TV Poltergeist »

If you want something that will annoy the hell out of your friends and family this April Fools Day, look no further than the TV Poltergeist Phantom Prank Device. Made by serial novelty item brand ThinkGeek, the device is made for the purpose of turning off TVs and random intervals throughout the day.

Palm Sized DVD Player »

Portable DVD players are nothing new, and have been around the technology world in abundance in the past year. However, one that fits into ones own palm has never been seen before, until now. The palm sized DVD player is the perfect gadget for any traveler or individual who spends a lot of down time [...]

Man-powered wooden digital clock (but is it art?) »

It may be an art installation, but this “digital” clock, operated for 24 hours straight by a group of staunch Dutchmen might fare better as a desktop widget. I suppose it’s meant to say something about the nature of time, and perhaps it does, but this is a gadget blog, not the MOMA coffee shop. Go, you. Talk about it there. You can buy it in their shop , and the DVD includes a tool that synchronizes the movie with your computer’s clock. It’s like one of those little virtual dancing ladies, but slightly more practical. [via Metafilter ]

Watch the Caprica pilot online right now (if you have Hulu access) »

There’s a good chance that if you wanted to see the Caprica pilot, you already did. It’s been available on DVD and torrent sites for a while now. But the hour and half extended cut version is also now on Hulu. Hit the Read More link to watch the pilot of Syfy’s upcoming series after the jump. Be warned though, the opening scene is kind of NSFW.

Redbox is making life very difficult for the movie industry »

Proving once again you can find a study to prove almost anything, a report came out today showing that Redbox will bring down the movie industry by continuing with their $1 a night business model. Sounds like some sour grapes to me. And what is Redbox doing that is so heinous you ask? Well, according to the study, renting DVD’s for a buck is cannibalizing sales, making customers want other outlets to offer similar deals, and harming the “perceived value” of movies in general. As an example of this, Blockbuster recently started their own kiosk system to try and muscle in on Redbox. On top of these crimes, Redbox is also making quite the killing in the aftermarket sales area. Of course, Redbox claims that what they are doing it’s that bad, and they contest some of the data that the study collected. [Via NewTeeVee ]

CrunchDeals: Gateway NV5212u for $400 (today only) »

The 2011 Audi A8 bests K.I.T.T. in the gadget department »

Cars are increasingly becoming more circuits than gears and the 2011 Audi A8 is a prime example of this transformation. There is likely more tech packed in the full-size Audi sedan than the International Space Station. In fact, if you think the laptop steering wheel table is the ultimate driver distraction, click the read link below to see what the flagship Audi packs. First, let’s start with the creature comforts. Heated, cooled, and massaging seats Standard 12-way adjustable seats or optional 22-way adjustable optional seats Vibration-canceling motor in the steering wheel Interior LED ambient lighting system Four climate zones Entertainment system Standard 14 speaker Bose system or optional 1,400 Watt, 19 speaker Bang & Olufsen system Google maps-enabled GPS system with handwriting input mode 8-inch LCD info screen 20GB hard drive WiFi, USB, and AUX-inputs Dual 10.2-inch rear seat displays with its own DVD player, 20GB hard drive, and controls WLAN via UMTS that turns the car into a mobile HotSpot Safety equipment Night vision R8-style LED headlights Adaptive cruise control Radar that detect collisions that automatically tight seat belts and adjusts seats Speed limit camera that actually reads roadside signs and displays them as graphics on the dash Of course the A8 has the powertrain to back up this massive saloon with an 8-speed triptronic system and quattro permanent all-wheel drive, along with a direct fuel injection 372 HP V8 engine. Too bad Audi hasn’t announced the price yet, but chances are it doesn’t matter. The only people that can probably afford all this luxurious Audi technology are those that will likely be overwhelmed by it. Or douchebag bankers.

Yet another game, CrimeCraft, refused classification in Australia »

There’s almost a comedy about this next story: Australia has banned another video game because it’s too violent. (What is it with Australia and banning violent video games?) The game is CrimeCraft , and it has been refused classification by the ratings board down there. The game was refused classification because “there is insufficient delineation between the ‘fictional drugs’ available in game and real-world proscribed drugs.” In other words, the in-game drugs aren’t “fake enough” for the Australian Classification Board. CrimeCraft is sort of an FPS MMO. You’ll recall that this same board refused classification for several other games, including Left 4 Dead 2 and Risen . No, I’ve never heard of Risen . I wonder, what is it about this board that makes it so ornery? You never hear about the ESRB refusing to rate a game here in the U.S. I could go on, but Australia is so far from me, you know.

Microsoft defends decision to ban modded Xbox 360s (but says it didn’t ban 1 million of them) »

You’ll recall that Microsoft recently banned a bunch of people from Xbox Live because they had modded their 360s. Modding is against the rules, don’t you know? Microsoft told VentureBeat not to believe the numbers being thrown around—the number most relayed is 1 million banned 360s—because it never releases numbers to anyone. Again, the larger debate is: should you be allowed to mod your console? I think so, but that’s probably because my opinion on every single issue is, “So long as you don’t bother me in any direct way, do what you want.” You bought the hardware (the 360 itself) so if you want to whip out a soldering iron or flash its DVD drive with a custom firmware, be my guest. At the same time, Microsoft has the right to say, “Look, Xbox Live is a service that we’re trying to keep as clean as possible. If you’re playing a game on a modded console, it’s much harder for us to ensure that the service is as clean as possible.” (Where “clean” means free from cheating, hacks, etc.) Plus, why should someone be able to play a pirated copy of Modern Warfare 2 on Xbox Live when everyone else paid for it? It’s not “fair,” if you will. That a law firm is possibly looking to start a class-action lawsuit over the bans is sorta silly. The law firm may have something when it comes to Microsoft owing some of these people money for the remainder of their Xbox Live contract, but I don’t know what the EULA or TOS for Xbox Live says about service termination. If you’re banned for being a jerk, are you entitled to any money left over on the contract? The moral of this particular story is, no, Microsoft didn’t ban “1 million” Xbox 360s. A surefire way to avoid being banned? Don’t use your modded Xbox 360 on Xbox Live.

