In recent years we have been using more and more portable devices that rely upon batteries. But of course, batteries run out, and unless you have got access to more you can’t use your device. Unless you have something like the Freelader Solar Battery and it’s sunny. It can be used with many devices such as iPods (with adaptor), PSPs, phones and most MP3 players. We take a look at it and see how useful it actually turns out to be…

Read More

Many aspiring artists out there that are stuck on a computer all day have probably attempted to draw (probably in MS Ppaint!) with a mouse. It doesn’t work. That’s where tablets come in. Now we take a look at Wacom’s Bamboo Graphics Tablet.

I may be hopeless at drawing even with a good pencil, but I was very excited to review this graphics tablet. It costs around £50-60 (~$100-120 USD, but probably a bit cheaper over in the US).

Read More

Most adolescent teen boys think about lock picking at some point, and I am sure you all wish you could pick locks that time you lost your keys. But did you know you can make it relatively easily using bits inside your PC? All you need to pick locks are a hard drive, mouse, and a network card.

Over at Sorgonet, they explain how that is all you need to pick locks. It is quite a good read, even if you have no intention of actually picking locks!

Source: SpyReview (which also includes a video link about picking locks with your PC)

Google have been researching and developing mobile phone technologies for a while now, and for the first time, we have some scoop on these gPhones. Read it at ars technica.

Citing “people familiar with the plans,” the Wall Street Journal has a write-up today exploring the rumors of Google’s mobile ambitions. Google is believed to have spent “hundreds of millions of dollars” on its mobile phone project and has courted Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile, and others as possible partners for carrying a Google-designed phone. According to anonymous sources, Google has multiple phone prototypes and envisions a day in which mobile phones will be ad-supported thanks to services such as those Google provides.

As you would expect, Google is not ready to become a cellular provider just yet. Even if the company succeeds at the 700MHz spectrum auction, it will be a long time before it can compete with the likes of Verizon or AT&T as a carrier. Infrastructure can’t be built overnight.

Instead, Google’s approach is two-pronged, in that the company is working on its own devices, but is also working on a set of technical specifications and applications to be shared by multiple mobile devices. Google will allow manufacturers to use their prototype designs or make their own. Google’s chief interest, clearly, is getting its applications on phones. Mobile device versions of Google Maps, Google Talk, and even Gmail are already popular, and the company is working on a web browser as well.

Of course, as we have reported previously, mobile ad platforms make the wireless carriers nervous, especially when they are built around search services that are ultimately poised to eat the carriers’ lunch. If you’re a Verizon or a T-Mobile, you have the option of running your own search engines, which would allow you to keep a bigger chunk of the revenues generated from advertisers. Of course, if users sidestep your services for something offered by Google, then you’ll ultimately lose out.

However, ad revenue sharing is not the only issue. Third-party search results can’t be manipulated by wireless carriers to promote their own offerings by privileging them in searches and other search-based services. The wireless industry thrives on monetizing what many would consider typical behavior on any IP network, and handing over the keys to Google makes them understandably nervous about their own futures. They might also be a bit bitter when Google turns around and uses its own services to cross-promote its other offerings, which it can do for free.

For now, interest among carriers appears to be mild, but of course, no one is talking on the record, and Google is still deep in R&D. Stay tuned.

Today Ideazon, the people behind the legendary Zboard announced they are going to be releasing a new product in September, called the MERC Stealth gaming keyboard.

Read More

We’ve all seen the cool gadgets that spys like James Bond has, but of course, they’re all made up just for entertaining us while we sit in front of the screen.

Or are they..? Are they really just made up or do those fancy gadgets exist? In part one of a series we’re running at Techneek, we take a look and see if we can find some real life equivalents to some spy gadgets found in the world of James Bond.
Read More

I knew products like this existed, but never knew they were any good. Take a read of this:

Arrgh. I get so mad at Netflix for sending me DVDs that are scratched and skip (at the best parts of the movie of course). Wouldn’t it be wonderful if every piece of media we owned, rented, or borrowed were a download? Until that glorious day is upon us, it’s awfully handy to keep the Xinix CD/DVD Repair Pro close by.

Repair Pro is a motorized device that can clean and repair all DC/DVD media discs (games, software, videos . . . oh my!). It boasts a success rate of 98%, eliminating the scratches which cause skipping, mosaic, freezing, and scrambled screens. The best part? No need to use a spray cleaner or any type of cleaning solution.

We love this, because it means that we can finally clean and sell that vintage Paula Abdul CD. Straight Up.

From Popgadget