Joel Johnson

Keyport Key Thing In Production

It looks as if the "Keyport," which was shown as a concept a few months ago, will actually be making it into limited production. Your likelihood of getting one seems slim, though: you'll need to have already been on the "I'm interested" list; the process for getting your keys cut involves sending six copies to the company; the whole thing cost $300. Maybe you could just drill a hole through your keys and pin them all together instead? Or what if someone made a small, metal ring...?

KEYPORT PRODUCTION [Notcot.com]

Joel Johnson

Nixon Murf Watches

These "Murf" watches from Nixon, just dropped onto the desks at Wired, are attractive but huge, like wearing a '70s quadraphonic amplifier on your wrist.

Price is not-yet-known, but they're projecting around $200.

Mail Call: Nixon Murf Watch is Retro Cool, Heavy As Sin [Gadget Lab]

Joel Johnson

AMPCO 7920: The $900 Sledge Hammer

The AMPCO 7920 sledge hammer costs $900—for a reason. It's made of completely non-sparking, non-magnetic, corrosion-resistant, beryllium-free metal*, the better to work in environments where an errant spark could go all explodo.

Tool Pr0n: A $900 Sledge Hammer [Toolmonger]

* Fuckin' beryllium.

Joel Johnson

Video: Commodore Max Machine Commercial (1982)

Children sit on meteors, space helmets off, gawking at the Commodore's amazing graphics while their blood boils.

More Retro Tech Awesomeness - 1982 Japanese Commodore Max Machine Commercial [TVinJapan.com]

Joel Johnson

Faces in Places: Humanizing Everything

Our brains are programmed to recognize human faces, which is why we see faces in clouds, but not clouds in faces. (I think Steven Pinker said that.) If that weren't the case, this entire "Faces in Places" weblog couldn't exist—it would just be a collection of random images of gadgets and wires.

Faces in Places [FacesInPlaces.blogspot.com via Cool Hunting]

Joel Johnson

Vax 77 Folding Music Keyboard

The Infinite Response Vax 77 keyboard not only folds in half for easy storage in an aircraft's overhead locker, but will feature polyphonic aftertouch. (Press the keys harder after they're depressed to add extra effects, such as zazz, very much unlike pianos or organs.) Both features make this 77-key unit a bespoke affair, sure to be super-duper spendy.

Product Page [InfiniteResponse.com via Music Thing]

Joel Johnson

Game Center CX: Japanese Videogame Reality Hit

Brian Ashcraft profiles Japanese reality show Game Center CX, where a worksuit-wearing "section chief" is filmed as he attempts to beat some of the hardest videogames from the past.

Now starting its eighth season, Game Center CX is a certified hit among the ultranerdy otaku set, with merchandise ranging from DVD boxed sets and books to coffee mugs and Arino action figures. In November, Bandai Namco Games will release a Game Center CX title for Nintendo DS starring Section Chief Arino. Players hang out with the TV star and play retrogames, complete with lo-res graphics and "Engrish" translations. (No US release is planned — zurui!)

Japan's Reality-TV Gamer Just Keeps Playing and Playing and Playing... [Wired.com]

Joel Johnson

Morning Tech Deals Highlights

• EarCheck Middle Ear Monitor for $13, shipped. Check for ear infection. [Slickdeals]

• Lands' End Cool Blue Laptop Messenger Bag for $25, shipped. With built-in EL lights. [Dealnews]

• 50% off dog costumes at Petsmart. Okay, not a tech deal, but I think humiliating dogs is hilarious. [Dealnews]

• Today's Woot!: Polaroid T737 7MP Digital Camera for $105, shipped.

Joel Johnson

Blowing Out the Dust: Afternoon Edition

• Should Have Used Child Labor – OLPC project hits snags, delaying production until November 12th. [Reuters]

• Bags Full of Coins – "What do you take with you during an evacuation?" [Lifehacker]

• I Aim to Crash This – Wired's Epicenter blogs the "She's Geeky" conference. [Epicenter]

• Please, sir. May I have some more? – AT&T charges man $18 upgrade fee to extend his contract. (Check your bill.) [Consumerist]

• Snow Cash – Signed, limited edition hardcovers of Neil Stephenson's Snow Crash are on pre-sale for $100. [Amazon]

• Hobby Whores – Military contractors charge licensing fees to model companies for likenesses of U.S. military aircraft. [Danger Room]

Joel Johnson

Asus Eee PC 701 Reviewed (Verdict: Light and Able)

LAPTOP magazine got an exclusive first look at the Asus Eee PC 701, the solid-state 7-inch laptop that many people have been greatly anticipating. Editor-in-Chief Mark Spoonauer stepped up to review it, giving it four of five stars in its Linux-based version.

Asus is forging a new class of device with the Eee PC. Yes, you can get a laptop with a bigger screen and better specs for the same amount of money, but this machine wasn't designed to go toe-to-toe with bargain-basement Windows laptops. It's an excellent secondary computer for households with children, and it's a very good primary computer for novice PC users who never had the time or patience to master an operating system.
 
In many ways, too, the Eee PC is a new-and-improved version of the Internet appliance concept, as its easy-to-tote, easy-to-use design makes it simple for anyone to get online.

Exclusive First Review: Asus Eee PC 701 [LaptopMag.com]

Joel Johnson

Contest Update: Neuros x Boing Boing Gadgets Extended (with Bonus Nokia N95)

We didn't get enough good, original entries this week to do the Neuros contest correctly. I blame myself—I made it too difficult, forgetting that most people don't want to work to get free stuff. (Who can blame them?)

So I'm going to extend the contest out one more week, change the way to enter, and up the ante. It will take a minimum of work, but you can do it without leaving your desk, so this one might be worth giving a go.

Cosmology@Home is a new distributed project that aims to discover the cosmological model that "that best describes our Universe." It does this by running simulations of astronomical and particle physics data on your home machine—a "simulated universe."

I've started a "Team bOING bOING." To enter into a random selection to win the Neuros OSD, simply do the following:

• Go to the Cosmology@Home project page and download the client.
• Join Team bOING bOING.
• Crunch some units!

