Justices extend gun owner rights nationwide


The Supreme Court held Monday that Americans have the right to own a gun for self-defense anywhere they live, expanding the conservative court's embrace of gun rights since John Roberts became Chief Justice.
By a 5-4 vote, the justices cast doubt on handgun bans in the Chicago area, but signaled that some limitations on the Constitution's "right to keep and bear arms" could survive legal challenges.
On its busy final day before a three-month recess, the court also ruled that a public law school can legally deny recognition to a Christian student group that won't let gays join, jumped into the nation's charged immigration debate by agreeing to review an employer sanctions lawfrom Arizona and said farewell to Justice John Paul Stevens, who is retiring after more than 34 years. [Read more...]

10 alleged Russian secret agents arrested in US


The FBI has arrested 10 people for allegedly serving for years as secret agents of Russia's intelligence service, the SVR, with the goal of penetrating U.S. government policymaking circles.
According to court papers unsealed Monday, the FBI intercepted a message from SVR headquarters, Moscow Center, to two of the defendants describing their main mission as "to search and develop ties in policymaking circles in US." Intercepted messages showed they were asked to learn about a broad swath of topics including nuclear weapons, U.S. arms control positions, Iran, White House rumors, CIA leadership turnover, the last presidential election, the Congress and political parties.
After a secret multiyear investigation, the Justice Department announced the arrests Monday in a blockbuster spy case that could rival the capture of Soviet Col. Rudolf Abel in 1957 in New York.
There was no clue in initial court papers how successful the agents had been, but they were alleged to have been long-term, deep cover spies, some living as couples. These deep-cover agents are the hardest spies for the FBI to catch because they take civilian jobs with no visible connection to a foreign government, rather than operating from government jobs inside Russian embassies and military missions. Abel was just such a deep cover agent; he was ultimately swapped to the Soviet Union for downed U-2 spy pilot Francis Gary Powers in 1962. [Read more...]

First HD music video shot on an iPhone 4


Just a few minutes after members of the band The Anix got their hands on an iPhone 4, they were shooting this HD music video using its 720p camcorder. So if you're wondering if that onboard camera is capable of serious video production, here's your evidence. Besides the raw creativity brought to bear, one reason this video looks so good: they taped their new iPhone onto a tripod.

At first, we thought this video was also edited on an iPhone 4, fulfilling that longtime fantasy of a complete production studio in the palm of one's hand. Except for a few lens flares and a bit of color correction, this video could have been edited using the iPhone version of iMovie. But the band says it was done on a MacBook Pro, probably with the industry-standard professional video editing application, Final Cut Pro.

We've been experimenting with the $4.99 iMovie app on iPhone 4, and although its tools are crude, it would be possible to create a high-quality music video with it. Just add talent, good lighting, a stable shooting platform and pretty visuals. It won't be long before HD videos created on iPhones proliferate, signifying the dawn of a whole new art form. This first effort certainly shows the possibilities.

Day in the life of a pet AT-AT


I can see the "Pet AT-AT" being the top-selling toy from Neo Kenner at some point after 2050. Patrick Boivin's video makes me wish I was living in that time right now, but we'll have to wait until robots and AI progress a bit more to have pet bots this awesome. At least we have this.

iPhone marriage app harnesses your geek powers for romance

iPhone marriage app harnesses your geek powers for romance

Now there's an easy way to justify that new iPhone 4 purchase "and" win points with your device-phobic girlfriend thanks to the new Ring Finder app from Tiffany & Co.
Assuming you do manage to pull yourself away from your PC, smartphone, and other assorted wireless gear and actually make contact with a willing prospect, the iPhone makes the process of choosing an engagement ring a breeze even for the most inexperienced would-be geek-turned-romantic. The app allows you to choose the metal, diamond type, setting and design all on your iPhone. Once your design is finished, the free app gives you a price for the finished design and a number through which you can call a Tiffany ring consultant to complete your purchase. You can download the app here.

An iPad arcade cabinet that really works


Back during April Fool's Day, ThinkGeek — as the company is wont to do — dropped the iCade iPad arcade cabinet on us, an idea so cool that the Internet cried out for it to be real. Well, ThinkGeek is still making moves for that to happen, we imagine, but this modder already beat 'em to it.

Say hello to YouTube user Freekade's stab at the concept, which is, according to the video information, directly inspired by ThinkGeek's offering. Maybe all these great minds thinking alike should join forces! Check it out in action in the video below.

Ferrari opens 37th global retail store in New York City

ferrari opens 37th global retail store in new york city
Wherever Ferrari decides to go, you know that they’re going to attract a strong presence. So it only seems fitting that the Italian automaker, and arguably one of the most sought-after brands in the world, would set up shop in one of the finest cities in the world, New York City.

Ferrari
recently launched and opened its new retail store at the heart of Manhattan - the corner of 55th and Park Avenue, to exact - setting up shop in a city known for its high-end luxury and taste for the good life. The grand opening also didn’t disappoint in terms of starpower as a host of celebrities, including Zach Braff, Olivia Palermo, Mathew Settle, Justin Theroux, and Kiera Chaplin all showed up to partake in the festivities.

Ferrari also didn’t waste the opportunity to show New Yorkers exactly what makes the Prancing Horse such an iconic brand, displaying a bevy of classic Ferraris along the streets of New York, including that of a 1959 250 California, a 1984 GTO, as well as some of the brand’s recent supercars, including the 458 Italia, the 612 Scaglietti, and a limited-edition of their latest powerhouse, the 599 GTO.

Supercar Showdown: Porsche 911 Turbo Switzer takes on a Porsche 911 GT2 9ff, BMW M3 V10 & Lamborghini LP550-2


You think a supercharged 750 horsepower Russian Porsche 997 Turbo SPI750 by Switzer Performace Innovation can hold its own against its supercar brethren in a good ol’ fashion drag race?

