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South Korea has overhauled its public transport network with recharging roads, where the vehicles use power from buried electric strips in the road. It was invented at the University of California, before South Korea adopted it for an amusement park.

The system is being tested at an amusement park in Seoul, but if all goes well, the country hopes to expand it to the whole city's bus route—helping minimize unsightly overhead power lines and obviously doing a good turn for the environment. Dubbed the Online Electric Vehicle system, or OLEV, the magnetic electrical charging strips are buried in four different areas along the 2.2km bus route, with the buses sucking power which can be used to drive or just filling up the battery storage.

When visiting cities like San Francisco that rely heavily on trams, which run on ugly overhead lines, I've often thought there should be a better way of networking public transport. This could be the answer—and help a little way towards reducing carbon emissions, too. [PhysOrg]

It's not a micro four thirds, but Pentax has lifted the lid on the 645D medium format camera, which will be available this May for close to $10,000. Why so expensive, you ask? There's that 40MP Kodak sensor for starters.

It's also got a SAFOX IX+ autofocus system with 11 sensor points, a Pentax original Real Image Engine, 14 bit A/D converter, and is the ultimate kick-around camera, with 70 seals making it dustproof, weather resistant and cold-proof. There's also a dust removal II system, just in case. It takes SD/SDHC memory cards, and while that May release is scheduled for Japan, the rest of the world should be getting some Pentax love soon after. [Photography Blog]

Full (UK) release below:

The PENTAX Imaging Systems Division of HOYA Corporation in Japan will announce on 10th March 2AM CET (1AM GMT) a new digital medium-format camera, the 645D, and its 55mm lens, which will be launched in Japan only.

Here are the main features of the 645D.

PENTAX 645D
- 40 Megapixels sensor (44 x 33mm), designed by Kodak
- PENTAX original Real Image Engine
- 14 bit A/D converter
- Dustproof, weather-resistant and coldproof body (70 seals)
- Dual SD/SDHC card slots
- New SAFOX IX+ autofocus system, with 11 sensor points
- Dust Removal II mechanism
- Trapezoid-shaped glass prism viewfinder
- Weight: 1480g loaded and ready with battery and 2 SD cards

PENTAX D-FA 645 55mm F2.8 AL [IF] SDM AW
- Equivalent to 43.5mm in the 35 format
- Dustproof, weatherproof
- Aero Bright coating
- First PENTAX completely rounded diaphragm
- SDM focus mechanism
- Weight: 416g

Planned launch date in Japan: May 2010.

The 645D does not have a RRP in Japan but is expected to sell for ¥850,000 while the lens is expected to have a street price around ¥100,000.

It is not yet decided whether this camera will be available in other markets.

Pentax Press Release

HOYA CORPORATION PENTAX Imaging Systems Division is pleased to announce the launch of the PENTAX 645D lens-interchangeable, medium-format digital SLR camera. Thanks to the incorporation of a large image sensor, equal in performance to professional-standard digital camera backs, this high-performance model delivers super-high-resolution images with approximately 40 effective megapixels. It also offers outstanding dependability and superb operability and maneuverability to make outdoor shooting effortless and comfortable for demanding photographers.

The PENTAX 645D has been developed to provide super-high-resolution images produced by large image sensors - something previously available only on professional models - to serious landscape and outdoor photographers. It combines exceptional image quality with excellent maneuverability and outstanding reliability to simplify professional-level outdoor shooting. Thanks to the incorporation of a large, high-performance image sensor (measuring 44mm by 33mm) and PENTAX-original image-processing technology, it produces extra-sharp, super-high-resolution images with approximately 40 effective megapixels. It features remarkable durability and dependability, thanks to its lightweight but solidly built body featuring a magnesium-steel-alloy frame, reinforced glass LCD panel protectors and a reliable dustproof, weather-resistant construction. In addition, it is designed to be compatible with the majority of the existing PENTAX 645 system, so that current PENTAX 645-series camera users can take advantage of their valuable assets, including high-performance smc PENTAX 645 interchangeable lenses.

