SubRosaSoft.com has developed a device that it claims can extract passwords from OS X 10.3 or later Macs. The unit consists of a single flash drive that is capable of pulling passwords from the Apple Keychain and system settings. It also compiles a database of the system it’s installed on. There is one catch though, to purchase one, you have to be an investigator or a law enforcement officer. And yes, you must produce proof. If you can though, the MacLockPick can be yours for just $499. Product Page [via Macworld] → Read More
One of the staples in any good geek-tastic film is unusual gadgets. How many of us lust after lightsabers? You know you’d love to have a real one, so would I. But not everything that screenwriters, producers and directors come up with for films carry the same cachet. In fact, some fake gadgets are so lame that they become legendary. This list is not complete, far from it. I encourage you, the reader, to add your own favorite lame gadgets in the comments. And feel free to disagree with me. Some of the entries in this story have a way of being both lame and not lame at the same time, but for whatever reason, they make it onto the list. → Read More
Because I’ve been traveling and thus out of the loop, I’ve decided that it’s only fair to extend our HiFi contest and features by another week. We’ll be giving away two little devices that many of you are eager to get your greasy paws on: the Sansa Connect from SanDisk. Make the jump for full details: → Read More
The proliferation of cellphones, Wi-Fi networks and other devices that emit electromagnetic radiation is causing some people to become very, very sick. Take this woman, Sarah, who for the last several years has been electrically sensitive (self-diagnosed, mind you). She says all of the radiation generated from the myriad devices out there cause her to be sick, nauseous, lose hair, have high blood pressure and suffer from headaches. That almost sounds exactly like a hangover, but whatever. She’s not the only one who suffers from the disease—which isn’t officially recognized—with communities of other electrically sensitive people being forged online. (Oh, irony.) So the next time you whip out your cellphone or hop on some dude’s Wi-Fi network, just know that you’re contributing to Sarah’s suffering. The woman who needs a veil of protection from modern life [Daily Mail via The Drudge Report] → Read More
Conventional wisdom on the Internet says that, so far, Windows Vista has been a flop. But you know what they say about conventional wisdom. In its recently released quarterly earnings report (which we alluded to earlier), Microsoft says the company division where Vista resides saw a 67 percent increase in sales over the previous year. Of those who bought Vista, a full 71 percent opted for the higher priced versions of the operating system. Further still, Microsoft says that 85 percent of all Windows sales are Vista sales, which beats XP’s numbers from the same time period. In other words, Vista has hardly been a flop. While some businesses still may be afraid of making the jump to Vista, it certainly looks like Vista is doing just fine. Vista Pays Off for Microsoft [BusinessWeek] → Read More
The Web 2.0 monster continues to drive the evolution of the Web, but it’s also setting up neat little cottage industry. Take, for example, flickrblockrs. They’re essentially sunglasses that provide that bar-across-the-eyes effect, making you anonymous. In the day when everybody has a digital camera, it’s the only way to protect yourself. Well, that and flame throwers. As a Spectacled American, I’m hoping to see a clip-on version soon. Otherwise, I’ll have to continue to mug for photos, the tragic conclusion of which you can see here, as my friends have Photoshop and too much free time. flckrblockrs [Product Page, via Josh Bomb] → Read More
FastMac really likes Blu-ray and the newest drive was announced today for the Mac Pro and PowerMac G5 platforms. The 5.25-inch, tray loading optical drive has been tested and certified compatible with Adobe Premiere Pro CS3 so no need to worry there, video production folks. The Blu-ray drive facilitates reading, writing and re-writing to single and dual layer BR discs at a whopping 2x speed. The drive also writes at 8x speed for single layer DVD±R discs and 4x speed for dual layer. DVD±R is rewritten at 6x speed, while standard CD±R lays it on at 24x speed. The price on the drive has dropped from $529.99 to $499.99 so you’re getting a great deal if you’re in the market for a Blu-ray drive. Product Page → Read More
