New Software Disables USB Drives Over Net

IntelliAdmin Remote USB Disabler lets you SHUT DOWN USB storage drives -- even over a network! It's a no-install program, which means it's ready to run.

Camping Tent Generates Own Power For Lights

A tent called the Woods Solar Tent is just like any other modern tent, except that it has built-in lighting, a power outlet and solar panels for GENERATING ITS OWN ELECTRICITY. (props to Treehugger)

How to Turn a Powerbook Into a Work of Art

A fellow named Dan ETCHED part of the Son of Man around the Apple logo on his Powerbook. (props to Gizmodo, TechEblog and Make)

New SD Card Sports Built-In USB Connector

Buffalo plans to started selling in mid-July a new SD card that features an ingenious trick: You slide out a little corner of the plastic to expose a USB CONNECTOR! (props to Ubergizmo)

Jesus Video Game Marketed to Churches

Jesus-oriented video game maker 3rd Day has come up with a unique marketing scheme. They license their game, called Faith Explorer, to churches, and encourage every child in the church to play the games over and over during SUNDAY SCHOOL. A year's worth of games -- one per month -- come on the disk, and each becomes unlocked with every new month. In a press release, 3rd Day quoted one mother as saying, "(My daughter) LOVES this game. Thank goodness she has found something to take the place of watching TV." Jesus.

Nokia Phone Sports 'SmackBook Pro' Feature

The Nokia 5500 features the "SmackBook Pro" capability to use smacking -- a SHARP TAPPING on the side of the phone -- as input. For example, while you're listening to a song on the phone, two taps on the right side of the phone skips to the next song. Here comes the VIDEO! (props to ringtonia.com, and mobiface)

The Raw Feed On Your Phone (Video)

I told you May 30 that The Raw Feed is now available on your cell phone (free of charge, of course!). Now here's video of what that looks like. You can get The Raw Feed on your phone by clicking HERE. Here comes the VIDEO!

Spiderman III Trailer Hits

Sony posted a few minutes ago the FIRST TRAILER for Spiderman III, scheduled for a May 4, 2007 release. Here comes the TRAILER!

Next Generation Door Flier Hits

Ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi has come up with a new version of those annoying advertising fliers that underpaid immigrants hang on your door. The new version is a STICKER placed in front of your peephole to help you visualize the use of the service advertised.

What's Playing On YOUR Pants?

Egokast is a $279 VIDEO BELT BUCKLE. You can download any of dozens of GROOVY VIDEOS to display on your buckle -- or make your own. It also plays music. (props to Gizmodo)

Worst USB Gadget Yet: Lion Web Cam

Here's a $26 metal web cam from Brando that sorta kinda looks like a lion that some kid may have made in metal shop class. But WHY?

Indian Actress to Play Wonder Woman?

Holy cow! It looks as if Indian Bollywood actress and former Miss World Priyanka Chopra is in negotiations with director Joss Whedon to play WONDER WOMAN in the upcoming movie. Chopra is no stranger to superhero movies, as she plays a role in the upcoming "Indian Superman" movie, "Krrish."

Worst USB Gadget Yet: Doggie Mouse

Behold: The FUGLIEST USB MOUSE ever devised. This nearly unusable pointing device from Japan's EverGreen looks like a cheesy gift-shop figurine.

Getting Cranky On 'Cranky Geeks'

I appeared yesterday on John C. Dvorak's awesome Cranky Geeks web-based TV show. Thanks, John! Here comes the VIDEO!

Bill Gates Admits to Watching Pirated Movies

Bill Gates CONFESSED in a Wall Street Journal interview this week to watching pirated movies on the internet.

WSJ: You watch physics lectures and Harlem Globetrotters [on YouTube]?

Gates: This social-networking thing takes you to crazy places.

WSJ: But those were stolen, correct?

Gates: Stolen's a strong word. It's copyrighted content that the owner wasn't paid for. So yes.

