27-inch iMacs now being prepped to ship to early buyers
The 21.5-inch and 27-inch iMacs
(Credit: Apple)
iMac buyers who already ordered one of the new 27-inch models are now being told by Apple that their units are one step closer to shipping.
A few MacRumors forum members who snagged the new large-screen iMacs say they’ve received notices indicating that the order status has been changed to “Preparing for Shipment.” At least one person also said his credit card has been charged.
Both signs mean the 27-inchers are almost ready to be handed off to the shippers. Customers say the estimated delivery time is still being quoted as somewhere between December 21 and 31, according to MacRumors. But buyers could see them sooner if Apple can get them out the door fast enough.
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Gasp over hundreds of billions in gold at Bank of England
A view of just one of the gold vault rooms in the Bank of England. Each shelf contains about a ton of gold.
(Credit: Bank of England)
Have you ever seen billions of dollars in gold bars? A video — made in the name of science — gives a glimpse into the massive gold reserves at the Bank of England.
University of Nottingham professor Martyn Poliakoff loves the elements. The eccentric science wizard works with others on a popular Web site and YouTube channel known as The Periodic Table of Videos; one latest videos focuses on one of the most valuable elements in existence — gold.
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To further our scientific knowledge (and inadvertently make everyone feel really poor), Poliakoff visited the massive gold bullion vault within the Bank of England and filmed the jaw-dropping contents within. The U.K. stores about 197 billion British pounds ($315 billion) worth of gold bars in various rooms of the vau… [Read more]
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Futuristic handcuffs would administer shocks, drugs
Progress?
(Credit: Patent Bolt)
Sometimes an invention comes along that makes you excited about the future.
For a long time, it seems that handcuffs have been stuck in the movies of old. They restrain you, but, odd for our interactive world, that’s all they seem to do.
Might I tempt you toward futuristic handcuffs that will offer you a small involuntary judder?
I am grateful to Gizmodo for discovering that Patent Bolt has lucked upon a patent that offers bound(less) excitement.
For these are handcuffs that offer surprises. Indeed, they might make the idea of being tased, bro, not quite so bad.
The patent is called “Apparatus and System For Augmented Detainee Restraint.”
The augmentations it offers are truly quite something. You see, these handcuffs are “configured to administer electrical shocks when certain predetermined conditions occur…. [Read more]
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Futuristic handcuffs would administer shocks, drugs
Nook Simple Touch e-reader drops to $79
(Credit: Barnes & Noble)
Barnes & Noble is dropping the price of its Nook Simple Touch e-reader by about $20 starting tomorrow, with a new price tag of $79, the company said today.
Not a full-blown tablet, the Simple Touch relies on a touch screen for flipping e-ink pages, navigating menus, and so on. CNET Reviews gave it four out of five stars and called it a “major advancement” over its predecessor.
As CNET’s Rick Broida noted recently in his Cheapskate blog, though full-feature tablets like Amazon’s Kindle Fire can be had for as low as $160, many people prefer an e-ink screen to one that’s backlit — it’s easier on the eyes and better for outdoor reading. And with just books and other reading matter on the gadget, you can’t be tempted to stray from “War and Peace” for Facebook, Angry Birds, or whatever else.
Walmart was recently selling refurbished models of the Simple Touch for $50, but those seem to be … [Read more]
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DoorBot wireless doorbell cam lets you see visitors
Smile, you’re on camera.
(Credit: DoorBot)
When my doorbell goes ding dong and the dogs go crazy, the last thing I want to do (aside from shushing my beasts) is actually talk to the person at the door who I probably didn’t even want to talk to in the first place. Unless it’s the pizza guy.
Fortunately, a Wi-Fi-enabled doorbell called DoorBot could make the mystery of a random household visitor a thing of the past. The $169 high-tech door device features a built-in camera (with infrared for nighttime support) that captures live video of the person who presses the button. From there, a notification pops up on the owner’s device that gives the option to display the video feed on the app (works with iOS and Android tablets and smartphones).