Major Features

1. Unprecedented image quality
1. Super-high-resolution images made possible by approximately 40 effective megapixels
The PENTAX 645D incorporates a high-performance CCD image sensor produced by Kodak. It measures 44mm by 33mm, and is approximately 1.7 times larger than its 35mm-format counterparts. Thanks to approximately 40 effective megapixels, it assures a wide dynamic range to faithfully reproduce the prevailing ambience and the sense of depth in super-high-resolution images that are rich in gradation and truthful in texture description. In order to bring out the full potential of the lens and the image sensor and assure the highest level of image-resolving power, the CCD unit is designed with no low-pass filters.
2. High-performance, high-speed PRIME II imaging engine
The PENTAX 645D features the acclaimed, PENTAX-original PRIME (PENTAX Real Image Engine) II as its imaging engine. Thanks to its high-speed data-processing capacity and new algorithm exclusively programmed for medium-format digital SLR cameras, this high-performance imaging engine produces super-high-quality images rich in gradation and faithful in color reproduction, while allowing speedy data transmission of large-volume image data - even RAW-format images as large as some 50MB per file.
3. 14-bit A/D converter for faithful conversion of image data to digital signals
The PENTAX 645D features a high-performance A/D converter, which faithfully converts the large volume of analog image data output by the large CCD image sensor to digital signals carrying an extensive amount of image data, including resolution and gradation.

2. Solid, maneuverable body
The PENTAX 645D's main frame is made of lightweight but strong magnesium-steel alloy, while the chassis is made of diecast aluminum to minimize the expansion and extension caused by heat and also to optimize kinematic accuracy and thermal stability. The LCD panels - one on the camera's top panel, another on the back panel - are covered with tempered glass plates for extra protection. The PENTAX 645D's body is also designed to be a compact and highly maneuverable medium-format camera, despite the incorporation of such dependable features as a dust-proof, weather-resistant construction with 70 special seals, outstanding cold-resistant performance to assure solid operation at a temperature as low as –10°C, and a newly designed shutter unit with a top shutter speed of 1/4000 second that can withstand as many as 50,000 shutter releases.

3. Dual SD/SDHC memory card slots
The PENTAX 645D has a pair of memory card slots for the recording of images on both SD and SDHC memory cards. This dual-slot design gives the photographer extra data-storage options: for instance, recorded images can be assigned to different cards according to recording format (such as RAW or JPEG), or one of the cards can be used as the backup of the other. The settings for each memory card slot can be easily made by dedicated button.

4. Dependable DR II mechanism to minimize dust spots
The PENTAX 645D comes equipped with the highly dependable DR (Dust Removal) II mechanism, which effectively minimizes annoying dust spots on recorded images, even when the lenses are changed in dust-prone outdoor settings. By shifting UV/IR-cut filters placed in front of the CCD image sensor at supersonic speed using a piezoelectric element, this mechanism effectively and efficiently shakes dust off the image sensor. Thanks to the user-friendly dust-alert system, the photographer can check at a quick glance for dust adhering to the image sensor prior to the actual shooting.

5. Newly designed, high-precision 11-point wide-frame AF sensor
The PENTAX 645D's new SAFOX IX + wide-frame autofocus system features 11 sensor points (with nine cross-type sensors positioned in the middle) to assure the extra-high-precision focusing demanded of medium-format digital SLR cameras. To develop this sophisticated AF system, the entire optical system was redesigned, at the same time with the addition of the new functionality to analyze and make use of the light sources data in the field of view.

6. Advanced 77-segment multi-pattern metering
The PENTAX 645D employs a state-of-the-art, 77-segment multi-pattern metering system to assure super-high-accuracy light metering. The exposure accuracy is further enhanced by collecting such additional data as image orientation (horizontal or vertical) and the distance to and magnification of the subject using the sensors installed inside the camera body, with the obtained data incorporated into exposure calculations.

7. Large, easy-to-see optical viewfinder
Incorporated in the PENTAX 645D's finder unit, a trapezoid-shaped glass prism not only assures an approximately 98% field of view, but also greatly contributes to the downsizing of the camera body. Coupled with a bright, easy-to-focus Natural-Bright-Matte focusing screen, the PENTAX 645D's viewfinder offers a large, clear view of the subject.

8. Custom Image function to create desired visual effects with ease
The PENTAX 645D's Custom Image function lets the user easily control an image's finishing touches to more precisely reflect the user's creative intentions, or to more faithfully reproduce the ambience of the scene. The user can select one of eight modes, including the new Reversal Film mode designed to create images with the colors that are typical of reversal film. In addition, all parameters - such as saturation, hue, contrast, sharpness, key, and highlight/shadow contrast - can be easily adjusted to desired levels, so that the photographer can shoot images with great ease.

