EasyBloom USB stake sensor now shipping, plants celebrate

Well, wouldn't you know it? That PlantSense prototype we peeked around this time two years ago has seemingly found the fundage to start up production, and at long last the revamped product is available for you to purchase. Now christened EasyBloom, this USB stake sensor analyzes important data when stuck in soil for 24 hours, after which it uploads the data to your PC (via USB) for determining whether or not a flower / tree / etc. should be planted there. Additionally, it can "diagnose what is wrong with an ailing plant," and it can even dole out a recommended list of which plants would be suitable for your environment. Sure, $59.99 may seem like a lot of green to toss out for something such as this, but it sure beats purchasing new flora every fortnight after you murder yet another round.
[Via: Engadget ]

IC3 Intelligent Cutlery System Silently Judges You During Meals [Concept]

Diets are tough, what with the eating and drinking of beer, and that being really, really, enjoyable and all. The IC3 Intelligent Cutlery System wants to help. How? Well, designer Alex Schulz says that as you chomp away at dinner, the IC3 does the traditional job as a fork, knife or spoon, and then goes the extra mile by silently judging and recording every bite you take. Even more interesting is that each attachment does something different. The fork, for example, measures fat, protein and sugar content. The spoon? That weighs the food, while the knife takes your food's temperature and ensures it's safe for eating. Then, after your meal, the IC3 synchs up with a PC or other information gathering device and produces a nutrition report, which you'll probably follow religiously for a few weeks before falling off the wagon. [Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]

Princeton publishes how-to guide for hacking Sequoia e-voting machines

If you're American, it's nearly time to do your civic duty and pick the lesser of two evils for the greater good... and then to wonder if that vote actually got counted. With Diebold admitting its own machines are utterly insecure, competitor Sequoia is now under the microscope and, after a little quality time with the company's machines, Princeton researchers have filed a 158 page report on the ease of replacing their ROMs and winning yourself an election. Okay, we know what you're thinking: "Hacking hardware isn't exactly easy when the computer is in a locked box." Amazingly, it is. A researcher was able to bypass the physical security mechanisms in 13 seconds, despite never having picked a lock before. Now you're thinking: "But you'd need to do that on hundreds of them!" Not so; once infected that malicious code can spread itself to others, and, with no paper trail and an easily bypassed internal audit system, you're well on your way to whatever dark corner of Washington, D.C. you care to occupy!
[Via: Ars Technica ]

Crapgadget: not-even-suitable-for-gag-gifts edition

We all know the holiday season is coming up, but even if you're on the hunt for a gag gift for your fav-o-rite prankster, we can't not recommend the following turds enough. Up first is the absolutely unbelievable Night Sweat Alarm watch, which actually wakes you up if it detects that you're perspiring. Why? Legend has it that no one knows. Moving on, we've got the USB Volcano -- a perfect mix of your first-grade science project and your college-era infatuation with all things USB. Things start to get really absurd when viewing the self-explanatory Glass of Milk Light and the Retro Handy Handset, but even those are potentially topped in stupidity by the Air Flow Mouse and cake-shaped USB drives. Have a look at each below before casting your vote, but keep that barf bag handy.
[Via: Engadget ]

iBone chew toy gives sneak peek at dog-centric App Store

We're going out on a limb here and assuming that the Haute Diggity Dog iBone comes jailbroken and ready to rock, or at least that's the impression we get from checking out that heretofore unseen bevy of icons. Customized for the "tech savvy dog on the go," this here iPhone chew toy gives dear Fido access to bark / hand-shake training, posture lessons, Washington Huskies sports updates (it's the Clemson Tigers in all honesty, but work with us here), a mysterious fitness app and a bone application for times when supper just seems too far away. You know your pup's worth the $11.95, you just know it.
[Via: textually ]

Back to the Future II Jacket on eBay [Fashion]

We've already gotten the 2015 Nikes, and now Marty McFly's Back to the Future II jacket is for sale on eBay. It's not the actual film prop and it sadly lacks Auto Dry, but this leather recreation will have to be close enough until the world's inventors get their act together and make us the real thing. Here's a shot of it being worn by some guy who's way cooler than you:

Currently listed for $400 on eBay, do your inner 10-year-old a favor and pick this thing up. You owe that kid big time. [Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]

Aigo's stretchy USB speaker borrows sock technology to boom the bass

Mmm, elastic, is there anything you can't do? First it turned that quitter of a sock into a winner, now it promises to assist in producing "the deepest music" from an open Aigo E086 portable speaker. The 1.7 watt USB speaker features a single 36mm driver, a 3.5-mm headphone jack, and a 3-hour charge for up to 4 hours of usage. And hey, Cingular was done with that logo anyway. Yours in Japan for ?2,580 or about 27 greenbacks.
[Via: Impress ]

