Meizu portable media player

Last month, our pals at TechDigest mentioned the possibility of the Meizu portable media player heading to the UK. Well, it’s now been confirmed and retailing from £79.99.

The Meizu is a dinky little number that weighs in at 55g. Despite its size, the flash-based player still manages to pack in a 2.4-inch
high-definition display and is available in 1GB, 2GB or 4GB sizes
and in either black or white. Audio playback is MP3, WAV and WMA, with video playback in AVI. There’s also an image
viewer for JPEG, GIF and BMP. Other than that, you get voice recording, a file browser, calendar, stopwatch
and games. All easily transfered from your PC by USB. It will be available in the coming weeks and priced from £79.99. Contact Dane-Elec for retailers.

Why your PlayStation3 could help to cure cancer

And Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s… No, this isn’t some new real-time medical strategy game. It’s something called Cure@PlayStation3, and it’s an application which you can download to your PS3, and then while the console’s on standby (for example, overnight), it crunches numbers for Stanford University boffins who are conducting research into a range of serious diseases.

Any jokes about cancer being cured before any of us Brits can actually get our hands on a PS3 are in bad taste, by the way. Seriously though, there are some knotty issues around this. On the one hand, these kinds of distributed computing projects are A Good Thing, making use of our computers when we’re fast asleep for good causes.

Yet on the other hand, we’re being encouraged to NOT leave our gadgetry on standby overnight, to help save the planet. It’s certainly a thorny issue. On an entirely more flippant level, Cure@PlayStation3 does have lovely 3D atom-ball graphics. Now if they could turn it into a shoot ‘em up…

(Cure@PlayStation3 website)

Vertu Signature Duo is not cheap

The ultra-expensive Vertu handsets have been around for a while now, although unless you’re a.) a footballer, b.) a Russian ‘businessman’, or c.) Gwyneth Paltrow, you won’t have ever considered buying one. Still, they’re fun to dream about, and that’s particularly true of the latest Signature Duo model.

It’s made of stainless steel and titan, but more impressively, the screen is made of sapphire. Which apparently means it won’t ever get scratched – keys in your pocket, being dropped, or full-blown nuclear war. Which will be a load off your mind.

It’s still got the concierge service thrown in too, so you’re just a button-press away from a call-centre speaking English, Russian, French, Spanish and Italian to help you order a pizza at 3am. The price tag? Over $14,800…

(via Mobile Gadget News)

Perfect bodies duvet cover

Sex life gone a bit… stale? Finding excuses to stay up surfing the internetweb rather than face your other half in the sack again? Having regular encounters with Mr Floppy? WHAT KIND OF A MAN ARE YOU, EH? YOU’RE A DISGRACE! Oh, hang on, sorry, I was intending to be sensitive.

What I meant to say was, perhaps what’s missing is a comedy duvet. Y’know, with two naked human bodies on it, so that when you and your missus get into bed, you look like two marvellous specimens. Well, you do from above, if someone was floating above your bed looking down, and had dodgy spatial vision.

But anyway, at £32.95 (double) or £34.95 (king), the Perfect Bodies duvet is sure to solve your sexual woes in a matter of minutes. Probably. Sorry gay men and lesbian women, it appears to be heterosexuals only, unless you buy two and can do something whizzy with a sewing machine. BUY IT

Silent Bob Clerks action figure

With Kevin Smith finding fame with a million students again (and his old fans of course) with Clerks 2, it’s quite handy that these comic book style figures have come out.

You can get your hands on all the characters, but it only seems fair to show off the man who makes it all happen, namely Kevin Smith’s character, Silent Bob. So, if you fancy spending all the festive period in a long black coat and beard trying to make your figure move by using your Jedi powers, buy one of these now. How much? A paltry $9.99. BUY IT

Oh, and watch this space for news of the DVD release of the film.

Andy Warhol soup cans

Fancy a bit of PopArt in your house? Well, for a very nicely priced $12 per can, you can have a limited edition Andy Warhol soup can with authentic reproductions of Warhol designed labels. It’s printed on special quality paper and with Andy’s signature (reproduced obviously as he’s… well… dead).

The tins actually contains Campbell’s condensed tomato soup should you be daft enough to want to crack one open. Best not store it in the fridge though as drunken muches may rid you of your little piece of classic art. Available in four colours. BUY IT

Sandisk Sansa E280, the iPod nano killer

If you’re thinking of buying an iPod Nano for Xmas, either for yourself or a loved one, we recommend you read this first… Sansa’s E series of flash-based MP3 players does everything the Nano does and much more besides. We’ve read several reviews which conclude that the Sansa is a genuine iPod killer and when you look at the facts, it’s easy to agree.

Unlike the Nano, the Sansa packs in an FM radio and video capability (not that you’d want to watch much video on a screen of this size, but it’s good to have the option). It also includes a microSD slot, which means the top-of-the-range E280 (8GB capacity) can expand its memory to an impressive 10GB. Then there’s its user-replaceable 20-hour lithium ion battery, embedded voice recorder and support for MP3 and WMA-encoded music. Most impressive. Sound quality is excellent too.

Oh, and did we mention that the E280 is about thirty quid cheaper than the 8GB Nano? Well, we have now… BUY IT

Don’t mess with the TankChair

It’s called the TankChair, and it’s basically an extreme off-road wheelchair that owes more than a little to, well, tanks. It laughs in the face of streams, mud, snow, sand and gravel, and bumps up and down stairs without a hitch. Oh, and if someone annoys you, it’s great for showing them just who’s boss.