World's Smallest Camera For Inside-Body Pix

This is either the WORLD'S SMALLEST DIGITAL CAMERA CMOS or the world's largest pencil. OmniVision's new OV6920 camera is the only 1/18-inch sensor ever. It's designed for taking digital pictures inside the human body, either on the end of a big syringe or as part of a pill that's swallowed and passed through the digestive system. Fortunately, for the latter application, the camera is designed to be disposable.

Why Only Southerners Can Win 'American Idol'

Every winner of "American Idol" is from the South. According New York's NPD Group, the reason is that Cingular has a monopoly on SMS voting for contestants on "American Idol," and TWICE AS MANY SOUTHERN CINGULAR CUSTOMERS are signed up for text messaging as all other U.S. regions combined. (And Southerners hate Yankees.) (props to Engadget Mobile)

Big Mouse Has Secret Inside: A Little Mouse

Brando has for sale a full-size, $21 "USB Twin Mouse" that has a LITTLE TRAVEL MOUSE INSIDE. The big mouse is actually just a shell for the little mouse.

UK Film Censors Want Control Over Web Video

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) -- basically a non-government body given the power in the UK to censor movies, TV and video games -- wants all internet-based content, including video, to FALL UNDER ITS CONTROL as well.

First-Ever Review: Linksys Wireless-G WVC200

Here's the first review written on the new, $300 Linksys Wireless-G WVC200 PTZ Internet Camera with Audio, which lets up to 10 people simultaneously view and control the cam. A motion detector e-mails you a video -- with sound! -- of burglars ROBBING YOUR HOUSE. It runs on its own internal web server.

Worst USB Gadget Yet: Air Conditioned Shirt

Just in time for summer, Japan stands ready to supply us with new USB products that combine idiocy and genius at once. Behold, the USB-powered AIR-CONDITIONED SHIRT! Invented by former Sony technician Kouzi Ichigaya, it works via two fans in the back that suck in fresh air and puff your shirt up with your own personal breeze. A control on the USB cable lets you adjust fan speed. During a power failure, you can use your laptop to stay cool. When that fails, two AA batteries will work as well. (props to Gizmodo, GadgetSpy and New Launches -- and megaprops to Japan: You've done it again!)

Future Chinese GPS System Can't Be Jammed?

The Chinese may be planning to put GPS satellites in orbit, and use a DIRTY TRICK they learned from the French: They're reportedly going to make the network's signal frequency so close to the American GPS system's that one can't be jammed without also jamming the other. Another dirty trick: The Chinese were allowed to participate in the development of Europe's Galileo GPS system based on the belief that the technology would be used only for civilian purposes, but China used what they learned from the Europeans to develop a system that guides nuclear missiles to U.S. targets. Gee, thanks, Europe. When will the West learn that CHINA STEALS TECHNOLOGY?

New PC Game Makes Divorce Fun For the Kids

An Israeli company called Zipland Interactive has completed a PC GAME called "Earthquake in Zipland," which is designed to help kids from separated or divorce families cope with their emotional problems.

Osama Bin Laden Recommends Ad Site?

A new wall-of-advertising site's name says it all: OSAMA BIN LADEN RECOMMENDS THIS SITE.

Steve Jobs, 50 Cent Partner Over 'Inner City' PC

In his ongoing effort to get rich (or die tryin), Bulletproof rapper 50 Cent is reportedly in talks with Apple CEO Steve Jobs over the creation of a CHEAP APPLE COMPUTER designed for inner city youth.

Microsoft France Site Hacked

At the time of this posting, this is the condition of Microsoft France's EXPERTS SITE (presumably not security experts...).

Baseball Players Using iPods to Improve Pitching

Colorado Rockies pitcher Jason Jennings uses his iPod G5 -- loaded with video of opposing team members hittings balls -- to learn the strengths and weaknesses of EACH BATTER before a game.

New Headphones Use Bone Conduction

A Japanese company called Morito has launched a new business to sell stereo headphones that don't actually produce sound and don't go in your ear. They produce vibrations that RATTLE YOUR SKULL, which vibrates your inner ear, creating the illusion of sound.

