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Joel Johnson

Website: http://joeljohnson.com

Little Brother audiobook: DRM-free and remixable!

April 29, 2008 6:59am

"Heyborne." That's a neat name. I wonder if it means "high-born" or "hay-born"? That's a good name for a Jesus!

Power On Self Test: Tickling the dragon's tail

April 29, 2008 6:51am

I stand somewhat corrected! Either way: what the fuck were these guys thinking?

Power On Self Test: Tickling the dragon's tail

April 29, 2008 5:51am

That's no dragon; that's a demon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demon_core

Building block iPod speakers swear they're not Legos

April 28, 2008 1:12pm

I'm stuck in the airport. There is no such word as "Legos."

Heading to Costa Rica

April 28, 2008 9:55am

That looks amazing, Curtis. I may have to check that out!

Codex of Liliputian subnotebooks

April 27, 2008 12:04pm

Oh god, shut up, all of you.

Datamancer's steampunk LCD is gorgeous, but is it really steampunk?

April 26, 2008 8:57am

You know what really sucks? Sci-fi. All of it. Ever.

I'm taking my big glowing balls and going home.

Activate Water shows what a harmful scam most bottled beverages really are

April 25, 2008 1:18pm

@Shanefer: If you read the words in the post you might be able to suss it out!

Datamancer's steampunk LCD is gorgeous, but is it really steampunk?

April 25, 2008 8:49am

Rob has it. And thus, with my first disciple, I claim the ultimate and inevitable title of Master of Categories.

Datamancer's steampunk LCD is gorgeous, but is it really steampunk?

April 25, 2008 8:05am

I don't remember enough about Thundercats to recall its intricate backstory — I was busy reading Proust and writing Lonely Planet guides to your mother's cervix — but Independence Day and War of the Worlds are retro-futurism: past visions of an unlikely future. This is why all sci-fi is ultimately — given time — retro-futurism. If you're going to going to quibble about something, quibble about my sweeping semantic brush, not the first three words of Star Wars.

You know who you need in here? Teresa. I bet she'd back you up.

Datamancer's steampunk LCD is gorgeous, but is it really steampunk?

April 25, 2008 7:24am

It is absurd! Star Wars is obviously Lucas & Co.'s vision of the future — or a past civilization so far advanced beyond our own that it is "futuristic." To deny this is to miss the forest for the trees.

Who really gives a shit about MP3s killing the album?

April 25, 2008 7:10am

Yeah, Brownlee. Surely you listen to some songs just as songs, right?

Power On Self Test: Pixel pour

April 25, 2008 5:48am

Yeah, I saw that, Strider, and through the same thing, sort of fantasizing that if I had been the artist that I would have had to chuckle as someone added another layer of abstraction that turned the pieces of plastic back into real-world junk.

Blaupunkt 'Brisbane' in-dash stereo leaves out the CD player

April 25, 2008 5:20am

Burnchao, that sentence is a bit stickily worded, but you're reading it idiomatically when you should be reading it literally.

Beamz: laser theremin thingie on sale at Sharper Image

April 25, 2008 4:27am

It's definitely kosher to link to Gizmodo. We're not competitors. (Because if so, they win!)

Untitled 1

April 24, 2008 3:43pm

In before lock.

Top Gun '08 R/C air show happening now

April 24, 2008 2:24pm

Ooh, that is from PopSci. I'll put up a credit. I actually just took it off the referrer's page.

Sleazy proposed new Dungeons and Dragons license seeks to poison open gaming systems

April 24, 2008 2:07pm

I have a contact at WOTC. Let me see if I can get comment.

Datamancer's steampunk LCD is gorgeous, but is it really steampunk?

April 24, 2008 12:47pm

I would just like to note that Brownlee's defense of Star Wars as sci-fi, not retro-futurism, was that it occurred "A long time ago..."

In the Woods: Brooklyn, we have a problem

April 23, 2008 10:53am

Despite my obviously bargain basement of simple electronic principles, I have fully restored power to all the gear.

Week in the Woods: Final checklist; Leaving tomorrow!

April 21, 2008 8:35pm

@Thornae: It was a cheapo internal frame pack from Amazon. I don't recall the brand or model at the moment, but it got decent reviews and was only $75. It seems a lot like scuba BCs; you can get all the same features for the low price, but the fixtures won't be as nice.

Still, it should suit me.

Week in the Woods: Final checklist; Leaving tomorrow!

April 21, 2008 8:05pm

@Betterthanyou: Your mother. I fucked her.

Building a Frankenmac

April 21, 2008 10:29am

I'm thinking about building one of these as a replacement for my current Windows gaming rig since I am often pushing my MBP to the extreme when recording music.

Week in the Woods: Final checklist; Leaving tomorrow!

April 21, 2008 10:27am

Okay, I rearranged my pack with the same gear and it's a lot more comfortable. Enough so that I'm not that worried about tipping the scale at 50 pounds. (And yes, I'm accounting for water.) I'll take a look at the rest of the gear before I go, but I'm feeling a lot better about my chances.

Of course, I'll still be dead dog tired trying to do all this. I call on the power of Les Stroud!

Shoe site Zappos.com will start selling gadgets, too

April 20, 2008 7:34am

Malgwyn not like fancy shoes! Malgwyn angry! Malgwyn stomp big boots!

Toronto's science fiction reading series; launching my LITTLE BROTHER on May 1

April 19, 2008 7:42am

Cory, got the galleys of this. I love the story, but the way you've incorporated a method to bend time by folding the dedication page into a tesseract along the dotted lines is brilliant. I expect this is something we'll be seeing in a lot of books in the past!

P.S. Your grandmother and I need to talk to you about a little mistake we made a few decades ago. We can chat at the reunion.

Pinhole cameras made with rust, skin, antlers and HIV

April 18, 2008 7:57am

Okay, bye, Jeff! Thanks for reading!

Sanyo Xacti DMX-CA8 water-proof to 10 feet, one third of the Flip Video Ultra underwater housing

April 18, 2008 7:06am

I am a bit Xacti obsessed right now, but it's mostly just on the CG6. All the other flash-based stuff is either too expensive or -- if it's a still camera -- just too boring.

Power On Self Test: SELECTOR

April 18, 2008 7:05am

Sorry, Dan. That's all I've got!

Rent a HAL robot suit for $1000

April 17, 2008 5:41pm

You know, "you guys aren't writing like other gadget blogs" isn't really the sort of criticism that's going to keep me up at night.

Introducing BBG's Band Manager: Marvin Battelle

April 17, 2008 1:32pm

Metafactory, you raise an important point, perhaps inadvertently. Boing Boing Gadgets, while certainly proud to be under the care of Boing Boing and certainly in a same general ethical and editorial sphere, is a new site with new writers and new pretty-much-everything-else. It would be reasonable to expect that some people are going to like BB in a different proportion to their like for BBG. Nothing I can do about that. I'm fine with that.

As for noting you may have to change your Boing Boing parsing habits, well, that may be, too. I will say that in my experience adding new content to a site increases its readership - those usage patterns - rather than decreases it.

So while I'm proud that you consider BBG such an intrinsic part of BB that its increased output affects your perception of the whole...well, you already said what I would say. It is an interesting point, for sure, but one I wager you're overthinking. But circle around in a few weeks and let me know if I'm wrong.

Kevin Kelly: "Digital things I've been wrong about"

April 17, 2008 12:03pm

I was sure the Nintendo DS was going to be a flop.

Introducing BBG's Band Manager: Marvin Battelle

April 17, 2008 11:34am

You're annoyed that you have the option to read something you might not like, jo?

We're having fun. If you don't enjoy our type of fun, there's really only one option: just keeping reading until you do.

Power On Self Test: Dali Coffee Cup

April 17, 2008 10:29am

The irony is not lost on me. :)

The cup is paper, actually, and I do recycle them, along with the plastic tops.

Introducing BBG's Band Manager: Marvin Battelle

April 17, 2008 10:00am

Wurp: Noted. I wouldn't expect it to change, however!

Nissan invents "ageing suit" to de-whipper snappers

April 16, 2008 6:07am

This is why I call my penis "My little sorcerer's apprentice." ("My little" a familiar diminutive, of course, not necessarily a descriptor.)

Sigma DP-1 Camera reviewed (Verdict: Wait for the DP-2)

April 15, 2008 6:56pm

@eustance: "Glass" is a cool way to say lens. Or specifically, the glass in them. :)

Sigma DP-1 Camera reviewed (Verdict: Wait for the DP-2)

April 15, 2008 4:38pm

@murray: You know, I was questioning that when I wrote it. I actually thought I removed all references to "rangefinders" until I could actually figure out what I was talking about, but hurdurr.

Sigma DP-1 Camera reviewed (Verdict: Wait for the DP-2)

April 15, 2008 4:37pm

Yes, George. We call those 'typos.'

Federated Media takes big investment

April 15, 2008 9:31am

Guys, I never got your emails about what color you wanted your Ferraris painted.

Fuck it. I'll just get one of each.

The arms race escalates between spammers and CAPTCHA

April 15, 2008 8:53am

And good for crowdsourcing the world's largest index of cat images. If only we knew what to do with cat pictures on the internet!

K2 Porcupine Light makes flashlights even more blinding

April 15, 2008 6:38am

Lee was our school psycho, a mantle foisted on him by fate more than choice, but one that he grudgingly wore. He wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, a lower-middle class kid from a typically complicated midwestern suburban family, who had the misfortune to discover a dead body in the woods behind a local elementary school. I asked Lee about it once when we were older and he told me about finding the old man face down in the creek on a frosty afternoon. Lee was pretty sure he was just an old man who had wandered too far away from home, perhaps from senility, perhaps because he felt his time was nigh and wanted to face down eternity with his bare feet in a cold creek instead of in a stainless steel hospital bed.

It wasn't Lee's fault, but he became the Guy Who Found the Dead Body. And as middle schoolers will chitter, legends began to circle Lee. Maybe the guy was alive when Lee found them, some whispered, and he held him down in the mud until his bare legs stopped kicking. Or perhaps Lee found the body days before and did all sorts of strange things to it. Just poked it with a stick at first, but then who knew?

Of course the truth was much less remarkable: Lee ran out of those gully woods and told the cops.

But the damage was done. Perhaps a more truly devious kid could have recovered from the bumps and scrapes of lunchroom gossip. Lee started wearing black heavy metal t-shirts, stopped washing his hair, and started giving gawkers the stink eye. Soon he started to amass a collection of petty weaponry: blunt axes, $5 switchblades, a couple of those strip-mall replica swords that could probably do some damage if you really put your weight into a thrust but were kept dull enough to safely hang over entertainment centers and occasionally twirl drunkenly over your head.

There was talk that Lee had a gun. Perhaps he did, but he was a bit of a braggart by the time we started working together in the kitchen of our local McDonald's and I suspect he'd have flashed it a couple times had he actually owned one. Or maybe he kept it locked up at home, confident his reputation would shield him from any real danger.

Our sophomore year, chance glanced Lee again. Pointless construction had clogged our high school since we'd arrived, leading to gas leaks and a greenhouse that faced North — towards the driveway through which proud parents dropped off their kids — instead of South.

In the quiet back half of a study hall, Lee got up to use the bathroom. As he walked towards the classroom door, a three-foot length of iron pipe wide enough to pass a softball slipped through the suspended ceiling and into Lee's empty chair, dropped by a construction worker working above. It ruined the folded metal chair.

It should have been Lee's anointing, but it only added to the swirling mistrust the rest of the students felt for him. Lee, who had seen a dead body years before, had now thwarted death itself. As a troop we gave Lee a wide, unfair berth, although who's to say he'd notice after so many years sitting apart?

He didn't mind all that much, I think. If nothing else, it gave him a role to play that wasn't without its benefits. Not like poor Jamie, who was caught — apocryphally — in a bathroom stall with a hot dog, the shame of which forced him to change school districts. No, Lee would sit in the back of class, occasionally lofting out a joke that might have not have been terrifying from anyone else, and kept his backpack and its portentously benign contents close.

Lee would love this flashlight.

Sharp/Willcom D4 UMPC is tiny, gorgeous, and runs Vista

April 15, 2008 4:10am

@7: Thanks for the kind words, Murray! You might reconsider getting the Shift, though. Danny Dumas reviewed it and pretty much panned it all around.

A long evening with Bawls' high-caffeine G33k B33r

April 15, 2008 3:55am

Just chiming in that "Bawls" was a cringingly bad name even when it was introduced years ago, but it really delicious. Stewart's also makes an orange creme soda (with a creamsicle logo!) that is just as good.

Hand-powered Groom Mate Platinum XL nose & ear hair trimmer

April 15, 2008 3:38am

Oh, well, "gnarled" still sort of works, but yeah, that is probably the word I was looking for. That's too similar to not have heard of it. Knurled. I like it. Thanks!

Morning Tech Deals Highlights

April 14, 2008 3:12pm

Front, armed with child, then whipping around corners at high speed. :)

Psystar OpenMac monstrosities run OS X

April 14, 2008 9:00am

On the other hand, for the same price as a Mac Mini you can get a machine you can actually upgrade. I doubt the experience is as seamless as on proper Mac hardware, but still, it's a decent, low-end option. Or will be for the 24 hours this company exists.

What Would You Put in Your Perfect Backpack?

April 11, 2008 3:25am

Sorry about the commenting errors, guys. (It's been happening to me, too.) We think we have a it licked, though. There was a sessioning/cookie error. If you run into it again, you just should log out and log back in to reset the cookie.

Meccania DG: Another World's Perfect Steampunk Watch

April 10, 2008 12:52pm

Ross, we're having commenting problems, so the logins are screwy. We're on it, though. Sorry!

"Mafia/Werewolf" IRC Game, Tomorrow at 1PM EST

April 10, 2008 4:12am

Madjo: You do on Freenode.

"Mafia/Werewolf" IRC Game, Tomorrow at 1PM EST

April 9, 2008 9:27pm

Well, we're doing it when we can, but there's not a perfect time for a world of people. We'll do more of these, though. Promise!

Amazon Gives $50 Credit to HD DVD Player Purchasers

April 9, 2008 3:10pm

Krayyy: They sent it to me via email.

Nokia Still Growing Their Own iPhone

April 8, 2008 8:27pm

Culberson, I'm going to tell you a secret: I only wrote one line in this post.

BB, BBtv featured in Time's index of blogs [tags: self-referential hoo-hah]

April 7, 2008 9:16am

Andrew: Why not both? I want to do a centerfold shoot with my corpse draped over a Star Trek photon torpedo casket.

Mark Sandlin, Space LEGO Builder

April 7, 2008 5:47am

Get on it, Strider!

University Logo Carved Onto Human Hair with Focused Ion Beam

April 7, 2008 4:40am

Guys, it's not 'shopped. I stood next to the scanning electron microscope with which these pictures were made, so unless the Prof. is trying to perpetuate a hoax about something that many other commenters have established is a fairly accessible piece of lab equipment it's the real deal.

Skepticism is recommended, but sheesh.

University Logo Carved Onto Human Hair with Focused Ion Beam

April 3, 2008 6:01pm

It was a blue shirt, but that was almost certainly me. That's hilarious!

Vlog (Xeni): Tunisian vloggers pwn us at the art of political remixes / Ethan Zuckerman

April 1, 2008 11:51am

Ethan is a nice chap. He happens to be one of the best livebloggers I know. I thought I was good, but he put me to shame at PopTech.

Large Hardon Collider

April 1, 2008 9:49am

It's horrible when the large hardon collider accidentally creates a new black hole :(

Boing Boing's Moderation Policy

March 28, 2008 12:27pm

Here's an update regarding favorites: We're upgrading the amount of favorites that can be saved from a hilariously low "10" to a still hilariously low "50." We want to do more, but need to change our custom user pages to support pagination more properly.

So give us until Monday and if you can't add an additional 40 favorite posts, let me know.

We know a lot of the community stuff is sort of janky and I apologize for that. Obviously we want it to work as consistently as possible, but it isn't always our top priority, either, so fixes and upgrades take time.

Boing Boing's Moderation Policy

March 27, 2008 2:37pm

Thanks for the updates on the Favorites errors, guys. I don't have the foggiest why it might not be working, but I'll pass on an alert.

