Category: Geek Stuff

Booze it Up (in Japan) with Sega’s Yakuza 4 Hip Flask

Sega has unveiled the perfect companion to its Genesis and Saturn Zippo lighters — the Yakuza 4 hip flask! Perfect for covertly storing your favorite Japanese whiskey (I recommend Nikka Yoichi), this flask comes with the Yakuza 4 special edition available on Sega’s web site. According to Andriasang, “The 170ml, 211g flask is made of stainless steel and sports a laser imprint of hero Kazuma Kiryu’s dragon tattoo.”

So after you light up a Mild Seven with your Saturn lighter, take a swig of Nikka Yoichi and jump into the shady world of Yakuza 4!

Source

In Search of a Nerd/Gadget Bandolier

As a frequent flyer, I’ve always wanted a nerd bandolier to hold my BlackBerry, (Sim-less) iPhone, Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable, and digital camera. It would make organization and security lines so much easier. For the former, I’d have easy access to my gadgets on the airplane. For the latter, I’d just take off my bandolier, put it on the screening belt, and sling it back on after it’s scanned. Plus, it would make me look like a geeky version of Chewbacca.

A friend of mine that’s familiar with my vision pointed me to Setgo’s Transport. This is almost what I want. It doesn’t look quite as cool as Chewbacca’s trusty strap, but it will get the job done. Perhaps I’ll give it a go on my next international flight. For the record, I would only use this for travel. Wearing this on a subway, bus, or crowded urban area would be foolish. You might as well wear a sign that says, “Mug Me!!!”

If any of you know of a nerd bandolier, please let me know!

Facebook Gets “Connect” Vitamin Water

Joining rapper 50 Cent and useless rich person Paris Hilton, Facebook has inspired a flavor of Glaceau’s Vitamin Water. The “Connect” flavor features “8 key nutrients plus caffeine” to help you stay healthy and awake while reading other people’s Facebook profiles. It’s a little ridiculous, but you should click on this story just to see the full photo of the bottle.

I actually like Vitamin Water, but if I want caffeine, I’ll brew up some coffee. Even if it becomes the preferred drink of the digerati, I don’t think I’ll be buying Connect Vitamin Water. How about you?

Source

Amazon’s Kindle DX Global Version Shipping January 19

Amazon has announced that the international version of its Kindle DX e-reader is available for pre-order and will ship on January 19, 2010. This version uses GSM instead of the original’s CDMA for communications. Going GSM allows it to be used in more places around the world. The cost is $489. Here’s a link to the product page of the Kindle DX Global Version.

Does anyone else think of WWE’s Degeneration X when you see the words “Kindle DX” or is that just me? Adding to the DX connection is the “Whispernet” network, which is the delivery system the Kindle uses. Longtime WCW fans will remember Whisper as the Nitro Girl that went on to marry Shawn Michaels. Okay…maybe that’s a stretch.

Anyone out there use a Kindle? I had one for a few weeks and loved it, but I had to send it back. It’s a fun device that actually got me to read books that didn’t involve DC or Marvel characters.

Sony Electronics at CES 2010: Bravia, Vaio, Bloggie, and More!

Considering that it’s the biggest consumer electronics company in the world, CES is a huge show for Sony. Here are four videos on four of its upcoming products, including a new 3D Bravia television, the Dash Internet tablet, the woefully named Bloggie video camera, and the sexy refresh to the Vaio Z laptop line. Watch, learn, be dazzled, and — if you’re so inclined — comment.

Star Trek Wet Suits Nerd Up Surfing and Scuba

Roddenberry.com has these awesome Star Trek wet suits on sale for $460. Geek surfers can paddle out into the cold water with a blue, red, or gold wet suit designed after Starfleet uniforms. Here’s a photo and the official description:

Developed exclusively for the RDT by JMJ Wetsuits, these one-piece full suits feature iconic uniform colors & rank insignias from Star Trek: The Original Series. These wetsuits are not novel gimmicks, they are the real deal, made using the highest quality materials and expert craftsmanship. Each individual wetsuit is custom made and tailored to your exact measurements for a perfect fit and unmatched performance. This is the ultimate in warmth and exposure protection when exploring strange new worlds!

The 5MM wetsuit is available in three colors: Command Yellow, Science Blue, and Engineering Red. Each suit features a durable Star Trek chest insignia, Rank Braids, and RDT shoulder logo.

I’d totally get one of these for surfing…except that I haven’t surfed in years…and I’d probably drown wearing one of these because I’d be humming the Star Trek theme instead of paying attention to the water conditions.

Source via Crunchgear

“I’m on a Mac” Gives Apple the Auto-tune Treatment

This excellent “I’m on a Mac” video is a parody of The Lonely Planet’s “I’m on a Boat”. It’s cute and clever. More importantly, it shows how utterly ridiculous auto-tune is. I absolutely hate the effect and its overuse in today’s popular music. I blame Cher for making it so popular.

Anyway, check out the video and let me know what you think (please)!

Photo Blast From the Past: Babbage’s


I fondly remember shopping for Infocom games at Babbage’s and Software Etc. when I was a kid. These days, GameStop is the only major videogame specialty retailer that operates nationally. I wasn’t aware that GameStop still used the Babbage’s name, so I was a little shocked when I saw this old brand in a relatively new mall. Naturally, I had to snap a photo.

No Electronics on International Flights to the U.S.?

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is such a stupid and reactive organization. I hate it. I hate that because one idiot attempted to “shoe bomb” an airplane and another tried smuggle aboard liquid explosives, millions and millions of travelers have been inconvenienced. Instead of implementing better technology that screens passengers more effectively, the TSA makes idiotic rules that make travel more annoying and time consuming. I was reading about some of the new TSA actions on FlyerTalk‘s message boards and was shocked the learn that electronics are currently banned on international flights.

Due to that Yemeni-trained moron that tried to blow up Detroit — and yes, he’s absolutely a moron for targeting a city that has become so minor due to rampant crime and dreadful unemployment — it looks like electronics will not be allowed on international flights headed for U.S. destinations. That’s right, some travelers have reported that they were not allowed to use electronic devices at all during flights headed to America. What’s even more ridiculous is that the restriction isn’t limited to personal electronics — airlines were instructed to turn off their in-flight entertainment, leaving some passengers with nothing to do but sleep for 13+ hours.

Not being able to move during the last hour of a flight is irritating, but somewhat understandable. Further limiting carry-on items is also a drag. Not allowing the use of electronics at all?!? That’s just f&*ing stupid. Hopefully that’s only happening for a few more days and airplane travel will resume its moderately annoying ways shortly.

If anyone from the TSA is reading this, please know that you suck and you’re doing an awful job. If secretary of homeland security Janet Napolitano is reading this, please know that you sounded like an inept moron trying to explain the situation on MSNBC.

The only silver lining I can see is that print media might make a comeback. That’s assuming that the TSA doesn’t screw the airline industry more than it’s already screwed. *sigh* And I was just getting used to the joys of in-flight WiFi….

Pandora Handheld Shown Playing Mario 64

A few weeks ago, I told you about Pandora, a powerful open-source handheld coming in 2010. The team has unveiled a video of the system running Mario 64 and other Nintendo 64 classics. It’s pretty cool stuff that’s worth a peak.

For the most part, you guys don’t talk much about the PSP and DS systems. Is Pandora more to your liking?