If you’re having trouble answering that question, you’re in luck because somebody’s going to answer it for you. That ’somebody’ - or some bodies - happens to be the folks from Dragtimes.info and the drag race-addicted members of GT-Board happen to have a number of supercars ready to meet the challenge that is the SWI-tuned Porsche 997 Turbo.

Lining up against the superpowered Stuttgart machine includes one of its cousins, a 9ff-tuned Porshce 911 GT2, a Lamborghini LP550-2 Valentino Balboni Edition, and a V10 engine-powered, 560 horsepower BMW M3 E30.

We’re not spoiling the results for any of you, but one thing that you guys can be absolutely certain of is that these cars are no lightweights by any stretch of the imagination. So you better gear yourself up for a slobberknocker of a race - or three.

The scariest pool in the world, 55 stories above ground

The scariest pool in the world, 55 stories above ground
The "Sands Skypark" in Singapore is a pool, greenway and casino with an usual location. The whole thing sits atop not one, but three skyscrapers that make up the Marina Bay Sands hotel. The infinity pool itself is nearly 500 feet in length and features no discernible edge. So what would happen if you swam over?

Don't worry, you wouldn't just plummet to the streets below. Instead, you'd fall where the rest of the water does: a basin that also acts as a filter for the water and sends it back up to the pool. Sounds pleasant, right? We haven't see a picture of it, but we imagine you just get right out of that basin yourself, rather than get forced around in tubes Willy Wonka-style.

The skypark, designed by architect Moshe Sadie, is itself is nearly 1,250 feet long, and is a new addition to the $6 billion dollar hotel. An interesting note: the hotel-topping casino is free for visitors, but residents of Singapore have to pay a $70 entrance fee as the government there is trying to discourage gambling.

Down below is a picture of the Marina Bay Sands in all its glory.
 The scariest pool in the world, 55 stories above ground

Asteroid headed for Earth? Scientists say nuke it!

Asteroid headed for Earth? Scientists say nuke it!
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In the unlikely event of a gigantic asteroid threatening mass extinction on our planet, scientists are now confident such a disaster could be averted using nuclear weapons. Researchers running new and sophisticated simulators conclude it would take as little as 5 to 10 kilotons of energy to divert an asteroid. That's a relatively small nuclear weapon.

"The nice thing about any kind of intervention is that you only have to make it miss the Earth," said David Dearborn, a research physicist at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. "A very small change in its orbital period will do that." [Read more...]

ROLLS-ROYCE OPENS LATEST SHOWROOM IN CHINA

Photo: Rolls-Royce opens latest showroom in China
Rolls Royce has announced the opening of its eighth showroom in China – and its first in Ningbo. Rolls Royce says the addition was fueled by strong growth in China, as seen by the luxury brand enjoying a 300 percent increase in sales during the first quarter of 2010 compared to the same period in 2009.
“The new showroom reflects our commitment to the Chinese market, already our third largest in the world. Greater China continues its rapid growth and with a healthy order bank for both Phantom and Ghost models, I am confident this will be a record year for the market. As a result, we are already considering further dealer expansion into other areas of China,” said Paul Harris, Rolls-Royce Asia Pacific regional director.
The new showroom is located in the heart of the commercial district in Ningbo, featuring a two-car showroom, the latest car configurators and the levels or luxury and customer experience people have come to expect from Rolls-Royce. The showroom will offer potential buyers the ability to purchase the entire five-model lineup, including the Phantom, Phantom Extended Wheelbase, Phantom Drophead Coupé, Phantom Coupé and Ghost.
Rolls-Royce says that the bump in demand from its Chinese market is being fueled largely by young buyers, ranging from buyers in their 20s to 30s.

A device for disappearing at sea

A device for disappearing at sea
Sometimes, you just want to disappear. You know, crawl into a hole and become invisible from everyone. I understand!

Well, Andrew Friend has designed "The Device for Disappearing at Sea," a floating hiding place that lets you hide below the surface of the water, making you plum impossible to see from the shore.

It's basically a floating hole that you can crawl into, surrounded and supported by a floating fiberglass ring. Once inside, you'll just have a view of the sky and the sun and your own solitude to keep you company. Ready to face the world again? Just grab the rope and climb out.

Sure, you could do this on dry land with a shovel, but where's the whimsy in that?

Brilliant solar strap charges your camera as you shoot

Brilliant solar strap charges your camera as you shoot

The best gadget designs make you slap your forehead and wonder why you didn't think of it first. That's exactly the case with this solar camera strap, something that would charge your camera by just hanging around your neck while you're out taking pictures.

I mean, how simple and obvious is this? Of course the strap should charge your phone. Sure, this would be more expensive than a standard canvas strap, but hopefully not prohibitively expensive. Let's see this concept become a reality, shall we, manufacturers?

Hulu may fire up its fee-supported service next week

Hulu may fire up its fee-supported service next week
Rumor has it that Hulu could begin quietly testing out its fee-supported service, called Hulu Plus, as early as next week. (If all the various content partners can agree to a mutually beneficial plan, that is.) For a service that we all know and love as essentially free, ad-supported television, what's in it for us to start ponying up cash?

In short, you're going to get two things out of the $10 Hulu wants you to toss down monthly. One of them is really cool, the other is a little worrying.

Let's start with cool, first: Hulu on mobile devices — think iPad — and possibly even on video game consoles such as the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. That means you'll have access to a pretty decent selection of movies, cartoons, anime and TV shows on the go. The downside? Channels such as CBS and ABC — the latter of which is, along with DVICE parent's company NBC Universal, a content provider for Hulu — have already pushed forth into the mobile realm with free apps of their own.

