AT&T Denies Squelching Google Voice For iPhone

AT&T told federal regulators on Friday that it played no part in Apple’s decision to keep the Google Voice application from the App Store, while Apple said it never actually rejected the application. In response to inquiries from the Federal Communications Commission, AT&T’s Jim Cicconi, senior executive vice president for external and legislative affairs, told the agency, “Let me state unequivocally: AT&T had no role in any decision by Apple to not accept the Google Voice application for inclusion in the Apple App Store.”

Google Voice, which allows users to receive calls placed to a single telephone number in multiple places and make cheap international calls, was deemed unfit for App Store inclusion in July, after it was released for BlackBerry and Android smartphones. Several days after the story broke, the FCC requested that AT&T, Apple, and Google all comment on what led to the exclusion of Google Voice. Apple, for its part, claimed that the application was never actually rejected. “Contrary to published reports, Apple has not rejected the Google Voice application and continues to study it. The application has  not been approved because, as submitted for review, it appears to alter the iPhone’s distinctive user experience by replacing the iPhone’s core mobile-telephone functionality and Apple user interface with its own user interface for telephone calls, text messaging, and voice mail,” Apple said in a statement.

Google also filed a letter in response to the FCC inquiry but redacted a significant portion of that letter when releasing it to the media. A PDF copy can be found here. Suspicion immediately fell upon AT&T after the Google Voice application did not make it through the  approval process, based on the fact that the application lets users bypass hefty rates on international
calls. AT&T has also been believed to be behind the delay or rejection of several other applications that could have placed a strain on its network, such as Sling Media’s SlingPlayer Mobile application. But AT&T said it has little influence over the approval process. “AT&T was not asked about the matter by Apple at any time, nor did we offer any view one way or the other.

More broadly, AT&T does not own, operate, or control the Apple App Store, and is not typically consulted regarding the approval or rejection of applications for the App Store, or informed when an application is approved or rejected,” Cicconi said in the letter, a PDF copy of which can be found here.
Still, Apple said it’s not like AT&T is an innocent bystander. “There is a provision in Apple’s agreement with AT&T that obligates Apple not to include functionality in any Apple phone that enables a customer to use AT&T’s cellular network service to originate or terminate a VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol) session without obtaining AT&T’s permission. Apple honors this
obligation, in addition to respecting AT&T’s customer terms of service, which, for example, prohibit an AT&T customer from using AT&T’s cellular service to redirect a TV signal to an iPhone. From time to time, AT&T has expressed concerns regarding network efficiency and potential network congestion associated with certain applications, and Apple takes such concerns into consideration,” Apple said in its statement. Skype, perhaps the most well-known VoIP service, seized upon part of AT&T’s letter that promised a review of policies regarding VoIP apps running on 3G network as a hopeful sign that Skype would soon be allowed to work on cellular networks. “We welcome AT&T’s willingness to take a fresh look at authorizing VoIP capabilities on the iPhone over AT&T’s 3G network,” Skype said in a statement e-mailed to reporters. “Skype hopes this is a step forward in enabling consumers to be able to use Skype together with their iPhones and 3G connections and looks forward to hearing more about any potential change to AT&T’s policy, in connection with the pending FCC proceeding related to the Skype petition.”As for Google’s part, its decision to redact a key portion of its letter to the FCC will raise many eyebrows. The company asked the FCC to redact its part of its answer to the FCC’s because “the redaction information relates specifically to private business discussions between Apple and Google and, as such, it constitutes commercial data ‘which would customarily be guarded from competitors’…The Internet service industry is highly competitive, and the redacted material relates to business and operations of Google, warranting protection from disclosure under the commission’s rules,” Google said in a letter to the FCC asking for confidential treatment.

