By Chris Scott Barr

It seems like PC gamers are always looking for that next hot piece of hardware (I’d know, I’m one of them), be it a new graphics card, CPU or even a whole new PC. Of course you don’t actually want something that is physically hot, since that generally leads to some major issues. Sometimes it makes a chip fail, other times it makes your freaking case melt. Never heard of a computer that got so hot that it actually started to melt the case? Let me introduce you to the Acer Predator.

Yesterday Acer issued a voluntary recall of around 215 Predator gaming PCs. Apparently some of the internal wiring insulation can become stripped and cause the wires to overheat. According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website it can result in melted internal components and external casing. So far there have only been two reports of this occurring and no injuries.

[ CPSC ] VIA [ Crave ]

By Chris Scott Barr

Back when Apple announced the iPhone 3G last year, it was said that we would be able to purchase the phone without having to sign a 2-year contract. What was not mentioned is just when we would be allowed to do so. Rumors started swirling around in the last couple of days that claimed next week AT&T would be offering the phones sans contract.

In this particular instance, the rumors were true. AT&T confirmed that starting next Thursday anyone can walk into one of their stores and purchase an iPhone without inking a 2-year deal. Of course there is that one little catch. The phone will set you back $599 or $699 depending on which model you select, and you’re going to still be tied down to the AT&T network. Honestly, I figured that I’d be using mine for 2 years anyway, so renewing my contract wasn’t that big of a deal.

VIA [ CrunchGear ]

By Chris Scott Barr

How many times have you found yourself in a situation where you’re getting ready to set up an explosive device which you will use to scare people into giving you millions of dollars? Since you’re obviously an evil super villain, I’m going to guess this is something you do on a regular basis. Anyway, how often have you gotten the whole thing setup, only to find yourself without a power source for the timing mechanism? Talk about embarrassing. What you need is a clock that’s not only creative, but eco-friendly as well.

This Fruit Powered Clock does just what you would imagine. Stick an apple (or other fruit of your choosig) on the pedistal and insert the connectors. The rest is science. If you’re wanting to use this $18 clock on your kryptonite bomb with the intentions to kill Superman, there are two things that you’ll need to know. First, you’ll probably have to modify it to count down, rather than keep track of time. Also, you run the risk of someone accidentally eating the fruit and thus disarming your bomb.

[ Urban Outfitters ] VIA [ Technabob ]

By Andrew Liszewski

It doesn’t look like it will hold a lot of your savings, and it definitely won’t appeal to kids who’ve grown up with Xbox’s and Playstations, but those of us old enough to remember Space Invaders should find this ‘piggy bank’ from Takara Tomy pretty awesome. Not only does it look like a perfect 1/6th replica of a tabletop arcade system, but it’s playable too, with authentic sound effects and controls. And the best part is that it will only set you back about $60 when it becomes available in March… as long as you live in Japan.

[ Space Invaders Bank ] VIA [ SlashGear ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Well here’s an interesting way to recycle and re-use. A company called Second Glass actually turns shattered windshields into everything from shower enclosures, to office walls, to even decorative lighting. While their website doesn’t go into the details about their patent-pending process, the windshields can be tinted to match any existing decor, and the recovery process is a lot easier on the environment than the production of new glass. On top of that, it’s one less thing going into a landfill.

Now the random cracks and spider-webbing definitely have a unique look to them, but I think I’d constantly be wondering about the circumstances that led to the windshield getting shattered in the first place. Presumably, they don’t come with a backstory.

[ Second Glass ] VIA [ Luxury Housing Trends ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Last week Dyson unveiled a new line of compact canister vacuums specifically designed for smaller Japanese homes. The three models, known as the DC26 Turbinehead Entry, the DC26 Turbinehead Complete and the DC26 Motorhead Complete are about 30% smaller than the standard Dyson canister models currently sold around the world, and will range in price from $750 up to $900 when they’re available on April 10. Unfortunately the new line will only be available in Japan for the time being, which kind of sucks since not all of us here in North America live in giant McMansions.

[ Dyson Japan ] VIA [ CrunchGear ]

By Chris Scott Barr

I’ve been an avid Mac user since my dad purchased our first one back in the early 90′s. There was a period of a few years where my house was strictly PC-based. This wasn’t because I had a change of heart, but rather due to the fact that I’m a gamer, and Macs are very pricey. If you want to pick up a Mac for under a grand, you’ll have to either go with a Mac Mini, or the low-end Macbook. Either way you choose, you’re still not going to get the same amount of power as you would with a comparably priced PC.

Another option, of course is to make your own Hackintosh, which (and I speak from experience) can be a bit of a pain to initially setup. The result is a machine that runs OSX (just as well as any machine from Apple), and is more cost-effective than a real Mac. One other choice is to order a computer from Psystar. Yes, I’m talking about the company that still has an ongoing lawsuit with Apple. They’re back in the news with their third OSX-enabled offering dubbed the Open(3).

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By Chris Scott Barr

A couple of years ago I decided to pick up a paintball gun and go out with some of my friends and shoot them. It’s really a lot of fun, though it does sting a bit when someone manages to hit you. Now I know why my parents bought us Nerf guns, rather than letting us pelt each other with paintballs as kids. Unfortunately there are some glaring differences between shooting a Neft gun and a paintball gun. One of the biggest being that there is no physical evidence that you’ve been hit after the foam dart bounces off of you, which takes some of the fun out of things. These Chalk Guns from WipeOut seem like the perfect middle-ground between the two.

The guns use foam darts which are likely very similar to those found in a Nerf gun, however, the tip of each is covered in chalk. When the dart strikes someone, the chalk leaves a very visible mark that indicates they were hit. The chalk is supposedly very easy to wipe off, which will make parents happy. You can get a pair of guns for around $37, and dart refills for around $9. I just wonder how hard it is to re-chalk the darts.

[ Amazon ] VIA [ Gizmodo ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Why spend your life studying the Knights Templar and other historical figures in your quest to find the Holy Grail when a quick visit to Entertainment Earth and $31.99 will land you a replica that’s sure to fool your gullible friends? Unless they’ve seen Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade that is, in which case they’ll probably recognize this as a replica of the prop Grail created for that film. And hopefully they won’t ask to drink from your Grail in order to gain eternal life or heal a bullet wound, since the only magic this cup possesses is the magic of magnetism. It won’t do diddly-squat for people, but you won’t believe the power it has over paperclips!

[ Indiana Jones Holy Grail Paperclip Magnet Desk Accessory ] VIA [ MillionairePlayboy ]