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Our iPhone 3G purchase review: Campout trip from hell
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Editorial, Features,
UPDATE: Watch the full video of our iPhone 3G line experience.
We had no idea that our quest to grab a few iPhone 3G units at launch here in the Seattle area would turn out to be an utter fiasco. Last year, when the original iPhone launched, we had a much longer wait in line (over 19 hours versus just over 8 hours) last year, and were further back in the line to boot. However, it was a complete failure on both Apple and AT&T’s part in making sure that the experience went as smoothly as possible.
Oh, sure, we finally have our iPhone 3Gs working and in good shape, but it took much, much longer to get them in that condition than it should have. Read on as we relive the events that took place earlier this afternoon at the Alderwood Mall Apple Store. Oh, and credit for that photo of Sparky walking out after being first in line goes to Jim Valley.
Click to continue reading Our iPhone 3G purchase review: Campout trip from hell
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Poll: How did your iPhone 3G launch day purchase go?
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Features, Handhelds, Portable Audio / Video,
We already told you about our crazy iPhone 3G launch day purchase fiasco, but now we wanna hear from you guys. Was what we experienced accurate? Did you just end up flying through purchase and activation, with no problems at all? Or was your experience more like ours, where things seemed to go wrong at every turn? Let us know!
Artist Michael Williams has created a London Tower Bridge out of 1.6 million matchsticks by using photos and images in books. The scaled-down perfectly proportioned creation is 800 ft. long and has an illuminated 52 gun galleon underneath. The water is also filled with lights. While it took him a decade to build, Williams now wants to sell the clever structure to fund a studio. Head over to his site if you want to make a bid. Smokers and pyromaniacs should probably not apply.
Read More 
| Michael Williams
Latest Gear Live Videos
We don’t know why we obsess on vending machines, but we assume Japan does since they seem to have a large assortment of them. Their latest is a fresh veggie type they call Extravaganza that dispenses bok choy and bean sprouts with the push of a button. With all the E. coli scares going on in the States, we doubt they will ever make it here. Besides, it just doesn’t have the same feeling as going to an outdoor market and purchasing fresh local vegetables.
Read More | <3 Yen
Google has finally launched Lively to try to lure some of those Second Lifers away. The site utilizes avatars and 3D graphics like the other virtual game, and meeting rooms for characters. After the download, you can also display YouTube videos on virtual TVs and show photos in virtual frames. Engineering Manager Niniane Wang wants subscribers to create their rooms in their own interests.
“If you enter a Lively room embedded on your favorite blog or website, you can immediately get a sense of the room creator’s interests, just by looking at the furniture and environment they chose.”
Note that you have to have Windows Vista/XP with Internet Explorer or Firefox to subscribe. We can’t anticipate its success but we did notice that the demo on YouTube already has received over half a million hits.
Read More | Lively
Pet Eye View Digital Camera
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Cameras, Smart Home, Misc. Tech, USB,
Would you really what to know what your dog or cat has been up to? Now you can with Uncle Milton’s Pet Eye View Digital Camera. The mini-cam clips to your pet’s collar as the built-in timer automatically takes pictures every 1, 5, or 15 minutes. It has a water-resistant ABS housing and comes with a lithium-ion battery, and USB cable and charger. While the gadget is creative, we are not sure we would spend the $44.99 to see images of dust bunnies and ancient crumbs that our cat would find behind the refrigerator.
Read More | Entertainment Earth
Bandai Ants Life Studio
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Misc. Tech, Portable Audio / Video, Toys,
If you were one of those kids that dug ant farms but could never get them to stay alive, Bandai’s Ants Life Studio is for you. The pixelated screen shows you how ants live and you control them by dropping virtual worms, sugar, fruit and pebbles on the ground. You can watch the workers work as well as stun your virtual pets a tad by shaking the device. The Studio has a blue backlight so that you can watch them even at night. So far only in Japan for $129.99, take a peak at Bandai’s site for demos.
Read More | Audio Cubes
For those who tend to use the same old crummy sponge/dishrag to clean counters and rearrange the bacteria, student designer Paul Oxley has created the Aquavac Tea Towel. The kitchen mini-wet vacuum will also clean up crumbs and dry your hands, as well as pots and pans. Oxley says, “Every year millions of people get food poisoning and between 100 and 200 people a year die from it. I found that one of the main ways of spreading the bacteria responsible for most cases is through the use of tea towels.“
Good point, good try, and maybe when it gets past the prototype stage, we will clean up all our acts.
Read More | Red Ferret Journal
Next time the spy in you rears its ugly head, try using the equally ugly but functional Scout Guard SG55 Digital Camera. At a size of 3.2 x 2 x 5.2-inches, the shots are triggered by any moving animal or human with a PIR motion detector. It will take images up to 3 megapixels with a maximum resolution of 2560x1920 or video clips up to 70 seconds. The infrared cam has a low battery LED indicator, TV out jack and comes with A/V and USB cables and a belt, in case you want to take it with you on your next case. The Scout Guard goes for $299.99.
(Thanks, Maggie)
Read More | vavolo
Kodak Theatre HD Player
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: HDTV, Home Entertainment, Movies, Wireless / WiFi,
Kodak isn’t just for film anymore. Their new Theatre HD Player allows you to display pictures and video on your HDTV and access Internet Radio, podcasts and other webbish delights. Accessible by PC, camera, and online photo sites, bore your relatives by creating slide shows to your tunes. The Picture Mail can wirelessly send and receive images. The theatre will be available in September for $299.95
Read More | Kodak