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Bodum Bistro toasters look great, toast even greater

Ask me to name any one "gadget" that has only been absolutely utilitarian and rarely good-looking, and I would answer in a blink - the toaster. Really, the toaster is the last appliance I would expect to possess great beauty. Perhaps the reason lies in the fact that its job of toasting bread is an absolute necessity and not one that people can be excited about, compared to say, the iPhone that does your communication, photos, videos, music, what not. But this Bistro toaster from Bodum challenges the underdog status that has been assigned to toasters, and manages to bring elegance to the mundane task that it is assigned with.

This two-slice toaster commands total attention with its sprightly, heat-resistant rubber exterior that always stays cool to the touch. Take your pick from 8 bright colors to suit your kitchen decor. And be assured that the bread will be toasted to perfection with its powerful 900-watt capacity. The Bistro also features adjustable-width slots, variable browning function, built-in warming rack, cancel and defrost settings, and pull-out crumb tray. Personally, this device gets a thumbs up because of its great looks plus a sensible, sturdy design. Priced at $79.95 from Sur La Table.

Via OhGizmo.

Now dark chocolate is even better for your heart!

Yet more fabulous news about the health benefits of dark chocolate!

As I noted here a few months ago, there's lots of authoritative evidence that dark chocolate is good for your heart. Now Discoblog reports on a Swedish study showing that folks who had already had a heart attack were less likely to die of heart disease if they ate dark chocolate 2 or 3 times a week. (In fact, there's a hint that the more dark chocolate they ate, the less likely they were to die of heart disease. But let's not go overboard and forget all the evil calories also lurking in that luscious confection.)

Remember: health benefits are associated only with dark chocolate, not milk chocolate.

Tweeting toilet proves that you don't have to be human to be a geek

Apparently it was a joke by this gentleman which got him hooked to Twitter. And his toilet too. Seth Hardy, a researcher for an anti-virus company, wasn't too fond of Twitter and decided to point out what he terms "very mundane stuff" on the site by hooking up his toilet (Twitter handle - @hacklab.toilet) with help from some microcontrollers, wires and Arduino boards to answer Twitter's "What are you doing?" question. But Twitter's subsequent explosion got him 580 followers and he says he is now hooked into doing something useful with his DIY experiment - to test out the Arduino boards.

And the trend has caught on pretty fast. Many home appliances are apparently substituting for humans on Twitter - @mytoaster has about 200 twitter followers, with only two alternating messages “Toasting” and “Toast is done.” If you find that a tad boring, there is also the popular Tweet-a-watt open source hardware kit from Adafruit Industries which let users post the daily energy consumption of their refrigerator or TV set to a Twitter account. There's more - @Pimpy3wash and @mattsoffice are a washing machine, and an array of home light and temperature sensors. More in this interesting read from Wired on how non-humans are invading this much-loved, much-hated social networking site.

And you thought only we humans feel the need to be noticed.

Shower power with your Palm Pre or iPhone

You love your iPhone--or your Palm Pre--so much that you take it everywhere. Now you can even bathe with it.

Yes, it's soap in the form of today's two cult phones, the Palm Pre and the iPhone. You can't call or tweet or download or listen to music with these babies. But at least you can get clean, which is more than you can do with the phones themselves.

The question you must ask yourself: Do you love your phone so much that the pleasure of showering with a sudsy mute version is worth $7.99?

Thanks to Chris Matyszczyk over at cnet News.

Battle of the e-book readers: Sony vs. Kindle

Sony's e-book readers are hanging in there, continuing to give Amazon's Kindle some competition. Sony has announced that it will market two new e-book readers at the end of this month, PC World reports.

One is a direct competitor, a touch-screen Sony reader with a 6-inch screen to sell for $299, the same price as the Kindle. Sony is calling the other one a pocket e-book reader. It's got a 5-inch screen and is bargain-priced at $199.

See also the recent New Yorker piece by Nicholson Baker about his Kindle experiences. Warts and all.

Digital black-and-white clock is a milestone in minimalism

It is sometimes so frustrating to see a thing of beauty locked up inaccessibly with the tag "prototype". Well, life's not always fair now, is it? So it is with this beauty called the "black-and-white" digital clock from Kibardindesign. And designer Vadim Kibardin has created a totally new concept of a digital clock with this one.

