Believe it or not, while glasses that turn a shade darker under bright sunlight have been around for 40 years, only recently has someone developed a pair of contact lens that does the same.

Even better, through the use of some nifty nano-engineering, these photochromic (that’s the scientific term folks) lens perform even better than their traditional, frame-rimmed counterparts. According to the director of the Singaporean institute responsible for this development, the contact lens adapt faster, thanks to the use of a network of really tiny tunnels distributed evenly throughout the lens.

These tunnels contain the dye that automatically adjusts to the sunlight; the structure itself allows more of this dye to exist in the same area, granting the sensitivity and speed benefits noted above.

Will these lens be a good enough reason for me to drop my glasses and fully embrace the daily hassle of putting on and removing contact lens? It would be really cool to have your eyes turn black. Imagine the intimidation potential!

Perhaps, but only time will tell. No word yet on market availability and price, so stay tuned!

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You most likely use plug splitters to plug your entire gadget arsenal into one wall socket anyway, so let’s hope Rozetkus gets around to mass-producing its 3-month old 3D power socket design, which basically calls for five sockets to compact into one when not needed.

Simple mechanics, simple engineering, maximum usability. Pull the whole assembly out of the wall to reveal four hidden sockets, push it back in when you only need to power one gadget. Chances are out the 3D power socket will remain out, especially given the geek’s natural laziness and the demanding nature of workstations. But I’m sure …read more

Straight from Philippine-affiliate Technograph comes pictures of a store featuring a modified version of the Amazon logo. Does the online retailer, which made a name selling books, DVDs, and gadgets, have anything to do with this traditional, physical presence?

Probably not. But let’s see if dropping the “.com”, placing an arc over the text, using a slightly different font, and the red-yellow ensemble passes as its own trademark. Besides, does the US and the Philippines have a trademark enforcement agreement in the first place? No word yet on what the in-store employees have said about this, hopefully Technograph can do a …read more

As manufacturers constantly come out with new hardware, the answer to the question “what is the best graphic card for my money?” also changes. I don’t have the time to do the research and check out the specs, and that’s why I’m thankful Tom’s Hardware takes care of that for me, through the website’s Best Graphics Cards for the Money series.
Like previous editions, the November 2009 issue simply lists the best graphics card(s) for a particular price point, and explains why it is so. Without further ado, here are the cards:

Price
Card

$55
SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 4650 100253HDMI

$80
HIS Radeon HD 4670 H467QS1GH

$90
XFX GeForce …read more

Here’s a rare find from the recently concluded Tokyo Game Show 2009: Wet Ones in a black packet, with the Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising logo the only thing keeping the disinfectant wipes from leaving the packaging. Click a thumbnail to zoom in.
Possibly the result of a strategic alliance between Playtex and Codemasters (the makers of the wipes and the game respectively), are these OF:DR wipes symbolic of anything? Perhaps Codemasters literally wants to wipe the tactical shooter genre clean with its newest offering? Or maybe this is just another phase in Playtex’s plan to continue dominating the disinfectant wipes battlefield? …read more

There’s at least one advantage with the Alienware brand now under Dell’s control. How does paying only $99 for an Inspiron Mini sound? Buy any Alienware laptop or desktop and add an Inspiron Mini netbook for only $99!. Ends 12/23/09 5:55 AM CDT.

It also seems Alienware’s picked up Dell’s tendency to offer free shipping: Light Up The Holidays With Alienware and receive free shipping on all Alienware laptops and desktops. Ends 11/12/09 5:55 AM CDT.
Some more promos to check out:

Studio ONE 19 all in one desktop with touch screen monitor and free color upgrade for only $699! End Date: 11/30/09 …read more

Mark November 8, 2009 (11/8) on your calendars, dear readers. That’s when HP is launching some particularly generous promos, covering laptops and desktops alike:
Save up to $315 instantly on the HP TouchSmart tx2z Series Customizable Notebook PC! – Savings Include: $200 instant rebate, FREE memory upgrade from 2GB to 3GB ($30 savings), FREE hard drive upgrade from 250GB to 320GB ($40 savings), and get FREE shipping ($29 savings). Ends 11/14
Save up to $275 instantly on the HP Pavilion dv6t Series Customizable Notebook PC! – Savings Include: $150 instant rebate, FREE memory upgrade from 2GB to 3GB ($30 savings), FREE hard …read more

As someone who does practically everything online, I know that a lot of what I do is on record somewhere. And you know what? That’s perfectly fine—for me, at least. When I first used my credit card online, I felt a bit uncomfortable, worried that some unscrupulous soul would use the information I entered to max out my credit limit and saddle me with debt.
Eventually however, I realized that as long as I limit my online purchases to retailers who have made the effort to win my trust, I should be fine. These kind of companies follow industry standards regarding …read more

This is so cool! The brainchild of Steve Hoefer, the “Secret Knock Detecting Door Lock” attaches to a doorknob and its corresponding lock with suction cups. Upon detecting the correct knock pattern (by default, the classic shave and a haircut), it unlocks the door to grant access.

Even better, the knock detector is completely programmable. Changing the secret knock cadence is a simple matter of holding the red button while executing a new lock pattern, with a max of 20 knocks. The system simply detects the pattern, and not the tempo, providing allowance for users who knock slower or faster than …read more

The new Litl is basically a web-based netbook designed to work entirely on the web, allowing users to access prominent online applications like Flickr and Google Docs. The gadget, manufactured in China, enjoys the support of a minimalist-oriented marketing and design strategy. The design of the actual unit itself is special, especially as the display hinge flexibility allows the Litl to turn into a dynamic picture frame of sorts, showing pictures, weather forecasts, and of course the time. The emphasis on usability and simplicity looks promising.

Users cannot directly install applications on Litl; updates are streamed automatically via WiFi. There’s also …read more