Joshua Topolsky   Year:by , posted Feb 5th 2008 at 4:59PM   Source Site:engadget

If youre like us, youve probably brainstormed the "perfect" mobile phone in your head a couple hundred times, wishing you could just convince someone to make it for you. Well, now youve got your chance thanks to the unfortunately-named zzzPhone, which inspires fantasies of long naps rather than high-tech gadgetry. According to the companys website, you can build your own device made to order, using "the same high quality components as major brands Motorola, Nokia, Palm, and Samsung." Of course, the major brands dont offer you actual MP3 and video files pre-installed on your device -- which really makes our copyright sensors hit the red. Sure, the phone appears to emanate from a dubious Shenzhen-based manufacturer, but once you see all the succulent options available to you, your ethi...

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Donald Melanson   Year:by , posted Feb 5th 2008 at 4:59PM   Source Site:engadget

Linus Torvalds may have dabbled in Apple territory in the past, but hes definitely not mincing any words about competing operating systems now. In a recent interview, Linus says that OS X is a "much better system" than Windows Vista overall, but that "in some ways is actually worse than Windows to program for." Apparently these problems are rooted firmly in OS Xs file system (HFS and HFS+), which he describes as "complete and utter crap," and even "scary." Of course, Torvalds also took the opportunity to tout the many virtues of Linux, which he says is an "obvious choice for anything from full-blown PCs to phones or video players." Damn straight it is. [Photo courtesy of AP, thanks Ash] ...

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Paul Miller   Year:by , posted Feb 5th 2008 at 4:59PM   Source Site:engadget

While weve been spending our days padding our Xbox 360 Achievements and building castles out of Popsicle sticks, here come some science jerks all making us look bad. Researchers in the UK and Germany have managed to assemble tetrahedrons out of DNA "struts" with some chemical trickery, and then fed the shape DNA "fuel" to get the tetrahedron to contract. Some "anti-fuel" expands the shape again, creating a sort of piston with all sorts of potential. The researchers are currently working to assemble larger structures using the tetrahedrons as building blocks. Possible applications of the technology range from drug delivery to the motors of nanoscale robots, and it sounds like humanity is doomed either way....

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Darren Murph   Year:by , posted Feb 5th 2008 at 4:59PM   Source Site:engadget

Hey, you -- about to pull the trigger on a svelte new 1080p Play Big IN82? Hold your horses young buck, as it seems that the aforementioned units successor is just around the bend. Reportedly, the InFocus Play Big IN83 will house Texas Instruments DarkChip 4 DLP chip and will feature a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, 5,000:1 native contrast ratio, 10-bit video processing, an HDMI 1.3 input, automatic black level calibration, 1,600 lumens and a three-year warranty. Unfortunately, word on the street pegs this beauty at ?3,500 ($6,948), so maybe that soon-to-be-discounted IN82 doesnt look like such a slouch after all. [Via AboutProjectors]...

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Darren Murph   Year:by , posted Feb 5th 2008 at 4:59PM   Source Site:engadget

While those in London can use SMS to actually find a lavatory, folks passing through Western Finland will be required to bust out their handset in order to relieve themselves in select public restrooms. In an attempt to curb vandalism, the Finnish Road Administration has implemented a system along Highway 1 which requires restroom visitors to text "Open" (in Finnish, of course) in order to let themselves in. The idea is that folks will be less likely to lose their mind and graffiti up the place knowing that their mobile number is (at least temporarily) on file, but it remains to be seen if uprooters will simply take their defacing ways elsewhere or actually excrete in peace. [Via Switched]...

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Joshua Topolsky   Year:by , posted Feb 5th 2008 at 4:59PM   Source Site:engadget

Since the first rumblings of the 700MHz auction began, theres been a fair amount of confusion, doubt, and distress over just what exactly this whole thing means. With the champagne-chugging news that bids have reached the $4.6 billion reserve for the "C" block and enabled the "open access" rules in that sector of the bands -- it seems prudent to explain just exactly what were getting into with this new chapter in the FCC-regulated airwaves saga, and what open access really means to you....

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Donald Melanson   Year:by , posted Feb 5th 2008 at 4:59PM   Source Site:engadget

Those looking for a bit more security than your standard off-the-shelf flash drive has to offer already have plenty of options to consider, and theyve now got yet another courtesy of Kanguru, which just introduced its new KanguruDefender Pro drive. Available in 1GB, 2GB, and 4GB capacities, and in your choice of red, green, blue, tan and yellow "security colors," the drive boasts hardware AES encryption, along with a tamper-proof aluminum casing and, of course, password-protection. Kangurus also seen fit to throw in a couple of decidedly non-security related measures, including custom printing and engraving (at an added cost, that is). If that sounds like the drive for you, you can grab one now for $65, $85, or $130, depending on the capacity....

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Darren Murph   Year:by , posted Feb 5th 2008 at 4:59PM   Source Site:engadget

For the fourth time in a week, an undersea communications cable has apparently been cut (or "failed due to a power outage," as some sources suggest), and while no official reports of subversion have surfaced just yet, things are beginning to get suspicious. Flag Telecom, a subsidiary of Indian conglomerate Reliance ADA Group, has had two cables damaged in the span of a week -- a quandary it has never dealt with until now. As it stands, traffic from the Middle East and surrounding areas is being routed through various other cables in an attempt to remain online, but any more snips and we could be dealing with ping times eerily similar to those seen in 1993 (or much, much larger issues). [Image courtesy of DivingCo]...

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Paul Miller   Year:by , posted Feb 5th 2008 at 4:59PM   Source Site:engadget

Lenovo seems to think this whole "brick" terminology for laptop power adapters is some sort of slight on the good name of AC/DC adaptation, and is releasing a slim new combo adapter to fight that negative stereotype perpetrated by a biased media. The new $119 90W brick measures a half-inch thick and is about the size of a deck of playing cards. It can power your ThinkPad, IdeaPad or Lenovo 3000, but is also built to charge most phones and PDAs, and some music players if you buy the optional connector tips. The adapter can charge two devices at once, is 25 percent lighter than Lenovos previous model, and is bricking up Lenovos online store as we speak....

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Paul Miller   Year:by , posted Feb 5th 2008 at 10:44AM   Source Site:engadget

UK startup Toumaz Technology is bringing band-aids into the 21st century with a new technology that can remotely monitor patients. The solution involves a custom mini-chip with a 5-7 day battery, with built-in 800-900MHz wireless and a price as low as $5 a pop when the disposable patch is released next year. The chip is designed to relay data from sensors such as electrocardiogram, a three-axis accelerometer, blood glucose, ph-level and blood pressure monitors. Consumers will be able to wear the patch at home, and hopefully a Lisa Frank version will be soon in the making....

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Joshua Topolsky   Year:by , posted Feb 5th 2008 at 10:44AM   Source Site:engadget

If youve been wishin and hopin for a new Dell laptop, you might want to hold off for a little bit. According to a speculative report over at CNET, the company is planning on upgrading laptop CPUs to Intels fancy new Penryn chips, though the PC-maker is remaining tight-lipped about just which models will get the spike, if any. Sure, we understand that Dell doesnt want to cannibalize its sales by hyping up new systems, but since its highly likely these will be broadly adopted for laptops in the future, and HP, Sony, and Toshiba (amongst others) are onboard for the 45-nanometer CPUs, youd think Dell would say something....

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