Crunch until next Wednesday night. I'll select one team member at random to win a free Neuros OSD settop box plus NAS. (I'll contact you via the Cosmology@Home system, so be sure you use a real email address.

In addition, the member who crunches the most units by midnight EST Wednesday will win an unlocked Nokia N95 smartphone.

If you have any questions, I'll respond to them in the comments, but it doesn't get much easier than this. It takes like 60 seconds to get up and running. Good luck! For science!

Joel Johnson

Kuka: Robot Ascetic Inscribes Bible

Image: Marc Wathieu

Kuka, what appears to be a fairly standard industrial robot, has been reprogrammed to inscribe the entire Martin Luther bible onto a endless roll of paper. It uses a calligraphic style translated by its creators RobotLab from an early font called "Schwabacher."

I love bibles; I love industrial robots. I find whole project haunting.

Product Page (German) [RobotLab.de]
Marc Wathieu's Gallery [Flickr]
[via BotJunkie via Gearfuse]

Joel Johnson

How to Recycle or Resell Your Gadgets

Earth2Tech has a great post about ethical ways to recycle your gadgetry. Bookmark this one!

SecondRotation, a site that will sell your old electronics on eBay (EBAY), said this week that they will be accepting older, “worthless” gadgets to recycle in an effort to stem the flow of e-waste into landfills. The site was already useful before the move: Simply log on, find your device, answer six yes-or-no questions, rate the gadget with one to four stars, and hit “calculate.” You’ll get a price quote and if you want to sell, you simply package it up and call DHL, who will pick it up at your home.

How To E-Cycle Your Gadgets [Earth2Tech.com]

Joel Johnson

Giant Swiss Army Knife Now on Sale

Be aware, the "Giant Swiss Army Knife" from Wenger is now available at Thinkgeek for a cool grand. It features all 85 tools currently available in various other knives from Wenger. It weighs three pounds—and includes a key ring.

Catalog Page [ThinkGeek.com]

Joel Johnson

Mitsubishi Fuso Eco-D Concept Dump Truck

This year's Tokyo Auto Show is turning out to be one of the most exciting in years, with tons of great concept cars (not to mention the introduction of the Nissan GT-R). The latest: This Fuso Canter "Eco-D" concept dump truck from Mitsubishi. The Fuso is one of the great truck brands of the world, used for a variety of purposes.

The Fuso has been on my short list of "To Be Converted Into Mobile Reporting Rig" vehicles for a while; unlike others on the list, such as Pinzgauer, I could actually afford a Fuso. But now I want it to be this Fuso.

Mitshibishi Fuso Canter Eco-D Concept Dump Truck [Jalopnik]

Previously:
• Suzuki Biplane Concept: Motorcycle, Not Aeroplane [BBG]
• Nissan GT-R Cockpit Display Gets Videogame Touch [BBG]
• Daihatsu Mudmaster-C Concept Kei Van [BBG]
• Honda PUYO Concept [BBG]
• Suzuki's Tonka-like X-HEAD Concept Truck [BBG]

Joel Johnson

Inside Out Barware by AMT

While discussing the merits of insulated glasses, Amanda Clark pointed out these great glasses from Dutch designer AMT (?). I'm not actually sure if they're insulated, but they're quite attractive.

From the designer's page:

the shape of a drinking glass reflects its content: columnar flute for champagne, curvy goblet for wine, short shot glass for straight liquor, stout highball for cocktails. but what if only the negative space of glasses assumes these iconic shapes? that’s the premise of amt’s line of pyrex glass barware. all glasses have the same outer shape, but pour in a drink and the glass’s inner identity appears.

Product Page [ByAMT.com via Serious Eats]

Joel Johnson

Boynq Wake-Up iPod Alarm Dock: Almost Stylish!

There's hardly anything more boring that iPod docks, I know, but this "Wake Up" alarm clock model from Boynq approaches (but does not quite exceed) awesome. The off-kilter design is cute and quirky without going over the top. (Although I don't know why it needs the grey swooping support bars; the whole thing should be sharp-edged.)

The best part, though, is the remote: when your iPod is docked, it can control music playback and function as a snooze button, but when you take your iPod with you for the day, the remote slides into the same slot, never leaving you with a garish hole in the middle of your speaker system.

The Wake Up also includes syncing over USB and video out. (I'm not sure if it supports video out on the new iPods that have that crappy, unnecessary lock-out from Apple.) It's on sale in Europe already at around $185, but I don't know if it'll be released in North America anytime soon. It's also available in Black.

Flash Product Site [Boynq.com via Technabob via Red Ferret]

Joel Johnson

Remote-Controlled Trench Compactors

Equipment Today did a whole post about "compactors," the rolling vehicles used to tamp down soil for building roads and trenches. (You may know older models as "steamrollers.") While many of the larger models are interesting in their own right, I have to say these smaller, remote-controlled models are extra nifty, especially since I didn't even know this sort of thing existed. Imagine what you could do to your kid's toys with these! Or to your kids!

Product Spotlight: Compaction Equipment [ForConstructionPros.com via Toolmonger]

Joel Johnson

Yamaha's Folding Electric "Bobby" Scooter

Crave.CNET.com has this picture of the Yamaha "Bobby" concept folding electric scooter, shown at this year's Tokyo Auto Show. (Great name!) Sadly, while this is the expanded version, the folded-up mode isn't all that much smaller. I'd still putt-putt—or whirr-whirr—the hell out of this.

Bobby, the foldable scooter [Crave.CNET.com]

Joel Johnson

Top Ten Patent Holders

Image: Number 9, Mark Gardner. (Photo: Dan Winters)

Nate writes:

This is a pretty fantastic article from this month's issue of "Portfolio" about the top 10 patent holders [by patents awarded] in the USPTO. The article is interesting because it really highlights the wackiness of the patent system (most of the patents are displays, chips & flower pot covers) while also celebrating these fellows (no ladies in the top 10) for being pretty smart mofos. The slideshow is also great. I am a sucker for collections like this!

