Feature: Wait, did you say “Flamethrower”? – The Robogames Combat Robots

Texas Heat Combat Robot

Combat robots aren’t exactly new – the first season of the Comedy Central show “Battlebots” aired in 2000 and the games had been going strong since 1997.

What’s interesting, however, is how 11 years of robot evolution have affected the sport. Back in 2002, the spinners ruled the day. But today’s robots are meaner than ever; and the sport’s fans just as obsessed. Why do they do it? Because for three glorious minutes, the world melts away.

I took the best fight footage we had and put it in this short video – I’ll try to have some outtakes up soon, as I know you love to see robots kicking ass.

If you’d like to see the video in full HD resolution, just hit this link, which will take you to the video’s high-def page on YouTube.

If you’d like to get more information on the Robogames, you can head to the Robogames Web site.



Dork Yearbook

Dork Year Book

A few years ago, these kinds of pictures in your past may have been embarrassing. Now that you are gainfully (maybe even successfully) employed in the tech industry, and those bullies that used to steal your lunch money are standing in the employment line and dodging restraining orders, they seem kind of cute. Dork Yearbook is a collection of youthful photographs submitted by those who have come to terms with their inner dorkiness. The anonymous author says:

Send me your own dorky pictures so I may laugh at them! Ha ha!

[via Metafilter]

[GAS] Resource Center: Free IT and Business Books Summaries

We have an amazing offer for you guys today. In partnership with tradepub, the folks who help us with our IT resources center, we can now offer you access to a multitude of free IT and business-related books summaries.

A Summary isn’t merely a digest or excerpts strung together. It’s a seamless document that reads (and holds your interest) like a magazine article. And you retain more of the content when you read a Summary than when you read a book. A major university study proved that a few years back.

Among the list, there’s a few great titles such as “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People“, “Revolutionizing IT“, and “Does IT Matter?“.

I invite you to check them all out right here and here.



Rocket Sled Gloriously Vaporizes Car

Hmmm, is “glorious” the proper word to characterize this experience? Hmmm, I think we may have an understatement here.

[Via NewLaunches]

iPod Shuffle: the tiny device with the huge profits

BusinessWeek is reporting that Apple’s Shuffle 3G – retail price $79.99 – is made up of parts costing just $21.77.

Those costs, which include the headphones and packaging, represent just 28% of the retail price, meaning the tiny device likely has a huge profit margin. To put things into context, the components of the first iPod touch cost 49% of the retail price, while those used in the 3G iPod nano were around 40%.

Perhaps surprisingly given the low costs, the key components come from a big-name firm. Samsung provides both the main chip (at $5.98) and the flash memory ($10). The power comes from a lithium battery costing $1.20 which research firm iSuppli says is the smallest it’s ever seen.

Of course, there are other costs involved in producing a device such as research, staff wages and distribution. Apple says its overall gross margin on products is 34.7%. If that same margin applies to the Shuffle it will be taking in just over $20 per unit.

Given the price-to-cost ratio, you may be wondering why nobody has yet produced a ‘clone’ version which is considerably cheaper than the Shuffle 3G, but still gives the makers a healthy profit. PMP Today notes that though the components are cheap, the sheer task of fitting such small parts together requires a technology which is beyond the budgets of most knock-off firms.

Exmovere chariot transforms amputees into cyborgs look alike

Apart from looking extremely cool (For a geek, at least), Exmovere’s new chariot system will transform anyone who steps into it into a cyborg look alike. With a top speed of 12 mph, the device can be controlled by moving your torso around, allowing you to keep your hands free at all time. Even though anyone could use it, the chariot was primarily designed for disabled members of the US army, offering them “dignity, strength and increased mobility.”

[Via BotJunkie]

Eminem’s Bizarre Star Trek Homage

By Casey Lynn
Contributing Writer, [GAS]

Eminem’s unapologetic celebrity bashing isn’t exactly anything new, but the video released last week for the first single of his new album, “We Made You,” is actually kind of interesting (if at times kind of offensive) in that it’s almost like a pop culture time capsule for the last couple of years. One mostly about celebrity couples.

Though even if you’re not big on tabloid fodder, you might be amused by the rapper’s impersonation of Spock – on the bridge of the Enterprise, spying on Jessica Alba in the shower, and battling Samantha Ronson ala “Amok Time” while Lindsay Lohan watches from a nearby cage. There’s also a nod to Guitar Hero and Transformers.

If you missed them, the list of Eminem’s “Rock of Love”-style suitors is as follows (alphabetically): Jessica Alba, Jennifer Anniston, Ellen DeGeneres, Kim Kardashian, Lindsay Lohan, Sarah Palin, Portia de Rossi, Samantha Ronson, Jessica Simpson, Britney Spears, and Amy Winehouse. And in case you didn’t notice, Britney Spears is a man, though quite a good likeness, I think. Also, Sarah Palin is portrayed by the same woman who starred in the “Nailin’ Paylin” porn film.

[Eminem – We Made You]

No Wrong Way to Eat a Peep? [Pics]

By Casey Lynn
Contributing Writer, [GAS]

We’ve been told that there’s no wrong way to eat a Reeses, but what about a peep? In the tradition of some of the terrible, terrible things you can put into your body that this blog has shown you, I thought I would bring you one more. Serious Eats has convinced me that peeps are probably one more food that should not be deep fried:

peeps

If you think that looks yummy, you can follow the step-by-step recipe. But in the meantime, I’ve scoured up some other ways that people eat their peeps… After all, with peeps and other Easter candies half off on Monday, the frugal chef could make a few peeps go a long way.

Steeped Peep
peep1

Continue reading ›

Handy Cheat Sheet for Time Travellers

For those of you who think they’ll one day go back in time, accidentally or not, here’s a handy cheat sheet you might want to consider bringing along with you.

Time Travel Cheat Sheet
Click Picture to Enlarge

Thanks Chris!

ISS (International Space Station) Crew Quarters Tour

In the following video, Expedition 18 commander Mike Fincke provides us with a brief tour of the crew quarters on the International Space Station.

[Via OhGizmo]