9. Versatile, multi-mode exposure system for faithful reproduction of creative intentions
1. Hyper Program function
The PENTAX 645D's Hyper Program function allows the user to instantly switch from Programmed AE mode to Shutter- or Aperture-Priority AE mode with a simple turn of the electric dials positioned around the grip. A single push of the green button shifts the exposure mode back to the original Programmed AE mode.
2. Hyper Manual function
When shooting in the Metered Manual mode, the PENTAX 645D's Hyper Manual mode lets the user to instantly set the proper exposure for the subject with a single push of the green button.
3. Sensitivity-Priority mode
The unique Sensitivity-Priority (Sv) mode automatically selects the optimum combination of aperture and shutter speed for the user-selected sensitivity. The sensitivity can be shifted swiftly by electronic dial on the back panel. The variable amount of the ISO could be configured to either 1/2 or 1/3 steps per click.
4. Shutter/Aperture-Priority mode
Taking full advantage of the unique capability of digital cameras for the automatic shifting of sensitivity at any time, the Shutter/Aperture-Priority (TAv) mode automatically selects the most appropriate sensitivity for the user-selected aperture/shutter-speed combination. It allows the user to effortlessly experiment with a greater range of photographic expressions.

10. Large, easy-to-view 3.0-inch LCD monitor with approximately 921,000 dots
Positioned on the camera's back panel, a large 3.0-inch color LCD monitor with approximately 921,000 dots provides a clear, bright view of onscreen images and menus. Since its wide-view design allows quick, effortless confirmation of the monitor image from approximately 170 degrees both horizontally and vertically, the photographer has little difficulty shooting images from low and high angles. The LCD monitor is also treated with exclusive AR (Anti-Reflection) coating to minimize reflections on the screen, even in the outdoor locations under bright sunshine.

11. Long battery life
The PENTAX 645D is powered by a large-capacity, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which can capture approximately 800 images* when fully charged.

* Under testing conditions prescribed by PENTAX, when using a rechargeable D-LI90 lithium-ion battery with no flash.

12,. Other features
1. HDR (high dynamic range) function to create one composite image with an extra-wide gradation range from three images with different exposures
2. Dynamic-Range Expansion function to compensate for both whitewashed (excessively overexposed) and blacked-out (excessively underexposed) areas
3. Digital Level function for easy checking of the image's levels
4. Automatic compensation of distortion and lateral chromatic aberration (available in combination with the D FA 645- and FA 645- series lenses)
5. Versatile white-balance control system, including the CTE mode designed to emphasize the dominant color components of the captured images, which works especially well with such scene like sunset.
6. Mirror shock/operation-noise reduction function to assure smooth, quiet operation of the mirror during shooting
7. Attachment of copyright credits on recorded images
8. Compatible with the SDM (Supersonic Direct-drive Motor) autofocus mechanism, designed to assure smooth, quiet operation using the supersonic motor installed inside SDM lenses
9. HDMI terminal (for type C mini connectors) for high-resolution image data output
10. User-friendly, color-classified control buttons/switches, based on the color universal design concept
11. PENTAX Digital Camera Utility 4 software package, including a RAW-data processing application (based on the popular SILKYPIX RAW-data processing engine developed by Ichikawa Soft Laboratory) and browser application

HOYA CORPORATION PENTAX Imaging Systems Division is pleased to announce the launch of the smc PENTAX-D FA 645 55mm F2.8 AL[IF] SDM AW. Developed as the first model of the PENTAX-D FA 645 lens series, it not only features new optics optimized for high-quality digital photography to assure exceptional image-description performance, but also provides an image circle covering the image area of existing 645-format film SLR cameras. This unifocal standard lens also comes with a dependable, dust-proof, weather-resistant construction for active outdoor photography.

Major Features

1. State-of-the-art optics to accommodate the requirements for super-high-resolution photography using medium-format digital SLR cameras
Incorporating high-performance, hybrid aspherical optical element in its optics, this new standard lens offers exceptional image-resolving power with outstanding brightness levels even at the edges, while compensating various aberrations to a minimum. All lens characteristics are optimized for digital photography: for instance, flare and ghost images are minimized by applying exclusive lens coatings to optical elements and employing anti-reflection materials for the interior of the lens barrel. As the result, this lens can bring out the full potential of the PENTAX 645D medium-format digital SLR camera.

