Some people are willing to pay a premium for custom tech, a principle you really grasp when checking out the Angel Phone. Every angel is made to order, a Dreamsicles plush gutted, tortured and stuffed with a landline phone in shame. Parents, this monstrosity is what happens when schools have too much arts funding—a testament to P.E. if I’ve ever seen one. Here’s a bonus shot, if your eyes haven’t gotten their share of burning yet this morning:
Even if this thing were made in a trendy, ironic sort of way, it’s still gone too far. [product via shinyshiny]
We rarely get excited about seeds here on Giz, but the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway is a remarkably daunting structure that looks looks like the lair lovechild of Batman’s cave and Superman’s snow cave fortress of solitude.
Designed to protect 100 million of the world’s seeds through fortified concrete and the surrounding mountainous landmass, the Global Seed Vault is prepared to withstand nuclear missile attacks and keep our plants’ genetic codes safe. And while the plan is all well and good, if I’m anywhere near Longyearbyen when the sky rains radioactive fire, Man will be losing a few species of plants to prevent my seeds from dropping like acorns. [belowtheclouds via geekologie]
Linux only: Dig into your genealogy with GRAMPS, a free software package that offers an array of tools to build and store your family history. GRAMPS gives you a lot of choices as to how you’ll build your tree, from standard database entries to multimedia diagrams, and offers a pretty convenient “calendar” view that lets you see birth (and death) dates for your extended clan. The real benefit of GRAMPS is that you can put as much or as little detail as you want into each entry, making it an amateur genealogist’s dream. GRAMPS is a free download for Linux only, although “experimental” installers are available for Windows and Mac OS X. For a Windows-friendly approach, try a Microsoft Word family tree template
GRAMPS [via Sysad Linux Blog]
While the future of solar technology seems to rest on nanotechnological innovation, these GROW panels by SMIT are fairly remarkable. Inspired by leaves, these tiny generators do one better than their biological counterparts, drawing power from the sun, but also capturing energy from the wind as they are jostled by the breeze. Developers currently showcasing the technology hope to sell modular kits through art/design resellers (as opposed to typical industrial outlets). Unfortunately, we’re guessing that this more accessible purchase will have a major price trade off. [SMIT via inhabitat]
We haven’t heard too much lately about the South Korean government’s probe into the Samsung Group’s alleged corruption and influence in the government, but the AP is now reporting those bribes were emanating from a $213 million slush fund the company supposedly set for use in swaying government officials. Various executives have been in and out of questioning with special prosecuters, including Samsung vice chairman Lee Hak-soo, top strategic planner Kim In-joo, and the chairman’s son, Lee Jae-yong, who is an executive and apparently viewed as the eventual successor to the company when his father, Lee Kun-hee, hangs up his money-stuffed envelopes. Apparently dirty deeds can’t be done dirt cheap anymore, but they can still be done when you’re the top consumer electronics manufacturer in the world.
Ariel Waldman contributes Movie Gadget Friday, where she highlights the lovable and lame gadgets from the world of cinema. Previously on Movie Gadget Friday, we traveled across war-torn galaxies in the 1978 version of Battlestar Gallatica. Moving forward a few years to 1982, we’ll take a look inside the computational arcade culture of TRON. Saturated with neon suits and Pac-Man blips and bleeps, the sci-fi cult Disney film has achieved pop culture status over the years.
The ENCOM Digitizing Molecular Laser
Using a matter transform sequence and a grid matrix, the ENCOM Digitizing Laser is able to transport physical matter into a digital space. The laser is able to lock on a target and dismantle the molecular structure on a cubic grid. When used for its original intentions, the molecules remain suspended in the laser beam. However, the Master Control Program is able to deviate this sequence into transporting the restructured molecules into a digitized computer game world where TRON resides. The molecules can then be shifted back safely into the physical world by selecting the run mode through the laser system. Surprisingly, the only side effects the laser has on humans is minor disorientation and temporary memory loss. Phew. More after the break.
The Heineken Beertender we first wrote about almost four years ago is finally getting its US launch tomorrow, March 1. The beertender is a special for-your-home tap that takes in four-liter Heineken DraughtKegs and dispenses via the tap, for a reasonably-authentic home beer experience. It’ll be exclusively available at Williams-Sonoma stores starting tomorrow for $299, and move into a wider release schedule at the start of April. [Beer Tender USA - Thanks Jason!]
Remember the U.S. Military ray gun that makes people feel like they’re on fire, well 60 Minutes sent out a reporter to see if he could take the heat. Standing in plain view of the ray gun made his body feel like “scolding water”, so David Martin attempted to hide behind a piece of plywood and later a mattress with little success. Some claim they can only take the heat ray 4 - 5 seconds, so when David tried it we think he only made it 2 seconds, even if he did say, “ONE ONE THOUSAND TWO ONE THOUSAND THREE ONEEEAAHHHHRRHHR” [CBS via TechEBlog]
If you’re both cheap and a enjoy losing your eye thanks to a flying CD shard, take a look at this home-made USB Cooler. All you have to do is take an old CD, cut it up like a fan, melt it down so you can twist the shards, stick a cork in the middle, hook up a few wires to a little motor, hook that up to a USB port, and you’re good to go. If you’re really lucky, nothing will happen and you’ll get a nice breeze. If you’re unlucky, however, say goodbye to your corneas.
USB Pottery Wheel - video powered by Metacafe. Remember that romantic scene from Ghost with the wet pottery and the steamy groping? This USB pottery wheel mod will never, under any circumstances, recreate such an intense moment by the side of your computer. But it is pretty entertaining to watch a hard drive coupled with sweaty finger create asymmetrically clay shot glasses. [via everythingusb]