Masters of Invention [Portfolio.com]

Joel Johnson

Video: FluteTronic 8-Bit Light Flute

The "FluteTronic" is a homebrew instrument that plays like a traditional flute, but uses various levels of light to trigger a sensor which in turn controls a synthesizer. A similar sensor in the mouthpiece controls the vibrato. The noise it makes isn't exactly music, but then again neither is Jethro Tull.

Project Page [Rare Beasts] (Thanks, Brian!)

Joel Johnson

Fingers Laptop Stand Concept Pinches Cables

I don't think this prototype laptop stand design is quite there yet—propping up your laptop on a rounded, slippery bit of acrylic doesn't seem like a winner—but the addition of "fingers" at the back to hold cables in place when away from your desk is quite clever. Even if you have a laptop with all its ports along the side like a Macbook, the Fingers design might still help prevent the terror of cables slipping off the edge of your desk down into the wire brambles under your desk.

There don't appear to be any real plans to produce the Fingers unit, but some enterprising laptop stand company may try something similar soon.

Concept Page [OofDesign.co.uk via Yanko Design]

Joel Johnson

TI-Nspire Graphing Calculator with Swappable Keys

The latest graphing calculator from Texis Instruments, the "TI-Nspire," has an all new interface, including a set of tiny alphabet nubbins in between its buttons to make it easier to input characters. But if that makes your professors freak out about all the course work they've built around the popular Ti-84/83 interface, the TI-NSpire can be thrown into a full compatibility mode, including a replaceable faceplate with the traditional TI-84 Plus layout.

The TI-Nspire is available for around $140. It probably does another fancy things, too, but I can barely spell "maths," let alone understand them.

Noisy Flash Product Page [TI-Nspire.com via Oh Gizmo!]

Joel Johnson

Japan Pioneering Ways to Make Robot Interaction More Awkward

Japan's National Institute of Information and Communications Technology have developed a robot they say can recognize—and respond with—human body language.

From Pink Tentacle:

The droid’s body language skills are due in large part to technology that allows it to observe, recognize and remember human behavior. NICT’s robot learns body language by watching — much like children, who learn nonverbal communication by watching others — and it can mimic the observed behavior with natural human-like motions. The robot also creates 3D maps of each body it observes, and it commits the map to memory. These maps allow the robot to remember how people and their bodies look, even when viewing them from different angles. In addition, the robot is equipped with delicate force control mechanisms that allow for precise motion and safe physical interaction with humans.

Android acquires nonverbal communication skills [Pink Tentacle]

Joel Johnson

Muji Blackboard Globe

This blackboard globe from Japanese "no frills" retailer Muji has serious appeal. It's the perfect kind of this to leave out when your less prurient friends come over and see what kind of strange worlds they create.

It's only £7 online, or if you're a New Yorker, you can wait for Muji's Soho store to open November 16th and hope they carry it.

Catalog Page [Muji.eu via Swissmiss via Core77]

Joel Johnson

Gerber Multi-Tool for Demolition Techs

Gerber makes a multi-tool for demolition explosive technicians that has a blasting cap crimper in its pliers. I probably find that cooler than is warranted.

Dealmonger: Gerber’s Demolition Explosive Technician’s Multi-Tool For $79 [Toolmonger]

Joel Johnson

Kururmarukun: Folding Cardboard Toilet

We all enjoy giggling at strange Japanese inventions from time to time, but rarely are their products really that weird. It's a different culture with different sensibilities, is all. I mean, what person on the planet wouldn't enjoy pissing in a cardboard box while sitting in gridlocked traffic? Right? Who's with me?

When you see this portable toilet from Kaneko Sangyo Company, called the "Kururmarukun," don't just look at it as a some-assembly-required cardboard toilet bowl with a water-absorbent sheet and a concealment curtain. Think of it as Japan's gift to a cross-legged world, too proud to get out of their cars and take a leak in a ditch but not too proud to fill up box with their own urine.

(I realize men have it easier than women when it comes to mobile liquid evac, but I can't imagine any American crawling into the back of their SUV and using this thing. Which is a shame, in a way. It would at least give all the other people stuck in traffic something to watch.)

Kaneko Sangyo portable toilet is small enough to fit inside a car! [FarEastGizmos.com via Coolest-Gadgets]

Joel Johnson

Tomy Heli-Q Mini R/C Helicopter

Japanese toy company Tomy will be releasing its own riff on the super-popular "Picco Z" mini R/C helicopter in November, dubbed the "Heli-Q." Tomy's design uses an attractive clear plastic body to house the motor and radio, as opposed to the Z's durable foam chassis. (As long as the weight is the same, it doesn't really matter, although it may perhaps be a little more difficult to mod tiny forward thrust wings onto the Heli-Q.)

The little caption that describes the Heli-Q calls it the "world's smallest radio controlled toy helicopter," which indicates it uses actual R/C; The Picco Z line uses infrared controls. Prices and availability unknown, but I can't imagine it will cost more than $30. (And if it does, just go get one of the Picco Z products or its derivatives. Seriously my favorite toy in a long, long time.)

Image Page [Tiscali.co.uk via Gizmodo]

Joel Johnson

Morning Tech Deals Highlights

• 15% off coupon at Batteries.com [Bargainist]

• Canon SD1000 7.1MP Camera $170, shipped. [Dealhack]

• Audio-Technica Precision Studio Headphones for $60, shipped. [Dealhack]

• Today's Woot!: Oh my fuck, boys! What if it's a samsquanch Woot-off!?

Joel Johnson

Playstation 3 Models by Venn Diagram

Chris Kohler has created this Venn diagram to try to better explain which of the four Playstation 3 models have which features. If it seems confusing, it's because it is.

I know it's just the context tickling me, but why hasn't anyone made a game based around Venn diagrams? It seems like there could be a game in there. Perhaps a really boring game.

Diagram: Comparing The PlayStation 3 Models [Game|Life]

Joel Johnson

MeTeoR: Multi-Track Audio Editor for Windows Mobile

I don't have any Windows Mobile devices handy to test it on (thank god!) but I think it's impressively nifty that someone has built a multi-track audio editor for the platform, dubbed "MeTeoR." The developer has just released a new version, adding time stretch and more to the 12-track recorder. I can imagine this being quite a useful tool for the patient mobile podcaster.