So, here's the worrying bit. The paid-for service is going to offer a deeper catalog that what you'll see for free. One has to wonder, though, if the free service will continue to be an equal focus, or even remain in the state it's in now. Right now, Hulu let's you watch the five preceding episodes of popular shows such as House and The Office, usually posted with some kind of delay. The point is, for most of us that's more than enough. To entice people to start paying for the service, wouldn't the current free offerings need to be slimmed down?

We'll have to wait and see what shape Hulu Plus takes once all the details are hammered out. We'd definitely like to see Hulu stick around, though asking for $10 a month — especially when we already give that to other comparable services such as Netflix — may be a bit too much.

Will space shuttle end up in this fancy glass box?

Will space shuttle end up in this fancy glass box?
Officials at the Museum of Flight in Seattle must be pretty cocky. Even though NASA hasn't agreed to sell them one of the retired space shuttles yet, they're about to start building a magnificent glass case to show it off. Will the mothballed Enterprise, Endeavor or Atlantis find a final resting place in this gorgeous, lit-up jewel box case?

Whether it will contain a shuttle or not, the groundbreaking for this $12 million Space Gallery happens next Tuesday, June 29th. The climate-controlled glass building will be brilliantly illuminated at night to dazzle all that pass by with visions of that space truck that went nowhere. if they don't have a shuttle, well, they'll put a bunch of other space artifacts in there. One thing's for sure, they'll have to finish building this structure by 2011 to be considered by NASA for a shuttle.

The $12 million building sounds costly, but that's dwarfed by the $28.8 million price NASA is asking for each of the retired shuttles (well, except for Discovery, already promised to the Smithsonian). That's not too bad of a deal, though, considering that the space shuttle Endeavor cost about $1.7 billion to build.

The lucky buyers will have to plunk down another few million to transport their shuttle to its final destination, making this an expensive undertaking. We're hoping whoever buys them, they'll let us sit in the left seat and pretend to be a shuttle pilot.

eMachines Mini-e: a wee PC for less than half the price of a Mac Mini

eMachines Mini-e: a wee PC for less than half the price of a Mac Mini
Apple's Mac Mini is popular as a home theater PC, but its starting price of $700 makes it far too expensive for someone looking for a casual upgrade. Luckily, other manufacturers realize that the small form factor is a big selling point and are rolling out some competing models.

eMachines' Mini-e is a tiny computer, measuring 7.1 inches across and 1.2 inches deep. Inside is a 1.7GHz AMD Athlon II Neo, 2GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive and a GeForce 9200 video card, all running Windows 7 Home Premium. Hook it up to your HDTV via HDMI, and you've got a perfectly capable little home theater PC. And the price? A mere $300, less than half of the base price of the Mac Mini.

Versatile towel with built-in speakers folds into a backpack

Versatile towel with built-in speakers folds into a backpack
This must be the fanciest beach towel ever invented. With its amplified speakers situated right next to your ears, you can bother everybody on the beach with your chosen iPod/iPhone/music player racket. Then when you're done, fold up the whole shebang into a backpack, and in no time flat, you're on your way toward ruining someone's day elsewhere.

Good thing you can remove those speakers when it's time to wash this $72 beach blanket. The speakers are powered by a lithium battery that's also removable. Or you could save the money and just use earphones, keeping that music to yourself. Unfortunately guys, that gorgeous model isn't included. [Read more...]

Hyundai Sonata Turbo Is Mighty Impressive

hyundai sonata turbo is mighty impressive
So, we all know by now that the Hyundai Sonata is very good and better than most of the competition. It looks brilliant and can turn heads like a topless woman walking down the street. It has never lacked power, but Hyundai wanted to offer up something fun, for those of us who are speed freaks.

The Hyundai Sonata Turbo is coming and we simply can’t wait. Hyundai say that under the hood of the Turbo will be a 274-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged motor that will allow the car to hit 60 miles per hour in just 6.5 seconds. Nissan Altima 3.5 SR, watch your back.

The power is great, but so is fuel economy. And like the base Sonata, the new Turbo version doesn’t disappoint. The Sonata Turbo, with its turbocharged motor, will be able to get 22 miles per gallon city and 34 on the highway. Mind you, that is on regular-grade fuel, not the premium nonsense that some turbocharged cars have to use. That is mighty impressive if you ask us. Hyundai claims that the fuel economy figures are 16 percent better than the 3.5-liter V6.

Driving impressions should be coming soon and we can’t wait to take this new Hyundai out on the back roads.

Lamborghini Commemorates Building 10,000th Gallardo

lamborghini commemorates building 10 000th gallardo

In a market where reaching 5,000 supercars built is a milestone in itself, the Lamborghini Gallardo somehow has reached twice that number, rolling the 10,000th Gallardo off of the production line. By reaching 10,000 units built, the Gallardo becomes the most successful Lamborghini model in the company’s illustrious history.

Stephan Winkelmann, a Lamborghini top executive, commented on the unprecedented success of the Gallardo, saying that it’s a testament to the brand’s uncompromising style of Italian automotive craftsmanship. "The Lamborghini Gallardo has also played an exemplary role in defining and delivering our brand reputation into our worldwide markets," he adds. "The strength and presence of the Gallardo product has played a significant role in the growth and recognition of our brand."

Launched in 2003, the Gallardo became a household Lamborghini supercar model, spurning off-shoots with a number of different styles including, the Superleggera, the SE, the Nera, and, the most successful of all, the Spyder. Recently, Lamborghini has also paid tribute to its long-time test driver, Valentino Balboni, by building a special-edition Gallardo in his name, the LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni Edition.

And now, after seven years, and 10,000 models built later, the Gallardo remains strong as ever, further slamming home the point that the model is, without question, one of the most successful supercars to ever be produced.

Congratulations on the milestone, Lamborghini! And to the Chinese client who scooped up the Midas-colored, 10,000th Gallardo, you better take good care of your new ride, buddy. That’s no ordinary Gallardo you’ll be driving soon.