Chinese Wage PR 'Cyber War' Against Taiwan

Hackers in mainland China actually issued a phony Taiwanese government press release from Taiwanese government servers to embarrass that government in a hack judged MILITARY GRADE in terms of the high skill required to pull it off. Both the Chinese and Taiwanese government train and employ hackers and use them to attack the other.

Worst USB Gadget Yet: Decapitated Teddy Bear

It's a TEDDY BEAR USB DRIVE with a French twist: The head comes off, and you plug the neck into your USB port. I want one. (Anyone have info on this?) UPDATE: Reader Bruno Del Frate has posted a link to more pictures on flickr in the comments.)

Zarqawi Had USB 'Thumb Drive' In His Pocket

Iraqi national security adviser Mouwafak al-Rubaie announced today that a "huge amount of information" was found in the rubble where Terrorist-In-Chief Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed with two American bombs. When asked by a reporter whether the government could be sure the information found was authentic, he replied: "there is nothing more authentic than finding a THUMBDRIVE in his pocket." Yes, but what brand? Whatever it was -- although probably not BULLETPROOF -- must have been a pretty rugged device. I want one.

Found Photo: Soccer Robot With iPAQ Brain

One of the soccer-playing robots at the 10th annual RoboCup in Bremen, Germany, uses an HP iPAQ HANDHELD as its CPU. (props to Mobility Site)

New Music Player Connects Via Wi-Fi

MusicGremlin started shipping today a $300 music player that connects to and downloads from its music service via ANY AVAILABLE WI-FI CONNECTION. It can also connect wirelessly to another Gremlin player.

Is This Apple's Secret iPod Cell Phone?

It's an iPod cell phone alright, complete with a new Quicktime codec and all the trimmings. But IS IT APPLE'S?

Singapore Blogger Faces Jail For Jesus Cartoons

An unnamed blogger in Singapore faces charges of sedition and possibly up to three years in prison and a $5,000 fine for posting cartoons depicting JESUS AS A ZOMBIE biting a boy's head and other unflattering depictions. The government jailed two bloggers last year for INSULTING MUSLIMS.

Video Games Core of Middle School English Class

Minneapolis middle school teacher Brock Dubbels uses VIDEO GAMES IN HIS ENGLISH CLASS. Basically, the kids play games, then write about character, plot, and narrative. Dubbels also teaches university classes on and writes academic papers about the use of video games in public school education.

Problem: In-Game Ads Are Hard to Track

Advertisers are complaining that ads placed in video games are HARD TO TRACK. But don't worry. It's still a "hot" and growing form of advertising. And they'll eventually figure out how to know everything you're looking at during game play.

U.S. Government Drops Plan to Buy Lenovo PCs

I told you March 28 that "The congressional US-China Economic and Security Review Commission is questioning a decision by the U.S. State Department to buy 15,000 PCs from Lenovo, the largest Chinese brand of computers, citing fears that the computers could be bugged." As a result of that inquiry, the $1.5 million deal has now been officially SCUTTLED. National security, however, is a red herring. The real reason is election year protectionist pandering.

Italian Documentary Shot Entirely With Cell Phone

In a spectacular budget-cutting publicity stunt, an Italian filmmaker has completed a 93-minute documentary called New Love Meetings that was shot ENTIRELY ON A NOKIA N90 CELL PHONE in MPEG4 format.

Finally: Now You Can Watch TV Underwater

Thanks to a new underwater housing and special underwater headphones, you can take your Apple iPod with video UNDERWATER and watch "24" while snorkeling. Just lash this thing to your mask, and the media never stops.

Solar Powered Cell Phone Tech In The Works

Germany's Fraunhofer Institute is working on building solar panels for cell phones and other gadgets, and have already demonstrated a WORKING MODEL.

Bulletproof, Waterproof, Fireproof USB Drive Hits

Pretec Electronics Corp. has started shipping a new ruggedized USB flash drive called the i-Disk BulletProof, which is BULLETPROOF, WATERPROOF AND FIREPROOF, according to the company. Capacities range from 32 MB to 2 GB.