MeTeoR is $30.

Product Page [4Pockets.com via Palm Sounds]

Joel Johnson

iShoes: Electric Roller Skates

The "iShoes" are electric roller skates with a 5-7 mile range over flat surfaces, controlled by a tethered, uh, control tether. They can reach speeds of up to 15MPH. They're said to be in testing, with available and pricing data yet to be announced.

They look extremely unsuitable for wet-weather use.

Product Page [TheiShoes.com via Gizmodo]

Joel Johnson

ExpoImaging ExpoAperture2: Handy Pocket Depth-of-Field Calculators

ExpoImaging's ExpoAperture2 are $30 circular cardboard rulers that help you calculate proper depth of field when shooting with an SLR (digital or analog).

The ExpoAperture2 comes with two depth of field calculators--think of them like circular slide rules--one that covers wide and normal focal lengths (15-135mm) and one that covers telephoto focal lengths (70-600mm). The kit also comes with small plastic sleeves to store the discs, a reference chart to help you figure out the size of your camera's sensor or film, and a user's manual on CD. The manual includes a very good explanation of depth of field and how and why you'd want to control it. The result is a deeper understanding of photography that should benefit any but the most accomplished photographers.

How deep is your field? [Crave.CNET.com]

Joel Johnson

PocketSurfer2: QWERTY Blast from Futures Past

Rob Beschizza, who shares my obsession with tiny, mostly useless QWERTY devices of the Psion mold, has played around with the PocketSurfer2, which uses an internal GRPS modem to connect to a proxied data connection for fastish data. It's only $200 (plus data plan), but it could really use some sort of 3G radio to slot itself more firmly into the category of devices I wistfully write about—but never purchase—on my full-sized laptop.

One Day, The PocketSurfer People Could Rule The World [Gadget Lab]

Joel Johnson

Sleeptracker Pro Watch with Sleep History Software

The new Sleeptracker Pro takes the original "sleep watch" concept and adds a new software component, allowing you to download your "sleep history" to a PC and track how well you've snoozed over time. The new Sleeptracker Pro watch has an updated look, too, although it's still a bit too goofy to be worn all day.

The reviews for the original Sleeptracker were surprisingly positive. Many people found that the Sleeptracker, which uses an accelerometer to gauge what sleep state you might be in and wakes you at the optimum moment of restfulness, actually did a pretty great job.

The Sleeptracker Pro system is $180, or $30 more than the vanilla Sleeptracker.

Product Page [Sleeptracker.com]

Joel Johnson

Suzuki Biplane Concept: Motorcycle, Not Aeroplane

Jalopnik is at the Tokyo Auto Show and snapped a few pictures of this fantastic Suzuki "Biplane" motorcycle concept. I'm not entirely sure why it's called "Biplane." Perhaps it will all-too-easily send its rider airborne?

Tokyo Motor Show: Sleek Suzuki Biplane Revealed [Jalopnik]

Joel Johnson

Wacom Cintiq 12WX: LCD Drawing Tablet for the Rest

Expect the Wacom Cintiq 12WX to be on the wishlist of most artists and designers this year. The 12-inch, 16:10 tablet has an LCD monitor underneath a pressure-sensitive layer that lets you actually draw right on the screen. And lest you think the 12WX is just a scaled down version of the larger 21UX, it also includes tilt and rotation sensitivity on input devices (not the screen), the better to emulate real-life pencils and brushes.

No batteries required—it's all powered over USB. A convertor unit bridges the USB with a DVI or VGA connection.

What's going to set this apart is the price—I think. There isn't a price listed yet on Wacom Europe's page, but if I had to take a wild stab at it, I'd say "less than one thousand dollars." The 12WX seems like Wacom's first step towards bringing the Cintiq line towards broad consumer adoption. More details should be forthcoming before its release next month.

Product Page [Wacom-Europe.com]

Joel Johnson

Black & Decker Auto Wrench

This Black & Decker "Auto Wrench," a self-adjusting monkey crescent wrench that automatically sizes itself to the bolt you're on, has been around for a while, but I'd forgotten about it and thought perhaps y'all might have, too. And bonus: it's been out long enough to garner some user reviews, which are almost universally positive. You can get it at Amazon for $29. Two AA batteries will power the clamping jaws for about 650 cycles.

Catalog Page [Amazon via Coolest-Gadgets]

Joel Johnson

Japanese Manhole Covers

Pink Tentacle has gathered several galleries of Japanese manhole covers, which vary from cute to terrifying. Manhole covers are fascinating to me; there's often all sort of encoded information in their designs, like when the sewer was created and by whom.

In New York, my home, large compass decals are being placed on the sidewalks to help tourists—a perfect candidate for new manhole designs. (There's a nice Flickr pool of NYC manhole covers, too.)

Japanese manhole covers [PinkTentacle.com]

Joel Johnson

EpiSurveyor: Saving Lives with Open Source

A couple of weeks ago, I had a sit down conversation with Dr. Joel Selanikio, creator of the extraordinarily compelling EpiSurveyor project, which provides software that can be run on PDAs and phones as an entry point to collect data in areas where laptops are impractical but paper records are rarely indexed. Selanikio and his project made a strongly positive impression on me—too much so, I think, because I've been hesitant to write about EpiSurveyor, feeling like I'd like to do more than simply write about the project in a short post, but unable to figure out something more productive.

So I asked Selanikio what EpiSurveyor could use to grow and he gave me some answers. We'll get to those, but let's talk about EpiSurveyor itself.

EpiSurveyor is free, open-source software used to collect data—primarily medical survey data right now, although there's no reason other types of data couldn't be gathered—in areas where medical data is often out-of-date or incomplete, when it's even collected at all.

Because EpiSurveyor is aimed primarily at developing economies, it's designed to run on PDAs and mobile phones. The latest version is designed to run on mobile phone— not necessarily even smartphones, but the standard GSM handsets that are used all over, and to transmit collected data back to a central repository via SMS.

