http://www.techwirex.com Make your Tech News reading easier Thu, 11 Mar 2010 06:39:48 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en |In 2007, steampunk musician Yoshi Akai wrote his master's thesis on how to turn color into sound, and he's been dreaming up unorthodox ways of producing music ever since. Case in point: the Lego Sequencer MR II, a contraption that uses three-dimensional Lego structures to emulate a three-channel, eight-step sequencer, ... http://www.techwirex.com/electronics/gadgets-electronics/steampunk-sequencer-generates-audio-from-lego-blocks/ |While the verdict is still out with regard to consumer appetites for a 3rd portable computing device, PC makers are betting the farm on consumer interest in tablets that fill the gap between small-screened smartphones and bulky (by comparison) netbooks/laptops. We've already seen an uptick in tablet devices on display ... http://www.techwirex.com/computers/netbooks-computers/over-50-arm-based-tablets-launching-this-year/ |Man, MIT is making all of these other places of higher learning look silly. For what seems like the fortieth time this month, scientists at the university have revealed yet another breakthrough that might just change the way we compute in the future. Polyethylene, which is about as common a ... http://www.techwirex.com/general/tech-news/mit-gurus-use-polyethylene-to-suck-heat-away-from-your-next-cpu/ |Whether you covet your Irish friends' ability to make in-flight cellphone calls or value your aerial naps too much to care either way, you must admit that the promise of in-flight SMS, MMS, voice messaging, and text email is tantalizing. To this end, the kids at Asiq have announced a ... http://www.techwirex.com/electronics/gadgets-electronics/bluetooth-access-point-brings-text-messaging-voice-messaging-email-to-the-friendly-skies/ |We just sat down with Palm here at GDC and fished out a few more details on the PDK beta front. Firstly, and most interestingly, Palm has confirmed that the PDK now works on all of its handsets (instead of just the Pre and Pre Plus), which means Pixi buyers ... http://www.techwirex.com/general/tech-news/palms-webos-pdk-beta-adds-pixi-native-development-pdkd-apps-will-hit-the-catalog-mid-year/ |With the estate of Philip K. Dick up in arms over the slightest commercial reference to his published works, we may come to regret the above headline. But it's worth the risk to bring more attention to this lovely, handcrafted Android pillow. Covered in fleece and filled with fluffy polyester ... http://www.techwirex.com/electronics/handhelds/does-android-dream-of-diy-cushions/ |Surely you remember those Sixense motion controls that we caught lounging around at Razer's CES booth, right? Yeah. Today at the Game Developers Conference, both outfits have teamed up in order to distribute the Ultra-Precise Motion Controller SDK and FPS utility library via Steam, which should give devs the ability ... http://www.techwirex.com/electronics/video-games/razer-and-sixense-distribute-sdk-and-fps-shooter-utility-through-steam/ |It sure took 'em long enough -- just over four months if you're keeping score -- but MSI has finally shipped its next-generation netbook. The AMD-powered Wind12 U230 has left the docks today in two distinct flavors (the U230-033 and U230-040), with both touting Windows 7 Home Premium, a 12.1-inch ... http://www.techwirex.com/computers/netbooks-computers/msi-starts-shipping-two-12-1-inch-amd-powered-wind12-u230-netbooks/ |We had a hunch that Pentax was readying a 645 Digital, and sure enough, the company has come clean with that very camera today. The May-bound 40 megapixel 645D is a medium format beast, but unlike similar options from Hasselblad, this one won't actually destroy your hopes of sending four ... http://www.techwirex.com/electronics/cameras/pentax-gets-official-with-40-megapixel-645d-medium-format-camera/ |If you're trying to cut back on or give up caffeine, then you already know to avoid coffee. But the eye-opening stimulant is found in lots of other beverages, and even some food and medications.Photo by emdot.Life management blog Wise Bread takes a look at where caffeine is hiding in ... http://www.techwirex.com/general/miscellaneous/know-how-much-caffeine-is-in-the-food-and-drinks-you-love/