Boing Boing's Moderation Policy

March 27, 2008 1:54pm

#94: I don't know why the favorites don't work! It's working for some people, right? I can submit it as an error, although it would be good to know browsers/OS where it's not working.

Boing Boing's Moderation Policy

March 27, 2008 1:23pm

Hi!

#boingboing IRC channel open for Happy Mutating

March 27, 2008 12:15pm

I thought about that, Niteowl :) Not yet, but it might be fun at some point.

Up to 100 users now. And the only obnoxious person is me!

#boingboing IRC channel open for Happy Mutating

March 27, 2008 11:50am

All gypsy slurs must be replaced as anti-Pigasus screeds.

Modern Mechanix Round-UP

March 27, 2008 5:11am

Actually, the "gyp" thing is a bit of a pet peeve of mine. There's no clear etymology that implies the word actually stems from gypsies, and even if it does, in modern times the term "gypsies" has actually come to mean people who cheat and steal, so it all sort of works out. And yes, I know about the Roma, and no their persecution in the past does not make disliking gypsies and grifters invalid.

Since I always am dealing with gypsies, I mean.

Sex offender ordered to keep warning signs on car and house

March 26, 2008 8:02pm

I haven't read this whole thread because I'm tired and it's too painful, but I was raped as a child and I don't believe in ostracizing those who commit the crime. It does not make thing any better for the victims, and sometimes makes it worse. These are the actions of those guilty they didn't do enough in the first place.

Bad Questions to Ask a Transsexual + "Stunning": Calpernia Addams.

March 24, 2008 4:24pm

If and when science gets to the point that it could make me into a really hot girl without much trouble and then make it easy reversible (because I like being a man, too!) then I am all about it. I think having a woman's body would be amazing, but I'm just not ready to commit.

Make a fireball shooter

March 21, 2008 2:07pm

Holy shit. I'm awesome!

Kip's modifications to my plans are way better than the original, too. This is why that is my first and likely last MAKE contribution. I actually sort of suck at making things!

Week in the Woods: Need to Get My Computer Decision Made

March 20, 2008 7:49am

That HP could do the trick. Thanks for the suggestion, Blitzoid. I'll look into it. I considered the HTC shift, but the battery life is apparently crap.

I should ask my PR contacts at Nokia what the story is on the 810 and mobile connections. Maybe they have something up their sleeves. I haven't checked in with them since we started BBG anyway.

How the Local News Cooks Up Those Crazy Technology Stories

March 19, 2008 12:57pm

Nice burn, Michiel! Unfortunately, I don't think putting up publicly disclaimed sponsored widgets and being paid to trash a competitor's products are anywhere near the same. But you knew that.

Geeks.com MP4 Player Reviewed (Verdict: Barely Functional)

March 19, 2008 10:50am

I don't know where that particular vision came from, Ross. I can't say I've ever done it myself, but it seems like the sort of thing that could work, given a long enough wrench.

Arthur C. Clarke dead at 90

March 18, 2008 3:24pm

Ha. That's because I'm sitting in bed nursing a fever trying to muster a single sentence to post while Cory's probably writing another whole novel. I'm coming for you, Doctorow! Only 99,967 words to go!

But first, another nap.

Arthur C. Clarke dead at 90

March 18, 2008 3:11pm

And yes, I did mean luminous, not luminary! He glowed, and does.

Where Are the Black Tech Bloggers?

March 17, 2008 4:29am

@Shoo: We're just going to have to disagree, then. It actually never crossed my mind that that site was written by a white person, although I certainly acknowledge now that it's possible.

Where Are the Black Tech Bloggers?

March 16, 2008 6:03am

@Shoo: Presuming that it's possible there is a black bigot on the net does not actually make me racist. That's kind of a weird presumption for you to make. Also, I'm not asking for black people to apologize for his site or take any responsibility for it, no more than I would expect to be held responsible for whitehouse.gov.

Why Are Projector Bulbs So Expensive?

March 13, 2008 3:54pm

I just want to acknowledge how much more knowledgeable all you guys than me and how happy that makes me.

Art film of zits being popped

March 13, 2008 3:48pm

I love my job.

Trousers made from recycled WWII British army tents

March 13, 2008 12:19pm

Personally I am finding myself moving towards buying fewer, more expensive items of clothing that are well made and well cut and can withstand tons of washes instead of the cheap-as-possible outlet stuff. I spent $80 on a pair of Japanese jeans (which were surprisingly a better cut for me than the Western brands) and have worn them almost every day for 6 months and they're barely any worse for wear. To each their own.

BBtv Vlog: Krups Heineken BeerTender Review

March 12, 2008 11:26am

@styrofoam I order all my homebrew gear from NB!

Temporarily Without My Phone

March 12, 2008 7:24am

They wouldn't give me a new one and I wouldn't take it if they did.

Interesting development: Mike the Cabbie, who found my phone in his back seat, turned it in at JFK to Port Authority Officer Gonzalez around 1PM yesterday. Gonzalez just took the phone and was about to walk off, but Mike the Cabbie, having had his doubts that other phones he'd turned into Port Authority officers in the past had ever made it to lost and found, got a receipt from Gonzalez with a signature.

I finally got the Port Authority Lost & Found to email me back today. Guess what's not been turned in? Fortunately, thanks to Mike the Cabbie's foresight, I may still have a chance at seeing my phone. The woman at PA L&F; said a sergeant is coming by, hopefully with the phone, at 10:30AM.

Temporarily Without My Phone

March 12, 2008 6:12am

Set 'em up and knock 'em down, Artbot.

Temporarily Without My Phone

March 11, 2008 3:43pm

I may have found it! A really awesome lady named Ophelia at the Taxi & Limo department tracked down the driver who said he left it at Port Authority. I've yet to make contact with the driver (and the people I can find at PA say they don't know what I'm talking about), but there is hope!

ETech: BoingBonic Convergence

March 7, 2008 4:17pm

Glinda or Glenda? (Zing!)

Is the iPhone the Next Wii?

March 7, 2008 3:51pm

Puzzle Quest would be amazing! If they aren't working on that right now I'll be sad.

ETech: BoingBonic Convergence

March 7, 2008 3:47pm

(I would also accept Glenda.)

ETech: BoingBonic Convergence

March 7, 2008 3:46pm

I am so fine with being Toto.

Sea Cucumber Inspires Polymer That Goes Floppy When Wet

March 7, 2008 3:34pm

I think that goes with the topic because it's AWESOME.

ETech: BoingBonic Convergence

March 7, 2008 5:56am

I like to pretend none of them are wearing pants.

Sweet Black Jesus I Have Unboxed a Heineken BeerTender

March 5, 2008 12:55pm

@Ururk: You're totally right. I peeled it off and it looks much better.

I checked with the PR contact for the BeerTender. Right now the only compatible kegs for the American market are Heineken and Heineken Light. Oy.

Silverlit V-Beat Air Drums

March 5, 2008 9:17am

"And the amp-li-fier too!" Oh man, I forgot all about those!

HOWTO Earn an artist's living in the 21st century: 1000 True Fans

March 5, 2008 5:41am

I just want to note that anyone who considers themselves a fan of mine is welcome to always send me milk. I love milk. Whole only, please!

Why hardware ebook readers are a dead end (for now, anyway)

March 5, 2008 5:39am

The experience of quietly sitting reading a book is something that can't be replaced easily with an e-book reader.

Is there something about an eBook reader that precludes sitting quietly in a chair? I do it all the time.

Why hardware ebook readers are a dead end (for now, anyway)

March 5, 2008 3:56am

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Kindle and Sony Reader from a hardware perspective. I look forward to their future versions, like color e-ink displays, faster refresh, and even less bezel for more screen, but they get the job done as is.

The only problem is price and that'll change soon enough. Amazon in particular is trying to milk the early adopters, I suspect, or at least is unwilling to take a loss on the Kindle since they're paying so much for marketing. But the price will drop soon enough. When the Kindle is around the same price of similar portable devices, say the Nintendo DS or Sony PSP, it'll be hard to argue against. Reading on an e-ink display is more pleasant than reading on an LCD. The refresh rate is only ever-so-slightly annoying, but you get used to it. The built-in radio over which to buy books is fantastic when you're in an airport, say, and the longer I've used mine, the more full it's become of books I intend to read in the future. (Including those Tor books; I read Scalzi's Old Man's War for the first time on the Kindle. I doubt I would have plowed through it so quickly on a laptop, especially considering the distractions of reading on a PC.)

A $100 eBook reader filled with a few hundred of your favorite books does provide advantages that other devices (including paper books) do not. I, too, am skeptical ebook readers will be a big breakout hit in the short term, but I think once the price falls they'll be able to carve out a healthy niche, especially with book lovers.

Sweet Black Jesus I Have Unboxed a Heineken BeerTender

March 4, 2008 6:02pm

Other beers are available in Europe, I know, but I'm not sure if there are other varieties in the States. I'll find out.

Dungeons & Dragons Creator Gary Gygax Passes Away; Interview

March 4, 2008 10:38am

One night when really high my friends and I recorded this theme song to our 1st Edition AD&D; game: http://dethroner.com/theme_to_gonens_world.mp3

Yes, we knew it sucked even then. Don't miss out on the ballad at the end. It's hot shit.

TED 2008: Paul Stamets on how mushrooms can help the world

February 29, 2008 5:18pm

Hey, Stamets! I can't wait until this talk is up for streaming. I grew mushrooms indoors last year and it was pretty easy, although my oyster kit stopped producing after one flush. I should do that again this year.

Aftermarket Gauge Mount Replaces Air Vents

February 28, 2008 12:35pm

This is true, but sometimes it's hard to convince your dealership repairperson. :)

UCCTOP Xeno Laptop for Video Editors, People Who Enjoy Knobs

February 28, 2008 8:04am

But...but...but...knobs!

History of war through food; Dog impersonates boozy Orson Welles.

February 28, 2008 7:15am

Wow! These were both great.

Playtime Perp Popped by PB's Pete Palenzuela

February 28, 2008 5:39am

I love it when people criticize mistakes using poor grammar. Nevertheless, I've fixed it, you twerp.

Boing Boing...The Maternity Store!

February 28, 2008 5:18am

@retroschooner: $60 a month.

Aftermarket Gauge Mount Replaces Air Vents

February 27, 2008 6:28pm

No, that's just my idiot brain transposing words again.

L Ron Hubbard plagiarized Scientology?

February 27, 2008 12:19pm

Hey guys, we had some comment issues earlier that were causing stuff to get caught in the pipe. Should be working better now. (Obviously, since you can see comments!) Sorry about that!

In the Year 2000: Nothing Makes Me Happier Than Syd Mead

February 27, 2008 5:21am

@Kromekoran: I have; I almost bought a set yesterday on eBay. But I just finally framed a bunch of the art I have and I'd hate to have to buy even more picture frames. I'm turning into a person who actually presents things instead of stacking them in piles!

And truth be told, I like Mead's ID concept stuff like the US Steel and the Phillips work more than the Blade Runner stuff. It's good, unquestionably, but I just like the smiling future more.

Boing Boing...The Maternity Store!

February 26, 2008 2:51pm

Oh man, I would totally do all sorts of unethical things for a Veyron.

Playstation 3 DVR to Forgo DRM

February 26, 2008 2:49pm

Ebay, Anonymous. And it was as much as a new one, but I lucked out since mine is in tip-top shape (or so it appears) and came with DMC4 and a copy of Planet Earth to replace my now apparently useless HD DVD version!

Boing Boing...The Maternity Store!

February 26, 2008 2:12pm

@1: I see it. The little link? I have no idea why you can't see it. And yes, sponsored by Microsoft.

@2: No, I didn't use Windows Mobile at all. In fact, I didn't use Windows. (Although I have a Vista machine in the house for gaming, I do most of my work on the Mac.)

Playtime Perp Popped by PB's Pete Palenzuela

February 26, 2008 11:48am

Well, they have value as little bits of plastic. But you're right, I suppose.

My point: I had to look up the word "extrinsic."

Automating Product Launches

February 26, 2008 8:57am

@Eli: Well, yeah. That's more or less what I meant. :)

Marines' Diesel Motorcycle

February 25, 2008 12:43pm

Fat fingered that one. Sorry! Fixed!

Remixable German documentary about me and Internet freedom

February 25, 2008 5:34am

If I had the high-output tenacity of Herr Doctorow, you can bet your ass I'd be promoting it on Boing Boing, too. Every time I see someone complain about Cory being rightfully proud that he's made or said things people find interesting, my only irritation is that I haven't done as much to show off.

Video: Tex Avery's Television of Tomorrow (1953)

February 21, 2008 10:42am

I remember it as a kid from the '80s, too. They ran a lot of Tex Avery to fill in slots between Captain Power and The Snorkels.

Bedu: Emergency Shelter in a Barrel

February 21, 2008 8:04am

My preferred method of camping is using a minimum of equipment to do a maximum amount of surviving. I'll keep saying it until you Grizzly Adams get it, though: the point of this specific trip would be to do my regular work but in the woods. Normally I agree with your sentiment, but that's not the point here.

Bedu: Emergency Shelter in a Barrel

February 21, 2008 7:22am

I'm terribly sorry your expectations were not congruent with reality. Maybe you could start your own blog and write about the Bedu and what it feels like to possess such a fully developed sense of entitlement?

Disconcerting: The Sharper Image Is Kaput

February 20, 2008 5:15pm

@Anonymous: Email your user name and the email address you signed up with and I'll see if I can't extract your login info. (joel@b0ingb0ing.net [s/0/o/g])

60 Second Charcoal Starter Blasts Hot Air

February 20, 2008 2:04pm

Fuck yes, Teresa. I will show y'all the power of ribs!

Bedu: Emergency Shelter in a Barrel

February 20, 2008 10:45am

I think you guys might be missing my point on this particular trip. While I agree that getting away from it all is the preferred way to camp, I think this would be a fun way to get the best of both worlds without having to take time off. Plus I could liveblog camping gear!

Zojirushi Rizo: The Rice Cooker That Will Convince the West?

February 20, 2008 10:15am

That sounds great, Adam! I make risotto a lot at home the traditional way, although mine tends to come out stickier than I'd prefer. I think I need to kill the heat before it absorbs all the stock.

Bedu: Emergency Shelter in a Barrel

February 20, 2008 7:15am

Jordan, that sounds like an amazing trip! What does your gear rig look like?

HP UMPC 2133 Looks Like 12-Inch Powerbook Reborn

February 19, 2008 3:57pm

Unlike some of my esteemed colleagues, I tend to find using Linux in my day to day life a real chore. But it has been about a year since I tried Ubuntu, so I probably should stick a toe back in at some point.

Some—But Not All—of the Horrible Motherboard Box Art We Found

February 19, 2008 9:52am

Feel free to send in any suggestions and I can add them to the post. Or add them to the BBG Flickr pool!

N-Strike Vulcan EBF-25: Fully Automatic NERF Cannon

February 19, 2008 7:36am

Hey, Pork! Haven't seen you in a while.

Toys 'R' Us to Eliminate PVC, Ni-Cad Batteries from Toys

February 19, 2008 7:32am

Sure, Dithie, but I don't understand why TRU would choose to ban that particular variety of battery over others. None of its downsides seem especially onerous to children or anyone else.

Fright Catalog's Animatronic Horrors, or Where I Would Have My Wedding Registry

February 19, 2008 7:29am

"Corpseadeskolator" is the best name I imagine I'll hear for a while.

Scalzi's Old Man's War as a free download

February 19, 2008 7:08am

I was just happy to finally be in the oldest category for once!

I am signed up on the Tor list. (Got the last book but haven't read it yet.) Do we just wait for the Scalzi link by email?

Galley: New York Toy Fair '08

February 18, 2008 1:42pm

Qozmiq: http://flickrslidr.com/

Easy peasy!

The joy of looking at the Ballantine's Ale logo

February 18, 2008 12:05pm

#3: That's a hell of a table! Nice work.

Some—But Not All—of the Horrible Motherboard Box Art We Found

February 18, 2008 11:35am

Jesus, Rob with the dark horse!

