Tuesday, December 18, 2007

More Windows Errors Take Over the World

error-creating-error.jpgReports all over the world confirm the worst: the best Windows error ever was just the beginning of a planetary invasion by alien forces using time-space-twisting software code. There's no other explanation for this gallery of demoniacally absurd errors:

They are even trying to trick us. What the hell does "Error, the operation was completed successfully" means. And when a computer asks you "Are you sure you want to send Recycle Bin to the Recycle Bin?" can't you see it's an evil—EVIL I say—trap to disintegrate this dimension?

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VoIP Coming to iPod Touch

dmd_1.jpgAn iPod Touch developer has just created a SIP-based VoIP app (which works with Asterisk and other open source free and paid VoIP providers) that was ported from an older app called SvSIP. The upside is that iPod Touch users that have the pre-amped mic addon that plugs into the dock connector will be able to actually talk on their iPods. iPhone users won't need the addon to talk (obviously), and should be able to get in on this action soon as well. We'll update when we know more. [Touchmods via TUAW]

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Nutty Salt and Pepper Shakers Are All Screwed Up

NUTBOLTSCREWSH.jpgSalt and pepper shaker collectors will be interested in this innovative way to dispense those table staples, looking a whole lot like nuts and bolts. They're actually constructed like a Slinky. Bend one of these bolts, and the gaps between its coils get wide enough to release your chosen seasoning. Good thing there's an "S" and a "P" inscribed on top, or we'd be totally screwed. The stainless steel variety is $55, or save some money on the black ones for around $40. [Gadgets UK, via Spluch]

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Dell Gets All Defensive About Latitude XT Tablet Pricing

from Gizmodo by

latitudeshot.jpgWhile we sorta groaned at the Latitude XT's $2500 base-model pricetag along with everybody else (cause it's expensive!) we didn't piss and moan too much because we knew that the DuoSense technology making it the only input device on the market that combines a pressure-sensitive pen with multitouch into a single surface is new, hot shit. And that's never cheap. But Dell is a little touchy about the feedback, so they've publicly defended the price on their Direct2Dell blog, with a chart showing how much more awesome it is than other tablets and quips like "we are talking about cutting-edge technology here."

dellchart.jpg The sorta interesting claim about the price itself is that it's only "a slight premium to our competition (emphasis on the word 'slight')," which is based on the math its "non-standard features" only carry a 13 percent premium over the competition. If you're still not convinced it's worth it, they're going to be following it up with more posts explaining why you're wrong.

The problem is that however much it surpasses other tablets, when you come down to it, $2500 is still two-and-a-half grand, and that's just for the base model. You bump the processor to dual core, the RAM to 2GB and expand the hard drive to 80GB, you're talking closer to $3,000 for what's really the acceptable spec configuration. And that kind of money makes most consumers antsy, however fancy your wares. We know we'll be waiting for it to plunge to more plebian prices, though we do appreciate the tech inside, Dell. [Direct2Dell]

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Virtual Cable nav system superimposes route guidance on your windshield in 3D

We've seen quite a few next-gen nav device concepts, but none with as much potential as the Virtual Cable, from a New Jersey company called Making Virtual Solid. The system uses a laser, a set of lenses, and a moving mirror mounted in the dashboard to project a 3D route-guidance line above the road ahead, as though it's actually out in front of the driver. Besides making driving that much more like a video game, the company says mass-produced versions will cost somewhere around $400 as a factory-installed option, and can be easily interfaced with existing GPS systems. Sadly, there don't appear to be any live videos of the system in action, but judging from the number of patent applications and incredibly detailed schematics and explanations on the website, the vapor factor seems pretty low. Check the read link for a set of video mockups of the system in action.

 

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