These TETRA erasers spotted at the recent Good Design Expo in Tokyo are the perfect editing tool for pencil-pushing tetrapod enthusiasts. Produced by Sun-Star Stationery Co., Ltd., the shapely erasers come in 9 colors and are available at stores like Tokyu Hands for 120 yen (about ) a pop. Pile them on your desk to inspire daydreams of the beach in Japan.

Link to the original article…

Anata to wa chigau n desu (”I am different from you”). In the few short days since Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda uttered these words to a pesky reporter after his shock resignation, Japan has witnessed the birth of a new buzz phrase online.

At the end of the press conference following Fukuda’s resignation, a Chugoku Shimbun reporter told the Prime Minister that many people thought he often seemed detached when he spoke, almost as if the problems facing Japan were none of his business. The reporter suggested that Fukuda also sounded distant in his resignation announcement and asked what impact he thought his sudden resignation (which comes just one year after previous Prime Minister Abe suddenly resigned) would have on the country. Seemingly perturbed, Fukuda fired back at the reporter: “You said I sounded detached, but I am able to see myself objectively. I’m different from you.”

Fukuda’s jarringly out-of-character words came as an awkward exclamation point to his resignation and threw some people for an extra loop. The phrase has been percolating for days on 2-channel, where dozens of popular threads with the words “anata to wa chigau n desu” (あなたとは違うんです) in the title have been posted, many containing Fukuda-inspired ASCII art.

The Asobit City otaku department store in Akihabara is cashing in on the buzz, too. A sidewalk display for what appears to be some sort of “Sayonara Fukuda Sale” features a stack of Fukuda-themed sweets. The subheading on the poster reads: “I’m different from you.”

Club T is also jumping on the bandwagon with a line of Fukuda resignation memorabilia that includes T-shirts, coffee mugs, caps and more imprinted with the popular phrase.

[Sources: Akiba Blog, IT Media, FG]

Link to the original article…

In case you don’t remember, I had posted pictures that were in a mate of mine (UK) iPhone, take a quick reminder stroll here. To date, that’s been my most active link. Ever.

Well, enter the person that probably took those pictures…

She’s actually quite cute! Well, the good news is that she still has her job, and seems to be a rather shy Foxconn employee that really is afraid of the limelight.

I don’t blame her. There’s some weirdos out there.

But it’s nice to finally put a face to the pictures.

Armed with only a countdown - at this moment 27 days and counting down - and what seems to be a version of the I-Tech Virtual Keyboard in a dock, the mysterious 01 Phone seems to have the looks to take on the Apple iPhone.

I just wish I knew more. Count down and image are located right here.

UPDATE: Apparently T3 Magazine knows a bit more about this 01 Phone.

With a 5.0-megapixel camera, 3G internet, and a whopping 32GB of storage, the 01 - as it’s believed to be called - could mean the death of the Nokia N96, the BlackBerry Bold and Samsung’s INNOV8 i850.

It looks as though the slide-out part of the handset actually conceals a laser keyboard, which projects a full qwerty onto the flat surface below. Play/pause, rewind and forward buttons suggest the 01 will be a multimedia stunner, with quality-looking in-ear headphones thrown in for good measure.

Read more at T3’s website.

32gb of storage, 5mp camera, 3G data… and a virtual laser keyboard? Starting to sound like science fiction, an early 2009 April Fool’s joke… or it’ll be so expensive that it’ll quickly be out of range of mere mortals.

I’m still intrigued. Thanks to all that send this in.

It’s been a while, but I had an article about the Freebord “skateboard” that honestly, while riding it, seems to share more with a snowboard than a skateboard. Even though I was a huge skateboard fanatic growing up, the years have seen me shift to more snowboarding - it didn’t hurt as much if I fall.

Freebord’s rapidly growing community of riders is constantly pushing the sport forward and inspiring product advancement. In response to growing demand and rider feedback for a more aggressive setup, Freebord has improved and redesigned the trucks to provide enhanced durability, strength and responsiveness for riders of all levels. The trucks were developed by a team of snowboarders and product designers, specifically engineered for technical precision and better control.

“We have always worked very closely with snowboarders, surfers and skaters to design boards that meet their rigorous riding styles and deliver a ride that keeps them stoked year round. This process was no exception,” said Steen Strand, Freebord founder. “Seeing how fast Freebord is growing and how hard the riders are pushing it, it became clear it was time for us to push the innovation envelope once again.”

Decks:

Freebord also released today three new series of deck graphics in varying sizes: Elite, Haze and Riot. Light, responsive, and solid, these decks are designed to bomb the steeps with total control and stability while still being light enough for airs. Suitable for riders of all weights and heights, all of Freebord’s decks come gripped and are made with 7-Ply, Canadian rock maple.