"I go to all these conferences where they talk about Web 2.0," Selanikio said, "And they don't understand that I'm trying to build SMS 2.0." In the countries where EpiSurveyor is being put to use, like recent pilot programs in Kenya and Zambia, there is usually no web access in the first place.

Let me pass on two stories Selanikio told me that greatly helped my understand of the environment in which EpiSurveyor operates and why the data it gathers can be so important.

Imagine you're the health ministry of a developing nation. Thousands of your citizens live in remote villages with no power. It's your job to monitor their health and to address trends as they happen, so you send out a team of people across the country to survey the populace.

The team heads out into the country, collects the data on paper, and brings it all back to the capitol to be aggregated. Because your surveyors have to lug all their forms with them, they're often carrying huge stacks of papers on their backs as they travel. It's tedious. Sometimes the data gets what Selanikio calls the "under the tree problem," where surveyors choose to sit in the shade rather than lug around all the forms.

And even when all the data is brought back, it takes a long time for it to be scanned in and assembled. It's not uncommon for reports to take as long as six months to be processed in some countries, which is a tragically long time when it comes to monitor health and disease.

Now imagine a team equipped with EpiSurveyor equipment, powered by solar-powered bags from Voltaic Systems, making enough excess power to barter and sell to villagers to finance the trip. This isn't something that EpiSurveyor (and its creator company DataDyne) intend to do—this has already happened in Kenya.

In Zambia, EpiSurveyor was used not to improve surveys about malarial supplies in village clinics, but to conduct a systematic one for the first time. People were dying from malaria not because the government could not provide medicine, but simply because it didn't know where supplies were low. The Zambian health ministry, using data gathered by teams with EpiSurveyor, discovered that 60% of their stockpiles in remote areas were missing and were able to mobilize a response within three weeks.

There's a lot more that could be talked about, like how EpiSurveyor team members used Basecamp to evolve data collection forms from country to country, a normally top-down process that can take years; or how continuing medical education programs can be transmitted across the EpiSurveyor system to keep medical workers' skills up to date. But I'd like to instead make a small appeal for conversation for DataDyne and EpiSurveyor.

Right now the project has been primarily funded through grants and donations. Selanikio would like to figure out a way to make EpiSurveyor a sustainable business, unreliant on outside cash infusions as its only way to continue to grow and improve. There are other, commercial equivalents to EpiSurveyor on the market, but they don't tend towards free, open-source software designed to run on inexpensive, widely-available hardware.

I asked Selanikio what EpiSurveyor could use most right now—besides money, which is always welcome.

"We really need people who could help us develop a sustainable business model for EpiSurveyor. Ad-supported? Subscription fees? Two tiers of features? That sort of advice, from people who are truly qualified to give it, would be very helpful."

Joel Johnson

Audocron Chiming Clock Thing

The Audocron is a chromed, touch-sensitive mushroom that tells time by emitting a chime—once every hour and half hour or in a series of notes when touched. It's not a new design—the first Audocron were sold in 1979 and can still be purchased for $130—but a newer, Chinese made update adds some new functionality and increased touch sensitivity. ("No need to moisten fingers!")

The new version can be had on Thinkgeek for just $20, which seems about right for a strange clock you may find too annoying to use. It also includes an LED-lit ring that glows when you touch the Audocron, just to complete the Star Trek artifact impression.

Catalog Page [Thinkgeek.com via Technabob]

Joel Johnson

Suunto Core: Wristwatch Bristling with Sensors

The new Sunnto Core is more than a watch, according to its manufacturer—it's an outdoor wrist-top computer, the "total timepiece for the hardcore outdoor enthusiast." It's certainly no slack on features, including (according to Gizmag):

storm alarm, altimeter, barometer, digital thermometer, weather trend indicator and digital compass as well as a newly added depth meter, sunrise and sunset timer and a menu in four languages.

Most impressively, all those sensors and intelligence will only set you back $350. Overpriced for a desk jockey watch, sure, but not a bad deal for legitimate outdoorsmen at all.

Suunto Core extreme sports wristop computer [Gizmag]

Joel Johnson

Plug-In Prius Hybrid Looking Likely

Popular Mechanics' Ben Stewart took a few laps in a prototype Toyota Prius that can be plugged into a wall outlet to recharge its batteries. He says it seems likely that the next generation Prius, a 2009 model, will feature plug-in technology.

The most impressive part of the system was that it can take 1/4 to 1/2 throttle without engaging the gasoline engine. And that means for short 3 to 4 mile commutes, one could conceivably get to work and return home solely on electric power. The hybrid mode works much like the current car, engaging the internal combustion engine much sooner. This mode, it is presumed will be most applicable to long trips, when charging the battery isn’t an option.

First Drive: 2009 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid Prototype [PopularMechanics.com]

Joel Johnson

Sony Cybershot DSC-T2 Has 4GB of Memory On Board

The Cyber-shot DSC-T2 is the latest in Sony's line of point-and-shoots, made most notable by the inclusion of four gigabytes of flash memory built right inside. (You can still use Memory Stick Pro Duo cards to expand it should you need to, but the 1,300 or so 8-megapixel photographs that can be snapped will likely be enough for most people. I wonder if we can expect similar upgrades of built-in memory from other vendors soon.

The DSC-T2 will be out in December in a variety of colors for $350.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T2: Memory cards? Who needs memory cards? [Crave.CNET.com]

Joel Johnson

Mirror Spy Clock

This "Spy Clock" by Pieter Woudt adds a simple clock mechanism to a polished convex mirror, the better to catch a fleeting glimpse of death as it steals up behind you as you work. The lack of numbers could be a bother, but you could mount the Spy Clock in place, then glue horizontally flipped numbers in the proper lines of sight throughout your office to display the face in the reflection. It's $25.

Catalog Page [MoMaStore.org via Red Ferret]

Joel Johnson

Gmail Adds IMAP (For Everyone But Me)

Some users of Google's web-based Gmail email service have noticed that Gmail is now offering IMAP access in addition to POP. (IMAP lets you check the state of your email from multiple clients without downloading everything at once, in addition to granting the use of folders.) This is especially good for clients that do not have phones for which Google has built a mobile client.

