By David Ponce

The successor to the Y560, Lenovo’s IdeaPad Y570 is an attractive looking laptop that comes in a metallic coating, is 0.86 inches thin at its thickest point and has competent integrated JBL speakers. When it was first announced, it was touted as being able to “boot faster than a MacBook Air” and this is indeed possible if equipped with the optional 32GB or 64GB SSD drive (to hold the operating system) and can be paired with a regular drive of up to 1TB. So not only can you boot faster than a MacBook Air (10s vs. 15s) but you can also store large amounts of data on it as well; you can have your cake and eat it too. Interestingly, the Y570 also comes equipped with a 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M graphics card which provides ample gaming prowess. Processors range from the Core i3 to Core i7 and RAM up to 8GB.

There are several specials going on depending on configuration. All feature between $250 and $400 in instant savings, while each being paired with a 20% off coupon. This means the base Core i3 model will set you back $639 after about $400 in savings while the top-end Core i7 model will be $999 after about $600 in savings. And yes, that would be for the one with the SSD drive.

[ Large Savings On Lenovo's IdeaPad Y570 ] VIA [ LogicBuy ]

By Andrew Liszewski

The term ‘hoverbike’ makes me think of the exciting Speederbike chase through the forests of Endor in Return Of The Jedi. Sadly, that’s not quite the experience that Australian Chris Malloy’s Hoverbike offers. But it’s also only the first generation of the technology, so the potential is still there. Instead of hovering effortlessly off the ground using some manner of vague sounding science-fiction technology, Chris’ Hoverbike uses a set of front and back ducted propellers powered by a 1,170 cubic centimeter 4-stroke engine. Not only can it reach speeds of up to ~173 mph (150 knots) but also altitudes of up to 10,000 feet.

In theory that is, since the Hoverbike still only exists as a prototype that hasn’t undergone flight testing yet. But that’s because Chris needs to make sure it’s safe to fly. The frame is made from kevlar reinforced carbon fiber with a light foam core, so it seems as strong as current materials allow it to be. While the propeller blades are made of Tasmanian Oak with the leading edges covered in carbon fiber. And since there’s two of them spinning in opposite directions, there’s no need for a tail rotor to cancel out the rotational forces. It’s controlled not unlike a motorcycle, with a set of handlebars used for controlling direction, lift and speed, and its standard 30L fuel tank provides a flight range of ~92 miles at a speed of 80 knots.

Chris hopes to see the Hoverbike go into limited production in a year’s time, with a price tag of around $40,000 that should come down as production ramps up each year. And since it’s classified as an ultralite, it will be available to people without the need for a pilot’s license, increasing the market for interested buyers/thrillseekers.

[ Hoverbike ] VIA [ Gizmag ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Got a tough decision to make? Forget about weighing the pros and cons or applying any kind of logic to the matter. Just leave it to chance with Nixon’s new ‘The Genie’ watch. It’s available in 7 different color combos and includes standard functions like the time, date, timer and a stopwatch, all available by rotating the bezel to switch between modes. But what will certainly be its claim to fame is a ‘Magic 8 Ball’ mode which responds to any question you ask with one of 15 random messages. It’s also got a polycarbonate case and silicone band that’s waterproof to 100 meters, and a hardened mineral crystal scratch-resistant face. All for $120.

[ Nixon 'The Genie' ] VIA [ Hypebeast ]

By Andrew Liszewski

For whatever reason, these days you really only see handles built into electronics designed for kids and toddlers. I understand that their tiny hands can use a bit of extra help when it comes to holding onto things, but handles can be just as useful for adults too! I might like the fact that my P&S camera can slip in a pocket, but at the same time I would not fault Nikon for slapping a big old handle on the side of my DSLR either. So good on Speck for coming up with their HandyShell case for the iPad 2.

Like most semi-functional cases the HandyShell does more than just protect the iPad 2 with a thermoplastic polyurethane and polycarbonate housing. It also features a unique pop-out handle on the back that can be swiveled around for propping up the tablet in different orientations. And for a variety of other applications including hanging it in the kitchen so it can bang against pots and pans, or as a faux neck for playing your iPad as a small guitar. I also like the raised curved ridge on the back which provides something else to grip onto when holding the iPad in your hand. As simple cases go its design has a lot of potential functionality, though $54.95 it’s a little on the pricey side.

[ Speck HandyShell iPad 2 Case ] VIA [ Fancy ]

By Andrew Liszewski

There hasn’t been a real innovation in water gun technology since the Super Soaker was introduced 21 years ago! (And cue feelings of being old.) And while I’m hesitant to officially refer to them as water guns, these Xploderz toy firearms certainly bring something new to the table. They look like Nerf guns, but work more like paintball guns. However, instead of blasting your target with paintballs that leave stains and bruises, the Xploderz fire little non-toxic balls of a superabsorbent polymer made of acrylic acid, sodium hydroxide, coloring and water. They’re safe to eat, though it’s not recommended, and can be disposed of in a garden since the material was originally designed to help crops absorb and store moisture.