Next Generation Audi Q7 Will Go Smaller

next generation audi q7 will go smaller
It seems that Audi has learned a very important lesson: big cars are no longer the future! An Ingolstadt source has reported that the new Audi A8 will be the last model to come out larger than the vehicle that precedes it. Starting with the next generation Q7, Audi will focus on a smaller, less aggressively styled SUV.

The Q7 sales have seen a significant drop in 2009 and, lets face it with the price of gasoline lately, no one needs a gas guzzler! In Europe, more than anywhere else, the Q7 has had no success among customers. The trend where the size of your car was everything is no longer relevant. Clients are now interested in fuel economy. So Audi is planning on offering two versions for the future Q7: an XXL seven-seater for China, the Middle East, and North America and a relatively compact five-seater for Europe and the rest of the world. Will these plans help out with sales? Audi isn’t sure so concrete plans are being held off until the company has a better idea for potential sales.

Audi is currently analyzing two options. Their first option is using a high-strength steel platform that would reduce the Q7’s weight by a maximum of 550 pounds. Unfortunately, this is not enough to reduce fuel consumption. Their second option is using an all-new aluminum space frame architecture that will reduce weight by almost 1100 pounds, but this is very expensive. So, what will they finally do? We’ll have to wait and see!

Lake Michigan shipwreck found after 112 years

 
MILWAUKEE – A great wooden steamship that sank more than a century ago in a violent Lake Michigan storm has been found off the Milwaukee-area shoreline, and divers say the intact vessel appears to have been perfectly preserved by the cold fresh waters.
Finding the 300-foot-long L.R. Doty was important because it was the largest wooden ship that remained unaccounted for, said Brendon Baillod, the president of the Wisconsin Underwater Archaeology Association.
"It's the biggest one I've been involved with," said Baillod, who has taken part in about a dozen such finds. "It was really exhilarating." [Read more...]

These glasses track where you're looking, for better or worse

These glasses track where you're looking, for better or worse
These Tobii Glasses could shield your eyes from the sun or clear up your astigmatism, sure. But that would make them just a boring old pair of glasses. The feature that makes them stand out? The ability to track exactly where you're looking at all times. Wandering eyes begone! [Read more...]

FaceTime video quality sucks, but the experience still rocks

FaceTime video quality sucks, but the experience still rocks
With its new front-facing camera, the iPhone 4 brings videoconferencing to the masses. The idea is compelling. Those heartrending, fancy demo videos of FaceTime, Apple's application that goes with that camera, make it look like something out of a sci-fi movie. And you know what? It feels like that.

It's a thrill to talk with each other with video on a cellphone. Some of us here at DVICE had a delightful time using it, talking, mugging, spinning around, making each other dizzy, giving ourselves tours of our various offices over video, and generally having a ball. [Read more...]

iPhone 4 gyroscope adds extra dimension to killing games


The iPhone 4's new internal gyroscope not only measures acceleration or deceleration, but tracks orientation. That's going to make games a lot more fun, and here's one of the first, Gun Range. As you can see in the video above, you can spin yourself or your hands around 180 degrees, picking off moving targets as you go.

At first glance, this 99-cent game looks similar to games that have been available for years, but there is this eerie extra feeling along with it, tracking where you're moving. It's an odd sensation, and a bit difficult to get used to at first. This is only the first attempt at employing this futuristic hardware. Just imagine the possibilities with this gyroscope. Mind-boggling.

YouTube-Viacom Ruling Is a Victory for Web Providers

Google has gained a victory in its long-standing $1 billion copyright battle with Viacom. A federal judge granted Google's motion for a summary judgment in Viacom's lawsuit involving YouTube.

The judge's ruling Wednesday means the court has decided YouTube is protected by the safe-harbor provision of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) against claims of copyright infringement. This is in line with the established judicial consensus that online services are protected when they work cooperatively with copyright holders to help manage their rights online.

"This is an important victory not just for us, but also for the billions of people around the world who use the web to communicate and share experiences with each other," said Kent Walker, vice president and general counsel at Google. [Read more...]

Internet bosses set to approve .xxx for porn sites

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The company that oversees Web addresses is expected to give the go-ahead on Friday for the creation of a .xxx suffix for websites with pornographic content, company officials indicated on Thursday.

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which oversees the Internet on behalf of the U.S. government, has in the past resisted creating a .xxx generic domain name system akin to those for .com and .net.

It has in recent years repeatedly rejected a request by U.S. company ICM Registry Inc. to sign off on the .xxx domain.

But members of ICANN's board have argued that in order to maintain neutrality in dealing with domain name assignations, it should create .xxx and allow websites with sexually explicit content to start using the suffix on a voluntary basis.

"If expedited due diligence results are successful, then staff will proceed into contract negotiations with ICM (over .xxx)," ICANN's general counsel John Jeffrey told delegates at a week-long ICANN meeting in Brussels on Thursday.

Online pornography is a vast industry. Figures collated by Internet Pornography Statistics suggest more than $3,000 is spent on Internet pornography every second, with "sex" the number one search term in the world, accounting for 25 percent of all Internet searches.

With an estimated 370 million pornographic websites on the Internet, .xxx could become one of the largest domain name repositories, as big if not bigger than .com. [Read more...]

New laser TVs deliver four times the resolution of HD

New laser TVs deliver four times the resolution of HD
A Californian company called Prysm is showing off what it considers to be the next generation of television, thanks to its low power consumption and ability to display in quad HD and 3D HD. Called a laser phosphor display, or LPD, the sets bounces laser beams off of phosphor pixels embedded in screens made of glass and plastic.

