Damn Big News » Gizmodo » January 29, 2010

Gizmodo (29 unread)

I Made a Coitus Reference to FoxNews.com, and They Quoted Me [Media]

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 11:57am EST by Wilson Rothman

FoxNew.com tech editor Jeremy Kaplan asked me if I think Apple's lost its mojo. I responded using a metaphor pertaining to intercourse, particularly that moment after the fact, and he went with it. Hey, it was a good metaphor! [FoxNews.com]
Which iPad 3G Data Plan Should You Buy? [Apple]

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 11:53am EST by The Business Insider

When Apple's iPad 3G ships in April, U.S. wireless partner AT&T will offer two data plans for the gadget, with different costs and monthly download allotments.

Specifically, AT&T will offer a $14.99 monthly plan that allows for 250 MB of data consumed, and a $29.99 monthly plan that allows for unlimited Internet consumption.

Which should you buy? That depends on how you'll be using the device on a 3G network, of course. (We think most people will buy the cheaper iPad without 3G service, but many will buy the 3G model, too.)

For an idea of what the cheaper plan offers, here's what 250 MB translates to:

* About 35 minutes of YouTube video at standard-definition
* OR about 8-10 minutes of YouTube or iTunes video at 720p hi-definition
* OR about 70 songs from iTunes
* OR a few thousand Web pages and typical email usage
* OR more than 4,000 Facebook photos

So, if you think a month's worth of 3G access looks like this, then you should be fine with the 250 MB plan:

* Browsing a few dozen Web pages a day and typical email usage (without downloading big attachments)
* Looking at a few dozen Facebook photos a day
* Watching a few minutes of YouTube video a week
* Downloading a few songs and podcasts from iTunes per month
* Downloading a few small iPhone or iPad apps per month, light app usage

If you think you'll be using more bandwidth than that over 3G, you may consider the $29.99 plan. Remember that you can cancel anytime, change plans on a monthly basis, or turn service off and on, because there is no contract. (And no "activation fee" was disclosed during Steve Jobs' presentation.)

Remember, using the iPad in a wi-fi zone doesn't count toward this limit. So if you're going to be using the iPad primarily at home—the best use case—or at the office, or anywhere there's wi-fi, you won't need to worry about hitting the 250 MB cap. AT&T is also including free access to its wi-fi networks in its 3G plans, which includes Starbucks locations.

What happens if you go over 250 MB? Will AT&T stick you with unreasonable overage charges?

The company won't say.

But our hunch, because this is prepaid service — no contract or credit check required — is that once your 250 MB are up, AT&T's network meter will simply require you to upgrade to the $29.99 plan to continue using the Internet.

This seems the more consumer-friendly, responsible thing to do, and eliminates AT&T's risk of offering you credit. But AT&T refuses to immediately give more information than what Jobs said in his presentation. So we can't be sure.
Monopoly Boards Are Circular Now. Circular! [Board Games]

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 11:40am EST by John Herrman

For its 75th anniversary, Monopoly's getting a massive update, pitting brazen and new against proven and old: Circular board or quadrilateral? Cash currency or fake credit cards? This is the stuff of ruined relationships.
In the monopoly wars, I'm imagining there will be two camps, not four. there will be people who are OK with the circular board and the switch to digital currency, and people who are fine with neither—the purists and the pragmatists. There will be a middle ground in this fight, but it will be drenched in blood.

I think I might be one of the purists. I get that the new design makes a bit more sense, and that giving players credit cards is less trouble than managing a bank full of cash. But you know what would be even less trouble? A video game.

