STUFF: News, Technology, the cool and the plain weird

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JEEP WRANGLER WILLYS WHEELER EDITION

The new 2014 Jeep Wrangler Willys Wheeler edition is now available for purchase.

The Willys Wheeler package is a classic throwback to early Jeep CJ models but with modern capabilities. Based on the Wrangler Sport model, the Willys Wheeler Edition features upgraded hardware, unique high-gloss black 17-inch aluminum wheels, rock rails and a new Jeep Trail Rated Kit that includes a D-Ring, tow strap and gloves in a Jeep-branded bag. It is equipped with a 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine that produces 285 horsepower and 260 ft.-lbs. or torque. It is available with a standard six-speed manual or an available five-speed automatic transmission, and comes in a choice of any Jeep Wrangler color.

The two-door version starts at at $25,795, whilst the four-door starts at $29,595

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$1 MILLION STREET LEGAL TUMBLER BATMOBILE

When it comes to supercars, we’re not sure there’s anything out there that even compares to Batman’s Tumbler. For the first time ever, fans of the Dark Knight can own their very own street legal Tumbler.

Although it’s equipped with a V8 LS1 motor, the RWD Batmobile probably won’t compete with a similarly priced supercar. But, what it lacks in performance, it makes up in sheer awesomeness. The vehicle has been outfitted with everything Bruce Wayne would need to fight crime including five driver-assisted cameras, GPS, and 44″ swamper tires to tackle rough terrain. The 2-seater definitely requires a Bruce Wayne size bank account though, as this Tumbler is currently on the market for a cool $1 million.

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Body suit 'can lift 50kg in each hand'

Engineers in Italy have developed a wearable robot which they claim is the most sophisticated built in the world to date.

The "body extender" has been built by the Perceptual Robotics Laboratory (Percro) at Pisa's Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna.

The machine can enable users to lift up to 50kg in each extended hand, say its makers.

It could be developed to work in factories or to clear debris and rescue survivors in earthquake zones, they say.

The exoskeleton is one of many being developed around the world for manufacturing, therapeutic and military purposes.

Percro's Fabio Salsedo demonstrates how the machine works.

MIKA: Wasn't this already built back in the very early 80's....?

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Another Big 2014 Video Game Is Ditching Last-Gen Consoles. Cool.

Today, Warner Bros. announced a new Batman game, called Arkham Knight. It's got some exciting features: An open-world Gotham City! A drivable Batmobile! And equally exciting, it's only coming out on PC, PS4 and Xbox One.

In other words, there won't be a PS3 or Xbox 360 version of Arkham Knight, nor will the game be coming to the similarly-powered Wii U. This inevitably happens at some point when transitioning to a new generation of consoles, but ever since the announcement of the PS4 and Xbox One, the question of when it would happen has lingered. This fall? Next spring? Would we still be seeing Xbox 360 and PS3 ports of current games in fall of 2015?

So far, most cross-platform (or, non-platform exclusive) next-gen games have come with a last-gen counterpart. Watch Dogs will be at its best on next-gen consoles and PC, but there'll still be versions on PS3 and Xbox 360. Titanfall will shine on Xbox One and PC, but Xbox 360 owners will get a version, too. Thief came out on next-gen consoles but also on last-gen. Ditto the upcoming Dragon Age: Inquisition, Shadows of Mordor, and on and on. The Witcher 3,Evolve, and Ubisoft's The Crew are some of the only 2014 cross-platform games not to include a last-gen version.

It makes sense to release a last-gen version—the PS4 and Xbox One are both selling well, but they're still miles behind the massive user bases of either the PS3 or Xbox 360. In 2014, it's a substantial—if decreasing—risk to release a game without a last-gen version unless you're a first-party developer making exclusive games for Microsoft or Sony.

So, why is it good news that Arkham Knight is leaving the Xbox 360 and PS3 behind? The thinking goes like this: If a game is designed to run on last-gen consoles, its next-gen versions are necessarily going to be held back from reaching their full potential.

Developers can add a lot of cosmetic shine to next-gen versions, but by and large, the game's maps, AI and core design will remain unchanged despite next-gen consoles' superior horsepower.

