By Chris Scott Barr

Whenever I build a new computer, there are certain pieces of software that need to be installed. Things like VLC, iTunes, OpenOffice, Flash, .NET and a host of others are essential to my everyday computing. Generally I’ll take some time to install each of these individually just after the OS is loaded. I’ve always thought it would be nice if there was an easy way to just install all of them at once. It seems that my wish has come true.

Ninite is a small piece of software that lets you install up to 59 different pieces of software in the background, with almost no interaction from you. All you have to do is head over to the Ninite website, select which programs you want and download the installer. It will automatically install the software you selected (while saying ‘No’ to any extra toolbars or other annoying add-on programs). This is definitely one of the coolest discoveries I’ve come across in a while.

[ Ninite ] VIA [ Dvice ]

By Chris Scott Barr

Have you ever lost your TV remote? Unless you’ve never owned such a contraption, I can almost bet you’ve answered “yes.” Finally, through our great technological advances, there is a way to prevent  ever losing your clicker. All you need to do is get a very large, heavy object (this person used what appears to be a section of a railroad track, but get creative and use your imagination here) attach a length of chain. Next you’re going to need to build a small enclosure for the remote. Attach the enclosure to the chain and voilà!

Of course you could just be one of those people that places the remote on top of the TV every time you’re done. But seriously, doesn’t walking up to the TV defeat the purpose of having a remote in the first place? I think this solution is far more practical.

[ There I Fixed It ] VIA [ CrunchGear ]

By Chris Scott Barr

Don’t you hate walking into a store, only to realize that they’ve already got Christmas decorations lining the shelves? I was in one store last month that had them out. I generally don’t try to think about that holiday until Thanksgiving is over. However, I think I know exactly what I want sitting on top of my tree this year.

Some people like angels, some people like stars, but this year I think a Jedi Master is what my tree needs. This is an actual tree topper that is currently being sold, complete with an LED lightsaber. At $39.99, buy it you must!

[ Star Wars Shop ] VIA [ Technabob ]

By Chris Scott Barr

When I’m wanting to purchase something new, I usually have to debate on just where to buy it. The biggest decision is whether I want to save money and buy it online, or spend a little extra to have it today from a brick-and-mortar store. Well if you happen to live in one of seven cities, you’ll be able to have the best of both worlds by having things delivered the same day you order them.

Over the weekend Amazon announced that they will be offering same day delivery in 7 major cities. This is apparently an effort to make brick-and-mortar stores less appealing to those in the delivery area. Hit the jump to see which areas have access to this service, and the cutoff times to have items delivered to you on the same day.

• New York City – Order as late as 10 a.m.
• Philadelphia – Order as late as 10 a.m.
• Boston – Order as late as 10:30 a.m.
• Washington D.C. – Order as late as 10:30 a.m.
• Baltimore – Order as late as 10:30 a.m.
• Vegas – Order as late as 11 a.m.
• Seattle – Order as late as 1 p.m.

These are the only cities for now, however they have annoucned that Chicago, Indianapolis and Phoenix will be added in the coming months.

[ Amazon ]

By Chris Scott Barr

New album releases aren’t usually something we cover here at OhGizmo, but this one is a bit of an exception. If you’re a huge AC/DC fan, then you’re probably excited for their new Backtracks release. In case you’re not familiar, it includes 3 CDs and a pair of DVDs that feature rare tracks from the band, along with a 12-inch vinyl LP, 164-page book and some other cool memorabilia. That might seem pretty interesting, but the case is what we’re here to talk about.

The box that holds all of the aforementioned items is made to look like a guitar amp. However, when examined closer, you’ll find that it is in fact, a real amp. Granted, it’s a measly 1-watt amplifier, but it’s still very cool nonetheless. The box set will run you $199 and no, it doesn’t go to 11.

[ AC/DC ] VIA [ Dvice ]

By Chris Scott Barr

There is a reason why so many movies and video games involve zombies these days. It’s because someone out there is trying to warn and prepare us for the inevitable. The zombie apocalypse. You know it, I know it, everyone knows it. That’s why we have to be prepared, just like the person who created this awesome Emergency Zombie Defense Station.

The shotgun is definitely an essential weapon for close-range defense, though the knife is a bit shorter than I’d care to have. I’d rather see a katana or a machete at least. I like that they make use of the glass as something of a riot shield. The best part has to be the professional-looking warning sign. Classic. It seems that this DIY project has been around for a little while, but it’s definitely inspired me to make one.

[ Craftster ] VIA [ GearFuse ]

By Chris Scott Barr

Ping pong balls are pretty worthless for any sort of physical confrontation. Sure, they’re decent enough for playing a game, but they’re not going to do much damage as a weapon, right? Wrong. If you build the proper equipment.

One creative mind crafted a ping pong gun, which can make those little plastic balls quite lethal. Think of a potato gun, only much more finely-tuned. It runs off a compressed air line, and can not only fire the balls at a high speed, but accurately as well. Of course, the little balls are most effective when filled with water, at which point they are able to easily pass through drywall and particle board. Though even in their regular, air-filled state they can be quite harmful when fired from this apparatus.  Trust me, you don’t want to find yourself staring down the business end of this thing.

[ TinyEnormous ] VIA [ CrunchGear ]

By Chris Scott Barr

When it comes to passing gas, usually the thing people are most likely to argue about is the source. After all, most people don’t want to admit that they were the one who let it slip. Of course you do have the people that are rather proud of their gas, and will readily claim it. These people are more concerned about who is able to create the loudest and nastiest fart possible. A pair of computer engineering students at Cornell have crafted a device that can essentially measure a fart.

The two students used a sensitive hydrogen sulfide monitor, thermometer and a microphone to rate the quality of one’s flatulence. The results from these tools is combined, and the device beeps and announces the fart rating, from 1 to 9. If it’s a nine, a small fan kicks in to get the air flowing.

If you’ve ever wanted to see a frat guy crap themselves, stick one of these in their frat house. Over the course of a couple of days, they’ll all be competing to see who can rip the nastiest one. Being the competitive guys they are, they’ll look for ways to one-up each other. Someone’s going to eat one too many bean burritos, try to squeeze out a juicy fart only to end up dropping a deuce in their boxers.

VIA [ PopularScience ]

By Chris Scott Barr

I can do some pretty awesome stuff with my computer, however, I rarely use it to interact with other physical objects in my office. Generally, if you want to use your PC to move other physical objects, you need some fancy hardware and/or a good bit of programming knowledge. Of course, if you’ve got mad MacGuyver skills, you can use nothing more than an optical drive and 8 lines of code to rock your baby to sleep.

Alright, so it doesn’t provide the most smooth rocking experience, but it’s good enough to put the baby in the video to sleep. I’m not necessarily going to recommend this hardware hack for two reasons. First, if anyone else sees this, you probably won’t live it down. Second, you might damage your cup holder.

[ YouTube ] VIA [ Technabob ]

By Chris Scott Barr

Am I the only one that hates dealing with checks? I only write them to pay my rent, since I can’t use my debit card or any form of online payment. I’m not a big fan of people writing me checks for stuff either. I won’t complain when someone gives me money or anything, but I always forget to cash them since I never go to the bank. Well one bank has an awesome solution for depositing those checks you get.

To be as cliché as possible, “there’s an app for that.” If you bank with USAA (a bank for military personnel and their family members) you can actually snap pictures of the front and back of the check with your iPhone. In a short while, your funds will appear in your account like magic. While I do have a few doubts about the security of the system, it would be nice to see other banks pick up on this feature.

[ USAA ] VIA [ CrunchGear ]