Monopoly Revolution will be out in Fall, for $35. And don't worry—you'll still be able to find old-style boards, too.
The Faulty iMac Saga, Chapter 3: We Have Your Internal Memo, Apple [Broken]

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 11:00am EST by Mark Wilson

While Apple released the iPad this week, we scored their internal work order admitting the iMac's yellow screen problem, and one of our readers may have figured out how to fix it.
Can You Safely Buy a New iMac Yet?
Nope.
Why?
In the last week, ten readers have reported receiving yellow screened iMacs—the majority of whom are on their third system. Both the yellow/flickering screens have yet to be fixed.
What's Being Done?
We've seen two very interesting developments since the last iMac update. First, Apple delayed shipments on new 27-inch iMacs (but not 21-inch models) for three weeks in what we can only assume is an attempt to fix any manufacturing/shipping issues. Meanwhile, they're addressing the flickering problem, again, with a second patch that's coincidentally arriving in "roughly three weeks" itself.
The Leak!
Here's Apple's internal guide on the jaundiced screen problem. Obviously, they've noticed customer complaints, no matter what customer service might tell you.
(click to enlarge)

The main points you should take away from this memo are that Apple knows about the problem but wants you to ignore it, they're choosing to replace screen components rather than complete iMacs (bad news for those of you who rightly desire a purely new product off the line), and again, Apple seems to be arranging a fix in 3 weeks time that I'm guessing correlates with the main 27-inch iMac delay. Oddly enough, Apple makes no mention of 21-inch systems having yellow screens, even though problems have been reported (albeit not as often).
What Could Be Wrong?
The same reader who tested the color temperatures of his yellow iMac display last week—and coincidentally fixed his jaundiced iMac without knowing how he did it—thinks he may have figured out the issue:

I now am fairly certain that the yellowing of the display is a manufacturing defect involving the distance between a layer of material used to diffuse the LED backlight and the LCD panel. To show a perfectly even color, this light scattering panel has to be absolutely flat and free of any warping, kinking, or thickness defects. It is this layer that I believe is at fault, and causes the color to drift and give the perception of yellow stripes, fields, and corners.

This would be absolutely consistent with the reports of horizontal and vertical stripes (a vertical or horizontal kink) or corners (a bad tuck). I believe these defects may not appear in the factory. Rather, with the rough handling the monitors receive when shipped this layer gets knocked out of alignment.

I don't know what Apple could do to solve this problem, other than a wholesale change of manufacturer for the panels, or a complete redesign of the panels themselves to better pin the diffusion layer.

It also explains why my careful assembly and dis-assembly resulted in the yellowing disappearing. By being cautious, I basically returned the monitors to the original factory state of perfect alignment.

If anyone wants to test this theory on their own machine, let us know how it went at submissions@gizmodo.com. Just use caution, as I've heard cracking your case this deep may void your warranty.
Quote of the Week, Apple Apologist Edition
"Running a business is difficult."
How Can you Test Your Machine?
A flickering screen will be immediately obvious. As for issues where the bottom half of the screen looks a bit yellow, you can confirm those suspicions here.

Keep those updates coming to submissions@gizmodo.com. I urge you all to tweet this story to get the word out. The louder everyone complains, the less iMacs Apple will sell and the more likely this saga will have a happy reasonable ending.

And maybe, just maybe, Apple will choose to test their new products on someone other than their customers next time.
Nokia/Apple Lawsuit Turns Ugly With Nokia Sniping At Apple's "Largest Mobile Devices Company" Claim [Lawsuits]

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 10:57am EST by Kat Hannaford

Any chance the UN has a spare helicopter on a day Stephen Fry is free? Someone needs to fly him into this Nokia/Apple WARZONE and provide both sides with a box of tissues, cup of tea and a comforting hug.

Still, I can definitely see why Nokia's got their panties in a twist after Steve Jobs smugly boasted they were the world's "largest mobile devices company" on Wednesday, following their patent infringement lawsuit which has both companies countersuing each other.

Mark Squires, the head of social media for Nokia, wrote on the company blog that:

"sometimes there are articles floating around on the sphere that get my blood pressure rising to what my doctor is prone to call an ‘unreasonable level for a man of your years/weight/physical condition'. Reading coverage of one of our competitor's much hyped web pad event this week, I was surprised to see that, by revenue, they were claiming in their leader's keynote to be "the largest mobile devices company in the world."

Promising a true "apples-to-apples comparison", Squires snarked:

"The difference between the two companies is even larger if you use the more common measure: the number of devices sold. By that comparison, Nokia has been the largest mobile devices company in the world for a dozen consecutive years."

