OpenFile is a new and very cool online service which is attempting to put the vroom back into local news reporting. What’s clever about this Canadian site is the fact that any member of the public can login and trigger a story they want covered. The site will then allocate one of their team of professional journalists to cover the stories as needed. It’s not clear whether these journos cover all submissions or just the most popular/best ones, but in any case…
Read MoreMonthly Archives: October 2010
One Page Per Day – cool writing tool encourages your creative urge
I really like the idea behind this new OnePagePerDay site which provides you with a single online page each day onto which you can type some words. It’s like having a helpful butler who brings a tray to your bedside each morning with a quill and parchment ready for you to continue the book you’re writing. The service will also remind you each day to continue with your work, and you can even let others see a part of your opus, at…
Read MoreSportcraft Stepback 3 – shoot the hoops from the comfort of your own couch
This Sportcraft Stepback 3 basketball game gives you all the thrills of the arcade game in your living room. You get to jostle, fight, stab and generally make mayhem, and then after dinner you can play this if you like. It’s got all the electronics you’ll need, including sensors to score properly, nice large LED readout and a countdown clock. Go tiger. $149.95. This is the basketball shooting game that knows when players have scored from “in the paint” or…
Read MoreCassette Tape Case for iPhone 4G – make your new handset look really um cool
For some reason it seems that some of you proud iPhone 4G owners may wish to hide your pride and joy in a case that looks like a 1970s throwback. Quite why that would be we have no idea, but if it tickles your retro bone, you can pick up this Cassette Tape Case for a mere $38.95. Enjoy. The fantastic silicon cover is designed to look exactly like an old audio cassette, complete with its own case. But instead…
Read MoreKY-IDLD-7101 Android 1.9 Tablet – window spotting the new Android Typo tablet?
This KY-IDLD-7101 400Mhz, 7 inch, WiFi enabled, webcam featured Shanzhai tablet computer apparently runs Google Android version 1.9. Shirley shome mishtake? Yours for a retail price of $115.00 and a wholesale price of $101, if you buy more than eleven. CPU: VIA8505 Main Frequency: 400MHz System: Android 1.9 Camera: 0.3Mega Language: Multi Memory: 256MB Storage Device: 2GB FLASH (MAX 32GB) Input Method: android keyboard & Google Pinyin input method Touch screen:Full mirror face, HIGH sensitive touch screen operation Built-in touch panel,support…
Read MoreInflatable Photo Studio – super portable photo studio in a backpack
This Inflatable Photo Studio is not a joke, it’s a real product which photographers can use to set up a light secured studio anywhere they want. It inflates in three minutes, and deflates in five and when inflated measures 12 feet by 20 feet long. Why would you need one? Well just suppose you had a shoot booked and the weather turned nasty. Yeah, see? Anyhoo, it’s great value at just $499.00 including an inflation fan and the makers will even…
Read MorePrey Tracker – awesome open source freeware lets you track your stolen laptop and phone
Prey is an ultra awesome open source freeware program which you can use to track and recover your stolen laptop or mobile phone. You set it up by installing a tiny agent on your computer or phone, and if your device is stolen, you can send it a secret signal which wakes up the software, to start monitoring via GPS or WiFi signal triangulation. The program will also take a snapshot of the thief via the webcam, grab a screenshot of their…
Read MoreHovding Chieftain – the invisible bicycle helmet
The Hovding Chieftain is a clever new product from those innovative Swedish folk, which is basically an instant deploy airbag for a cyclist’s head. The idea is to do away with the helmet altogether in favour of a discreet 670g collar which you wear over your clothing. The collar contains a shed load of sensors, and if it detects a crash or spill instantly fires up the airbag to protect the head. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7Oud3iGXWY The tough nylon fabric airbag inflates in…
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. Mini Low Energy Lamp Bulbs – retrofitting eco into old style lamps – These Mini Low Energy Lamp Bulbs… Spoon – awesome virtual box lets you run sofware and games safely anywhere – Spoon is an awesome freeware… Dropitto.me – free upload service makes it super easy for people to send you files – Dropitto.me is a new free service… Online Dice…
Read MoreVampire Bat Hunt – shoot the varmint before it gets you…
The Vampire Bat Hunt game turns your living room into a dark dingy cave, while arming you with an infrared pistol with which to go all Indy Jones on an annoying flying toy. The blaster has a 20 foot range, the ‘bat’ has a 30 second flight time on one charge, the cat has a pancake. A recipe for tantrums at bedtime. $29.95. A 10-second charge on the barrel of the blaster animates the bat with sinister energy for a 30-second…
Read MoreBioLite – awesome electricity producing camping stove
This most excellent BioLite camping stove contains some very clever thermoelectric technology which converts excess heat to electricity to power both a turbo fan and an external 1–2 watt USB device charger for mobile phones and LED lanterns. The stove can boil a litre of water in around 4 minutes once started, which compares well to those gas powered stoves you see in camping shops. It heats to 1400 degrees at peak, and yet has a cool to touch body. It’s a very…
Read MorePowergorilla – the only portable charger you’ll need
I have been testing a Powergorilla portable charger for a few weeks now, mainly as a phone charger for extended trips rather than a laptop charger, and one thing sticks out – this is not your average power block. The massive 21000mAh capacity battery pack for standard 5V USB devices is absolutely superb, and means you can keep all your gadgets charged on the move, without having to worry about finding a mains power socket at all. I’ve successfully used it to keep…
Read MoreTitan Quadband Projector & TV Phone – the ultimate all round entertainment centre
The Titan Quadband Projector & TV Phone is remarkable not just for the fact that the manufacturer has managed to cram dual SIM, FM radio, TV and LED projector functionality into a pocket friendly quadband mobile phone, but also for the very reasonable price point. Just $172.95 buys you a veritable media centre powerhouse, with a 31 inch equivalent projected screen, microSD storage for movies, a video camera, FM and audio recorder and Bluetooth connectivity. Whoosh! With its unique style, the Titan…
Read MoreWaterproof Shower Notebook – grab that inspiration before it’s washed away
This Waterproof Shower Notebook is the perfect way to grab and hold those inspirational thoughts that seem to come only when you’re standing with a head full of suds and loofer in hand. Sure, you could keep a Sharpie for scribbling on the wall tiles, but why not show a bit more class and save on cleaning fluid for the maid? $12.99. Brilliant ideas are never again forgotten, just use the hang strap to store our Waterproof Shower Notebook on your…
Read MoreDolphin Browser – free Android browser really shines
I’ve been looking for a good all round web browser for Android mobile phones for a while. The default version is pretty limited in functionality, and Opera is frankly a bit of a pain to use. Which is why I’m delighted to report that the free Dolphin Browser is a very cool way to access the web on your Android smartphone, and should be on top of your list of apps to check out. There are two versions, the standard…
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