tech e blog

Jenga can be a very challenging game, but with this homemade pistol, it becomes much easier to dominate. Called the Jenga Pistol (by Matthias Wandel), it "uses an elastic fired pin to rocket Jenga pieces out of the stack." Video after the break. Click here for the first picture in the gallery.

Matthias is currently on a simplified version three, which does away with the rubber-band retaining pulley of earlier versions.

Just when you thought gadgets couldn't get any stranger, this $35 keyboard silencer accessory comes along. This peripheral was created by none other than Japan's very own Thanko, and it "will also protect it from dust and water." Click here for the first picture in the gallery.

[via Technabob - GeekStuff4U]

Simply connect your iPad to iTunes now to get Apple's just-released iOS 4.2 software update. New features include: "proper iOS 4-style multitasking, folders, major mail improvements, Game Center integration, and Safari enhancements." Video review after the break. Click here for the first picture in the gallery. Here's the bottom line:

For those of you who've already invested in the device, upgrading to 4.2.1 will feel like a brand new day, and for those still on the fence about the iPad -- it's time to take another look.

A robotic arm, named Chess Terminator, recently took on former chess world champion Vladimir Kramnik and it put on quite a show to say the least. Let's just say the robot held its own. Video after the break.

As for how it works, it should be noted that the robot is not actually seeing the board, but rather is connected to it. As the pieces are fitted with sensors, the robot can detect when they are moved.

Not your ordinary all terrain vehicle, the futuristic, three-wheeled Phase 2.0 -- by designer Arturo Arino R -- boasts "an auto-pressurized tire for adapting to multiple environments such as desert dunes or swamps, its two smaller tires able to move all over the place for either front or rear-wheel situations." Click here for the first picture in the gallery.

Going over irregular terrain, such as rocky regions, the tire pressure is down, going high speeds down the Autobahn, tire pressure is at the max. A.A.R. intends this vehicle to be far off into the future for real life applications, but for science fiction stories, right in the now.

Ever wonder what the Star Wars characters would look like if created using nothing but typography? Well, look no further than these posters by Italian ad agency H-57. Click here for more pictures.

[via Buzzfeed - UnrealityMag]

Amazon is selling the Flip MinoHD Brushed Metal Video Camera for only $109.99 shipped, originally priced at $229.99. Featuring "120 minutes of record time, so you'll never have to miss another minute." Product page.

And a large, 2-inch anti-glare display lets you enjoy your videos directly on your camcorder. Plus, MinoHD comes pre-loaded with FlipShare software, which makes it easy to organize, create and share your videos.

High Dynamic Range imaging (HDR) photography never gets old, though it can get a bit more creative. If you're an iPhone owner, be sure to check out the Pro HDR application, which lets you try this technique the easy way. Click here for the first picture in the gallery.

[Sources 1 | 2]

Remember the creepy Six Flags New Orleans tour? The abandoned Nara Dreamland theme park in Japan just might be a tad creepier, or at least stranger. This local tourist spot featured "a Matterhorn-type mountain (with a Matterhorn Bobsleds-type ride), and the skyway running through it, as well as an Autopia-type ride and a monorail." It opened in 1961 and officially shuttered its doors during 2006. Video after the break. Click here for more pictures.

[Sources 1 | 2]

The ultra geeky LEGO office in Moscow may not be as extravagant as the Google headquarters, but it's certainly not lacking in fun and creativity. This office has just about every LEGO set a fan could want, and then some. Click here for the first picture in the gallery.

[Sources 1 | 2 | 3]