Before I get too schoolmarm-ish on the two companies, I do hope Apple at least responds to that. [Nokia Conversations via Mobile-Ent]
200-Meter-Long Superyacht Makes All Billionaires' Existing Yachts Look Merely Clitoral [Emocean]

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 10:40am EST by AddyDugdale

Ain't it always the way? Just when you think you're the owner of the world's biggest yacht, an even larger one appears out of nowhere? (Well, I say nowhere, I really mean Belgium, where boat designers Emocean hail from.)

At 656 ft - 99 ft longer than Roman Abramovich's dinghy - the uberyacht will have a drive-in garage, a pair of 98-ft day boats, a helipad, a hanger, a 30-meter swimming pool, nightclub, casino, games room, a two-level cinema, three beach clubs and a health spa. There are 10 VIP rooms, 22 guest suites and a private deck for the owner.

The floating turd - just look at the color of that thing - houses 45 passengers and 70 crew and bobs along at an impressive 28 knots. Range is 6,500 nautical miles. And is it just me, or do those long gunslits/porthole-y things spell out Ha Ha Ha? Ha. [James Spotting]
A Message About the Apple iPad, From the iPhone [Humor]

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 10:00am EST by Adam Frucci

Our friend the iPhone is back, and he's got some opinions about the iPad and the various complains people have about it. Look out, kids! He's got a pretty foul mouth.
Retro Thing's Transparent USB Joystick Is Hackable and Cheap [Gaming]

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 9:59am EST by Kat Hannaford

This isn't just the Atari joystick equivalent of the transparent Gameboy, which had no added features except for special see-throughness. This joystick is actually hackable, and can connect up to eight other controllers through the labeled solder points.

Retro Thing's joystick lights up blue when plugged into a USB port, and is compatible with Atari, Amiga and Commodore emulators. Bundled with the joystick is a CD with over 80 suitably-retro games, and the Stella Atari 2600 emulator. It's only $29.95 too—or $44.95 with a retro t-shirt thrown in for good measure. [Reflex Audio via Retro Thing via Make]
Yeah, AT&T Is Requiring Messaging Plans With Feature Phones [At&t]

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 9:56am EST by Boy Genius Report

After we whispered that AT&T might be requiring messaging plans when you purchase select feature phones, we were hit up by a flood of connects. Long story short, it's true, and here's the break down:

• Phones that require a messaging plan at time of purchase include: Pantech Reveal, Pantech Impact, Motorola Karma, Samsung Flight, Samsung Impression, Samsung Magnet, Samsung Solstice, Samsung Mythic, Samsung Propel, LG Xenon, LG Neon, and the LG Vu.
• It looks like the minimum monthly cost when buying a "Quick Messaging" phone is around $20. That's a $5 200 SMS/MMS plan and a $15/month unlimited data plan. It doesn't look like you can walk out of the door without paying less than $20/mo in features in addition to your voice plan.
• There are slightly different requirements if you have a family plan, so check those out in detail with your AT&T liaison.
• If you have an existing "Quick Messaging" device, you don't have to do a thing. But, if you want to ever upgrade to a new device, you'd then be hit with the messaging feature requirement.

Not exactly the best news for those looking to keep their wireless bill pretty low (and straight forward). Catherine Zeta Jones, where you at?

Thanks, to all our connects that broke this down for us!

BGR features the latest tech news, mobile-related content and of course, exclusive scoops.
Nexus Ones Plagued By Strange, Nationwide Data Outage [Nexus One]

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 9:36am EST by John Herrman

Tips are streaming in about the Nexus One's data problems. No, not those data problems! This is new, and it's leaving virtually all Nexus Ones without any data coverage at all. What gives?
It's hard to say. Tipster Roberto says he's been in touch with T-Mobile, and got a reassuring, if not particularly explanatory, response:

I just got off the phone with T-Mobile who transferred me over to HTC Technical Support because I was not receiving data on my phone, opening the Android Browser indicated I needed to contact T-Mobile and add a DataConnect Plan in order to receive data on my phone.

