3,000 B.C.The Chinese invent the handheld calculator. They call it ABACUS (short for “automatic business accounting and calculation utility system”). The invention enables the Bronze Age Man to count higher than 10 without removing his shoes. Other advantages include portability and a battery-less design. But it has one major drawback: no print-out capability. 600 B.C.The… Read More »
This is probably why Sony had to recall its batteries. Sometimes the pirates can’t spell. Other times, the misspelling is deliberate. Still, not everything has to do with spelling. And very soon, you will see plenty of iPhone wannabees. Related story:How-To: Beware of the Fake “Nokla N95” Phone
Ok, maybe not the type of “airbags” that you typically associate with, i.e. people who talk non-stop on their cellphones. Apparently, Sony believes that the cellphone has become so important in our lives that it should be protected againts accidents. The consumer electronics giant has filed a patent with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office… Read More »
“Necessity is the mother of invention. The father is unknown.” Luckily, there’s such a thing called “patent pending”. Otherwise, we’ll be flooded with silly patents like “Retractable Table Top for a Toilet” and “Penile Volumetric Measuring Device”. Patently Silly is a site that archives real patents issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for… Read More »
Based on the premise that a black screen uses less energy than a white one, Blackle – a customised Google search engine – claims to save energy simply “because the screen is predominantly black”. The idea for the site was born from a 2007 blog post titled “Black Google Would Save 750 Megawatt-hours a Year”,… Read More »
Found yourself in a hot seat? Fear not. The Japanese once again flexed their creative muscles to come up with a USB-powered seat cooler that will keep your derrière properly ventilated. Thanko’s USBHCU01 draws in air from the surrounding via an intake valve to provide a constant stream of air that helps to dissipate heat… Read More »