Worst USB Gadget Yet: Solar Powered Memory

Who says there are no bad ideas left for the USB gadget realm? A company called Adata demonstrated a SOLAR POWERED USB MEMORY DRIVE at Computex. The solar panel exists exclusively to power a number on a bogus, 70s-era display showing how much memory is available on the drive. That's a lot of electronics and extra cost (don't know the price) simply for the convenience of not having to plug it in to get that info. The company says it will become available in capacities ranging from 128 MB to 1 GB.

Why Geeks Don't Need Shaving Mirrors

(props to Vivek's Blog and Neatorama)

Rugby Streaker to Sell Bikini On eBay

More proof you can buy anything online: A woman named Lisa Lewis, who ran onto the field wearing only a BIKINI in the final seconds of a Rugby match between New Zealand and Ireland Saturday, plans to sell the garment on eBay to pay for her defense after being charged with "disorderly behaviour." Buy it HERE.(UPDATE: Not eBay, actually, but the New Zealand auction site www.trademe.co.nz) UPDATE #2: Check the comments -- our attention-seeking friend actually posted a comment!

Bedridden Boy Attends School Via Robot

A bedridden student in Queens, New York, named Vincent Calenda attends school via a TELEPRESENCE ROBOT. He commands the robot to move around in the classroom, and sees what it sees, chats with friends on the playground. When bullies pick on him, he commands his robot to crush them into a pulp.

Searches Google Censors In China Listed

Google Blogoscoped has published a list of CENSORED SEARCHES on the Chinese version of Google. Hilariously, in addition to the obvious search terms that threaten Chinese national security, including "democracy," "human rights," "tiananmen," "freedom" and "falun gong" are some surprises, including "mao zedong," "bbc," "uk," "education," and my personal favorite, "what google censors."

iTunes Protests Today

In a futile CAMPAIGN TO ELIMINATE DRM, self-described "freedom fighters" are marching today against Apple's iTunes in San Francisco, Chicago, Seattle, Cambridge, New York, Plano and Los Angeles. Here comes the VIDEO!

IT Managers To Call In Sick For World Cup

The UK job search engine Workcircle found that some 93% of IT managers in the UK plan to CALL IN SICK when England plays in the World Cup. (My fellow Americans: The World Cup is apparently a big tournament where adult foreigners actually play soccer... BREAKING NEWS: It turns out the U.S. actually has a soccer team!) The survey also found that only 14% of engineers plan to call in sick for the match and that Java developers are far more likely to call in sick than SQL developers.

Zarqawi May Have Been Tracked by 'Smart Dust'

Al Qaeda In Iraq Chief Terrorist Abu Musab al Zarqawi, killed Wednesday by U.S. forces in an airstrike on his hideout in a date grove some 40 miles north of Baghdad, may have been tracked with SMART DUST, tiny sensors disguised as dirt or dust that can be "sprinkled" on a target, then tracked from the air or from ground-based sensors. The tiny sensors may have been planted on Zarqawi's possessions, or even on one of his groupies' VICTORIA'S SECRET unmentionables.

Catalog Offers Humanoid Robot

Hammacher Schlemmer is now selling as a LUXURY ITEM for the rich what it calls the Advanced Acrobatic Robot for $1200 (you can get it cheaper elsewhere). The robot is in fact the Robonova-1, a robot for researchers and educators that is fully programmable and can walk, run, kick, stand on one leg, turn cartwheels, dance, lie down, pick itself back up, turn a flip and do push-ups (so you don't have to, etc.). You program it with included PC software. Here comes the VIDEO!

Giant BlackBerry Eats Las Vegas!