T-Mobile check everything on my account & appeared ok then transferred me to HTC Technical Support who indicated there currently is a problem with most Nexus One devices connecting to Data Services on the T-Mobile Network and they hope to have it fixed sometime this morning.

Frustrating to say the least!

This seems to be the common experience: The prompt to buy a new data plan, the call to T-Mobile, the transfer to HTC support, then the claim that everything will be fixed soon. Some users are reporting HTC reps saying all HTC devices are having issues on T-Mobile, but the evidence—the growing thread of reports from users—doesn't seem to bear that out. This looks like a Nexus One problem, and a strange one: Without a carrier fault or software update, why would a phone just stop working?

I'll let you know when the dust settles—throw your theories in the comments. —Thanks, tipsters!
First Render of Richard Branson's Underwater Plane [Richard Branson]

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 9:15am EST by AddyDugdale

A few days before Crimbo last year, Blam posted on the news that Virgin boss Richard Branson was getting into deep water. Well, we've now got a render of the hydrobatic Necker Nymph, as it's been named.

The billionaire is taking delivery of the carbon-fiber underwater plane on February 20, and it will be available to guests at his luxury Necker Island resort. Sub, underwater plane, call it what you will, the Nymph uses fighter jet technology (pew pew) and is piloted with a joystick.

Although Branson has said that the carbon-fiber underwater plane would be able to go down to 35,000 feet, the $670,000 submersible can, for now, only dive to 130 feet. Yeah, well so can I, Richard - the only difference being, as far as I can see, is that I'm not a virgin. [Daily Mail]
Steve Jobs Gets Candid on iPad, Kindle, and Love Battery Life [Apple]

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 8:44am EST by Brian Barrett

Walt Mossberg was able to get a moment with Steve Jobs immediately after Wednesday's iPad event, and scored some great unscripted commentary from the Apple honcho on the iPad and its competition.

The interview portion starts at 1:55. Most impressive to me is how dismissive jobs is of the only clear advantages Kindle has right now. 10 hours of battery life versus a week on Kindle? Ptttthhhhppptt. "You're not going to read for 10 hours." And yes, he is talking to you, specifically. Kindle books currently priced five dollars less than iBooks? HA! "The prices will be the same," although what that price will be and how that gap will be closed remain a mystery. But it's been decreed, so there you go.

My other favorite part is Jobs encouraging Mossberg to write his review on a tablet, which is something we knew would happen, and which would also likely take months to accomplish. [All Things D]
Slate Showdown: iPad vs. HP Slate vs. JooJoo vs. the Android Tablets [Tablet Fight]

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 8:00am EST by Dan Nosowitz

Everybody's talking about tablets, especially those single-pane capacitive touchscreen ones more specifically known as "slates." The iPad is the biggest newsmaker, but there are lots headed our way (most with built-in webcams). Here's how they measure up, spec-wise:

Click on the image to view it larger

As you can see, they have different strengths and weaknesses, some of which will become more clear in the coming months as we learn more about each tablet. (That Dell Mini 5 is especially inscrutable right now.)

The iPad has the most storage, cheap 3G, the time-tested iPhone OS and its mountain of apps, and a serious amount of Apple marketing juice behind it. But it's also famously lacking features common to the other tablets, such as webcam and multitasking. The Notion Ink Adam is perhaps the most interesting of the bunch, with its dual-function transflective screen from Pixel Qi: It can be either a normal LCD or, with the flick of a switch, an easy-on-the-eyes reflective LCD that resembles e-ink. Its hardware is also surprisingly impressive—but it remains to be seen if Android is really the right OS for a 10-inch tablet.

The Dell Mini 5 and forthcoming Android edition of the Archos 7 tablet are two of a kind, almost oversized smartphones in their feature sets. Is an extra two or three inches of screen real estate worth the consequent decrease in pocketability? Perhaps not. And finally, there's the maligned JooJoo, formerly the CrunchPad, a bit of an oddball as the only web-only device in the bunch. It doesn't really have apps, can't multitask, and pretty much confines you to an albeit fancy browser, sort of like Chrome OS will. The JooJoo is also the only tablet here to have no demonstrated way to read ebooks.

