Popping the question with USB rings

Listen up, incurable romantics of questionable taste. If you're looking for a geeky way to pop the question but can't afford a crystal-laden iPod touch, a cheaper alternative may be near.

This Swarovski Crystal Engagement Ring is a concept for a USB flash drive designed to store photos, poems, credit card receipts, and other artifacts of your love, Gizmodiva says. These digital mementos are meant to be shared when the rings are joined in holy matrimony. And if this every makes it to production, it'll serve another purpose: Once presented with the gift, it would be a true test of a fiancee's love to see if she's still willing to stay with you.

Via Crave CNET

Vista SP1 released

Despite being launched over a year ago, some liken using Windows Vista to driving a car without a steering wheel. Sure, it can move forwards and back, but woe to those whose destination is not in a straight line.

Well, those days may soon be over, as the long-awaited Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) is now available for download through Windows Update application. Besides a modest performance boost in some areas, more importantly several bugs and issues have been addressed and resolved. According to forumers, laptop battery life on Vista SP1 has also been significantly improved, though other users reported a drop in performance (likely due to the fact that SuperFetch was wiped clean after installing SP1).

But let's face it, with the wide variety of hardware running Windows it is expected that individual experiences will differ. If you are not happy with SP1, or experience system degradation after installation, raise your hand in the talkback.

A combo USB storage mouse for pack rats

If you're working on those hoarding issues but still can't quite bear to go cold turkey without a USB storage key at all times, then maybe this is a compromise on the way to recovery.

Asus has created a mouse that doubles as a flash drive so you can maintain your pack-rat tendencies with no one being the wiser. The MS71 is a wireless mouse that has a detachable dongle that acts as a USB transmitter when it's not being used for the storage half of the equation, according to Everything USB.

As a mouse, it certainly doesn't look like the most comfortable to use, not unlike other exceptionally small models we've seen. Then again, a lot of people swear by MoGo's anorexic version, so we'll withhold judgment.



Via Crave CNET

Top 10 antispyware applications

Most of us are intimately familiar with computer viruses--which can cause your system to crash faster than a V8-engine in the hands of a teenage driver. But with proper backups the damage can be effectively reduced. Spyware, on the other hand, is a lot more malicious.

Like its namesake, it hides in your system waiting for a chance to strike. Some versions even destroy your system defence--antivirus software and firewalls--before going to work. Besides collecting private information like Web site history, cookies, passwords, etc., it can even take over system resources and force your machine to do things it would never otherwise do (like redirecting your mail Web page to a porn site).

So is a total system overhaul the only solution? Not if you had the help of antispyware programs. Our sister site in the US has reviewed and rated the 10 best spyware protection applications, some of which are even free. Check them out after the jump.

Via CNET

BenQ shows off its slimmest 24-inch panel yet

The Taiwanese PC maker calls it the "world's slimmest 24-inch LCD monitor" and we'll take its word for it. After all, how many display vendors can boast of a 24-incher that measures just 2.44 inches (about 62mm) at its thickest point?

According to BenQ, the V2400W design, which is inspired by a B2 Stealth bomber, uses an advanced Rapid Heat Cycle Molding (RHCM) injection technology to achieve its slim profile. This new technology allows for more flexibility in molding non-traditional shapes and designs.

Introduced as a premium lifestyle product, the V2400W sports a mirror-black finish with slick touch controls. It will feature HDMI (with HDCP), DVI and VGA connectivity options, together with full 1080p HD support, 2ms GTG response time and a 4,000:1 contrast ratio. It is expected to be available this March in China and Asia, followed by Europe and North America in April.

Click for larger images:


Via FarEastGizmos
Picture credit: BenQ

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