Truck Features:

T6 cast aluminum base plates and hangars

Wider base plate footprint for more responsiveness

Flat hangar design and extended bracket for more stable grinds

Locked-in base wheel bearing for improved durability

Redesigned base wheel bracket with no-slip adjustment notches

Larger, higher grade base wheel for added durability

Well, falling while on your Freebord will still hurt (that’s incentive to suck less), but the sensation of snowboarding in the middle of the summer still should be enticing.

Prices start at around $229.99. Hit up Freebord’s site for more information.

By Andrew Liszewski

While Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater and the umpteen sequels it’s spawned have become the defacto standard for skateboarding games, ask anyone who spent time gaming on the Commodore 64 and they’ll tell you that Skate Or Die was where virtual cube-gleaming got its real start. Even for the C64 the Skate Or Die graphics and music were actually quite impressive, and it was definitely one of those games you could play with a group of friends since there were several two-player modes. That is, as long as you had a 2nd joystick, since no one wanted to get stuck playing with the keyboard.

And anyone who played Skate Or Die on the C64 has to remember this dude. He was the owner of the local skateshop and even though he appeared to be on the rough side of 40 going on 50, he still sported a wicked purple mohawk. His shop also served as the game’s main menu allowing you to keep track of high scores or enter various competitions. You made your selection by moving a cursor around the screen, and depending on where it was this dude would spit out rad skateboard phrases (all text-based of course) like “Don’cha like my ‘do’” whenever you passed over his mohawk. If I had to assemble a top ten list of C64 games, Skate Or Die would definitely be in there somewhere, and all these years later I can honestly say I still like that guy’s ‘do’.

[ Lemon64.com - Skate Or Die ]

Link to the original article…

By Andrew Liszewski

According to the movies, books, video games, comics, toys etc. the real R2-D2 was a true jack-of-all-trades, but I don’t think he had the one feature that I’m sure most people look for in a droid; the ability to keep a single canned beverage cool. So even if you’ve already plunked down a stack of republic credits for your own astromech droid, you’ll still need to pick up this miniature USB powered version if you want to keep your drinks cool.

And just to clear my name, the product shot was taken directly from the Play.com website, but I’m not exactly sure what brilliant Photoshop artist was responsible for so perfectly comping in that Coke can. And I assume that this R2-D2 USB micro fridge also comes with his domed head, even though it doesn’t appear in this photo. You can get it from Play.com for about 35 republic credits.

[ Star Wars: R2-D2 USB Micro Fridge ] VIA [ Nerd Approved ]

Link to the original article…

My mother bought an iPhone this morning. Got it home, ripped off all the factory sealed packing, registered it and while changing the wallpaper, found three photos in the camera roll. Two are blurry, but this one is something else…

Now that’s a lot of iPhones. A sight most people would kill for wish they could see at their local stores due to continuing shortages globally. All isn’t in vain though; you can always check availability via the Apple Store iPhone availability checker.

Update: Here’s the fullsized images - here, here and here.

Thanks to Thomas for letting me republish the photos.

Using everyday materials with a bit of LED technology and thinking ahead… Louis Saul ofDodolivin announces the oddly named “The Light at the End of the Funnel” entry as part of the “Enlightenment of the Month” series…

THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE FUNNEL is one of the first single spotlights with High Power LED technology: That means only a fraction of the normal energy consumption, a long life span and nearly no heat development.

The Light at the End of the Funnel – dodolivin shows a plastic funnel in its correct light. This newest lamp idea he presents for the first time at Gdynia Design Days from 11th till 27th July 2008.

I seriously like it. I <3 Lamp.

DO WANT.

Seriously, that would be cool though. It looks like a push button on your skin. Definitely will freak people out on the first few glances. Found this via ATYPYK.

Via is at it again. Intel Atom… bah. That’s a energy hog compared to Via’s offering that uses 1 watt for their newest low power x86 processor.

Building on the success of the VIA EPIA PX10000 Pico-ITX board, which took the embedded industry by storm last year as the world’s smallest mass production x86 board ever, the VIA EPIA PX5000EG adds the incredible heat and power efficiency of the 500MHz VIA Eden ULV processor with its maximum power draw of just one watt. System designers of embedded automation and industrial control devices can now take advantage of a full x86 system that fits neatly into the most extreme space constrained, heat sensitive environments.

“The introduction of the VIA EPIA PX5000EG elevates the VIA EPIA range of innovative embedded solutions to new heights of thermal and energy efficiency in an extremely miniaturized form factor,” said Daniel Wu, Vice President, VIA Embedded Platform Division, VIA Technologies, Inc. “The VIA EPIA Pico-ITX form-factor continues to evolve, addressing the embedded industry’s needs for greater efficiency and miniaturization.”

Developed exclusively by VIA, the Pico-ITX form factor squeezes a full feature set into a mere 10cm x 7.2cm. A complete system in the palm of your hand, the VIA EPIA PX5000EG includes both LVDS/DVI and VGA support, integrated 5.1 channel audio, fast 100/10 Ethernet, both IDE and S-ATA drive support and up to six USB ports and a COM port.

