It’s the holidays, so you know what that means: loads of Christmas themed crap that you won’t touch for 11 months out of the year. Take this flying Santa, for example. While you could buy a normal remote control helicopter, why would you want something that wouldn’t be really awkward to use in June? This Flying Santa will only really feel right in December, which has got to be one of the worst months for using remote control helicopters due to lousy weather. Hey, it’s your money. [Brando]

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An iPod Touch developer has just created a SIP-based VoIP app (which works with Asterisk and other open source free and paid VoIP providers) that was ported from an older app called SvSIP. The upside is that iPod Touch users that have the pre-amped mic addon that plugs into the dock connector will be able to actually talk on their iPods. iPhone users won’t need the addon to talk (obviously), and should be able to get in on this action soon as well. We’ll update when we know more. [Touchmods via TUAW]

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It appears that Everex, the same company that sent Wal-Mart shoppers into a tizzy of values with its Linux-based gPC , now has its sites set on the Asus Eee PC with a new ultra-portable dubbed the “Cloudbook.” The device will feature a 7-inch screen and the same Linux gOS found in the gPC. A 1.3 megapixel webcam is also rumored to come standard. Additional image and info after the break.

In order to reduce costs, the device will utilize a 30GB hard drive as opposed to the flash storage found in the Eee PC. It will also be powered by a 1.2GHz Via C7 ULV processor — unlike the Eee PCs 900MHz Celeron. Other rumored specs include 512MB of RAM, built-in wired and wireless Ethernet interfaces, a 4-in-1 card reader, a pair of USB 2.0 ports, and DVI-out. There is also a developers version that features a touchscreen UI, Skype phone and alarm clock module (similar to the NanoBook). Nothing is set in stone here, including the specs, but the device is expected to ship on January 15th for $400. The developer’s version may arrive as early as the January 1st —although pricing info is not yet known. [Linux Devices via Electronista]

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Today’s most popular headlines are More Windows Errors Take Over the World, Prepare Ground for Alien Invasion (52,236 views today), The $100 iPhone/iPod Touch Stand Made from a Piece of Paper (37,786) and The World’s Tallest Building Has a Hell of a View (20,314). Today’s most discussed stories are Hidden MP3 Player Helps Gunman, Busts Detective for Perjury (62 comments), The World’s Tallest Building Has a Hell of a View (61) and More Windows Errors Take Over the World, Prepare Ground for Alien Invasion (60).

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Even if Greenpeace isn’t on the Apple bandwagon, research shows that Apple customers are the greenest among computer companies. With all those hippie dollars to be had, it is not surprising that someone decided to combine the lava lamp with an iPod speaker system and docking station. The main feature is a LED light show that syncs with the music—adding to the trippy vibe. Too bad we can’t get dirty, smelly hippies interested in more practical iPod docks. Available for $100. [Product Page via 7Gadgets]

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The Gadget: The Samsung BlackJack II, a Windows Mobile 6 Smartphone with 3G, GPS and faster hardware.

The Price: $149 with two-year contract.

The Verdict: There’s not much about this in terms of general speed and build that we haven’t said already in the first hands-on, but here are the things we didn’t cover. The 3G is super speedy and pulls down emails and web pages like a champ. Sound quality is on par with other Windows Mobile phones (namely, it’s good), and its battery is also much improved over the BJ1, lasting over the weekend on one charge—with us making a handful of calls and doing a little web browsing and Google mapping. The GPS is pretty awesome when used with the free Google Maps, but has a bit of trouble getting a signal around my apartment. It’s fine when you’re out on the road, even though you’re not really supposed to be using this while driving. For this amount of performance (speediness) and functionality (GPS, 3G), the BlackJack 2 is a pretty good deal at $149. If you’re a fan of the BlackJack platform, this isn’t a revolutionary improvement, but it’s definitely a solid evolutionary one. [AT&T]

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• Dealzmodo: Sign up for a Sony Visa card, get a Mylo for $49 and one free year of T-Mobile Hotspot service. Our own Chris Mascari said it best: “Kinda makes me wish I wanted a Mylo.” [Sony]
• The Wii Shop now lets you send Virtual Console games to friends as gifts. First person to send me Super Mario 64 gets a gold star. [Crave]
• Ireland will ban the sale of incandescent light bulbs in 2009. Crossing my fingers that a 2010 ban on Bono is next. [Tech Digest]
• Nokia wants a cut of user revenues from carriers, like someone else we know. Jealous much, Nokia? [BGR]
• LG has sold 15 million Chocolate handsets. Kudos to them on finding 15 million suckers. [Wireless Info]

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The next-gen DVD deals keep on rolling, this time with a buy one get one free deal at Amazon. Just pick out two titles from their list (which has some pretty decent movies like 300, Casino Royale, and The Fountain) and the cheaper one will be free at checkout. It’s a great deal for those of you who already got in on the cheap player bargains we’ve been posting before but want some decent movies to go with your machine. [Amazon]

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I’ve got two words for you: vacuum broom. It’s a simple idea, but one that makes a lot of sense. Well, a lot of sense until you wonder if all the bulk in a vacuum cleaner is necessary to, you know, run the vacuum. And that there’s no room for a bag in a broomstick. But hey, it’s a slick design, right? What with each of the “bristles” actually acting as a mini vacuum, sucking up dust while you sweep bigger stuff into the dustpan. If it weren’t for stupid logic this thing would be heading for store shelves post haste, I’m sure. [Yanko Design]

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See that smiling doofus? He’s smiling because he found out that his book How to Do Everything with Your iPhone, also known as the Best iPhone Book Ever, is now on store shelves. Yes, you can schlep down to your local Barnes & Nobles, Borders or Johnny’s Books’n'Feed and pick one up for yourself, your parents, your kids, your relatives, your friends, your coworkers and yourself. Mostly for yourself. Best of all, if you ever see that doofus around (say, at CES), you can stop him and tell him that you have his book. He’ll be so excited. [Amazon]

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