Author name: Khalid Hosein

Get non-Apple sanctioned apps on Cydia

Phones / By /

Jay Freeman founded the Cydia app store for iPhones and iPod Touches about 5 months ago, specifically for all those applications that Apple has decided not to accept into their app store. Just one caveat, you need to jailbreak your iPhone/Touch.

One estimate says that 4 million iPhone users have jailbroken their phones so that it works with more than just the Apple App Store (among other things). Now, you know what to do if you want that Google Voice application!

I just wonder when Apple is going to bring the collective legal hammer to bear…

Rubik’s Cube 360 – puzzle

Gaming & Toys, Gizmo of the Day / By /

Professor Rubik is at it again. This time, he has invented the potentially maddening Rubik’s Cube 360. The goal of the 360 is to guide 6 different colored balls into their matching compartments.

Simple, right? Not so fast. There are 3 concentric, transparent spheres that the balls can travel along, you have to spin the 360 and guide the balls.

Hours, if not years, of fun (?!) for under $20.

Buy now!
Price: $14.99
(Please note prices are subject to change and the listed price is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of posting)

Laplink Everywhere 5 – remote access software

1 Comment / Computers, Networking & Internet, Software / By /

Like GoToMyPC and LogMeIn, Laplink Everywhere offers folks the ability to gain access to their PCs at home remotely. Apart from standard browser-based access, Laplink Everywhere 5 also comes with a free application for Win Mobile users to access their desktops at home.

Other interesting features include: desktop control, file transfer and synchronization, Outlook access and access to Web bookmarks.

You can try out LLE5 free for 30 days after which it falls back to the limited version. Upgrade to the full version for $49.95/year.

Buy now!
Price: $49.95/year
(Please note prices are subject to change and the listed price is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of posting)

Google’s Android OS to appear in more than just cell phone handsets?

2 Comments / Home Automation, Miscellaneous, Phones / By /

Android appears set to start appearing in more than just cell phones. A few reports point the way. Although Google appears mum, one touchscreen manufacturer, Touch Revolution, says they’re working on Android-based devices for quite a few companies. Another company, MIPS Technologies, reported this week that they’ve ported the open-source Android to their architecture, which is used on their home devices.

What types of devices? Well, the sky’s the limit really. Think landline handsets, kitchen Net-appliances, DVRs, even photo frames. It’s possible some of these devices may start appearing this year.

ZZZ Checker – monitors and analyzes your sleep

Home Automation, Sports, Health & Fitness, Outdoors / By /

Add another sleep analysis gadget to the growing list. This time around, Japanese company Spec Computer has a product that does not require you to wear a wristband. Instead the ZZZ Checker uses audio and visual sensors to tell what you’re doing.

This is not a tool like the aXbo alarm clock that wakes you up at optimum points during your sleep cycle. However, it records things like snoring, teeth grinding, tossing and figures out if your sleep is light, medium or deep.

You can transfer the data from the ZZZ Checker to your PC and analyze with the included software.

Sorry sleep-deprived Westerners, but it’s currently only available in Japan, although if the display is any clue, they’ve probably designed it with English speakers in mind too. If you’d like to get your hands on something similar, take a look at the SleepTracker Pro Watch.

via dvice.

Axxis Biotmetrics USB Fingerprint Lock

Gizmo of the Day, Home Automation / By /

Sure, fingerprint-based locks have been around for a while, but we particularly like this one for its USB port so that you can easily program it and download records. The Axxis Biotmetrics USB Fingerprint Lock is perfect if you’re building your evil genius hideaway or more tamely, if you have a business and want to better secure the buildings and/or some rooms.

A user needs to enter a PIN as well, so just cutting some guy’s thumb off isn’t going to do the trick alone! There are 2 add-on accessories that you can get for this lock. First is the AT (audit trail) upgrade which lets you download all the accesses (successful and failed) to a USB thumb drive and display them on a computer.
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G.I. JOE: The Rise of Cobra

Gaming & Toys, Gizmo of the Day / By /

Paramount may not have screened the movie to critics, but they’ve teamed up with Electronic Arts to create an ambitious accompanying game for 6 platforms, including Xbox 360, PS 2 & 3, PSP, and Nintendo Wii and DS.

You choose from one of 12 characters and work your way through storylines developed just for the game. You can even play with a friend.

Buy now!

More info from the manufacturer
Price: $29.99 – $47.99 depending on platform
(Please note prices are subject to change and the listed price is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of posting)

Great Pacific garbage Gyre to be studied

Miscellaneous / By /

Finally. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a huge area in the Pacific Ocean that has a concentration of debris and garbage, particularly plastic. A scientific crew has set off to investigate it in-person.

This trash gyre is not the only one, but it is the largest. Despite the NOAA having predicted its existence over 20 years, this is the first time a real survey is to be conducted. For shame. They don’t even know exactly what they’ll find – a super dense patch of garbage or just the place where the garbage eventually drifts to. Either way, it’s a problem. The plastic is toxic when it degrades and it certainly kills wildlife when they eat it.

DeLorme’s Topo USA 8.0 – GPS mapping application

Gizmo of the Day, GPS / By /

Version 8.0 of DeLorme’s Topo USA brings new features such as streamlined map-to-GPS transfers, paperless geocaching, new road detail for Canada and Mexico, and improved in-vehicle GPS navigation with laptop PCs. If you’re not aware of what Topo USA gives you, it’s a software application for PCs that can be used by itself or with Delorme GPS units.

Topo USA gives you terrain, trails and of course road details. You can explore 3D maps, map your routes, find points of interest, customize and print maps. And of course, push this data to your GPS unit for offline use.

Buy now!
More info from the manufacturer
Price: $71.31
(Please note prices are subject to change and the listed price is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of posting)

ambient’s Baseball ScoreCast – automatically tracks all MLB scores, standings and more

Gizmo of the Day, Sports, Health & Fitness, Outdoors / By /

If you’re any kind of baseball fan, then you’ll want to get this fantastic little gadget that automatically updates and displays the scores for every Major League Baseball (MLB) game. And no subscription fees.

You can see things like team schedules, stats, standings, starting pitches and more. The data is updated every 15 minutes wirelessly. About the only drawback is the need for 4 AA batteries – come on guys – go rechargeable.

Buy now!

More info from the manufacturer
Price: $129.99
(Please note prices are subject to change and the listed price is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of posting)

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