Switched

$60,000 Diamond-Encrusted iPod Earbud Covers

by Donald Melanson, posted Oct 11th 2008 at 4:43PM

Yes, you read that right, covers. As in, $60,000 of diamonds that clip onto a standard issue pair of iPod earphones. If the economic hard times are really hitting you hard, you can also opt for a $4,500 set encrusted with black or white diamonds, or even a set covered with the ever-popular multi-colored Swarovski crystals -- a veritable bargain at just $110. [Via musicradar.com]

Rideable Robotic Triceratops Yours for Only $300

by Engadget Staff, posted Oct 11th 2008 at 3:22PM

Playskool's Kota the Triceratops is a robot dinosaur that uses 11 sensors to respond to touch and sound by wiggling its horns, wagging its tail and turning its head. It also plays a few "adventure themed songs." Best of all, it can't stampede or impale anyone; like the animatronic Triceratops in 'Jurassic Park,' Kota can't get up and move around. That won't stop kids from adoring it though. Like Pleo before it, Kota's cuteness overpowers all. Don't believe us? Shipments have begun, so you can buy the cuddly robot and see for yourself. All you need is 300 bucks. Or you could just check out the video beyond the cut.

Continue reading Rideable Robotic Triceratops Yours for Only $300

Computer Program Knows How to Make You More Beautiful

by Tim Stevens, posted Oct 11th 2008 at 1:38PM

Software to Rearrange, and Beautify, your Face

Chances are you've looked in the mirror before and spotted something on your face you wouldn't mind tweaking, whether it be a simple blemish or something a little more serious such as an uneven eye or a nose that didn't make it through your youth without getting a little crooked.

Such facial issues can be addressed by doctors and surgeons, to some degree (if you've got the money). But if seeing the 'ideal' you in a picture is enough, then a trip to visit some researchers at Tel Aviv University (TAU) might be in the cards. They've developed software able to start with a single picture of a face and automatically re-arrange its parts dynamically to improve its attractiveness.

The researchers trained a computer program to determine those faces considered by humans to be more attractive. Now, when the computer is given a photograph of any person's face (regardless of race or sex), it will manipulate that input face to improve its geometry. The results are occasionally quite noticeable, like the straightening of the eyes in the woman above, which, we figure, makes her more classically attractive. Sometimes, though, the manipulations look rather too artificial and a bit creepy. And isn't beauty in the eye of the beholder, anyway? Hit the read link to see a whole slideshow of automatically retouched celebrities and see for yourself. [From: The New York Times]

AlertMe Service Automatically Shuts Off Gadgets When You Leave

by Tim Stevens, posted Oct 11th 2008 at 12:02PM

In-home power consumption monitors are trendy pieces of kit lately, with a new one popping up every few months. But, while they're all happy to just kick back and tell you what a wasteful pig you're being, a new service from UK security company AlertMe could actually make you more efficient. Subscribers to the company's monitoring plans, which start at about $260 plus another $17.50/month, will be able to purchase Smart Plugs for $43 each that can communicate wirelessly to an AlertMe Heating Controller.

From there subscribers can monitor their energy usage online via computer or phone. That's all standard stuff, but the service also includes keyfobs that will automatically turn down the heat and deactivate devices when you leave, and allows users to manually control the plugs and the thermostat by text message, meaning you'd never be more than a few thumb-presses (and a 20 cent service charge) away from a warm and inviting home.

[Via SmartPlanet]

Best of the Web This Week

by Switched Staff, posted Oct 11th 2008 at 10:13AM

Leaves are falling (well, for some us) but the internet is rising with sheer awesomeness. This week we discovered musical vegetables, girls with mustaches and a tourist that replaces landmarks with knick-knacks (see above).

We've worked hard all week, so relax this weekend with some of these Web-a-rriffic links.

We all LOL'd at this cheeky remake of a classic A-Ha song.
Marvel at these amazing 3-D chalk drawings.
Giant pumpkins are big on the internet.
Parents get revenge by videoing their babies fake crying!
Politics are big on the interweb; hip hop kids are pumped, the candidates love their bling, and yes - Barack O'Lanterns.
Seen 'Toy Story 2 was okay!' written on a wall somewhere? Here's what it means.
Painful new trend: People touching electric fences.
Could a cat save us from our financial crisis?