Objectivism in Bioshock

February 16, 2008 11:00am

I'm just hear to note that if you think sexual promiscuity portends psychopathy, you're fucking crazy.

EVDO Service: Verizon or Sprint?

February 14, 2008 2:14pm

I ended up going with the SERO plan. (Legitimately, too, as I know a few Sprint employees.) Not a fan of the two-year contract, but I *am* a fan of EVDO Rev. A!

(And I got the U727 when I called them on the phone. Don't know why the web site wouldn't allow it.)

EVDO Service: Verizon or Sprint?

February 14, 2008 12:28pm

Ah, it appears the Novatel USB model I want is for sale, but not tied to the SERO plan for some reason. Looks like more of a bug than any real reason.

EVDO Service: Verizon or Sprint?

February 14, 2008 12:26pm

Josh, that would be perfect, but for some reason they say plans aren't available in my area.

Hamster's Lunch at Coco's in Los Angeles

February 14, 2008 12:04pm

#42: Mad was amazing, but it also had a revenue stream that let it work without ads. Boing Boing does not.

Mostly I just wanted to note that comparing BB with Mad makes me really happy, even if that wasn't your intent. :)

Hamster's Lunch at Coco's in Los Angeles

February 14, 2008 4:58am

I just want to put back here that Microsoft often act like pretentious dickbags. Dickbags, I tell you! I run Vista and love my Xbox 360, though, so sometimes they make a good product. Well, not Vista. (Although it's not as horrendous as some make it out to be.)

Anyway: dickbags.

David Byrne: I was BoingBoing-blocked at Denver airport.

February 13, 2008 7:00pm

Modern Drunkard: Great site or greatest site?

Hamster's Lunch at Coco's in Los Angeles

February 13, 2008 6:52pm

Heh, I just saw this. I was wondering why someone came over to Gadgets asking me if Microsoft was advertising over there, too. (For the record I checked and they are. It's for Home Server, though, not Winmo.)

Story time! The very first week I took over Gizmodo I posted direct links to some images of a woman riding a homebrew bike-powered dildo. (If came up through the seat, if you must know.) Microsoft had just done the biggest ad buy on Gizmodo that Gawker had ever had. I found out later that day -- something like Day 5 of my new job -- that Microsoft pulled the ad buy.

A year later, after Gizmodo was gaining real traction, they invited me to interview Bill Gates one-on-one at CES.

Point is, Microsoft, just like all companies, just wants to go where the customers are. And speaking just for myself, I have no problem taking their money to pay my bills as long as they don't expect me to censor or change my opinion about them or, you know, anything.

I think it's totally reasonable to bristle at Microsoft in particular, though. They've been stupendous dickbags in the past. They also have made plenty of totally decent software and hardware, but still I understand why many people aren't fans. (And Windows Mobile is my least favorite mobile OS, despite all its potential. I love that it's easy to put any software on there you want, but the last thing I want on a tiny phone is a tiny version of Windows. If they gave the whole thing a new interface once-over it would help a lot.)

Microsoft is beyond criticism, for sure. If they want to give me money for an ad I don't have a problem with it (and I hope you'd understand why even if you wouldn't make the same decision), but you guys should feel comfortable speaking your piece in the comments as long as you can keep it civil. (More civil than "dickbags" probably!)

As per usual, just speaking for myself!

Rainy Day Links Catch-Up

February 13, 2008 2:10pm

Ryan, I checked the ad bucket and it appears there is a campaign for Microsoft Windows Home Server running right now. So yes.

2008 Plagiarius Award Winners Announced

February 13, 2008 10:59am

I transposed one word. I'd feel bad but it's good to know irked you enough to make a prickish comment. Enjoy your rage!

Energizer's "Light on Demand" LED Rechargeable Lamps

February 12, 2008 11:42am

Claud, I am not sure, but I suspect they would work like that since they use a standard-sized battery and Energizer sells a line of NiMH rechargeables. But I didn't see anything about that specifically.

Honda's Power of Dreams

February 12, 2008 8:19am

#74 said:

I think I take some umbrage at the tone of your comments. People in this thread are questioning how this advertisement program is going to further blur the line between content and commerce.
I think the answer to that questioning is apparent if anyone actually looks at the content instead of dreaming up worst-case scenarios.

Honda's Power of Dreams

February 12, 2008 5:22am

I had nothing to do with this campaign whatsoever—I didn't even know it was coming until I saw the ads on the site—but I have to say that I was happy to see Honda sponsoring BB. They have a long tradition of innovative, bullet-proof engineering. Plus they build robots. (Although what Japanese multi-corp doesn't?)

Because this isn't my neck of the woods I'll refrain from saying what I really want to say, but I'm surprised how, uh, disconnected from the outside world many people in this thread seem to be. I know it may seem like a blog is this mysterious black box which must contain all sorts of wheelings and dealings and long, labored editorial meetings, but mostly it's just people doing what they've been doing for years, which is to write about stuff they find interesting.

Really, of all the car companies to take umbrage at! I have a greater admiration for Honda than most, but they make a solid product. I grew up around the time when tuners were first getting Civics to run sub-10-second quarter-mile slips; that wouldn't have been possible without precision manufacturing from Honda.

And if you're up in armchairs about the fact they make internal combustion engines, you better be posting from a yurt in the middle of your communal farm, because even if you don't drive (like me!) you're still getting most of your goods delivered to the local store inside gas-puffing trucks. Respecting the work of a company that continues to find ways to wrangle more power out of less fuel doesn't preclude awareness of our environmental crisis as a whole.

I'll go back to my corner now. This was hard to type while shaking my fist at the screen.

Interview: Bjarne P. Tveskov, Classic LEGO Space Designer

February 11, 2008 11:42am

Fixed, Alex. Thanks!

Alert: Brad from TiVo Would Like to Know Who is Playing World of Warcraft

February 11, 2008 11:22am

Good job!
Thanks!

(Come on, it's funny. I'm not mad at the guy. I'm just ribbing him.)

Upcoming Phones I Actually Find Interesting: Nokia N96 and Sony Ericsson Xperia X1

February 11, 2008 7:38am

"Facility for degreasing wonders" totally works for me!

Another Look at the Toyota "1/X" Plug-in Hybrid Car

February 8, 2008 12:08pm

Oops. Good catch. I changed the second one to two-thirds. They're both 1/3 of the original size.

La Pequeña Prohibida

February 8, 2008 12:00pm

Fun fact: I lost an ad campaign from a major beer company for running this video on Dethroner. Know your market, people!

Another Look at the Toyota "1/X" Plug-in Hybrid Car

February 7, 2008 9:51am

@Harrkev: I'm 6'3". I fit in most well-designed cars. It's not the size of the cars that are the issue, but the size of the cabin. (And to what degree they allow the seat to be moved.)

A Directory of Wonderful Pro Audio Equipment

February 6, 2008 7:47am

Maybe I have a bunch of beans in my doorway. You don't know. Don't judge me!

Rise of ayahuasca ceremonies in USA

February 5, 2008 8:11pm

Waiting for the caffeine-boosted version from Anheuser Busch.

Leaf Bowls of India

February 4, 2008 7:20am

Ah ha! I knew an idea that good couldn't have been mine.

Fine news

February 3, 2008 8:51am

Here comes poop! Much love to you both.

Vet's animal euthanasia blog

February 2, 2008 1:07pm

I know this woman. She's quite something.

Leica M8 Upgrade Program a Bargain for the Rich

February 1, 2008 5:02am

If you buy 1Ds instead of a Rebel as an amateur photographer, then yes, you're a twat. I will admit that the scale is very mushy, based on personal whim, local windspeed, and percentage of cotton/poly blend in my shorts.

Asus Takes Aim at iMac with New Eee Desktops

January 31, 2008 8:10am

The linked announcement just describes the form factor as iMac-like, which is correct, but "Asus Takes Aim at iMac" is utterly wrong.

Does not compute.

Nuviphone: Garmin Announces First Credible iPhone Competitor

January 31, 2008 6:46am

My guess is that they are using HSDPA because it's the major 3G standard worldwide. That AT&T; happens to be the only US carrier that uses the standard (until T-Mo gets around to upgrading in a couple of years) is just an unfortunate side effect.

50 Years of LEGO: Ultimate Collector's Millennium Falcon Time-Lapse Video

January 29, 2008 11:24am

Yeah, I tried to work out the math, too, and it seems short to me as well. I know that some footage got dropped by iMovie. (I'm not sure why, but it tended to clip stuff at the ends.) So that that could be part of it. But I'd have guessed almost 2x that much time to actually build it.

Stylophone Reborn

January 29, 2008 7:41am

That sounds really cool, Darsal!

50 Years of LEGO: Ultimate Collector's Millennium Falcon Time-Lapse Video

January 29, 2008 7:34am

I used a Canon HV20 and iMovie HD, but you could have used any camera. (This is actually shot in HD and then scaled down to web sizes.) Nothing to it, really, once I figured out how to prevent iMovie from crashing. (Hint: Pray a lot.)

ANSI Art Show at 20 GOTO 10 Gallery

January 28, 2008 2:00pm

Thanks, Lord Scarlet. I'll give it a shot. Great site!

50 Years of LEGO: Nine Sets I Have Known and Loved

January 28, 2008 12:27pm

!!!

tveskov, you've got to email me so we can do an interview! You've made my day!

The LEGO Brick Turns 50

January 28, 2008 12:09pm

Well, before the minifigs there were other figures. There were some that used bricks as bodies. There were also series like Scala that had dolls. Then there was a scale of figures that you would see occasionally in Technics and such that were posable, but I don't know what the names of those are. I don't actually remember any animal head ones, though!

50 Years of LEGO: Nine Sets I Have Known and Loved

January 28, 2008 11:39am

You know, I was super excited to get a Technics set back in the day, but I ended up making spaceships with flashing lights way more than I ever ended up making models with gears and such. This is very much a subjective list!

ANSI Art Show at 20 GOTO 10 Gallery

January 28, 2008 7:53am

Can anyone figure out how to download the .ZIP packs at SixteenColors? I wanted to grab a couple, but it looks like you have to open each image and save the JPG, which isn't what I wanted to do.

Lazyweb: Bitmap to Vector?

January 26, 2008 6:27am

I think I've got a version that will work, thanks to some people who took the time to send in versions. I'll keep you guys updated on the progress!

Three hours of MTV from 1983

January 25, 2008 12:51pm

Whoa. The Tubes covered Major Lance's "Monkey Time."

Three hours of MTV from 1983

January 25, 2008 12:37pm

About 3:30 in there's a commercial for "MTV in Stereo," which apparently required a special hookup from the cable providers. That's nuts.

Lazyweb: Bitmap to Vector?

January 25, 2008 8:40am

That Illustrator version doesn't have nearly enough detail. I just took a look at it.

I'm actually down to pay someone to take one of the Vector Magic attempts and clean them up. Is there a good place to put an ad for something like that up besides eLance or Craigslist?

"P-Per" Concept e-Paper Cellphone

January 25, 2008 7:48am

I dunno, Pork, it's not that hard to get excited about. :)

Most of these types of concepts are wanky, I agree, but this one has zazz. Part of it's the presentation, though, to be sure.

Lazyweb: Bitmap to Vector?

January 25, 2008 6:59am

That looks pretty good, El Biggus, but it lost a lot of the detail work that makes it so cool. Still, I'll play around with it. Thanks for the suggestion(s), everybody!

My Wildly Inaccurate Look at Movie Distribution in 2007

January 24, 2008 9:41am

@Blackhat: Just totally forgot about it!

Morning Tech Deals Highlights

January 24, 2008 7:42am

Yeah, but Prologue isn't a full game. It's more of a preview. A taster.

I'll fix the 15-inch typo. Don't know why I missed that. I've wanted a 1330 for a while. (But will resist, because I don't need one.)

Solar-Powered Nintendo-Emulating MP4 Player (Go China!)

January 23, 2008 8:18am

Oops, I sure did. Fixed!

Thesis Audio's Stone Turntables

January 23, 2008 7:44am

That's awesome, Bugs!

Oakley Medusa Head Thinger

January 23, 2008 5:18am

I have a personal bias against them because they have atrocious product design coupled with outrageous prices. $100 sunglasses? Get the fuck out.

There may also be a cultural bias in America. At least in the midwest, where I grew up, after a brief moment in the sun, Oakleys were the glasses always worn by "hardcore" douchebags and faux extreme sports twats. It still isn't uncommon to see some fat, goateed smegma factory waddle over to his pristine Harley Davidson-branded Ford truck and pop on a pair of Oakleys, mistaking the egg-shaped swoops for something that transmuted his sweat soaked button-up and power slacks into a suit of leather fuck armor.

In short: I'm bitter. But I really don't like the style of most of their gear. It's not even stylish. It's like anti-style. So much of it seems like it was designed by people who forgot that The Matrix's S&M; leather daddy look was horribly out of vogue even before The Matrix came out.

But if you guys say they make a quality product, okay! I just can't imagine what a $100 pair of sunglasses does that a $5 pair does not.

Mark Stafford's Amazing Steampunk Lego Naboo Fighter

January 23, 2008 4:54am

@thatbob: Well, I think "steam" works into the equation somewhere, too.

Morning Tech Deals Highlights

January 22, 2008 2:15pm

@Haineux: While I have no problem buying that a pre-seasoned pan doesn't perform as well as the heirloom, I have a lot of trouble believing that there is some process that occurs over time that makes the heirloom one more effective than one that's been used hundreds of times. Unless it doesn't have to do with the seasoning at all, but with something that happens to the surface of the pan itself. Maybe imperfections in the iron get smoothed down?

Macworld's Best of the Rest

January 22, 2008 11:17am

Oops, my mistake, Adam. (I actually added that line.) I'll strike it out.

Morning Tech Deals Highlights

January 22, 2008 9:23am

@Anonymous: Sometimes I throw in deals that aren't for "tech," per se, but just useful items. Also, I seriously doubt an ancient piece of cast iron is going to be better than a properly seasoned new piece, although as cast iron is nigh on indestructible, I'm sure it won't be worse.

Talking About AT&T;'s Internet Filtering on AT&T;'s The Hugh Thompson Show

January 21, 2008 5:13pm

PeaceLove, knowing LadyAda, I'm sure she's joking. Easy to not parse if you didn't know that, though. :)

Gale Banks: Diesel and DIY

January 21, 2008 10:45am

More videos with car guys!

Talking About AT&T;'s Internet Filtering on AT&T;'s The Hugh Thompson Show

January 21, 2008 7:58am

@Jordan: I'm not sure if the audience was shipped in from an agency, but I'm fairly certain they were, both from comments made to me by production staff and from the responses the audience members actually gave me off and on camera.

Dell Ships Padded CD Envelope in Giant Box

January 21, 2008 7:49am

I did mention Dell's response, but I'll make a hyperlink to it, too.

Etch-A-Sketch Wired Displays on TV

January 21, 2008 6:53am

To note that this product does indeed exist.

Portal Theme on 8080 Computer with C64 Sound and Assembler Source

January 18, 2008 7:13am

Terminate Stay Ready is my new handle.

Africa Has Computers; What They Need is Software

January 17, 2008 11:48am

I also think David B. might be missing the fact that Selanikio's company has already written and deployed mobile software for phones that is quite useful. Sure, an OLPC (or any other PC) would be have more capability, but will it have an internet connection in some remote area? That's actually a bigger issue than power for most of Africa, which is now under a fair amount of GPRS coverage if they're lucky. Nigeria and some of the bigger, more developed countries generally have GRPS and possibly even some flavor of 3G, but for the rest of the continent it's GRPS at best for the foreseeable future.

You can't overthink what "useful" means in this context. Just the ability to collect and transmit basic text or survey numbers is important.

AT&T;'s Retarded Plan to Filter the Internet

January 17, 2008 10:47am

Somehow if I lose the demographic that is offended by the use of the term "last man on earth" instead of "last person on earth" I think I'll survive.

There's a long story about why I don't have a problem using the term "retarded" to disparage things that are, in fact, very dumb. I won't get into now, but let me say this: until you've washed someone else's shit off walls don't give me any guff.

AT&T;'s Retarded Plan to Filter the Internet

January 17, 2008 8:54am

(Seriously.)

