Rated: 40% (1 votes)
Loading ...Visible Gears
Mark
I’ve written about clocks where the gears are visible before (just not here). This will be a little update on that post.
I recently came across this, which led me to this, this and this.
I love to see the internal workings of clocks/watches like this. It’s probably partly what I like so much about steampunk.
There’s something really exciting about seeing just how mechanical things like this work. I could sit and watch the internal workings of a mechanical watch for ages - it’s just I’ve better things to do with my time. (8+)
The one above is apparently an all chrome affair, which surprised me a little as in the images I did think it looked a little plasticy.
Rated: 60% (1 votes)
Loading ...Moldable Mouse
Mark
“Currently, all computer mouse products in the market are made with hard plastic
The inelasticity of the plastic model is problematic for long-time usage, as numerous people have suffered wrist injuries from extensive use in a fixed position. Moldable Mouse eliminates this problem with its unique design. “
Rated: 60% (1 votes)
Loading ...Steampunk in Computing
Mark
I like Steampunk.
Now I’ve declared that, on with the post …
First up we have a functioning Steampunk laptop (though just how well it functions is another matter), with USB, Ethernet, and a trackball which is covered by a Morse key and a keyboard that seems to have been borrowed straight out of a Terry Gilliam film set. I’d not like to use that wrist rest for any length of time though.
If a laptop isn’t your thing and you’d like a desktop machine, well, click here (scroll down to the 5th post). A fully water-cooled (well, what else would you expect) Steampunk PC case mod.
So now you have a PC, what do you operate it with? Well, how about a Steampunk mouse and a gorgeous looking Steampunk keyboard.
Then you’d need a Steampunk screen to hook up to it. And if that isn’t enough retro-future for you then you can always hook-up the Steampunk scanner (or Opti-Transcription device).
There’s even an Ambience Enhancer been constructed (because using the word ‘made’ just doesn’t seem right in this context).
All-in-all, I think Steampunk rocks.
Rated: 90% (2 votes)
Loading ...Tasty Spaces
Mark
For this entry I’m going to let the product do it’s own talking …
Stereo Cubic presents the change of light shade by cube modeling, and the cutting declined surface not only presents thickness of stereo, but also allows more various and free placing ways available, and the concrete will make melodious music more vigoroso and steady to create a more comfortable and tasty private space for you.
Yep.
So I guess what they are trying to say is that cement speakers are more likely to provide you with a powerful, clean sound.
Cool.
The bit that I like best though is the dimensions, as laid out on the product page : 12cm x 12 cm x 12 cm (per speaker), 13 cm x 32 cm x 13 cm (packaged). Because nothing’s going to damage concrete in transit.
I wonder what the postage cost is for concrete these days …
Rated: 90% (2 votes)
Loading ...Star Wars Designer USB Drives
Mark
Star Wars geekery combined with computer geekery? Surly not! But yes! Mimoco have announced the impending release of 8 (count ‘em, 8!) Star Wars character themed USB flash drives.
Featured characters are Leia, Luke, Han, Boba Fett, Vader, Chewy, a Stormtrooper and R2. As I write this Vader and R2 are sold out. Chewy and the Stormtrooper are available for order now and the other four are available for pre-order.
They’ll be out by February next year; price is expected to be between $50 and $110 for 1GB to 4GB capacities.
The cap on both the Luke and Boba models is made to resemble the characters’ helmets, which can be removed to show their faces. In addition, each drive in the series comes preloaded with exclusive content specific to the character.
Rated: 80% (2 votes)
Loading ...Google Results
Mark
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank every one on the Custom PC team that helped setup and implement these blogs.
For the very first time Googling my full name has risen me into the top-ten results. And the link that’s being pointed to is my CPC Blog.
So to Alex, Dean and all the other people that I don’t know the names of, thank you. (8+)
Rated: 80% (2 votes)
Loading ...It’s a big ass(us) iPhone
Mark
So speculation hit the news that Apple may be indulging in a little bit of Tablet creation, despite Steve Jobs, on numerous occasions past, stating that “Apple had taken a look at the tablet … and thinks it is going to fail”.
Well, that was then (2003) and this is now.
According to computer maker ASUS, Apple is in the process of designing a tablet computer. And ASUS should know, as they have apparently been hired to do the manufacturing of the unit.
Apple, as is customary, has not confirmed (or denied) the rumours but as ASUS is also reportedly the company hired to peform assembly duties on Apples current MacBook and MacBook Pro ranges it’s not entirely out of the realm of possibility.
So, what can we expect from such a beast? Given that the iPhone and iPod touch both run a mobile variant of Mac OS X, then I guess it would be safe to say that the tablet would probably use the same. It’s also been speculated that it would rely solely on flash memory for storage of data, though hybrid drives are also a possibility.
If you’d like some idea as to what this would actually look like, then wait no more, as someone has already done some mockup designs on what they think the tablet either should or would look like.
Rated: 60% (1 votes)
Loading ...Radiohead Digital Sales
Mark
It’s been fairly well publicised that the latest album by Radiohead, In Rainbows, was available as a download, only available from the band’s site (excluding the illegal peer-to-peer downloads that have been taking place).
Well, it now seems that the band’s old label (EMI) is jumping on the digital bandwagon that the band created.
EMI is now selling all Radiohead’s back catalogue in three different ways.
The first way is a limited edition, 7 CD Album Box-Set, with each album repackaged in digipak sleeves.
Price £39.99
The second way is a digital download box-set, with all songs available as DRM-free, 320 kbps MP3s.
Price £34.99
The third way is a limited edition 4GB USB flash drive “shaped in Radiohead’s iconic “bear” image and housed in a bespoke deluxe box.”
This edition includes ‘CD quality’ WAV files with digital artwork for each album.
Price £79.99
All these collections will ship on the 10th of December.
Rated: 80% (2 votes)
Loading ...Gigantic Space Death Ray
Mark
On to the hyperbole a little later, for now, let’s see just how this thing is intended.
The idea of a solar-powered satellite gathering power to beam back down to Earth sounds like a pretty good idea, right?
Apparently, an orbital power station placed somewhere in space which gets constant unfiltered sunlight for a year could provide enough energy to power the entire Earth several times over.
Construction would consist of many reflective mirrors, each one measuring more than a mile wide.
Now, with all the debris floating about in space, I’m guessing that these mirrors would need some sort of protective shielding, but still, it’s a pretty cool concept.
The proposed 3000-ton behemoth, ten times heavier than the International Space Station, would require 120 launches to lift all its parts into orbit. Researchers estimate that even after overcoming that hurdle, the satellite could still pay for itself in a year after construction is complete.
So yeah, what with all the US government attention (and money) in this project, who’s to say that a giant space death ray isn’t on the horizon?
Rated: 86.67% (3 votes)
Loading ...One Gigabyte Minus 20 Years
Mark
What the image above is displaying is a one gigabyte hard drive from IBM, manufactured 20 years ago. To the right of the image the hand is holding a card, smaller than a stamp, which can contain the same amount of data.The IBM drive weighs 70-pounds and is belt-driven. I guess it comes from the days when computers were the size of houses.
The march of technology progresses.