So, you got that iPod for Christmas, and as you read this, you’re probably filling up that 60G harddrive with questionably obtained music. But now, what to play it on. Surely those buds aren’t going to do the trick, and computer speakers just won’t cut it.

Fortunately, there is salvation for the audiophiles out there with a desire to hear those boss MP3 tunes in all their glory. With the Triode-Tube iPod Speakers, you’ll be pumping your digital music through some sweet vacuum tubes, which present a warm and more “organic” sound. They also claim to soften the digital distortion that can come from compressing the files.

There is one tiny drawback to obtaining these handy dandy wall-shaking, noise-polluting, angry-phone-call getting monsters. It’ll cost you $3,999.95!

Are you a college student who drinks more than enough to kill Otis Campbell from the Andy Griffith Show?

Maybe you already have a couple of DUIs under your belt and need to make sure you don’t screw up again?

Then the Alcohawk ABI Digital Breathalyzer might just be the gadget for you. $99.99 definitely seems like a reasonable price for something that can save innocent lives and also avoid embarrassing pictures that will follow you for the rest of your career.

If only I drank enough to make such an item useful. I guess I better go get started on that. Prey for my liver.

Fine, old man, it’s technically not out yet, but I’ll accept a voucher for one when it is out.

I’ve been lusting after a new phone for a while, and was about to pick up an XV6700 with Verizon, but had heard rumors of the XV6800 coming soon and decided to wait.

I was sure I’d be waiting interminably, but apparently not. The XV6800 is coming!

(Image courtesy of Engadget Mobile)

No more protruding antenna stub, upgraded memory, newer version of Bluetooth and support for 802.11g networks, among other things. A shame they changed the memory card format from miniSD to microSD.

I totally want this thing in my pocket right now.

The Internet Channel for the Wii, powered by Opera, has arrived.

I started writing this post with it, but after the title and the first sentence, I realized it would take forever. Typing short things with the on-screen keyboard and the Wiimote is fine, but I wasn’t about to start making links and everything else with it.

Read the rest of this entry »

In today’s hectic world where the PC (or… Apple) is the most powerful business tool and the finest recreation device, it can become frustrating when it does not operate exactly as you want. Sometimes, you just want to smash the damn thing and pretend it is 1977!

While smashing your computer would result in momentary and quite satisfying “crunch”, the results could be desastrous. Fortunately, ScreenSmasher has come to the rescue. For a mere $19.95 (how is *everything* that price?!) you can get the hammer and software that will allow you to do this:

to your computer. Joy!

This Dragonfly toy, from the makers of Robosapien, looks freaking amazing. Hope it won’t cost as much as I imagine it might.

I especially like the bit near the end where it falls to the ground and flops around as if it had just been sprayed with insecticide. I need to get my dragonfly-loving girlfriend one of these. And then steal it.

The end of the year means a lot of things, and not least of all is the endless stream of “top picks” lists from every corner of the world dealing with everything from fashion, to movies, to music, to politics and much more. You name it, there’s a list out there for you.

Gadgets and gizmos are no exception. Here’s a few quirky batches of goodies to surf through (and maybe even buy) while you should be working.

Associated Content’s Top Ten Cool Gadgets of 2006

Tech Digest’s Top 10 Retro Gadgets of 2006

Reg Hardware’s Top 20 Weirdest Gadgets of 2006

PC World’s The 21 Biggest Technology Mistakes of 2006

Yes 2006 was a fine year for the technological obsessed. Here’s to 2007, and host more of useless things to fill those neglected USB ports!