The tech was actually invented by one Roger Hajjar five years ago, but he's been hammering out the kinks on the LPDs at Prsym ever since. The screen's crispness works in big and small sizes, and to prove it the company will be using LPDs to make up jumbo-trons in Europe next month, bringing the displays to the living room sometime after that.

The lower power consumption — described as using a tenth of what a plasma screen consumes (less impressive when you consider that plasma TVs are the worst energy hogs) — is thanks to the fact that the lasers don't need to actively stimulate the dark regions of the set, leaving an LPD cool to the touch as it sips energy. The processor managing the laser varies its intensity, meaning only the brightest, most vibrant areas of an image will be hit by a high-energy beam.

The one big downside we see? Right now, it looks like LPDs have quite the back-end on them. We've certainly gotten used to having razor-thin TVs that we can hang on walls like pictures. The rear of these televisions jut out like an old CRT television.

Check out a news broadcast about the new display down below.

Awesome mini-Tumbler serves as Batman's golf cart


When Batman isn't busy filling the vacancies at Arkham, the caped crusader likes to hit the golf course and tee off next to his Tumbler golf cart. Honestly, the idea of a super serious, super intense Christian Bale-like Batman driving around in this thing and spouting all kinds of throaty gold-related nonsense is endlessly funny to me.

It was spotted nearby the Batman set, which made blog LA Life originally think that it was crafted for Batman: Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan himself. A comment on the post indicates that it was actually made for a huge fan related to the film by Marc's Creature Company, a visual effects studio in Hollywood.

Whoever it was made for, one thing is certain: Batman 3 definitely needs an action scene on a golf course using this puppy. Check out additional shots of the miniature Tumbler in the gallery below. [Read more...]

Solar Soccer Ball could one day power World Cup theatrics

Solar Soccer Ball could one day power World Cup theatrics
The power of the FIFA World Cup has finally caught on in the U.S. and now Taiwan's Greendix aims to capitalize on the sport by introducing the Solar Football.

Made possible by a new kind of solar panel that can be custom-shaped, the Solar Football draws energy from the sun to power the ball's built-in motion detectors and audio components designed to aid visually impaired players. The innovative panels, which are as energy efficient as traditional rectangular panels, can be shaped into nearly any design and come in a range of colors. Aside from sports, the possibilities this opens up for new kinds of design-friendly sustainable energy homes and vehicles boggles the mind.

Single Asian carp found 6 miles from Lake Michigan


An Asian carp was found for the first time beyond electric barriers meant to keep the voracious invasive species out of the Great Lakes, state and federal officials said Wednesday, prompting renewed calls for swift action to block their advance.
Commercial fishermen landed the 3-foot-long, 20-pound bighead carp in Lake Calumet on Chicago's South Side, about six miles from Lake Michigan, according to the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee.
Officials said they need more information to determine the significance of the find.
"The threat to the Great Lakes depends on how many have access to the lakes, which depends on how many are in the Chicago waterway right now," said John Rogner, assistant director of the IllinoisDepartment of Natural Resources. [Read more...]

America's Most Expensive Mansion Sells

Belvedere
The market for homes worth $50 million or more is so small that when even one of these behemoths is sold, it makes waves. So real estate experts are paying close attention to the recent sale of Le Belvedere, a sprawling sandstone palace in Bel Air, which sold on June 4 to an unidentified European family, for as much as $72 million. [Read more...]

Toyota Chief Test Driver Killed Driving LF-A Nurburgring Edition

BREAKING: Toyota Chief Test Driver Killed Driving LF-A Nurburgring Edition
We don't have much in the way of details yet, but according to a report out of Germany, Toyota's chief test driver has died in a crash on highway 410 near the Nurburgring after veering into the oncoming lane and colliding with two others test drivers driving a BMW. [Read more...]

Developers Bet On Apple Now, Google Later

In what appears to be a concession to developers, Apple recently amended its iPhone SDK developer agreement to note that "with Apple’s prior written consent, an Application may use embedded interpreted code in a limited way if such use is solely for providing minor features or functionality that are consistent with the intended and advertised purpose of the Application."
Privately, makers of third-party development tools say they believe that Apple intends only to block apps created with Adobe's Flash tools. Apple could, however, enforce its rules more broadly at any time. [Read more...]

Want the white iPhone 4? You're going to have to wait

Want the white iPhone 4? You're going to have to wait
f you had your heart set on a white iPhone 4, you're in for an even longer wait. First, Apple announced the iPhone 4 in your choice of black or white. Second, it surprised us with no availability of the white model at the June 24th launch. Now, Apple says you have to wait until late July. Why?

According to Apple:
"White models of Apple's new iPhone 4 have proven more challenging to manufacture than expected, and as a result they will not be available until the second half of July. The availability of the more popular iPhone 4 black models is not affected."

We're just wondering, why did Apple not know about manufacturing challenges of white iPhones when it announced them a couple of weeks ago? Hadn't the company already begun manufacturing them at that point? [Read more...]

Solar panels in the Sahara Desert to power Europe in 5 years

Solar panels in the Sahara Desert to power Europe in 5 years
If a mere 1% of the Sahara Desert were covered in solar panels, enough energy would be generated to power the entire world. That's a lot of potential energy! So it only makes sense that just such a solar field is being built.

Within the next five years, a massive solar farm will begin construction, one that will continue being expanded over the coming decades. At first, it will provide a smaller proportion of energy to European nations, but as methods of transmitting so much energy are developed and the fields are expanded, that proportion should grow.

With the project slated to go until 2050, the potential is huge to get the entire continent powered by renewable energy in our lifetimes. Exciting stuff!

What critics love and hate about the iPhone 4

What critics love and hate about the iPhone 4
The iPhone 4 has found its way into the hands of select reviewers (read: approved by Apple) and it's no surprise that they're loving it. The enthusiasm isn't baseless, though. The 4th generation iPhone is scoring high marks for its new design and screen, its FaceTime video chats, HD-quality video recording abilities and its longer battery life. Poor AT&T, though: the carrier that has brought us the iPhone since '07 just can't catch a break, as the reviewers collectively slammed the company's service.