For example, Assassin's Creed IV looks and runs great on PS4, but it's still fundamentally the same game as the PS3 version. Thief has better lighting on Xbox One, but it's got just as many loading screens as the last-gen version. What would it have been like had those games' developers not been hobbled by the now-ancient mid-2000s tech running the PS3 and 360?

Remember: The Xbox 360 came out in 2005 and the PS3 in 2006, a year before first iPhone. Technology has come quite a ways since then.

It's a luxury to own a next-gen console, and I don't mean to say that I hope last-gen consoles stop getting good games. (Not that they would even if I wanted them to.) It's still expensive to move to next-gen, and it's always healthy to be skeptical that this game or that game will finally make the jump worth it.

Furthermore, good game-makers can still make technically impressive games on last-gen consoles, and both the Xbox 360 and PS3 will continue to get good games for some time to come. I've recently been replaying Grand Theft Auto V on Xbox 360, and I'd wager that game's at least as technically impressive as anything released so far on PS4 or Xbox One. Considering that Persona 5 isn't coming until 2015, I'm guessing I'll still have my PS3 plugged in for a good long while, and although Nintendo's still-pretty new Wii U has similar specs to the PS3 and Xbox 360, it's a safe bet that it'll be getting good games for a long time, too.

But as time goes by, it's hard not to start wanting to see what game developers will do when set free of the memory and processing restraints of the last generation. It's something PC gamers have felt for a while now—sure, we kept getting the best-looking versions of cross-platform games, but what might they have looked or played like if they were PC-only?

It's also nice to see this kind of thing happening with established series like the Arkham games, which have done so well on last-gen consoles and whose publishers are doubtless a bit loath to leave all those players behind. I don't blame them, but all the same... how big and detailed can a game be? How beautiful can art and animation get? How smart can our opponents be, how surprising?

What new experiences might we have, what new worlds might we explore?

This fall, Arkham Knight will leave last-gen consoles behind and focus on what's next. In so doing, it'll join a small but growing cadre of games that are jumping into the future with both feet. We can hope that as a result, the game will feel bigger, smarter, and fundamentally different from its predecessors in exciting ways. Leave it to Batman to take us one step closer to the "next" generation of gaming becoming the current one.

MIKA: The new Batmobile looks alot like a 4WD version of a Pegani Zonda

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This Futuristic Truck Was Actually Designed By Walmart

Why did visions of the Highwayman TV series flash in my head when I saw this?

South Korea Is Building A Series Of Biodomes For Endangered Species

Where's Pauly Shore when you need him!

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No way!! Highwayman was a brilliant show!! Memories....

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How To Pick A Lock Using Nothing But Hairpins

You can learn the basics of lock picking from a GIF, but for a more nuanced look at the techniques required to actually get a lock open without the key, check out NightHawkInLight’s latest tutorial where he uses nothing but a pair of strategically bent hairpins in the process.

The see-through lock he uses to illustrate the techniques make them much easier to understand. It will still take lots of practice to successfully pick every lock you encounter, this is easily one of the best crash courses you’ll find online. And you don’t need to spend money on some fancy lock-picking kit either.

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Frozen World War I Soldiers Appear In The Alps

The White War — a snow-bound World War I battle between Italy and Austria — claimed the lives of countless soldiers way up in the Alps. Now, melting ice is revealing frozen soldiers, some of them perfectly preserved — but not Captain America-preserved — for nearly a century.

The clash lasted four years, beginning in 1915, in makeshift tunnels and trenches at a staggering 3600m above sea level — the highest fight in history.

An Austrian rifle found melting out of the ice

Apparently artifacts began flowing down from the mountains a few decades ago; the Telegraph reports that these even included still-legible, never-sent love letters and poetry. But it’s the mummified people — 80, so far — that are proving the most wrenching.

The mummified remains of three Hapsburg soldiers found in 2004

While temperatures and avalanches were the most common cause of death, claiming souls in the thousands, nature wasn’t the only killer. Last year, two teenage soldiers were interred in Peio, an Alpine village on the frontline that didn’t evacuate during the conflict — both had bullet holes in their skulls. Ultimately all of the finds go to a forensic anthropologist; although he’s able to extract DNA, there often isn’t enough contextual info about the family’s current whereabouts to make the proper identifications and announcements.

So now we have bacteria coming back from the permafrost and frozen soldiers. Next: zombie Nazi soldiers kept immortal by Jurassic viruses.

