So I'm reading a recent copy of Wired and I find out that my new favorite hobby, crossword puzzles, is OUT. Sudoku is IN. (And the little dog is UP). I got into crosswords playing Ink Crosswords, a free game that comes in the Microsoft Experience Pack for Tablet PC. But that's okay. I can be a follower as well as the next guy.

But we're Gearlog. We don't want our Sudoku puzzles to be the same as everyone else's. We're techies. We're geeks. And then it hits me. I run the idea by the powers-that-be, fully expecting that she'll shoot it down, as usual. But no! She loves it! And with these words of encouragement, "Now, will you get out of my office!", I'm off to create the first edition of what will become a weekly feature:

BINARY SUDOKU!

If you haven't tried Sudoku before, you'll want to start with the Newbie puzzle. But if you've been playing for a while, or if you just like to dive in with a pencil in each hand, then take a stab at the Power User puzzle. Either way, have fun:

This just came over the wires. In the press release, a company spokesman said, "We realized that if people had more hands, they'd be able to use more devices."

ThinkGeek has always been one of the best sources for useful and not-so-useful doo-dads for the true geek and the people who love them. I'm particularly enamored with items like the Monty Python and Star Wars bobbleheads, the Shower Shock caffeinated soap, and the Midas Remote Control Watch (" Walk on down to the local bar and take control of those big screens").

 

The store has just announced the addition of six new products to its catalog. My personal favorites are the BuzzAire super-caffeinated oxygen inhaler (don't mind me. it's just a little asthma) and the Wireless Extension Cords. All I can say is FINALLY! I'm also very intrigued by the Sphorb. I can't wait to get my hands on one.

 

Here's how they describe the new items:

• USB Tanning Center ($24.99): Geeks are notoriously pale no more!  With this easy-to-install UV light, anyone can achieve that deep, dark island tan without having to leave their desktop.
• BuzzAire™ ($12.99): For those who feel their double mocha latte with an extra shot of espresso just does not cut it any more, this device offers a quick blast of super-caffeinated oxygen for a buzz that no coffee can compete with.
• The Screened Sphorb™ ($39.99): In a recent survey conducted by ThinkGeek.com, 100 out of 100 people rated this as the number one product in the world.  Unfortunately, words alone can not describe the greatness the Screened Sphorb™ possesses.
• Grow Your Own “1UP” Mushroom Kit ($9.99): Finally, Super Mario Brothers lovers can grow their own green and white polka dot mushroom.  Who says you have to collect 100 coins to obtain an extra life?
• Wireless Extension Cords ($34.99): Tired of tripping over the tangled mess of wires from all your peripherals?  These highly anticipated wireless extension cords provide power to any unit within 100 feet of any outlet.  Users are seriously urged not to cross between transmitter and receiver.
• The iZilla ($499.99):  The end all, be all of digital music players, the iZilla has two terabytes of memory, capable of storing over 600,000 songs in every available format.  This handsome, white briefcase weighs just a touch over 30 pounds, is Bluetooth and Wi Fi enabled and runs on 16 ‘D’ batteries. 

ThinkGeek must have also pulled some strings because they're the first ones to have the long-awaited Sony PS3 in stock. Supplies are limited. Good luck.

Last week at Gearlog, we installed, ran, and benchmarked Windows XP on three Intel-based Apple Macintosh computers: a Mini, an iMac and a MacBook Pro. What we found was shocking: Windows XP ran faster on Apple machines. What happened after the tests was even more shocking.

Upon finishing the last of the tests, a dull thud shook the lab, and the lab filled with a noxious odor.  At first, our young team thought the Macs, perhaps not thoroughly engineered to handle the new Intel processors, may have been overheating.  And then without warning ... he appeared.  "Clippy," Microsoft's beloved paperclip, poked his odd,  poorly animated eyes around the edge of the Mini's desktop.  Then, he stepped into full view.  He looked ... different ... as if he were more powerful (and annoying) than before.  Clippy was back, and this time he meant business. 

"When Clippy appeared, he winked right at me as if saying, 'I'm back, Joel buddy, and I'm feeling better and badder than ever,'" reported Joel Santo Domingo of PC Magazine Labs, one of the original testers of Windows XP on Apple for Gearlog. Santo Domingo, as if under a spell, went on to explain that he discussed a variety of "plans" with Clippy that involve "conquest" and "domination" of unspecified geographic areas.

While conducting the interview with Santo Domingo, all work halted when Sascha Segan, also of PC Magazine Labs and another of the original testers, entered the room yelling, "All I know is that damn Clippy keeps looking at me." Segan began violently pointing at the XP Desktop displayed on a nearby MacBook Pro. "He's out to get me. I know it. I don't trust that F*#@ing paperclip. I thought he was gone, but now he's back!" He then flailed wildly at the laptop until he was restrained and forcibly removed from PC Labs by security personnel.

An expert from Microsoft, who happened to be visiting PC Labs that evening, tried to explain the unprecedented appearance and metamorphosis of the animated paperclip on the Macs, "It could only take an utterly unpredictable event (Apple moving to Intel processors) compounded with another unforeseen action (installing Windows on a Mac).  It must have torn a hole in the fabric of reality, and Clippy stepped right through it." He winked then smiled.  And that's all I remember.

In an unrelated story, Con Edison has reported a gas leak near the PC Magazine Labs building. A Con Edison spokesperson has confirmed that the gas is neither toxic nor explosive, but may have a hallucinogenic effect on anyone inhaling it near Intel-based Macs running Windows XP.