HDTV Listings for October 10, 2008

by Richard Lawler, posted Oct 10th 2008 at 6:30PM

What we're watching tonight:

CW (1080i) lines up 'Everybody Hates Chris' at 8 p.m. followed by 'The Game'
TBS (1080i) has the ALCS with Red Sox/Rays at 8 p.m.
MyNetworkTV (1080i) has 'WWE: SmackDown' at 8 p.m.
CBS (1080i) brings 'Ghost Whisperer' at 8 p.m. followed by 'The Ex-List' and 'Numb3rs'
Cartoon Network (1080i) has 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars' at 9 p.m.
Sci Fi (1080i) drops in 'Stargate Atlantis' at 9 p.m. and 'Sanctuary' at 10 p.m.
USA (1080i) has the season premiere of 'The Starter Wife' at 9 p.m.
TLC (1080i) has 'What Not to Wear' at 9 p.m. and 'Say Yes to the Dress' at 10 p.m.
ESPN (720p) has Louisville/Memphis college football at 8 p.m.

GPS Could Save Airlines Billions in Fuel and Reduce Flight Times

by Terrence O'Brien, posted Oct 10th 2008 at 5:05PM

A new GPS system being planned by the FAA, called NextGen, could potentially save airlines 3.3 billion gallons of fuel per year (about $10 billion at todays prices)

The GPS system would replace the currently aging system of aerial highways that use use radar and radio beacons to guide planes. The use of GPS would allow planes to fly the shortest route between two points, shaving time off of flights and saving fuel.

Unfortunately, NextGen isn't expected to be ready until at least 2020, but the airlines are expected to provide $15 billion of the estimated $35 billion the project will cost. The airlines will also have to retrofit their planes with a new $200,000 GPS system. Considering their current struggles to stay profitable, carriers are understandably reluctant to layout such a large amount of cash to start equipping aircraft with a system that is still 10+ years from being functional.

If the system ever actually gets off the ground, it could keep many carriers from slipping into the red, but as with any massive government-funded program it's unlikely it'll be completed on time or on budget. Expect to see the first NextGen equipped planes to be rolled out around 2130 at a price of $3 bazillion per plane. [From: USA Today]

Wowwee's 'Mr. Personality' Robot Changes Identities on a Dime

by Donald Melanson, posted Oct 10th 2008 at 4:01PM

WowWee's Mr. Personality bot made its debut way back at CES in January but, like some other WowWee products announced at the show, it's only just now made its way into availability. As you can see above, the bot's a close relative of WowWee's Tri-Bot, with it boasting the notable addition of an LCD screen for a face, which promises to "display his personality with animated and synchronized facial features." The bot also includes an SD card slot than can be used to add additional personalities, plus 64MB of internal memory, a remote control, all the usual sensors and, of course, plenty of fortune and joke-telling features that promise endless hours of fun / annoyance. Just be prepared to shell out for that robot companionship, as Mr. Personality's company will cost you a hefty $300. [From: esend.com Via Robo Community]

Radio Reporter Misses Live Broadcast Because of Facebook

by Lee Bains, posted Oct 10th 2008 at 3:04PM

It should be clear from recent reports regarding Facebook that folks are enchanted with the networking site. College students, for instance, seem more interested in peeping their friends' profiles than in listening to their professors' lectures. According to a story from news.com.au, graduates aren't changing their ways too much once they move into the workplace.

This past Sunday, the listeners of Australian radio station 3AW's afternoon news broadcast were puzzled to hear the news segment's theme music followed, not by the news, but by advertisements. The reason for this misstep? According to a station insider, the designated news reader was, instead of reading the news, obliviously browsing through her Facebook account.

There's been plenty of discussion recently on whether or not the use of social networking sites can increase workers' productivity. We'd say that this little anecdote is a big old check in the "Nay" column. [From: News.com.au]

Kevlar Handkerchief Protects Your Chest/Face and Blows Your Nose

by Darren Murph, posted Oct 10th 2008 at 2:06PM

We find it hard to believe that we won't see one of these being used somewhere in the upcoming 007 film, but even if not, you can definitely put one to use in your everyday life -- if you can get ahold of one of the ten being made, that is. Srulirecht's DÆmdur is a Kevlar-based handkerchief which can keep your schnoz squeaky clean and (in theory, at least) keep your chest free from bullets. Granted, even the manufacturer makes clear that it takes no responsibility for "schmucks and wooden-heads who feel compelled to test the endurance or resistance of the textile in any way," but it sure beats those cotton ones you buy ten to a pack.

[Via OhGizmo]

Portable TVs Won't Work After February 2009 Analog Shut-Off

by Tim Stevens, posted Oct 10th 2008 at 1:19PM

Impending Digital TV Upgrade Will Leave Portable Sets Dark

Surely, by now, you know that analog TV is going offline very soon (February 17th, 2009), right? Hopefully, you've received your coupon, hooked up your converter, or just gone ahead and used this as a good excuse to join the HDTV era. But, do you have one of those portable TVs that you bring along to the tailgate or switch on whenever the power goes out during big storms? If so, you're not alone, and many are just now realizing that those sets will soon be useless.