Can New Forms of Media Distribution Save Porn? »

Porn is all about instant gratification. A business reliant on bringing its customers the goods fast, this industry has always had a history of being on the forefront of new technologies as they emerge for better products and faster distribution. Revolutionizing porn and how its enjoyed with the adoption of the VHS home video, the porn industry grew from a seedy underground sex scene into a $10 billion dollar a year business . Nowadays, the very same industry that once helped mainstream VHS win the battle against Betamax in the 70s and 80s, is facing the problem of staying relevant in today’s “I need it NOW” society. Porn, one of the earliest adopters of e-commerce and Internet broadcasting, is being threatened by the very instant gratification that has made it so profitable. Torrents and free video sites have seriously threatened the porn industry’s business model. Now anyone with a web cam and computer can be a porn star on the Internet. Are people willing to pay for porn anymore? What is the porn industry doing to set themselves apart from all the amateur porn makers out there? Looking towards future tech like mobile streaming, smart phone apps, and instant downloads to VOD systems, porn leaders are changing their business model in an attempt to stay relevant and profitable. Sony’s Betamax video format was introduced in 1975, to be followed by JVC’s VHS a year later. Arguably a better video format, Betamax never took off much in part thanks to the porn industry’s involvement with the distribution and sale of VHS videotapes. It was said that porn was scarcely available on Betamax, possibly because of Sony’s stance against its production. On the other hand, porn was readily available on VHS because it was a cheaper medium for distribution, ultimately helping VHS win the battle over betamax in late 1980s. Offering consumers affordable movies to rent and movies to own, VHS helped build porn into a $10 billion dollar industry, and it made porn an at-home experience rather than forcing the consumer to visit a strip club, peep show, or adult movie theater. Enter the Internet and e-commerce in 1995, and the low-cost DVD in 2001, porn was becoming cheaper, more available, and easier to duplicate. File sharing became common place and the very technology that had made porn available to the masses both online and for rent threatened to take down the entire industry. Another threat that arose was the celebrity standard: the homemade sex tape. In a world where anyone can make a porno or be a porn star (re: Paris Hilton, Carrie Prejean, Pamela Anderson), how can porn as an industry compete? Porn producers have been forced to adopt higher production value and find new ways to reach their audience aside from the standard pay-per view or DVD model. One new frontier in their quest for profitability is HD video. Consumers love seeing their favorite porn stars in HD because it makes them feel like they’re a part of the action more than ever before. Porn stars on the other hand? Not so much. Time to bust out the HD makeup . The same porn actresses that made seedy sexy, are being held to a higher Hollywood standard now that they’re in HD. Aside from new makeup, lighting, and post production techniques, porn directors like “Joone” are giving porn stars tips to stay HD ready , “I tell the girls to work out more, cut down on the carbs, hit the treadmill.” In an industry that made bleach blond, super tan, and “realistic” action from every angle the norm, could porn become more like a Hollywood film? Does this mean the end of hardcore as we know it with a movement towards over produced soft core style hardcore scenes in an attempt to set themselves apart from the amateur porn film makers? Aside from that – higher production costs also mean that porn is going to get pricey and no one wants to pay for pricey adult entertainment when you can get a fix for free online. Aside from pursuing HD and better production value, porn makers are looking for new ways to monetize their product. One way they’re doing this is by jumping on the Video on Demand trend. Video on Demand is not new when it comes to porn, but it is becoming more athe norm when it comes to renting and viewing adult content movies online and on your TV. Creating online adult channels through VOD systems like Vudu , porn makers are breaking into VOD for instant distribution. Although, porn has not been fully integrated into the VOD scene. Companies like Sony aim to bar porn’s entry into VOD markets especially when it comes to Playstation 3. Aside from VOD, porn producers are looking to cash in on smartphones, iPhones, iPod Touch, and game consoles that can stream media or download media. Catering to the mobile phone industry are prepackaged micro SD cards that store porn to be viewed on any smart phone or computer. Social media such as Twitter and Facebook have also revolutionized the conversation around porn. Once a dirty secret, Twitter users such as @AdultNewsWire aggregate porn news and spit it out to their list of followers to create an actual conversation around porn and its lovers. There are also the hard-to-find adult video games that always aim to titillate an adult gamer like Bonetown for instance, which featured a cameo by larger than life porn legend Ron Jeremy. Once an industry that had enough power to sway an entire nation towards VHS technology, the porn industry is now struggling to stay in front of new technological trends. Some may argue that technology has grown too big for the porn industry. But is the produced porn industry relevant when there is so much porn available online for free? The majority of us don’t really pay for porn anymore. If I wanna watch porn, I am probably going to go to a free site like RedTube or YouPorn for my fix. But then again I’m not too picky. However, the less technologically savvy or more old school consumer who are more willing to pay for their porn, will play a big part in keeping the porn industry alive. But between the new way and old way of getting your fix, as long as porn production companies stay ahead of the curve (no pun intended) with new distribution and sharing trends that keep these companies relevant in how entertainment is enjoyed, then porn as an industry will be just fine. Guest columnist Lydia Leavitt writes about sex and, oddly enough, social media. For more information on the latest intimate technology, check out 69adget.com .