Steel ‘velcro’ can handle 35 tons and up to 800 degrees celsius heat

Posted in News by Conner Flynn on September 6th, 2009

Steel 'velcro'And you thought that the velcro on your jacket was impressive. These Velcro fasteners were made by German engineers and can withstand 35 tons of force. Needless to say, these aren’t for your clothes. One side has spikes and the other has steel brushes, so it’s just like real velcro. It can also withstand heat of up to 800 degrees Celsius.

And if you tear these Velcro strips vertically, where it’s stronger, it can hold up to 7 tons. We aren’t sure how much of this stuff it actually takes to support that much weight, but it’s pretty amazing anyway. Especially when you consider that just like everyday Velcro, it can be opened up without specialized tools and used again.

BMW Level 10 case actually exists, caught on camera

Posted in Computer Cases by Conner Flynn on March 16th, 2009

BMW Level 10 case actually exists, caught on cameraYou just have to love a case that radically changes the form factor. The Level 10 by BMW DesignworksUSA is a masterpiece of a PC case with loads of style. And it manages great design while giving you easy access to all components. We showed you the case a few weeks ago and now it’s been spotted in the wild.

We’re happy to say it looks even better in the flesh. Thermaltake and BMW teamed up to create the “Level 10” PC case, which was on display at the CeBIT conference in Hanover, Germany. Everything has it’s own enclosure, even the motherboard. And yet it maintains a graceful and thin composure. A beautiful monster if you will.

Phone controlled street lights save energy

Posted in News by Conner Flynn on February 22nd, 2009

On Call Street Lights save energySomething interesting is happening in Germany and for once it has nothing to do with David Hasselhoff. It has to do with the fact that municipal budgets are tight. Many towns throughout the world are turning off street lights at night to save money. Saving money and electricity is awesome. But we need light when we need light. Like when old ladies are walking home.

So some German towns seem to have found a solution. Their lighting grids have been modified with a system called Dial4Light. That means that residents can use their cellphones to turn on the lights street by street. When 15 minutes passes, a timer turns the street dark again. That means less wasted energy and residents still have light.

Lego camcorder spotted

Posted in lego by Conner Flynn on February 12th, 2009

Lego camcorder spottedThose Lego-branded Digital Blue devices/toys we’ve been telling you about are starting to surface. This prototype of the video camera was spotted at a toy fair in Nuremberg.

There aren’t any other details at the moment, but it’s a bit disappointing as it looks a little too polished and not handmade like the walkie talkie and digital camera we showed you. Oh well, you win some you lose some. It is a prototype, so who knows, it may go through some changes.

Rubik’s Cube gets spherical update

Posted in Toys by Conner Flynn on February 2nd, 2009

Rubik’s Cube gets spherical updateRubik’s 360 is not an Xbox 360 title. It’s the next version of the popular cube puzzle that is a sphere. The device is about to be officially unveiled in Germany this week at a national toy show. As you might imagine nerds the world over are enthusiastic about laying their hands on it.

The gadget has six balls trapped inside transparent plastic spheres. To solve it, you have to figure out how to get the internal balls “from an inner sphere into matching slots on the outer sphere by shaking them through a middle sphere that has only two holes.”

T-Mobile Germany launches BlackBerry 8900

Posted in BlackBerry by Conner Flynn on November 12th, 2008

T-Mobile Germany launches BlackBerry 8900Everybody always gets the goods before we do. T-Mobile Germany released the BlackBerry 8900 today, which offers improved performance over the original BlackBerry Pearl. This new Curve model has some of the following features: 480 x 360 resolution display, Wi-Fi connectivity, GPS navigation, 3.2 megapixel camera and DivX and XviD support. The most prominent feature is the new trackball, which should be tighter and cleaner than those used since the launch of the original BlackBerry Pearl. It will cost you(If you’re German) 4.95 Euros with a two-year contract. Otherwise it will cost you 359.90 Euros.

Huge spaceship built in Germany: Giant kid toy

Posted in Toys by Conner Flynn on October 15th, 2008

Huge spaceship built in Germany: Giant kid toyBehold. This new 9,000-square-foot, 3-story spaceship is called “Second Solar” and it has just been constructed in the German city of Böblingen. It’s a real looker. It’s got “giant engines, a thermal shell to protect the crew and landing runners designed to cope with unknown surface conditions.” And it was designed for the children. It’s amazing what can happen when a nation that loves David Hasselhoff stops watching Knight Rider re-runs and thinks about the children.

It’s an interactive exhibit designed by Different Futures for the Sensapolis fun park. Inside you’ll find such things as a 3D theater, a lab, alien breeding ground, a medical center and a warp-core. Pay attention nations of the world. Especially you U.S.A. This is how you need to treat your kids. I propose we have one in each state. It’s too damn awesome for words.

Waiterless restaurant in Nuremberg

Posted in Robots by Conner Flynn on April 8th, 2008

Waiterless restaurant in Nuremberg
The Baggers restaurant in Nuremberg has done away with waiters. That’s because they’re fully automated. Customers use touch-screen TVs to browse the menu and choose their meal. Then the meal is prepared by a human chef and when ready, the meal is put in a pot and they give it a sticker the color of the customer’s seat.

After that it zooms down the rails downhill to the correct table. It’s more fun then your typical snooty restaurant and of course it beats the usual fast food restaurant atmosphere. The customers love it. They still keep some staff on hand. Mostly to explain to bemused customers how to use the technology.

T-Mobile Germany cuts iPhone price to 99 euros

Posted in iPhone by Darrin Olson on April 6th, 2008

T-Mobile Deutsche Telekom in Germany cuts iPhone price to 99 eurosIn anticipation of a new iPhone model coming to Germany, T-Mobile has drastically slashed the price of the existing 8GB model from €399 to just €99 for German customers. This lower price equates to approximately $155 USD, where the 8GB iPhone is currently going for $399 with a 2 year contract in the United States.

The €99 iPhone is being offered for a limited time from April 7 through June 30 and comes with a 2 year plan for 89 euros a month. The 16GB model price appears to remain untouched with a price of €499. Apple has been rumored to have a new, faster 3G version of the iPhone in the works and this promotion may be a way to unload some of the older models prior to the launch. Alternatively it could also just be a promotion for Apple and T-Mobile to unload some of their inventory due to poor sales of the iPhone in the area due to the heavy competition of mobile handsets that are 3G enabled.

T-Mobile Bring iPhone to Germay Nov 1

Posted in Apple, News, T-Mobile, iPhone by Darrin Olson on July 3rd, 2007

iPhone coming to Germany November 1 with T-MobileAccording to a recent report from Rheinische Post, Apple has just signed a deal with Deutsche Telekom T-Mobile to make Germany the next stop for an iPhone launch on November 1 of this year. The report is a preview to an alleged announcement planned for tomorrow where T-Mobile will be unveiled as the exclusive provider of the iPhone for Germany, selling the famed gadget for about 450 euros ($612).

While no sources of the news were cited and no comments from the involved parties were made this isn’t really set in stone but we’ll be watching tomorrow for an official word.

Source: Reuters





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