Monday, November 30, 2009

Wardrobe Made Simple by Shmotter.com



Okay, it's almost time to start switching from our fall gear into our winter wear. Are you wondering whether those slouchy boots clash with that bag or if you can get away with wearing leggings under that dress? Before you shell out a small fortune making potential fashion faux pas, mayhaps you should pay a visit to Shmotter.com.

A new web startup, Shmotter is your own personal lookbook. Populated with clothes and accessories from a large selection of retailers, the site allows fashion mavens to put a look together without the hassle of running from store to store like a mad woman. Just select the piece of clothing or fashion accoutrement you want to sort through using the available tab to select from tops, dresses, bags, etc.

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When you've find the piece you're looking for simply drag it over to the left side of the screen to add to part of your look and rinse, wash, and repeat until you've created your look. And since sometimes you really need a second opinion, you can save your outfit to your profile and have the Shmotter community vote on your wardrobe to determine whether it's a fashion hit or miss. (The outfit that you're viewing in the pic is one I put together. I call it Dark and Stormy. Thoughts?)



T-Mobile lets loose glamor with the Sony Ericsson Equinox



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T-Mobile adds more allure to its 3G phones with this latest from Sony Ericsson - the Sony Ericsson Equinox (earlier named T707). Otherwise a basic flip-phone in functionality, the Equinox carries some eye-catching bling to push itself to the limelight amongst the other established clamshell models in the market. First is the stylish exterior - after you update your T-Mobile favorites list with your caller friends' circle, the shell lights up to indicate the identity of the caller in one of the five available colors. Say "amber" for good friend Joe and "amethyst" for avoidable Erica. I say, a thumbs-up for people with good memory, and more confusion for those without. Other than that, the external shell also contains an 128 x 36 OLED screen that functions only when you get an incoming call.

If you didn't fall for that, here's the next - the phone flaunts a scratch-resistant 2.2-inch QVGA inner screen, a 3.2MP camera, stereo Bluetooth connectivity, GPS for navigation, and an FM radio. It uses motion sensing for some gesture control - to silence a call or an alarm without opening the device. The phone also supports picture messaging and the provision to directly upload videos to YouTube. Poser or not you decide, but don't say we didn't warn you. The Equinox is due to go on sale today (October 28th) in T-Mobile stores. The price is pegged at $50 with a 2-year contract agreement.

Via UnwiredView.



Sunday, November 29, 2009

Play Your Child a Lullaby with Lullabelly



It's been proven that babies do hear and respond to noises in the womb and do enjoy an nice tune every now and then. For those parents that want to provide your child with some soothing tunes while still in the womb, the Lullabelly iPod speaker belt is just for you.

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The Prenatal Music Belt wraps comfortably around pregnant bellies and has a front pocket to store your mp3 player or other accessories. Simply plug your player into the Lullabelly into the built in speaker and let the concert begin. You can play soothing sounds or read your unborn child a story via an audio book. There's also a dual adapter included in the deluxe edition so mommy and baby can both listen as well as a speaker volume control so you can protect baby's sensitive ears.According to the site, the highest decibel Lullabelly can reach is the equivalent of a telephone ringing.



Saturday, November 28, 2009

Philips releases SBA1700 uber-sleek portable speakers



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Philips has unveiled its latest portable speakers for the Korean market - the SBA1700. And they are back with the disc-shaped profile, perhaps to please the purists. The speakers show-off an elegant silver finish and weigh a mere 0.3 kg - almost resembling a giant pocket watch, if only much sleeker. They are plug-and-play and connect to an audio source via a 3.5mm stereo connector with the promise of a 20-hour long playtime (3 AAA batteries, 1.5V). Then there is the trademark simplicity of design - the connector cable can be neatly hidden within the back-case when not in use and the speaker itself looped around your wrist like a vanity purse. The SBA1700 is rather dearly priced at around $60, but we bet it will be your every penny's worth.

Via AVING.



Pre-order the inPulse BlackBerry Bluetooth watch, wait until 2010 for shipping



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The wait is longer than we imagined, and it is now official. Allerta is offering its limited, first-edition inPulse Bluetooth watch for the BlackBerry on pre-order, but you will have to hold on until February 2010 for the shipping to begin.

The watch sports a 1.3-inch color OLED display and functions as a virtual, display-only accessory for your BlackBerry while wirelessly communicating with it via a Bluetooth 2.0 connection. So that, based on the email, SMS, Twitter previews or call alerts you see on your wrist, you can choose to flip out your smartphone or not. The magic is made possible through a custom BlackBerry background application which runs on the watch to keep track of your received messages/calls and also provides the ability to customize the watch itself.

Powered by a 150mAh Li-Ion battery, the watch has a micro-USB jack for charging - with a single charge going approximately into 4 days while you get an average 20-30 updates per day. The inPulse has a built-in vibrating motor to alert you of incoming calls and boasts the ability to pull in new text messages directly. All the settings on the watch (time, alarms, alerts) are controlled through the BlackBerry itself, with the wireless connection also facilitating over-the-air firmware updates.

Part with $149 (shipping extra) and book your seat for some great wrist candy. And much more.

Via SlashGear.



Friday, November 27, 2009

The Eyes Have It with LED Lashes



I've never been a fan of false eyelashes. Something about the idea of putting glue anywhere near my eyes gives me the willies. So when I saw these, I was extra freaked out. These falsies actually have LED's attached to them (Great, glue and lights?).

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As much as they give me the heebie jeebies, I definitely admire the creativity of Soomi Park, the funky eyelash creator. The LED eyelashes are rigged to turn on when the wearer tilts their head a certain way. Eye phobia aside, these would be an awesome addition to a Holloween costume or we might be looking at the eyewear of the future.