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This Chain-Smoking, Gun-Loving Guy Built A Nuclear Reactor In His Home

He chain smokes. He loves his guns. And he almost looks homeless. But he’s actually pretty damn awesome. Meet Doug Coulter. A gunsmith who’s also an amazing DIY engineer. So amazing that he’s built a nuclear fusion reactor in his basement. Yup.

Motherboard visited Coulter to see his DIY fusion reactor and to see how he lives and it makes for an entertaining short documentary. Coulter’s way of life and outlook on things is refreshing, he just makes good s**t. He has open sourced his gun and ammo making techniques and shares everything on his engineering forum. Motherboard writes:

But Doug’s most exciting creation is his guerilla-engineered nuclear fusion reactor. Doug’s pursuit for a limitless source of clean and self-sufficient energy takes place in what he calls his “den of creative chaos,” which is essentially a cluttered workshop in the entrance of his home, directly underneath his bedroom

If he ends up succeeding (or helps someone who does with his knowledge), he’ll have upended trillion dollar businesses. Pretty awesome.

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Falcon Soars in New Captain America: The Winter Soldier Teaser

The latest look at the Captain America: The Winter Soldier is here, courtesy of a TV spot that features even more helicarrier-destroying carnage from Cap’s new nemesis, the Winter Soldier. But according to Captain America (Chris Evans), it’s all in the game:

“The price of freedom is high, and it’s a price I’m willing to pay.”

In addition to familiar faces like Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, the clip also gives us a good look at Anthony Mackie as the hero Falcon, soaring through the air on mechanical wings and dodging missiles. But who is the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), and what does he want? Y

ou’ll have to wait until Captain America: The Winter Soldier hits theaters on April 4 to find out.

[MIKA27]

2015 DUCATI DIAVEL

Ducati have presented the new Diavel, the beast retains the muscle bike DNA but has several upgrades and updates, plus a lot of other functional and aesthetic enhancements, keeping Ducati’s best-selling bike fresh and alluring.

The bike had its headlight and tail section completely redesigned and now uses all-LED illumination, it also features redesigned air intakes and a more comfortable dual seat.

It is equipped with a new RbW engine capable of producing 162 horsepower @9,250 rpm and 96.2 lb-ft (130.5 Nm) @8,000 rpm. The new Diavel will be available in three styles: Dark Stealth, Ducati Red over Matte Carbon or the stunning new Star White over Matte Carbon

http://youtu.be/75b4NNgizPQ

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Listen To A Song Hidden In A 528-Year-Old Painting Of Hell

Hieronymus Bosch’s “Garden of Earthly Delights“ is one of the most famous and nightmarish paintings in the world.

The iconic triptych was painted sometime between 1490 and 1510 – a time when Bosch was at the height of his powers as an artist. The first panel depicts creation and the story of Adam & Eve, the central panel reveals a garden landscape brimming with imaginary creatures and fantasy characters.

But it’s the final and 3rd panel that is the most striking, a brutal interpretation of hell and damnation, complete with demons and devils performing unspeakable acts on their victims.

But in the midst of all the hellfire, there’s a bizarre musical melody printed on the buttocks of a sinner. This peculiar detail had been largely ignored by the art world, who rendered it insignificant to the overall effect of the scene. That was until a curious blogger by the name of Amelia noticed the melody and opted to actually play and record it.

“I decided to transcribe it into modern notation, assuming the second line of the staff is C, as is common for chants of this era.”

This is the apparent sound of hell, as created by Bosh and his 528 year old painting.

Is it what you expected?

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MERCEDES-BENZ G-WAGON LAPV 6.X

After floating around the web for many years, and barely missing our list of the best zombie apocalypse vehicles, we figured it was due time that we shined the spotlight on the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon LAPV 6.X.

The G-Wagon LAPV (which stands for Light Armored Patrol Vehicle) is just that – an armored vehicle built for patrolling the most dangerous parts of the world. Could there be a better vehicle for the zombie apocalypse? This thing has been equipped with a high-torque diesel engine for mowing through anything, with the ability to hit a high speed of 93 miles per hour on the open road. The full steel body has been outfitted with a tire inflation system, military tech EADS system, mobile command system, radar jamming, and a whopping 18 inches of ground clearance. So climbing is not an issue. Unfortunately this menacing off-road adventure vehicle is still a concept at this time, and will not be debuting at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. We can still dream right?