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Crave Ep. 102: Mr. Ghost app
Mr. Ghost App Ep. 102
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On the second episode of Crave’s newly resurrected weekly show, we ain’t fraid of no Mr. Ghost iPhone EMF detector. Aaron Rasmussen, the creator of the ghost-hunting app, joins us via Skype to go over some of its cool features. Plus, we check out PopSlate, an iPhone case with an e-ink display on the back. Also, play our new game “Into It/Not Into It.”
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- Mr. Ghost iPhone EMF detector for hunting hauntings
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Moon to become next hot vacation destination?
Tourists may follow in astronaut Eugene Cernan’s footsteps on the moon from 1972.
(Credit: NASA/Harrison H. Schmitt)
I feel sorry for all those suckers who blew $20 million and only got a lousy trip to the International Space Station. If they had held out, they might have had an opportunity to invest many more millions on a trip to the moon.
Golden Spike Company announced yesterday a venture to launch commercial voyages to the moon by 2020. Of course, this sort of experience doesn’t come cheap. Golden Spike is expecting a trip to cost $1.5 billion per flight.
At that price, most private clients would be left out in the cold. As awesome as moon tourism sounds, Golden Spike is mainly focused on offering its services to governments that would like a lunar lift, much like Russia helped other countries get to the space station. Still, I’m guessing Golden Spike would think twice about turning down a multi-billionaire with the dough and desire to buy a ride.
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Mitsubishi unveils two-armed nuclear plant bot
(Credit: MHI)
Call it too little, too late.
Mitsubishi is the latest Japanese conglomerate to show off a new robot to work at the devastated Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, following Toshiba’s flubbed demo of a quadruped walker.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), Japan’s largest defense contractor, yesterday unveiled the Maintenance Equipment Integrated System of Telecontrol Robot (Meister), a two-armed unit that rolls around on four tracks.
The remote-controlled bot can wield a variety of tools such as cutters and drills, clear obstacles, and pierce through concrete to check radiation levels, according to MHI.
Just like human arms, its robotic appendages can move along seven axes. Check it out cutting a pipe in the video below.
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$24,000 Transform Robot goes from car to humanoid
“No transform, no robot” is Brave Robotics’ slogan.
(Credit: Brave Robotics)
We’ve seen transforming robots before, and I’m not talking about anything related to Hasbro.
Researchers from MIT are among many engineers and tinkerers trying to design robots that perform different functions by changing their shape or appearance.
Japan-based Brave Robotics has designed a 1/12-scale RC car that can transform into a humanoid robot. It can shuffle around, grab footage with its Wi-Fi camera, and even fire little missiles from its arms.
But the intriguing part about the Transform Robot is its scope. Not only has Brave Robotics hobbyist Kenji Ishida put 10 years into building robots in disguise — he began in 2002 with a simple pair of legs and the Transform Robot is version 7.1 — he wants to build a full-scale transforming, drivable car with artificial intelligence by 2030.
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My Best Tech Gift Ever: Beatles catalog on a USB key
This USB key brimming with Beatles songs made CNET editor Dan Ackerman very happy.
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)
Every day this week, a different CNET writer or editor will recall a tech or geek-centric present that left a mark. Read past stories by Eric Mack, Jeff Sparkman, and Jay Greene, and look for another installment tomorrow at midnight PT.
Maybe it’s because I’m surrounded by this stuff every day, but traditional technology gifts tend to leave me cold. Even the memories of unwrapping game consoles or that first yellow Sports model Sony Walkman don’t stand out in a best-gift-ever sort of way.
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)
Instead, I turn to a more recent holiday gift, one that combines technology and art, importantly using the former in service of the latter.
In 2009, right on the heels of a pair of remastered CD box sets, the entire Beatles catalog was officially … [Read more]
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