chord-like keyboarding model and an integrated trackball to provide complete keyboard and mouse functionality in a unique form factor that looks a bit like a console gaming controller.
The learning curve on this one is probably pretty steep, but with the popularity and familarity of console gaming controllers, could it be the next generation keyboard?
Read More | ArsTechnica
Motorola has announced that the PEBL will be available in four new colors. If black just isn’t your thing, you will soon have the pleasure of choosing from pink, green, blue, or (what we like to refer to as) Gear Live orange. Naturally, we expected to see a pink version, just because Motorola seems to want to make sure all of their unique phones have a version for the female demographic (see pink SLVR) - but seeing the other colors announced actually pleases us.
We’ve gone from pink to “whoa” - leveraging our leadership in color and design to make the PEBL expressive and refreshing. This is a product you choose because you want it, not because you need it.” says Jim Wicks, Motorola VP and Director of Consumer Experience Design.
Read More | Gadget Candy via Gizmodo
File this under “weird-but-cool.” Most of the time, tomatoes are notoriously hard to grow. However, the Upside Down Tomato Garden could change that - and it looks “space age” at the same time.
This ingenious planter takes the toil out of growing tomatoes by elevating the planting bed and allowing your vines to grow downward from holes in the bottom.
And, as a bonus, the top side of the planter can be used to grow herbs, flowers, or anything else you might think of putting up there.
Read More | Hammacher Schlemmer
Amazing in it’s simplicity, here’s a suprisingly innovative solution for keeping your plants happy and healthy. Not exactly “high tech” but it does add a certain “steampunk” or “cyber” look to your indoor garden, with all that hose.
This device automatically waters up to 20 plants for up to 40 days without the need for a spigot or power outlet. Up to 20 drippers attach to a 32’ PVC hose that runs from the systems reservoir to your plants and then back again; a single dripper placed in each plant takes care of watering, or you can use several drippers in larger plants. A washable polyamide filter removes rust, dirt, and other impurities so drippers wont clog.
It sells for $99.95 at Hammacher Schlemmer.
Read More | Hammacher Schlemmer
Video: Windows XP Installed and Running On Intel iMac
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Microsoft, Mods / Hacks, Software,
So, narf2006 seems to have cracked the code, so to speak, on getting Windows XP to run on an Intel Mac. Using one of the new iMacs, narf recorded a video of the installation of Windows XP, followed by the rebooting of the platform, creating user accounts, logging in, and checking out the Device Manager. We must say, this one is very convincing. He goes out of his way to prove that this is authentic, and has sent his instructions to Colin Nederkorn (who has raised over $10,000 to award to the first person to get this figured out.) Once they are validated, and the check is cut, we can all hack up our iMacs to dual boot, despite all the roadblocks we have faced.
Back to reality for a moment. We don’t see what the practical, real-world benefit of this is. In our offices, we have Macs and PCs right next to each other. If we need to get to something in the other OS, there is no need to shut down, and reboot. What we need is a version of Virtual PC that is fast, and runs on the Intel Macs. Better yet, we need to be able to run Windows programs on the Mac. When that happens, give us a call. We will squeal like schoolgirls.
Read More | OnMac
American Idol Contest Reveals TiVo Series 3 Release Period?
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Home Entertainment,
TiVo is running an American Idol contest throughout the course of the competition, allowing viewers to vote on who they believe will be eliminated each week. What we love about this contest is that the Grand Prize winner will walk away with a free TiVo Series 3 unit. Now, TiVo has stated that the Series 3 would be delivered within four months of the end of the contest, which ends in 11 weeks. Here is their official wording:
Grand Prize: 1 Special Limited Edition TiVo Series3 HD Digital Media Recorder w/Product Lifetime Service
Average Retail Value: $1,500.00Selected entrants will receive the the weekly prize by mail within thirty (30) days of the Weekly Sweepstakes end date and the Grand Prize by mail within four (4) months of the end of the Sweepstakes Period (exact timing subject to change based upon availability of Grand Prize, which is scheduled to be released for public sale in the second half of 2006).
This makes it look like the Tivo Series 3 will be available for purchase in the next six months. Dave Zatz is taking bets in his giveaway, where you can win a TiVo network adapter for guessing the date and price of the unit.
Read More | American Idol Contest via ZatzNotFunny