The "clock" is actually a collection of four translucent white figures each of which can display a numeral from 0-9, can be independently controlled, and is powered by a self-contained power supply. The figures are made up of a polycarbonate material with the luminous part being an Organic Light- Emitting Diode (OLED). The figures are white in darkness and black at daytime. They can be fixed to any surface, to an alignment of your choice, and voila - you can proudly show off the most elegant clock in the neighborhood. Well, not quite. Remember us mentioning earlier that it is still a prototype? Boo-hoo.

Via Swissmiss.

Aroma USB drives away memories of bad odors

Remember that old office prank when a bunch of guys would get mean and present the smelly office colleague a bottle of deodorant on his birthday? Though deodorant would be passe´ in this day and age, situations warranting one still flourish aplenty. What you could perhaps do now is to buy a bunch of Aroma USB thumb drives and distribute them to the needy folks - which can include both the injured and the offending parties.

The Aroma drives have no internal memory, but serve the single purpose of spreading the finest fragrances once they are connected to an USB port. They are refillable and the preloaded fragrance (lavender, lemongrass, or orange) lasts upto a week of continuous use. We know the idea of having a drive without memory sounds quite airy to geeks, but the drives look so good that it is hard not to be impressed with the whole scheme. Plus, if you must have the additional memory, head on to Scent-Drive.com to get the best of both worlds.

Via Gearlog.

Hello Kitty celebrates 35th birthday by getting into a Mimobot flash drive

Undisguised innocence at 35, with looks so bewitching that even a Cleopatra could be put to shame. That's our dear Hello Kitty who celebrates her 35th birthday this November 1st. So you would be justified in expecting more Hello Kitty goodies to hit the market in time for the big day now, wouldn't you?

Just so thoughtfully Sanrio, the creators of Hello Kitty, are teaming up with designer USB flash drive maker Mimoco, to dream up the new Hello Kitty X Mimobot for the occasion. The drives will be out early next month and will store between 2GB and 16GB of data, apart from looking like God's angels sent to redeem us sinners from this planet.

The line will be available for purchase at MIMOBOT.com and SANRIO.com, select SANRIO boutiques and other specialty retailers. The pricing is still under the wraps, but be assured that the adorable kitty is waiting to be lapped up in its new avatar by millions of hungry fans out there who know how exclusive an offer this is.

Via Crunchgear.

Own a Portable Rosetta Stone

Traveling to a foreign country is always exciting, but contrary to popular belief, not everyone speaks English. Thanks to Nomenta Industries, you can conquer the language barrier without totally butchering it. The Trinvo TR01 Talking Translator is a handy device that is the globe-trotting traveler's new best friend.

The translator can cross-translate in 12 languages, including Arabic, Chinese (Manadarin), French and Spanish to name a few. It comes loaded with 750 commonly spoken travelers' phrases, 2500 words for each language, and 8 categories of "fast search desire questions." Each spoken in a clear, easy to understand human voice.eliminating the time-intensive, frustrating and often embarrassing experience of trying to get your point across in a language you can barely pronounce. It also has nifty sightseeing tips for each language.

Orb Bluetooth Headset is the geekiest jewellery ever

Those sleek-looking futuristic gizmos with superior intelligence (and zero failure rate) need no longer be confined to the enjoyment of sci-fi movie stars, or superheroes alone. Or so it seems, looking at this awesome bluetooth headset called the Orb.

Developed through a partnership between Hybra Advance Technology Inc. and AbsolutelyNew Inc., this overwhelmingly fresh design redefines the otherwise common bluetooth headset completely - when not in use, the Orb transforms into an elegant finger ring which displays caller ID, calendar items and voice-to-text info on its flexible organic light emitting diode (FOLED) display. Activate the headset simply by slipping it off your finger and twisting it into an S-shaped length of silver that can be unobtrusively hung over your ear.