Data Sources:
Apple iPad: [Gizmodo]
HP Slate: [Gizmodo, GDGT; Tipster]
Fusion Garage JooJoo: [Gizmodo]
Notion Ink Adam: [Slashgear]
Dell Mini 5: [Gizmodo, Gizmodo]
Archos 7 Android: [DanceWithShadows, Gizmodo]

A quick word about "slates" vs. "tablets": These are tablets, and it's a word we prefer. The sad fact is, it's overused. There's no way to say "tablet" without including every godawful stylus-based convertible laptop built since 2002. (Thank you, Bill Gates!) And even the new touchscreen tablets come in single-pane and keyboard-equipped laptop styles. So "slate," good or bad, is the more apt term.
Intel and AMD Six-Core Processor Roadmaps Leaked [Rumor]

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 7:43am EST by Brian Barrett

According to DigiTimes, we'll be seeing both AMD Thuban and Intel Gulftown six-core desktop processors hitting in just a few short months.

It's all from anonymous sources, but at least on the Intel side the information matches up with what we've seen previously. Gulftown (aka the Core i7-980X) will apparently be available as early as this March, although at a hefty $1,000 or more per chip. Gulftown is also rumored to be the processor for the next Mac Pro, so it's encouraging to see it nearly ready to debut.

On the AMD side, you'll have to wait a little longer. According to DigiTimes, the Phenom II X6 1075T, 1055T and 1035T, all 45nm process chips, will be available in May. [DigiTimes]
Wall Of iPads Could Be Used In Libraries To Display iBooks, Just Like This Concept Rendering [Apple]

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 7:40am EST by Kat Hannaford

If only Apple had recreated its app wall from WWDC last year, but with iPads! The 300 iPads used in this concept wall from Austraian architects would cost $149,700 if it was real. Apple could've afforded it, I'm sure.

ClarkeHopkinsClarke, the Aussie architects who mocked up the above concept wall, believe it'd be the perfect installation for a library, with hundreds of different ebooks displayed. But that's not the end of this story—due to the size and weight of the iPad, we could be seeing a lot of innovative uses for them, as interactive wallpaper in clubs, teaching aides in schools, and so on. There's the small hurdle of cost, of course. [ClarkeHopkinsClarke via TUAW]

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Nokia Demos Mobile Radar Concept [Radar]

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 7:18am EST by AddyDugdale

This is what you do when your company is losing consumer confidence - come up with really spanky little ideas like this one. Nokia is researching a concept that it calls Mobile Radar. So, let's call it Mobile Radar.

As well as measuring an object's distance, speed and direction, you can adjust the volume on the cellphone's music player - even when it's in your pocket, or covered by an object. The researchers, from Aalto University, wanted to really ramp up the speed, testing it out on a bike, but apparently there was too much snow in Finland to do it. Astonishing, that. [Just Another Mobile Phone Blog]
Portable Freezer Concept is Fisher-Price Nice [Ruben Iglesias]

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 6:40am EST by AddyDugdale

This is not a kid's toy to build spatial awareness and Tengu knowledge. Rather, it's a cute idea for a portable freezer by a dude called Ruben Iglesias* that's powered by photocells in two LED lamps, working via magnetic induction.

See those two yellow things in the lid? That's you, that is. Well, maybe it's some of our readers. They contain the photocells that power the freezer, dispensing the current via magnetic induction, and double up as lamps. You can set the lights to three modes: On; Flicker; and SOS, I've eaten all the pies and am so fat I can't get off the picnic rug. Muuuuuuuum!

