The Uber-Review

Gorillapod Go Go! Universal Gadget Mounting Goodness

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 22:45:31 +0000

The Gorillapod Go-Go! is much like the standard Gorillapod, except that it comes with a range of attachments to mount your Gorillapod to your various electronics. With the kit you get a suction cup mount, a universal adapter screw and some 3M high-bond adhesive clips. Add all of that to a bendable tripod and you have something that may just be on the way to cheap mounting solution nirvana.

Price: $29.95 [Joby via Oh Gizmo, Shiny Shiny]

Fold Away Your Memos With Origami Sticky Notes

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 21:30:31 +0000

Sticky notes are useful, but invariably end up in the trash after a very short space of time. So the idea of putting them to another use, such as teaching yourself the intricate art of Japanese paper folding is an awesome idea. Once you are done with your notes, you can fold them into origami cranes, frogs and other cool yet simple models.

Price: Not Yet Available [Suck.uk via Nerd Approved]

Inexpensive Stone Bake Pizza Oven Hopefully as Good as it Sounds

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 20:50:55 +0000

The Stone Bake Pizza Oven is an inexpensive cooking gadget that will bake your pie to stone-baked perfection in the space of about ten minutes. It can also turn out omelets, quiche and croissants; just in case you get bored of eating stone baked pizza.

I am always intensely skeptical of appliances in the sub-$100 range and the case of the Stone Bake Pizza Oven is no exception; such pricing tends to give the impression that something is not long for this world, but I will give it the benefit of the doubt and suspend disbelief, because I really like the idea.

Price: $91.40 [Firebox via Pop Gadget]

DIY: Hot Dog Bun Griller

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 20:20:50 +0000

Why is it that people will go to all kinds of effort to produce the most deliciously grilled dogs and then eat them off stale, untoasted buns. It ruins the effect, but then you do have to make some sacrifices for eating outdoors. Then I came across this clever little project on Evil Mad Scientist - a hot dog bun griller. The beauty is in the simplicity and these things last forever.

About $10 should get you all the welded wire cloth that you are going to need for this thing and some bolt cutters should do the rest. Note that you can do this with pliers if you have a powerful hand grip, but bolt cutters will be a lot easier. Cut your hot dog bun jigs to size then bend them into shape. They should last a lifetime; just don’t be silly and cut yourself in the process.

If you need a more detailed look of what is going on here, head over to the Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories. [Evil Mad Scientist]

Schlage LiNK Web-controlled Z-Wave Door Locks, Pricey

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 20:07:18 +0000

The idea of web-controlled door locks is very, very cool - especially if you are prone to losing your keys and/or don’t like leaving your computer desk for letting in visitors. Schlage would therefore seem to be right on the money with the LiNK lock. The price is slightly hefty, particularly when you take into account the cost of their online services (which are sold at a monthly subscription. Their LiNK Portal and mobile apps, which includes a puny 100MB of video storage.

The technically competent would likely be able to incorporate the Z-wave themselves and would not need the Schlage LiNK Portal, but let’s face facts, that is going to be well beyond the capabilities of the vast majority of potential customers. I find the notion that people are going to pay a subscription fee for a door lock simply preposterous. This is highway robbery folks, there are no two ways about it.

Price: $299 for the LiNK lock starter kit and $199 for additional locks.
Subscription: $12.99 per month for access to the LiNK portal
[Engadget]

Space Invaders Ground Defenses T-Shirt Celebrates the Doomed Underdog

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 23:50:56 +0000

While Space Invaders merch gets no shortage of coverage, we often forget that the heroes of the game are the ground defenses. Those poor unfortunates at the bottom of the screen are doomed to resist wave after wave of the rapidly advancing alien horde.

Price: $20 [Glennz via Fashionably Geek]

Military Grade Lasers to Be Ready in 2008

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 22:37:52 +0000

The good (or not so good) folks at Northrop Grunman believe that they will be able to make good on their promise of delivering weapons grade lasers by the end of this year. This comes after developments in the Joint High-Powered Solid State Laser (JHPSSL) project have started to bear fruit, 100 kilowatts of the stuff.

Defense contractor Northrop Grumman is promising the Pentagon that it’ll have weapons-grade electric lasers by the end of 2008. Which means honest-to-goodness energy weapons might actually become a military reality, after decades of fruitless searching.

According to Northrop Grunman spokesperson Bob Bishop for Defense Daily:

“We are completely confident we will meet the 100 kW of power level and associated beam quality and runtime requirements of the JHPSSL Phase 3 program by the end of December, 2008.

At the moment, they can maintain a 30kW beam for more than five minutes continuously and more than 40 minutes in total. While 30kW is a far cry from 100kW, one needs to remember that this is but one part of an eight link chain. The lasers will be combined to produce a more powerful system, so 30kW is a massive step in the right direction. [Wired]

Philips Wake Up Light to Ease Waking Up?

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 21:46:00 +0000

If you like me find the blare of an alarm clock a horrible way to start the day, then you have probably considered alternatives. Philips has just produced the most interesting alternative that I have seen to date. It is called the Wake Up Light and it rouses you from your slumber with a light that simulates sunrise by gradually increasing in intensity; you set it to begin thirty minutes before you want to get up so that it doesn’t jolt you awake at the last minute. The Wake Up Light can also simulate nature sounds like singing birds and babbling brooks for extra effect.

I do recall a concept a while back that was a pillow that did the same sort of thing, but this sounds a whole lot better and it is an actual product that you can buy or at least will be able to buy very soon. If it can take the pain out of waking up, I am all for it. [Philips via Crunch Gear]

Adobe to Unveil CS4 Later This Month

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 21:31:45 +0000

Adobe keeps pumping out the creative suites. It seems like just yesterday we got CS3, which was a marked improvement over CS2 but hardly a necessary upgrade. Adobe CS4 is getting ready to drop and the Betas have been steadily rolling out, but we have yet to hear or see any solid information on either Photoshop or Flash CS4. That is set to change September 23 with Adobe’s modestly titled Brilliant Event.

The Brilliant Event is a webcast that will begin at 1:00 p.m. EST. If you are interested in viewing the webcast, you need to sign up first. There they will detail the major changes that have been made to Dreamweaver and Fireworks and some reasonable developments in Photoshop and Flash as well. Adobe CS4 is set to drop in fall, no doubt for an astronomical price tag, and if they have their way it will be superseded by CS5 just 18 months later (something to think about if you are on a tight budget).

Apple Insider has some more detailed information if you are interested in finding out some of what is on the cards for CS4. Me, I will pass on the webcast because I can think of any number of things that I would rather be doing at 1pm EST. [Apple Insider]

Float Bed Looks Comfortable Enough

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 21:17:15 +0000

The Float Bed is the creation of mathematician Max Longin, who after sitting on a suspension bridge, decided that the gentle rocking motion would be a nice way to drift off to sleep. He accomplished this by suspending a frame by stainless steel cables. It comes in a variety of woods and the structural integrity allows it to carry an extremely heavy load, word is that it will safely hold up to 2645 lbs; which sounds big enough for a bit of a party.

Price: from $6200 [Yanko Design]

The Uber-Review

Gorillapod Go Go! Universal Gadget Mounting Goodness

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