See what the reviewers had to say after the jump. [Read more...]

Translucent concrete walls defy laws of physics

Translucent concrete walls defy laws of physics
What happens when you mix plastic fiber-optic tubes with concrete? You get a wall that's translucent, but it's as solid and heavy as concrete. Architect Kengo Kuma used this stuff to build a weirdly see-through wall that's part of an art installation he calls Con/Fiber.

You can see the silhouettes of people standing on the other side of these weird walls that seem to defy the laws of physics. The plastic fibers are placed throughout the concrete, built in a stratified process that looks a lot like lasagna. First demonstrated last year, it's now featured in a new installation at Israel's Design Museum Holon.

Next, we'd like to see this guy construct an entire building out of this stuff, resulting in (sort of) a glass house where you could throw all the stones you want. Look at this video shot at last year's installation:

Giant TV screen created using 750 people as pixels


This video of high school students in South Korea cheering their soccer teams is brilliant. Each of the 750 students wears a jacket that's a different color in front and back. Removing the jacket reveals a third color. Take that simple idea, throw in some well-timed choreography, and a giant TV screen is created, with each person acting as a pixel. The result is breathtaking.

If you were blown away by that, check out this video of the same idea, times 100, done in North Korea (jump to the 12:00 mark to see it).

Now you can control slot cars with a smartphone

Now you can control slot cars with a smartphone
Try this on an iPhone: Here's a guy who's rigged up his Nexus One smartphone as an accelerator for slot cars. Using the accelerometer on board the phone, when he tilts the handset, the slot car accelerates. How'd he do this?

Clever tech wizard Grant Skinner used a combination of Adobe Air software (oops, iPhone can't do that), a Lego motor controller, a Nexus One Phone and a toy slot car set up. The video tells the story. [Read more...]

The pitfalls of buying used games -- and how to avoid them

Whether it's garage sales, stores like Gamestop, or the wild-west world of eBay, buying used consoles and pre-owned video games can be a good way to pick up a bargain. But thanks to the complexity of today's game machines, navigating the used market can be like picking your way through a minefield.

Here are some of the most common pitfalls of buying used video game gear -- and a few places where you can find risk-free bargains. [Read more...]

The 'Energizer general' is soon back running a war

Army Gen. David Petraeus has already turned around a struggling U.S. war once. President Barack Obama is betting he can do it again.

The professorial four-star general with an outsized reputation hasn't been chosen as Afghanistan war commander to bring a bold new strategy to the effort. Instead, he is seen as the officer best able to make the current strategy work — and to end the squabbling between diplomats and military leaders that broke into the open and consumed Gen. Stanley McChrystal's career.

If McChrystal's staff resembled a locker room-style boy's club, Petraeus, a Princeton Ph.D., is known for running his team more like a graduate seminar. [Read more...]

Verizon unwraps 4.3-inch, Flash-ready Motorola Droid X

It's big, it's bold, it'll handle Flash (eventually) and it's got a cool-sounding name. Set to land next month, Verizon is clearly hoping to give the iPhone a run for its money with Motorola's eye-catching, Android-powered Droid X.

Verizon Wireless officials — accompanied by the CEOs of Google, Motorola and Flash developer Adobe — unveiled the long-rumored Droid X at a press event in New York on Wednesday, a day before the iPhone 4 goes on sale. [Read more...]

LiBOX - Breakthrough software shares media anywhere on any platform

Breakthrough software shares media anywhere on any platform

The entertainment industry is going to hate this: Libox, software that lets you share photos, audio and video files across any device from anywhere. Best of all, it's free.

Using peer-to-peer technology similar to BitTorrent, you install the software on your desktop, and then all of your files are available through any web browser using HTML 5.0 — not only to all your devices, but your friends' devices, too.

This breakthrough software doesn't compress, copy or move your video, audio or pictures. It just notes where they are, and then begins streaming the files into whatever smartphone, computer, or playback device you want. [Read more...]


Who says electric cars are for wusses? This Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG E-cell prototype cranks up its neck-snapping torque with four electric motors — two on each axle. Hold onto your lunch, because its 526hp is about to rock your world from 0 to 60 in about the amount of time it takes for you to begin comprehending the word fahrvergnügen, or about four seconds.

Don't be thinking about practicality here — although it has energy-saving LED headlights, this sucker's array of lithium polymer batteries cranks out an industry-leading 480 kilowatts, so it's going to be awfully thirsty with your household's electrical system. [Read more...]

Google Voice now available to all, but there's a deal-breaking problem

At long last, it's time for everyone to step into the future of voicemail and phone calling. Google is teasing us with the groundbreaking voicemail and portable phone numbers of Google Voice. It's finally out of beta and offered to everyone in the U.S., without the need for one of those pesky invitations. Is it time to jump into Google Voice? Maybe not.

Google's free service converts your voicemails to text, and emails that message to you. It gives you a phone number you can use anywhere, lets you screen calls, and makes it so you can receive calls on your cellphone and landline at the same time. And that's just the beginning. Its feature list is delightfully vast and useful. [Read more...]

World's fastest scanner captures a 200-page book in 60 seconds

Scanning an entire book is tedious work. It usually involves scanning a page at a time, and it's serious time-consuming. But this new scanner out of the University of Tokyo speeds that process up significantly, thanks to a 500fps camera.

Rather than laying every page flat on a scanner, this setup allows you to simply flip through the pages quickly under the camera. It captures all of the pages and then uses software to straighten the images out. The result? Clean, readable images that were captured in a fraction of the time of a traditional scanner. Pretty sweet!

