Gadgetsteria » retro

Review: Musubo Retro And Sneaker iPhone 4S Cases.

Mike Norris — Mon, 14 May 2012 10:50:27 +0000

As you all may know, the iPhone case world is a vast sea of choice, perhaps too overwhelming. And yet here we are with more options to consider when purchasing an iPhone case compliments of Musubo. What can we say. We love iPhone cases, probably to an unhealthy level. That said, who is Musubo? Musubo is a new (to the U.S.) Hong Kong based iPhone case manufacturer with what they hope is a winning combination of protective and stylish cases, and today we’re taking their “Retro” and “Sneaker” cases for a spin.

Retro

Designed after a classic microphone from a 1920′s era, the two-piece Retro case by Musubo presents a unique (and ergonomic to a point) design. On the eye candy front, the Retro is heavy on the contours and ridges to really pull off that microphone look. Colors are vivid and the thicker, more contoured design makes our iPhone within the Retro case much easier to hold.

On the protection front, a tag-team of soft + hard cases make for a robust shield. The first piece of the Retro’s protection is a soft, flexible silicone sleeve that protects the phone against shock and drops. The second, larger outer piece is the stylized plastic wrap that transforms the Retro case into the microphone-looking figure as well as completes the protection image – harder drops and sharp objects will have to work much harder to get through both layers.

While the overall fit & finish and protection ability of the Retro is pretty easy to like, we’re left worried that certain headphones and docks will present users of said case with a difficult choice — removing the case to fit a pair of headphones or dock. It happens with a lot of iPhone cases that are overly thick or feature restrictive cutouts. While we didn’t have any issues with our various earphones, our larger plugged Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro full-size headphones didn’t want to work properly when our phone was in the Retro.

Overall, if you’re looking for a case that is both strong and visually unique, Musubo’s Retro is definitely worth a look.

More: Musubo Retro Case ($34.99)

Gadgetsteria’s Rating: 7/10

Sneaker

Where the Retro is more about harder core protection, the Sneaker takes things down a notch. While it is still very much a decent case for the more clumsy-prone human being, it’s overall softer construction means it won’t the lumber jack’s first choice.

If the “Sneaker” name didn’t immediately give it away, you’re looking at a case designed to mimic a shoe. The bumper piece that wraps around the outside of your phone consists of a hard rubber — not too soft as to suck up lint and not too hard as to shatter when dropped. The backplate is a similar material, though we’d say it is even harder rubber than the bumper piece, though ultimately still a good option for shock/drop protection.

Cutouts on the bottom of the case are wide and generous — No clearance issues here! — and the overall bulkiness added to the case is actually quite minimal. If you thought the Retro case above was “too much” in terms of bulk, you’ll find the Sneaker more to your liking.

As a thinner case, we like how the Sneaker offers up good drop/shock protection as well as a more unique design. Those of you out there in internet land who love customizing your cases will be pleased to know there are additional back plates in varying colors for the Sneaker case. By default, two are included in the package. At $34.99, it’s a tad on the high side (we consider $19.99-$29.99 to be the sweet spot). Still, we have no doubt that a fair number of people will find it’s protection + design worthy of such a price.

More: Musubo Sneaker Case ($34.99)

Gadgetsteria’s Rating: 7/10

Gallery

French Modder Crams Entire Nintendo Console Inside NES Cartridge.

Mike Norris — Wed, 09 May 2012 16:46:35 +0000

You can go to any hack job casino and see some cheesy magic show. True
magic, however, can be found above.

Confused? French console modder “Kotomi” managed to take an entire NES console and cram it inside a single Super Mario Bros. NES cartridge. That’s pretty magical to us.

As you can see, the main features such as cartridge port, power and reset buttonsare located on the cartridge’s face while the AC adapter is housed on the left. Controller ports are located on the bottom while AV inputs have been relocated up top. All in all, we’re downright flabbergasted. Dare we say the best console mod ever?

So. We’d really like to know the nitty gritty details. How’s your French? Good? Check out the original post on Kotomi’s blog right over here

Via: BitRebels

Classic Atari 2600 Modded Into The iPhone Dock Of iPhone Docks.

Mike Norris — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 12:42:23 +0000

An Atari 2600 is seen by many gaming enthusiasts as a great piece of Americana. Retro gaming consoles are a huge draw for collectors and geeks alike. And while we had to see classic pieces of art such as the Atari 2600 ripped apart, we admire and appreciate Daniel McLeod of Black Mountain Audio for taking the old and making it new (and useful) again.

Daniel replaced the innards of your standard Atari 2600 with two speakers and a subwoofer as well as modding an old 2600 cartridge into a 30-pin iPhone/iPod compatible charging device. The end result is perhaps the best custom iPhone dock we’ve seen to date; no flashy lights, gimmicky additions, or tacky colors. Just original, simple, Atari + Apple love.

