The iPod Amnesty Bin

Flickr user, ‘fimoculous,’ recently Microsofts Zune HQ. He snapped this photo of the “iPod Amnesty Bin” by the enterance which seemingly beckons those entering the domain of the Zune to trash their iPod and switch over to an oh-so-well-selling Zune.

I get the feeling, however, in order to get their little joke of the ground, Microsoft had to run out to the store to buy a few iPods to chuck in there. So, to prove their anti-iPod point, they just wound up feeding the frenzy. Pretty funny, I thought.

[Via TUAW]

The Heated Keyboard

As soon as I came across this keyboard I knew it was just stupid enough to be worthy of posting here. V8 Tools, has released a heated keyboard to key your valuable digits nice and toasty in the cold winter months. It boasts “upgraded materials and components inside and out” to keep the innards safe from heat. It’s heating ability is rather impressive. It’s got a three-position switch, Off, Low Heat, and High Heat. Low heat is supposed to maintain normal body heat between 85 F and 90 F, while High cranks out between 95 F and 100 F.

While it’s a clever idea, there really isn’t much use for it indoors. While it’s marketed for use in the shop, office, and at home I don’t see it getting much action any where besides a garage shop. And maybe in the rough terrain of a garage the “upgraded materials” will also help combat the dust and debris. One last thing, it looks horrible. But I guess it would fit in perfectly with the beige boxes that with Windows 98 that dominate shop computers, too bad most of them don’t have USB ports that this thing uses. The good news, is this toasty typing peripheral is moderately priced at $43.59, with available discount for multiple orders at Tooltopia.

[Via Engadget]
[Via Tooltopia]

iPhone: AT&T Exclusive for 5 Years

Since the official announcement of the iPhone a few months ago we’ve known the device would be exclusively offered (at least at first) on Cingular (“The New AT&T”). However, what we didn’t know was how long the exclusivity deal would last. Today USA Today reported that the contract would last a whopping 5 years, yes one half decade. So, if you want an iPhone before 2012 you’ll have to switch carriers if you’re not already an AT&T customer.

What strikes me most about this deal is a concern about product life cycles. The first generation iPod was introduced in October of 2001, the second generation in July of 2002, and fast forward to the fifth generation Video iPod, October 2005. That’s 5 iterations in 5 separate years. The other iPods (Mini, Nano, and Shuffle) have also seen refreshes in approximate one-year intervals. If the iPod is updated on average once every year, where’s the logic in deciding that the iPhone is going to last 5 years? Most people don’t even have a phone for 5 years. People tend to break their phones or want upgrades about every two years, especially teenagers. After all, that’s where the “New After Two” plan comes in. While the iPhone has tons of cutting edge features that haven’t ever been all combined into one sexy package, who’s to say there won’t be better phones coming along sooner. For instance, Meizu already has an iPhone knockoff in the works in China.

Another interesting tidbit is that Verizon claims to have an upcoming phone to combat the iPhone. "We do have a very good response in the mill. You'll see that from us in the late summer," says Denny Strigl, Verizon CEO. One of the main problems with an iPhone-killer is that it isn’t an iPhone. This is the same rudimentary problem that MP3 players have they simply aren’t iPods. Apple has the inside advantage with the iPhone. It’s hard for other phone companies to make smart phones that cater to the needs of Mac users. However, Apple’s got all the rights they need to make a phone that integrates perfectly with iTunes, iCal, and any other Apple software. It’s an advantage that no other phone company will ever have, and that is why there won’t ever been an iPhone-killer.

[Via Engadget]

Seiko’s Car Power Strip

Seiko is introducing their EM-49 “In-car socket extender with USB.” It features three 12V inputs from the single one in your car’s console. In addition, it offers a USB port for charging any applicable devices. This is perfect for charging an iPod on the go or maybe a new cell phone that can charge through USB. Being able to charge a USB device in your car without paying for the most likely high priced car charger is always a plus. There’s no word (yet) on availability in the states, but in South Korea they’ll be going for 18,100 won, or about $19.

What I wonder the most, is will this device allow you to use powered USB devices in your car? There’s a vast world of useless USB devices out there, how cool would it be to bring these gadgets to the car? You could get a quick shave on the way to work with the USB Powered Shaver, keep your coffee warm with the USB Mug Warmer, or maybe keep your soda cold with the USB Beverage Chiller, spice up that backseat make out session a bit with the USB Mini Lava Lamp, or even declare war on other drivers with the USB Missile Launcher. The possibilities are endless!

[Via Engadget]

Optimus Maximus for Pre-Order

Back in March I reported on the Optimus Maximus keyboard from Art Lebedev Studio. Well just the other day it went up on their website for pre-order. Along with that change are some accompanying images that show off just how good the keyboard looks.

As was always expected the keyboard is smooth and sleek with a nice solid (looking) construction. The main drawback, as I previously touched on, it it’s price. They’re asking a commanding 43,990 Rubbles or about $1564.37, probably about twice the amount an average consumer pays for their entire computer. On top of this, it will only be shipping in limited quantities; they expect to ship 200 for late December and will reportedly be shipping 400 in the beginning on January.


I tend to wonder, however, if there will ever be a second run of the Optimus Maximus. While the hype and buzz is high, there’s no telling if there will be much of a demand for this overpriced keyboard. While it looks pretty and will likely be the envy of most computer nerds, only a very select crowd will have the funds to even think about buying one. Only time will tell if years of design and vapor status will turn this opulent keyboard into a success for Art Lebedev Studio.

Wii Play Drums

So for my first post in practically a month I’m going to cheap out and go with a video clip. It’s a demonstration of a Wiimote drum kit nicknamed “Wii Play Drums” by thisisnotalabel.com. It’s a pretty cool demo I thought and if I had a Wii and a PC with Bluetooth (or if they coded a Mac version) I’d definitely check it out. I hope to see some future functionality for a second Wiimote, but it’s still way cool. Check it out below and if you’re interested head to their site.