You know how in cop shows they seize deviants’ computers and bring them back to the lab for some good ol’ latex gloved analysis to prove how obviously guilty or sick the suspect is? That’s old hat. Microsoft’s latest treat for law enforcement is COFEE (Computer Online Forensic Evidence Extractor), a USB drive that’ll cut through whatever flimsy security miscreants have slapped on their computer in a flash, and then automatically analyze the dirty bits the cops need to bust their ass, from internet activity to stored data, no pwnage skillz or trips to the lab needed. Microsoft’s giving the wonder tube to lawmen for free, and 2,000 officers in 15 countries are already using it. But will it work on Macs? [Seattle Times, Thanks M]
University of Pennsylvania roboticists—who talk like robot versions of Alan Alda—have developed modular artificial creatures capable of recomposing themselves in case they are destroyed—effectively taking the first step toward global annihilation, thank you very much. Happily for Humanity, they are far from T1000, and closer to Jerry Lewis, as the (quite funny, yet sad) end of the video shows.
Composed of 15 modules arranged in groups of five, each of CKbot’s clusters has a module with a 20fps camera, a blinking LED, and an accelerometer to reconstruct the entire robot, using magnets. The other 12 modules have an embedded computer, proximity sensors, and a servo motor that allows a rotational range of about 180 degrees.
When the main mini-Voltron-wannabe gets destroyed and the clusters are disconnected, they self-right up themselves detecting its orientation according to gravity (don’t keep looking like an idiot and start running now). Once they are on position, the cameras search for the unique LED patterns, and then two closers start to approach each other at glacial speeds (by this time, you should have reached the weapons storage and grab a shotgun, five machine guns, and a grenade launcher). When the two first modules connect, they start searching for the third one (you may fire now) until they finally assemble again, forming a single entity that would inevitably destroy you if we hadn’t told you the steps above.
Yes, somewhere in the future, this advice will save your life. Print it out. [New Scientist Tech]
Forget the Psystar business—this Hackintosh is much more interesting. A member of the OQOTalk forum has demonstrated his OQO running a hacked version of Leopard. It takes over two minutes to load but it looks like it’s all there, including such goodies as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB, power management and sound. Check out the video to see a (blurry) demo of it in action from the dual-boot startup, including showing coverflow working in Finder and a Dashboard launch.
Currently the video resolution is pinned at 800 x 480 and there’re difficulties with wwan, but work is continuing to overcome this.
Is this the smallest Mac in the world? Very probably, and pretty amusing given that OQO was founded by some ex-Apple employees. [OQOTalk]
One of the most surprising things about the launch of an ultra-portable laptop dubbed “Air” by Apple wasn’t its thinness but the lack of an embedded WWAN radio. No more, at least if you’re not intimidated by smoldering solder and warranty violations. Jordan Bunnell has posted a step-by-step of his success at integrating a Verizon USB727 Aircard into the MacBook Air chassis thanks to the MBA’s previously unused USB controllers discovered on the system board. While the EVDO signal (and speed) has appreciably degraded from its externally attached origins, Jordan is still pulling 1,400 to 1,700kbps downloads and 380kbps uploads — something which might be improved with antenna tweaks. Regardless, those speeds are significantly faster than the 0kbps stock MBA owners experience.
Conspiracy theorists and Mac rumor-mongerers, start your engines. According to an internal O2 memo we’ve received, stock of both the 8GB iPod touch and iPhone have run their courses, and have been EOL’d (at least in the UK). The brief letter sent out yesterday evening states that, “Due to the highly successful sales of the Apple 8GB I-Phone [sic], supply chain have today run out of stock & will not be replenishing stock of this product as it has now gone to end of life.” Whether this is due to the recent price cuts, the rumored upcoming 2nd generation iPhone, or just a sign that Apple is moving towards higher capacity devices is anyone’s guess. All we know is that soon the 8GB iPhone — at least in the UK — will become as rare and precious as the Pygmy Three-toed Sloth.
If growing up in upstate New York has taught me anything, it’s that shoveling snow really, really sucks. The I-Shovel is a new device that promises to automate this task—much like the Roomba and the Husqvarna lawnmower have done for other annoying chores. According to the project website, the I-Shovel can automatically detect snow accumulation and clear the driveway when it deems that the snowfall is significant enough to be cleared.
As for power consumption, the I-Shovel would utilize a rechargeable battery with a solar power option, which would make it eco-friendly and inexpensive to operate. Unfortunately for our friends in cold weather climates, the I-Shovel is currently in a prototype phase—but the designers are actively searching for partnerships to develop the design into a production appliance. Hopefully, they will ditch the ubiquitous “i” monker in favor of something more original before it is released (and the fact that it is a capital “I” doesn’t count). [I-Shovel via Communist Robot]
The times has a verbose 2,000 word piece about the high stakes world of high-end cellphone manufacturers (no way!), specifically centered around RIM’s post-iPhone trials and tribulations. Besides a bit of vague lip service paid to the 9000 series, they’re claiming that two 3rd party developers — no sources cited — leaked that RIM has a skunkworks product dubbed “AK” (which stands for “Apple Killer”), and that apparently it’ll be touchscreen. And then comes the tub-thumping money shot from co-CEO Mike Lazaridis: “I couldn’t type on [the iPhone] and I still can’t type on it, and a lot of my friends can’t type on it. It’s hard to type on a piece of glass.” Right, until you guys decide to do one of your own — these executive types are so transparent they might as well just be up front.
We’d explain this thing, but we’re really having trouble taking our eyes off of it long enough to string some full sentences together. Suffice it to say Festo’s AirJelly is powered by some magical jelly fish properties, a lithium-ion battery, an electric motor and a bit of helium. If that’s not floaty enough for you, there’s also a water version, AquaJelly. Videos of both are after the break.
We’d explain this thing, but we’re really having trouble taking our eyes off of it long enough to string some full sentences together. Suffice it to say Festo’s AirJelly is powered by some magical jelly fish properties, a lithium-ion battery, an electric motor and a bit of helium. If that’s not floaty enough for you, there’s also a water version, AquaJelly. Videos of both are after the break.
We already knew Lenovo’s 11-inch darling was shipping to eager US-based consumers “soon,” but now we’ve got a definitive date for you to circle on that jam-packed calendar: April 29th. The IdeaPad U110 will indeed be available for order on Tuesday, and it’ll be starting a full Benjamin less than we previously heard (down to $1,899, to be exact) directly from Lenovo. We’re still waiting on the full list of specifications as well as the slate of retailers that will likely be selling it, but if you’re anxious for more right this very moment, you can check out a promotional video of the unit in black and red right after the break.
You know how in cop shows they seize deviants’ computers and bring them back to the lab for some good ol’ latex gloved analysis to prove how obviously guilty or sick the suspect is? That’s old hat. Microsoft’s latest treat for law enforcement is COFEE (Computer Online Forensic Evidence Extractor), a USB drive that’ll cut through whatever flimsy security miscreants have slapped on their computer in a flash, and then automatically analyze the dirty bits the cops need to bust their ass, from internet activity to stored data, no pwnage skillz or trips to the lab needed. Microsoft’s giving the wonder tube to lawmen for free, and 2,000 officers in 15 countries are already using it. But will it work on Macs? [Seattle Times, Thanks M]
Forget the 
Currently the video resolution is pinned at 800 x 480 and there’re difficulties with wwan, but work is continuing to overcome this.
If growing up in upstate New York has taught me anything, it’s that shoveling snow really, really sucks. The I-Shovel is a new device that promises to automate this task—much like the 
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