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We like electric vehicles here at CrunchGear, from the Volt to the Leaf to the Eneloop to the U3-X. But none of those are very common purchases, and although electric cars are looked forward to with anticipation, electric bikes seem to have escaped the notice of the US altogether. Japan and Eastern Asia have these things all over the place, but even here in eco-friendly Seattle, they’re rare as hens’ teeth.
If you’re thinking about getting one, maybe to simplify a short 3-or-4-mile commute, there are some things you should know. This little post does a good job summing up the basics so you don’t get taken in down at ye olde electricke bi-cycle shoppe.
The main things you’ll run into are battery type and size, and engine wattage. Beyond that the trim level seems to be largely — well, not superficial differences, but you always get diminishing returns as the price goes up.
Awesome. So this January, it seems that Cameron found time in between money-counting sessions to pitch NASA about putting a 3D camera on the Curiosity Mars rover, set for a 2011 launch. Incredibly, they went for it. I’m guessing it had something to do with budget — probably something along the lines of “my movie is making more per month than your department does in a year, I got this one.”
The camera, which will certainly be something very different from what Cameron used to shoot Avatar due to space and weight restrictions, will be put on the “mast” of Curiosity and used to… well, take 3D footage of the Martian landscape. I’ve seen a few 3D Martian panoramas in my time, and I have to say it’s probably a good idea.
The question is whether they can sell it to audiences without sexy cat ladies epic space battles?
Joy! New apps. If you’re a Zune HD owner, fire up the ol’ girl and get downloading. This Labyrinth game looks pretty cool, and the Zune HD’s accelerometer is pretty responsive, so it should be good. Now give me a Mahjjong game and I’ll be set for life.
If you’re one of the lucky ones who snagged an iPad, then you’re probably subject to “oos” and “aahs” as much as the occasional stare and possibly a “can I try it?” All this attention is prone to seriously cramp your private surfing capabilities. With the advent of iPad optimized porn, how can you truly keep your porn habit a secret?
What to Watch
Lets kick it off with what to watch. Two of the leading companies to release iPad optimized porn are high end porn purveyors Digital Playground and Pink Visual. The companies worked furiously against the iPad launch to make porn optimized specifically for the iPad without really forcing you to change how you watch and download porn. By upgrading the software and streaming servers, the companies are able to offer video-on-demand titles that look slammin’ on your new iPad. Other more niche websites for iPad optimized porn include the BDSM site BDSMPad.com, gay site DominicFord.com, Spankmo.com, OnePadPorn.com, and NightMobile.biz.
Keep it Dry
Designed to keep your iPad completely dry and smudge free, outfit your iPad with a TrendyDigital WaterGuard waterproof case, $19.99. Described by the manufacturer to “protect against water, dust, dirt, sand and other elements,” you can be sure to keep your iPad in tip top shape while ogling the ladies or guys onscreen.
Go Hands Free
Sometimes, you might just want to prop the iPad up and go hands free. You don’t want to worry about dropping the iPad or positioning the slippery iPad on your lap. That’s why we love the Macally Viewstand, $49. Styled to look like a miniature Mac, this stand props up the iPad so you can watch your videos as you would if you were using a full sized computer. Another option is the super sturdy and luxury Joule iPad stand, $129, that has three different tilt levels for optimal viewing angle.
Keep it Quiet
Every iPad user needs a pair of noise canceling earphones. Not just so you can get the best sound quality possible while watching a movie, but also so nosy eavesdroppers won’t hear what you’re really listening to. If you’ve got the cash and really want to hear the deep bass of all those moans and groans while keeping it private from your neighbors, then Beats Tour High Resolution In-Ear, $179.95, will do the trick. If you prefer the wireless version to avoid tangled wires and take advantage of the iPad’s bluetooth, there’s the Jaybird Sportsband Bluetooth Headphones for $89.95. The Jaybirds have a contoured cup to press against your ear and make it hard for anyone else to tune into to what you’re listening to. Either way, your neighbors will just assume you’re listening to CrunchGear and Friends rather than revealing your true activities.
Make Sure It’s Private
Since everyone is so eager to see exactly how the iPad works and what you’re doing on it, it may be time to invest in an iPad privacy screen. Like a computer privacy screen, this shade prevents onlookers from seeing what you’re doing from a side angle. This is perfect for situations like looking at porn while on the train, on the treadmill at the gym, while in class, or in board meetings. And if you’re more worried about your family or girlfriend getting a hold of your iPad porn stash, you may want to download an app like Safe Eyes Mobile, $19.99. The app lets you filter exactly what your family sees by using blocks and it has the added feature of super fast screen minimization in case someone walks in on you while surfing.
