Gadgets

Bad news for Tony Fadell, a Michiganite and inventor of the iPod. In an interview yesterday, Gordon Brown claimed the ubiquitous device in the name of Mother England.

While talking about the economy during daytime television show, This Morning, Brown let it drop that it was a Briton who in fact invented the iPod.

"Companies will come and locate in Britain if we have the talented people to offer them," said Brown. "People with ideas and innovative things that they can market. You know it was a Brit that invented the iPod. If you've got really innovative things, people will come to your country to locate."

For a number of years now, work has has been proceeding in order to bring prefection to the crudely conceived idea of a machine that would work to not only supply inverse reactive current, for use in unilateral phase detectors, but would also be capable of automatically synchronising cardinal grammeters. Such a machine is the 'Retroencabulator'. Basically, the only new principle involved is that instead of the power being generated by the relaxive motion of conductors and fluxes, it is produced by the modial interactions of magneto- reluctance and capacitive directance.

Whether you want to watch a movie on your iPod or back up your too-easily-scratched DVDs, DVD ripping is a mysterious realm for many. Even those in-the-know find it difficult to keep up with the best tools for the job, especially in the face of increased copy protection. On Tuesday we asked you to share your favorite DVD ripping tools; today we've sifted through hundreds of comments to bring you the five most popular answers. Hit the jump for a closer look at five of the best and most popular DVD ripping tools, then cast your vote to determine the best ripper of the bunch.

Want the best collection of freeware ever?

Oleksiy Pikalo saw a video about Latte Art and figured that he absolutely must build a machine capable of printing the most beautiful art on top of his latte. video

For three decades Frank M. Rinderknecht tried to imagine how it might be possible to build a car that can fly under water. Now he has made this dream come true. watch video

According to HD Guru, Sony's not content with its less-than-number-one status in flat panels, so it's planning to claw its way back into consumers' hearts with deep price cuts on all of its 2008 models next month. The other guys, like Samsung, LG and Sharp, are already planning their own price war counter-attacks. And then, in reaction to the wave of cheap LCDs, plasma dudes like Panasonic (check our quick and dirty guide to plasmas) will prolly be doing their own slashing. Conclusion: Wait till May to buy an HDTV, 'cause it'll be mucho cheaper.

The inexorable march of technology has rendered my 4:3 aspect ratio 19" LCD mod and my pump-less water cooled PC obsolete, so when I saw at 24" wide screen monitor on sale for $299.00 I grabbed it with the intent on making a Steampunk All-in-One PC.

Nature never ceases to amaze us with its aesthetic beauty. It is no surprise therefore that nature's fascinating creatures also served as inspiration for the new projects of Festo's Bionic Learning Network. The structure and kinematics of AquaJelly and AirJelly are based on their biological model, the jellyfish.

I went to Amsterdam once and nearly got run over by a bicycle every 3 steps I took. Those crazy Dutch love their bikes but I thought it was strange and not very safe the way they parked them on the side of the canals. Anyone can steal the bike, push it into the canal or mess with it in numerous other ways. I guess they figure the punks are too high to leave the coffee shop and mess with a bike.

I don’t know if they ride as much in Japan as they do in Amsterdam but they came up with a much better system for parking a bike.

Computers Maintenance. What is inside your computer? If you have never opened your computer here are pictures what can be found inside.

You might get some funny looks whilst using certain keys on this embedded keyboard. Designer Erik De Nijs has embedded a rubber-keyed keyboard into a pair of jeans and besides typing out an email with your crotch, you can also listen to music using the built-in 'knee speakers' and play a game using the joystick controller behind the front zipper.

People will buy anything, no matter how dumb. Pet rocks and singing fish sold out of the store and while no one will admit to owning one, someone has to be buying it.

Check out a bunch of dumb ideas that made a lot of money. Maybe they’re not so dumb after all…

Samsung Electronics announced the launch of new mobile phone ‘Samsung Soul’, which will be available in France, UK and Germany through major European mobile operators and in most of GSM supporting open markets by end of April.

The slim, lightweight tri-band phone features a 5-megapixel digital camera, Wide Dynamic Range (WDR), Magical Touch by DaCP and internet access through the 7.2 Mbps High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA).