2. Versatile standard lens
When mounted on the PENTAX 645D camera body, this standard lens offers a focal length of 43.5mm (in the 35mm format), which produces an angle of view close to that of the human eye. As the result, it can be used for many different kinds of subjects and applications, including landscapes and portraits.

3. Dependable dustproof, weather-resistant construction
Using seven special seals, the lens' dustproof, weather-resistant construction effectively prevents the intrusion of dust and water to the lens interior. By coupling this lens with the PENTAX 645D camera body, the user is assured of a durable, reliable digital SLR camera system that performs superbly in outdoor settings, even in rain or mist or at locations prone to water splashes or spray. PENTAX plans to use the "AW" (All Weather) designation in the product name of all dustproof, weather-resistant medium-format interchangeable lenses to be marketed in the future.

4. Aero Bright coating to dramatically improve image description in backlight
The lens is treated with PENTAX-original Aero Bright coating, which delivers brilliant, high-quality images by preventing annoying flare and ghost images more effectively than ever before. Born as the fruit of PENTAX's advanced nanotechnology, this exclusive coating effectively reduces lens reflectance and greatly increases light transmittance by forming a silica aerogel layer with uniform pores on the surface of optical element.

5. Rounded diaphragm to produce a beautiful bokeh
This is the first PENTAX medium-format interchangeable lens to features a completely rounded diaphragm. It creates a natural, beautiful "bokeh" (out-of-focus rendition), while minimizing the streaking effect of point light sources.

6. Smooth, quiet SDM autofocus mechanism
The SDM (Supersonic Direct-drive Motor) autofocus mechanism operates smoothly and quietly using the supersonic motor installed inside the lens barrel.*

* Only manual-focus operation is available when this lens is mounted on the PENTAX 645N or PENTAX 645N II camera body.

7. SP coating to block dust and dirt
The front surface of the lens is treated with PENTAX-original SP (Special Protect) coating, which applies an exclusive fluorine compound to the lens surface through a vapor deposition process. This SP coating not only effectively repels dust, water and grease, but also makes it easy to wipe off fingerprints and cosmetics.

8. Other features
1. Image circle covering the image area of 645-format film SLR cameras
2. Functional, simplified design, with no aperture ring
3. Quick-Shift Focus system for instant switching to manual-focus operation, after the subject is captured in focus by the AF system
4. PL filter window for easy installation of a polarizing filter without removing the lens hood
5. PH-SA67 Square Plastic Hood (optional)** for more effective prevention of flare and ghost images when mounted on the PENTAX 645D camera body

** This hood cannot be used with a 645-format film SLR camera body, as it causes vignetting.

We often speak of material being used to conduct electricity, but what if underwear makers AussieBum—who've created underpants made from banana fiber—used carbon nanotubes as well? Think of the possibilities banana-derived electricity-conducting pants could bring you. [KoreaHerald]

12 Full Color Printed VHS Video Boxes: $9. Full Scale Plastic Washer and Dryer Set: $139. 2 Piece 20" Wide Screen LCD Style Computer Package: $49. Outfitting your entire home with prop gadgets: Probably a bad idea.

If you're like me and ever looked at one of those prop TVs in a store and wondered how much they go for, then the mystery is finally over. You can seek out Props By IDM, a company who sells such fake gadgets, and price check. [Props by IDM via Boing Boing]

Here's some tasty-looking hard candy. And here's that same tasty-looking hard candy scanned by an SEM. Tuns out that there's a company offering to stick almost anything under an electron microscope and we can't help but wonder: What to pick?

SEM Elemental Analysis company ASPEX is offering this great service where people can submit their own samples to be viewed under a scanning electron microscope. They even post results—like these—on the site:

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Now, back to the big question: What would you want to see scanned by an SEM? [Aspex via Maria Popova]

Lego biped robots are a dime a dozen, even while some look pretty sweet. This one is special: It's the first walking Lego robot. And, unlike your usual feet-dragging toy robots, it actually walks by raising its feet.

This is definitely not easy to do with Lego or any other material. Maybe this guy should start thinking about building a Big Dog. [Flickr via Brothers Brick]

Here are a few things you don't have time to do when your car plunges into an icy lake: remove a Leatherman multitool from your glove compartment; unfold it; cut through your seatbelt; refold it; smash through your window.

Thankfully there's the ExiTool, a clever little gadget that attaches to your seat belt for quick access when your shit goes "glug, glug, glug." It includes a high-carbon stainless steel slicer, a tungsten carbide smasher, and, just for good measure, an LED light.