Via Craziest Gadgets



Don't throw away those tapes yet, Ion Tape Express can convert them to MP3



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Though the technology revolution can be unforgiving, some kind folks are ever considerate. Because thankfully, they are working to satisfy the needs of those of us who are somewhat fazed by the speed at which we have been forced to adapt to latest "trends", but still cherish the memories connected with retro days and secretly wish we could have it all.

Well, as far as retrieving the music on your old cassette tapes goes, there is an option. Called the Ion Tape Express, it is simple and straight-forward. Put the cassette in, connect the device to your PC via the USB interface, and press "play". VoilĂ . The tunes are instantly converted to MP3 and can be taken into your iTunes library, your iPod or MP3 Player, burned onto CD, and virtually any other digital platform. And if you like to relive olden times, just listen to the music off the device which, by the way, also functions an ordinary walkman. You can power the device through USB, or with standard AA batteries. The Ion Tape Express is good to go with Mac, Windows XP and Vista operating systems and is available for pre-order at $82.

Via Retro To Go.



Thursday, November 26, 2009

Terracycle makes eco-friendly speakers from orphaned snack bags



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Someone apparently doesn't believe in the word "waste". And you bet they are bound to have a few creative genes when they can defy such a powerful word. Well, apparently such creative genes must total much more than one can imagine, for these geniuses from TerraCycle have created the most unique products in their effort to turn waste into something useful.

The company, founded by Tom Szaky, collects waste from groups across the country and turns it into over 100 useful products, in addition to donating money to charities for each "waste" item that it receives. Consider the Frito-Lay Speakers, for example. These funky speakers are made from discarded chip bags. And they are functional. They are foldable speakers that don't require batteries and plug into your mp3 or other portable audio player with a 3.5 mm universal plug. TerraCycle sells them online at $19.99.

So the next time you toss out that used chip bag, think new and send it to over to these sensible folks at TerraCycle - you would have earned $.02 for a non-profit organization or school of your choice, plus the right to brag that you helped create the world's cleanest speakers.

Via Crave.



Sony S-Frame Prints Your Favorite Photos



Here's a digital photo frame I can actually live with. Enough with superfluous features like radio and weather reports. Sony's new all Sony DPP-F700 a.k.a. the S-Frame digital photo frame. The F700 is multitasking done right, combining a digital photo frame with a printer.

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The 7-inch LCD can hold up to 2,000 images thanks to the 1GB of internal storage. There are also slots available for memory sticks, SD cards, and SDHC cards to name a few. Images are viewed in 600 x 400 resolution and can be adjusted to portrait or landscape. Photos can be edited via the frame including crop, enlarge, minimize, brightness, hue, and color adjustments. Photos can also be used to create a calendar, layout print, or slideshow.



Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Dotz cord organizers clear cable confusion with color and tact



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We have all been there and suffered that - the asinine need to peer around devices, trying to identify and classify loops of anonymous cable so that we can get the required ones to perform. Along comes somebody who gives us this elegant solution with the cool mantra "The best ideas are always simple" and we cannot help but pinch ourselves for having forgotten. Ofcourse, the best ideas have to be simple and the Dotz Cord Identifiers are perfect proof. These colorful little plastic identifiers snap around your cables and carry a picture of the device that the cable belongs to. You can even reuse the same identifier with another device - just change the device icon within the case and you are ready to go. There are different categories of identifiers for your office, home, or even gaming needs. Is that brilliant or what.

Dotz also offers a couple of more solutions for cable organization, again pretty elegant and worth giving a try - the Cord Straps (set of 8 at $9.99) which help tie up cables in a neat bundle, and the Cord Wrap ($9.99 each) which can help hide all the unwanted lengths of cable within its case. The Cord Identifiers are available in sets of 10 at $9.99. Plus there are 24 ready-to-go punch out icons and 12 do-it-yourself punch out icons included with every kit.

Via The Gadgeteer.



GE throws a peek at VScan, the ultra-futuristic portable ultrasound



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How do we say wow in a million different languages? Well, we won't attempt that humongous task but instead spend some precious time staring at this little gem from GE - VScan - the portable clamshell ultrasound machine unveiled at the Web 2.0 summit by the big horse himself, General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt.

The VScan is so small that had we caught sight of it on TV, we would give it the same seriousness as we do Teleportation today. But it is real, and functional - the little gadget is aimed at doctors who could use it locally to generate quick scans, rather than burden their patients with the waiting period required to get a scan from a ultrasound specialist's office. Immelt indicated that the device will be "very digitally capable" with the ability to save images, but without the Wi-Fi connectivity required to wirelessly transmit ultrasound images. The VScan will be available next year, and you bet we are keeping our eyes & ears open for any sign.

Via Pocket-lint.



Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Jabra STONE is Stone Cold Pretty



The Jabra STONE Bluetooth headset is one rock you won't want to toss willy-nilly at glass houses or at some offending person. Jabra's newest cell phone accessory combines great tech with ergonomically sound design and smoking good looks. The headset has approximately eight hours of talk time and thanks to the STONE's unique shape, the time will seem to fly by. Designed for the right ear, the STONE comfortably wraps behind your ear eliminating face obstruction caused by the usual bulky Bluetooth headset. When it's not curled on your ear, it fits snugly into its charger giving off the appearance of a smooth black stone.

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Feature-wise, Jabra's outfitted the STONE with Noise Blackout Extreme, an advanced noise-cancelling technology. Noise Blackout Extreme blocks out ambient noise while the dual microphones ensure you don't have to shout to get your point across which is good when you're in a crowded area. In addition, users can answer or reject calls, redial the last number called and place calls on hold via the near invisible controls on the front of the headset. STONE can also be used in conjunction with up to two Bluetooth compatible devices.

The Jabra STONE headset will be exclusively available through AT&T on November 8th for $129, It's a little pricey, but if the sound quality is anywhere near the device's stunning looks, it will be a worthwhile purchase. If you're concerned about possible hardware compatibility issues, go to Jabra's site and check out the compatibility box. If your phone is a match, you'll get a "Yes, it will work" message with a happy face.

