Posted Jan 28th 2008 11:34AM by Donald MelansonFiled under: Misc. Gadgets We’ve already seen nanoparticles put to use to help diagnose cancer (in mice), and it now looks like researchers have found another, potentially bigger use for ‘em — namely, to blast those cancer cells away altogether. That’s apparently possible by mixing two so-called nanothermite composites that act as a fuel and an oxidizer, which in turn generate combustion waves that can hit velocities ranging from 1,500 to 2,300 meters per second (or somewhere in the neighborhood of Mach 3). Being on the nano-scale, however, the researchers say the explosives can be used safely within the human body and, indeed, they say they have 99% success rate in tests on animal tissue. (Read the full post about ‘Researchers tout nano explosive’s ability to blast cancer cells’…)

Posted Jan 28th 2008 12:59PM by Donald MelansonFiled under: Gaming, Peripherals This one sure hasn’t generated much, if any, fanfare, but it looks like those that take their Rock Band wailing (a little too) seriously can now get their hands on a new and improved (and official) microphone. According to the appropriately-named Rocker74 of the ScoreHero forums, you’ll have to drop a hefty $50 to your hands on it, but for that you’ll apparently get a microphone that is heavier and “definitely” higher quality than the standard issue mic. (Read the full post about ‘Official Rock Band premium microphone turns up, still can’t save embarrassment’…)

Although the product page shows these cute mini shopping carts being used to hold pens, sticky notes, and other office must-haves, there’s really no reason why the 6″ x 5.5″ x 3.75″ baskets couldn’t hold miniature-sized candy bars, cherries or grapes, or whole peppercorns. It isn’t clear whether the wheels spin, but how fun would it be if they did? Available now in blue and red for $9.95 each. Via Nerd Approved. Tags: mobile devices, design, lcd, Ogg (Read the full post about ‘Mini shopping cart for tiny groceries, office supplies’…)

After years of close partnership work and multitudes of buy-out rumors, it appears that IBM is still not buying AMD.

Rumors surfaced recently that led to an uptick in AMD stock, but it sounds like the purchase would not only be unlikely, but also would be detrimental to IBM share prices. It sort of reminds me of doing something like purchasing ATI. You buy a company that is not the leader but a competitor, because you see some spark of value, but you end up not being able to capitalize on it.

AMD has not really had a stellar benefit from purchasing ATI, and perhaps that is one reason why IBM would not want to purchase the combined lot.

(Read the full post about ‘IBM still not buying AMD’…)

Dasur has introduced two new touchscreen keyboards for Windows Mobile that each promise something that we would imagine most users are looking for; “superior accuracy, efficiency and speed.” The new keyboards are called SlideIt and ThumbKey, both were designed to enhance the on-screen typing experience and each work in unique ways. First up we have the SlideIt method, this according to Dasur is the “first technology to combine three features: sliding, prediction and graffiti.” The SlideIt method works by sliding your fingers or stylus from letter to letter as opposed to tapping on each letter. (Read the full post about ‘Dasur intro’s two new mobile touchscreen keyboards’…)

Johnny Chung Lee of Carnegie Mellon ought to see an offer letter coming from Nintendo pretty soon, considering how he came up with the Wiimote Desktop VR system that allows you to move through a room or scene in the game complete with full perspective depending on where your current position is. As they say, a picture paints a thousand words, but you’ve got to watch the video for yourself to see how this system could potentially bring gaming to the next level.

(Read the full post about ‘DIY Wii VR’…)

Cell phone lovers in Japan, hang on to your seats. There are 10 brand new handsets heading your way. As for the rest of the world, read the specifications listed here and weep. W61SA by Sanyo, which has a 3” Slide type OLED screen and a touch sensor, Bluetooth, 1Seg TV, GPS, for a size of 51×108x17.3mm and a weight of 139g. W61T by Toshiba, with its sporty design and a 2.8” OLED screen, Bluetooth, GPS with a size of 50×98x18.9mm and a weight of 118g. W61S by SONY a Cyber-shot mobile phone with a 5.1Mpix censor a 3x Optical Zoom, a 3cm super macro function and smile shutter. Our W61S also receive a Bluetooth and GPS module, a 2.8” VGA OLED screen and has a size of 50×114x22mm and a weight of 149g 61CA by Casio. (Read the full post about ‘New AU Cell Phones Coming’…)

Are you looking to give your pets something new and useful? Some people celebrate their pet’s birthday. And if you’re one of them, the Auto Pet Bowl is one of the best gifts you can give. This gadget is an electronic bowl designed to keep your pet’s food and water free from debris and contamination. It makes sure that your pet’s food is always clean, up until the time that your pet is ready to eat it. The Auto Pet Bowl’s cover is equipped with proximity sensors that are powered by an infrared device. The lid stays on until your pet goes near the bowl and is ready to eat. The bowl can be used by cats, dogs, and other small pets you might have around the house. (Read the full post about ‘Auto Pet Bowl: Keep Pets’ Bowls Covered’…)

Looks like the world’s first portable WiMax gaming device, the POSBRO G100 will feature the Opera browser for online purposes. The G100 comes with the following features :- WiMax, WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity 4″ LCD touch screen display Slide-out game padBy taking advantage of the high data speeds available on a WiMax network, having a fun, lag-free multiplayer experience on the G100 is almost a certainty every time. The G100 will hit Korea sometime early this year, while the US market will only get it between Q4 2008 and Q1 2009. (Read the full post about ‘Opera Browser Heads For POSBRO G100′…)

The guys at Gizmodo took their Apple-loaned MacBook Air and stripped it down, just to see how easy it would be. Result? Very. Ten screws secure the bottom cover, and after removal, the cover lifts off to reveal an equally easy to remove battery.

Apparently, Apple wasn’t very pleased at having the review machine opened up, so Giz took down the video and pictures.

(Read the full post about ‘Video: MacBook Air Stripped By Gizmodo’…)