The Orb is expected to launch in two editions next year - the base model in January (without display, priced $129), and the Deluxe model in April (with FOLED display, priced $175). I am keeping my fingers crossed. And ready.

Via DVICE.

Beambox MiLi Universal Charger mixes utility with personality

How does it feel to be alone in a strange country, and to realize that your trusted charger cannot keep your devices alive simply because you were wuss enough to forget the required adapter? Now that we made it sound pretty dramatic, here's the happy news. Beambox, makers of pocket projectors, have released the uber-cool MiLi Universal charger for charging your devices in precisely similar situations.

The universal charger comes equipped with different adapters to charge your devices (two at one go!) on UK, US, Australian, and European shores. This compact charger features two USB ports to enable you to plug in your device's original USB adapter if available even as you are charging another device simultaneously. Each port has an LED that indicates whether the connected device is fully charged. Quite sensibly, there is over-current and short-circuit protection as well. If that wasn't enough, there is also the flip-out in-car plug which ensures that you can charge within your car while you are on the move.

You will not be left wanting for choice as the charger comes in 9 bright colors - need we say pink is also in? Available for pre-order now at $37, MiLi will start shipping in August.

Via Slashgear.

Has the recession brought the US birth rate down?

The US birth rate appears to have gone down 2% in 2008, according to the government. That's more than 70,000 fewer babies than expected.

The figure is not quite firm, since lower immigration could also explain why the birth rate did not increase for the first time since the turn of the millennium.

The experts are saying that the poor economy is a possible explanation. Although as I do the math it's clear that would mean lots of women decided against pregnancy for financial reasons as early as the first half of 2007--a time when even few experts foresaw that we were headed over a cliff.

So I'm wondering, could decisions about childbearing be a leading indicator of an economic downturn? Monitoring the actual birth rate would come too late to help with forecasting because we are just getting the 2008 data now, when the worst already appears to be easing a bit.

But it might make sense to track behavior that figures into the initial decision not to get pregnant--number of contraceptive prescriptions, for example. Or Plan B purchases. Or possibly condom buying, although the increasing (I hope!) use of condoms for disease prevention would muddy that data.

Do you suppose tracking marriage rates might be useful, even though marriage and having babies are no longer inextricably linked? Sales of bridal gowns? Business ups and downs of wedding planners? Or, here's a thought, could sales of bridesmaid dresses and rates of shoe-dying turn out to be a leading economic indicator?

Thanx to Allison Bond over at 80Beats, who rounded up some news items about the birth rate data.

GG2G Foleo laptop sleeve is green and one-of-a-kind

Recently this famous television journalist caught my attention when he said "Aren't the best things in life always custom made?". And drool I did when he was pampered by the best fashion designers, accessory-makers, perfumeries, and even chefs when each of their products were made specially for this gentleman to be the only one of their kind in the world!

Well, since some of us are neither so affluent nor famous, we should perhaps settle for smaller assets - like this GG2G Foleo laptop sleeve, which promises to be so unique that once you purchase one, it is replaced by another that is completely different in design, so nobody else can ever own the same bag. There is more to be happy about - each of these bags is made from recycled highway billboards and lined with recycled fabric. The outer casing is made from "re-vinylzed" water-repellent material which imparts a stylish, shiny look. Plus, there is a handle on the side and an inner pocket to hold your thumb drive.

Currently, there are four different styles on the site for you to choose from, each costing $56. And oh, I was wondering too - GG2G stands for "Green Goods 2 Give & 2 Get". Nice.

Via Gearlog.

Get your Unfinished Clock before stocks finish completely

When you take a first look at the Unfinished Clock, the brainchild of Yve Thelermont and David Hupton, it just seems like the hands got misplaced from its supremely minimalistic, geometrical face. But it happens to be deliberate and thus gets categorized under the tag "design".

Nevertheless, I like the fact that this is not just a clock to hang over your wall, but to be placed on the edge of a shelf or table so that the hands are able to perform their 360-deg act of telling time, in style. The clock is available in rectangular and circular models from the Museum of Modern Art store for $46. Do we see some raised eyebrows? Well now, art's always pricey, isn't it?