Sure, having an open blade attached to your seat belt all the time isn't ideal, but it's definitely more ideal than being trapped in your car at the bottom of some murky body of water.

The ExiTool will be available soon for $27, so if you're the type of person that worries about this thing it's probably a worthwhile investment. [CRKT via The Awesomer]

If I were Neil deGrasse Tyson—host of the Pluto Files and director of the Hayden Planetarium—I wouldn't be able to sleep at night. Not after reading the hate mail from thousands of outraged American kids.

The kids wrote to de Grasse Tyson demanding an explanation about why scientists changed Pluto's classification from planet into a Kuiper Belt object. The Natural History Museum also retired it from their Solar System model, which logically got a lot of kids reaching for their pellet guns.

Neil, they may sound sweet, but they are vicious, those beasts. [PBS]

Sometimes Wi-Fi just doesn't do the trick when streaming something to several devices. Zinnet's Brite-View LinkE system will cover you there by allowing you to stream things over a powerline network to four ethernet devices and at up to 200Mbps.

It's pretty simple: You plug an ethernet bridge into a wall outlet and connect it to a modem. Then you plug the four-port ethernet switch into another wall outlet and tada! You're able to stream content.

The kit's even a pretty decent deal at $90, especially compared to $150-$170 kits. [PR Newswire via Engadget]

We just finished watching Google's live announcement of the launch of the Google App Marketplace. Keep reading for information on what they're offering users and developers. Oh, and know that the Marketplace is live today. Updating.

The event is called "Google Campfire One" and it's all about how easy it will be to create, set up, and install apps using Google's App Marketplace. It appears that the big focus is on how everything—apps and existing Google products—will work together seamlessly and allow for all your tools and data to sit in the cloud. Right now the appeal is for business applications, but the potential seems incredible.

The first portion of the announcement is about what developers will give and get in this whole deal. Google is offering them access to 25 million users and only asking for a one-time fee of $100 and 20% revenue in exchange—that's less than what access to Apple's App Store requires. Of course, Google is providing a solid system with apps being authenticated using OpenID, secured using oAuth, and made available through a universal Google Apps navigation system.

While there are already 50 partners right at launch, we're hearing that after new apps are submitted, they may take a few days to show up in the Marketplace—mind you, there's no word on what kind of approval process there is. But once an app is in the Marketplace, it's easy for users or buyers to add them to their Google accounts: They agree to some terms of service, grant access to data—such as Gmail or GCal, and enable the app. Tada! It'll show up in the new apps drop down.

Now apparently development of these apps is so simple that there are 40 developers who are on a bus traveling to an SXSW event and working on apps right now.

It looks like apps will be easy to integrate into existing Google products as seen by a demo of a payroll app by Intuit—information from it was embedded into Gmail or Google Docs.

Now remember how there have been some nice previews of YouTube videos in Gmail lately? Prepare to see more of that from these new apps because Google is offering developers the chance to set apps to be triggered by certain emails, events, or specific types of content.

What does all this mean right now? For business users, there are plenty of apps already available—ones for payroll, data entry, management, and an office suite—and they'll be able to run everything right from the cloud. For us plain Janes and Joes though, the Marketplace is full of potential at this moment. Think social media, data management, communication—all the things you already get from Google, just better.

Yes, my head's already in the cloud. Hopefully everything else will follow and I'll be able to work and play there.

Some days, it happens two or three times. I bet that you and most of your friends and family find themselves in the same situation too. [Loldwell]

For every time you've brought a scooter to the airport and wished it fit into the overhead compartment, I give you the Nexus: a battery-powered scooter that folds into a luggage-sized case. The TSA will love this.

Nexus is a concept designed by Francisco Lupin, and if it were either for a) sale or b) not guaranteed to get me arrested, I'd own one already. Its two electric engines run on four 12V batteries, and can achieve speeds of up to 15 km/h. It'll last two hours on one charge, though if you make it two minutes before being tackled by bored security personnel you deserve some kind of special award. [Tuvie via Dvice]

As a kid I had a pair of Barbie sneakers that lit up with every step. Sadly those aren't made in adult shoe sizes, so I'll have to settle for something like these slinky illuminated heels.

These shoes came from the minds of Rodarte, a two-sister design team, and are a beautiful example of how wearable tech can be integrated into our lives and into our three-inch heels.