Via eCoustics



Monster announces Miles Davis Tribute limited edition headphones



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Lady Gaga move over, and collectors sit up once more - Monster has announced yet another limited edition "in-ear" headphones, this time as a tribute to legendary trumpeter Miles Davis.

Created in conjunction with Miles Davis Properties, LLC, the new headphones, called Miles Davis Tribute headphones, will bear the official name and signature of the musician himself. The headphones will sport a gold/brass finish directly inspired by the actual trumpet played by Miles Davis, with his silhouette and signature on the earpiece. There's more music for your ears - those who choose to afford the limited edition headphones will also be blessed with the official 50th anniversary boxed set of the artist's album Kind of Blue, featuring two music CDs, a DVD and a 24-page booklet. Plus, Monster offers a great one-time Limited Lifetime Replacement Guarantee on the Miles Davis headphones, meaning you break the headphones accidentally and Monster will replace them at no charge.

Pricing and availability is not yet known, but stock up on some hard cash if you are planning to be on the list.

Via Slippery Brick.



Monday, November 23, 2009

Acer's 3D notebook Aspire 5738DG gets the official nod



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Acer has finally come out with the real specs for its much flaunted 3D laptop - the Aspire 5738DG - and gathering from first hand experiences, it remains pretty much a normal laptop except for a moderately satisfying 3D gaming experience.

The Aspire 5738DG boasts a 15.6-inch screen specially designed for 3D effects, and carries within a 2.2GHz Intel Core2 Duo T6600 processor, running Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit OS. The gaming uses TriDef's software which provides the 3D environment, and according to the folks at PC Magazine, the 3D effects will not make you fall off your chair. Take your 3D glasses off and the princess gets back to being Cinderella. That's then the basic Aspire laptop with 4GB of RAM, 320GB HDD, ATI Radeon HD 4570 graphics, and 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi. Suitable for gaming enthusiasts looking for an inexpensive laptop. Acer's shipping the laptop this week at a pretty unassuming $779.99.

Via SlashGear.



Dell Adamo XPS: Waiting with Bated Breath



Dell Adamo is back and slimmer than ever if you can believe that. The latest iteration of the laptop whose name means "to fall in love with" is incredible 9.99 mm thick and will quite possibly be the slimmest laptop on the market -- for now. Aside from that, little else is known about the Adamo XPS except that the starting price will be a whopping $2000, that the little beauty is still made from aluminum and using the heat from your finger, the lid will automatically open.

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I guess we'; have to continue drooling over the images until tomorrow when Dell finally launches the latest in the Adamo series. Although it seems almost obvious that the laptop will be running Windows 7, the steep price tag pretty much guarantees that this won't be a mass market machine. Limited images and stats aside, what kind of features would a computer have to include to make you eager to fork over $2000?

Via Engadget



Sunday, November 22, 2009

JVC’S new pocket camera, the PICSIO GC-FM1



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About a week ago JVC launched its first pocket flash memory camera, the PICSIO GC-FM1. The PICSIO is cellphone-sized and comes in three funky colors, Blue Steel, Purple Passion and Black Ice. It’s small and portable and able to capture high quality stills and movies. The funky camera can shoot true eight-megapixel stills and 1080p Full HD video and thanks to its image stabilization that minimizes camera shake, your videos will maintain a good quality even when the 4X digital zoom is used. The recorded videos, stored on SD/SDHC memory cards , are saved as .MOV files and can therefore easily be shared without the need of any conversion.

PICSIO controls are easy and intuitive and the camera’s main functions can be selected using the dedicated buttons therefore avoiding to scroll through long menus. The camera charges via USB connection.

The PICSIO is available for $199.95, included in the price are a USB cable, an AV cable, hand strap and PC software loaded into the camera’s internal memory.



Saturday, November 21, 2009

Humanoid robot Saya plays receptionist at Tokyo store



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If you had walked into Takashimaya - Tokyo's premium retail store - anytime during October 14th to 18th, you would have been greeted rather mechanically. No, not a figure of speech, just the bare truth. For the receptionist at Takashimaya was Saya - the speech-capable robot created by Professor Hiroshi Kobayashi from the Tokyo University of Science.

This "female" robot has been designed to provide about 700 programmed responses to questions and commands - enough to direct customers to the appropriate floor, make small talk(!), and answer a few basic questions about herself and her background. And to help her pull off the con are pneumatic actuators in Saya’s head which allow her to move her neck, mouth and eyes while she speaks, and to also create facial expressions ranging from happiness and surprise to sadness and anger.

Now imagine what made her angry. The compliment "You are pretty" to which she replied scornfully "Are you crazy?". Whoever said "Vanity, thy name is woman", take it back.

Via Pink Tentacle.



Bang & Olufsen puts the spotlight back on landlines with the BeoCom 5



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While most of us are obsessed with our shiny smartphones and limited edition luxury cellphones, the landlines have silently borne the negligence. Yeah, remember that very first, "real" communication device which most of us thought we could never get enough of? And yet gave the boot as soon as we laid hands on the cellphone?

So the landline has decided to come back with a bang - oops - Bang & Olufsen's Beocom 5. And it carries the trademark
Bang & Olufsen oomph - great looks and superior audio quality that comes from the same audio technology used in their loudspeakers. The Beocom 5 can hold upto 400 contacts and allows for user-specific customization of display. It also offers a unique feature - the ability to rig up two separate phone lines with the same handset, say one personal line and another for work. The speaker sports a sleek aluminium finish and can handle group conferencing, perhaps when you suddenly feel the urge to connect to lost friends/family. Availability and pricing are still under the wraps, but you know better than to expect budget from B&O.

Via Engadget.



