Author: Gary Cutlack
The Dubai Ziggurat – environmentally sound housing for one million people
If the Egyptians required social housing, this would’ve been it. This staggering pyramid design is the latest in Dubai’s attempts to make it the playground – and architect lunatic asylum – of the world, a building capable of housing one million people.
The concept behind this “city of the future” is for the entire project to be off-grid and power itself, presumably by the methane emissions of one million people…
Disappointed eBay PC buyer finds boring old banking data stored on the hard drive
Honestly, what a disappointment. Of all the exciting things you could hope to find on the hard drive of a PC bought off eBay, rubbish old bank passwords has to be the last thing you’d want.
The computer in question was bought for £35 off the auction site, and apparently came pre-loaded with user data from the Royal Bank of Scotland and NatWest. Both banks have confirmed that the data is indeed genuine…
Samsung teaming up with Yahoo to offer web-enhanced TV, via the Widget Channel
Samsung will, so it is believed, announce a deal with Yahoo to include a series of web apps with its forthcoming HDTV range at this week’s IFA tech show.
The apps, powered by Yahoo Widgets and operating under the name Widget Channel, will let you augment your TV-watching experience, having all sorts of little windows popping up to give you news feeds, tell you what the weather is doing outside and let you watch share prices plummet throughout that afternoon’s episode of Countdown…
Dreamcast was RIGHT ALL ALONG – Sega launches Wii Maracas for Samba de Amigo remake
That image RIGHT THERE is proof. All the proof we need. Final, irrefutable proof that Dreamcast was best. It was just released before the world was ready.
SEGA of America has revealed this sexy pair of Wii Maracas to accompany the forthcoming Wii remake of Samba de Amigo, maracas that copy the design and style of the original – and eBay GOLD – motion-sensing maracas set released alongside the Dreamcast game…
Intel demos wireless electricity – magnetism used to avoid frying human flesh
It’s another entry in our occasional Future Made Real series, this time concerning fantasy sci-fi invention #261 – wireless electricity.
For some reason it’s chip-maker Intel that’s the latest company to show off some wireless electric kit, managing to power a 60 Watt light bulb (how energy inefficient of it) from a distance of three feet. That’s 90cm, if you’re reading this in the Benelux regions or France…
eBay Nutcase of the Week: Boy bids £200,000 for second-hand Nintendo Wii
A child who has yet to learn the true value of money went crazy on eBay, using his granddad’s login details to bid £200,000 for a Nintendo Wii.
Unsurprisingly, five-year-old Archie Lovett won the auction.
Ray Atkinson, 54, then received an email asking him for £197,654. Imagine how…
Sony reveals marginally redesigned PSP at Games Convention
If there are slightly fewer geeks quietly hanging around outside your local internet cafe, there’s a reason – they’ve all flown to Germany for Games Convention, Europe’s biggest annual video game show.
Sony revealed its GC plans last night, one of which is this – a redesigned PSP, dubbed the PSP-3000 thanks to its serial number. You might not be able to spot much of a difference externally, but inside you’re getting a supposedly “enhanced” LCD screen that’s better at coping with outdoor…
Star Trek Command Chair – Get your little clipboard and come sit on my lap, Uhura
No one understands your needs like Diamond Select Toys understands your needs – which is why the sci-fi toy and replica company has started making some of these. For you. For you to sit on and dream. For us all to sit on and dream. A realistic Star Trek Command Chair.
Based on the original Kirk-housing 1960s Trek captain’s chair, the new model makes sounds. The correct sounds. It even has lights and sampled dialogue. All you need to provide for 100% Trek authenticity is a ruffled quiff, slightly torn uniform and your girlfriend covered in green paint.
The realistically-proportioned Command Chair will go on sale in 2009. You might want to email the…
Atari and Codemasters join video game piracy legal fight – £300 fines on the way to 25,000 game-sharers
It would appear that yesterday’s shaming of poor Isabella Barwinska was no one-off – some of the largest players in gaming are joining up to (try to) eliminate online piracy.
Atari and Codemasters, who make half the stuff you’ve played during your lifetime, have joined Topware and another couple of companies in targeting P2P-using game pirates, and will, according to The Times, start sending out automatic £300 fines…
And finally… brave GPS-equipped turtle foils amateur drug grower
A keen marijuana user hit upon the great idea of using some off-the-track American park land to grow himself a few special plants.
In these environmentally worrisome times, you’d think he’d be applauded – but no. When a box turtle equipped with a GPS tracking device stumbled into his little outdoor hydroponics lab, the park ranger followed, found his stash and…
