In case you missed it, the iPhone (1.1.2 firmware) has been hacked with a few different SIM cards—StealthSim and TurboSim. This is the first hardware-based hack for the new firmware…sure to be countered by Apple again down the line. [hackint0sh]

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In case you missed it, the iPhone (1.1.2 firmware) has been hacked with a few different SIM cards—StealthSim and TurboSim. This is the first hardware-based hack for the new firmware…sure to be countered by Apple again down the line. [hackint0sh]

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The gadget: The PHOSPHOR brand E-Ink Watch. It’s the world’s first dual analog and digital watch with its digital display background appearing in E-Ink. It’s like a Kindle that only tells time.

The Price: $250

The Experience: The watch has a simple, retro design that can easily dress up to a collar or down to jeans and a nice tee. The stitched leather band is hefty—and it needs to be—because the watch itself reminds me of my thick, inherited pocket watch that once belonged to my grandfather.

While the watch has analog hour and minute hands, the face is an E-Ink display. This display can swap between a white background with black numbers and a black background with white numbers. The black version is pretty slick, though the large, permanent “E-Ink” writing on top ruins the effect a bit.

To swap between the styles, you just hit a button and wait for a moment as the watch refreshes. It’s so easy, we then wondered why the watch didn’t come with more preprogrammed face designs. Because while you can choose to eliminate all of the analog-style hours and hashes, you’re really only tweaking their generic base option. Why not include some more intricate designs, or just more designs period?

Also, while the watch automatically refreshes the E-Ink to update the digital display, the second hand never lined up with the display. It’s a small point, but for watch enthusiasts, it’s an important one.

The Verdict: For $250, the PHOSPHOR E-Ink Watch isn’t a bad purchase for those who enjoy their geek gear. But given the missed opportunities—not just technically, but stylistically—we’d wait for the next version. [phosphor]

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The gadget: The PHOSPHOR brand E-Ink Watch. It’s the world’s first dual analog and digital watch with its digital display background appearing in E-Ink. It’s like a Kindle that only tells time.

The Price: $250

The Experience: The watch has a simple, retro design that can easily dress up to a collar or down to jeans and a nice tee. The stitched leather band is hefty—and it needs to be—because the watch itself reminds me of my thick, inherited pocket watch that once belonged to my grandfather.

While the watch has analog hour and minute hands, the face is an E-Ink display. This display can swap between a white background with black numbers and a black background with white numbers. The black version is pretty slick, though the large, permanent “E-Ink” writing on top ruins the effect a bit.

To swap between the styles, you just hit a button and wait for a moment as the watch refreshes. It’s so easy, we then wondered why the watch didn’t come with more preprogrammed face designs. Because while you can choose to eliminate all of the analog-style hours and hashes, you’re really only tweaking their generic base option. Why not include some more intricate designs, or just more designs period?

Also, while the watch automatically refreshes the E-Ink to update the digital display, the second hand never lined up with the display. It’s a small point, but for watch enthusiasts, it’s an important one.

The Verdict: For $250, the PHOSPHOR E-Ink Watch isn’t a bad purchase for those who enjoy their geek gear. But given the missed opportunities—not just technically, but stylistically—we’d wait for the next version. [phosphor]

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The X835 digital camera from BenQ has an 8MP sensor, packs in a 3x optical zoom and can handle sensitivities of up to ISO 2000 during still image capture. The ISO sensitivity during video capture is set at a maximum of 6400. The addition of such functionality comes at a price; the noise in the captured images will probably be enough to cause an avalanche in the Alps from a 500 mile distance.