Monster 3D glasses will work with any set, but it's not that simple

Monster 3D glasses will work with any set, but it's not that simple
Adding to the list of why 3D TVs are annoying: glasses that work with, say, a Panasonic TV won't work with a Samsung TV and vice versa. Monster's new Vision Max 3D glasses aim to fix that by working with any manufacturer's 3D TV.

In order to do that, it uses a base station to transmit shutter sync info to the glasses. It isn't cheap, costing $250 for the base station and one pair of glasses, with extra glasses costing $180 each.

It's a nice fix, I guess, but if you already have a 3D TV, why not just buy the glasses that work with it? It's not like you can bring these glasses to a friends' house if they don't have a base station.

Tesla reveals plans for three impressive new electric cars

Tesla reveals plans for three impressive new electric cars
Tesla's got big plans for the future, showing off three proposed new models we've never seen before. Check out that spiffy convertible, along with a van that looks too sleek for its own good, and a crossover/SUV. These three new body types will share the same chassis as that gorgeous Model S sedan that's due on the market in 2012.

Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk, also cofounder of PayPal and private rocket company SpaceX, is currently showing the illustrations of the three new cars to prospective investors. More exciting revelations included Musk's claim that by the time the Model S sees the light of day, its largest battery will have a range of 300 miles and a quick charge time of 45 minutes.

Now all the company needs is an infusion of cash. A few weeks ago, the company announced a partnership with Toyota, and now it's going after an additional $178 million in investment capital.

We like the idea of the lower-cost (around $50K) Model S, and now the efficiency of using a common powertrain for four different models looks like it could deliver on that promise of affordable electric cars.

20 robots dancing in perfect sync

Video: 20 robots dancing in perfect sync
Look what happens when you gather 20 robots for a chorus line act. Each 23-inch Nao robot by Aldebaran Robotics is packing about as much processing power as a smartphone, hooks up to Wi-Fi, and can even see with its beady little eyes. Not only was this group of $250,000 worth of robots graceful as they danced up a storm at the Shanghai World Expo, but check out their perfect synchronization in the video below.

Too bad these little bots look like their feet are nailed to the floor most of the time. Move your feet, guys! Make your backbones flip! They have 25 degrees of freedom, so next we want to see some frenetic moves, much more than this robotic Tai Chi-like routine that looks like it's being performed by a mob of motorized old people.

Our suggestion: Do "Beat It," add some floor spinning next time.

Stand-up toothbrush: what took so long to invent this?

Stand-up toothbrush: what took so long to invent this?
Take one look at this brilliant design concept for a toothbrush, and you can see how it's a big improvement over current designs. Set it down, and its head pops upright, thanks to a weight embedded in the bottom.

The toothbrush's bulbous base fits neatly in the hand, too. It's such a good idea, it won a Red Dot Concept Award.

While we're often wondering whether it's bad to have the bristles of a toothbrush sitting on the sink, gathering up billions of bacteria, we're not so sure there would be much of an improvement if the brush was not touching anything at all. But it seems like it would be more hygienic, doesn't it? [Read more...]

$75M mansion near Orlando selling 'as is'


WINDERMERE, Fla. – Listed as a "monument to unparalleled success," the largest home for sale in the United States comes with plenty of space but no carpet, tiles or interior walls. It's up to the future buyer to finish it.
The mansion started by timeshare tycoon David Siegel boasts plenty of big numbers: 90,000 square feet. Twenty-three bathrooms. Thirteen bedrooms. Ten kitchens. A 20-car garage, with additional space for two limos. Three pools. A bowling alley. Indoor roller rink. Two-story movie theater. Video arcade. Fitness center. Baseball field and two tennis courts. [Read more...]

White House summons US general to explain himself

The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan was fighting for his job Tuesday after being summoned to Washington to explain a magazine profile that included derogatory comments about President Barack Obama and his colleagues.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Gen. Stanley McChrystal's comments were "distractions" to the war in Afghanistan.
McChrystal, who publicly apologized Tuesday for using "poor judgment" in an interview in Rolling Stone magazine, has been ordered to appear at the White House Wednesday, according to officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. [Read more...]

7th-Graders Discover Mysterious Cave on Mars


A group of seventh-graders in California has discovered a mysterious cave on Mars as part of a research project to study images taken by a NASA spacecraft orbiting the red planet.
The 16 students from teacher Dennis Mitchell's 7th-grade science class at Evergreen Middle School in Cottonwood, Calif., found what looks to be a Martian skylight — a hole in the roof of a cave on Mars.
The intrepid students were participating in the Mars Student Imaging Program at the Mars Space Flight Facility at Arizona State University. The program allows students to frame a research question and then commission a Mars-orbiting camera to take an image to answer their question. [Read more...]

BAD idea: digital license plates display ads to drivers

BAD idea: digital license plates display ads to drivers
If there's one thing we don't need more of on the road right now, it's distractions. Yet a group in San Francisco is looking into the possibility of slapping digital license plates on cars. Rather than simply display your plate number on a sweet, scrolling marquee, the plates would display ads. Ads for other drivers to read.

In the interest of safety, right now ads wouldn't appear unless a motorist has been stopped for more than a few seconds. That means you probably wouldn't see an ad until you drive up behind someone at a stoplight. The adverts displayed would be picked by the driver, but the money earned would go to the state. [Read more...]

iPhone apps arranged by color

Image of the Day: iPhone apps arranged by color
Some people organize their iPhone apps by function, others by category, and I'm sure there are a few who just leave them in the order they downloaded them. Allison McCarthy? She arranges by color. The result is this great image of her four home screens, arranged end to end in a fantastic app rainbow. See it full-size in the gallery below.

