Archive for: October 9, 2009

By Chris Scott Barr First Buckyballs, then a Mophie Juice Pack Air, now another contest!? That’s right, we know exactly what you guys love. Yes, you love reading about all of the latest gadgets and gizmos, but we know you love winning free stuff. So what’s on the plate for this week? A pair of cases from NZXT. We’ve got both the Beta EVO and M59 chassis up for grabs. All you need to do is leave a comment telling us why you need to upgrade your PC case. You might be wondering why we left out the awesome Lexa S from the contest. Our friends over at GamerFront are having their own giveaway, with that as the prize. By all means, head over to their contest page and get signed up! As David mentioned before, we’re going to be changing up the way we give away some of our prizes here at OhGizmo. This contest won’t be following the new rules just yet, but in the future we’re going to try to reward people that are more active commenters in general. [ NZXT ]

Read the original here: 
Win An NZXT Beta Evo Or M59!

With everyone plus your Uncle Tom building a centralized application store on your mobile phone it seems that Microsoft’s Windows Mobile hefty and uber meticulous (and explorable) file keeping system is working against them. Apparently, unlike the iPhone’s simplicity it is so much easier to crack the DRM for paid application downloads. All you need to do is locate the CAB file within your app directory and then freely distribute it to your friends and family, and Uncle Tom. So that’s it — just purchase it once and split the cost among your many friends. [via engadgetmobile ] Post from: Cellphone9

More: 
Windows Mobile Marketplace easily hackable

A massive Dell Inc. computer assembly plant once seen as a job generator worthy of the promise of more than $300 million in state and local inducements will go dark in four months, a victim of new corporate calculations and changing customer tastes. Dell announced Wednesday it will close its desktop computer manufacturing plant near Winston-Salem by the end of January, shedding 905 workers. The announcement came two days after the plant, which produces desktop units primarily for business customers, marked four years in operation. Five years ago, politicians cited studies estimating the plant would not only employ 1,500 and generate about 500 more related jobs, it would have a $24.5 billion economic impact over 20 years. For that reason, they lavished what by some measures was the richest incentives package in state history — a deal worth up to $318 million in tax breaks and grants. Since then, consumers moving to laptops and handheld devices have thinned a market for desktops that has also been battered by the recession and sharper competition. “If you look at it from a holistic perspective, this is a desktop manufacturing facility and we’ve seen the customer prefer laptop computers,” Dell spokesman Venancio Figueroa said. “Given the dynamics at play across the landscape, we made the difficult decision to shut this down.” The Round Rock, Texas-based company said it was part of an effort to simplify operations and improve efficiency, while retaining U.S. plants in Miami, Fla.; Nashville, Tenn.; and Austin, Texas. The company had announced a drive to save $4 billion a year by 2011. Dell previously sold its Lebanon, Tenn., remanufacturing plant in June and is moving its Ireland manufacturing operations to Poland. Dell is also joining fellow tech bellwethers Hewlett-Packard and IBM in moving away from hardware and into more profitable ...

“Hi! This is your aspirin bottle calling. I haven’t seen you in a while. Why don’t you come see me soon? I’m good for the heart, you know.” That’s the spirit, if not the wording, of the calls that will come from new pill bottle caps that connect to AT&T Inc.’s wireless network. A Cambridge, Mass.-based startup called Vitality Inc. was set to announce the pill-bottle system Thursday, saying it helps solve one of the biggest problems in medicine: that people don’t consistently take the drugs they’re prescribed. That costs the U.S. $290 billion in added medical spending each year, according to a study published in August by the New England Healthcare Institute. Mortality rates are twice as high among diabetes and heart disease patients who don’t take their pills properly, it said. With Vitality’s system, when a pill-bottle cap is opened, it uses a close-range wireless signal to tell a base station in the home. That station, which looks like a night light, essentially has a cell phone inside that can send messages through AT&T’s network. If the bottle isn’t opened at the appointed time, the cap and night light start blinking to remind the owner to take the medication. If that doesn’t serve as enough of a hint, they start playing jingles as well. If the bottle stays unopened, the night light will send a message to Vitality’s system, which can then place an automated phone call or send a text message with a reminder. That points to another possibility opened by the wireless bottle cap: making the pill-taking routine more than just a matter between the patient and the bottle. Vitality’s system can be set to alert a relative if someone isn’t taking medicine. “The social aspect of this is important,” Vitality CEO David Rose said. “Almost ...

