Skype For iPhone Now Available, Has VoIP over 3G With 3.0 Firmware

Apple's just about finished rolling out Skype for iPhone, and now you can go download the VoIP app for themselves.

Our quick test showed that voice quality is quite good—definitely on par or better than actual 3G calling over AT&T's network—and connects rather quickly. It's unfortunate that 2.2.1 doesn't have background notifications, so there's no way somebody could Skype you unless you had the app open all the time.
What's also interesting is that voice calling only works when you're on Wi-Fi in the 2.2.1 firmware, popping up a restriction message if you're on 3G, but 9to5Mac says it works just fine in the 3.0 firmware. Not sure whether that's because the 3.0 developer's beta is less locked down, but it's one pretty good reason to risk the upgrade.

Honda Asimo Creators Turning Your Brain into the Ultimate Robot Controller

You know what I think the worst thing about having a robot army is? You have to press buttons. It's much more satisfying to get every automaton to do your bidding by just thinking it.


Apparently, the people at Japan's Honda Research Institute had the same idea, because they've now partnered with ATR and Shimadzu Corp. to come up with a way to use your brain as a robot remote control.
Called BMI (Brain Machine Interface - not the acronym that tells you you're fat), the tech uses electroencephalography, which measures slight electrical currents, and near-infrared spectroscopy, which looks at brain blood flow. Putting the two together gives you up to 90% accurate robot control without the use of physical implants.
Unfortunately, you still have to strap yourself to this giant chair and ridiculous-looking cap that kind of makes you resemble Dark Helmet from Spaceballs. But one day, when your mobile minions appear suddenly in the horizon, wordlessly laying waste to your enemies with nary a peep from you... oh, how glorious a time it shall be.

xtensor gamer hand exerciser gets your button-mashing, joystick wiggling fingers in fighting shape

Do you play lots of video games? Here’s a great way to limber up your trigger fingers to get ready for some serious gaming action. Especially good for warming up for quick fret presses in music games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band, the Xtensor hand exerciser is perfect for getting your hands in shape for the big game.

Just strap the open-fingered glove around your wrist, put your digits through the fingerholes, and get to stretching the tiny elastic exercise bands. By stimulating hard to isolate finger extensor muscles and tendons in your hands, wrists and elbows, you’ll build up hand strength you never knew you had. All the better to kick your ass in Tekken 6 when it comes out this fall.

And even if you’re not constantly glued to your game console, the Xtensor can help you keep your hands, arms and wrists in shape whether you’re an avid golfer, tennis player, spend your days in front of the computer keyboard, or frequently use your hands for (um) something else (nudge, nudge).
So give your fingers a hand and grab an Xtensor hand exerciser over at ThinkGeek for $39.99 (USD).

swiss army usb hub: brando’s rota-rota combo hub

Brando, sellers of some of the weirdest stuff I have ever seen in my life, are cutting back on absurdity with their latest gadgets. For example, their USB hub is functional and versatile. But still a bit weird.

Brando calls it the “USB 3-in-1 Rota-Rota Combo Hub”. I think its named like that because each of the 3 USB ports can be turned up to 90°, but you never know with Brando. Also, I don’t see how having rotating USB ports is useful. Does it make it easier to remove a device that’s plugged into a port?

Aside from the rota-rota ports, the Rota-Rota is also a multi-card reader and can read SD, SDHC, Memory Stick Duo, MicroSD and M2 cards.

The miracle of modern China: fantastic fake eggs!

The production in China of fake phones, cars, designer accessories, sneakers and more is well known. But did you know they make fake eggs? The eggs have convincing shells, yolks and whites, and even hard-boil more or less like the real thing (or maybe they come that way). Of course, fake Chinese eggs are often toxic and can turn you into an "idiot," according to the post on the other side of this link. But, still, you've got to marvel at both the manufacturing prowess and sheer audacity of the counterfeiters. It's also amazing to me that a human being can make an egg cheaper than a chicken can. Check out this first-hand experience with fake Chinese eggs, along with video evidence.