Think it’s worth $100? You can buy it over at Daniel’s Etsy page

Source Ubergizmo

Via Technabob | Geeky-Gadgets

Commodore 64 Reborn: Dual Core Atom Processor and Nvidia Graphics. Amiga and Phoenix Making a Return too! #commodore

Mike Norris — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 13:28:29 +0000

The return of the Commodore has been a long time in the making. But finally — Finally! — it is making its way back into our hearts and homes. The Commdore 64 you see above you is the same garish beige and tan plastic case of the original, though the insides are much more potent. This cheetah in hippos clothing packs a dual-core 525 Atom processor and Nvidia Ion2 graphics making it exponentially more powerful than the gentle giant of years past. For now, beige/tan is your only color choice. Though, other color choices are planned for release in the near future.

Commodore 64 not your cup of retro tea? Never fear. The owner of the Commodore 64 trademark has some more plans up their sleeves. Apparently there will also be some Amiga and Phoenix re-boots as well. Finally, a “high-end” Commodore is planned, giving us a look at a piece of hardware that the once great company may have produced and shipped had things not turned out they way they did.

A retro fun fest.

Source: Commodore USA
Via: BoingBoing, OhGizmo

Keep Holding: No New Wii for 2011…or 2012

Mike Norris — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 23:06:26 +0000

Those holding out on upgrading current gaming consoles for a possible Wii 2 in 2011 won’t like the official news. That is, the news is that there won’t be any news. Nintendo U.S. exec Reggie Fils-Aime cites the Wii’s still excellent sales rate as reason for letting it stick around a while longer. Ok, so 2011 is out. But what about 2012? Not likely. ~~According to Reggie~~ Speculating based on Reggie’s comments, 2013 is the ~~absolute~~ likely the earliest we’ll get any new Nintendo-branded hardware.

On one hand, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. That saying doesn’t work in the gadget world. Unfortunately, gadgets are replaced so quickly that many are old long before their first birthday. On that note, it’s somewhat worrisome for Nintendo to believe the Wii will continue growing as it has. The only reason it did was because it was the only motion-based gaming platform. Now that two vastly superior (graphically speaking) consoles have motion based gaming of their own (which is also arguably better than the Wii’s), Nintendo needs to be thinking about what to do next now…not later.

Of course, Nintendo could be pulling a Sony — Deny everything regardless if everyone already knows the truth or not. But look at the bright side. No new hardware means more money in your pocket.

Source: Kotaku
Via: TechDigest

Duke Nukem Forever Video demo!

Mike Norris — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 13:05:09 +0000

If you lost faith in the Duke Nukem name over the last decade full of empty promises, cheer up and pull a new round of optimism from your rear end. A new live demo of DN4ever is currently circulating ’round the web, showing a solid 5-6 minutes of gameplay (once you get through the long ass intro). How does it look? Why don’t you find out for yourself — Jump on past to check it out…

**Warning: Graphic language throughout. (Oh yeah!)

Video

Source:
HardOCP

Best iPad Case ever: Etch-a-sketch

Mike Norris — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 12:44:50 +0000

Originality is something that excites me. If I had an iPad and an Etch-a-sketch case, I’d be excited x2. That’s how it works. If the knobs actually did something it might have even been x3. Oh well. I’d still spend $39 on one.

[Product Page]

Source:
Dvice
BoingBoing

Space Invaders Packing Tape!

Mike Norris — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 12:42:45 +0000

Words can’t contain the school boy excitement that’s seeping out of me. (Hmmm, perhaps “seeping” is the wrong word…) Hell, once I get some of this I’ll put tape over everything — yes, even the dog.

3-packs available from OfficeWorks for $4.79AUD ($4.50 USD).

Source:
Technabob
LikeCool

Pac-Man recreated with human pixels

Mike Norris — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 11:01:00 +0000

I’m sure you’ve all seen some commercial or video showing people holding signs, and flipping them in a certain pattern to create a somewhat “moving” image. What you haven’t seen, however, is Pac-Man recreated in such a manner. A little ingenuity, a camera, and 100 human “pixels” will net you a nifty effect as seen above. Though, it’s much better in motion. Go on, jump inside to check it out…

Video

Source:
Dvice
LaughingSquad
Notsonoisy

Gigantor NES Table with fully functioning jumbo controller!

Mike Norris — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:37:57 +0000

We’ve seen plenty of geek-ified home decor here at Gadgetsteria over the last couple of years. But nothing is perhaps as nerdy or cool as the larger-than-life NES Coffee Table. Built by a dude who goes by “Matt”, the NES Coffee Table features some clever hidden storage bins, power outlets hidden in the controller ports, and even a controller with actual working buttons.