AT&T;'s Retarded Plan to Filter the Internet

January 17, 2008 8:53am

What a fantastic retort, Drewstarr.

Video: "Smash Lab" on Discovery

January 17, 2008 7:56am

I can do all these things! I'm really close on this one!

Morning Tech Deals Highlights

January 17, 2008 7:36am

I went ahead and got this one because they specifically said it's made for pet hair, so we'll see.

Argh, though. I spent like $40 just shipping my two old ones out to be recycled!

AT&T;'s Retarded Plan to Filter the Internet

January 17, 2008 7:22am

Mongoloid? Downie? Developmentally Disabled?

The Macbook Air is Not a Sub-Notebook

January 17, 2008 6:16am

Tofui: Just got my replacement from Apple about 30 minutes ago!

Macbook Air is Real

January 15, 2008 12:33pm

Yeah, the lack of a replaceable battery is a pain in the ass. I don't feel the price is horribly out of whack for a high-end sub-notebook, but it's definitely a more disposable laptop that we've seen before. 2GB of RAM should be fine for most through the life of the laptop.

Festa Del Cupertino

January 15, 2008 8:08am

Cool, works for me!

Team Fortress 2 in LEGO

January 15, 2008 7:27am

Moon, I don't believe so, but there are motorcycle and shark elements, so it could be done.

Festa Del Cupertino

January 15, 2008 7:05am

@Phi: Yeah, but I don't want to be in a big cluster of people. I just figured a handful of us from BBG could hang out.

Do Gadget Blogs Hurt the Environment?

January 14, 2008 10:44am

G. Deck, that is a great analogy. I plan on stealing that in the future. Or stealing it now and using it in the future!

Hello Kitty Honda Motorcycle

January 12, 2008 5:36am

You guys obviously don't have as high of hopes for what the apocalypse will do to your jock.

Do Gadget Blogs Hurt the Environment?

January 11, 2008 11:08am

@MK Ultra: Just because you have a preconceived notion of what to expect from a gadget blog doesn't mean I am beholden to match it. :)

I agree that gadgets can be an art form, for sure. I wish we could figure out how to tip the balance in the industry more towards art.

And yeah, I'm sure I missed some good things at CES. I still think in the aggregate missing a few things here and there weren't worth the trouble for me this year. (Nor for most people. It's good for a few organizations to get hands-on time with products, but literally hundreds of outlets are just adding to the noise.)

@Pork: Yeah, I don't think my perception of the real influence I have is too out of whack, but it's always good to be reminded of that, so thanks. And I'm not all tore up about all this or anything—I've resolved myself to not being resolved about much, nor do I feel the need to make firm decisions about everything right this instant—but I think it's interesting to talk about personally and I think it should be part and parcel with the discussion of the products themselves. It's like people who get up in arms when you mention politics or religion in a post about gadgets (and it's germane), dictating what is and isn't apropos to the subject at hand instead of discussing or refuting the notion that's been brought up.

Anyway, my point is: There is no god.

Krups BeerTender Bringing Nasty Draught Heineken to U.S. Kitchens

January 9, 2008 1:20pm

Fnarf, you need to try more American beers! In different American bars! Plenty of American craft brewers do milds (among other, non-IPA styles); plenty of American bars don't have televisions.

As for the cask vs. keg debate, I'll leave that one up to taste. I enjoy some cask beers, but I actually find the lesser carbonation sometimes offputting. That said, probably every single cask beer I've ever had in the U.S. was a one-off from a craft brewer, so it's reasonable to expect they don't have the knack.

It's really interesting to get the perspective of others about the American beer scene, but I stand by my knowingly cheeky observation: There's just more interesting things going on in American brewing than anywhere else. And that's even if you discount the "big beers" like the mega-nukey-hopped IPAs.

But the great thing about beer is that if I'm proven wrong by sample great beers from another country I still win.

Hiroshima man keeps crocodilian pet

January 9, 2008 11:54am

You can't tame a reptile. Unless it's a dinosaur. And you're going to put a rack of missiles on it.

BBtv Vlog: David Meets Artist Liz McGrath.

January 9, 2008 11:49am

License Farm: Join the club. To appease my longing, I think I'm going to steal her hairstyle.

Artists == swoon. Cute artists == swooner.

Random Thought on Wiimote and Remote Sex

January 9, 2008 8:25am

I did mean "axis" (and changed it) but you have to admit, "three access" isn't entirely inappropriate considering the subject.

Krups BeerTender Bringing Nasty Draught Heineken to U.S. Kitchens

January 9, 2008 5:55am

Yuengling OL is actually a pretty decent beer, especially for the price. It's not lagers I'm against—it's tasteless ones.

Super Soaker Inventor Develops Mega-Efficient Solar Energy Engine

January 8, 2008 10:09am

I am so close on this one! Minus the burning car thing! And most of the others!

TV star publishes bank details in anti-privacy editorial, gets ripped off

January 8, 2008 4:30am

I'm just here to say Clarkson is awesome and probably doesn't take himself as seriously as many of you seem to think he does.

Tripple Espresso Lamp by Francois Legault

January 7, 2008 4:04pm

I am the tweemaster! Are you the gatekeeper?

Our universe as virtual reality

January 7, 2008 2:36pm

This is why every time I go camping I yell the Konami Code to the heavens.

Spoiled teenage pageant princess

January 7, 2008 5:58am

@MattXB: The last line in that first Charlie Booker took me so by surprise I am still chuckling about it give minutes later. He's a god damn genius.

Funny tutorial: "You Sucjk at Photoshop"

January 4, 2008 1:49pm

That's fantastic.

Skidoo airing on Turner Classic Movies

January 4, 2008 12:33pm

Nice. I found a version a few months ago but it was almost unwatchably bad quality.

Fan-Made Indiana Jones Flying Wing LEGO; Swastikas on Toys

January 4, 2008 6:45am

Chocks away?! That's awesome!

Guitar Wizard: Like Guitar Hero with a Real Instrument

January 3, 2008 5:09pm

Nope. They sent this one to me directly.

Belkin RockStar Headphone Hub

January 3, 2008 11:44am

Oh, good thinking! I wonder if it can do that.

Internet Decides the Infinity Razor is a Rip-Off

January 2, 2008 10:47am

Holy crap. That's not good.

RIAA Not Going After Ripped CDs

January 2, 2008 9:04am

Frankly, Brianary, I'm not sure I can. There seems to be a lot of confusion around the subject at the moment. I'm still trying to figure it all out myself.

The Practical Value of Impractical Design

January 2, 2008 9:03am

Maybe I'm parsing your comment as snarky or dismissive, but I think you may be missing the point, which as I read it is that publishing the sketches or fantasy products out to the world at large helps spin out newer—and perhaps practical—ideas. To slag off something just because it's impractical and acknowledges itself as such seems like making it play by rules to which it never agreed.

I mean, sure, whenever someone comes up with a bad idea, even with no intention to produce it, there's nothing wrong with commenting "This sucks X because Y!" But can't you see there is some value even in that?

Understanding the New TSA Ban on Spare Rechargeable Batteries (It's Not That Bad)

January 2, 2008 7:53am

Right you are. I've fixed it. I kept switched "checked" and "carry-on" in my mind, which was obviously a hazard.

Macbook Pro and WPA Wi-Fi Error

December 30, 2007 2:57am

Great stuff, guys. At least now I can safely assume that it's an Apple hardware issue.

@pork: Built-in American 3G isn't going to help me much in Europe. :)

15 Things I Just Learned About the Amazon Kindle

December 29, 2007 3:04am

Anonymous, I think you're mistaking "supports PDFs if I send them through Amazon's email transcoding service" for "supports natively." It would only be native if you could copy the PDF file directly to the device and it could be parsed. You can't.

Team Fortress 2 Griefers Implement Forced Trivia Game

December 28, 2007 8:53am

Dudes, etc., I do not understand what the problem is with the DIVX/Stage 6 embed. It is...crashing your browsers? Not working unless you download a plugin? Prompting a pop-up? Need more data.

Netgear's tiny Network Attached Storage RAID -- just right for a home entertainment/data server?

December 27, 2007 6:21am

Yeah, I forgot to mention all the plug-ins and applications you can run right off the box. Others above have mentioned it, but I want to underline it. Running a Slim Server right off the NAS is awesome. If you do end up running many server apps off it, though, it's better to make sure you've upgraded its RAM.

Netgear's tiny Network Attached Storage RAID -- just right for a home entertainment/data server?

December 27, 2007 2:36am

I've got a previous version for my home NAS and it's worked a treat. As previous posters have replied, their customer service folk are really involved (and seem to be so even post-Netgear acquisition).

I bought mine barebones on Newegg.

Team Fortress 2 Griefers Implement Forced Trivia Game

December 27, 2007 2:26am

Ha, yes, you've all exposed my nefarious kickback scheme with the Divx people. I'm making thousands of cents a year by making browsers that can't elegantly handle odd MIME types crash. Thanks, Firefox Explosion Affiliates program!

I just used the Stage 6 embed because I thought the video looked way better than Youtube.

Anyway, there's absolutely nothing wrong with thinking this is humorous while simultaneously hating griefers. It's okay to chuckle at inspired assholishness. Fortunately, Valve has fixed the exploits they were using already (or so I've been told), so it's not like these are even going to be useful to any would be copycats in the future.

And if you aren't playing TF2, you should. That "cartoony play" is loads of fun.

What Should I Do In Berlin?

December 23, 2007 5:02pm

Amazing suggestions, guys, and far, far too much for me to do in just a week. But I'll post updates. I'm taking a camera, but only 1GB of memory. It'll be like having film, except I can at least delete the bad ones.

Vlog: Pico-Z Havoc Battle Set, Troika AM/FM Radio

December 21, 2007 2:46pm

Tom, I can't decide if I should apologize or call you an idiot. How about both?

It was obvious from my first post that I hadn't ever used the radio, so if you bought it just because of my excitement over its potential, there's nothing I can do about that. I'm not going to stop being excited about things occasionally just because they might not turn out to be as great as I'd hoped. So, duh. Don't pin that on me.

But I still feel bad. I don't think it's actually a bad object, just one that ends up being 90% looks, 10% functionality. If you bought it for the looks -- and I think we both did -- I imagine she'll still probably be happy with it.

What Should I Do In Berlin?

December 21, 2007 10:45am

Man, I had almost forgotten about the wursts. Weisswurst is one of my favorite things, sucked right from the skin.

I've had currywurst in Germany before. It was...gross? It was like a hotdog in a bland sauce.

What Should I Do In Berlin?

December 21, 2007 10:09am

John Brownlee is the most interminable person I can think of. Just knowing he's in the same city makes me reconsider my trip.

BBtv: Introducing BBtv vlogs! Today, Joel from BB Gadgets.

December 21, 2007 8:05am

WHO IS THIS GORGEOUS MAN WITH THE GORGEOUS MOM JEANS?!?!

Saeco Etienne Louis Espresso Machine by Carlo Borer

December 20, 2007 12:56pm

Surely I do. I'm not firing on all actuators today.

Liquid Image Snorkel Mask with Built-in Camera

December 20, 2007 12:08pm

Ah, you're probably right, Ben Seese.

Erowid drug information site goes nonprofit

December 12, 2007 1:59pm

One of the main functions of Erowid is collect multiple experiences from disparate sources. Saying that "Erowid is full of misinformation" like saying Amazon is full of misinformation just because not every product review is accurate. Except drug experiences are far more subjective than, say, using a VCR.

Erowid drug information site goes nonprofit

December 12, 2007 1:47pm

What misinformation are you talking about, Muppet?

Best Rechargeable Battery Kit?

December 10, 2007 8:22am

Okay, I pulled the trigger on a La Crosse Technology BC-900 and some Sanyo Eneloop batteries. Expensive, but it'll pay for itself eventually, I'm sure!

Steampunk, Anglepoise Webcam is No Mod

December 10, 2007 5:42am

Well, belie basically means "betray," although in the above context it's a little confusing, I'll admit, since the traditional usage is usually "reveals" the inverse. So betray isn't really better than belie, although I'll cop to neither word being optimal.

Push Presents: When Creating Life Just Isn't Enough

December 10, 2007 3:03am

@#13: Oh, come on. If you can't see the difference between buying something expensive to commemorate the creation of the one thing that is supposed to transcend all materialism and an expensive hoodie you're being willfully obtuse. It's not buying things that is the specific issue here—and I think you know that—but buying something that is supposed to symbolize an experience when the very thing being memorialized is sitting squalling in a bassinet.

The price is obviously a factor; I'm not saying mothers shouldn't get presents. But big gifts say "Sure, anyone can have a baby, but can anyone have a baby and afford this custom art?" It takes the focus off of the creation of a new life by its ostentatiousness.

Point is, Brian, that not all consumption is good or the same. I'm a capitalist, at least until we come up with something better, but I'm not so naive as to think that just because someone can afford to buy something doesn't mean they should.

First/Worst: Online Nickname?

December 9, 2007 11:01am

@#3: A childhood friend, always trying to one-up everyone around, tried to convince me he had just made the acquaintance of a very elite hacker known as... "Zero Cool."

Hackers really did come out in a weird marginal time when everybody knew about "hacking," but nobody thought anyone else knew about it. At least if you were 14.

Push Presents: When Creating Life Just Isn't Enough

December 9, 2007 9:49am

Moralizing, yes. Pretentious, possibly. But giving expensive gifts to your wife to commemorate the birth of a child seems interminably tacky to me. (And yes, I also think expensive wedding rings are gauche!)

FYI, "Consumerist" usually denotes consumer advocacy, not the act of consuming.

Did Seiko Ever Make the Second, Much Cooler Final Fantasy Watch?

December 7, 2007 12:23pm

Ah. What a pity. You couldn't be more right about their mistake.

Server jacket screened with photos of a wiring closet

December 6, 2007 6:58pm

@Sae Miller: Do not buy things ever. That is your mission.

Knitted Light Fixture

December 6, 2007 4:29pm

No need to apologize, Abbey. I've been trying to mind the difference between knitting and crocheting, but I can't yet figure it out just from looking at the end result. (I know that crocheting is just one needle though, right?)

Morning Tech Deals Highlights

December 6, 2007 12:45pm

My pleasure!

That Which Was Borked is Unborked

December 6, 2007 10:23am

This is a pack of lies. It means to cock something up in the manner of the Swedish Chef.

CES Restricting Photography of Gadgets Out for All to See

December 5, 2007 10:11am

@#2: That's the thing: it's not private property, but publicly-owned and operated.

Zigview S2 Digital Viewfinder Extends Your DSLR's Utility

December 5, 2007 7:50am

Oh, right you are, guys. I forgot about the 300/350/400 branding thing. Thanks!

I Stand By My Five Star Rating of Kane & Lynch and Intend to Play It Soon

December 4, 2007 9:33am

No, because of bunch of game writers who have earned my trust have said as much from sources directly tied to the event. If you have some evidence to the contrary, feel free to share it.

Future Verizon Phones Will Speak GSM and CDMA Both

December 3, 2007 7:49pm

You may be right, Glenn. You're certainly correct that the adoption of LTE does not guarantee interoperatibility. But it's not unreasonable to presume that a future Verizon phone could have two radios inside, as you mentioned, and as I presumed. It's not that Verizon is switching to GSM, but that the LTE layer may make it easier to build phones that switch to whatever network is available, again provided the hardware can do both. Anyway, I get what you're saying, but I wasn't implying that Verizon would switch to GSM, just that future hardware may work on both flavors of network.

Symbiotic Camera Cadges Power from Fluorescent Light

December 3, 2007 7:42pm

Obviously I exceeded my grasp of both electronics and English. Thanks for learnin' me so good, guys!

Two Moments of Irritation This Weekend

December 3, 2007 7:40pm

I actually like facebook. It's a nice way to keep in touch with people I might not otherwise contact. But I don't begrudge those who can do so without the use of commercial lubricants.

"God-Cleaner" Foot Bath Draws Out Toxins, Money

December 3, 2007 2:41pm

Edgore questions the holy chitinous vagina! ICE HIM.

Holy crap, I love the cover of my next book!