Most standard cameras have sensitivities of less than ISO 1600; an increase in the value allows better utilization of ambient light, foregoing the necessity for a flash in lower light conditions. The camera will also have a 2.5-inch LCD, 16MB internal memory and an SD/SDHC slot, with support for up to 4GB cards. Price and shipping dates are not available, but the camera will ship in red and black colors when it eventually does. [Macnn]

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In case you missed it, the iPhone (1.1.2 firmware) has been hacked with a few different SIM cards—StealthSim and TurboSim. This is the first hardware-based hack for the new firmware…sure to be countered by Apple again down the line. [hackint0sh]

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The X835 digital camera from BenQ has an 8MP sensor, packs in a 3x optical zoom and can handle sensitivities of up to ISO 2000 during still image capture. The ISO sensitivity during video capture is set at a maximum of 6400. The addition of such functionality comes at a price; the noise in the captured images will probably be enough to cause an avalanche in the Alps from a 500 mile distance.

Most standard cameras have sensitivities of less than ISO 1600; an increase in the value allows better utilization of ambient light, foregoing the necessity for a flash in lower light conditions. The camera will also have a 2.5-inch LCD, 16MB internal memory and an SD/SDHC slot, with support for up to 4GB cards. Price and shipping dates are not available, but the camera will ship in red and black colors when it eventually does. [Macnn]

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Now this is a sad story…if it’s true. According to this alleged school report, one student received a detention for using Firefox—as opposed to IE or Safari, we assume. And while there could be plenty of explanations for why the school would want to control student browsers, we loved the teacher’s write-up of the event:

Today in class [name] had a program launched called Foxfire.exe. I had told [name] to close the program and to resume work but he told me that is was just a different browser and that he was doing his work. I had given him two warnings but he insisted that it was just a “better” browser and he wasn’t doing anything wrong. I had then issued his detention.

Either this is the funniest detention we’ve ever seen or the best viral marketing in history. But the school, phone number and names on the report seem to be legit.

It’s OK, faceless teenager. High school is tougher for the smart kids, if only because it’s the last chance the world has to kick you in the balls before you take it over. [image via digg]

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The gadget: The PHOSPHOR brand E-Ink Watch. It’s the world’s first dual analog and digital watch with its digital display background appearing in E-Ink. It’s like a Kindle that only tells time.

The Price: $250

The Experience: The watch has a simple, retro design that can easily dress up to a collar or down to jeans and a nice tee. The stitched leather band is hefty—and it needs to be—because the watch itself reminds me of my thick, inherited pocket watch that once belonged to my grandfather.

While the watch has analog hour and minute hands, the face is an E-Ink display. This display can swap between a white background with black numbers and a black background with white numbers. The black version is pretty slick, though the large, permanent “E-Ink” writing on top ruins the effect a bit.

To swap between the styles, you just hit a button and wait for a moment as the watch refreshes. It’s so easy, we then wondered why the watch didn’t come with more preprogrammed face designs. Because while you can choose to eliminate all of the analog-style hours and hashes, you’re really only tweaking their generic base option. Why not include some more intricate designs, or just more designs period?

Also, while the watch automatically refreshes the E-Ink to update the digital display, the second hand never lined up with the display. It’s a small point, but for watch enthusiasts, it’s an important one.

The Verdict: For $250, the PHOSPHOR E-Ink Watch isn’t a bad purchase for those who enjoy their geek gear. But given the missed opportunities—not just technically, but stylistically—we’d wait for the next version. [phosphor]

Share This

Now this is a sad story…if it’s true. According to this alleged school report, one student received a detention for using Firefox—as opposed to IE or Safari, we assume. And while there could be plenty of explanations for why the school would want to control student browsers, we loved the teacher’s write-up of the event:

Today in class [name] had a program launched called Foxfire.exe. I had told [name] to close the program and to resume work but he told me that is was just a different browser and that he was doing his work. I had given him two warnings but he insisted that it was just a “better” browser and he wasn’t doing anything wrong. I had then issued his detention.

Either this is the funniest detention we’ve ever seen or the best viral marketing in history. But the school, phone number and names on the report seem to be legit.

It’s OK, faceless teenager. High school is tougher for the smart kids, if only because it’s the last chance the world has to kick you in the balls before you take it over. [image via digg]

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