Its inventor came up with the idea a couple of years ago, after encountering problems when his wife’s wheelchair wasn’t able to plough through a forest in pursuit of an elk. As you do. There’s not a set price, as every chair is made specifically for its owner, taking into account their injury, weight and size. Pedestrians of Cambridge, be VERY afraid if Steven Hawking ever gets one of these…

(via The Red Ferret Journal)

Jigsaw wine rack

There comes a time in every man’s life when he has to stop buying wine by the bottle in Sainsburys according to what’s on a £2-off deal, and start building up a proper wine cellar. But if you’re lacking a cellar, check out this Puzzle Wine Rack, which consists of modular units that can be fitted together into whatever shape you like.

The idea is that you can squeeze it into spaces that would be unsuitable for a traditionally-shaped wine rack. And since it’s made of hard-as-nails ABS polymer, it doesn’t feel flimsy. The system is the work of top designer Gideon Dagan, and is available in two colours: ‘smoke noire’ and ‘cognac amber’. That’ll be grey and gold, then. A single set costs £34.95 from Firebox, or you can get one of each for £59.95. BUY IT

Nintendo DS MP3 player add-on

Nintendo can do no wrong at the moment. Its MP3 add-on for the DS will be launched on 8th December (the same launch date as the Wii, btw). The add-on will work with the DS Lite and original DS, as well as the Game Boy Advance SP and diddy Game Boy Micro.

The
cartridge-based player slots in just like a game and provides an SD
card slot for MP3 storage. The screen acts as the player menu with full
track titles (see screenshot). The only catch is that you’ll also have to buy a memory card and card reader to transfer files to your gaming device. Overall, though, this is a great little add-on for Nintendo’s handheld family. It’ll cost around £20. [Via Stuff]

Hero of the day: Oliver Postgate

Name Oliver Postgate

Job The Elvis, Beatles and Dylan of kids TV all rolled in one. In short, genius and programme maker.

Special Powers Creating other worlds, incredible characters and superb stories .

He said "In our time we had been able to found great kingdoms of mountains, ice and snow in our cowsheds. In Peter’s (Firmin, Postgate’s partner at Small Films) big barn we commanded infinities of Outer Space, starred it with heavenly bodies made from old Christmas decorations and made a moon for the Clangers. Today, [KidsTV] is burdened with the search for the millions of pounds which they have to find to fund their glossy products, the entrepreneurs have to lead a very different sort of life. They must hurtle from country to country seeking subscriptions from the TV stations to fund the enormous cost of the films. Each of these stations will often require the format of the proposed film to be adapted to suit its own largest and dumbest market. They have to do this because, for them, children are no longer children, they are a market."

They said "He’s your favourite madcap Uncle, almost Heath Robinson like in his passion for invention and design and creation."

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Cocktail arcade table

If you want to show off, what better way to do it than having your very own cocktail table arcade machine? Yep, it’s a fully functioning retro arcade machine that has shatterproof glass and tough old buttons to withstand you and your mates furiously thrashing out battle after heated battle. However, one huge difference between this one, and the originals is the number of games you get.

Take a deep breath. 1943, Phoenix, Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jnr, Scramble, Space Invaders, Dig Dug, Lady Bug, 4D Warriors, 1942, Galaga, Galaxian, Frogger, Pacman, Phoenix, Bomb Jack, Millipede, Lunar Rescue, Moon Cresta, Columns, Mr Do, Pac Man Plus, Starforce, Uniwars, Wonderboy, Xevious, Gorf, Moon Patrol, Terra Cresta, Eyes, Raiden, Son of Phoenix, Star Force, Video Hustler, Vastar, Wiz, Regulus, MX5000, Megatack, Jail Break, Gyrodine and Pleiads! It’s a beaut! You operate through the menus with the joystick and hit the 1UP/2UP buttons to fire. Brilliant. How much? £1675, which aint bad for a piece of design genius. BUY IT

Nikon D40

I’ve always resisted the urge to buy a digital SLR – not because I don’t really want one (I do), but because they’re just too damn big to carry around in a lot of situations where you’d want to take photos (parties, sporting events etc.). Nikon’s new D40 is about to change that. It’s the smallest DSLR yet, to the point where it’s essentially created its own niche – the Compact DSLR, or, for acronym lovers, the CDSLR. If you want to check out its technical specs/price/more photos, click below…

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Five cracking cricket games

It’s a matter of hours till the Ashes kick off Down Under, and we’re getting unfeasibly excited about the prospect of seeing Monty Panesar rip through the Aussie batting order before KP and Freddie batter a record number of sixes. Well, we can dream. But in the meantime, how can you get in the mood? Check out our pick of five ace cricket games, covering all platforms – console, mobile, online, board and TV plug-in.

1. EA Sports Cricket 07 (console)
Just in time for the Ashes comes EA’s latest leather’n'willow sim, promising the most intuitive control system yet (i.e. it’s not as bastard hard as its predecessors).

You choose whether to bat on the front or back foot using the left analog stick on your joypad, and set timing and direction using the right analog stick. You can play 20/20, one-day or full test matches, replay the 2005 Ashes, and take part in tournaments around the world. Hurrah! (more info)

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Sted-E-Man robot kit

Well, walking around your living room, anyway. I found Sted-E-Man on a specialist robot website, so you might need to be a bit techy to assemble him – although they do promise you won’t need to do any soldering. He’s a bipedal robot walker, who can turn through 45 degrees in a single turn, meaning he won’t be pulling clunky three-point turns when you want him to switch direction.

Once you’ve built the bot, you can teach him to walk and perform tricks, or pimp him out with all manner of accessories and sensors to turn him into a fearsome killing machine more intelligent robot. And because he’s made from thick plexiglass and steel, he won’t fall apart the first time he topples over your cat. He costs £155 or £224 depending on whether you want an OOPic-R. Whatever that is. BUY IT