December 3, 2007 8:56am

I hope you are listening to southern rap group Little Brother, as well as their fantastic team-up Phonte Coleman did with Dutch DJ Nicolay called "Foreign Exchange." For serious.

Symbiotic Camera Cadges Power from Fluorescent Light

December 3, 2007 7:34am

You know, I chewed on that for a while before choosing "symbiotic," but it's not strictly parasitic either, if the power is already being wasted. (Are plants parasitic if they process spent CO2?) Surely there is a third term for things that are neither harmful nor beneficial.

Amazon LEGO Sales

December 3, 2007 3:52am

Oh man. How much do you want for it?

Aleutia Off-Grid PC: Why Picking the Right Product Image is Important

November 30, 2007 9:16am

@i0i: I didn't say it wasn't cool; I said the image most people were using when writing about it was misleading. That's not Aleutia's fault. I got the second image directly from their web site!

Electric Earrings from the '30s

November 29, 2007 2:28pm

Heh, it's funny you would mention that. I recently bought a centrifugal juicer—I wanted a Champion but it was almost 5x the price—and one of the first things I tried was a garlic and cucumber tincture. It was a...unique experience. It felt like my stomach was trying to throw up into my belly.

Random Thought on UI Benchmarking

November 29, 2007 9:57am

Or what about "Conversation Starter" for its social appeal, and "Conversation stopper" for how well its features can be shown off?

Recycline Razors Made from Yogurt Cups

November 29, 2007 8:55am

Jonathan, you are correct: it would be most optimal to not buy disposable razors at all. But for some they are preferable, so better these than something else! (Or so if they weren't so crap, as others have attested.)

Darth Vader tea-towel

November 28, 2007 5:10pm

Who's scrubby looking?

Chef's Choice M130: Electric Knife Sharpener That May Not Suck

November 28, 2007 4:13am

Oh hey, that Accusharp speaks to my inner cheapskate. They've got them on Amazon, but they're backordered. I'll give them a shot but I wouldn't expect a review until after Xmas.

iPod taken apart and cast in resin -- still works

November 27, 2007 2:21pm

Holy smokes!

N°2 and N°4 Decanters by Etienne Meneau

November 27, 2007 9:44am

I said no arguing!

Furni x Cool Hunting Retro LCD Watch

November 27, 2007 7:07am

But it's white!

Handsome leather solar bags

November 27, 2007 6:49am

Would bragging about how little you consume be your "carbon cockprint?"

Solar Toothbrush Being Tested

November 26, 2007 2:31pm

I suspect that's "leed," not "led." :)

Fix Your Broken Rock Band Strum Bar

November 26, 2007 6:02am

Yesterday evening I was showing a friend of mine Rock Band when disaster struck: the dreaded "downstrum" error. It doesn't seem to happen consistently, but now every so often strumming down on the paddle doesn't register. I'm going to open it up today and see what I can figure out, but it's very frustrating, especially since we're supposed to use these for a charity event in a couple of weeks.

iTunes, DVR Ratings Helped Renew "Gossip Girl"

November 25, 2007 10:36am

Huh. I get how they're parsing it, but it still doesn't seem right to me. Oh well! It's not like my grammar is awesome. Just struck me as strange.

Apple Must Be Outsourcing Its Customer Service for Christmas

November 25, 2007 8:06am

@haineux: That is good to hear. I think it's a very understandable problem, but customer service is something near and dear to my heart, and I always get disappointed when a company that had been good at it starts to drop the ball.

Story: SR-71 Pilots Show Off

November 21, 2007 9:14am

I took it to mean that they were moving so fast that the explosions appeared, then receded quickly away, making them appear to wink into nothing.

Voltaic Solar Bags Now Made from Recycled Bottles

November 21, 2007 9:11am

You betcha. I fly with my Voltaic all the time. The general response I get from the screeners is: "Cool!"

Amazon Kindle eBook Review (Verdict: Confusing, Expensive...but Promising)

November 20, 2007 9:05am

@dculberson: You have to put a white list of authorized email addresses in Kindle. It won't accept files from any random email address.

As for the original iPod, yes, the pieces for mass market success with in place, but it still had weird snags like Firewire/Mac only, low capacity, difficult file management (although better than pretty much everything else out at the time). Obviously, they muddled through. :)

The main difference between the Kindle and the iPod is that at the time everyone had CDs to be ripped or MP3s already on their drive. They just needed some way to make them easily portable.

Kindle, on the other hand, doesn't have a huge library of books for its users to access for free; or if they happen to have a lot of unrestricted DRM-free eBooks, Kindle doesn't easily support the format.

I think someone will get there soon enough. It might even be Amazon.

Amazon Kindle eBook Review (Verdict: Confusing, Expensive...but Promising)

November 20, 2007 4:57am

Franko, it works on Macs just fine. You don't sync it from a computer in general, and when you do, it just shows up as a regular USB mass storage device.

Perils of Electronics Recycling

November 19, 2007 8:25am

Oh, heh. Sorry, Cory. You're so forgettable!

Dave Hill is a very funny guy (videos)

November 16, 2007 6:50pm

OMG Select Dental! Those commercials fucking creep me out.

LEGO Battleship Yamato by Jun Brick

November 16, 2007 2:55pm

No shit, nex? I guess that makes sense if you actually parse the word. I guess what I was looking for was "infrastructure." Thanks!

Asus EcoBook Bamboo Laptop Prototype Gallery

November 16, 2007 5:14am

JWerner, I don't have the answers, obviously, but I know I want to know more about the company you work for!

ReLED Solid State Replacements for Fluorescent Tubes

November 14, 2007 1:27pm

DCulberson: Marry me.

Zune 2 Install: Oof

November 12, 2007 2:19pm

They are clearly having some software issues, but I don't feel like it's proper to comment until they've had their official launch (tomorrow). Still, here's what I've run into so far:

• Firmware update would not complete until I physically unplugged the Zune from the computer. For obvious reasons, this is a bad thing, but otherwise the software just hung. After pulling the USB cable and plugging it back in, everything worked.

• The Zune software is pretty, but hard to parse, visually. Album titles underneath the album covers are too small.

• Albums for which the Zune software has no image will revert to seemingly random images, such as "Frat Rock" and "Bowie."

• Signing in to Zune.net doesn't seem to do anything. It asks for my password. I enter it. It says "Signing in." Then it does nothing else, and I have to hit cancel to exit the screen, which does not let me sign in. That means my 1 month trial Zune Pass cannot be used.

• I was syncing albums/artists to the Zune by clicking and dragging. Only the first half of the ones I selected actually synced, despite the fact that the artists/albums appear under the device > music selection. Syncing over wi-fi doesn't seem to fix that.

• Actually, scratch that. It just started syncing some more over wi-fi, I think, after I manually selected "Sync Now" on the hardware.

The hardware is okay, although the screen is really small and the whole thing feels very plasticy. (It is also very light, so there's that.) The scroll pad works pretty well.

Mainly I just don't like the Zune software. It's sacrificing usability for shiny design. It's a bit baffling. I'm not writing it off yet, but I'd really like to get that Zune Pass working tonight before I leave in the morning. That'll be the difference between taking it or not. (Because I'm taking my Macbook, not my PC.)

Wingscapes Birdcam Review (Verdict: Sort of Awesome!)

November 12, 2007 10:51am

Oh, yeah. Cracked corn is pretty awful for luring in the pretty birds. But that's all my local grocery store had on hand. Next time I make it to Lowes I'll pick up a good song bird mix.

Zune 2 Install: Oof

November 12, 2007 10:19am

Mine came with a copy of the 2.1 firmware, so I've got it working now. That is interesting, though; what a strange thing for MS to do.

I Made A Talking Head Video Review: Fujitsu Lifebook U810 UMPC

November 12, 2007 5:28am

I'm not Asian?

I Made A Talking Head Video Review: Fujitsu Lifebook U810 UMPC

November 9, 2007 5:49pm

You're too kind. But at least I know what I don't like about how I did this one, which will hopefully help in the future. Such as doubling up a segment!

AT&T; Appeals to Sneaker Culture

November 9, 2007 4:32am

Okay, I appreciate you coming back and calmly explaining your position.

Let's clear up a couple of things, first of all. This was a post about an ad from AT&T;, but it wasn't an ad for which we made any money. (Those go in the sidebar, not in a hand-made post.) I thought it was legitimately interesting that a mega-corp like AT&T; made an appeal to sneaker culture; more interesting that they did so successfully, at least to my estimation. The commercial or context may not have held any interest for you, which is fair.

What isn't fair is presuming that talking about a company at all is somehow tacit approval of all the acts they've done. I agree that AT&T; has done some wretched, criminal things, and I hope they reap everything they've sown. But it's also a giant company with many different parts, many of which it is my job to write about or comment on, and while some people feel the need to punctuate every mention of their brand with a qualification ("Here's a neat ad from AT&T.; P.S. They are Satan's scrotum.") I do not. And being called out as some sort of hypocrite doesn't make me want to do it more than I already do. Just the nature of being attacked—you make the defense seem like rational choice.

Anyway, I think we agree that AT&T; has and is fucking up in disparate and profound ways. If your goal was to remind others of that point, then job's done!

Sonicare FlexCare Review (Verdict: Best Yet)

November 9, 2007 4:18am

Actually, I did review the Ultreo. I wasn't that impressed. I'll add a link!

Hey TiVo, Ditch the Subscription!

November 8, 2007 7:26am

Makes sense. I wonder what it would take to make TiVo start their own listings division. Aggregating all the listings data from all the stations around the country is no small task, but it would seem some competition is needed.

AT&T; Appeals to Sneaker Culture

November 8, 2007 5:20am

We get your point, Sexy Robot, but your delivery stinks.

Also, people who post comments about using Adblock on a free site are the height of class.

Boing Boing hoodie by GAMA-GO!

November 7, 2007 3:53pm

THIS IS WHY WE CAN"T HAVE NICE THINGS

Roomba, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?

November 7, 2007 9:33am

Yeah, I've got hardwood floors with lots of open space. And I actually used to have a vacuum, too, because I needed to use one on the stairs, which have carpeting. (Confusing!) Now I have no electrically-boosted assistance with which to clean. Perhaps that's okay. It's certainly more green!

Boing Boing hoodie by GAMA-GO!

November 7, 2007 9:28am

I meant "go with the latter!" Sheesh.

Boing Boing hoodie by GAMA-GO!

November 7, 2007 9:05am

I'm biased, obviously, but I think they're fantastic. The price is high, for sure, but it's on par with mass produced "arty" hoodies and as David pointed out, less than most limited-edition ones.

I didn't have anything to do with the creation of these, but when presented with the choice between stock-standard web swag with a generic silk-screened hoodie and one that is a made with as much care as the one above, I'll go with the former. It's the difference between having a generic logo shirt that you wear to mow the lawn and one you wear because you're actually enamored with the way it looks.

$120 is a non-trivial amount of scratch, so I won't be hurt if it's out your price range. But the price isn't out of proportion for what you're getting: beautiful one-off art, embroidery, a zesty lining.

Google Phone: It's "Android," a Mobile OS, Not Hardware

November 6, 2007 5:28am

I understand the differences between UNIX and Mach (and UNIX and unix!) but I think for all intents and purposes these days "UNIX-based" is close enough for the average user, of which I count myself one. It works better than "FreeBSD userland-based." But OS X is close enough to other unices for government work.

Lord of the Rings origami

November 5, 2007 5:28am

They've got to be cut somewhere, right? Or ripped? How else would they get those protrusions? (Not that it diminishes the work in the least; just technical curiosity.)

American Furry: Life, Liberty, and the Fursuit of Happiness.

November 2, 2007 9:01am

My testicles look like Klingons doing Tribble cos-play. Does that count for anything?

MII Flashcam: Tactical Flashlight with Built-In Camera

November 2, 2007 8:40am

Reading is for chumps!

Portal Writer Erik Wolpaw Interviewed

November 2, 2007 5:24am

Don't be so hard on hemidemisemiquaver. There was a bit of blogspam in there that I deleted, but didn't want to delete his comment.

BB's commenting system will temporarily pause

November 1, 2007 12:58pm

"The upshot: commenter sign-in will be down for about ten minutes. ... It's a strictly temporary condition."

The Coming Iridescence

October 30, 2007 8:44am

Oh, cars! Okay, then I maybe buy that. Thanks for the link, Hal.

Eye-Fi: Add Wi-Fi to Any Camera (with SD)

October 30, 2007 8:44am

Aaron is a genius. Now I just need a smaller computer with EVDO. Eee don't fail me now!

The Coming Iridescence

October 30, 2007 7:37am

@Halloween Jack: How do you photograph something which only displays its special qualities when moving? I'll grant you, they should have figured it out, but it wasn't exactly a simple question of lighting. This iridescent stuff only works in pictures because we already know what similar paint jobs look like.

@Strider_MT2k: I'm not blaming anyone for distrusting Microsoft. I'm just saying that legitimate mistrust about business practices shouldn't necessarily be conflated with a dislike of their product design. Does not compute.

Contest Update: Neuros x Boing Boing Gadgets Extended (with Bonus Nokia N95)

October 28, 2007 3:34pm

We're in fourth place already! It'd take some serious crunching to get to first place. We've got more members than Team Francophone already, but they're still putting out over twice as many numbers a day as we are. Still, awesome work! I may try to line up some more prizes after next week to keep the momentum going.

As for Mactards, you have my apologies. I thought the BOINC client meant everybody could work; one of my machines is a Mac, too, so I feel your pain. (Not that I'm in it to win it.)

How to Recycle or Resell Your Gadgets

October 26, 2007 3:25am

That's true, but there's something to be said for just dumping out a bunch of stuff to be sold at one lump. Better than just tossing it!

Blowing Out the Dust: Afternoon Edition

October 26, 2007 3:22am

Glenn: Cut-and-paste!

Contest Update: Neuros x Boing Boing Gadgets Extended (with Bonus Nokia N95)

October 26, 2007 3:20am

We'll just have to keep an eye on it over the weekend. My first credits posted. Make sure you're using the full URL in BOINC. I was getting errors about this at first.

Bear in mind this is a contest, which means it will inevitably be a total clusterfuck, because that's what always happens. That's why there will be cake!

Contest Update: Neuros x Boing Boing Gadgets Extended (with Bonus Nokia N95)

October 25, 2007 3:02pm

Son of a... no Macs? Surely that can't be.

Video: FluteTronic 8-Bit Light Flute

October 25, 2007 10:09am

Man, you hippies take your Tull seriously! Get a job, deadbeats!

Tomy Heli-Q Mini R/C Helicopter

October 25, 2007 6:34am

There's no reason to think these will be poopy! The Picco Z is flippin' awesome fun. I still fly mine around a lot. (Or actually a knock off from Hobbytron, since my original Picco Z has now been retired due to excessive tinkering.)

Gmail Adds IMAP (For Everyone But Me)

October 25, 2007 5:42am

Still no IMAP for me! I'm dying here!

Man Builds Working Helicopters from Junk

October 22, 2007 11:31am

If only! Unfortunately, transpositions are a real problem for me in both writing and proof-readering, even when stone sober. I usually catch them in the proof, but not always, obviously!

The Limerick pedestrian diet and exercise plan

October 22, 2007 9:55am

I've lost 45-50 pounds over the last year. I did it by just cutting my calories way, way back, but still eating things that tasted good to me. It is certainly not the most healthy diet—I still eat plenty of hamburgers and tortas—but it works. The Hacker's Diet (http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/) is good reading for the details, but the core principles are really that simple. Figure out how many calories you burn a day, then eat less.

Pop!Tech Notes: Sheila Kennedy and the Portable Light

October 19, 2007 11:20am

Here's another solar light group. The project leader is up on stage now: http://self.org/

Pop!Tech? You're Soaking In It

October 19, 2007 7:58am

Great commentary, jm123. Thanks for taking the time to add those.

I'm not so cocksure that I think I can gauge the soul of a town in a couple of days, but I think off-the-cuff observations might be interesting or useful, too. (God, I hope, because I'm not capable of much more!)

Also, fwiw, I live in Brooklyn, which is urban, but definitely not the West Coast. And I grew up in small towns and rural areas, so I'm not totally coming from a big-towner-infantalizing-a-small-town perspective.