Las Vegas has a convention center, which has a monorail station, which has a Nextel store, which has the WORLD'S LARGEST BLACKBERRY. Best of all, it's fully functional! Is that a Giant BlackBerry in your pocket, or -- oh, shut up. I want one. (The guy in the picture is TV reporter Dave Malkoff.) (props to BlackBerry Cool)

Alex Barnett On Web 2.0 - Interview

Microsoft's Alex Barnett BLOGGED my video interview with him, which was about microformats, tagging, information overload, OPML, attention data and Web 2.0. Thanks, Alex! Here comes the VIDEO! UPDATE: AttentionTrust.org blogged the interview, too.

'Transformers' Web Site Goes Live

The official WEB SITE for the upcoming TRANSFORMERS movie has gone live, and is counting down the milliseconds until its PREMIER next year. (UPDATE: The countdown appears actually to be ticking down to the premier of the first Transformers trailer on the 4th of July -- thanks all who pointed this out.)

'Morphing' Your Face Into Politician's Gets Vote

Jeremy N. Bailenson, Shanto Iyengar, & Nick Yee of Stanford University are doing amazing research not only in how people behave in virtual reality environments (people change their behavior based on what their avatar looks like), but also finding out how to make you vote for someone. The secret, it turns out, is to make the candidate look just a bit like YOU, by morphing your face into theirs (but not so much that you notice). Here comes the VIDEO (click on the link at the end of the article to watch my interview with Jeremy Bailenson)

Teen Repellent Maker Creates Teen Ringtone

I told you May 25 about the Teen Buzz ringtone, the product of a hack of the Mosquito Box, which designed to drive teenagers away from malls and shops. The Mosquito box produces a noise only kids and teens can hear. Now the maker of the Mosquito Box, Compound Security Systems, is making a TEEN-ONLY RINGTONE of its own, called Mosquitotone. (props to ringtonia.com)

Hotel Offers CrackBerry Detox

The Sheraton Chicago Hotel launched a program yesterday where they offer to lock up guests' BlackBerry devices free of charge while staying at the hotel -- a sort of COLD TURKEY approach. Remember, admitting you have a problem is the FIRST STEP.

Google Finds You Just Can't Trust Communists

Google SACRIFICED ITS DON'T-BE-EVIL PRINCIPLES in order to curry favor with the communist Chinese government, voluntarily blocking access on the new google.cn site to sites about democracy, human rights, the Tiananmen Square Massacre -- even porn. And what did it get for its sacrifice? China is now BLOCKING GOOGLE.COM itself, which many were using to get uncensored information.

SHOCK! New 'Google Pharmacy' Is Scam

You may be shocked to learn that the recently launched GOOGLE PHARMACY, which has two Viagra pills instead of O's in its logo, is in fact the phony front for outlaw pharmaceutical site ED Choice.

Gates Scrubs Jobs In Japanese Mag

I don't know what's going on in this Japanese magazine, but it involves Bill Gates washing Steve Jobs at a Japanese hot springs resort FREQUENTED BY MONKEYS.

Special Forces Get 'Strap-On Wings'

The German company ESG has developed personal STRAP-ON WINGS for use by special forces to fly over enemy lines. The wings will enable soldiers to be dropped from airplanes at high altitude, and soar up to 120 miles in total silence and without being detected by radar. Once the user is above their target landing spot, they deploy a parachute. It's only a matter of time before illegal immigrants discover these.

Samsung Rolls Dice With Motion Sensor Phone

You may have heard that the Samsung S310 and other new phones have MOTION SENSORS, mostly for playing games. Check out this demonstration. Here comes the VIDEO! (props to MobileFanatic.Net)

Heart, Lungs, Brain Waves Are New Fingerprint

New biometric technology developed by the Israeli company IDesia can identify individual people by sensing unique electronics signals generated by the HEART, BRAIN OR LUNGS during breathing. Best of all, the sensors are so small they can be used in PCs, cell phones, PDAs or even credit cards, smart cards or identity cards.

VeriChip Chairman: RFID Tag Immigrants

VeriChip Chairman Scott Silverman has proposed that immigrants and guest workers be given RFID chip IMPLANTS at the border. You know, like dogs.