Last.fm does for music what Dutch startup Wakoopa wants to do for your desktop applications. Like Last.fm, Wakoopa uses a downloaded tracker, except it follows how often you use applications instead of listen to music. Similarly, Wakoopa has also built a Rails-powered social website around the data, letting users share their preferences with friends, write reviews of their favorite application, and download new ones. Wakoopa is backed by a fund of the three biggest media companies in the Netherlands (Ilse, IDG, Telegraaf) and launches May 2nd. Wakoopa’s tracker logs what applications you use and for how long, updating your personal profile every 15 minutes. On the website, the aggregate data lists the most recently used applications and most used applications of all time. Each application has a profile that lists the people and groups who use it, reviews, and tags. For free applications, it also includes a download link for various versions, potentially creating a more social SourceForge. For the private beta, Firefox is the top used application, used by 23 people logging over 117 hours. MSN messenger is an odd second place, logging a total of 14 hours. Since raving about desktop applications doesn’t have the same mass market appeal of music, I can’t see it breaking out of the developer community unless the tracker is bundled with some really attractive freebies. → Read More
The Sony Cyber-shot line is getting a punch in the arm next month with the launch of the S800. The S800 has done away with the Carl Zeiss lens and is now equipped with a proprietary 6x optical zoom lens that ensures those in your face shots will reveal every crevice. Other features include anti-blur technology, 8-megapixels with an ISO rating up to 1250 and a 2.5-inch LCD. It also includes 56MB of storage with the expansion for Memory Sticks to up the ante. Sony also throws in a pair of rechargeable batteries that are said to last up to 390 shots. Look for the S800 next month, but no word on price. → Read More
As part of HiFi week here at the ol’ Crunch, I’m detailing my favorite mobile high-end audio rig. I’ve spent a lot of time finding the right balance among portability, sound quality, and budget — which means don’t go freaking out about how your home setup is so awesome and can be taken with you as long as you have a portable generator and a power conditioner, not to mention a gazillion dollars. → Read More
uncovered a Sony application on using your body to transit a signal. Well, Sony has even more out of the box thinking for body transmitting wireless headphones by even more signals rocking through your body. → Read More
Getting into the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) this year is being compared to getting the golden ticket in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” and not just for the attendees but also for the exhibitors. The number of companies that will be at the show has shrunk from more than 400 to just 32 companies. So what are the smaller guys to do? One option is for them to wait until this fall’s E For All Expo, which will be held in the former stomping grounds of E3 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The other option might be to sort of crash the party, and attend Gamecock’s alternative to E3. The outspoken game promoters, and former founders of God Games, have unveiled plans for their own event to take place on the same days as E3 in Santa Monica. Dubbed the E.I.E.I.O. (Expo for Interactive Entertainment Independent and Original) Fun Fest 2007 this event would probably rekindle the infamous “Promised Lot,” which God Games had set up in a parking lot across from the convention center complete with strippers, a skateboard ramp and open bar all day long… and much to the bane of the E3 promoters I might add. So if E.I.E.I.O. does come together it is sure to have class written all over it! E3 Expo Gamecock Media Eforallexpo → Read More
The digital camera craze will soon come to an end, not because consumers are losing interest in them, but because damn near everybody has one by now. Think about it: you probably already have at least one point and shoot, maybe even an SLR if you’re a little more serious about your photography. (Never mind that cellphones have had digital cameras built-in for several years now.) In fact, consumers bought 106 million digital cameras last year. Yeah, and? → Read More
I really don’t know what’s going on with the local Post Office, but they’ve been misplacing our invitations left and right. The CrunchGear crew missed out on last night’s Cartoon Network party at the Chelsea Museum. I, personally, cried myself to sleep. The special edition Zune, limited to 500, would have been sweet and we totally would have given it away to one of our lucky readers. Luckily, for you guys, Cesar hooked us up with a Pink Zune so we’ve got you covered. Advertisers were invited to peep the upcoming Adult Swim content last night and most would expect it to be on a jumbotron, but they were wrong. They had to watch it on a 3-inch screen! Sara Ball, Microsoft rep, says, “It really works for the content, so it makes sense to display the content on this platform.” Yeah, OK, whatever you say. Just so you feel left out, too, the special edition Zune is now a blue-ish gray color. Hopefully, for the sake of Zune fanboys, this new color hits the market soon. Cartoon Network Partners With Zune For Alternative Up-Front [Marketing Daily] → Read More
Yet another video game story for you today. Crazy! Remember the Tiger R-Zone handheld video console? Was it not the worst system you ever laid eyes on? TechEBlog seems to think so, and has a short little retrospective on the device. Maybe the reason why it stunk so much was the way Tiger advertised it, making it look like it had arcade-quality graphics when it was really just a red 3D thing like the Virtual Boy. → Read More