Friday, November 20, 2009

Gemei is Gem of a Bargain



Nothing makes me smile like great tech at a great price. It's like finding those killer designer boots for a fraction of the price. So when I saw the Gemei HD8800 portable media player, my bargain senses started tingling.

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Retailing for $122, the Gemei PMP comes with 1080p support meaning it plays back your media in glorious HD quality which comes in handy when you want view your favorite videos or images through your HDTV. The device also features a 4.3-inch screen with 800 x 480 resolution, which unfortunately has no touchscreen capability, but at such a great price, it's hardly something to gripe about.

The HD8000 supports a ton of different formats including RMVB, MOV, AVI, VOB, MKV, MP4, and Flash. It may not be as flashy as some of the more popular media players, but with such solid features at such an awesome price, I'm not complaining.

Via Gizmodo



XShot iPhone case packs in a tripod adapter around your iPhone



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Here's an iPhone case that does a teeny bit more than just snuggle around your iPhone. The XShot iPhone case (3G and 3GS) wraps around your phone to protect and exposes a 1/4? thread tripod mount to snap a few pictures, all at once. Though the case has been designed for the XShot tripods, it works with any other tripod or monopod as well. Your iPhone itself will be safely nestled within the chrome plastic case while you are shooting.

Though it maybe a bit frustrating to use your iPhone at other times with the case on as the adapter juts out rather uncomfortably, you need to use this accessory primarily as a tripod adapter for your phone. The XShot iPhone case starts shipping in November, but if you pre-order now, you get $10 off on the sale price of $29.95.

Via The Red Ferret.



Thursday, November 19, 2009

Scoring Karaoke sniffs out Sinatras in hiding



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For all those who secretly think of themselves as rock stars in the making, but are unsure of voicing that thought out loud, maybe you should hold the secret in a bit longer. And consider getting an honest opinion on your singing skills from this silent judge - the Scoring Karaoke Game system.

This karaoke machine has a built-in pitch detector that determines whether your singing is in sync with the song that is being played out, and accordingly gives out a score for your benefit. The microphone communicates wirelessly with its control box, which plugs directly into your television with the included AV cable, freeing you from a typical microphone's cord that may constrict your movements. The system comes pre-loaded with 100 songs and you can download new songs by plugging the microphone into your computer using the included USB cable or using an SD card (not included).

That's not to say that great singing is only about pitching or sounding like another person, but you can make a start, nevertheless. And the best part? The secret is always between you and the microphone. Available from Hammacher Schlemmer for $199.95.

Via OhGizmo.



Samsung announces Premium Plus memory cards for Taiwan



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Branded memory cards from Samsung are soon set to see the light of a Taiwanese day thanks to Samsung's interest in fortifying its presence in the flash-memory retail market.

The memory cards from Samsung, called Premium Plus, will be available in SD, microSD and Compact Flash (CF) formats with capacities of 4GB, 8GB and 16GB. So what really makes them "premium"? The cards comply with the Secure Digital class 6 ratings for performance. And they are designed for rugged wear - shock-resistant, water-resistant and protected from damage caused by magnetic interference. The memory cards have an average read rating of 17MB/s, with the CF cards upping the ante several notches higher at 45 MB/s. Taiwan will be the first to experience the Premium Plus memory cards when they release this month.

Via Aving.



Samsung's Trill Makes Beautiful Music



Samsung recently unveiled the Trill, a mid-level phone for those that want more than your basic no-frills device, but don't need all the bells and whistles that come with most smartphones. The Trill is a cute little slider that will appeal to all the music lovers out there. The phone's curved shape is inspired by the rounded figure of the violin.

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Powered by Bang & Olufsen’s high-powered audio tech called ICEpower will deliver crystal clear sound. According to the website, "You’re not listening to a playlist, you’re taking in a performance." We'll have to snag a review device and be the judge of that for ourselves. In addition to the quality sound, the Trill comes with a one touch Music Access button for easy access to your music. There's also 1GB of memory to store all your favorite tunes and a microSD card slot that can handle up to 32GB.



Monday, November 16, 2009

I Want My WD TV Live!



With all the different types of media we now have access to (photos, video, music, etc.), I'm thankful for awesome gadgets like the media streamer. Unfortunately some are way pricier than others and on my meager salary I'm always looking to get the best for my overstretched buck. And in terms of price, Western Digital's update to its popular WD TV is just what the doctor ordered.

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WD TV, Western Digital's first media streamer, received a lot of great reviews, but there were a few things that kept it from totally knocking it out of the park -- namely the lack of HD and wireless capacity. Bouyed by the positive feedback, Western Digital remedied those problems with the new WD TV Live. The Live is a total HD affair with 1080p playback for beautiful images and some crystal clear digital audio. The live also supports most of the popular media formats so there's no time wasted waiting for the file to transcode.



IBM boosts ‘09 guidance again even as sales slump



SAN FRANCISCO — IBM Corp. has jacked up its profit guidance for the second time this year, a sign of the company’s confidence that it can uncork more profit from its business despite falling sales.

The company’s third-quarter results, reported after the market closed Thursday, show that corporations are still reluctant to spend on some kinds of technology. IBM’s sales fell 7 percent, and all its major divisions suffered declines.

But IBM keeps making more money — net income was up 14 percent — largely because it has been focusing on outsourcing and other services that save clients money and are more profitable for IBM than selling hardware. That has been the key element of IBM’s transformation from a hardware company on the brink of collapse in the 1990s to a one-stop technology shop that rivals are trying to emulate.

Nearly a fifth of the company’s revenue still comes from hardware, however, and IBM’s chief financial officer, Mark Loughridge, said in an interview that a significant help in the quarter came from market share gains in servers at the expense of Sun Microsystems Inc.

IBM has exploited uncertainty about Oracle Corp.’s proposed $7.4 billion takeover of Sun, the world’s No. 4 server maker, to steal customers. That deal still needs antitrust approval in Europe.

