The Returnil Virtual System 2008 is a free alternative to conventional computer protection products. Instead of giving retroactive protection, this product sets up a proactive safe-box ‘virtual machine’ on your hard disk which disappears once you switch off. This means that any attack on your computer does not touch your real hardware, it’s contained within the virtual machine. It’s harder work to manage this kind of tech than with computer imaging products such as Rollback RX (which I use to take instant snapshots of…
Read MoreMonthly Archives: March 2009
Oovoo – free video conference calling for up to six people
Oovoo is a free video chat service which offers conferencing for up to six people. It’s the kind of thing that you probably don’t need, until you need it. We use Skype video for all our one on one calls, and it works great, but for multiple people it’s back to audio only. I haven’t had a chance to try this in anger yet – video performance with 6 people on a call will be interesting to see – but…
Read More100 Most Useful WordPress Add-ons – tweak your blog and profit!
This list of the 100 Most Useful WordPress Add-ons is definitely worth a bookmark if you’re a WP blogger type. It won’t help if you’re not. Just thought I’d mention that. Tags: wordpress, blog, 100+most+useful+Wordpress+add-ons
Read MoreBritish Telecom Sucks – or how not to do customer service
Updated here British Telecom is a good example of a company which has such a lousy reputation for the way it treats its customers that people set up websites to moan to the world about the awfulness. Despite the company trying to shut down dissent (see the furore caused a few years ago with the company stifling btirelandsucks.com) sites like btcomplaint.com still manage to get the word out, although judging from a recent post, the telco does absolutely nothing about complaints whatsoever even…
Read MoreFerret posts this week
Here’s a quick round-up of Red Ferret posts from the past week for those who missed them. Enjoy. AlcoScan Premium Breathalyser – deep lung sampling sensors give warning on cue – The AlcoScan AL7000 Premium… XSight Touch – universal remote control gets some glam styling – The folks at One-For-All sent me a… Nerf Vulcan Hack – turn yourself into the Boss of Bosses – These $49.99 Nerf Vulcan… BatteryBar – fab freeware keeps a close watch on your battery status…
Read MoreEdge Robotic Arm Kit – build that gleaming android, one piece at a time
I’ve never really understood this fascination with robotic arms, and this Edge Robotic Arm Kit doesn’t help. Why arms? Why not, say, legs? Or Robotic Torsos? Or Robotic Kneecaps? Doesn’t make sense. Sure, I know you can shake hands with the thing, and get it to mash peas and stuff, but still. Just a teeny bit creepy if you ask me. Which you didn’t. $49.99. Five axes of robotic movement are at your command with the wired remote. Command the…
Read MoreLay-Z-Spa – your spa, where you need it
The Lay-Z-Spa is a portable and inflatable outdoor spa. It can heat the water up to 40�C, has a built-in air pump to blow up the spa and to provide millions of tingly bubbles via the 80 microjets. For the clumsy and/or absent-minded there’s also a residual current device to protect your guests on the off chance someone drops a martini shaker or toaster into the spa. It also comes with a cover so you can keep the critters out…
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The New Decider Watch – take the decision out of your deciding
The New Decider Watch comes with an integrated Yes/No display window which alternates as the seconds tick past. When you need to make a decision just glance down at your wrist to get the answer. As long as it’s monosyllabic of course. We accept no blame whatsoever for your legal fees, OK? $149.00/€135.00. The New Decider helps you make decisions: as the seconds tick round the words “yes” and “no” are alternately displayed. When you need to make a decision, simply…
Read MoreSubhuman Project – pedalling across the Atlantic 30 foot under the waves
If everything goes as planned, sometime later this year Ted Ciamillo will step into his one man pedal powered sub and start a 2,300 mile journey below the waves of the Atlantic Ocean which he expects to take just 50 days. The Subhuman Project marries ultra high technology, eccentric derring-do and a touch of Indiana Jones in an attempt to grab a whole new perspective on ocean life around the clock. The slow, un-powered craft will bristle with scientific…
Read MoreFake Security Doom Camera – freak out your friends when they visit
This Fake Security Doom Camera caught our eye not because of the ersatz but strangely disconcerting red light. Nope, it was actually because we love products which are marketed with typographically incorrect but apt model names. Doom camera is sooo much better than a boring old dome camera doncha think? Anyway this thing – doom or gloom – flashes away when it detects motion, making it even more sinister sister. Stick one on your toilet ceiling and invite some friends around for…
Read MoreConstruct Game Maker – free Open Source Game Maker for all
Construct is a free Open Source game maker program which will have you churning out hit titles faster than you can say Electronic Tarts. It comes with all kinds of groovy things like pixel shaders, bump-mapping and bone animation (ooh!) and most importantly it supports plugins, which means extensibility. If you’ve been aching to create your own game masterpiece, this could be your chance. Construct is a free powerful and easy to use development software for both DirectX 9-based games…
Read MoreCreative Commons 0 – no rights reserved
CC0 (aka Creative Commons zero) is a special license designed by the Creative Commons people which lets you put your stuff directly into the public domain. Without passing go, and without collecting £200. Once you sign up to CC0 for a piece of your work, you hand over all rights to it, and anyone can do what they like with it. It’s designed for anyone, not just artists, and already some scientists, educators and other groups have started using it to…
Read MoreMusic Magpie – get cash for your old CDs, DVDs and games
Music Magpie lets you sell your old games, CDs and DVDs and turn the cash to some better use. Like surviving. Yeah it’s not new, but the site is well done, and you get freepost labels to use to send in your stuff. One caveat, if they decide your disc is not in good enough condition to repair or refurbish, you won’t get it back. Be warned. We originally launched musicmagpie as an easy way for everyone to turn their…
Read MoreSolar Driveway Markers – never drive into your pond again
Now apparently, in some parts of the world, there’s this weird stuff that falls out of the sky. It’s like rain, but frozen and if enough of it falls you can’t see anything on the ground. I know it sounds crazy. In my neck of the woods, the only thing we have to worry about is knocking the spiders out of our boots. Well, if any of it was true, then these Solar Driveway Markers would sure come in super…
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The Crisis of Credit Visualized – the financiapocalypse explained in 11 minutes and 10 seconds
This Crisis of Credit Visualized, is a brilliant, short animation that explains the heart of the world-wide financial collapse. Funny, moving and painful. Yeah, maybe just painful. [Via Flowing Data and Information Aesthetics]. The goal of giving form to a complex situation like the credit crisis is to quickly supply the essence of the situation to those unfamiliar and uninitiated. This project was completed as part of my thesis work in the Media Design Program, a graduate studio at the…
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