We’ve given you the tools, now you can watch your iPad porn completely uninterrupted, no matter where you are. Success.
Guest columnist Lydia Leavitt writes about sex and, oddly enough, social media. For more information on the latest intimate technology, check out 69adget.com.
I can’t be the only one that thinks this brandless Chinese MP3-player wristwatch is tastefully designed. And really metal? With an audio recording feature as well? Hell, this is SkyMall -quality material. It’s only got 4GB of space, but if the watch is really regular size, that’s actually kind of generous. Plus, it tells the time.
There’s not much else to say. It’s a random Chinese gadget-watch. But it’s hot. I’m telling you, with the headphone plug on a chain? $44!
We’re starting to see the results of Netflix’s deal with the devil. DirecTV really wants to make sure you know that while Netflix won’t have Fox and Time Warner’s movies at release day, they will be on PPV. Is that the sound of someone rubbing their hands together in a greedy way?
In a press release issued today, DirecTV took the rather predatory approach of pointing out that while Netflix and RedBox won’t have movies like Avatar on the release date, you will be able to rent them using DirecTV. Of course, that’ll cost you between $4.99 and $5.99 per title, which ironically is nearly the same cost of a month of Netflix. DirecTV also stated that they were really really sorry, but do to their deal with the movie studios, they can’t offer a subscription model like Netflix does. So there.
For some strange reason, the contrast race seems to be on. It doesn’t make much sense really, but first LG was claiming a 1,000,000,000:1 contrast ratio, now BenQ is claiming a 12,000,000:1. I guess I don’t get the importance, I use a 20,000:1 monitor and it looks just fine to me.
For whatever reason, BenQ’s new line up includes the 18.5-inch GL9320, the 19-inch GL931, the 21.5-inch GL2230, and the 22-inch GL2231. BenQ claims to have the highest contract ratio, but I suspect they forgot about LG. No pricing as of yet, but expect to see the latest from BenQ at your local retailer sometime in July.
They didn’t exactly say “weaklings,” or the other thing, but they did get a little dig in to other motherboard makers, many of whose USB ports don’t have the necessary voltage to charge the iPad. Here’s the trash talking, direct from the big G:
Recent industry and news reports indicate that USB ports on most Windows PCs are unable to provide enough power to charge the new iPad while the device is in operation due to differences between motherboard USB power output and the device’s charging specifications. Gigabyte’s unique USB power design is able to deliver extra power for devices that require more than the 500mA delivered from a traditional USB port. With a simple On/Off Charge driver update which can be found on the Gigabyte website, Gigabyte motherboard users are able to take full advantage of USB charging of their iPad, giving them more options and convenience when recharging their new device.
Oh, snap! Asus and them got told! I happen to be rolling with an old Abit (rest in peace), but I also don’t have an iPad so this really doesn’t concern me at all. But you PC owners out there with recent Gigabyte mobos, take note and upgrade your drivers.
There is much excited talk right now about Eric Schmidt letting slip that Google is indeed working on a tablet. Yeah, I think we all knew that. The only real surprise is that it’s running Android, possibly with Chrome tacked on as the browser. Why not ChromeOS? I suppose Google thinks it would be pretty ridiculous to debut a new OS with a new device, with only web apps available, when the competition will have a million-seller with 180,000 apps already available. Android is the only arrow in their quiver that can strike at iPhone right now. In fact, Google Chrome OS as a separate entity might be a smokescreen.
Stay with me, here. I mean, we can all admit that a Chrome OS tablet would be pretty limited if it really was to be just Google web apps. In the meantime they’ve got all this support for Android… but Android isn’t built for tablets. I guess if anyone can bridge the gap, it’s Google. A sort of crossover OS with access to Android apps but suitable for the larger form factor, multi-touch capabilities, and browser-centric tablet platform would be a natural step to take.
Unfortunately, it’s a bit like aping Apple there — grow your mobile OS to fit the needs of a tablet OS. The best you can come up with is a sort of melange, as Apple seems to have shown. But can they sell that melange? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
It’s sexy and expensive, like a solid gold lady, but the Que is struggling with the usual first-run production woes. At least we have a shipping date now: June 24th. It’s my favorite of the “vanilla” e-readers, but I’m beginning to wonder whether I’ll ever hold one?
Hello, CrunchGear reader! So here’s the deal. Our sister site, MobileCrunch, is doing well. Like really, really well. February was MC’s biggest month ever, and then March went and made February look silly.