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Falcon Soars in New Captain America: The Winter Soldier Teaser

But who is the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), and what does he want? You’ll have to wait until Captain America: The Winter Soldier hits theaters on April 4 to find out.

If you're a Marvel comic fan, you don't need to wait till 4th April to know who Winter Soldier is.

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MONKII BARS: PORTABLE WORKOUT DEVICE

We all want to stay in shape, but who wants to spend hours a day locked up in the gym? Inspired by the monkey bars we played on as kids, Monkii Bars is an ultra-portable fitness device that lets you work out anywhere your heart desires.

More than just the next big fitness gimmick, this suspension training tool is a great way to sneak in workouts before heading to the office, during lunch breaks, or even on camping and hiking trips. Setup couldn’t be easier, taking just 60 seconds to get the system in place. Simply remove the suspension lines stored in each bar, toss the line over any structure, adjust the loop to your exercise, and you’re ready to roll. Monkii Bars are constructed from an incredibly strong aerospace grade aluminum core that has been finished off with a comfortable maple grip. Watch the video below. [Kickstarter]

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If you're a Marvel comic fan, you don't need to wait till 4th April to know who Winter Soldier is.

I know... no doubt you notice I post a lot about Marvel But I prefer DC characters

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SEAGAIA OCEAN DOME: THE WORLD’S LARGEST INDOOR BEACH

Let’s pour out a little liquor for the Seagaia Ocean Dome, the world’s largest indoor beach and a modern marvel that was taken from us too soon. It opened in Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan, in 1993, and (siiiigh) closed in 2007. Cause of death: too goddam awesome, apparently.

The dome measured 984 feet long and 328 feet wide, and featured a retractable roof, fake flame-spitting volcano, artificial sand and palm trees, and plenty of man-made waves. The sky was always blue, while the air temperature was locked in at 86 degrees Fahrenheit and the water was a steady 82. Was the fact that there was an actual beach 2/10ths of a mile away a factor in the Ocean Dome’s demise? Not sure. But we do know we could fill it back up with our collective tears.

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I know... no doubt you notice I post a lot about Marvel But I prefer DC characters

DC fan, eh? You might be interested in this then. Just had this bad boy delivered the other week....

Waiting on Supes to arrive and ordered WW the other day.

[MIKA27]

DC fan, eh? You might be interested in this then. Just had this bad boy delivered the other week....

Waiting on Supes to arrive and ordered WW the other day.

Nice one mate BUT.... Does it beat this one I have? (For my son of course! )

Here's another I will be buying: Superman

Buy them at Hot Toys

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Russian Anti-Aircraft Gun Malfunctions Almost Killing Everyone Around

This footage shows a Russian 9K22 Tunguska anti-aircraft weapon system going out of control as it during a recent exercise firing with real ammo. Miraculously, it was reported that nobody was harmed in the incident. Some people are speculating this was filmed in Crimea, but it could have been at the recent war games near Finland.

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This Is Not A Frame From A Science-Fiction Movie

It seems like a spaceship arriving to another planet, but it just happened right here on Earth. It’s an actual image from the successful Morpheus vehicle test completed today at the Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility.

There’s great video too.

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Norway's Lovely Memorial To The Worst Mass Shooting In Modern History

It’s been almost three years since a gunman detonated a bomb in Oslo and then stormed a small summer camp off the coast of Norway, killing 77 people and cementing a record as the worst mass shooting in modern memory. This month, the country revealed plans for a memorial to the tragedy — and it’s beautiful.

Designed by a Swedish artist named Jonas Dahlberg, the plan is more land art than architecture. On the island of Utøya, where the gunman gained access to a summer camp by dressing in a police uniform and showing a fake ID on 22 July 2011, Dahlberg proposes creating a massive gap of water and air. By slicing a huge section of the island’s landmass away, he would create a steep fjord through the site where the shooting occurred — a void that he describes as “a wound or a cut within nature itself.”

According to Dahlberg, the idea emerged during his first visit to the island.

“I noticed how different the feeling was of walking outside in nature, compared to the feeling of walking through the rooms of the main building,” he explains in a statement. “The experience of seeing the vacant rooms and the traces of extreme violence brought me — and others around me — to a state of profound sadness.”