Because Google tends to roll out Gmail changes in waves, not everyone has access to IMAP yet—I don't—but rumor has it logging out and logging back in will sometimes activate the IMAP, the settings for which can be found under "Forwarding and POP/IMAP." If that doesn't work, you may join me in patiently waiting for the rolling tides of magic to wash upon our shore.

Joel Johnson

Morning Tech Deals Highlights

• iRobot Roomba Discovery SE for $150, shipped. [Dealhack]

• Cables To Go Port Authority 2 Mobile Retractable Cable Kit for $12, shipped. [Dealnews]

• Rocket-Head Multifunction Projection Clock for $4, shipped. [Dealnews]

• Sony Playstation 3 20GB for $383. There is a $400 40GB version coming out, but this is the last version that includes Playstation 2 backwards compatibility. [Dealnews]

• Today's Woot!: Eiki DLP Home Theater Projector (480p) for $505.

• This site gives away a free game a day, most of which are small indie games, but free nonetheless. [Game.GiveawayOfTheDay.com via Rock, Paper, Shotgun]

• Logitech Pure-Fi Elite iPod stereo for $130, shipped. [iLounge]

Joel Johnson

Blowing Out the Dust: Afternoon Edition

• Seems Logical – Wall Street Journal's Walt Mossberg rails against the locked-in mobile phone system in the U.S. You've heard it before, nerds, but it's good to hear the big boys making the case. [AllThingsD.com]

• Next: Spray-On – Samsung's new 40-inch LCD is 1 centimeter thick. [Gizmodo]

• And Bear It – New Olympus point-and-shoot has a "smile detection" feature. [OhGizmo.com]

• HD Hijinx – "TiVo Series3 and HD FINALLY get TiVoToGo, MRV, eSATA drive, other new features" [Engadget]

Joel Johnson

LEGO Cake by Betty Crocker

The Betty Crocker website has instructions for making "Building Block Cakes" which have a marked resemblance to our favorite injection-molded plastic blocks. I wouldn't try stacking the cakes together.

Building Blocks Cakes [BettyCrocker.com via Core77 via Swissmiss via YoKiddo]

Joel Johnson

Video: "The Space" Japanese Technics Commercial

This disco-thumping, Centurion-filled commercial from the '80s is selling a hi-fi system known as "The Space," which as far as I can tell was so-dubbed because it could be easily stacked. Or maybe they were capitalizing on a strong Battlestar Galactica trend of which I was unaware.

(Is there a good way to do those "laser" graphics these days besides just compositing layers over video in AfterEffects or something? Boing Boing TV needs more panning synths and glowing grids.)

Classic Japanese Commercial Theater: Technics Stereo Known Only As “The Space” [TVInJapan.com]

Joel Johnson

Levitron Anti-Gravity Globe

While this somewhat cheesy levitating globe is only four inches in diameter, I can imagine it will soon be put to good use as the base for a talented Star Wars fan in creating a real-life version of the holographic Death Star intelligence for which many Bothan spies died. It's $100.

Catalog Page [LiveScienceStore.com via 7Gadgets via Oh Gizmo!]

Joel Johnson

Xbox 360 Plushie

Someone calling themselves "Kickass-Peanut" has created this adorable plushie Xbox 360. It would probably sell better in Japan than the actual Xbox 360.

Xbox 360 Plushie [DeviantArt.com via Kotaku]

Joel Johnson

Sonos Announces ZoneBridge, Improved Search

Sonos, makers of the wireless music streaming system with a plus-sized iPod-like remote, has officially announced the "ZoneBridge," a $100 device which can extend the range of the wireless transmissions between ZonePlayers. Before the only way to extend the network was to buy another ZonePlayer for $350—not exactly a cheap option.

They've also improved the search capabilities on the scroll-wheel-based remotes, matching artists and album information after just a few letters are input, much like iTunes. (I still don't understand how Sonos managed to avoid a lawsuit from Apple.)

Sonos Digital Music System Upgrade Solves Two Major Problems [Listening Post]

Joel Johnson

PC-9801 Emulator for the iPod Touch

Although not exactly what I was expecting when I read "hentai games on the iPod Touch," this hacked up NEC PC-98 emulator for the iPod is pretty impressive. Turns out the first game tested was a famous hentai game called "Toshin City."

The NEC PC-9801, or the PC-98, is a Japanese microcomputer manufactured by NEC. It is different from the IBM PC in many ways as it uses its own 16 bit C-Bus instead of the ISA bus. BIOS, I/O port addressing, memory management and graphics output are also different. PC98 first appeared in 1982 and many hentai games has been programmed for this platform).

IPod Touch: PC-9801 Emulator [GamersWeb.it]

Joel Johnson

Nissan GT-R Cockpit Display Gets Videogame Touch

The integrated control screen in the dashboard of the upcoming Nissan GT-R was developed in conjunction with Polyphony Digital, whose work you may know as the creators of the Gran Turismo series of racing games on the Sony Playstation.

Every time I look at that car I just sigh. What a machine!

The Official Car of Godzilla [Edmunds.com via Gizmodo]

Joel Johnson

Neuros x Boing Boing Gadgets Prop Contest Reminder

Don't forget that the Neuros OSD contest is ending tomorrow night, so send in those submissions.

Joel Johnson

Credit Card Money Clip Concept

I was browsing Roger Arquer's design portfolio looking for his updated mousetrap designs (as suggest by MAKE) when this concept, proposed in 2004, distracted me. A credit card that doubles as a money clip? I want that immediately. Can they somehow make the other side of it a Metrocard?

Roger's Flash portfolio [RogerArquer.com]

Joel Johnson

Morning Tech Deals Highlights

• Toshiba HD-A2 HD DVD Player $227, shipped [Dealhack]

• Panasonic Lumix High Zoom 7.2MP Camera for $143, shipped. A fine camera for a reasonable price. [Dealhack]

• Purolator PureONE Oil Filter 2-Pack for $6. I'm told these are nice oil filters. I wouldn't know! [Dealnews]

• Today's Woot! are a pair of junky AT&T retractable earbuds for $8.