If you've really stuffed the freezer box (this is not a euphemism) then you'll need both of the yellow thingies to keep your scran cool. If you're a Zoe-bot and it's only half full, then you only need one of the batteries. I likey. [Yanko]

*I'm really hoping he's Julio Iglesias' nephew and this is actually a container to transport the fresh blood of virgins that his uncle needs to stay looking "young" (I mean that in the loosest possible terms, of course.)

gawkerGallery(5459473,4,'fp freezer');
The Most Heart-Wrenching Explanation Of The Mars Spirit Rover's Life Yet [Mars Spirit Rover]

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 6:40am EST by Kat Hannaford

Addy and I are both weeping dusty red-colored tears in honor of the Spirit Rover's new permanent surroundings after reading this xkcd chronicle of his poor little life. [xkcd]
Toshiba TG02 Phone Could Solve All The TG01's Problems...Or Maybe Not [Phones]

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 6:18am EST by Kat Hannaford

Toshiba's TG01 could've been such a great phone. On paper, the specs were great—it was the first phone to use a Snapdragon 1GHz processor, and the 4.1-inch screen was perfect for media playback. Yet it disappointed.

So it's with great trepidation that I write about an FCC document showing up, detailing a few rough 'n ready specs for the TG02. As you'd expect from a phone, the quad-band GSM mode will have GPS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, though there seems to be one small omission: no 3G for the US? Things could change, but with the year's biggest phone scrum Mobile World Congress just 'round the corner, expect to see more leaks or even an actual product launch soon. [FCC via Engadget]
Nintendo President States the Obvious, Forgets About The DSi LL [Blockquote]

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 5:57am EST by Kat Hannaford

Nintendo's often-outspoken President, Satoru Iwata, speaking about the iPad. [Yahoo News]
This is So Much More Than Just a Black Box [The IT Crowd]

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 5:53am EST by AddyDugdale

It seems that The Elders Of The Internet have decided to mass-produce the Intartubez. Hurrah! [instructables via BoingBoing]
Earth's Twin is on the Cusp of Being Discovered, Says Dome-Headed Clever Guy [Kepler Spacecraft]

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 5:21am EST by AddyDugdale

Long, long ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I was a sucker for Battlestar Galactica (while these days I merely mix my sci-fi metaphors. Boldly.) Anyway, Earth's twin is due to be discovered this year - says Michael Mayor.

The exciting deed will not be done by a behemoth of a spaceship, helmed by a man with bad skin, bad glasses but still unutterably sexy, but by the Kepler spacecraft. Professor Mayor, an astronomer at Geneva University, was speaking at the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence anniversary, at London's Royal Society. Whether there'll be a spin-off miniseries after the planet is discovered, however, remains to be seen. [Newser]
Mobiado Sticks With Rivet-Like Buttons For Classic 712ZAF Phone [Phones]

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 5:04am EST by Kat Hannaford

At least Vertu can point at its concierge service as one of the reasons its phones are so damn pricey. Mobiado can't even claim its phones are stylish.

Still, the Classic 712ZAF candybar handset is made from aluminum, stainless steel, sapphire crystal and a ceramic coating, so at least it can withstand being dropped when you're pummeled for being such an expensive jerk.

Don't expect much more than a 2.2-inch QVGA screen, A-GPS, 5.0-megapixel camera with LED flash and noise cancellation via the two microphones. It comes in six different colors—namely, black, black satin, silver, grey, blue and red, with the price not yet known. [Mobiado release pdf]
Bad, Lazy Architects Rejoice! Heat-Resistant Glue Makes Buildings a Craft Project [Architects]

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 4:38am EST by AddyDugdale

So, una buncha de architectos have inventados a heat-resistant glue for erecciones, have they? (My real Spanish is pretty damn good, I'm just playing to the gallery, you understand.) Well, why am I not surprised it's a Spanish invention?

Summers down in the Andalusian city of Seville are hot (but let me tell you this, it's bleeding brass monkeys at night between November and March) and so it's not uncommon for plazas in the center to have some form of shelter from the sun. This one above is one of the largest architectural timber structures ever built. Measuring 150 x 70 meters, Parasols, in Plaza de la Encarnación, is made of Kerto-Q (nope, me neither) polyurethane-coated timber beams. The structure is deemed unsuitable for "conventional mechanical joining methods", whatever they may be. Ergo, glue that can withstand up to 70 degrees C of heat. The august body of cleverclogs that was charged with coming up with the sticky stuff was the Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research WKI, in Germany. Phew.

