The BBC has made its iPlayer app plans a bit more official by announcing that iPad and Android-specific versions of its software will be arriving by the end of this week. The iPlayer is a free TV catchup service hosting the best and most popular from the BBC’s catalog of recent programming, and the new native apps will let you watch on your portable device in a touchscreen-optimized format.

The finishing touches are being applied to the app right now and the apps should be available before the end of the week.

While you can already watch your favorite British TV programs on your iPhone using the BBC iPlayer service from their website, it looks like the BBC are developing an iPhone App which should bring a wider range of new BBC iPlayer services to the iPhone.

The new BBC iPlayer app even could feature a download option, which would allow you to download your favorite TV show directly to your iPhone. That way you could watch it whenever you want. Some other features include the ability to watch live TV. There’s nothing official from the BBC yet on when the app will be available.

Jem Stansfield climbed to the top of the BBC White City building in west London. But here’s the thing: He wasn’t bit by a radioactive spider and his girlfriend isn’t named MJ. No, he managed the climb using some DIY vacuum gloves that were made out of a regular household vacuum cleaner.

Unlike Spidey, he was secured with a safety harness tied to his back, just in case. He built the gloves himself, in a stunt for a new BBC One science show called Bang Goes The Theory.

The British Broadcasting Corporation which brings us such cool programs as Top Gear, Doctor Who and Planet Earth, is said to be in talks with Google to bring their VOD service to America. Anyone who has ever watched and enjoyed the BBC’s programming knows that this is a good thing.

The BBC produces a bunch of channels that have a wide variety of content and many of these programs never make their way to BBC America, which pretty much just shows fluff. Good news indeed. Once you’ve seen enough English programming, you start to realize just how terrible our own shows are in the states.

Vending Machine from Ellie Harrison on Vimeo.
So the other day we saw a vending machine that quenches your thirst during an emergency. The British now have their own vending machine that does one better. It dispenses snacks when the BBC reports bad news about the economy.

Why, we would be fed all day here in the US. I can get behind this kind of machine. The whole deal is actually an art project designed and created by Ellie Harrison as part of her residency at the Plymouth College of Art. The monitor on the right tracks the BBC’s RSS feed, and whenever doom and gloom news stories hit, you get a snack.

Check out this limited edition RC Dalek all polished and buffed to blind it’s enemies and make the Doctor stop and check his hair in it’s reflection. This particular Dalek is based on the “Daleks – Invasion Earth 2150 AD” movie. It’s 12-inches tall, radio-controlled and features a pullback motor with realistic Dalek action. I assume that means it yells “exterminate” and generally tries to kill anything different then itself. Also has a built-in speaker that plays you quotes from the movie.

This my friends is shiny Dalek bling for eager geek hands. And since it’s very special and ultra shiny, only 1,000 are made. Should be available in August 2008, and can be pre-ordered for $99.99.

The tardis is flying out of out control. It was driven off course by an unknown force. Finally it lands. Ah, 19th century London. As you exit the door, you’re pleased to see that it all looks about right…Until you see one of these. Then another. And another. Something is very wrong with this time-line. But even as your brain processes the danger, you can’t help but admire the workmanship. You notice it has wheels, so they won’t be climbing any stairs again. Nothing else to do, but go have your adventure.

Can you believe this thing? It’s a model from Alex Holden. He modded the hell out of a bottle of Dalek bubble bath to create this beauty, adding all kinds of detail.

Who says there are no new ideas? The BBC are certainly not lacking in imagination. They commissioned this neat idea that combines social networking with a digital radio, and the end result is Olinda. On one hand, it’s a normal digital radio, but when you remove the clear orange cap, a plug-in interface is exposed.

You can add modules onto the end of it, like building with Legos. This one has small buttons that each correspond to one of your friends. A button lights up when one of your friends is listening to the radio, so if you push that button, you’ll hear the same radio station that your friend is listening to. The creators hope to develop more modules, thereby expanding the uses of the device.