Pop!Tech? You're Soaking In It

October 19, 2007 3:30am

The longer I'm in Camden, the more I like it. It's cornball as hell in the downtown, but it's a nice little berg overall and the locals I've met have been pretty awesome. (At least until I told them the Red Sox could burn in hell for all I cared.) There's clearly a difference between the summer fly-ins and the rest of the Camden/Rockport folks, although Camden isn't exactly a poor town, either. I would imagine it's boring as all get-out to live here full time, though. And while I think it's clear that any perceptions of malaise I might have are at least partially colored by my own, there is weariness here from the locals. Some of it has to do with dealing with PopTech, I know, but it seems like there is something else. Maybe it's the feeling of a small town and I've just been away from them for so long I've forgotten the tenor.

Also, does Zolli really drive an Expedition? (I know that was another comment, but omgloulous.)

Jonathan Coulton on Writing Portal's End Theme

October 18, 2007 7:43am

Added. Sorry about that!

Neuros x Boing Boing Gadgets Prop Contest

October 18, 2007 4:18am

It doesn't have to be anything overly intricate. Make something out of a shoe box! Blinkenlights, etc. are just icing.

Neuros x Boing Boing Gadgets Prop Contest

October 18, 2007 2:47am

I totally meant "win." I even proof-read it! Argh.

Daniel Schweinert's DIY 35mm Lens Adapter for Camcorders

October 16, 2007 4:55am

For what it's worth, that's a not a sample clip from a commercial outlet. It's just a guy who has a 35mm adapter who put some stuff I liked up on YouTube.

Rule 34: Portal Edition

October 13, 2007 4:12pm

Oh yeah. I definitely got past the fire.

Total Music: Lifetime Music Subscriptions from Universal & Co.

October 13, 2007 5:36am

Well, totoro, not everyone on Boing Boing is the exact same person with the exact same thoughts on the matter. Personally I find music subscription services fairly compelling, even with DRM. Of course because you're not actually buying any music, just renting it, the service would need to be pretty cheap to make it worthwhile.

I think DRM is a lost cause, but I also know that the market can't make it all go away at once. And if someone made a device that could have access to all music, ever, for $5 a month, even if it was locked in, it would be hard to point at that and say "That's just not worth it."

Israeli RADAR Jamming Disrupting Satellite TV?

October 12, 2007 10:40am

Obvs. not all military or intelligence tech is public, but this one was an especially big head scratcher for people. We usually have an idea of what's going on -- and someone in the U.S. gov. probably does! -- but this one was a bit of a surprise. (Like all good bombings should be!)

How Much Bunker Could Tom Cruise Get for $10 Million?

October 12, 2007 7:34am

JC Refuge: That SafeCastle mega-shelter is awesome! I want to live there.

I did actually call several different companies before finding Henrikson. Most of the people were serious paranoid jerks, even after I explained to them that I had a personal affection for bunkers and wasn't planning on making fun of them. It took me a while to find Len, who was smart, sane, and friendly.

How Much Bunker Could Tom Cruise Get for $10 Million?

October 12, 2007 7:31am

The 50 PSI number is one offered by Henrikson. I'm not sure where he got it!

Blip: Sprint U727 USB EV-DO Dongle Available Today

October 10, 2007 2:01pm

Okay, we found it! It should be gone within a couple of hours. Thanks for the heads-up!

Blip: Sprint U727 USB EV-DO Dongle Available Today

October 10, 2007 1:24pm

That's a good question, Anonymous! I'm sure it's just a random ad coming up in the rotation, but I'll see if we can remove it. I checked out the site and it's not something I want to support here.

Stiletto TiBone Solid Titanium Hammer

October 10, 2007 11:20am

Aw, come on! I was just funnin'. (Although I didn't know that titanium hammers existed until Toolmonger pointed them out to me.)

Flash-Based Camcorders with Line-In?

October 10, 2007 6:07am

I ended up going with the Canon HV20, which was out of my budget, but looks like the best solution for the sort of work I will end up doing in the future. The flash video stuff is really cool, but I started looking at video compression formats and the like and realized I should just stick with miniDV and its various (also somewhat crap) compression formats for now. Plus: Hotshoe!

Thanks for all the input, everybody. It really helped.

Flash-Based Camcorders with Line-In?

October 9, 2007 7:23am

That Panasonic looks fantastic, but that is way out of my price range. I was already counting pennies looking at the Xacti HD2. :)

Design & Comfort's Updated Murphy Bed with Shelf

October 8, 2007 2:56pm

Holy crap, Teresa! Thanks!

Left Behind Game Developers Send Lawyers After Critics

October 8, 2007 11:37am

I meant the Left Behind series is spank material for Christian fundamentalists.

Moaning Lisa Teaches Proper Foreplay

October 8, 2007 9:29am

I don't really think it's NSFW - it's a mannequin with electrodes for nipples - but I've updated the image.

"NSFWness" is a peeve of mine; I think the acceptance of "worksafe" standards are exacerbating the problem. But I'm sitting at home by myself, not in an office full of prudes, so I will change it this time out of courtesy to you guys.

Design & Comfort's Updated Murphy Bed with Shelf

October 8, 2007 7:46am

Ah, Katti, why must you torment!

Boing Boing tv: Butt-biting Bug / Vaginads

October 5, 2007 7:40am

I am obviously partial, but I thought this was the best one yet.

The Price of Copyright Infringement: $9,250 Per Song

October 5, 2007 7:36am

You're right, Tubman. That's an important distinction when it comes to the amount of damages calculated, but of course reveals a spectacular misunderstanding by the courts and jury of how P2P works. It is exactly the same bullshit used to trump up drug "distribution" charges to put extra penalties on people.

Pilgrim on Open Gadgets, Apple and "Twisted Wish Fulfillment"

October 5, 2007 2:08am

I would have also accepted "Steve Jobs doesn't care about Mac people."

Hacoa DIY Wooden Keyboard Kit

October 3, 2007 12:02pm

Oh, for sure. The price is all out of whack. I imagine that's part of why they threw in all those tools: just to make it seem like a better value. Still, want that. (Actually I want that but the same size and shape as the new wireless Mac keyboards, but working in Windows, too.)

Video: Proto-Cookie Monster Eats a Gadget

October 3, 2007 11:56am

Grabe catch!

I'm Loving Team Fortress 2

October 3, 2007 4:49am

It's not the just hardware that's the issue, though. You have to consider the IDEs and software packages that go along with Windows. DirectX is no chump these days; it's a very valuable tool for a lot of game development. (Or so I hear.)

Indoor Grass Planters (A.K.A. "Fancy Pots")

October 3, 2007 4:45am

Buttermilk! Wonderful. Have you had any success growing indoors, I wonder?

30-Year "Betavoltaic" Battery Hoax

October 3, 2007 4:44am

It's cool, homies. I did imply that betavoltaics were a hoax - I didn't do any research into the tech itself - but I was mainly just trying to point out that the idea that our laptop power issues are now instantly over is totally false. Which it is. So yay for learning!

Artist gets probation for building secret mall apartment

October 2, 2007 6:01pm

If this had happened in New York City there would be riots. Free rent for four years in a secret room is an undying dream of New Yorkers.

The tape project was very nice, Johnny Teapot. Thanks for linking that.

Indoor Grass Planters (A.K.A. "Fancy Pots")

October 2, 2007 8:45am

Beer! Of course. I usually get beer all over most of my DIY projects.

30-Year "Betavoltaic" Battery Hoax

October 2, 2007 7:51am

God bless you readers, each smarter than me.

30-Year "Betavoltaic" Battery Hoax

October 2, 2007 6:48am

I don't have time for Google. I'm a blogger!

So yeah, point is, it's great, game changer, etc. So where is it? My point, poorly stated, probably, is less about the technology, of which I obviously know nothing, than it is the story being tossed around, sourceless, by Next Energy News.

James Randi Calls Out Audiophile: I'm Sure the Crickets Will Sound Fantastic

October 1, 2007 1:01pm

Yeah, that's worded a bit confusingly. I only meant it's mythical because nobody's ever been able to win it. :)

Refrigerators with Built-In Beverage Dispensers

October 1, 2007 9:29am

Homebrew is part of the plan, although I'll probably buy corny kegs from people that will sell them, too. I'm going to try to base my plans around a chest freezer -- I tried finding the guy who did what I want to do, but can't find them at the moment -- but finding a properly-sized freezer here in NYC without buying a new one has slowed me down. But I'm about to redo my whole damn living room/kitchen room, so it'll happen soonish. Before the end of the year, probably. I will definitely blog it!

TRON Sequel Given Green, Pulsing Light

October 1, 2007 7:38am

Matthew, I would definitely be interested! I'm sure I'm not the only one who might like to be regaled with your tales about working with Mr. Mead, too. For some reason I can't pull your email out of the system, but if you'd be so kind as to ping me at joel@bb.net (expand that address using your mind) I'd love to take it for a whirl.

Aptera Three-Wheeled Electric Car May Reach Production

September 28, 2007 7:33am

I would also have accepted "Morkmobile."

Morning Tech Deals Highlights

September 28, 2007 6:22am

Good to know it's a solid machine, Reed. Thanks for chiming in. I built my last couple of PCs and I think I'm about done with it. It's so much cheaper and easier just to buy a pre-built thing, even if you don't get to customize every last part.

Lame Graffiti Train Model Simulates Creativity for Non-Creatives

September 28, 2007 5:23am

Fair enough, Skep. I don't feel like you've been very polite in the past, but my comment wasn't polite either, so let's call it a wash and try to go from here. I have very little patience for people trying to take pot shots for the sake of it, especially on my home turf, but I shouldn't be so reactive.

Lame Graffiti Train Model Simulates Creativity for Non-Creatives

September 27, 2007 7:41pm

Krisjohn, Skep has a history of trolling posts with ridiculous, abrasive statements looking to start a fight. I apologize for falling for it and douching up my own thread.

Gateway One Computer Images Leaked

September 27, 2007 4:40pm

Anonymous: I got a good look at this machine today. Not only can you not tilt the screen, there's a big, glowing Gateway logo on the front. Even worse, all the ports aren't actually on the computer, but are on a big power brick-looking thing that is meant to be put under your desk which means, yup, if you want to add in additional peripherals, you'll have to attach them to the big brick, which means it's either going to go back up on the desk, or all your stuff will go under.

It's very cool looking, though, if unwieldy.

Lame Graffiti Train Model Simulates Creativity for Non-Creatives

September 27, 2007 4:38pm

You win, Skep. From now on I will call all douchebags "space twats."

Lame Graffiti Train Model Simulates Creativity for Non-Creatives

September 27, 2007 2:15pm

Whatever, Skep. Why don't you take a look at the product and realize it's not a model railroad car with paste-on graffiti. That was my idea. But don't let understanding stop you from douching up the place.

Lame Graffiti Train Model Simulates Creativity for Non-Creatives

September 27, 2007 7:15am

Sure, painting your own would be fun...if you have the ability. But I know some railroaders who are more about the overall construction and would welcome some outside help. I mean, they're not all building their cars from scratch.

Okay, I don't actually know any railroaders. But the imaginary ones I've spoken to seem excited by this idea.

BasicKnives by Caroline Noordijk

September 27, 2007 6:14am

@DCulberson: That's measuring salt. Presumably table salt and not one of the more interesting salts.

Oh, and garlic press! I bet you're correct.

Ultreo Ultrasound Toothbrush Review (Verdict: Not Recommended)

September 26, 2007 3:49pm

I get the reference, but don't quite understand what you mean. Phil Collins is highly underrated, though.

Gateway One Computer Images Leaked

September 26, 2007 11:43am

Hey, it's black!

I think it's a fine form factor for a computer, whether Apple did it first or not, so more power to 'em, I say.

Morning Tech Deals Highlights

September 26, 2007 8:49am

Fixed!

Halo 3 x Suicide Girls: Master Chief Pin-Up

September 25, 2007 2:05pm

You are all added!

Jamie Oliver Kitchen Survival Kit "Hack the Kit" Contest

September 25, 2007 1:57pm

I meant "live," of course. :) I do proofread, believe it or not, but my brain works in such a way as to make those sorts of typos difficult to parse.

Di Blasi R7E Folding Motorbike

September 25, 2007 6:21am

Christ-on-a-folding-motorbike, Jim! I didn't slag your product; I just said that two-stroke engines are dirty (they are), that your web site is ridiculous (it is), and that it seems like a lot of money for a motorcycle unless you need one that folds.

The problem I see with your reading comprehension is that this wasn't a review, but a simple write-up pointing out your product to potentially interested customers. I'd thought they'd have explained the difference in Journalism 101, but perhaps you were too busy finishing up your homework from "How to Sell 30-Year-Old Products By Getting Angry on the Internet."

Morning Tech Deals Highlights

September 25, 2007 6:12am

Oh, good catch, wka. I'll fix it!

U.N. Climate Change Summit Wrap Up

September 25, 2007 4:17am

Icky2000, that is a very excellent point. Despite what even some of the U.N. folks said, everyone knows that Bush's unwillingness to participate is because he doesn't actually believe climate change is a big deal. Or he does and he's just trying to squeeze out a few more years of profit before everything goes to shit. Or both!

Hands-Free Binocular Glasses

September 25, 2007 4:14am

Skep, I'm getting a little tired of your slo-mo trolling.

Using Less Power Good; Using None at All Better

September 24, 2007 11:28am

Something that might help me wrap my head around this would be to discover what the carbon footprint of common gadgetry might be.

How Should the U.N. Talk to Blogs?

September 24, 2007 11:01am

@Tubman: I get what you're saying, but you have to realize that I'm balancing "you should be reading the blogs you want to invite" with "not invite any bloggers at all." Both are reasonable and valid options.

I mean, first of all, it's the freakin' U.N.; the security here is tight and there are already some 1,500-odd journalists fighting for space and internet access. Second of all, I'm not sure how much work there is for bloggers to do here, especially those that work in the sit-and-record school of blogging. At least as my very limited experience is showing, this whole event is mostly an opportunity for diplomats to give speeches, working up the choir for the big finale in Bali.

I'm sure other events have more debate and discussion, but when most of the information is public—speeches are handed out to the press before they are given—it's not like enhanced access is really giving much more informationally.

(What access does provide, of course, is access. I've met several interesting people already who will probably end up helping me find stories more in my space; that's worth a ton, but is more of a side-effect of this particular circumstance.)

Anyway, I think we basically agree. I'm sympathizing with their plight. What I think might serve them just as well as giving bloggers physical access would be to revamp the way their information, agenda, and statistics are presented to the world at large. Their web site is a bit of a lump. Why bother clearing a couple dozen bloggers for access when you could make the same effort to relay all the goings-on in lucid, extremely accessible ways? (Warning: I'm talking out of my ass, as I've barely used the UN.org site before today.)

On the other hand, how hard can it be to work with a couple dozen bloggers, build a relationship, and let them in with the rest of the press? If they fuck it up, give 'em the boot.

Bush Skipping Climate Change Summit...Mostly

September 24, 2007 10:44am

Peace be on you, dudes. As I announced earlier today, I'm at a summit on climate change at the U.N. Things will be running a little bit differently today. Fret not.

How Should the U.N. Talk to Blogs?

September 24, 2007 8:52am

@JHudson: That's a good question and one we're still working out. That sounds like a blow-off, but it isn't meant to be. We just don't know what we're going to do yet.

@Tubman: Fair point, but I don't think it repudiates mine, either. The only way those big orgs gain credence is by being read by those with whom they're trying to broker access. If the U.N. doesn't read that bloggers they're inviting, they're missing part of the process.

iSlide Skateboard Segway Hybrid Concept

September 24, 2007 8:48am

Anonymous: I never, ever read any of the links I post. I've never admitted this before, but I can't read.

Blogging the U.N. High-Level Event on Climate Change

September 24, 2007 7:41am

Great info, Icky. I'm loathe to admit I'm not abreast of the political situation as I am the science and business parts of things, although I'm soaking up a ton today. Also, interesting, Bush is apparently supposed to show at an informal dinner this evening to discuss climate, but yeah, no actual talk.

We won't show up for the work but we'll still stop by for dinner!