Via technabob.

Incase uniform experiment sleeve is for true eclectics

That humble household necessity, which had hitherto been ignored, suddenly shot into the limelight when Liz Hurley sported them rather boldly on her famous walk to her ex-boyfriend Hugh Grant's film premiere back in 1994. It was the safety pin, and it was not to be taken lightly. Atleast not after it was proved that the safety pin could not only shoulder the complete responsibility of protecting the lady's modesty, but also create history as the gown that she wore became the greatest red carpet gown of all time.

Flashback done, the safety pin can still make a fashion statement, even with geeks - as this beautiful Incase Uniform Experiment sleeve does. This laptop sleeve is designed with an elegantly monochromatic array of safety pins printed onto a faux-leather casing that is simply too stunning to ignore. There is a plush "faux-fur" inner lining and a 3mm cushioned interior that can house a 13" MacBook Pro. One cannot help but laud the efforts of this design collaboration amongst Incase, Honeyee and Japanese uniform experiment.

Wrap up your laptop with $83.95 of pure style.

Via Notcot.

Nike Unveils New and Improved SportBand

Whether or not you love running or loathe it, Nike has released a new product to make the experience a little more worthwhile. The footwear company has released an updated version of the Nike+ SportBand. Like it's predecessor, the SportBand records the number of calories burned, the distance covered as well as the pace via a transmitter placed in a Nike+ Shoe or tied to the shoestrings of a regular running shoe.

Some notable improvements are the enhanced display for easier reading and enhanced water-resistance through a welded seal. The biggest improvement has to be the fact that now running fanatics can keep track of their progress sans the bulky armband that used to house your iPod. It's as simple as strapping on the SportBand and start running. The streamlined wristband is lightweight and also doubles as a watch.

Kodak and Facebook: So Happy Together

With the battle of the pocket camcorders fully underway, Kodak is swinging for the fences with the latest addition to it's mini-camcorder Z series, the Zi8 Pocket Video Camera. Set to release in September, the zi8 has a 4x digital zoom and takes video in 1080p HD. Still images aren't too shabby at a respectable 5 megapixels.

It also has a 2.5 inch LCD screen, image stabilization and face detection. Additional features include built-in microphone, 128 of internal memory that can be expanded upon thanks to the SD/SDHD expansion slot. And like the Flip mini-camcorder, it can upload videos to YouTube with ease.

So what's sets it apart from the Flip Ultra HD? The Zi8 has Facebook support which means you can upload all your cinematic antics to Facebook with the same ease that you can upload video to YouTube.

Available in black, red, and blue the Zi8 is selling for $179 so if you're a Facebook fanatic, you might want to check this out in September.

Accordian cooler carries its own music to the beach

One of my greatest treasures while I was a school-going sun-burnt kid was a cheap, portable cassette player that disguised its actual origins by sporting the famous brand name "Sony" on its dull-gray body. Only, the "y" actually was a cleverly manipulated "v". But that didn't stop my first "PMP" from being my constant companion, inside the house and on all family outings - which also meant I carried loads of audio tapes on all journeys, much to the frustration of fellow travelers.

And I see that you might have quite a few memories of your own to make if you manage to lug around this Accordian Expandable Music Cooler the next time you are out on the beach or camping. Even as the collapsible cooler can hold can hold 16 cans for cooling, it promises to cater to your musical inclinations too - it carries a built-in AM/FM radio and an MP3 plugin. At just $25. Cool. But pack along some(?) extra batteries if you don't want to get disappointed - the specs don't say how many are required to run this thing. Or stay safe and be contented with your iPod.

Via Crunchgear.

From Table to Speakerbox: K-Box Transforms Any Surface into a Speaker

Speakers with all their wires and complicated set-up instructions may go the way of the dinosaurs if multimedia company Kerchoonz has its way. The Scottish company recently went to market with the K-Box. About the size of a standard cell phone, the unassuming black and purple device can turn any flat surface including tables or windows into a speaker.