That makes the people upstairs happy – and when they’re happy, we’re all happy, because we get to make improvements.
So we turn to you, dear reader, and ask: What do you want from MobileCrunch?
The idea of pirate radio is sort of retro-romantic. I love it, but at the same time I have to accept that its place in history is… well, not now. Kind of like tricorn hats. However, pirate radio is more interesting to learn about than tricorn hats, and so maybe you should take a breather and watch a bunch of Brits talk about their clandestine antenna setups.
You know what’s even crazier than this? Numbers stations. These guys have nothing on the Conet Project.
Man alive, how great would it be to be rich? You could afford crazy things like, I don’t know, new shoes, healthy food, and six 20-inch monitors to play Modern Warfare 2 with. That’s the dream.
So as you can see, the game scales quite well across all six screens—the only “glitch” occurs when text gets cut off at the bezel of the TV.
ATI’s Eyefinity technology makes this magic possible. The 5800 series of cards (and up, presumably) allow you to span compatible games across several screens. It’s not something you’re going to find at a Best Buy demo area or whatever, so people were freaking out while they passed by.
Oh, iPad leaks. I just wrote up one of you less than an hour ago, and now there’s a better one. The life of a blogger is a hard one, friends. So anyways, it seems that Apple left the door open on the iPad app store screenshot warehouse, because everyone and their dog is now accessing shots of the various pages – I won’t duplicate their content here, just head on over to AppAdvice and check out the new leak.
I don’t think these are final final, because as you can see in the shot above, there are some weird stretch issues going on with the app screenshots. I’m guessing the layout is pretty much set at this point, though.
Satisfying a mutual desire for companionship, this high chair permits your dog or cat to accompany you at the dinner table. The high chair clips securely to tables up to 2″ thick and its height adjusts without tools to elevate your pet to near eye level.
Grabble grabble! Product Page! Strange woman who lives alone! Ford to City: Drop Dead! Grabble!
Like many FPS gamers of a certain age, I started with the WASD keyboard/mouse control system. As such, I have issues with using a controller to play games on a console, and really wish that someone would come out with a keyboard and mouse control system. There’s been a few that come close, and the XScorch 360 looks like another also-ran.
Bannco, the company that makes the XScorch 360 also makes a similar controller for the PS3, so this isn’t their first time trying to make this kind of product. My concern lies in the video, and is twofold. First, the video says Halo Reach. Anyone who follows the Halo universe will recognize that the demo is running through on Halo 3. Halo Reach isn’t even available as a playable demo yet. Second, the video shows some serious lag between the mouse movements and the on screen action. If this is the case, then it’s pretty much unplayable. It’s also possible that this demo is from the future, which is why it’s showing Halo Reach, and the lag is from the time-shift dilation effect.
Suggested retail is $79.99, and is currently available from Bannco’s website, or at selected retailers.
ioSafe is running a great deal with Costco right now, you can buy their ioSafe Solo (which John reviewed) for a great price, and also get an additional year of data recovery for free. The drive is currently on sale for $229.99 (ordered online), and is regularly priced at $259.99 and doesn’t normally include the additional year of data recovery. Having personally seen one of these set on fire, I’m seriously considering picking one up, and you should too.
Some rumors are swirling regarding a possible “slim” version of the Xbox 360. And why not? The console being sold is largely the same as one they were selling… wow, is it more than four years ago now? Of course, the ones they sell now run a little cooler, and don’t have an enormous failure rate, so there’s that. And with the pressure on from the PS3 Slim and… well, a black version of the Wii, Microsoft probably wants to be one of the cool kids with the console revisions.
The pictures are purportedly of the new motherboard, and show a combined processor and graphics unit, a generally smaller size, and a SATA connector instead of a proprietary one, suggesting the new hard drive will be internal.
The Q&A format surrounding mobile, location based social networking continues here at SXSW Interactive 2010. Catching up with Naveen Selvadurai, co-founder of Foursquare, shed some light on their differentiators and general projections about the future of that channel.
When 10 hubs is just too few, and 24 is a few too many, and 80 is way too many… have I got the USB hub for you! They just added these things to stock at ThinkGeek, and unlike the other hubs we’ve seen recently, this one actually looks pretty nice. It’s got kind of an Apple vibe, but obviously still ran run with the PC big boys on sheer geekiness.
Thing is, it costs $160. Personally… I’d rather buy myself a nice steak every night for a week. Or teriyaki every day for a month. Yeah, I’m going with that one. But if you can’t control your buying finger, go ahead and pick one up.