DARPA's latest: a wrap that stops bleeding with sound

If we had our way, all our military tax dollars would go to DARPA. Whether it be nano planes, robot arms, or high-resolution sniper scopes, it always has something interesting cooking, and today's defense-minded gadget is no different. It's called a DBAC device, for Deep Bleeder Acoustic Coagulation; basically a portable ultrasound wrap that can identify wounds ("bleeders") and reduce their severity. It uses Doppler waves to find an internal leak, then turns up the frequency and amplitude on that location to stem it, all in a completely automated fashion able to be managed by any Joe in a hot zone. Okay, so perhaps it's not as cool as a remote-controlled zombie shark, but this cuff has the potential to save many lives and limbs on the battlefield -- assuming it works. DARPA hopes to have a functional prototype ready in 18 months. [Warning: PDF read link]
[Via: CNET News ]

Panasonic's new 3D range sensor functions in direct sunlight

Perhaps you're looking for a way to track potential cat burglers, give your robot some spacial sense, make your UIs a little more interactive, or you simply want to keep an eye on your "compound." Panasonic has just released detailed specs for its 3D range sensor -- the first, it says, to work in direct sunlight. Exhibited at CEATEC 2008, the device emits light from several dozen LEDs to track the movements of any object in its view. The company's previous 3D range sensor didn't function well (if at all) in bright light, but the equipment now compensates for "extremely bright ambient light" by measuring it and eliminating it from the equation. Can't wait to track your loved ones' every movement? The 24 volt, USB 2.0 sensor is slated for an April 1, 2009 release.

[Via: Tech-On! ]

Watermill pulls drinking water from thin air

Sure we've seen glorified dehumidifiers like this before, but we're a sucker for any aquatic wonder which claims to solve the world's drinking water shortage. The exterior wall-mounted Watermill from Element Four is the latest "water from thin air" contraption and produces up to 3.2 gallons of water a day, pumped through a trusty ultraviolet sterilizer. But more importantly, it offers to hydrate your family of 6 (according to EF) for a mere thirty-five cents a day in power, not including whatever price Element Four decides to sell it for. Or you could just stick a bucket on your roof and be done with it -- we hear it rains occasionally.
[Via: Gadget Review ]

Philips Simplicity shows off vision for the future of street lighting

In these green times, companies are looking everywhere to make a buck -- er, save the planet. Philips Simplicity didn't go much further than the sidewalk to find inspiration for its latest eco-friendly innovation, the Light Blossom, a self-sustainable street lamp that has triple-duty petals. They're peppered with energy-efficient LEDs to illuminate the street, naturally, but also have solar panels on top and can spin around in a stiff breeze to recharge. At night they'll emit a soft glow, intended to cut down on light pollution, but will grow brighter whenever a pedestrian comes by. It all sounds wonderfully efficient, but with lights popping on and off as you go, it could make that late-night walk of shame a little more conspicuous than you might like.
[Via: Engadget ]

Sony pushes out firmware 5.0 for PSP

"Soon-ish" has turned to "now-ish." PSP owners eager to get their minds into the PlayStation Network (and thus, the PS Store) right on their handheld can now do so... right after they suck down the freshly released firmware 5.0, of course. Aside from the obvious changes, the PlayStation format software can now be output in full-screen size on a connected device, the sleep timer feature can now be used under [Music], the system automatically reverts to USB mode when a USB cable is connected and the [Original] theme has been redesigned. Get it while the gettin's good.
[Via: Engadget ]

NTT says one of these days these boots are gonna charge your gadgets

Phone battery constantly dying as you wander from place to place, moving in and out of reception and leaving it straining to find a signal? You aren't alone, and if you're not the sort to wear a conductive dress (in public, at least) you may want to keep an eye out for some new kicks in the works from NTT. Their soles are filled with water, displaced as the wearer walks and forced through a tiny turbine. Current prototypes generate 1.2 watts of electricity, enough to power your iPod as you strut, but by the time these things hit production in 2010 the hope is to more than double that to 3 watts so that you can charge up your mobile, too. Sounds fantastic, but we're a little unsure about running wires down our pants to get that juice where we need it.
[Via: Engadget ]

Mugen PeriPeri Toy Makes It Feel Like the First Time, Over and Over and Over [Japan]

Sometimes, the feeling of tearing open the package is more exhilarating than whatever's actually inside (unless it's one of those god-forsaken plastic clamshells that require you to mutilate it with a weapon of mass destruction, which is its own kind of rush). So the same people who gave us infinitely poppable bubble wrap have delivered the other part of the equation: Mugen PeriPeri. It lets you experience the visceral joy of ripping apart a package again and again and again. And yes, there's a crazy video showing just how awesomely euphoric it is in the most ridiculous way possible.

[Trends in Japan]
[Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]

Non Stop Top Never—Wait For It—Stops Spinning [Spinning Tops]

Like a Ronco rotisserie or the perfect politician, you can set this non Stop Top and forget it, because it never stops spinning. Well, it never stops until it runs out of battery juice, which takes about eight hours. Mileage for pols or rotisseries is probably much more than that. It's a cool, shiny top, however, even if they don't really go into detail about the inner workings that keep it spinning for so long. [Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]