Now then, what I'm about to say is by no means revenge on this little post from earlier in the month (my ex- and I are still on good terms) but architects' glue that doesn't melt could only have been invented in Spain. I remember going to Valencia for a long weekend about five years ago and staring, open-mouthed at the exposed brickwork in the bedroom of my (admittedly cheap and nasty) holiday villa. Every third brick had a dollop of mortar on top of it, making the wall looked like it had been mapped out using silly string and a Tim Burton-designed spirit level. I stayed out all night and slept on the beach the next day. [gizmag]
BlackBerry Pearl and Curve Trackballs Being Replaced For Free At T-Mobile [BlackBerry]

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 4:19am EST by Kat Hannaford

T-Mobile is replacing the antiquated trackballs on BlackBerry's Pearl 8100 and 8120, and the Curve 8320 smartphones for free from the 15th of February, to any customers who are having problems with them. It's one of the reasons RIM moved from trackballs to optical trackpads, so if you aren't having problems yet, mark my words: you will. [TMO News via Electronista]
149 Inches of Goodness makes Mitsubishi Size Queen of OLED [Oled]

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 3:56am EST by AddyDugdale

It may be lagging three inches behind Panasonic's big telleh, but Mitsubishi's whopping great screen is OLED. Or should that be ZOLED? It was unveiled at ISE 2010, with Number 6 and Boomer dressy-likeys lending a hand.

The screen is actually made up of ten-centimeter-square panels, with a resolution of 1088 x 640p. Light output is 1500cd/m2 - that's loads brighter than your common-or-garden LCD display, meaning that it will work in brightly-lit areas indoors - CES 2011, I guess that means you. Time someone updated Chandler: "She was cute enough to make a gadget hack kick a hole in an OLED display screen." [Oled-Display.net]
Don't Even Start Considering You Have A Need For This 80-Port USB Board [USB]

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 3:40am EST by Kat Hannaford

Let's pause for a moment and consider how many gadgets we insert into the couple USB ports on our computers each week. Around five? The mind boggles as to just what Thanko was thinking when they created the 80-port board.

The worst thing is, you can't even transfer data through the 80 ports—they merely charge whatever you stick in. This could potentially work in an office, with everyone sticking their phones in, but if you've just pulled out a tape measure and are trying to see if there's enough room in your lounge for one, don't even bother. Let me spell it out for you: T-H-I-S I-S O-N-E G-A-D-G-E-T Y-O-U D-O-N'T N-E-E-D.

But you know, if I really can't convince you to step away from the "add to cart" button, it's $208.68 at Geek Stuff 4 U. [Thanko via Geek Stuff 4 U via CrunchGear]
A Virtual Jam Session [Music]

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 11:57pm EST by Rosa Golijan

We've heard songs which were gradually put together by people around the world before, but this particular one is the result of a "virtual jam session." And it's simply beautiful.
Tobacco Plants Used to Grow Cheap Solar Cells [Solar Energy]

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 11:39pm EST by Rosa Golijan

Scientists have discovered that they can coax a tobacco plant into growing temporary solar cells by injecting it with a genetically engineered virus. Freaky, but the process may provide us with cheaper synthetic photovoltaic cells once quirks are sorted out.
At a quick glance, "hacking" tobacco plants to grow these solar cells sounds like it's full of benefits:

Using live organisms to create synthetic solar cells has several advantages over traditionally made solar panels. No environmentally toxic chemicals are required to make biologically derived solar cells, unlike traditional solar cells. Growing solar cells in tobacco plants could put farmers back to work harvesting an annual crop of solar cells.

There's just one rather big catch:

[S]cientists haven't even demonstrated that the cells can turn light into electrical or chemical energy yet. But they hope to do soon.

They can grow the cells, but they can't do too much with them yet. Geez. Let's hope they get around to sorting that part out, because until that happens this will be yet another way-too-good-to-be-used-in-real-life concept. While waiting around for that to happen though, you can read more about the details of the process over at Discovery and Treehugger. [Discovery via Treehugger]