ASUS NOVA LITE should be the next generation desktop PC. It is small as 231 x 184 x 51 mm (9 x 7.2 x 2 inch) and weight only 1.5kg. ASUS NOVA LITE PX20, come with Windows XP (still alive, huh?), 80GB hard disk drive, 1GB DDR II.

Straight off the wrist of a Moon Base Commander from a 1960's Sci-Fi classic, this watch features all the things that you'd expect. Flat metal panel, cryptic flashing lights, carbon fibre style strap and display that looks like it's gauging your oxygen level.

This is the new all Black & Blue model. The case is brushed IP Black with all Blue LED's. Extra markings have been made on the face to distinguish the hours & minutes.

People have been gossiping about the possibility of “iPod Shades” from Apple since Steve Jobs toyed with the idea of using head-mounted video displays in a 2005 interview. Well, it looks like the company may have taken the first step towards making this into a reality when a recently filed patent for a “Head Mounted Display System” went public late last week. The “goggles” include a an integrated fiber optic line which acts as a lanyard that can be tightened to fit your head.

This is the worst air travel security idea I've heard of in a long time.
A Canadian company called Lamperd Less Lethal is promoting the EMD Safety Bracelet. It's equipped with electro muscular disruption technology, which effectively short-circuits the central nervous system. Zap someone and they'll be completely immobile for several minutes.

The technology isn't new -- cops and security guards have been using it for years in tasers. What's new is the marketing approach. Lamperd is hawking the EMD bracelet as the ideal tool for fighting terrorists intent on taking over an airplane.

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We thought it was about time someone made a nice mustache accessory. So we did it ourselves. This necklace is really meant for boys but it's solid sterling silver and very pretty so I've been wearing one and using it to comb the mustache in my dreams.

Each comb is lovingly hand cast, from solid sterling silver, by a local jeweler.

"O" the spherical ambient lamp is made out of composite materials and consists of elegant art nouveau symbols illuminated at varying intensities by rotating a ring. The lamp can be used as is to breath of refinement in your home but the same technology can be applied to larger installations for advertising.

While worldwide undergo protests and demonstrations in support of Tibet, but the Chinese authorities have demonized the Dalai Lama, the Chinese are continuing to prepare for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, with all its… Tack on sale recently received a gold Buddha Phone mobile phone.

Here’s an interesting one – it’s a bad breath detector! If you get lucky at the disco you can quickly check yourself out with the meter and buy one of those peppermint sprays if necessesary. Better still, you can hold this gadget in front of your hot date’s mouth and check to see if s/he needs to buy some mints too.

There are several categories of camera gear available: there's the sensible, the desirable and then there's the stuff that you'd never even imagined. Here's a selection of equipment that most definitely belongs in the latter category.

15 of the Hottest Grillz Money Can Buy

The magic table from the fairytales came to life. It's called Microsoft Surface. Think about the iPhone's touchscreen, but table sized and with a built around computer. I want one right now, even if its made by Bill and his boys.

Rolleiflex camera introduced a new Rolleiflex MiniDigi AF 5.0, which looks makes us recall the classic Rollei Twin Lens Reflex.

Very easy: The Celebrator is an extension piece that you place on the electrical toothbrush which vibrates with its movements. While having sex, with yourself or with your partner, you can use the Celebrator and enjoy it in the most optimal way.

Make sure that the electrical toothbrush has been sufficiently loaded. Remove the brush and replace it with the Celebrator and here it is: Your Toothbrush Makeover!

Your TV-B-Gone universal remote control resembles other TV remote controls, but is different in two important ways. First, it only has a power button that allows you to switch a TV on or off. You control when you see, rather than what you see. Second, the device is so small that it easily fits in your pocket, so that you have it handy whenever you need it wherever you go: airports, bars, restaurants, laundromats, etc.

Via The Presurfer

Like a cross between a skateboard and inline skates, but with more freedom and simplicity than either, the Orbitwheel is a brand new concept for wheeled sports.

The design is simple: two feet, two wheels... and you're ready to go. The Orbitwheel's concept is basic, but with the wheels whirling around your feet, you are capable of countless tricks and maneuvers that can be as complex and creative as you can come up with.

A regular alarm won't wake you up?
Not loud enough for your or you are just simply hard of hearing?

Well, wasabi may soon save your ass. Researchers in Japan are using wasabi's overpowering odor in a new type of smoke detector / fire alarm that wakes the deaf through scent instead of sound.