Official LEGO Star Wars AT-AT Walker

September 22, 2007 8:43am

One word: prequels.

A Short Note Regarding Commenting

September 21, 2007 10:54am

We do not have a 100% Non-Wonkiness SLA! (Thanks for coming back to report your findings.)

iPhone to include IM and picture messaging soon?

September 21, 2007 10:41am

Eeeenterestink. It could just be random spam, though; I'm sure pretty much every other AT&T; device can already do instant messaging.

One of Us: Stephen Fry Blogs About Smartphones

September 20, 2007 5:55pm

I just left out part of my sentence.

A Short Note Regarding Commenting

September 20, 2007 9:53am

Pork, it didn't happen to everyone. Apparently it was just the first few accounts that were like that before we caught the setting error, but now all the accounts are merged.

A Short Note Regarding Commenting

September 20, 2007 8:54am

And lo Ken, who had seen that which was fucked, set his rod upon it, and yea it was unfucked. – Larywal 13:36

Flying Witch Arcade Game Prototype with Broom

September 20, 2007 7:23am

Typing of the Dead came out in the States! I think they even made a PC version! It's an awesome game, too; totally recommended and miles better than Tuna Hero.

Boing Boing Gadgets: the latest posts

September 20, 2007 5:32am

It's the pen so nice we had to link it twice! Except it's not that nice! (Totally agree with you, Skep; cute pen, but I can't imagine paying for it.)

Canon Powershot G9 Camera Reviewed (Verdict: A Fiddler's Dream)

September 20, 2007 5:02am

Don't tell me that, a random John. It just makes me want one more.

I actually played around with one at a press event last night. Of course that's just knob-fiddlin' and useless memory card filling, but it still seemed kind of awesome. Canon are real stingy bastards about review units, though, so I'm not sure if I'll get a chance to take one out for a spin without actually buying it.

Extract 32 AA Batteries from 1 Six-Volt Lantern Battery

September 20, 2007 5:00am

Ha. I guess you're right, Anonymous! I tend to use "cell" and "battery" interchangeably, which is sloppy. Informed!

Working Pop-Up Lamp Book by Tekeshi Ishiguru

September 20, 2007 4:57am

Sorry about that, Alex Johnson. I've fixed it!

Skull font, free from Skull-A-Day

September 19, 2007 11:40am

Damn, that's sharp!

The Device: Homebrew Homebrew Beer Maker

September 19, 2007 9:22am

Yeah, but all grain is really sort of a pain in the ass. (Although worth it if you know what you're doing; I don't.) They could almost do a separate machine just for the mashing and sparging.

Watches Made from Meteorite

September 19, 2007 8:31am

Anyone who can afford these is probably part of an undead coterie of eternals, anyway, so those are probably bullet points in the brochure.

Motorola ROKR E8 Music Phone's Trick Backlit Keypad

September 18, 2007 7:33am

They still release several phones a year that run some flavor of Linux, but a decent OS with a Motorola interface over it is still a Motorola phone. It's one of the few instances I can think of where I'd actually prefer a Linux interface over a commercial one.

Project: Build a Better Ma Bell History Chart

September 18, 2007 6:03am

I figure start with the landline and wireless carriers for now, then use those skills later to track the other media companies, if'n we want. I also like the idea of doing a big chart of breweries in the US, but we'd have to go back a lot further than the 1880s. :)

I think a wiki is pretty much where it's at for this. I'm operating at half steam today, but I'll see about putting something together this week.

Project: Build a Better Ma Bell History Chart

September 17, 2007 1:06pm

About the login thing: I know it's screwy, but I think you can log out with your BB login, then log back in here with the same login, and you'll be good to go. (Well, you'd have to log back in to BB again, too.)

I'll definitely toss up my notes when I've got more to show. Right now I'm going to wait for that book and slurp all the info out of that before I put anything up publicly.

Project: Build a Better Ma Bell History Chart

September 17, 2007 9:47am

Who knows, Simon? It doesn't seem like anti-trust means all that much these days.

I did just find a cool out of print book on Amazon that might help called "Telephone: The First $100 Years." I just ordered a used copy.

Reveal Watch by Daniel Will-Harris

September 17, 2007 9:45am

In the sense that nearly every portable device these days includes a clock.

Oldsters Help Propel Wii to Number 1

September 15, 2007 1:33pm

"Nan" is a Brit term for "Grandma," I believe.

New iPods reengineered to block synching with Linux

September 15, 2007 11:39am

I'm not sure this was a move to lock out other syncing software. The new iPod Touch (and soon the iPhone) can download music over the air from the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store. My guess - and it's just a guess, as I'm not technically proficient enough to dig into it - is that the new iTunes DB format has changed to allow integrity between libraries as some sort of "this is an authorized device" two-way check. I could be wrong, but I don't see why Apple would care enough about third-party software solutions to try to lock them out from syncing in software; even if you buy DRM-free MP3s from another service, it's not like you can't import them into iTunes.

So I'd guess it is the byproduct of DRM, but not anything specifically malicious against non-iTunes users. Apple doesn't have any business need to maintain DB formats; they just have to make sure their software works with their hardware.

Husqvarna Auto Mower: Another Lawn Care Robot

September 13, 2007 11:40am

*I* may be missing something, but I was under the impression that this was a new model. If it's not, well, sheesh. It did seem vaguely familiar, but so does, you know, almost everything. But that wouldn't explain why I couldn't find any prices for it.

Japanese Arcade Game Blamed for Rise in Illegal Stag Beetle Imports

September 13, 2007 11:34am

Jenn, that's great! I wish they would have let us carry around beetles in school when I was a kid. We had pet lizards in one class, though, and I put some acorns I had found in the yard inside with them, because there were tiny grubs that I (and the teacher) thought would eat them. Then the worms grew into beetles and killed the lizards. Traumatic!

Not Everyone Loving the New iPod Interface

September 13, 2007 9:34am

It only works on the Mac, but I've found Corripo to work well when tracking down album art iTunes can't grok: http://nclasssoftware.com/corripio

Avon Sunfire Tube Amp: Looks Important

September 13, 2007 9:32am

Okay, I'll buy that. My main point remains: spending lots of money on something that can be, at best, simulated with a $5 DSP, is goofy.

And though I'd never argue with a guitarist about what gets his mojo working, for my money I'd rather buy a decent amp simulator (see: Line6) with a wide range of to-my-ears-indistinguishable sounds.

Griffin Technology iPhone Headphone Adapter

September 13, 2007 9:29am

Great tip, Phil!

Winamp Lives!

September 13, 2007 9:28am

File system organization works fine - I try to keep my albums nice and clean - but I really like being able to dink around with the metadata options that iTunes & co. provides. You can do very similar things with playlists, etc., but I don't like dicking around with stuff if I don't have to.

Not Everyone Loving the New iPod Interface

September 13, 2007 9:26am

I'm told you can turn off album art entirely, but not just the floaty random covers part, which is what most people are complaining about.

Women's Spatial Acuity Improved By Videogame

September 13, 2007 8:03am

Skwid: It's just one study, but that's certainly what it indicates. And that the women were testing at the same improved levels months later implies that there isn't some biological bias they have learned to temporarily work around, but plain ol' conditioning. (Or, perhaps, shampooing; washing that man back into their hair.)

Team Fortress 2 "Meet the *" Trailers

September 13, 2007 4:12am

It's certainly possible they were influenced by the same sources instead of a straight-ahead rip off, but however it happened they're incredibly similar.

Toy Octopus Encourages Beach Clean Up

September 12, 2007 5:02pm

Well, I don't think the idea is to set the octopus out to sea, but to make the act of picking up trash fun.

Di Blasi R7E Folding Motorbike

September 12, 2007 9:26am

I bet this is the very same bike. When I was poking around I found a few references to "drunk services"; I bet that's what they were referring to.

Di Blasi R7E Folding Motorbike

September 12, 2007 9:24am

Pork, there currently isn't a separate "Send a Tip" form, although there will be one any day now. You can always email me directly, though: joel@ bb.net (but not bb.net, of course.)

Team Fortress 2 "Meet the *" Trailers

September 12, 2007 6:23am

Looks like that first video isn't processed yet. Should be working soon.

"Antivirus" Lid Turns Soda Cans into Needle Containers

September 12, 2007 4:35am

Fair points all, but I think if you read the article you'll see two things that might some difference to Antivirus' usefulness: first, this is for developing countries, not 1st world, and the current UN alternative for sharps is a cardboard box; secondly, the big flap of plastic is meant to stay on the can forever, not be removed.

Still, I think the idea to just make the whole damn thing plastic is probably best. I was seduced by clever design!

TRON Sequel Given Green, Pulsing Light

September 12, 2007 4:31am

That jives with most of the commentary I've heard, guys. Thanks! I wish they had it on Steam; I've started to get really spoiled by that service.

Slide Projecting Table Lamp

September 11, 2007 8:14am

@#1: Okay, you may be right, but "Rich Man's Sharper Image" isn't really a whole lot better, either. :)

EEStor's "Ultracapacitors": Quick-Charging Battery Replacements

September 11, 2007 8:10am

Freddie: You are certainly correct in taking all this with a hunk of salt. Not all tech companies are very good at dealing with the press, but being that aggressive is rarely a positive sign.

Avon Sunfire Tube Amp: Looks Important

September 11, 2007 7:54am

In total fairness to everyone, while I do sincerely believe that tube amps are mostly hype, I am definitely tweaking you guys a bit with this post.

Video: Katana vs. Bullet Test

September 11, 2007 7:20am

I could have created a whole new category for "weapons," but it seemed to be reaching a bit. Did it really impugn your sense of organization badly enough to comment on it?

NRG Phoenix Fury: Caffeinated Potato Chips

September 10, 2007 12:40pm

It's an accessory... to murder!

Video: Fantastic Hearing Aid Packaging from Widex

September 10, 2007 11:20am

I think making a box that contains hearing aids say something might be a little cruel.

Video: Fantastic Hearing Aid Packaging from Widex

September 10, 2007 10:14am

You're crazy.

Sony Rolly Continues to Provoke Headscratching

September 10, 2007 9:34am

Ha. That was my first thought, too. I want more Keepon!

Flippin' Nice: Tag Heuer Monaco 69 Watch

September 10, 2007 9:33am

I agree, Strider. There's a reason this is under "fashion" instead of "tools."

Rumor: iPhone Europe Launch November 12th?

September 8, 2007 8:44am

Yeah, sorry about that. Just a typo!

Burning Man Art Car for Bilking Moisture Farmers

September 7, 2007 1:09pm

I was just making up a word.

Headscratcher: My LCD Panel Has Gone Screwy

September 7, 2007 10:07am

Dell just contacted me, having read the post, to remind me that I am probably under a three year warranty for this panel, so that's nice. If I am, I kind of want to pull it apart anyway just to test the panel.

But what I wanted to say is: I can't believe we just been doing this for a couple of weeks and yet there are already so many sharp people on here. I had this inkling that if I asked what was wrong with this panel, there'd be a few of you smarties out there to educate me. Which is very, very awesome. Thanks, guys!

Apple as High Roller

September 7, 2007 9:48am

@Monopole: Well, I think it's possible that Apple is heading for a fall, too. I'm just saying it's interesting to see them act this way.

@Ben Wisdom: The FCC can keep filings private if they choose to. I think you're basically right, though. That would have been a heck of a product to keep under wraps.

Headscratcher: My LCD Panel Has Gone Screwy

September 7, 2007 9:45am

Ack. The replacement logic board is $80.

Headscratcher: My LCD Panel Has Gone Screwy

September 7, 2007 9:32am

I might be able to do a simple repair. How much do the replacement boards run?

Headscratcher: My LCD Panel Has Gone Screwy

September 7, 2007 8:32am

Yeah, the resolution doesn't matter, nor does the input, nor does the cable, nor does the source. (We tried swapping them all.) I'm 99% sure it's an inoperable monitor failure, but I guess I'm mostly just curious about what is failing. It's so strange that only part of it would die, not all.

And yeah, the "inches" thing was just because I wasn't going to get in there and count each row of pixels.

Apple as High Roller

September 7, 2007 7:28am

That's an interesting analogy you make, Pork Musket. (Great handle, by the way.) What's wrong with loving a computer company as much as a sports team?

I think Apple makes some great products, but the whole thing is a mess to talk about. Call 'em a cult, you'll have people say they aren't (and they aren't...exactly); it's just a big slop to wade through every time you want to talk about the company. I almost think all the vitriol helps shield them from criticism at times. The people who are always on the defense continue to stay on the defense.

Anyway, at some point I'd like to get more into my thoughts about Apple as a company - and more interestingly, the way people and journalists react to them - but for now I just wanted to note this change in their tactics for posterity.

Cabinet Jack: Multi-Tool for Cabinet Makers

September 6, 2007 6:45pm

You may have a point, but I have one, too: Not needing a tool has never stopped me from owning it. :)

Confirmation: No Bluetooth in iPod Touch

September 6, 2007 6:39pm

Laura, hi! What's shakin'?

Xeni on CNN International re: Apple's announcements

September 6, 2007 5:13pm

You have a point, but sometimes I just can't resist.

A Few Minor Updates

September 6, 2007 1:14pm

Well, then, hell! I don't know what's up with the comment problems some people are having. Maybe that old "clear your cookies" juju will work if anyone has any more problems!

LuLL Flowering Lamp Concept

September 6, 2007 1:13pm

Yeah, you wouldn't want to put a really harsh bulb in there. Or one full of bees.

HP Back in the Smartphone Game with New iPAQs

September 6, 2007 1:11pm

Well, iPhone and Windows Mobile Smartphones aren't in direct compeition, what with the lack of Exchange integration so far on iPhone, but yeah, ouch. $800 is a lot of scratch.

Bang & Olufsen Beo 5 Remote

September 6, 2007 1:10pm

Smaller is better, for sure, but it's just so gawky. Maybe if the screen wasn't square it would be less jarring.

Xeni on CNN International re: Apple's announcements

September 6, 2007 1:08pm

I get $10,000 every time I post about Apple, plus expenses. That sounds like a lot, but you should see how much I get for posting about Microsoft.

We're technology journalists. We write, report, and talk about technology. It's what we do for a living. Do you expect us to ignore a major product launch entirely, refusing to discuss it because we may or may not agree with all of its decisions? Of course you don't.

But it's easier to make a cheap, drive-by slag than it is to consider that talking about a company and its products isn't condoning it or giving it tacit support.

I own a Mac and an iPhone. That's what you should be attacking me about, if you feel so strongly about discussing it. Somehow I suspect you don't feel that strongly at all.

Disclaimer: Use of "we" does not imply that I'm speaking for Xeni.

LuLL Flowering Lamp Concept

September 6, 2007 9:54am

And because I couldn't bear to put it in the post, but also couldn't bear to post it: LULZ!

Apple iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store, iPod Nano, Classic, and Touch Announced

September 6, 2007 9:01am

Ah, I got you, shredphones. Sorry for being oversensitive! I get a bit fussy sometimes.

A Few Minor Updates

September 6, 2007 8:17am

Thanks for saying so! I am having a really good time, but getting encouraging words always makes me feel really good.

Eva Solo Smiley Bowl

September 6, 2007 6:27am

You know, that wouldn't actually stop me from buying the carafe, since every single freaking coffee device I own, including my treasured insulated french press, dribbles coffee all over itself at just a second glance.

Morning Tech Deals Highlights

September 6, 2007 6:25am

Sorry about the mixer mix-up! I usually will try to link Kitchen-Aid mixers when I see a good deal, because I love them lots.

Foleo Folded: Palm Kills Ill-Conceived Notebook Before Birth

September 6, 2007 6:24am

#5: What input method do you prefer?

Video: Yamaha's Grid Sequencer "Tenori On" Launches in London

September 6, 2007 6:20am

I've got Elektroplankton! It's a great game to show friends, because once they've played through it for 15 minutes they've seen all there is and will give it back.

2k Games Continues to Bungle Bioshock Launch

September 6, 2007 6:19am

If he's receiving money from 2K to work the forum, he's an employee.

And I noticed that "one thread" only thing, too. Just to get all hysterical and shreiky, it's a little bit freedom zone for my taste.