Yes… it can run Quake, Doom… it will blend too

And Via has a competition too…

Click here to read more and enter… good luck.

Ok… besides looking like a cross between a Cylon and Kool Moe Dee, these shades are pretty much part of the poker player outfit and trickery that I truly hope isn’t the norm. Regardless, with that said, there’s a ton of gadgets, gizmos and other odd knick-knacks that other serious poker players just might turn to possibly increase their chances at winning.

Read and see more here. Thanks to Patrick A. for sending this one in.

I remember a while back when I was looking for glass speakers… and only came up with a few offerings from Glas Platz. Seems like we Americans are in for a new treat from Waterfall Audio.

Behold the top of the line Victoria EVO:

Waterfall Audio’s glass loudspeakers are individually handcrafted and designed with sophisticated glass-cutting machinery and advanced proprietary driver designs. Waterfall’s creations are high-end, audiophile-grade designs that are as startlingly transparent visually as they are acoustically.

The first models slated for introduction in the U.S. are two of the company’s newest flagship speakers, positioned to attract discriminating dealers and custom-installers with their unique quality and performance profile. The stunning, three-way Victoria EVO, named for one of the world’s most famous natural wonders, the eponymous falls in Zambia/Zimbabwe in Africa; and the two-way Iguasçu EVO is named for the falls on the border between Brazil and Argentina.

Oh, I was drooling until I saw this:

Suggested Retail U.S. Pricing:

Victoria EVO $5,990/pair

Iguasçu EVO $4,390/pair

I’m a few dollars short; definitely for the audiophiles and the like. Seriously though, I just love the idea of glass audio speakers and feel free to send me a pair to review.

I’m a horrible person. I truly am. I have about 10 (if not more) stories that I have yet to publish on stuff ranging from SMC at Interop in Las Vegas to upcoming releases by Sonance, Sennheiser, Via, Dell, Asus, among others.

But for the last two weeks, I’ve been traveling for business without a laptop and posting via the iPhone is definitely not fun.

Updates and more regular gadget news is upcoming. I promise

Tax time. I hate it, usually each and every year I file for an extension. Not because I have a ton of money to figure out, it’s mainly because I’m a horrific procrastinator.

Seems like I’m not alone.

TurboTax Releases Its Seventh Annual List Of Top 10 Tax Procrastinating Cities; Chicago Takes The Top Spot For The First Time Ever

With the tax deadline of April 15 right around the corner, Intuit (NASDAQ: INTU), the maker of TurboTax products, again tallied last-minute online tax filings to find out which American cities are the biggest procrastinators when it comes to filing federal income tax returns.

The following list includes the TOP 10 TAX PROCRASTINATING CITIES IN AMERICA determined by the number of tax returns electronically filed online via the TurboTax Online service from April 14-April 17, 2007 (previous year ranking in parenthesis):

-Chicago, Ill. – (#2) - Chicago is the “Second City” no more as it takes the top spot for the first time in the seven years the list has been compiled.
-New York, N.Y. – (#5) – After procrastinating less last year, the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple takes its toll on taxpayers as NYC climbs back up the list to rank at Number 2. The Giants may be number one in pro football, but New York is second on our list of late filers.
-Houston, Texas – (#1) - Houstonians have topped our list more than any other city (three times) but must have tired of being the top procrastinators. Progress is progress and Houstonians drop two spots this year.
-Austin, Texas – (#4) Austin continues to procrastinate as they lock up the fourth spot for the second straight year. One of the fastest growing cities in America, Austin may be too busy to worry about taxes until the deadline forces them to.
-San Francisco, Calif. – (#5) –The City by the Bay held steady in the fifth slot for the second straight year. In a year that saw the home run record fall to Barry Bonds, taxpayers in San Francisco waited until they had a full count to take a swing at doing their taxes.
-San Diego, Calif. – (#6) – The home of the 2008 U.S. Open, and home to TurboTax, San Diego dropped to sixth last year and is there yet again. After topping the list two years ago, San Diegans are relaxed in the sixth place.
-Seattle, Wash. – (#8) Grunge may have gone the way of disco, but Seattle residents continue to live a laid back lifestyle and are still late with filing their tax returns. The Emerald City jumps one spot this year.
-Las Vegas, Nev. – (#11) – Making its return to the list after a two-year absence is the jewel of southern Nevada, Las Vegas.
-San Antonio, Texas – (#7) – Settled first in 1731, San Antonio ranks as one of America’s oldest cities. Despite its age, the home of the Alamo is steeped in today as its residents use the power of online tax prep to file at the last minute.
-Los Angeles, Calif. – (#12) – Apparently Los Angelinos were busy chasing Britney Spears all over town and waited until the deadline to file their taxes. At least they didn’t let the forlorn Britney file their taxes for them.

Dropped Out: San Jose, Calif.; Phoenix, Ariz.

Surprised that my city isn’t on the list; I thought my procrastination was at least state-wide affecting. Anyway, read more about tax procrastination here.