IBM says 2009 earnings should be at least $9.85 per share, ahead of analysts’ forecasts for $9.78 per share, according to Thomson Reuters. IBM had raised its guidance before, in July, to at least $9.70 per share.

Despite IBM’s optimistic forecast, some investors apparently expected an even greater increase. IBM shares fell 3.7 percent in extended trading after closing the regular session at $127.98, down 37 cents.

“A lot of us thought you might get even better than this,” said Peter Misek, an analyst with Canaccord Adams. “But these results are solid.”

The recession has made it hard to win new business. Corporations have coped with evaporating revenue by canceling or delaying big technology projects. Indeed, the value of services contracts that IBM signed in the quarter was $11.8 billion, a decline of 7 percent from the same period in 2008.

One sign of the lingering distress came this month in disappointing guidance from the Accenture consulting firm, an IBM competitor. It hesitated to predict the timing for a full recovery in business spending. Another technology bellwether, Intel Corp., has been talking up a recovery in personal computer sales, but warned this week corporate spending would likely remain weak until the new year.

In IBM’s third quarter, which ended Sept. 30, net income was $3.2 billion, or $2.40 per share, ahead of analysts’ expectation for $2.38 per share. In the same period last year, IBM’s profit was $2.8 billion, or $2.04 per share.

Sales were $23.6 billion, slightly better than the $23.4 billion expected by analysts polled by Thomson Reuters. Revenue would have been down 5 percent instead of 7 percent if it were not for currency fluctuations. A weak dollar means deals IBM does in other currencies translate into more greenbacks.

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IBM boosts ‘09 guidance again even as sales slump



Saturday, November 14, 2009

Linux Foundation aims to boost membership with new perks



In an effort to expand its ranks, the Linux Foundation has improved its selection of perks for members. New perks include hardware discounts and the availability of a lifetime e-mail forwarding account at the linux.com domain.

The LF was formed in 2007 when the Open Source Development Labs merged with the Free Standards Group. The organization is responsible for maintaining the Linux Standard Base (LSB) project and also employs Linux creator Linus Torvalds. The group has largely been funded by its corporate sponsors, which include many of the largest companies in the technology industry. Last year, the LF launched an individual membership program, inviting Linux enthusiasts to pay annual dues for various privileges.

Members receive a linux.com e-mail forwarding account and discounts on various conferences hosted by the foundation. The LF obtained the linux.com domain from SourceForge, Inc. earlier this year and has been transforming it into an information hub and social network for the Linux community. The e-mail addresses are not permanent, however, and could disappear if the user neglects to pay the annual dues.

In a bid to increase its membership, the foundation has added several new perks. One of the changes is that users can now pay a flat one-time fee to make the e-mail address permanent. Existing members can get the lifetime e-mail address for $150. New members can get a package of one-year membership and lifetime e-mail for $250. Regular annual dues are $99. Another significant new perk is hardware discounts from Dell, HP, and Lenovo.

I’ve been eyeing Dell’s new 537s with Ubuntu, so I decided to put the new Linux Foundation membership discount to the test. The discount is offered through Dell’s Employee Purchase Program (EPP). Ironically, I had serious difficulty finding the Linux-based computers through Dell’s EPP storefront (you can’t get the discount if you just aim your browser directly at dell.com/ubuntu). “Linux” isn’t included in the “Operating System” filter at the EPP portal (though, surprisingly, FreeDOS is). I eventually found the tiny “Open-Source PCs” link towards the bottom of the left-hand column. The discount from Dell is roughly 7 percent, but it’s a pretty nice deal because it stacks with other discounts and coupon codes.

Members also get discounts on O’Reilly and No Starch Press books, Linux Journal Subscriptions, and some ThinkGeek.com purchases. For Linux enthusiasts who regularly buy computer hardware and other discounted stuff, the $99 membership fee could pay for itself pretty quickly. The lifetime e-mail offering, on the other hand, doesn’t seem all that appealing. $150 is a lot to pay for a mere forwarding service.

As the economic downturn compels people to close their wallets, nonprofit organizations have been exploring ways to entice supporters to continue contributing financial resources. Some open source groups have come up with interesting solutions. The GNOME Foundation, for example, has a special Friends of GNOME program that allows contributors to “adopt” their favorite GNOME hacker by supplying a small monthly donation. The Participatory Culture Foundation, the organization behind the Miro media player, launched a program that allows donors to adopt a line of code. The LF membership program lacks the cuteness and novelty of those approaches, but it makes up for it by offering pretty solid perks.

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MinoHD's New Attitude



As the market for affordable, easy to use, pocket camcorders has become more competitive, one can't simply rest on it's laurels and rake in the dough. Feeling the hot breath from Apple, Kodak, and JVC on the nape of its neck, Flip is coming out swinging. Almost a year after its debut, the Flip MinoHD is back with some awesome upgrades.

Billing itself as "the world's sleekest HD camcorder", the MinoHD is definitely a looker with it's brushed metal front and rounded edges. If you're tired of the same old black and white gadgets, you can always spruce up your Flip using the pattern generator, design gallery or even use one of your own images to give it that unique bit of panache that you're looking for.

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Looks aside, the second generation Mino comes with twice the storage space (4GB to 8GB) which translates into twice the recording time (60 mins to 120 mins). In addition, the MinoHD also has a larger screen than the previous model. Like its predecessor, the 2nd gen MinoHD still shoots video at 720p at 30fps. And with the 2X digital zoom, you can rest assured that the video quality is still there.



Thursday, November 12, 2009

Blockbuster OnDemand lands on TiVo



Broadband-connected TiVo DVR subscribers have access to Blockbuster’s long-awaited OnDemand rental service, TiVo announced on Tuesday.

The service is available to owners of TiVo Series2 and TiVo Series3 digital-video recorders (including the TiVo HD and TiVo HD XL).