Using a patented "Gel Audio" Technology, the K-Box passes sound through the surface making it resonate producing some impressive bass. It has speakers to produce mid and high range frequencies. With a standard 3.5mm audio jack you can simply plug it in to your laptop, iPod, phone or gaming system and get some amazing sound.

Retailing at $74.99 plus shipping and handling, the K-Box has approximately 20-hours of battery life and can be recharged via a USB cable.

Bing, not your neighborhood pharmacy

If you've been playing with Bing, Microsoft's new search engine, the word is to be very very careful about using Bing to fill your prescriptions for meds.

Two Web policing agencies, LegitScript and KnujOn, have teamed up to report that rogue pharmacies--online drug stores that fill prescriptions illegally--are grabbing most of the ad space on that coveted first page of Bing hits. The study found that the sites were selling drugs without a prescription and also supplying counterfeit drugs.

Buddy home computer offers to be your handy, geeky companion

While netbooks have successfully changed the concept of a computer being a bulky, traditional storehouse of data, touchscreen phones have done a similar makeover for the cellphone market. And industrial designer Guy Ceder’s “Buddy” home computer system promises to bring all under one roof. Buddy is the concept for a new 3-part mobile computing system that features a compact and ultra-portable touchscreen unit with hook, a larger touchscreen display with integrated projector, and a base-station with the basic hardware and recharging elements.

The entire system makes use of fabric for casing, which not only looks amazing, but also presumably provides for a better tactile experience. Both the touchscreens (Wi-Fi enabled) can be used for surfing while you are on the move, for in-depth content reading and for larger-scale film and video projection. Little else is known about other areas of the specs, and we can only hope that none of them is too limiting to let Buddy actually make it into our homes in the near future.

Catch a demo after the break.

Via Slashgear.

Portable Toilet Speakers offer you relief of the music kind

People, the next time you use that flush, it might sound like music to your ears. Well, not quite. And thank God for that - just imagine how many of your neighbors would know your condition if the same song were to play 10 times a day, assuming the toilet would sing each time you pull the flush.

Leave that nightmare alone and take this next one. The Toilet Speakers are small, 2-watt portable speakers shaped like toilet seats. Close the lid and you muff out the speaker. They cost around $15 a piece and are available in four colors. Even my two-year old would call this a bad idea.

Via Gizmodo.

REW Headphone Cord Wrap is from that summer of '69

The Walkman era with the big hair, cool jean jackets and soulful music might be gone, but memories if it are still hanging around like the smolder left over from a mighty flame. And it is made fresh with this lovely REW Headphone Cord Wrap that looks like mini tape and can, if nothing else, hold your dangling earphone wires in place. They will be available in different colors from Perpetual Kid in late September, for $4.99 a piece.

Hey I want to entertain my inner child too.

Via Chip Chick.

Undercover Laptop Sleeve looks too worthless to be stolen

The easiest way to discourage thieves from getting at your laptop? Stash it away in a case that looks so worn out that no one can ever guess the little treasure that is hiding within. Reminds me of my grandmother's advice for undertaking a peaceful trip - to hide jewelery and money within balls of crumpled newspaper and then carelessly (seemingly) toss them into the luggage. Which has worked for me to this day.

The Undercover Laptop Sleeve does exactly that for your laptop. Since it resembles a worn-out postal envelope, it is not only easy to camouflage your laptop, but also protects it from damage as it is actually a well-padded laptop sleeve by design. The sleeve is waterproof and tearproof. And to add that extra touch of reality, you can even write on the envelope. Genius or what?

I just hope that there aren't enough well-informed thieves to get around this one. Get yours for a worthy $33.

Via Slippery Brick.

Bomb USB flash drive will not harm your data

Any guesses on why the heck would anyone think of making a bomb-shaped USB flash drive ? We got no clue either.