Joel Johnson

Absens Concealed Faucets

The "Absens" line of faucets, built by M&Z Rubinetterie, conceal a faucet and its controls behind a push-to-open panel. Might be worth installing just to mess with the minds of houseguests.

Absens concealed faucet line by M&Z Rubinetterie [WoWBathrooms.com]

Joel Johnson

Magnetix iCoaster: Be a Real-Life Magnetic Marble Tycoon

The Magnetix iCoaster (or "I-Coaster" depending on who you ask) is the latest incarnation of the old "marble rollercoaster" concept, this time with a heavy emphasis on magnets and music. The music aspects are actually the least interesting: you can plug in an iPod to listen to music on its probably-not-so-great speaker, or trigger sound effects when the steel marble passes through certain gates.

The magnet tricks, on the other hand, seem nifty. The ball is taken to the top of the coaster on a "magnetic elevator." Certain segments drop the track but leave a magnetized side rail that carries the ball across. The track pieces themselves actually clip together by magnets.

The whole kit is $80. The only review on Amazon is broadly positive, although they do suggest that completing a successful circuit of the coaster can take some patience. (I consider that a feature, not a bug.) I just wish you could ditch all the music parts and get extra track and trick segments instead.

Catalog Page [Amazon]

Joel Johnson

Oppo Releases Cheap 3-to-1 HDMI Switch

Oppo, who made their name selling inexpensive but high quality upscaling DVD players, is now offering a relatively low cost 3-to-1 HDMI switch, with IR input controls (although no included remote) and RS-232 serial controls. The "HM-31" supports HDMI 1.3, the latest standard, and is available for a hundred bucks.

Product Page [OppoDigital.com]

Joel Johnson

Electing Greener Leaders

As I've said before, I highly doubt we'll be able to buy our way out of any climate or environmental crisis. (Although every little change we can make helps.) And while this particular anecdote does in fact talk about buying new taxi cabs to replace an older, inefficient ones, the backstory of how it happened is much more important.

Take the New York City taxi story. Two years ago, David Yassky, a City Council member, sat down with one of his backers, Jack Hidary, a technology entrepreneur, to brainstorm about how to make New York City greener — at scale. For starters, they checked with the Taxi and Limousine Commission to see what it would take to replace the old gas-guzzling Crown Victoria yellow cabs, which get around 10 miles a gallon, with better-mileage, low-emission hybrids. Great idea, only it turned out to be illegal, thanks to some old size regulations designed to favor Crown Vics.

Recalled Mr. Hidary: “When they first told me, I said, ‘Are you serious? Illegal?’” So he formed a nonprofit called SmartTransportation.org to help Mr. Yassky lobby the City Council to change the laws to permit hybrid taxis. They also reframed it as a health issue, with the help of Louise Vetter, president of the American Lung Association of the City of New York.

Save the Planet: Vote Smart [NYTimes]

Joel Johnson

Klimax DS: Streaming Audio Ain't Cheap, It Seems

The Klimax DS is a streaming media player that supports FLAC and WAV (and presumably MP3) and is controlled by a touchscreen remote. It doesn't have any storage itself, but streams audio like ripped CDs from network attached drives, upsampling to 384 or 352.8kHz.

Sounds like most of the audio streaming devices that have been out for years, right? The Klimax DS does have one more distinguishing feature: it costs "less than $20,000." (Audiophilia strikes again!)

Product Page [Linn.co.uk] (Thanks, Marcus!)

Joel Johnson

Man Builds Working Helicopters from Junk

Mubarak Muhammed Abdullahi, a 24-year-old Nigerian physics undergraduate, is building functional helicopters from junk cars and motorcycles. This one, powered by a Honda Civic engine, has been flown "briefly" six times, never higher than seven feet. Many of the other parts from a Boeing 747 which crashed near him home years ago.

"You start it, allow it to run for a minute or two and you then shift the accelerator forward and the propeller on top begins to spin. The further you shift the accelerator the faster it goes and once you reach 300 rmp you press the joystick and it takes off," Abdullahi explained from the cockpit.

He said he learned the rudiments of flying a helicopter from the Internet and first got the idea of building one from the films he watches on television.

Home-made helicopters hit northern Nigeria [Yahoo/AFP via Gizmodo via The Raw Feed]

Joel Johnson

Embraer and BMW's Fancy Jet Concept

What would a concept jet interior look like if it were designed by BMW? Like this, apparently.

Autopia has more details (and another picture) of the concept project, a joint venture by BMW and Brazilian jet manufacturer Embraer.

BMW, Embraer Conceive Ultimate Flying Machine [Autopia]

Joel Johnson

Pop!Tech Notes: The End

I left the Pop!Tech conference a day early. (I had a wedding to attend in Brooklyn Saturday night.) On the whole, it was an enjoyable experience, worth going if only for all the people I met. Then again, I didn't have to pay the $3,500 ticket price to get a seat. (Pop!Tech gave me a free ticket, although I paid my own airfare and hotel.)

I spent Friday night hanging out in one of Camden's bars, having escaped a sit-down dinner hosted by some Googlers to which I had invited myself, then reconsidered. I sat at the bar and watched the locals arrive, many off their boats still wearing waders and smelling like fish. While the locals were friendly, it was clear I was an out-of-towner, and the bartender soon started directing her regular customers over to me so they could ask me the same question: "What is Pop!Tech, exactly?"

Despite having been held in Camden since its inception as the "The Camden Technology Conference" in 1997, employing dozens of locals to work as staff*, and even keeping a permanent office on Camden's main drag, it seems that most of the town's residents don't have the first clue as to what Pop!Tech is really about. It wasn't just fisherman that were in the dark. Shopkeepers, having had their stores filled with badge-wearing conference goers all week, were equally unsure. The desk clerk at my motel asked me if Pop!Tech were something her son, who "builds computers," would be interested in. I said it probably would be, but that it cost $3,500 to attend. She yelped.