But, outside, things felt different, as though nature was already in regeneration. “Although we stood directly on the very place where many people had lost their lives, nature had already begun to obscure all traces,” he explains.

So he came up with an idea: Rather than building a monument or structure, he would focus on nature itself. A 21m wide gap carved out of the island, separating the headland from the main island, would serve as the ideal spot to reflect and memorialise.

On the jagged edges of the cut, the names of those who died in the attacks would be inscribed into smooth stone. “The names will be close enough to see and read clearly, yet ultimately out of reach,” he says. “The cut is an acknowledgement of what is forever irreplaceable.”

Public memorials are a difficult proposition. Too bombastic or saccharine, and you run the risk of alienating visitors. Too diminutive or abstract, and you run the risk of failing to provide a space to mourn and remember. Dahlberg’s design is the perfect balance: It will literally transform the landscape of the island forever — but by putting visitors out in nature, it will also give people the freedom to take what they will from the experience.

In the end, Norway’s approach could serve as a vanguard for other memorials to mass shootings — and the people who are torn between wanting to remember them and trying to forget.

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Damn, Dragon Age: Inquisition Looks Incredible

Here’s the newest trailer for the third Dragon Age game, out later this year for Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4 and PC. Damn, I say. DAMN. Just this one trailer is already more interesting and exciting than all of Dragon Age II. It’s all in-game footage too, according to BioWare boss Aaryn Flynn.

In a blog post today, Dragon Age: Inquisition producer Cameron Lee wrote up some interesting details about the environments we’ll see in the upcoming BioWare RPG, which will run on EA’s fancy new Frostbite 3 engine:

Our new “Discover the Dragon Age” video highlights only some of the locations you can choose to visit during your adventure. Each area in the video has its own realistic ecosystem with predators, prey, factions, and opportunities to expand your Inquisition.

The world’s population is based on an emergent system that adjusts what you’ll encounter based on how your actions tip the balance in the area. You’ll see towns attacked by bandits, deer fleeing from wolves, giant’s feeding on bears, and countless other scenarios.

The artists, designers, programmers, animators, audio and VFX specialists and many others are the most talented I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. They are the people bringing the world ofDragon Age to life for you to discover.

They have built incredible graphics systems like weather that creates naturally-formed puddles, spider webs that blow in the wind, and huge amounts of various materials that look more realistic than anything we’ve ever created in a BioWare game!

BioWare is learning from the missteps in Dragon Age II — namely the lack of variety — and taking advantage of the PS4/Xbox One to make this one big and broad. Next-gen RPGs sure are exciting.

[MIKA27]

NEPTUNE PINE SMARTWATCH

Most smart watches available today are usually sold as Bluetooth accessories for your phone, either for fitness tracking or as a sort of notification center, that was until Neptune Pine was born, a truly stand alone device that takes previous smartwatch functionality to the next level.

The Pine smart watch is the only device youll ever need, it is packed with features allowing you to make and receive phone calls, text messages, send and receive e-mail, browse your favorite websites, video chat, and take photos via the rear-facing 5-megapixel camera. Plus, it works as a fitness tracker, has voice recognition to conveniently enter text by speaking directly to your Pine, and will seamlessly run hundreds of thousands of existing Android apps.

Oh, and it can be removed from the watch and mounted on other accessories becoming a wearable, point-of-view (POV) video camera.

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BACON-SCENTED ALARM CLOCK FOR APPLE IPHONE

The team at Oscar Mayer have created what could be the greatest gadget of all time in this bacon-scented iPhone alarm clock.

Fittingly titled the ‘Oscar Mayer Wake Up & Smell The Bacon’, this device does just that – and who doesn’t love waking up to the sweet smell of bacon in the morning?

The premise of the device is simple. Download the app, plug the dongle into your iPhone, and now every time your alarm goes off you will be treated to the irresistible smell of bacon. The brand has been working tirelessly through the Oscar Mayer Institute for the Advancement of Bacon, which brings all of the world’s greatest bacon minds together to create devices just like this. In addition to releasing the meaty aroma into the air, users will also be met with the sound of sizzling – making the experience that much better.

When the scent runs dry, just pick up a refill, and you’re ready to roll. It’s only available for a limited time though, so you better move quick. [Purchase]