Though it may be based on a movie, Spiderwick Chronicles is a great introductory video game for young people with its helpful instructions and fun gameplay. The game revolves around two twin boys and their sister, who discover a hidden world of Brownies, Ogres, Goblins, and more in their dead uncle’s mansion. The story is explained piece by piece through various movie segments, so players don’t feel like they are mindlessly guiding a player around. I would say that a previous knowledge of the movie isn’t necessary–players will get the gist soon enough. In the game, the player can choose among easy, medium, and hard difficulty levels and then complete a series of mini-quests around the mansion and backyard. (Read the full post about ‘Review: Spiderwick Chronicles for Xbox 360′…)

So I got this box in the mail that said N-GAGE on it. But the cell phone inside didn’t look like a taco. I was confused. I tried talking into the side of the slider — it worked just like a cell phone should. What’’s this N-GAGE moniker for? Turns out, N-Gage is no longer the name of a specific phone—it’s a platform, meaning that in order to wear the storied (er, buried?) badge a handset must meet certain performance criteria when it comes to mobile gaming. And the phone in question, Nokia’s N81 8GB, is the first so-branded model to be released in the US. This handset has a 3D graphics accelerator, super-bright 16-million-color screen, and physical controls geared toward gaming. (Read the full post about ‘Review: Nokia N81 Cell Phone Is First US Phone With N-GAGE Platform’…)

Posted Feb 15th 2008 9:58AM by Joshua TopolskyFiled under: cellphones Now obviously, before proceeding here you’re going to want to find the largest grain of salt you can locate and keep it nearby. According to SEfanatics, a page in an issue of Sony Magazine (an office favorite over here) makes passing mention of a “PSP-Style phone” which is supposedly in development, then casually suggests the device could be “in shops as early as February.” Of course, we’ve been hearing hushed conversations about this topic for some time now, though it does strike us as slightly odd that it’s referenced in what is essentially a multi-page Sony advertisement. (Read the full post about ‘PSP Phone reference spotted in Sony Magazine’…)

For the latest info on the coolest gadgets, emerging technology and wired madness, subscribe to our full news feed or have it delivered to your inbox. Always free. Always unique. Thanks for visiting! Even if you don’t like motorcycles you have got to appreciate this Custom Chopper by NASCAR king, Richard Petty. It has been designed with a Cat theme. It features the distinctive yellow coloring of one of the most recognizable heavy equipment brands on the planet and is sure to set the road around you to vibrate with its 2147 cc engine. This is a big bike for a big price; the auction is starting at $100,000. It is for a good cause, with 100% of the final sale price going to support the Victory Junction Gang Camp. (Read the full post about ‘Pretty Custom Cat Chopper from Richard Petty’…)

As I may have mentioned in previous posts, my iphone is completely spoiled. It has to have the latest in accessories, from earbuds to car chargers to the stylish new cases. It changes covers more often than Barbie changes clothes. Its latest acquistion is this cork protective cover from Griffin. Since it’s made by Griffin Technology, it’s functional as well as good-looking, featuring a protective polycarbonate inner shell, with easy access to multi-touch display, ports and controls, and a static peel screen protector . Note on the installation: just put your iPhone in the top casing then snap the back into place. To open the case, insert a coin into the notch in the bottom corner and gently twist. (Read the full post about ‘Cork Coat iPhone case’…)

For the latest info on the coolest gadgets, emerging technology and wired madness, subscribe to our full news feed or have it delivered to your inbox. Always free. Always unique. Thanks for visiting! You won’t be winning any fashion shows with these Page Up and Page Down cuff links, but the sorts of people that would actually consider buying them probably don’t care.  They are made out of real computer keys and they are cheap, at only $8.95, you can almost certainly afford to purchase his US keyboard cuff links as well.  They look the same, just with a U and an S instead of the Page Up and Page Down.  The only way that these could be geekier is if they were made from recycled C64 keys, but breaking up a C64 board to make cuff links would be verging on sacrilege. (Read the full post about ‘Keyboard Cuff Links for Tech Support Fashionistas’…)

Tefal’s new QuickCup boils water a cup at a time, and it does it in just three seconds, faster than it takes the promo site to load (it’s Flash). Water is passed through a spiral shaped heater for almost instant boiling.Two thirds of the regular Gadget Lab team are English, so we know a good cup of tea when we taste one, and on paper, the QuickCup looks like it can deliver. Tap water is filtered (cold water can also be dispensed) and because it is boiled one cup at a time, the tea will taste fresh. (Read the full post about ‘QuickCup Boils Water in Three Seconds’…)

Apparently so. It seems the iphone’s convenient slot-in SIM card carrier doesn’t really seat the SIM very well, something which might cause low signal strength. According to Jeggrey Swiger, a reader of iPhone Atlas, if a SIM is not seated to be in proper contact, signal strength can suffer greatly.The fix? Scotch tape. Applied to the blank side of the SIM, the tape bulks it up enough to ensure a snug fit on insertion. (Read the full post about ‘Can Scotch Tape Really Boost iPhone Signal Strength?’…)

Posted Feb 15th 2008 5:21AM by Thomas RickerFiled under: Misc. gadgets Stephen Hobley just perfected his laser harp. The audio is adjusted by breaking the beam between the source and mirror array above. No, you can’t buy it, but we expect it to appear with a Ukranian dressed in animal skins at Eurovision 2008. (Read the full post about ‘A harp made from frickin’ laser beams’…)

Geeks get all the best clothes - and this is as high-tech as they come (right now). Never be out of the loop when you’re wondering the streets looking for your next spot. This hi-tech garment lets you know when you’re in a WiFi zone by graphically displaying the WiFi connections floating around the vicinity. Glowing bars on the front of the shirt dynamically change as the signal strength fluctuates. No longer do you need to be poking your smartphone, PDA, or opening up your laptop, to check for the local Wi Fi signal and its strength. Capable of showing strengths of 802.11b or 802.11g the WiFi Detecting T-Shirt is destined to become an essential travelling companion for all you roving surfers. (Read the full post about ‘Wi-Fi Wear’…)