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Now can someone tell me where I can get a pair? [High Snobette via Fashion In Tech]

Wow. The PS3 is getting HD purchases and rentals from all six major studios. A quick search turns up that Xbox is missing Fox and, duh, Sony.

It's nice that Sony isn't handicapping the Playstation 3 in order to protect its blu-ray business.

Sony's got deals with Fox, Disney, Paramount, Itself, Universal and Warner. I'm impressed. Now I just have to remember my login for PS network.

From Movie Theater to Home Theater: PlayStation(R)Network Delivers High Definition Movies From Six Major Movie Studios in the United States

PlayStation(R)3 Computer Entertainment System First to Have High Definition Movies for Purchase from All Major Studios

FOSTER CITY, Calif., March 9 /PRNewswire/ — Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) today announced that 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Universal Pictures, and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution will offer high definition (HD) movies for purchase and rental on the PlayStation®Network video delivery service in the United States. PlayStation Network is the first to offer high definition movies for purchase from all of the major movie studios, further establishing PlayStation®3 (PS3®) as the preeminent home entertainment platform for this year's most popular and critically acclaimed high definition movies.

"Securing high definition content from these studios is another significant milestone further validating PlayStation Network as a complete entertainment network in the home. PlayStation Network is the first and only service to deliver high definition home entertainment from all six major studios, directly to consumers for download," said Peter Dille, senior vice president, marketing and PlayStation Network, SCEA. "PlayStation Network continues to offer the most comprehensive catalogue of HD movies to PlayStation Network members that realize the wide-ranging entertainment power of the PS3 system."

The PS3 system is the most complete home entertainment solution on the market today, enabling consumers to enjoy high-definition games and movies, as well as listen to music, view photos, browse the Internet and more. Today's announcement joins one of the industry's strongest home entertainment brands with the major media companies that produce and distribute a substantial number of films. At launch, the content will be available in the U.S. only, with plans to launch soon in the U.K., France, Germany, and Spain.

New titles available today on PlayStation Network include:
· 20th Century Fox – "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian", "Jennifer's Body" and "Fantastic Mr. Fox" (on March 23)
· Walt Disney Pictures – Disney Pixar's "Up", Jerry Bruckheimer's "G-Force" and Disney's "Earth"
· Paramount Pictures – "Star Trek", "Paranormal Activity" and "Zoolander"
· Sony Pictures – "This Is It", "2012", "District 9" and "Zombieland"
· Universal – "Inglourious Basterds", "Couples Retreat" and "Public Enemies"
· Warner Bros. Digital Distribution - "The Hangover", "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" and "The Wizard of Oz"

Sorry, everybody who bought a Zune HD! You screwed up. It won't be a part of the XNA Game Studio 4.0 party—meaning it won't play those new mobile Xbox Live games for Windows Phone 7—unlike the Zune HD2.

It's through MIcrosoft's XNA Game Studio 4.0 that developers get access to the Xbox Live goodness, using Gamer Services APIs. And that's not in the cards for the plain old Zune HD, according to Microsoft's Klucher:

"Development for the Zune and Zune HD will continue to exist in XNA Game Studio 3.1, however, in XNA Game Studio 4.0, we're encouraging you to migrate your games over to the Windows Phone 7 Series platform."

That's where the Zune HD2 comes in, which Mary Jo Foley hears is in the pipe, and "will be similar to an iPod Touch," and could ship as early as this year. In other words, it'll presumably be a part of that "Windows Phone 7 Series platform" and run Windows Phone 7 apps.

Which is what Microsoft will need—as many devices as possible running WP7 apps to give the platform a running start, and a wide base of them that don't require carrier contracts isn't a bad idea. Like Steve Jobs once supposedly referred to the iPod touch as "training wheels for the iPhone," devices running around with Xbox Live games and Zune music, getting people hooked on the platform early, the people who aren't quite ready for a full phone (though maybe that's where the mysterious Project Pink comes in), is almost a necessity, really.

But, uh, everybody who already bought a Zune HD, especially in the past month. Um, yeah. Sorry, but we told you this could happen. [ZDNet]

Sure, these days it seems like everyone has an iPhone, but in bizarro 2010 literally everyone has a watchphone. They're miniature. They're wireless. They have geometric buttons. And they're eating bizarro AT&T's bandwidth alive. Oh, 1995, you are so naive.