OK, in no way does the SlouchPod Interactive XT actually endorse laziness because that’s what the gaming console manufacturers are for. What the SlouchPod does endorse is some good ol’ fashioned convergence. It’s a multi-media fun chair with 2x5W speakers and 1x10W subwoofer. A 12V connection runs the show then you can plug your gaming console, MP3 player, DVD player or just about anything to the chair and control everything from your rump. I feel myself getting pudgier. This could be yours, if you live in the UK, for only £299.00. Now I just need my beer serving robot. Product Page [via Red Ferret] → Read More
DreamAuthentics’ Katana brings the excitement of video game arcade culture of yore to your desktop. Built around a Windows-based PC, the Katana is filled with more than 200 games, very possibly leading to all-night, Mountain Dew-fueled gaming sessions. Its 17-inch screen does the job and its many buttons should make playing games an enjoyable, if not entirely accurate experience. Whether or not you’re inclined to drop nearly $2,500 to help recreate your childhood is a different story. I know that when I was a youth I had designs on owning a stand-up Marvel vs. Capcom cabinet in my basement. Clearly I was one of the cool kids growing up. Product Page [DreamAuthentics via Sci Fi Tech] → Read More
We’d like to take a moment and thank our sponsors and readers that help us keep TechCrunch humming… Voxbone – A VoIP carrier providing centralized access to local phone numbers and toll-free numbers around the world. They have their own network entirely devoted to voice traffic powered by Cisco routers and switches. With their network, you can allocate blocks of phone numbers to your customers, connect calls between VoIP and PSTN phone lines, share phone traffic capacity, and create your own solutions with their API. All for one fixed monthly fee. Plazes – It’s what I would call geographic social networking. Plazes helps you friends see where you are and what you’re up to while on your computer or mobile phone. You can use it to keep in touch with friends and family or find new friends who are Plazes users that share the same location or interests. Plazes also connects you to the places you go to, letting you save pictures and media to the places you go. Conduit – Personalized tool bars. Conduit lets publishers (or anyone, really) create specialized tool bars that provide all tools you and your community need. TechCrunch has it’s own tool bar (download here) that lets you search, keep you up to date on the feeds for the entire CrunchNetwork, and even listen to the latest TalkCrunch podcasts. If that’s not good enough for you, then build your own. Pageflakes – Customized personal pages. Pageflakes lets you create your own personalized portal to the web. You can easily customize you page by selecting your interests or fine tune it by selecting from their wide array of widgets based off of their API. Recently, I’ve been using their backgammon flake. It’s simple to share the page with friends by making it public. No sign-in required. Edgeio – Classified listings and content had always come together in print because advertisers wanted their message to reach the publisher’s readers. Edgeio is letting advertisers get that same exposure on the web, syndicating listings through publishers that cater to the advertiser’s audience. TechCrunch’s own CrunchBoard is powered by Edgeio’s latest product, Edgeio Marketplaces, which lets publishers monetize their sites through listings advertised on their own site and Edgeio’s whole network. Auction Ads – eBay is great, but Auction Ads helps you reach potential buyers in their day-to-day web surfing. Auction Ads lets you publicize your auctions or make → Read More
Griffin just came out with two new iPod speaker systems, the Journi and the Amplifi. The $150 Journi, whose name evokes the shrill voice of Steve Perry, is a portable system that’s supposed to be rugged and all that jazz. It does look fairly attractive and if it sounds as good as Griffin says it does—your music won’t sound like it was run “through a meat grinder”—it could be worth checking out. The battery should last a full 8-10 hours, which, considering it’s meant to be taken around town, isn’t bad at all. → Read More
Magnetic Time has announced the latest version of their uber cool RSS feed audiozer, iNewscaster, and it sort of freaks me out. The service is cool because it extracts the text from your RSS feeds and then ‘audiozes’ them into MP3 files so you can listen to them anywhere you want. The part that freaks me out is the voice delivering the news. It’s really creepy and it makes me want to hide under my desk. Anyways, it’s a very cool service and if you’re not a desk jockey then this is something you might want to look into. iNewscaster will run you $29.99, but that only drops the MP3 files to your desktop. If you want to transfer them to your iPod or phone you’ll have to dish out an additional $9.99. You do realize a mere $40 is worth it don’t you? You get to hear our bumbling rants from a creepy voice. Product Page [via Tech UK] → Read More
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