According to the company, users will be able to stream films ranging from new releases to classics. Users will be charged $2.99 for classic hits and $3.99 for new releases. Blockbuster will be adding more films over the coming weeks, including “select HD titles.”

As part of the agreement, Blockbuster will also begin selling TiVo DVRs in “thousands” of participating Blockbuster stores around the United States.

Blockbuster OnDemand’s arrival on the TiVo (and TiVo’s arrival in Blockbuster stores, for that matter) has been a long time coming. The partnership was first announced in March.

Whether Blockbuster will enjoy success on the TiVo is up for debate. The company’s main competitor, Netflix, is already streaming films and television shows to TiVos for no additional fee beyond the company’s unlimited-plan charges. Amazon Video On Demand is also available to TiVo users, and like Blockbuster, it, too, allows them to purchase individual videos, rather than pay a monthly subscription fee.

TiVo owners can also access content from YouTube, as well as films through Jaman and CinemaNow’s Disney.

To access Blockbuster OnDemand, users will first need to create a Blockbuster account. Once complete, they can access Blockbuster OnDemand content from the TiVo’s video-on-demand menu.

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Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Pink is the Color of Love...and Gaming



I'm an avid gamer and quiet as it's kept, a hopeless romantic. So when I stumbled upon this during my journeys through the blogosphere, I had to investigate. A Flickr user, created this custom painted Xbox 360 controller for his girlfriend. Why? Because the girlfriend wanted a "special controller". You can let the simultaneous shower of Awwwwws begin now.

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As you can see this is one lucky girl, as her beau obviously put some serious love and patience into the project to produce such a quality mod. When I first saw the pic, I thought Xbox had released a new controller. At any rate, this is a victory for quality modding, hours of uninterrupted co-op gaming, and of course, love.

Via Technabob



Epson's PictureMate Charm personal photo printer looks as pretty as a picture



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Photo labs get a few zillion degrees closer to extinction since the time Epson announced this latest news-grabber - the PictureMate Charm personal photo printer this morning. So the next time you find yourself at a party or just an unexpected get-together at home, all you need to distribute high-resolution (5760 x 1440 dpi), 4 x 6-inch full color prints in under 37 seconds is to press a few buttons on the PictureMate Charm.

The highest resolution printer in its category, the PictureMate Charm comes with ink and 100 sheets of either glossy or matte-finish 4x6-inch photo paper and boasts built-in auto photo correction and red-eye removal. You can also get an add-on Bluetooth adapter using which you can get prints straight out of Bluetooth cellphones and other Bluetooth compatible devices such as PDAs. The printer also supports direct printing from memory cards. Well we know what you must be thinking - yes, of course it allows for different color tones such as black and white, sepia, or color and the option to switch between popular photo layouts.

And most important - all these nifty features don't take the PictureMate Charm out of the common man's reach. It is very affordably priced at $150, and will be available from Epson online.

Via Crave.



Tuesday, November 10, 2009

iphone Oh, My Word! Sequel with ngmoco’s Plus+



Bristol, UK, 13th October 2009 – Tap ‘n’ Slide and B-Boy Brawl developers Mobile Pie today announced a sequel to their acclaimed iPhone and iPod touch word puzzler, Oh, My Word!

Oh, My Word! 2 follows on from the brain-box bendingly simple yet highly-addictive original, with Time Attack and Survival featuring alongside the Classic mode. The sequel also brings with it integration with the Plus+ Network.

Mobile Pie’s Creative Producer Will Luton said:
“Oh, My Word! 2 has been an absolute labour of love for us, we’ve enjoyed every minute of creating and playing this sequel and having the Plus+ Network is a real honor.”
The Plus+ Network is a social play service free to players that harnesses the iPhone OS 3.0 technology and enables players to create a persistent profile, challenge friends via social channels, compete for leaderboard glory, participate in game events and discover new games.

“We’ve built upon the original concept with Plus+ in mind, but it was a match made in heaven anyway because it straight away adds an entirely new competitive level to the fun”, said Luton.

Oh, My Word! 2 will be available at the nominal price of 59p / 99c or for free as an stripped down version featuring only the Classic game mode (Oh, My Word! 2 Free).
It is expected that OMW!2 will be released early November, however Mobile Pie are offering ad hoc preview version to selected media partners. Please contact Will Luton (will@mobilepie.com / (+44) 01173155228) for further details.

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Sunday, November 8, 2009

Yahoo Class Action Settlement Is Bad News For Domainers!



DirectNavigation.com wrote today about a notice that went out to anyone who advertised with Yahoo or the its prior service GoTo.com, on its PPC program(s) anytime from May 1, 2000 until September 22, 2009.

That’s a lot of advertisers.

The class action arose out of a suit by advertisers against Yahoo, alleging that Yahoo:

“””breached its contract with its customers by allowing Yahoo! ads to be displayed in spyware, domain name parking sites (also known as bulk registration sites), pop-ups, pop-unders, and typosquatting sites. Plaintiffs brought claims for breach of contract, unjust enrichment, misrepresentation, civil conspiracy, and unfair business practices.””

According to the settlement each advertiser is entitled to receive the earth shattering sum of $20.

Right $20 USD.

The lawyers, well they are getting only $4,170,000.00, in fees, plus reimbursement of expenses of approximately $100,000.

But I digress.

Back to how this settlement is bad news for domainers.

In settling this case, Yahoo basically agrees to allow advertisers to basically opt out of the domain channel starting sometime next year:
“””Yahoo! has agreed to develop and offer a new ad placement option that will enable Yahoo! Ad customers to control where their Yahoo! Ads appear.””

“”The Ad Placement Option will allow Yahoo! Ad customers to specify that their Sponsored Search ads should be displayed only on websites and other Internet properties owned or operated by Yahoo!, and the websites of certain “Premium” distribution partners.””