This ad was dug up by Wired Reread, a site that does just what its name suggests. Sometimes it's funny, sometimes it's sad, sort of like looking at the promises people wrote in your middle school yearbook. [Wired Reread via BoingBoing]

Wires. Lame, right? Always getting tangled up, keeping you tethered to your desk. But! We've hit the age of wireless USB. Now Macbook and PC alike can connect cordlessly to any desktop setting through products like the Warpia Easy Dock.

We had some concerns over the InFocus wireless set-up that popped up last month, but Source R&D's Warpia Easy Dock seems to be a cleaner solution. Both products are built on Wisair's wireless USB technology, as will at least a few more similar offerings coming later this year.

Also appealing: the Easy Dock has plug-and-play functionality, and works across both PC and Macbook lines. Whether it's worth the $150 price tag depends on how much use you'll get out of it; I can certainly see the advantages in a professional setting, or for those with netbook regret who want a larger display to work with.

Source R&D Debuts Wireless Laptop Docking Station for Mac & PC Users

Easy Dock brings your laptop content to your desktop computing environment for convenient use of speakers, mouse, keyboard & external monitor

SAN JOSE, California, Mar. 9 – Source R&D announced today the availability of the Warpia Easy Dock, which will allow users to wirelessly connect their notebook/netbook/Macbook to any traditional desktop setting. With the Easy Dock's straightforward plug-and-play interface, consumers can have both the convenience and portability of a laptop, as well as the comfort of a desktop computer. Easier on the eyes, ears and hands, users will no longer have to squint at a miniature screen, deal with a below average sound quality, or fumble with a tiny keyboard.

Based on wireless technology from Wisair, a leading provider of single-chip based Wireless USB solutions, the Easy Dock consists of a USB dongle that connects to your laptop and a receiver that connects to your monitor, mouse, keyboard, and speakers. Your laptop will instantly recognize the dongle and begin submitting a wireless signal to the receiver, transmitting the image with a resolution of up to1400x1050 to your monitor's screen.

"Perfect for professionals working from home, students on-the-go, or families with both MacBook and PC laptops, the Easy Dock gives customers ultimate portability and comfort," says Marc Levaggi, VP of Marketing for Source R&D. "They can take their compact notebook to business meetings, while still having the option to do more intensive work at home with a full-size keyboard and monitor. It's also a great solution for those who want to play media on high quality speakers."

Compared to other laptop docks on the market, Easy Dock stands out for its wireless quality; adding capability without contributing to cable clutter. Priced affordably at $149.99, the Easy Dock and works with Windows 7, Vista, XP, Mac OS X Leopard, and Snow Leopard. For more information, please visit http://warpia.com/Product_Guide-Easy_Dock.pdf.

In today's Remainders: tomorrow's news! Cisco's ushering in the next generation of internet with the CRS-3; Kempler & Strauss's futuristic PhoneWatch gets reviewed; geolocated Tweets; a WebKit-borrowing Firefox; an HTML 5 drawing app; Samsung's point and shoot prices, and more!

Hang Ups
Back in October we previewed the Kempler & Strauss PhoneWatch—the smallest of its kind and the model that promised to bring the James Bond dream to every geek's wrist. Or so we hoped. PC Mag just published their review of the watch and found it "basically unusable," complaining about the tiny screen and how texting (as you might assume) was pretty much impossible. As they point out, i's a one way street, this watch/phone business: your phone will always be able to tell the time, but your timepiece will not always be able to make phone calls. [PC Mag]

Tubular
Last night Cisco grabbed our attention with its promise that it was soon to make an announce that would "forever change the internet." This morning they unveiled their internet changer: the Cisco CRS-3 Carrier Routing System. Doesn't sound very exciting, does it? Basically, the new server triples the capacity of Cisco's current ones, allowing for 322 Terabits per second transfer and ushering in, Cisco hopes, the "next generation" of the internet. Sure, that's great, but even with crazyfast back-end, there are still plenty of things limiting the speed of the intertubes. Cisco's claims for the CRS-3 are impressive, for sure:

The Cisco CRS-3 triples the capacity of its predecessor, the Cisco CRS-1 Carrier Routing System, with up to 322 Terabits per second, which enables the entire printed collection of the Library of Congress to be downloaded in just over one second; every man, woman and child in China to make a video call, simultaneously; and every motion picture ever created to be streamed in less than four minutes.