It is difficult to take seriously a conference filled with people encouraging small, local actions toward change yet content to serve as only as a tourist in the town where it is based. Why should I care about those in developing nations when those doing the preaching aren't interested in the people of Camden? Undoubtedly Pop!Tech transfers a lot of money to Camden, but it's a shame that, as an conference touting communication, interaction, and dialogue, economnic stimulus is all it brings. (In fairness, one of most interesting presentations Friday was by Ted Ames, lobsterman and conservationists. Ames is from Maine.)

I want to underline that the locals were interested in what was going on at the conference, once they discovered what it was about. Letting the locals participate in some way, perhaps even letting them attend for free, would bring in a whole set of voices that seemed to be under-represented at the conference and would serve to break up the "crème de la crème" perception that Pop!Tech purposely (and I think unproductively) fosters.

There were other incongruencies. Lexus, a sponsor, brought several hybrid cars to the event as loaners, to be taking for spins by conference attendees. All the Lexus vehicles had California plates. How much gasoline, offset even by carbon credits, was expended to bring the cars to Maine?

(During one presentation a man questioned the necessity of mobility given by cars and planes in light of fuel and environmental costs. It seemed to evoke peculiar quiet in the crowded hall, filled with people like myself who had both driven and flown to be there.)

I don't doubt that many valuable connections are made at Pop!Tech each year. I also don't doubt a fair amount of global good comes from those connections, as well as projects sponsored by Pop!Tech itself. It's impossible to gauge if those connections would happen without Pop!Tech or similar conferences, like TED, just as it is impossible to determine if the hundreds of thousands of dollars expended for a few days to bring people together would have been better spent elsewhere. That it is so difficult to determine Pop!Tech's ultimate utility may be the best summation I can offer.

* I'm not sure how many are actually "employed." All the staff I talked to were volunteers, working the conference in support of Camden or in an attempt to make connections themselves.

Joel Johnson

Steelcase Walkstation: Workstation with a Cubicle

Although TIME blogger Lisa Takeuchi Cullen doesn't seem to be all that interested in the idea, I'm rather intrigued by the Steelcase Walkstation, a desk set that replaces the seat with a treadmill. By adding even a modest amount of physical activity to everyday activities, workers can burn more calories than just sitting would otherwise require. Steelcase even purports that the activity may offer "less stress, increased productivity and improved focus."

Steelcase is hardly the first to discover the idea; I even tried something similar last year with an elliptical machine, although I discovered that it takes too much effort to type while bouncing up and down to be truly productive. You can even buy little pedals for under your desk for less than $50, far less than Steelcase's projected $6,500 for the Walkstation.

The ultimate solution, of course, would be a way to use the energy expended while walking at your desk to trickle charge gadgets.

I'm so fat I need a treadmill at my desk [Time-Blog.com via Gadget Lab]

Joel Johnson

Survival Mosque by Azra Akšamija

"Survival Mosque" is a political and artistic statement in kit form, concealing several items designed to help Muslims deal with a jingoist American culture. Inside, explains We Make Money Not Art, is:

an American-flag pattern that communicates patriotism, an umbrella that surveys one’s back, washing solution for ablution and for cleaning when a Muslim get spit on, ear plugs against insults, American constitution proofing rights of American Muslims, a loud-speaker with speech on tolerance held by President George W. Bush, educative books, communication devices, etc. The mosque is self-sufficient; the prayer rug is supplying its own energy source via photo-voltaic solar cells. The Survival Mosque can be transformed and camouflaged into bags, which communicate with each other via bluetooth. The bag-speakers reflect paranoia spreading messages regarding terrorism, but they can also function as muezzins; calling for prayer at prayer times.

Akšamija's "Nomadic Mosque" project is more subtly clever, integrating prayer rugs into clothing for the modern mobile Muslim's mosqueless Meccanized ministrations.

WMMNA has a great interview with Akšamija should you like to learn more.

Several ways to wear a mosque [WMMNA]

Joel Johnson

Monster Insect Apocalypse Foretold in the '30s

Okay, I officially wish I were writing for science and tech magazines in the '30s. From Modern Mechanics and Inventions' December, 1930 issue:

A WORLD ruled by giant insects, with the last remnants of the human race as slaves is one of the favorite devices of one school of fiction writers.

Fantastic? Not at all. Thoughtful scientists recognize that as one of the possible endings for our civilization. In fact, all past history indicates that when, and if, the present civilization comes to an end, it will die because of an unsolved food problem, and that insects will be a contributing factor, and hence may be the survivors.

Will Monster Insects Rule the World? (Dec, 1930) [ModernMechanix.com]

Joel Johnson

Cheapo SpongeBob Camera

This SpongeBob Squarepants-branded digital camera is more toy than quality point-and-shoot, capable of only VGA-quality snapshots written to unexpandable internal flash memory, but it's the first camera I've seen to properly embrace the "lens as eye" metaphor to reveal cameras for the unblinking cyclopean gargoyles they really are. It's amazing how much apprehension three little eyelashes can convey.

It's only twenty bucks. Put one over your child's eye today!

SpongeBob Squarepants Digital Camera Is Neither Square-Shaped Nor Made Of Sponges [OhGizmo.com via Uneasy Silence]

Joel Johnson

Samsung G800: 5-Megapixel Slider Phone

Samsung has announced a new slider phone in Europe with a 5-megapixel camera with 3x optical zoom. Called the G800, it's a clear shot across the Nokia N95's bow. CrunchGear has the first hands-on:

It may be launching in Europe, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to let it pass on by and not let Samsung know we want it, too. It’s shiny with a metal casing and it ‘feels so good in my hands’ that I almost ran out with it in my pocket. It may look bulky, but it fit in the pocket of my jeans and I hardly noticed it even when I was sitting down.

CrunchExclusive: Hands on with the Samsung G800 [CrunchGear.com]

Joel Johnson

Morning Tech Deals Highlights

• Canon EOS Rebel XTi 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm lens for $640, shipped. [Dealnews]

• Up to 50% off + free shipping at the ToysRUs.com Halloween Store. [Dealnews]

• Today's Woot!: Refurb Brown Zune for $85, shipped. The prices just won't stop falling!.