Have you entered in our Toshiba x205 laptop contest yet? You do want a free laptop, don’t you? Click here to see how to enter.

Via [Gizmodo]

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What is the one way you could improve Tetris? By making it alcoholic. Czech designer Martin Zampach’s concept product would let you make Tetrad-shaped ice cubes to drop in your G&T, or you could use the thing to make Tetradinal jell-o shots, perfect for your nerdy parties. I like the idea of them sliding down […]

What’s the one way you could improve Tetris? By making it alcoholic. Czech designer Martin Zampach’s concept product would let you make Tetrad-shaped ice cubes to drop in your G&T, or you could use the thing to make Tetradinal jell-o shots, perfect for your nerdy celebrations. I like the idea of them sliding down my gullet, forming lines in my tummy to be digested for drunkness points. I desperately hope that this thing becomes real and, unlike the Tetris bookshelf, does not cost an absurd amount of money.

Tetrice

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Via [crunchgear]

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A team of Danish researchers has discovered a way of dating dead bodies via the corpse’s eye using a nuclear particle accelerator. The procedure, which measures the amount of a carbon isotope in the eye lens, has been made possible because of atomic weapons testing half a century ago. The technique only works for people born after 1950 and will only be valid until levels of the carbon isotype have returned to normal—probably 100 years. Here’s how it works.

In the first couple of years of an individual’s life, the carbon isotope C-14, discovered in the 40s, forms transparent proteins, or lens crystallines, which enable sight. These remain unchanged—rather like dental enamel— for the rest of a person’s life. By measuring the level of C-14 in the person’s eye, and comparing it to records of levels in the atmosphere, the corpse can be dated.

The team, from the universities of Copenhagen and Aarhus, thinks that, as well as being a forensic breakthrough, the method will be able to tell us more about the behaviour of cancerous cells.

“We think that carbon dating of proteins and other molecules in the body could be used to study when certain tissues are generated or regenerated,” says Associate Professor Niels Lynnerup from the Dept of Forensic Sciences in Denmark. “This could, for example, be applied to cancer tissue and cancer cells. Calculating the amount of C-14 in these tissues could tell us when the cancerous tissue is formed and this could further our understanding of such diseases.” [Telegraph]

Via [Gizmodo]

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The Zero-G Defy Xtreme Stealth by elite watchmaker Zenith is one of the most lust-worthy timepieces we’ve seen in current history. Modeled after the famous Stealth Bomber, this blackened titanium watch (utilizing a PVD coating process) is specially crafted to keep time without extreme gravity throwing off your appointments. Featuring a titanium strap with Kevlar inserts, hop out of your matching stealth jet, go for a dive down to 1,000 feet and stop a bullet with your wrist—all for what looks to be an increasingly reasonable $500,000. [zenith via coolhunting]

Via [Gizmodo]

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The old man CmdrTaco over at Slashdot has a notion that Toshiba’s final dropping of HD DVD was due to a little old-fashioned backscratching. Sony is selling parts of some of the chip plants it owns in Japan to Toshiba, giving Tosh 60% interests in an RSX and a Cell chip plants. This is money […]

The old man CmdrTaco over at Slashdot has a notion that Toshiba’s final dropping of HD DVD was due to a little old-fashioned backscratching. Sony is selling parts of some of the chip plants it owns in Japan to Toshiba, giving Tosh 60% interests in an RSX and a Cell chip plants. This is money in Toshiba’s pocket.

It’s not a direct kickback, but it would be sort of a carrot as opposed to the stick, and dropping HD DVD was perhaps part of the overall negotiation. Sony flexed its muscles, Toshiba caved in.

Toshiba paid off to drop HD-DVD? [Slashdot]

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Via [crunchgear]

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James Watts spends his time putting together fantastic insect-bot sculptures, and the Solar Dragonfly is one of the best. The solar panels running down the body actually power the wings, which are then kicked into motion using a pager motor. Sure, it looks swell, but we can’t help but think the Solar Dragonfly would lose its balance whilst flapping its wings feebly, all the while wishing it was a real dragonfly. How would Disney have tackled that one? A solar powered dragonfly that wants to be a real insect—now there’s a cartoon we want to see. Pixar, hop to it. Hit the link for some more great shots. [Clockwork Robot via Make]

Via [Gizmodo]

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Earlier this month, EA offered to buy out Take-Two for $25 a share which was rejected and then resulted in an offer of $26 a share earlier this week, which was also rejected. Today, they offered to take over the mid-sized publisher for $2 billion. EA is the number one publisher on the planet, but […]

Earlier this month, EA offered to buy out Take-Two for $25 a share which was rejected and then resulted in an offer of $26 a share earlier this week, which was also rejected. Today, they offered to take over the mid-sized publisher for $2 billion. EA is the number one publisher on the planet, but they’ve been losing a little steam since last year and they’re looking to absorb Take-Two before GTA IV is released which is a smart move considering it’s one of the hottest anticipated titles aside from last year’s Halo 3 and this fall’s Gears of War 2. Take-Two isn’t looking to negotiate any such takeover until April 30, the day after GTA IV comes out. Now you might think that TT is solely relying on the GTA series to be worth a damn, but they’re slowly building a rock solid foundation that’s being solidified by titles such as BioShock and 2K sports titles. Besides slumping game ratings based on what metacritic.org has shown about EA, what other reason does EA have to purchase Take-Two?

Well, Activision is hot on their heels and their recent acquisition of Blizzard is certainly going to boost their numbers considering WoW pulls in about $150 million a month.

This is what EA’s CEO John Riccitiello said about Take-Two,

“While the videogame industry remains an attractive, high-growth business, the challenges and risks in the business are escalating, and the need for scale is becoming more pronounced,” EA CEO John Riccitiello wrote to Zelnick on Feb. 19. “Despite steps taken since March 2007 (when Zelnick and Feder took over), Take-Two remains dependent on a limited number of titles, and has limited capital resources. In addition, Take-Two faces ongoing financial, legal and operating issues and a very intense competitive environment.”

Take-Two’s Chairman Strauss Zelnick retaliated with this statement,

“In additional to undervaluing key elements of our business, EA’s proposal fails to recognize the value we are building through our ongoing turnaround efforts, which will further revitalize Take-Two,” he said. “While we have made substantial progress already, the turnaround of our business we commenced in June is not yet compete and we believe its benefits have not been recognized in either our current stock price or in the value of EA’s proposal.”

If you’re still with me then you’ll want to know this too.

In his letter to Riccitiello rejecting the most recent offer, Zelnick warned that if EA took the bid public, Take-Two will “consider all of its alternatives, including discussions with other parties.” Buyers could include other vidgame publishers and also traditional media companies looking to expand into the vidgame biz.

We’ll find out what EA has to say on the matter tomorrow during their conference call. Take-Two will be looking for other suiters in the meantime. This could get interesting and the landscape of the gaming world is going to get rocked.

Press Release [Variety]

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Via [crunchgear]

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