But if it's only three times as fast as the one that came before it, Cisco's current platform can stream every movie ever made in twelve minutes. It took me like two hours to download Lost last week, so I'm not ready to say that Cisco forever changed anything just yet. [Cisco]

Firey Fox
Firefox's JavaScript engine, TraceMonkey, is starting to fall behind some of the other browser monkeys, so Mozilla is building a new engine, JagerMonkey, to get back up to speed. Ars Technica reports that Mozilla will snatch code from Apple's WebKit to add to their TraceMonkey optimization techniques. David Mandelin, a developer on the project, explained:

The reason we're [building JägerMonkey] is that TraceMonkey is very fast for code that traces well, but for code that doesn't trace, we're stuck with the interpreter, which is not fast. The JägerMonkey method JIT will provide a much better performance baseline, and tracing will continue to speed us up on code where it applies.

From the sound of things, JagerMonkey is aiming to put the fire back in the fox. [Ars Technica]
Image credit Smoking Apples

Gates' Cells
Intellectual Ventures, the very cool, very smart invention factory we've covered before, has a new patent for the modification of red blood cells. Edward Jung, Intellectual Ventures' CTO, explains:

Red blood cells are odd cells in the body because they have no nucleus. Thus they are 'stripped down' cells that cannot reproduce and cannot renew themselves; therefore they die quickly and must be constantly manufactured by special cells in the bone marrow. All these attributes make red blood cells interesting vessels for sensing devices and medicines. There is no risk of their reproducing thereby creating a hazard, nor is there a lot of machinery to run awry.

We'll take your word for it, guys. [TechFlash]

Doodling
We've already explained why HTML 5 isn't going to save the internet. But it might save you from a few hours of office drudgery, in the form of Harmony, an awesome HTML 5 drawing app. Warning: Not Safe For Productivity. [Harmony]

Tweetin' All Over the World
These days, social media seems to be focused on location, location, location. Foursquare is more popular than ever. Buzz, despite its faults, is a big play by a big company the location game. And Facebook is set to roll out its location-based solution next month. Today, geolocated Tweeets went live on Twitter.com (only to be turned off a few hours later). Still, Twitter is expected to turn the service on for good any day now, adding yet another element to Twittermania, for better or for worse. [TechCrunch]

Pricetags
We were very excited when Samsung's new point and shoots, the TL500 and the TL300, first splashed on the scene last month. Now we have prices: the TL500 will go for $449 and the TL350 for $349. As for the "rugged" cams, the water-friendly AQ100 will have a price tag of $199 with the SL605 going for $129. [Engadget]

Browsin
Lab 126, the unit in Amazon responsible for the Kindle, posted a new job opening looking for someone to help build "an innovative embedded web browser." The Kindle's web browsing capabilities have been, well, lacking, so a more fully realized browser would be a welcome addition. And maybe a necessary one, if Kindle's going to keep up with the iPad and its finger friendly version of Safari. [All Things D]

Buried in a site devoted to early robots is my dream man, Electron. Russian, born in 1967, he has 4ft-wide shoulders, waltzes, plays chess, and while he only understands 112 commands, his steely gaze is reassuringly paternal. [CyberneticZoo via BotJunkie]

According to Jonathan Schwartz—then Sun's CEO—that's what Steve Jobs told him over the phone after Sun presented Looking Glass, a desktop concept similar to Mac OS X's. After that, Schwartz put Steve in his place:

"Steve, I was just watching your last presentation, and Keynote looks identical to Concurrence – do you own that IP?" Concurrence was a presentation product built by Lighthouse Design, a company I'd help to found and which Sun acquired in 1996. Lighthouse built applications for NeXTSTEP, the Unix based operating system whose core would become the foundation for all Mac products after Apple acquired NeXT in 1996. Steve had used Concurrence for years, and as Apple built their own presentation tool, it was obvious where they'd found inspiration. "And last I checked, MacOS is now built on Unix. I think Sun has a few OS patents, too." Steve was silent.

And probably foaming at the mouth, and wanting to send Luca Brasi to get Jonathan brand new cement shoes.

Even while Apple uses BSD as the basis for Mac OS X, I bet Jobs realized the stupidity of his call, realizing that Sun had a very strong IP portfolio, and plenty of ammo to fight Apple back. Something that HTC—or Google, for that matter—, when it comes to phones, don't have. [Johnathan Schwartz via Silicon Alley Insider]