The Polaroid saga is a long and strange one. And the last couple years have been especially strange. Bankrupt, reanimated, relaunched, sold out, bought up… I wouldn’t be surprised if Polaroid showed up on Dancing With The Stars.
They keep saying they’re coming back, but I’ll believe it when I see it. In the mean time, your options for instant film are depressingly limited, and it’ll cost you a bundle — but it’s not like it disappeared completely. The main rival for Polaroid was Fujifilm, which also makes digital cameras and lots of other films and media. Among their many products is Instax film, which is still manufactured and comes in cartridges of 10 exposures. It ends up costing ~75¢ per shot, which is technically infinity percent more than a digital, so understandably not too many people go for it.
The LC-A+ I wrote up is a bit expensive, however, at around $300 for the camera and Instax back. I’ll have a review soon of the Diana+ and its instant back, which is much more affordable, but still very cool. Depending on how that goes, I’ll be able to tell you with a little more conviction, but it seems to me that if instant is really what you want, you’ve got a couple ways of going about it. Just don’t count on Polaroid just yet.
Man oh man. This is going to be like the netbooksplosion that happened after the EeePC hit. Roy Chen, a big man at ARM, said at a press meeting that they expect perhaps 50 tablet computers to be made available worldwide in 2010. Of course, in the US, we’ll only see a fraction of them — maybe 15 or 20. Some of these will be knockoffs, some Android devices, some this or that or the other thing, and of course all of them are going up against the iPad and will likely measure their specs against it and not each other.
You’ll also see a lot of fragmentation at the size level before one size gets established as the “standard.” Five inches? Seven inches? Nine? Ten? How about dual screens?
It’ll be interesting to be sure, but I get the feeling that, like netbooks, the first year is going to be ugly, iPad included.
Stage aesthetics all contain a common trend. Generally, the equipment should be seen as little as possible, leading to pretty much every guitar amplifier in existence being black. Orange Amplifiers said, “To hell with all that nonsense” and proceeded to create some of the most visually offensive and sonically powerful amps on the market. Their latest release, the Thunder 30, should start coming out into the wild sometime this spring.
What you get are four EL84 class A power valves pumping out a total of 30 watts. A new addition to Oranges is the twin channel setup. Your standard clean channel and a dedicated overdrive/distortion channel with shape control. They also threw in an FX loop not found on previous models.
Configurations include the head alone, or in a front loaded 1×12 combo. We’ll have a full review for you guys as soon as we get our hands on one.
At the Toy Fair this year I picked up a game from TechnoSource called Bubble Talk. I rarely write about many board games mostly because I always equate them with a story my buddy Lou told us about his ex-girlfriend. Regardless, a good boardgame like Settlers of Catan or Carcassonne are always fun to play of an evening.
So what is Bubble Talk? Well, it’s sort of like the first LOLCat game in the whole universe. Each player (minimum of three players) takes a set of cards containing funny captions (“This is going to leave a mark,” “I need your W-2s and 1099s if you have them,” etc.). You draw a picture card – usually stock photos of animals and people in potentially funny situations – and one person acts as a judge. The rest of the players slap down the caption cards, trying to pick the funniest caption or bubble. The judge chooses one and the winner collects the photo. The one with five photos wins.
It sounds kind of dumb but if you have enough people – and the right kind of sense of humor – it’s great. We made a drinking game of it last weekend (we mostly just drank and played) and had a blast.
The game will be available in a few months from TechnoSource and is really worth picking up. It’s a great party game (provided the party is fairly small) and, as dopey as it sounds, it’s actually quite fun.
Scosche just announced the reviveLITE II. This is the second generation in this series, but the updates might not be clear. Scosche reduced the size of the iPod/iPhone charger while adding an USB charging port. But this model still features the night light just like the original.
We found the original to be a great solution but a tad pricey at $40. It seems this model retains all the goods, but comes in at $24.99. That’s a win for sure. The reviveLITE II is available right now on Scosche.com and should hit major retailers this Spring.
We like electric vehicles here at CrunchGear, from the Volt to the Leaf to the Eneloop to the U3-X. But none of those are very common purchases, and although electric cars are looked forward to with anticipation, electric bikes seem to have escaped the notice of the US altogether. Japan and Eastern Asia have these things all over the place, but even here in eco-friendly Seattle, they’re rare as hens’ teeth.
We’re starting to see the results of 
For some strange reason, the contrast race seems to be on. It doesn’t make much sense really, but first 
Grabble grabble grabble! GORF GRABBLE!
ioSafe is running a great deal with Costco right now, you can buy their ioSafe Solo (which 
The Q&A format surrounding mobile, location based social networking continues here at 