But apparently this design by Joel Escalona Studio was intended to create a “metaphoric and conceptual object designed to be shown on a desk or a work place, not so much to carry around”. Just as well. Imagine carrying this thing around, say when you are aboard a flight. And God help you if you were daring enough.

It is still a concept that is looking to explode - oops - find producers.

Via OhGizmo.

Toshiba Tries to Make Digital Photo Frames Cool

Since their arrival on the tech scene, consumer electronic companies have been trying to sell the public on digital picture frames -- trying to convince how cool they really are. And despite numerous attempts and feature additions including being able to send photos wirelessly or the ability to create slideshows, we still haven't jumped on the digital photo frame album. Toshiba is hoping to finally make a decidedly lame product somewhat cool.

Olympus announces µ TOUGH-6010 for the adventure hungry

Expect the new Olympus baby - Stylus Tough 6010 (µ TOUGH-6010 in Europe) - to perform just as bravely as it sounds while on rough terrain. This new member of the Olympus rugged and compact series is waterproof upto 3-metres, shockproof upto 1.5-metres and freeze-proof upto -10 degrees Celsius. Which makes it good enough to carry on your next adventure trip without the usual jittery feeling that you get with a normal digital camera.

The technical specifications include a 12-MP sensor, a 2.7" LCD screen with Tap Control, 3.6X optical zoom, 45MB internal memory with xD/microSD card options. The other new features thrown in - an i-Auto intelligent mode which "uses advanced automatic detection technology to allow the camera to recognise the five most commonly used scenes automatically", and Magic Filters which "enable special artistic effects to be created directly in the camera".

While you wait to lay your hands on one this month, we daresay you will need more than just spare change to pamper yourself with this beastie - it costs a whopping $488.

Via Digital Photography Review.

Kingston creates record, releases monster 256GB thumb drive

Seven years down the memory lane, I still remember the times when at the end of a day's work at office, I would have to erase the paltry few MB of data on my 256MB thumb drive to accommodate a few files that I would take home to complete pending documentation. That seems like eons ago as I sit here, seeing a picture of this monstrous 256GB thumb drive from Kingston - the first ever in the world - with shivers of excitement down my spine.

Kingston has just released the Kingston DataTraveler 300 - a 256GB thumb drive which will allow a whopping 51,000 images, or 54 DVDs, or 365 CDs, or a database of documents which in an analog world would translate into a 1km paper tower. This beast is plug-n-play, has a 20 MB/sec. read and 10 MB/sec. write speeds, with a "Password Traveler" security software for Windows, and supports Windows ReadyBoost on Windows Vista systems.

Well, not everyone can rejoice just yet though since the release is only for Europe and the UK. And for those of you who can, it won't be unreasonable if you expect to win a lottery to be able to buy one - it is priced an equally monstrous $924.

Via Engadget.

Frost solar-powered air-conditioner makes your electricity bills lighter

Isn't it a smart idea that you make use of the scorching sun itself to keep you cool during harsh summers? Why not. And it just seems so perfectly logical, I wonder why solar-powered air-conditioners haven't made themselves loud enough (not literally) to be heard by folks like us who spend shameful amounts on our electricity bills all summer.

The Frost is a concept solar-powered air-conditioner designed by industrial designer Philip Stankard that uses stored solar energy to power its fans, and refrigerator freezer energy to provide a source of low temperature for the fans' breeze to circulate into your home. While the unit itself soaks up the sun and converts that into power to operate the fans, there is a removable freezer pack that you can put into the refrigerator's freezer unit for soaking up the ice. All you then need to do is switch on the unit and insert the freezer pack to get some cold wintry breeze.

Apparently it's not only a breeze on your electricity bill, but also an air-conditioner that looks swell. As there aren't more details available yet, one would assume that since this device doesn't seem to have the luxury of temperature regulation, it would perhaps be more appropriate to term it an air-cooler. Which still doesn't take anything away from how cool a concept this is. This time, literally.

Via Ecofriend.