Portable sets rely on analog signals captured through their rabbit ears, and with many having no inputs on the back there's absolutely no way to make them functional again. This is causing concern among many who use portable sets to get updates during times of emergency, and while there are portable digital TV converters available, not all sets can use them.

The solution? Well, for now, it's simply to get a portable radio and rely on that -- and maybe recycle that soon-to-be obsolete antique of the analog era. [From: USA Today]

Economy Driving Users to Finance News Sites in Record Numbers

by Terrence O'Brien, posted Oct 10th 2008 at 12:30PM

Ecomogeddon Drive Traffic to Financially Themed Web Sites

The financial crisis is actually proving to be a boon, for some. Finance-themed Web sites have seen huge increases in traffic, and even the little guys are noticing massive numbers of new visitors.

Understandably, major online financial outlets like the Wall Street Journal, AOL Money and Finance, and Yahoo! Finance have seen record levels of daily traffic, but it's what has been happening at the smaller sites that has been truly amazing. comScore, an Internet tracking company, has reported that GasBuddy.com (a site that directs visitors to the cheapest gas stations in their neighborhood) has seen its traffic jump by 30-percent. SavingAdvice.com, a site offers coupons and information of shopping deals, has said its daily traffic has increased dramatically.

The best barometer for what is driving Web traffic is usually Google searches, and in September, queries for 'stocks' nearly tripled.

Other companies may also see bright days to come thanks to the encroaching ecomageddon. FindHow.com, a site that specializes in Do-It-Yourself instructions for building and fixing things, expects to see growing demand in the coming months not just for its site, but for the DIY movement on a whole. [From: Yahoo! Tech]

Members of Congress at Last Allowed to Post on YouTube

by Tim Stevens, posted Oct 10th 2008 at 11:32AM

We've seen twittering and vlogging from from Capitol Hill, and all sorts of other uses (and exploits) of technology for political use, misuse, and... intimidation? So far, however, official support for the use of the Internet outside of the .gov domain by members of Congress has been off-limits. That changed yesterday with a new rule change that opens up the wilds of the 'Net for Congressional gain.

The new rule enables members of Congress to post official content anywhere on the Internet -- so, for example, they can now post videos and advertisements on YouTube. Members can also now link to non-government sites (what a concept!) and even embed content, like those videos, into their official .gov sites.

Frankly, we're shocked this was all officially off-limits before, as these are features and services we've all come to depend on. With these new rights, we're expecting an explosion of blogging and vlogging congressmen and women in the very near future, which, presumably, will allow us to communicate better with our politicans. [From: Washington Post, via digitalmediawire]

Text a Question to Palin, Watch it Streaming Online

by Tim Stevens, posted Oct 10th 2008 at 10:48AM

Whether you're impressed by Sarah Palin's folksiness or disturbed by her evasiveness, there's a good chance you might want to ask her a question. Now is your chance. The California Democratic Party has rented a digital billboard across from an upcoming rally for the Veep candidate in Los Angeles. Anyone can send a text message to 69866 containing a question (160 characters or less) and the keyword "ASK." The question will be shown not only on the billboard, but also on the Internet, where it is streaming live in the above video.

Obviously, many of the questions seem to be somewhat less than pleased with the Governor's previous statements, but despite that we haven't seen anything that's overtly offensive, which makes us think there's someone somewhere approving these before they get published. That's a good thing. [From: textually.org]

Google Worker Getting Baby's Name From Internet Poll

by Andrew McKinnon, posted Oct 10th 2008 at 9:50AM

Google programmer Jason Morrison needs your help in naming his baby, which is due November 16th 2008. Using the Google Docs poll-creation tool, the Ohio-based programmer has created a survey in which anyone can vote on one of 17 different names. Olivia and Dylan are currently the front runners, but the poll is still open and participants are encouraged to offer their own suggestions. In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Jason and his wife Ann say they reserve the right to ignore the polls. After all, who knows what kind of feedback you'll get when a personal and traditionally private matter is opened to the general public?

Has anyone, beside your closest relative or significant other, ever asked you for input on a name for the baby? It's highly personal thing, right? As a product marketing tactic, Jason has succeeded brilliantly in promoting one of his employer's newest offerings. As a baby-naming method, however, it'll give the kid a nice story for the playground, especially if someone suggests (and everyone votes for) this baby name. [From JasonMorrison.net via Daily Telegraph]

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