Time runs out on Microsoft's SPOT watches

It's a sad day for fans of Smart Watches, which use Microsoft's once-hyped SPOT technology. The Smart Watch, the epitome of nerd chic, is dead.

Engadget picked up a blog post from Jon Canan, program manager for MSN Direct, who delivered the news on SpotStop.com:

"As of recently, the Smart Watches with MSN Direct have sold out and are no longer for sale," Canan writes. "While we continue to move forward with MSN Direct and seeking out new opportunities for devices that would benefit from the MSN Direct service, we, along with our watch partners, do not have immediate plans to create a new version of the Smart Watch, as we are focused on other areas of our business. We will maintain support of our watch customers and continue to deliver information to the watches, but we do not plan to increase our investment in the watch business going forward."
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A bed fan to snuggle up to

With Earth Day 2008 just past (April 22), here's a gizmo to help you reduce your carbon footprint somewhat; the key word being "somewhat" since this still sucks power. However, for those of us in the humid tropics who can't do without air-conditioning, the Bed Fan (US$79.95) sounds like a decent proposal to give up your AC unit. That is if you don't mind a rack-like contraption poking its head between your sheets. Believe us, there are less desirable things snuggling under your Sheridan.

At least this one hits the hot spot with a cool breeze that "travels between your top sheet and bottom sheet and bathes sleepers in a stream of cool, comforting air". Airflow volume can be controlled via a separate speed-control dial that can be placed on your side table or under the pillow, letting you create your own microclimate. Better yet, with rising utilities costs raising temperatures in homes, the more energy-efficient Bed Fan could well stem that bleeding household budget nicely!

Via New Launches | Photo credit: Brooke Stone

Some scary water stats from an expert

How much water does it take to make a pair of leather shoes? 8,000 liters.

That's from Hans Enggrob, head of innovation at the DHI Water Group, a research and consulting firm, speaking at the Nordic Green conference taking place this week at SRI International's offices.

It takes 2,000 liters to make a cotton T-shirt, 2,400 liters to make a hamburger, and 1,200 liters to produce a gallon of ethanol, he said.

But beer drinkers should rejoice. It only takes 75l for a glass of beer and 140l for a cup of coffee, he added. Much of the water in these products goes toward irrigating crops used to make these products.

Enggrob, like many others, points out that the world is facing a pending water crisis. Several startups concentrating on water purification and desalination have received funding in recent years and large giants such as General Motors have put more emphasis on water. Still, demand is growing faster than supply. China, Australia, and several African nations are already grappling with water shortages. In the US, some believe Lake Mead could run dry by 2021.
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Arm wrestling + Tetris = Tresling

First, the movie. Now, the arena? This one, however, is more real than reel since there's even an official Web site with video to promote the idea of Tresling, a game combining arm wrestling with a board game setup and the puzzle game Tetris. Lockjaw concentration and grunts optional. To play, each hook, toproll and press equates to a turn of a block. Clearly, wimps need not apply, since failure to maintain your position will send your blocks tumbling all over the place. Talk about a bashup of a mashup.

Via Engadget | Photo credit: TomGerhardt.com

Take back your yard like Dirty Harry

Let's say you have a backyard rodent issue. A big one. So big that you can't watch Caddyshack anymore without getting a tic.

The Mega-Sonic Scatter-Cat device supposedly "repels dog, cats, squirrels and other nuisance animals without harming them", according to Pocket-lint, using sonic and ultrasonic waves instead of buckshot. But who are we kidding here? Rather than something like the passively situated Solar Chaser, the real reason to get one of these is to pretend you're aiming Harry Callahan's .44-magnum at the dastardly four-legged vermin up to 65ft away.

In a perfect world, perhaps this technology will be developed for bi-pedal pests as well.

Via Crave CNET

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