“”Yahoo! has agreed to make best efforts to launch the Ad Placement Option as early as the first quarter of 2010, but in no event later than September 30, 2010.””

“”Yahoo! will maintain the Ad Placement Option for at least two years from the date of its launch.”””

Moreover Yahoo says this change will carry over to its deal with Microsoft.

“”Microsoft will agree to implement ad distribution controls on the Microsoft paid search platform””

The problem is that there is general perception that the domain channel is full of typo traffic and generally undesirable traffic, as alleged in the lawsuit.

Unless Yahoo ad executive are trained to understand and educate their advertisers as to the difference between opting out of the domain channel completely, rather than selectively, keeping ads up on generic domains geared toward their business, all domains will suffer.

By the way, if you were an advertiser and want to check in on that $20 windfall, you need to submit a claim online by March 22, 2010.

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Saturday, November 7, 2009

Women had The Right Stuff to be early astronauts, but their timing was lousy



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Who are these women? They're women who had hopes of being among the first US astronauts some 50 years ago. And we all know how that turned out.

It wasn't that they didn't have The Right Stuff. They passed all the psychological tests and took the same physical as the guys. And (are you surprised?) they often did better. But they were not among the Mercury astronauts, and in fact never really had a shot at being part of that illustrious team.

Henry Spencer, amateur space historian, wants you to know that what kept the women out of space was not the rampant sexism of the time. No, it was just that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) had decided to recruit only military test pilots for the program. And it just happened that all military test pilots were men. Because in those years, the US military didn't accept women into pilot training programs.

So it definitely wasn't sexism.

In fact, it was really the women's fault. They had no sense of timing.

For an update on how the women did on the tests, see here. There are also links to a new paper describing the process in more detail.

The 1995 NASA photo above shows some of the women who might have been among the original astronauts if only the times--or their pesky X chromosomes--had been different. They had gathered to watch Eileen Collins' launch as the first female pilot of a space shuttle mission. It only took a quarter-century. From left to right: Gene Nora Stumbough Jessen, Wally Funk, Jerrie Cobb, Jerri Sloan Truhill, Sarah Gorelick Ratley, Myrtle ("Kay") Cagle, and Bernice ("B") Steadman.



Friday, November 6, 2009

Party Hard, Stay Safe Thanks to Lip Gloss



What's the tantamount rule for a girl's night out on the town? Never leave your drink unattended. For too long, women have been the victims of date rape by way of dosing drinks. It only takes seconds to transform your fun, fruity cocktail into a noxious concoction ala Snow White.

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Britain-based cosmetics firm 2 Love My Lips is fighting back with their new line of lip gloss. Called "2LoveMy", this line of glosses comes with a drug testing kit. If you sip your drink and it tastes off or if you just don't trust the skeevy guy in the corner that insisted that it's on him, simply dip your fingers into the suspicious libation and rub it on the included pink testing strip. If the strip turns blue, then it's time to call security and your friends and give that creep the beatdown he deserves.

Available in five quality glosses including Sophisticated Coffee, Passionate Pink and Posh Gloss, "2LoveMy" glosses not only keeps the pervs at bay, it also promises to plump lips and freshen breath. Unfortunately, 2 Love My Lips is currently an U.K. exclusive, but the company is looking to expand to other country so hopefully it'll be jumping the pond soon.

Via Coolest Gadgets



Thursday, November 5, 2009

CEATEC gets Sharp to show off NetWalker, its smartphone-netbook combo



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Sharp has cleverly walked into the as-yet-unnoticed space between two electronic giants - the smartphone and the netbook - by introducing NetWalker PC-Z1, a mini netbook with a 5-inch WSVGA touchscreen interface, developed for the Japanese market.

The NetWalker showed up at CEATEC Japan and promises to cater to those ambiguous minds which are eternally undecided between using a chic touchscreen or sticking to the old-fashioned convenience of a tactile keyboard. The device comes bundled with 4GB memory, microSD slot, optical pointer, a USB port, WiFi and a robust battery life of 10 hours. It runs on Ubuntu and offers all the conveniences of a standard netbook in addition to being a portable electronic dictionary and e-book reader.

The NetWalker is scheduled for a late October release in Japan at a price of 44,800 yen (US $500). And oh, you can get your first impressions with this detailed unboxing from the folks over at Pocketables before you schedule that next vacation to Japan.

Via DVICE.



Western Digital's Elite Passport



Western Digital has launched its newest external hard drive, the Passport Elite. The latest in the Passport series features and illuminated capacity gauge so users can easily vie how much storage space remains, There is also a drive lock indicator to let users know whether or not their precious data is secure. Another cool feature is the new dock. A grab and go number, users can place the Elite on the dock for fast and convenient synching and charging while using minimal disk space leaving room for all your other essential gadgets.

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Available in 320 GB, 500 GB and 640 GB capacities, the slim Elite has a metallic finish that is available in red, blue and charcoal. In addition, the Passport Elite comes with the WD SmartWare software which provides continuous and automatic file backup whenever the drive is connected to the dock. There's also a customizable control center where micromanagers can run diagnostics, set up security features and toggle anything else their heart desires.

With a three year warranty the Passport is an affordable investment with the 320GB retailing for $119.99, and the 500 and 640GB going for $159.99 and $169.99 respectively.



Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Belkin Swivel Hub lets your USB cables stay away from general cable mess



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Ah finally, here comes a USB hub that's sensibility personified. Belkin's Swivel Hub could have been just another ordinary 4-port USB hub if not for its ingenious swivel head. The hub can be rotated around its connector to let you position your gadgets comfortably, thereby creating the additional advantage of allowing access to the other USB ports on your PC.

Hear ye all, and take a lesson in sense and simplicity hereforth. Available from Belkin at $29.95.

Via The Red Ferret.