Funny how a pair of smartphones from the same handset maker come across so differently. The Hero from Sprint is generally a pleasure to use and a credible new rival against BlackBerrys and iPhones. AT&T’s Pure, on the other hand, reminds me of cranky child. The two phones are sired by HTC of Taiwan. The disparity has less to do with hardware genes — or the wireless carriers peddling the new devices — and more to do with the mobile operating systems at their core. Hero, which arrives Oct. 11 for $180 after rebates, represents a fresh approach to Google’s still relatively youthful Android operating system. The Pure, available now for $150 after rebate, runs the latest Microsoft Windows Mobile operating system, version 6.5. Android is primed to make some noise. Besides Hero, a bevy of devices are set to arrive shortly, including the Cliq from Motorola. This week Google and Verizon Wireless announced a partnership that will result in more co-branded Android smartphones. And, though neither company is commenting, a report in The Wall Street Journal says a Dell-AT&T Android phone is coming next year. And then there’s Microsoft. A lot of Windows Mobile phones have been sold through the years, many to corporate customers. But the cumbersome software lacks mass appeal. Version 6.5 is prettier than previous iterations: You can slap on a “Start” page designed by Isaac Mizrahi, for example. But in too many respects, the phone is a clunker. Not only is there a stylus, I actually had to use it to tap the tiny X to close out of some screens. The keyboard drove me nuts. A Closer Look at the Siblings: *Hero. The stately Hero is packed with features you expect from a smartphone: Wi-Fi, GPS navigation, music downloads (via Amazon’s MP3 Store), stereo ...

By Andrew Liszewski When I was a kid I always needed a night light and a glass of water next to my bed before I would go to sleep, which unfortunately makes the LiteCup about 25 years too late for me. It’s a dishwasher safe cup that features a built-in nightlight that automatically turns on in low light, as well as a clever circular valve on top that can be easily opened with a “small suck” but prevents the liquids inside from spilling out when the cup is inevitably knocked to the ground in the middle of the night. ~$10 each from And Design . [ LiteCup ] VIA [ Switched On Set ]

Continued here: 
LiteCup No-Spill Bedside Night Light

By Chris Scott Barr There is a reason why so many movies and video games involve zombies these days. It’s because someone out there is trying to warn and prepare us for the inevitable. The zombie apocalypse. You know it, I know it, everyone knows it. That’s why we have to be prepared, just like the person who created this awesome Emergency Zombie Defense Station. The shotgun is definitely an essential weapon for close-range defense, though the knife is a bit shorter than I’d care to have. I’d rather see a katana or a machete at least. I like that they make use of the glass as something of a riot shield. The best part has to be the professional-looking warning sign. Classic. It seems that this DIY project has been around for a little while, but it’s definitely inspired me to make one. [ Craftster ] VIA [ GearFuse ]

Read the original post: 
Emergency Zombie Defense Station

By Andrew Liszewski I can understand that artificial lighting in a pumpkin is a lot safer than a burning candle, particularly if kids are involved, but the smell of scorched pumpkin lid is something that always kindles fond memories of my childhood. But if you prefer to play it safe, these remote control pumpkin lights from Williams Sonoma won’t torch your carved creations, and don’t even require you to go outside to turn them on. Each light is powered by 3xAAA batteries which is good for about 100 hours of use, and the wireless remote allows you to turn them on and off, switch between steady and flickering light and adjust the brightness, all from a distance of about 20 feet away. A set of 2 with a remote will set you back $19.95, which isn’t too bad, even if they get destroyed when the neighborhood kids smash your pumpkin. [ Pumpkin Lights with Remote Control ] VIA [ GadgetGrid ]

See the original post here: 
Remote Control Pumpkin Lights

By Chris Scott Barr I’ve never rode on a motorcycle, but I would imagine that using an iPhone on one wouldn’t be the easiest of tasks. In fact, I probably wouldn’t even bother trying. Of course those that are more skilled at riding might want to do so, and for those people there is the iBike Rider Case. This waterproof wrist-mounted (or handlebar-mounted) case is just about the only way you could hope to use your favorite phone on a bike. You obviously aren’t going to be able to have your hands free enough to operate it, so the hard plastic case isn’t going to allow you to take advantage of the touchscreen. It does have an optional battery pack that will allow you to use functions like GPS without leaving your battery dead when you reach your destination. You can also purchase a separate headset that will allow you to talk on the phone through your helmet. The case itself is going to set you back about $57, or you can get a bundle with the headset and case for $85. If you want the battery back as well, all three items together will run $159. [ SoEasyGPS ] VIA [ CoolestGadgets ]

More:
Wrist-Mounted iPhone Case For Motorcycle Riders

By Chris Scott Barr Being the awesome internet sensation that I am, I don’t work in an office like many of you likely do. I’m rather thankful for this, as it means I don’t have to deal with annoying people all day. Of course, it does limit the amount of inter-office pranks that I can pull. Here is a wonderfully subtle one that I would love to use on someone. I have worked in offices before, and some people tend to assume that all coffee mugs are community cups. In fact, they usually belong to someone that gets frustrated when theirs turns up missing. Well if you’re one of these people, just purchase a Surprise Mug and leave it near the coffee pot. The Surprise Mug looks like a nondescript white mug. However, on the bottom is a cute little message that either says “I’m a twat” or “office bitch”. Even if it doesn’t stop the person from using your stuff, it’ll be $8 well spent. [ ThumbsUpUK ] VIA [ FoolishGadgets ]

Excerpt from:
Surprise Mugs, For Subtle Office Pranks