The good and bad news about Dyson's latest air multipliers

The good and bad news about Dyson's latest air multipliers
Vacuum revolutionary James Dyson has unveiled new shapes and sizes for his crazy, bladeless "air multiplier" cooling system. The old unit was designed to sit on your desk. These? The stand over a meter tall and look striking, but they've got one unfortunate thing in common with their predecessor.

Up above you can see the AM02 Tower Fan, left, and the taller AM03 Pedestal Fan on the right. The Tower stands a full meter tall and has a long, oval-like mouth, while the even-taller and adjustable Pedestal features a more conventional circle. Both will move up to nine gallons of air around a room to cool it, and look good doing it.

You've probably already guessed the bad news, though: the price. You're looking at a $450 bill to free yourself of fans with blades. We're not calling the price unfair — the air multipliers are as beautiful as they are powerful — we're just saying.

Scientists shape water sans special effects or James Cameron

Scientists shape water sans special effects or James Cameron
Japan's National Maritime Research Institute has developed a machine that can manipulate the shape of water so precisely that you would be forgiven for thinking you're looking at CGI effects from James Cameron's The Abyss.
During a recent demonstration to the media, the machine, originally designed as a water safety device, easily changes the shape of water into a heart, a star, and even a musical note. Sure the current applications for such technology are few, but anytime special effects enter the real world, it's cause for a bit of geek-out-joy. You can see video of the amazing water dynamic here.

Awesomely minimalist clock literally uses batteries to tell time

Awesomely minimalist clock literally uses batteries to tell time
It doesn't get much more simple than this, folks. Or gorgeously spare. Called "The Front & Back," the minimalist clock is a design by The Wrong Objects and uses its own batteries as its hands to tell time. You just have to love a design that takes an object and boils it down to its most basic parts, and still makes it work.

According to The Wrong Objects, putting the batteries up front isn't a revolution in the clock world, but rather it's the most interesting thing to happen to batteries in a while. "Behind the clocks batteries always provide the power that allows clocks to work," the design team's blog states. "Batteries summon up courage to demand more a active relationship, willing to play the role of hands of a clock."

The big question, though, is which batteries you're going to use. It's a big decision now, after all. The Front & Back is just a concept at this time, but who knows? Maybe it'll find it's way onto a wall sometime in the future.

BOOM! Gulf Oil Deadmen Stories

Lost in the catastrophic aftermath of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill is the gripping tale of the rig workers and the Coast Guard crewmen who rescued them. Sean Flynn re-creates their long, harrowing, heart-pounding night.  [Read more...]

Build your own tablet for less than the price of an iPad

Build your own tablet for less than the price of an iPad
Liquidware is an open-source hardware company, and they've got an offer for you: if you're willing to do some of the work putting it together, they'll sell you a tablet for $400.

To be fair, the DIY laptop kit isn't meant for computer novices just looking for an easy way to check their email on the couch. It's a modular system designed for serious geeks and developers looking to write specialized applications.

But still, it's certainly easier than getting the components and actually building a full tablet yourself. Instead, every component snaps on or mounts directly on the board, s you can choose just what you want on there. So if you're a tinkerer and are looking for a non-iPad tablet, this might be a nice option.

The Power Glove just graduated to the Power Arm

The Power Glove just graduated to the Power Arm
What you see here is Forcetek's Xio arm-mounted controller, which is slated to come out for game consoles sometime next year. So, the motion-controlled offerings by Sony and Microsoft — the latter of which does away with the controller entirely — make half of the "wow" factor here obsolete. What's it got left? Force feedback all along your arms. [Read more...]

Confirmed: new Xbox 360 is quieter, less of a hog

Confirmed: new Xbox 360 is quieter, less of a hog
The new, slimmed-down Xbox 360 may be prone to scratching a disc here and there, but there are two key areas where it improves over its predecessor: its noise level and how much power it requires. My current Xbox sounds like a jet taking off. So what can you do for me, New Xbox? [Read more...]

Even the games you buy from OnLive are really rentals

Even the games you <i>buy</i> from OnLive are really rentals
As promised, OnLive is going live this month. Right now, in fact. You could try it out for yourself if you wanted to. Early adopters get to enjoy the service (read: not the games) for free for a full year, and everyone else has to pay for admission. That's a little irksome — why punish people who weren't in the beta? — but it gets worse.

So, let's break this down. You pay both a fee for access to the service, as well as a fee for any rentals or game purchases you make. If you're already signed up for OnLive, that service fee is waived thanks to a sponsorship by AT&T. If you want to get in on it now, you'll have to shell out. [Read more...]

Steampunk pocket watch comes framed in a luxury mobile phone

Steampunk pocket watch comes framed in a luxury mobile phone
At this point in history we can all admit that wrist watches are little more than jewelry, which makes the LeDIX by Celsius X VI II mobile-meets-analog watch all the more audacious.

Utilizing 547 hand-crafted mechanical components, the device is the result of a collaboration between watchmaker Richard Mille and the Confrérie Horlogère design team. Scheduled to make its public debut in Europe next week, the watch-phone hybrid will retail for a whopping $275,000 here

The latest on the iPhone 4? It's packing double the RAM

The latest on the iPhone 4? It's packing double the RAM
Apple has a habit of doubling things. The first iPhone, for instance, had 128MB of RAM. When the 3GS rolled around, that number bumped up to 256MB. The big question was whether or not Apple would do it again, especially with the iPad still fresh on shelves — and containing a 3GS's worth of RAM. The iPhone 4 has double, and one little word makes it all the more exciting:

Multitasking. [Read more...]

Woman Builds Home From Airplane

Retired 747 jet reworked into green residence in Malibu. [Read more...]

16 beautiful pixel sculptures show the world as an '80s video game

16 beautiful pixel sculptures show the world as an '80s video game
In an earlier life artist Shawn Smith must have been some kind of 1980s arcade-game designer, because that low-bit blocky view of the world has been translated into his beautiful animal sculptures. [Read more...]