The ammo starts off as little pellets that you need to soak in warm water for about 4 hours so they absorb enough water and expand to be large enough to be fired by the guns. It also means they’re softer and won’t hurt as much when they hit their target, which will most likely be another person. The pellets can be grown right inside the swappable ammo clips too, so you never have to touch them before they’re fired at distances of up to 85 feet. The two models pictured above, the sniper-like XRanger 2000 and the XStormer 1000 will cost you $39.99 and $29.99 respectively. While ammo refill packs, which include an empty clip, appear to run about $5.99.

[ Xploderz ] VIA [ Fancy ]

By David Ponce

Yeah, so if you’re thinking of getting on Verizon or your contract has expired and you want to renew, how about an HTC Incredible 2 for the princely sum of $2. Considering Verizon themselves are selling this handset for $200, this is a pretty decent bargain with a $198 instant savings and a 4GB SD card thrown-in for good measure. Of course the price includes shipping.

So what about the phone itself? You get a “4 inch WVGA 800 x 480 Capacitive Touchscreen, Android 2.2OS, Dual-facing cameras (8MP back, 1.3MP front), 16GB microSD included (plus that extra 4GB), 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 3G mobile hot spot, up to 6.5 hours talk time, Bluetooth, accelerometer, and more.” Most reviewers agree this is a solid phone, with “being a world-phone” touted as one of its strengths as well as snappy performance and decent battery life. It’s not 4G however, though for $2 it’s hard to complain.

[ HTC Droid Incredible 2 For $2 ] VIA [ LogicBuy ]

(Custom Gordon Freeman figure created by deviantART member Taylor-made.)

By Andrew Liszewski

Yesterday I thought Nintendo’s reveal of the Wii U would be the biggest news to come out of E3 this year. But I was wrong. That trophy definitely goes to NECA who announced they’ve entered into an agreement with Valve to produce merchandise based on their games and characters. Hello official Gordon Freeman figures…

The National Entertainment Collectibles Association, Inc. (NECA) announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Valve Corporation to produce consumer products based on all of Valve’s titles. Merchandise will include action figures, toys, board games, accessories, and apparel for all Valve properties. “When Valve approached us to make their content, characters and art come alive in the physical world we were of course excited at the possibilities,” said Joel Weinshanker, President of NECA Games, “We quickly realized that our two companies have a similar view on how to ensure products exceed expectations of devoted fans and are thankful to be working with them”.

[ PR - NECA Enters into Agreement to Produce Valve Consumer Products Based on Valve’s Game Properties ] VIA [ Evil Avatar ]

By Andrew Liszewski

If you’ve ever had to troubleshoot a friend’s laptop, there’s a good chance it was probably a budget Acer model. To say I’m not impressed with their lower-end models is an understatement, and I hope the build quality is vastly improved with their premium models, because the latest versions of their Aspire Ethos laptops look rather slick. Available in a 15.6-inch (5951G) and an 18.4-inch (8951G) model the laptops sport 1366×768 or 1920×1080 resolution screens respectively, and their frameless displays are protected by a panel of Tonka-tough Corning Gorilla Glass.

They also each feature 2nd gen Intel Core i processors, 750GB hard drives, support for up to 16GB of ram, USB 3.0 ports, optional Blu-ray drive and a new battery that promises to retain 80% of its capacity for over 1,000 charge cycles. But what really sets the new Aspire Ethos models apart is the trackpad which features an LCD display underneath for custom functionality. It can also be detached from the laptop and used as a multimedia remote, in portrait or landscape modes which switch automatically thanks to a built in orientation sensor. And I suspect that travelers will particularly like the fact that both laptops can be used to charge another device over USB without having to power up the laptop. To ensure it doesn’t completely kill your battery, the USB charging option is disabled when your battery level drops below a user-defined level. Available mid-June starting at ~$1,600+ (£999).

[ Akihabara News - Acer debuts new Aspire Ethos laptops ]

By David Ponce

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Cellphone Jammers. All opinions are 100% mine. -Ed.

Whether you’re a controversial international whistleblower, a businessman on the verge of closing a landmark transaction or an eccentric socialite, it’s a fact that there are folks whose job it is to spy on people and they may be spying on you right now. They can eavesdrop on your cellular conversations and track your movements through GSM enabled GPS trackers. They can read your emails (and maybe your thoughts… No, we’re just kidding! Not really… ). But if you’re serious about your privacy, you can fight back. One way is by making a few choice purchases of cell phone jammers. These will render any GSM trackers pretty much useless… as well as making communicating uncomfortable (read: impossible) for anyone within a certain radius.

Of course if you’re concerned enough about privacy to get yourself a jammer, you might be concerned about your spies finding out you did. Every transaction leaves a trail, right? Not so with Bitcoin, as this is a peer-to-peer currency with privacy built-in as no central authority manages payments. You can use it to buy any kind of mobile jamming device for bitcoins and not be concerned about these transactions being tracked!