Content Preview: rss
Chloe Albanesius 6 hours ago
Who would have suspected that the hot toy of 2009 would be a robotic hamster? If you're not under 12, or a parent, the combination of cute, cuddly, and well, robotics might seem a bit alien. But kids have apparently been flocking to Zhu Zhu Pets (beware of the music!), a line of $10 robotic hamsters that roam through plastic tunnels, down slides and ramps, and power hamster balls. Their appeal can apparently be summed up best by Cepia, the small American toy company that has imported them from China: "The best alternatives to real live hamsters, Zhu Zhu Pets hamsters don`t poop, die, or stink, but they are still a riot of motion and sound." While it's unclear how many Zhu Zhu Pets have actually sold, the National Retail Federation highlighted the toys as one of the most popular sales items over the Thanksgiving holiday. Time to Play Magazine lists them as its top editor's pick for girl's toys. So far, a quick scan of retailers' Web sites seems to bear that ...Chloe Albanesius 1 days ago
Many of are out shopping for bargains right now, but for those of you with a little extra cash to throw around, how about an iPhone 3GS Supreme? The gold- and diamond-encrusted smartphone will only set you back about $3.2 million. It was reportedly created by Goldstriker's Stuart Hughes, who was commissioned by an Australian gold mining magnate to craft the blinged-out iPhone. It took about 10 months to create, and includes a single cut 7.1 carat diamond as the home button. Hmm, maybe next year.Chloe Albanesius 2 days ago
Apple has unveiled its Black Friday sales, and the deals are similar to those the company offered last year - $101 off the iMac and MacBook Pro, as well as savings on iPods and Apple TV. Though many retailers are running their Black Friday deals into the weekend, Apple's sales will occur today only on its Web site and at Apple stores. First up, Apple has dropped the price of iMac and MacBook Pro models by $101, and thrown in free shipping online. A MacBook Pro 13-inch with a 2.26GHZ processor, for example, has dropped from $1,199 to $1,098, while a model with a 2.53GHz processor will run you $1,398. The 15-inch MacBook Pros, meanwhile, currently range in price from $1,598 to $2,198 depending on the processor you select, while the 17-inch 2.8GHz version is retailing for $2,398 until midnight. On the iMac front, the price of a 21.5-inch machine with a 3.06GHz processor has dropped from $1,199 to $1,098, while the 3.06GHz version is now priced at $1,398. Get the ...Chloe Albanesius 2 days ago
Slacker has dropped the price on its 4GB portable player. For a limited time, the streaming Internet music service is offering the Slacker G2 for $129.99, down from $199.99, and will throw in a free docking station that normally retails for $30. It is available now on the Slacker Web site. The G2, which debuted in late 2008, essentially takes Slacker's music streaming capability on-the-go, and delivers customized music directly to the player. The version that's on sale can hold up to 25 different stations, 2,500 songs, has a total storage of 4GB, and 1GB of personal storage. The dock, meanwhile, connects to a home stereo or computer speakers, charges the player while listening or refreshes stations over Wi-Fi, and can connect to the PC to refresh music or transfer songs. Get the rest of this story on pcmag.com .Mariella Moon 2 days ago
A new kind of armor that can adjust on its own may be able to save a lot of lives. Scientists from Michigan's U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) are currently working on body armor equipped with sensors able to relay the armor's condition to a remote system in real time. According to New Scientist, the sensors used on the armor under development are a new technology. It is based on piezoelectric materials that have the capacity to generate a small amount of electricity when bent and vice versa. The idea is to use this voltage produced by the piezoelectric material upon impact with a bullet to identify areas of the armor which are most heavily damaged. This enables the real time monitoring of armor so that any imperfections are immediately discovered. "If you know that one side of the armor is weakening, you could turn the vehicle to protect that side," says Thomas Meitzler of TARDEC. Additionally, he voltage of the ...
