Just when you thought you’ve seen it all, in comes Geargripper. The foam padded place to put all the crap you have in your pockets onto when you get home from work. No sir, an end table just won’t do anymore. PDA, cellphone, your watch, you name it; Geargripper can grip it! The padding is soft, so it won’t scratch a thing, but if you try to unravel its design and make a mouse pad out of it, well that’s just a terrible mouse pad at the price of $8.

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Resisting your e-mail is futile. When Jamie Matthews gets an e-mail, he just has to be notified. Receiving a glowing cube from Linden Labs at a job fair, Matthews just couldn’t resist turning it into something a little more worthwhile.

A simple python script runs on his computer, periodically screen-scraping his Gmail inbox looking for new mail. It then outputs a message to the serial port, indicating the mailbox status. On the other end of the serial connection is a Boarduino, which receives the message and toggles power to the cube.

There’s a highly detailed how-to guide on the main link below, check it out if you’re interested in having a cube light up after every 5 seconds of spam for Viagra you receive.

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Part casino, part MMO, ZT Online proves that not all gamers are willing to invest time into an MMO to be successful but rather, their own money.

“Chinese gamers are an unwelcome species on European and American servers,” said a game manager who once worked on World of Warcraft. Chinese players always have ways of quickly ascending levels that leave European and American gamers in the dust, and on group missions they do not like to respect the tacit rules of profit division. For those “pedantic” European and American gamers, Chinese players are like fearsome pagans. “European and American games do not encourage unlimited superiority of power; they put more of an emphasis on balance and cooperative support.” The former WOW manager said, “Perhaps this is because of the influence of traditional culture and the current environment; truth be told, Chinese gamers are better suited to jungle-style gaming.”

An online game manager recalled that he once received at the company a gamer who had money but no patience. This gamer came with an inquiry: could he simply pay to purchase high-level equipment? Everyone at the company had a good chuckle at that. Now, the manager sighs regretfully: they did not realize that the gamer represented an immense business opportunity. ZT Online, on the other hand, saw it and achieved success.

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I had the pleasure of getting a hold of a set of these sweet new RC copter-borne marines thanks to a friend of mine. I was skeptical at first glance, as they seemed like any other RC copter I’ve used. Then I actually played with it. It puts other remote-controlled toys to shame. It takes some getting used to, especially aiming the rifle at your friend who sucks just as much as you do at controlling it. The coolest feature is definitely the combat mechanics:

Each shot causes the gun of your space marine to flash with simulated gunfire. The first hit causes your enemy to spin. The second makes the enemy copter lose power… the third cuts rotor power completely as your opponent plummets to the ground and you gloat in victory.

Of course, it’ll take some practice before you become as maverick as I am with these things. I am currently accepting all challenges.

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Alliteration aside, the Bluetrek Bizz is looking to blend the world of USB devices and Bluetooth headsets. It’s a Bluetooth headset combined with a USB drive that accepts microSD cards for storage (thus turning it into a microSD card reader as well.)

While it may not be as fashionable as other Bluetooth devices, it gets the job done and the extra functionality it packs makes it worthwhile. Scoop one up for $55 or rob a Best Buy. I wouldn’t recommend the latter.

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With gas prices reaching outrageous numbers, people must look for alternative, environmentally friendly means of transportation. Biking seems to be on the rise in popularity with all these rumors on “global warming,” and “low amounts of fossil fuels.” Total bullshit. But cold-hard facts aside, your planet is dying and you can do something about it: ride a bike.

Charlie Sorrel has written an interesting article on ways to make biking easier for those who’ve been burning nothing but gas for the past 20 years of their lives. He discusses appropriate bike wear, proper ways to rock out, how to turn your bike into a mule, and plenty of safety tips. Check it out if you fancy yourself a modern day Lance Armstrong or Bob Haro.

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The Ringshot is a play on traditional slingshots without the need to hold it in your hand. It is a metal piece that conforms between the index finger and thumb, with a rubber band attached at each end. It’s portable and much easier to conceal for those covert missions in which you really want to shoot chestnuts at your asshole neighbor.

No word on whether or not it can be purchased. The materials to make one sure aren’t scarce, so you could always try building your own. And if making one doesn’t sound appealing you could always go out and buy a tequila gun to shoot your enemies in the eye with lemon juice.

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Camping can be a real blast with some buddies and cold brews, but tugging along a boat with you can be a real bitch, especially if you don’t have a trailer hitch on your car. Thankfully, the 21st century has given way to the Backpack Inflatable Pontoon Boat. In under 15 minutes, you can assemble a full pontoon boat for you and your posse to ride downstream.

Weighing only 42 pounds, this sturdily built backpack won’t kill you (if they can do it in the Army, you can sure as hell do it for a vacation.) Each pontoon clocks in at a full 8′ long and can hold up to 350 pounds together. At $237, this is fun you and your friends can afford by giving up beer pong for a week.

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I’ve written many an opinion column on why the Playstation 3 is the best console out there. After HD DVD died, my argument was strengthened further. Ryan then put the nail in the coffin by confirming that the only BD Live-enabled player on the market right now is the PS3.

A lot of talk has gone on revolving around the price of Blu-Ray players on the market. Some argue that prices have increased since HD DVD died out. Others state that prices are going down on specific players. While each side has some truth to it, the Playstation 3 remains at $399 and gives you both the best Blu-Ray player available and the most powerful gaming console on the market. Either way, consumers shouldn’t have any second thoughts about picking up a PS3 if they’re considering an HD solution for movies.

I’m glad we had this little talk. In the end, I’m just trying to keep you informed.

Mike Rea is good with wood and he wants to show you he’s the master by crafting giant suits straight out of the Mechwarrior games. Shaped like Optimus Prime and labeled “Suit for Steven Hawking,” this giant wooden mech is one of many of his works you can find at his website. He has even made a replica Arc of the Covenant with fluorescent lights on the inside to complete that glowing look. Just like in Indiana Jones!

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