We’re not entirely sure what’s going on with Camangi’s WebStation, but it seems the manufacturers of this 7-inch Android-based touchscreen slate are hoping to drum up their own mystery campaign. That would, at least, explain the bizarre press release (which you can read after the cut); the official site appears to be down, but Google’s cache suggests the WebStation runs Android 1.5 on a Marvell 624MHz PXA303 processor, with onboard WiFi b/g, Bluetooth 2.0 and GPS.
Video demo after the cut
Picture happiness beyond Prozac and you may end up with this, the Neiman Marcus Cupcake Car. A surprise hit at Burning Man back in 2004, the individually customized motorized cupcakes are the handiwork of Lisa Pongrace and her team and can now be yours to crash dangerously about the streets in.
You’ve got to give Hi Tech Systems some credit for effort: to help their broadcast video controllers stand out at a recent industry expo, they put together the Comptometer, a Steampunk-styled console which, so the backstory goes, gives access to 1930s broadcast footage. The controller is full of nixie tubes, brass buttons and analog dials, and a rather loveable “test calibration” system made up of tiny clacking hammers.
Video demo after the cut
Perfect for the Sigourney Weaver cosplayers among you, Activelink have unveiled their “Power Loader” exoskeleton. The Japanese Panasonic subsidiary’s “dual-arm power amplification robot” has a full 18 electromagnetic motors which will allow the user to lift 100kg (220lbs) even while wearing a shirt and tie.
Video demo after the cut
Now, before someone feels obligated to tell us that this isn’t real and is merely an animation, we do realise that there’s no software in the App Store that can actually transform your iPhone 3GS into a dinky netbook. Still, our love of time-consuming fan renders and Transformer-style videos leaves us honor-bound to mention Manuel Eder’s marvellous video of Apple’s smartphone doing just that.
Video after the cut
Don’t let the sober looks fool you; Samsung intends mischief with their new Corby PRO B5310 and its non-sliding (but still QWERTY-toting) Corby TXT B3210 sibling. The company bizarrely decided that the best way to promote the two social-network focussed devices was to give four of them to well-connected Italians and then stage a massive paint fight. No, we don’t quite understand it either, but you can see the video after the cut.
Is there any better hack than making a robot fish read out Twitter messages? If there is, don’t tell Dan Ros about it: he’s spent his spare time hooking up a Big Mouth Billy Bass “novelty” fish to an mbed microcontroller. Initially the fish merely repeated .wav files from an SD card, but then they used the mbed’s HTTPClient library to pull in tweets instead.
Video demo after the cut
If asked what’s the next big evolution in desk lamps, I can’t imagine many people would say “why, an integrated digital photo frame, of course” but that’s what Sungale have delivered. Over at Zatz Not Funny they’ve been playing around with the unusual desk accessory, and reckon that while it pretty much delivers what it promises, they can’t help but wish it promised more.
Sleek Audio’s CT6 custom earphones have always been unique – after all, they manufacture them to molds taken from each buyer’s ear-canals – but now they’ve added another degree of customization for those who like to stand out. The Sleek Audio CT6 Aura are the same custom-made hypoallergenic earbuds, but now laced with phosphoresce that means they glow in the dark.
If, like me, you’ve always had a sneaking suspicion that computers are powered by tiny animals rather than the “electricity” government conspiracy, then this DIY iMac hamster cage might appeal. Up for sale on eBay – for a whopping $350 buy-it-now, no less – it’s an original blue iMac with the guts removed and mesh walls inserted.
JP
