Posts tagged Superlatives at Switched

Posts with tag superlatives

World's Longest Ringtone Lasts Over an Hour

by Terrence O'Brien, posted Oct 7th 2008 at 12:43PM

We have only one word. Why? Why on Earth wouldn't anyone make an hour long ringtone? Why would anyone want to hold the Guinness book world record for the longest ringtone?

Japanese cell phone content provider Dwango has crafted a 61-minute, 40-second-long ringtone that it claims is the longest handset melody in the world. Dwango has some experience in the realm of absurd ringtones, having previously released one that was only audible to dogs (again we ask 'why?').

Thankfully, you won't hear the obnoxiously long tone on this side of the Pacific. Dwango's ringtone service is only available in Japan. [From: TechRadarUK, Via: Textually.org]

Sony Unveils World's Slimmest LCD HDTV

by Richard Lawler, posted Aug 28th 2008 at 11:02AM

Sony's taken the crown in the race for thinnest LCD HDTV. At just 9.9mm thick the KDL-40ZX1 nearly halves the depth of Hitachi's former champ (likely throwing up in the bathroom right now) and comes within a whisper of Pioneer's ultra thin concept. Featuring a LED backlighting, a 3,000:1 contrast ratio, 120Hz MotionFlow tech, x.v.Color and BRAVIA Engine 2 image processing this is about as close to a 40-inch window on your wall as is likely to arrive soon.

Only one HDMI in is directly on the screen itself, all unnecessary HDMI / USB / component inputs are relegated to a base station, with the option for wired or -- possibly WHDI based? -- 5Ghz wireless (unfortunately limited to 1080i max resolution for now). We'd mention the XMB GUI, AcTVila video on-demand and DLNA support, but at some point it's just piling on. A mere 490,000 yen ($4,474 U.S.) puts the ZX1 on your wall, due at your local Japanese retailer November 10. See you there? [Via AV Watch]

World's Oldest Pacemaker Has Kept Mother Alive for 25 Years

by Peter Mychalcewycz, posted Jul 14th 2008 at 8:04AM

A woman in England has been using the same pacemaker for over 25 years. According to Guiness World Records, it is the longest lasting pacemaker in the world.

Leslie Iles, from Essex, England, had the pacemaker implanted after repeatedly fainting and falling. After a series of tests, doctors realized that her heart was beating a mere 30 times a minute. That is half of a normal heart rate.

Most pacemakers last approximately 12 years. Though it was designed to last approximately twenty years, no one knows why this particular pacemaker has lasted a quarter century.

Mrs. Iles doesnt seem to be too concerned about the situation. She celebrated her 50th birthday by finishing a marathon in just over six hours. [Source: Telegraph]

Firefox Gets Guinness World Record for Most Downloads

by Evan Shamoon, posted Jul 3rd 2008 at 9:46AM

As we now well know, the Internet is serious business.

And to further clarify the point, the Guinness organization (World Records, not beer) has now given the title of "most downloads in a 24-hour period" to Mozilla, which hurled 8,002,530 copies of its Firefox 3 browser into cyberspace on June 17.

"As the arbiter and recorder of the world's amazing facts, Guinness World Records is pleased to add Mozilla's achievement to our archives," Gareth Deaves, Guinness' records manager, said in a statement.
While "Download Day," as Mozilla branded it, may have been a bit of a publicity stunt, it's still a pretty hefty achievement; this is the biggest launch to a piece of software, free or otherwise, in the history of the series of tubes that we have come to know as the Internet.

So how do things stand? Net Applications gave Firefox 3 2.31 percent market share for the entire month of June, compared with 4.28 percent for Safari 3.1, 16.13 percent for Firefox 2, 26.38 percent for Internet Explorer 6, and 46.45 percent for the Internet's 400 lb. gorilla, Internet Explorer 7.

And to the longtime users of IE, we have some advice: try Firefox for a week. Install some plug-ins. You may never go back. [Source: CNET]

Fastest Clock in the World Tells Time to the Microsecond

by Ryan Block, posted Jun 28th 2008 at 11:44AM

Art school student Freddie Yauner's CO2-powered Highest Popping Toaster in the World concept is great and all (it's even supposedly Guinness World Record-certified), but a clock that aims to tell time to one millionth of a second is what it takes to turn our geeky, schedule-obsessed hearts to mush. Since no display can refresh a million times a second (and no eye can comprehend that kind of data), Yauner's concept lets you peer into the moment by hitting pause.

Just note that by the time you let go the clock will have already advanced by another several million microseconds, prompting an almost Heisenbergian cycle of observation in its owner. Videos of the toaster and clock after the break. [Source: Freddie Yauner via Coolest Gadgets]

Continue reading Fastest Clock in the World Tells Time to the Microsecond

World's Smallest Helicopter to Fly at da Vinci's Birthplace

by Tim Stevens, posted May 20th 2008 at 11:02AM

We all know the dream of the practical flying car hasn't exactly come to fruition, despite a few one-off prototypes showing some level of promise. And, while jet wing backpacks look like fun, they seem a little too extreme for most. So, perhaps our future transportation needs really lie in backpack helicopters like the GEN H-4, a personal copter set to be flown over the birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci, the man said to be the first to dream up the technology required for flight.

Da Vinci famously sketched a helicopter-looking device that would have used a large spinning-screw-shaped blade to lift itself off of the ground. It's unlikely that his concept ever flew, but the GEN H-4 does.

The contraption was designed by 75-year-old Japanese businessman Gennai Yanagisawa, and uses four engines to spin two counter-rotating blades. It's capable of airborne speeds of up to 56 mph and can be yours today for the not exactly practical price of $57,140. [Source: CNN]

One WoW player controls 36 characters simultaneously TGS 08 hands-on: Spelunker (PSN) TGS 08: Watch these Resident Evil 5 trailers	13 Great Free Backup Programs for Windows, Mac, and Linux On the cutting edge of geolocation with Mozilla Labs' Geode Firefox for Windows Mobile images surface
Reminder: Talkcast tonight at 10 Eastern Get into the Halloween spirit with a screen saver Rumor Roundup: Apple-branded HDTVs, Blu-Ray, more NVIDIA	McCain stock: Invest in the high-tech value chain Molex Obama stock: Cardinal (CAH) delivers on health care promise The week in preview: Mulling over techs, financials
Deals: Gift card with Dead Space, B2G1 at Toys R Us and more Soulja Boy calls out Xbox Live gamers Activision calls in the budget Secret Service	M-B CL600 + Kicherer = Monumentally Badass CL60 Audi Mileage Marathon: Digital gestures in Texas Lexus unveils IS 250 Sports Concept in Sydney
Yep, more BlizzCon Blizzard looking to "monetize" Battle.net in the future Last day for Crysis Wars free trial	LaDainian Tomlinson and Troy Polamalu Are Good at Football One Down, Five to Go for Jim Haslett, Rams Falcons' DE Bust Gets His First Sack

World's Longest Ringtone Lasts Over an Hour

Sony Unveils World's Slimmest LCD HDTV

World's Oldest Pacemaker Has Kept Mother Alive for 25 Years

Firefox Gets Guinness World Record for Most Downloads

Fastest Clock in the World Tells Time to the Microsecond

World's Smallest Helicopter to Fly at da Vinci's Birthplace

Breaking news Feed

Featured stories Feed

AOL Tech Network

Resources

Latest Reviews from CNET.com

Top Product Reviews