Kingston's MobileLiteG2 card reader is mean and tiny



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Good things, little packages. So it is with the MobileLiteG2 card reader from Kingston. This second generation portable card reader supports almost all the formats (SD, SDHC, microSD, microSDHC, Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo and Memory Stick Micro), and is small enough (2.45 x 1.16 x 0.646 inches) to fit into a pocket. Make that a really tiny pocket, like the one on your kid's teddy bear.

That apart, the MobileLiteG2 has retractable covers on each side to protect the USB connector and the flash memory cards from damage. The chipper is available standalone at $11, or bundled with a 4GB ($28.50) or 8GB ($46) Class 4 SDHC Kingston card.

Via Engadget.



Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Incipio cases get your iPod shuffle dressed to kill



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Would it be Block, Feather, Loop, Mint, Treat or Wafer that you would trust your iPod Shuffle with?

We would choose all, since these high density silicone cases from Incipio {LAB} Series are not only the cutest we've seen, but also offer a cozy haven for your delicate Shuffle to slide into when you are on the move. All the cases have cut-outs that give easy access to the Shuffle's controls, and are available from Computers Unlimited (UK) at prices starting from £9.95 (USD $16). Just don't leave it anywhere near your canine if you happen to go for Treat.

More images after the break.

Via Pocket-lint.



H1N1, swine flu, Bill Maher, and U



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Comedian/pundit/talk show host Bill Maher has reportedly tweeted that folks who get vaccinated against the new H1N1 ("swine") flu are idiots. Medical wisdom in 140 characters? Or is Maher, the twit, the real idiot?

Before you get swept away in an anti-vaccine frenzy, you might want to consult what www.flu.gov has to say. That's the US government's official take on the imminent flu season, complete with characters from Sesame Street. There's plenty of stuff for grown-ups too: what to do if you get flu-like symptoms, what pregnant women should know, places to get vaccinated against both seasonal flu and H1N1, and lots more.

This is a two-flu year, with H1N1 piling on top of the regular old seasonal flu that kills plenty of people on its own. There are different vaccines against these different diseases. Each flu tends to attack different groups, as I explained a few weeks ago.



Monday, November 2, 2009

Super charger for iPhone delivers a 3000mAh punch, and a hole in your carry bag



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Okay, that was an exaggeration. But really, the first statement that caught my eyes as they rolled over the specs for this iPhone charger called iPa was the line "Super Capacity - 3000mAh, make your iPhone as a whole day parter." Though it took me a long while to recover from the initial blow that the name delivered (who would think of calling it "iPa"?!), it took me even longer to understand the above statement.

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Just grammar or Freudian slip, you decide. Nevertheless, our conscience does not permit us to trail off without presenting both sides of the coin, so be informed that this $60 "super charger" promises to extend your iPhone (3G, 3GS) talktime by 8.5hrs, online time by 8.5hrs and video playback time by a whopping 11hrs. All carefully "estimated", ofcourse. And to say the least, the specs are mighty confusing - once we figure out how a device that measures 11.5 cm x 6.6 cm x 2.4 cm in dimensions can be described as being not bulky, but just a "little" extension to the iPhone, will we go back to understand the more complicated statement that we started off with.

Via CrunchGear.



Joey Roth's Ceramic Speakers up for pre-order now



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Joey Roth's Ceramic Speakers will surely blow you away with their looks, if not with their music, considering that these low powered speakers are made to design perfection using porcelain, cork and birch wood. The Ceramic Speakers have a low 15W output per channel and custom-made 4-inch sound drivers neatly housed within a porcelain and cork enclosure. A combination, that apparently promises to reveal every fine nuance of the music that the speaker belts out. The design is elegant to the last detail - so much so that even the usually plain-looking connectors have a distinct radiant finish and are left open to enhance the system's chic looks.

With the designer tag however comes the designer price - the first 200 speakers are up for pre-order now at a price of $495 a pair, and will be shipped out in early November. Sigh. During my childhood, all fairy tales had a happy ending.

Via Boing Boing Gadgets.



Sunday, November 1, 2009

Gilt on the Go: Making Your Guilty Pleasure That Much Easier



For all you fashion mavens with designer tastes but only knock-off budgets, fear not, help is on the way. Gilt.com, the invite-only high end retailer that sells your favorite designer labels at near obscene discounts, recently launched their first web app. Called Gilt on the Go, the app allows thrifty bargain hounds to make the impulse buys of their dreams all by the stroke of noon when the warning bell on Gilt sales usually begin.

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Thankfully, you don't have to be on the V.I.P. list to shop with the app, but you'll more than likely receive a form asking you to request membership. Which if the deals are indication, a membership isn't a bad idea at all.

Via Gadgetwise



The RollTop laptop wraps up like a banner, sports a flexible OLED display



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Some geeks are crazier than we imagine. Thanks to their craziness and some great OLED technology, we might soon have laptops that have gone the way of those charming papyrus scrolls of ancient times. Ah yes, if Orkin Design's Rolltop ever comes into our lives, even the zippiest laptops of today may become pieces of history that our children will learn from a trip to the museum.

Okay, that's easier said than done, but no harm in letting ourselves oggle and drool over this crazy German invention that looks (and functions) like a laptop/tablet, but rolls up like a hedgehog when you are done. The Rolltop is the concept for a laptop/tablet PC that has a flexible, multitouch OLED display that spreads out in a 17-inch screen when open, but rolls up into a 13-inch portable cylinder when closed. The stylus, power adapter and USB ports are all on a detachable stand while the other standard accompaniments such as the mouse, keyboard, webcam and power cable are integrated beautifully into the Rolltop itself. And the OLED display also means a much lower power consumption and an "outstanding" battery life.

Is that the most awesome design we've set our eyes on lately? Nah. That's an understatement.

Catch the Rolltop video after the break.

Via Gizmodo.