Tactical assault throat mic now available for phones

Sanwa plans to ship a cell phone throat microphone based on the ones used by SWAT teams and military commandos. The mic design should improve calls in noisy environments.

iPhone 3.0 OS Guide: Everything You Need to Know

NEW IPHONE OS 3.0 FEATURES
The new iPhone OS 3.0 adds over 100 new features including—at friggin' last—cut and paste.
• Copy & Paste text.
When you double-tap over text, you will get a "cut, copy, and paste" bubble dialog. Double-tap again and a "paste" bubble will appear if there's anything stored in your clipboard.
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This works across applications. You can expand your selection points using your thumbs and, if you accidentally paste something you didn't want to paste, just shake your iPhone to undo it.
• Copy & Paste photos.
You can also copy and paste photos. Now you will be able to select multiple photos by tapping the action button, copy some of them, and paste them in an email, ready to send.
• New Spotlight.
iPhone OS 3.0 will allow you to search across the entire information contained in your device, no matter where, as soon as the information is supported it. If an application is written to support the new Spotlight, its data will also be available in the search.
In this screenshot you can see Spotlight bringing results from your address book, maps, your iPod, and apps in your springboard.
• Search in Mail, Calendar, and iPod.
These Apple applications have specific search interfaces. The search in Mail doesn't support the message content yet, but it supports searching in IMAP servers—that will save a lot of time logging into Gmail.
• 3G Tethering.
This feature will allow you to connect your iPhone 3G to a laptop, to use it as a modem to access the internet. Carriers still have to sign-off on it, and probably charge more for it. None have announced it yet.
• Landscape keyboard.
Apple has added the landscape keyboard mode to other applications, like Mail, SMS, and Notes.
Multimedia messaging. A big one to send rich content to people without mail-enabled telephones: The new MMS function will allow you to include everything, from images to sound to vcards (no word on video, however.) Personally, I find these useless having email, but some people seem to want it.
• Support for new calendar types.
In iPhone OS 3.0 you will be able to subscribe to calendars on the web using two protocols: CalDAV—supported by Google and Yahoo—and subscriptions via the .ics format—which is what Apple uses in iCal.
Improved stocks application. The stocks application now allows you to read related news, so you can enjoy yourself learning about the latest market scandals, stock crashes, and executives getting bonus packages from government aid while their companies sink into hell. Thank you, Apple.
• Stereo Bluetooth A2DP audio.
You will be able to pair your iPhone 3.0 with a stereo Bluetooth A2DP device, like headphones or speakers.
• Note synching with iTunes.
• Automatic login in Safari.
The new version of Safari will remember login credentials, so you won't need to introduce your username and password again while accessing Scoreland your work intranet.
• Shake to shuffle music.
If you are in your iPod application, you just need to shake it to start the shuffling mode. Hopefully this will be optional for sports people out there.
• Wi-Fi auto-login.
In case you have a subscription to a paid hotspot, your iPhone or iPod touch will autolog into it.
• Anti-phising.
Mobile Safari now can warn you against malicious sites trying to scam you.
• Extended parental controls.
Adult content filters can now be applied to movies, TV shows, and applications, in addition to web sites and music (porn apps, here we come).


NEW THIRD PARTY APPLICATIONS FEATURES IN IPHONE OS 3.0
The new iPhone OS 3.0 adds 1,000 new APIs to extend the capabilities of new applications.

• Peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connectivity.
A new API will allow for two iPhones to connect directly—peer-to-peer—via Wi-Fi, without needing any Wi-Fi network.
They will be able to discover each other using Bluetooth, and then start a Wi-Fi connection transparently (we saw this technology at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, so you can check the video about how it works here.)
This opens a lot of possibilities. I doubt they will allow you to pass music, but you would probably be able to pass any other information, as well as directly communicating between applications in the two devices. One example: A pets game that allows two dogs to play with each other.
This feature could be combined with push notification, so your iPhone may receive a note from another iPhone, inviting you to play a game one-on-one.
Browse remote content. While the built-in iPod application doesn't allow you to browse songs in other people's iPhones or iPod touch, third-party applications will allow you to do that, according to Apple's Forstall.
• Use your iPhone/touch to control peripherals.
A new API will let you use your iPhone or iPod touch as a control to your accessories. In this example, the iPhone is being used to equalize the sound in a loudspeaker.
Maps inside other applications. New applications will be able to use Maps directly, which is now an API.
• Turn-by-turn directions. Developers will also be able to create turn-by-turn applications using the GPS information from the iPhone and combining it with their own maps, without depending on 3G connectivity or Google.


PRICE
iPhone OS 3.0 will be a free upgrade to all iPhone users, including the first generation (not all features will be supported in the first generation, like Stereo Bluetooth support). iPod touch users will be able to but it for $US9.95.