Doggie Dooley Turns Pet Waste into Lawn Food

September 6, 2007 6:15am

Ah, cool! Well, sounds like it's proven technology, at least. (Unless it's cold!)

I'd love one of these, but our yard access is through our downstairs neighbors' apartment, so the only way we could get Porter's (our bulldog) mess into a bucket would be to fling it over the balcony.

SLP Survival Knife with Flashlight and Firestarter

September 6, 2007 6:13am

Do you guys actually carry your knives and firestarters around with you at all times? I have a hard enough time remembering to take a multi-tool with me, and even then I often leave it home just because I've run out of pocket room. (And unless it's the winter, I hate wearing stuff on my belt.

Apple iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store, iPod Nano, Classic, and Touch Announced

September 6, 2007 6:10am

The lack of Apple updates on the site is by design. I love much of the work they do, but I'm specifically ignoring all the rumors and speculation before launch, partially because it's well covered elsewhere, and partially because I just don't care. There's only so many times you can write "this may or may not be legit, but..." before going insane.

As for adding pictures to the post, the Apple store site was nuking both Safari and Firefox (Mac and Windows), so I just gave up, for the same reasons dculberson stated. I figured if by some trick of fate you still hadn't seen them, you'd get a picture elsewhere.

And "few-day-old gadget blog?" I may be being selective, but I'm not that far behind the curve.

Blowing Out the Dust: Afternoon Edition

September 6, 2007 5:58am

God damn it, Dan. Sorry about that!

Apple iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store, iPod Nano, Classic, and Touch Announced

September 5, 2007 12:06pm

You have to pay extra because AT&T; wants a cut, I'm sure. As stupid as it may seem, selling ringtones is a big business for the cellular carriers, and $2 for a ringtone that includes the entire song for your own listening pleasure is surprisingly inexpensive compared to other (ridiculous) offerings.

Of course, it's easy as hell to get a ringtone of your choice onto the iPhone already using third-party tools.

Morning Tech Deals Highlights

September 5, 2007 8:48am

I can try! Do all the other paragraphs get cut out in Google Reader, or just these?

ShenZhou-VII: Rocket-Shaped Mobile Phone

September 4, 2007 11:42am

MarkMarkMark, I believe it is short for "pizazz." But I have to cop to picking it up from Metalocalypse, myself.

Rick Rubin, Subscription Music, and Failure

September 4, 2007 8:42am

Amie Street works as a "music stock exchange" already for indie bands, changing prices based on popularity. No idea how it's working out, but it does exist.

Silhouette Mobile: Portable Wound Scanning Unit

September 4, 2007 8:36am

Ah, you are probably right. But still: BEAMS!

Stōk: Coffee Shots in Creamer Tubs

September 4, 2007 8:05am

Tubman: Easter eggs in the U.S. are either 1) boiled, painted chicken eggs that no one actually eats; 2) plastic eggs that are filled with wrapped candy.

So yeah, no Kinder eggs in the U.S.! It's a choking hazard, you see. Of course, if you're clever, they're trivially easy to find in New York, if you know what stores to visit.

Victorian Wrist-Horn

September 4, 2007 8:03am

I did mean "1880s," #1. I fixered it. Thanks!

Xbox Live Bans the Word "Linux"

September 4, 2007 7:02am

Nintendo, Sony, Wii, and Playstation are all perfectly acceptable, it seems.

Rick Rubin, Subscription Music, and Failure

September 4, 2007 6:59am

@Anonymous: Yeah, but that's just market forces at work. Almost every new DVD or CD that comes out comes out at the same price, then is discounted more slowly or quickly depending on demand. Even games, which vary much more than other media, tend to stabalize around per-platform price points. (Peter Piper picked...)

I guess I might feel differently if music companies said, "You know, a buck a song is about right. But we'd like to sell music even more cheaply if we want to get it out there." But you know that's not what they're talking about.

Stōk: Coffee Shots in Creamer Tubs

September 4, 2007 6:55am

Aww, I dunno, Scaught. I'm sure they taste horrible, but I thought the font choice and graphics looked surprisingly nice. Understated, even, especially for a caffeine booster.

Marines Using Biometric Scanning to Cordon Fallujah

September 3, 2007 1:18pm

Fair enough, Adam, but that quote is from the article, not from me. That said, if you're familiar with Noah's work, you'll know that he's not one to shirk from issues of privacy and personal freedom. I think for the purposes of that piece, he's simply trying to report how the gear is being used and the implications it has on the operation of that town.

Of course, we can always discuss it ourselves! For instance, in the context of war and securing one of the most embattled cities in Iraq, I can understand the use of scanning during egress. I don't support the overall war, myself, but if there's any time for "Papers, please," it's in a war zone.

Video: Cingular "Hanging on the Telephone" Commercial

September 3, 2007 10:51am

Mwa ha ha, Anonymous, you have fallen into my hipper-than-thou trap! The Blondie version was, in fact, also a cover of the original song by The Nerves. (And, of course, the one I was first familiar with just like 99% of the world.)

Ditching MS Word for Text Editors

September 3, 2007 9:44am

@Strider: I don't really like Office that much, so using a freeware clone of it isn't appealing. If I have to send somebody a .doc, I make one in Google Docs by cutting and pasting in a text file. I usually ask the person if they can just accept a text file first, though. It's my little way to spread the gospel.

@Andreas: Dark Room looks AOK! Certainly good enough to prevent yourself from spending a bunch of money on hardware just to get a text editor!

Would You Pay a Premium for Electronics Recycling?

September 3, 2007 8:07am

@#7 and #8: Those are both very interesting projects! What's the general public sentiment about them? I'm sure there's the usual grumbling about the levy, but do people seem to get a good idea of why it is important?

In the Year 2000: '61 Life Magazine on Future Space

September 2, 2007 2:33pm

Dan, so great to see you here!

Would You Pay a Premium for Electronics Recycling?

September 2, 2007 8:58am

And there you have it. Case closed!

Convert a cigarette lighter into a secret stash container

September 2, 2007 7:31am

Crazy, I got that, too. I thought Metacafe was a pretty major site.

In the Year 2000: Syd Mead Spacesuits (and More)

September 1, 2007 9:47am

#3: Quiet! I'm an artist.

Irony, Thy Name is Amazon

September 1, 2007 9:41am

I'm ashamed to say I missed that second layer of irony about "de-greening." But I will retroactively take credit for it all the same.

Plastic Litters Our Oceans

September 1, 2007 9:35am

@8: I'm pretty sure the plastic reclamation processes use microwaves to break down the structure of the plastic, not just heat it.

Global Resource Corporation has the "Hawk-10," which according to New Scientist uses "1200 different frequencies within the microwave range, which act on specific hydrocarbon materials. As the material is zapped at the appropriate wavelength, part of the hydrocarbons that make up the plastic and rubber in the material are broken down into diesel oil and combustible gas."

Ozmotech also has a process that converts plastics into diesel fuel that can be combusted in standard engines. I'm not exactly sure how their process works. I think there's some chemistry happening in there.

Irony, Thy Name is Amazon

August 31, 2007 12:39pm

QUIET YOU POWER SUCKING GLOBE WARMERS!!!!

(Not really. I concede I may be wearing the Birkenstocks too tightly on this one.)

Kokoro Scan: Finally, a Game That Will Cause Actual Real Life Violence

August 31, 2007 12:32pm

Glad you're liking it!

Kokoro Scan: Finally, a Game That Will Cause Actual Real Life Violence

August 31, 2007 11:41am

Kaiser, Joel Johnson is me. I write Boing Boing Gadgets. Hi!

Plastic Litters Our Oceans

August 31, 2007 10:17am

@#3: I think the problem with the trash-to-oil solutions right now is that they take a tremendous amount of energy to work. Worth it to clean up the ocean, yes, but definitely not a net gain in energy.

Irony, Thy Name is Amazon

August 31, 2007 10:11am

I may feel more stridently about this than others—especially since I live in Brooklyn and don't even have a yard; I mow my neighbor's 20 x 20 ft plot for fun!—but while electric stuff is definitely greener, it's still not green green.

I just really, really love to work in the yard and garden with my hands, so that's what "working on the lawn" is to me. And hence, why seeing power tools listed as a "green" solution was funny to me.

Irony, Thy Name is Amazon

August 31, 2007 8:13am

@Hunty: While electric lawn tools are better than gas-and-oil-powered ones, they're hardly the greenest option.

Casio Prototype Camera Shoots 60 FPS

August 31, 2007 8:09am

@Anonymous: I'd guess you are right. Plus I don't know that Casio makes any other DSLRs. I'll tweak the headline.

Irony, Thy Name is Amazon

August 31, 2007 7:36am

Skwid, you are getting a full-fist shake!

HHype, should have figured Shakespeare. I presumed the "Irony" was part of it. "Thy name is" is a bit of a stretch.

Announcing "In The Year 2000" Flickr Group

August 31, 2007 5:29am

Ooh, or what about something kind of faux Latin-y, like "Codex Electro"?

Comically Bad Videogame Ports

August 31, 2007 5:14am

@A New Challenger: That's quite impressive! It's hard to tell from the YouTube rip, but it looks almost better than the SNES version.

Video: The Inassailable Awesomeness of Overdrift

August 31, 2007 4:57am

Oh, it's Channel101. I watched a couple you recommend. Pretty good stuff! Overdrift is still the best!

Announcing "In The Year 2000" Flickr Group

August 31, 2007 3:20am

That's not bad, Teresa, but the kind of stuff I'm talking about was built, so it needs to be something to imply things that could actually have been bought.

What about "Electro-Selectro"? I like using the old buzz terms, like "electro" or "o-lux".

How Local HD News is Made

August 31, 2007 3:16am

@Art: Yeah, they mention in the article that their remote crews are still shooting SD. I wonder if the point-to-point systems they use for the remote trucks (I presume that's what those monster telescoping antenna are for) can support the signal. I'd guess probably not.

Omega Ham: The Last Clown on Earth

August 31, 2007 3:14am

I got it on an anonymous image board (sort of like 4chan), so I have no way of tracking it down.

Comically Bad Videogame Ports

August 31, 2007 3:13am

Dude, I loved Babbages. (And Software, Etc., too, although we didn't have but one in our town.) There was something about the way they displayed the games, face out on wide, white shelves, like each one was an important, unique product, that was really appealing. The image of the X-Com box up against those white shelves has, for whatever reason, been seared in my mind for all time. I knew that was going to be something special, and unlike most of the game purchases I made, it was.

iRobot Looj Gutter-Cleaning Bot Leaked

August 31, 2007 3:10am

It could be a fake or a prototype, but I could see a gutter cleaning robot getting about as much use as some other home-care tools, like chainsaws and snow blowers. It's certainly an extravagance no matter how you slice it.

Homebrew HDTV Pinball Art Installation

August 31, 2007 3:09am

Javier, we wouldn't have deleted any comments of yours on purpose, although it is possible the system chewed a few up. If so, apologies! It's a very nice machine you've made.

Post-Launch Clean Up, and Thanks

August 31, 2007 3:08am

@minimisan: I couldn't be happier joining Team Boing myself. What a great group of people. (Including Teresa, who is helping me get excited about comments again by her optimism and hard work. Of course, good comments from you guys help a bunch, too!)

Post-Launch Clean Up, and Thanks

August 31, 2007 3:06am

@Oxalon: Hot. Thanks!

Enterprise NX-1-Inspired "Spaceship Lamp"

August 31, 2007 3:05am

Ha. Okay, I'll grant you that Voyager was probably worse, although I am somewhat ashamed to say I watched a lot more Voyager than I did Enterprise. That was over the course of a single weekend, though, when my unemployed friend and I sequestered ourselves in his parents' basement and watched seasons 1 through, like, 4 over the course of a few days. It was strange torture, but it was cheap.

I actually plan on writing a bit about what Enterprise should have been, which may mean I should watch a little bit more than the two or three episodes I've seen. But I know it's going to suck and I'm a bit a'feared.

Post-Launch Clean Up, and Thanks

August 31, 2007 3:00am

Thank you, Nicole! That's awesome.

Post-Launch Clean Up, and Thanks

August 30, 2007 2:12pm

Oh man, Fernando, I'm sorry! I had more than one person send one in and I was trying to list you all without singling anyone out. I'm a jerk. Let me add it to the post right now.

Giant OS X Icons from the Future

August 30, 2007 9:46am

No shit! That hardles surprises me from all the glowing things I (used to) hear about IRIX. It's before my UNIX time, sadly.

Announcing "In The Year 2000" Flickr Group

August 30, 2007 8:55am

Oh, awesome. Neatorama is great.

Scans: '60s Oster Home and Kitchen Gadgets Brochure

August 30, 2007 7:42am

Brochure says "Litho 6/68 in U.S.A." at bottom of reply card.

I'm a genius.

Giant OS X Icons from the Future

August 30, 2007 6:56am

Ah! My mistake, then. Thank you for correcting me. I have updated my post.

Morning Tech Deals Highlights

August 30, 2007 6:11am

Sure! I am "Joelev". I haven't been playing much of anything lately, although I still fire up Forza 2 every once in a while. But it's a good season lined up here soon!

Scans: '60s Oster Home and Kitchen Gadgets Brochure

August 30, 2007 4:18am

I believe you, Zelph, but how do you know the date so specifically?

LEGO Exo-Force Aero Booster

August 29, 2007 5:54pm

Blacktron was indeed awesome, but my heart will always belong to the Mega Core Magnetizer: http://www.nextbrick.net/2006/01/sets_we_love_mtron_mega_core_m.html

(Yes, that's an old LEGO site I toyed with back in the day.)

Scans: '60s Oster Home and Kitchen Gadgets Brochure

August 29, 2007 12:27pm

Well, I'm not a woman, so I can only go by what I'm told, but I was under the impression that most of the massagers sold in these sorts of catalogs over the last few decades were just vibrators for discrete housewives. I mean, sure, I bet they got some use elsewhere, but the Scientific, Jr. straps right onto the middle fingers, which, from what I learned by sneaking glances over the shoulders of female classmates reading "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret (and I Am Totally Playing with Myself)", are often used by women to masturbate.

I will concede I may be wrong! But might you also concede that you may be wrong about none of the items being intended for sexual use?

Morning Tech Deals Highlights

August 29, 2007 12:13pm

Man, thank you for saying so! I really love browsing for deals, but sometimes I'm not sure how useful it is to pass on the sweet ones.

Scans: '60s Oster Home and Kitchen Gadgets Brochure

August 29, 2007 11:25am

Acutally, thinking about this, maybe they were copyrighting the products, not the brands. And no, they weren't trademarks!

Also, I posted this in retro-futurism, but I am aware this is not really retro-futurism in the strictest sense.

LEGO Exo-Force Aero Booster

August 29, 2007 10:24am

You know, the "too many big blocks" complaint was very valid up until a couple of years ago, but LEGO has done a good job providing lots of smaller, modular bits in their sets these days. (Although admittedly they aren't nearly as many "bricks" these days as there are "elements." And this set isn't the best example!)

Crayola Total Tools Audio Ruler

August 29, 2007 9:37am

Haha. Touche! It never crossed my mind.

Fun Slides Making Sliding Fun in Fun New Ways

August 29, 2007 8:31am

You know, it's my little brother's 9th birthday tomorrow. He'd have loved these... if my parents didn't have hardwood floors.

Industrial Heritage Photography of Haiko Hebig

August 29, 2007 7:12am

We're still trying to figure out the best way to tie together posts from the Gadgets section to the front page, without bifurcating the discussion between two permalinks. We still haven't quite figured out the perfect solution, obviously, but we're working on it, I promise!

I think we may be putting up something more formal later asking how everybody thinks would be the best way. We're all aware this isn't quite optimized for minimum suck.

i.Beat Blaxx: A Dead Horse

August 28, 2007 12:04pm

Of course it's possible they were completely unaware of the connotations, but the "i.Beat blaxx" wasn't the first "i.Beat" product. I have a hard time believing that in the entire history of the company no one had ever pointed out to them what "i.Beat" means in English. I mean, it's about as basic, gramatically, as it comes.

I could be wrong, naturally, and they'd never own up to it even if it were true, so I guess we'll never know!