For a piece of furniture, it’s pretty spectacular. I’m not going to lie; I want it. But don’t trail away after a simple glance. Hop inside for more pictures and a detailed video further highlighting the magic that’s happening with this little gem…

Video

Gallery

Source:
Gizmodo
Flickr: Matt

Arcane Arcade Table: The Coffee Table for retro gaming geeks!

Mike Norris — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 10:53:20 +0000

If you’re the type that relishes in the past and misses the good ‘ol days of throwing $20 worth of quarters into an old arcade time and time again, this is the “coffee table” for you. Though don’t go sitting food and drinks on top of it’s toughed glass top anytime soon. For if you do, someone won’t be able to see the screen.

Packed with over 100 fully licensed games from Taito, Midway and Atari, as well as optional mini-PC, the Arcane Arcade Table by Surface Tension is designed to be the center piece and entertainment focal point of your living room. Between the deep catalog of classic games, built-in PC (optional), and Sonos Radio capabilities, how could you not want a table like this? Oh yeah, it has a slide out drawer hiding a bevy of buttons, joysticks, and rollerballs. Score!

And now, the part we never like to talk about — price. Plan on dropping a cool $5061 USD (appx. £3299) if you get the table + PC version. If you’ve got your own PC, however, forgo the optional add-on and save yourself over $1,000. What will it be — straight gaming or gaming + media center PC + drink holder? Be sure to stop inside and check out the gallery of visual goodness…

Gallery of Visual Goodness

Source:
Technabob

Commodore 64 reborn with Intel Atom and Core i7 processor.

Mike Norris — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 12:08:04 +0000

To the joy of retro gamers everywhere, I bring you new, reborn Commodore 64. This isn’t the old 8-bit baby you played with back in the day. Instead, it’s finely tuned, retro-styled machine that blends old and new like none other. The new hotness can be attributed to Commodore USA finally getting the required licensing agreement to being recreating these classic gaming relics into two new models.

The first, lower end, “Commodore” model is powered by an Intel Atom 525 CPU, graphics powered by an NVIDIA Ion2 graphics, 4GB DDR3 memory, and 1TB of storage. Further adding to the awesomeness is HDMI, DVD/CD optical drive (Blu-ray optional), dual-link DVI, and six USB ports. In 2010, what self respecting gaming console/computer hardware is going to touch down without some form of wireless signal? That’s right — none. On that note, the new Commodores come packed with integrated 802.11n WiFi, bluetooth and a 6-in-1 media card reader.

The even more tantalizing higher-end “Commodore Pro” (Pictured) replaces the Atom processor with a exponentially better/faster/stronger 2.66 GHz Intel Core i7 processor, beefier graphics by way of a 512MB NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M, 2 TB hard drive, 4GB DDR3 SDRAM and BLU RAY to top it all off.

The only downside to the Commodore Pro model is that it doesn’t come wrapped in that nostalgic, yet admittingly horrendous beige 1980′s computer plastic that the stock Commodore model comes in. Though to some, that’s a blessing. Either way, retro gamers should be tickled that Commodore is jumping back into gaming, even if it is more of a niche product. But I’ll speculate that even a few new age gamers won’t be able to resist the classic design and image and modern power mashed up into one device. Look for pricing to drop in the not too distant future with release dates scheduled for “before Christmas”.

[Commodore USA]

Sourece:
Gizmag

Space Invaders constructed with Star Wars mini-figs.

Mike Norris — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 12:55:36 +0000

Space Invaders scenes constructed out of miniature Star Wars figures. Does it get any geekier? I’d love to see you find something that is. From the brain of Chris McVeigh, the Star Wars Space Invaders plaque would make a fine addition to any wall. Too bad it’s not my own. But hey, it’s motivation for myself to get out there and get crafty. Be sure to check out Chris’s other nerdy toom foolery on his Flickr page.

Source:
Geeky-Gadgets
LikeCool
GearFuse

Super Mario Brothers Filing Cabinets.

Mike Norris — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 15:16:45 +0000

Chances are that if you work in a stuffy, cold, stereotypical business, these super sweet Super Mario Brothers filing cabinets will never see your eye’s gaze. But if you happen to trudge through the daily grind in a bit more friendly environment, pat yourself on the back, because you can rock something just like this in your little space.

Paired with countless other SMB themed material, you could create one hell of a work/play space.

Source:
DailyWhat
SpriteStitch
GamerGrrlz
Etsy

Duck Hunt T-shirt: So close yet so far…

Mike Norris — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 23:49:19 +0000

It may showcase a simpler time. A time in which we measure graphics chips by MHz and graphics by bits. But that doesn’t matter. This Duck Hunt t-shirt is bad ass. It was up for vote on Threadless.com for printing. Unfortunately, it appears it didn’t win the vote. Pity. I’d buy it. Hell. I’d by ten.

Source:
GearFuse
DesignWatch