When I tell people about a new robot, the most common response by far is, "Can it bring me a beer?" The difficulty with this task, though, is that programming a bot to negotiate its way to the kitchen, find the refrigerator, open the fridge door, identify a beer in a can or a bottle, open said beer, then find its way back to its thirsty master is dauntingly complex.

 

Realizing that the Holy Grail of home robots is the beer-fetching bot, BrewBot LLC has approached this challenge in a new way. What if, instead of fetching a beer, the bot was the brewer?

 

Enter R.A.L.P.H. (for Robotic Alcohol Lugging/Pouring Helper), which is just a concept device - for now. R.A.L.P.H. contains within its stocky little body an entire steeping, boiling, fermentation, and refrigeration system; all you need to do is keep its charging station stocked with hops, yeast, and water. Via a top-secret proprietary process, new batches of beer can be ready in minutes. (I tried the brew myself; tastes a lot like Milwaukee's Best.)

 

 R.A.L.P.H. responds to any voice command that includes the word "brewsky," allowing for the user's eventual inability to form complete sentences. When the bot is summoned, it wheels itself over, produces a plastic cup, and emits a stream of beer through its "mouth."

 

BrewBot's CEO, A.E. Roman, says the company is still looking for backers, but he's quite confident they'll be able to make R.A.L.P.H. a reality. "We think R.A.L.P.H. will be quite popular with college students, particularly in frat houses," he said. "For the females, we're considering a refinement in which R.A.L.P.H. would hold a girl's hair back if she has to, well, you know."

 

 

We were surprised at how big Logitech's G15 keyboard is, but info from our moles inside Logitech's research lab indicate still bigger keyboards in the works. This prototype of the G30 includes a double row of numbers and extra QWERTY keys.

Since the purpose of the additional keys remains unclear, we can only speculate as to what the company's plans are. I have two theories: First, it's possible that Logitech is creating an extension to the Roman alphabet, adding some of the letters found in the extended Cyrillic or Asian languages.

It's also possible that the company is planning for humans with extra digits, extra capable typists of the future. And I for one welcome our new twelve-fingered overlords.

Do you work long hours in front of your computer? Are you too tired for your lover by the time you come home? Then try LaptopLadies' new line of Laptop Lingerie. Laptop Lingerie prepares working women for a sexy, unforgettable night with their one-and-only.

The Laptop Lingerie Collection features:

—Dual-Layer Panties with USB Ports. These dual-layer cotton lace panties come in four arousing colors: RAM Red, Bluetooth Blue, Wireless White, and Graphics Green. You can also choose between  1, 2, or 3 USB ports for accompanying the Heated Robe, Webcam Wonder Bra, or Musical Slippers.

 

—Webcam Wonder Bras. Forget that bulky digital camcorder. Let you and your main squeeze have a real escapade with this wonder bra, complete with 2 webcams. It lets you capture those unforgettable moments in bed—at the chest level. Available in three colors: Blazing Beige, Portable Pink, and Ctrl+Alt+Del Charcoal.

 

—3.0 GHz Heated Robe. The 3.0 GHz Robe is made from the finest cotton, offering you warmth through those chilly nights and a fan to cool you through those sizzling nights. It both heats and cools at a mere 3.0 GHz. Comes with two pockets to store your USB cables. Available in NumLock Navy and MousePad Magenta.

 

—2GB Musical Slippers. Fancy a little Marvin Gaye? Or how about Celine Dion? Add passion to your night with these pre-loaded musical slippers, including the hits "Let's Get It On," "You're Making Me High," "Forever and For Always," and "Glory of Love." Available in two colors: Berry Bass and Treble Teal.

 

—"Hands Off My Keyboard" Boxer Briefs. I know that ladies love to wear their man's boxers. So here are boxers of your own with a clear message if you're just not feeling up to it. Comes in Blue Screen-of-Death, Megabyte Melon, and BackSpace Brown.

 

—"Too Fast For Your Processor" Tank Top. And if your lover just can't keep up with you, then this tank top is for you. Comes in Blue Screen-of-Death, Megabyte Melon, and BackSpace Brown.

 

Laptop Lingerie* is sold separately or as sets. If you purchase a set, you'll receive a free 20-inch laptop bag for carrying your laptop and your Laptop Lingerie. All lingerie available in the following sizes: Ultracompact, Compact, and Widescreen.

*Care Instructions: Be careful when configuring your Laptop Lingerie. Sparks may develop when operating under high levels of tech enjoyment.

Ever have one of those days when you walk up to your office's soda machine only to find out that your favorite soda is sold out? I don't drink soda that often, but when I do, I usually choose Dr. Pepper. Unfortunately, so do the rest of my co-workers, so Dr. Pepper is usually the first soda to go.

 

Now, imagine that you could have any ordinary soda, and magically turn it into the flavor you crave?  The biomedical and consumer tech company IPIFINI has developed such a concept, known as Programmable Soda. From the Web site:

 

"Programmable Liquid Container technology employs buttons on the container's surface that release additives into the liquid. Additive buttons allow for “programming,” or selecting, variations of the liquid in the container. For example, a programmable cola bottle with buttons for lemon, lime, vanilla, and cherry flavors as well as a caffeine button allows for 32 combinations of soda."

 

Although the patent is still pending for this kind of technology, I bet many manufacturers and distributors are hoping it comes to be, considering it will make their jobs a little easier with less demand on certain soda products.

 

Man, those Boston folks really know how to dream up an innovative product.

 

[via Coolest Gadgets]